Pirates and Prejudice (30 page)

He leaned down
and kissed her on the cheek. Her eyelids fluttered, and the small smile that
had played around her lips widened. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled
him close.

“What time is it,
Fitzwilliam? Must we get up and hurry to ready ourselves?”

“It is a little
after seven, but it is up to you to decide whether we need to hurry. The
earlier we get to Pemberley, the more you shall be able to see of it before
dusk.”

Elizabeth let
out a long sigh and stretched her arms out as she did. “Yes, I suppose we
should try to leave as soon as possible.” When she brought her hands down, she
fingered the scar above Darcy’s brow and leaned in to kiss it. Then she took
his hand and brought it up to her lips. She turned it over and began to kiss
his palm, stroking his fingers with hers.

“Elizabeth…”
Darcy said, thinking to warn his wife that she had best know what she was
doing. She looked up at him with a teasing glint in her eyes. He softly chuckled,
knowing his wife knew full well what her actions would lead to.

*~*~*

They left the
inn at ten o’clock. The trip would take them almost the full day, and they each
had brought books to help them pass the time. Elizabeth, however, was
fascinated with the scenery they passed and found great delight in imagining
herself amongst the woods and trails. She enjoyed studying her husband, as
well, in the quiet moments of solitude they shared.

He often looked
up and smiled as he noticed her looking at him and finally asked what she found
so intriguing.

Elizabeth tilted
her head. “When an artist does a portrait, I imagine he has to look at his
whole subject in various lighting so he can fully do it justice. I am merely
getting ideas to put into my sketch of your character.”

“So you are
sketching my character again?”

Elizabeth tossed
her head back with a laugh. “You said it might take a lifetime; I had best
begin right away, do you not think?”

“And what is
your success?” he asked.

She laughed with
a quick shake of her head. “Oh, I agree with you. It
shall
take a
lifetime.”

Darcy leaned in
to her with a raised brow. “I might request, Elizabeth, that you not sketch my
character at the present moment.”

Elizabeth’s eyes
widened and met his teasing gaze. “Why?”

“I would ask
that you wait until you see me at Pemberley. It is there that I feel I can be
my true self and am more comfortable in those surroundings.”

“Then I look
forward with great anticipation to observing you there!”

At length the
carriage came to a stop. Elizabeth had fallen asleep in her husband’s arms, and
she awoke with a start. “Have we arrived?”

“Not quite yet,
but I wish to show you something.”

The door was
opened, and they stepped out. He took her arm and guided her across the road.
They were surrounded by a deep, dense wooded area, but walked a short ways to a
clearing.

Elizabeth looked
out and gasped. Her jaw dropped as she looked down at a magnificent structure.
“Is that… Pemberley?”

Darcy murmured
the affirmative. “This is one of my favourite views, although not many see it
as it cannot be seen from the road.”

Elizabeth cast
her eyes across the expanse. Her grip around her husband’s arm tightened. “Oh,
my dearest, it is just as you described, and yet…”

“Yes?”

“It is far
grander than my imagination allowed it to be.”

“Are you pleased
with Pemberley, then?”

Elizabeth turned
back and mutely nodded. “I know I shall treasure it as much as you do.”

“Good!” He
wrapped his arms about her. “Welcome, Elizabeth, to your new home. We have just
entered Pemberley Woods, my dearest. Of all this, you are now Mistress!”

Epilogue

One Month Later

Elizabeth sat on a bench seat and rested her arms on the railing of the sailing
ship. She looked out at the glassy waters and felt the fresh spray on her face.
An occasional gust of wind prompted her to hold down her bonnet with one hand.
She looked back at her husband, who was enjoying manning the ship as it sailed
across the waters of Windermere Lake.

The scenery was
ever changing as they sailed across the largest of the lakes in the Lake
District. The green meadows contrasted with the blue sky above and crystal
waters below. In some parts, the lake mirrored the large bluffs across from
them. They passed alder-fringed meadows, wooded islets, cottages, and an
occasional farmstead off shore.

