Chapter
15
For nearly three
days the staff of the Darcy Townhouse was dedicated to the preparations for the
departure of the family to Pemberley. Mr. Darcy
usually travelled light in equipage when going on his own but now that his wife
and sister were accompanying him the quantity of accoutrements had become
considerably larger. Even the minimal detail was observed and everything was
being readied with meticulous care to make the journey of the travellers a
comfortable one.
Elizabeth’s
anticipation about this trip was only eclipsed by the concerns she felt about
the one night the travellers would spend on the road. It was not unusual for
wealthy people to take separate chambers when travelling but Elizabeth was not sure if this would be the
case. Even though she was almost certain that Mr. Darcy would not suggest the
consummation of their marriage at an Inn, her
complete ignorance of his plans troubled her exceedingly. What if there were
not enough accommodations for all of them to have different bedchambers and she
would have to share the room with him? This was something she could not
ask him directly. She would feel terribly embarrassed and asking Georgiana
which the modality was would alert her sister about a situation that Elizabeth did not want to
be generally known.
But Darcy eased her
concerns a few days before their departure, during supper, and everything
seemed right in the world after that.
“Mrs. Darcy,
if it is not an inconvenience to you, I would like your maid and my valet to
leave on the day previous to our departure with the majority of the trunks.
They will pass the night in the same inn we will be staying and see that
everything is ready for our arrival,” said he.
“I see no
inconvenience with that, sir. One of the other maids can assist me in the
meantime.”
“They will
stay for the night and leave on the following morning, unless you would wish
your maid to wait for you there. If that is the case, Foster can continue by
himself. That way our trunks would be at Pemberley
and everything unpacked when we finally arrive there.”
This was one of the
things that always surprised her about her husband. Darcy was not like the
other men of his rank who always travelled with a retinue of servants to assist
them in every thing. He was quite independent and self-sufficient. “I do
not think it would be necessary. I can manage by myself,” answered Elizabeth.
“Well then.
You must instruct her about any specific requests you might have about your
rooms.”
“I will,
thank you, sir,” she showed her appreciation with a smile. Not much
needed to be said to understand what he implied with this.
“You should
not concern yourself about the accommodations, Elizabeth,” commented Georgiana.
“The inn might not be luxurious but it is very comfortable. The owners are
delightful people and always treat us with great
consideration.”
Elizabeth was sure that this
inn was far more luxurious than any other she had visited before.
Great was the excitement of the travellers when the day of the departure
finally arrived. The carriage was loaded with efficiency, blankets were
provided for the comfort of the occupants and when everything was ready, off
they went to Pemberley.
They travelled at
good speed during the first day, stopping only to rest and give water to the
horses. The carriage was far more comfortable than any other Elizabeth had ridden before but the jolts and
leaps left her tired and stiff by the time they reached the inn.
Elizabeth found herself
alone in her bedroom that night, readying herself for bed. Her husband had
noticed her worn countenance and requested a light supper to be served in a
sitting area destined for their private use. She practically did not touch her
meal, nor did Georgiana, and when fatigue and her growing nervousness took
over, Elizabeth
announced that she was retiring for the evening.
She had many
reasons to feel distressed. The following day she was going to be introduced as
the new mistress of Pemberley. Certainly there were
speculations about her arrival, both among tenants and the servants and Elizabeth was not sure
she would be able to meet their expectations. Her marriage to the master
had started in the worst possible way and she feared that her role as the
mistress of such a grand estate would result equally disastrous.
There was another
motive that was similarly disturbing and that was a matter of great
preoccupation for Elizabeth:
her husband and her duties as his wife. Her relationship with Darcy was cordial
now, polite but distant, but she knew that things would have to progress in a
more intimate direction sooner or later. They would now be in his ancestral
home and after nearly two months of marriage, it was her husband’s right
to demand that she provide him with an heir to his name and fortune.
However the idea of
fulfilling her connubial duties and allowing her husband into her bed was not
as unpleasant as it had once been. While not in love with him, Elizabeth had finally learned to see him with
positivity. He had proved her to be a good man, sensible and noble and that his
appearance was not at all ill-favoured, she could not deny. He was a fine man,
yes, but was she ready to belong completely to him?
A knock at the door
interrupted Elizabeth’s
rambling about the gentleman she had espoused. Sure it was only the maid with
the tea she had requested; she removed the last pin from her hair and walked
towards the door.
“Mr.
Darcy!” she cried on seeing that it was none other than her husband.
Though completely covered in her nightclothes, she was not as presentable as
she would have liked to be in his presence. She closed her shawl over her
chest.
The
gentleman’s surprise was great, too, for he had not expected to startle
her in this manner or to find her so informally attired. “Forgive me if I
am disturbing you, it was not my intention to importune you … I
…”
Elizabeth noticed his
discomfort and, though not completely calmed herself, tried to put him at ease.
