He hadn’t been in them for some time and most of the furniture was covered in sheets. He carefully lifted the white cloth from a chair near the fireplace and sat down, imagining what this room would look like with Elizabeth in it. He didn’t know how she would like to decorate it, but he could not wait to see her installed so close to him. Their chambers were across the hall from one another, and there was a sitting room at the end of the corridor, with an adjoining door to his bedchamber. The mistress’s sitting room was in another location. He wished there was an adjoining door to her rooms, like he’d seen in other homes, so the couple could traverse between rooms without everyone in the house being aware of their comings and goings. Perhaps he could create a door? The eastern wall of her chamber bordered his sitting room. In fact, he rarely used his sitting room, having a library, private study, and other rooms in this enormous house at his disposal. If he was going to sit and read, he did so by the fire in his own chamber. He used his private sitting room at Pemberley most often when they had guests or when he wished to lounge about in his robe, but that, too, was infrequent.

Perhaps he and Elizabeth could share this sitting room together and have their own bedchambers? The sofa in the sitting room might be more conducive to a couple relaxing in the evening than the chair next to the fire in his bedchamber. Though sharing a chair with Elizabeth was not an unappealing prospect. He felt odd making these sorts of decisions at all, let alone without Elizabeth, but he could not help the eager smile that formed when he thought of bringing her here as his wife.

He summoned the housekeeper and informed her of the work he wished done and asked her to select a suitable workman to complete the job. She almost raised a brow at his words, but quickly schooled her features.

Once these tasks were completed, he did the only logical thing he could think to do. He sat down and wrote a letter to Elizabeth.

~

Returning from a walk on their third day in Margate, Elizabeth was greeted by her father with a letter for her. The handwriting was distinctly masculine and she took it carefully and carried it to her room, grateful that Mary was practicing her music downstairs. She sank into the chair next to the window and broke the seal, taking a deep breath of salty air before reading.

My Dear Elizabeth,

You cannot imagine my joy at being able to address you as such. My time in town has been spent preparing for our impending marriage. The mistress’ suite is being aired and the settlement papers should be prepared by the end of the week.