Encounter at Pemberly Chapter 2: Tough Decisions, a pride and prejudice and zombies fanfic

Chapter 2. Tough Decisions

Darcy POV:

I need some space and calm down, my heart is going to go out of control and not because of the exercise. Breathe, breathe, calm down... She is in your home, accepting your presence and does not look at you with hatred or contempt. Elizabeth at Pemberly is a dream come true. Okay, not like my life partner, but much more than I'd dared to dream of since Rosings... If anyone could see me now... Hidden from the world in the office, trying to regain the composure, like a schoolboy in love.

Let's see, Colonel, we don't have time for your daydreams. Things one by one... First of all, the safety of everyone under your roof and then your heart. Security: what the hell is going on, no attacks have been reported in the bordering regions except here. It seems that these attacks are very focused on me and mine, it can't be a coincidence even if it doesn't make sense, but it's the feeling it gives me. Giorgiana... All these kids... I'm going to have to take them all to Rosing, so count how many of us there are, what carriages I have after I've offered them to the crown, and how the hell am I going to do it. Evacuate Pemberly entirely... No one is going to stay here to defend a house or belongings, I have seen too much death to know that you are what you are and not what you have. With our creator, you go empty-handed. That's it, order a complete evacuation. It's not going to be a very popular order but it is what it is, if the situation improves we will get the staff back together.

Heart: There is no time in this life to fix what you have broken, so focus on making sure everyone is safe and try to enjoy the short time you are going to be in their presence. Unless show her that you're not the monster she thinks you are. You have already opened your heart to her with the letter, truth be told, I don't know if I want her to have read it or not. Be brave enough to put your breastplate aside, you've already taken it off, so don't put it back on.

I leave the office and go upstairs to my room where my bathroom should be ready. I can't help but stop and stand in front of the doors of the rooms where she must be, looking at them wistfully. With a sigh I continue to my room, undressing with my mind half blank and half fixed on the fact that she is a few meters away from me, to which my body reacts as it reacts. Ugh, I'm going to get in the water now and let my helper in because my needs are overtaking my self-control and I have a lot of things to do and one of them is not to comfort myself.

While I take a fast bath I ask my assistant to arrange an urgent meeting of all the employees, "in 20 minutes I want to see you all at the main entrance and to get my "essentials" ready and request my sister's too". (Essentials) are a few things that are not going to be stored in safes, easy to carry and carry with you, that are really part of you, like my mother's wedding ring that I have been wearing with me since I came back from Rosings God knows why. My assistant looks at me seriously for 5 seconds and simply replies, "Yes Milord."

I get dressed in a hurry and finish storing in the different hiding places the things with high value for me that I will not be able to take with me. That's it, I don't even want to stop and think that I might not see all this again.

I arrive 5 minutes before the requested time and I am not surprised to see that all the staff is already in their place waiting quite anxious but keeping total composure, I think it is the first time that I request the presence of all the staff.

"Good morning everyone, thank you for your unannounced attendance. I'm not going to beat around the bush, I order the complete evacuation of Pemberly to the island homes that each of you is assigned. It is immediately executable, tomorrow at 08:00 no one can be left here, we apply a total evacuation protocol, each and every one of you knows what you have to do. I know it is a difficult order for all of you, just as it is for us to abandon the house of my ancestors to its fate. But be clear about one thing, Pemberly is not the land or the house, it is the home that you all make possible and that will always survive as long as you are well and that is what you have to take care of. Regarding the children who are currently sheltering in the house, if they have relatives in the assigned houses they will go to those houses and those who have no one will come with me to Rosings. I need a detailed report as soon as possible of how many carriages, carts, carts, and horses are still available to organize the whole evacuation, as well as to know which children are coming with Miss Darcy and me to Rosings. Mrs. Reynolds, 5 minutes of your time please, the others start with the preparations."

"Are you so worried?" whispered Mrs. Reynolds

"Yes. I thought it would never be necessary to give this order, but I really see a path mapped out, a plan behind all this madness and it seems to be too much related to me. This house is a refuge, but if it has become a target, no one must lose their life for defending a possession. Please personally verify that everyone leaves the property, including you." "Mrs. Reynolds, with regard to the guests of this house, everything they may demand is binding. Don't get me wrong, they are simple and brave people, but I want them to receive all the respect and good treatment that makes this property great." I say.

