Page 83 of Secrets Across the Sea
“Only just,” he jested. “You are rather keen to goad me of late; the result of your improved temperament, I suppose?”
“What if I am? I see how marriage has agreed with you, is it wrong that it has done the same with me?”
Chuckling, Richard answered, “Merely in regard to your newfound propensity in choosing me for your jests. The rest of your happiness I shall not deny you. Speaking of happiness,” he said, turning to Jane and her husband as he motioned to the Lucases, “Has our resident reverend told you their good news?”
“News?” Jane wondered, her eyes flitting to Kitty before moving to James.
“Well, I am to receive a new parish; in a month’s time we shall be moving from Watford to Meryton. And… there is news no one has yet been told,” James grinned as he turned toward Kitty.
“We are expecting a child in the autumn,” she finished, the squeals of her sisters and congratulations of the gentlemen filling the air.
Kitty! With child? Before the year was out their family would be grown and she would be an aunt!
“What do you need?” Georgiana asked excitedly. “I mean for the child… and for you of course, I imagine you need a bit of spoiling too. When we are in London next month Lizzy, and Cathy, and I will have to visit all of the shops! I know we are sisters by marriage, but I hope you shall let me be an aunt like all of yours?”
Thus, the thrum of voices began to plan for the future; Georgie and Cathy being assured of aunt status, Jane making Kitty promise to take care of herself, their Father suggesting names, while the whole host required that another family gathering take place before the child was born.
Smiling as her husband pulled her from amongst the throng, Elizabeth followed him to the doorway, their vocal family still gathered in front of the large row of windows; a picturesque sight if not sound.
“Do you want to know the reason I went to Lampton this morning?” her husband questioned as he took her hands, his thumb rubbing across them.
One brow raising she tilted her head, “I believe you know the answer.”
Kissing her hands, he let them go to reach into his pocket. “I wanted to bring you this.”
“I…” she began, her eyes growing glassy, as she viewed the ring he held, the various stones spelling out ‘darling.’ “It is beautiful.”
“That day in the passageway when I asked you to marry me, I called you, ‘my darling.’ Since then, many other times I have called you thus, and still it always is true. You are my darling, my love, and I thank the Lord for the day I met you and for the gift of loving you.”
Slipping the ring onto her finger, he wrapped her in his arms, the two sharing a sweet kiss before laughter in the drawing room had them turning that way; their family continuing to talk and laugh gaily.
When Mamma had died, it felt as though happiness had died with her. As though their family had died. Yet, here they were, happy and whole, and increased.
Four sisters married. A father healed and returned to them. And not one of their family, new or old, would ever be tossed aside or unloved. They were home.
She was home.
In her husband's arms, she would always be so.
THE END
