Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth

by Greer Boyd

“The return along with the one percent from the initial investment money will be held and reinvested for Nathan in a special fund administered for him by Mr. Grove. I will continue this same policy with each and every investment that Nathan recommends that is actually funded.” Turning his gaze to the door through which Nathan had just departed and back to the Gardiners, he made a request, “But I ask that you not tell him that I will be doing this.”

  “But William, why ever not?” asked Aunt Lilly, as her brow furrowed in confusion.

  “I do not want him to worry about actually losing money. The time for that concern will come soon enough with adulthood,” Darcy replied straightforwardly.

  “When will this ‘apprenticeship’ begin?” asked Uncle Edward leaning forward, placing his elbow on the arm of the couch and rubbing his fingertips over his bottom lip.

  “Immediately, but I would think in earnest after the first of the year.” He rose to walk from his chair to look out of the window of the study into the lantern-lit courtyard below. “Nathan can begin with the quarterly review of all of the investments for Mills Ventures; Elizabeth’s Affinité Enterprise; Gardiner’s Shipping; and then the Darcy holdings. I would also like to see what he may ‘find’ on his own.”

  Seeming to stroll from the window to behind the chair he previously occupied, he placed his hand on the back as he continued, “In the meantime, I will ask Aunt Eleanor to approach Eton’s headmaster to ascertain what level of knowledge is deemed necessary to finish the school successfully. We will compare that information with what David, Richard and I actually achieved. Between Elizabeth, Mr. Grove, and Aunt Eleanor, we should be able to determine what masters may be needed, if any, to complete an equivalent education. However, as I mentioned before, having talked with Nathan many times, I personally feel that there is little if anything more required.”

  Both parents were elated to hear Darcy’s evaluation of their son.

  “William,” asked Aunt Lilly almost as an afterthought, “What about Nathan and Annabel?”

  “Aunt Lilly, I leave that to those better qualified to handle the task . . . you and Aunt Eleanor.” With that being said, all three laughed, stood, and left to join the others in the sitting room.

  The next day Darcy House was a hive of activity. It had been determined that Darcy House would host the wedding breakfast, while Matlock House would host the young men and their families prior to the weddings. The next ten days seemed to fly by as the Darcy family and extended family attended the theatre and various dinners at night and quietly shopped for baby clothing and furniture by day.

  Since the wedding party was going to be so large, it was fortunate that the carriages that Piers had ordered months before were finally being delivered, twelve in all, a full week before the wedding. Five of the carriages were for Gabby and her four sisters, one each for Rebecca and Maryann, two for Georgiana’s personal use, and three for Piers. As with Georgiana’s carriages, one of the three carriages for Piers was to be left at Darcy House until such time as he purchased a home of his own in London if he should so choose. Otherwise, it would remain at Darcy House until he might have need of it. One of Georgiana’s and two of his would travel back with him to Caenvista.

  Mr. Quartermain and his brother Jesse, along with Darcy and Piers, had selected the forty-eight carriages horses needed: twelve teams each consisting of four matching horses. The carriages were brought to Quartermain Downs, the estate of Mr. Jesse Quartermain, where the teams were to be stabled until the day of the wedding of the five sisters.

  The day of the weddings found much of London abuzz with talk of the five couples to be wed in one of the most elaborate ceremonies that the “ton” had ever seen. Aunt Eleanor was totally in her element. The church was filled with the cream of English society: the majority of whom had returned to London from their country estates specifically to attend the wedding of the D’Arcy sisters, and they were quite comfortably ensconced beside lesser gentry and wealthy tradesmen.

  Elizabeth, standing up with the ladies, and Piers, standing up with the gentlemen, waited at the front of the church as each of the D’Arcy ladies came down the aisle. Uncle James escorted Madame Gabriella Claudine to the front of the church where he gave her hand to Mr. Grove, Darcy escorted Linette to Mr. Georges, David escorted Pauline to Mr. Folkes, Richard escorted Arabella to Lord Tillman, and Charles escorted Josephine to Mr. Lively.

  As each young woman had walked down the aisle to her future husband, a twitter of whispers went throughout the church regarding the beauty of their wedding gowns. Each had been designed specifically to accentuate the individual woman’s form and all had been made by the most sought-after modiste in London . . . themselves.

  Every bridal bouquet not only matched the colour of the bride’s gown, but mimicked the plethora of flowers that decorated the church, and only enhanced the beauty of each of the D’Arcy women. The many florists that Aunt Eleanor contacted had procured the most beautiful blooms that all of the hothouses of London and the surrounding area within a day’s ride had to offer.

  The most influential ladies of London’s high society, the Patroness of Almack’s, London’s most prominent social club as well as the most exclusive, were ALL in attendance, having been specifically invited by Aunt Eleanor. After the last of the vows were spoken, the brides were kissed, the church registry signed, and the couples announced, they declared, “The wedding of the five D’Arcy sisters was the grandest social event of the last quarter century.” With that statement, the social standing of the five women was immediately elevated and Aunt Eleanor was absolutely beside herself with joy.