“No, please, you are not, I was just …”
Darcy did not want
her to misunderstand the reasons for his presence there so he quickly collected
himself and explained his motives for coming to her room. “I was
concerned about your health. You looked unwell during supper so I wanted to be
certain that you were in need of something.”
“I am fine
now, I thank you,”
“I am glad to
hear it. I have just returned from the stables … I … I went to see
if the men were settled and if the horses were properly taken care of.”
His words did not come as fluidly as he would have wished.
Such a
demonstration of consideration and attentiveness could not be overlooked. As a
sign of gratitude for his preoccupation, she invited him in. “I ordered
some tea. Would you like to join me?”
Darcy hesitated for
a moment, then entered the room. “Thank
you.”
He walked silently
towards the hearth, feeling the awkwardness of the situation. He felt like an
intruder while in his own wife’s chambers. But then their marriage had
been defined by unusualness. Her state of attire was also particularly
disturbing. Though completely decent, she was in her nightclothes, her hair was
loose and he was not used to seeing her like this. It was in the same way
pleasing as it was unsettling. As a sort of distraction, Darcy took the poker
and stroked the fire.
“Will you not
sit down?” she offered.
The gentleman
removed his overcoat and did so. They remained silent for a moment, in that
same manner they used to during their engagement, both a little nervous and
unable to begin a normal conversation. Not much later the maid brought the tea Elizabeth had ordered and after asking her to bring
another cup for her husband, Elizabeth
did the honours.
“Are you
pleased with your rooms?” He asked her quietly, his eyes meeting hers for
only a second.
“Yes, they
are very comfortable,” she replied with a smile.
“I am sorry
that the ride tired you so much. Perhaps we were travelling too fast. I shall
instruct the coachman to go slower tomorrow.”
“Oh
no,” Elizabeth
was quick to answer. “Do not alter your plans on my account. In general,
the speed never affects me. I am sure I will be fine after a night’s
rest.”
He did not reply
and pensively stirred his tea.
She realized that
he was not at ease, and thought that, perhaps, he was feeling as uncomfortable
as she was for being together, alone, in her bedchamber. Even in her
nervousness, Elizabeth
compelled herself to sound cheerful. “Pray, tell me about Pemberley.”
Darcy looked up at
her and smiled, so very pleased that she was showing interest in learning of
the place that had seen him grow up and that would soon become their home. He
told her about the house, the park and the lake and how he used to run from Pemberley to Lambton in the horse-chestnut season when he
was a young lad. With surprise, Elizabeth
learned that the manor had 65 bedrooms and a kitchen that was so big that all
the staff could be accommodated there. Her husband’s favourite room was
the library but he was also very fond of the green sitting room, where his
mother used to attend to her correspondence. He rode every morning around the
estate, he occasionally fished in the trout pond but what he liked most was to
walk across the grounds when the day was fresh and clear.
Elizabeth followed his words
with attentiveness, feeling the contagious excitement he transmitted as he told
her about the house where he was born. He spoke of Pemberley
with such fondness, his eyes brightened up and his smile broadened in such an
appealing way that she could not but be caught up in his tale and duplicate his
excitement for heading to this marvellous house from which she had heard so
much.
While she thought
Darcy’s narrations of Pemberley exceedingly
entertaining, most of all, Elizabeth
was drawn to him more than to his tale. Talking about his estate seemed to
invigorate him, as if a new and much positive force was being infused into him.
He was sitting back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other, his tail coat
unbuttoned and his cravat not as neatly tied as it usually was because of his
constant tugging. He was probably as tired as she was,
desirous to remove his travelling clothes and refresh himself after the long
journey, but instead he was there with her, seeing if she was fine. She
considered the gesture extremely kind.
“I will tell
you no more, I shall let you discover it for yourself,” Darcy said when
she enquired about history of the house.
“That would
be my pleasure,” her eyes smiled at him.
“I better let
you rest now,” Darcy rose, “it is getting late and we have a long
day ahead tomorrow.”
Elizabeth nodded and left
her chair to accompany him to the door.
“Good night,
madam. Thank you for the tea,” he bowed.
“You are
welcome. Good night, sir.”
Darcy stopped under
the threshold and paused for a moment before speaking in a sedate, low voice,
“Mrs. Darcy, you should not fear tomorrow.”
She nodded
smilingly.
He was gone and Elizabeth was left alone
with her reflections. With that simple phrase, her handsome husband had just
washed away every concern she had felt about her presentation as the new
Mistress of Pemberley on the following day. It was
truly amazing how her conception of Darcy had changed these past few days, how
she had been able to see a goodness that she now knew had always been there but
that she had refused to accept. Thoroughly content after their meeting, Elizabeth went to bed,
warmed by the idea that tomorrow was going to be a very good day.
Now with her fears
diluted by the reassuring words of her husband, Elizabeth was more inclined to enjoy the rest
of the trip to her new home. The speed did not trouble her,
neither did Darcy’s presence across her in the carriage.
