A Wife for Mr. Darcy

From this vantage point, Lizzy had a clear view of the manor house and gardens, and she would wait for the reds and yellows of the gardens below to rise out of the mist in tiny bursts of color. It was her favorite thing to do at Pemberley.
    But as she waited for the first signs of the endless rows of chrysanthemums to emerge, she realized that today everything would change. It was the last morning in which she could roam the grounds freely as Mr. Darcy was expected in the late afternoon. Upon his arrival, all formalities would have to be observed, or she might shock the lord of the manor with her casual dress and bonnet left behind on her dressing table and long braid hanging down her back.
    Since Mr. Darcy would be arriving later in the day, Lizzy thought she might ride Sugar around the lake. She had not gone out yesterday because of storm clouds. Now that the morning mist was rising, it looked as if this would be a good day to go riding, and it would be her last opportunity to be with the aging mare.
    As she approached the stable, she looked down at her muddy boots and the dirty hem of her coat, and she remembered the time she had arrived at Netherfield in her soiled frock. “Six inches deep in mud,” she had heard Caroline Bingley say, followed by Mr. Darcy’s remark that he would not approve of his sister going about in such a way. “Well, you may have something to say to Miss Darcy about where she walks,” Lizzy said to herself, “but I am not going to let a little rain and some puddles keep me from walking on such a beautiful morning, especially with winter just around the corner. So there, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley.”
    As Lizzy walked the path leading to the stables, she was met by a growling David and Goliath, and when she took another step, they started to bark at her, which was unusual. In fact, she had never heard so much as a yelp from either dog. She then remembered something Ellie had said: “If you want to know where Mr. Darcy is, all you need do is find David and Goliath.” After hearing Mr. Darcy’s voice ordering his dogs to stop barking, she came to a complete stop and tiptoed her way back down the path.
    “Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy said, poking his head around a bush.
    “Mr. Darcy,” Lizzy said, bowing and wishing for all the world that she had worn her bonnet so that he might not see her wild hair or how embarrassed she was to be found in such a state.
    “I thought we agreed at Netherfield that if you wished to go unnoticed, it would be best for you to stay off the gravel,” and looking at her hem, he said, “and I see you are still having difficulty avoiding puddles.”
    “We had a brief storm last night, and the path leading to the gazebo is quite muddy as a result,” Lizzy said, pointing up the hill to the cause of her less-than-ideal appearance.
    What was he doing here? And why was he so handsome with his amazing eyes, which were gray today, having taken on the color of the sky, and even with his long riding coat, she could see how well his breeches fit him. Oh God, do not look there , she thought. You are already blushing, and you are at risk of embarrassing yourself even more than you already have , and she looked everywhere but at him.
    “You were not expected until this afternoon, Mr. Darcy,” she said, talking to the bushes in a voice that was almost an accusation.
    “I am sorry to disappoint you by coming so early, Miss Elizabeth, but I have only come from Derby, not London. We actually should have arrived last evening.”
    “Well, if you had, sir, I would have been properly dressed today,” and she flipped her braid over her shoulder. Looking at her hem, she added, “I would most certainly have kept to the gravel paths if I had known I was to encounter the lord of the manor.”
    “You look fine, Miss Elizabeth,” he responded, and then he could stand it no longer, and he went to her and took her in his arms. He kissed her, and just as he had imagined a hundred times, she clung to him, savoring every kiss and pressing in against him.
    “Mr. Darcy, Mr. Littlejohn is here,” Belling said, interrupting a beautiful daydream.
    “Tell him I will be with him in a few minutes, Belling,” Darcy answered, annoyed by the interruption, but grateful that he was wearing a long coat. Turning his attention once again to Lizzy, he asked her what she had been doing during her time at Pemberley. “Other than stuffing Sugar full of carrots.”
    Lizzy smiled. He