Chapter 25A – Rated R. Please do not read if you are under 18

 

Elizabeth awoke to the sound of wind rattling the window; it was still dark, but the room was softly lit by the warm fire. She sighed with contentment as she moved closer to her sleeping husband, cuddling as she listened to the storm outside. Darcy instinctively pulled her closer and whispered something; she smiled.

A month had passed since they had returned home – to Pemberley – a month spent in blissful happiness, and Elizabeth had been granted everything she had hoped for – including snow!

And, as it happened in London, they barely separated for a couple of hours each day, and only when his duties required urgent attention. Elizabeth used these times to become accustomed to her role as mistress, and Mrs. Reynolds often congratulated her for her efficiency and quickness in learning her responsibilities. What Mrs. Reynolds did not know – and Elizabeth blushed at that thought – was that she struggled to learn everything as quickly as possible for a very selfish reason: she wanted as much time as possible to share with her husband.

Elizabeth turned in his arms so she could face him; he moaned and tightened his arms around her. Elizabeth chuckled at his insistence – he seemed unable to sleep if he did not feel her close to him. If she was afraid that her husband would stop joining her bed once at Pemberley, her fears vanished the very first day of their arrival. Truth to be told, he did not come to her bed every night – at times she slept in his room, as had happened that very night.

She gently brushed her fingers along his handsome face; he looked peaceful as his chest moved steadily in his sleep. “He is tired,” she thought, smiling lovingly. Indeed, he had every reason to be tired, as he slept little at night and awoke very early each morning, to attend his most urgent business. Almost every day he would go downstairs while she was still asleep and return a couple of hours later to wake her.

It became a daily routine for her to enjoy late morning deep sleep until her husband’s caress came to rouse her body and her senses, just as it became an evening routine for her to go and fetch him when some business delayed him in his study longer than usual. She always respected his duties and so, at those times, she would simply enter his study and sit on a sofa nearby, waiting. He would offer her a brief apologetic glance as she smiled at him lovingly. After this became the established pattern, he had placed an armchair by his desk so she could sit right next to him. The first night of her sitting so close, he turned and kissed her unexpectedly once he finished his work; and, before either could restrain their passion, they found themselves making love right there on that armchair and, as embarrassing as the incident had been directly following their interlude, it did not take long for them to repeat it another night.

Elizabeth never imagined that her husband would allow himself to be carried away by passion and desire so easily – and so often – but he did. To her surprise – and sometimes mortification – the moments of shared love that occurred outside the privacy of their apartments were not rare. Darcy’s only concern was to assure their absolute privacy, so he always locked the door of his study or the library. Elizabeth remembered – with a frisson – that they had even made love once in the music room and the billiard room. Though she always surrendered to his “loving initiative,” she still felt somehow awkward afterward, fearing someone would enter and discover them – or, at the very least, that the locked door would betray their activities. However, day by day, she became less distressed by these worries, as Darcy seemed to organize his staff’s activities and his own appointments so well and so efficiently, that nobody ever disturbed them, not even with a knock on the door. He was always careful to attend to his duties, and the others were always careful not to bother him unexpectedly.

At least, that was how things had worked for the first five weeks of their marriage; but as Elizabeth anticipated – and feared – major changes began that very day. Her family’s Christmas visit was anticipated in the afternoon. The entire Bennet family, together with Bingley and Jane, the Gardiners and their children, and Georgiana and Cassandra would be “invading” Pemberley in less than 12 hours, and there would certainly be no time and no room for rest or tranquility for the next four weeks.

Elizabeth was eager to see her relatives as well as her new sister and her friend, but Darcy looked positively distressed by the prospect. He said nothing about it; however, he did confess to Elizabeth – at least ten times a day – how happy he had felt being alone with her all that time.

“My darling husband,” she whispered. She cuddled closer to him and rested her head against his chest, feeling his heart racing. She could not restrain from placing a soft kiss over the spot of his heart. He immediately moaned and, though he was sleeping, his body tensed. Elizabeth smiled, wondering once more at the strong effect her mere touch had upon him. With a will of their own, her hands moved gently up his chest to his shoulders, down his arms and rested upon his waist. Slightly embarrassed, as though she were being caught doing something forbidden, she dared to watch him closely. For the first time, she saw his “arousal” while he was asleep and barely restrained a gasp. She had felt his “size” many times – she even touched him briefly during their lovemaking – but she had never had enough boldness actually to look at it – until now. She even put a few more inches distance between their bodies and continued to stare. It looked somehow awkward, was her first thought. Awkward and strangely large, was her second thought. Then she heard him sighing in his sleep and her eyes turned to his face and admired his handsome features for a few long minutes. When her eyes traveled down along his body again, she could see his arousal even larger, as though he could feel the caress of her gaze. Only this time, it did not look either awkward or strange to Elizabeth. It was not a thing, but a part of him – of her beloved husband – a part of the man whose love brought her so much happiness.

Without much consideration, Elizabeth pulled off the cover sheet from him; for the first time she knelt near Darcy and closely perused every inch of her husband’s body, lit only by the fire’s low light. Soon, watching seemed not enough and her fingers daringly followed the trace of her eyes, stroking his skin. He moaned again and whispered her name in his dream; she removed her nightgown and, naked, leaned near him – against him. Her lips tantalized his neck, resting on his throat for an instant then moved up to his chin, along the line of his jaw. Her hand was now upon his waist and moved down to his hips; his body shivered and, though he was not awake yet, his arms trapped her. Her kisses increased and she climbed upon him to reach his face; her breasts brushed against his chest and she could not restrain a moan, as deep as his. Shy and slightly embarrassed, yet with tender curiosity, her fingers finally dared to touch his manhood. The feeling was nothing she expected and, for a moment, she tensed and remained still, not knowing what to do; then she heard her name in his pleading whispers and briefly wondered if her touch was at least half as pleasant for him as his caresses were for her.

“Oh God, Elizabeth, please,” he whispered again, and now she knew he was awake. She also understood that he was begging her to continue, so she did not hesitate any longer. With every moment, with every stroke, with every moan and cry coming from his dry lips, she realized that his body enjoyed and longed for exactly the same things as hers and that she could grant him the same pleasure he gave her.

Her hands and her mouth explored and tasted his skin for countless minutes; and, as he begged her for more, her desire increased. At then, as she felt his body trembling violently, he stopped her ministrations, rolled her over swiftly, and entered her before she realized what was happening; a few minutes later, his thrusts deepened inside her as he covered her face with his kisses. His hands were stroking her thighs, her hips, her legs; but her breasts longed for his touches, so her back arched toward him and he understood instantly. She moaned at the feeling of his palms cupping her breasts and, impulsively, she allowed her hand to slide between them until it reached the very point where their bodies were joined. Her fingers touched his manhood, and he cried her name while his thrusts increased for several long minutes until the pleasure overwhelmed and exhausted them both.

