by Massey, Beth
Darcy and Elizabeth hoped to wed as soon as possible after he returned. The banns had been read the day following her arrival on Sunday, 22 November. That meant they could wed any day after 6 December. Before he left, they discussed possible dates with Mrs Reynolds, and all agreed the best was Thursday, the 10th of December. The significance of the commemoration was not lost on any of the three. Elizabeth agreed to be the one to ask Bethany whether she objected to sharing her birthday with the wedding festivities.
Before he left, there had been several conferences in his study between the couple. Elizabeth was able to observe the painting he had mentioned in his letter. One look and she was flooded with memories of the time when she had been as young as the girl in the portrait. Will had written that he had seen her as this young woman—concentrating on her reading and the youthful glow Fragonard had captured in his subject. She supposed there had been moments like that, moments when she had been calm and contemplative. But the eyes looked wrong. Every time she had observed herself in the mirror during her imprisonment at Pemberley, she had seen growing anguish reflected there—more each day as the moment of her leaving her daughter had approached.
One of the conferences they had under the gaze of that serene young woman had been fraught with tension. His look of anxiety when she told him she had a concern to discuss caused her to reassure him with a smile. “It is simply to inform you I disapprove of your decision to keep me from learning the circumstances of Lord Wolfbridge’s death. My sister told me all.” With a chuckle she wondered whether he feared she might take back her acceptance. Darcy surprised her with his response.
“Good, we need to clear the air on that matter. Richard and I wanted there to be no connection with you and Bethany—even among those privy to the knowledge that Lydia had stabbed Lord Wolfbridge. For them, the official story was that your sister had acted in defence of Miss Bledsoe and herself. It was exhausting trying to keep straight who knew which version. I lived in fear I would become confused and say the wrong thing to the wrong person and risk your exposure. Please accept my apology.”
Elizabeth’s face reflected compassion not accusation. “I too was filled with confusion and fear when I read the newspaper report about your cousin being murdered. I believed you might have killed him.”
“That is what my uncle thought as well. Still, I should never have hidden the truth from the one I love. I applaud Lydia for disobeying the ban on telling you.”
The conference had ended with another comforting embrace, and his whispered words, “I promise our marriage will be characterized by complete honesty.”
Elizabeth found Bethany in the nursery, drawing a picture of sheep grazing in a pasture. It was quite good for someone her age. “Bethany, your drawing is lovely, and the sheep and lambs look so real.”
“Thank you. Mrs Kitty taught me, and she can draw all sorts of things… even Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf.”
Kitty had also given Bethany a basic lesson in perspective and explained that if she put larger sheep in the bottom of the picture, middle-sized sheep in the middle of the picture and smaller sheep toward the top of the page, it would make the picture look as though the viewer could see into the distance. She had been practicing ever since Kitty and John had left more than a month before.
“Mrs Kitty also loved the pictures on the walls. She said you had told her about them. Were you here before?”
Elizabeth answered very cautiously. “Yes, once, many years ago.”
“Did you meet my Mama?”
“I did, and I promise I will tell you all about her soon, but right now I need to ask you a very important question. Would you mind if I married your Papa on your birthday?”
“Would I still receive presents?”
“Of course you would.”
Bethany smiled broadly as she exclaimed, “I do so love presents, but I want you and Papa to marry very soon. Then you can give me a sister as a present.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Aunt Georgie said that first a man and a woman marry, and then the woman has a baby. I want a sister. Lewis wants both a sister and a brother. When is your birthday?”
Lizzy realized Bethany’s understanding at six was the same as hers had been at fifteen. “My birthday is also December 10th.”
Bethany’s smile changed to amazement. “Oh, my goodness, we have the same birthday, and I think we have the same name. My name is Elizabeth Anne. What is yours?”
Elizabeth was a bit concerned with the direction of the conversation, but answered truthfully. “You are correct. Mine is also Elizabeth Anne.”
“That is some kind of sign. We were born on the same day. We have the same name. I think God must have planned for you to be my Mama, once he took my real Mama away.”
