Sorrow and Second Chances

by E Bradshaw

  “Hooray for you,” Darcy muttered with a sarcastic expression. “I’m sure it must have put your mind at rest a great deal to know that Mr Collins approves!”

  “Indeed,” agreed Mr Bennet with an ironic smile. “The man is so transparent; clearly, he no longer felt that my intended bride would be any sort of threat to his future inheritance since he now regards her as being past her child-bearing years.”

  Darcy was just about to make a jest at Mr Bennet’s expense about him making an effort to prove Mr Collins’ wrong on that score by producing a child with his future wife, but he thought better of it when he saw the lady herself drawing closer, along with Elizabeth. The ladies had walked a circuit around the tent as they had greeted people and talked to various guests, and they looked in good spirits as they returned to the spot where Darcy and Mr Bennet were sitting together. Both men immediately stood to greet the ladies, and Mr Bennet smiled at his fiancée and his daughter, clearly pleased to see that the two of them were getting on so well with one another.

  “The girls seem to be having a marvellous time,” commented Mrs McRoy, as she pointed towards the opposite corner of the room where Lydia, Kitty and Georgiana were all being partnered around a dance. In contrast, Mary and Mr Richardson stood quietly to one side, engrossed in a private conversation with one another, as typical of their more introverted personalities.

  “Yes, it is an absolute nightmare having so many daughters to watch over at once!” joked Mr Bennet with a pained expression. “I shall be glad when I have your assistance with the task, my dear.”

  Mrs McRoy smiled and patted Mr Bennet’s arm with obvious affection. “I am very much looking forward to it,” she assured him.

  “And at least you’ve only got three daughters to watch over now,” Elizabeth grinned.

  “Just because you and Jane are all grown up now and have fledged the nest, it doesn’t stop me from worrying about you, all the same,” Mr Bennet corrected her. “I shall always fret over my girls, even though they tell me that I drive them mad by doing so!”

  “But this is a celebration and you should be enjoying yourself!” Elizabeth protested.

  “Yes,” interjected Darcy; “I have not seen you dance all evening. Perhaps you should take a turn around the dancefloor with your lovely fiancée.”

  “Oh, so now, I see, you plan to get your revenge on me for all the times I have teased you in the past!” Mr Bennet griped. “But I assure you, I am much too old for dancing.”

  “Just as you thought you were too old for marriage?” teased Darcy. “You should know that you are never too old for a little bit of exertion – so I urge you, take Mrs McRoy to the next dance set!”

  “I should be very happy to take a turn around the dance floor with you,” Mrs McRoy interjected with a persuasive smile towards her glowering fiancé.

  “I can remember when you were a bad-tempered and aloof young toff, who used to stand alone at the edge of every social gathering – but now look at you!” Mr Bennet groused to Darcy in a tone of exasperation. “I think my daughter has made you soft!”

  “She has,” agreed Darcy, as he smiled affectionately at his wife and wrapped his arm around her waist, “but only those closest to me know of it. Everyone else still thinks that I am that same bad-tempered toff!”

  “They certainly do not!” protested Elizabeth. “Papa, stop bullying my poor husband!”

  “Bully him?” exclaimed Mr Bennet. “I’m quite sure that it has been the other way around! In fact, he has spent the best part of a year and a half badgering me out of all my eccentric and obstinate moods – though I have to say I am most grateful to him for it,” he added in a more heartfelt tone.

  Knowing that he had been beaten, Mr Bennet turned with a resigned look towards his laughing fiancée. “So, I suppose I had better learn to accept when my son-in-law and my daughter are in the right,” he said to her with a smile. “And so, come, my dear, I shall do as they suggest and learn to enjoy myself. Will you do me honour of accompanying me to the dance floor?”

