{"id":3459,"date":"2019-07-23T09:16:36","date_gmt":"2019-07-23T13:16:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elizabethannwest.com\/author\/?p=3459"},"modified":"2021-12-17T12:50:04","modified_gmt":"2021-12-17T17:50:04","slug":"chapter-7-11-miracles-of-marriage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elizabethannwest.com\/author\/wip\/chapter-7-11-miracles-of-marriage\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 7-11 The Miracles of Marriage"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

There are so many times my writing is my therapy… I really enjoyed how the “mystery” elements of Wickham’s schemes wove into the story \ud83d\ude42\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

XOXOX, Elizabeth Ann West<\/p>

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Chapter 7 - The Miracles of Marriage, Book 5 of The Moralities of Marriage<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Lady Catherine de Bourgh found her niece Georgiana Wickham lacking in good sense, good company, and any respect for her mother’s sister. Every interview with the girl proved futile, and Lady Catherine almost regretted sending for the child to be housed at Rosings. Thankfully, the eldest daughter of an earl, she always had held an ability to set aside personal feelings for a larger benefit if she merely endured an unpleasantness. Such tenacity had served her well in her loveless marriage to Sir Lewis de Bourgh through all of his affairs. Until Providence decided which babe would survive, Georgiana\u2019s or her daughter’s, Lady Catherine would not jeopardize her future comfort on the mere whim of exasperation.<\/span><\/p>

“And I am wretched. Do you know I have written to my friend, Miss Bingley, three times, and I have yet to receive a letter back. Loyalty is fleeting, it would appear, in all. Except you, of course, Aunt Catherine,\u201d Georgiana complained\u00a0 as part of her longer, cyclical speech about how wronged she had been.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Most days, Lady Catherine ignored the girl\u2019s whining, but this morning she humored her niece for her own aims.<\/span><\/p>

“There always comes a time in a young woman’s life where she learns that she must rely on her own ingenuity and strengths. If you knew of my life before you were born, child, you would learn we hold many great similarities. I was married off to a philandering baron, and when I asked my father for help, he would not come to my aid.” Lady Catherine sniffed and very gently dabbed her serviette to the corner of her eyes as a show of heightened emotion. \u201cI had to choose, you see, to waste away as the forgotten wife of a man too taken with drink and gambling to care for his wife and young daughter, or make my own way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

The complication for Lady Catherine’s complaint in solidarity was that Sir Lewis\u2019 affair with another woman led to the birth of Georgiana\u2019s late husband. And George Wickham was infinitely more lovable in death than he ever was in life.<\/span><\/p>

“And Sir Lewis did not care for his son, either! Sending my poor Georgie away to never know the love of his parents,” Georgiana ceased eating her morning meal and rubbed her midsection with thoughts of a different future for her child, the grandson of Sir Lewis de Bourgh. A strange tightening gripped her muscles, and then disappeared as quickly as it had come. She inhaled sharply, then ignored it. \u201cWhy did you not keep George here? He might have grown up to be such a better man than what upbringing a steward and his wife could provide.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Lady Catherine glared at the thoughtlessness of her niece to propose that she should have raised her husband\u2019s bastard! The daughter of an earl, play nursemaid to the simpering offspring of her husband\u2019s lover? It was not to be borne!<\/span><\/p>

\u201cTell me, if any of the other babes your late husband fathered in his wilder days come knocking on your door, will you take them in?\u201d Lady Catherine asked Georgiana the hypothetical question to point out the child\u2019s idiocy, but instead, the lack of maturity in her niece won out. She completely missed the comparison.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cHow could you ask me such a thing? In my condition? Of course I know George had other lovers, and it hurt most bitterly when he never came back for me. But I loved him! And I will make sure his son has the best in life even if his father was hated by so many!\u201d Georgiana stood up in her dramatic manner, but winced again as another spasm clenched across her abdomen. Lady Catherine noticed the pains, but did not panic as the inexperienced Mrs. Wickham was beginning to do.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cHow long are the pains?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cThey just come and go. That\u2019s the second one since we sat down.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cAnd where does it hurt?\u201d Lady Catherine asked, motioning for a footman in preparation to send for a midwife and Dr. Smeads. Georgiana indicated the top of her swollen belly, and then dragged her hands along to her sides.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cOh, nothing to worry about then, child. You have weeks to go. Those are just the false labors many a woman feels before her first born.\u201d Lady Catherine shooed the poor, obedient footman away from the table just as he neared. \u201cSit down,\u201d she demanded of Georgiana, who paused briefly before complying.<\/span><\/p>

Lady Catherine poured herself another cup of tea, and while Georgiana looked at her earnestly for a refill herself, her aunt placed the kettle down out of her niece\u2019s reach. She lifted her cup and inhaled the pungent scent of oolong and orange peel, her favorite blend. Lady Catherine chuckled for a moment when she noticed her niece sulking.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cWhat are your plans, girl?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Georgiana began to huff and Lady Catherine would have none of that.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cStop your selfish and childish ways. Think! I may have erroneously given you the impression that I brought you here out of some great acknowledgment of the bastard you carry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cHe\u2019s not a bastard! We married!\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Lady Catherine tutted her disapproval. \u201cA happy coincidence without the blessing of anyone in your family. Your husband was murdered. What makes you believe you will be safe if you leave the protection of your family now? If you have any plans to run, I\u2019d suggest you think twice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Georgiana began to cry, but her tears did not move her aunt\u2019s opinion.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cI do not know what my plans are! Fitzwilliam will not let me have my dowry, and he will not let me come home to Pemberley!\u201d The soon-to-be-mother wailed again as another pain tested her nerves. Her aunt seized upon her niece\u2019s vulnerability.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cTell me about the scheme your husband was in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Georgiana shook her head.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cI do not know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cYes, you do, think! Who were your husband\u2019s associates? Where was he when he was not with you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Again, Georgiana shook her head and Lady Catherine banged upon the table.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cI do not believe you are such a simpleton as this! You took a lover, yes, I know all about your behavior, young lady, and you are far from an innocent victim in all of this. A wife knows. She always knows where her lout of a husband lays his head.\u201d Lady Catherine pointed her finger directly at Georgiana\u2019s nose and her niece focused on the large ring adorning her knuckle.<\/span><\/p>

