Page 110 of The Widower of Pemberley

“Lizzy, there certainly was a great deal to be concerned about at the time of your marriage.”

It was impossible to resist laughing at Jane’s almost stiff matter-of-fact tone.

“Therecertainlywas,” Elizabeth confessed. “I can say with pleasure that matters have turned out wonderfully, that I am very glad to be married to Mr. Darcy, and that those concernsIhad at the time I said my vows have proved to be wholly without foundation. I believe we are the happiest couple in the world.”

Darcy had entered the room with Mr. Bingley as they spoke, and the latter said in a cheerful voice, announcing himself to them all but especially Jane, “Mrs. Darcy, Miss Bennet—were you speaking about being the happiest couple, Mrs. Darcy?”

Jane sat up straighter and smiled widely at hearing Mr. Bingley’s voice.

“I was saying that I consider myself extremely happy in my marriage, yes,” Elizabeth replied, smiling at Darcy, who smiled broadly back at her.

“Well do not tellhim”—Mr. Bingley gestured at Darcy—“that you consider yourself to be the happiest woman in the world. He once insisted to me that he did not want to be the happiest man in England. He thought only a lunatic could be the absolutehappiest. He said some nonsense about hoping at best to be lastingly and rationally happy.”

Elizabeth laughed. That did sound very much like her husband. “It is my place as his wife to defy him on occasion in such small matters, so I shall nevertheless consider myself to be the happiest woman in England, even if I must satisfy myself with my husband being merely lastingly and rationally happy.”

With his own smile, Darcy said, “there is nothing ‘mere’ about being lastingly and rationally happy. It means a very great deal. And it can be done with the complete possession of one’s faculties. And what is more, one can fairlyclaimto be lastingly and rationally happy without surveying everyone in England to be certain that no one is happier.”

“Ah,” Elizabeth replied, laughing. “If it is chiefly the matter of not wishing to claim any distinction that you are not wholly confident you deserve, then I shall pester you no more on the subject. I shall even reduce my own claim to beingoneof the happiest women in England, rather than the happiest.”

“An excellent compromise,” Darcy agreed. “And on similar grounds, I am willing to also confess myself to be one of the happiest men in England.”

“They talk an awful lot of nonsense,” Mr. Bingley said amiably to Jane. “Do they not?”

“They certainly do,” Jane agreed happily.

“What?” Elizabeth exclaimed to her sister.

“You would not wish me to dissimulate,” Jane replied with a laugh in her tone.

At this point, Emily ran into the drawing room, covered head to toe in a white dust of flour, still waving about a nearly empty bagfrom which a small white cloud appeared with every shake. Rose followed her exclaiming, “Not so much! Not so much!”

Emily then ran up to Darcy and wrapped her arms around him, leaving his breeches and the bottom of his coat covered in flour.

“Good Lord, Emily!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “You even have it in your hair. You will need a bath immediately.”

Emily giggled and shouted, “No I won’t!” and took off again out of the door.

With only a slight nod of apology to Mr. Bingley and Jane, Elizabeth and Darcy hurried out after her, with Elizabeth idly wondering how long it would take the servants to clean the flour dust out of the drawing room rugs.

As soon as they had rounded the corner of the hall, Emily turned back to them and ran up to Darcy shouting, “Papa! Papa! I did it like you said!”

“And even more thoroughly,” Darcy replied, looking with a little distaste at the white which now covered his fine green coat, “than I had imagined.”

Elizabeth giggled. “You really did scheme with Emily on the matter?”

“Yes, so Aunt Jane can be alone with Uncle Bingley for a little while!” Emily enthused. “They like each other, don’t they?”

“I believe they do,” Elizabeth agreed. “And I believe that youdoneed a bath.”

“No,” Emily whined. “I don’t want a bath.”

“Have you seen yourself in a mirror?” Darcy suggested. “There is one in the room with the tub.”

Emily was of course too suspicious to be taken in bythat, but they quickly found a mirror in the hall, and Emily giggled andexclaimed, “I do have flour in my hair! My hair is white! That’s so droll.”

“Exceedingly droll,” Darcy agreed.

“Excessively so,” Elizabeth added.