They were soon thereafter at the front entrance of Northumbrella Hall. Darcy was thrilled by the expression of joy and excitement that suffused Lizzy’s lovely face, and he unexpectedly swept his bride off her feet and carried her over the threshold. The introduction to staff and the brief tour were both conducted quickly, as Darcy suspected the three ladies would prefer to rest and refresh themselves after their journey. As Lizzy became acquainted with the grand house, she was pleased to see the rooms were lofty and handsomely fitted up with elegant, well proportioned furnishings. “It reminds me very much of Pemberley, Fitzwilliam; and I shall, indeed, be very happy to reside here. But may I visit the stable now? I wish to check on Gloriana.”
Darcy was amused his wife’s first priority was her horse; and he led Elizabeth outside, not to the stable, but to the pasture, where Gloriana was out standing in a field. A groom had braided the animal’s mane and tail so she would look pretty for her owner’s arrival; and Lizzy summed up her impression of her contented mare’s appearance and her own new home in two words, “Nice plaits!”
Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy and their sisters had arrived at Northumbrella in time to deck the halls in preparation for the beauty and Christian significance of Christmas. Their steward, Mr. Cringlewood, and the housekeeper, Mrs. Pye, had both the manor and grounds in readiness for the newlyweds and their guests. Nevertheless, there were still a few decisions Northumbrella’s new mistress had to make, and Darcy was exceedingly proud of the way Lizzy took charge in an amiable yet efficient manner. Under the direction of its new mistress, the residence was spruced up with evergreens, mistletoe, and a Yule log; and Mrs. Darcy and Mrs. Pye decided on a mouth-watering menu of special festive foods, including roast goose and Christmas pudding, to be served at the family feast on December 25th.
On Christmas Eve, Lizzy put a few finishing touches on the gifts she had brought along to her new home, wrapped the items in handkerchiefs she had painstakingly embroidered, tied them with colourful ribbons, and hid the presents away in her dressing room. Anna and Mary had already retired for the night; even so, the girls, who insisted on sharing a room, could still be heard talking and giggling behind closed doors. Elizabeth found her husband at ease in his sitting room, and they were both surprised when a bemused footman informed them a very special delivery had just been received from Mr. Thomas Bennet of Hertfordshire. The servant then handed a letter to Mrs. Darcy, and she excitedly read her father’s words. “Oh my! Fitzwilliam, you must follow me outside to receive Papa’s Christmas gift.” She instructed the footman to bring their coats, hats, and gloves and requested an extra scarf.
As they exited the house, Elizabeth said, “Now wrap this muffler over your eyes in order to not spoil Papa’s surprise. I will guide you along the way.” Lizzy led him in the direction of the stable while she explained, “As you may know, my father breeds hounds for hunting; but even the best bird dog is only good to a certain point. Apparently Papa has successfully crossed a Gordon Castle setter and an English pointer; and, just in time for Christmas, you are now the proud owner of … ” Elizabeth unwrapped the scarf from around Darcy’s face and beckoned a servant to bring the gift closer, “ … ta-da, a point-setter!”
When the wool was pulled from his eyes, Darcy found himself face to face with an adorable male puppy, about ten weeks old. He reached for the little dog and was so totally enraptured he did not notice Elizabeth had left his side until she spoke behind him. “Fitzwilliam, here are the second and third parts of our gift from Papa. This handsome colt is Majeed, which means noble and glorious; he is yours. My filly here is named Sharifa, meaning honest and noble. These sweet-goers are yearling Arabians - twins out of Yasmina, sired by Khaldun Kahleil. Are they not prime bits of blood?”
“They are magnificent! The point-setter pup is magnificent! Your father is magnificent! You are magnificent! My life is magnificent!” He did not care a few servants witnessed his unrestrained enthusiasm. Darcy gently put the point-setter in an unoccupied straw-filled stall, lifted Lizzy off her feet, and spun her around several times.
“You seem to be in extremely high spirits this blessed eve, husband. Merry Christmas, Fitzwilliam.” The newlyweds kissed, oblivious to their smirking audience.
“How can I not be joyful, Elizabeth? Your father already bestowed upon me his most precious gift … your hand in marriage. His generosity is boundless, and I am immeasurably thankful.” He settled his wife back down on the ground and ran his hand down Majeed’s soft grey neck. “Just wait until Fitz sees this beautiful stepper. I am sure he will be positively green with envy over this fine piece of horseflesh.”
