Chapter 20
There had been a flurry of activity of wedding preparation since they had arrived back at Longbourn and Netherfield Park. Mrs. Hill and the very competent Longbourn servants had everything well in hand, and Hill had followed the instructions from her mistress and Miss Lizzy to the letter.
For this stay, the Fitzwilliams joined Darcy, Bingley, the Hursts, and Anne de Bourgh at Netherfield Park to take some pressure off the servants and the Hills as the final preparations for the wedding were made.
Only Georgiana Darcy stayed at Longbourn to be with her Bennet sisters.
Three days before the wedding, the Gardiners arrived at Longbourn.
Six-year-old May Gardiner was to be the flower girl.
Jane would stand up with Lizzy and the now former Colonel, the Honourable Mr. Richard Fitzwilliam, would stand up with his cousin and soon to be brother.
Bingley did not begrudge Richard the position as he knew the two cousins had been as close as brothers for the whole of their lives.
With Meryton only a four-hour journey from London, friends would be coming on the day of the wedding. They were to be married by Darcy’s cousin, Archibald Darcy, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who would arrive on the morrow, two days before the ceremony.
Richard Fitzwilliam had returned from town the day before. The Bennets and the Gardiners had joined the Netherfield Park party for dinner to celebrate the selling of Richard’s commission and his official honourable discharge from His Majesties Own Royal Dragoons.
As sad as General Atherton had been to lose an officer of Richard Fitzwilliam’s calibre, the Countess and her soon-to-be daughter Mary were ecstatic Richard would never have to go to war again.
The man himself felt relief after trading the uncertainty of the army for the peace and love that would be his life from now on.
Darcy spent almost every waking hour of every day at Longbourn with his beloved Lizzy. Luckily with a mother as understanding as Lizzy’s, they were only disturbed if no one else knew their preferences.
At times, when they walked in the park, up to Oakham Mount, or rode their horses, they were chaperoned by Kitty, Georgie, Tom, and James, either all four or some combination thereof.
The day before the wedding they sat with Darcy’s cousin, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in a formal meeting any clergyman marrying a couple would normally have. It turned out to be rather less formal than what the couples expected.
“William, I can see you and my soon to be cousin have made a love match, just as I did with my wonderful Eugenia and your late father did with his Anne.” The Archbishop smiled warmly at Lizzy before again meeting his cousin’s eyes.
“We most certainly have made a love match, Cousin Archibald. I do not know what I have done to be lucky enough to have secured the love of this wonderful, caring, and compassionate woman,” Darcy agreed with a dreamy look as he locked eyes with his beloved.
“I am the lucky one William. You are the best man I know, and I am blessed to become your wife on the morrow,” Lizzy replied sweetly.
She marvelled at how relaxed she felt because this was the natural next step in their journey, and she looked forward to each one. The archbishop was amused and knew without his presence the two lovers would be lost in their own world.
“No need to argue over who had the biggest share of luck in your love for one another. I would say you are equally blessed. William, I have no doubt your parents are shining their love down on you from heaven.
“I can confidently say they would whole heartedly approve of your Elizabeth. Although they are by God’s side now, they are still sorely missed.
My late father Gerald loved his older brother, your grandfather, Gilroy, to distraction as they were the only two Darcy sons.
Although George was more than two decades younger than me, I always enjoyed spending time with my father’s favourite nephew.
I am sure my parents and yours are celebrating your good fortune on high,” he offered soothingly to both.
Both Darcy and Elizabeth expressed their emotions in tears that ran down their cheeks in reaction to what the archbishop had said.
It was something Darcy had needed to hear because the closer his wedding was, the more he missed his parents and wished they were there to witness his marriage to the love of his life.
Darcy’s cousin could not have said a more perfect thing, and it caused the unacknowledged sadness of his parents not being there to lift.
“Now now, you two, I understand why and appreciate that my words gave ease and relief, but there is truly no more need for tears. Tomorrow you will join your lives together for eternity, and a more suited couple I have never had the honour of conducting the holey sacraments of marriage for,” he smiled benevolently.
