“Uncle!” Georgiana cried, face rosy. “I have no knowledge of such places!”

“Of course not, my dear, of course not.” He winked at Darcy while lending an arm to Mrs. Bennet and Miss Kitty, voice booming in narration as the group filed out. “There is a rather remarkable portrait of my brothers and me, dashing gents all, in the gallery…”

Darcy and Lizzy were left alone with their momentarily placated baby. “William, I am sorry for Mama’s words. Are you disturbed?”

Darcy smiled, bending to kiss her lips gently. “It is of no moment, my dearest. Shall I accompany you to the nursery?”

“Thank you, but no. Join our guests, offering your unique perspective on the wonders of Pemberley. Somewhere in the middle, you can divert my father in the library and enjoy a time of well-deserved solitude. I love you, Mr. Darcy.”

“I love you, Mrs. Darcy. And you too, my precious little love.” He bent to kiss Alexander’s cheek, again kissing his wife. Then with a roll of his eyes heavenward, a tug on his jacket, and a theatric sigh, he exited to follow the echoing rumble of George and the giggles of amused women.

With Christmas just over a week and a half away, winter set in with a vengeance and snow blanketed the ground and vegetation, the entire surrounds bathed in glistening crystals. The larger lakes and ponds enriched with fountains provided breaks in the monotony of white, the handful of winter blooms and evergreen trees lending color, and the shoveled drives and pathways provided clarity and contour. The vivid blue of the sky was frequently obscured by clouds, most grey and threatening. The usual hectic movements of wildlife and humans noted throughout the river valley and bordering forests during fairer weather were essentially gone. Naturally, there were still chores to be done by bundled groundsmen, horses to exercise by jacketed grooms, and the few brave winter fowl, deer, and tiny rodents searching for food to disturb the placid winter scenery.

Pemberley was decorated more lavishly than last year, the maids, footmen, groundsmen, and even the senior staff apparently wholly liberated by the joyous atmosphere over the past year. Twelve short months was all that was required to expunge the years of sadness. They had seemingly denuded the forest of holly, mistletoe, pine boughs, and any other greenery remotely Christmassy, draping every balcony, windowsill, banister, fireplace mantel, and alcove. Darcy’s jest about mistletoe ornaments proved accurate, with balls at every corridor junction and dangling from each ceiling light and threshold. All the heirloom decorations were in place, as well as a sprinkling of others that had been unearthed while rummaging through the attic for baby furnishings. There were three times as many candles strewn about the manor and grounds with several dozen torches placed throughout the gardens.

One corner of the parlor was cleared and draped with yards of gold and silver edged red velvet, onto which was arranged a plethora of brightly wrapped and ribboned presents. Pine branches decorated with tiny candles further adorned the area. The entire parlor furnishings were shuffled to provide more room, so supplementary sofas and chairs obtained from other chambers could provide more sitting room. Both dining rooms were sumptuously adorned, and the ballroom was polished to gleaming. Instruments were tuned, fireplaces were scrubbed, and chimneys swept, vases of fresh flowers were abundant, lamps were filled, windows were cleaned, patios and walkways were freed of all debris, and scented potpourris were everywhere.

While the servants unleashed their creativity with greenery and ornaments, Lizzy and Mrs. Reynolds had organized the menus and entertainments. The huntsmen, including Darcy a time or two, had provided the main staples for the dietary fare. Desserts of all varieties from basic pies and cakes to elegant pastries and meringues were created. Mrs. Langton and her superb staff could be trusted to whip up an array of tasty dishes and treats to augment the main courses.

The game room was set with extra card tables, a second dart board, Hazard dice, and a domino set of ivory, acquired while in Great Yarmouth, to augment the chess, backgammon, cribbage, and draughts tables already in place. In anticipation that the freeze and snows would escalate, ten pairs of skates were bought and the existing ones sharpened, the curling stones and brooms were brought from storage, and sleds were inspected for safety.

Darcy’s prized shovillaborde, a table version of the popular deck game shuffleboard, was polished and placed prominently to the right of the two billiard tables in the billiard room. Two years prior, Darcy had discovered the table in an auction house, thrilled beyond belief and paying an outrageous sum for the one-hundred-year-old relic fashioned after the boards favored by King Henry VIII.

An enormous, wooden floored room on the northern wing near the conservatory was dedicated to various indoor sports. The room had evolved over the decades, from what was originally designed as a smaller ballroom into a second game room. It did not have an actual name, usually being referred to as The Court due to the enormous netted court for tennis and the area by one wall for racquets. The floor was polished and new equipment purchased, including battledores and shuttlecocks for the game of the same name raging through London. The sunny chamber with wide curtain-less windows and a ceiling partially of glass additionally boasted a ninepin alley, shuffleboard deck, a miniature putting green with five holes, a quoits pin, and hopscotch squares.

Added together, it seemed a certainty that Christmas at Pemberley would be a raging success.

The emotions flowing through Darcy and Lizzy regarding the season varied, but one emotion absolutely shared was the priority in protecting Alexander. Darcy refused to allow his still recovering wife and fragile child to overextend, the very thought of them becoming ill sending frigid chills deep into the marrow of his bones. With typical Darcy dominance and severity, he bluntly reminded Lizzy that he would be in charge and would expect her to obey his orders in all matters. Lizzy flared in irritation briefly, but then laughed, Darcy frowning and preparing to puff intimidatingly, only to deflate and calm when she assured him she agreed and would bow to his will.

As it turned colder, Lizzy fretted constantly over Alexander, but the baby grew stronger, and his little body seemed to generate heat just as his father’s did. Nonetheless, Lizzy kept him close to her chest as much as possible, dressed in warm clothing, and wrapped with thick blankets. Every fireplace in the inhabited areas of the mansion blazed from sunrise to well after sunset, dispelling the bulk of the cold and keeping the residents comfortable.

Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived two days after the Bennets, galloping in amid a swirl of snowflakes. Another snowstorm, this one fairly mild, had struck that morning, making for an uncomfortable ride from his parents’ estate, but the battle-hardened soldier was impervious to the weather.

“Richard! Welcome, Cousin. You are just in time for luncheon.” Darcy approached with a warm smile.

“Hello, Darcy. Good to see you, although yours is not the Darcy face I most wanted to greet first. Thank you, Mr. Taylor.” He handed the last layer of jackets to the pile of over-clothing held by the butler, turning with a grin to clap his cousin on the back.