He took another step closer.
Elizabeth did as well, then nodded.
He stepped closer. “I shall indulge her, for I have no intention of retreating. But first…” he took her into his arms. “…how about one in private?”
“Only one?” Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.
He might have laughed, but the urge left him when she stepped up onto her toes and pressed her lips to his. “Now that I have kissed you,” she muttered, “you may—”
He interrupted, occupying her lips with an alternative activity.
After they parted and recovered themselves, Darcy opened the latch on the front door, and they passed indoors, finding Jane and Bingley had vacated the entryway.
Elizabeth stepped under the mistletoe hanging from the chandelier, saying, “I do think this will be the best Christmas ever, Fitzwilliam.”
“I agree.” He stepped closer and, once again, brushed his lips against hers. “Though, I will also predict that, from this point forward, every Christmas will be even more joyous than those that came before.”
Available at Amazon.com!
KITTY’S CHRISTMAS
Barbara Cornthwaite[4]
Chapter 1
Dear Papa,
I can scarcely believe that I have been staying at Pemberley for two months already! I have enjoyed myself beyond anything I could have imagined. Mr. Darcy’s sister, Georgiana, is only half a year younger than I am, and she is becoming very dear to me. Mr. Darcy intends to bring her out this winter, and he and Lizzy are going to be in London for the season. I almost wish I were not already out, for Lizzy said she would have given a ball for both of us. That is, if I were going to London with them, and if I were not already out. And that is why I am writing to you, Papa, to ask if I may go with them. Mr. Darcy and Lizzy wish me to stay with them, and I would so like to go! You may safely trust me now to be in society without disgracing myself. I have seen how silly Lydia was to take up with a man like Mr. Wickham and behave so badly. She has written to me several times to say that if I go to visit her, she will find me a husband, but I do not wish for a husband of her choosing! I am always glad to say that you will not allow me to stay with them.
Lizzy says she will keep a close eye on me in London, and Mr. Darcy says he will stand guard over me, with his sword, if need be—which is very silly, as no fortune hunter would think me a prize! However, it is very nice of him to say so.
Please, Papa, may I go?
Your loving
Kitty
My Dear Sister,
I was going to come and see you today to tell you my news, but the rain is very bad, so I am sending you this note instead. Lizzy and Mr. Darcy are going to London for the season to launch his sister into society, and they are taking Kitty with them! As I told you so many times, Jane and Lizzy being so advantageously married will throw Kitty and Mary into the path of other rich men, and now you see I am right! To be sure, Mary will be a little more difficult to marry off, which is perhaps just as well as I would be desolate without any of my daughters at home! But Kitty is very pretty, and even if she has not as much spirit and good humor as Lydia, she might do very well for herself.
Mr. Bennet has agreed to let her go, which I was a little afeard of as he once said that he would never let her anywhere near Brighton—and you know, London! But he said he trusted that Mr. Darcy would take care not to let her into a scrape that he would need to rescue her out of. My only worry is that Lizzy will be so taken up with getting Georgiana a husband that she will neglect my dear Kitty. However, she will have more chances to catch some gentleman’s eye in London than anywhere else.
No doubt Lady Lucas has already told you of Charlotte’s expecting to be confined for a second time in January. Poor child to have that odious Mr. Collins as a father! But I could hardly say so to Lady Lucas. How sorry I am for Lady Lucas. She once thought that Mr. Collins inheriting Longbourn was the greatest of good fortune for Charlotte, but now when I mention Pemberley and Bingley’s new estate (I can never remember the name of it. Crabtree Hall? Or Canbee or Cumbry? I do not know) she becomes very quiet. I am sure she misses lording it over me!
If the rain has eased tomorrow, I will come and see you.
I am, etc.,
Fanny
Darcy—
Jane tells me that you are going to London for the season. I had some thought to come as well—Jane and I are agreed that it would be delightful—but (as your wife has no doubt told you), she is now in an interesting condition. The hiring of a house and all its attendant worries, besides the social whirl of London in the winter would be too much for her, I fear.
I wondered if I might beg your compassion on someone whilst you are there. Do you remember me introducing you to Caldicot a year or two ago? I was up at Cambridge with him, and we met him in Bond Street. A very good fellow—one of the Caldicots of Peterborough, you know, but a third son. He took orders two years ago and has a curacy in some poor place in London—Shoreditch, I think. At any rate, I gather he is a trifle worn down by life. His sister died last year, his parish is a poor one, and he has devoted a great deal of energy to some charitable society or other. Rather a far cry from our revels at Cambridge! At any rate, I would be greatly obliged if you would look in on him—invite him to dine, or take him with you on some excursion.
Yours, etc.,
Bingley
Dear Lydia,
I am sorry to hear of your troubles in finding good lodgings. As you say, the desirable places are always very expensive. I do not think I can take it upon myself to ask Jane or Lizzy for money to help you at this time; you must ask them yourself.
Yes, it is true that I am going with Lizzy and Mr. Darcy to London for the winter for Georgiana’s coming out. We have been preparing her clothes for a month! You have never seen such beautiful dresses! Mr. Darcy is a very good brother—nothing is ever grudged her. I would think she would be spoilt, but she remains very sweet and obliging. Remember how we used to bicker over every little thing? One cannot imagine Georgiana bickering with anyone. She is very shy, however, and I think she is not looking forward to her coming out as you or I would! She dreads going to a ball. Lizzy helps her, I think, to be more sociable, and Mr. Darcy told me that he thinks my going to balls with her will make it more bearable for her. He really is a very good man, Lydia, in spite of what we used to think. I am pleased to be of some help to him by befriending his sister.
I am to have four new gowns! Lizzy is making me a gift of them. I will tell you all about them when they are finished.
Much love,
Kitty
Dearest Jane,
I hope you are feeling better. I wish with all my heart you were to be in London this winter, but as you would be unable to be attending balls and parties much, I suppose it is for the best.
We are all settled in the house in Town now. Kitty is agog at everything she sees. It is not new to Georgiana, but I think she is enjoying seeing London through Kitty’s eyes. We have seen Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, of course, already—they came to dine last evening. I am thankful to have their society in this great metropolis. Fitzwilliam has many friends in Town, of course, but they are as yet unknown to me. It is a daunting thought that I must be exhibited to them all shortly!
4
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems — except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews — without permission in writing from its publisher and author.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.