Chapter Twenty-Six

Elizabeth

7 th December 1811

T he brisk countryside rushed past as the carriage bounced and lurched over the uneven road, leaving Matlock far behind them. It was only when the estate was well out of sight, with no chance of turning back, that Mr Darcy finally broke the taut silence.

“I owe you yet another apology, Miss Bennet,” he began, his voice low but steady, though he hesitated, as if finding words was a new difficulty. “For all of this—my aunt’s unconscionable behaviour, my own… failings, and, ultimately, the suffering it has caused you. Both this time and in the past.”

Elizabeth kept her gaze fixed on the landscape outside, listening as he struggled through his words. The carriage rattled and creaked, but his tone held a certain softness, even a vulnerability that Elizabeth had not heard from him before.

“There is no need to apologise, Mr Darcy,” she said gently, but he shook his head.

“There is. I was wrong,” Mr Darcy continued. “I see that now. My own actions, however well-intentioned I believed them to be, have caused harm not only to you and Miss Bennet but to Bingley as well. And I have only myself to blame for it.” He took a breath, steadying himself. “But seeing my aunt’s behaviour, hearing her words… It forced me to confront my own failings. If I can scarcely abide her judgement, how must my own behaviour appear to you?”

At this, Elizabeth turned to look at him fully. There was a gravity to his face, a sombre expression she had rarely seen. He was admitting his flaws, laying his pride before her, and though her heart still ached from what she had learned, she could sense the sincerity of his words.

“I was angry, Mr Darcy,” she said softly, her voice tempered. “Angry and deeply disappointed. The way you acted towards my family, towards Jane, and even towards Mr Bingley. How could I not be?” She paused, her gaze softening as she continued, “But seeing what you did today—claiming Maggie, knowing it would damage your reputation if it were believed—showed me something I hadn’t seen in you before. It was a generous act, Mr Darcy, and a brave one. It’s clear you would risk much for her… and perhaps for me.”

The faintest smile tugged at Mr Darcy’s mouth, though his eyes still shone with something close to regret. “You deserve more than a mere apology,” he said. “And I vow, Miss Bennet, to make amends for what I have done. The first letter I shall write once we reach Pemberley will be to Bingley. I cannot, in good conscience, allow him to remain ignorant of his happiness any longer.”

Elizabeth’s surprise was evident, her mouth parting as she searched for words. At length, she said, “Thank you, Mr Darcy. I cannot express what that means to me. Jane deserves happiness, and I think… I think it was within her reach, before… well,” she hesitated, not wishing to wound him further. “Thank you.”

Mr Darcy gave a quick nod, his shoulders straightening slightly as if the weight he bore had lifted just a fraction. “You are a woman of immense kindness, Miss Bennet. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I am grateful you have offered it.”

They fell into a silence, both of them with minds full of everything yet unsaid. Elizabeth’s heart had softened towards him, the harsh opinions she’d held now fading into uncertainty. And yet, as she replayed the conversation, Mr Darcy’s sudden confession, as he had called it, lingered in her mind. She wanted to ask him, to clarify what he’d meant—but before she could summon the courage, a soft voice interrupted them.

“Emberley?”

The small voice broke through the quiet, a tentative murmur that made Elizabeth start, her eyes flying to Maggie. The girl looked up at them both with wide, questioning eyes, one hand clutching Mr Darcy’s sleeve as she repeated, “Emberley?”

Mr Darcy’s head jerked to look at the child, his brows lifting in shock as he registered what she’d said. Elizabeth, likewise, was taken aback, her heart leaping with a blend of astonishment and delight.

“Oh, Maggie!” she exclaimed softly, a laugh escaping her. “Pemberley. Yes, darling, we are going to Pemberley.”

The girl’s face lit up with a smile of her own before she tucked herself against Elizabeth’s side, content with her discovery.

Elizabeth and Mr Darcy shared a look over her head, one that held all the astonishment of witnessing this young girl’s first attempt at reclaiming the speech she had lost due to her frightening ordeal.

