The Darcys’ 15th Anniversary

Hello everyone!

I wrote the following short story earlier this year and posted it online at A Happy Assembly as part of their 15th anniversary celebrations. I thought I would post it here too. In it, the Darcys celebrate their 15th anniversary at Pemberley. The story is entirely from Darcy’s perspective, and he is a bit grumpy until he realises that—to borrow from a film my family likes to watch every Christmas—love is all around us. I hope you enjoy it!

Derbyshire, December 1826

“I cannot believe we are doing this.” Elizabeth Darcy regarded her husband. “We must be absolutely mad.”

Darcy caressed her cheek. Her skin was still smooth, her hair still dark without a touch of grey—unlike his—although a few faint wrinkles around her eyes showed the passage of time. The couple was alone in her apartment.

He said, “It is too late to alter the arrangements. Our guests are already on their way.”

A look of mock-anger crossed her face, but it was quickly replaced by one of good cheer. “Must you be so rational? Besides, it ought to be you regretting our decision to hold this house party, not me.”

With that, Elizabeth snuggled closer to him on the sofa they share and rested her head on his shoulder. Darcy felt the pressure of her body against his chest as he spoke.

“Our decision? I suppose we could have said no, but I seem to recall that the notion arose with Jane and Bingley.”

“And so it did. It is particularly convenient that their home is undergoing renovations and thus they cannot act as hosts.”

Darcy moved far enough away to look into his beloved wife’s face as he asked, “Do you truly regret it?”

She smiled. “I suppose not. I am anticipating seeing everyone, and the children are particularly excited about their cousins coming, but…” She shrugged before they settled into their previous positions again.

“But,” Darcy continued for her, “having your parents and sisters and their families here brings with it the potential for…aggravations?” He felt her nod. His opinion was even more severe. He would do just about anything to avoid spending several weeks with the extended Bennet family. It was not too much to say that he was dreading it and was resentful that it had come to this; their anniversary should be about celebrating love—theirs in particular—and with so many people there, that could not happen.

In August, when they had been visiting the Bingleys at their estate, The Pinery, Bingley had remarked that that autumn would mark fifteen years since their joint wedding.

“We must do something special to mark the occasion,” he had insisted.

Jane Bingley had added, “We could invite all of the family. Would it not be wonderful to be together again? It has been so long since Papa and Mama and all my sisters were gathered, and since it will be so close to Christmas, we could spend Yuletide together too.”

Darcy and Elizabeth had agreed, at least in principle, and had assumed that the other couple intended to invite everyone to The Pinery or suggest they go to Hertfordshire, should Mr and Mrs Bennet rather avoid the travel north. Anticipating the latter would be the settled-upon plan, Darcy and Elizabeth were already discussing finding a house to let near Meryton for a month or two; it would give them, especially him, a place to escape the family for part of each day.

Then Elizabeth had received a letter from her elder sister proposing Pemberley as the site of the family reunion and celebration.

Elizabeth’s voice had quivered with surprise and agitation when she explained, “Jane and Charles have decided that this autumn is the perfect time to renovate the guest chambers. I know that Jane has been wanting to do it for two or three years, but why they decided now was appropriate, I do not know. Why would they—? Oh, never mind that. Jane also says that she wrote to my mother, and Mama wishes to come here rather than have us all go to Hertfordshire or even meet in London, which I thought might be suitable, if we could not find a place to stay in Meryton. Mama wrote that, since she and Papa are getting so old, this might be the last time they are comfortable travelling such a distance. I cannot believe Jane has volunteered Pemberley!”

Darcy had also been take aback, but he and Elizabeth had dutifully acceded—to avoid causing an argument—and invitations had been sent to Mr and Mrs Bennet and Elizabeth’s sisters. His sister, Georgiana, was on the Continent with her husband; they would not return until the early spring. Mr and Mrs Gardiner had been invited, but they were unable to attend. Darcy regretted both his sister and the Gardiners; despite the years he had had to accustom himself to his parents- and sisters-in-laws, he would have welcomed the company of people he found agreeable and with whom he could have intelligent discourse.

Now, just three days before the date of their anniversary—and a fortnight before Christmas—they were enjoying the last night alone before their guests arrived. Their four children had been put to bed, and Elizabeth and Darcy had retreated to their private quarters. Elizabeth had been quiet since his last words, and he was beginning to worry that she might drift off to sleep, which would rather spoil his hopes for the rest of the evening.