“Mrs. Darcy, what are you doing to me?” Darcy asked some time later, taking her hand in his.

“I am sorry for disturbing your rest, husband,” she said with mocking regret. “I hope you are not upset with me.”

He cupped her face and looked straight into her eyes. “Do I look upset, my wife?”

“No, you do not look upset at all; you look happy.”

“I am happy indeed, my love, happy to be your husband.”

She chuckled. “I am very pleased to please you, husband.”

He laughed, kissing her hand. “It is not just the pleasure, you little minx, though I confess I am deeply grateful and amazed by the power of pleasure we share every time. What makes me so happy, my love, is that I feel each of your kisses, each of your caresses, each of your looks as proof of your love for me.”

“And this is how you should feel them, my dear husband. However, I really hope you will remember my deep love for you when you become annoyed by the liveliness of my family,” she teased him.

He removed a few locks of hair from her face. “Do not worry, my dearest, nothing will annoy me if I have your delightful company from time to time.”

“Well, you will surely have my company at least during the night.”

He sighed with resignation. “Yes, this is what I fear.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Do not worry, my love; four weeks will pass in no time.”

“No, they will not, unfortunately; four weeks is a long time. Thank Heavens, Pemberley is so large a house and one can easily find solitude in it.”

“One, sir?”

“One – as in master of the house – can easily find solitude in the company of his wife,” he clarified his statement and she laughed harder.

“I challenge you to escape my mother’s affectionate attention, Mr. Darcy.”

“I am sorry to discover you still doubt my ability to have my way when I truly want it, madam.”

“Indeed, you are mistaken, sir; I have long stopped doubting your abilities, husband.”

“That is comforting to know.” They burst out laughing together, and he covered them both with the sheet.

“The cold is severe and the wind sounds quite wild,” he said, suddenly serious. “I hope they will all arrive safely.”

“I am a little worried too,” Elizabeth admitted. “However, I am somehow confident and trustful knowing they are all coming together from London, so even if there are some difficulties, my uncle, Papa and Mr. Bingley will take care of everyone in the party.”

“Mr. Gardiner and Bingley are very reliable gentlemen, and Mr. Bennet is wise enough to offer them proper advice if needed. I am sorry I have worried you; let us try to sleep a little more, as we have much to accomplish before their arrival.”

Elizabeth soon fell asleep, but Darcy remained awake, listening to the wind until the dawn arrived.

~/~/~/~

“Oh, my dear Mr. Bennet, what a beauty!!!! Oh, I cannot believe my eyes! Is this Lizzy’s home? Oh my dear Lizzy, she was so clever to catch Mr. Darcy! Such a tall, handsome man and what an estate. Don’t you think she was clever?”

In one of the carriages, Mr. Bennet was gathered together with his wife, Kitty and Jane, along with Mr. Bingley; Mary was invited to join Miss Darcy and Lady Cassandra. Mr. Bennet felt horribly tired and dangerously annoyed after such a long journey in such a small, crowded place, and his only consolation was that Bingley looked more miserable than he did.

“Yes, she was very clever. Thank God we will arrive in a couple of minutes,” he replied briefly.

“Oh Mama, I cannot wait to see my room,” said Kitty. “Do you think they will have guests other than the family? I would love to see new faces – and maybe they will have a ball.”

“Kitty dearest, I do not think they will have any ball,” explained Jane, gently.” Lizzy did not mention anything like that. Besides, you know Mr. Darcy is not very fond of dancing and gatherings. He likes his privacy, and I believe they planned a nice, peaceful Christmas with the family, not a large social event.”

“Oh, I like my privacy too, only I am more stupid than Darcy and I do not know to stand up for it,” thought Bingley while staring outside the window.

“You cannot know that, Jane,” intervened Mrs. Bennet. “You know Lizzy has always liked balls, so we must try to persuade her to have one. As for Mr. Darcy – if Lizzy is smart and artful enough to make him marry her, I am sure she will easily convince him to approve of a ball.”

“Mama,” cried Jane with genuine reprobation. “Lizzy was not artful and she did not make Mr. Darcy to do anything. They married for the deepest love!” she insisted.

“Of course he married for love, why else would a man like him marry a wild, disobedient girl like Lizzy?” Mrs. Bennet replied, rolling her eyes. “That was precisely Lizzy’s ‘art’ – to

make him fall in love with her. Oh, I cannot wait to see the house – I am so sorry Mrs. Long and Lady Lucas cannot see it. Kitty, pay attention girl, you have to be able to describe every detail of Pemberley when we return to Longbourn. Do you hear me?”

“Yes Mama,” the girl answered obediently.

In the front of the house, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy waited for the guests to exit their carriage. They required several long minutes until everyone was satisfied with admiring the exterior of the house among hugs and kisses – and finally decided to enter.

Darcy followed them with hesitant steps, suddenly grateful that he had enough servants to take care of each guest instantly. He did greet them all with proper politeness and his warmest, friendliest manner, and he happily kissed his sister and Cassandra; however, he breathed deeply when the din diminished as everybody finally decided to settle in their rooms, accompanied by Elizabeth – who seemed both happy to see them all and perfectly at ease with her duties. He had decided to retire to his library when he was surprised to discover Mr. Bennet and Bingley standing quietly a few steps away.

“Mr. Bennet, Bingley… I am sorry, I did not see you, I thought you joined the others in your rooms.”

“We can find the rooms later,” Mr. Bennet said and Bingley nodded in agreement.

“Of course, as you wish. In the mean time, may I offer you something?”

“Your library and your brandy,” Mr. Bennet answered briefly, and Bingley once again agreed wholeheartedly. Darcy hurried to comply with the gentlemen’s wishes, while expressing his hope that the journey had not been too trying for them. None of the guests answered, and Darcy did not insist further.

One hour and three glasses of brandy later, Mr. Bennet finally declared himself tired and a servant was summoned to show him to his room. Once he left, Bingley hurried and filled his glass once more.

“Bingley, easy with the brandy, my friend,” Darcy said sympathetically.

“They drove me out of my mind,” Bingley finally burst out. “I struggled not to jump from the carriage – can you believe that?”

Darcy patted his shoulder. “I am sorry to hear that, my friend. But why on earth did you and your wife not take a separate carriage? I dare say, that way the journey would have been quite enjoyable.”

“Damn Darcy,” replied Bingley bitterly, with a furious glance that made Darcy laugh. “Of course I wanted a separate carriage – I even bought this large, comfortable carriage to be sure my wife traveled in the best accommodations. But my mother-in-law liked the carriage so much that she insisted we would all fit in it, and it would be rather stupid to take a second one. And do not dare to laugh, Darcy!”

“Forgive me, Bingley; believe me that I truly understand your trouble.”

“No, you do not understand, Darcy! You cannot understand it, as you never have to face this kind of trouble,” Bingley continued restlessly. “You have been here all this time, in complete silence and peace –”

“But why did you not come earlier? Did I not invite you to come as soon as possible? Did you not take my invitation seriously?”