Slowly, Georgiana began to nod, without taking her eyes off the jewels.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cYounge. Sally Younge.\u201d She gulped and turned away from her aunt in disgrace, missing her aunt\u2019s smile.<\/span><\/p>

Lady Catherine closed her eyes for a moment and chided herself for missing such an obvious connection. That woman her inept nephews had chosen as a companion, the woman who allowed her charge to run off in the first place. She should have thought to send her connections there for more information.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cGood. Now leave it to me. My sources say your husband and brother are being blamed for this mining fraud. But we can turn the tables if we learn just a little more,\u201d Lady Catherine again silently summoned a nearby footman with a beckoning of her fingers. \u201cTake Mrs. Wickham upstairs and help see that she takes a rest,\u201d were the only instructions Lady Catherine gave.<\/span><\/p>

Georgiana began to protest, but then she looked up and saw that the young man wasn\u2019t unpleasing to the eye. Matter of fact, he was a sturdy lad looking to be in his twenties and he smiled when he offered Mrs. Wickham his hand. For a moment, Georgiana looked to her Aunt Catherine in disbelief that the woman would be so brazen about sending her niece off with a footman, practically declaring he take her to bed. But her aunt refused to meet her gaze and only flitted her hand in annoyance that they be gone.<\/span><\/p>

Refusing to acknowledge the wave of sadness in feeling unloved, Georgiana accepted the footman\u2019s arm and leaned into his person as she took her steps.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cPray, what do they call you?\u201d she asked, as he held open the door to the hallway for her.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cWhatever name suits you, Mrs. Wickham.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Miracles of Marriage<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

a Pride and Prejudice variation novel<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Release Date: July 25, 2019
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Book 5 in the Moralities of Marriage Series. Chapters posting now on Elizabeth’s site.

After the murder of George Wickham in the streets of London and the fire at Longbourn, Mr. Darcy and his lovely bride, Elizabeth Bennet, must cut their wedding trip to Scotland short. With the financial stakes of all families hanging in the balance of London’s politics, the Darcys will have to work together to see to everyone’s needs. But with so much tragedy and scandal, can Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam rely on each other, or has the trust between our dear couple worn to edges beyond repair?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Chapter 8 - The Miracles of Marriage, Book 5 of The Moralities of Marriage<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Anne Fitzwilliam took advantage of her husband’s morning ride to visit a fast friend since all of the distressing events of the previous spring. Fighting a cough that would make her husband happier if she remained abed, Anne agreed more with Dr. Matthew’s prognosis. He had prescribed Anne to always do any activity she felt up to accomplishing. As she already spent much of the week in bed, using such an excuse to avoid invitations from that main house of Rosings, even Anne felt a limit to resting.<\/span><\/p>

So when she instructed her maid Julia to order her phaeton harnessed for her enjoyment, none of the staff of the small Dowager cottage challenged the mistress. Truthfully, most staff found life much easier when the homes were not occupied by the master or mistress. Though the Fitzwilliams did not run their small domicile with an iron fist, and were generally loved for the respite from Lady Catherine’s domain. Cook made an effort to pack Mrs. Fitzwilliam with a small basket of ginger cookies and wine.<\/span><\/p>

The moment Anne held the reins to her pony, liberation coursed through her veins. As a married woman, she no longer required a constant companion with her everywhere she went. Usually, she would ask Julia for her company and additional comfort, but the nature of her visit was so sensitive, Anne could not risk information getting back to her mother. Since her clandestine marriage to her cousin, Richard Fitzwilliam, and the horrific assault on her other cousin’s intended, Elizabeth Bennet, the small estate of Rosings had become a battleground with lines sharply drawn. Some staff remained ever loyal to the queen of the castle, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and by proxy her bully of a parson, Mr. Collins, who obeyed her every command. Others, especially those in the Dowager House and a few assigned to Hunsford Cottage put faith in the new blood rising, the Fitzwilliams, and the sympathetic Mrs. Collins. Only a small cadre, mostly staff with a keen eye for a life beyond service, remained as neutral as possible to not land on the wrong side of a quarrel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Less than a quarter mile from the Dowager Cottage, her familiar horse friend recognized his longtime driver’s touch. Anne drove with ease with no need for the whip. As much as she wished to urge her phaeton to the fastest speed, she kept the pace cautiously at a trotting clip. While an accident was rare, it was an outcome she was not willing to risk in her delicate condition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

She enjoyed the dwindling sunshine of the nearing autumn weather, and for a brief spell, rode alleviated from all of her cares. Anne Fitzwilliam wished Richard and she could live under the same roof as her mother in harmony, but the arrival of Georgiana Wickham had made such a reconciliation impossible. She dwelled on the feelings of neglect and betrayal stirring in her heart as the Last Will and Testament of her father placed the two cousins with child against one another. If Anne survived, along with her husband’s heir that she carried, Rosings was hers. If not, then the estate would go to the line of her father’s bastard son, the late George Wickham. And if no heir survived Anne or George, then the estate would pass back to the de Bourgh line through her father’s brother, and her mother would become powerless. Truthfully, Anne wasn’t certain her mother wished for her health and safety as she spent many days in the company of her niece, Georgiana, and rarely inquired about her daughter.<\/span><\/p>

When Anne arrived at her destination, her goal of discerning the welfare of Charlotte Collins tugged on her heart. Anne allowed Declan, a footman long in the employ of the Fitzwilliam family now assigned to remain at Rosings, to help hand her down from the phaeton. Charlotte stood in the front herb garden and waved eagerly at her friend.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

