Chapter 30
Holder Heights was as full as it had been for many years as the date of Jane’s wedding to Richard approached.
The months of her engagement had flown by with unnerving speed.
Now it was the day before the wedding, and Jane had just had the talk delivered by her mamma.
Thankfully, nothing Mamma said had frightened her, but rather made her anticipate her wedding night, and any other times she would be intimate with Richard thereafter.
The ball, which had been held this Saturday past, had been enjoyed by all.
Jane’s only complaint was that she was not permitted to dance more than three sets with her beloved Richard.
She smiled when she thought how happy Lizzy had been dancing the first and supper sets with William.
Jane was certain Richard and William would be brothers one day.
It had pleased her greatly that the Gardiners and Phillipses had arrived a few days before the ball so all her sisters would be able to watch her marry as she married Richard. Aside from the Phillipses, the Lucases, Gouldings, Longs, and Pierces represented Meryton.
Even though the ball room at Holder Heights—where the wedding breakfast would be held—was three times larger than the one at Netherfield Park, it still looked full.
Jane smiled as she remembered how much Lizzy had enjoyed the ball.
Mamma and Papa had refused to allow her to dance with William more than twice; the reason was Lizzy not being out yet.
They had danced the supper set like they did before Charlotte’s and Jamey’s wedding to maximise the time they would be together.
For the final set, Lizzy had sat out happily speaking to William.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The night before her wedding, Jane had to fight to sleep—the last time she would sleep alone. She and Richard had discussed it, and they would share a bed whenever possible.
As much as Jane fought against it, Morpheus eventually claimed her. As late as she had fallen asleep, Jane was awake with the light. While her maid fussed around her to make sure she was warm in her dressing gown, the door opened, and Mamma and Lizzy entered.
“I told you we would not need to wake her today,” Elizabeth sang. “Happy birthday sister dearest.”
“Jane, I know you will say you are not hungry, but trust me that you need to eat and drink. It will be some hours before the wedding breakfast, so you will thank me later,” Edith said firmly. “And I echo Lizzy’s happy birthday.”
“Thank you, Mamma and Lizzy. My birthday is of secondary importance today, is it not?” Jane reminded them. “And you have the right of it; I am not hungry.”
Edith and Elizabeth led Jane into the sitting room that the two eldest sisters shared. A tray with plates of pastries, muffins, and rolls sat alongside a steaming pot of hot chocolate.
Regardless of what Jane had said about her need to eat, she took a small nibble of an apple pastry.
Before she was done, she had eaten two pastries and a spiced muffin, washed down with two cups of the creamy, delectable hot chocolate.
She did not look at Mamma to see the ‘I told you so’ look Jane was sure she would see.
“Jane, we will leave you to bathe, and we will return with Mary later.” Edith gave Jane a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room.
“You are bringing us another brother today,” Elizabeth said before she too left the room.
Jane went about preparing herself for a day she had been dreaming of since even before Richard asked her for the courtship. With pictures of her beloved in her head, Jane made for the bathing room.
When her maid almost had her hair dried from the bath, the door opened and in walked Mamma, Lizzy, and Mary.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Richard Fitzwilliam stood next to Mr Pierce, the same man who had christened Jane.
Mr Pierce was not the rector of St Mildred’s in Holder, but due to a request from the Earl of Holder to Mr Clayburn, St Mildred’s parson, he had stepped aside to allow his friend Mr Pierce to conduct the ceremony.
Richard still had a hard time realising he had won the love of the woman approaching him as her father walked her up the aisle.
For Mr Christopher Pierce, it was an immeasurable pleasure to conduct the wedding ceremony for his late friend’s and patron’s eldest daughter.
It was why he had not delayed in agreeing to travel into Staffordshire to perform the marriage rites.
How far they had come from when he feared the sisters were lost to all of them.
From the instant she entered the nave from the vestibule, Fitzwilliam’s eyes had been glued on those of his betrothed’s.
He did not notice three-year-old Miss May Gardiner dropping petals as she walked ahead of his bride and her father; he did not see the delicate Belgian lace which made up her veil; he did not see the empire-waisted ivory-coloured gown, he did not see the gossamer overlay with diamond chips sewn into it, nor did he see the matching elbow-length gloves she wore.
