Epilogue
Pemberley, five years later
Pemberley Manor was beautifully decorated, and the dinner table, luxurious and elegant, waited for the guests.
As had happened every year since their marriage, the Darcys were celebrating Christmas amidst their friends and family. They were all there except Wickham, who had spent two months at the Bingleys, with Lydia and her child, but had been called back to the regiment.
Lady Kendal stayed with the Darcys most of the time, as part of their family.
All the children—Darcys, Bingleys, Fitzwilliams, even Wickhams—called her ‘Grandmamma’, and Elizabeth and Darcy, as well as everyone else in their family, loved her dearly.
Her ladyship was in good health and spirits, and she enjoyed the warmth and the affection of those around her.
Her charities continued, under Elizabeth’s guidance, and had increased with another orphanage for boys, established two years after the Darcys’ wedding.
During the Season following her marriage, Elizabeth was introduced at the palace, sponsored by Lady Kendal. The same year, she attended balls at Almack’s twice, to fulfil the requirements of her position.
Mr and Mrs Bennet, the Bingleys, Mary and Kitty with their husbands, Anne and Richard, Lord and Lady Matlock, and the Gardiners were all at Pemberley and expected to gather in the large dining room soon.
Georgiana was there with her husband Lord Sinclair, a young earl with a connection to the Royal Family, but most importantly with a handsome figure and a generous heart.
He needed six months to gain Georgiana’s affection and struggled for six more to obtain Darcy’s as well as Lady Kendal’s approval.
Bingley’s sisters were with their ‘other family’, while Lady Catherine could not leave Rosings in the winter, so she had coldly declined the invitation.
She had reached a truce with her daughter and son-in-law when her granddaughter was born.
However, she never forgave those who disobeyed her wishes and never made peace with the fact that Elizabeth Bennet, the former Lady Alveston, was now Mrs Darcy.
Lady Kendal, as well as Lord Matlock, openly scolded her on different occasions, but she was not to be moved, choosing the loyal and obedient company of Mr Collins.
After a brief inspection of the dining room, Elizabeth went in search of her husband and found Darcy in the nursery playing with their son of four years and their daughter of two.
She sat on the floor, joining them in their play, and the two children and their father tickled her with small kisses all over her face.
The governess entered and claimed the children for their dinner. They reluctantly accepted being separated from their parents after a last goodnight kiss and a promise to play the next morning.
“They are so full of joy, and they never tire.” Elizabeth laughed.
“Very much like their mother,” Darcy answered, then embraced his wife and gently pressed her against the wall. “You should arrange your hair, Mrs Darcy. You look deliciously tumbled.”
“Do I? You do not look any more properly attired either, Mr Darcy,” she said, straightening his cravat.
“How awful,” he jested. “I have kept the poor habit of improper attire from the nights spent on the beach in Brighton. Where—to be honest—I look forward to returning.”
“As do I…”
They travelled to Brighton every summer and stayed for at least a month.
The family would reside in Lady Kendal’s house—larger, improved, offering perfect comfort for the family and their servants.
The cottage built by Darcy was mostly theirs, but they were aware their privacy could not last long.
The children were growing and claiming their attention, and it was only a matter of time before they would discover the cottage too and would demand to stay there with their parents.
But the revelation did not upset them. Even though in essentials they were the same and their ardent love had grown stronger with time, time passed and things changed—for which they felt blessed and grateful.
“Is everything ready for dinner?” Darcy asked.
“Of course. Mrs Reynolds has done a wonderful job as always. We should meet the others in less than an hour.”
“An hour, you say?” He claimed her lips, silencing her. “I trust there is enough time for us to arrange our appearance but not before we have disarranged it even more,” he concluded, entering their apartment and curing Elizabeth’s laughter with a passionate kiss.
When Mr and Mrs Darcy eventually returned downstairs to join their guests, Richard smiled at them meaningfully, causing Elizabeth to blush and Darcy to tug on his cravat.
As she sat on Elizabeth’s right, Lady Kendal touched her hand and whispered again, “Happiness suits you very well, my dear girl. Very well indeed.”
Elizabeth smiled back at the dear lady and stroked her hand affectionately. Lady Kendal was rarely wrong, and this was surely not such a case.