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Mentally, the vicar began to tally the count. Charles and Jane Bingley would be there in the morning, bringing Peter, almost three, and Molly, nineteen months old. Richard and Jenny Fitzwilliam would also arrive tomorrow, accompanied by six-year-old Margaret, five-year-old Mary, and their son, six-month-old David Richard. The Ingrams, who had just had a son, Blake Evan, after years of barrenness, would bring him and Millie, who, at four, was already the leader of the group of cousins.

Lizzybet’s uncle and aunt, Edwin and Madeline Gardiner, had arrived two days prior, bringing their brood—Jane, Sally, Benjamin, and Jonathan, ages fourteen, eleven, eight and five, respectively. Lord and Lady Matlock had arrived last evening from London, bringing their daughter, Lady Amelia Fairclothe, whose husband, Lord Daniel Fairclothe, was expected the next day as he had been detained on business. At Amelia’s arrival, Lizzybet had been so excited that she just had to tell him of William’s part in introducing his cousin to her husband. Fairclothe, it turns out, was one of William’s closest university classmates, and when Amelia’s first husband, Lord Cosgrove, expired shortly after Richard’s marriage, William had played the matchmaker. They had fallen madly in love but had waited for her year of mourning to pass before marrying.

Chuckling, Mr. Williamson recalled how animated Lizzybet had been as she added, “The Fairclothes have just announced that they are with child! Is that not wonderful—another babe in the family!”

He chuckled. As if they do not have more than their fair share of babies already!

But the true star of the day would be his grandchild—Will. By the time Will was born, Mr. Williamson had almost forgotten how securely a baby could capture a large portion of one’s heart just by smiling at the funny faces one made to entertain the child. And now that Will was old enough to cry when he had to return to his cottage, his love simply knew no bounds. Often the vicar found himself near to tears when it was time to go, as Will reminded him increasingly of time spent with his own dear son.

And on the occasions when the tears did come, they were not born of sorrow but from the surety that soon he would see Gregory again—once more clasp him to his bosom as he had often done in this life. As a vicar, he was well acquainted with the seasons of life as he had spent his life presiding over the rituals associated with them. Babies were born, grew up, married and formed families of their own—then they would die and the cycle would begin anew. That was as God intended. And as he neared the end of his own life, Mr. Williamson was content—pleased that he could honestly say that he had no regrets.

His musings kept him occupied, and before he knew it, he was standing at the door to the billiards room. There, he had been assured, he would find William. The door stood ajar, and upon a cursory look, it seemed that no one had been inside today, as everything was spotless and neatly arranged. Nevertheless, as he turned to go, he caught sight of William standing in the corner of the bank of windows that ran the entire length of the room. His blue coat and breeches blended in well with the blue drapes and had completely disguised his presence, given that he stood perfectly still.

Approaching him quietly, it was obvious that the Master of Pemberley was totally engrossed in watching something or someone on the lawn below. Since the windows were wide open, it was not long until Williamson heard Elizabeth’s melodious voice drifting up from below. Stepping closer to peer below, he caught sight of her helping her curly-haired son walk on the smooth lawn by holding each of his chubby hands. She was leaning over him from behind, while he looked straight up at her, grinning from ear to ear—his few front teeth clearly visible as he smiled back at his mother.

“You are doing so well, Will. Now let us see how you do without Mama holding your hands.” Elizabeth moved to kneel in front of the baby, helping him to balance and then scooting back a couple of feet, holding out her arms. “Come to Mama, sweetheart!”

A nimble-footed Will Darcy picked his feet up a little bit higher than was necessary as he lurched forward. Giggling, he took six steps in a row and fell into his mother’s arms. Instantly, he received a plethora of kisses while she extolled his accomplishment.

“That was simply wonderful, sweetling! You are doing very well! Papa will be so proud of you!”

As she continued to alternately put the baby down to waddle a few steps, then pick him up to kiss, cuddle, and praise his every effort, Mr. Williamson could not help but swell with grandfatherly pride. This child had captured his heart just as surely as his mother had six and twenty years before. Suddenly remembering that he was not alone, he glanced to see that Will’s father had never even noticed his presence in the room.

“A penny for your thoughts.”

William whirled around, an expression of pure elation on his face as he exclaimed, “Did you see him?”

Though his dark hair was threaded with grey now, his light blue eyes were sparkling as his dimples cut deeper than ever before. The result was that William appeared so much younger than the broken man of the Meryton cemetery two years previously that the vicar was momentarily stunned. And caught up in his astonishment at the contrast, the vicar did not answer.

William grabbed the mute man by shoulders, crowing, “Will is walking!”

He studied the vicar eagerly, waiting for him to acknowledge the significance, and as Mr. Williamson came to himself, he offered, tongue in cheek, “What a splendid accomplishment! I never doubted he would!”

This served to appease William, so he began to elaborate on what his son’s grandfather already knew. “Will has been pulling up for months, and the physician assured us that he would walk all in good time, but Elizabeth would not leave well enough alone. She has worked relentlessly to have him walking by his first birthday.”

From down below came a raised voice. “William? Is that you there in the billiards room? Have you seen what your son has accomplished? No, wait! Stay right there, and I shall bring him up to show you! Come, darling. Let us go show Papa.”

William had leaned over the window sill to hear Elizabeth, but before he could answer, she had scooped up their son and headed back inside. Seeing that she was no longer down below, William whispered to the man he had come to love as a father.

“Quickly, before she comes up, were you able to arrange everything?”

“Yes. It is all arranged for tomorrow morning.”

“Good! Good! I do not think she suspects a thing!”

“Have all the other members of your family been told of your plans?”

“Yes. I informed all of them months ago. All that is left is to surprise Elizabeth.”

Mr. Williamson grinned. “You know how Elizabeth can be about anyone hiding things from her. I pray she does not get upset with you.”

William smiled knowingly. “She never stays upset with me for long. Besides, how can she be anything but pleased when she finds out what I have planned and why? I want the world to know how much I love her.”

“Well, when you put it that way, I—”

Just at that moment, Elizabeth scurried into the room, her face flush with the exertion of carrying Will, who was already big for his age, up the stairs.

“William—oh, hello, Father Williamson! I am glad you are here, too. You both must watch Will walk!”