Page 82 of Through the Eyes of Love

Before her mother could respond, the housekeeper returned. “Is there anything I can get you, madam?”

“Mama, may I introduce Mrs. Reynolds, our housekeeper? Mrs. Reynolds, this is my mother, Mrs. Bennet of Hertfordshire.”

“How do you do, madam? Welcome to Pemberley.”

“Please prepare the guest suite for my mother, and I am certain she would enjoy a cup of tea before she refreshes herself from her travels.”

“Yes, Mrs. Darcy, I shall see to it at once. Mrs. Bennet, are all five trunks to be brought up to your chambers?”

“Heavens, no. The four heavy ones can stay down here.”

The housekeeper made her way to see to her mistress’s request.

“Mama, why did you bring so many trunks?”

“I brought you your father’s books.” Elizabeth’s hand flew to her chest as tears filled her eyes. “Goodness knows, no one else wanted them, and they have been taking up too much room at your aunt’s house.”

No matter what her mother made of the situation, to Elizabeth, this was a wonderful gift! “Thank you. You could not have given me anything that would make me happier.”

“I see you have adjusted well to having a wealthy husband. I never thought I would see the day when you would be married, much less to such a rich man. He must be in the upper ten thousand just as I told your aunt Phillips. Youshouldhave gone to town and found rich husbands for your other sisters, but it is too late now. Well, you never know what life will bring you. Wherever can Mr. Darcy be?”

Her husband must have overheard her mother’s last remarks before he entered the room. Even though Fitzwilliam was aware that Elizabeth had dealt with her mother saying such things to her since she was a child, Elizabeth still cringed. Her mother never learnt that cruel words could hurt as badly as cruel deeds and it appeared she never would.“You are correct about that, Mrs. Bennet. I never dreamt I would be so in love with my beautiful wife—but I am thrilled to say that I am. As to my protracted absence, as much as I wished to re-join you, I could not pull myself away from watching my daughter sleep. I never grow tired of it.”

“Your husband is quite the romantic man, and Mr. Darcy, you may call me Mama; all my other sons do. Except, Richard, of course, since I have yet to meet him. Son of an earl—I am quite delighted with him already. Of course, you are related to nobility as well, I understand.” Fitzwilliam stood before his new mother, bowed, and kissed her hand. She touched his facial scars and pulled him down to kiss his cheek. “All will be well, my son.”

“Mama, it already is. Pray call me Fitzwilliam."

“Lizzy, it is time to get busy giving your husband an heir.”

This sort of officiousness rankled Elizabeth, and it was too soon after Anna’s birth to plan for another child. She was saved from a terse remark when her husband spoke before she couldrespond to her mother. “Pemberley already has an heir. As there is no entail on our estate, we may choose any of our children to inherit.”

Mama’s eyebrows almost touched as she appeared to be confused by what she had just heard.

“I wish my sister Georgiana was here. She is visiting a friend in Staffordshire for a few weeks. Did you not wish to have your trunks brought up to your chambers?”

“Mama has brought me my father’s books.”

“Heaven knows they haveneverbenefitted me!”

“How kind of you to bring them all this way. Elizabeth speaks of her father’s library often.”

Was it possible for Elizabeth to love this man more? She could not be prouder of him—he countered every nasty remark by her mother with a compliment. Perhaps her husband should have been a diplomat!

* * *

When Elizabeth prepared for dinner,she applied her face cream. How would her mother respond when she saw her later? The moment she entered the drawing room, her mother walked towards her and asked, “What happened to your birthmark?”

“I covered it with some face cream Lady Matlock gave me.”

“Bless my soul, you are quite pretty. I never thought to cover it up. It matters not now—somehow you have managed to marry a rich man. My goodness, your necklace must have cost a small fortune!” Mr. and Mrs. Darcy exchanged glances before her husband held his arm out to his new mother and they made their way to the dining room. Behind them, Elizabeth shook her head. Mama could think of little but riches.

Once they were seated, Mama told them all about her family in Meryton. “Lydia and Kitty could wait no longer for you tointroduce them to wealthy men in London and are now both married.”

“You wrote me about a wealthy, unmarried man letting Netherfield. What happened to him?”

“Oh yes, Mr. Wentworth. Hewaswealthy and unmarried but he was old enough to bemygrandfather. He is a widower who brought his children and their families with him. Which meant that your sisters had to lower their expectations and take a closer look at local men. Of course, Liddy, like me, could not resist a man in uniform. She married a militia officer who is the second son of a wealthy merchant—their income will be more than sufficient to satisfy your sister’s needs. Sadly, he is leaving the militia and they are moving to Suffolk next month to be closer to his family. How I shall miss them—I so admired my son in his uniform.

“After dear Henry died, your Uncle Philips took on a new law associate. He is an attractive young man, and he and Kitty were often thrown together. You know, him working and her living in the same building, well, one thing led to another. Your uncle plans to retire next year, and Kitty’s husband will take over the practice.