Memory: Volume 3, How Far We Have Come, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice)

by Wells, Linda

  “Lizzzzzzzzzy.” He groaned.

  She laughed and let go, kissing his cheek. “Come love, it is time to go!”

  “Lizzy!”

  “Shhh,” she pressed her fingers to his lips. “Do not wake the baby!”

  “THERE IS THE PARSONAGE.” De Bourgh pointed. “Look, there is Michael in the garden and I think, yes, there is Charlotte with the chickens.”

  “Oh she loves her poultry. I cannot wait to see her!” Elizabeth laughed and waved.

  “She cannot see you, dearest.” Darcy nudged her.

  “I know, but she surely knows that it is we arriving, it is only right that I should wave.” Darcy rolled his eyes and she shrugged. “I have my quirks and you have yours, dear.”

  On her other side de Bourgh listened and looked across the carriage to Mary, Georgiana, and Kitty. “How do you put up with them?”

  “With difficulty, sir.” Georgiana sighed dramatically.

  “I still hold your purse strings, my dear.” Darcy reminded her. “Watch who you insult.”

  “Fitzwilliam, that only teaches her to insult those who hold nothing over her.” Elizabeth poked at him.

  “Well that backfired.” His brow creased and then he smiled at his sister. “Any insult from your lips shall be judged an insult to Darcy pride, and therefore, an insult to me. There, argue your way out of that!”

  “Am I being punished?” Georgiana’s eyes grew wide.

  “No.” Darcy’s eyes twinkled. “Just a reminder that you can be.”

  “Oh when do we arrive at the house!” She folded her arms while the rest of the party laughed. The three carriages turned into the drive and wound their way through the groves and into the precisely manicured gardens.

  “Nothing has changed out here yet, I see.” Darcy observed while the women looked on with varying opinions of the view.

  “No, no it will be a great deal of trouble to rearrange what has been here for decades. I will not undertake such a task alone.” He caught Mary’s eye and she blushed. They rolled around a curve and into a walled courtyard. “We are home.” Watching Mary closely, he saw her expression change from awe to fear. He looked to Elizabeth who was watching her just as closely.

  “My goodness, did not Mr. Collins give us a lengthy dissertation on the number of windows this house possesses? And the cost? Why Captain, I do hope that your stories are half as entertaining. Heaven knows that I am dying to see the chimney piece!” Mary smiled at her hands and the other girls laughed.

  Kitty’s eyes rolled. “Oh Lizzy, you do not know the half of Mr. Collins’s praise for this estate. You would think that he owned it!”

  The carriage doors were opened and Darcy stepped down, followed by Elizabeth. They moved away to retrieve Rosalie, leaving de Bourgh to hand out the rest of the ladies, ending with Mary. He smiled down at her nervously. “What do you think? It is not so very large is it?”

  “Not so large.” Mary said dumbly.

  “After seeing Pemberley, it is but a shadow; is it not?”

  “Shadow.”

  “Mary.” He whispered. “Are you well?”

  “Oh I hope so.” She whispered and startled, seeing his concern. “Forgive me, I … to be mistress of such a place would be something, I think. Your mother must be so very happy.” She pulled herself together as Mrs. de Bourgh appeared in the doorway.

  De Bourgh smiled at Mary and placed her hand on his arm, then beamed at his mother. “Yes, Mary. I think that my mother is very happy, indeed.”

  Chapter 3

  Darcy looked up from the papers strewn over the table in de Bourgh’s study, saw the man’s distraction with the view of the garden, smiled, and returned to his reading. “What am I doing here with you?” De Bourgh growled. “I did not bring her here to look at your face, no matter how pleasant your mouth is when you speak.”

  “Pardon?”

  De Bourgh startled and shrugged. “Mother.”

  “Oh.” Darcy’s brow creased and he returned to work. “You have been away, your steward needs your decisions before you return to London for the Season.”

  “My steward is perfectly capable of operating this estate without me.” He stood up and started pacing, then stopped in front of the window. “Why did they need to go to the parsonage?”

  “To visit Mrs. de Bourgh.” Darcy said patiently.

  “She is fine, Charlotte is just fine.” He started moving again. “She is here to see me! I wanted to take her on a tour of the house! I wanted to show her the gardens, and the groves, and … Damn it, why do we need the Season? I will propose!”

