Life at Pemberley certainly became more lively with Colonel Fitzwilliam as a guest. Although Elizabeth witnessed a side of Darcy as soon as he was reunited with Georgiana, she swore before Richard her husband had never laughed so much. It was endearing to watch the three of them so relaxed with one another.
Having insisted that she call him by his Christian name as they are now cousins by marriage, Elizabeth was not immune to being included in the fun. Nights were spent listening to dramatic war stories, hilarious soldier blunders off the field, and wicked impressions of his nearest relations, including but not limited to the Earl of Matlock, Lady Catherine, and even Darcy himself.
Elizabeth was having a tough time stifling her giggles as Darcy escorted her upstairs for the night toward her bedchamber. Richard had just completed a titillating tale of when he and Darcy were younger, and a pretty maid rebuffed both their advances to swoon her.
Darcy attempted not to grin in an effort to recover some of his dignity but it was near impossible with Elizabeth in her present state. In fact, when she let out a tiny snort in an effort to swallow her laugh, Darcy could not help it, he chuckled. "I am pleased my adolescent mortification has brought so much joy to your evening, madam."
Elizabeth flashed him a bright smile, one that he felt deep in his belly, a wriggle of pleasure. "The pleasure, sir, is completely mine, I assure you." They stopped outside her door as per usual.
Darcy cleared his throat, the recent brandy in his blood thrumming through his veins. "Assurance achieved." They grinned at one another. Elizabeth noticed a warmth on his cheeks from the alcohol and laughter, a hue that she rarely saw but it suited him. Darcy cleared his throat again. "I am due to survey the new land development tomorrow rather early. I wish to witness the first cottage breaking ground. It's somewhat a tradition of mine." He paused a moment before adding, "Would you care to join me? Tis a different visit than our previous encounters; there won't be a comfortable home to rest in, nor much shade. We will most likely get dirty as well."
Elizabeth's grin deepened. "Fear not, Mr. Darcy, for you did not marry the likes of a Miss Bingley or a Miss De Bourgh. I can handle nature well enough, even if my petticoat is ruined with at least six inches of mud."
Darcy could not help himself when she was playful like this. He stepped forward a bit into her space. He dropped his voice to a murmur, "Of that, ma'am, I have absolutely no doubt."
They stared at one another for a long moment, the laughter draining from Elizabeth and being replaced by something tight and warm. In the next moment, Darcy bent and brushed his lips upon her knuckles, and bid her good night.
Elizabeth was restless. All night she tossed and turned until she finally gave into her insomnia and left her bed as soon as the first rays of morning pierced the sky. Even then, she had hours to kill before she left with Darcy to the future village.
She attempted to spend the time by writing letters to Jane and her father, even writing a short note to Wickham with a handful of pounds to keep him. His correspondence dwindled down to hurried replies of thanks and woesome tales of his current conditions whenever she sent him a small sum; he was busy working for His Majesty's Army after all, and his time was not his own. Elizabeth felt guilty for not sending more money to him, but even she knew what she sent now was dangerous. If Darcy found out, surely their cordial relationship would be impacted negatively. Instead, Elizabeth steadily sent Wickham a small amount every few weeks, using the excuse that her remaining pin money was being spent on this and that now that her sisters each had a substantial dowry to lean on. Wickham congratulated her that her sisters were well taken care of compliments of Darcy; some good had come from her marriage after all.
Once her letters had been updated, Elizabeth descended into the smaller dining room in hopes of at least some tea to calm her body and mind. Unsure what exactly kept her so agitated, but a good cup of strong tea never hurt.
Happily, she found freshly baked crumpets at the ready and a pot full of tea. Helping herself as the servants continued to put out trays of cold items before preparing for anything hot, Elizabeth chose to get out of their way and take her small breakfast outside into the garden.
The fresh, crisp air was exactly what she needed. After finishing her meal, she rose and began to walk the grounds, marveling again at the beauty that was Pemberley. How fortunate she was to be its mistress, even through thick and thin.
As she rounded the bend after an hour or more, Elizabeth was startled to find Darcy speaking to two groundskeepers - two young men no older than Georgiana. Hearing her approach, Darcy smiled and spoke to the boys a moment longer before dismissing them. He strode to meet her.
"Good morning, Elizabeth. I trust I find you well?"
Elizabeth smiled back. "I am, sir, I thank you." She looked over his shoulder at the carriage, a much larger than their previous vehicle and filled almost to the brim in the back with supplies. She quirked an eyebrow. "Although I was not aware we were to bring the house to the grounds."
Darcy chuckled and they walked to the carriage together, helping her with a hand into the front seat. He sat down beside her but did not take the reins. "I have on more than one occasion wished for extra supplies to provide the workers when necessary. This is simply easier to come prepared." The wagon rocked a bit as the two young men returned and climbed into the back seat silently with the remainder of the tools required. With their presence, Darcy took hold of the reins and they began their journey towards the parcel of land.