“I should have come to you!” Charlotte admonished Anne, a young woman that she had served as a reading companion since becoming the parson’s wife. Tending to Anne in her sickroom had been a wonderful escape from the temper of her husband, but that was before Declan had been placed in her service on a loaned basis.<\/span><\/p>

“If I had to look at those four walls any longer I can assure you they’d be sending me to Bedlam!” Anne embellished and the two women laughed as they entered the cottage.<\/span><\/p>

Anne allowed her eyes to adjust to the lower light as Charlotte’s husband, William Collins, had kept an even tighter grip on the purse strings when his physical abuse of his wife and cousin were put to an end. Charlotte did not mind so much, as she had been raised in a household that did much the same with so many mouths to feed on a very meager interest on her father’s savings so he could play the gentleman.<\/span><\/p>

“I have some tea leaves that I have tucked away, let me fetch them and we shall have a proper cup,” Charlotte offered but Anne stopped her with a plea.<\/span><\/p>

“Oh, please do not waste your luxury on me. I find I scarcely keep anything down still, and I should hate to be ill. I come by design, however.” Anne reached into the pockets of her skirt to pull out two clandestine letters from their mutual friend, Elizabeth Darcy. One for each of them.<\/span><\/p>

Unfortunately, in the months since Mr. Collins was set down, he had grown less circumspect about restricting Charlotte’s movements and correspondence. Declan still served as a physical reminder in keeping Mr. Collins in check for the grossest of his behavior, but a lowly footman would not regularly challenge a man of the cloth without direct instructions from a much higher superior. So Charlotte suffered the emotional and monetary abuses that left no bruises or marks, but pained her all the same.<\/span><\/p>

Charlotte discreetly tucked the letter into her own skirt pocket just as her dastardly husband burst through the door.<\/span><\/p>

“Charlotte! I saw the gig\u2013” Mr. Collins stopped as soon as he saw Anne Fitzwilliam in the front parlor and a small gurgle choked his next words. He attempted to stand straight as well as bow his head as he felt conflicting demands on his behavior. He had been instructed to respect Anne as the daughter of his patroness, Lady Catherine to Bourgh, for so long that he still struggled to keep up with the new dynamic between mother and daughter. As he had just come from the main house, his feelings of loyalty to Lady Catherine were strong and he struggled mightily between them and a long practiced habit.<\/span><\/p>

“Mr. Collins, how lovely to see you.” Anne addressed the parson directly so that he was forced to express pleasantries back. But then he quickly remembered the reason he had rushed home so quickly.<\/span><\/p>

“Charlotte, her ladyship has decreed. We must pack at once.”<\/span><\/p>

Charlotte’s face blanched white. The main reason Anne had come was the news of Charlotte enduring a great disappointment. No woman so soon after a loss should have to travel anywhere, but Charlotte would not directly contradict her husband, and certainly not in front of company.<\/span><\/p>

“Where are we to go?” Charlotte asked innocently while Mrs. Fitzwilliam began to feel very protective over her friend.<\/span><\/p>

“Surely, Mr. Collins, your wife should stay behind\u2013” Anne began but Mr. Collins interrupted<\/span><\/p>

“To Longbourn! Or rather, to your parents’ home, Lucas Lodge. Hertfordshire!” Mr. Collins threw his hands up in the air as he grew flustered thinking again about the intelligence that Lady Catherine had just imparted. “Longhorn has burned, and we must make haste.” Mr. Collins began to walk towards the stairs and reached out for his wife’s arm, but she instinctively tucked her hand behind her back out of reach.<\/span><\/p>

“But of course we’ve known that Longbourn has burned. We received the distressing news two weeks ago in a letter from my sister,” Charlotte said empathetically, still feeling terrible about the tragedy that had befallen the Bennets.<\/span><\/p>

“But my inheritance!” Mr. Collins exclaimed and stomped his foot as both ladies flinched at his ungentlemanly display. Then they looked at him most quizzically.<\/span><\/p>

Mrs. Fitzwilliam gently cleared her throat, knowing to tread carefully with a brute like Collins. “Mr. Collins, while I know you are to inherit Longbourn, is my understanding that Mr. Bennet has not perished. Is there news of his loss?” Anne clutched the small brooch holding her spencer together as she prepared herself to hear the very worst from the absolute worst sort of man.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Thankfully, there was no such news to report. But Mr. Collins was too cross to keep his speech delicate. “No, of course not, it’s worse. The man has not died and Lady Catherine has learned they are all to leave for Pemberley. With no plans to rebuild!” Mr. Collins sharply nodded his head one time in the ladies’ direction, then stomped up the stairs to find someone to yell at while he began his preparations to quit Hunsford.<\/span><\/p>

Charlotte urgently ushered Anne outside, then frantically opened Elizabeth’s letter from her pocket as her back was pressed against the front door. She quickly read lines from her dearest friend and tried to commit them to memory. The letter talked of Lizzie’s wonderful time in Scotland and all the challenges of holding a house party. As the letter had taken many weeks to travel the long distance from Scotland to Kent, and it was not sent by express, the missive did not include any information about Longbourn or the plans for the Bennet family. Just as quickly as she had opened it, Charlotte haphazardly folded the letter and handed it back to Anne. Her ally began to shake her head, but Charlotte insisted.<\/span><\/p>

“Please, keep it. We both know that Lizzie writes to me through you as a means of protection. She would be most cross with me if I carry her letters with me,” Charlotte wistfully looked upstairs to see the sharp nose of her husband gazing out the window down at them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Without a word, Mrs. Fitzwilliam crushed Charlotte to her chest in an embrace, then she whispered what she had come most to understand.<\/span><\/p>

“Did he cause you to lose the child?” Anne held Charlotte tightly and felt her gently shake her head against her shoulder.<\/span><\/p>

