Chapter 26
After Gardiner announced the engagement, there was much ebullience and a cacophony of congratulations unleashed in the drawing room. Giana, as she had when the courtship was announced, led the charge; she almost knocked the petite Elizabeth over with the force of her enthusiasm.
When Charlotte took her turn to congratulate her, she simply gave her friend a knowing look. “Yes, Charlotte, you saw his admiration when I refused to see it,” Elizabeth acknowledged. “Go ahead, enjoy telling me how you were correct and I was wrong.”
“There is no need for me to do so, Eliza,” Charlotte stated matter-of-factly, “especially as you have acknowledged it now.”
“Charlotte Lucas!” Elizabeth swatted playfully at her friend’s arm.
“Have you and my cousin-to-be discussed your wedding date yet?” Charlotte enquired.
“We have not,” Elizabeth informed her.
“Mayhap the four of us can speak later? Before the Phillipses arrive for dinner?” Charlotte suggested. My parents will be in attendance, so if we need to talk to them about anything it will be convenient.”
Darcy was standing with his aunt, uncle, and cousins.
Andrew and Marie had arrived while Mrs. Bennet was being dealt with.
“Not bad, young cousin, to have won the hand of a lady who hated you last year. It is well she came to know the real you we all know and— sometimes—love,” Lord Andrew Fitzwilliam drawled.
“Now boys, be nice,” Lady Elaine admonished before the ribbing got out of hand. “Speaking seriously, we have a problem in Kent. We have heard the tired old lie Lady Catherine has repeated many times; you know she will see the announcement of your betrothal. When will it appear?”
“Gardiner sent it by courier to London after we spoke, so I believe it will be in the broadsheets on the morrow, or the following day at the latest,” Darcy shared.
“If Catherine reads the announcement, she will have a tantrum of which any young child would be proud,” Lord Matlock opined. “If I know my officious sister, she will set off directly to make her sentiments known.”
“She does not read the papers,” Richard informed them. “She stopped some years ago when she stated there was nothing in them matching her way of thinking. My aunt delegates that duty to the parson’s wife, to read the papers and inform her if there is anything of note within.”
“In that case, we will be able to tell how genuine Mrs. Collins’s reformation is by whether or not Catherine and her tantrum arrive on the Gardiners’ doorstep,” Lady Elaine stated.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The two betrothed couples met in the smaller drawing room, opposite the main one. “The first thing I will suggest to our mothers is that the ball celebrates both betrothals,” Charlotte opened.
“Somehow, I doubt there will be any resistance to your suggestion,” Elizabeth supposed.
“Are you two planning a long or short betrothal?” Richard asked.
Elizabeth and Darcy looked at each other and said, in unison: “Short.”
“If you are wary of gossip about the speed of your marriage, then ignore the suggestion I am to make,” Charlotte told the other couple. “Eliza, I know you always dreamed of marrying in a double ceremony with your former older sister. I am not your sister by blood, but if you would like to…”
Elizabeth raised her hand. “Charlotte, you are as much a sister to me as one born of the same parents. If William does not object to marrying in less than three weeks, I do not.”
“You know I would marry you today, if we were allowed to,” Darcy enthused. “You will hear no objection from me. Just knowing I will not have to wait long to gain you as my wife fulfils my heart’s desire.”
“In that case, we should talk to our mothers at dinner tonight,” Charlotte stated. “My suggestion is you make sure your parents approve, Eliza. If they do not, talking to my mother will be unnecessary.”
“If they agree, I will contact my solicitors to apply for a special licence on my behalf. Am I correct that the banns have already been called for you two?” Darcy asked.
It was confirmed the banns had been called.
All four met with the Gardiners in the study.
It took a little convincing and cajoling, but they granted their permission in the end.
Although the Gardiners would miss seeing Lizzy every day, they were certain they would see her often once she and Darcy married.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Mary and Kitty had seen Lydia in Meryton since they had gone to live in their respective new homes. But their youngest sister had not seen Elizabeth since the day of Mrs. Bennet’s intrusion when the Gardiners moved in.
