White Lies and Other Half Truths

by Barbara Tiller Cole

  The next morning Mr. Bennet tapped lightly on Elizabeth’s door, and hearing nothing, opened it. She was sleeping so peacefully, he hated to disturb her rest, but knew that she would want to speak with her fiancé. He entered the room and tapped her on the shoulder. Elizabeth groggily opened her eyes and looked at him, giving him her attention. “Elizabeth, my dear, I have received a note that your fiancé would like to see you for a few minutes on your path just after dawn. I thought you might like a chance to slip out before the house awakes.”

  “Thank you, Papa.” She looked at him slightly alarmed. “But is it not bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, is there something amiss?”

  “No, no, my dear, I do not believe there is anything amiss. As far as seeing the bride before the wedding, I am sure that is why he wished to see you so early. He knows you will not be dressed yet for the wedding. Oh, and you need not worry yourself. He assured me in his note that he had no intention of abandoning you at the altar this morning,” Mr. Bennet teased.

  “Oh, father, do not tease me so! I shall get up and get ready. I would not want to disappoint William on our wedding day, thank you.”

  “There is not a thing in the world you could do to disappoint him. I could not have found a more perfect match had I designed the man myself. He is simply besotted with you, my Lizzy,” Mr. Bennet said with a chuckle and left the room.

  Elizabeth prepared herself hurriedly to meet William, and walked to the footbridge to await her fiancé. It was her wedding day. Every time she thought of it, she smiled brightly. She saw him coming from a distance.

  Darcy was so urgent to see Elizabeth that he spent little time in preparation. He had on his shirt, but wore it open with no cravat. His shirt was casually tucked into his breeches and he was wearing his long coat. As he looked down at himself, and realized he had the appearance of one who had just rolled out of bed. Hmmm, and to think Tomorrow, I will not have to leave my bed to see my wife. I cannot wait to hold her naked body in my arms again. Ah, there she is! She is so beautiful, yet as haphazardly dressed as myself; just fresh out of bed, indeed… so lovely. He noted she appeared to have dressed as quickly as himself, and basked in the lovely picture she created, progressing towards him.

  As Elizabeth approached him, she gasped at the sight of him so casually dressed. She saw him stop, and with the warmth of his smile, all her worries dissipated. She ran to him and jumped into his arms. He twirled her around as they laughed until their lips met. They both pulled back to look at each other. “Happy Wedding Day, my love,” Darcy said as he kissed her again. He tried to control his ardour, as the reason for this early assignation was to inform her of the events of the previous evening, not to delight in her flesh. There would be plenty of time for that later in the day.

  “Yes, William, Happy Wedding Day. But, sir, is it not bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding?” Elizabeth smiled as she asked.

  “It is quite early. And we are not yet dressed for the wedding. So I have not truly seen you, is that not right, my Lizzy?” Darcy reasoned as he kissed her lips lightly. “Let us sit on that log over there; I need to tell you about some happenings last evening.”

  Elizabeth frowned and looked at him with a twinge of worry on her face, “I hope nothing is wrong, William?”

  “Nothing is wrong, my love, at least nothing that will effect our wedding. But I wanted to tell you of the events of last night. I could not bear to think of you hearing it from anyone else. It is of a nature that, if presented to you in a particular manner, might have brought you pain.”

  “Oh, William, please tell me of what you speak. I am now quite concerned.”

  Darcy began to tell her what he had heard, and what he had observed the previous evening. He told her of hearing his name being screamed, and finding himself in front of a room where Charles and his uncle were standing. He told her of seeing Caroline in bed in the arms of a gentleman, and her shock at seeing him at the door.

  When he had finished, he took her hands into his and continued, “My love, Charles and Mr. Hurst spoke with Miss Bingley at length last evening. I am told that Mrs. Hurst questioned her in private. It appears that Miss Bingley was quite desperate to try and compromise me in a way that would disrupt our wedding.”

  “Miss Bingley had a friend near Hartsfield, a Lady Weston. Lady Weston had written her of an incident in which her friend, a Miss Emma Woodhouse, was accosted by a parson in the area. The parson had assumed, quite wrongly, that Miss Woodhouse was expecting his addresses. He asked her to marry him, and before she could respond, grabbed her improperly. Miss Woodhouse is well, after all that transpired; and happens, coincidentally, to be engaged to a long time family, Mr. Knightley. But I knew none of this until late last night.”

  “Miss Bingley invented a plot to invite Mr. Elton to Netherfield. She thought with the lack of clerics in the area, having him offer his services to perform our marriage ceremony was quite a ploy. But as you and I know, your father had already arranged for a parson to perform the ceremony today, so services of Mr. Elton were never needed,” he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers, then her wrist and then her palm.

  “Mr. Elton was the man that showed up at Netherfield while your family was dining there the night before last,” Darcy explained as an aside.

  “Miss Bingley, it appears, stole the key to what was gratefully my former bedchamber.”

