Reunited at Rosings (Sweet Standalone Pride and Prejudice Variations #5)

Chapter 13

December 24, 1812, Christmas Eve

Elizabeth awakened the following morning to a crystalline light streaming in through the frosted windowpanes. She sat up and stretched, her heart filled with joy at the new day. It also helped that she would spend the morning strolling with Mr Darcy. Too, there was the Christmas luncheon at Rosings the following day to look forward to. Any occasion she could have of seeing Mr Darcy brought delight to her soul. And while she loved Charlotte, and her cousin was slowly gaining her respect — especially after he had shown the change in his priorities by insisting on staying behind with his wife — she was looking forward to some time away from the overcrowded cottage. Pleasant as all these reasons for happiness were, they were quite outshone by the promise of her walk with Mr Darcy.

It had not escaped her notice how he had spoken to her. He talked as if he still cared, and her heart lifted to think it might actually be true. In her heart of hearts, she knew what he meant to do on their walk together, and she could hardly stand to wait.

Indeed, she had barely slept for all the tossing and turning she had done the night before. Why had he taken so long to speak for her? If he had been able to come to Longbourn when Mr Bingley had proposed to Jane, would she now be married as well? If Lady Catherine had not succeeded in keeping him from her, she might now be Mrs Darcy.

Mrs Darcy. What a lovely sound that made. Elizabeth could not wipe the smile off her face as she rose from the bed and began her morning ablutions. After a simple breakfast of toast and marmalade, she gave Charlotte a secret smile and walked out of the parlour. Charlotte returned it, having been told by Elizabeth what she would be about that morning. She gave her an encouraging nod, then smiled, holding her baby close to her chest.

“Where are you going so early this morning?” Lady Lucas asked as Elizabeth started to leave the room.

“Mama, I do not think we have enough candles for this evening’s festivities, do you?” Charlotte asked, springing upon the chance to distract the rest of the family while Elizabeth slipped out the side door, cloak and gloves slung over her arm. She silently thanked Charlotte and donned the warm articles as she hurried away from the cottage. She headed over the green, now covered in a thin layer of frost.

Elizabeth saw Mr Darcy waiting for her at the end of the path where they had met last spring. Where he had waited for her, to give her the letter that had changed everything. Where she had begun to realise just how wrong a body could be. Her heartbeat quickened as she neared him. “Merry Christmas Eve, Mr Darcy,” she said.

He looked her up and down with an appreciative grin. “Merry Christmas Eve.”

There was so much contained in that one look — a lifetime. Her heart skipped a beat, and she took a slow, steadying breath. “Shall we walk?”

“We shall,” he said. He offered her his arm, and she took it, delighting in the pressure of his arm against hers.

They strolled in companionable silence before Mr Darcy spoke again. “I wanted to come to you in the autumn, Miss Bennet, to see Bingley and your sister settled. But also to see you.”

Elizabeth’s heart pounded in her chest. “I know. Lady Catherine mentioned she was about to pay me a visit as well, right before her attack.” She looked down at the frost-covered gravel path. “She also told me she sent for you directly afterward. With the intent of keeping us apart.”

Mr Darcy raised a brow. “Did she, indeed?”

“Do not be angry with her, Mr Darcy. I will not say she always handles each situation correctly, but she has a great devotion toward her family.” Elizabeth tried to keep her voice steady as she went on, but she feared she did not wholly succeed. “She tells me you and Miss de Bourgh are promised to each other.”

Mr Darcy stopped on the path and she turned to look at him. His eyes pleaded with her to understand. “I am not promised to my cousin. It was a pact our mothers made when we were but babies in the cradle.”

Elizabeth was unsure how to respond. “All is well, Mr Darcy. You need not make any explanation to me. After what you have done for my family, first for Lydia, and I suspect for Jane as well, I should be happy. Indeed, I am very grateful to you.”

“And yet?”

Elizabeth let out a sigh and kept walking. It only took him a few seconds to catch up with her and fall into step. “I am content.”