  “Captain.” Darcy glanced at him. “No.”

  “What do you mean, no?” He spun and glared. “I know that I want to marry her, she knows that I want to marry her, you, Mrs. Darcy, my mother, undoubtedly the servants know that I want to marry her, why wait? Why live a charade of pointless courtship if, if, if the result is a foregone conclusion? Tell me! Answer that!” De Bourgh ended with a flourish and stood, legs parted, arms crossed, glaring down at him. Calmly, Darcy rose to his feet and to his full and towering height. De Bourgh did not flinch, but he did relax his stance as he now looked up to the man with the cool blue eyes staring at him seriously.

  “Is the fencing room still equipped or has your mother changed it into a sewing parlour?”

  “No, it is still available.” De Bourgh’s arms came down.

  “Good.” Darcy opened the door to the study and started walking.

  “What are we doing?”

  “We are going to burn off this unrequited desire you have so that when Mary and the ladies return from their visit, the poor girl is not frightened off by the prospect of attaching herself for life to a raving lunatic.” Darcy’s lips lifted in a little smile. “How is your skill? I would imagine that you received some training?”

  “Yes.” Breathing out a long sigh, he strode along with him. “Although I am a bit out of practice.”

  “No matter, so am I.” The men eyed each other and both laughed.

  “You are a poor liar, Darcy.”

  “As are you, de Bourgh.” They reached the fencing room and Darcy stepped aside to allow the master to enter first. They closed the door and began to strip off their coats and shirts. “Keep in mind that if you mark me, my wife will have your head.”

  “I think that she will be after yours first.” Tossing a foil, Darcy caught it neatly. They assumed their stances and he said softly, “en garde.”

  MICHAEL DE BOURGH leaned in the doorway of the largest sitting room at Hunsford and grinned. “How am I to write a sermon with all of this noise? I swear it is growing louder by the moment! I thought that ladies were gentle, quiet creatures.”

  More laughter filled the room and Charlotte smiled, “Close your study door, Mr. de Bourgh, and we shall close ours.”

  “Your sisters were never silent, Michael. Surely your protests are false.” Mrs. de Bourgh declared. “Now shoo, leave us to our visiting.”

  He shook his head. “I will give up on my writing and go walk the glebe. Perhaps the silence of the fields will inspire me. Enjoy your visit, ladies.” He smiled at Charlotte, who was brimming with happiness to have her friends around her, and set off.

  Charlotte watched him go and then looked towards the window to see him pass. The other women looked amongst themselves and smiled until their hostess’ attention returned and noticing them, she blushed. “I am very fortunate to have a home of my own to keep.”

  “And a husband who appreciates you.” Elizabeth laughed when Charlotte blushed anew. “You have raised two wonderful sons, Mrs. de Bourgh. I hope that I have such an opportunity one day.”

  “Why thank you, Mrs. Darcy, although I cannot claim much influence over Peter, he was taken from me so young, with only very rare visits to assure me of his continued health. He wrote of course, and the excitement that filled our home when a letter arrived was a joy, but it was nothing compared to waiting by the docks day after day when news that his ship was returning w
ould arrive. So many families would gather.” She smiled at Mary. “The long anticipation of once again seeing Peter was sometimes unbearable. Only the precious words on the page remained to remind me of him.”

  “I … I believe that I can understand that, madam.” Mary said softly. “Although I had no fear over his life to worry over, I … I grew to know precisely how many days would pass before a new letter should come, and found myself spending the appointed day awaiting the post with nearly obsessive angst.”

  “She did.” Elizabeth smiled and squeezed her hand. “And woe to the heavens should there be a downpour or snow to delay its delivery!”

  “Mary, you cursed the weather?” Charlotte gasped. “You?”

  “Lizzy is having fun with me.” Mary glanced at her sister.

  “Believe what you wish.” Elizabeth caught Mrs. de Bourgh’s smile and laughed. “What stories may you tell us of your boys?”

  “Oh my dear, I will not speak of them here.” She winked at her. “I would prefer to do so with them present.” Her audience burst into laughter and Mary shook her head. “Do you disapprove, Miss Bennet?”

  “Do not take offence Mrs. de Bourgh, but sometimes a mother’s stories can be rather embarrassing.” She looked up at her with apprehension. “I hope that he … the captain, would not be …”

  “I appreciate your care for him, dear. I would never enumerate his faults before company; I would only highlight his foibles.”