“I did not wish to disturb you, Darcy; no matter how kind and generous was your invitation, it was not acceptable. Jane agreed with me that we could not bother you; and she was very busy receiving guests, returning their calls, and rearranging the house. And, what is more, I am really worried for Caroline – since she began her tour, I have received no news from her but a very short note when she left the country. Louisa has received nothing either.”

“This could be reason for worry, indeed. Have you tried to discover her whereabouts? With whom is she on tour?”

Bingley waved his hand. “Oh, I did contact her friends’ families; they all said she was most likely on a ship and will send me a note as soon as she can. I do not want to disturb you with Caroline’s silliness. Let us have another drink, shall we? Then I will go and see if Jane needs my assistance.”

“Bingley, I do not think you should drink more. I do agree with your other idea, though. I do think you should go to your wife. I dare say her company will be more comforting than mine right now. We can talk more after dinner.”

“Yes, you are right; I have barely had time to speak privately with my wife in the past few days, you know? Can you imagine that?” Bingley asked then walked to the door without waiting for Darcy’s answer. “And we will have to go through this madness again when we leave, you know?”

Darcy could not restrain his laugh. “My friend, let us not worry about your departure right now, I am sure we will come up with a solution by then. Let me direct you to your rooms, shall we?”

Downstairs and along the halls, Bingley progressed, silently wondering about his rooms, as he had never visited that wing of the house before. They finally stopped and Darcy shook his hand.

“Go rest, my friend. This wing is only for you and your wife – nobody will disturb you here.”

“I have never been in this wing before,” Bingley said.

“Well, you have never been married and in need of complete privacy before,” Darcy smiled mischievously. “Oh, and I forgot to mention: as you are all so tired, we will have a very late dinner tonight. So you have at least three hours to rest and to…speak privately with your wife. If you need something, you will have to ring the bell, as the servants were instructed to never enter your apartments without your or Mrs. Bingley’s summons.”

Bingley stared at him silently; just before Darcy turned to leave, he finally managed to reply. “Darcy? I am forever in your debt, my friend!”

“Go to your wife, Bingley.” Darcy smiled at his friend. “As I intend to go to mine.”

***

Elizabeth was exhausted but satisfied: each member of the party was settled properly, and now she lingered to talk a few minutes with Jane. Elizabeth felt a little worried, as her sister looked very pale and tired, but Jane blamed the trip and assured her sister that everything else was fine. Elizabeth did not insist, as she could easily imagine how difficult the journey must have been. She inquired about how Jane felt as a married woman, and was very content to see happiness alighting her sister’s blue eyes; Jane’s eyes always spoke more eloquently than her shy voice.

“Oh Lizzy, if I could tell you – if I dare tell you… I am so happy – Charles is the best of men, I could not imagine a better husband.”

“Surely he cannot compare with my husband,” was the first thought that crossed Elizabeth’s mind, but she gave her sister the proper answer. “I am very happy for you, dearest. I was always certain Mr. Bingley was worthy of your good heart.”

“Lizzy, he is the good and kind one…and so patient… I know mother annoys him sometimes, but he bears everything with so much civility. Do you know he purchased this carriage for me? He said he wanted me to travel as a princess, and the carriage is indeed wonderful…”

“It is wonderful…but not large enough for five people for such a long distance and on winter roads.”

“I know…but Mama insisted so much …and I begged Charles to agree…and I know he was displeased…and I had no time to talk to him privately these two days, he was so silent all the time… I am so afraid he is upset with me.”

Jane was tearful, and Elizabeth was half worried, half amused. “Dearest, I know I have no right to give you any advice, as you are my elder and wiser sister, but I dare say you should not allow yourself to be persuaded by Mama’s demands, risking the displeasure of your husband.”

“I know…I know…. But it is so hard to refuse Mama… If we were only a little farther away…”

Elizabeth kissed her sister’s cheeks. “My sweet Jane – let me assure you that here, in these rooms, you will be very far away from everybody. Nobody will disturb you here, and you can spend all the time you want in only your husband’s company. I dare say, Mr. Bingley will enjoy that very much.”

Jane laughed, tearful. “That sounds very tempting, though not easy to do; we cannot possibly isolate ourselves here, hiding from our family. After all, we are here to spend Christmas together.”

“That is true, dearest,” Elizabeth winked at her. “However, as you are so fatigued, it is very likely that you will suffer some slight headaches and will want to rest from time to time; also, if there are evenings when you want to retire earlier or mornings you wake later, I am sure everybody will understand. And it will be Mr. Bingley’s duty as a loving husband to stay by your side…do you not agree?”

“Lizzy! Are you teaching me to dissemble?” Jane scolded her half in jest, though really surprised.

“I am teaching you to do everything possible to enjoy your husband’s company, if this is what you want, my dear sister.”

A moment later Mr. Bingley entered the room; he remained still, staring at his wife, almost oblivious to Elizabeth’s presence. Jane blushed, her gaze locked with her husband’s. Elizabeth excused herself and left, certain that, if Mr. Bingley was indeed upset with Jane, he would quickly forgive her.

***

It was already two o’clock in the afternoon and Elizabeth wondered where her husband was hiding. However, before going in search of him, she decided to inquire after Cassandra, as she was certain the journey had not been easy for her either.

To her pleasant surprise, Cassandra was resting, but she appeared perfectly well and fully recovered.

“You look beautiful, Elizabeth,” Cassandra said. “I imagine you are enjoying your marriage?”

“You know I am enjoying my marriage, Cassandra; however, I did not come to speak of my marriage, but of you. Please tell me – how are you feeling? I am very happy to have you here and even happier to see you so well recovered.”

“Well, you have already answered your questions. I am here, very well and fully recovered.”

“But how are you feeling?”

“How am I feeling about what, Elizabeth? Ask me what you want to know; do not play at politeness with me.”

“If you do not play at rudeness with me, your ladyship, as I am not so easily impressed.” Elizabeth playfully reprimanded Cassandra, never losing the smile on her lips.

“Please forgive me. I did not mean to be rude nor disrespectful. I know you are the mistress of this house, and I am only your guest.”

“Oh stop this… Fine, be as you want. As long as you are fine, I will not insist further; I surely do not want to force your confidence nor disturb you. Just please tell me if I can help you in any way.” She prepared to leave, but Cassandra called her.

“Elizabeth…do you know if he will come for Christmas?”

“We do not know for certain. William received a letter from the Colonel a couple of weeks ago, and he expressed his wishes to be with us, but his plans were not fixed at that time.”

“He sent me no word…not a note, nothing…”

Elizabeth sat back on the bed. “But did you…did you have any understanding? Did he promise he would write or anything?”

“No, of course not… I mean … I promised to give him an answer upon his return. But I do not know when that will happen or if he will still want my answer by then.”

