A Midsummer Christmas

Part 24

"They have been gone quite some time," Darcy remarked, shortly after Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana had stepped outside.

"Barely five minutes," Lizzy said, in as soothing a tone of voice as she could muster. It took all her patience and fortitude to remain standing where she was, by her husband's side, for she was at least as eager as he was to hurry after their friends and see what was happening, although, she wagered, not for the same reason.

"We ought to go after them." Darcy's features settled into a scowl, making more than one of their guests change course and pass by them without stopping to exchange a word.

"We ought to do no such thing," Lizzy said, patting him on the arm gently but firmly. "They are as entitled to their privacy as anyone else. Unless you are saying you do not trust Richard...?"

"Of course not." Darcy heard the low growl his voice had become and tempered it with a smile. "But Georgiana..."

"Is well able to think for herself. And speak for herself. And act..." Her words did not seem to be having the comforting effect she had intended, so Lizzy swallowed them. They stood silent for a moment until Elizabeth began to hum along to the familiar tune their small string quartet was playing. "Oh! I do wish I had insisted upon carolling!"

"Hmm?"

"It never truly feels like Christmas without gathering to sing together," Lizzy said, with a contented sigh. "Still, I suppose we might save some traditions for the winter. I should not want everyone to be bored of the festivities before they roll around in December!"

"Oh. Indeed. Yes." Darcy's tone of voice suggested he had neither heard nor understood his wife's words, but this time Lizzy did not mean to tease him out of his distraction.

"Shall we take a walk out to the veranda?" she asked, with a swift glance over her shoulder to ensure they would not be greatly missed. "A brief one. For the next dance will begin soon and I do mean to dance it, if you shall ask me."

"Of course," Darcy said. He was already beginning to walk towards the door and Lizzy knew she would get no sense from him until he had ascertained for himself that all was well between his sister and Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Lizzy bit her lip. I do hope all is well! She had noticed Georgiana's disappointment as she had danced the first of the evening with Robert Ingraham and not her cousin, as Elizabeth had anticipated. Perhaps Darcy was right along, she had told herself. And I have been seeing romance where there is none. I suppose I am too eager to ensure all those I care about have the same lasting love and happiness as I have found if only I might save them the trouble Darcy and I endured to get it!

Following her husband, Lizzy stepped out into the relative cool of the evening, smiling a greeting at others of their guests who were taking advantage of the time of year to walk and admire the expansive Pemberley grounds from the candle-lit veranda.

"I do not see them," Darcy remarked, turning their pleasant walk into a route-march, while he scanned from left to right as if seeking an enemy.

"Well, I am sure they have not gone far," Elizabeth said, drawing him to a quiet corner of the terrace and leaning on the wall that curved down a set of stone steps towards the rest of the garden. It proved the perfect vantage point, for she had scarcely leant her elbows upon it when she saw two familiar shadows making their way back up the steps towards the house, smiling and laughing and standing so close that it was impossible to mistake their affections. "Look!" Lizzy whispered, nudging Darcy in the side and urging him to follow her gaze. His scowl darkened, then melted into a smile as he recognised their friends and saw, as she did, the sheer happiness that radiated from the pair.

Richard and Georgiana whispered as they walked, their heads bent close together as they spoke and smiled and seemed entirely oblivious to every other person present. It was almost a shame to disturb them, but as soon as they drew close enough Lizzy could not resist calling out to them.

"Georgiana! Colonel Fitzwilliam!"

The pair halted but did not spring apart, as she had expected. No, Richard merely drew Georgiana closer, and smiled up at Elizabeth and Darcy in turn, as they climbed the last few steps and drew level with their friends.

"We wondered what had become of you," Lizzy continued, with a rueful glance at her husband, who said nothing but stared at the couple before him with an unreadable expression on his handsome face. "I told you we needn't have worried, dearest."

"No, indeed!" Georgiana's face was shining with happiness, although it dimmed as she met her brother's gaze. "Fitzwilliam, I - we - "

"Darcy." Richard reached out a hand to shake his cousin's. "I wanted to tell you first of all, but I could not be sure of any of it until Georgiana and I had spoken." He glanced at her, his delight and disbelief still etched into his face. "In truth, I can hardly conceive any of this is real. It was one thing for me to care for Georgiana, but to think she might tolerate me in return!"

"Far more than tolerate, Richard!" Georgiana put in, and the pair beamed at one another in a single glance that persuaded Elizabeth that their entire future would be as happy as this one moment. If only Darcy could see what she could. She drew in a breath, making a silent vow that she would support the couple and win her husband over if it took every one of her skills in persuasion.

"You care for one another, truly?" There was a strange note in Darcy's voice, and he looked, unsmiling, from Richard to Georgiana and back again. "You plan to marry? Eventually?"

"As soon as it can be arranged," Richard said, with a confidence that became him. "And as soon as I have found us a home. You know, now I shall have the best reason of all to secure an estate of my own, Darcy, for Georgiana shall be the perfect manager of it and me!"

"And this is the life you want?" Darcy spoke as if only to his sister. He was watching her carefully, intent on ensuring her features did not betray any incongruity in her words. There was none, for Georgiana smiled and nodded so enthusiastically that Lizzy wondered that she could ever have doubted the perfect match she saw before her.

"This is the only life I want," Georgiana said, looking a little tearful on account of her happiness. "If only you will not object to it."

Darcy drew in a long breath and for a moment Georgiana, Richard and Elizabeth all held their breaths, uncertain what he would say next. His eyes twinkled with merriment, the first clue to Lizzy that all would be well, and he fought the urge to laugh as he spoke, with as much sternness as he could muster.

"I do not suppose I can object to such evident happiness, except that it will give Lizzy even more excuse to crow over me. Well, my dear, it seems you were right on every count. Richard and Georgiana are the perfect match, and it is quite impossible to prevent people from falling in love at Christmas...even if it is a very unseasonal Christmas indeed!