-1Mrs Darcy sat with her husband under a tree and watched as their three children paddled in the stream that ran along one side of the Pemberley grounds.

“Mrs Darcy” her husband said to her, quietly, and with a rare smile of his. She had told him, many years ago now, only to call her this when he was completely content and happy. “Do you not think our children will grow up to be the most handsomest of creatures?”

“Oh I do, Mr Darcy. I do.” She smiled, watching as the children laughed and splashed one another. “Although I do hope they act with more dignity when out in society than they do at home.”

“As do I, as dearest Molly may end up married to a character similar to our own Mr Wickham.” His wife smiled as he said this, thinking of her sister, Lydia Wickham.

“Please, Mr Darcy, think of my poor nerves” they laughed as she imitated her own mother. “I do love how we laugh so of them.”

“I am so sorry not to have approved of them before. It seems that deep down , your mother at least, is the most amusing creature.”

“I daresay she is. And I lived with her for not one and twenty years. Imagine my entertainment whilst growing up.”

“William!” Mr Darcy called across to his son. “Be more careful of your sister” he said, for the mentioned William had just pushed his younger sister, Emma, over into the water.

The sun was just falling down behind the trees, but the warmth of it wasn’t fading. This summer seemed to the Darcys as though it was lasting forever, and they were grateful, for it meant having garden parties with their closest friends instead of all crowding into the dining room, which, although rather large, was not properly suited for large events. There was the ballroom they could use, of course, but it was reserved for special dances, such as Christmas and New Years, or when they had guests of a high status.

The couple sat, leaning against the other for support other than the tree, watching their children play. It seemed as though all the troubles that occurred before their marriage belonged to someone else now, those living a different, less contented life. Everything now seemed perfect, with only little imperfections that are hardly worth mentioning.

As the last shadow faded into the ground, they stood to call for their children and herd them back into the house, where their Aunt Darcy would take them into her music room to entertain and teach them, before the three of them, and Miss Darcy, would leave for the dining room where their parents would serve them dinner.

The sun went down at 8 pm that evening, and so the children did not retire to their bedrooms until gone nine thirty. Although this was rare during many months of the year, that is why it was not frowned upon so much during the warmer ones. They would sleep in until 9 in the morning as they received only five hours of education a day, from eleven until five - that is, with an hour for lunch - and then two hours play until sundown.

During their education hours, their parents, Mr and Mrs Darcy, would entertain themselves, perhaps by visiting friends for family - occasionally his aunt, Lady Catherine De Bourgh - or settling with a book, or engaging in a light hearted, debate filled conversation. They would sleep from ten thirty in dark until seven the next day, but in summer, they would sometimes awake as early as four the next day, with a view to watch the sun rise through the front-facing window that let the light into their room.

They had only allowed the children to see this once, as if they woke up early, they then would speak of nothing all day except the beauty of a sunrise and how they longed to see one again. It also meant that they would sleep from seven the following evening.

Although this may seem like a blessing for their mother and father, it disrupts a steady sleeping pattern. Molly and Emma were discouraged from seeing another by their mother Elizabeth, as she told them stories of how they would get dark circles under their eyes that would never fade. Of course, with enough sleep, they would, however it was not in their best interests to tell them this.