“And …do you have an answer?” Elizabeth asked tentatively. Cassandra nodded silently. “I see…”

“Elizabeth, may I ask you a favor? I know I am being childish, but…can you please ask Darcy if he knows something? I mean…perhaps David mentioned something to him. I know it is silly to ask you…”

“Cassandra, let me tell you something: I am very happy to see you so childish about this matter,” she replied, and Cassandra blushed like a young girl. “I will go and fetch William, and I will gather every piece of information from him before returning to tell you.” They both sounded like schoolgirls sharing a secret and laughed at their silliness.

“I will wait for you …if Darcy will allow you to return any time soon. By the way, did he lock you in your room, as I anticipated?” Cassandra slyly inquired as, this time, Elizabeth’s cheeks turned crimson.

As she was walking toward the door, Elizabeth turned and cast a quick mischievous glance at Cassandra. “No, he did not lock me in; why would he, as I was more than pleased to stay inside of my own free will?”

A completely astonished Cassandra stared at her until Elizabeth exited the room; only then did her ladyship recover and burst out laughing: “Mrs. Darcy, you are absolutely shameless,” she said, and she could hear Elizabeth’s laughter from the doorway.

~/~/~/~

Christmas was only two days away and Pemberley was more animated than ever. Despite Darcy’s jest that his staff would all resign in a few days, the servants – following Mrs. Reynolds’s careful lead – soon became involved in the happy din. The ladies spent their days in preparation and decorating, while the gentlemen usually found occupation in the library. Dinners were usually very pleasant events, and Mrs. Bennet never ceased to marvel at the courses and dishes, just as she never ceased to wonder at the greatness of the house and the quantity of windows. It was entirely fortunate that the bustle of daily activity seemed to be tiresome for Mrs. Bennet, and she usually retired quite early after dinner, more so as she was quite content with her rooms and both maids who served her. She was so pleased with her son-in-law’s treatment that she even dared to embrace him one evening when he inquired if everything was to her liking.

Mr. Bennet would also retire early each evening after dinner – not to his room, but to the library; his only complaint was that he did not have time enough to enjoy all the treasures there. Mr. Bennet was content, though, as Darcy insisted that his father-in-law return to Pemberley whenever he wanted. He also offered to lend him any book he would like to take home to Longbourn.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were genuinely pleased with Elizabeth’s choice of a husband, though for entirely different reasons.

It was a great surprise for Elizabeth to see Georgiana spend a good deal of time with both Mary and Kitty, each girl having some influence over the others. Georgiana’s taste and talent seemed to impress and influence both Kitty’s superficiality and Mary’s studious habits. On the other hand, Mary borrowed a little of Kitty’s liveliness; and, as for Kitty, she had not even mentioned the possibility of a ball during the last couple of days.

For the Gardiners, the time spent at Pemberley was a wonderful opportunity, and they were equally grateful and delighted. They passed the days joining those at Pemberley or visiting friends and relatives in Lambton. Mrs. Gardiner was prouder than ever as she learned the general favorable opinion of Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy in the neighborhood. She was as satisfied with her niece’s choice of a husband as she was with Darcy’s choice of a wife; she hoped Lady Anne Darcy would have been pleased, too.

A newly discovered enjoyment for the newlywed couples and the younger members of the party was long sleigh rides around Pemberley’s grounds. The time for these rides was never fixed, as they occurred either in the afternoon, during daylight, or later, after dinner.

Usually there were three or four sleighs equipped with blankets to keep the riders warm – each of the conveyances big enough to accommodate at least four people. However, the Darcy and Bingley couples always took a separate sleigh each – at which Georgiana, Kitty and even Mary chuckled meaningfully each time. The other sleigh was for the three girls and Cassandra, who joined them occasionally; and the fourth was for the Gardiners and their children. Consequently, when the rides occurred during the day, there were always four sleighs. However, when Mr. Darcy was in the mood for an extended ride after dinner, the only ones inclined to accompany him were his wife and the Bingleys – at which time two sleighs could be seen skimming along the snowy paths in the moonlight.

“Lizzy, I am so grateful to you, dearest,” whispered Jane during dinner.

“Grateful for what?” Elizabeth asked, puzzled. “Is the meal so delicious?” she teased her sister.

“For being so kind to us. We are so happy here, Lizzy.”

“I am happy that you are happy, my dear sister,” laughed Elizabeth with affection. “I would be even happier if you were to stay longer than the others; as you can see, Pemberley is big enough for all of us.”

“Oh, I would love that, but I do not think we will manage…” Jane replied tentatively, as she cast a quick glance at her husband, who was engaged in conversation with Mr. Darcy.

At the other end of the table, the gentlemen were debating the same subject.

“I say, Bingley, if you are decided to find an estate here in Derbyshire, I would be more than happy to assist you.”

“Would you, Darcy? I mean…if I am able to convince Jane… I know she is happy here… but I wonder if she would agree to move so far from her family.”

“Well, Bingley, you know best. On the other hand, she would be moving further from some members of her family and closer to her favorite sister – which I dare say would be an advantage.”

“An advantage indeed,” cried Bingley so loudly that everybody turned to look at him. Darcy laughed.

“Very well, my friend; in a fortnight we can start looking for an adequate place for you. It might take a few months to find it and accommodate it properly.”

“A few months? Oh…but I will be back in Hertfordshire by then.”

“Why is that? Do you have some fixed plans? If not, you are more than welcome to remain at Pemberley for as long as you need.”

“No, I do not have any fixed plans. Perhaps Jane, I am not sure… Staying at Pemberley, you say? But I do not want to intrude. I know you like your privacy…”

“Come now, Bingley, this is nonsense. You saw for yourself that Pemberley can offer full privacy to both our families.”

Bingley’s face lit instantly.

“Yes, I did notice that, Darcy. Oh, that would be the best arrangement ever – to find an estate here and learn from you how to manage it. Jane would be so proud! Damn, but what about the carriage? How will my in-laws return to Hertfordshire?” he asked himself and Darcy rolled his eyes in exasperation.

Bingley did not miss his friend’s gesture and felt suddenly embarrassed. “I am silly, am I not? Who cares about the carriage, after all? They can have it for good. I dare hope you will loan me one until I will be able to purchase another.”

“Of course I will, Bingley – even two carriages if you need. And no, you are not silly; you only worry too much about insignificant details instead of focusing upon what is really important to you.”

“You are right, of course, Darcy. I will speak to Jane this evening and –”

A sudden din of voices from the main hall interrupted him. Darcy looked toward the nearest servant inquiringly, but before the man could identify the source of the disturbance, the door opened and Colonel Fitzwilliam burst into the room.

Darcy and Georgiana rushed from their places to greet him; he looked well, though obviously tired and half frozen, but as joyful as ever. Elizabeth smiled at him and immediately glanced at Cassandra – her cheeks were crimson and her eyes fixed upon the Colonel’s face – and Elizabeth wondered if her ladyship was still breathing.

