Chapter 23 #3
“Why would you be walking diff —” He stopped and looked at her flushed face and downcast eyes.
“I see. It seems I have more to apologize for today. My intrusion now seems doubly rude. You were only trying to examine the damage I caused and then I had the nerve to question you.” He shook his head in disgust and looked away.
“Forgive me, my love. I will not intrude again.”
“You are forgiven,” she said, smiling sweetly at the look of relief on his face.
“I did not mean to injure you. Are you very sore? Would you rather we rest instead of touring the house?” he asked contritely.
“No, I’ve had enough of my room for the day. I’d like to stretch my legs. Shall we tour the guest rooms? We didn’t see them when I visited before.”
And so they were off. He told her stories about the rooms and who usually stayed in each and when they were last changed.
She made mental notes of the furniture and which coverlets looked like they should be replaced soon.
She was pleasantly surprised to find that the rooms were beautifully done but were not garish.
This is true elegance, she thought. Where beauty and comfort are the goals, not the display of wealth.
When the tour was complete she said, “There is one room I have not seen yet.”
“Which is that?”
“Yours.”
He hesitated but a moment. “This way.”
He took her arm and led her rather swiftly through the halls so she was practically skipping to keep up with his long strides.
He opened a door and led her in, saying, “My lady’s wish is my command.”
She stepped into his bedchamber and looked around, curiosity getting the better of her.
There was a leather chair by the fireplace and a soft fur rug in front of it.
She noted the door she presumed led to his dressing room and another that led to a balcony outside.
She opened it and looked out, the rain preventing her from exploring further.
“It extends to the sitting room that direction.” He pointed to his right and she looked obligingly, her eyes catching sight of the bed.
It was covered in a deep green counterpane with curtains of a similar shade pulled tight to the posts.
There was a small table on either side with a lamp.
She quickly looked away and noted the round table in the center, presumably for dining in his chambers and another chair in the corner.
Altogether, it was rather sparsely furnished and she wondered if it was by design or if he hadn’t really noticed it.
“You do not have much furniture,” she observed.
“No. I do not like clutter.”
She nodded and walked to the other side of the room, feeling the plush rug beneath her slippers and sliding her hand along the smooth wood of the table.
“May I?” she asked, reaching for his dressing room door.
“Of course.”
She stepped inside the small room. It was similar to hers in that it was surrounded by wardrobe doors that she was sure were filled with elegant clothes, but the style was rather different. Hers was done in pale, light colors while Darcy’s was a rich blue.
“I’m surprised it isn’t green to match your chamber,” she said as she looked at the oddly-shaped chair in the corner she assumed was for being shaved in. She had seen an advertisement for one once.
“I do not like too much of the same color. It becomes monotonous,” he said.
“You do not like clutter and neither do you like single color schemes. What else shall I learn about you today?” she asked playfully. “Do you have a bathing tub?”
“Yes, it is through there,” he replied, gesturing to a door in the corner. “You may look if you wish.”
She opened the door and stepped onto the cool marble. The copper tub gleamed against the pale floors and a small window let in a thin ray of light.
“Mr. Darcy!” she exclaimed. “That tub is enormous!”
He smiled. “Yes, I ordered it when we became betrothed. It only arrived a few days ago. Do you like it?”
“I think I might drown in it! Thankfully mine is smaller. Is your old one in my chamber now?”
“No, I wanted you to have a new one as well. The tubs that were in our bathing chambers have been moved to guest chambers.”
“Ah. I’m sure the guests will appreciate it! Most only offer a hip bath. This is quite luxurious.” She ran her hand over the lip of the smooth copper appreciatively. “Tell me, why is this one shaped differently?”
Her tub was higher on one end than the other, allowing the user to lie back. This one was high on both ends with a dip in the center, presumably for entering the tub.
“This one is designed for two people. That is why it is so large,” he said simply.
Her eyes widened. “Two people! But why would two people want to bathe together? It hardly seems efficient.”
He chuckled at her innocence. “When one is bathing with another, efficiency is generally not on one’s mind.”
“Oh,” she said, suddenly comprehending and blushing a light pink. “And have you had many inefficient baths, Mr. Darcy?”
He was taken aback by her question, but answered. “No, actually I have never tried it. But I am convinced it shall be enjoyable.”
She blushed brighter. “Thank you for showing me your rooms, Mr. Darcy. I believe I would like to see the gallery again. We went through it so quickly last I was here.” She bustled out of the room quickly and he ambled behind her, a small smile on his face.
Dinner was a subdued affair. It was their first meal downstairs.
They ate in the small dining parlor next to the music room rather than the large dining hall which would have felt cavernous with just the two of them.
This table comfortably seated six and could be expanded to hold twelve if necessary.
“Do you like the room?” he asked her after catching her looking around for the third time.
“Yes, very much. The paper is particularly pretty.”
“My mother chose it shortly before she died. The paper came in after the funeral but my father did not hang it. I found it a few years ago and had it put up. It suits the room admirably, don’t you think?”
“Yes, it does. And how perfect that you can have such a pleasant reminder of your mother on a regular basis,” she said.
“Yes,” he said plainly, looking at his plate.
“What shall we do the remainder of our time in London? We leave in five days, correct?”
“Yes. Did you want to do any shopping? It might be a good idea to order a new coat and fur lined boots. We have no plans to return to town before winter.”
“I suppose I could. I imagine I have enough new gowns for some time, but of course I will need more now that I have married such an important man.”
“You certainly shall. Important men never like to see their wives in the same dress twice.”
She laughed. “You are getting very good at teasing, Fitzwilliam.”
“I have an excellent teacher,” he replied and took her hand on the table. She blushed unexpectedly and looked down.
“Are you ready to retire, Elizabeth?”
She looked up and recognized the look in his eyes. “Yes, Fitzwilliam. I’m ready.”