After kissing the top of her head, fortunately free of the cap she often wore, he said, “Let us put aside all thought of family and how busy the house will be between tomorrow and Twelfth Night. If you like, I could think of a way to distract you.”

Their guests would leave on the seventh of January, weather permitting, and Darcy was already saying daily prayers that the snows would remain light or non-existent until after that date.

“Oh?”

There was just enough of a hint of interest in her tone to tell him that she was not overly fatigued. Gently extricating himself from her, he stood, held out both hands to help her stand, and grinning, said, “Oh.”

Elizabeth laughed as he pulled her into his arms. As her hands slipped around him, he pressed his lips to hers. The heat of desire flooded his body; almost fifteen years married, and he wanted her as much as he had on their wedding night. Without releasing her, he began to walk backwards, leading her to the bed.

***

The Bingleys were the first to arrive. After the greeting them together, Elizabeth and Jane went to the nursery to ensure the couple’s five children were settling in properly. That left Darcy to amuse Bingley. They went into Darcy’s study, where he poured them each a glass of wine.

“This is just wonderful.” Bingley took a large mouthful of the deep red liquid. “Do you not agree?”

Darcy stared at him and struggled to keep his sarcastic remark to himself. With effort, he managed to ask, “To what do you refer?”

Bingley grinned. “Why, having the entire family together to celebrate our anniversaries and Yuletide. Not the entire family, I suppose, with your sister and mine absent. And the Gardiners. It is very good of you and Lizzy to have us all here.”

“We did not have much of a choice, did we?”

Bingley’s face crumpled into a puzzled expression. It lasted just a second before he was again smiling. “Cheer up, old man! This time is all about love and family—the families we created when we married our excellent wives and the one we joined. Fifteen years! Is that not something to celebrate?”

I do want to commemorate my union with Elizabeth, just as we do every year. However, it is a private matter because it is our marriage. This year was a little different. Fifteen was a significant milestone, and he had a special gift for her, something he hoped demonstrated his never-ending love for her and all the richness she had brought to his life the day she became Mrs Darcy.

Darcy was saved from replying to Bingley when the butler came to announce that other guests were approaching the house.

***

Elizabeth stood beside Darcy as they awaited the entry of their guests into the bright, airy morning room. Whatever anxieties she had had in the past days had vanished, and he could feel her excitement; when their eyes met, her smile radiated happiness to such an extent that he felt his own mood lighten. It had always been that way. His heart slowed, and it was like a wave came over him and washed away the tension in his muscles. While he longed to embrace her, he knew he could not because Bingley and Jane were with them. Instead, he rested a hand on her back, slowly caressing her with the tips of his fingers.

The party from Meryton were announced, and soon the room was filled with noise and commotion as everyone greeted each other. Mr Bennet, now in his mid-sixties, remained hale, although at the moment he grimaced in such a way that Darcy knew he had a headache.

As would I, had I spent the last three days in a carriage with Mrs Bennet and Lydia. Perhaps the girl has learnt some intelligent conversation; her governess should have accomplished that much at least by now. If she has, it might have made the journey somewhat more pleasant for him.

‘The girl’ was Lydia’s only child, fourteen-year-old Georgina, named for her father. Wickham had died almost two years earlier. It had taken some coaxing on the part of Elizabeth and Jane, but Lydia had been convinced to remove to Hertfordshire and was now living at Longbourn. To relieve Mr Bennet of the financial burden, which he had had the temerity to grumble about when the scheme was first proposed, Darcy had set aside money to cover Lydia’s expenses, and he paid for Georgina’s governess. Darcy had also spent a considerable amount of time and money sorting out Lydia’s affairs and settling Wickham’s debts.

Mr Bennet stepped to the side of the room, and Darcy followed him. They stood, facing the large group of their family. Darcy had welcomed each one of them, which to his mind, gave him leave to let the sisters and mother chat and exclaim and talk over each other as much as they liked. As was usually their custom, Mr Bennet and Darcy did not speak and simply enjoyed the relative quiet.

After several minutes, Mr Bennet said, “You are very good to have us all here at once, Darcy. I admit, I attempted to convince the ladies that some of us should stay behind, perhaps visit at another time, but as soon as Mary agreed with Mrs Bennet and Lydia that it was a good idea, I knew my protests were for naught.”

Darcy murmured what he trusted was an assurance that he was pleased, et cetera, and they again fell silent. He observed the others. In essentials, Mrs Bennet was unchanged from when he had first known her. Relieved of anxiety for her daughters’ futures—and her own, should Mr Bennet precede her in death—she was calmer, yet her voice was still shrill as she complained about her aches and nerves, which had been severely damaged by the long journey north—or so she was assuring Elizabeth and Jane.