“David, what an extraordinary surprise,” said Darcy while shaking his hand. “Come and join us; you look as if you need a glass of brandy.”

“I intended to surprise you,” the Colonel admitted cheerful, “but I am afraid the surprise was even bigger than I intended. I left my regiment together with a friend, Colonel Thomason, and his family, as they planned to reach London before Christmas, but their carriage had an accident ten miles back; we hardly managed to ride a few more miles, and I am asking your assistance to host them here for a night. Please forgive me, I know I have no right to impose, it is just that –”

“Colonel Fitzwilliam, I am truly happy to see you, sir.” Elizabeth approached him with a warm smile. He kissed her hand and apologized again while Elizabeth, with a short glance at her husband, continued. “Surely you must not apologize for bringing friends, especially as they were in such a dangerous situation. Please invite them in, and we will have their rooms ready in no time.

A few minutes later, Pemberley’s dining room was filled with Colonel Thomason – a handsome gentleman in his late thirties – his wife and his two sisters. They were all embarrassed by the intrusion, but the Colonel made the introductions with a perfect mix of politeness and friendliness, which managed to put them somewhat at ease.

If Darcy seemed rather restrained in his expression, Elizabeth’s warm manners and genuine welcome managed to dissipate the new guests’ tension and embarrassment. Half an hour later, the newly arrived were shown to their rooms to refresh and prepare for dinner. The Colonel joined them after he assured the others in the room that he would return as soon as possible.

As soon as they left the room, questions and speculations began, and opinions about the new acquaintances were shared. Elizabeth looked at her husband and then to Cassandra, who was now ghostly pale; her eyes stared at the table while her hands were entwined to stop their trembling, and she appeared oblivious to everything around her. The Colonel had not greeted her beyond the strictest civility.

“Thank you, my love,” Darcy whispered to Elizabeth and she smiled back at him.

“You are very welcome, though I do not know what for.”

“For the way you handled this awkward situation; you never cease to amaze me: it is as though you always know what to do and what to say to make people comfortable.”

“Well, I had little else to do,” she replied. “They seem such nice people – and even if they were not nice, we could not possibly have left them outside to freeze, especially as they are the Colonel’s friends.”

“No, of course not – but still…”

“However, I am not sure what I can do to make you feel comfortable, as you are clearly not in your best disposition,” she teased him.

“Well, I could tell you what you might do, but it is not possible with a thousand people in the house,” he burst out in frustration, and she laughed heartily.

“You are not just highly improper, but also very disagreeable and haughty, dear sir.”

“I am glad you are so amused, because I really am not. I did understand David’s reasons, but really – the last thing I needed was a new party of people here.”

“I agree, but what can we do?”

“And they did not even say clearly when they would leave! Their carriage could be fixed in two weeks or so, can you imagine that?”

Elizabeth placed a quick kiss on his chin. “Let us hope that will not be the case, my love.”

They separated as the Colonel’s voice called out to make his presence known. Elizabeth blushed slightly, but remained close to her husband.

“Mrs. Darcy, thank you for your hospitality. I am very grateful to you, and so are my friends.”

“I am glad I could be of some help, sir; please make no further mention of it. I hope they enjoy their rooms.”

“I am sure they will…but…Darcy, may I have a word with you?”

The Colonel looked positively distressed, and Elizabeth attempted to retreat, to offer them privacy.

“No, there is no need to leave, Mrs. Darcy; it is just that… I know I am already being impertinent with my demands, and I would never dare if it were not Christmas in only two days… What I mean is… Darcy, I beg you to loan them one of your carriages to take them safely to London tomorrow morning, so they can meet their relatives as soon as possible. I know I am asking you too much…”

Elizabeth could hardly hold back her peals of laughter as she saw Darcy’s face light with relief.

“Say no more, David! Of course I will give them a carriage – in fact, I will loan them my best, largest one, as we will not need it for the time being. I will send my coachman to bring it back in a week or so – is this arrangement satisfactory, do you think?”

“Darcy, you are simply the best man,” the Colonel shook his hand. “I will go and inform Thomason. The poor fellow did not dare ask you such a favor. He will be so relieved!”

He left instantly, so he did not hear Darcy mumbling to Elizabeth. “Not more relieved than I am...”

***

An hour later, the entire party was assembled in the dining room again. Additional plates and chairs had been brought in, so the Colonel and his friends were all gathered together, but they were unrestrained in conversing genially with the others.

Colonel Thomason seemed as amiable and pleasant as Colonel Fitzwilliam, and his wife and sisters were voluble, amusing and quite pretty. Mrs. Bennet did not forget to mention she had a daughter married to an officer, but Mr. Bingley quickly changed the subject so Wickham’s name was avoided. Then there were questions about the balls in the North and about the officers’ dancing abilities, and the young Misses Thomason seemed as willing to talk about dancing and officers as were Kitty and Mrs. Bennet.

Elizabeth smiled with indulgence the whole time, casting meaningful glances toward Georgiana and Darcy. It was also obvious that the Misses Thomason shared a deep admiration for Colonel Fitzwilliam and nearly competed for the favor of flirting with him. The Colonel appeared to tolerate them with good humor and even winked at Colonel Thomason a few times.

Another thing – less amusing – that Elizabeth noticed was Cassandra’s unusual silence. She expected that Cassandra would be slightly uneasy at the Colonel’s sudden appearance; however, it was more than that: Cassandra’s torment was so clearly displayed on her face that Elizabeth could hardly watch her without intervening.

“Have you been traveling with your brother long?” asked Mrs. Gardiner of the young ladies.

“No, only for about a month. We visited our aunt and uncle in the north, and recently we reunited with our brother to return to London.”

“I cannot wait to return to London; there is so much entertainment in Town!”

“Indeed there is,” the Colonel’s wife agreed, and the conversation continued on the same subject until the meal was ready.

The gentlemen were invited to accompany Mr. Darcy to the library following dinner. On his way out of the dinning room, Colonel Fitzwilliam remained a little behind and approached Cassandra, who was standing near the window.

“Lady Cassandra, I am very happy to see you, finally. Please forgive me for not speaking to you more when we entered, it was such a situation –”

“Do not worry, sir; I have noticed you were very busy when you entered, as well as later during dinner. You cannot possibly neglect your friends; I understand that.”

Her sharp voice and refusal to meet his gaze disconcerted David, and he remained silent a moment. “I hope you are well?”

“I am very well, thank you.”

“Well then… Darcy is waiting for me… Perhaps we could talk more later?” he asked hesitantly, searching her face while she stared through the window.

“At your convenience, whenever you can spare a moment,” she replied coldly.

Colonel Fitzwilliam could find nothing more to say and hurried to catch the other gentlemen. As soon as he exited, Cassandra asked for a cup of tea and joined the ladies for a few minutes, even attempting to enter the conversation. A short while later, she excused herself, as she was feeling unwell and wished to retire to her room. Everyone offered assistance, and then expressed regrets and hopes in her recovery. Cassandra could not bear the small talk any longer.