Feelings of loss threatened to overwhelm Elizabeth, but she controlled her emotions and smiled sweetly instead. “You may be right, Bethany.”
It was agreed that they would serve all of Bethany’s favourite foods at the celebration after the wedding and the event would be her birthday party as well as a wedding breakfast. Those invited would be family and their closest friends in Derbyshire. An express had been sent to Charles and Jane as soon as the date was decided. They were encouraged to return to Pemberley with Mr Darcy, and Lizzy suggested they stay through Twelfth Night and Lewis and Sian’s birthdays. She asked Becky to send a similar letter of encouragement to Jane to spend the entire holiday season with her sister and her best friend. Elizabeth knew the rest of her family would be unable to attend—John and Kitty had only recently returned from Derbyshire. Still, she wrote to inform them of the recovery of the children and that the wedding would take place on December 10th.
As Elizabeth and Mrs Reynolds discussed having ices for the birthday girl, Lizzy was threatened by tears. The memory of Lydia’s face, wreathed with delight at the thought of the treat, had triggered her sadness. She realized how different her wedding was from those of other young women and was saddened by the awareness that so many would be unable to attend. Colonel Fitzwilliam and Colonel Bledsoe, along with her youngest sister were gone from the country.
Thinking of her sister forced Elizabeth to acknowledge that Richard’s reason for secrecy had been prudent. He had wanted to minimize talk of an alternate theory of Edmund’s death. The three colonels had calculated that the honour of serving his country valiantly would allow Colonel Bledsoe and his family to return to England one day. The hope was that time and the ton’s attention focussed elsewhere would make it safe for Lydia.
Mr and Mrs Collins would also miss their day, but the reason was happier than Lydia’s circumstances. Their son, William Andrew’s birth on 3 November made their presence impossible. Lizzy promised in her letter to them that the Darcy family would continue the tradition of spending Easter in Kent. All would arrive early enough to see Mr Collins’ grape hyacinths spell out names each spring. Elizabeth had also warned Mary to expect the wrath of Lady Catherine, as Will had written to her at the same time Lizzy had written their letter.
Lady Catherine, upon being informed of the nuptials, wrote back a very short and dismissive letter, threatening to break off all relations. Darcy did not receive her correspondence until he had returned to Pemberley from Hertfordshire. He was amused that she seemed to forget that she lived at Rosings because of his benevolence and that she had orchestrated her dependency. Her husband, Sir Lewis de Bourgh, had quickly grown tired of his wife. Despite Lady Catherine’s great beauty and impeccable connections, he soon became tired of her supercilious attitude. At the time of his death, he left her a small annuity, and the rest of his estate had been put in trust for his daughter. Upon Anne’s marriage, everything Sir Lewis left his daughter became her husband’s property. Though it had been Lady Catherine’s wish that her daughter should marry her sister’s son and accomplish the joining of the two estates, she had never acknowledged her subservience to him. Darcy wondered why she had not had a similar obsession with Anne marrying Edmu
nd. Had she known how poorly managed Elderton was, or had she determined Darcy to be the more pliable of the two? He wrote back an equally short and dismissive letter, threatening her with eviction if she exhibited rudeness to his wife or her relations in the future. He further stated that he assumed she would not be attending the wedding, but did assure her she was invited… provided it was within her power to act with civility.
Elizabeth, Bethany, Lewis and Georgiana were waiting on the steps when the Darcy carriage pulled up in front of the house. Lizzy greeted him, Charles and Jane warmly, and then she spied Caliban. His thoughtful gesture was a complete surprise to her, and the dog received even more affection than either he or Mrs Bingley had been given.
