Page 210 of The Governess of My Heart
Darcy left Elizabeth alone with her father for a few minutes in the library.
“You are making it very difficult for me to leave you,” Lord Anderson said, seeing her sadness.
“No, you must; for all I know, you should have returned months ago.”
“Elizabeth, I have visited Ashton Park every year and returned home as the same unhappy man. But now, everything is different because I found you. You have given me so much joy and peace.”
“But I have hurt you a lot initially. Do you forgive me?”
“Do not be silly. You had the right to be angry. Honestly, I never thought you would accept me. Please remember, though,whatever life throws at you, you have me; you have your father to support you,” he said, embracing her.
When it was time to leave, Darcy and Elizabeth spotted Miss Anderson standing near the stairs along with her mother, and it had been weeks since they had seen her. Elizabeth was shocked to see her appearance; she had lost weight and looked extremely thin. Her face was ghastly, and she looked utterly lost. Her air of superiority seemed to have vanished, and she struggled to look in their direction.
Darcy immediately warned Elizabeth to step into the parlor.
“Fitzwilliam, it is all right,” she said to him, and he held her hand as she walked forward.
Lady Anderson stood close to her daughter with a look of worry, almost trying to block her from Elizabeth’s sight. As for Elizabeth, she felt everyone was overreacting to the situation, as Miss Anderson did not look angry but ashamed to be in her company.
Elizabeth walked up to them, and Darcy stood protectively beside her. Miss Anderson struggled to meet her eye, and once she did, Elizabeth saw her crumble under the weight of shame.
“Do not look at me with pity; he is still my father,” she said with a false sense of anger.
“He is, and he will always be,” Elizabeth said.
She seemed shocked to hear Elizabeth’s declaration.
“I... I am sorry for what I did,” she cried and left before Elizabeth could answer, and Lady Anderson followed her out.
Darcy looked at Elizabeth with confusion.
“How could you forgive her?” he asked.
“Because she did not plan it, she acted in the heat of the moment; it was my mistake to intrude in a private conversation between a mother and daughter. Had I not followed them there, argued with them, none of it would have happened. Whatevershe did that day is unacceptable, but you must find a way to forgive her, for my father’s sake.”
It was emotional for Lord Anderson and Elizabeth to part from each other. Darcy assured him that he would not have to worry about Elizabeth.
“I know, Mr. Darcy; I am well aware that you would care for her even better than me,” he said gratefully.
Mr. Anderson left with his brother’s family, and Lady Martha felt a strange emptiness in Ashton Park. And to her surprise, Elizabeth offered to stay with her that day, and Lady Martha looked at Darcy with a raised eyebrow.
“Of course, I am happy to let her stay, and just to ascertain what you are already aware of, I am staying here as well,” he said, and Elizabeth laughed.
The days flew by, and Elizabeth and Darcy took a short honeymoon trip to the lakes a month after their marriage. Meanwhile, Mr. Bingley and Mary had decided to purchase an estate in Derbyshire, and Elizabeth could not wait for them to settle close to her. She was grateful to understand that her sisters were safe under her uncle’s guardianship.
More than Darcy and Elizabeth, Georgiana was overjoyed with their marriage. And Darcy was proud of how Elizabeth gave Georgiana importance in everything she did.
“Mr. Darcy, I was Georgiana’s friend even before I fell in love with you, and she always comes first to me,” she playfully teased him one day as he questioned her about not spending enough time with him during the day.
“Is that so? She will get married and leave us after some years, and then you cannot say the same.”
“Good heavens! I cannot believe you. More than me, you will be heartbroken when she leaves Pemberley.”
“Do not worry, my dear. I shall never approve any suitor who lives more than ten miles away from us,” he said confidently.
“Is that so? I am pretty certain she will get settled in town,” she said, watching Darcy’s face go white.
“Do not look so forlorn; we can only hope that she lives close to us. What matters is whom she chooses and how happy she will be with her choice.”