She hurried outside the drawing room and briefly met Elizabeth’s eyes. She knew Elizabeth understood, but she was in no disposition to talk to anyone. All she wanted was the complete solitude of her chamber – and of her thoughts.

~/~/~/~

It was almost midnight, and Colonel Fitzwilliam was pacing the room – his heart racing – trying to keep his countenance. What was happening with her – again? She promised she would have an answer for him once he returned; and, in truth, their last meeting gave him every reason to hope for a happy conclusion. Now things were even worse than before; she simply ignored him! She barely looked at him the entire evening and answered him so haughtily, so coldly, as though he meant nothing to her. Even more, when he returned from the library she had long retired, obviously to avoid him.

How could she be so deceitful, and how could he be so stupid as to allow her to hurt him so many times? He came all that way only to be with her for Christmas, and she cared nothing for him. So why should he remain there? The only thing he could not bear was her indifference, and that was precisely what she was showing him after almost two months apart.

He opened his window angrily, allowing the wind to blow in his face. It was still snowing, and the Pemberley grounds were covered in white. It was cold, freezing cold, but that was nothing compared to the empty coldness in his heart. He looked around, leaned against the balcony and closed his eyes; he wanted to feel the snow falling upon his face, in hopes that it would make the pain disappear.

When he opened his eyes again, he frowned, not from the cold, but from fear and disbelief: in the near wing, on the upper floor, he could see Cassandra leaning against the balcony as he had done some moments ago, her hair down, dressed only in her nightgown, while the wind was blowing her hair and dressing gown. “Damn, she is completely out of her senses! She will catch her death, that insane woman.” Without much consideration, still angry at her insincerity and worried about her careless behavior, he pulled on his coat and shut the door behind him.

***

The night was as beautiful as a fairy tale, as though fate wanted to laugh at her torment. And she deserved to be laughed at – Cassandra knew that – as all her hopes deserved to be laughed at.

She had longed for so long to see David again – since the very moment he had left – and now he had finally come. He was safe, for which she had prayed; he was healthy and alive, as she wished. And obviously he had not much interest in her, as she should have expected. What could she expect from a man she had refused so many times, so harshly and so decidedly – a man who had shown his affection and devotion for her so honestly with no reward from her.

Six weeks had passed since they spoke – since he departed with the promise he would return, since he rocked her heart once more with that confession about his first love. How was it possible? She was the one hopelessly in love with him back then, when she was seventeen – she had lived with that bittersweet memory for all those years. The revelation that her love could have been shared – that her life could have been so different – made her feel ill, angry, and helpless.

Cassandra spent countless hours wondering if she would have wanted her life to be different; perhaps she would have been happy with David from the very beginning, and perhaps even her parents would have lived longer. But then she would have never met Thomas and never known his sweet love, never felt their child inside her. She had lost her parents; she had lost Thomas and their child; and she had been so angry with the entire world and with God Himself. Still, God was so good to her when He offered her a second chance. God kept her alive, healed her…and then brought David back into her life. David and his love; she refused him and, from her own folly, she almost died in that accident. And God was still there, next to her. And so was David and his love.

It was one morning – about a week before their journey to Pemberley – when Cassandra had awakened from a nightmare and finally realized that she had no reason to blame herself any longer for what she had lost, if God was so merciful as to forgive her. She had no call to fear being happy if God was offering her the gift of happiness for the second time. She had no right to refuse what was so generously given to her twice, when so many spent all their lives looking for love without ever finding it. She woke up that very morning without the burden of suffering on her soul, but with her heart full of hope and love – and gratitude.

Now David was there and Christmas was near. Where were her hopes now? He came with his friends and two beautiful young girls who competed to gain his favor. Had he already chosen? Or were both merely distractions, as had been all the others? But he would surely not trifle with them in front of their brother, without any serious designs on one of them. How dare he be so cruel as to arrive there with them? Was he trying to hurt her, as she had hurt him?

The snow was falling on her face, melting in her tears. She leaned over the balcony to admire the surroundings, and then lifted her eyes to the moonlit sky. It was as enchanting as a fairy tale, but her soul lay in waste.

“Cassandra, what on earth are you doing? Are you out of your mind? Get inside immediately!”

She startled and almost lost her balance as her feet slipped on the snowy floor. David grasped her hand and pulled her inside; his strong fingers hurt her arm, but she said nothing.

“Are you out of your senses?” he cried while she stared at him blankly.

“I am perfectly well; I just needed some fresh air.”

“Fresh air? You are almost undressed outside on a freezing night.”

“I am well,” she repeated then tried to move away.

He released her arm and watched as she departed from him.

“I thank you for your worry, David, but as you see, I am fine. You should leave now.”

“Yes, I should leave; forgive me for my intrusion.”

“Be careful not to be seen on your way out. We would not want to upset the Thomasons with nasty rumors about your walking in a lady’s room in the middle of the night; though both young girls seemed so charmed that I am sure they would forgive you anything.”

“What? What did you say?” he asked unceremoniously, but she had turned her back and moved further away. She wanted him out instantly, as she could not fight back her tears for long.

“Cassandra, what is happening to you? Why are you acting like this?”

“Please leave,” she begged, and he could hear her distress.

If only a moment ago he had been certain of her indifference, now her voice and her behavior puzzled him exceedingly. She was obviously crying and suffering – that could not be indifference. Even more, she talked such nonsense about…

David looked at her in complete shock, his mouth and eyes open widely in understanding. In two steps he reached her and clutched her to him almost brutally; she did not resist, only her eyes remained lowered to the ground. “God, Cassandra! Are you jealous? Is that it? Are you jealous? Please tell me this is the reason, please…” he begged her, as his hands caressed her hair and a broad smile spread over his face.

“You have no shame, sir,” she replied furiously, as she wiped her tears and her eyes shot arrows at him of wounded rage. “You have no shame and no honor to come here with your friends and then question my behavior. How dare you speak of jealousy? I am asking you to leave this moment; you have no right to be in my chamber.”

Each of her angry words was a sweet palliation for his previous distress. By the time she finished her tirade, he took her hands by force and kissed them tenderly, as she struggled to be free of his hold.

“I missed you so much,” he said with so much tenderness that she stilled. “I was so afraid of losing you, yet so hopeful when I left you, that all these weeks have been a torture to me. I counted the hours, the minutes until I would see you again. I was close to resigning from the army if they would not allow me to come…”

Cassandra could not speak – could not move nor breathe; even her heart was afraid to beat again, frightened that it was only a dream and any movement would awaken her.

“Do you know how hurt I felt when you ignored me the entire evening? I hoped you would come and greet me, smile at me, perhaps whisper your answer to me, and release my torment as soon as possible. Instead, I received only cold indifference…”

“Cold indifference? I almost cried when you entered the room…and then what did you do? Nothing! How could I whisper anything to you when those girls were almost in your lap?!”

