Pemberley Celebrations - the First Year
Page 29
They sat down, and as the first course was being served, music began to play from the next room.
“What is that?” Darcy asked.
Elizabeth looked up. “Why, I cannot be certain, but I believe it is something that is called music.”
“I know that, but who… where…?”
Elizabeth smiled. “Just one of my surprises.” She took a spoonful of soup, and then daintily wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I do believe that they will play any music you wish to hear. You merely have to ask the footman to take them the name of the song.”
Darcy leaned back in his chair and smiled. “I do not think I have ever eaten to any music being played here at Pemberley save for Georgiana on the pianoforte.” He grasped Elizabeth’s hand. “This was a splendid idea!”
When the two couples finished eating, it was unanimously agreed upon to go into the music room and dance to the music. They joyously celebrated their first anniversary with their own private ball.
Late that night, or rather early the next morning, the couples, tired from the long day, bid each other good night. Bingley and Jane went to their room, and Darcy and Elizabeth went to theirs by way of the nursery, so they could look in on Thomas. He was sound asleep.
As they walked past Darcy’s study, Elizabeth paused. “Fitzwilliam, I do confess I have one more surprise for you. It is in here.”
“Truly?” He opened the door and held up the candelabra.
“Over there,” Elizabeth pointed to the wall.
Darcy let out a low whistle as he walked over to the magnificent painting. “Elizabeth! When did you have this done? It is truly remarkable!”
“I commissioned the painter earlier this year. I believe he came out and did the initial drawings while we were at Rosings.” She stared through the darkness into her husband’s face, lit only by the light of the candelabra. “Are you pleased?”
“More than I can say!” He walked up closer to inspect it. “I have always felt a painting of Pemberley ought to be done, but I feared I would be disappointed in the end result.” He looked at her and cupped her face. “I could not be happier with it!”
Elizabeth smiled. “I am so glad!”
They quietly walked out of the study. At length, when they reached the hall that would take them to their room, Darcy paused. “Elizabeth, my gift to you is something I hope you will enjoy.”
“I already have your love, Fitzwilliam. I desire nothing else.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet bag. He handed it to Elizabeth. “This is for you to enjoy to your heart’s content.”
She opened it up and reached in, pulling out a key.
She looked up at him slyly. “Are you giving me the key to your heart?”
“You know you already have that.”
Instead of turning to go down the hall to their chambers, Darcy gave her a nudge in the opposite direction. “Where are we going?” Elizabeth asked.
“You shall see.”
They came to the end of the long hall. Many of these rooms were for guests, and Elizabeth had never been curious enough to explore all of them. They stopped at the far corner room.
“Try your key here,” Darcy said.
Elizabeth looked up at him curiously, but eagerly obeyed. The door slowly opened and Darcy stepped in. Several candles were already burning inside the room, as if waiting for them. Elizabeth looked in and gasped when she saw a beautiful pianoforte.
“Fitzwilliam…” Words did not come to her as she looked about the room. It was decorated in more modern fabrics than any other room in the house. She looked up at him with eyes begging an explanation.
“This was my mother’s music room. She always preferred playing in here, as the view out one window overlooks the garden and the other window looks out back toward the ridge. I had it decorated just for you and was fairly confident you would not even be aware of the work being done, since it is down a hall you do not normally pass through. The pianoforte was brought in today while we were gone.” He looked at her hopefully. “Are you pleased?”
“Yes! I cannot believe it!” She walked over and ran her fingers over the fine wood finish of the instrument. “I shall be able to practice up here and not disturb anyone until I am most proficient!”
Darcy laughed. “I have in mind that when Georgiana marries, she will wish to take the pianoforte I gave her for her sixteenth birthday to her new home. Then, if you wish, we can move this down to the music room.”
Elizabeth swallowed hard, her mouth dry. “It is truly wonderful. Thank you so much! I cannot wait to see it in the light of day!”
