Page 72 of Until My Last Breath

Darcy and Richard exchanged proud glances and nods.

“Please raise your glasses with me,” Darcy continued, “and toast the honour of Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, the best friend and brother anyone could ever have.”

“To Richard!” The loud voices echoed in the dining room, as all of those present stood up, raising their glasses and drinking to the honour of that great man.

But Darcy was not done. For someone who considered himself not very good with words, he did not waste the opportunity to use them. “I would also like to ask you to join me in a thankful prayer. You have all heard about the many things — miracles, as I prefer to call them — that have happened to us, without which we would not be here today celebrating.”

As the room fell into silence, Darcy raised his voice in a simple but quite sincere prayer. “Dear Lord, we want to thank you for your kindness and mercy for our lives. Thank you for all those who crossed our path and, in some way, helped us. Thank you for the blessings that enabled us to succeed in our mission. And thank you for allowing Richard, Elizabeth and I to live and taste what happiness can truly be, together with our friends and family. Amen.”

That night, friends and families ate and drank, cheered and laughed. Georgiana played the pianoforte, and they danced and celebrated not only the engagements, but also the promise of a bright and happy future.

Epilogue

Pemberley, Derbyshire, 14th September 1824

Eight years later

The weak light entering the bedroom through the gap between the curtains reached Georgiana’s eyes. The morning was still cold, but the clear sky was promising a bright day ahead.

She looked beside her, where her husband, Edward, was still fast asleep, and carefully left the warmth of her bed to draw the curtains together. By the small gap, she saw the familiar shape of her brother outside walking towards the old chapel.

“Oh, William,” she whispered.

She rang the bell for her maid and, a few minutes later, she went after her brother, finding him in the small family graveyard, down on one knee, a small posy of fresh white roses over their mothers resting place.

He stood up and touched the cold tombstone. “I will never forget you,” he whispered.

Georgiana entwined her arm in his and rested her head on his shoulder. For some minutes, they shared the solemn moment in silence.

“Today is the anniversary of her death,” Darcy said.

Sophie looked up at him and squeezed his arm, taking hold of his hand. “I would love to have met her.”

Darcy nodded, still looking at the tombstone.

The moment was broken by the sound of a boy calling from faraway. “Papa, Papa. I found you at last.”

Darcy smiled at the boy and crouched down; his arms opened to receive his son.

“Mama told me to look for you here, but I did not listen. I went to the stables instead, but you were not there.”

Georgiana smiled at the boy’s enthusiasm. Little Richard, as her nephew was called by the family, was the image of his father; brown eyes and dark curly hair, and quite tall for his six years of age. But his temperament was much more like his mother’s. “Where is your mama, Richard?” she asked.

“She is coming this way, but I was much faster than her and Benjamin,” he answered with a proud voice.

“William, there you are,” Elizabeth said breathless, running with Benjamin, approaching Darcy and kissing his lips. “Good morning, darling. Good morning, Georgiana. Say good morning to your father and aunt, Benjamin.”

The little boy, flushed by the exercise and still holding his mother’s hand, said the words in the best way his tender age permitted him.

Georgiana smiled back at her sister-in-law, taking Benjamin into her arms, kissing his round cheeks. “Good morning, Benjamin.”

“I am sorry for leaving the house without talking to you, but I needed some time alone, here…” Darcy explained, looking back to the grave beside them.

“I knew you would be here,” she said wrapping her arms around him. “Are you well?

Sensible to the moment, Georgiana turned to the little boys. “What do you think of having a lovely picnic today? You two could help me and Uncle Edward to arrange it. Uncle Richard and Aunt Jane are also coming with your cousins.”

The expression of happiness on both little faces was contagious. “Yes. Let us go!” they both said, clapping their hands and jumping.

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