Page 82 of Courting By the Book
“Sometimes during our courtship, when either of us was especially vexed by the other, we would find solace in a book. You will find this surprising, but I have found that romantic novels were a particularly effective means of escaping from those thoughts. We have a fairly large collection of those in the library. But do not stay up too late reading. Remember that Aunt Jane and your cousins arrive tomorrow.”
At dinner, the family celebrated the twentieth anniversary of Darcy and Elizabeth’s wedding. There were fresh daffodils on the table, and the main course included roasted goose, stewed parsnips, and early asparagus from Pemberley’s hothouse. When Darcy entered the dining room, Elizabeth took up a fencing stance, pointed her outstretched arm at her husband as if it were a foil, and said playfully, “En garde, MrDarcy.”
Darcy grinned and responded in kind. When Elizabeth scored the first touch, he drew her into his arms and kissed her. “After all these years, you are still lovely in that yellow sprigged muslin.” He kissed her again on her forehead and added, “I do hope Emily can see past Lord Buttermore’s awkwardness.”
“Yes, he is much like you at that age. And you turned out to be the best of men hiding behind the worst of exteriors. We shall have to see whether Lord Buttermore is able to live up to your example.”
After dinner, they retired to the library.
“Dearest, loveliest Elizabeth, every day I count myself more fortunate that you saw past that exterior. Being your husband is the greatest privilege that this Earth has to offer. I cannot even begin to name all of the ways in which my life has been enhanced by having you in it.”
“My darling Fitzwilliam, you are not the only privileged one in our marriage. I, too, could never have imagined that it was possible to be so happy for so long. I am beyond grateful that we persevered through the trials that were thrust upon us all those years ago.”
“There were times when I was certain that I was mad,” replied he. “But I am glad to have been mad alongside you. I have cherished our moments of shared madness.”
Elizabeth sang:
“To see my Tom of Bedlam,
Ten thousand years I’ll travel.
Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes
To save her shoes from gravel.”
Darcy joined in the chorus:
“Still I sing, bonny boys, bonny mad boys
Bedlam boys are bonny
For they all go bare and they live by the air
And they want no drink or money.”
The song had a dozen more verses, but Darcy found something much better to occupy Elizabeth’s lips.
When they finally broke apart, he asked, “All of that is safely locked in the past. Shall we enjoy the present with my reading aloud to you?”
“That would be wonderful, Fitzwilliam. Do you have something in mind?”
“I have found a novel that I believe we shall both enjoy. It is calledNorthanger Abbey.” He began:
“No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be an heroine.”