  Uncle James and Aunt Eleanor, and Piers and Georgiana, along with each of the five newly married couples, made up the receiving line for the wedding breakfast, as almost the entirety of those who had attended the weddings reassembled shortly afterward at Darcy House. Mrs. Wyatt and the Darcy House cook, Mrs. Brooke, along with Aunt Eleanor’s cook, had produced a wondrous wedding breakfast with a most abundant variety of meat, fowl, and fish, delectable fruits both seasonal and exotic. Serendipity Confections had provided the most elegant array of treats and desserts that the eye could behold. The wine cellars at Darcy House were opened to provide wines and champagne alongside the lemonade, fruit drinks and ices, teas, hot chocolate, and coffee.

  Standing beside Aunt Eleanor, Elizabeth looked over the abundant display of food and spirits as she almost gushed, “Oh, my, Aunt Eleanor, you are an absolute miracle worker. Why, one would have thought that you had been planning this for months.”

  Aunt Eleanor smiled and then started to giggle, quickly raising her hand to hide her mouth, “Actually, I had thought that this might be an engagement ball, but it is even better as a wedding breakfast. What do you think?”

  “Absolutely,” was all Elizabeth had time to say before all five of the new brides rushed to her side.

  “Oh, Lizzy,” Gabby nearly sobbed, spreading her arms to encompass her sisters, “we are all so happy, and it is all because of you.”

  “No, no, no,” Elizabeth demurred, “I was only fortunate enough to run into Bella while touring in France and thereby was able to offer you all an opportunity. Everything else is because of you.” Raising her own hands just as Gabby had done, she, too, felt tears moisten her eyes as she recounted, “I am so very happy for you all.”

  Gabby reached up and grabbed Elizabeth’s hands and held them in front of her, before saying in a somewhat conspiratorial tone: “Lizzy, we want so much to give you a gift to show you a petite part of our appreciation for all that you have done for us, but we also know that you would not accept it. So, I have been instructed to inform you that just as we did for Jane, we have started on YOUR wedding gown and trousseau.” Looking much like ballerinas in an exquisitely choreographed routine, each sister then bent to bestow a sisterly kiss on Elizabeth’s cheek and give her a gentle hug, as Gabby announced, “It will be OUR wedding gift to you.”

  “What would I ever do without you my dear, dear friend
s,” gasped Elizabeth, as she reached for her pocket square to dab at the tears that now had reached the point where they might spill over.

  “Lizzy,” moaned Bella laughingly dabbing at the corner of her own eye, “do not do that or we shall all start to cry.”

  Looking at the misty eyes of the sisters, Elizabeth dabbed at her eyes one more time before smiling brightly and said, “Enough . . . enough. You are to be off for your honeymoons and that is a time for happiness. No more tears.”

  As an ensemble, the brides escorted Elizabeth to Darcy’s side before each joined her new husband to bid farewell to those in attendance at the breakfast. But before they could depart, Darcy reminded them, “You know that we expect to see you all at Pemberley for the Christmas holiday.”

  Piers and Georgiana immediately stepped to Darcy’s side and added, “And we expect to see you all at Caenvista for the New Year’s holiday.”

  Looking at their new husbands for confirmation, each sister responded in turn, “Yes, Cousin,” before veritably floating out the door to their waiting carriages to begin their honeymoons. Gabby and Lin were staying in London, Bella and Jo were traveling to family estates, and Paulie and Mr. Folkes were to honeymoon at Longbourn Estate before returning to live at Caenvista with Piers and Georgiana.

  CHAPTER 18

  By late that afternoon, Darcy House was oddly quiet . . . almost silent. Uncle James and Aunt Eleanor, Annabel, and their sons and wives had departed to Matlock House. From there the Fitzwilliam brothers and their wives were to begin preparation to depart to Rosings Park. Charles and Jane were visiting with the Gardiners before returning to Netherfield. Rebecca and Mr. Fleming had gone to their home close to Elizabeth’s near Cheapside. Lastly, Maryann and Mr. Denny had left for Oakhill, their estate in Derbyshire.

  Elizabeth was surprised to find that she was feeling more than slightly unsettled and somewhat lonely. Georgiana had asked for her to stay at Darcy House as her personal guest instead of returning to her home, and she had agreed before she realized how the recent changes would affect her. For the last eight months or so, she had been in the center of a cacophony of people and activities and conversations . . . a veritable hive of activity . . . and now Darcy House was virtually silent.

  She walked to the solarium to stroll among the trees and frond-laden potted plants that spilled over into the walking path almost creating tunnels of greenery, but it was too serene, too calm, too . . . quiet. It left her feeling even more unsettled. She knew the reason for her discomposure: William . . . her love . . . her heart.

  She suddenly realized that loneliness was only a part of her distress. She was envious. She actually felt envy for the first time in her life. Elizabeth had never been envious of the wealth that other people had. Instead, she had tried to make what she had work for her. She had never been envious of the beauty of others, especially of her sister Jane’s beauty. Because Jane’s beauty was more than superficial, it was her whole being. She had never been envious of the accomplishments of others, because she had been allowed to do and accomplish more than the vast majority of women she knew and had looked up to. But she recognized this unease, this distress, for what it truly was . . . envy.

