Falling for Elizabeth Bennet
Page 25
Chapter 27
Mrs. Bennet is in the middle of boasting to Lady Lucas of all the riches that Elizabeth has when Darcy and Elizabeth arrive. Darcy and Elizabeth accept Lady Lucas’s best wishes.
Mrs. Bennet starts boasting of Darcy’s home when Darcy interrupts and says, “Excuse me, Mrs. Bennet. How can you describe a house you have never seen?”
Mrs. Bennet replies, “Mr. Darcy, I may not have been invited to your home yet, but with ten thousand a year, I know your home will be lovely. You must allow me to come to town and help Elizabeth decorate. She does not know who to go to.”
Darcy watches as Elizabeth says, “Mama, you must stop. You are embarrassing my sisters and Papa.”
Mrs. Bennet snaps back, “Be quiet, Lizzy. You do not know what you speak of. Mr. Darcy has standards, and you know that you will never live up to them.”
Darcy watches Elizabeth as she speaks in a hard tone he has never heard from her before, “Mama, Mr. Darcy is my husband, and we have been married these last three months, and if he is happy with the way that I decorate our homes, that is all that matters. How can you possibly think that I would allow you to have any say in my life now? I have been married these last three months, and you were not told because the wedding would have been what you wanted, not what I wanted. Less than two months ago, you told me to get out of Longbourn and never return. Now that you have discovered that I have indeed married a very wealthy man, not that you ever cared about what I wanted nor did I ever cared about how rich my husband may or may not be, you are trying to get in my good graces. It will not work. My father and sisters will be welcome at our homes, but you will not. I am Mrs. Darcy, and I control who is admitted to our homes. All I ever wanted from you was to love me. I am sorry I was not the heir you hoped I would be, and I am sorry that my condition caused you to panic, but do you not see that there are people who do not care about that? Look around you. I made a new family who all love me in spite of my health—Georgiana, Colonel Fitzwilliam, Captain Wickham, and even Mr. Bingley. They were there when I had a spell after you basically threw me out of the family. I may not throw my sisters in the path of other rich men, but I will invite them to my homes, and I know that Fitzwilliam will welcome my sisters at any time, and he and Mr. Bingley will be the big brothers my sisters never had. Please excuse me, ma’am. I have nothing further to say to you.”
Darcy leans down to Mrs. Bennet and says, “A word of warning, Mrs. Bennet—do not speak of my family in public again. If word reaches me that you have, I will know how to act, and I promise you will not like what I do. You know that I have powerful family and friends, so I suggest you hold your tongue. Excuse me.”
Darcy and Elizabeth join Jane and Bingley and offer congratulations. Mary, Kitty, and Lydia all come over hugging Elizabeth and Darcy and demand information.
Darcy replies, “Sisters, come by tomorrow afternoon. I must get Elizabeth home. She is tired, and after confronting your mother just now, I am sure she will be upset shortly when it hits her.”
The girls agree and promise to come by. Mr. Bennet comes up and says, “Darcy, thank you for caring for Lizzy. She looks beautiful as Mrs. Darcy.”
Mr. Bennet hugs Elizabeth and says, “Lizzy, I am proud of you. You stood up to your mother. Do not worry. I will control her from now on. I will be sending your remaining sisters out. I am going to allow Mary to join your party when you return to London. Lizzy, I cannot believe that my little girl has grown up into a beautiful young woman.”
Elizabeth replies, “I love you, Papa. I will see you soon.”
Darcy says, “Sir, our marriage announcement will be in tomorrow’s paper. I can finally show off my wife!”
To everyone’s surprise, Darcy picks up Elizabeth and twirls around in a circle with her. After a few minutes of farewells and good wishes, the Darcys and party depart.
The next morning, Elizabeth says, “Fitzwilliam, shall we explore the grounds? I would like your company.”
Darcy quickly agrees as they put on their outerwear and says, “Of course, sweetheart. Where shall we go?”
Elizabeth replies, “Normally, I would show you Oakham Mount, but I have already shown you that. Let us explore the paths and see if there is a vista that we like.”
Darcy offers Elizabeth his arm, and together they stroll the paths until they come to a cliff that overlooks a small brook. Darcy looks around and says, “This is a lovely spot. What is wrong, Elizabeth? Why did you want to walk away from the house?”
Elizabeth replies, “Fitzwilliam, I am well. I promise. I wanted to tell you that my dream came true. I found someone who loves me just as I am. Now I want to give you something that perhaps is a dream for you as well.” Darcy looks at Elizabeth in confusion and says, “Elizabeth, you are my dream.” Darcy watches as Elizabeth takes his hand and kisses it and then slowly places in on her abdomen.
Elizabeth says, “Fitzwilliam, we have not slept apart since I was kidnapped. I believe that I am with child.”
Darcy is stunned and asks, “Are you well, Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth laughs and says, “Yes, Fitzwilliam. I am well. I will not be sure until the quickening, but if I guess correctly, I should be due in about seven months.”
Darcy wraps his arms around his wife and says, “I love you so much, Mrs. Darcy.”
Darcy and Elizabeth look over the vista, and Elizabeth asks, “Fitzwilliam, when did you fall in love with me?” Darcy looks down at his wife. “Elizabeth, I cannot fix on the hour or the spot or the look or the words which laid the foundation. It was too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew I had begun. I can tell you that I admired the courage it took you to tell me that you had falling sickness. Sweetheart, I cannot imagine what it is like for you to live with this condition and worry as I am sure you do. I can tell you that I too experienced a type of falling sickness once. I fell head over heels in love with you.”
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my beta readers Natalia Pantaras, Hatice Iaconangelo, Kate Devine, and Diane Devine. Their help and insight made this book possible. I would also like to thank Doranny Abreu and the team at Page Publishing. Finally, my biggest thanks to my husband, Jeff, for believing in me and being my biggest cheerleader.
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