Compromised

  When they arrived, Georgiana greeted them with all the succor Elizabeth might have wished of any of her own sisters. Not wishing to prolong the matter of concealing Lydia’s elopement, Elizabeth had written to Georgiana from London to make her aware of the facts. Georgiana was relieved for Elizabeth’s sake, that her sister had been recovered and her reputation mostly salvaged. Mr. Wickham was long past the point of being able to injure her, Georgiana assured them both. Her upset over his presence in Brighton had been surprise, nothing more. Elizabeth accepted this information, but vowed in her own mind to keep Mr. Wickham away from Georgiana as best she could.

  The meal on the evening of their arrival at Pemberley was interminable. Georgiana wished to pass the whole evening talking with her brother and sister of Bingley’s wedding and of London, but their taciturnity was not encouraging; she presumed they must be exhausted by so much travel and soon enough excused herself to bed.

  Elizabeth immediately did the same. As she approached the door, Darcy grasped her arm.

  “Are you in need of rest, wife?” he asked, his voice very low.

  “I am… not especially fatigued, sir,” Elizabeth said, color high on her cheeks.

  “Then perhaps I might join you in your rooms in the next hour.”

  Elizabeth nodded and made her way upstairs. She lost time for awhile, thinking how very different her life might have been had she not been so determined to avoid Darcy by walking out in the rain that day at Hunsford. She thanked God by every prayer she knew for Mr. Collins’s officious intervention; she might never have known how very much in love a woman could be.

  Darcy knocked, and a few moments later, Elizabeth could think no more.

  Epilogue

  My dearest Lizzy,

  We are so very happy to hear your good news! I am sure we will spoil our newest little niece or nephew exceedingly when we come to visit you next Christmas. For Christmas it must be – I shall not be able to travel any sooner than that, for my own confinement begins this very week.

  Can you believe such happy, happy news on the very heels of your own? Heaven smiles on us, Lizzy. I think it must, for I cannot stop smiling myself.

  I will write more soon, but Lydia and Wickham are to return at any moment. Thank goodness, for the twins’ nanny has threatened to give her notice twice already today; you know they’ll not be able to find another, and certainly not one who works for so little pay.

  I cannot contain myself, Lizzy. I think we must be the happiest women on earth.

  Yours, etc.,

  Mrs. Jane Bingley

  Afterword

  Thanks for reading my very first Pride and Prejudice inspired work! If you enjoyed the story, would you be so kind as to leave a review? Because I’d love to hear from you.

  * * *

  ~CL