Epilogue
Pemberley, five years later
The dinner table was as beautifully arranged as ever, and Elizabeth had Mrs. Reynolds to thank for it. The housekeeper was not just dutiful with her responsibilities, but she loved to see the family content, especially the master she had known since he was four years old.
With a warm thank you to Mrs. Reynolds and the maids, Elizabeth went in search of her husband.
She had just put her two year old son, Andrew, in the nursery with his nanny and was ready to spend the evening with her guests.
The house was full—as large as it was—and Darcy was often in the library, most of the time with her father.
As expected, she found them both and her husband hurried to greet her and kissed her hand.
“You look beautiful, my love. As always.”
“You are kind, and very partial to me, my dear sir,” she teased him, blushing under his gaze. Five years of marriage and a beautiful healthy son had not changed that.
“It is snowing,” Elizabeth said, glancing outside. “I barely noticed. What a wonderful Christmas we have again!”
“Because you are always busy with something, my dear,” her father said.
“Every year you bring all of us here, although the family is growing. All your sisters are married and have a child, and Jane even two. Not to mention your mother and her nerves, the Gardiners and their four children—well no, to be honest, they are well-educated and well-behaved children, they are not much trouble. And your son who is only two years old…”
“Yes, Papa, but…”
“Aaaa yes, not to mention Lady Augusta, who ended up in your care too. Nobody in your place would have shown such generosity to the woman who had been so spiteful, so mean, so cruel to everyone. Including to you. She wasted everything she had, and now you are hosting her in your home.”
“How could I leave her, Papa? They found her fallen on the floor, alone, barely alive. Nobody wants her. How could I throw her out, when she is kept to her bed?”
Mr. Bennet sighed. “But she would have thrown you out, without hesitation. Oh, yes, I forgot—who else would have raised her late husband's illegitimate children as her protégées? Who except you, Elizabeth?”
“Cece and Jane and Georgiana.” Elizabeth declared with a smile.
“I am glad to help Lucy and Tommy. It is the least I can do to compensate for their mothers’ suffering.
And I am not raising them—they both are living with their mothers and their families.
But I do support them and I will do so to the end. ”
“Well, it is kind of you, I admit. I am so proud of you, my dear. But you take too much upon yourself, we all see that.”
“I tell her that every day. Every single day,” Darcy interjected.
“You make me look like a saint, which I am not. Not by far,” Elizabeth continued in a lighter voice.
“It is not so much trouble, truly. I have a wonderful husband and friends and all the help I need. And I live in the most wonderful place. From all the estates I have seen, none is like Pemberley. I am truly fortunate and I must share my happiness. That is all I do. Nothing more. ”
“You are stubborn, my dear. Obstinate. You should at least listen to your father, if your husband cannot convince you,” Mr. Bennet added, reproachfully.
“I do listen to you, Papa. And to my husband. But he is much busier than me and he works far more.”
“That is not true,” Darcy replied. “I am busy with business, you are busy with everything.”
“Elizabeth is busy with making people happy. That makes her happy,” Cece said, entering with her husband. Mr. Cesar Johnson was carrying their son, Bennet, who was eighteen months old. The boy stretched his little hands out to Elizabeth—his godmother—who held him and kissed his cheeks.
“I admit I am happy,” Elizabeth said. “And how could I not be, since I see such wonderful results? Income has increased in the last two years like never before, Mr. Hoskins said. For this I have both my husband and Cece to thank. The children from both schools are growing up happy and healthy, three girls are teachers at Old Oak, and two of the oldest boys have joined the army, thanks to you, Cesar. The hospital in London is now open for anyone who needs assistance because we have the funds to support it. Your cousin, Anne Fitzwilliam, and Lady Matlock are doing a wonderful job supporting the charity.”
“Indeed—I was impressed by Miss Anne de Bourgh’s improvement once she married Colonel Fitzwilliam,” Cece said.
Elizabeth kissed the little boy again, and he caressed her face, laughing.
“You can play with Andrew outside soon, my darling,” Elizabeth told the boy.
“The boys are dangerously spoiled in this house,” Cesar Johnson said with feigned severity. “I am worried they will grow up expecting to be kissed all the time and they will be disappointed. It took me two years until I was granted a kiss,” he said, glancing at his wife.
Cece laughed. “Persuasion is a much-admired quality in a gentleman. I still remember how you returned that day, after I was so rude to you. You warned us about that Wickham man, but I am sure you had other plans too. You cannot deny it.”
“I have no wish to deny it. I had, and all my plans were successful,” her husband admitted.
“Aaa yes, that Wickham fellow, the favourite of your mother and youngest sisters. What an entertaining storyteller he was. Do you know what happened to him?” Mr. Bennet asked.
“When I last heard of him, two years ago, he had been discharged from the Militia because of his debts. It seems he owed his fellow officers and many other creditors over seven thousand pounds. It appears he was somewhere in the North, but I have no further knowledge of him,” Mr. Johnson replied.
“Well, I really do not care much about him. I wonder if dinner is ready?” Mr. Bennet enquired.
“It is, Papa. It has been for a while now, and I have come to fetch you. Georgiana, Jane, Charles and Mama are already there. The rest are still in their rooms, but they should be ready soon, too.”
“I will put Bennet in the nursery and join you soon,” Cece said, taking her son from Elizabeth, and leaving the room followed by the two gentlemen.
“Bennet and Bennet,” Elizabeth’s father mused with his usual mockery.
Elizabeth and Darcy remained behind for only another moment. One just for them alone. He took her hands in his and kissed them tenderly. Then he caressed her face and claimed a gentle kiss, as a sweet promise for later, in the privacy of their apartment.
In the dining room, everyone was already settled around the table, waiting for the master and mistress. Darcy escorted Elizabeth to the head of the table, and he was expected to sit at the opposite end.
Before she sat, he whispered to her, just as he had done five years ago, on their wedding night, his words covered by the joyful, loud voices.
“The mistress of my all...”