“Tomorrow Jane and Charles and Georgiana can join us here, and we shall have a delightful afternoon of music as you perform for us. I know that I should enjoy that.”
Elizabeth cast him a teasing glance. “I fear that is only because you are my husband and as such, you are required to sit dutifully with a smile upon your face while I play, and then later tell me how much you enjoyed it.”
Darcy took the two steps needed to bring him to her side. “Elizabeth, would you believe me if I told you that when you performed at Lucas Lodge and then again at Rosings, I had never enjoyed any music more.”
Elizabeth pursed her lips together. “And I always thought you were looking at me oddly because you saw nothing but my faults.”
“On the contrary, my dear. Every encounter I had with you, every word you uttered, every flash of your eyes, every song you played and sang, stirred me like no other woman ever had. I was lost in the depth of my love for you.”
Elizabeth could barely breathe. She was tempted to say something witty so she could take a breath, but thought better of it.
Instead, she wrapped her arms about her husband and looked up into his face. His eyes were dark, but she could see the light of the candles reflected in them. “You have truly made me happy,” she said. “I could not ask for a finer, more generous and loving man. Happy anniversary.”
Darcy did not bother to answer, but set the candelabra down and blew out the candles. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to hers. Then without a word, he lifted her up and carried her to their room.
*~*~*
The Bingleys remained at Pemberley for four days. Each morning the two men rode off to check on the progress at Cresselet. On the third day, the carts arrived with the Bingleys’ belongings and everything was brought into the home.
Elizabeth and Jane enjoyed every moment of their time together. They laughed, played with Thomas, and talked for hours on end. On their last night together, Jane and Elizabeth were in the sitting room.
“Elizabeth, I was thinking. Thomas is so precious. I know he will grow up to be a fine young man. If I have a girl, what would you think about the two of them getting married?”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “Heavens, Jane!” She let out a laugh. “I could never arrange such a thing!”
“You would not wish it?”
In between bursts of uncontrollable laughter, Elizabeth explained, “That is exactly what Lady Catherine and Lady Anne Darcy did, in ‘planning their union from their cradles.’ No, Jane, just look at what mayhem that created!”
“What mayhem?” Darcy asked, walking into the room.
Elizabeth quickly turned to Jane and put a finger to her lips. “Nothing, dear, just… just how lives change when there is a new baby.”
“That is very true.”
Bingley, who had followed Darcy in, sat down. “You know, when we have children, I am quite certain the cousins will be very close. Perhaps there might be a marriage between them!”
Elizabeth and Jane began to laugh, leaving the two men to conjecture what it was that was so funny.
*~*~*
The next morning Charles and Jane left Pemberley, eager to begin their new life at Cresselet. Despite knowing they would miss the closeness they had experienced the previous four days, they knew they could reunite after an easy thirty minute carriage ride.
As
Darcy and Elizabeth stood waving at the carriage as it pulled away, he put his arm about her. “So you do not wish to plan a wedding between Thomas and any daughter the Bingleys may have?”
Elizabeth bit her lip. “It is odd, is it not, how all of a sudden that seems to be such a pleasant thought?”
Darcy nodded. “Pleasant for us, perhaps, but it may not be for our children.” He paused and then said softly, “Charles believes Jane may be with child again, although she has not said anything to him. Did she say anything to you?”
Elizabeth’s eyes grew big and she glanced up at her husband with a wide grin. “Yes! She confessed to me that she does think she may be with child again. How did he know?”
“Well, he noticed that she seemed a little more fatigued than normal, just as she had begun to feel the other time.”
“Charles is an observant man,” said Elizabeth. “Jane did not want to tell him because she feared he would not want to make the move if she were.”
“He figured as much.”
They walked a little farther, and Darcy stopped. “You would not keep anything from me, would you?”
Elizabeth nervously looked down, a guilty blush painting her cheeks.
“So how much money have you been sending Lydia?”