“Perhaps not. Papa has also sent another of Kahleil’s progeny, a slightly older colt, to Rosings Park for your cousin. On his instruction, the three horses were dispatched from Hertfordshire and began their travels just after the wedding. Longbourn’s steward despaired his newest worker, Barnaby Colton, would ever earn his keep; however, the young hand has recently proven to be a top-sawyer. Mr. Whitelaw says he has rarely seen anyone handle horses so superbly. I am sure Mr. Colton is quite fagged to death and knocked-up, so I must ensure he is given comfortable quarters and fed well after his journey.” Elizabeth stroked her filly’s soft muzzle and said, “You know, Fitzwilliam, there is a Bedouin legend that goes, ‘ … and Allah took a handful of southerly wind, blew His breath over it, and created the horse. Thou shall fly without wings, and conquer without any sword. Oh, horse!’”
“I had not heard that fable before; but someone once said, ‘To ride a horse is to ride the sky.’ My own personal favourite equestrian quote is from William Shakespeare’s Henry V: ‘When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes.’”
“I do admit I oft’ feel that way when cantering across an open field at Longbourn. There are two Arabian proverbs Papa told me. ‘The horse is God’s gift to mankind’ and ‘The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse’s ears.’”
Darcy was busy thoroughly inspecting the newest additions to his estate’s stable. He expertly ran his hand over each shiny coat; observed posture, muscular development, and spine; checked limbs; and looked into their trusting eyes. Lizzy laughed when he pried Majeed’s lips apart to inspect the colt’s teeth. “Upon my word, Mr. Darcy! Do you not know one must never look a gift horse in the mouth?”
Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, Miss Darcy, and Miss Bennet ventured out on a crisp Christmas morning to attend the parish church on the sacred holiday. The new mistress of Northumbrella was of great interest to the congregation and was introduced to many of those who would be visiting her home on New Year’s Eve.
Mr. and Mrs. Roman Candel and their twins, dark-haired Randall and Miranda, who were only slightly older than Mary and Anna, were invited for an afternoon of ice-skating on Northumbrella’s frozen pond. The Darcys’ bordering neighbours cheerfully accepted.
When the Candel family arrived, skate blades were distributed to one and all; and the party of eight walked the short distance down the lawn to the lake. Darcy fetched the point-setter puppy, which he and Elizabeth had decided to call ‘Balthasar’. They chose the Magi name because the little dog had been one of three gifts from a wise man on Christmas Eve.
Mary Bennet was somewhat bashful at first; but between Balthasar’s comical antics on the slippery surface and the cordiality of Miranda and her fine-looking brother, the ice was almost immediately broken; and those three youths skated circles around the others. Randall Candel was quite smitten with Anna Darcy and tried to be of assistance every time she took a tumble; however, the lad realized he was skating on thin ice when gimlet-eyed Darcy scowled at such actions. Elizabeth gracefully glided over to her husband and said, “Fitzwilliam, you could be a good brother and a-sist-her too; the poor fellow is rather taken with Anna and in some way reminds me of a certain cork-brained mooncalf with whom I was once acquainted. In your own words, you were a blushing, stammeri
ng schoolboy with a crush. My dear, the young man obviously wishes to embrace your sister. But, as I am sure you agree, no one could ever hold a Candel to a Darcy!” She giggled and skated away just as Darcy’s feet flew out from beneath him.
Fitzwilliam tried to catch his lovely, teasing wife; but similar to his sister, Northumbrella’s master was not a great proficient on blades. He had already taken more than a few spills and was somewhat irked his graceful spouse had no difficulty keeping her feet under good regulation. His mood was not improved when he tumbled yet again; and Lizzy skated in close proximity to inquire, “Are you not tired of sitting down, Fitzwilliam?” The next time he lost his balance, Darcy landed hard on his backside and hoped his wife had not noticed; however, she was, of course, instantly there to offer invaluable assistance. “Would you like some ice for that, sir?” Elizabeth did lend a hand so he could regain his feet and his pride, and she spent the remainder of the afternoon skating arm-in-arm with her unbalanced husband.
