Darcy, Knight Errant (Elizabeth and Darcy True Love Multiverse)

33. Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two

Climbing into his carriage, Darcy let out a weary sigh, feeling the weight of the day on his shoulders. But when he caught sight of Elizabeth, his exhaustion melted away and he couldn’t help but break into a broad smile. The last few days had been trying, but he had Elizabeth at his side, and they were finally leaving for their wedding trip. Sitting next to her, he took her hand in his before knocking at the roof of the carriage and they pulled away from Netherfield.

Their week alone at Darcy House had been lovely, but he had been wanting to show Elizabeth the peak district and eventually Pemberley. The last few days with her sisters, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia, along with his sister Georgianna, had been filled with constant chatter and giggles, leaving little time for him to be alone with his new wife. Then too, he had been acquainting his steward with Longbourn and its remaining tenants. Mrs. Bennet had been difficult, but not anything he could not handle. He couldn’t help but feel disappointed that his time with Elizabeth had been cut short.

But now they were free from everything that was holding them back. Running his thumb back and forth along Elizabeth’s palm, Darcy asked, “Are you excited about beginning our adventure?”

Humming under her breath, Elizabeth replied, “Yes, I cannot wait to see all the marvelous sights you have told me about. We will see things during the day and in the evening, we can read before a fire. It is going to be lovely.”

“I hope you will spend time with me now and then,” Darcy murmured, a slight pout evident in his voice if not his expression.

Looking up at Darcy, Elizabeth playfully cooed, “Is my chivalrous knight feeling ignored?”

Shaking his head, Darcy kissed Elizabeth’s temple, saying, “Not neglected, not exactly. It is only that I have had to spend so much time away from you of late taking care of matters that I find I greatly miss your company and our time alone together, just the two of us.”

Nestling against Darcy’s side, Elizabeth whispered, “You valiant soul, you battled the lions of Longbourn for my sake, yet fate conspired to keep us apart, delaying my chance of expressing my gratitude. Being a knight errant is a thankless job.”

Smiling, Darcy said, “Have I become a knight errant without noticing?”

“Well, it seems that you were not just satisfied with helping one damsel in distress. You helped all four of my sisters and waited to take our wedding trip until after your aunt safely collected the youngest three.”

“My aunt will love having your sisters with her. They will be pampered and given the training they need to join a higher society, and she will be able to spend time doing all the girl things she has missed out on by only having sons.”

Chuckling, Elizabeth continued, “So there is another woman you have helped—your aunt. You even agreed that Mrs. Bennet should have a place to live despite everything she had done.” Elizabeth leaned away from him, her gaze fixed on Darcy as she spoke. “I believe that a knight errant is a man who selflessly seeks out wrongs to right and performs chivalrous acts without expecting any personal gain. You have given up what you wanted, namely, to spend time with me, so that you might help those in need, even those undeserving. You are a knight errant.”

Elizabeth snuggled back into his side, wrapping one arm around him and murmuring, “ My Knight,” her voice filled with affection.

Leaning in to kiss her temple once again, he whispered, “And you, my love, will forever be my lady.”

So the knight and his lady went off on their adventure. Their life was a beautiful blend of highs and lows, just like any other person’s, but what set theirs apart was the unwavering bond between the knight and his lady. They faced whatever came their way together, their love binding them tightly and seeing them through it all.

When children eventually came their way, their favorite fairytale always began with the line, “In a land far away, there lived a knight whose heart was courageous, but his charm with ladies left much to be desired…”

And it ended, “…and they all lived happily ever after.”