Chapter 28 #2
For both Jane and Fitzwilliam, Sunday seemed to creep by slower than a snail crossing a garden path. Eventually, pass it did, and by the time they reached their beds, the former in the manor house and the latter in the dower house, both were extremely impatient for the next morning to arrive.
Neither slept well, waking at intervals to look at the clock on the mantle above the fireplace.
Even though it seemed like the time would never come, it was eventually the hour to rise from their beds. Jane’s maid assisted her to prepare for the day while Fitzwilliam’s valet did the same for him.
Seeing that Fitzwilliam usually arrived at the mansion each day at about nine in the morning, no one commented on the fact that he arrived a half hour earlier on Monday, the sixteenth day of May. Thanks to all the residents’ habits of rising early, the house was already alive with activity.
He stopped at the breakfast parlour.
“What brings you here so early, Nephew?” Lady Anne teased. “Elaine and Reggie, did you summon Richard? Sit; I am sure you would like to drink a warm beverage with us.”
“Anne, do not tease the boy so,” Darcy said with a grin.
Fitzwilliam ignored his aunt’s ribbing. “Aunt Edith, Holder, I am here to speak to Jane, as I mentioned at the wedding breakfast.”
“You may use my study. Biggs and Johns are already in the hallway outside. They know that you have no more than ten minutes, and the door will remain partially open,” Holder responded.
“I will have Jane informed you are waiting for her,” Edith related.
As he turned to exit the room, his mother, who was seated next to his sister-in-law, Marie, took his hand. “I am very happy for both of you,” Lady Elaine said quietly.
“Go to it, little brother,” Hilldale added.
Normally Fitzwilliam would take his brother to task for calling him ‘little brother’ because he was in fact slightly taller and a bit broader than Andrew. This day he was completely focused on the task at hand, so he ignored Andy’s quip.
It did not take long to arrive at the study.
He inclined his head to the two large men as he entered; he received bows in return.
Their faces were impassive, but Fitzwilliam knew they were aware of everything.
He looked about Holder’s study. Like his father’s and Uncle Robert’s, it was ordered, everything in its place.
His perusal of the study was interrupted when he detected Jane’s rosewater scent before he heard her pad into the room on her slippered feet.
He watched in awe as his lady love closed the door about two thirds of the way.
Helen of Troy had nothing on Jane Carrington-Bennet.
The spell was broken as Jane approached him.
“You wanted to speak to me?” Jane verified.
“Indeed, I do, very much so,” Fitzwilliam managed. He felt a trickle of sweat run down the back of his neck. ‘No need to be nervous; this is only the most important moment in your life,’ he told himself silently.
He took one of Jane’s hands, and Fitzwilliam led her to the single settee in the study.
It was next to one of the windows looking out across the park below them.
Without relinquishing the one hand he held, Fitzwilliam sank onto one knee.
As soon as he was ready, he took her other hand in his free one.
Jane held her breath as her heart sped up on its own accord.
She had been dreaming of this day since shortly after Richard had been granted the courtship, and now it was here.
Neither of them was wearing gloves, which led to Jane feeling electricity flowing throughout her body, originating at her hands, powered by the love she felt flowing from Richard to her. That love was returned in full measure.
But it was more than love. There was no doubt their marriage would be one between equal partners.
In Richard’s company, Jane had always felt like an intelligent being, never an item to be possessed by him.
He saw all of her and not just her outward facade, as if she was like some bauble to be displayed on his arm.
Richard respected her, and that, her mother told Jamey, her sisters, and her, was what a long and good marriage is based upon.
All four of her parents’ children had been taught that in the absence of respect, love, no matter how passionate it burnt in the beginning, would not make a good marriage.
Jane’s thoughts floated away like wisps of smoke on the wind as Richard began to speak.
“Jane, I think you know that you have earned my undying respect, but also my heart.
It belongs to you, and no other will ever possess it.
Hence, you have the power to make it beat for you for the whole of our lives together or shatter it into a million tiny shards.
My affection began as that between cousins.
However, over the past few years, since you were a few months past your sixteenth birthday, I have known that my hope was that one day you would not see me as a cousin but the way a woman sees the man she loves—the man with whom she wants to spend the rest of her life.
“I do not think I am deluding myself when I say that in the months of our courtship I have detected the same from you, that you love me as I love you.”
Seeing that she was too overwhelmed with the feelings Richard’s words evoked, all Jane could do was nod emphatically that she loved him deeply.
“That being the case, Jane, will you agree to take on the vagaries of life at my side, not a step behind me, but alongside me as an equal partner? Will you accept my hand, marry me, and be my wife?”
“Had you asked me this question when you requested the courtship, my reply would have been the same. Yes, Richard, yes, I will marry you, and only you.”
As if he had been shot out of a cannon, Fitzwilliam rose to his feet and was standing before Jane in a moment.
He gently pulled her to himself and revelled in the fact that rather than resist, she willingly fell into his arms. As he was aware of who stood guard just the other side of the walls, Fitzwilliam knew he would have to regulate his passion for now.
