Page 63 of Suddenly Married

Elizabeth was sitting on the bench by the little lake, reading the latest letters her sisters had sent her.

She was accompanied by her two children and her beloved dog, Dante.

Her eldest son, Bennet, was soon to be five, and the whole family planned to come to Pemberley for the celebration.

Her youngest son, Thomas, had turned three only a few days earlier.

Both children resembled their father physically, except that Thomas had inherited his eyes from Elizabeth.

Yet they were very different in temperament.

Bennet was serious and studious, while Thomas was outgoing and impulsive.

Thus, they complemented one another remarkably well and could spend hours playing without the usual quarrels between siblings.

Elizabeth had no cause for complaint since her reconciliation with her husband more than five years ago.

They had not endured any significant conflict.

Their relationship had always been passionate, and as they were both stubborn by nature, disagreements were not uncommon.

Yet such disputes, always arising from trivial matters, were resolved by open conversation and passionate reconciliations.

Elizabeth was pleased. She loved her husband and her two children unconditionally, and her life at Pemberley was nothing short of perfect.

The first letter she read was from Charlotte.

Matters were not going well for her friend, either financially or emotionally.

Mr. Collins proved a poor administrator; his lack of common sense and his pedantry had earned him the disdain of both servants and tenants.

Longbourn yielded even less than under the indolent management of Mr. Bennet, while Mr. Collins, eager to flaunt his new status as landlord, spent more than he produced.

Consequently, they were burdened with debts they could scarcely manage to pay.

Worse still, Charlotte had borne only daughters; the long-hoped-for son had not arrived.

If matters did not change, Longbourn’s next heir would be young Lawrence Roland Clark.

Elizabeth sincerely wished Charlotte’s situation might improve.

Indeed, she had asked her husband to forgive the debt they owed him.

Yet she could not help but fear that Charlotte’s future remained uncertain, particularly if she did not produce a son.

The second letter was from Lydia, who lived with her husband and Mrs. Bennet in Meryton.

Lydia had married the young solicitor who had begun as Mr. Phillips’s apprentice three years earlier.

Lydia Wilson was expecting her first child, and Mrs. Bennet rejoiced at the prospect of a baby in the house.

Lydia’s husband was a studious man, and under his influence, Lydia had significantly matured while retaining her cheerful spirit.

Elizabeth was pleased to know that her mother lived with her youngest daughter and was not alone.

Kitty’s letter was next. She remained Georgiana’s closest friend, and it was through her that she had met her husband, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam.

Kitty had been captivated by him from the start—his intelligence, wit, and striking appearance in uniform.

At that time, however, he had no thought of marriage and remained devoted to his military career.

Two years later, when Kitty turned twenty and he thirty, his regard for Georgiana’s friend deepened.

After a short courtship, Richard resigned from the army, they married, and settled at Rosings.

Kitty, with her gentle and compliant disposition, had long been guided by Lydia’s stronger will.

For that reason, Lady Catherine rejoiced in Richard’s choice of bride, for Kitty was always willing to heed her “wise” counsel.

She was particularly delighted that the new mistress of Rosings bore the name Catherine Fitzwilliam, identical to her maiden name.

Still greater was her joy at the birth of Anne Catherine, who filled the void left by her late daughter.

Kitty had chosen the name Anne after reading the moving letter written by Lady Catherine’s daughter, though never delivered in life.

Elizabeth was pleased to hear that Kitty expected another child before the year’s end.

The following letter was written by Mary more than a month earlier.

She was in Antigua, for Captain Walker was charged with guarding the British West Indies.

Admiral Walker, her father-in-law, had recently been appointed governor of the island.

Mary and Roland had a son and a daughter, with a third child on the way.

Mary dedicated herself to composing music and often sent Elizabeth her scores, so that by playing them, she might imagine the very landscapes described in Mary’s letters.

Elizabeth had noticed how the sea and nature had transformed her sister into a far less rigid woman.

She now freely enjoyed the splendid life she shared with Roland.

Elizabeth then opened her aunt Gardiner’s letter.

She reported that her husband had been unwell but was improving.

Cousin Edward would enter Cambridge the following autumn, and cousin Emma was soon to turn fifteen.

She also recounted the latest London gossip: Lady Isabella had run away with her lover, a young footman who, it was said, bore a remarkable resemblance to Lawrence.

Elizabeth laughed aloud at the tale. That lady had pursued her brother-in-law for years, and it seemed she had at last discovered someone to distract her from her obsession.

Finally, she read Jane’s letter. As always, it was filled with details of her children’s doings.

Her firstborn, Lawrence Roland, had just turned five and was delighted at the prospect of visiting Pemberley.

For a city boy, the opportunity to enjoy wide open spaces with his cousins was a dream.

His sister, Elizabeth Clark, resembled her mother in character: quiet, reserved, and always well behaved.

She was devoted to her father, who indulged her every wish.

Jane wrote that they had recently spent several days at their house by the sea.

Lawrence had begun building a larger residence there, so that all the families might gather together in the future.

Elizabeth was so absorbed in her letters that she did not notice her husband approaching. Mr. Darcy, having worked all day, longed for time with his family. Knowing the letters had arrived that morning, he could well guess where his wife had gone to read them.

He, too, had received letters, the most important being from Georgiana.

She had been married three months earlier, yet he missed her deeply.

The previous year, the family had spent several months in Scotland, where Georgiana had met a young Scotsman, the third son of a local gentleman.

Mr. Darcy had entrusted him with the management of his estate there, enabling the young couple to begin their life together.

Before meeting Elizabeth, he might have objected to his sister marrying beneath her in station.

Now, such concerns were meaningless, for he saw his sister happy with an honest, hardworking man who cherished and respected her.

The only drawback was the distance that separated them, but he understood that she now had her own family and her own happiness.

“Have you finished reading your letters, Mrs. Darcy?” her husband asked as he sat beside her.

“Yes, I have. Everyone confirmed that they will arrive next week for Bennet’s birthday. I only regret that Mary and her family are so far away, but I know they shall return to England in another year, and I shall see them more often.” Elizabeth replied as she took her husband’s hand.

“Georgiana and Samuel will come as well. Fortunately, we have a large house and may welcome them all,” Mr. Darcy said, kissing his wife’s hand.

Dante came wagging his tail to greet Mr. Darcy, and the children, playing near the lake’s edge, noticed their father’s arrival. Both ran to him, but little Thomas stumbled and began to cry.

Mr. Darcy quickly lifted him in his arms to comfort him. “My little boy, do not cry. Nothing has happened, my precious one.” The words soothed Thomas, who ceased crying, though he continued to sob. Elizabeth kissed his cheek and promised him his favourite dessert when they returned home.

Bennet held his mother’s hand patiently while waiting for his brother to be comforted. “My dear husband, I think it is time we went home so the children may bathe and dine,” Elizabeth said.

Mr. Darcy carried the still-sobbing Thomas, while Elizabeth took her husband’s arm, and Bennet clasped his mother’s free hand as they walked back towards the house.

As they went, Mr. Darcy whispered in his wife’s ear, “I love you, Elizabeth.”

She smiled at him and replied softly, “I love you too, Fitzwilliam.”

:)