  Epilogue

  Mr Bennet married his second wife in mid-November in the year of 1813. It became a legendary day from that day onwards in the memories of everyone who attended; the rain poured down so ferociously that the roads began to flood, and the wedding guests could hardly see two yards in front of their faces as they scurried to and from their waiting carriages. Even so, no one cared about the weather, for they were simply glad to see Mr Bennet and his bride looking so happy. All of Mr Bennet’s daughters were in attendance; even Jane, who despite the fact that she was heavily pregnant and due to give birth in less than a month’s time, still insisted on attending the church service so she could witness her father’s wedding day.

  After the service, as all the guests made their way to Longbourn House to take tea, Mr Bennet and his new wife stayed behind in the churchyard and went to lay her bridal bouquet upon Agnes’ grave. Darcy spotted the two of them as he ushered Elizabeth and Georgiana out of the church and into their waiting carriage; they were standing huddled together at the graveside under the cover of Mr Bennet’s umbrella. What the two of them talked about at the graveside, no one knew, though they seemed at peace when they later joined their guests in the warmth of the sitting room.

  It was not an excessive wedding celebration, just as there had not been a large gathering of people at the church; it was merely tea and wedding cake served in the sitting room at Longbourn, with people keeping warm around the fire and enjoying one another’s company. Little Thomas had not joined his parents in getting wet in the rain; instead, he had been kept warm by the fire at Longbourn under the supervision of his nurse – though Elizabeth soon had him back in her arms once she had dried off. Later, as the guests gradually dwindled away, the newly married couple thanked everyone in turn for coming and exchanged secret looks of relief with one another that they would soon be left in solitude. It was not that they did not enjoy the company of their guests, or that they were not grateful to have such affectionate friends and family members who had supported them on their momentous day; it was simply a case that they were eager to be alone and at liberty to unwind after a hectic day.

  The last to leave were Mr Bennet’s daughters, who all hugged their father and their new step-mother with great affection, before they too, left the house so that the newly married couple might finally have their privacy. The five sisters had arranged to spend that evening together, and so along with Charles, Darcy and Georgiana, they all travelled to Netherfield Hall, where – much to their collected relief – a hot meal was awaiting them. Jane was glad to put her feet up and rest on the settee after such a long day, and with all her sisters, her friends and her beloved husband with her, the rest of the evening passed in relaxed camaraderie, with lots of laughter and fond reminiscing about their years growing up together.

  *****

  The next day, Georgiana travelled onto the Darcy townhouse in London, taking Mary, Kitty and Lydia with her for an extended stay. And while Darcy stood at the carriage door giving all his sisters a lecture about being sensible and not breaking all the household antiques whilst he was not there to supervise them, Elizabeth, in contrast, gave them all affectionate kisses and told them to enjoy themselves. Despite Darcy’s fretting, however, he knew full well that the young ladies wouldn’t be able to get up to too much mischief, since – unbeknown to them – he had arranged for his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, to reside in the house so as to keep some kind of order. Even so, Darcy did grin a little wickedly to himself at the thought that though Richard was a war hero with years of experience of keeping order in his ranks and of barking orders at his soldiers, nothing could prepare him for the overwhelmingly daunting task of supervising four young women around the social scene of London. And though Elizabeth had taken pity on Richard and had arranged for his mother, Lady Matlock, to lend her support with the task, Darcy still enjoyed picturing his cousin’s discomfiture and panic when faced with one of Kitty and Lydia’s legendary squabbl
es.

  For himself, Darcy was heartily glad to be missing the over-crowded and over-hyped swaggering and general posturing of the London social scene – and for this reason, he was especially glad that he and Elizabeth and little baby Thomas were remaining at Netherfield Hall for the next several weeks. Jane had expressed a great wish to have her sister with her whilst she waited through her final weeks of pregnancy (and a greater need yet to have Elizabeth’s support through the unknown territory of childbirth), and so she had written to ask if they all might stay with her and Charles after their father’s wedding. Since Darcy couldn’t bear to deny Elizabeth anything that would make her happy (and knowing full well that his poor friend would be a nervous wreck when his darling wife went into labour), Darcy had readily agreed to the plan. Indeed, it made him very happy to see Elizabeth looking so content as she sat by the fire holding little Thomas as she chatted with her sister – whilst he was very glad to have the opportunity to spend time with his friend again.

