Page 54 of Fitzwilliam Darcy Undone
Darcy took her hand and gave a polite half bow over it, noting with deep satisfaction the shimmering scroll on her wrist.
“Miss Elizabeth, if you are not engaged for the next set, would you do me the great honor of dancing with me?”
She tightened her grip, giving his fingers a little squeeze.
“It would be my great pleasure, Mr. Darcy.”
As they made their way to the head of the line, he glanced toward the area he remembered Mrs. Bennet holding court with her neighbors and saw that, instead of behaving in a silly manner, she stood quietly, watching them. There was no mistaking her great joy, nor could he miss the shards of silver in her eyes. Behind her, much to his surprise, stood Mr. Bennet who also watched them, a look of smug satisfaction on his face.
He turned his attention back to Elizabeth and smiled at the raised brow she presented.
“I see we have been given a second chance, my love.”
“All of us, Richard and Anne included.”
The musicians began their opening chords.
“What of Wickham?”
Anger chased briefly across her face. “Mr. Wickham is no more.”
“But how? If we have been restored, would he not also be restored to this time?”
They came together in the first movement of the dance.
“I’m afraid his atoms have been scattered to the edges of the universe. Apparently when I wished him gone, he went.” They paraded down the center of the room, hands lightly held. “Grandmama explained it is a difficult and delicate task to pull and re-thread the fabric of time. There are too many variables at stake and he could not be recovered. It will be as if he’d never been born.”
“This means the incident with Georgiana never occurred.”
They parted for another rotation.
“We won’t know until you write Georgiana and ask how she fares,” Elizabeth said when they rejoined, “but I believe that is a possibility.”
~~oo0oo~~
The joy which flooded his face made her wish with all her heart for Georgiana’s complete recovery to youthful innocence. Georgiana would never know how close she’d come to ruining her life, but she and Fitzwilliam would and right now, that’s all that mattered. They’d protect her to the ends of the earth and back.
During one of their promenades, they passed Jane and Mr. Bingley. Knowing the true state of how their relationship would progress, Lizzy smiled and when the dance concluded, all four of them gathered near the refreshment table. Miss Bingley was seen, cleaving through the crowd like a knife through butter, when suddenly she veered to the right and exited the room. If Lizzy hadn’t seen the wide smile on Mama’s face, she’d have always wondered why the sudden diversion of course. As it was, Mama explained the next day when the gentlemen came to visit along with the Lucas ladies.
“Poor Miss Bingley.” She said, shaking her head as though distressed, “She took violently ill and did not make it to the chamber pot in time and ruined her dress. Alas, she was but six inches from the porcelain bowl. Such a shame.” She pinned Mr. Darcy with a mischievous look. “Can you imagine, a mere six inches ruined her chances of dancing with the most eligible man in the room.”
Fitzwilliam laughed out loud and later on, when they had a moment alone, he explained to what her mother alluded. More proof Mama had always looked out for her,andthat she’d heard every vile word Miss Bingley had spewed at the Netherfield Ball. Poor Miss Bingley. To have lost her deepest held ambitions and gained the ire of magical royalty. She’d have to beg Mama to let Miss Bingley live her life without further incident. She could no longer harm them, or Jane, in any fashion.
~~oo0oo~~
Three months later, with her bonnet dangling from her fingertips, Lizzy made her way to the top of Oakham Mount. Now that her powers were fully released, she marveled at the movement of the trees and the sigh of the breeze with tickled her cheek. How had she survived not knowing the wonder of creation? Everything sang praises to the Creator, even the blades of grass. And to think Mr. Wickham sought to destroy that which was good. All for a false sense of power. For one brief moment she felt a pang of pity for the man who’d believed in the lies of that ancient serpent. With the knowledge she now held, she realized the tales of old, of knights fighting great dragons, had a ring of truth. This battle between good and evil had gone on for millennia, and would likely continue until that great and final day. She had done her part, unknowingly and laughed out loud with the brook that bubbled alongside her path. Her joy could not be contained.
As she crested the hill, and beheld the valley which held Longbourn spread out before her, a tingling sensation covered her like a welcome blanket on a cold winter’s night.
“Fitzwilliam,” she sighed out and closed her eyes, a smile gently lifting the corners of her lips. He had come.
Strong arms wrapped around her from behind and she was drawn close to his body, her back to his chest, his heartbeat steady and true. When warm lips traced the sensitive area behind her ear, she couldn’t help the shiver of anticipation that coursed through her body.
“I knew I’d find you here, my Elizabeth,” he whispered before she turned in his arms, dropped her bonnet, and lifted her lips to his.
“You could find me anywhere, Fitzwilliam. Our love is a shining beacon, calling to us, leading us home.”
“And are you ready to call Pemberley home?”
