Page 122 of The Governess of My Heart
“Mr. Darcy…I…”
“Fitzwilliam,” Darcy corrected.
Elizabeth blushed.
“I cannot call you that way.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have always addressed you as Mr. Darcy, even in my thoughts.”
Darcy smiled.
“Then you better start practicing soon.”
“I will try. You always scare me, and Mr. Darcy suits you better,” she said teasingly, making Darcy laugh.
She handed him some letters and requested Darcy to send them to Charlotte.
“Charlotte will find a way to send my letter to Mary as soon as possible. I cannot believe how Mary helped us. She has been my only support in Hertfordshire.”
“She is a very sensible young woman. The moment I saw her; she reminded me of you. I can send this through an express rider, and it should reach your friend soon. Why did you leave employment in town?” Darcy asked.
Elizabeth hesitated; she felt embarrassed to relate to the events in town.
“I apologize, I did not mean to be intrusive,” Darcy said, discerning her discomfort.
“Please do not. Mary is unaware of the details, as I did not want to cause her worry.”
She explained the unfortunate incident that transpired in town, while she was employed there. Darcy’s blood boiled as she mentioned what she was subjected to.
“That incident still haunts me. When you walked into the library in Pemberley that evening, I was reliving the same, and that’s why I reacted to you like that.”
“I am so sorry. I knew you feared me that day, but I could not attribute it to what. That day, I finally realized I was deeply in love with you. It was so difficult for me that night not to run to your room and check on your welfare.”
“You always saw through me, which is why I was rude to you.”
“And because you loved me,” he added.
“Yes, because I loved you. You must hate me for what I put you through,” she said, recollecting all their past experiences.
“No, you wanted to sacrifice your love for my well-being; it only shows your regard for me. Without you, there is no place in the world I could be happy.”
His words warmed her heart.
“Are you worried about leaving Ashton Park? I know you are very attached to the children and Lady Martha, but we will always be close to them.”
“I am still trying to accept the reality of leaving my position. Lady Martha has treated me more like a member of the family, and I am truly indebted to her. As for the children, I do not know how they will react to the news.”
“It will not be easy for them. On the other hand, you must know how elated Georgiana would be with the news.”
“Yes, I do. She had been such an amazing friend, and I cannot express how happy I am to have her as my sister. Poor Georgiana, I declined to call on her at Pemberley so many times because of my notion to avoid you. She has been so generous when it comes to me.”
“I hope you both will not spend hours together in the music room and ignore me when we are married.”
To this, Elizabeth laughed heartily, imagining Darcy sitting alone in his study when she spent time with Georgiana in the music room at his estate. Her laughter was like music to his ears; it had been long since he had heard her laugh.
“I cannot promise you anything,” Elizabeth finally said.