  In fact, he and Charles occupied themselves that November with many of the same diversions that had occupied them during their very first stay at Netherfield exactly two years before. They rode every day and came back to the house splattered all over with mud; they played cards and practised their sword play, and they sometimes went shooting with the other gentlemen in the area. They occasionally visited some of their neighbours along with Jane and Elizabeth, and they saw Mr Bennet and the new Mrs Bennet whenever they came calling at Netherfield. They spent their evenings by the fire in the company of their wives – sometimes reading or playing cards, and sometimes telling amusing anecdotes – but always the four of them were relaxed and easy with one another, and thus the time passed seamlessly.

  In fact, the visit at Netherfield Hall was strangely reminiscent for Darcy and he was often reminded of memories from the past. He remembered the first, rather startling time he had laid eyes on Elizabeth at the local Meryton ball – and the confusing, conflicting emotions she had provoked in him when she had stayed at Netherfield nursing her sick sister. Indeed, he remembered all those times when he had lain alone in bed in one of the guest bedrooms at Netherfield, feeling increasingly angry with himself for his sinful (and completely uncontrollable) thoughts of Elizabeth. Now, every time he held her as they lay together in that same guest bed, he counted his many blessings, for he no longer had to endure the torture of his frustrated imagination, for she was truly his.

  *****

  In early December, with the support and assistance of her sister, Jane gave birth to a baby daughter. Darcy was very glad that he and Elizabeth had been present at Netherfield for the event, for he well remembered the long, solitary hours of agonising worry as he had waited for any news of Elizabeth’s welfare when she had been going through the same ordeal, and so he was glad that he was there to help keep Charles calm as he paced and fretted downstairs. Naturally, as soon as the doctor had given Charles the news of his daughter’s birth and had assured him that both his wife and the baby were well, Charles had raced straight up the stairs to see his wife and to meet his daughter. In fact, he was in such a rush that he didn’t stay to hear the rest of the doctor’s advice about ensuring that Mrs Bingley had her rest, though Darcy remained behind and made sure to listen to all the instructions on his friend’s behalf.

  Jane and Charles named their little girl Charlotte Agnes, after his mother and hers – who were both now deceased, and both very much missed. Little Charlotte was fortunate from the very moment of her birth, for she was just as beautiful as her mother and just as good-natured as her father – and predictably, very much doted on by the both of them. Darcy and Elizabeth made sure to give the new parents their privacy, though both Charles and Jane said again and again how grateful they were to the two of them for their support and invaluable advice. Even so, Darcy and Elizabeth felt it was important to give Charles and Jane the space in which to adjust to parenthood and to get to know the new addition to their family, and so only a few days after little Charlotte’s birth, the two of them embraced their sister and friend for the final time before departing (along with their own little one) for London.

  *****

  Despite Darcy’s concerns about the potential state of their house whilst under the somewhat dubious care of four young women, he and Elizabeth were pleasantly surprised to find everything in order when they reached their London townhouse. In fact, they were surprised by the altogether harmonious scene which they encountered when they first walked into the sitting room at Darcy House, for Kitty, Lydia, Mary and Georgiana were sat together playing a game of whist and for the moment peace reigned between them. Even so, Richard seemed very pleased to see the two of them again and he joked that he would be glad to return to his life of reckless bachelorhood without the responsibility of having to watch over four young charges.

  They had a full household as they celebrated Christmas that year, for in addition to having Elizabeth’s youngest sisters there as guests, as well as Richard, they had also invited Richard’s brother and parents, the Earl and Lady Matlock. Darcy had also invited his cousin Anne and (with some misgivings) his Aunt Catherine, but it was clear that Lady Catherine still held a grudge against him, for she had resolutely declined the invitation. His Uncle Matlock harrumphed and complained about his sister’s ill-temper, telling them all that she had always been self-centred and crabby, even as a child, and he declared to Darcy that he would be having a curt, no-nonsense conversation with his sister about her behaviour the next time he saw her. Nevertheless, despite Lady Catherine’s snub, the family all had a very merry Christmas that year and their guests were rather reluctant to leave when the time came.