All he saw was the most wonderful woman in the world as she came closer to him.
William was standing up for Richard. Until Andrew arrived with his mother a half hour ago, it had not been known if he would be present.
His wife had not entered her lying-in yet; hence, he had made the short journey to be in the congregation this day.
William had his eyes trained on Lizzy walking behind her sister and father.
She was always a beauty, but today she looked even better.
Mary was bringing up the rear of the processional. She caught her mother’s eye as she walked and smiled.
Edith could not imagine a prouder mother as she watched her three girls approach the altar.
She was one seat from the aisle in the Carrington pew.
The seat she left open would soon be filled by her Paul.
To her right stood Charlotte and Jamey, and beyond them Kitty, Lydia, and the rest of the Phillipses.
Behind her the Gardiners and their three older children were standing.
In the front row across the aisle were Elaine, Reggie, Andrew, Anne, Robert, and Anna.
Between the invited guests, tenants, staff, and servants, St Mildred’s Church was as full as possible.
Edith watched as May scurried to Maddie as soon as her basket of petals was empty.
Edith had to smile when she noticed how William nudged Richard, causing him to remember to descend the two marble steps to come stand at the head of the aisle.
Paul and Jane stopped a foot or so from Richard, and then, her father lifted the veil and kissed each of Jane’s cheeks, after which he replaced her veil.
Thereafter, he placed their eldest daughter’s hand on Richard’s arm.
As the couple and Jane’s attendants climbed the two marble steps, Paul came and stood next to Edith.
As soon as Jane and Richard stood before Mr Pierce, with Lizzy and Mary taking their positions behind and to the side of their older sister, the rector gave the signal for the congregation to be seated.
Once everyone who was not part of the party near the altar, was seated, Mr Pierce opened his well-worn copy of The Book of Common Prayer and commenced with, “Dearly beloved…”
Jane had to fight to maintain her composure when she was reciting her vows and had just promised to obey Richard when, from behind her, she heard in extreme sotto voce Lizzy add, “Only if Richard obeys Jane.”
Elizabeth knew Jane had heard her when she saw the way she was fighting to maintain her equanimity. She decided that if she had the urge for further commentary, it would be silently thought and not said. She had forgotten how keen Jane’s hearing was.
In what seemed like the time it took to blink, Edith’s eldest daughter was married and no longer bore the name Carrington-Bennet.
Even though Jane would sign that name for a final time in the registry, she was now a Fitzwilliam and under Richard’s protection.
After the concluding prayer, Richard led Jane towards the registry with Lizzy and William following them.
While Elizabeth hugged Jane, William shook Richard’s hand before they switched to the member of the newly married couple they had not wished happy yet.
The four found the register open to the relevant page on a stand. Elizabeth signed first, and then William added his name. As Jane was signing her former family name for the final time, Elizabeth and William exited the room and pulled the door closed behind them.
It was a full fifteen minutes before Jane and Richard exited the registry, their swollen lips announcing what they had done with the privacy they had been afforded.
Their family members and close friends were waiting for them.
They were surrounded by those who loved them, and congratulations flowed liberally.
Eventually people departed for Holder Heights, leaving only the Carringtons, Fitzwilliams, and Darcys.
“You two will do very well together,” Holder declared after he kissed Jane’s cheek.
“If your married life is half as felicitous as what Charlotte and I share, then you will be very happy, little sister,” Hadlock whispered in her ear as he hugged Jane.
“I know you will always treat Jane well. Hence, I need not warn you what will happen if you do not,” Elizabeth said in jest after she hugged Richard.
“It will be my life’s work to see Jane happy,” Fitzwilliam responded.
“Good answer, Son,” Matlock said as he clapped his son on his back.
“Jane and Richard, I could not be more pleased that you are married,” Lady Elaine enthused.
“As much as Reggie, Andrew, and I would like to remain to join in the celebration at Holder Heights, we must depart for Hilldale directly. Marie had not commenced her labours this morning, but I believe it will be very soon.”