After some time, Bingley enquired if the betrothed couples might walk in the garden.
Darcy offered Elizabeth his arm after helping her with her cloak. Although she told herself she was silly, she blushed deeply at the thought of his nearness.
“Are you well, Elizabeth?”
She studied her feet. “Very.”
“How have you been passing your afternoon?” He smiled.
Elizabeth looked up and smiled brightly in return. “With the children! I am surprised you could not hear us.”
His smile widened. “Indeed, I did. Your laughter is always a delight to hear, but you seemed thoroughly happy with them.”
“I was! I adore all children, but my cousins are great favourites of mine.” She bit her lip before deciding to continue. “The Gardiners are unusually close to their children, and my aunt often spends much of her day with them, even though they have a nurse and governess. When I compare that with my own rearing…”
“I believe I understand completely. It is popular in the ton to have little to do with one’s children. But I would not want my children to be raised entirely by paid help.”
“I agree, sir. I am pleased to find we are of a like mind on this.”
Darcy decided he needed to confirm what he heard. “Is that...is that something you have thought often of lately?”
“Yes, under present circumstances, it seems prudent to consider.” They would be married tomorrow, and who knew how quickly they would become parents. Elizabeth rather liked the idea of having his children, even as she blushed thinking about the intimacies involved in creating them.
Darcy grinned; he could not suppress it even if he desired to.
Elizabeth saw his marvellous smile, and her breath caught. “What makes you smile so much?”
“You have made me so happy, Elizabeth.” She carried his child! Something truly beautiful would be created from the blunder he made due to his pride. Before he could say more, they were called back into the house.
*****
Across the garden, well within view of Longbourn’s drawing room lest they provoke the ire of Mr. Bennet, Jane and Bingley talked.
“Everything is settled, then?”
“Yes, I will leave tomorrow after the breakfast and shall return Saturday evening. We will wed on Monday.” Bingley squeezed Jane’s hands, and she smiled in return.
“Was he very angry?”
Bingley sighed. “He was, and rightly so.” He paused and looked Jane directly in her eyes. “Dearest, I must know. Did I force you in anyway? Did I take anything you were unwilling to give?”
“No! I…I truthfully believe I was more willing to give it last night than I would on our wedding night. Or I felt less misapprehension at least. What developed was a natural rising of our passions…of what I generally feel when I am with you.” Jane turned red and held her breath, waiting for his response.
“Truly?” he asked. Jane meekly nodded, and Bingley laughed in delight. “I am very pleased to have such an effect on you, then.”
Jane met his eyes again. “I thought you would find me wanton.”
“And I thought you would find me a rake.”
Jane blushed again. “It never crossed my mind to consider…” The thought of Bingley with other ladies brought a painful ache to her heart.
“You are too kind! You feared I would blame you for my actions, and yet you never thought to blame me?”
“Ladies are expected to think differently about it, are they not?”
Bingley shook his head. “Not my lady.” Jane smiled, but it did not reach her eyes, and Bingley squeezed her hands again. “And not your gentleman, either.”
“What do you mean?”
“We are equals in this, Jane.”
“You have not…” She blushed again, hating it. A part of her knew most would say this was too unseemly to discuss, but she would love him despite the truth.
“I have admired other ladies before. I admit, I have stolen a kiss or two in a garden. Each time I thought it as a pledge of our commitment.” He led her to a bench. “Somehow, I never got to propose during the occasion. When I would next meet the lady, I found her affections had changed or were never so serious to start with.”
He looked ashamed of his previous behaviour, but Jane’s heart went out to him. He had been heartbroken many times. Who would not want his love? “I am sorry for your sake, Charles. Why could they not return your love?”
He shook his head. “No, in hindsight what I felt for them was not love. It was fleeting and selfish. And that’s why I have to apologise again for last night.”
“I regret nothing. Perhaps we did not behave as we ought, but please do not apologise. I love you, and there is nothing I would not give you any time you ask it. Bringing you happiness brought me joy, and I have already expressed my own feelings of last night.”
