Epilogue

5 Years Later

Will looked out at the crowd and smiled, "I'm here to introduce a woman that you that needs no introduction. She's the best-selling author of The Power is Yours, she's the founder of the Elizabeth Darcy foundation, she's the subject of 3 or more made for TV movies – none of which got anything right, except her name, recent graduate from Stanford University; my lovely wife and most important of all loving mother of our beautiful daughter Sammy Jane."

Elizabeth hissed in his ear and stomped on his foot, "I mean our beautiful daughter Samantha Jane." He eyed Elizabeth warily before he continued, "Give a warm welcome for Elizabeth Darcy."

The thunderous applause rang in his ears as Elizabeth stepped up to the microphone. He took his place at Elizabeth's side while Georgie stepped up next to her.

"Thank you for that wonderful welcome." Elizabeth said warmly to the audience, "Now we are going to do things a little differently today." Elizabeth glanced up at Will through her long black lashes and smiled, "My husband felt it necessary to distract me last night so I have no talk planned for today. I know most of you probably have questions for us so this will be an opportunity to get your questions answered. I have decided to open the forum up to questions for myself, Will and my sister Georgiana Darcy." Elizabeth turned to indicate a couple ladies who were standing in the wings behind her, "I have also arranged for you to hear from a couple of amazing women that I met through the foundation and I'm sure you will be as impressed as I have been with their stories and transformations."

Will had known this was coming but his insides gave a lurch at the thought of the random questions that they would be fielding for the next hour or so.

"You have a question." Elizabeth pointed to a woman in the front row.

The woman stood and Elizabeth watched as her eyes slid toward Will, "Yes, there is one thing I've always wanted to know. How is Mr. Darcy in bed?"

Elizabeth just smiled as she knew this question would come up sooner or later, "That is a very good question." She glanced at her husband with a wicked smile, "He's fantastic, mind-blowing, orgasmic and completely distracting while I'm trying to prepare."

The audience laughed and Elizabeth pointed to a young man in the back, "This question is for Georgiana." Elizabeth recognized the voice immediately and moved aside so Georgie could have the spotlight.

"I understand that you went out with Neal Robinson when you were a freshman in high school and I wanted to know how you feel about him now."

Georgie was delighted to see Neal in the audience and her answer was impertinent, "I haven't seen the gentleman in years so I'm not sure I can answer that question at this moment." She caught his eyes and raised her eyebrows in challenge, "But if he were feeling brave enough he could ask me out to dinner and find out."

"Georgiana Darcy, will you have dinner with me?" Neal asked with a courtly little bow.

"I will have to think about it." Georgie answered evasively making the audience snicker in response.

Neal was surprised to see how much Georgie had changed in the last five years but he liked the challenge in her and was determined to get to know her again.

"You sir, you have the next question." Georgie picked the man with a wave of her hand.

"If none of the TV movies were accurate, what really happened in the woods with George Wickham and Denny Saunders."

Will slipped his arm around his wife's waist and nodded at her with a comforting smile, "George Wickham and Denny Saunders took my sister, Georgie and I into the woods to rape and murder us to get revenge on my husband." The audience grew restless with the blunt statement, "He had an issue with Will because he had caught Wickham in a compromising situation with Georgiana. He told me very plainly in the woods that he wanted to marry Georgie for her money and he was stopped by Will."

"Well, now that Wickham is dead I guess there's no one to contradict your story." The man stated, "You did know that George Wickham was killed in a knife fight last week in a Nevada prison."

Will stepped up to the mike, "Yes, my wife and I had been informed of that fact."

Elizabeth's answer was simple, "There is a tape-recorded version of everything that I have said and the Napa Police have that tape in their possession. Also Denny Saunders turned state's evidence for a reduced sentence and corroborated everything that I have said. He got probation for three years and he and his parents left the area a few years ago."

Will wanted to change the subject and cleared his throat before he asked, "Next question."

A woman from the back row stood up, "So Will, Elizabeth was pretty up front about your relationship in her book so is there anything that you did back then that you would liked to have done differently."

Will cleared his throat, "I'm not a perfect man as my wife and sister will tell you in great detail. I have made a great many mistakes in my relationship with Elizabeth and I have addressed each one of those with her and worked on being a better man and a better husband."

Elizabeth stepped up to the microphone, "Will has been supportive of my life, my schooling and my career." She squeezed his hand, "While I was in college he worked from home so that we didn't have to be apart. When I have speaking engagements, he arranges his schedule to mine and I cannot fault his unswerving faith in what I do. He has never once asked me to change something in my book or blog because it would made him look bad and he has taken every criticism for all of his actions without complaint." She smiled up at her husband, "Does anyone else have another question?"

"You were married to your husband when you were still in high school, how did your classmates react to that?"

"The girl's wanted to know how Will was in bed and I've already answered that question today." Elizabeth glanced at her husband, "And most of the boys wanted to find out personally how good I was in bed." The audience laughed, "I was never willing to divulge that information." Elizabeth leaned her head onto her husband's shoulder, "But seriously after the first month it wasn't such a big deal anymore and I was like any other senior working my butt off trying to get into a good college."

Elizabeth chose the next person to ask a question and the older lady stood up to speak, "Will, as has been discussed, Elizabeth was pretty clear in her book about how you always got everything you ever wanted by any means necessary. Do you regret coercing her into marriage and a baby at such a young age?"

"In a way, yes I believe that I should have waited but at the time what happened seemed like a good idea. But in another way, no I can't regret any moment of my life with Elizabeth as everything I did was for the love of a woman," He pulled his wife closer to him and squeezed, "For this woman, my woman, my wife."

The emotion in Will seemed to burst forth and he swung Elizabeth up into his arms and leaned down to kiss her. A thunderous applause broke out as every member of the audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation.

At the raucous noise coming from the audience, Samantha Jane Darcy broke away from her Aunt Jane.

As the little girl with dark bouncing curls and her father's blue eyes came running to join her parents the roar of the audience was silenced in an instant.

"Mommy, Daddy," The girl came to a halt when she saw her father with her mother in his arms and she said loudly enough for the audience to hear, "Oh… Mommy and Daddy are just having playtime again."

The laughter from the audience was deafening as the little girl peeked from behind her father's legs and he scooped her up and placed her on his hip. The immense love he felt for his daughter overflowed and with love shining in his eyes for his wife, Will whispered, "Are you ready to try for a boy now?"

Elizabeth pressed a kiss on her husband's lips and murmured, "Yes, but don't forget precocious girls run in my family."

Will smiled indulgently at his wife as he gave thanks for all of the blessings he had received in his life, "We shall see."

"That we will," Elizabeth agreed as her husband carried her and Sammy off the stage.

Elizabeth looked around for Georgie and saw her by the stairs talking to Neal and she sighed with contentment.

The End