Page 114 of Obligation and Redemption
After Elizabeth had left the breakfast room, Darcy hoped to continue the accord that had begun to take shape by surprising his wife in a way that he thought would agree with her sense of adventure.
Before she had a chance to get settled at the instrument, he had followed after her towards the music room to initiate his plans.
He had glanced within the doorway and observed Elizabeth in agitation as she held two sheets from her opened letter, one in each hand, looking from one to the other.
Detecting that she was in distress and wanting to be of some assistance, he finally interrupted her reading.
She obviously did not wish to include him in whatever had disturbed her, and Darcy wondered if she might be hiding something from his notice.
As he might have two months ago, Darcy almost asked to see the letter since it upset her so but stopped himself short and instead proceeded with his proposal.
“After you left the breakfast room, I decided on alternative plans for us. I hope you don’t mind. But if your letter has upset you, we could wait,” Darcy said hesitantly.
Happy to change the subject and equally favourable for an opportune distraction from her own discomposure, she told him that she would be happy to agree to whatever scheme he had in mind.
Content to have her approval and hoping to ease whatever secret burden that had arrived with her sister’s letter, Darcy chose to follow along.
He would not intrude on her privacy and only hoped that whatever she had read in the letter did not portend anything that might incite trouble.
Darcy could imagine that her wild, younger sister had probably done something unseemly and too embarrassing for Elizabeth to share.
“Go upstairs then and change into something appropriate for an outing and meet me in the entryway in an hour.”
Elizabeth was relieved to vacate the room, but curious as to his mysterious proposition. “What are we to do?”
“You will see, my dear,” he said with a small smile. He watched her leave with her secret and was determined to provide the space she needed to work through whatever it was that distressed her.
Elizabeth quit the room with her letter in hand, exceedingly puzzled yet again about Mr. Darcy’s unusual behaviour, but pleased to have a distraction.
When she reached her chamber, she went straight to the small hearth and dropped the papers within, watching the pages go up in flame.
She had chosen not to proceed any further once she determined the author and hoped that her husband would never discover that she had received a note from the man whom he could not abide.
Elizabeth did not like deceiving her husband and acutely felt the lapse in accepting such an injurious letter, even if it were by no fault of her own, but could not change what was done.
She considered telling Mr. Darcy of the offence, but decided that it would be best to ignore Mr. Wickham’s indiscretion and hope that the man would take her silence as disapproval.
Elizabeth’s relationship with her husband was on shaky ground, and she did not want to do anything that might cause more damage.
Elizabeth had hoped to continue on in her solitary pleasures after her husband’s return, for surely the house was large enough to avoid one another.
But she did as she was told and changed into warmer clothes, with little expectation from his request. When she descended the stairs and approached the door, she discovered her husband already there and with a smile to greet her.
“Elizabeth, the footman is retrieving your outerwear just now. I hope you do not mind the cold today; we will not be walking.”
“You know I enjoy being in the open air. What are you about?”
He just smiled. After donning her coat, mittens and then a hooded cape, Elizabeth joined her husband and then went outside where the air was no longer blustery, as it had been the night before, but was calm and serene.
The snow blanketed the grounds as Elizabeth had observed from the windows.
Before her, however, was something she had not seen.
An open sleigh with two ponies attached, complete with bells and ribbons was waiting for them.
“Would you like to go for a sleigh ride, Elizabeth?”
As much as she would have liked to spurn his belated efforts in their marriage, she was in truth excited and overcome with anticipation.
Darcy read the response upon her face and returned the pleasure, but in his own more sedate manner.
He helped her in and sat beside her. Warm bricks and rugs had been loaded onto the sleigh to protect the inhabitants from the winter chill.
Darcy covered his wife and made sure of her comfort.
When he took the reins and flicked the ponies forward, the sleigh lurched with a small jolt causing Elizabeth to laugh outright, and then cover her mouth to subdue her own merriment .
The scene before them could not be compared to that of the previous day, the one with grey skies and bleak landscape.
Today, the sky shone a bright blue with a blanket of white fleece covering everything in sight, so that the road could not be easily discerned from the lawn.
But Darcy knew these grounds as he knew his own self and guided them flawlessly through the many roads and pathways.
Up until now, Elizabeth had only explored the grounds on foot.
She was amazed to see how vast the estate truly was as they glided across the countryside, bells jingling.
Elizabeth hung on to the side of the sleigh when they picked up their speed, eyes wide and mouth agape.
Darcy looked over at her with a genuine smile upon his countenance.
She saw him peek at her, and she closed her mouth quickly, while blushing, but could not help allowing a grin to escape.
They spoke little, but Darcy did point out various points of interest including the small river that began within the rocky hills and tumbled down to where the great house stood.
They saw rabbits and deer roaming the woodland along with red and blue birds searching for berries.
The afternoon was enchanting for both as Elizabeth quite forgot the unwanted correspondence.
She was able to see her husband in a completely different light than she ever had in the past. Even trips to the theatre had been stifled by others in attendance, but here, at Pemberley, while alone, Mr. Darcy allowed himself to relax and take unaffected pleasure in the many delights along the way.
After returning home, Elizabeth went upstairs to get warm, but discovered that her biggest need was for a nap. She was awakened at six to prepare for dinner and was shocked to discover that she had slept for nearly two hours and likely could have continued on for two more.
The evening progressed without any dispute between the couple and ended in the music room again. Elizabeth chose to play the many songs Darcy had enjoyed in the past, while he listened on in contented reflection.
UNABLE TO CONTAIN HER DELIGHT, Elizabeth took pleasure each afternoon going outside and playing, building snowmen and sliding around on the ice.
Her husband initially watched her through the window, not having enjoyed such activity in many years, but when Elizabeth saw him staring at her, she motioned for him to join her.
At first he just laughed and shook his head no, but she finally unwittingly enticed him during her attempts to build a snowman.
Darcy had been observing her through the window as she tried to push the second large ball upon the lower one.
The snow was quite heavy, but with her tenacious spirit she would not give up.
She was endeavouring to lift the mass once again when suddenly two strong arms wrapped around her to guide the large mass onto its resting place.
Upon her husband’s arrival, Elizabeth jumped at his touch but soon was able to relax as she found his presence beneficial to her task.
“Wait here, Elizabeth,” Darcy said as he left her side headed to the house, returning several moments later with an armful of garments. “Our snowman must be attired as a proper gentleman, my dear. ”
She laughed at his strange behaviour but then got to work adding a scarf, hat and other accoutrements. Then she noticed Clark, the footman most commonly accompanying her on her long walks, approaching with a large salver.
“Sir, the items you requested,” Clark said in good spirit, with a bow and a show of feigned ostentation that was in contrast to the informal scene.
Enjoying his antics, Elizabeth looked over and saw a large carrot, an array of buttons, pipes and spectacles laid atop the tray. “Mr. Darcy, are you always so thorough in everything you do?”
“Does that displease you, Elizabeth?”
“I see that everything in your province receives the same exacting industry.” She smiled diffidently. “In truth, I admire that about you.”
“Thank you,” he said with uncharacteristic shyness, unaccustomed to receiving compliments from the woman before him.
“Don’t thank me, Mr. Darcy. I speak as I find.”
“But your good opinion is not often bestowed and, consequently, of great value to me.”
“Oh my, am I that difficult?” Elizabeth responded while biting her lower lip, showing equal parts levity and worry.
“No, my wife, not difficult. You do not use flattery to gain my approval as so many of my acquaintance are want to do. Instead, you have earned my favour.”