"You have had an early start to the day, I see," Darcy said, relaxing against the back of the seat as the two horses took the lead.
Elizabeth hummed. "Yes, I could not sleep. I made a break for the outdoors as soon as reasonable."
"I hope nothing troubles you."
She flexed her hand subconsciously and shook her head. "No, nothing I can name."
Darcy paused a moment before asking, "Have you heard from your sister Jane recently? I know you correspond frequently."
Elizabeth smiled. "Yes, I write to her almost daily if I can manage it, and she to me. We post at least once a week. I so look forward to her letters."
He chanced a side glance at her before adding, "And she is well, I presume?" She looked at him quizzically. "I mean, all your family is well, I hope. I only know how close you and Jane are." He awkwardly paused another moment. "Has she had anything of interest to report?"
Elizabeth pursed her lips slightly in confusion before letting it go. "Nothing of importance for sure. She is constantly attempting to reign in my younger sisters, but with the regiment still in town, the task is hopeless."
Darcy grunted in acknowledgment, but Elizabeth swore she heard him curse under his breath. Narrowing her eyes, she could not make him out, but he certainly became a bit surly with her answer. She did not have a chance to inquire as they arrived at the busy landscape of the future village.
After helping her down from the carriage, Darcy and she walked amongst the workers who were busy sorting supplies of wood, nails, and the like. Already completed were rope outlines of each cottage in the first side street, and with a gaze across the horizon, Elizabeth could see dozens more just like these.
A young man in dirtied dungarees approached them and bowed before shaking Darcy's hand vigorously. "Mr. Darcy, it is always appreciated when you visit, sir. It means a lot to the men." He turned to Elizabeth and bowed again. "Mrs. Darcy, my name is Edward Port. I am most pleased to make your acquaintance. I am a groundskeeper here at Pemberley. I have heard much of you from my sister, Hannah."
Elizabeth smiled wide and curtsied. "The pleasure is mine, Mr. Port. Hannah has spoken of you a great deal, and I am eager to make your acquaintance."
The men got to work rather quickly. There was a group of women nearby with various small children. Immediately, Elizabeth was drawn to them and their work of preparing the day's meals for the workers. Although they refused her assistance there, they happily allowed Elizabeth to entertain the children, one of which kept toddling over to Darcy and she would have to catch him before he entered a dangerous area. One time, she received the pleasure of witnessing Darcy scoop up the lad, causing the boy to erupt into delighted giggles. Darcy and Elizabeth shared a smile before they left him again.
The morning quickly turned unseasonably warm. Although it should come as no surprise to Elizabeth after seeing Darcy accomplish commonplace tasks with each of their excursions, she did not expect him to remove his coat, roll up his shirtsleeves, and extradite his cravat before leaning his weight against a board as Edward nailed into it.
Elizabeth's eyes wandered with a mind of their own. As if time slowed down, she watched the muscles in Darcy's back flex with each motion with only the thin linen as a barrier. A single drop of sweat coursed its way down his throat, disappearing onto his chest and underneath the fabric, frustratingly outside reach of her gaze. And his bare forearms - she became lost in the sinewy veins and muscles she knew not he possessed. She wondered to herself what they would feel to the touch, whether soft or hard, warm or cool. She flexed her hand again.
"Mrs. Darcy?" Elizabeth startled and turned to find one of the women offering her a glass of lemonade. "You look quite flushed. Please be seated. There is some shade by that oak tree if you'd care to walk with me."
Elizabeth swallowed hard, wobbly. Yes, the sun was hot. "Quite," she replied. "Quite right. Thank you." But she chanced one more look over her shoulder only to find Darcy's eyes on her.
The remainder of the day Elizabeth felt plagued by something that she could not name. She worried her bottom lip almost raw in thought through the evening and into the late hours. She could feel Darcy's glance on her during the course of it, most likely concerned by her quietness. She was not herself; maybe she had caught a chill earlier, she knew not.
Worried that she would be kept awake yet another night by her active thoughts, luckily Elizabeth succumbed to a deep sleep almost instantaneously, but when she awoke, she did not feel rested. More so, she was on edge.
At breakfast, Elizabeth thoughtfully sipped her tea as she interacted with her newest relations. Darcy had yet to finish his first cup of coffee, and therefore he remained silently behind today's paper. She watched keenly for several more minutes until at least two full cups were consumed before she asked, "Mr. Darcy, might there be another trip to the village construction soon?"
Darcy folded the paper and put it aside at once. "Indeed, madam, I hoped to visit within a day or two to view the progress."
Elizabeth tried to hide her disappointment, and the torture on her lip continued. "Oh, may we plan to assist in the effort again?" Darcy's eyebrows flew up but he did not comment on his surprise. She hurriedly added, "I only wish to pay the children a visit and give their mothers a respite. Their support to the workers is paramount, as you know."
