by Webb, Brenda
Elizabeth pulled away from him and stepped back. “No, Papa.”
The room went silent, and Richard glanced to Darcy. Noting the fierce look in his cousin’s eyes, he took a step closer. Lord Landingham rose to his feet but, almost imperceptibly, Lady Ashcroft shook her head, effectively halting him.
“Georgiana, I have no doubt that your father and your cousin would love to hear the new song you learned yesterday,” Audrey said amiably. Her inflection, however, implied that it was an order, not a request.
Georgiana was in a daze, nevertheless, under her aunt’s firm gaze, she stuttered, “I… I should be happy to play for Father and Cousin Richard.”
Landingham held out his arm for his daughter, and they walked towards the door. Immediately, Lady Ashcroft threw a pointed look at Richard who had not decided whether to obey or stay and support his cousin.
William settled it. “I think you shall enjoy hearing her play as well, Richard.”
Overruled, Richard followed sullenly after his cousin and Landingham, but not before gaining Bingley’s attention and tilting his head toward William. Then scowling at Mr. Bennet, he vacated the room. Charles whispered something to Jane and let go of her hand to stand next to William as she moved to take her sister’s hand. Lady Ashcroft was satisfied. Those left behind were Bennets or soon to be part of the Bennet family.
Mr. Bennet had frozen in place at Elizabeth’s boldness and watched wordlessly as the number of people in the library dwindled. Astonished at Lizzy’s refusal, his voice was less confident when he spoke again. “Are you defying me, Elizabeth?”
“I do not wish to defy you, but I feel that I must! I cannot go back to live with Mama or the Gardiners. They shall never forgive me for what has happened. I wish to reside here until Fitzwilliam and I can be married.”
“Married? Oh, so now that his wife is dead, you think you shall just marry and all will be well! A proper mourning period must be observed, and even then, there is no guarantee that the scandal will die. In the meanwhile, you cannot just live with him. I forbid it.”
William took a step towards Elizabeth, though Charles’ hand on his arm kept him from going further. “We cannot account for what others will think or say, and we do not intend to live our lives trying to earn the approbation of the ton. We do not want to be apart longer than is absolutely necessary. We plan to marry as soon as may be.”
Elizabeth’s father looked as though he was about to have a fit of apoplexy, so Lady Ashcroft interrupted, “Mr. Bennet, might I make a suggestion.”
He viewed her warily, fully expecting that she would champion her nephew’s cause. Nevertheless, he recognised that he had few choices. Thus, he nodded.
“Miss Elizabeth is almost one and twenty, am I correct?”
Before her father could answer, Elizabeth said, “I am.”
Audrey continued. “It would seem pointless to force her to return to Meryton against her will, when she can choose her own course in a few weeks. And since Elizabeth’s presence would serve to remind your wife of all the unpleasantness that kindled her… distress, perhaps it would be advantageous for her if Elizabeth stayed here.
“If you would be so kind as to agree, I should like to offer myself as a chaperone for your daughter until she and my nephew can be married. She may stay here at Darcy House with me and my niece, Georgiana, while my nephew removes himself to Lord Landingham’s residence.” She looked to William and saw that his brow was furrowing as he tried to understand her plan. “My sister, the Countess of Matlock, and I will take your daughter under our protection and see that she is well cared for, introduced to the proper people and, with your permission, take her shopping for her wedding clothes. Naturally, you shall be kept informed of everything in regards to your daughter in order to share in her happiness and also to be on hand to give the bride away once a wedding day is set.”
All of Mr. Bennet’s resentment seemed to deflate, and he simply looked old and defeated. Feeling remorse for refusing to give in to her father’s wishes, Elizabeth stepped forward to gently touch his arm.
“Please, Papa?”
