As they rose for the day, Elizabeth immediately went to the nursery. Ellie was in her crib, and upon seeing Elizabeth, she stood up and raised her arms to be lifted out.
“Mama. Mama, up! Up!”
Elizabeth inhaled a sharp breath and stared at her daughter. Her precious child had just called her “Mama.” She could feel the happy tears that welled in her eyes. She reached over and lifted Ellie from the crib and into her arms, embracing her tightly.
Darcy stood in the doorway, a look of satisfaction on his face. Right there; that was the image he would carry in his memory for the rest of his life.
She turned and saw him standing there, an endearing smile upon his face.
“You are not the only one who can make such use of miniatures, Lizzy,” he said as he approached them.
“Will people not wonder at her calling me Mama?”
“Let them think what they will. We are a family, and the world will regard us as such. And those who do not, are of little concern to us.”
He put his arms around his wife and daughter. Whatever adversities life might put in their path, they would face and conquer them all, together as a family, and he would never allow anything or anyone to harm them.
~*~
“Good morning, William,” she said as he entered the stables. Elizabeth was already perched upon Shayla.
“I was surprised to awaken and find a note on your pillow instead of you, Lizzy. It was a poor substitute,” he admitted as he looked up at her. “Why did you wish me to meet you here?”
“It has been so long since we have had one of our early morning rides, I thought we would take one this morning.”
“Where do you have in mind,” he asked.
Billy then appeared around the corner, leading Marengo from his stall to his master.
“Since we have not travelled there since before our wedding, I thought we might visit the orangery.”
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Why there?” he asked as he took the reins from Billy and nodded his thanks to the young boy.
“Well, I have such fond memories of the time we spent there, William,” she said as she gave him her most mischievous smile, “and I was always curious as to how we might have conducted ourselves . . . had we not any impediments to restrain our . . . activity.”
Darcy looked up into her eyes, his desire aroused. How was he ever so fortunate as to have this woman as his wife?
“I am more than willing to help satisfy your curiosity, Lizzy,” he said as he mounted Marengo.
She gave Shayla a slight tap of the reins to set the mare in motion and headed for the stable door.
He looked at her curiously. Was she only toying with him?
“Be careful, Lizzy, or I may just take you up on it.”
“I am counting on it, sir,” she replied.
As she passed the threshold, she turned back and just before she kicked Shayla into a full gallop, she said, “Of course, you will have to catch me first.”
The End
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