Page 95 of To Love And To Cherish
"And we play games," Jane added. "Charades, snapdragon, Spillikins, and others."
"One year," Kitty chimed in, "we each performed a reading from Shakespeare and voted on the best. And we always roast chestnuts."
"Might we do the same here?" Georgiana asked.
"The Christmas menus are planned," Elizabeth said. “And the rest can easily be done. Ladies, shall we drive into Lambton after luncheon and purchase a set of Spillikins and chestnuts?"
It was agreed. Elizabeth turned to Fitzwilliam. “Shall I invite the Lambton rector and his family? I should like to meet him and speak of Sunday school for the children of the parish.”
Fitzwilliam nodded. “If they have no other engagements, I should be happy to have them. They are a most agreeable family.Mr. Vane has twin sons of sixteen, soon to depart for university. The family will make a welcome addition to the party.”
Kitty and Georgiana exchanged a glance and grinned in anticipation.
On Christmas Eve, after a hearty dinner of venison with vegetable sides, the butler brought out the plum pudding. Darcy laughed. “I have eaten far too much already. Elizabeth, you ought to have warned me.”
Later, in the drawing room, they played charades. The first round: Darcy, Elizabeth, and Georgiana against Bingley, Jane, and Kitty. The Darcys triumphed easily.
They mixed teams for a second round, with Jane and Elizabeth switching sides. This time it was a draw.
Spillikins came next, set up on a side table usually reserved for chess. Laughter filled the room as they played. When they tired of the games, the men performed dramatic readings from Shakespeare by firelight while the ladies roasted chestnuts.
Elizabeth leaned toward Darcy and said, "I feel as though we’ve attended the theatre."
"It is far better," Jane replied with a smile.
They did not retire until nearly midnight.
The next morning, they attended church, returning afterwards for a light luncheon. Mr. and Mrs. Vane, accompanied by their two sons, arrived at Pemberley by three o’clock. The guests joined in the games, and the gentlemen prepared a reading from Shakespeare’sThe Winter’s Tale, which was very well received, particularly by Georgiana and Kitty, whose admiration for theperformances of the twin Vane boys was perhaps less literary than it was enthusiastic.
That evening, the Christmas feast began with roast goose and all the traditional vegetables. Dessert was apple pie with heavy cream and spiced mince pies.
Later, as Darcy slipped into bed beside his wife, he pulled her close.
"I love you, Elizabeth. This has been the best Christmas I’ve ever had. Did you see how happy Georgiana was? And your sisters are warm-hearted, unpretentious, and ready to laugh, play games, and sing carols. Pemberley feels like a home this year. Not a showplace. Not a symbol. A true home."
She ran her fingers through his thick hair. “I also enjoyed it. We are, you must admit, a very happy family, Fitzwilliam.”
“Hopelessly so,” he murmured, before kissing her. She caught his lower lip gently between hers, and with that single, disarming act, the formidable master of Pemberley was lost to her embraces.
Chapter 49: Darcy House
Elizabeth pressed Jane’s hands one final time before stepping into the waiting carriage. Her sister's steady presence would be sorely missed. Darcy clapped Bingley on the back, then swung into the saddle and turned Rowan toward the road. The day was grey, the wind damp and sharp, and the sky promised rain. The three young women spent the first hour in light conversation until the rhythm of the wheels lulled the two younger girls to sleep. Elizabeth opened her journal and began writing notes.
She had hoped to begin work in Pemberley’s stillroom that week, only to discover the once-busy chamber now stood silent and unused. Mr. George Darcy had closed it upon the death of his wife, and the shelves remained empty. Mrs. Reynolds procured all their medicinal needs from the village apothecary, an arrangement Elizabeth appreciated, but she yearned for the satisfaction of working in a well-stocked stillroom.
Elizabeth had spent two hours compiling a list of everything she would require to restore the stillroom to function. She would ask Mrs. Reynolds to recommend a maid with aptitude for such work, as there would be enough work for two. The stillroom would serve not only the Darcy family, but also the household staff and the tenants across the estate. She believed it was a proper way to contribute to the welfare of Pemberley.
As the clouds thickened and the first drops fell, the carriage slowed. Moments later, the door opened, and Mr. Darcy stepped in and took the seat beside her. The girls stirred and blinked sleepily.
"The Romance of the Forest, anyone?" Elizabeth asked.
Darcy produced the book he had purchased in Scotland. For two hours, they read aloud, taking turns. When Elizabeth grew tired, Kitty assumed the role. And when the girls once again nodded off, Elizabeth turned to her husband.
"William, I wish to speak with you about the stillroom. I would like to bring it back into service."
"Elizabeth," he said, taking her hand, "won’t that be too much work for you?"
"I had no intention of doing it all myself," she replied with a smile. "I hope to teach a maid, someone with an aptitude in mathematics, who might take it on as her full-time work. If no one at Pemberley suits, perhaps someone from the village might be found."
