Mr. Darcy, Vampyre

Epilogue

My dearest Jane,

I am sure you must have written to me, but none of your letters have reached me and I know that none of my letters have reached you. The post is very unreliable in these parts! No, not the Lake District, my dearest Jane, but the Continent. My dear Darcy took me through Europe and we have had many adventures along the way. I have learnt a great deal about him, much of it unsuspected, but all of it, in its own way, wonderful; by which I mean, my dearest Jane, that it was full of wonder. I know now why he was so reserved and why he would never let other people near. I know everything about him. And I have learnt this, Jane: that to know another human being absolutely, and to love them, is the greatest adventure of our lives.

I must go now; the carriage awaits. But it will not be long before I am back in England. I am longing to see you again. How much we will have to say to each other!

And how much I will have to conceal, she thought, as she read her letter through, adding to herself, though perhaps I will tell Jane everything, one day.

The door opened and a respectful servant stood there.

‘The carriage is at the door,’ he said.

‘One minute,’ said Elizabeth. She signed her letter, then folded it and wrote the direction. The servant stepped forward to take it. ‘Thank you, but I will post it myself,’ she said.

‘Very good.’

Darcy came into the drawing room, looking happy and carefree.

‘Are you ready?’ he asked. ‘The carriage is waiting. It is not as comfortable as our own coach, but I was lucky to be able to hire anything at such short notice, so far away from a city. We will not be travelling with it for long. We will soon be on board ship and heading for England.’

‘England and Pemberley,’ she said. She let her gaze wander for one last time around the hunting lodge and then she took his arm. ‘Then let us be off. It’s time to go home.’