Elizabeth let out a gasp. “How… how did you know?”
“Bingley told me that Lydia has written to them several times asking for assistance. I assumed she would have written to you, as well, and I was fairly confident that you would have sent her money.”
Elizabeth slipped her arm through her husband’s. “You are not upset, are you? I could not allow my sister to go hungry. She is with child now.”
“Yes, I know.”
Elizabeth stamped her foot upon the ground, and her eyes flashed with indignation. “Whatever is to be done with them?”
Darcy answered calmly, “What is always done.”
“What do you mean?”
“He leaves a place with debts; I take care of them and make inquiries into their new location. He will no longer be in the army, but I shall find him employment that will last until he can stay no longer and he moves on.”
Elizabeth’s shoulders sank at the weight of such a dismal prospect, but she was amazed at her husband’s countenance, that he could speak of Wickham – and of helping Wickham – without the anger that used to suffuse him.
“You are far too good to them.”
“It is not for them that I do it. Do you not know that I do it for you?”
*~*~*
Later that day, Darcy and Elizabeth took a long walk. They strolled aimlessly down to the pond, along the stream, over the stone bridge, and into the woods. They ventured off the dirt path, enjoying what possibly could be the last mild day before winter’s arrival from the north.
They walked arm in arm, occasionally commenting on their surroundings or reflecting on the Bingleys or something that Thomas had done recently. They were of such like minds that they practically walked in step, turning when the other turned, seemingly knowing where the other wished to go.
They soon found themselves in a grove of tall evergreen trees. Elizabeth breathed in deeply, the fragrance reminding her so much of last Christmas. Suddenly she stopped.
“Look, Fitzwilliam! Over there!”
“What? What do you see?”
“That tree!” Excitement poured from Elizabeth as she dropped her husband’s arm and rushed over.
Following closely, he looked at her curiously. “Yes, it is a tree.”
“No, this is the tree! For the ballroom! For Christmas this year!”
Darcy laughed. “I have never, in all the years we have had a tree, chosen which tree should be cut down.”
“Well we must have them cut this one! It is perfect.”
Darcy folded his arms in front of him. “And how are we to tell them which tree it is, let alone find it again?”
Elizabeth looked about her, then back to her husband. “Here,” she said, as she pulled a handkerchief out of her husband’s pocket. “We shall tie this to one of the branches to mark it.”
Darcy laughed and shook his head. “We may very well mark it, but finding the one tree in the woods with the handkerchief on its branch may not be as easy as it seems.”
Darcy did as his wife requested and tied the handkerchief to one of the lower, outer branches. When he was finished, he added, “And it is still some time before they will cut it down. The handkerchief could easily blow away.”
“Perhaps,” said Elizabeth. “If it does, we shall have to come out looking for it again.” She paused and smiled. “With an axe.”
“With an axe?” Darcy asked. “Whatever do you mean?”
Elizabeth snuggled up to him and replied, “Do you not think it would be a most delightful scheme to cut down the tree ourselves?”
Darcy shook his head and let out a long groan. “Oh, my dearest, loveliest, Elizabeth, the ideas you come up with!”
He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her as the branches of this year’s Christmas tree waved about them in delight.
~ THE END! ~
Kara Louise lives outside Wichita, Kansas,
with her husband and a variety of animals,
including a dog, several cats, goats, and horses.
They have a married son who lives in St. Louis.
Other books by Kara Louise:
Darcy’s Voyage
Only Mr. Darcy Will Do
Assumed Engagement
Assumed Obligation
Master Under Good Regulation
And
Drive and Determination
*~*~*
www.karalouise.net
Table of Contents
Decorating Pemberley for Christmas
A Special Christmas Dinner
A Christmas Surprise
A Family Christmas
New Year ’ s Eve
Valentine’s Day
Easter
M ay Day
A Midsummer’s Day
Michaelmas
All Hall ows ’ Eve
A Birthday Blessing
A First Annive rsary