“Even my kiss?” he asked just to see her blush.
She did not say a word just nodded. She strolled about, touching the precious objects and the delicate furniture, she stopped before the windows that looked onto the rose garden, and only then she entered her bedroom. She imagined how it could be to sleep there, but he cut her reverie. “You will not sleep alone, my dear, for a long time, but most surely our children will see the light in here!”
His bedroom did not impress her so much as the one meant to be hers. It was in darker tones, the furniture was in ebony and she could recall there the arrogant man she used to know. It was a simple and efficient room; only the bed was luxurious and indeed she blushed at the idea that she wanted to be there soon. Her whole body yearned for him.
A discreet knock at the door made her flinch; he looked at her and smiled, he adored her fears, “It is Scott, my dear, nobody knocks at my door but Scott.”
“Come in, Scott,” he said, and the butler announced that Georgiana was waiting for them for breakfast.
∞∞∞
“Is there anybody in this house who does not know yet who I am?” Elizabeth asked Georgiana as she sat at the table.
Georgiana and Darcy both smiled, looking at each other with a similar glance. It was Georgiana to answer. “When the master of the house cuts half of the roses from the garden before the stunned eyes of his gardeners, and then he terrorises the entire household for a certain apartment, I assure you that it was not difficult to know what was happening.”
“Let her eat, in God’s name, girl!” he cried to his sister, but he was so happy that his severity did not stop his sister. “Luckily, he had only a few weeks; otherwise, he would have rebuilt Pemberley for you!”
“You traitor,” he said to his sister, who made a funny grin at him. After many days of angst and disquietude, she felt delightfully relaxed in the peaceful atmosphere of his house, near his beautiful and loving sister. Besides the problem that had accompanied her from that day in Rosings, Elizabeth also feared meeting Georgiana. She was prepared to like her, but young girls were difficult—whimsical, sometimes—and a stranger who would come to take away one’s beloved brother was a sort of danger. Not in Georgiana’s case. She loved her brother so much that seeing his happiness she could not resist but be happy too. It was a relief to start their relationship the way it did. And all the servants secretly glanced at her with curiosity but also with reverence. The fantastic house was receiving her like a princess, and she felt nothing but enchantment. It was so unusual that all the problems she had imagined did not exist, but the one that she hoped to solve at Pemberley was yet so critical.
Chapter 14
Georgiana accompanied Elizabeth and Darcy for a walk in the park. The bright summer day with a cloudless blue sky looked exactly like in the painting from London. Pemberley received her in all its splendour. However, it was not only because of Darcy that—only three hours since her arrival—Elizabeth felt at home as if she had forever lived there. In the distance, they saw Mrs and Mr Gardiner and Darcy waved, inviting them to join their walk.
“You did not sleep long,” Elizabeth said to her aunt.
“No, it is a shame to sleep on such a beautiful day, we ate and came down in haste. Thank you, Mr Darcy, for this reception,” Mrs Gardiner said, observing with pleasure that Elizabeth seemed a little more at peace. She intended to have a long discussion with Jane as soon as the traveller’s fatigue disappeared. That splendid day and the beautiful landscape were the right circumstances for a rapid recovery.
“We have seen Mr Thomas and Mr Daniel going for a ride,” Mr Gardiner said.
“Well sir, you can join them whenever you want and in a day or two I will also invite you to fish.”
“Here?” asked Mr Gardiner surprised, showing the lake.
“No, there are fish here, but we go further away on the river that feeds the lake.”
Elizabeth wanted to see the fish in the lake and Georgiana took her to a place from where some huge carp could be spotted.
They ran like two young girls, followed by Mr Gardiner, who also looked eager to discover all the beauties and the wealth of the lake.
Mrs Gardiner and Darcy sat on a bench watching the others. It might look like an unplanned circumstance, but it was not. Darcy intended to be alone with Mrs Gardiner, and he was sure by now she also wanted to talk to him.