  Even so, Mary wished to return to Longbourn since she had her wedding trousseau to prepare before her wedding – which (despite Mr Bennet’s best efforts at putting off) had finally been set for the end of February. Their Aunt and Uncle Gardiner had been frequent visitors at Darcy House in the weeks before Christmas, and so Mary had had a great deal of assistance from her aunt and from her sisters in shopping for all the things she might need when she began her married life. Her Aunt Gardiner had helped her to choose the best selections of cloth, and though her sisters had helped Mary to begin sewing her wedding trousseau over the Christmas period, she still had a great deal of it to complete and so she was eager to return home so that she, Kitty and Lydia could continue the work in earnest.

  Besides, all three of them dearly wished to meet their new niece and to ensure that Jane was well. They had heard several times from their eldest sister whilst they had been in London with accounts of how baby Charlotte was progressing, but it was not actually the same as being able to hold and marvel over the new little addition to their family. And after a parting of almost two months, the sisters very much missed their father. They wished to be reunited with him and to go home so they could begin to adjust to life with their new step-mother.

  Moreover, although Mary didn’t admit it out loud, both Elizabeth and Darcy knew very well that Mary was missing her young man. Mr Richardson had stayed with his family in Meryton for a while in November and had therefore been able to attend Mr Bennet’s wedding, but he and Mary had not seen one another since then. Taking pity on the young couple, Elizabeth had invited Mary’s fiancé to spend the Christmas season at Darcy House with them all, but Mr Richardson had written back and explained that though he would have dearly liked to have travelled down to London in order to be with Mary for the festive season, he had his own congregation in Derbyshire to serve now, and he took such responsibilities very seriously. Though Mary had been disappointed at the time, she had commended his dedication to his religious calling and had stated assertively that she would not wish to marry a man who did not have such a determined sense of duty.

  Thus, in mid-January, Darcy sent Kitty, Lydia and Mary back to Meryton in one of his carriages – though ever-mindful of the potential risks posed on the highways, he had the girls escorted home by two of his footmen. The house seemed very quiet after th
e departure of three such lively young women, and Elizabeth and Georgiana missed them a great deal. Nevertheless, there was always a great deal to occupy their time. They saw Elizabeth’s Gardiner relations almost every week, and little Thomas always kept them busy. They attended the theatre and went to the shops, and now that Georgiana was officially out in society, there were always plenty of invitations to attend society events.

  Elizabeth and Darcy always chaperoned Georgiana at each event (though Darcy glowered rather more than he smiled at such gatherings and certainly scared off all but the most determined of would-be suitors). Inevitably, there was always plenty of visitors coming to Darcy House, which included everyone from their usual circle of friends and acquaintances, but also a horde of preening young men and their flagrantly ambitious mothers. And though Darcy would have happily cut off such people forever, Elizabeth and Georgiana patiently endured such visits, for it was simply how things were done in society – and especially when the prize was a pretty young heiress with a reputed fortune of thirty thousand pounds. Even so, Georgiana had made it quite clear to her brother that she would not be tempted into marriage for anything other than compete and unadulterated love, and Darcy – being himself a person who understood the utter earth-shattering emotion of love (and besides, not at all keen to lose his sister too soon) – had readily agreed to such a stipulation.

  Georgiana had witnessed how happily matched her brother and Elizabeth were, and having seen what a good marriage looked like, she had no wish to settle for any kind of arrangement that was more a bargain of land and money, rather than a true meeting of two minds. Darcy could not have been happier that Georgiana’s first season in Town had passed without her falling in love, and so it was agreed between the siblings that there was absolutely no need for her to rush into marriage. Even so, Darcy was rather relieved that they had a wedding to attend in Hertfordshire at the end of February, for he was glad to whisk his sister away from the somewhat predatory marriage market that always prevailed in Town.