As the carriage rumbled along towards Pemberley, Elizabeth’s thoughts drifted to what awaited them. She had never been to the fabled estate of Mr Darcy, but from all accounts, it was a place of unmatched beauty and grandeur. And yet, for the first time, she felt a sense of calm, even of anticipation, for what lay ahead. The road would be long, and the uncertainties many, but as they continued on their way with Maggie nestled between them, she felt that perhaps they had at last, begun to understand one another.

***

Elizabeth’s first glimpse of Pemberley was nothing short of captivating. The grand stone edifice stood tall against the sweeping landscape, surrounded by gardens that were certain to be lush in the summertime and the glittering expanse of an iced over lake that reflected the dappled light of early afternoon. Her breath caught as she took in the stately architecture, a blend of elegance and understated grace. She felt an involuntary smile forming as she surveyed the manicured lawns, the ancient oaks lining the grounds, and the Derbyshire hills in the distance.

Maggie, still nestled against Elizabeth’s side, let out a soft gasp, her eyes wide with astonishment as she took in her surroundings. Noticing Maggie’s awe, Mr Darcy pointed towards the stables off to one side and the sprawling gardens to the other. “We have horses for riding there,” he said gently, “and just beyond the garden lies a hidden fountain that I think you will enjoy.”

Maggie’s gaze shifted from him to Elizabeth, her expression full of wonder as she clearly imagined all the adventures these places promised. Elizabeth touched Maggie’s shoulder. “Mr Darcy knows this place well, Maggie. Perhaps one day, if you wish, he will show you all its treasures.”

They continued towards the house, and as they approached, Pemberley’s majesty grew even more pronounced. The front entrance, with its wide stone staircase and grand double doors, seemed to welcome them warmly despite the house’s imposing scale. As they neared the doorway, the butler stepped out, his eyes widening with surprise at the unexpected sight of his master.

“Mr Darcy!” he exclaimed, regaining his composure quickly, though Elizabeth could see the excitement in his posture.

“Mr Hastings,” Mr Darcy greeted him with a nod, introducing Elizabeth and Maggie. “Miss Elizabeth Bennet and young Miss Maggie will be our guests here for the time being.”

“Very well, sir,” he said and stepped aside. “I must say, there was some confusion because not a fortnight ago, your carriage arrived empty.”

Mr Darcy nodded. “Did the coachman explain?”

“He did, indeed. He also told me to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.”

He stiffened then and Elizabeth looked up. “Was there anything peculiar?”

“We received reports of two riders trailing the carriage just outside the gate,” Mr Hastings replied. “When someone went to investigate, they rode off and have not been seen since.”

Mr Darcy exhaled, his expression carefully neutral, though Elizabeth could sense his relief. “Thank you, Mr Hastings. You have done admirably.”

Mr Hastings inclined his head modestly. “I must apologise, sir, for the unprepared state of the house. It is only that we had not expected your arrival until spring.”

Elizabeth looked around, observing that the house itself was pristine, if a touch undressed, several pieces of fine furniture stood covered with white sheets, lending the rooms a ghostly air of waiting. Yet the effect was not gloomy but instead gave the house a stillness, as if it anticipated the return of its master.

Mr Darcy dismissed Hastings with a gracious nod. “We shall manage just fine, Mr Hastings.”

With a murmured, “Very good, sir,” Hastings withdrew, leaving Mr Darcy, Elizabeth, and Maggie alone in the grand hall.

After a moment, Elizabeth smiled, noticing the quiet pride in Mr Darcy’s expression as he took in his ancestral home. “Pemberley is a magnificent place,” she murmured, “but it is also warm, inviting. A rarity, I think.”

Mr Darcy’s face softened. “I cannot take credit for that, Miss Bennet. The influence, I believe, is my parents doing.” He looked down at Maggie, who had already found her curiosity rekindled as she studied the staircase. Its wide stone steps were carpeted in rich russet hues and, the staircase split leading to the different wings of the grand home.

They exchanged a silent smile, and Mr Darcy gestured to the staircase. “Shall we explore, ladies?”

And so, with Maggie’s delighted laughter echoing in the grand halls and Mr Darcy and Elizabeth following close behind, their footsteps led them deeper into Pemberley’s embrace—a place now beginning to feel, for all of them, like home.