He burst out laughing, ashamed that he felt a tear in the corner of his eye. She turned her back to him again, trying to dry her cheeks. David encircled her with his arms and crushed her back against his chest, then tilted her head so he could wipe away her tears with his lips.

“You were jealous of the young Thomason girls…” he teased her and she fought to break free from his arms, but he pulled her closer. “You, Lady Cassandra, were jealous of two girls of Georgiana’s age,” he continued as his lips covered her face with soft kisses.

“David, please stop. We have to talk very seriously,” she whispered, though her resistance became weaker.

“As you like,” he continued between kisses. “Any wish of yours is my command, your ladyship,” he said and, indeed, he stopped his caresses and turned her to him. She finally met his eyes.

“David, I do not find much amusement in this; I admit I was jealous… My turmoil all these weeks was no less then yours… And then when you arrived this evening…I was certain I had lost your interest in hearing my answer… Do you still want to hear my answer, David?”

“Not really,” he teased her and she frowned. “My beautiful Cassandra, I do not need words to confirm what your tears already tell me,” he added tenderly and softly kissed her lips. She tentatively responded to his kisses, trying to say something more, but he captured her lips gently.

The kiss lasted long, more shy and tender than passionate, as they were still incredulous of their newly discovered understanding.

“Why did you come to my room?” she asked, her lips only a few inches from his.

“I saw you on the balcony…and I was afraid for you.”

“I was just thinking of you…”

“And I of you… I was outside my own balcony…”

“I cannot believe everything has changed in only a few minutes, David.”

“I cannot believe I was so stupid to waste all those minutes doubting you.” His kiss silenced her again.

They were in the middle of the room with the balcony door still open, but neither of them noticed it until David felt her trembling in his arms. He tried to break the embrace, but she held him tighter.

“Allow me to close the window; you are cold…”

“No, let it be; I am not cold and I do not want you to leave me.”

“Do not worry; I have no intention to ever leave you.”

He continued to kiss her with growing passion and suddenly lifted her in his arms, their lips still joined, as she cried and put her arms around his neck. After closing the window, he carried Cassandra to the bed, where they both reclined.

Only then did she withdraw her lips from his to whisper, “David, I still have so many things to tell you…”

He briefly frowned. “There is only one thing I want to hear this moment, Cassandra. Will you allow me in your life – now and tomorrow and the next lifetime?”

“I will… I do,” she said, as her fingers gently touched his face.

“Then anything else you have to say can wait.” As she closed her eyes to receive his kisses, he rose from the bed.

“Are you leaving?” she inquired with surprise and no little concern.

He laughed, removed his coat and boots, and threw himself next to her again; she started to laugh, but he quickly captured her lips with unleashed urgency.

“Do you think I intend to leave?” he asked as his hands removed her gown and possessively conquered her body.

“Not anymore…” she replied breathlessly.

“You know, madam, I am quite concerned about your lack of trust in me… First you believed me capable of courting other women in your presence, and then you thought I would just leave you with only a kiss.” By this time, he could barely speak, as his lips were slaking their thirst with the sweet nectar of her skin. “We will talk about that later…while we rest…because we will have to rest from time to time, you know.”

She laughed, but it turned into a deep moan as he entered her. He remained still inside her, and his eyes dove into hers for a moment; she pulled his head closer and started to kiss him softly as he began to move inside her.

“God, Cassandra, you cannot imagine how long I have waited for this moment…”

“I do imagine…but I would like you to tell me nevertheless,” she smiled against his lips.

“Or perhaps I should prove it to you?”

“That would be even better…”

David stopped his moves once more and kissed her eyes to open them; with delight and utter happiness, he saw her green eyes glowing as never before, while her hands were tentatively caressing his back.

“Cassandra?”

“Yes?”

“Did you miss me all this time?”

“You know I missed you, David. Do you want me to say it again?”

“No – I want you to show me… I want you to make me feel that you missed me…”

“That would be even better…”she agreed, smiling with promising passion.

They needed a very long time to express everything they felt, to dissipate doubt and miscomprehension, and to satisfy their long-denied desire. In the end, however, their understanding was complete.

***

As much as he was incredulously happy about the passion they had shared, David was even more delighted – though somehow fearful – about Cassandra’s choice to remain nestled in his arms afterward. He still remembered vividly the first time they made love and how completely she had changed in the morning. This time, however, everything was different; she generously offered him every proof. He felt her fingers entwine with his and caress his hand – and that small gesture filled his heart.

“There is something I want to tell you too, Cassandra.”

“What is it?” She turned her head to face him; her long hair tickled him and he buried his face in it to reach her ear.

“I love you. All these months since I proposed you, the last weeks when I was away – only made me love you more.

Cassandra looked at him silently. He waited for her reply, but it did not come; instead, she rose from the bed covered only in a sheet and unlocked a drawer of her dressing table. David watched her, puzzled and slightly worried. She returned and handed him an old notebook.

His confusion increased. “What is this?”

“It is my diary. I want you to read only these pages.” She showed him. “It was written after my coming-out ball.”

Half an hour of deep silence followed as he read, looked at her with disbelief, and then read three more times, his expression gradually changing; finally, she took the book from his hands and silently cuddled up to his chest.

He said nothing and she needed no words. She could feel his heart racing and his body tense as his arms enveloped her. “You could have been mine all this time…all this time…” he repeated as he tightened his embrace until she could barely breathe. “All this pain could have been avoided if I…”

“David?” He did not reply, only kissed her temple. “I spent years and years buried in regrets, sorrow and lost happiness, but now my tears are spent. I shall never forget my past, and part of my heart will always belong to Thomas; I know that and you must know that. My future happiness will sometimes be shadowed by painful memories – that is true. But I do love you deeply; I love you with a seventeen-year-old’s shattered dreams, as well as a twenty-five-year-old’s hopes. I love you, David Fitzwilliam, so if you are sure you want me, let us not waste any more time.”

His face was still hidden in her hair, and he whispered in her ear countless words, but she only heard, “I love you,” and that was all she needed to hear. She nestled against him and stretched her hand to caress his face; she startled and rolled in his arms to look at him. “David Fitzwilliam, are you crying?” she asked incredulously, her green eyes smiling through her own tears.

“I certainly am not, madam,” he replied soundly. “Who could imagine a Colonel in His Majesty’s Army crying? That would be unacceptable.”

“Unacceptable, indeed,” she laughed and kissed his cheeks.

“It was impossible to stay my tears,” he admitted a minute later, with obvious embarrassment.

“Definitely unacceptable,” she teased him, lighthearted.

David held her hands and kissed them tenderly many times, and then his lips brushed upon hers.

“We still have many things to discuss, Cassandra. We have to decide what to do; tomorrow I shall speak to Darcy, and he will help me to apply for a special license. And you – to whom should I apply for your hand?”

