Page 20 of Desired By Mr Darcy
Elizabeth turned to him with a smile.
“It is exquisite, Fitzwilliam. I could not dream of altering so much as a single chair.”
A faint smile played on his lips. “I am relieved to hear it. Though you should know, the house is as much yours as mine now. Any changes you wish to make would be... welcome.”
“Then I shall make only one,” she replied, her tone playful. “I shall take great pleasure in filling it with friends and laughter. For all its beauty, a house must be lived in to truly feel like home.”
Darcy tilted his head slightly, a gesture she was beginning to recognise as his way of conceding a point.
“A wise observation. It is fortunate, then, that you possess a talent for filling even the grandest spaces with warmth.”
“You flatter me, sir. The craftsmanship is very fine, and the décor looks to be new,” Lizzy said. “Did Georgiana oversee it?”
“No. I had the whole house refurbished before Georgiana took residence in town, and oversaw the designs myself. I had hopes…”
“What?”
“I had hopes that you would be here, too.”
“When was this?”
“The work began when I returned to London from Hertfordshire, and concluded just after Easter. When it was finished, I believed you would never even step a foot over the threshold, for you had made your feelings clear to me. You cannot imagine my joy to see you here.”
Lizzy was lost for words, unable to believe he had taken such lengths in imagining their life together. Had she known this in April, she had no doubt that she would have been horrified, but now – now, she was touched that he had taken such careful consideration of her tastes.
Tea was brought out soon after their arrival, and just as Fitzwilliam had anticipated, Mr Bingley joined them. His face lit up with an undeniable eagerness as he greeted Jane, the kind of unrestrained delight one might expect from someone returning after years away rather than mere days. Lizzy, cup in hand, watched the lively exchange with quiet amusement, her gaze occasionally wandering to her betrothed, seated alongside Mr Bingley.
Their contrasting dispositions could not have been more striking. Where Mr Bingley’s voice carried easily with cheerfulexuberance, Fitzwilliam sat in composed silence, his lips pressed into a firm line. Yet, Lizzy's sharp eye discerned nuances in his stillness that others might miss. She had begun to decipher the subtle language of his expressions - a raised brow, the faintest tightening of his jaw, a flicker of movement at the corner of his mouth. This was no indication of boredom, she realised. Rather, it was an unspoken shyness, a reticence that seemed at odds with the commanding presence he so often projected.
“Mr Darcy,” Mrs Bennet said, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin, “What are your plans for after the wedding?”
“We will depart for Pemberley the next day.”
“It is a pity you are marrying at such a time of year, if I may say.”
“I do not think so,” Fitzwilliam countered. “I find the autumn to be very pleasant.”
“I suppose it does have its charms, but…”
Mrs Bennet paused, her expression one of careful consideration, though Lizzy suspected her mother was more eager to voice her own thoughts than to truly contemplate Fitzwilliam’s words. “But the roads can be dreadful! Mud and rain, you know. I only hope you don’t find yourselves in difficulty. And Lizzy, my dear, you will take care not to catch a chill, won’t you?”
“Of course, Mama,” Lizzy replied smoothly, her tone laced with a practiced patience that was born of long familiarity with her mother’s fretting. “I am sure we shall manage quite well, rain or shine.”
Mrs Bennet’s brow furrowed briefly, but she brightened almost at once, as if struck by a new thought.
“Still, I daresay it will be a fine time for setting up house properly. Pemberley, I am told, is most splendid, Mr Darcy.Though I imagine Lizzy will have much to do in making it truly hers.”
Fitzwilliam shifted slightly in his seat, his composed demeanour unbroken.
“Pemberley is indeed a fine house, Mrs Bennet, but I trust Miss Elizabeth will find it as welcoming and comfortable as I do. Its charms require no embellishment.”
Elizabeth’s gaze darted to him, catching the subtle warmth in his words. Though his tone remained measured, the sentiment behind it was clear. She found herself smiling despite her mother’s prattle.
Mrs Bennet, however, seemed determined to maintain the momentum of her commentary.
“Oh, well, naturally, a gentleman would think so! But you know how ladies are, Mr Darcy. They always have little improvements in mind - new draperies, or some touch of colour here or there. Lizzy has an eye for such things, you’ll see.”
Mr Darcy inclined his head politely, but before he could reply, Jane smiled at Mrs Bennet and patted her hand.
