If Only In His Dreams

by Schertz, Melanie

  Elizabeth nodded.

  “Very well, allow me to send for some tea and we will speak of whatever topic you wish.”

  Chapter 17

  Darcy paced in the drawing room, waiting patiently for his mother and fiancé to return to the room. It had been over two hours since his mother had entered the study where Elizabeth wished to speak privately with her. What could be keeping them, he wondered.

  Bingley had arrived and was visiting with his betrothed, as Lady Catherine was speaking with her daughter and Georgiana. Richard had stepped outdoors with Alex, going to the stables for Richard to see the new horseflesh that Alex had procured. Being fond of a sound mount, Richard was easily tempted to view a new animal. Darcy felt lost in thought as he awaited the return of the two most important ladies in his life.

  Hearing laughter from the hallway, Darcy turned to see his fiancé walking arm and arm with his mother. “William, have you determined a date and time for our wedding?” Elizabeth inquired as she entered the room. Her smile was radiating her joy, which warmed every inch of Darcy’s heart.

  “We were waiting for you to return to make the final decision, my dearest.” He said as he stepped to her side. Anne looked at the couple and smiled.

  “Yes, Lizzy, the poor, dear man could not make a decision without you. As today is Tuesday, we were thinking of holding the weddings on Friday morning. Does that meet with your approval?” Anne had joined the couple to speak with them.

  “Friday would be perfect for me. Jane, where is Alex? We should have him send for Mr Walters to meet with us.”

  “I already have, Sister.” Alex stated as he entered the room with Richard. “And he sent word back that he will be here within the hour.”

  Everyone sat down and Elizabeth’s list was reviewed and edited. They would have a small wedding, followed by a wedding breakfast at Longbourn. Only the closest of friends would join the families. An express was sent to London to invite the Gardiner family. Upon his arrival, Mr Walters confirmed that the weddings could be performed on Friday morning. He was also asked to keep quiet on the events, as both of the couples preferred privacy. Once the weddings had been accomplished, the wedding breakfast could include other friends in the neighborhood if the couples wished.

  Mrs Hill came into the drawing room after Elizabeth sent for her. The motherly housekeeper was given the task of seeing to the wedding breakfast. “It is my honor to see to the arrangements, Miss Lizzy. And as I know you well, I will keep it simple.”

  “You do indeed know me well. I appreciate all that you have done for me over the years, Mrs Hill. You have been the closest I have had to a mother since I was a small child.”

  “You have been a blessing in my life, Miss Lizzy.” Mrs Hill said as she wiped tears from her cheeks.

  “Well, it appears that everything is in order.” Lady Anne said.

  “I have the wedding contract with me, Bennet, if you wish to go over them today.” Darcy asked his future brother as he was the head of Elizabeth’s family.

  “Let us enjoy a midday repast first, and then we can settle in to deal with paperwork.” Alex stated as he looked at his housekeeper to see her nod her head. It had been an unspoken request, Mrs Hill had already seen to the meal being prepared.

  Once everyone was fed, the men separated from the ladies, so that details for the weddings could be accomplished. The marriage contracts were reviewed and found to be in good order. As Darcy was standing in as the head of Anne’s family, he went over the contract for Richard and Anne’s marriage. Alex was surprised to see what Darcy had settled on his sister, in addition to her dowry of twenty thousand; Darcy had settled another forty thousand pounds. She would have a generous annual amount for her pin money, and if she needed more, she need only ask. She would always have a home, even after Darcy died. Provisions were also made in regards to any children they may be blessed with in the future.

  Lady Anne had informed her son that she had sent a message to their housekeeper at Pemberley, Mrs Reynolds, to have Lady Anne’s belongings moved to the dowager cottage on the estate. Even though her son had told her it was not necessary, Lady Anne wished to have her son and his wife begin their life together in their proper position at Pemberley. If she was still using the Mistress’ chambers of the grand house, the staff would never treat Elizabeth with the respect that she deserved. Elizabeth would be the Mistress of Pemberley as of Friday. The Mistress’ chambers were rightfully hers.

  Lady Catherine was having similar regards to her accommodations after her daughter was married. After having a discussion with her sister, Lady Catherine had come to the same decision and wrote a letter to her housekeeper to prepare the dowager house at Rosings. Anne was not pleased with her mother’s decision. She had spoken with Richard in an attempt for them to convince Lady Catherine to remain living in the main house. But Lady Catherine could not be swayed from her decision. “Anne, it is time for you to shine on your own accord. My dear girl, you deserve this time with your husband without your mother hovering about. As a matter of fact, my sister has invited me to spend time at Pemberley with her. It has been so long since we have spent time with just the two of us.”

  “Mother, I know that you will miss being in the main house at Rosings. And Richard and I have spoken, we wish for you to remain in the house with us. When we have our own family, I wish you to be on hand to experience it all with us.”

  “Dearest Anne, I will be there when you need me. It is just these first few weeks, as you decide your future as Mrs Richard Fitzwilliam, you do not need me telling you how to choose menus or how a room should be decorated. These are your decisions, not mine.”