  “Oh William! How did you escape? That is to say, she did not… it did not… you are unharmed… nothing happened?” Elizabeth stuttered.

  “Elizabeth, I am very well. I assure you, but I will get to that. That is why I needed to tell you this story. I would not have you doubt me, or our felicity. Or my loyalty and devotion to you,” Darcy said as he pulled her to him and kissed her on the mouth -- a hard, deep kiss expressing the depth of his feelings. When they had pulled apart and calmed themselves, he continued with his story.

  “Mrs. Hurst said she had promised him… I fear you will not like this part, my love.” He paused and stroked the back of her cheek, and kissed her nose lightly.

  “She promised him that if he would help her, she would help him find his way into a compromising position with you. I understand she led him to believe you would welcome his attentions. We both know that it is not true.” Darcy placed a finger under her chin, beckoning her to look at him. “My love I can see how troubling this is to you. But it did not happen. You have nothing to worry about. I do believe that woman, if she can even be called such, belongs in Bedlam. Let me continue,” Darcy said as he kissed her quickly.

  “Hurst said that he heard her muttering to herself about having to find a way to stop the wedding. He has been on alert since our engagement was announced, as have I. He did not know what she was planning, but decided to protect me by changing my bedchamber. As I have been distracted, I thought little of it when my valet reported I had been moved,” Darcy smiled, and looked deeply into her eyes.

  “Hurst told me he had observed Miss Bingley attempting to open my door one night. He noted that the closer the wedding approached, the more desperate she was becoming. I thank God for his attention!” Darcy exclaimed.

  Elizabeth sighed and placed her arms around him, “Yes, thank God. We owe him quite a debt of gratitude, William.” They held each other for a few moments.

  “I agree we owe Mr. Hurst a great deal, and have arranged to send him a case of fine port from Pemberley. But I should finish my tale.”

  “Miss Bingley used the stolen key to open the door to the room she thought was mine. The room apparently was quite dark, and she really did not see who was within the covers of the bed. She got into the bed and… oh… Elizabeth… proceeded to seduce the man in the bed sleeping there… who… was thank heaven… not me.”

  “Who was in the bed, William? Who is now attached to her, as I expect that Mr. Bingley will insist that they marry? It was not Richard was it? Lord, he does not deserve that!”

  “No, no, it was not Richard. Su
rprisingly Richard, the soldier, slept through the entire event! No, it was Mr. Elton!” exclaimed Darcy as he chuckled a bit at the irony.

  “Mr. Elton, Lord, so Miss Bingley is to marry a parson?”

  “Yes, indeed, my love. Miss Bingley is to be Mrs. Elton! Charles has insisted that they marry quickly. It will take place as soon as a special license is obtained from London. Hurst has offered to depart after our wedding and travel to London for it. I suspect they will be married within the week. It will be a very small ceremony.”

  “I imagine that Miss Bingley is not happy about that!”

  “Charles told her he would not spend any extra funds on a wedding for her. Her inheritance, what is left of it after all the advancements that Bingley has been giving her, will serve as her dowry and will be given to her husband. Bingley has cut her off. She must live on her husband’s income.”

  “Miss Bingley… a parson’s wife!” Elizabeth began to laugh, which caused Darcy to laugh as well. Needless to say, as had happened in the past, their laughter infected the other, and it took them some time to calm themselves. Darcy wiped her tears of laughter as well as his own as they quieted.

  “Whatever parish he serves will need to prepare itself for orange vestments and robes at their services,” Elizabeth said with a smile.

  “I wonder if they make orange wedding gowns,” Darcy speculated.

  “And orange veils,” Elizabeth supplied.

  “And instead of coins, at the end of the service, they should throw oranges,” Darcy laughed a deep big laugh, and they were off again. Laughing until they cried.

  When they calmed themselves, Darcy drew Elizabeth onto his lap and kissed her long and tenderly, and then rested his forehead against hers.

  “Miss Bennet, for that is the last time I shall call you that, I must return you to Longbourn; as we both must prepare for our wedding,” Darcy smiled widely and gave her a light kiss.

  “I love you, so much, William, I long to be your wife,” Elizabeth replied.

  “In the sight of God you are already my wife, Lizzy. Today will only legalize what we already know to be true. But I love you as well. I long to be able to formally call you Mrs. Darcy!” He removed a box from inside his coat and handed it to her, “Open this gift when you return to Longbourn, and wear them if you desire. They were my mother’s.” He tucked her arm into his. “Come, let me walk you back,” and with that, they slowly walked to the house.

  Preparations at Longbourn and at Netherfield were accomplished, in between nerves and frenetic activity. There were a few panicked moments at Longbourn, belonging to Mrs. Bennet, when she discovered her second daughter had escaped for a walk on the morning of her wedding. At Netherfield, Georgiana and Richard found much entertainment in watching the staid and proper Mr. Darcy become flustered and nervous the closer it came time to depart to the church.