As the two women began to part, Mrs. Fitzwilliam searched her friend’s face for any sign of additional distress. But Charlotte bit her lower lip and looked down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

“I was careless, while he was not at home.” Charlotte continued to look down at the ground and gulped. Finally, she met Anne’s eye and betrayed herself to a woman she wished so much would hold respect for her, but worried after this admission she would not. “I was careless with the stairs every time he left, you see. One day,” Charlotte’s voice quivered for the last line, and Anne could scarcely hear the last words, “my prayer was answered.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Without another thought, Anne embraced Charlotte again in what would appear to be two friends taking a long farewell. When at last she released Mrs. Collins, she made her friend make one last promise. Charlotte assured her she would do whatever Anne asked. Anne Fitzwilliam gave Charlotte Collins the best advice she could without judgment our condemnation.<\/span><\/p>

“At the right time, tell your mother as you have told me. But do not come back here. Categorically refuse to leave your parents’ home with your husband, no matter what you have to do.” Anne told her friend she would pray fervently for her safety and that Sir Lucas would remember what he witnessed when he was in Kent. Perhaps her father could stand stronger as a man in his own castle than when he had being intimidated by the wealth and grandeur of Rosings.<\/span><\/p>

Charlotte brushed away the fresh tears that had formed in her eyes, and she smiled brightly. All she had to do was mind her manners on the journey to Hertfordshire, a mere two days of keeping her husband happy, and then she could seek the sanctuary of her family’s protection. Charlotte began to walk back to the front door with her burden lightened. Even if her father would not stand up for her, she held no question that her brother John would not allow her to go back to such a life. And she would spend a lifetime asking for God’s forgiveness for what she had done.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Miracles of Marriage<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

a Pride and Prejudice variation novel<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Release Date: July 25, 2019
Pages: 306<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Book 5 in the Moralities of Marriage Series. Chapters posting now on Elizabeth’s site.

After the murder of George Wickham in the streets of London and the fire at Longbourn, Mr. Darcy and his lovely bride, Elizabeth Bennet, must cut their wedding trip to Scotland short. With the financial stakes of all families hanging in the balance of London’s politics, the Darcys will have to work together to see to everyone’s needs. But with so much tragedy and scandal, can Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam rely on each other, or has the trust between our dear couple worn to edges beyond repair?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Chapter 9 - The Miracles of Marriage, Book 5 of The Moralities of Marriage<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Despite Fitzwilliam Darcy’s instinct to rush off to London and face the crisis, his wife convinced him to wait at least one day before tearing off on another journey. With her wiles and sound logic, Elizabeth Darcy reminded her husband they had a growing list of responsibilities beyond their town home. She worried that it might not be safe; if a mob can attack a building, they can just as easily attack the very man they think at fault for their misfortune. She also argued that his aunt and uncle would surely send further correspondence because they would not have known their exact arrival date to Hertfordshire. Finally, her plea that he remained at least long enough to oversee the final arrangements for the massive move helped her husband to see reason. His own safety he was willing to risk, delegating to others was never comfortable for him. But leaving a job undone, that went against his very character and he finally relented.<\/span><\/p>

On the second day after their arrival, Elizabeth Darcy’s intuition proved correct. Two additional missives arrived from the Earl of Matlock explaining the assault had been ceased the very night it began, and the town home was intact. Furthermore, an armed guard was placed on the sidewalk in front of the home, and the leaders of the rabble-rousers were arrested. The threat of hanging stymied the tempers of any man that would take their place, so for the moment, peace had been restored in Mayfair. It was not only for the Darcys’ sake that the soldiers stood guard. The neighborhood housed a number of powerful and influential men and their families. The last thing any of Darcy’s neighbors wished was for unrest to go unchecked and risk their property as well.<\/span><\/p>

But by the third day, there were no further arguments Elizabeth could use to keep Darcy by her side. Yet she refused to give up.<\/span><\/p>

“I only mean that I cannot bear the thought of being separated. Let me come with you, the Bingleys can handle the move,” Elizabeth suggested as her husband inventoried his personal papers that would travel along in a case with him as they always did. Leaving behind important papers of identification and position could not only prove disastrous for him on the road, but also grant a scheming relative or friend access to Darcy funds. Elizabeth held up two letters for his silent acknowledgment she had written to Lady Matlock and her Aunt Gardiner. She added them into the case of papers, making sure her husband saw the addresses before she tucked them in.<\/span><\/p>

“My darling, it is simply the wrong direction. You told me I had to stay for the benefit of you and the child, and I did as you asked, but now I must leave. Only so that I can be back sooner.”<\/span><\/p>

“London is not so far. I’ve made the trip dozens of times,” Elizabeth countered but Mr. Darcy shook his head. He stepped towards his wife and gently cradled the sides of her abdomen that showed no signs yet of increasing as it was still much too early. The only sign of a potential heir was the loss of her courses and Elizabeth assured him they had been regular prior to their marriage.<\/span><\/p>

“It is unnecessary stress on you,” he said without clarifying if he meant his wife or the potential child she carried. “If it were on the way to Pemberley, I would not hesitate to say yes. Besides, you sister Jane needs you. The Bingleys do not deserve to be hopelessly outnumbered.” Mr. Darcy kissed his wife’s cheek, a sign of affection that she leaned into and looped her arms around his neck.<\/span><\/p>

“And you’re certain?” she asked. “Uncle Philip says there’s no chance of rebuilding Longbourn?” Elizabeth asked again for the third time since Fitzwilliam’s meeting with her uncle that very morning. It was not that she did not believe her husband, it was that she could not believe the reality. Her childhood home was lost forever.<\/span><\/p>

Mr. Darcy groaned, as his wife’s proximity and touch suddenly made his body betray his schedule as well. Mrs. Darcy giggled and began to waltz her fingertips down his back. He suddenly twisted around to grasp her wrist and held fast.<\/span><\/p>