“And it is my responsibility to ensure your happiness.” He squeezed her hands. Both wished for more but knew they could not.
“Jane?” Mary’s voice called out. “Papa says it is time to return to the house.” Beyond her, they heard the giggles of Lydia and Kitty, undoubtedly imagining breaking up the amorous acts of lovers. They raced on to find Elizabeth and Darcy.
They were allowed no more privacy for the evening. Darcy and Bingley soon took their leave, not staying for supper, which was a quiet and early affair. Everyone needed their rest for the wedding on the morrow
Chapter Twelve
The wedding day dawned with a start as her mother’s frantic calls filled the house, but Elizabeth could hardly say she felt any different about such alarms as on any other day.
Finished with her preparations for the ceremony, due to begin in an hour, she waited in a seldom-used parlour. She needed quiet while the rest of the house was aflutter.
Darcy was expected to arrive momentarily. He mentioned some of his relatives might be in attendance, although he was unsure how many. Elizabeth thought it was odd, but it was such short notice.
Unexpectedly, Mrs. Hill announced a visitor for Elizabeth. “Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Miss de Bourgh, for you, Miss Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth was all astonishment but dropped a curtsy. She had barely risen before the lady’s diatribe began.
“You must understand the reason for my journey here.”
Elizabeth knew Lady Catherine would not look upon her marriage to Darcy with complacency, but she never expected the lady to arrive to voice her disapproval. Elizabeth chose to ignore the statement. She would not grovel for approval.
“Welcome to Longbourn, Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh. Mr. Darcy is to arrive shortly. May I offer you and your daughter some refreshment?”
“I am not to be trifled with. An alarming report reached me two days ago. You believe yourself engaged to my nephew, Mr. Darcy! Though I know this a scandalous falsehood, I set off to make my sentiments known to you. I hoped to hear it universally contradicted.”
“Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family,” said Elizabeth coolly, “will be rather a confirmation of it.”
“I am almost Darcy’s nearest relation. I am entitled to know all his dearest concerns. This match can never take place. Mr. Darcy is engaged to my daughter!”
“If he is then he would never offer for me.”
Miss de Bourgh stood half hidden behind her imposing mother, oddly jerking her hands, but roused to action after Elizabeth’s last words. She shrieked and lunged for the wedding bonnet lying on a nearby chair. She tried to rip off the layers of lace, laughing maniacally.1
She was hardly successful, but Elizabeth watched with a sort of glee. She hated the bonnet her mother chose. As quickly as it emerged, Miss de Bourgh’s fury faded. Her mother was shouting commandments at her as Miss de Bourgh turned pale and seemed to have difficulty breathing. She was clearly in pain, Elizabeth noticed, and as her hands continued to jerk, they looked painfully red. Elizabeth took the young woman’s elbow and guided her to a sofa before pouring her a gla
ss of wine. Elizabeth turned and looked expectantly at Lady Catherine, who had not ceased her abuse, taking no notice of the plight of her daughter.
Darcy’s voice boomed from the doorway. “That is enough!” he cried, coming into the room. “How could you ever think I would marry Anne? And how could you ever think Elizabeth would need to use arts and allurements to gain my notice? Do you not see what she just did for your daughter, even as you insult her in every way imaginable? How could I not love her?”
Darcy stopped speaking as the whole room and, he sensed, there were others behind him as well, looked sharply in his declaration. Elizabeth’s face assumed an unreadable expression, but her eyes misted.
When she regained her breath, Lady Catherine would not be gainsaid. “Love? Love! Honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbid this match. Yes, Miss Bennet, interest. You will never gain what you so obviously desire: acceptance in the first circles. You will not be noticed by his family or friends. You will be censured, slighted, and despised by everyone connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us.”
“These are heavy misfortunes,” replied Elizabeth. “But as the wife of Mr. Darcy I will have so many other sources of happiness I would never repent the disapproval others have of our union.”