Mr Darcy halted once more, placing a hand under her elbow. “I am not.” He cleared his throat. “I have been in torment these last months, Miss Bennet. As I said before, I wanted to come to you in the autumn, but I thought I was needed here. I have been of use, of course, but I wonder now how much of it was my aunt’s design. I should have known she would try everything in her power to keep us apart. But I should not have let it get this far.”

“You could not have known your aunt would have an apoplectic spell, or that she wished to separate us. You did right by coming to the aid of your family.”

“To be honest, I was not sure I would be wanted, even if I came to Longbourn.”

Elizabeth could not fault him for that. In April, she had told him he was the last man she could ever be prevailed upon to marry. Now, she wished she could go back to the fateful day and take it all back. She had been such a fool.

“Well, now, she is on the mend, and my cousin is more than capable of running things on her own. If nothing else, Fitzwilliam will help her if it is required.”

“And you will return to Pemberley?” Elizabeth finished. Her heart clenched. Oh, how she longed to be by his side when he returned to his own home! But she could not say that outright. What would he think of her?

“By way of Meryton, first, I think. If you will but give me hope,” he whispered. He took her gloved hand and pressed it. “Surely you must know that everything I did for Lydia was out of love for you. That I fixed my error with Bingley and your sister was only half what was due to my friend, and half what I believed you would wish me to do. I am quite a selfish creature. Always, it was for you.”

Elizabeth’s heart lifted. “If that is selfishness, then our saints have something to learn from you.”

He sighed, seeming embarrassed by her praise. “If I had done more to protect others from Wickham, then I would not have had to come to Lydia’s aid. I should have exposed him for what he was long ago.”

She shook her head. “You could not have known it would end as it did. Lydia is not free of responsibility for her choices.” And while she loved her sister, she did not entirely feel sorry for her. Wickham’s behaviour was unforgiveable, but Lydia’s certainly was not above reproach. When she ran away with Wickham, she had not spared a thought for morality, or even for the consequences her sisters would suffer from her actions.

“But I do not wish to dwell on Wickham and his wife, if you do not mind? I asked you to walk with me today for this simple reason.” He took a steadying breath and looked her in the eye. “I love you, Miss Bennet. I have never stopped loving you. I am mad with it: I cannot sleep or eat, nor do anything without thinking of you. Only you.”

He took a step closer and tears sprang to her eyes. “If your feelings are as they were in April, then tell me now, and you will never have to see me again.” He paused for a moment. She kept her eyes steadily on his. “But, if they have changed, then allow me to tell you that you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I never wish to be parted from you from this day forward.”

Elizabeth closed the last bit of distance between them, feeling his warmth break the power of the chill around them. “I wish the same,” she whispered.

He let out a sigh of relief and kissed her hand. “Will you marry me, Elizabeth?” he asked simply.

His proposal was unlike anything she had read in books. But they were the sweetest words she had ever heard. “Yes, I will.”

Mr Darcy smiled, then pressed his forehead to hers. They stood there in their pure embrace for several minutes before he kissed her hand once more and tucked it into the crook of his arm. They began walking back toward the house, where she was sure they were beginning to be missed. “I shall travel to Hertfordshire in the new year and stay with the Bingleys. Perhaps you would like to accompany me and Georgiana in our carriage?”

“Yes, I should like that very much.”

“I will arrange everything with your father while I stay there. Have you any objection to a wedding at the end of March?”

Elizabeth laughed. “I would agree to a wedding three days hence, if it could be arranged.” He joined in her laughter and heartily agreed.

“What a wonderful Christmas present you have given me,” Elizabeth said, beaming up at him.

“And you me,” he agreed. “I did not think it was possible, but this Christmas has turned out to be the best I have ever experienced.”

They walked up the path, relishing what little warmth could be drawn from the winter sunlight. It was a wonder to Elizabeth to think of how forlorn she had been when she had arrived in Hunsford. Now she was engaged to the man of her dreams, and would soon be his wife.