There was an edge, almost a brittleness, to Lydia that Darcy associated with the difficult life she had had after marrying Wickham. She would never admit it, not even to her sisters, but Darcy knew Wickham had been an exceedingly poor, brutish husband and father. Darcy was glad to see that both Lydia and Georgina were plumper than they had been when he last saw them. Georgina was a beautiful girl, much like her mother had been. She stood with Mrs Bennet, looking uncomfortable as her grandmother began to speculate about her marriage prospects, and Darcy’s heart swelled when he saw Elizabeth reach out to take the child’s hand.

Also arrived were Mary, her husband, and their three daughters. The Pattersons were by far the most sombre people in the room. Patterson had taken over Mr Philips’s law practice several years earlier, and the family lived in Meryton. The Miss Pattersons were very prim, exceedingly proper girls, despite their youth. Of course, they did not have the opportunity to misbehave in any fashion, with their mother’s eyes always upon them, ready to correct even the most minor of infractions.

No sooner had the commotion settled into a manageable state, and just as Darcy believed Mrs Bennet and at least some of the others would retire upstairs and the children would be sent to the nursery to join their cousins—then the Greens were ushered into the room. The former Kitty Bennet had married a curate, Mr Green, who had later obtained a valuable living in Norfolk. The couple had four children; Kitty did not seem capable of controlling them. They were loud and demanded everyone’s attention, asking if there was anything to eat and where their Darcy and Bingley cousins were. Green attempted to make them behave in a more civilized manner, but after less than a minute, he abandoned the effort in favour of talking to his father-in-law. With an apologetic look to Mr Bennet, Darcy quickly moved away and went to join Elizabeth. Green was a bore—and what was both remarkable and amusing—reminded him of a lesser Mr Collins.

Elizabeth greeted him with a smile and whispered, “Do not worry, Fitzwilliam. I shall have them all shown to their chambers in another minute or two, and the children brought to the nursery. Goodness, Kitty’s brood are…loud. I had hoped they would show a little more decorum, now that they are older.”

He shrugged, knowing no one would see the rude gesture. “The youngest is just five; that must be his excuse. Are you pleased, my love, now that they have all safely arrived?”

Her smile broadened, and she linked their arms as she inched closer to him. “I am, and I beg you will remind me of that when I complain about how taxing their presence is in the coming days.” She chuckled. “Truly, we may not have conceived of this scheme ourselves, but I am glad we can all be together. Tolerating my family’s presence is the best anniversary gift you could have given me.”

Her eyes drifted first to her mother and then to her father. No doubt, she was thinking that it might be the last time either of them were at Pemberley. He had not considered that before—that, knowing her parents were ageing, Elizabeth found each visit with them especially precious. There would come a time, likely in the not-too-distant future, when the Bennet family and all its offshoots, would no longer be as complete.

I must remember that and help her to enjoy this time. The least I can do is not grumble to her or suggest with my behaviour that I am unhappy or wishing them away, even if I am.

To Elizabeth, he said, “I too am pleased we are all together, even if I might wish it was at The Pinery and not Pemberley.” He winked to show he was joking when he said the last. “We shall have an excellent four weeks.” She squeezed his arm, and the thrill of knowing he had made her happy sent a shiver up his spine. “But, for now, I believe we should get them sorted and into their apartments. Your father needs rescuing.”

Elizabeth let out a rush of air. “Oh, that man. I cannot understand why Kitty married him, but as astonishing as it is, she does love him.”

As she pulled her arm out of his, he took her hand to kiss it. Elizabeth then went to inform her family that it was time to retire to change out of travelling clothes, rest before dinner, or whatever they liked.

Twenty-six days until they leave me alone with those I love best—Elizabeth and our children. Surely, I can survive it without going mad.

***

Three days later, it was Darcy and Elizabeth’s—and Bingley and Jane’s—anniversary. After a rather raucous breakfast with children and adults present, Elizabeth had arranged for a variety of special activities. The children played outside, running in circles and making an incredible amount of noise—which was better done outdoors than in—before being occupied in a similar fashion indoors by their governesses and nurses. Those gentlemen who wanted to went shooting; only Mr Bennet did not, preferring the library, as always. The ladies went shopping in Lambton for part of the day, but what else they did to pass the time, Darcy did not know.

