“… and once Lord Darcy and Sir Richard saved the young lady from the claws of those terrible pirates, Darcy and Elizabeth married and lived happily ever after. The end.”
As soon as Elizabeth finished her sons’ favourite story, Little Richard and Benjamin stood up and ran, renewed in strength and full of enthusiasm, holding their wooden swords, fighting and chasing each other.
“I am going to be Sir Richard — because I am already called Richard — and you, Benjamin, can be Papa!”.
It was not a coincidence that their favourite story was a mild version of what had, in reality, happened to their parents and uncle many years before.
In fact, a month after Darcy and Elizabeth married, Richard and Jane joined them in that blissful state. About a month after that, Lord Matlock personally delivered a letter from King George IV to Darcy and Richard, inviting both of them to Windsor Castle where Richard was to be honoured with a knighthood for his services to the Crown. At that celebrated occasion, all the officers involved in the arrest and execution of the pirates and smugglers were decorated for bravery and compliance of duty. Mr Lynch received a formal apology from the navy and was invited to join the Naval Academy as an instructor.
With the knighthood also came a monetary reward, which, to the complete happiness of the Fitzwilliams, allowed Richard to sell his commission and his grandmother’s small estate, and buy a larger one about twenty miles from Pemberley, settling himself as a respectable gentleman and landlord. Their family, so far, had been blessed with two children, Alfred and Elizabeth, now five and three years old.
Little Richard raised his sword and shouted “en garde!” with all his lungs, charging against his Uncle Richard.
“Darcy! What have you done to this boy? He is relentless!” Richard shouted, falling on the floor with his giggling nephews atop of him, his own children joining their cousins.
“He is just following your example!” Darcy shouted back, embracing his wife and placing a lingering kiss on her mouth.
“What was that for? Are you still thinking about… complaints?” Elizabeth asked chuckling.
“No… I mean… I am always inclined to help you understand my complaints. But no. This one was for making me so happy and for giving me this beautiful family.”
Elizabeth looked at him with adoring eyes. “Who would ever guess that a freckled young lady, not handsome enough to tempt anyone, and from an inconvenient family, would inspire such love?” She could not helpteasing him every time she had the opportunity. “I love you too. And you are very welcome. It has been my… pleasure, always.”
Could he ever have enough of this woman?
Sometime later, Darcy commissioned a renowned artist to paint the family portrait.The Blessed Darcys, as the painting was later called, could be appreciated by the new generations at the gallery in Pemberley. Beside it, many watercolours picturing happy moments of their life — including one of their favourites,The Muddy Encounter. Curiously enough, this watercolour had only a spring flowery meadow on it.
Like the portrait, the story of their deadly adventure passed from one generation to another.
It is unnecessary to add that all the children in the Darcy and Fitzwilliam families were well versed in shooting, fencing, swimming and riding.
One never knows when such skills might prove useful.
The End