Darcy brightened at her words and walked to her. “Are you well? I was waiting for my uncle to arrive, but when he was late, I chose to come ahead, rather than keep you waiting.”
“Yes, though I fear the bonnet is ruined. I hope you do not mind.” She gave him an impish grin as she picked it up for his inspection. “I will have to thank your aunt and cousin for being of use to rid me of this hat!”
She laughed a little and Darcy returned the smile. There was an unspoken agreement between the two to not allow Lady Catherine and Anne de Bourgh’s display of ill breeding to ruin their wedding day.
Lady Catherine continued in the background until another male voice joined the fray. As Elizabeth did not recognise it, she could only assume it was a relation to Darcy. “Catherine! Cease this immediately.”
Lady Catherine jumped at the voice. “Dickie!” She cleared her throat. “Sidney, what are you doing here?”
Elizabeth gasped. This was not how she hoped to meet the earl!
“I could ask the same of you! You were told repeatedly that Darcy would not marry Anne. Then you come on his wedding day to try to stop the proceedings?? If nothing else, can you not see how this would harm the family’s reputation? Are you devoid of every proper feeling?”
Lady Catherine exclaimed, “Wedding day? I come to prevent the false announcement of this betrothal at a ball!” Turning to Elizabeth and Darcy, she declared, “Good Lord! Is this your wedding dress? Darcy, what on earth are you marrying?”
Darcy took a step towards his aunt. “The ball was held two nights ago, but how did you know of it?” His aunt was silent, but Darcy could easily guess. Turning towards Elizabeth, he explained, “Now we see what was so important that your cousin faced the rain on Monday and caught cold. Due to the rain, the ink must have smudged.”
Anne began muttering and proceeded to cough, drawing the earl’s notice. Lord Sidney hissed quietly so only the occupants of the room could hear. “Catherine, where is Mrs. Jenkinson? Anne needs her tonic! I am pleased you do not keep her locked away like some do, but this fantasy that Darcy would marry her opens you both to ridicule!”
Lady Catherine seemed properly chastised, for the moment. “If he does not take her, who will? Only he would overlook her...deficiencies. Pemberley could pass to Georgiana’s children. Who will care for Anne when I am gone?”
Sidney, Darcy, and Elizabeth stared at her in disbelief. Darcy replied reassuringly, “Aunt, how can you doubt your family? We will see to Anne, but Pemberley needs a healthy mistress and heir. Would you deny me the joy of fatherhood?” He glanced at Elizabeth, who blushed deeply. “She is very worthy and capable of the role. Mother would have liked her.”
Lady Catherine only clucked disgustedly in return.
“You will wait here until the breakfast is over, and we shall arrange for your return to Kent,” Sidney said.
Elizabeth spoke up. “Please, sir. Miss de Bourgh looks as though she needs rest and refreshment. We have an empty guest room…”
“Absolutely not!” Lady Catherine replied with all her past fury reawakened. “I will not abide here another moment with these people. Darcy, you will arrange for us to stay where you were.”
Darcy and the earl laughed outright. “Aunt, my friend Bingley was my host. He is leasing a nearby estate.”
Anne began to cough again, and the lady seemed to relent. “Very well, Darcy. Anne needs her rest. That is the least you owe her.”
Bingley stuck his head into the room. Darcy and Elizabeth stifled a shared groan at the knowledge that the whole household knew of the argument.
“Madam, I would be pleased to host you and your daughter.” Glancing back he spoke to his sister, who was trying to peek inside. “Caroline, might you go with them and speak with the housekeeper?”
“Of course, Charles,” Miss Bingley said. “If you would just follow me, my lady.”
Lady Catherine narrowed her eyes. “I have met you before.”
“Yes, ma’am. I have had the honour of meeting with you when I have visited Miss Darcy.”
Lady Catherine scrutinised Miss Bingley. “I recall you are a very genteel sort of girl. Surely you know your place and never aspired to rise above it like so many who know my nephew.” She cast another disdainful look at Elizabeth.