“David, you already said all this could wait until tomorrow. I have many more things to tell you – but I am too exhausted and nervous to speak now.”

“I am sorry; of course you are exhausted…should I leave and allow you to sleep? I shall see you tomorrow morning; there is no hurry…”

“David, I said I am too exhausted and too nervous to speak,” she repeated with lower voice and he finally met her eyes.

“Oh…I see,” he smiled and kissed her hands again. “So am I to understand, that, if I do not require you to speak, I may stay longer?” he asked between kisses along her throat.

“You certainly may stay, Colonel, as long as you do not expect me to speak…coherently,” she managed to say before his hands greedily explored her skin, banishing all her thoughts and words – the coherent ones.

~/~/~/~

Darcy had quite a stressful night; for the first time since his marriage, Elizabeth was already asleep by the time he entered their rooms, and she looked so tired that he had no heart to wake her only for his pleasure. So he allowed her to rest, which greatly affected his own. He finally slept at dawn; and, when he woke up, Elizabeth was gone. His man informed him that the mistress left word she would be downstairs.

Darcy finally found her, but she begged him to wait for her in the breakfast room, as she was occupied with making proper arrangements for the day and for some food to be packed for their guests’ journey to London. She promised she would join him for coffee in five minutes, and Darcy had no choice but to obey; he spent more than half an hour alone, reading newspapers, wondering if he should buy Elizabeth a watch so she could see how long a minute was.

“Good morning, Darcy.” He was greeted by a cheerful Cassandra.

“Look who is here so early in the morning! I cannot believe my eyes,” he said, and was rather shocked when Cassandra placed a quick kiss on his cheek as she had not done since they were children.

“All right, that demands an explanation,” he said soundly as she poured herself a large cup of coffee.

“I, too, would like an explanation about why you kissed my husband, Lady Cassandra,” Elizabeth intervened, laughing. She sat by Darcy and stared at Cassandra, awaiting her reply. “I dare say you are feeling much better today – I imagine you slept quite well,” Elizabeth concluded with a warm smile.

Cassandra looked her straight in the eye and replied in a lower voice, ignoring Darcy, “Your guess is only half correct, Elizabeth. Indeed, I feel better than I have felt in many years – but I did not sleep at all the entire night. And neither did David,” she added, and Darcy spilled his coffee on his coat.

“I beg your pardon?” he asked with obvious shock.

“Nothing,” Cassandra said with a wink to Elizabeth.

Darcy looked at both of them in utter disbelief, waiting for some sign of remorse from his friend or of embarrassment from his wife. He saw none.

“I cannot deny that I am happy if you reached an understanding with David, Cassandra; however I also cannot refrain from telling you that you are shameless to make such a public confession,” he scolded her, equally affectionate and severe.

Cassandra only turned to him and smiled sweetly.

“Thank you, Mr. Darcy; I learned that from your wife.”

A lost Darcy witnessed Elizabeth and Cassandra laughing together, and he could not believe his eyes; Elizabeth leaned to him and covered his hand with hers.

“Forgive us, my love, it is only a joke between Cassandra and me. I shall explain everything to you later.”

“By all means, my dear wife, do explain it to me. But a little later, as now I am going to have a word with David – if he is awake.”

He rose from his seat, but Cassandra stopped him with a mischievous smile. “He is very much awake, but there is no need for you to go anywhere; he will be here soon.”

“You are shameless, you know that,” Darcy repeated to his friend, shaking his head in reprobation. Then his countenance softened and a caring smile appeared on his lips. “I am happy to see you happy, Cassandra.”

“Thank you, Darcy; thank you for everything. I shall always be in debted to you, you know that.”

“Oh, stop speaking nonsense – we have serious things to discuss,” he interrupted her, while Elizabeth considered with amusement that neither Darcy nor Cassandra were comfortable receiving gratitude.

“So true, Darcy, we have many things to discuss,” said the Colonel, striding into the room.

“Good morning, Mrs. Darcy, Lady Cassandra,” he said politely, but Cassandra laughed.

“No need to be polite to me, I already told them what happened,” Cassandra confessed. “I hope you do not mind…”

“Mind? No indeed, I am quite pleased.”

“I am not pleased at all, David – as somebody could hear her,” said Darcy. “For heaven’s sake, there are a thousand people in this house, not to mention the servants. We have to be guarded – you would not want to ruin your reputation forever, would you?”

“I am sorry, Darcy, you are correct as usual. Please forgive me; it is your home and I have no right to disrespect your rules. I promise I will be more cautious from now on,” Cassandra apologized genuinely, as did David, but Elizabeth began to laugh.

Neither Cassandra nor the Colonel managed to discover why she was laughing. Darcy did not need to ask; he was only grateful that his wife chose not to betray his own occasional disregard for the rules.

“David, we have to discuss your plans; considering the situation in which you find yourselves, I hope you will not long delay your wedding. I know I am not Cassandra’s guardian, still I dare say I am responsible for her and…”

“Of course you are responsible for me, my dear elder brother,” Cassandra replied with mocking obedience. “And I would be more than grateful to you if you would take care of everything. I already told David he was to ask you for my hand, you know. Elizabeth, shall we go upstairs now? I want to talk to you privately.”

“Gladly,” Elizabeth said and, as she rose from her seat, she leaned and unexpectedly placed a soft kiss on Darcy’s lips. He had no time to react – even less to scold her – as two servants and Colonel Thomason entered the room at that moment.

Darcy spent the next few minutes slightly embarrassed, wondering if the others had noticed his wife’s impulsive gesture; however, he could not deny that the taste of her lips was indeed delicious. Instinctively, he checked the clock to see how many hours remained until he could be alone with her again.

~/~/~/~

Such a joyful Christmas Eve had not been seen at Pemberley for years, Darcy thought. He was truly, deeply, completely happy – happier than he would have dared to dream a year before. There he was – surrounded by his dearest relatives and friends, wondering how a family dinner could be so perfect. He smiled at himself as he realized how pleased he was to have Elizabeth’s family there, though his tranquility was somewhat disturbed with them about. And there were David and Cassandra – so obviously delighted with each other’s presence; his beloved Georgiana – more lively and cheerful than he could remember; his old friend Bingley – completely charmed by his wife; and his dearest Elizabeth, glowing with happiness as she hosted their small party, frequently turning her sparkling eyes toward him.

The dinner ended and Darcy invited the gentlemen to his library for a short drink, as they were all desirous to be reunited with the ladies as soon as possible. As they enjoyed their wine, their conversation was interrupted by Darcy’s servant, entering with an express for Mr. Bingley.

“For me? Who would send me an express?” he wondered and broke the seal with such rapidity that he tore the paper.

A moment later, his face turned pale as his mouth opened in shock. The others put down their glasses and stepped toward him, as he was in evident need of support.

Finally, Bingley lifted his eyes to Darcy, then to David, and managed to articulate, “Caroline has left for the Continent. She married Markham a month ago.”