Page 157 of The Governess of My Heart
The children ran up to him with affection.
“Fitzwilliam, when is the next ball? Can we attend that, too?” Edmund asked with excitement, and Darcy laughed.
“The next ball should be during Christmas, but you will have many more exciting parties to attend before that, including a wedding,” he said, not taking his eyes off Elizabeth.
“Your wedding with Miss Smith, am I right?” Emily asked.
“Yes, you are.”
“And when is that, Mr. Darcy?” Elizabeth asked him teasingly.
Darcy left the children and walked to the table where she was seated, and Elizabeth immediately stood.
“If you agree, I can make it happen tomorrow,” he said, gazing into her beautiful eyes. Elizabeth lost herself as she stared at him, forgetting the present, and the couple were brought back to reality when the children joined them at the table.
“I thought you would not resume lessons until we left for London,” Darcy said.
“How could I not? I cannot neglect them because of what is going on in our lives. This is the only thing that feels real in my life now,” she said, watching Darcy frown.
“Apart from you,” Elizabeth added.
Just then, they heard a knock, and the children’s nanny entered the room; she looked uneasy.
“What is it, Mrs. Davidson?” Elizabeth asked.
“Miss Smith, I mean, Lady Martha asked me to stay here until Mr. Darcy leaves; I mean, just stay here with you,” she said.
“Good Heavens!” Darcy cried to himself and saw Elizabeth try hard not to smile.
She is still concerned about the chaperone situation.
“You can stay here as long as you want; I was just leaving,” he cried with irritation and left the room.
“Did I do something to upset him?” Mrs. Davidson asked.
“It has nothing to do with you; please do not worry,” Elizabeth smiled at her. She was impatient to know what had transpired after the discussion downstairs but continued with the lessons as her mind circled around Lady Isabella.
She recalled the events of the previous night, pained by the shock and horror she witnessed on Lord Ashton’s and Lady Martha’s faces as the secret unraveled through her.
She had been in Lady Isabella’s room until the early hours, trying to understand her situation better. By morning, Lady Martha decided to inform Darcy and had sent a note to Pemberley. Once the children completed their lessons, Elizabeth headed to the dining room for dinner. As expected, the whole family gathered for the meal. Lady Martha ensured everyone continued their routine despite the developments; she did not want any staff to suspect anything, as she also strongly felt that the culprit was someone in Ashton Park.
When Elizabeth entered the room, she locked eyes with Lord Anderson and struggled to compose herself. Beside him sat Lady Anderson, and her temperament mirrored that of Elizabeth. She could not bear the sight of Elizabeth, and her daughter looked away in anger. It was evident to everyone that Miss Anderson was still unaware of her father’s past. Elizabeth could sense it as well.
I am certain her mother has not revealed the truth yet. I can see it in her eyes; she does not know yet.
They all sat down to eat, and Elizabeth sat beside Lady Isabella who looked distraught.
Mr. Anderson and Darcy kept the conversation flowing, and whenever it touched the topic of their marriage, Elizabeth saw the displeasure on Lady Anderson’s face. Her piercing gaze fell on Elizabeth more often than not, and Darcy was very aware of this. He could not stand anyone treating Elizabeth in such a wayand looked at Lady Anderson angrily, his expression warning her to behave with respect.
Lady Anderson fumed as she saw Darcy sit next to Elizabeth.
She stole everything from us: the man I married and the man my daughter wants to marry. I cannot stand her sight.
Lady Anderson had struggled to reveal the truth about Elizabeth to her daughter. She understood that it would devastate her, as she already felt humiliated by Darcy’s marriage to Elizabeth. It was a relief to everyone once dinner ended and Darcy planned to return to Pemberley.
“Fitzwilliam, what is the plan?” Elizabeth asked in a whisper as she led him out of the house.
“Trust me, the less we speak about this, the better. Everything will be resolved tomorrow.”