“Do you know what you are about, Mrs. Darcy?” He asked, gently caressing a sensitive spot on the inside of her wrist with her thumb, and she continued to giggle.<\/span><\/p>

“Come, you can be an hour later,” she suggested, batting her eyelashes at him and pursing her lips into a perfect pout.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

A desperate man, unsure of when he would next see his wife, took the invitation to kiss her. Passionately, their bodies melded together as neither could resist the romance of a last pairing before separation. A knock on the door made Elizabeth startle, but she did not cease in her attention to her husband’s ear lobe as she tried to untie his cravat.<\/span><\/p>

“Leave us!” he roared as he pulled back and undid the offending knot himself. When the knocking came to an abrupt end, they laughed and Elizabeth practically jumped into her husband’s arms as he lifted her toward the bed.<\/span><\/p>

“You promise you will be back as soon as you can?” she implored, gazing deeply into his eyes.<\/span><\/p>

“As soon as I am able.”<\/span><\/p>

“And you promise not to get yourself hurt?” she began kissing his jawline as Mr. Darcy froze. Of course, his wife’s concern was slightly grounded in sense, and the circumstances of their lovemaking suddenly made Darcy feel rather foolish for risking his life all in the name of honor and property. But his male mind turned the concern around to provide a defense so his ego could remain intact.<\/span><\/p>

“Do you promise not to get yourself hurt?” he repeated her question and Elizabeth scoffed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

“Me? I am not dashing to fight off a mob, sir!”<\/span><\/p>

“Neither am I. But I suddenly loathe the idea of leaving you so . . . unprotected,” he whispered, now pressing her body deeper into the mattress, his warm breath upon her neck.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Elizabeth felt hot tears welling in her eyes as she allowed the stress and burden of the recent days to wash over her in the safety of her husband’s embrace. He continued to nuzzle and kiss just along her hair line, and she sighed as she willed her thoughts of uncertainty to banish away once more.<\/span><\/p>

“I shall be with the Bingleys. Surely Charles can keep us safe,” she said and stiffened so that her husband had to stop his actions and address her directly. He did so, looking down at her as one of his curls fell out of place just to the right of his eyes. “You will have no one. Unless you take Patrick and Simmons with you,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>

Darcy groaned, adjusting his position as the additional stalling became more of a nuisance to his anatomy.<\/span><\/p>

“Simmons will go with me. Patrick will remain with you. And that way, if you even feel faint for a moment, I shall have no fear of you ever falling to the floor,” Darcy reasoned.<\/span><\/p>

Elizabeth pushed hard against her husband so that he rolled off her person and she sat up. Her eyes narrowed as she realized she had been had. “You planned that all along! And you’re going to order that man to follow me everywhere I go, aren’t you?” She crossed her arms, an action which had the unfortunate consequence of tugging the fabric of her gown slightly lower so that more of her delicate bosom was exposed.<\/span><\/p>

Licking his lips, Mr. Darcy stretched out his hand and gently traced the line of her cleavage down from her clavicle to dip most suggestively beneath the thin silk of her shift. “I believe you afford me greater forethought than I possess,” and he abruptly removed his hand to gently lift the hem of her gown up from her ankle, to her calf, and then knee. “Now, shall we make extra work for my man and your maid, or are you as keen as I am?”<\/span><\/p>

Elizabeth pouted for just a moment and her husband began to lift her gown from the other side. With a huffy flounce, she reached down to lift her skirts the rest of the way and show her husband she was just as keen as him, and more.<\/span><\/p>

By the time Mr. Darcy did meet his man, Simmons, and mount Alexander in the front courtyard, no one dared ask the great man why he was more than two hours later than the time he had given the stables. Elizabeth had kept a brave face when she farewelled her beau from the doorway of their suite, but when she watched him ride off to the south, she allowed herself a proper cry. She had not counted on separating from Fitzwilliam for any length of time just three months from when they married, and the taste of distance was most bitter.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Chapter 10 - The Miracles of Marriage, Book 5 of The Moralities of Marriage<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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With her husband gone, Elizabeth Darcy did take a rest. The bed felt too empty and she had struggled to sleep for very long. Only an hour had passed since she watched him ride off, and she did not feel fit for company with the rest of her family. Instead, she decided to tackle a visit she had not yet done alone since arriving at Netherfield Park: seeing her father.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Selecting a book of Shakespeare’s plays, Elizabeth called her maid Higgins to help her prepare to be seen. From time with her husband, to crying and a nap, Elizabeth knew she looked afright without utilizing the mirror in the dressing room of her suite.<\/span><\/p>

When Jane had explained that the Darcys would be in a separate wing from the rest of her family, Elizabeth had not thought anything of it. After all, privacy and quiet was welcome to any newly married couple. But now that her husband was on his way to London, Elizabeth suddenly felt very isolated and unhappy by the sleeping arrangements. Briefly, she considered inviting Kitty to sleep with her as Higgins helped her change her gown. But then she worried such an invitation would be unseemly and a little insulting. As girls, she would never hesitate to share a bed with her sisters. But it suddenly seemed so awkward now that she was a married woman. She thought to ask Jane to move her room, but that would only create additional work for the staff and invite discord with her mother by increasing their proximity. No, Elizabeth Darcy would endure the solitary wing, and hope her nightmares did not return.<\/span><\/p>

“Would you like for me to replait your hair?” Higgins asked as a gentle way of explaining that Elizabeth’s curls had come undone in the back. As a married woman, she could just as easily don a cap like her mother often wore, but Elizabeth was still a little vain about her youth. To her, only old married women wore such hair pieces and she did not wish to join those ranks with less than a year of marriage under her feet. When Mrs. Darcy nodded, Higgins began to pull the pins from Elizabeth\u2019s hair and gently massaged her mistress’ scalp. Being Mrs. Darcy came with so many expectations and responsibilities, that Elizabeth greatly relished the few perks the position held, such as having her hair done anytime she wished.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