Darcy nodded slowly. "Indeed." He paused a moment before thinking. "What say you to a lengthier visit within a fortnight? I have business in London that shall keep me until then." Elizabeth smiled in agreement - within a fortnight then.
Richard decided to accompany Darcy on his brief trip to London with the idea of perhaps remaining there through month end to tie up some business with the army before they truly forced him to remain on leave through the new year.
Without the men at Pemberley, Elizabeth and Georgiana enjoyed the quiet of the house, some days not seeing the other until meal times as they caught up on their own duties and hobbies. It was a comfortable quiet for each of them, and Elizabeth took the time to visit the townspeople and local dignitaries, anything to keep her mind occupied from thoughts she couldn't comprehend.
Darcy did indeed have some business in town that needed his attention, and he had been putting it off for far too long. However his main objection to traveling so far away from Pemberley was to immediately and with much fervor visit Bingley and ask him precisely what the bloody hell he was waiting for in not asking for Miss Jane Bennet's hand in marriage.
After completing what needed to be done at Darcy House within a few days and with Richard loitering elsewhere to beg, barter, and plead with his commanding officer, Darcy left straight from breakfast to Bingley's London home.
His calculation in his arrival though was skewed - Charles had yet to descend for breakfast and so the only one ready to receive him was none other than Caroline Bingley.
Darcy took a deep breath through his nose again and made every attempt to keep his face neutral, but his eyes rolled a bit anyway. Caroline was close to insufferable throughout the bulk of their acquaintance, very near unbearable to be near once Elizabeth entered the picture, but Darcy could only describe this present moment with her as close to torture as one could find in his situation.
"Has the new Mrs. Darcy stripped away Pemberley's furnishings to allow for a more country taste to run free in its halls? Lord knows one of your father's art pieces alone could purchase Longborn."
"I gather Georgiana will need a place to stay often to allow some space away from her new relations in the Bennets. Do send her to us at your earliest convenience - unless of course you had yet to allow such a family to visit, which I do not blame you."
"I heard the Matlocks refused to visit. But Darcy, please be honest with me, do you quite blame them? The chit trapped you into this marriage. By God there must be some way to annul it and keep -"
Darcy had to repeatedly remind himself that he had never before hit a woman. Hell, he had only ever hit one person before, and Wickham bloody well deserved it. So he had only one thing he could do in that moment, and that was to stand and leave the premises immediately. He could call on Bingley later, and hopefully, he will be home alone.
Luckily - or unluckily depending on his current desire to flee - Bingley had just stepped into the room and greeted Darcy wholeheartedly. "Darcy! When Brandford told me you had called unexpectedly, I could hardly believe it! You're on your honeymoon, man, do not tell me this is something so serious to drag you away from your lovely wife."
Caroline snorted rather loudly.
Darcy attempted to unhinge his jaw. "I need to speak with you." He narrowed his eyes in a huff. "Alone."
Bingley caught on immediately, and he led Darcy to his private office across the house. With a loud click, he closed the door. "Darcy, what ever is the matter, man? You look perturbed."
"I feel perturbed." Darcy took a deep breath and reminded himself that Caroline was Bingley's sister through no fault of his own. "I've come to inquire if you still intend to offer your hand to Jane Bennet."
Bingley immediately flushed bright pink and stuttered, "I…well, I planned to…but you see…" Darcy simply raised one brow and Bingley crumbled both physically into an armchair and emotionally pouring out his soul. "We must have just missed one another on your wedding day. And then thoughts were plaguing me that I was too late, that she no longer cared for me, which then turned into she must never have cared for me, because, honestly, why would she? She's a perfection itself, and I am just a simple man with nothing to offer her -"
Darcy held up a hand, hearing enough. He sighed tiredly. "Charles, Elizabeth has made it clear to me that Miss Bennet cares for you very much. I myself witnessed the change in her demeanor that same day, and I tell you now - she is much altered. Your absence has taken its toll on her. I believe she loves you still." At his words, Bingley brightened. Darcy walked to the door and opened it, his business concluded, the hem of Caroline's dress just disappearing from sight as she hid from her obvious eavesdropping station. He added over his shoulder as he walked toward the front door, "Do us all a favor and get on with it." Darcy gathered his hat and gloves while giving Bingley a small smile.
"What are you talking about? Get on with what?" Caroline asked from the next room, unable to help her curiosity.
Darcy took a breath and peeked his head around the corner. "Congratulations, Caroline. Your future sister-in-law just so happens to be my chit's relation," he replied brightly. "I do hope Mrs. Bennet calls upon you often. You are so very generous and kind with your acquaintances."
Darcy turned away again from Caroline, her mouth now agape, gave Bingley a smug grin, and left their home, eager to return to Pemberley where he hoped news of impending nuptials would arrive to his wife soon.