Chapter 15
Though Darcy had not precisely gone to the library in search of his wife, he could not deny that he was pleased to find Elizabeth there. Particularly not when, hearing him enter, she looked up and gave him a smile of open welcome.
“You look as if you’ve been spending your afternoon in worthwhile pursuits,” Darcy said, looking at the books on the table before her. “What have you found?”
“The Odyssey and the Iliad,” Elizabeth told him. “The translations in your library are intriguingly different from those in my father’s collection — or so I believe, for it has been some years since I read them. I believe it is time for me to be reacquainted with two of the great classics.”
“A most noble pursuit, if I ever heard one,” Darcy replied.
He pointed to the window, where the sunshine had just broken through the clouds and was flooding the garden with delicious rays of golden light.
“Though I must confess I had rather less scholarly pursuits in mind, myself. I was considering going for a walk about the gardens. Would you like to accompany me?”
Her face brightened. “Oh, I would like that. I will just take these to my room and return to you, if you do not mind waiting.”
“Oh, no. Here, Gerald.” He motioned to one of the many footmen posted at the doors of various rooms, and the young man hastened to them. “Deliver these to Mrs Darcy’s rooms, if you please.”
“Right away, sir,” the footman said with a bow. Upon receiving the books from Elizabeth, he was away in an instant.
“There, now. Shall we?”
When he offered his arm, Elizabeth took it without hesitation: an encouraging sign.
She was beginning to trust him, as he was beginning to trust her.
Indeed, it was becoming increasingly difficult to recall a time when Elizabeth had not been at Pemberley.
It had been so dreary before, and he had not even realised until her light had flooded the house, just as the sunshine was offering a much-needed respite from the cold and howling wind.
The months between Georgiana’s elopement and his marriage to Elizabeth had been some of the darkest of his life.
He smiled as he reflected that if he had not stumbled accidentally into Elizabeth, he would still be wallowing in that darkness, none the wiser. She had shown him what he was missing.
“You seem very cheerful today,” Elizabeth remarked. “Have you received good news in the post, perchance?”
Darcy shrugged. “No. Just the usual letters of business.” It was not any good news that had his spirits high, but her presence.
He opened the door for her that led out to the patio, and he followed behind, eager simply to be with her.
They walked down into the gardens, a little marred by the grass yellowing as winter approached.
Even so, the views from the Pemberley gardens were unmatched.
Mist was rolling down from the mountains as the sun chased away the cold, if only for a little while.
The leaves were all gone from the trees, save for the evergreens that covered the mountains and dotted the winding gravel paths.
“Are you looking forward to your riding lesson? I saw the seamstress leaving earlier this morning. I assume she has finished her measurements?” he asked.
“Yes, and she even has the fabric cut and pinned. It will take her and her apprentice several days to complete the sewing, but she has promised to have it delivered within a week for the last fitting.” She let out a breath. “I must confess, I am a little nervous for the lesson.”
“I will be right there by your side. And you may rest assured that the groom and I will choose a docile mare for you to ride for our first several outings.” He patted her hand, which was nestled in the crook of his arm. “You will do splendidly.”
“I hope so,” Elizabeth replied. “I hope to make you proud, if I can.”
Darcy looked over at her. You have already made me proud. More, perhaps, than I will ever be able to convey to you.
He was startled by his thoughts. He had known his bride for only a little over a month. It was preposterous that he was already falling in love with her. Or was it?
Elizabeth glanced up at him, their eyes locking for several seconds as their pace slowed.
There was so much he wanted to say to her, and so much for which he ought to apologise.
For his coldness when she first arrived.
For his curtness in the library when she had discovered the book Georgiana had given to him.
For the accident that had made them man and wife, and for how little he could now regret it.
Elizabeth must have sensed some of his thoughts, for she gave him a questioning glance. “Mr Darcy?”
He cleared his throat and looked away. “I should like to speak to you about our plans for the holiday. My cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, will have a few weeks of leave from the army. I thought I might invite him to spend Christmas with us this year. Is that agreeable to you?”
“Oh, yes, that sounds lovely.” She gave a shy smile. “I must confess, I am surprised you would ask for my approval.”
