From Pemberley to Paradise, page 11
“Of course I did; what kind of a man do you think I am?”
Elizabeth escaped his arms, shocked and pained.
“My God!” she said. “Did you tell her I am pregnant?”
“My dear, it is not a secret we can keep!”
He did not care about her distress; he continued to be cheerful.
“She hates me!” Elizabeth said and fell into the sheets.
“Probably! But she loves me as I am. And I love her as she is, and I assure you she is not an easy person.”
Elizabeth wanted to cover her ears not to hear any more about a love she was destroying. What kind of woman could agree to wait for a man, in a situation like theirs…but it seemed she was that kind.
“Nothing will change between her and me and a year will pass quickly.”
Her heart was full of pain again. She was in her bed with the man of another woman; she could hardly understand the intricacy of a life such as theirs. That was not the way she was raised for she had respected life’s values and the rules she was accustomed to. Maybe she made a mistake, but it did not alter all her being, she did not become another woman and it was still difficult to accept another way of thinking…even if for the moment it was suitable for her.
“I do not blame you for this situation, Elizabeth; we were together that night at Netherfield, we are both to blame, but…” he hesitated for a moment while he gently placed his hand on her, “I am happy in the end to have a baby and if you ask me you are the perfect mother for my baby!”
He continued to caress her stomach despite her discomposure. She wanted to remove herself from his caress, to make him stop but it was such a sweet sensation of peace and security that she placed her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. In the end, the marchioness was at sixteen miles distance and Darcy was about to become her husband. She was about to sleep when his voice woke her.
“You understand that I have to talk first to Georgiana!”
Georgiana! She did not have even a small thought for her. In other times she would have been so attentive toward his little sister.
“Yes! Of course, you do. Nobody will know before her!”
“I have to prepare her, to make her understand the changes that are about to take place.”
Poor thing, Elizabeth thought, remembering how distressed she had been when she returned from London and Jane was not there. And in Georgiana’s situation the circumstances would be hundreds of times more dramatic. She was more a child to Darcy than a sister, she depended on him and for so long he had been her only parent.
“Nothing will change for her once we are married.” Elizabeth tried to calm his preoccupation.
“Well, there would be some changes…that cannot be denied. She has to grow up and think about her life. She is a young lady who needs to find a husband and be on her own. But all these changes have to take place step by step.”
“As long as I am here, I shall be happy to assist her in this new road…if you agree,” Elizabeth said while Darcy tightly embraced her sadly murmuring into her hair, “As long as you will be here…I agree!”
It was the most refreshing sleep she had in weeks. She woke up to find herself alone in her bed, but the doors between the rooms were open. She jumped out of bed with her hair loose on her shoulders; she was barefoot and had deep stripes on her face from the pillow. She headed to shut the doors at the very instant Darcy wanted to do the same. They looked at each other for some moments. “Good morning, Elizabeth!” he finally said.
“Good morning,” she said in haste, “wait, don’t shut the door, we did not discuss what we are going to tell the others?”
He watched her in surprise, “What do you want to tell? We are marrying in a few days, and they are all invited! No one is to know about our arrangement until the moment comes, neither friends nor family!”
She smiled while saying, “Thank you!”
He grinned at the smile that finally appeared on her face.
“I am going to bring our guests home and meanwhile I shall have all the time to discuss with Georgiana. Most probably, we shall be back home in the afternoon. Weston and Mrs Gibbert are here to take care of you,” he said and kissed her on the forehead.
Chapter 16
It was indeed in the afternoon that the party returned from the marchioness’s estate. They were tired but thrilled, making jokes and remembering a wonderful time.
Elizabeth welcomed them in the hall, happy not to be alone anymore.
She had a glimpse of Darcy coming, accompanied by Georgiana. She supposed that they had already had the discussion about the marriage as the young girl seemed sad.
“The hunt was fantastic!” Charles said.
“The marchioness’s house is fabulous!” smiled Jane and then she took her sister by her arm and nearly dragged her into the library.
Elizabeth tried to set herself free, but Jane’s grip was incredibly firm.
“You are hurting me, Jane!” she said.
“Good,” her sister said, “because you are also hurting me with all your nonsense. I know Darcy came home yesterday, and the marchioness was not very happy about. I assure you if you do not hurry that lady will catch him!”
Jane was in a rare state of real-life, descended from the clouds she was usually floating on, and she needed an answer.
“He asked me to marry him and I accepted!”
It took only a second for her sister to pass from anger to joy. Jane was laughing and dancing and embracing Elizabeth with all her heart when the library door opened. Charles was looking at them in amazement but at his back were all the other guests while the colonel and Darcy—a little further in the hall—were vividly discussing. But they also turned to see what was happening in the library.
“What is this grand joy about, Mrs Bingley?” Charles asked, as always reminding everybody that she was Mrs Bingley.
Jane stopped in front of the people, but her smile continued to shine, “I cannot tell you, my dear, but I am so happy!” and she took Elizabeth’s hand in her hands and kissed it.
