Revelations an adaption of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 133

When Elizabeth entered the music room, she realised that despite its size it was only a tiny part of a very large house, a palace in fact. But nonetheless it was very impressive, large, rather bare of furniture but beautifully decorated with paintings, fabrics and ornaments of an incredible richness and in excellent taste. Especially the paintings had to be worth a small fortune, though a carpet that size couldn't be at all cheap either. The only house she could compare it to was that of Mrs Drummond, though that lady's style was much more lavish. Of course it seemed as if this was a room dedicated to music, and for some reason those always were a little bare of furniture, Eric's room at the Zumpe's house had been no different, and even with Georgiana and himself spending most of their time in his apartment he had stripped the room containing the large Zumpe piano of anything he didn't need. And since Eric didn't need much at all, it was very bare indeed: any time they wanted to hear him play the additions to his second concerto on his Zumpe, they had to fetch extra chairs from the bedroom, if they needed more than three. Elizabeth wondered whether they'd have the curtains put back up next winter, without them it would be very cold.

Of course they might move the Zumpe downstairs next winter, they'd have the whole house to themselves with Fitzwilliam and herself at Pemberley most of the season. Or maybe they'd all be on the continent, though apparently it was even colder there in winter, despite being a lot further to the south. It had to do with mountains and the distance to the sea, Eric had explained but Elizabeth could not remember exactly. Never mind, she'd look it up in the library if they really were to go to Vienna.

For now she took the time to admire the décor of the huge room, as long as there were just the servants present to set up the piano. The panelling on the walls was cream coloured with gold accents, the ceiling the same but with a magnificent painting of Greek gods and mortals, all associated with music in some way. That was Orpheus with his lyre, really the only one she knew by name, well, except for the goat-like god Pan with his peculiar flute, but he was rather embarrassing to look at for a lady since he was not wearing any clothes, merely a little pelt on his legs and part of his buttocks, not even covering all of those. His male member was painted entirely life-like and in a state of arousal, besides being, one might say, god-like in its proportions. Which meant to say, huge.

Of course someone chose that moment to enter the room, and Elizabeth hoped her blush would be interpreted as resulting from looking up for quite a long time.

'Mrs Darcy, I presume?' a velvet female voice addressed her, 'I'm sorry for my husband's taste in décor, he just will not bow to convention in these more private rooms. Says he has to please the masses in his state rooms but nowhere else. I'd blame his decorator, but I know that poor man tried to dissuade him from having a low ceiling like this decorated with a realistic painting at all. Apparently it's not fashionable, but His Highness insisted.'

Well, so much for Elizabeth's fascination with the anatomically interesting painting going unnoticed. At least Mrs Drummond might congratulate herself that her taste in decorating was shared by her future monarch. Actually, her ancestor's taste in décor. And that painting had been religious in its subjects. Suddenly, Elizabeth stopped caring so much about propriety, she liked the painting, it was daring and very beautifully done. She framed her reply quickly, and rather impetuously.

'Please don't be sorry on my account, I must admit I rather like it, I've always been fond of Greek myths though some people find them irreligious. And of course you are right, I'm Mrs Darcy, and those two fascinated by your beautiful instruments are my brother and sister, Mr and Mrs Fielding.'

'The newly-weds,' the lady replied, 'I'll introduce myself to them later. They look like they will be busy for at least half an hour, would you care to join me in the garden? If you like Greek mythology you'll see plenty to please your eye. I'm Mrs Fitzherbert, by the way.'