“Why?” Darcy asked her, surprised in turn. “This is your home now, too.”
“I suppose I still have not got used to the fact that Pemberley is my home. Not to say that I do not feel comfortable here.”
“What, then?”
“It is not my place to command, to demand my own way. This is your home.”
“But it is your home, too. You have the authority to demand whatever you wish, as my wife.” Darcy replied.
She laughed, shaking her head. “I feel enough the interloper without going about making orders. I must confess I have yet to become used to having so many servants. I am used to a great measure of independence.”
“In what way? Tell me about your upbringing,” Darcy asked.
The subject was a welcome change from his self-recriminations.
She had not thought she had any say in who might visit them for Christmas?
The knowledge was a painful reprimand to Darcy.
Elizabeth did not seem to feel that her wishes counted at all — due in no small part, no doubt, to his early insensitivity.
“Oh, it cannot be interesting to you. We were a household of five daughters and all the noise, gossip, and confusion that went with it. But for the most part, it was a happy upbringing.” Elizabeth splayed her hands in front of her.
“When I said I was used to a measure of independence, I only meant that I was unused to being so thoroughly waited on. We only had one maid between the five of us. And we none of us ever had a governess. It was left solely up to us to see to our education and hobbies. We are all so different, and I think that is largely because our parents allowed us to explore those things that seemed interesting to us. It led to developing one’s own talents. ”
“Such as?” Darcy prompted. Though he would not wish to say as much to his wife, his first impressions of the Bennet household had not inspired confidence.
Yet if it resulted in a woman of as much charm and spirit as Elizabeth, perhaps there was something to Mr Bennet allowing more freedom than Darcy’s own father had done.
“Well, Jane is very quiet, yet she is the best of all of us with our young cousins. You would never think her quiet if you saw her playing with them. Jane also has quite the knack for teaching. She helped oversee all of us growing up.”
Elizabeth’s face glowed as she spoke of her family, Darcy noticed. He would gladly see a look of such open joy on her face every moment of every day.
“Then there is Mary. No doubt it was difficult being the middle child. But she has found solace in learning to play the pianoforte and reading sermons.”
“Two very laudable occupations,” Darcy agreed.
Elizabeth gave a wry smile. “If sometimes less than palatable to her audience. As for my other sisters, Kitty and Lydia are very young yet. Kitty is sweet, but tends to go along with whatever Lydia says. Hopefully, she will come into her own one day.”
“And what is Kitty’s special talent?” Darcy asked.
“She does not like to say it, but she is quite good at watercolours. She might pursue painting more if Lydia did not so loudly proclaim it to be dull.” Elizabeth sighed. “And Lydia — well, she ensures Longbourn is never dull. She is very interested in clothes and ribbon, and haberdashery.”
“She designs hats?” Darcy asked. It was an odd thing for a country gentleman to allow his daughter to engage in.
“Oh, no, not making them. Buying them,” Elizabeth said with a wry smile. “Unfortunately, I think she will be a great burden to her future husband someday if she does not learn to use some economy.”
“I am sure your mother will guide her in that area,” he said.
“I am not so sure,” she replied. “Mama is the one Lydia takes after most.” She let out a sigh and waved at the mountains. “I love these hills. It feels as if I have come home after a long absence — as though I was always meant to be here.”
Darcy’s chest brimmed with pride. “I am glad to hear you say it. I want this to feel just as much of a home to you as you felt at Longbourn.” He hesitated. “As much as is possible, anyway.”
“I am sure it will. In time,” Elizabeth said. She took a deep breath, her chest expanding with the crisp, fresh air. Though inwardly chiding himself for acting the cad, Darcy could not tear his eyes away. After several seconds, he forced himself to look at her lovely profile instead.
“Tell me about Colonel Fitzwilliam,” Elizabeth went on. “I should like to greet my new cousin properly.”
“You will like him, I am sure. Fitzwilliam is a splendid chap and a loyal friend. He is a few years younger than I — a true gentleman with a thirst for life and adventure.”
“Your cousin serves in His Majesty’s armed forces? Which branch?”