Elizabeth looked around at the familiar paneled walls and heavy furniture. Turning to her husband with a smile, she asked, “Do you remember the last time we were here together?”
“Vividly. I lived on the memory of those moments for weeks.”
“And now, not half a year later, here we are again.”
“But in a condition much different from where we left off, and far preferable, I must say.”
It was indeed far preferable, Elizabeth thought, reflecting on how content she had been since their marriage. Pemberley, while still new to her, was beginning to feel like her home; Georgiana was becoming a true sister, and the staff at Pemberley had welcomed her. If Mrs. Reynolds possessed any qualms about the young woman her master had brought home, she overcame them when she saw the joy she brought him, and the liveliness, absent from Pemberley these many years since old Mr. Darcy passed away, that she added to the household. She remarked to Elizabeth on one occasion how much more like his old self as a boy Mr. Darcy seemed. Elizabeth was also quite certain the housekeeper was pleased by the Gardiners’ Christmas visit, since it meant the halls of Pemberley were ringing with children’s laughter and Christmas spirit again.
“And with far better understanding of one another, I should hope,” she added.
“I believe you could safely say that,” he agreed.
“As I recall, you had some difficulty believing I was serious in my regard for you,” she teased.
“That was only because I was so afraid of losing you again,” Darcy said, thinking back to the anxieties of their courtship.
“I am not so easy to be rid of,” she said. “Besides, I could never leave you to the mercy of the fashionable ladies of the ton!” This had become a regular source of teasing between the two since Elizabeth had finally come to understand why, with all the finest society ladies to choose from, he had fallen in love with a mere country gentleman’s daughter. She now questioned why anyone had ever thought that he might wed a society lady, since it had become obvious that a country girl was what he would have wanted all along, had he given the matter any thought. A wife who longed for the social delights of London would have made him miserable; in fact, when they decided to forgo completely the pleasures of the Season in London this year, and to spend the winter at Pemberley instead, Darcy had shown nothing but relief, and had even been heard on occasion to regret that they could not do the same next year, since their presence would be required for Georgiana’s first Season.
“There are certain things that are quite unchanged, though,” Darcy said meaningfully.
“And what, pray tell, do you have in mind, sir?” asked Elizabeth impertinently, knowing full well where his thoughts were headed.
With a teasing smile, he drew her onto his lap. “I still spend a great deal of time thinking about how much I want to kiss you,” he said softly in her ear, and proceeded to do just that.
Elizabeth wound her arms around his neck and, having learned a good deal in the last two months about how to gain her husband’s attention, ran her finger lightly under the very edge of his cravat and began skillfully torturing him with light kisses along his face. “Elizabeth,” he moaned, retaliating by trailing kisses along her neck before recapturing her mouth with a series of passionate kisses that left her breathless. “Must you do this to me when we are five miles from home?”
“You started it,” she pointed out wickedly, redoubling her efforts. “Shall I stop, then?”
“You know the answer to that,” he growled, and stemmed her laughter by the most efficient means available to him.
It was then that Nan, the serving girl, appeared in the doorway carrying a tray with their coffees, only to find the Master and Mistress of Pemberley locked in a passionate embrace. Apparently the Pemberley staff had not been exaggerating after all about how often they discovered the Darcys in a compromising position! She retreated on tiptoe, closing the door quietly behind her. With a broad smile, she headed toward the kitchen where she knew she would have an eager audience for her tidings.
Acknowledgments
This book would never have been completed without the help and support of many people. My thanks to the readers who read it as a work in progress and offered helpful comments. The staff and participants at The Republic of Pemberley website provided the first home for this story and the original idea for the Pemberley Variations. Ellen Pickels provided keen editing eyes and invaluable technical support.
I must also thank my extraordinary editor, Deb Werksman, for her belief in my work, as well as my agent, Lauren Abramo, for her patience and support. Danielle Jackson of Sourcebooks walked me through the publicity minefields.
Last, but never least, I want to thank my beloved husband, David, for understanding and tolerating my anxiety while writing my first novel; my children, Rebecca and Brian, for not saying their mom was crazy (okay, well, they didn’t say it much); and all the wayward children who have made our home your own—you know who you are—for making sure my life is never dull. I love you all.
About the Author
Abigail Reynolds is a lifelong Jane Austen enthusiast and a physician. In addition to writing, she has a part-time private practice and enjoys spending time with her family. Originally from upstate New York, she studied Russian, theater, and marine biology before deciding to attend medical school. She began writing Pride and Prejudice Variations in 2001 to spend more time with her favorite Jane Austen characters. Encouragement from fellow Austen fans persuaded her to continue asking “What if…?”, which led to four other Pride and Prejudice Variations and her contemporary novel, The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice. She is currently at work on a sequel to Mr. Darcy’s Obsession, as well as the companion novels to The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two teenage children, and a menagerie of pets.
What Would Mr. Darcy Do? Page 17