They were so close Jane could feel his heartbeat through their clothing.
She turned her head up towards him and closed her eyes.
Her breath caught when his lips brushed against hers, and her heart began to race like a galloping horse.
She felt bereft of the touch of his lips when he pulled back.
Jane opened her eyes to see him looking at her questioningly.
She decided to give him a reply he would not be able to misinterpret.
She snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him to her.
Denying his betrothed that which she obviously desired was the last thing Fitzwilliam would have done. This time when their lips met, it was with hungry passion; their first chaste kiss was all but a figment of their imagination.
Suspecting their ten minutes was almost gone, and as much as he did not want to, Fitzwilliam pulled back.
Jane was not pleased Richard had withdrawn his lips. However, as reluctant as she was to cease the wonderful activity, Jane understood why Richard had exercised prudence as soon as she heard the clearing of a throat from outside the door by either John or Brian.
Even though her legs were somewhat unsteady, Jane reached the door and pulled it all the way open so the men outside would be able to relax.
“Before you go to request your father join me, I would like to present you with this.” Fitzwilliam was holding a gold ring with four round-cut diamonds in a cluster with two smaller stones on either side of the ones in the centre.
“This ring was my late maternal grandmother’s.
She decided that seeing that Andy would, as he should, have all the Fitzwilliam jewellery, and as we do not have a sister, I was to have all her jewels to present to my wife one day.
Rather than object, Mother heartily endorsed Grandmama Phillipa’s decision.
This was the ring my late maternal grandfather presented to her the day they became engaged. ”
“It is a very beautiful ring,” Jane opined.
She watched as with his free hand Richard reached for her left hand.
She straightened the fourth finger and looked on as her betrothed slid the ring onto her finger.
It fit snugly, as if it had been made for her.
“I think I should go ask Papa to join you.”
Not trusting himself to speak as his unadulterated joy bubbled up, Fitzwilliam simply nodded.
Jane floated out of the study, fighting the urge to skip down the hallway like she used to when she was a young girl. She smiled at John and Brian beatifically. The result was the two who prided themselves on not showing emotion while on duty, could not but grin back at her.
When Jane entered the drawing room, she was met with many expectant faces. She kept her hands behind her back. “Papa, Richard awaits you in the study,” Jane said with a face-splitting smile.
Holder stood and made his way out of the room. As he passed Jane, he looked at her hands behind her and saw the ring on her significant finger. He nodded to his Edith and told Samuelson to be ready with flutes of champagne as soon as he returned with Mr Fitzwilliam in tow.
“Jane, will you come to me?” Edith requested.
As she would never disobey her mother, Jane came to stand in front of Mamma.
“Your hands, dear,” Edith commanded.
Lady Elaine saw her mother’s ring as soon as Jane moved her hands. “It suits you very well,” she stated without delay.
“Richard proposed, and I have accepted him,” Jane gushed.
She knew the cat was out of the bag before Papa returned, so there was no reason to remain coy about what had occurred.
Before she finished the sentence, Jane was surrounded by all the ladies in the drawing room admiring her ring and congratulating her.
The longest and tightest hugs were from Lizzy and Mary. Both were effusive in their wishes for Jane’s future felicity.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Granting Richard his permission and blessing was the easiest thing for Holder to do.
He and Edith had discussed exactly this scenario the night after Jamey’s wedding, and she had agreed that Richard was the ideal husband for Jane, meaning there was no reason to refuse his application when he made it.
Hence, when Holder spoke, he spoke for both.
“Have you two discussed a wedding date yet?” Holder asked.
“We have not. That would have been rather presumptuous of us had we done that before we gained your consent and blessing, would it not?” Fitzwilliam returned.
“Good form on your part. However, I am sure you have thought about it.”
“If Jane agrees, I will not set any date without her, but for my part, I think a date close to her next birthday would be good.”
Holder was relieved by Richard’s thinking.
He was certain Edith would be very pleased that she would have four months to plan Jane’s wedding.
“That sounds very sensible. I think we should join those in the drawing room. Although I think an announcement will be superfluous as I am certain everyone has spied Jane’s ring by now.
” He paused. “Do you know what Jane’s dowry is? ”
“I have heard rumours, but whatever the amount is, I want the settlement to leave it under her control. My late Uncle Lewis left me more money than I will need in a few lifetimes,” Fitzwilliam responded.
“There is time to talk about marriage contracts, and Jane may not agree.” Holder clapped his son-in-law to-be on his back and led the way out of the study.
As soon as the master and Mr Fitzwilliam entered the drawing room, the butler and two footmen followed them with trays full of flutes of champagne. Once everyone had a glass, Holder raised his and simply said, “To Jane and Richard.”
The toast was echoed by those in the room.
As soon as the general hubbub died down, and all the womenfolk, especially his mother, and then his father and uncle had their time with Fitzwilliam, he was surrounded by his brother, William, and Bingley.
There was much backslapping and a few jokes about the parson’s mousetrap, but nothing ribald in the mixed company.