Until Elizabeth pulled her into a hug, Lydia had been quite hesitant. “Lizzy, I am so very sorry for the way I used to behave towards you,” Lydia stated contritely.
“You were under Mrs. Bennet’s influence and you were behaving in the way she taught you,” Elizabeth told a relieved-looking Lydia.
“You know my philosophy to remember the past only as that remembrance gives you pleasure, do you not?” Lydia nodded.
“I choose not to dwell on the pain of the past. My life is better than I could have imagined and I have never been happier. From the reports I have heard, you are doing so much better, Lyddie.”
It was then Lydia noticed how Mr. Darcy stood next to her older sister in a protective manner. “Lizzy, do you have some news to share?” Lydia asked quietly.
“I do, but Father, Uncle Edward, will make the announcement at dinner. I remember your impatience, but this evening you will have to wait for a little while,” Elizabeth stated playfully.
“You changed your family name, as I have,” Lydia stated more than asked.
“You have the right of it. For me it was as soon as I arrived at Gracechurch Street. I could not imagine bearing the name of parents who had shown me such cruelty,” Elizabeth clarified.
“In my case, it was when I realised everything that Mrs. Bennet had taught me was wrong. A mother is supposed to teach her daughter the right things, is she not?” Lydia asked.
Mary, standing just behind the two, interjected, “I understand both of your reasons for changing your names. Kitty and I discussed our family name and we decided we would leave ours as it is, in spite of the neglectful way we were treated. For us, it is not to recognise the Bennets as our parents, but to show we survived. Our life with the Gardiners has been so much better than it was at Longbourn. They are our family in every way and a name will not change that.”
“Mama Phillips told me Mrs. Bennet had been captured and is on her way to Bedlam,” Lydia relayed. “I should feel sorrow for her, but I feel nothing.”
“Rejoice in this—all of us Bennet sisters survived and none of us, even Jane it seems, retain the influence of that woman inside of us,” Elizabeth told the three younger girls.
Lydia was given a brief synopsis of what had been revealed regarding the changes in Jane. Elizabeth stated she would reserve judgement until she saw Mrs. Collins for herself. The Lucases arrived shortly thereafter and everyone went into dinner.
When Gardiner stood and made his announcement, no one expressed surprise. Unless one were blind, there was no way to miss the loving looks passing between Elizabeth and Darcy. No mention was made of a wedding date.
When the ladies left the men to their libations and cigars, Charlotte steered her mother to where Eliza and Mrs. Gardiner were seated, apart from the others.
Lady Lucas had no objection to a double wedding; it would not cause any changes in what she had planned for Charlotte.
The weddings would be held at St. Alfred’s in Meryton, followed by a wedding breakfast at Netherfield Park.
When the men re-joined the ladies, Madeline nodded to her husband who stood and announced that Lizzy and William would be married in the same ceremony as Charlotte and Richard.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When Bingley read the announcement in The Times of London the second day after the betrothal, he was thankful his younger sister was no longer in England. He doubted that even her ruination in society would have stopped his sister charging to London to make her sentiments known.
Later that morning a letter arrived from Darcy. Bingley broke the seal and opened the missive with all speed.
11 February 1811
Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire
Bingley,
It is still strange writing to you from this address, which was yours until the Gardiners purchased the estate.
If you do not know it yet, Miss Elizabeth Gardiner, my beloved betrothed, and the former Miss Elizabeth Bennet are one and the same.
Your letter telling me of your sister’s crowing about Elizabeth’s misfortune arrived a few days before I departed Pemberley.
The reasons are various, which I will share with you when we see one another.
Elizabeth and I are celebrating our nuptials in the same ceremony with Charlotte (Miss Lucas) and Richard. I was to stand up with him, but now his brother Andrew, Viscount Hilldale, will do the honours.
My request to you is for you to stand up with me. I know your invitation was for next week, but my soon-to-be in-laws have stated you are welcome whenever you wish to join us.
I could speak in flowery poetic terms about my Elizabeth, but I will spare you for now, my friend.
