Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (76 page)

“I do not know what I am.”  She whispered and looked back down at her shoes. 

Elizabeth took the opportunity to study the portraits closely and caught herself from gasping when she spotted Wickham. 
Does she stare at him with longing or with fear?
 

They both started when a man cleared his throat.  “Mrs. Darcy, the carriage is nearly to the manor.”

Elizabeth looked to the window and her hand went to her heart.  “Has Mr. Darcy returned from the dower house yet?” 

“No, madam.”  He waited and watched as a myriad of emotions were displayed in her eyes.  He saw her shoot a look at Georgiana and then back to him.

“What is your name?”

“John, madam.”  He smiled with surprise.

“John, please ask Mrs. Reynolds to . . . prepare to greet the guests as is customary, and I will join her in the foyer.  Have . . . the rooms are prepared?”

“Yes, madam.  All is in hand.” 

“I am glad it is somewhere.”  She said softly to herself and looked back to him.   “Thank you, John.” 

He departed quickly and Elizabeth looked at Georgiana.  “I am desperately in need of a Darcy other than me, but if we are to keep your aunt from inspecting you too closely then I am afraid that you will need some time before you can appear before her.”

“Why?”  Georgiana asked and Elizabeth turned her towards a mirror.  She touched her blotchy face. “Oh!”

“Go upstairs and please, whenever you recover, come to . . . Oh where should I put them?”

“The yellow drawing room.”  Georgiana whispered.  “It is where important guests are received.”

 “Of course.  Now,
where
is the yellow drawing room?”  Elizabeth said helplessly with a laugh.

Georgiana blinked.  “Oh.  You do not know?”

“Two days is hardly enough time to learn my way around here.”  She glanced down at her dress and smoothed the skirt to keep her shaking hands busy.  “Why do you think that I spent the day decorating?  There is no time to learn anything else.  I am a fish out of water, and unfortunately a skilled group of anglers are approaching to catch me off guard.”  Smiling a little at her wide-eyed sister, she lifted her chin.  “Well, I do not know who is arriving, but I will do my best.  Now, go upstairs.”

Georgiana hurried out and Elizabeth turned to the mirror.  “Please save me, Fitzwilliam.”  She whispered while patting her hair, and fixed her gown.  She wore no jewellery beyond her wedding ring and was still wearing a morning dress.  Granted, it was finer than any gown she had ever owned at Longbourn, but nonetheless, if this carriage contained Lady Matlock, it would be recognized for what it was.  And there was no time to change.
At least it is not a dressing gown.
 Elizabeth closed her eyes, willing her courage to rise, and taking a deep breath, stepped out into the hallway and walked into the great foyer. 

The servants were hurriedly putting away the ladders and sweeping up stray pine needles.  Mrs. Reynolds met her.  “Mr. Darcy has not returned, madam.”

“I have heard.”  Elizabeth glanced at her.  “Is everything ready?”

“Yes, Mrs. Darcy, the bedchambers are all prepared, and fires will be lit just as soon as we know which party has arrived.  Shall I have refreshments waiting in the yellow drawing room?”

“Yes . . . where is it?”  She said softly.

 “At the top of the stairs, the third door on the right, there is a terrible portrait of a man in a red coat just outside.”

Elizabeth smiled.  “A soldier?”

“No, madam, a heretic, so I have been told.”  Mrs. Reynolds said seriously.

“Oh my, I will have to ask about that.”  She laughed and sighed.  “You are making this so easy for me, thank you.  I promise that sooner than later I will know my duties and the floor plan.”

“Mrs. Darcy, forgive me for speaking plainly, but watching you with the master today, I can say without hesitation that you know your duties well.  Leave the house to us.”  Her eyes were on her busy staff and Elizabeth relaxed a little.

“Your loyalty to Mr. Darcy is obvious, Mrs. Reynolds.” 

“As is yours, Mrs. Darcy.” 

The two women stood side by side and listened to the courtyard door opening.  Outside, the crunch of a carriage rolling over frozen gravel could be heard before the door shut again.  Elizabeth closed her eyes.  She could hear the maids’ conversation stopping as they spotted her and took their places, waiting to serve the guests.  The door opened again and the strident tones of a woman carried down the long hallway.  The accent was of society and London, not a hint of Derbyshire was in her expression, unlike Darcy.  Her voice was joined by a younger woman’s and then the slightly familiar voice of a man.  Elizabeth caught some of the comments and fought to keep her arms from hugging herself, and jumped when she felt two hands grip her shoulders.  Turning, she found Darcy standing behind her. 

