Epilogue

EPILOGUE

A ugust 1814 – Pemberley

Alexander George Fitzwilliam Darcy wobbled on unsteady feet. His dark hair mussed. His arms outstretched. Darcy adored his son’s silly grin.

Alex bounced up and down instead of stepping forward.

“Come to Mama.” Elizabeth sat about six feet away. Reaching toward the boy, she encouraged him with his favorite toy, a shiny silver rattle that the lad liked to toss to the floor since the noise hitting the marble tiles was louder than when he shook it in his tiny fist. “Walk to Mama.”

Alex giggled as he continued bouncing. Darcy finally lifted him off the floor, his chubby legs continuing to pump up and down, then set him back so his feet touched the marble. “Walk to your Mama, Son.”

Hesitating, Alex leaned forward, putting his weight on his right leg. Tapping his left foot on the tiles, he finally shifted his weight to that foot. As soon as Darcy released his grip on Alex, he sat down.

At five months, the lad pulled himself forward with his elbows, dragging his feet behind him. At six months, he would rock forward and backward on his hands and knees. At seven months, he took off crawling and did not stop.

Because of his son’s speed when crossing the floor, Darcy appreciated how much his bad leg healed. Had Elizabeth not insisted that he exercise regularly, he could never have kept up with Alex.

At eleven months, Alex pulled himself up to a standing position. Two days prior, he started walking around pieces of furniture. That morning, Alex let go of the chair, finally standing on his own.

He was so proud of himself until he realized his father let go, whereupon he dropped to his knees, hurrying toward his Mama.

Scooping him up into his arms, Darcy blew on his son’s neck, generating a full laugh from his son and his wife.

Darcy’s life was full of joy. A month after their marriage, Georgiana permanently moved to Pemberley. She postponed her debut until Elizabeth was safely delivered of their child. With Bingley and his wife living close, Darcy’s sister bloomed under the kindness of Elizabeth and Jane.

Darcy blossomed, too. Gone were the weeds of prideful arrogance. Instead, the relationship with his wife nurtured patience, gentleness, and loving attention.

Leaning over, Darcy kissed his bride of two years. “Shall we try again?”

Elizabeth’s fingers stroked Alex’s cheek as Darcy’s hand slid over her extended waistline. “Fitzwilliam, I am delighted that he is ready to move about freely. We cannot keep him a baby forever. But what if he falls and hurts himself?”

Wrapping her in his arms, their son wiggled to get down. Darcy set him on the floor where he could hold onto the sofa. “You fell in Hertfordshire. I fell in Kent. It was here in Derbyshire that I finally understood how much we needed each other to be happy. Other than taking too long for me to realize how much I need and want you, I have no regrets, my heart. Do you?”

“Never!” Elizabeth hugged him tightly. “We needed the time and distance to comprehend each other’s value and to allow our love to grow and mature.”

His life was complete. “Then we teach Alex and our unborn child that when circumstances arise that turn their lives upside down, they need only to fall slowly, my love.”

The End