The adults had dinner earlier than usual so that they could have a sort of party with the children afterwards. They had a feast fit for Christmas Day, and as he ate heartily of the delicious food, Darcy remained largely silent, only occasionally speaking to Mrs Bennet and Patterson, who sat at either side of him. Although the day had been generally pleasant, Darcy would much rather be with his own family, and be done with the rest of them. I still must endure more than three weeks of their company. It was wrong of him to think of these people, who were part of his family, as tiresome, but he was not to blame for how he felt.

Yet, observing everyone as they talked and laughed, an odd sensation, almost like worms crawling up his back, overtook him. Elizabeth shone like a bright star—as she always did—but underneath the patience and suppressed annoyance in her expression, Darcy saw delight; it was the same with a few others too. Even Mr Bennet, who was more likely to roll his eyes and tease his wife and daughters, was showing remarkable restraint as he spoke to Mary and Green, two people whose conversation would try a saint. Darcy watched as Mr Bennet’s eyes drifted across the table, a small smile on his face. When the older man reached Lydia, his expression became concerned, perhaps even a bit sad, and when he spent a moment watching Mrs Bennet, there was a certain fondness Darcy was not used to seeing.

By the end of dinner, Darcy had concluded that the ladies were in a particularly humorous mood. More to the point, they laughed overmuch, especially after catching each other’s eyes. It continued when they were in the withdrawing room. Mrs Bennet and all five of her daughters—even Mary—succumbed to giggling more than once.

“What has you and your sisters and mother so…amused?” he murmured to Elizabeth as soon as he had an opportunity.

She bit her lips together before responding. “Nothing in particular. Truly,” she added when he regarded her with raised eyebrows. “It is all just a bit of fun. You really do not want to know, my darling.”

Heat crept up his cheeks. “You were talking about us gentlemen, were you not?”

Six-and-thirty years old and the mother of four, the minx gave him a saucy look. “I will only say that I am the most fortunate of all my sister. I do not believe I shall tell you more than that, not even if you demand an answer. I suppose you might be able to…convince me I should, although not when we are in company.”

Darcy’s eyebrows arched. How many hours are there between now and the end of the day? Mr and Mrs Bennet will retire first, usually by nine or ten o’clock, then—

His ruminations were cut off when the door flew open, and the children flooded into the room. Even Mary’s three girls were smiling and chatting animatedly. There were seventeen in total, and the noise they created shook the entire house.

Once there was relative peace in the room, and after the footmen and butler had distributed beverages to everyone—champagne for the adults and punch for the children—Darcy looked to Bingley to see if he was prepared to speak. Earlier in the day, he had told Darcy that he had a few words to say, and sure enough, Bingley showed his smiling countenance to each corner of the room before slipping his arm around Jane’s waist and holding her close to his side.

“Fifteen years ago, my dear Jane made me the happiest of men. Not only did the best woman in the world become my wife, but she blessed me with four charming sisters and the most excellent mother- and father-in-law.”

Darcy just managed not to roll his eyes. He glanced at Elizabeth, who was still by his side. There was a twinkle of humour in her eyes.

Bingley continued. “That day also made my good friend Darcy my brother. Thank you, Lizzy, for marrying him. I say that for purely selfish reasons, but next to being so happy myself, it has given me great pleasure to see how much joy you brought to his life.”

“What a kind thing to say, Charles,” Elizabeth said. “I am very satisfied with the choice I made.”

There was a bit of laughter, and a growing amount of whispering and impatient shuffling from the children—apart from the Miss Pattersons, with whom Mary stood slightly apart from the remainder of the company—as Bingley continued to talk about his satisfaction with his life. Knowing Bingley was likely to continue speechifying for some time unless he was stopped—and that the younger children would have a hard time staying quiet during it—Darcy stopped him.

“It was a remarkable day. On behalf of Elizabeth and myself, I would like to thank all of you for being here to celebrate this anniversary with us.”

With that, he lifted his glass to toast. There were various calls of congratulations and so forth, most of which he did not really hear or pay attention to. Glancing around the crowd, he witnessed Mr Bennet kissing Mrs Bennet’s cheek—a rare sign of affection between them—and saw that Lydia looked a little gloomy. He hoped that it was not because she was missing Wickham. She is the only adult here without a spouse, he reflected. Perhaps this gathering will imbue her with a wish to marry again. It would please Elizabeth to see her happily situated.