“He is like a young boy!” Mrs Gardiner said with much love looking at her husband.
Darcy admired her genuine feelings she still had for her husband after so many years of marriage. For him, the Gardiners were an example he intended to follow in his marriage with Elizabeth. He was grateful for Mrs Gardiner’s apparent preoccupation about Elizabeth’s future.
“Do you think, Mrs Gardiner, that it would be a wise decision to speak to Miss Jane?” he finally asked.
“Absolutely sir, please find an occasion and speak to her, I think that our young ladies are a little too idealistic and it is time to see the world’s real ground.”
Darcy nodded, he liked this aunt who was so different from the mother. She was a person full of common sense but also with a life experience superior to what Meryton could give. He would not dare to refer to Elizabeth in those terms, but it was also his deep impression. He was glad to find such a precious ally.
“I intend to speak to her this afternoon,” Mrs Gardiner said. “As I presume Mr Bingley did not come.”
Darcy looked at her to find her smiling, “I suppose he would be close to you when we arrived if he were here. It was only natural to think he decided not to come.”
“Of course, well he is not and does not intend to come, I received a letter informing me he will depart for Netherfield and will not stop here.”
“He knew Jane was here!”
“Yes, Mrs Gardiner, I specified this multiple times in my letter of invitation.”
“I see. In that case, we may say there are no hopes anymore.”
“Probably not.”
And that concluded their discussion.
Elizabeth looked at them; it was apparent what they were talking about—but odd how a man like Darcy, mostly uncommunicative and distant, was speaking with his aunt.
“You had quite a discussion with Darcy,” Elizabeth told her aunt. They were slowly following the others who were fiercely arguing about the best methods of fishing—Georgiana as skilled in fishing as any man.
“You know very well what we discussed,” Mrs Gardiner replied.
“You seem to get very well together.”
“I do not know how well we would have got on in usual circumstances, but just now that man needs an ally…Elizabeth, I love you like my own daughter, and I must warn you that you are making a huge mistake by delaying your marriage.”
Elizabeth was silent.
“My dear, a man like him easily gets bored, look at Mr Bingley, who seemed to be in love with your sister and a small inconvenience made him run away.”
Elisabeth nodded.
“We will go now and find your sister and discuss this with her.”
Elizabeth wanted to protest, but her aunt stopped her with a caress on her elbow. “For once, you will do as I say.”
“But Darcy asked me not to talk to her about…us and his role in Bingley’s sudden departure.”
“I agree, we will tell her only that Bingley did not want to come. And the rest will be for Mr Darcy to discuss with her.”
Darcy was far from happy to let Elizabeth go to talk to Jane, his complete confidence lay on Mrs Gardiner. He went to the library and asked Scott to lead Elizabeth to him as soon as anyone spotted her. It was such a strange demand that Scott looked at his master and hardly hid a smile. He had known him since he was born, serving as his butler since he was 18, but it was the first time to see his master so excited and impatient.
“Yes, sir, I will have one of her lady’s maids search for madam.”
∞∞∞
Mrs Gardiner and Elizabeth found Jane in her room in front of
the toilet table.
The long sleep had brought the colour back into her face.
She turned to the ladies who entered her room. Fully dressed with her hair coiffed in a cute bun, she looked ready to face the world.
“He did not come,” she said instead of any words of welcome.
“Yes, my dear, and we have to discuss it with you.”
Elizabeth took the decision to invite them to her apartment. Jane, as well as the other guests, had only a bedroom.
As they approached, a maid sitting on a chair in front of her room, stood up.
“What is it, Cynthia?” Elizabeth asked.
“I am sorry to disturb you, Miss, but the master invites you to join him in the library when you finish your other matters.”
Jane looked at the maid, then she entered the room. She strolled through the parlour and bedroom, looking out the windows then she came back to find Mrs Gardiner already on a couch.
“Come, my dear, sit near me,” she said.
