Page 70 of Grief and Grievances

“Indeed,” she replied, smiling up at him. “I wished to share our joyous news with her. I have asked her to place some flowers upon Anne’s grave as a tribute, for without her passing, I do not believe we would have ever come together.”

Darcy leaned in, his eyes scanning the words on the parchment. A look of disagreement crossed his features. “Though I understand your sentiments, dearest, I must disagree. You held my heart captive long before our journey to Kent. Somehow, some way, I would have found a means to convince you to be my wife. I could not bear to consider any other outcome. You were inevitably destined to be Mrs. Darcy.”

Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she took in her husband’s earnest declaration. She allowed herself a small laugh, acknowledging the possibility that perhaps fate had intended them for each other all along. “You may be right, Fitzwilliam. Perhaps my destiny has always been entwined with yours.”

With a contented smile, she carefully folded the letter and placed it aside, intending to send it with the morning post. Darcy extended his hand to her, and she gratefully accepted his assistance as she rose from the chair.

“Come,” he said tenderly, leading her gently from the study and towards their bedroom. As they walked arm in arm through the dimly lit hallway, Elizabeth’s thoughts wandered to the future that awaited them as husband and wife—a future filled with love, laughter, and the promise of endless possibilities.

“May our life together be a testament to the power of love,” she whispered into the silence, feeling Darcy’s strong arm around her waist, his presence both comforting and protective. And in that moment, Elizabeth Bennet knew beyond any doubt that she was precisely where she was meant to be—at the side of her beloved Mr Darcy, their hearts united by an unbreakable bond forged through trials, triumphs, and the unwavering certainty that they were, indeed, destined for one another.

~ THE END ~