“Derbyshire
is beautiful country, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth
observed as she looked outside the window. “I have never seen such lovely
scenery before.”
“I am very
happy you are enjoying it. This part of the country is particularly handsome.
My favourite part is the Peak District. I thought we might go there, in the
future,” he smiled.
“That would
be very agreeable.” Elizabeth
returned his smile. “I have heard so much about it that I cannot wait to
finally see the beautiful peaks by myself. Are they as tall as I’ve been
told?”
“Some of them
are very tall, yes.”
They were now
passing a small village with several small houses spread along the stone road. Elizabeth leaned on the
window and stretched to observe a mill that she found most interesting because
of its unique disposition. Darcy noticed that she was not in the best
accommodation to admire the scenery and invited her to sit by his side.
“You’ll
have a much better view of the road ahead,” he commented as he made room
for her in his seat.
“Thank
you.” With the support of his hand, Elizabeth
moved to sit next to him.
For some time, they
travelled in silence. Elizabeth
was fascinated with the view and was an eager observant of every remarkable
spot of the landscape. But then, the restlessness of the night before and the
rocking of the carriage made her feel drowsy. She closed her eyes and her head
fell back against the seat of the carriage. Her husband noticed and put his arm
around her shoulder, cradling her against his body.
“Come, Mrs.
Darcy, you shall be more comfortable this way.”
Elizabeth leaned her head on
his shoulder and fell asleep.
About an hour
later, Elizabeth
began to stir. As she came out from her slumber, she nuzzled her face against
the form on which she was comfortably laying. She opened her eyes and saw
Georgiana, who was fast asleep on the seat opposite to her. Oh yes, they were
in the carriage on their way to Pemberley, she
recalled drowsily. But as she became more aware of her surroundings, she also
realized that she was not lying over the cushions as she had thought, that she
was, in fact, resting on her husband’s torso and that her arm was around
his waist. He was asleep, she could tell by his breathing, which was slow and
deep. From what she could discern, he was in a semi-reclined position,
stretched across the carriage, with his back against one side of the carriage
and his long legs almost touching the other side. He had both arms around her,
his hands linked on the small of her back and his chin resting on the crown of
her head. She had never felt so comfortable in her life. She sighed in
contentment and stayed very still so she would not disturb him.
Darcy was awakened
suddenly by a movement of the carriage, a little numb because of his awkward
position and some additional weight that seemed to have fallen upon him. He tried
to move but when he realized that Elizabeth
was lying over his chest, he remained still, not wishing to wake her up and end
this special moment. He kissed her hair very softly let out a deep sigh as he
directed his eyes towards the window.
“Are we still
very far away, Mr. Darcy?” Elizabeth
asked, her head still resting on his chest.
The gentleman
startled at the sound of her voice, as he had been completely sure that she was
still sleeping. He tilted his head to observe her just as Elizabeth raised hers to meet his eyes.
Darcy’s heart melted at the sight of her beautiful smile directed at
him.
“We are to
arrive very soon,” he said and shifted a little his position so both of
them could be more comfortable.
Elizabeth’s smile grew
wider and Darcy linked his hands on her back again. She rested her head on his
chest once more and re directed her gaze at the lovely scenery outside the
carriage. Thus they remained until Georgiana broke the spell with a …
“There! Pemberley’s gate!”
The couple
straightened up, a little embarrassed of being caught in such an intimate
position. They had been comfortably looking outside of the window for more than
fifteen minutes, completely oblivious to the presence of the third occupant of
the coach.
“Oh, dear, I
am sure I am a wretched sight.” Elizabeth
smoothed her clothes and raised her hands to her hair, the apprehension of the
night before coming back once again.
“On the
contrary, madam, you look perfectly well.” Darcy’s voice was
reassuring. “Do not be afraid, everything will be all right.”
The carriage drove
along and Elizabeth
observed in wonder the appearance of Pemberley woods.
The park was large, and neatly kept. She had never seen such variety of trees
and so handsomely distributed. They gradually ascended for half a mile. At the
top, the wood ceased and there, standing on the opposite side of the valley, Elizabeth finally saw Pemberley house.
The sight before
her was breathtaking. It was a large, handsome, stone building that stood proud
on rising ground, framed by a ridge of high woody hills. A stream came down
from the right and grew into a small lake of inartificial appearance as it
approached the house. Elizabeth
had never seen a place for which nature had done more, where natural beauty had
been so little altered by awkward tastes. This was Pemberley.
This would be her home.
They descended the
hill, crossed the bridge and the carriage came to a halt at the main entrance.
In front of the door, the servants were aligned to receive the master and his
bride.
Darcy descended
first and helped the ladies out of the coach.
“Shall we,
Mrs. Darcy?” He placed her hand on his arm and covered it with his.
Elizabeth took a deep
breath. “Yes,
Mr. Darcy.”