“Is this not the
loveliest sight?”

Elizabeth looked
up and saw her Aunt Gardiner coming towards her. “It is wonderful! I am
delighted that my husband invited you and Uncle Gardiner to accompany us.”

Mrs. Gardiner
bit her lip and she looked at the helm of the ship towards her niece’s husband.
“That was so kind of him. I had no idea he would invite us to join you when I
told him he could thank us that the two of you met in the Isles of Scilly. It
was all due to the necessity of us having to cancel
our
trip to the Lake
District.”

“It was a
delightful surprise to see you here!”

Looking back at
her niece, she asked, “Speaking of the Isles, what have you heard from St.
Mary’s?” Mrs. Gardiner asked.

Elizabeth
clasped her hands and smiled. “Melanie writes that her mother is doing
tolerably well. She is still weak, but they are grateful that she seems
somewhat stable.”

“Does she speak
of David?”

Elizabeth
silently nodded and smiled. “She is grateful that David returned to help her
through this. She does not know what she would have done without him.”

“Can this be
taken as an indication that she might grow to love him?”

“I think she
already does. She needs only to realize it. When I replied to her, I gave her
some strong encouragement in that area.”

Mrs. Gardiner
looked again towards the helm. “Both of our husbands seem to be enjoying taking
turns manning the ship with Captain Bellows.”

“It was so good
to see him again. I think they came to respect each other a great deal, having
to depend on the other to get them through quite a bit.”

“Captain Bellows
is certainly fortunate that he and five of the crew were able to purchase this
ship with the prize money they received.”

“Yes, I believe
they shall have a good business here. In addition to providing tourists with a
wonderful outing on the lake, they will be transporting people and merchandise
from one port to another.

“Would ye care
fer some tea?”

Elizabeth looked
up and saw Edward Webber standing before them with some refreshments. “Why
thank you, Mr. Webber. Are you enjoying your new employment under Captain
Bellows?”

“Very much. We
was very grateful to Bellows fer allowin’ us to go into business wi’ him. Me
thinks he was tired of sailin’ the high seas and is enjoyin’ this so much
more.”

At the sound of
a flute, they all looked up to see Michael Jenkins playing while sitting
casually up on the main mast. They smiled as they listened to the lively tune.
Despite the fact that this ship was quite a bit smaller than the
Devil’s
Seamaiden
, the six men were doing a fairly good business.

At length, Darcy
came over and put his arm around his wife. “Are you enjoying your visit, my
dream?”

Elizabeth’s eyes
brightened. “I most certainly am, but I must say, Fitzwilliam, I do not think I
have ever seen you enjoy yourself more, even at Pemberley.”

“Truly?”

Elizabeth gave a
firm nod of her head. “I believe that I will need to add to my sketch of your
character this whole new side of you; one that I shall have to call
Captain
Fitzwilliam Darcy.”

“But you already
have a lengthy description of me as Captain Smith!”

Elizabeth
laughed. “Oh, no, my love. You were suffering from a great deal too much
concern, trying to protect a bunch of silly passengers and a novice crew from
the treacherous Lockerly. Besides, you were in a most abhorrent state of
disguise.” She shook her head firmly. “No, despite performing admirably in such
dire conditions, this is quite different.”

He leaned in and
kissed her cheek, rewarding her with a warm smile. “Me dearest Lizzy, as long
as ye promise to always remain by me side as me most precious first mate, I
shall always be the ’appiest of men.”

THE END

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kara Louise lives
outside Wichita, Kansas with her husband and a variety of animals, including a
dog, several cats, goats, and horses.
They have a married son who lives in St. Louis.

Other books by Kara Louise:

Darcy’s Voyage

Only Mr. Darcy Will Do

Assumed Engagement

Assumed Obligation

Master Under Good
Regulation

Drive and
Determination

and

Pemberley
Celebrations: The First Year

*~*~*

www.karalouise.net