Honour and Intimacy - A Sequel to Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'

Chapter 20

Their arrival was a great shock at Pemberly. Mr and Mrs Darcy knew not how to react when they saw Mr Everett and Georgiana holding hands. They had puzzled expressions on their face but Mr Birch told them that they could all sit peacefully and talk about it in the parlour. And so, they did. Mr Birch, with a tranquil composure, walked around the parlour and revealed everything but he did not have the courage to look into anyone's eyes. He walked around the room as he spoke with gentleness and ease, trying to conceal his real feelings but he knew he was doing the right thing.

"You must allow the two of them to be married." He concluded, stopping beside the window and staring out of it.

"What can we say." Elizabeth mumbled looking over at Mr Darcy, and then at the couple, who were nervous. "Pray, did you two really love each other? Why did you hide it?"

"Because we were afraid, and it was too late. No one would have listened to us, no one would have supported our choices and everyone would have turned against us. It is a horrible world we live in. A very horrible world indeed." Georgiana kept her head on Mr Everett's shoulder, feeling his warmth against her own skin.

Mr Darcy sat beside Elizabeth and they became busy talking to each other in anxious whispers which were so inaudible, that no one would have been able to hear. Mr Darcy's expression was slowly changing as Elizabeth talked. First it was grave, then it became slightly solemn, and then tranquil with a kind grin. He stood up with Elizabeth on his side and nodded his head. "Georgiana, Mr Everett, you both have our consent to get married. It shall be scheduled to take place after four months, in winter, when a new Darcy arrives in the family."

Mr Everett and Georgiana laughed with joy. He pulled her close and kissed her cheeks continuously until they were bright red and he chuckled even more.

That was all Mr Darcy wanted. His sister to smile and laugh. It gave him pleasure to see his beloved sister in such a joyful mood and he felt as if he had received everything that he had wished for.

The four months flew by, just like a blowing wind and those four months brought so much of happiness to everyone. Mrs Bennet was utterly shocked when she heard about Georgiana's and Mr Everett's engagement but after meeting them in person and talking to them, she saw that they could live happily. She did not wish them well but later, she recovered from the shock and saw her daughter, Mary, get engaged to a militia soldier, who she declared to be in love with for months. Mr Birch remained a close friend of Mr Everett and Georgiana, and he frequently visited Pemberly. On one of his visits, he encountered Catherine who came to give her good wishes to the couple, and he was surprised by her good nature and her beauty. He asked her to dine with him several times, and it was not long before they too were engaged. It could be guessed how joyful Mrs Bennet was to see her last two daughters engaged. Elizabeth spent the months of weakness and pain but she tried to ignore those two sensations and she lived those four months in a joyous manner. Jane and Mr Bingley spent most of their time with Mr Everett and Georgiana, trying to give them best advices and tips. And finally, Mr Darcy was the happiest of all. He was not worried about anything. He felt as if his life was complete. He was patient for the arrival of the new Darcy but he would always feel as if the time was passing slowly.

When those four months had passed, Elizabeth successfully gave birth to Dorian Darcy, a name suggested by Georgiana. He had his mother's eyes and his father's mouth, and surely he was a beautiful child. Elizabeth had become more fit after giving birth to Dorian and she helped Georgiana decide all the final plans for the big wedding. It was a marvellous wedding. People from all over the different towns were present and Georgiana could not recognise most of them, but she could care less. She was more worried about how everything would go, but it went smoothly. She was the most beautiful bride in the eyes of the people, but to Mr Everett, she was another half of him. Without her, he knew that he could not smile, he could not breathe and he could not live. She was his everything. After their marriage, they lived in Pemberly since Georgiana refused to part from her brother, and Mr Darcy was happy with her decision. There was an addition to the paintings of Pemberly, thanks to Mr Everett. But the grandest of the paintings was the newly painted one in the parlour. It consisted of the Darcys, the Bingleys and the Everetts. They lived a happy, perfect life which was complete in every possible way.