Elizabeth covered her ears as her mother and Kitty argued endlessly over the desire for new dresses. Fitzwilliam House had descended into chaos with the arrival of Mrs. Bennet's trunks from Bingley House.
Mr. Bennet had returned to Longbourn the first day of the new year but his wife insisted on remaining in Town with her daughters.
"Mr. Bennet, the girls have a much better chance of finding wealthy husbands in London,” she had offered by way of explanation for her reluctance to quit Town.
Mr. Bennet had not argued. He seemed entirely too pleased to be leaving the females of his family to their own devices at Fitzwilliam House.
Elizabeth moved swiftly to the door of the salon. In the library, she could hide just the same as her father did at home in his study.
Jane and Charles had returned to Netherfield with Mr. Bennet and young Richard had become the project of his aunts. He missed Rose so terribly that Elizabeth allowed him to spend greater portions of his day in the salon or her sitting room.
Once in the library, Elizabeth wandered to the windows that looked out on the small back garden. To her surprise, her son was there with Mr. Harley building a snowman.
A genuine smile moved her lips for the first time since her holiday dinner. She could not brood over it forever. She had not heard from Mr. Darcy in the week since though Miss Darcy had come twice for tea. The young lady's presence assured her Mr. Darcy must not be terribly angry with her.
Turning away from the window, she spied a crate by the fireplace. It was another from Mr. Darcy’s bookseller.
Moving with great speed, she fell upon the crate with joy. Mr. Harley or Thomas, the footman, had loosed the lid and Elizabeth removed it easily and leaned it against the hearth.
Inside were books that would bring her son hours of pleasure. The boy loved to snuggle against her as she read to him in her private sitting room. Lately, he had taken to stretching out upon the floor before the fireplace and promptly falling into his nap there after luncheon.
Poor Nanny had joined them upon two occasions and Elizabeth released her to assume other duties until after dinner.
Replacing the lid, Elizabeth stood and dusted her skirts. A sharp knock upon the door startled her and she called for the footman to enter. Whenever Mr. Harley was busy with Richard, he left Thomas in charge of his duties.
She had not expected to receive a visit from the man Thomas led into the room.
"Mr. Darcy," she began, forcing her hands to remain by her side. She did not wish him to know how very pleased she was to see him.
“None of that! I am still William where you are concerned. Elizabeth, I ought to have given notice I was coming today. Have you the time to see me?"
"How might I refuse the man who gives books in such great numbers that the bookseller must send them in large crates?"
Mr. Darcy's smile and the easing of the tension in his shoulders pleased Elizabeth. "I must say I did not expect such a welcome. Once again you surprise me."
She pulled the bell by the fireplace and the footman returned. "Please send for tea, Thomas."
Mr. Darcy looked as though he might refuse, but Elizabeth gestured for him to sit. The laughter of her son in the garden filled the silence that had fallen between them.
Instead of sitting, Mr. Darcy went to the window where Mr. Harley and young Richard could be seen engaged in a snowball fight. "I ought to have seen it myself. He looks so very much like Richard when he was a boy."
Elizabeth moved to stand beside him. "You could not have known, William. We were very careful to conceal the truth. I am truly sorry for the deception."
Mr. Darcy turned and gazed into Elizabeth's bright eyes. He could not muster even a speck of anger. He had missed her the past week.
His sister had come home after both her visits to Fitzwilliam House and implored him to make amends. Mr. Darcy took Elizabeth's hand and held it with gentle pressure.
"I must apologize for my hasty judgment at dinner that night. It was poor form, and most unkind of me to abandon you in that moment."
Elizabeth wanted to be angry with him but in truth, she had missed him too. "I agree, you should have understood my fears. You should have known how terrible it was to keep such a secret. But you have come at last and graced me with a heartfelt apology. Now, for the matter of that crate beside my fireplace. I suspect you wish to spoil my son."
Mr. Darcy laughed. "He is my cousin and the son of the man who was truly like a brother to me. I should be allowed to spoil him."
Elizabeth's heart opened to Mr. Darcy in that moment. "I will allow it as long as books are involved. He would benefit from your presence as my father and the Bingleys have returned to Hertfordshire."
"Mr. Harley seems to have taken him on, but I plan to be involved in his upbringing. His place as the next Earl of Matlock has saved me the task. But I shall see he is prepared for the day he takes the title." Mr. Darcy had grown quite serious during this speech.
Elizabeth left him to sit by the fire. "He is underfoot without Rose to distract him. Are you certain you wish to be involved while he is still so young?"
She expected him to withdraw his offer but the man surprised her. "He is the perfect age to spend the afternoon in pursuits that delight gentlemen."
Elizabeth laughed. "And what would those be, pray tell?"
Mr. Darcy seemed taken aback by her amusement. “There is chess and the reading and discussion of books when the weather will not allow a ride in Hyde Park."
Elizabeth imagined Mr. Darcy attempting a game of chess with her young son. The thought of it was highly amusing.
She looked up as he came to sit with her. "How many children of the age of four have you played chess with William?"
He sat in the chair beside her and rubbed his hands before the fire. "Georgiana is brilliant at the game. I began teaching her at that age. 'Tis not a matter of whether he might grasp the game now, it is the act of exposing him to the world he will navigate as he grows older.''
Elizabeth admired his reply. It was true that a gentleman such as Mr. Darcy would be a wonderful example for her son. When she thought of it, Colonel Fitzwilliam would have done no less.
"You have persuaded me. Will you stay for tea and wait to see Richard? I daresay he will have caught a chill in the garden."
Mr. Darcy agreed as a maid brought the tea. Elizabeth offered her apologies to the servant, for the maid had brought tea only an hour earlier to the salon. "I promise not to burden Cook with one tea after another every afternoon, but my guest could do with a warm cup."
The servant smiled at her mistress. "'Tis no trouble, Mrs. Fitzwilliam. You may ask for tea as often as you wish. It is our great pleasure to serve you."
Elizabeth blushed at the sincere words. The servants of Fitzwilliam House had ever been kind to her. “Thank you, Dotty. Please have Thomas tell Mr. Harley to bring young master Richard to me when they have come in from the garden."
Dotty gave a curtsey and left the room.
Mr. Darcy watched as Elizabeth poured him a cup of tea. “Georgiana shall be upset she missed this visit, but I am most pleased to have you to myself."
Elizabeth laughed with much mirth. "Tread carefully, William. I might believe you find me most tolerable even with my headstrong ways.”
As he took the cup she offered, Mr. Darcy grew serious. "Oh you may depend upon it, Elizabeth."