  “Is there a difference?” Georgiana asked as she reached for a piece of cake.

  “Of course, a fault is a mark against his character; a foible is to be laughed at.” Elizabeth took a bite of her cake and swallowing, set down the plate and stared at it. Mrs. de Bourgh watched her face pale.

  “Are you well, dear?” She said softly.

  “Oh, I seem to not be hungry.” Elizabeth murmured and turned to Charlotte. “It is wonderful, though.” She closed her eyes. “Would you please excuse me for a moment?” She stood and looked towards the door.

  “I will help you, dear.” Mrs. de Bourgh led the way into the hallway and to a washroom in the back of the house. She stood outside of the door while Elizabeth coughed. Mary appeared. “She will be fine.”

  “What is wrong? Does she need help?” Mary stared at the door as the noises ceased. “Lizzy?”

  “I will be fine in a moment, Mary.” Elizabeth said softly.

  “I will find you some bread to chew when you return to us, dear.” Mrs. de Bourgh called, “Do you need a towel?”

  “No, there is a ewer and pitcher here, and towelling.” She gasped and began to cough again.

  “Oh Lizzy, what could be wrong?” Mary looked to Mrs. de Bourgh, who was smiling. “Do you know?”

  “I have an idea. You came running after her. You are very devoted to your sister.”

  Mary glanced at the door. “Lizzy and Fitzwilliam are very dear to me. But do not think ill of Georgiana or Kitty, they wished to come as well, but Charlotte told them to stay where they were.”

  “She lives here; she knows the tightness of this hallway.” Mrs. de Bourgh watched as Mary’s brow creased again as Elizabeth’s coughs continued. “She will be well, my dear.” Glancing down the empty corridor, she looked back to Mary. “My son cares for you.” Mary’s startled expression pleased the woman. “Surely you know that.”

  “He said that he liked me.”

  “Has he managed to keep it just to that?” She laughed softly. “And do you like him?”

  Blushing, Mary nodded. “Very much. He is …” She looked up and smiled. “He is trying so hard.”

  “To do what? Impress you?”

  “No.” Mary’s eyes lit up. “There is no need to do that. I mean that he is trying to live up to the position he has unexpectedly received. He confessed to me that he still feels like a visitor at Rosings, and is rather overwhelmed whenever he returns and is reminded that he is the one in charge. He is more comfortable on a ship, still.”

  “I agree, although we have certainly made a mark on the decoration, that was more my and Anne de Bourgh’s doing than his. In truth, all he has done is move in and learned the operation. He has not taken ownership.”

  “I understand that, I have moved from my father’s house to my sister’s.”

  “So you understand Charlotte’s happiness when she was proud to have a home of her own to care for?”

  “Oh yes, I do. And I certainly understand my sister Jane’s feeling of being left in a state of not belonging anywhere, living in another woman’s home and having no purpose.” Mary sighed and listened, then knocked. “Lizzy?”

  “Keep talking Mary, I am not presentable but I am listening.” Elizabeth said softly. “May I say that Fitzwilliam once remarked that Pemberley was not truly his until he married me and brought me home?” She coughed and became silent.

  “I think that Mr. Darcy’s feelings are similar to my son’s.” Mrs. de Bourgh smiled at the door. “You are a clever woman, Mrs. Darcy.”

  “So I have been told.” There was the sound of a pitcher being set down and then the door opened.

  “Oh Lizzy.” Mary touched her pale face and stroked back her mussed hair. “That cake did not agree with you at all! What will Fitzwilliam say!”

  “I can only imagine, but truly, must he know? I do not wish him to worry and you know that he will.” She smiled and saw Mrs. de Bourgh’s wink. “Now, finish this conversation. Mary, do you realize what the captain needs to feel at home now?” She held her sister’s hands and watched as the blush spread over her face. “You do know why he invited us here for Easter, do you not?”

  “For me?” She whispered.

  “He wants to see you in his house. He wants to fill up his mind with images of you in every room, and in every corner of the garden. He wants to hear you laugh and play, he wants to see what his home would be with you as his anchor.”

