Deze inzending voor onze Pride and Prejudice schrijfwedstrijd is geschreven door Emma Roolvink.

The fireplace made that sound it always makes, when the wood falls apart. The flames reached high, almost bursting into the lovely rooms of Pemberley, Derbyshire. It was all still a truth universally acknowledged that Mister Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet were happily married and as from today, already one year husband and wife.
It was a dreary Saturday evening, when both Darcy’s were sitting, in the light blue living room overlooking the lake, across from each other. Lizzie reading a book and Darcy, or as we may say Fitzwilliam, was writing a letter.
“To whom are you writing a letter my dear?”, asked Elizabeth with a slight wit. Fitzwilliam Darcy scraped his throat and answered: “To no one of importance, I am writing a letter of business.”
“And who is so fortunate of doing business with you this time my dear?” Elizabeth knew she was teasing him but then, that never stopped after ‘I DO’.
Darcy looked up from his letter and saw a smile hiding behind a book. He grinned and said: “The uncle of my late aunt, Lady Catherine, wishes to talk about the estate of Rosings park and who is to inherit it all.”
“O, no do not tell me that we have to own Rosings too”, Lizzie said. “I hardly know all the knocks and treasures in this house after one year, let alone in Rosings Park. That will take me absolutely ages!”
Mister Darcy smiled and carried on with his writing. But Miss Elizabeth was beholding a secret of her own. Behind her book that she was so desperately pretending to read, she as well, was writing a letter … but to whom?

I do believe that he has quite forgotten all about it

Dear …
How lovely to hear from you so soon. I am glad to say that everything is going very well. Only the fact that my mister Darcy is outing the news to me, that Rosings Park is to be ours, perhaps. Which I am not pleased about, especially because so many things that are going to change. How would you advise me my dearest? How do I surprise Darcy and how will I ever cope with it all? We are married now for exactly one year and I do believe that he has quite forgotten all about it. How is your beloved husband doing, and your little Eliza? I cannot wait to see you all again.
Your beloved Elizabeth.

After having written her name down, Lizzie hid the letter away in her book and started to stroke her belly a bit. Darcy looked up and also put his letter away. They looked at each other with such an admiration that you only see in novels.
“What date is it today my dear?”, asked Mister Darcy and smiled. They walked together into the garden where friends and family were waiting for a Saturday afternoon lunch. That was his surprise for Elizabeth.
And in a short while, Darcy will be surprised too…

(c) Emma Roolvink