When they all had an adequate amount of fresh air, exercise, tired ankles, sore backsides, and teasing, the chilled skaters returned to the house for an assortment of favourite brews. Lizzy ordered a variety of sweets and pastries, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, mulled cider, and Mrs. Cringlewood’s delicious wassail of ale, sugar, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. As soon as the fire and hot drinks had warmed one and all, Mrs. Darcy suggested they gather around the pianoforte to sing Christmas carols; and after Miss Candel, Miss Darcy, and Miss Bennet had all taken turns performing, Fitzwilliam asked Elizabeth to play next. Lizzy merrily agreed but insisted her husband join her for a duet; and since she was the apple of his eye, he mulled it over and sat down be-cider.
The guests had planned to depart before darkness fell but were having such an enjoyable time that daylight had diminished swiftly without anyone’s notice. When servants entered the drawing room to light gas lanterns, Mrs. Candel exclaimed upon the lateness of the hour.
“Mrs. Darcy, we had not intended to encroach on your evening for such an extent. Thank you, my dear, for your splendid hospitality. It was a pleasure to meet you and your charming sister, but we really must be on our way home. Roman, where is that parcel?” Her husband passed her a peculiarly-shaped package wrapped in paper, and Mrs. Candel handed it to her hostess. “Here is a modest gift from our house to yours, Mrs. Darcy. Merry Christmas, and welcome to the neighbourhood.”
Lizzy was at a loss to identify the mysterious glass object she had unwrapped but did not want to appear unappreciative. Initially she thought it was a decanter, but it had a hole in both the top of the slender neck and in the rounded bottom as well. “Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Candel. It is exquisite, and I am positive we will utilize it regularly … whatever its function.”
“Oh, my dear Mrs. Darcy, you are delightful! It is a toddy lifter made by a talented craftsman in Erethistle.”
Mr. Roman Candel then continued the explanation, “You see, it works similar to a siphon. You simply immerse the bulbous end into the bowl of hot toddy, and the liquid is drawn inside. Once you place your thumb over the hole on top, you can transfer the drink into your glass by releasing your thumb.”
Lizzy had grabbed a lit candlestick and positioned it close to the gentleman as he described the procedure. Mr. Candel then searched the wrapping paper for a small card with written instructions about the toddy lifter. In the process, the flame made contact with the man’s disorderly mop of dark russet curls. The stench of burnt, sizzling, frizzling hair alerted Elizabeth to the predicament, and she hastily withdrew the candle before it caused a conflagration on Mr. Candel’s head. Unfortunately, the tall tallow taper toppled out of its holder and hot wax dripped onto the poor fellow’s foot. Fortuitously, his foot was encased in a sturdy boot; and there was no damage done other than a few singed strands of hairs and an unsightly splotch of wax on brown leather. Mrs. Darcy apologized profusely and summoned a servant to remove the globule, but Mr. Candel waved away both her distress and the maid.
The Candel family departed almost immediately following the unpleasant incident but with no hard feelings toward Northumbrella’s agreeable new Mistress. As the door closed behind them, Elizabeth flung herself into Fitzwilliam’s arms and wailed, “Mama often warned me about burning a Candel at both ends!”
Darcy acknowledged his wife was, without a doubt, keeping relatively late hours. Her commitment as Mistress of the household was taken very seriously, and Elizabeth especially wanted their first holiday season together to be as perfect as possible. As her husband, Darcy had also been responsible for her missing out on a fair amount of sleep, not that she had ever complained about that aspect of her wifely duties.
Darcy kissed Lizzy’s crown while he held her in his loving arms and suggested a rest would be beneficial prior to dressing for dinner. Yet when the newlyweds arrived at their chambers, he promptly forgot, or simply ignored, his own recommendation. Although they were soon abed, the couple did not sleep. Later, as they prepared to meet their sisters for the Christmas feast, Darcy made a decision. Since there is no time like the present, I do believe it is time to present my present. He fetched the wrapped gift from its hiding place and rapped on her dressing room door. When it opened, he stared in rapt admiration at his beautiful wife while Ann Cillary bobbed a curt curtsey and hastily left the couple alone.
