Pax, the Canine Cupid

10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Elizabeth carefully navigated the slippery trail, feeling each step as she walked, while Pax padded softly behind her. The recent weather had once again been wet and gloomy. It was one of the reasons she hated winter and late autumn; it did not give her enough time out of doors. Stopping at the bench at the back of her family’s garden, Elizabeth sat down with a sigh. She did not like feeling so despondent. She preferred her cheerful self, but it she had left when Mr. Darcy had.

Mr. Darcy had needed to leave Netherfield to take care of some business in London for a time, and she missed him desperately. Poking at some pebbles with her toe, Elizabeth contemplated how odd it was to have so much of her life change in such a short period of time. In the two months since she had stayed at Netherfield to care for Jane, Elizabeth had less than one month of getting to know Mr. Darcy and three weeks quietly courting him before he had to leave. How had she completely lost her heart to another person so quickly? How could she miss a person so much that had not even been in her life not even three months ago?

The fact that she missed Darcy was only made worse by having to watch her Jane and Mr. Bingley plan their future together. In the three weeks she spent getting to know Mr. Darcy better, Mr. Bingley had proposed to Jane. As much as she loved her sister, it was hard to watch her sit with Mr. Bingley as they planned their future together. She wanted that for herself with Mr. Darcy.

Sadly, Jane seemed to know that something was wrong with Elizabeth, and for a time, she worried that Elizabeth did not want her to marry Mr. Bingley. While Elizabeth had convinced Jane that she fully supported her chose of husband, Jane was still worried about her.

So here she was, avoiding the loving couple and her mother. Perhaps it was not wise to keep their courting such a secret. At first everything was so new and fragile she had wanted to protect her connection from the exuberance of her mother. But now her mother lectured her daily on how horrible she was to be envious of her sister. Jane was beautiful, after all, and deserved all the happiness that came to her. If Elizabeth had wanted to get married, she should have tried harder to catch Mr. Collins.

When Pax nuzzled at Elizabeth’s hands, she scratched behind his ears absentmindedly. Trying to stave off loneliness, Elizabeth tried to imagine what she might say to Mr. Darcy when he returned. He would have to be caught up on all the happenings in his absence.

First off, Charlotte had married Mr. Collins and moved to Kent. The ceremony had been nice enough, and Charlotte had promised to write. She had, in fact, asked Elizabeth to come visit in the spring. Would Mr. Darcy be entertained by the fact that Elizabeth had not known how to answer her question? If things went as Elizabeth wished, they would be married by the spring and though they might visit Rosings in the spring, it would not be as Charlotte’s guest.

Then there was the change in the town. When they had heard about the truth behind who Wickham really was, all the town families had closed their doors to the militia. There were many daughters about town unhappy that there were no longer any handsome young men available to flirt and dance with.

Of course, Lydia refused to believe that her poor Wickham could not possibly behave so poorly. She pitched such a fit about it that their mother was forced to do something. Elizabeth had never thought she would see the day that her mother would actually act against her favorite. When her kind words to her daughter did nothing to stop her horrible behavior, Mrs. Bennet finally put her foot down. In her mother’s words, “Her beautiful young daughter would not be throwing her life away on a poor foot soldier.” The row had been epic, but Lydia was back in the schoolroom and Elizabeth could not be happier.

Besides the way she handled Lydia, Elizabeth’s mother had not changed much, despite her oldest daughter’s engagement to Bingley. She had merely moved her worries and hopes on to her another daughter. Oddly enough, the daughter that she showered her attention on way Mary. This was another thing that Elizabeth was happy about. Mary was thriving under the attention and had actually begun wearing lighter colors. She would like to think that Mr. Darcy would be just as happy as she was about the changes in her family.

Many of the conversations they had shared had been about their families, the differences, and the similarities. Elizabeth held onto the belief that beneath their conversations lay a glimpse of how they could one day create a harmonious family.

