Such Irony

by Kathy T.

New Year's, Firthness Challenge Entry 2005

After his marriage to Elizabeth, Darcy was determined to take her reproofs to heart in his daily life not only with regard to her feelings, but those of everyone he met. With their life settled into a routine of pleasant days at Pemberley during the winter season where few neighbors or relatives could travel the snow impacted roads to the south of Derbyshire, the master had few opportunities to perfect his altered attitude with the general populace.

However, even his staff noticed his subtle change in how he dealt with them at the house. All the servants knew that the master cared for each and everyone of them for his housekeeper credited him as to their care, but the master had never before been as demonstrative as he was after his marriage to Mistress Elizabeth. That she had affected him to such an altered state was apparent from the lowliest groom to the highest of staff. She had also brought about calm to the entire household with the current happiness of the master.

The mistress was the reason for many of the changes which the master now charged the staff to carry out that Pemberley be a place of sweet contentment, but with a liveliness and enthusiasm that had be sorely lacking during the time of the two remaining siblings of the older master and mistress. Such a loneliness that pervaded the house was now dispelled in favor of brightness whenever the mistress entered the room, or at those times when the master caught sight of her smiling as she neared his person. The feeling of being loved was shared by the master to all his staff to the point of his becoming interested in their everyday lives that he know all their names, and their children’s names, and wished to know how all were fairing.

There were a few times when his involvement was viewed with a raised eyebrow of the mistress, but she pursed her lips and kept a smile on her face when he excused himself to deal with the situation instead of allowing Mrs. Reynolds to care for it. A silent exchanged was noticed between the two women who both wondered how long this behavior would continue. For several months the master continued to carry out the housekeeper’s duties and even began to encroach upon the butler’s tasks that both the heads of staff wondered if the master planned on a change of personnel.

One evening as the winter months began to wane with spring warmth touching even the coldest of the frozen Derbyshire lands, the mistress and the master were reading silently in the library beside the roaring fire when Elizabeth brooked the subject that was weighing on the entire staff by now.

“William, have you in mind to replace any of the staff for unsatisfactory performance?”

“No, Elizabeth. Whatever gave you that idea?”

“I just ask because you have recently taken on several duties of those whom you previously trusted to those duties.”

“Have I?”

“Yes, to the point that I thought you must be discontented with their performance, and were inclined to have them replaced in future.”

“Are you of the opinions that I have acted rashly or with distrust?”

“I have wondered of it yes for quite a while now.”

“Why have you only now voiced your concerns when you have always in the past taken me to task for unwarranted behavior?”

“I…that is…you see…” Here she faltered, closing her book, and rising from the chair to view the prospect from the window of the still snow covered grounds outside.

Darcy knew from experience that his wife was troubled over something which probably related to him somehow, and he rose and stood beside her at the window, but his prospect was of her. “Elizabeth, what is the matter?”

She shook her head then and faced him with a broad smile gracing her face. “I promised myself that in the New Year will I would be more patient with you, and not take you to task over little insignificant behavior because I love you so.”

Darcy caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, smiling when she leaned into his caress. “I too made a promise that this year would have me try to be more caring with all those about me to have it known how I have changed for the better because of your reproofs.”

“Oh,” Elizabeth said as they each considered the other’s resolution.

“I would prefer to hear your honest assessments and opinions, Elizabeth. You need not be so gentle with my ego for you no longer have to prove that you love me with each word.”

She stood so near him now that they were nearly touching. “The staff need not be precluded from doing their duties in which they have been entrusted with for many years, and would welcome your returned trust in them.”

Darcy nodded, leaning down that his face was a hairs breath from hers. “I will see to it…(he inhaled her perfume)…in due time…however at the moment I would rather…”

“Yes?” This the only word Elizabeth managed, being so near her husband. She swallowed and closed her eyes anticipating what was to come. She felt his arms embrace her followed by his lips pressing softly against hers, lingering to nibble on her lower lip to have her breathless with desire for him.

“Perhaps we need to discuss any further resolutions before implementing them,” punctuating his suggestion with a deepening kiss. She gasped as she agreed in a small breathless voice. “Yes, let us make that our common resolution for the new year…and to always end discussions with a kiss.”

Here she encouraged another searing kiss, but with him disagreeing. “No, I fear I cannot hold to even that resolution…for I doubt I could be limited to just…one…kiss…”

His hand held her head now to keep her lips upon his without giving her a chance for breath until they were both near undone. “Yes, then…we shall say end discussions with kissing. Would that do?”

“Yes, that will do nicely,” he finally agreed, his lips capturing her once more. “Let us discuss this more…above stairs…” She could not reply with anything more than a nod as he lifted her into his arms to take her to where they could have a more in depth discussion of resolutions for the New Year.

The End.

Copyright held by Kathy T. - 2005