  The days leading to the weddings went by quickly. Thursday evening arrived and the families gathered for a final dinner. The weddings were to be held at the chapel at Longbourn, and it had been decided that the brides and their female relations would spend the night at Longbourn. This way, the grooms would not see their brides until they were coming up the aisle. Alex was to escort both of the brides to the grooms, and Jane was standing up for both Elizabeth and Anne, while Bingley stood up for Darcy and Richard.

  After the dinner on Thursday night, the Netherfield men prepared to return to the estate earlier than usual. As the men prepared to take their leave, Darcy took Elizabeth’s hand and raised it to his lips. Placing a gentle kiss on the back of her hand, Darcy whispered so that she was the only person to hear him.

  “I will see you in the morning, Miss Elizabeth. But the next time I see you, I will no longer refer to you as Miss Elizabeth. You will be forever more, my beloved Lizzy.”

  “And you will be my dearest William. I look forward to seeing you in the morning, Sir.”

  Friday morning began with the most beautiful sunrise. Elizabeth had walked to Oakham Mount with Lady Anne, Georgiana, Jane, Lady Catherine and Anne. Each lady found a sense of peace from the experience. Lady Catherine especially found the view to be spectacular, pleased with her daughter’s future being bright with the love of a good man. Taking her daughter’s hand and placing it on the crook of her own arm, Lady Catherine smiled.

  “Anne, I am pleased with your choice of husband. Richard will be a good man, and he loves you dearly. I am grateful that the men determined a method to keep my brother from ruining this most joyous day. I pray that you will be happy, my dear girl. And I pray that you will always be so loved.”

  “Thank you, Mamma. I love you and am grateful for your guidance throughout my life. And I am especially pleased to not have been forced into a marriage that Lord Matlock deemed proper. He should never have say over my life, and I refuse to ever allow him.”

  “You are a good girl, Anne. I have a gift for you.” Lady Catherine reached into the pocket on her gown and pulled out a small box. Opening it up, Anne found a simple necklace of pearls. “These were given to me by my mother. She wore this necklace when she married my father. My mother told me that her mother had given the necklace to her.”

  Tears welled up in Anne’s
eyes. “Mamma, I do not know the words to express how dear this is to me. Thank you, Mamma.”

  Jane turned to her sister. “Lizzy, Alex gave this to me to give to you. It was our mother’s and he thought you would like to wear this today.”

  The necklace that was in the box Jane held out was a garnet cross on a chain. Simple, yet beautiful, causing Elizabeth to shed tears.

  “Now, ladies, it will not do for our brides to have red, swollen eyes when they walk up the aisle to their husbands.” Lady Anne stated as she embraced first her niece, and then her soon to be daughter.

  The sound of footsteps was heard coming towards the sitting room door. When the door opened, the Gardiner family entered the room. “Uncle Edward, Aunt Helen, I am so pleased you were able to come.” Elizabeth stated as she walked to her relations. “I feared that you would not be able to come on such short notice.”

  “We would never have missed such an occasion. Alex was very kind in sending the carriage to bring us.” Edward Gardiner replied.

  “It was indeed pleasant to ride in the carriage rather than by post, but I would have traveled by wagon to be here for your wedding, Lizzy.” Helen Gardiner stated.

  Introductions were made to the ladies, and Mrs Gardiner fell into conversation with Lady Anne in regards to Derbyshire and Lambton, where Mrs Gardiner had lived. Half an hour later, Alex knocked on the door and announced that it was time to make their way to the chapel.

  The weddings were accomplished without difficulty. As the couples signed the register, then stepped outside, their friends and family all congratulated them. Darcy could not erase the smile on his face; his dimples were visible to everyone. Nor could he move his eyes from looking at his bride. If asked later who had been present at his wedding and wedding breakfast, Darcy would be unable to respond due to not being aware of anyone beyond Elizabeth.

  The food was enjoyed, and the neighbors who had been invited to the breakfast wished the couple joy. Charlotte Lucas embraced her dear friend. “Eliza, I could not be happier for you. You must write to me often.”

  “I will do so, Charlotte, and we will be returning soon. We are celebrating the holiday season in the neighborhood, and then we will be preparing for Jane’s wedding.”

  As Elizabeth and Darcy prepared to leave, they made their way around the room to farewell their family and friends. Mr and Mrs Gardiner invited the Darcys to dine with them while the Darcys were in Town. The Darcy newlyweds would be staying at Darcy House in Town for a fortnight, while the Fitzwilliam newlyweds would be making their way to Rosings Park.

  When Elizabeth attempted to say her goodbyes to her brother, tears began to stream down her cheeks. “Alex, you have taken such wonderful care of Jane and me, seeing to our needs and our futures. Forgive me for being so rude to you when you first made the arrangements for me to marry William.”

  Matching his sister with flowing tears, Alex smiled. “I wished for the best for you and Jane. I pray that you will always be loved and cared for.”

  Darcy was standing nearby and nodded his head. “I can guarantee that she will be loved and cherished every day of her life.”