Their eyes met and his voice was gentle when he spoke. “Whether you believe me or not, I have only your best interests at heart, and I must give voice to my reservations. Mr. Darcy is rich, to be sure, and you may have more fine clothes and fine carriages than Jane. But will they make you happy?” 22
“I am convinced that worldly goods could never make me happy. I love him, Papa. You do not know what Mr. Darcy is truly like or you would not say such things, and it pains me to hear you speak of him in that fashion.”
“But you told me that when you learned he was married you hated him! That was only weeks ago. Can you trust feelings that change so hastily?”
Elizabeth gazed at William. “I was deeply hurt, and pretending that I hated him was my defence against that pain. I understand now that he never meant to deceive me. He tried valiantly not to love me or allow me to love him. His affection for me was not the work of a minute, an hour or a day, but many months of agony, as was mine. He is a man of remarkable character who tried nobly to keep his marriage vows, even though he had been entrapped by them.”
“Well, my dear,” Mr Bennet said wearily, “I have no more to say. If you are bound to have him, I shall not stand in your way.”
Instantly, Elizabeth was in his arms. “Thank you, Papa! I shall write to you and tell you when we are to marry. I would not want to be wed without you there to give me away.”
A tear slipped from his eye, and Thomas Bennet swiftly wiped it away. In a voice heavy with emotion, he replied, “You may count on that, my Lizzy.”
Then he faced William, considering him for a moment before acknowledging defeat with a small nod. William nodded in return.
“Well!” Mr. Bennet declared a little too merrily, “Jane, if you are ready, I should like to return to Gracechurch Street and put my leg up for a few hours.” Elizabeth had moved to stand next to William and was holding his hand. To her he added, “I would dearly love to see you again before I leave London.”
“I should like to see you too.”
William interjected, “I wish for all of Elizabeth’s family to feel welcome at Darcy House.”
Mr. Bennet’s lips twisted into a wry smile. “Be careful what you wish for,… Son.” That appellation, which came after a brief pause, marked the turning point in his relationship with Lizzy’s choice. “I shall come tomorrow morning, as will Jane. I am sure you and your sister will have secrets to share before she leaves, and Mr. Darcy and I will have time to discuss other things, such as a settlement.”
Then to Jane, he added, “Since you have made arrangements for your wedding clothes, perhaps Mr. Bingley will accompany us back to Meryton. His presence will mean that your mother will be able to escort the two of you around the neighbourhood, boasting of the wealth of her future son. That and her recitation of all the finery she ordered in Town should stir up a good deal of interest. Perhaps it might even keep her occupied until your wedding, if I am fortunate.”
Even with Mr. Bennet’s sketch of his wife’s plans for him, Charles seemed delighted at the prospect, and he grinned from ear to ear. “I will be pleased to return to Netherfield, and I should like to return to Gracechurch Street with you now.” Addressing William, he added, “All of this has been quite an adventure, Darcy, but one that I do not care to repeat anytime in the near future.”
Everyone smiled at Bingley’s pronouncement, which delighted him, as he had hoped to lighten the mood of those assembled. He then proceeded to hold his arm out to Jane. As she laid her small hand thereon and beamed up at him, he asked, “Shall we?”
~~~*~~~
Chapter 45
Matlock House
Three weeks later
Three weeks after the confrontation with Mr. Bennet at Darcy House, the stately townhouse of the Earl and Countess Matlock was the setting for the marriage of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. The epitome of everything well-mann
ered society admired, it was the consensus of those members of the ton who had been fortunate enough to receive an invitation that there was more silver candelabrum, more crystal vases of exotic flowers and more servants on duty than anyone had beheld since they had attended one of the royal soirées. None were surprised, however, for after all, the countess had made it plain that no expense would be spared for the wedding of her favourite nephew.
The ballroom had been transformed into a chapel and was replete with white tulle strategically draped from the corners of the room to connect with several tall, arched, white columns which created an aisle down the middle. On either side, chairs had been placed for the convenience of the guests. Had one not seen the room beforehand, one could easily have imagined that they had entered a church, so complete was the alteration. The centre walkway led to an impressive white trellis completely covered in white roses and greenery. It was at this altar that the couple took their vows before the Bishop of London, Rt. Hon, William Howley 23, the earl’s cousin. Richard and Charles had stood with William, while Jane and Georgiana attended Elizabeth.