Realizing that it was too cold to simply sit in the shade, Elizabeth got up from the bench and moved on. Leaning down, Elizabeth rubbed behind Pax’s ears as he walked at her side. She knew her time in the outdoors was drawing to a close, as winter's icy grip still clung tightly to the land. She was becoming chilled, and knew she would have to go inside soon, but it was worth it to have a moment to herself. To not have to pretend that her heart was somewhere in London without her.

Darcy walked quickly down the slick path, catching himself as he almost fell. Rolling his eyes at his blunder, he forced himself to slow down. It would not do to harm himself or his package in his haste. Still, it was difficult; he had been away from Miss Elizabeth for far too long and his impatience to see her was gnawing at him.

When she finally came into view, Miss Elizabeth was looking away, apparently taking in the scenery before her. Something about her stance was off. Her shoulders were slumped and something about the way she stood made her seem subdued. She did not seem like his Elizabeth . His Elizabeth, he liked the sound of that. Hopefully she would too.

Pax took note of his presence almost immediately, and his tail began to wag enthusiastically. Before Darcy could decide if it would be best to go to her or wait for her to notice him, Pax took it out of his hands. When Pax nudged Elizabeth, tail wagging enthusiastically, she looked around and spotted Darcy standing there.

The way Elizabeth's face lit up with joy upon seeing him sent a powerful surge of emotion through him, resonating at his core. How could he have that much power in someone’s life? That his mere presence could bring her so much joy amazed him. Opening his mouth to say something, he realized he could not speak. There were too many words in his head and feelings in his heart to sort it all out. How to say what he felt and not end up sounding like a fool?

Elizabeth closed the distance between them in several long strides. Suddenly standing within arm’s reach but not touching. Seeing his hesitation, or inability to speak, Elizabeth smiled at him in a knowing way, saying, “I had not hoped you would be back so soon.”

Finding himself able to speak, Darcy managed to say, “I managed to complete the tasks I had set before myself in record time. I had no desire to stay away from you, not when your mere existence calls to me like a siren.”

Elizabeth’s lips pulled into a quick, impish smile before she replied, “I will admit that at the moment, I do not feel like a siren. Your absence in my life left a gaping hole that I didn't realize would ache so intensely. I have missed you immensely.”

Darcy hated the idea of Elizabeth being in pain for any reason. He was glad that he had a solution to the pain of their separation in mind. “Then I am glad I was able to return as swiftly as I did.” Pax disrupted the second thing he was going to say by his excessively curious inspection of the lidded wicker basket at his feet. Leaning down, Darcy ruffled the gentle giant’s fur and whispered, “That is a surprise, Pax. Do not give me away.”

Elizabeth seemed to notice her dog’s interest and looked at Darcy, her eyebrows raised in question. “I had not thought that you would bring me anything back from London.”

Looking down at the basket, Darcy prayed that the idea he had would work as he thought it would. Taking a deep breath to bolster his courage, Darcy began, “I am uncertain quite how to explain my thoughts, but it is not a gift for you. Though I welcome you to make use of it in someone else’s stead, for the time being.” Picking up the basket, Darcy held it in front of him.

Eyes narrowing, Elizabeth tilted her head as if she was trying to puzzle what he had said out. She asked, “Who exactly will I be holding this gift for? Do I know them?”

Darcy shook his head in denial, answering, “No, you have not met them.” Darcy struggled not to smile. He could see the cogs in Elizabeth’s mind turning as she attempted to solve his riddle. Wanting to continue with the game, Darcy said, “Actually, I do not know them either.”

Hands on her hips, Elizabeth asked, “Are they male or female?”

“Yes,” came Darcy’s grinning reply.

Twisting her lips up into a pout that made Darcy want to trace the line of her jutting lower lip, she asked, “Are you implying that you want me to watch over a gift for a person who is a stranger to us both? A person that is either male or female, possible either?”

Feeling the strength of his grin stretch his face, Darcy only said, “Yes.”

Elizabeth took a step closer to him. She rested her hands on the lid of the basket, saying, “Why would I want to watch over a gift for someone so unconnected to me?”

