Page 81 of Mr. Darcy and the Mysterious "Miss B"
As Lydia cuddled the baby, her expression grew tender. “He has Papa’s eyes, does he not?”
“I have noticed it as well,” Elizabeth replied. “I am so glad Darcy agreed to name him Thomas. I had always hoped to honour Papa in such a way.”
“I had the same thought,” Lydia said with a laugh. “Though given that Mr Thomas and I… well, Thomas Thomas would hardly do for a name, would it?”
They shared a moment of gentle laughter before Lydia turned to her, a darkness falling over her face. “I miss Papa terribly, Lizzy. Hardly a day passes that I do not think of him.”
“I know, dearest. But I believe he is watching over us somehow. He would be so proud to see how well we have all settled, how happy Mama has become.”
Indeed, Mrs Bennet had surprised them all with her resilience. After Uncle Morton had moved into Longbourn to help manage the estate, there had been whispered speculation about a possible romance between the widow and the elderly gentleman. Mrs Bennet had put such rumours to rest, declaring that she would never consider another husband but was grateful for Uncle Morton’s brotherly care.
“What do you suppose they are discussing out there?” Lydia asked, nodding towards the window where the three men remained in earnest conversation.
“Something to do with the estate, I believe. Perhaps the entailment.”
For two years, Darcy and Bingley had been attempting to negotiate with James Morton to break the entailment on Longbourn. Each time they had agreed upon a sum—always far more than the estate was worth—James had raised his demands. The situation had seemed hopeless until a riding accident four months ago had claimed James’s life, leaving them to locate the next heir.
“Now that James is gone, surely things will be different?” Lydia asked.
“One would hope so. They have found the next heir—a Mr Collins, some distant relation. Perhaps he will prove more reasonable.”
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps, and Uncle Morton entered the room, his weathered face creasing into a smile at the sight of little Thomas.
“There is my grandnephew,” he said, reaching for the baby with practiced ease. “How your dear Papa would have loved to meet this little fellow. To say nothing of that beautiful granddaughter that Jane and Bingley welcomed.”
Elizabeth’s heart warmed at the mention of her newest niece. Jane had delivered a healthy daughter just two months ago, and both mother and child were thriving at the estate near Pemberley that Bingley had purchased to be close to family.
“Uncle Morton,” Darcy said, appearing in the doorway. “Might we speak with the ladies? We have news to share.”
Once they were all assembled, Darcy cleared his throat. “We have reached an agreement with Mr Collins regardingthe entailment. He has accepted our offer to break it entirely. Longbourn will belong to the family in perpetuity.”
Elizabeth gasped, tears springing to her eyes. “Truly?”
“Truly. Your mother may remain here as long as she wishes, and the property will pass to whichever of her daughters chooses to inherit it.”
“Mama will be so relieved,” Elizabeth said. “She has worried constantly about being forced to leave her home.”
Later, as evening approached, Darcy and Elizabeth walked together through the gardens where they had first begun to know each other properly. The rose bushes were dormant now, but Elizabeth could still remember the summer afternoons they had spent here during their courtship.
“You seem thoughtful,” Darcy observed, taking her hand as they strolled.
Elizabeth hesitated, then looked up at him with a mixture of guilt and amusement. “Do you remember when we promised always to be honest with each other? To share everything?”
“Of course. What troubles you?”
“I have come into some information regarding Georgiana that I have been asked not to share with you. But keeping secrets from you troubles me greatly.”
To her surprise, Darcy laughed. “If this concerns Mr Quinn, you may set your mind at ease. He has already written requesting a meeting when next we are in London. I suspect I know what he wishes to discuss.”
“He has already proposed,” Elizabeth confessed with relief. “But I was not supposed to say anything, as it was not considered proper protocol.”
“My dear Elizabeth,” Darcy said, his eyes twinkling with mirth, “nothing in our family has been done according to proper protocol when it comes to matters of the heart. Why should Georgiana be any different?”
They walked in comfortable silence for a few moments, both lost in their own thoughts. Elizabeth reflected on how much their lives had changed since that first assembly in Meryton. Jane was blissfully happy with Bingley and their new daughter. Even Caroline Bingley had found contentment, having married a Mr Barnett the previous year. All the loose threads of their complicated beginning had been woven into something beautiful.
“What are you thinking?” Darcy asked.
“About how fortunate we are. Despite all the deception and misunderstandings that brought us together, we have found such happiness.”