Over the course of several hours, there was music and games and treats to eat. Darcy participated, but not very much. Maybe late this spring I should take Elizabeth somewhere, and we can commemorate the day properly then. As he sat off to the side, he began to weave a plan, which he would present to her later. They had other arrangements for the spring months already—visiting Georgiana and her family, seeing his Fitzwilliam relations, going to town—but there would be time for them to spend a week alone where no one could disturb them. He was grumpy, and he knew it, but there it was.

He watched adults and children interacting, and the odd sensation he had had at dinner returned. There was something he was missing, something he needed to understand, but he could not quite grasp it. It was not until he saw Georgina and Alexander, his eldest son, showing their youngest cousin—one of Kitty’s daughters—how to work a puzzle that it struck him. What he was witnessing was love in all its various, often complicated forms. The love the children showed each other and their parents was the most natural and easiest to understand. Mr and Mrs Bennet were as mismatched a couple as he had ever seen, yet there was an obvious affection between them, one more of companionship and shared history than romance, perhaps, but love nonetheless. Jane and Bingley’s love seemed like a comfortable sort of thing, unlike Darcy and Elizabeth’s often fiery, passionate relationship. Mary was devoted to her children, even if her manner was severe; Darcy supposed she wanted to ensure they did not grow up wild, as her younger sisters had. While Mary’s affection for her husband was less obvious, they did appear to be fond of each other. Kitty adored Green and almost constantly watched him. She fussed over her children, cosseting them more than was good for them. And Lydia, poor Lydia who had been a spoilt child and made a dreadful mistake, did she recall what it meant to love? Darcy regarded her for some minutes and was relieved to determine that she did—love for her sisters, love for her daughter and parents, and, he prayed, love for herself, despite the damage life with Wickham must have done to her.

I must know a good man who would suit her—someone who will treat her and Georgina with the respect and love they deserve and whom they can love in return. I shall think on it.

Last of all, Darcy considered his own sentiments. Beyond Elizabeth and their children, he had to admit that—as much as he had been wishing them all away—he loved each and every person in the room, even those he found most difficult to tolerate. He cared for them because they were his family, and because they were his family, it was right that they be here to commemorate the day that it had first begun to take shape with the marriages of Bingley and Jane and him and Elizabeth. He was surrounded by love he had refused to acknowledge, denying himself the joy, comfort, and satisfaction that must inevitably accompany it.

Well, old man, it just goes to show that no matter one’s age, it is never too late to learn something new. It took me long enough. With that, he pushed himself out of his chair and went to join in the celebrations.

***

It was eleven o’clock by the time he and Elizabeth were finally able to retire. He quickly prepared for the night and brought himself and his gift for Elizabeth to her bedchamber.

“At last, we are alone!” Darcy took both of Elizabeth’s hands into his, helping her to rise from her chair at the dressing table. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her soundly. “Happy anniversary, my love.”

“Happy anniversary, Fitzwilliam, my darling husband. Was today very difficult for you?”

He shook his head. “Not at all. I am very glad to have everyone here.”

She regarded him archly.

“I am,” he insisted. “I may not have liked the idea of it at first, but I have changed my mind. This is our family, one secured through the bonds of our marriage and the various other marriages that have taken place. Who more appropriate to be with us as we celebrate fifteen years of such happiness?”

Elizabeth kissed him. “You surprise me, as you have many times since the day we first met.”

He grimaced, hating the reminder of the long-ago assembly in Meryton, and led her towards the sofa. “I have another surprise for you.”

Once she was seated, he pulled a small box from the pocket of his robe and presented it to her. Inside was a ring containing six gems—the birthstones for their children, Elizabeth, and himself.

“Oh, how beautiful!” she said.

Darcy slipped it onto her finger, just as he had her wedding ring that fateful day. “Did you know that fifteen is the crystal anniversary? Gems are not necessarily crystals, but I decided they were close enough. I love you as much today as I did the day we were married, more in fact, and I say with absolute conviction that that will never change. I love our children, our family, our life together, even the way in which we are growing old because we are doing it together.”

Tears made her eyes shine, and she ran a finger over the top of the ring, a gesture that suggested she understood the significance. “Our family. Oh, Fitzwilliam, do you have any notion how much I love you, and how blessed I feel every day that we did not allow our horrible misunderstandings to rob us of this joy? I could never have been happy without you.”

With nothing left to say, Darcy once again kissed his adored wife. They then celebrated their union in the most perfect way until sleep overtook them several hours later.

Have a wonderful day!

Lucy

© Lucy Marin 2022