Complied to whisper his last hint, he intoned, “Well, I never said that they were unconnected to us, and I suspect you would love them and have no issue with the task.”

Elizabeth stood frozen, her mind racing as she absorbed Mr. Darcy's words, following the path his clues had laid out. The gift was for someone neither of them knew, but not unconnected. Possibly male or female. Someone that he thought she would love. Mr. Darcy had also said them, so there was a possibility that they were talking about more than a single person.

A sudden suspicion hit Elizabeth like a flash of light, and her fingers flexed convulsively on the wicker beneath her fingers. Her suddenly pounding heart did not make it easy to say, “Would it be accurate to say that the person or persons I am to hold this gift for will need some time before they are old enough to have use of it?”

Elizabeth was fascinated by the way she could read the hope shining in Mr. Darcy’s eyes. He was so unlike the man she had first met back at that assembly. This was the man she had come to know in all their interactions. Mr. Darcy was a kind man at heart, but it was a heart that he had endeavored to protect with stony stares and haughty demeanor. Elizabeth was ecstatic that he had learned that he could smile with her, to be himself and at that moment; he was smiling for all he was worth.

He seemed to note her understanding and with a nod said, “Well, I would hope for their being able to enjoy the gift sooner rather than latter but there is no certainty on any timetable.”

Now nearly certain that she knew what Mr. Darcy spoke of, if not at all aware of what was in the box Elizabeth glanced down at the oddly eager Pax before saying, “Well then, I suppose I should see just what object you have brought me care of.”

Placing her hands near the base where his were, Elizabeth prepared to take the basket only to have Mr. Darcy caution, “Take care, the basket is rather heavier than it looks and I would hate for you to damage its contents.”

Elizabeth nodded her understanding, but in that moment, she felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her hands when Mr. Darcy's fingers grazed against hers as he released the basket. Gasping at the sensation, Elizabeth gazed up at Mr. Darcy taking note of the way his eyes seem to widen. It was nice to know that she was not the only one to react to the encounter.

Though she would have wished to stare longer into his smoldering gaze, Elizabeth quickly became distracted by how heavy the basket really was. Realizing she could not peek inside while she was holding the basket, she knelt on the cold ground and placed the basket before her.

Pax quickly inspected the basket all over, tail wagging so much that it seemed as if he was wiggling his whole body. When he tried to nose open the lid, Elizabeth chided him gently. “Pax, it is not your present. You silly boy,” Pax whined but settled down to lie next to the basket, though his tail never stopped wagging.

Opening the lid with nervous fingers, Elizabeth peered into the basket and could not help but gasp at what he had brought her. No wonder Pax was so enthusiastic. Inside the basket, wrapped in a soft nest of a pink blanket, was a puppy. Reaching out, Elizabeth scooped up the puppy despite the nap it seemed to be indulging in. “Oh my, aren’t you precious?” Holding the waking puppy to her chest for a moment despite its size, Elizabeth snuggled with it. A quick glance told Elizabeth that it was a little girl and began trying to come up with possible names. Though soon enough, she held the baby out to Pax to inspect. “Look, Pax, you have a new friend.”

Pax instantly began licking and smelling the baby all over. Though she seemed to be frightened of the much larger dog at first, it was not long before she began sniffing at the other dog in return. Elizabeth looked down at the puppy that filled her arms. No wonder the basket was so heavy the puppy already rivaled the size of several full-grown dogs that she knew. It did not take Elizabeth long to realize that the new puppy was very similar to Pax. They both had the same lanky form and giant paws, not to mention the shape of their heads was nearly identical. Looking at Mr. Darcy, who had knelt on the ground next to her, she asked, “Wherever did you find her, Mr. Darcy?”

“You told me that Pax had been a gift from your uncle and that he had obtained him for you on his wedding trip to Ireland. We had begun corresponding with one another shortly after we began courting. I had let him know I wanted to get another dog like Pax, and he put me in contact with the breeder he had found Pax at. One of things I was doing in London was meeting with your uncle and obtaining this little lady.” Reaching out, Mr. Darcy scratched the puppy behind her ears. Continuing, he said, “Despite her size, she is only ten weeks old. I have a feeling that she will rival Pax in size soon enough.”

