Chapter Seventy-One
Mr. Darcy insisted that Elizabeth be served her breakfast in bed.
She was, to his eye, beautifully disheveled from their night together, and he could not bear to share her with anyone else, not just yet.
And so he fed her hothouse strawberries with his own hands, put bits of toast into her mouth, even put her teacup to her lips!
Finally, laughing, she demanded that he stop and let her feed herself. “Or we will be here all day, William!”
“I would not mind,” he said, earnestly. “Surely everyone would understand that a newly wedded couple would want complete privacy for a time!”
“Everyone except a much younger sister,” Elizabeth reminded him. “Georgiana is terrified of being in Town; she needs us.”
He knew she was right, but he wished – oh, how he wished! – that he could have her all to himself for a week. Or perhaps a month.
She saw the expression on his face and whispered, “When all this is behind us, let us go away for a time, just you and me.” The night before had been as magical for her as for him, and she, too, wished that their marriage might not have begun under a cloud.
“Promise?” he said.
“Promise,” she replied and offered her hand for him to shake.
He took her hand and carried it to his lips, memories of the previous night filling his mind. He sighed heavily. She was right; if they did not rise soon, they would not rise at all.
“Very well,” he said, at last. “I will let Corbin make me presentable.”
As he slipped out the door toward the sitting room, Anna slipped in from the hall.
To Elizabeth’s relief, Anna was blessedly practical, making no mention of the night before and busying herself with selecting a gown for Elizabeth to get into as soon as she finished her tray.
Elizabeth knew that everyone in the house, from the lowliest scullery maid to the austere Mr. Samuels, would know of their activities of the night before; she would simply have to cover her embarrassment and move forward with her day.
When she made her way downstairs, a footman was able to direct her to the breakfast room, where Georgiana sat, dawdling over her teacup.
“Oh! I wondered if you were ever coming down!” the girl said. Then she faltered. “I know you were probably tired from – well, probably tired.”
Elizabeth tried not to laugh. She knew that her mother had given Georgiana certain information about married life, and so Georgiana was well aware of what had occurred in the mistress’ bedroom the night before.
“A bit tired, yes,” Elizabeth said. “But I am ready to start the day. I need a tour of Darcy House before anything else!”
Mr. Darcy appeared in the doorway at that moment, and the three of them toured the house together.
Elizabeth did her best to appear nonchalant at the opulence before her, but she could not keep her eyes from widening as she took in the two dining rooms, the two drawing rooms, the guest bedrooms – even the servants’ quarters had fireplaces, nice furniture and rugs on the floors!
Mr. Darcy, seeing her surprise, said, “It has always been our custom to treat the servants as well as possible; as a result, it is rare that anyone leaves our employ or gossips about us. They know that the Darcy family rewards loyalty.”
Mr. Samuels found them in the library and presented a silver salver to Mr. Darcy, with a message. Mr. Darcy sighed.
“What is it?” Elizabeth asked.
“A message from Matlock House.” He handed it to her.
Darcy,
All of you must come to Matlock House for dinner tonight. We have a good deal of planning to do.
Aunt Ellen
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth looked at one another in dismay. There would be no romantic interlude for them, not for some time. For now, the focus had to be on clearing the Darcy name.
Mr. Darcy quickly penned an acceptance letter and gave it to Mr. Samuels.