Miss Bingley stuttered her reply. “Yes, of course, my lady.”
Darcy took a step forward to chastise his aunt again, but Mr. Collins came rushing into the room. “Lady Catherine, I apologise for my untidy penmanship to inconvenience you in such a way...”
She thumped her walking cane on the ground. “You will come with me to continue your apologies.”
Bingley intervened again. “If you will just follow me to the carriage, Caroline will see to everything else.”
Darcy and Elizabeth both gave him a grateful look as the others finally left the room. Suddenly, there was a flurry of activity, and people were shooed to their proper places. Elizabeth braced for her mother to have an attack of nerves with an earl in the house, but she remained acceptably composed and managed to direct things as necessary. By chance, she was left alone with him in the parlour.
“I have heard many things of you, Miss Bennet.”
Choosing to rely on wit lest she be intimidated, she smiled. “A lady always enjoys knowing she is being praised.” She added a wink for effect, and the earl began to chuckle.
“Between your wit and your grace, I think you will make a fine Mrs. Darcy.” He took her hand in his and kissed it with affection. “You will honour our family.”
Before Elizabeth could make much sense of things, she was walked by her father to the Longbourn parish pastor, who stood in the decorated drawing room. Soon, Darcy was pledging to comfort, and honour Elizabeth. She could not deny the thrill she felt as he declared he would love and cherish her. She was his, Elizabeth Rebecca Darcy, as something told her she was always meant to be. He smirked a little as she rushed over her promise to obey. When he slid a beautiful heirloom emerald ring onto her finger, she was radiant.
The wedding breakfast was a complete blur. Her mother tried to make it as elaborate as possible, given the short notice. She met the Earl of Sidney with all proper decorum. He seemed very amiable and even conversed with Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, though he managed to avoid Mr. and Mrs. Phillips. Elizabeth enjoyed the obvious pride and joy on Darcy’s face when he formally introduced her as Mrs. Darcy. She rather liked the title herself.
Upon finishing her goodbyes to her family, saving her father for last, Darcy escorted her to the door. Jane came flying at her and squeezed her tightly before placing one of her own hats on her sister’s head and tying it.
“One last sisterly act, dea
r Lizzy,” Jane spoke with tears pooling in her eyes.
Darcy squeezed her hand and led her to the carriage. Facing opposite her husband in the luxurious carriage, she strained her eyes to catch the last glimpses of her childhood home.
*****
As they drove beyond the Meryton boundary on the road towards London, Darcy watched his wife’s eyes fill with tears. He pulled the curtains shut and crossed to the other side of the carriage. He withdrew his handkerchief to gently wipe her eyes, untied her bonnet, and pulled her into his embrace. It was as much for his comfort as for Elizabeth’s, but she seemed to readily accept his attentions. He surmised that she felt overwhelmed by the events of the day. His aunt and cousin’s attack, followed by the wedding, and compounded by leaving her home and family behind; he could understand her anxiety. As much as he loved her, he acknowledged they knew little of each other. Here he was, minutes into his marriage, and his wife was sobbing in his arms. He prayed it was only due to the emotions of the day and not the added concern of being alone with him, of being his wife.
He began to realise how he really had no clue how to be a husband or soothe a woman. He was little more than a child when his mother died and scarcely knew how to comfort his sister. Darcy could not summon the perfect words to say and chose to simply hold her and caress her back. He pressed kisses into her hair and was pleased that she seemed comforted by his meagre attempts and nestled even closer.
After some amount of time, they fell asleep, still nestled in their embrace. The footman’s call that they had arrived at the coaching inn to change the horses awoke them. His arms felt quite bereft when Elizabeth pulled from him and declared that she desired to see to some personal needs during their wait.
When they returned to the carriage, she appeared in better spirits. Darcy smiled as she chose to sit beside him. He immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“How are you feeling, dear?”
Compromising Mr. Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Anthology Page 41
