Epilogue
Elizabeth woke up to the wonderful, warm feeling of William’s body spooning her. She opened her eyes to see that it was barely dawn, and then she closed her eyes again, not wishing to wake her beloved.
After all, the past several weeks had been delightful but exhausting, and Christmas Eve had been nearly perfect but even more exhausting. Somehow, William had managed to revive her long enough, the night before, to exhaust her further with an activity that was not related to Christmas.
Even though she would swear that she moved nothing except her eyelids, William seemed to sense that she was awake and said, “Happy Christmas, dearest, loveliest Elizabeth.”
She turned in his arms and murmured, “Happy Christmas, my love.”
She arose to refresh herself, and he did, too.
But then they slipped back into the warmth of their bed, as they usually did.
Also as usual, William began with massages and kissing.
They were far quieter, these days, even more tender but not quite as…
athletic. Although William paid her attentions frequently, it had been a long time since she had conceived.
But that was all to the good, she supposed.
They laid in bed after renewing their connexion physically, murmuring quietly and thus renewing their connexion emotionally.
“Did you notice Ben’s attitude towards Beth Williams?” she asked.
“Yes, I did. Every time he sees her, he seems more….”
“Besotted?” she suggested.
“I suppose that is the word I am groping for. He is too young to be so attached, do you not think?”
“He is twenty! I was only eighteen when we met, and when we married.”
“Yes, dearest, but I was a dignified five and twenty.”
“It is terrifying to think that you were so very young when you became the master of so much, with so many people in your care.”
Truth be told, William still seemed to embody youth and vigour. His body was as trim, as powerful; even his hair was almost as dark as ever—just a bit of frost over his temples. He still rode and fenced and walked and all manner of other things, with seemingly as much strength.
“You know who seems too young to be coming out next year, my dignified and impressive husband?”
“Oh, it will be so terrible when suitors come calling,” William said—a bit too loudly.
She hushed him but chuckled. “Amanda seems to agree with you, Will. So maybe it will not be so awful.”
“It seems to me that a certain eighteen-year-old lady was most definitely not ready for serious courting, and then she met a certain gentleman and was instantly ready.”
Elizabeth gave him a soft kiss and said, “I remember. It was so strange, at the time, I just was thinking about your hair and—”
“My hair?” he asked. “My God, I thought about your hair all the time. I so wished to see it down!”
“And now we will have to go through all that five times, starting now, I suppose, if Beth is as interested in Ben as he is in her.”
“Stephen is just nine. Let us not hurry him into that category, Lizzy love.”
They heard a bit of noise, some low voices, distinct movements, and they both rose and swiftly made ready to see and be seen, even though it was only half past eight.
Hand in hand, they exited their rooms. “Happy Christmas, Rose!” they said to their fifteen-year-old daughter. “Happy Christmas, Robert.”
At age eleven, Robert seemed the sweetest person in the family, and he handed Elizabeth an elaborate card and gave both parents a courtly bow. “Happy Christmas, Mama, Papa,” he said.
Rose echoed the greeting and kissed both parents on their cheeks.
“Are any of our guests up?” Elizabeth asked. It had been a late celebration the night before.
“Aunt Georgie and Meg are up, but not yet downstairs. Meg is apparently teething again. Uncle Art and Mr Williams are eating breakfast. And Uncle Edward and Aunt Maddie are sitting by the fire in the east drawing room. I thought they wished for some privacy, so I hastened Stephen out of there.”
“Thank you, Rose,” William said. “Would you two like to join us in the breakfast room?”
While they were eating, Stephen drifted in and then decided he could eat a second breakfast, especially given the fact that ginger cake, plum cake, and honey cake were all available, along with mince pies and oranges and rolls and marmalade….
Richard and Cordelia and their two youngest children bustled in, too, with Christmas greetings on their lips and bright pink cheeks and noses.
“Have you taken a walk, already?” Elizabeth asked.
“Of course! Nothing like fresh snowfall to despoil,” Richard said.
“What a thing to say!” Cordelia chided, shaking her head. Elizabeth grinned at her. Richard was still…Richard!
Jane entered next, and as she was greeted by all, she kissed the top of her husband’s head. Arthur, also known variously as Uncle Art and Lord Wessex, was balding quite a bit but still looked hale and attractive.
Elizabeth nibbled her potted shrimp and toast as she counted her many, many blessings.