When the ceremony concluded, the couple, the bishop and their witnesses retreated to a room nearby in order to sign the register, causing those left in the ballroom to begin to mingle. It was at this point that a sudden sense of triumph filled Audrey Ashcroft, rendering her as near to succumbing to her emotions as she had ever been.
“Was not the ceremony lovely?” Audrey asked Marshall, her blue eyes filling with tears as her voice broke. “I do not think it could have been any more beautiful.” She glanced towards the door through which the wedding party had disappeared. “I cannot wait to congratulate them.”
Landingham smiled lovingly. “It was, my dear. Now remember, you promised not to cry again. You should be happy. Smile!”
William’s aunt sniffed. “I am happy! I cry when I am happy, you know that.”
“I know that very well, but I do not want your eyes to be red and puffy. It has not escaped my notice that since you began planning this wedding you look even more youthful. When I entered the ballroom, I almost mistook you for the bride.”
Audrey blushed. “You were always one to flatter, Marshall.”
“I am not teasing.” He added quietly, “In fact, right before Elizabeth appeared with her father, I was debating taking your hand and escorting you to the altar!”
“With no special license? I think not.”
“Are you sure of that?” Landingham teased. “Do you remember when I asked you to move our wedding date closer, and you said that you could not marry until after Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth were settled?” She nodded. “Well, to be honest, I had already obtained a special license beforehand. It has resided here,” he patted his coat, “ever since, in the small chance that you might change your mind.”
Her expression sobered. “I did not know. Were you terribly disheartened by my answer?”
“Heartbroken,” he confessed in all honestly before managing a small smile. “But, do not fret. It shall still be valid when we marry in September.”
“Then, we could marry sooner if we wished?” she teased, half considering the idea.
“We can marry whenever you decide. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you on the subject will silence me forever.” His grin widened. “Well, perhaps not forever! I do wish to marry before the end of the year!” 24
Audrey smiled at the man she loved. “That is one of the virtues I admire most in you. You are not only steadfast; you are unafraid to say what you want.”
Landingham slid his hand slowly down the exposed skin of her forearm to her hand, entwining his fingers with hers as their eyes locked. “And in case I have not made it clear, what I want is you as my lover and my wife.”
~~~*~~~
A few feet away from William’s aunt and godfather stood some of the patrons of Almacks. 25 Since Amelia Stewart’s late mother was a good friend of the Countess of Matlock, she had had little trouble gaining an invitation for herself and her fellow patrons. After all, who were more capable of taking the measure of the woman who had not only stolen Fitzwilliam Darcy’s heart but gained Evelyn Fitzwilliam’s unwavering support than she and her associates? Moreover, now that they had been witness to the exchange between Lord Landingham and Lady Ashcroft, they had even more information to consider. Accordingly, when Lady Ashcroft’s colour rose with Landingham’s confession, the patrons’ eyes met, and they nodded at one another meaningfully.
“Well!” Amelia Stewart, Viscountess Castlereagh, said shrewdly, “It appears we will soon be attending another Matlock wedding.”
“Now I understand why Lord Landingham never saw fit to respond to any of our invitations. It is a pity, as he dances divinely,” Maria Molyneux, Countess of Sefton, maintained. “However, it seems that his heart was already engaged!”
“I, for one, think he could have chosen more wisely,” Sarah Villiers, Countess of Jersey, chided. Her opinion came as no surprise to the others, as they were aware that she had tried to solicit Landingham as a lover without success. “After all, he need not marry again to enjoy a woman’s company and a much younger one, at that.”
Countess Esterházy, ever the romantic, sighed. “I think it is marvellous that he pursued a woman nearer his age. It is obvious that he is in love with her!”
