by Maria Grace
“I will learn.” Pemberley propped her head on her forepaws, her green eyes large and sorrowful.
“I will always be here for you. Do not forget.” Elizabeth stood.
Uncle patted her shoulder and climbed into the seat. “I will send Rustle with word when we arrive. I may be several days at Rosings, though.”
Darcy climbed in beside him, and they drove off.
Once they were out of sight, Elizabeth sank to the ground, face in her hands.
Longbourn lumbered up and stretched out beside her. “This is best.”
She shrugged, but did not look at him.
“You should go back to the house to be with Collins.”
She scrubbed her face with her palms and rose. Longbourn reached his head for her, presenting his ear for a scratch.
It would be right to oblige, but her hands were too heavy to lift even that high. “I am tired. I shall return to the house.”
Longbourn pressed closer. “You will return soon?”
“Mary has not been to see you since Pemberley hatched. She will come whilst I rest.”
“Then you will come?” The tip of his tail lashed the ground.
“When I am rested.” She plodded away.
Her feet were as heavy as her hands, her head, her heart. Everything was too much to bear.
Why was Mr. Darcy taking Pemberley away so soon? She could easily have stayed the winter.
But then, the pain would only be that much worse when she left. Maybe it was better like this. What chance was there she would see Pemberley again?
Longbourn was going to force her to marry Collins. Then Collins would hire a curate and begin taking over the estate under Papa’s watchful eye. Elizabeth would become Longbourn’s acknowledged Keeper, and he—and Collins—would run her life to his satisfaction and comfort.
The house came into view, but she turned aside to Mama’s cutting garden and the little bench tucked in among the roses. There would be no roses now, but it was peaceful and that was what she longed for.
Dragon Keeping always carried a price. Until now, it had been easy to pay, a joy for the privilege of company that understood and esteemed her.
And it would be again. It had to be.
She drew a deep breath and squared her shoulders.
Her courage always rose when challenged. She was equal to even this.
Mary hurried to her. “April said she saw you from the window. Are you well?”
She forced a smile. “Well enough.”
Mary grabbed her hands. “We are to walk to Meryton, Mr. Collins with us. Will you come?”
Heather peeked out from under Mary’s hair. “We have missed you so.”
“Allow me to get April, and I shall. It is time we put all this business of the missing egg behind us and get on with what is ahead.”
Mary twined her arm in Elizabeth’s and they returned to the house.
It was time indeed for life to return to some sense of normality.
As much normality as their dragons allowed.
For more dragon lore check out:
Elizabeth’s Commonplace Book of Dragons
At Elizabeth's Commonplace Book of Dragons
Coming early 2017
Thank you!
Thanks for reading Pemberley: Mr. Darcy’s Dragon. I hope you enjoyed it.
Reviews help other readers find books. I appreciate all reviews of my books. I’d really appreciate it if you would take a moment to review it on your favorite book seller’s website.
This book is lendable through Amazon’s lending program. Share it with a friend!
Would you like to know when my next book is available? Sign up for email updates (and get a free copy of Sweet Ginger too!)
Visit me at http://RandomBitsofFascination.com, follow me on twitter at @WriteMariaGrace, or like my Facebook page, http://facebook.com/AuthorMariaGrace .
Other books by Maria Grace:
Remember the Past
The Darcy Brothers
The Darcy’s First Christmas
A Spot of Sweet Tea: Hopes and Beginnings (short story anthology)
A Spot of Sweet Tea 2: Holiday Tea (short story anthology) Coming out Winter 2016
A Jane Austen Christmas: Regency Christmas Traditions (nonfiction)
Courtship and Marriage in Jane Austen’s World (nonfiction)
The Queen of Rosings Park Series:
Mistaking Her Character
The Trouble to Check Her
Given Good Principles Series:
Darcy’s Decision
The Future Mrs. Darcy
All the Appearance of Goodness
Twelfth Night at Longbourn
Short Stories:
Four Days in April
Sweet Ginger
Last Dance
Not Romantic
To Forget
Snowbound at Hartfield Coming out Winter 2016
Available in e-book and paperback
Free ebooks
Available at Maria Grace’s website:
RandomBitsofFascination.com
Bits of Bobbin Lace
Half Agony, Half Hope: New Reflections on Persuasion
Four Days in April
Scenes Jane Austen Never Wrote: First Anniversaries
Anniversary February
Jane Bennet in January
Sign up for email updates and receive a free copy of Sweet Ginger.
About the Author
Though Maria Grace has been writing fiction since she was ten years old, those early efforts happily reside in a file drawer and are unlikely to see the light of day again, for which many are grateful. After penning five file-drawer novels in high school, she took a break from writing to pursue college and earn her doctorate in Educational Psychology. After 16 years of university teaching, she returned to her first love, fiction writing.
She has one husband, two graduate degrees and two black belts, three sons, four undergraduate majors, five nieces, six new novels in the works, attended seven period balls, sewn eight Regency era costumes, shared her life with nine cats through the years and published her tenth book in 2015.
She can be contacted at:
[email protected]
Facebook:
G+
Twitter
Random Bits of Fascination
Austen Variations
English Historical Fiction Authors
Pinterest
Acknowledgments
So many people have helped me along the journey taking this from an idea to a reality.
Debbie, Anji, Julie, Ruth and Raidon thank you so much for cold reading and being honest!,
My dear friend Cathy, my biggest cheerleader, you have kept me from chickening out more than once!
And my sweet sister Gerri who believed in even those first attempts that now live in the file drawer!
Thank you!
Don’t miss this free story from Maria Grace.
RandomBitsofFascination.com
Sign up for email updates and receive a free copy of Sweet Ginger.
