“Welcome home, Mrs Darcy,” Will said as he started to dance an impromptu waltz with his wife. Even though London society rejected the dance as scandalous, as Will had promised, he had taught Elizabeth the dance on the continent, and they joined it as many times as they could before returning to England.
“When do you think this dance will be accepted in London?” Elizabeth asked as they twirled around the chamber.
“We do have a remarkably close connection to one of Almack’s patronesses, Lizzy. Mayhap we can work on Aunt Sarah. I believe that until the dance starts being acceptable at private balls, it will not be allowed in wider society,” Will opined.
“We may have to start holding balls in London,” Elizabeth teased.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
End of September 1809
In the end, Richard and Loretta decided to forego time at Seaview Cottage. Both Darcy's families and William Bennet were visiting Snowhaven when Richard’s barouche came to a halt in the drive.
Richard told Smythe not to announce him and his wife, so the family was caught by complete surprise when the happy couple strode into the drawing room.“Richard and Loretta, welcome,” Marie was the first to react.“We were not aware that you would be here today; you are most welcome as always.”
“I decided I was tired of being alone with Richard, so we returned home,” Loretta teased her mockingly aggrieved husband, who then leaned for her to kiss his cheek in recompense and grinned at the winning of it.
“It has been much warmer than normal, so we decided not to travel for four days in this heat,” Richard clarified.
“That was a wise decision,” George Darcy agreed,“I do not remember heat like this so late in the summer for many a year.”
“How was your time at Lakeview House?” Elizabeth enquired.
“We, er, did not see as much of the area as we could have.” Richard owned, pleased his wife smiled at him instead of shrinking away in embarrassment.
“When are you two planning to head to Brookfield?” Andrew asked.
“When do you depart for Rivington, Lizzy?” Loretta inquired.
“We are planning to leave Monday,” Will replied.
Richard looked at Loretta, and she nodded to his unspoken question.“Then we will leave on Monday too, if that is convenient, Marie?”
“Of course it is,” Marie replied,“and besides, you are always welcome in this house with or without notice. Glad you agree.” She patted her husband’s knee absently.
Elaine Fitzwilliam sat watching the happy scene in front of her. It was times like this that she especially felt the loss of her beloved Reggie, though she was sure that he was smiling down on them from heaven.
She wondered how different their lives would have been had her boys not been traveling through Sherwood Forest at exactly the right time, for Lizzy had brought so much light and joy into their lives since that very day. She had survived multiple attempts to harm her and gone from strength to strength, and now she was married to her soulmate.
Yes, Elaine had lost her Reggie and would miss him until she was called home by God to be with her love again, but there was so much good associated with Lizzy though there had been suffering and heartache. They had been shells of their former selves after the accident which had taken their Tiffany from them, and they had all started to recover the day Lizzy had been gifted to their family.
Elaine could not imagine what their lives would have been like without Lizzy having been someone’s discarded daughter.
Epilogue
July 1821, Pemberley
The master and mistress of Pemberley were seated on the veranda overlooking the gardens and a grassy area near the treeline where several children were playing with their two Great Danes who had been acquired from the same breeder as the late, great Aggie. After twelve years of marriage, Elizabeth and Will were more in love now than they had ever been.
Much had changed in the country and the world. The Little Tyrant had declared himself Emperor of France and had started a war in May 1803 to gain countries for his Empire. In England, the Prince of Wales was made Regent as of the current year. An attempt to declare a regency had been thwarted some years previously, but there was no denying any longer how sick the King was, and those who blocked passage of the establishment of a regency before had not done so this time.
Elizabeth had warm memories of old King George III from the times that she had exhibited for the monarchs in her younger days. It was sad, but there were few who denied the necessity of the step declaring the King unfit to govern.
Not everything had been smooth sailing. There had been the deep sadness of George Darcy’s passing when he had fallen from a horse as he was jumping a fence during the hunt some three years earlier.
The doctor had opined that death had been instantaneous; George Darcy’s neck had been snapped on contact with the ground. Pegasus, his horse, had two broken legs, and the screaming animal had been shot to put him out of his misery.
As could be expected, Lady Anne had been devastated at losing her soul mate and had only recently gone into half-mourning. As Elizabeth was with child for the third time, Will had foregone the hunt and stayed with his very pregnant wife.