  “Well said, Mrs. Darcy.” Mrs. de Bourgh nodded and turned to Mary. “Are you up to the task, my dear? My son is a gifted leader, strong, steadfast, loyal, but my boy is a tender-hearted soul.”

  “Just as my Fitzwilliam is.” Elizabeth leaned against the wall.

  “He needs me to complete his home?” Mary said with disbelief and delight. “He needs me to be strong for him?” The two women smiled and nodded. “What do I do?”

  “Pemberley did not intimidate you did it?”

  “Pemberley was not my home, Lizzy.”

  “Pemberley was not Jane’s home either, but she was uncomfortable there.”

  “It is a home full of love and peace.” Mary shook her head.

  “Why is that?” Elizabeth prodded.

  “Because you and Fitzwilliam made it that way.” Her face lit up. “Of course!”

  “I must visit Pemberley someday.” Mrs. de Bourgh mused.

  “You are welcome at any time.” Elizabeth straightened. “Now, shall we gather our sisters and return to our gentlemen? If I know my husband, he will be weary of caring for the caged animal that is Captain de Bourgh.”

  “That sounds rather frightening.” Mary said as they made their way back down the hallway.

  “Oh my dear, I am sure that upon your appearance he will become the gentlest of beings.” Mrs. de Bourgh smiled at Elizabeth, whose eyes were dancing. “Mrs. Darcy seems to agree.”

  They returned to the room and Elizabeth assured everyone that she was well, and accepted the dry toast Charlotte had ordered and cautiously sipped a little tea. When she was sure that all was going to remain in her stomach, she nodded to Mrs. de Bourgh who led the way back to Rosings. Mrs. de Bourgh was approached by the housekeeper about dinner preparations, while Georgiana and Kitty decided to explore the gardens.

  “Come, Fitzwilliam and the captain are in the study.” Elizabeth looked around the vast hallway. “This way, I believe.” She and Mary started walking when they heard the sound of men’s voices and the clash of steel. “Aha! We may have found them!”

  “What are they doing?” Mary asked with concern.
“Are they fighting?”

  “Oh you have heard Fitzwilliam fencing with Mr. Evans enough times this winter.” Elizabeth smiled. “I suspect that is what they decided to do while we were gone.”

  Following the sounds, they came to the closed door. A servant arrived behind them carrying a tray with tankards of ale. He nodded and opened the door, walking inside. Darcy and de Bourgh stopped and grinned at each other, both picking up towels to wipe their sweaty faces and chests while the servant left the drinks and departed. Darcy looked up to see Elizabeth standing in the doorway, her arms crossed, an appreciative smile on her lips, her head tilted, and her eyes roaming over his glistening skin. Darcy, still breathing heavily, stopped dead and drank in the sight of his wife fully engaged in appreciating his form, and reacted as only a man can do. Elizabeth’s gaze drifted downwards over the breeches clinging tightly to his thighs, and her brows rose along with his mast. Their eyes met and the tip of her tongue appeared to moisten her lips before she smiled at him.

  “You look very healthy, Mr. Darcy.”

  “I am feeling very healthy, Mrs. Darcy.” He glanced at de Bourgh and saw that he was standing stock still, the towel clutched in his hand and at his side, his reaction just as pronounced, his breathing unsteady, and his body as red as a rose. Elizabeth and Darcy both looked to see Mary staring at his naked torso, watching his chest rising and falling, and blushing a pronounced shade of pink. Darcy’s eyes twinkled at Elizabeth’s, whose sparkled. Without a word, she turned her sister firmly around and pulled her from the room, closing the door behind her.

  “Good Lord.” De Bourgh whispered. Darcy handed him a tankard and picked up his own.

  “Steady, man.” He took a long sip and looked down at his still raging pride. “Steady.”

  “IT WAS THE MOST SILENT carriage ride I have ever experienced.” Mr. Bennet said wearily when he sank down into his chair. “Miss Edwards told me how Lydia has spent the past months essentially alone, but in particular the last fortnight she has truly retreated into herself. It seems that the visit to the school by this Jessica’s sisters has made an indelible impression on the population.” He sighed and rubbed his face. “That girl was as silly as Lydia, a touch older, but just as indulged and neglected. My shame for my behaviour grows by leaps and bounds.” Looking up at Mrs. Bennet, he continued. “I met a girl named Susan, who has been looking out for Lydia. It is her prodding that prompted her letter.”