In the other corner of the hall, Darcy looked at the colonel who made a cheerful move, emboldening his cousin to approach the gathering. Then he crossed his hands on his chest very satisfied, obviously knowing what was going on. But one second later he hurried up to be near Georgiana, as he supposed it would be a rather difficult moment for his little cousin, used to having all her brother’s attention.
As he approached, Darcy reached for Elizabeth’s hand. He brought it to his lips while intensely looking at her yet speaking to the people around, “Friends, I just wanted to keep a secret till dinner, but with two Bennet sisters around it is rather impossible! So, here in the hall, I am announcing our marriage. Elizabeth accepted my proposal and we are going to be married in a few days as we want Jane and Charles to be present.”
“But we invite you all to be at our side!” Elizabeth said, the perfect words that started a general joy and an endless round of congratulations.
The people around were so pleased and joyful that Elizabeth forgot their arrangement and suddenly she was just a girl happy to be married, she raised her gaze towards her future husband while, in the distance, the colonel smiled, thinking Elizabeth is so right for him!
Georgiana approached accompanied by the colonel. She was brave enough and had a little smile on her face, she wanted to say something but Elizabeth took her into her arms and whispered in her ear:, “You are not permitted to be sad, for you do not lose a brother but gain a sister, if you will have me!”
A happier smile appeared on the girl’s face while she said, “Of course I shall be glad to have you as my sister, Miss Elizabeth!”
“Elizabeth…not miss anymore!” her new sister laughed and Jane came to offer to be a sister too.
“You see Georgiana,” the colonel said, “yesterday you had just a brother and now you have two gracious sisters!”
∞∞∞
“Lady Deighton, Georgiana, Eleonor, we just have to find my sister a perfect outfit for the wedding,” Jane spoke in her enthusiastic way.
But a smiling and gallant Darcy bowed to them and said, “I am sorry, my ladies, but Elizabeth and I have some urgent matters to solve; I propose you rest now and discuss the program for the days to come later.”
Elizabeth entered the library, wondering what urgent matters they had to solve, while Darcy closed the doors and reached her in a few steps. Led by the same impulse, they approached each other with an imperceptible movement that, finally, carried them into each other’s arms. They stood tightly embraced for a long time, and after a while, he took her face in his hands and lightly kissed her on the lips. It was far from the passionate kiss Elizabeth remembered from the night of the fire, but it was meant just to tell her that no matter how they might marry or how long their marriage was going to last, he was and would be a friend and a partner to raise their child.
However, while they sat down, Elizabeth had a feeling close to disappointment, somewhere in her inner self, she wished for him to kiss her like he did once before. It took a while to regain her senses and to be capable of paying attention to Darcy who had some letters in his hands.
“Elizabeth,” he said, in a voice that chilled her. She was glad Jane forced him to announce their marriage—for nothing could happen, yet he was going to say something she might dislike. “After the blaze and…” he hesitated to name the bliss that followed, so Elizabeth had to say, “Yes…” to save him. He smiled and continued more relaxed, “I was determined to marry you as soon as you arrived in London, for it was obvious for me that you agreed, as long as you decided to be mine.”
Her sigh was so loud that he could not but laugh, “You are so surprised as if I were some kind of Wickham, dishonouring Bennet girls and running away!”
He was right, she did not understand how that thought never crossed her mind. He was still in love wanting to marry her, and most probably on that morning so full of emotions and feelings, she would have accepted…only she did not remember anything and his absence contributed to her oblivion. Embarrassed for what she considered to be a dream, she avoided him. She did not have to talk about a happening from a dream, nor had he any obligation for what happened while she was sleeping.
“I was in haste, so confident this time we were together and I asked permission from Mr Bennet to marry you.”
Her amazement had no limits. Again her life seemed to run in a direction she could not control.
“My father did not say anything to me! How is that possible?”
“That morning I asked not to mention it because I wanted to ask you first. Then…in London, I received your message, and I was under the impression that you were mad and it would be better to forget you and ran away as fast as I could!”
“Yet you forgot me quite soon!”
She was ironic again, that girl he knew from Netherfield’s parlour who defended herself at every word he spoke.
“I was sad and deceived; do not be ironic, you do not know how it is to be refused two times.”
“I did not refuse you, the second time as I did not know you wanted to marry me!”
“Elizabeth,” he said, “do you think we could have a decent conversation without imputing or reproaching, just discussing to disentangle the past?”
She nodded. He was right, she did not have to defend herself anymore. A new attitude had to lead her in his presence. She smiled and caressed his hand. He looked at her hand and took it to his lips. There was finally peace between them. Perhaps their marriage would not be blissfully happy, but it would be decent.
“I received a letter from your father while I was still in London,” he said and gave it to her.