Elizabeth Darcy was garbed in an elegant cranberry velvet gown; and her curls were swept up, exposing the entire elegant column of her creamy white neck. Her abigail had woven a crimson ribbon throughout her lady’s locks and also tucked a few sprigs of holly and ivy into the creation. Lizzy’s face still glowed from their previous activity, her eyes sparkled, and she dazzled her husband with her brilliant smile. In Darcy’s estimation, she was the most breathtaking woman that ever lived; and he stood, rooted to the spot, and gaped at her in silent adoration.
“Fitzwilliam, are you unwell?” Lizzy rushed to stand in front of her statuesque spouse, soothingly stroked his clean-shaven cheek, and brushed several rebellious curls off his brow.
Darcy roused himself and said, “I am in perfect health, dearest, but can scarcely believe you chose to dress in that particular shade this evening.”
Elizabeth’s hand flew to the base of her throat; she frowned and fleetingly trapped her lower lip between her teeth. “Oh, Fitzwilliam, I am sorry you do not approve of this colour. Mama, Jane, and I thought it looked rather festive when we chose the fabric at Mrs. Lovelace’s establishment. If we had more time, I would change into something more appropriate; but as we are already behind schedule meeting our sisters, I am afraid you will just have to tolerate my appearance tonight.”
Darcy ardently caught Elizabeth around the waist, pulled her into a tight embrace, and spoke huskily next to her ear, sending shivers down her spine. “You are bewitching this evening, Lizzy; and I burn for you yet again.”
“Oh! I thought you disapproved.”
“Quite the contrary, my dear. I was merely remarking on the coincidence you are wearing that particular shade of deep red, which looks absolutely ravishing on you, by the way.”
“Coincidence? What could be the coincidence?”
“Close your eyes, sweetheart.”
Darcy draped the delicate ruby necklace around her throat and placed a gentle kiss on her nape as he fastened the clasp. “Now open those fine eyes of yours, look in the mirror, and behold splendour.”
Elizabeth gasped at the vibrant jewels that encircled her neck. “Oh, Fitzwilliam, I have never seen anything quite so beautiful!”
Her husband stood behind her with his hands upon her shoulders and admired the reflection of her perfection. “I am of the same opinion. The gems are tolerably pretty as well, are they not?”
“I was speaking of the jewels. What did you … oh!” Lizzy blushed as she realized his connotation, and she turned around to face him once more. “Thank you, for both the gift and the compliment. I am gem-uinely awestruck. I never imagined I would own anything quite so … exquisite. Thank you, my wonder
ful husband.” She stood on tiptoes and placed a soft, sweet kiss upon his lips.
“It is my pleasure, Lizzy. It may not be as dazzling as the nine-hundred-and-fifty diamonds in the tiara Boney gave to his Empress this year; nonetheless, I suspect you would be disgusted by such a vulgar display of wealth. I purchased this bauble the same day I was granted permission to court you, the same day of the ball, and the same day you later made me the happiest man in the world by accepting my proposal. I had intended to present the necklace to you that very night, but it was in my guest room at Matlock Manor. If you recall, we were locked in the library, next my mother barged in, after that it was time for the waltz, and subsequently all other thoughts were forgotten except having you in my arms and knowing you would soon be my wife.”
“Yes, for some reason, I do seem to remember the sequence of events from that particular night as well. I assure you I had already crossed the Rubi-con, and there was no turning back; nevertheless, did you intend to entice me with rubies to accept your proposal?”
“Madam! I may be a barbarian, yet even I would not stoop that low. I realize you are teasing me; despite that, I must confess I would have done everything in my power to win your hand. However, if you were the sort of female to be swayed by such a strata-gem, you would not be the Lizzy I know and love. Ergo, it was never my intention to use a bribe to attract a bride. Now, could I entice you to kiss me one more time before we find Mary and Anna?”
“You could.” He did. A few minutes later Elizabeth said, “Still and all, Fitzwilliam, please do not suppose I shall be expecting any further lavish trinkets. I am definitely not the kind of wife who would say, ‘Husband, you are very rich and handsome; now hand-some over.’” Elizabeth ran her fingers up his chest and then into his hair. Whilst gazing into his dark eyes, she whispered, “Husband, you are a very, very handsome barbarian; now lavish me with kisses again.” He performed as requested; and soon after, as they hastily straightened their appearances and rushed down the staircase, Elizabeth light-heartedly admonished, “Fitzwilliam, I am reasonably certain I said lavish me with kisses.”
Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge Page 34