  But all preparations came to fruition, and Fitzwilliam Darcy stood at the front of the chapel with his dearest friend, Charles Bingley. He could not ever, in his entire life, remember a time in which he had felt more joyous anticipation. Elizabeth was to be bound to him, and he to her, for all the days of their lives. Lightness infused his soul. He need never again be caught by the darkness of isolation, desolation, and loneliness that had trapped him for so long.

  His soul had already joined with Lizzy’s. They were one flesh. They had already agreed it to be so, but now the eyes of the church and their families, they would be legally bound to each other.

  The music began and Miss Jane Bennet walked down the aisle. Darcy was not paying attention at the time, but if anyone had looked in Charles’ eyes at that exact moment, they would have thought Charles was the groom.

  Darcy’s breath caught when Elizabeth appeared in the doorway with her father. Light filtered in from the windows, giving her a heavenly glow. She was a vision in pale lavender. Her head was covered in very special lace, imported from France, that his aunt had brought for her. It had graced the heads of all of the Fitzwilliam brides for three generations. Darcy’s mother had worn it when she married his father. Around her neck, she wore the pearls Lady Anne had worn on her wedding day. They had been inside the package Darcy had given to her that morning. She was a vision -- all that was lovely, an ethereal creature, a goddess in light. Darcy was transfixed.

  It is not the work of this fiction to recite the words repeated in all ceremonies. But they were exchanged. A ring was given. Prayers were said. Tears were shed. Vows were made before God and man.

  Mr. Bertram spoke of the love he had witnessed in the couple. “It is rare as a pastor that I am able to witness a true love match. But in Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth, I see the love they have for each other, and it is the kind of love that I read of in I Corinthians 13:

  *‘Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.

  After a final prayer, Mr. Bertram proclaimed, “May I now present, Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy.”

  *~*~*~*~*

  Later in the carriage, Darcy pulled his bride onto his lap and kissed her long and deep.

  “William, will you not tell me where we are going?” Elizabeth cocked her head, raising her brow as she gave him her most alluring smile.

  “No, Mrs. Darcy, it is a secret. And we know that all good things come to those who wait…” Darcy advised, kissing her again.

  *Text is from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The New International Version interprets the original test as:

  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

  Chapter 19

  Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy were celebrating their newly spoken vows in a way lovers often do. Well, as best as one can in a carriage without consummation.

  “Oh William, I love you, my husband. Will you not tell me where we are going?” Elizabeth said as she climbed into Darcy’s lap and began to nibble on his earlobe.

  Darcy pulled her close to him, one arm around her waist, while the other hand was busy slipping beneath her low neckline and along her lush bounteous breast towards its goal -- her increasingly hard nipple. One of his favourite fascinations with his wife was watching her bud ripen beneath her dress… he was enjoying it presently.

  “No, my love. Did I not already tell you good things would come for those who wait, my impatient bride?” They whispered words of love to each other as they kissed, and Darcy revelled in exploring her breasts.

  Elizabeth, being the competent student, reached down to the front of his breeches and began to stroke his hardening member, as she said, “William, can I see to your relief, my love?”

  William found that Lizzy’s attention to his manhood caused him to consider taking her in the carriage, and not to proceed in such a manner he stilled her hand. “Oh God, Lizzy, what you do to me! Love, you must stop. I want and need you more than I could ever imagine. But I have plans to experience you in a luxurious, large and warm bed; not in a rocking carriage in which there is too much chance of discovery.” William said this as he reluctantly picked up her hand to arrest its progress, and brought it to his lips to kiss each individual finger and suckle on her thumb.

  “Come, my love, let us rest for the remainder of our journey. As you know with all the events of last evening, I have slept little. I have plans for you this evening that require my attention, so let us spend some time in repose until we arrive.”

  “Oh, of course, William,” and she moved off of his lap to lean her back against him. Shortly they were both asleep, he with his arms
around her and her head resting against his neck.

  A little more than an hour later the carriage stopped and the footman came to knock on the carriage door. “Mr. Darcy, sir, we have arrived.”

  Elizabeth and William both woke from a sound sleep, and looked at each other and smiled. As they righted their clothing, Elizabeth said, “Are you going to tell me where we are, William?”

  “I believe you will know the moment we alight from this conveyance.”

  Darcy put his finger to her lips, “No more questions, Lizzy. Let us leave the carriage and all will be revealed.”

  Darcy opened the door, and the footman assisted them in stepping out. Elizabeth took a moment to get her bearings. There were large torches lit in front of a house that looked familiar, “Stoke, we are at the Great House, oh William, how did you do this?” She looked around, and it was like the house had come alive in three days. There were lights in all the windows and there were two servants standing at the front door. The grounds had been manicured. The hedges were clipped to exquisite detail.

  Elizabeth looked up at William and smiled at him.

  “I take it you are happy?”

  “Oh William, I am, I am speechless! But it has only been three days, how, how did you accomplish all of this?”

  “Your father suggested we use it for our honeymoon. Many of our staff from the townhouse in London are here, and have been opening the estate,” he said as he escorted her towards the door.