Christmas at Pemberley

Part 29

The rain eased enough to permit a short walk on Christmas afternoon, although Mr and Mrs Gardiner stayed inside to placate their children, who begged to be permitted to play by the fire. Robert and Mrs Lambert stayed with them, rounding out a merry party, who had quickly become more like old friends than new acquaintances, much to Daniel's surprise, and Georgiana's evident delight.

He walked alongside her, allowing Mr and Mrs Darcy to walk ahead of them at a brisker pace. Georgiana, it seemed, preferred to dawdle, to stop and point out various plants and tiny follies that had been constructed at her or her mother's request and watching carefully for his opinions. He delighted to hear her speak of anything and was content merely to be standing beside her. His sermon that morning had been a success, allaying all his fears and putting into perspective the many hours he had devoted to worrying over it. He had scarcely noticed the crowds of people pressed into the tiny church, for his eyes sought out only one person amidst the masses and it was Georgiana's approval he most longed for and received.

"So Robert will remain here, do you think?" she asked, returning to a comment his mother had let slip at dinner, that she wished for Robert to spend some time under the care of his brother, allowing her to return home to London before the end of the year. Daniel had been only too pleased with the arrangement, for, whilst he did not doubt Robert received expert care from the expensive London doctors, he did not think he was given as much freedom as might benefit him. This was a small village and the people in it were kind. Here, Robert might be able to build a life, as well as recover his health.

"Your brother has already been kind enough to give me the details of a doctor and is poised to investigate a nearby spa town that has some water treatments that might beneficial to Robert's health." He smiled, feeling more hope in that afternoon than he had done in years. "He shall never fully recover, barring a miracle, but he shall continue to do a little better I think and for that, I shall be grateful."

"He is clearly fond of you," Georgiana said, loyally. "And already begins to refer to the parsonage as home. I think you will be happy there."

"And you?" Daniel asked, unable to guard against the question he had been nursing in silence ever since the previous evening. "Would you be happy there, do you think?" He glanced around the elegant, expansive grounds of Pemberley and felt, all of a sudden, as if he had very little to offer Georgiana Darcy in the way of material possessions. All this and an invalid brother to help nurse. It was hardly what she deserved. His face fell, and he began to construct another question, one he had hoped never to have to ask, one releasing her from the promises they had not yet made before she had cause to feel beholden to him.

"I cannot think of a happier home to build our life in," Georgiana said, with a conscious or unconscious emphasis on the word our. She tugged lightly on Daniel's arm, biding him slow to a stop, and he glanced up to reassure himself that Darcy and Elizabeth were out of earshot but not far enough away to provoke question before turning back to meet Georgiana's eyes.

"You are still thinking of the future, then?" he asked, unable to keep a slow smile from creeping onto his face. "A future with me?" He drew a breath. "Will it be enough, do you think? Can you possibly be happy with a quiet life in the same village you have lived in since you were a child? You do not prefer to travel, to spend time in London, to marry someone with far greater prospects than I have?" His smile grew a little ashamed.

"It will be more than enough," Georgiana insisted, leaning close enough to him that he could do nothing other than kiss her. "I cannot think of a more perfect future, or a better Christmas present than the promise of it beginning, soon!"

The End

A/N - et voila! Thank you so much for reading - now I have to go and catch up on all your comments :)

Happy Christmas and see you in 2020 (!) with more stories to share xxx