After just a few moments under her skillful maid’s direction, Elizabeth looked quite smart as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Higgins gathered up the laundry and asked if there would be anything else before dinner? Elizabeth shook her head, clasping the book of Shakespeare’s plays to her chest. She took a deep breath and watched her shoulders fall as she exhaled. She tried to see if she looked so remarkably different that her father might be alarmed. But apart from a slight fullness in her cheeks and glowing complexion, Elizabeth Darcy looked much like the same Lizzie Bennet that had spent hours reading with her father long before his injury.<\/span><\/p>

Without informing anyone as to her aims, Elizabeth walked quietly down the long corridor between the two wings, doing her best not to disturb anyone. While she did not believe that her mother would bar her entry to her father’s sick room, neither did Elizabeth wish to give her mother the chance. One of her insecurities dwelled upon Fitzwilliam’s departure bringing about a different conduct from her mother and two younger sisters since she was without the protection of her husband. Others might have found Elizabeth overly cautious on such a subject, but she remembered well the screaming and yelling that occurred the last time she and Fitzwilliam visited Longbourn just four months ago, begging to be married from the Meryton perish.<\/span><\/p>

As she neared the suite of rooms where her father recuperated, Elizabeth walked right past the nursery, the door wide open. Spying Jane tending to her children, her sister said not a word but only nodded in her direction before returning to her task of feeding little Lynn. Elizabeth continued in her plans undisturbed. When at last she reached the door to her father\u2019s room, it was only open a quarter of an inch. Elizabeth wondered if she should knock or merely open it. She listened closely for any sounds of someone inside with her father, and upon hearing none, she gently eased the door open. She poked her head around much like a curious child would while searching for their favorite playmate. But her smile fell as soon as she realized her father was alone and gazing directly at her from his bed with his eyes wide open with panic.<\/span><\/p>

As Elizabeth stepped inside the room, her father began to thrash. So Elizabeth rushed directly to his side.<\/span><\/p>

“Papa, Papa I am here. Your Lizzie is here. There is nothing to be frightened of,” Elizabeth begged as she could see the distress in her father’s eyes. He calmed the moment she placed a hand upon his shoulder, but his mouth made the most pitiful cry that was more of a guttural moan because he could not form any words.<\/span><\/p>

Elizabeth sniffed to keep her own emotions under good regulation, then placed the book on the bedside table. She made her next task to help her father find a more comfortable position in the bed. She asked him, rhetorically, if he would like her to fluff his pillows and assist him in sitting up. When he made no sign of disagreement with his limited communication abilities, Elizabeth did just that. Suddenly, her father’s good hand began to motion as though he wished to write.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Excited that he would talk with her, Elizabeth dashed over to the small table across the room where ink and paper were left just for this very purpose. She proudly brought the parchment back holding the ink well and dipping the pen for her father. She watched him with great hope in her heart as he determinedly used his good hand to scratch a message before her very eyes.<\/span><\/p>

But her hope was dashed when at last he finished and she took the message from him. He looked at her with such anticipation in his own eyes that Elizabeth did not know how to tell him the letters he had written were complete gibberish. A bunch of Js and Ts with Rs, but no vowels whatsoever. Elizabeth gulped as she tried to understand what he was saying. She didn’t wish to hurt him or set his recovery back by confessing she couldn’t understand the note.<\/span><\/p>

“Perhaps I will save this for later,” she said. “I shall carry it with me and treasure your note. In the meantime, I have brought one of your favorites. How would you like to hear a little bit of <\/span>Hamlet<\/span><\/i>?” Elizabeth asked and her father stoically accepted the kind way she concealed that his writing was undecipherable.<\/span><\/p>

She read for half an hour before her father’s soft snores alerted her that he had fallen asleep without the benefit of a dose of laudanum. She considered for a moment waking him to give him such a dose, but realized that it was actually a better sign he did not need it. On that errant thought, she recalled her own injuries and the very physician that taught her how less laudanum was a good sign: Dr. Matthews.<\/span><\/p>

Elizabeth went back over to the writing table to pull out a fresh piece of parchment. She capped and shook the inkwell with gusto, sharpened the pen, and began to write with great determination. Her father would be made well.<\/span><\/p>

September 30, 1812 Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire, England<\/span><\/i><\/p>

Dr. Matthews,\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>

I hope you will not find this letter to be untoward as most of your dealings have been with my husband, Fitzwilliam Darcy. However, I find that I am in need of your prodigious care and services, but not for my own benefit. Two months ago, my father was in a great fire and appears to have suffered apoplexy that has affected the mobility of one side. He attempts to communicate, through quill pen and even through speech, but alas, we cannot understand him. The words he writes are undecipherable, a jumble of letters that do not even make up a puzzle to solve. And the sounds can barely pass for speech, though at times he has great inflection.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>

I recall how helpful you were in my recovery. Although I was in pain and suffered my own head injury, I do recall you speaking of your research into the latest theories about the recovery of our minds when we suffer a concussion. If anyone can help my father recover a small part of his former self, it is you. We are set to leave for Pemberley in two weeks’ time and I would like to extend an invitation for physician in residence. My husband is in London and will happily work out your fee, and I suspect have more than a few reasons to see wisdom in my plan. Not only is he as eager as I to see my father recover; our family in residence at Pemberley will increase after this move for my mother, father, four sisters, brother-in-law, and infant niece and nephew will be moving with us. There are also signs of another joining our ranks perhaps next spring.<\/span><\/i><\/p>

I know that six months of residence is much to ask, but I am certain my father, our household, and the surrounding countryside can benefit from\u00a0 your talents. I also have it on good authority the library at Pemberley holds numerous medical texts and anatomical studies if monetary inducement is not enough. Please say that you will help your former, most stubborn patient and join our fold. Response to Fitzwilliam at Darcy House is sufficient.<\/span><\/i><\/p>