“Humph!” Lady Jersey declared. “Love does not exist in a man’s vocabulary! Lust perhaps, but never love!”
“I beg to disagree!” the viscountess interjected. “Otherwise, how do you explain what we witnessed today? One of the most eligible men in the country has married a woman with no connections and little dowry. And while I found her pretty enough, Elizabeth Bennet is nothing like the woman I imagined Fitzwilliam Darcy would choose for a wife. One would not call her beautiful and certainly not on the same level as Gisela at that age.”
Lady Sefton volunteered, “I met Gisela Darcy twice. First, when Lord Grantham had just died and she was cavorting with the young bucks of the ton, which made me pity Mr. Darcy all the more when she ensnared him. The last occasion was a few months ago. I did not recognise her, as her appearance had degenerated so severely.
“And now that he had a chance to start again, would you not assume that he would choose someone more suitable? After all, despite the scandal, he could have had his pick of the ladies—beautiful women with excellent connections and magnificent dowries. That is why I sat spellbound throughout the ceremony. It was only at the end that I truly understood!”
“And what did you conclude, pray tell?” Lady Jersey demanded sarcastically.
“That when a man is truly in love, all else is irrelevant! And I have no doubt that Fitzwilliam Darcy is in love with that woman. I saw his face transform when the bishop pronounced them man and wife. Her back was to us, but I could clearly see his face, and his expression became almost—I can only describe it as ethereal. He looked like an entirely different person!”
“I agree. I saw the transformation too. He is certainly besotted!” Countess Esterházy said. Then taking a deep breath and letting it go, she added, “How very romantic!”
“Mr. Darcy is very handsome!” Lady Sefton declared. “I know that I would not shirk my marital duties if he were my husband.”
Everyone giggled except for the Lady Jersey, who exclaimed, “Bah! His expression was likely the result of a sour stomach. Nothing more!”
The others laughed all the harder. They knew that when the Countess of Jersey was not in the mood to agree, no amount of cajoling would convince her. Besides, she knew the truth just as they did.
~~~*~~~
Inside the Drawing Room
It was with great pleasure that Bishop Howley observed Fitzwilliam Darcy and his bride signing the register. At the age of eight and fifty, he had presided over his share of arranged marriages where it was obvious that neither party felt any affection for the other. In fact, he believed that if he never officiated over another merger of two families, he would have no cause to rep
ine. Clearly, however, this wedding was different—a true melding of hearts. The joy of it refreshed his soul.
In addition, the look on the groom’s face as he watched his bride sign the book almost caused him to laugh aloud. It was clear that the groom feared that something might go wrong at the last minute and, as it would not do for a bishop to be irreverent at such a dignified juncture, he bit his lower lip. Afterward, when Elizabeth looked up to him after she had signed, he managed a broad smile for the lovely bride.
“Wonderful, wonderful!” he exclaimed, motioning for their attendants to come forward. “Now, if the witnesses will sign, we shall make this wedding official!” William’s look of surprise at his jovial manner was amusing so he continued, “Or I should say more official!”
Richard stepped up to sign the book. “I should think that having a member of His Majesty’s Army as a witness should suffice, rendering all other signatures unnecessary.”
“Richard,” William warned playfully. “You are too clever at times. Just sign the book, please.”
“I am NOT too clever, Cousin!” Richard retorted. “Just ask my father, or better still, ask Edgar!” That brought a round of guffaws, and even the bishop could not restrain himself.
When the signing was done, Bishop Howley picked up the book to examine it before tucking it under his arm and heading towards the door. “I shall immediately put this register with my personal possessions so it does not get lost.”
He glanced back over his shoulder to see that his teasing had gone unnoticed by William and Elizabeth. The newlyweds were holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes, completely oblivious to the other occupants of the room, so he addressed the witnesses while gesturing towards William and Elizabeth with a tilt of his head. “I cannot wait to sample the repast that the countess has prepared. I understand that there is food enough for all of London. Would anyone care to join me?”
