Pride in Meryton, page 20
A tear escaped her eye and he watched it slide down her cheek. He took a step closer and reached up to wipe the tear from her face with his thumb. “Even when your eyes are filled with tears, they are the most captivating and entrancing eyes I have ever beheld.” He grasped her hand, “Miss Elizabeth, I beg you to put an end to my agony! I am lost without you; I am floundering with no purpose to a life without you in it. Please do me the honour of accepting my hand.” Another tear escaped her eye and he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed her face, smiling warmly and gazing into her eyes.
“When did you become such a romantic, Mr. Darcy? I always thought you far too sensible and reserved for such notions,” she said with a teary smile.
“It is true that I have sheltered my heart in the past; however, I have just recently discovered the advantages of showing my affections, especially to a woman with your determination. If you accept me, I shall endeavour to be worthy of your affections,” he told her grasping her hands.
“How could I possibly refuse?”
He tilted his head and smiled: “Is this your reply?”
She smiled at his teasing nature: “Mr. Darcy, I thank you for the compliments that you have paid me and the honour that you have bestowed on me with your excellent proposal. Before I read your letter, I thought you to be a cold, heartless man with no concern for those outside his circle. I thank you again and again for your letter and for showing me how wrong I was to judge you so harshly.”
“Then my letter helped to change your opinion of me?” he asked.
She smiled and nodded: “Very much so; it made me realize how mistaken I was in my judgment of your character,” she admitted.
“And now, what think you of my character?” he asked.
“I think you the very best of men – in fact, a noble knight with the shiniest armour,” she teased him.
He smiled: “And does the damsel accept the knight’s proposal?” he asked, gazing into her eyes.
She nodded: “Indeed, he vanquished the evil overlord and won the heart of the damsel. She accepts with the greatest of joy,” she told him with a broad smile.
He gazed at her affectionately: “Actually he had his aunt’s assistance in vanquishing the evil overlord,” he corrected her.
Her eyes sparkled with glee: “Ah yes, the fairy godmother! But it was the knight who summoned the fairy godmother and the damsel would not have been saved were it not for the wisdom and foresight of the noble knight,” she replied.
He smiled at the irony of her lively wit; his Aunt Catherine was in fact also his godmother. “I believe this is the part of the story where the knight bestows a kiss on the damsel.”
“Yes, I believe so,” she said with a smile, rising up on her toes. He gathered her into his arms and kissed her softly. She sighed. He kissed her again, more passionately.
If Elizabeth had had her wits about her, she would have made a joke about the damsel going into a swoon when the knight kissed her; however, she was far too dizzy to think of it.
Chapter 12: Epilogue
Two Years Later…
Annabelle Winters was thriving with the Morgans who cherished her as though she was their own daughter. Since she had experience with chickens, her only chore was to collect the eggs, sweep out the pen and feed the chickens each morning. Her new Mama planned to teach her how to embroider and knit. Her new Papa was teaching her to read and write; she was an excellent student. Barnaby was a welcomed visitor in the Morgan home but he declined the offer to move in and live with them. He had given up pick-pocketing but still made a few pennies every day making deliveries. Charles Bingley arranged for Barnaby to sleep in the bunkhouse with the Netherfield stable hands and the Netherfield housekeeper gave him a hot meal every day.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bingley were living blissfully at Netherfield and travelled to London occasionally to enjoy the season. Now that Jane was expecting their first child, she preferred to stay in Hertfordshire close to her family. Jane enjoyed seeing her Mama and sisters every Sunday and the Bennets were looking forward to the first Bennet grandchild. Charles had purchased the old Chapel estate (on the advice of Barnaby and Darcy) and he was supervising the restoration of the estate and replacement of the stable. The Bingleys looked forward to moving in before the end of the year.
Mrs. Bennet was happily ensconced in her cherished Longbourn and she found comfort being in the company of her three youngest daughters, surrounded with her beloved husband’s heirlooms. She enjoyed weekly visits with her eldest daughter each Sunday after church services; she preferred to give the young couple their privacy, remembering her own Mama’s intrusion into her life when she was a young bride. She was confident that her younger daughters would also find husbands; however, she was determined to keep them at home for a few more years.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh was enjoying the spiritual guidance provided by the new parson who moved into the parsonage with his wife and young children. She was eagerly anticipating her annual Easter celebration with her nephew and his young wife. This year, she also extended an invitation to the Bennets and the Morgans and was looking forward to seeing young Annabelle again. She had maintained a steady correspondence with Mrs. Morgan and was encouraged by the progress the young girl had made. She had ordered a new yellow dress for Annabelle and was looking forward to surprising her with the gift.
Mr. William Collins took a position as a tutor at an estate in New Castle after he left Hertfordshire, unable to find a position in Hertfordshire, Kent or Derbyshire. He was provided with a small cottage by his employer and took his meals with the servants of the estate. His young student fared well under Collins’ tutelage; unfortunately Mr. Collins suffered an adverse reaction to a bee sting and died after three months of employment.
Mrs. Charlotte Collins took a position as a traveling companion to Lady Agatha Montgomery, a young woman who had just come out into society. Mrs. Collins accompanied Lady Agatha to all of her social events and was provided with a suitable wardrobe appropriate for her position. She took her meals with the family and enjoyed the favours of her employers, Lord and Lady Montgomery. Lady Agatha accepted an offer of marriage from an eligible suitor and they were married last June. Upon the unfortunate passing of her husband, Mrs. Collins observed the required period of mourning. After one year, she accepted an offer of marriage from Mr. Daniel Jensen, Esquire, and they were married last summer. Mr. and Mrs. Jensen now reside in London.
Mr. And Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy maintained homes in Derbyshire and London; however they preferred the comforts of Pemberley over the rush of Town. William and Elizabeth celebrated their wedding first anniversary at Pemberley with Charles and Jane Bingley; both couples had agreed to hold annual double anniversary celebrations in recognition of their double wedding. The entire family joined them at Pemberley and the Darcy’s were the perfect hosts to the Bingleys, Bennets, Gardiners, Phillips and de Bourghs. This year they were planning to celebrate their second anniversary at Netherfield. Elizabeth and Georgiana enjoyed a close friendship since becoming sisters and were planning Georgiana’s coming out later this year. The Darcys looked forward to celebrating Easter with their family at Rosings; they had a special surprise for their loved ones. The happy couple was expecting a blessed event in late September.
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About the Author
Cassandra B. Leigh is the pen name of a woman who writes business documentation by day and fan fiction by night. She began writing poems and stories for her own enjoyment, then discovered the multiple Jane Austen fan fiction sites and jumped into the fray to explore the 'what-ifs' of P&P.
What if the half hour in the Netherfield library resulted in outrageous gossip? (“Steady to His Purpose”)
What if Elizabeth and Darcy endeavoured to be civil to each other during the Hunsford proposal? (“Endeavor at Civility”)
What happened to Darcy after the rejected proposal? (“To Make You Love Me”)
Ms. Leigh posts under the name 'Astonishment' and is a devotee of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer.
http://tinyurl.com/pe9nz5j
Endnotes
* * *
[1] Pride and Prejudice, (Chapter 3)
[2] Vowels: I.O.U.s
[3] Pride and Prejudice, (Chapter 18)
[4] Pride and Prejudice, (Chapter 20)
[5] Pride and Prejudice, (Chapter 21)
[6] Pride and Prejudice, (Chapter 3)
[7] Sonnet 18, William Shakespeare
Cassandra B Leigh, Pride in Meryton