Regards,<\/span><\/i><\/p>

Elizabeth Rose Darcy<\/span><\/i><\/p>

After finishing her letter, she did not seal it so that she could send it via express enclosed in a note for her husband. Elizabeth would abide by their agreement to make all major decisions together and inquire whether\u00a0 he agreed with her plan in her loving letter to him. Remembering how fond her husband and Bingley were of Dr. Matthews’ company, she also thought an additional male presence at Pemberley would vastly improve the dinners and other diversions she would need to hold to keep her mother and sisters content.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

As she reread over both missives for any mistakes, she rested her eyes on the line hinting as to her own condition. She knew the signs of impending motherhood well, and lamented that the only obvious one was the absence of her courses. Both Jane and her aunt had long warned her such a sign was not alone enough to raise hopes, but Elizabeth had not felt any of the others. Her bosom was not tender, and though she thought perhaps her complexion was improved, there were many reasons for that. Nor was she nauseous or finding eating a difficulty, beyond that first day after the disastrous ball in Scotland.<\/span><\/p>

Elizabeth took one last look at her father slumbering and bestowed a kiss upon his forehead. She held the two letters in her hand and would see them posted that afternoon. As for a clear answer on Dr. Matthews accepting her invitation or if her womb nurtured a child, Elizabeth would have to wait, and <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Chapter 11 - The Miracles of Marriage, Book 5 of The Moralities of Marriage<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Fitzwilliam Darcy and his man, Simmons, traveled the labyrinth of back alleys in London to reach the rear stables of his Mayfair town home. But even if he had taken the main thoroughfares, Mr. Darcy would have ridden through unmolested. The mobs had long been disbanded, and two soldiers routinely marched the walk on both sides of the street.<\/span><\/p>

The kitchen staff were quite startled at the sudden appearance of the master, and a low scullery maid was sent to fetch Mrs. Potter. Cook wrung her hands upon her apron.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cMr. Darcy, we are so glad to see you, sir. I\u2019ll get a hot meal ready for you in no time!\u201d she said, as the staff enjoyed a collective sigh of relief. Since the attack, two maids had quit for other households. Those who had remained worried that despite the soldiers, another mob would assemble at any moment. The presence of the master somehow felt reassuring, that he could act in ways they could not should danger present again. No one considered the home might be even more at risk with the very man the mobs wanted in residence.<\/span><\/p>

The housekeeper reached her employer just as he was emerging from the convenient staircase that led to the dining room.<\/span><\/p>

Mr. Darcy bowed his head in deference. “Mrs. Potter, I am to understand that you were instrumental in saving my home. I humbly thank you,” Mr. Darcy gave his senior staff their due and Mrs. Potter’s heart practically melted at his gentlemanlike ways.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cOf course, sir, Mr. Arthur and the lads were the real heroes.\u201d She attempted to deflect the accolades, but Mr. Darcy shook his head.<\/span><\/p>

“Nay, they might have moved the furniture, but I heard it was you who braved the madness and hurried to my uncle\u2019s home. I am afraid without your bravery, we might not be standing in this home on this very day,” Mr. Darcy involuntarily thought about the burned out shell of Longbourn from his memory with his wife. Although London had not seen riots to that degree in over a generation, the ease of lighting a match was always a threat to any home made of beam and plaster.<\/span><\/p>

In recognition of her service, Mr. Darcy invited Mrs. Potter to enjoy a cup of tea with him in his study after he changed. He wished to hear a full accounting not only from the letters, but from the men and women who survived the ordeal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

“And open a cask of wine on my order for the servants\u2019 dinner this evening. Anyone present, no matter their role, I wish them toasted tonight and heartily thanked. There will also be a small bonus in the quarterly wages,” Mr. Darcy finished as he carefully climbed the stairs to his suite with his man Simmons just ahead of him.<\/span><\/p>

After a soak in his claw-footed tub, Mr. Darcy met Mrs. Potter in the study. She apologized profusely that it might be best if he ate on a tray in his room or in the parlor.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m afraid the windows are still broken in some places on the first floor. We keep the doors to the dining room closed, but finding plate glass has been a challenge, sir.\u201d Mrs. Potter wrung her hands, feeling a bit of a failure that the home was not in tip-top shape when the master arrived.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cThat\u2019s quite alright. Inconvenient, but building materials have been harder to come by with the wars and building boom. We can close the shutters, and if outside pests are a nuisance, use oilcloth to close the opening.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cOilcloth, sir?\u201d Mrs. Potter had been raised in London, in the finer homes of the gentry all of her service years. She had been in Mr. Darcy\u2019s employ long enough to know that when she did not understand a tradition or method from the main estate of Pemberley, to simply ask and save them both a great deal of trouble.<\/span><\/p>

Mr. Darcy nodded, with a small smirk. \u201cYou should be able to buy some in a draper\u2019s shop, or reach out to Mr. Gardiner in Gracechurch Street. He might know of a supplier for both plate glass and oilcloth. There isn\u2019t time to make it without an enormous stench,\u201d Mr. Darcy remarked, impressing his housekeeper that the man prodigiously educated himself on all manner of topics in running his various homes.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cNow, tell me what happened when the home was attacked. I\u2019d like to know all before I speak with my uncle tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Mrs. Potter explained how for days, the crowds milled around and jeered.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

\u201cDid you recognize anyone in the crowd? Anyone seem to come all the time?\u201d Mr. Darcy asked, offering his housekeeper some sugar.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cWell, no, sir. I didn\u2019t spend all day looking, and any staff I caught skipping their tasks to gawk, I gave a stern talking-to,\u201d Mrs. Potter shuddered as she remembered her own terror as the crowd grew larger and larger by the day. \u201cCome to think of it, there was one man,\u201d she squinted her eyes as she appeared to remember some information her employer could use.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cYes, anything at all that stood out could be helpful. Very powerful men are moving against my family and I mean to stop them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cOh, yes, sir. I have no doubt that you will!\u201d Mrs. Potter cast her support unequivocally to the Darcy corner.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cSo this man, you say? What made you remember him?\u201d Mr. Darcy prompted.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cHe never joined the crowds. He stood over there,\u201d Mrs. Potter motioned toward the front door, \u201cacross the street and just watched. Smoking all day, rarely left.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cDid you see him send any messages or write anything down?\u201d Mr. Darcy asked.<\/span><\/p>