The Darcys went to the eleven o’clock services in Lambton this year, and all of their children and most of their guests made the trip as well. They had to travel by sleigh or sledge, because the freshly fallen snow made riding by carriage nearly impossible.
The tenant boxes had been distributed the day before Christmas, and the servant boxes would be given out the day after. Today was the day to give doles to the local folks who were in need. Beef, coals, blankets, clothing, and even coins were handed out with warm Christmas greetings and smiles.
Darcy supervised the distribution this year.
He and Elizabeth still spoke to each person, but he had Benjamin and Amanda give the doles.
He was so pleased that Benjamin did his duty with such a sunny attitude, and he was proud of Amanda for managing her duty despite her reticence.
Rose, Robert, and Stephen watched, knowing that eventually it would be their turn.
When it was time to return to Pemberley, Darcy spent a quarter hour with Gulltoppr, who was quite aged.
He never rode this favourite horse anymore, but every day that he was home, Darcy would visit.
“Happy Christmas, old steed,” he said as he stroked the bridge of Gulltoppr’s nose.
He offered him carrots and parsnips, and he patted his neck as Gulltoppr finished with an apple.
“I thought I would find you here, Papa,” Stephen said.
He loved Gulltoppr, too. He loved hearing about how white-and-gold the horse used to appear; now Gulltoppr’s coat had taken on a slight yellowish tinge, and his mane and tail looked less golden and more white and pale grey.
The contrast between body and mane was far less and both colours had muted and muddied.
Darcy and Stephen returned to the house. Huge as Pemberley was, it seemed to be bursting at its seams with so much cheerful noise.
“I will check with your mother,” Darcy told Stephen, “and see if there is anything we ought to be helping with. Why do you not check with Aunt Georgie, for now, and see if Meg or one of the other children needs a playmate?”
Georgiana had married the first son of a duke, a devoted musician who had not yet inherited. Somehow they had managed to have seven children. Georgie had brought a governess and two nurses to help with her brood—and yet cousins who were willing to play were always welcome.
Darcy searched several rooms before he found Elizabeth.
She was with Jane, Wessex, and Mr and Mrs Hurst. The latter was telling the latest news of the Bingleys.
“Yes, Caroline is quite pleased that her companion has at last birthed a child. She writes that even a squalling baby has brightened up the house.” Mrs Hurst laughed affectionately.
Long ago that estimable lady claimed to be at peace with her sister’s odd and lonely life, and every time Darcy saw Mrs Hurst, he was glad to see evidence that such peace of mind continued.
“Did I miss the news of Bingley?” he asked.
“He seems well,” she answered. “He and his wife live in Durham now, and their oldest child, Margaret, married this year. Their fourth child—their youngest—broke both legs jumping out of a tree, but he has apparently been tearing around the estate with his crutches. Nothing slows that boy down.”
“Both legs at once!” Elizabeth said. “That seems catastrophic…for any child other than little Charlie.”
Darcy met his wife’s smiling eyes and mouthed “I love you.” He always felt grateful that Elizabeth could sincerely care about the well being of people so wholly unconnected with her—and even wished well the people who had treated her ill.
They had not seen Bingley in two decades, and Darcy rather doubted that his former friend was deeply content, given what he knew of the genesis of his marriage, but he hoped he was at least somewhat happy.
“And how are your children, Mrs Hurst?” Jane asked. The two Hurst offspring were twenty and nineteen, and they had opted to stay in Town with their grandmother Hurst during the holidays.
Mrs Hurst’s smile grew wider. “They are very well, indeed, thank you for asking.”
She continued speaking, but Richard pulled Darcy away, and he gladly accompanied his cousin to the spot where Richard’s four children were rehearsing a song.
“We need some more materials to make props, Darce. Your beauteous wife has given us toys for the goose, hen, bird, and dove; the drum; and the dancer and lord. What we need is some ordinary household items, like a bucket, a piece of pipe, that sort of thing.”
“Hmm, seems to me you will also need a golden ring. But I loaned mine out already, some one and twenty years ago. I may never get it back.”
Richard lifted his eyes as he made an exaggerated sigh. “Just tell me who to ask. The incomparable Mrs Reynolds?”
“I will call for Underwood. He is very capable of making something out of nothing, and he is not nearly as busy as Mrs Reynolds, who might have one or two…thousand things to do for today’s dinner!”