Elizabeth was in front of them, leaning on the desk, incapable of sitting down because of all the excitement.
“Little sister,” Jane said with a strange voice—somewhat between curiosity and reproach—“What is all this?” and she pointed to the décor. “Apartment, huge bouquets of flowers, Cynthia…?”
Elizabeth smiled to hide her fears. “It is exactly what it looks like, the master of the house is in love with me.”
“Oh my God,” Jane exclaimed with a trace of concern. “Mr Darcy? But you hate him.”
“Let us not use such heavy words, my dear,” Mrs Gardiner intervened to calm her. “There was a certain dislike in the beginning, but now Elizabeth likes him.”
“I cannot believe it!” Jane’s face was the mirror of her soul; she could not hide her sentiments, she was happy and sad, but to their surprise, she got up and took Elizabeth into her arms. “I am so sorry, my dear, so sorry!”
Stunned, Elizabeth looked to Mrs Gardiner over her shoulder. They did not understand why she was sorry, but in her state, it was better to let her talk. They did not know why she was happy or sad or worried, as she quickly went from a smile to tears.
“I have been so selfish in the last months, you had to endure all my tears and stories and whims.”
“No, my dear,” Elizabeth said while she tightly embraced her sister. “They were not whims, you really suffer from a lost love. It is understandable and we all had nothing but sympathy for you.”
“And we were so worried sometimes,” Mrs Gardiner, added.
“Yes, very worried.”
Jane was shaking her head and speaking in a rhythm her words never had. “I did not see that other people had problems, you fell in love and I was not near you to be happy for you.”
They finally sat. Jane had tears on her face, but for once, the tears were not for herself.
“It was not all your fault not to see the truth,” Elizabeth was hardly able to find her words. She was so impressed by her sister’s generosity that she felt even more guilty than before. “I did not tell you that Mr Darcy proposed to me!”
“When?” Jane cried, and Mrs Gardiner felt that she had to stop Elizabeth’s confessions as they did not go in a safe direction.
“Now, my dear,” she said, “nobody hid anything from you. The proposal was made at Rosings, but it took longer for Elizabeth to accept and we did not want to upset you more than you already were.”
“That is why Mr Darcy invited us here? To propose to you again?”
Mrs Gardiner and Elizabeth looked at each other.
“Your sister has already accepted, but they decided to make it official, here, at Pemberley. Mr Darcy had to discuss his proposal also with your father.”
“I am so sorry I did not like him in the past. I have seen a change, but I was too preoccupied with my problems to see more. And my only thought at his amiability was that I could meet Charles—Mr Bingley—again.”
“And nobody is condemning you for this, it was only normal to wish his friend would be a part of this gathering.”
“But he is not,” Jane said.
“No, Mr Darcy invited him to come here, he wrote about this party for Miss Georgiana, but he preferred to go directly to London.”
“He knew I was coming?” Jane asked, but her voice was, for once, just curious.
“Yes, he knew for certain.” Mrs Gardiner said.
“He had already left for London?”
Again Mrs Gardiner and Elizabeth looked at each other.
“That we do not know for sure, my dear,” Elizabeth replied.
“So it is also possible that he is now at 50 miles and he does not want to come here…because I am here?”
Elizabeth hesitated to answer, but Jane demanded a clear answer; it was evident from her face. Her cheeks were on fire, but otherwise, she seemed calm.
“Yes!” Elizabeth agreed. “He might still be in the country.”
“I see!” Jane said, but no tears appeared on her face. “It is very clear now, no more guessing or trying to establish the truth.”
Mrs Gardiner just nodded while Elizabeth did not dare to look at Jane.
“There is still another matter to tell you regarding all this,” Elizabeth added. However—again—Mrs Gardiner did not let her continue.
“As you know, in the beginning, Mr Darcy was not as agreeable as he became later.”
“Yes, I know, I have always suspected it was he and his sisters to warn him off from me.”