Darcy was surprised to find a note from his uncle stating that he, his wife, and his daughter-in-law would attend. Lady Elderton, Lady Wolfbridge and the baby would arrive on the 8th, and return to home immediately after the wedding breakfast. In deference to his mourning for his son, the Earl would only attend the ceremony. The ladies, who were also observing a year of mourning for Edmund, believed a quiet few days at Pemberley, becoming acquainted with their new relative, was not a violation of the restrictions dictated by the period of bereavement. Darcy read between the lines to discern a dispute between the ladies of Elderton and the Earl, and it appeared the ladies had been victorious.
The day that Lady Wolfbridge and the Countess arrived for their visit, a dinner was held for their closest friends. Dr Wilder, Mrs Wilder, Mr Davies, Mr and Mrs Hinton, Sir Gareth and the new Lady Hughes, and Sir Walter all came to celebrate with the engaged couple. The camaraderie was reminiscent of the dinners at Darcy house the previous spring. The two main topics of conversation were the progress with Dr Wilder’s quest to establish a hospital in Derbyshire, and the movement to abolish slavery. Dr Wilder did most of the talking on both subjects, but found a strong participant on both topics in Lady Wolfbridge. Widowhood, or was it motherhood, had released her repressed irreverent wit.
58 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
Elizabeth visited the nursery that evening to look in on Bethany’s brother. Lady Wolfbridge was cradling her son and crooning Rock a bye Baby.
After she put Ricky in his cradle, she smiled at Elizabeth. “I have wanted him for such a long time. I came to believe that a child was the only thing that could make my marriage—my life bearable.”
“I am very happy for you, and of course the birth of Eric creates a bond between you and me that must remain secret, but I think it appropriate we speak of the circumstances.” Elizabeth watched Eleanor’s reaction, trying to discern whether she knew the facts of Bethany’s birth, as she suspected.
“We do indeed have a bond, but it is not the one of which you speak.”
“Which one do you believe I mean?”
“You think Eric is Bethany’s brother, but he is not. The bond you and I share is that Edmund Fitzwilliam, the Viscount Wolfbridge, treated us both cruelly. Richard is Eric’s father. You and I both have a secret we must keep, but the relevant facts are quite the opposite. You must keep secret that Edmund is Bethany’s father and you her mother; and I must keep secret that Edmund is not Eric’s father. Are you shocked by my depravity?”
Elizabeth paused for a moment as she contemplated this surprise revelation. Finally, she replied, “Mr Darcy has told me of your love for Richard and that it preceded your meeting Edmund.”
Eleanor’s face displayed the recollection of an unpleasant memory. “Yes, his love was first, but I chose not to wait. He tells me I am not to blame, because he did not propose… I am not certain I deserved his forgiveness, but I accepted it.” She caressed her son’s head as if in confirmation. “Like so many women of our times, I was persuaded that love is not so very important to happiness in marriage.” The woman who had just admitted disregarding her wedding vows continued to speak candidly of why she had married Lord Wolfbridge. “A handsome man with excellent connections charmed me, and I thought his offer sounded agreeable enough. I knew I would never laugh as much as I would have with his brother, but the danger of Edmund dying was nowhere near as possible as Richard’s.” The irony of her statement was not lost on her and she choked back a chuckle. “I would gain a pleasant home, children and an excellent position in society. My father thought the possibility of my becoming a countess to be very advantageous to his business and became the greatest backer of Edmund’s suit. Lord and Lady Elderton seemed pleased to have me joining their family despite my roots in trade. How could I refuse?”
She saw disapproval in Elizabeth’s eyes and continued her story with just a hint of defiance, “My happiness was short lived, but I was resolved to do my duty. As I said before, I believed a baby would make my life more bearable, but every time I became with child, I lost the baby.” Eleanor looked away from her son and this time did not stifle her mirth. “The Countess believed it was caused by the sadness of my situation. Edmund cared less why, but he was very annoyed with my inability to give him an heir. After my second loss, he proposed that Richard secretly replace him to do the deed.”
Lizzy spoke for the first time. “So you agreed?”