“Will!”

“You seem pleased to see me, love.”  He smiled and looked to the hallway.  “Come.”  Taking her hand, he hurried towards the stairs.  “Mrs. Reynolds, take your time bringing them up.”

“Yes, sir.”  She watched as Darcy started to run up the stairs.

“Slow down!”  Elizabeth cried.

“Keep up!”  At last reaching the top, he pulled her away to stand out of sight of the people below.  They were breathing hard and Darcy laughed.  “Are you well, dear?  Did you think that I would leave you to meet my aunt all alone?”  His head shook slowly, and he caressed her cheek.  “Never would I do that to you.  I failed you in Meryton with Aunt Catherine; I will never fail you again.  I had my coachman watching the time.”

“But . . . Susan . . . where is she?”

“There was a message for her from Samuel waiting.  He wished for a private reunion.  I suspect that he was unsure how his mother would take his arriving without his father.  I am unsure if they will remain at the dower’s house, but if they do, Richard and Uncle will be along after they leave him off.”  He smiled to see her relief. 

A footman emerged from the hallway and hurried towards them.  “Sir, the second carriage is just arriving.  Lady Matlock is debating waiting for them at the door before joining you.” 

“How could they arrive at the same time?”  Elizabeth wondered.

“Dear, the times required to travel from Matlock and from the inn to Pemberley are very well known to us.  Lord and Lady Matlock knew precisely when to leave their respective homes to arrive here simultaneously.”

“The details that you consider amaze me.”  She gladly rested in his arms.  “I could hear them talking, Will.  I . . . I was afraid of what I might say without you there.  I know how much you want this visit to go well, and I did not want to ruin it from the first moment.” 

“Impossible.  I am the one with the inability to speak, not you.  I have seen you meeting the ladies of our circle; I was not worried at all.  You did not let them bother you, why should our guests?” 

“
They
were not your family.”  She returned to smoothing her dress and he stayed her hands.

“All is well, love.  I must confess, though, I have been in the house for quite some time.”  She looked up at him in surprise.  Darcy slipped his fingers into his waistcoat pocket and drawing out a gold chain, clasped it around her throat.  Elizabeth looked down at the ruby pendant sparkling against the lace on her dress.  “I saw this and I thought you should wear it today.  It . . . it matches the shade of your lips after we have been . . .” His eyes twinkled as she blushed.  “Well . . . what we have been prevented from doing to our mutual satisfaction today.”

“Oh, Will.”  She whispered and touched the jewel, then looked up only to receive a kiss.  “Thank you.  I . . .”

“Shhh.”  He kissed her again and positioning the pendant perfectly, he looked into her eyes and took her hand.  “You were occupied and I was keeping myself out of your way.  I was waiting for you upstairs, but you did not come to change as Judy said you would.  I know that our guests will be looking to see how well turned out you are.   You sacrificed your chance to make a grand entrance for our home.  So with this, I hope that you feel as beautiful as you are.” 

“I do not know what to say.”

“That is a first.”  He laughed and was glad to see her hand go to her mouth as she giggled.  Looking around, his brow creased.  “Georgiana would not stay with you?  Surely she would meet family, she knows all of them.”

Elizabeth glanced around at some servants bustling by and spoke softly, “She needed to retire for a little while, and will join us later.”  His expression demanded more.  “I found her examining some things of your father’s and she was a little affected by them.”  His frown deepened.  “That is not unexpected, is it?”

“No, not at all.  But I fear that is not the entire story, and I fear that it is to do with an issue we cannot address here.”  Darcy spoke quietly and studied her expression.  “Like my sister, I have spent the better part of this day feeling sentimental, and on the cusp of letting emotion get the best of me.”  She smiled and his mouth lifted when she touched his cheek. 

“So you needed to go visit with your mother through her jewels?”  She whispered and his cheeks coloured.  “Another bit of information to add to my catalogue of Fitzwilliam Darcy.” 

“You know me so well already.”  Darcy kissed her temple and resting his cheek on her head, listened to the conversation below. 