Inspecting the puppy more closely, Elizabeth realized she was wearing a small collar, and that something was tied to it with a length of pink ribbon. Glancing at Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth abruptly remembered the riddle she had been playing with Mr. Darcy. The joy she felt at discovering the puppy had completely wiped it from her mind.

Glancing back at Mr. Darcy with wide eyes for a moment, she quickly focused on releasing whatever it was from the puppy’s collar. The knot had been tied very securely, and it took a while for her to undo it with the tips of her nails. It was not made easier by the squirming bundle, but soon enough Elizabeth found herself in possession of a beautiful ring in the palm of her hand.

Taking the ring from where it rested in Elizabeth’s palm, Darcy held it up in front of him and said, “Despite the brevity of our acquaintance, the intensity of my feelings towards you far exceeds anything I've ever known in the twenty-six years prior to meeting you. Getting to know you over the last several weeks has allowed me not only to see you more clearly, but myself as well, and what I have seen continues to take my breath away. You have become like a fire in my veins that I do not want to live without. I cannot see a book or a sunset or even a tea tray without thinking of you and wondering what you would think of it and how much I would enjoy speaking to you of it.” Placing his palm in hers, Darcy allowed the warmness and electricity he found there to spur him further along into his speech. “The day that Wickham harmed you, I remember thinking that I wanted our children to grow up with a dog as loyal and loving as Pax was. We weren’t even courting at that moment, but I began trying to see how I could make it happen as soon as I was able, because I knew I wanted a future with you in it. There is so much that I want, but it all starts with you. So Miss Elizabeth Rose Bennet, would you allow me to be the father of your children, your helpmate, and your husband? Will you marry me?”

Instead of answering with a yes, as he had hoped, she got a teasing gleam in her eyes and said, “So you got me a puppy because…”

Somehow Darcy knew it wasn’t a no, so he felt perfectly comfortable saying, “Well, if our children are to have a dog like Pax at their sides as they grow, I thought it would be much more expedient to breed them ourselves. I know dogs do not live forever, as much as we might wish them to. I hope this way our children will always have a dog available to them.” He smiled wanly, remembering they both knew the pain of losing a beloved pet.

Looking down, Elizabeth studied the puppy in her arms and then Pax before she looked back at Darcy. In her eyes, he saw the response he wanted, even if she had yet spoken the words. It reassured him to see how much love floated there in her emerald gaze. As he watched, he noticed the way her eyes crinkled, and her cheeks quivered in an attempt to suppress laughter. He was not surprised when she asked, “So you want us to spend our lives raising babies and large hairy dogs?”

Nodding, Darcy twined his fingers through hers and with a confidence he’d never felt before, said, “Yes, I do.”

Leaning towards him, she whispered, “I think that sounds perfect. I believe there is no better way to spend my time than raising children and giant dogs with you by my side.” Placing the hand that was not tangled with his on his cheek, Elizabeth continued, “Yes, Mr. Darcy. I will marry you.”

In that moment, he couldn't resist the overwhelming warmth in her eyes and the happiness radiating from his heart. Before he knew it, their lips were locked in an embrace. The moment was pure bliss until he felt Pax licking his cheek. Pulling back, he glared at the dog, who seemed completely unrepentant. Darcy said, “I just got you a girlfriend, you ungrateful cur.”

Elizabeth collapsed into his chest, succumbing to fits of giggles. Eventually, between fits of laughter and wheezing, she managed to say, “You are the one who wants to raise giant dogs.” Darcy was happy enough to let Elizabeth lean into his chest as she regained her composure. If the ground was not so cold, he would be happy to sit with her forever.

Sitting up, Elizabeth rested her forehead against his and whispered, “How soon do you think we can get married?”

Whispering back, he said, “Why do you think I had to go to London? I was arranging for the marriage articles and a special license.”