Mrs. Reynols looked at me suspiciously for a moment and then smiled at me affectionately. In a gesture quite out of it, she touched my cheek as when I was a child and said, "As ordered by my lord, now and always at your service."

I stand alone at the entrance breathing deeply and trying to calm myself in the face of one of the hardest and saddest moments of my life. Well, it's done. I think I've aged 20 years since Rosings. Next step, my guests while I receive the reports. A sob catches my attention and I observe to my misfortune Giorgiana sobbing in Elizabeth's arms who looks at me with total sadness and a worried face, obviously they have witnessed the whole scene. Our gazes meet and I lose all consciousness of time, I just lose myself in her eyes until Mr. and Mrs. Philips appear and take a preoccupied interest in Giorgiana.

They met me and we headed to the living room calmly, a little dismayed.

Determined that nothing should be left unsaid, as she passed near me I called Elizabeth's attention: "Miss Bennet, let me thank you for your help and understanding in the journey with the children. I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there. Also my apologies for the lie regarding the training of the children, I know it can be very shocking but I believe in being prepared, so in the schools in the area it is mandatory that all children attend defense classes from the age of 3 that are organized from here. It also seems that I have to thank her for her generosity towards my sister, all this is not easy" and I invited her into the room.

Elizabeth POV

After crying bitterly for 5 minutes, even though it would have taken 6 hours, a maid knocked on my door to help me in whatever way I needed. She didn't even change her face when she saw me totally decomposed. She only helped me with my grooming and change of clothes, which was surprisingly fine for me. Not at all, I was ready, neat, and you could hardly tell I had been crying or so, I wanted to think.

Oh my God, I'm at Pemberley and he's invited me instead of kicking me out. It's torture to see how much I've made a mistake judging him, every second that passes I see something better that only makes me love him more and regret everything I said. I am consumed by grief and shame. Come on, my heart out and behave, neither he nor Giorgiana deserve bad faces if not the best. And I left my room.

I saw Giorgiana standing still in total at the top of the stairs looking at the entrance. I met with her and she asked for silence. I followed her gaze, and there was Mr. Darcy, impeccably dressed, as usual, with what must have been all the staff of the house.

"Are you so worried?" whispered Mrs. Reynolds

Mrs. Reynols looked at Mr. Darcy and with an affectionate gesture touched his cheek and said, "As ordered by Milord, now and always at your service."

I was completely frozen, I didn't even realize that I had hugged Giorgiana who was sobbing softly. Everything that had happened exuded complete sadness, but at the same time I couldn't be prouder of what this man had just done. He prioritized the lives of all his staff over their riches and possessions. In addition, all of us who were inside the house were also under his responsibility. He didn't run away from the moment or complain, but he did as soon as all the employees left and after the gesture of affection with Mrs. Reynolds, he looked really worried. Having to stop to breathe with a gesture very similar to the one he made in Rosings. And I thought it was a conceited gesture. I hadn't stopped to think about how many people can depend on one person's decisions and what that might mean for them. Giorgiana sobbed louder and Mr. Darcy noticed us, he had such a sad look on his face that it broke my soul and I wanted nothing more than to hug him as I was doing with his sister. I don't know how long we stared at each other, I don't know maybe there's hope that he still has feelings for me. Although I really see only sadness and anguish.

When my aunt and uncle arrived, we went down to the drawing room. I think I was still too absorbed, but as I passed Mr Darcy, he caught my attention with the following: "Miss Bennet, I want to thank you for your help and understanding on the journey with the children. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there. I also apologise for the lie about the training of the children, I know it can be very shocking, but I believe in being prepared, so in the schools in the area it is mandatory that all children from the age of 3 attend defence classes organised from here. It also seems that I have to thank him for his generosity towards my sister, all this is not easy", he did not wait for an answer and we went into the living room.

Confident, totally devoted to life, he takes care of his own and gives them the tools to take care of themselves.