“Oh my, it has been so long since we were last here for Christmas, look at the decoration!”  Lady Matlock declared as she walked into the foyer, pulling off her gloves as she moved.  “Stunning, it only enhances the beauty.  I have rarely seen the like in the homes we have visited over the years.  It breaks my heart not to see you as Pemberley’s mistress.”

“I could have borne such a dull husband to be mistress of this . . .” Cathy’s tone belied her envy.  “I wish he had at least married someone we knew, who fit in with us.  Georgiana can hardly teach her anything, and who will guide her?  What does our new cousin know of being mistress of a great house and moving in society?”

“Absolutely nothing.”  Viscount Gladney snorted as he eyed the elegant evidence of wealth. 

“Behave yourselves when you meet her.  Your brother I can see having his head turned, but not your father.  There must be something to her for him to moderate his opinion, and we are trying to improve our relationship with Darcy.  So we will have to tolerate her.” 

Elizabeth listened to the prattle, and she could feel Darcy’s arms tightening around her as she stiffened.  She felt as inferior as they outright stated, and utterly exposed.  As always in those situations where her back was up, defensive words were on the tip of her tongue.  Her eyes flashed.  “Tolerate
me
!  Well let us see if I will tolerate
them
!” 

Darcy spoke very softly in her ear.  “I have lived with their machinations for five years, dearest.  And I have avoided them for a reason.  I do not want them here now any more than you do.  I want to be alone with you so very much.  But this is the only time that Georgiana may be seen by them before she is clearly with child, and it must be done to give credence to this terrible ruse.” 

“I know.”  She looked down to their entwined hands.  “I am sorry, Will.   I am perhaps overly sensitive to that particular appellation.”

“You were not yesterday, alone with me.”  He kissed her warm cheek.  “Remember, love.  Remember this is
your
home; remember
you
are mistress, and that
you
are above other’s jealousy.”   His head tilted to look at her.  “I know you are rearing up for a fight, and I know that you are frightened that their declarations are true, but look at where you are.”  Darcy’s warm eyes held hers, and he smiled softly.  “What did I say when I begged you to marry me?”

“To trust you.”  Elizabeth watched his head nod.  “I would be safe and warm.” 

“Do you feel safe?”  He kissed her tenderly.  “Are you warm?” 

“I was not a few minutes ago.”  She sighed and finally relaxed against him.  “But what they say is true, Richard pointed it out to me. I should not be surprised that his mother and sister think the same way.”

“Breeding will out.”  Darcy chuckled and she turned around to see his eyes twinkling.

“Did you just insult your upbringing, Mr. Darcy?”

“Me?” He lifted his chin when he heard voices from below.  “Never.”

“Is nobody here to greet us?  I am not going to stand about here waiting for my husband.  If they are not here in two minutes . . .”  They heard Lady Matlock complain.  Elizabeth started and met his gaze.

“If this was Bingley, or even Richard, we would be down there.  My aunt can climb the stairs to greet us.  Besides, it gives her more opportunity to tell Cathy what she lost in not marrying me.”  Elizabeth’s mouth opened in surprise.  “This is family, and I do miss having my family around me.  Thanks to you, I am at last free of their attempts at manipulation and can attempt to reconcile somewhat, but until they earn my respect; they will be treated like any other who wants my favour.  They may come to us.” 

“As you had done with my aunt and uncle.”  Elizabeth watched him as he nodded.  “Would you greet them at the door now?”

Darcy’s lips twitched.  “Are you sporting for an argument to avoid talking about my aunt’s ridiculous and jealous pronouncements about your worthiness?” 

“It is not fair how you know me.”  She glared.

“Touché.”  He smiled.  “What did they really say?”   Darcy took her hand and they walked into the drawing room.  “You do not fit in with their friends and you know little of running a mansion.  Well, if you
had
fit in with their friends, I never would have wanted you, and if you had the experience of running a home like Pemberley, I would have to dismiss Mrs. Reynolds, and I could not possibly do that.” 

Elizabeth laughed.  “Fitzwilliam, you are, what has come over you?”

“What do you mean?”  His brow creased.  “Am I different?”

“Yes.”  She reached up to smooth away the crease.  “You are learning forbearance.”   

“Oh.”  The shy little smile emerged.  “That is good, I think.  I am learning from you.”