Mrs. Potter shook her head.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cNo. He left each night and was back in the morning. Just watching.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Mr. Darcy asked for a description of the man and Mrs. Potter smiled.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cMr. Darcy, he\u2019s standing out there now. I saw him while you were taking your bath,\u201d Mrs. Potter explained and Mr. Darcy leapt up to rush to the front foyer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The small panes of glass on either side of the front door were cracked, but intact. Gazing through a small area that was not shattered into a spiderweb pattern, Mr. Darcy could see the red glow of a lit cigarette. The man leaned against the home across the way, half concealed by the shadows of the long alley leading to Brook Street and Hanover Square.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cDo not disturb him and we will see if he is there again, tomorrow. If so, I will find a way to detain him and question him,\u201d Mr. Darcy stated, though Mrs. Potter had hung back and didn\u2019t quite hear.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, sir?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Mr. Darcy turned around and walked away from the window into the hall. \u201cI said do not share this with anyone, and I\u2019ll see that the man is apprehended.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

As there was nothing else Mrs. Potter could assist him with, Mr. Darcy again retired to his study. He penned a quick note and sent a hallboy to take it to the soldiers. In it, he said he had reason to believe one of the instigators of the mob was watching and waiting for the soldiers to leave, and described the man standing across the street. He asked that the man be taken into custody for questioning.<\/span><\/p>

Then, he pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and sighed. All of the anxiety he had carried on the trip to London and fear of what their home would look like, felt like an enormous burden now that his stress did not keep his worries in a state of tension. He smiled as he wrote Elizabeth\u2019s name, and then began to detail there was not much in the home worse for the wear. He noted the house was practically bare in every room, thus far, and suggested that next year, after the babe was born, perhaps they could come to London for a proper visit. And bring Mrs. Bennet for her excellent taste in selecting furnishings.<\/span><\/p>

As Mr. Darcy again read that line, he laughed to himself. On the surface the line was most complimentary of his mother-in-law. The deeper meaning referred to a shared distaste for shopping with his wife, unless it was for books or gifts for his beloved.<\/span><\/p>

Ravenous, Mr. Darcy ate the meal brought to him by tray and sought an early night. He was not so young as he once was, and the long days of travel were finally catching up to him. Sleeping in one of his favorite beds, in a room he had long decorated to his particular tastes, were other incentives to give up lingering any longer. Until the man Mrs. Potter identified could be questioned, and he coordinated with his uncle about the motives and machinations of Northumberland, there was little else Mr. Darcy could do. As such a position of idleness was not his preferred status, for good measure, he took a handful of piled correspondence up with him to bed for review.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Miracles of Marriage<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

a Pride and Prejudice variation novel<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Release Date: July 25, 2019
Pages: 306<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Book 5 in the Moralities of Marriage Series. Chapters posting now on Elizabeth’s site.

After the murder of George Wickham in the streets of London and the fire at Longbourn, Mr. Darcy and his lovely bride, Elizabeth Bennet, must cut their wedding trip to Scotland short. With the financial stakes of all families hanging in the balance of London’s politics, the Darcys will have to work together to see to everyone’s needs. But with so much tragedy and scandal, can Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam rely on each other, or has the trust between our dear couple worn to edges beyond repair?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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+ 23 additional Pride & Prejudice variations are available at these fine retailers . . . <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Keep Reading Chapters Below! <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tChapter 1 The Miracles of Marriage\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
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Since the murder of George Wickham hit The Times in August 1812, the street outside Darcy House in London buzzed for weeks with abnormal activity. Without the family in residence, the front path before the door contained a motley mix of men from sailors to coppersmiths, alternating in yells and jeers for most of the day. They stayed on the street side of the iron gate, blocking the walk and oftentimes congesting traffic….<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tChapter 2 The Miracles of Marriage\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Darcy carriage traveled efficiently from the happy frolicking days of the couple’s Scottish wedding trip to the daunting mantle of family responsibility waiting for them in the south. Elizabeth Darcy sat on the bench across from her husband and insisted her maid, Higgins, join them for much of the journey. <\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tChapter 3 The Miracles of Marriage\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
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Charles Bingley’s lease on Netherfield Park would end in October after an emergency extension was agreed to by the parties. Jane Bingley stared at the long list of tasks left in her charge. Even with the extension, it would be a difficult feat to accomplish. The list ranged from a final inventory of the furnishings to help her uncle close out the property to convincing Kitty that some of her larger works of art should remain behind in the attic. <\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tChapter 4 The Miracles of Marriage\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
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Within an hour of leaving the last inn, the surrounding countryside inspired a wave of nostalgia to overtake Elizabeth Darcy. A result from their temporary truce, she enjoyed her husband’s comfort while the carriage returned her to Hertfordshire for the first time as a married woman. Thinking of home, she errantly worried that the carriage might not go past Longbourn if the driver chose the longer route to Netherfield Park through Meryton.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tChapter 5&6 The Miracles of Marriage\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
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Mrs. Darcy enjoyed tromping through the crisp autumn fields with her husband. Despite the difficulties of all around them, Elizabeth\u2019s heart felt lighter that she and Fitzwilliam still made happy memories on their own terms. <\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tChapter 7-11 The Miracles of Marriage\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
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Lady Catherine de Bourgh found her niece Georgiana Wickham lacking in good sense, good company, and any respect for her mother’s sister.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

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