  The newlyweds entered their carriage and Elizabeth turned to wave to her family. Once they were out of view of Longbourn, Darcy gathered his bride in his arms. Placing feather light kisses along her neck and moving towards her lips, Darcy’s hands explored his wife’s generous curves.

  “Mrs Darcy, I love you so dearly.” He whispered as his breathing became raspy. “I have been waiting for years to find you, and now you will be at my side rather than only in my dreams.”

  A low moan escaped Elizabeth as her husband stirred emotions inside her. “William, I love you, my beloved husband. What you are doing to me is leaving me undone. We cannot behave so in the carriage while on a busy road to London.” Even as she spoke, she knew that she did not wish for him to stop.

  “That is why I have the shades drawn, and I have no fear from our staff gossiping of our private life. I only wish for a taste of what is to come later, once we arrive at our townhouse.”

  “If this is only a taste, I do not know how I will survive a full course.” Elizabeth laughed as Darcy’s tongue traced over her flesh.

  The staff who traveled on the carriage wore smiles for the entire trip to Town from all the noises they heard coming from the newlyweds.

  Chapter 18

  Elizabeth quickly won the hearts of the staff at Darcy House. It was quite obvious that she married Darcy for love, not his wealth. The housekeeper, Mrs Farnsworth, was thrilled when she watched the young couple. They only had eyes for each other. When shown the chambers that belonged to the Mistress, Elizabeth found it quite charming. Darcy told her that she was welcome to redecorate to make the rooms to her tastes. The room gave Elizabeth the feeling of being outdoors in the country, on a sunny day. This impressed the housekeeper. Many young ladies of the Ton would have already made plans to redecorate to show the staff that she was the Mistress, as well as enjoying spending their husband’s fortune. But that was not the sort of person Elizabeth was.

  It became necessary for Mrs Farnsworth to only have the older, married staff to tend to the newlyweds after the first day the Darcys were in residence. Arriving at their private sitting room, Darcy could not resist his bride any longer. Sitting on the sofa, he pulled Elizabeth into his arms. His lips found hers, at first soft and gentle, building in passion as she responded to him. As his lips explored hers, his tongue teased until her lips gave him access to taste her. Darcy’s hands began to roam over his bride’s curves, unfastening her buttons to begin to remove her clothing. He had pushed down one side of her gown, exposing her shoulder for his hand to caress, when the sound of crashing china and a gasp brought the Master from his ministrations.

  A young maid had been bringing the newlyweds refreshments as requested by Mrs Farnsworth. The sight of the Master taking liberty with his bride was unsettling and unexpected, causing her to drop the tray she was carrying. She quickly picked up the damaged china and left the room. Mrs Farnsworth later found the maid in tears in the kitchen.

  The first week of the couple being in residence, it was not uncommon to find them in the most unusual location, and found in less than proper attire. The staff soon learned to expect the unexpected. The gossip in the servants’ quarters was that the next generation for Darcys would most likely be born in the coming year, as often as their Master enjoyed his wife. It was obvious to all that it was a love match, and that the new Mrs Darcy was as much in love with her husband as he was with her.

  One morning, early in their second week at Darcy House, Darcy was making his way down the stairs to his study to retrieve a book he wished to share with his bride. A commotion near the entrance door alerted him that his peace was at a momentary end, as he heard the booming voice of his uncle.

  “Lord Matlock, I will ask you to follow me to my study.” Darcy stated, leading the way. Once inside the room, he offered his uncle a drink before he tackled the fury that was to come.

  “I have been searching for you for days, Darcy. Catherine wrote that you and Anne were to be married at Brighton or Ramsgate. I made my way to attend the wedding, but was unable to find you.”

  “The wedding was at Longbourn, in Hertfordshire. As Aunt Catherine stated in her letter, it was a private ceremony and as we had not invited you, we did not feel the need to tell you the final date and location.”

  “Of course I should be there, as you are my nephew and Anne is my niece. It would be appropriate, being the head of the family for me to attend.”

  “Your son, Richard, did not wish for you to attend, and I agreed with him. After all, it was an important day for him as well.”

  Frowning, Lord Matlock looked at his nephew. “Why was it an important day for my son?”

  “It was his wedding day as well as mine.”

  “Who did my son marry?” Lord Matlock was completely surprised at this news.

  “Richard married Anne, of course. And I married Eliz
abeth Bennet. The double wedding was held at my wife’s home estate.” Darcy watched his uncle closely. If it had been possible, smoke would have flowed from Lord Matlock’s ears.

  “This is not to be borne. I will have these marriages annulled. I demand that you marry Anne as soon as possible.”

  “I will not allow my marriage to be annulled. As a precaution, I have already spoken with my solicitor on the fact. There is nothing that you can do to dissolve either of the marriages, nor can you force me to ever marry. Elizabeth is my wife, which will never change.”

  “Your father and Sir Lewis made an agreement. You have gone against the wishes of your family in your behavior.”

  Darcy smiled as he pulled a sheath of papers from his desk drawer. “As to your claims that my father and Sir Lewis made an arrangement, I have documentation that disagrees with you. My father and Sir Lewis despised each other. In fact, Sir Lewis insisted that Anne never marry me.”