“No, I refused. I feared Lord Wolfbridge would divorce me if Richard and I indulged. Edmund would have had grounds, and he could have thrown me out. By law my fifty thousand pounds was his and he would be free to charm a new wife.” She gazed intently at Elizabeth. “Perhaps one very young and childlike that he could intimidate. I doubt my father would have taken me back. A daughter who had been divorced by a viscount and who had lost the opportunity to become a countess was not part of his dream.”
Her face became harsh. “I just read a novel… Sense and Sensibility, by a lady. A story is told that is very reminiscent of mine. A wealthy young woman is in love with her guardian’s younger son. Her guardian forces her to marry his older son who only appreciates her money and is very cruel. I was not forced, but….” Eleanor paused as if she was attempting to make sense of her situation. “The wife is so unhappy, that she gives in to temptation and has an affair. Her husband divorces her, keeps her wealth and throws her out. I have a copy in my room. You should read it as well, because there is also another story of a young woman who is seduced and abandoned and bears an illegitimate child. We are not told any of the particulars of her liaison. Maybe she was not really seduced, but violated as you were. How many young women are raped, but society blames them for the children they bear out of wedlock.”
Elizabeth wanted to change the subject. “So how was little Ricky conceived?”
Eleanor’s smile was back in place with thoughts of the baby’s father. “Last October, Richard returned to Elderton with an injury that would not heal. He had told none of us he was back in England. His mother and I were the only ones in residence at Elderton when he arrived. Edmund and the Earl were in London. Richard returned to a very desperate and demoralized woman who had recently lost a third baby.” A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I nursed him and he comforted me. We were in the middle of our affair before we thought of the consequences. The plan we put in place was simple. If I had symptoms… and believe me I know the symptoms of being with child; I would travel to London and persuade Edmund to plant some seed. In the end, it was unnecessary to leave Elderton, because Edmund came home for Christmas, just as I noticed the first symptoms.”
The recently widowed Lady Wolfbridge seemed not a bit remorseful for her infidelity. Once again, she lovingly touched her son’s head. “Those six weeks with Richard were the happiest of my life. We were very discreet. The Countess became aware of our ruse but did not disapprove. I don’t think she cared which of her sons fathered her grandchild.”
“What does Lord Elderton think about Eric?”
“The Earl is very happy Edmund was finally successful and left a little viscount as his legacy. Luckily, because of his arrogance and delusions about his son, he has no suspicions.”
“Does Mr Darcy know the truth?”
Eleanor captured Elizabeth’s eyes and
smiled. “Yes, Richard told Darcy when they were in Brighton together after Edmund was killed. I thought it important you know as well.”
Eleanor’s face became defiant. “Richard and I are relying on fate to solve our dilemma. Our hope is that he will return from war healthy and honoured. Any promotions he receives, and the friendship and camaraderie he is developing with Wellington and other generals will make the possibility of our ignoring church law and marrying more acceptable.” Quiet laughter was heard as she said her next words. “Luckily for us, ‘Edmund’s’ baby was a boy, and he has become the next Viscount Wolfbridge. Now, we do not have to worry about Richard having a title to complicate our plan. Lady Elderton is finding it much easier to manage Lord Elderton, and my father has gone from being able to brag about me becoming a countess, to saying his grandson will soon be an earl. We do not expect problems with either of them.”
Her good humour dissolved into a moment of reflection by both women. Eleanor leaned over and kissed her son’s brow. Next she looked at the woman whose wedding she would attend in two days time and said, “In the novel I mentioned, men callously ruined the lives of both those women I told you about. I rejoice, because unlike them, you and I will be triumphant. We are loved by honourable men.”
Her spoken sentiment caused Elizabeth to embrace Eleanor and whisper, “You are right, they are the best of men, and we are the luckiest of women.”
The wedding was simple, elegant and joyful. Elizabeth felt just the slightest twinge of doubt at his words to worship her with his body. Her concentration was on his face and the pleasure that registered in his eyes once the declaration of their married state was made. Those who witnessed the event, and who knew the particulars, were filled with the wonder of this most difficult of courtships finally achieving its happy ending.
