29thJuly
Dearest Jane,
I hope this letter finds you well. Mr Bingley has written with the news that you are travelling north. I beg you would visit us at Pemberley, for I should love you to see it. Such a home I never saw, so filled with light and elegance and surrounded by a stunning park. The house is large, but Darcy is determined to show me every corner, thus little by little, I am discovering its secrets.
I have met his parents at last (I have seen their portraits in the gallery). Lady Anne looked to be a very fine woman, with a marked resemblance to her sister, though less severe and, of course, muchyounger. The late Mr Darcy sports a wig and seems very sombre, though he has kind eyes. More than that it is difficult to impart from two paintings, but you will be pleased to hear they made no objections whatever to our marriage.
All the servants have been exceedingly patient as I fudge my way through household tasks that must seem elementary to them. Darcy is adamant that everybody should fit in with me rather than the other way around, but I cannot agree. Pemberley has run perfectly well without a mistress for years. It seems nonsensical to adjust perfectly good practices simply to save me the bother of learning them. Still, until I am proficient, the entire staff and my poor beleaguered husband must make allowances for my mistakes!
Georgiana, too, has been a dear. We spend much time together, particularly when Darcy is occupied with estate matters, and we are growing very fond of each other. She seems so very young compared to Kitty and Lydia, mostly because of her shyness, I think, yet I do believe I have detected a small streak of playfulness that wants only for a little encouragement to blossom into a very fine wit. I have added her edification to my list of duties.
I will end there, for I could write another eight or ten sides and not impart half of what I have to tell. I will save it all for subsequent letters, or better yet, for your visit. Pray, write to say you will stay with us for a little while at least, or if you cannot, send addresses where I may write to you while you are on your travels.
With the warmest affection,
Lizzy
Friday 31 July 1812, Derbyshire
“Why not?” Darcy repeated, his stride lengthening with Elizabeth’s every objection.
“I simply prefer to walk.” She hastened her steps to bring herself abreast with him once more.
“I understand your preference, but that ought not to preclude the activity altogether, surely?”
“Well, preferably, yes!”
“You arethatopposed to it?”
She wrinkled her nose and shrugged. “Can you not drive us in the curricle?”
“It will not go where I wish to take you. It is uneven ground.”
“Then let us walk.”
“It is above six miles there and back.”
“I can walk six miles.”
“As can I but being able to and wishing to are very different things.”
“Then I shall walk, and you ride.”
“That is absurd.”
“Why?” She was diverted to see his jaw clench and his eyes sweep closed in a prolonged blink.
“Quite apart from it being egregiously ungentleman-like, you would never keep up.”
“I would if you had your horse walk slowly.”
“What would be the point of riding then?”
“Exactly!”
Darcy abruptly stopped walking and turned to face her. “You are the most vexing woman I have ever met, know you that?”
Elizabeth had to assume the question was rhetorical when he took her by the shoulders and tugged her against him for an ardent and lengthy kiss. Pulling away, he pierced her with a gleaming, almost ferocious stare, which any other person might have construed as anger. She knew better and melted a little in his grasp. “And you are the most persuasive man I have ever met,” she whispered breathily. “It had better be a reliable mount.”