  Over the past months, the women she had grown to love as much as her own two remaining sisters had each found love and now they were all married. They were free to experience the physical pleasure of their love: physical release in the act of love. That was why she was envious. That was what she wanted . . . with her William.

  Elizabeth sat on a stone bench close to the small water wheel that operated much like the elaborate music boxes that she had seen in France, only on a larger scale: rising about ten feet from the floor. Each morning a footman came to the conservatory, opened the almost hidden door in the back of the base, inserted the key, and turned it until the mechanism inside was wound as tightly as possible. Then, after he removed the key and closed the door, he tripped a lever above the door to allow the wheel to turn slowly throughout most of the day. Attached to the wheel, a multitude of tiny little dippers, only about a quarter of the size of a teacup, carried water from the small “pond” at the base of the wheel to the top, where they dumped the water out onto stones that had been strategically placed to channel it so that it would splash down from one stone to the next, mimicking the sound of a small brook. Normally this soothed her . . . but not today.

  “The music room . . . that is where I need to go,” she thought to herself as she strode along the corridor of the main floor and then walked up the stairs. Elizabeth did not realize that her steps had been so quiet. When she rounded the door, she found Piers and Georgiana in a most passionate embrace on the bench seat of the piano, and so totally absorbed in one another that they did not notice her intrusion.

  She quickly backed out of the room and calmly walked to the balustrade overlooking the foyer. There she stood for a few moments, before retracing her steps. Only this time, with a smile on her face, she inquired of the footman who was walking by in the hallway just outside of the music room door, “Mr. Jackson, do you know where Lady Georgiana might be?”

  “No ma’am,” he responded cheerfully, “I have not seen her. Would you like for me to inquire of her whereabouts?”

  “Thank you . . . no. She might be in the music room. I will check there first,” responded Elizabeth with her smile evident in her voice, as she very slowly walked toward the door, careful to allow them time to make themselves presentable. This time as she entered the room, she found them still sitting on the bench seat, but now they were looking through the pieces of music lying atop the piano.

  “There you are,” she announced, as though she had not been in the room only moments before. “I had thought that I might practice for a while, but I would truly love to hear you and Piers play, if you will.”

  “We would love to play for you, Lizzy. Do you have a preference?” asked Georgiana, her face still slightly flushed from her passionate interlude with Piers.

  “No, anything that the two of you play would be a pleasure to hear,” Elizabeth continued to smile, as she sat to listen to their music.

  As they began to play together, in a manner very similar to the way they had played the first time they met, Elizabeth leaned back in her chair. Closing her eyes, she let the music flow over her; but, eyes closed or not, she was instantly aware of the moment Darcy entered the room. He walked silently over the rug-covered floor toward her and, taking her hand into his own, kissed the back. Still retaining her hand, he sat in the chair that had been purposely moved closer to the one that she currently occupied.

  “Oh, William, my heart,” she whispered, as she looked pleadingly at him, “how will we endure for more than four months?”

  “Because, Lizzy, my love, it is ONLY a little more than four months,” countered Darcy, with such a look of desire that Elizabeth’s pulse began to race. “What is four more months compared to the rest of our lives?”

  Knowing that he was as affected as she, Elizabeth argued morosely, “This house is far too quiet. It allows too much time to reflect on desires of the heart.” Then more quietly, in almost a whisper, she added, “And of the body.”

  “Then, let us see if we can procure a bit of distraction.” Darcy turned his head in the direction of his sister and, with a broad smile of his own, asked, “Georgiana, do you think Aunt Eleanor would allow us to take Annabel back with us when we depart for Pemberley three days hence?”

  “Oh, I think that she might be persuaded,” giggled Georgiana, “but you know if you do that, Aunt Eleanor herself will arrive at Pemberley much sooner than currently planned.”

  “Of course, I am counting on it,” Darcy countered. He then turned to Elizabeth and queried. “Lizzy, do you think Aunt Lilly will let us take her three oldest children back to Pemberley until after the New Year holiday?”

  “I know that Nathan would be here almost as soon as the invitation is offered. Pemberley would be a new adventure for Clarissa and Oliver, but I feel certain that Aun
t Lilly will allow them to come with us,” Elizabeth spoke cheerfully, as she warmed very much to the idea. First and foremost, they would amply serve as a distraction, and second, it would be a most wonderful experience for them.

  “Excellent,” proclaimed Darcy, smiling to Elizabeth as he stood and pulled at the bottom of both sides of his waistcoat. “I think that four children should provide sufficient distraction and increase the noise and activity level at Pemberley. Before we leave, we still have the next two days to be concerned about. What shall we do?”

  “We might attend the operatic performance that is being performed in two days. Perhaps the children could attend with us,” volunteered Georgiana, leaving the piano and walking toward her brother.

  “Georgiana, I know that they would love to attend,” enthused Elizabeth.

  “Tomorrow, we should plan a day of activities and a visit to the modiste and Serendipity before returning home,” announced Darcy, before he gently pulled Elizabeth to her feet.

  “Thank you, my love,” Elizabeth whispered, her deep gratitude apparent as she ran her thumb over his knuckles and looked squarely into his face.