Elizabeth read:
Dear Mr Darcy,
I do not pretend to understand what is happening between you and Elizabeth. I suppose the times have so dramatically changed that most of the old ways are no longer valuable. It is not a reproach but merely an observation. You asked me for permission to marry Elizabeth, but it seemed she did not know about the proposal. Please clarify this situation with her, face to face and not in writing. As for my blessing, I shall give it only to the man who can make Elizabeth happy. She will recognise that man, I am sure, as she has always been a sage, intelligent woman who can control her destiny!
Truly yours
“Poor Father,” she said with a voice close to tears. “I am so sorry to disappoint him!”
“But you are not, they are going to find out about the marriage and everything will be simple and clear.”
“But…”
“Elizabeth, let us concentrate on the present, forget the past, ignore the future. I also have the license for marriage. Do not ask…let me finish.” he said. He did not look at her when he spoke. He opened another letter and gave it to her. “Back in London I applied for a Licence for Marriage, I had the dream we could marry the same day as Charles and Jane! I was sure you would come and be happy…”
“I am so sorry! Why did you not drag me as you did yesterday and tell me all?”
He laughed, “How could I when for three days, you did not once look at me and ran away each time I wanted to approach you!”
She sighed again in the manner that was already known to him.
“But a Licence for Marriage is almost impossible to obtain.”
“Not when you are desperate…like I was!” he said and smiled. “It was the Duke of Blandford to help me, one of my mama’s close friends. He went to his Grace Charles Manners-Sutton, the Archbishop of Canterbury…”
“No!” Elizabeth said with much distress.
“Oh, yes, I had the license yet it was all in vain!”
She was so sorry for all the suffering and trouble she brought into his life…and hers.
”So, we can marry tomorrow?” she said. There was neither irony nor sadness, just a wish to resolve a not so pleasant situation.
“It is not exactly the state of mind I was hoping from my bride!” he said.
“Maybe you will get the right one, the next time!”
Elizabeth was sorry for her words just seconds after they escaped from her mouth. He was hurt, she could tell. He got up from the sofa and threw the license for marriage beside her. “You have accused me of all the character flaws in the world and I have tried all this time to change but you, Elizabeth Bennet, are the same ironic and proud person as ever. You can decide the day of the marriage if you still want to marry. Neither Alexandra nor I deserve your irony. I remind you that we both have disrupted our lives according to your decision!”
He wanted to leave when Elizabeth jumped from the sofa and stood right in front of him trying to caress him on his forearm but he fled from her caress, “Please, forgive me!” she said and only at those words he faced her again. “Thank you for what you do for me!”
“I am doing nothing for you, Elizabeth; I am doing this for the child you carry, for in my family the children are very important and they are raised with love and attention.”
And he left the room.
Chapter 17
Elizabeth stood for a long time with the two letters in her hand; she did not know what to do with them…or how to tell him she was happy to marry him.
A discreet knock at the door woke her up from the reverie; it was Weston, “Excuse me madam I just want to see if you need anything!”
“Yes, indeed, would you place these letters on your master’s writing desk?” she said, handing him the two letters.
Weston bowed but did not leave, he was joyfully looking at her. “If you permit me, madam,” he said, “I wish to congratulate you on your marriage!”
Surprised, Elizabeth looked at him with a gentle smile, touched that the people of the house were giving her such a kind reception. “Thank you, Weston, it means a great deal to me that you receive me in such a way!”
He bowed, wanting to leave, but Elizabeth stopped him, “I want to write some letters until dinner; where do you think I can be alone?”
“The master instructed Miss Gidden to prepare the violet parlour as your study.”
And as she did not seem to understand, he showed her the door saying, “Allow me to lead you there!”
The violet parlour proved to be the room where they had their first discussions. Indeed the walls were a beautiful pale violet, she observed for the first time. The little parlour was unchanged excepting a delicate mahogany desk that had writing tools prepared for her…and a huge bouquet of roses, her favourite flowers.
“Do you want me to open the windows, madam?” Weston asked, proving he already knew some of her little pleasures.
“Yes, please!”
“When you finish, madam, ring and your maid will come.”
He was considerate because he had strict orders from his master, but he was also careful because he liked her. It was such a relief for Elizabeth to be welcomed by the people serving them.
Darcy was right; she continued to behave like a young girl without any problems—taking life as a game—long after that period ended in her life. She had to change and be grateful that he was taking care of her and her child in that generous manner; to show him her gratitude by behaving the way a wife must be outside the bedroom. It was the only thing he asked her for and it was a reasonable demand, one that would make her life while at Pemberley enjoyable.
It did not matter how long she would stay at Pemberley; she would behave like the mistress she was going to be in a few days.
∞∞∞
The happy event had to be announced to her parents and sisters, but she wanted to write a separate letter for each of them. Indeed her marriage was a happy event for her family as it settled the one problem that she always kept in her mind: her family’s future when her dear father would be gone. A problem that constantly burdened Mr Bennet. She could not tell him the whole truth but having a property near Netherfield would put an end to his distress. She was capable now of taking care of the family, a thought that made her happy.