Jane’s words felt down like pebbles on marble. Both niece and aunt were stunned by her statement. Jane looked from one to the other and continued, “So I was right, it was he…and them,” she said, but her tone bore no resentment or anger.
“Yes,” Elizabeth whispered. “You are right, he did not like our family at all…”
“Well, my dear,” Jane said with a pale smile on her face, “we can say that fate punished him by making him fall in love with one of us.”
“Enough of such sad talk,” Mrs Gardiner proffered with a voice she wanted to sound merry or at least calm. “Elizabeth will go to her Mr Darcy and we are going to walk in the park before dinner to clear our minds.”
Chapter 15
Elizabeth held her composure until she arrived at the library. But once the library’s door was shut, she ran into Darcy’s arms. She was not crying, but sometimes it was better to cry.
“What happened, my love?” the man asked with all the possible concern in his voice.
“She knows,” Elizabeth said.
“Oh,” he replied. “Those horrible creatures—his sisters—wrote her?”
Elizabeth was shocked by the virulence of his words. He had been harsh in the past, but he was now speaking about his best friend’s sisters. He was holding her and talking above her head which was deeply buried in his chest. “Charles is my best friend, however, from time to time, I wonder how a kind and a nice man like him could have such sisters.”
“For once, it was not them. Just Jane realised by herself that you—or they—might have told him she was not good enough for him.”
Darcy wanted to protest, but Elizabeth did not let him, “Maybe you used other words, but in the end, that was the idea.”
“It is not my best achievement in life,” Darcy said dispiritedly. “But I hope that now we have solved the problem, I will have my discussion with her in the morning—as I promised and tomorrow we will announce our engagement. Tomorrow other friends are expected from the neighbourhood and from Kent. And I hope the colonel will be here too, to help us prepare the party. Come, let us sit.”
Elizabeth did not want to stay near him, she looked around the room to find an armchair, but he did not let her go too far from him
“Do not kiss me, please,” she pleaded.
“Am I to be punished?” he asked, trying to catch her eyes.
“No, she said, I am to be punished,”
Despite her grave tone and her eyes full of tears, he could not but burst into benevolent laug
hter.
“I love you, Elizabeth, and you are destroying my life.”
But he did not seem to believe what he just said. He enjoyed this life that Elizabeth was destroying…it was so wonderful to be near her even in the turmoil that she created.
“I will not kiss you,” he promised, and she believed him. Her best way of recovering from such deep emotion was to look around and discover his books.
He watched her admiring the library, precisely as she did in London.
“I like this one much better,” she said.
“Why?” Eager to know her, his voice was full of enchantment and wonder. He adored how she flipped through the books, attentive to put them in the exact place she took them from.
“Because here you have so many books that were read by many generations. I feel pity for those books on the upper shelves, in their golden covers but never touched by a reader’s hand.”
“I will order to have them taken down, on the floor, if you like…”
He was joking, but she was serious; she looked at him with a stern look.
“I would like to see them all, but with much care and respect, probably they are ancient books.”
“They are, indeed, but their purpose is to be read, you are so right.”
Then she discovered the ladder for the upper shelves. “I can do it by myself, search the books, I mean.”
“Yes, madam!” he happily approved.
She climbed and looked at him from the last rung of the ladder.
“You take care, impulsive girl, not to fall before the wedding!”
She laughed and made some dangerous moves just to scare him, so he came and took her down. He slowly put her on the floor but did not let her go.
“I will have this ladder burned,” he said.
“You would not dare, sir.”
“Can I kiss you now? Enough of punishment?” he asked, looking in her eyes that were serene again.
She did not answer, although the acceptance was in the way her body stood against his, totally free and careless.
He caressed her shoulders and kissed her neck in movements that were already a ritual between them. She was no longer shy when he touched the soft skin of her décolletage, and finally, he kissed her lips and made her moan with pleasure.
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