“And so, did you Ms. Bennet. Excuse me ladies while I have a word with my dear friend Darcy.”
Mr. Bingley hurried towards Mr. Darcy. The sisters looked at each other.
“Don’t just stand there, girls,” Mrs. Bennet called out. “We have weddings to plan.”
“Yes mother,” they replied all at once retiring into their home.
Not long after Lydia and Wickham got married in a quiet ceremony with a friends and family in attendance. Jane and Bingley decided to wait till after Darcy and Lizzy’s wedding to get married. As for Mr. Darcy and Lizzy, the wedding preparations got underway for the nuptials. Theirs became the most anticipated societal wedding.
Chapter Nineteen
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s much anticipated wedding day finally arrived.
Elizabeth and her sisters laughed as they got ready in Elizabeth’s bedroom.
Staring into the mirror, Elizabeth glowed on her wedding day.
She wore a white silk gown with a gorgeous lace and trim, a layered over dress and an under dress. Her head, adorned with a sweet bonnet and a matching silk veil. She looked royal, fit to wed a king. Her king would be the charming Mr. Darcy. The man who made her heart flutter.
Elizabeth said, “Starting today, I will be Mrs. Darcy.”
Her sisters giggled. Jane added, “Yes, dear Lizzy. You will now have Mr. Darcy all to yourself. He is a lucky to have you.”
Elizabeth smiled as she turned around. She saw her pregnant sister, Lydia, beaming, “Oh, if anyone asks, I got pregnant on my wedding night!”
Elizabeth chuckled, still finding it silly that Lydia worried about what people thought about her. She said, “Oh, Lydia, do not worry about what people think. Today is a beautiful day, and you, my dear, are now a wife and a mother-to-be!”
“Yes, dear sister,” Lydia said, pleased with Elizabeth’s words of encouragement.
Elizabeth bit her lip, trying to conceal a surprise she had for Lydia. She grabbed Lydia’s hands, “I have good news. I spoke with Darcy, and he said if Mr. Wickham’s regimen agrees to transfer Mr. Wickham to the Pemberley vicinity, you both can stay at the cottage for as long as you desire. He has gifted the cottage to Mr. Wickham to do as he sees fit, for that is what his father would have wanted.”
Lydia’s smile widened, “I can’t believe it. Mr. Darcy would do that for us?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said. “He would, and he has. The home is all yours.”
Mrs. Bennet poked her head into the room, “What are you girls talking about? The ceremony is ready to begin, and we need to head over to the chapel before it’s too late.”
All the sisters smiled at each other.
Jane put a hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder, “It’s time.” And with that, she lowered the veil over Elizabeth’s face.
It was a beautiful day at the chapel right next to Longbourn.
Elizabeth glided down the aisle, regal in her wedding gown, arm in arm with her father. She saw her future husband, Darcy, gazing at her with loving eyes, and she couldn’t help but smile wide.
Caroline Bingley on the other hand made a face. She was envious of Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship but there was nothing she could do about it. They were destined to be together.
Walking down the aisle, Elizabeth could see that Collins, Charlotte, their new daughter, and Lady Catherine were in attendance.
Mr. Bennet quietly whispered, “Lizzy, you have made me very proud.” He continued to lead Elizabeth to Darcy, who looked handsome in his suit.
Epilogue
The ceremony went as planned. Darcy and Elizabeth exchanged their vows and their first kiss, and soon it was time for the wedding reception. The well-decorated ballroom had the trimmings of an upper-class wedding to the delight of Mrs. Bennet. She thought, now everyone knew she was a woman whose daughters found suitable husbands. Now Longbourn will be saved from ruin.
“Tell me if this is not the most beautiful wedding in Hertfordshire?" Mrs. Bennet bragged to a fellow guest seated in the audience at Elizabeth and Darcy’s wedding, who agreed with her.
“Indeed, it is Madame,” the guest replied.
Mr. Bennet pulled Lizzy aside for moment to relay the good news. The inheritance from his distant cousin was now hers. It was thirty thousand pounds in government securities.
Lizzy smiled and said ‘Father you have done so much for us, I want you to have half of it. Then rest should be put into a trust for the estate, perhaps we could even replace the horses.”
Mr. Bennet smiled at Lizzy’s thoughtfulness. He said “None of that matters right now Lizzy. I am just happy to see you all happy. I have lived my life. All I want now is a quiet restful future.”
He clutched Lizzy’s hand lovingly and said “You must now look ahead, you have a fine husband in that Mr. Darcy. He will make you happy.”
Just then Mrs. Benet interrupted and said “Come on you two. Whatever conversation you are having, save it for later!”
Lizzy smiled and looked at her father. They wondered if they should tell Mrs. Bennet about the money. They both shook their heads and agreed not to say a word at least until the festivities was over. Mr. Bennet walked up to his wife and said “My, Mrs. Bennet you look rather beautiful today. May I have this dance?”
“Oh, my dear Mr. Bennet, I thought you would never ask,” Mrs. Bennet said laughing heartily. She and Mr. Bennet walked away, at that moment Darcy walked up to his bride and asked in jest, “Shall I have this dance with Mrs. Darcy, madam?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said placing her hand in his to join the dance with her new dashing and kind groom.
The festivities not only celebrated the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, but it also served as an opportunity for the single women to meet dashing and eligible men.
A special request came from Darcy; he said he would like his wife to play the Marriage of Figaro. Elizabeth smiled and happily settled at the piano. She began to play like she’s never played before, all the while looking directly into her husband’s eyes. Various guests marveled at her talent with scattered chatter about how Darcy is a lucky man, how Elizabeth should play piano often for her husband, and how lucky they are to have each other. Once Elizabeth finished playing, everyone clapped, and Darcy stood, watching with pride as his wife received praise for her expert playing.
He stared into her eyes, envisioning their great future ahead. A councilman walked up to Darcy and gave further praise, “Your wife is genuinely talented. If she were not the new mistress of Pemberley, she would perform at the elite opera houses in England!”
Darcy humbly chuckled, “One must not comment on the future, for she will do so if she so desires.”
The man smiled him, “You are a different man, Darcy. You are the way of the future.”
Darcy smiled and looked back up at his beaming wife surrounded by her sisters. Though the future might not be known, he knew they would embark on the journey together.
The End.
From Pemberley With Love Page 11