I look forward to seeing you again,
FD
Bingley decided he would travel into Hertfordshire the following day. He looked forward to seeing all of the friendly people of the neighbourhood once again.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Jane read the announcement for the third time in a row to make sure her eyes were not deceiving her.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Gardiner
of Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire
Proudly announce the betrothal of their daughter
Miss Elizabeth Rose Gardiner
to
Mr. Fitzwilliam Robert Darcy
of Pemberley, Derbyshire
The Earl and Countess of Matlock join the Gardiner family in bestowing their best wishes to the betrothed couple.
Lizzy and Mr. Darcy had come together regardless of all her vile attempts to turn them away from one another. Jane felt no jealousy; she found she was happy for her former sister.
Even though she would never see her sister again, she could be of service to her. As quickly as she could, Jane removed the page from the London paper which contained the announcement and cast it into the fire. She watched until there were only ashes, then stirred them for good measure.
She would not breathe a word of this to the dragon in her lair at Rosings Park. Even though she refused to pay for them, Lady Catherine demanded the Collins maintain a subscription to the paper, read it, and inform her only when it contained something of interest to her.
He did not do so every day, but her husband perused the paper occasionally and Jane would not take the chance he might see the announcement and scurry off to report it to his patroness.
Jane had seen two men, who were staying at the inn in Hunsford, talking discreetly to many of the parishioners.
She thought these might be emissaries of the Bishop of Kent, here to verify the information she and Anne had sent them.
She was to meet with Anne this morning and she was sure her friend would be interested in the notice that had appeared in the paper, given how often Lady Catherine went on about the phantom betrothal between her daughter and Mr. Darcy—the existence of which Anne had repeatedly refuted.
As Jane approached her friend’s phaeton near the turn off to the glade, she looked up to the canopy of trees which covered the path through this wild section of Rosings Park and not for the first time thought how Lizzy would love rambling here.
Anne and Mrs. Jenkinson were waiting for Jane on the bench, as they normally did. “Jane, I can see from your countenance that you have news today,” Anne de Bourgh observed.
“Yes, I do. The announcement I read in The Times this morning would send both her Ladyship and my dear husband into near apoplexies if they were aware of it,” Jane told her friend. “What a pity I was clumsy, and the page with the notice ended up in the fire; it is gone now.”
“To send them both into that state can only mean…No! Has my cousin William betrothed himself to your former sister, Elizabeth?” Anne deduced.
“Indeed, he has,” Jane confirmed gleefully. “My husband’s ego would not survive the knowledge the woman he declared would never receive another offer is to be married to the nephew of his exalted patroness.”
“You are correct about my mother’s reaction,” Anne said with amusement.
“If it were not for the fact she would impose herself on my cousin and your former sister, I would pay to see her reaction to the news. You told me of your attempted compromise. Do you feel any rancour because she succeeded where you failed?”
“Not in the least!” Jane insisted emphatically.
“My interest was purely mercenary; I cared nothing for the man. When we were younger, Lizzy and I vowed we would only marry for the deepest love. She meant it; at the time, I merely repeated what she wanted to hear. As she has accepted your cousin, I can be sure it was for love alone. Lizzy never cared about pecuniary advantages. While I was susceptible to my mother’s teachings, Lizzy had the strength of character to reject all of her wrongheaded ideas long before I saw them for what they were. ”
“Jane, I want to say this without sounding condescending, but I believe if my cousin’s wife-to-be were to meet you today and knew the real you, she would be proud of the woman you have become,” Anne told her friend sincerely.
“Do you really believe so, Anne? Even after all I did to her?” Jane allowed her tears to flow freely for once.
“Everything you have told me about Elizabeth Gardiner informs me she is not one who looks back. I believe she would look at who you are, not who you were,” Anne opined.
“The chances of my seeing her again in this world are slight, especially after the men investigating Mr. Collins report their findings to the Bishop.” Jane stared off into the trees. No matter where they ended up after he was defrocked, she would make the best of it.
“You never know my friend, you never know,” Anne stated cryptically as she handed Jane a silk square to dry her tears.