“Thank you for what you said regarding my parents, Cousin Archie. Until you did, I had not realised how sad I had been that they were not here,” Darcy replied.
“They are here; they are and always will be a part of you, my love,” Lizzy said as she placed her hand over his heart.
“Your fiancée has the right of it, William. They are always with both you and Georgie,” the Archbishop agreed.
In acceptance of the fact his parents were and would always be with him, Darcy lifted his countenance to the heavens and held his Lizzy’s hand.
“Mother, Father, this is the woman I love, Elizabeth Bennet, she is the best thing that has ever happened to me and although no one can ever replace you mother, I know she will be an excellent mistress of our estates and houses. Her family has accepted both Georgie and me without reservation and for ourselves, not what they can gain from us,” he offered in reverence and a level of joy he had not yet been able to feel when talking to his parents until now.
“I would have been honoured to meet both of you, and I promise I will always love and cherish your son,” Lizzy added gently, her eyes lifted to the heavens.
With a tear running down his cheek at the touching scene before him, the Archbishop waved the couple away as the emotions in the room were thick enough to cut with a knife.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
That night after a pre-wedding dinner at Netherfield Park, Fanny Bennet knocked lightly on Elizabeth’s bedchamber door. On hearing the invitation to enter, she sat on the bed with her second daughter and held Lizzy’s hand.
“This is your last night we have sole claim on you as a daughter living under our roof. Tomorrow your William will have the honour, and I dare say pleasure, of your protection, though you must know all of us will protect and love you all of your days. He really understands you Lizzy, and your father and I are equally happy and relieved your marriage will be a true partnership, which is the only kind of marriage in which we knew you would find your own happiness. Tomorrow night will be your wedding night and I need to talk to you about what to expect in the marriage bed,” Fanny offered softly.
With a blush rising in her cheeks Lizzy nodded for her mother to proceed.
“The intimacies of the marriage bed are not something to be feared, especially not with someone who loves you the way your William clearly feels for you.
When there is love like the two of you share, the marriage bed will be a wonderful, even pleasurable experience for both of you.
Anyone that advises their daughter to lie back and tolerate the relations between man and woman has no idea of what they speak.
“Never be afraid to inform William of what you like, and do not like, and let him know you want to know the same from him.
Just as you want your marriage to be a true partnership Lizzy, the same is true of the marriage bed.
My wish for you is that you will discover it is as pleasurable to give as to receive, and never be ashamed of the relations you will have in private with your husband.
A good relationship in the marriage bed enhances your marriage as a whole and gives a depth of joy you will both benefit from.
“I will not lie to you Lizzy; there will be some pain and blood the first time, but it is only the first time when this should happen.
The pain will be but a moment and marks your becoming a woman in every sense of the word.
William cares about you so if you need to stop for a moment at that point, I am sure he will understand.
He is a man who will never force you to do that which is unacceptable to you.
That is why telling each other what you enjoy, and do not enjoy, is so very important.
“If you never think of your relations with your husband as a chore, they will never be so. No matter what anyone else may say, both the husband and wife deriving pleasure from the marriage bed is a good thing and does not make you a wanton, nor is it a sin to love your husband as only a wife can.
“Both you and William are passionate people, so I believe you will both take much pleasure in your marriage, both out of and in the marriage bed.
Never be afraid to be spontaneous, and regardless of what society professes, night-time is not the only acceptable time for relations with your beloved husband.
Whenever the two of you have privacy and you both desire the same thing, it is never wrong.
“I am jumping ahead, but when you are with child there is no reason to stop having relations with your husband until you feel it is too hard for you as you approach your lying in.
“Remember, you will have a partnership, and like any good and equal partnership the shared experience of love, passion, and pleasure will be very fulfilling. Do you have any questions for me Lizzy? If you feel the need, I can summon your aunt Maddie to see you and talk to you as well.” Fanny gently squeezed her daughter’s hand.