Chapter 27 A double wedding takes place.
A double wedding takes place.
Longbourn, Hertfordshire
Thomas Bennet excused himself from the busy goings-on in his home and seated himself in the garden. He sat with steepled fingers and a contemplative expression as he reflected on his life on the day he was to give up his two eldest daughters to two very deserving young men.
What would my life have been had I never fled England in shame and met my twin on that boat to Bermuda? What would Fanny’s life have been? He shuddered to think of it.
Without Fanny, he would not have the additional three daughters he so treasured: Mary, the studious one; Kitty, the creative one; and Lydia, the exuberant one.
Each had numerous special qualities that set her apart from her sisters.
Without Fanny, he would not have such a sweet, gentle, and caring woman by his side through both difficult and blissful times.
He would not have the memories of the way her face looked in the morning when she was just waking, or the sound of her laugh, or her sparkling enjoyment of helping the girls to trim dresses and bonnets, or the private, passionate looks he could cherish as simply his alone.
Jane and Elizabeth would know that kind of love.
They were to be married this day to men who truly loved them and with whom they were well matched in temperament and values.
However, he knew that, even with such fortunate futures, he would still miss them dreadfully.
He had been important to them, and they were priceless to him.
Although he regretted their leaving, he had known this day would eventually come, when their lives would be changed and they would make their own families.
“What is it that has you so pensive?” Fanny asked, interrupting his thoughts. He smiled at her, glad that she had approached and offered a welcome reprieve from his ruminations.
“I was thinking of how much I love you and how lucky we have been in our lives. I am also sad to give up my daughters, even if the matches are good.”
“They are respectable and illustrious men, good men who love them without hesitation and who are willing to protect and honour them and be the best of husbands.”
“But I shall miss them. Pemberley and Shelton are a long way to travel. I shall have to hope that Darcy and Bingley will bring them here a few times a year.”
“You will still have three at home.”
“If I have read correctly the way Henry Lucas looks upon our Mary, it will not be for long.”
“He will not offer for her until he is established and can support a family. You still have time.”
“I suppose Lydia will be concern enough to make up for two gone.” Bennet sighed.
“That she will. Just think of the excitement we shall have in learning how to curb her impulsiveness!”
“Indeed.”
“She gets it from you, you know.”
“How so? I pride myself on my ability to think things through before acting.”
“You did not hesitate when you decided to become Thomas Bennet and marry me. You may be calm and collected now, but I cherish the day that you agreed to take me into your care when my cousin died. You gave me Jane and Lizzy that day. I was in love with them immediately.” Fanny smiled.
“And with me much later.”
“We needed time to grow into our love. Not all in life is so hasty!” They shared a smile.
Although Catherine Bennet had been the first dressed, the mother of the bride was the earliest to appear. Mr. Bennet looked upon her with awe as she descended the stairs, and he placed a worshipping kiss on her hand when she came to his side.
Her still-blonde hair was twisted into a sophisticated knot atop her head. A bronze-gold turban, dressed with a short plume of curled ostrich feathers dyed gold, was wrapped about her hairline, with several carefully placed, dishevelled-looking curls peeking out in front.
Her gown spoke of an elegant married woman who still retained much of the beauty of her youth.
It was a cream-coloured satin gown with a bronze-gold robe atop.
The robe had beautifully detailed, slashed sleeves with inlays in soft cream satin and flat lace along their length with rosettes inset into the sheer, bronze-gold bands about her arms. A tulip-shaped hemline with cream-coloured lace and gold stitching enhanced the overdress.
Long, cream-coloured gloves clung to her arms, and above were armlets of gold with nacre inlays.
She wore gold jewellery: an intricately worked filigreed choker and matching eardrops with teardrop pearls suspended from the fine, golden threads.
Fanny carried an ivory fan that her brother Gardiner had given her as a gift and had slippers of embroidered satin on her feet.
As expected in the Bennet family, the rest of the ladies were nearly late with Kitty’s last-minute fussing over the details of each sister’s appearance. She had chosen a simple gown of pale rose silk for herself. Her headdress was a bugle band that matched the border of her gown.
Mary and Lydia escaped much of her notice and were in the hall before the brides came down.
The two girls were dressed in gowns of the latest colours, the former in white with marigold velvet and Vandyke lace accents, the latter in Grecian-styled fawn with a matching twisted fillet to tame her unruly hair.
Mary stood with equanimity, wishing she had a book, and Lydia tried not to show her impatience by holding her hands demurely in front of her.
Finally, the remaining girls joined the party, and Bennet handed each into the carriage.
Darcy and Bingley had little forbearance as they stood at the altar.
The wait seemed to be more than protracted, but finally Thomas Bennet appeared at the end of the aisle with the two eldest Bennet daughters, one on each arm.
The gentlemen at the altar were oblivious to the father, as their eyes were each on one of the ladies approaching them.
Lady Jane Lydon looked beautiful in a white gauze gown over a white satin slip, trimmed in celestial blue velvet that complimented her eyes.
The close-fitted sleeves had narrow, white satin piping along their length and a narrow, blue velvet ribbon around the arm.
There were white velvet rosebuds and lace edging the neckline and delicate hand detailing in the tucks and folds of the tastefully abbreviated bodice.
Pearls edged the shoulder bands. A wider velvet sash in celestial blue was tied at the high waist, and a bouquet of matching velvet roses was featured at one side.
The overdress dropped behind her in a graceful demi-train and was trimmed along the edges with lace and accented with a row of pearls in undulating waves.
Her fair hair was dressed with delicate plaits woven through and about the base of a neat bun.
She wore a fine tiara of pearls with a sprig of orange flowers, and Mechlin lace draped behind.
Her necklace, ear-pendants, and bracelets were of pearl.
White gloves and blue-trimmed, white satin slippers completed her elegant presentation.
Bingley wore a blue, uncut-velvet suit to complement his future wife’s gown.
Darcy let out a sigh when he saw Lady Elizabeth Lydon on her father’s arm.
She was soft and feminine in pearl-coloured crape over white satin.
The skirt was draped to show her shape; similarly, the fitted bodice dipped deeply both front and back with dropped sleeves, revealing her creamy white skin to perfection.
Quilled, primrose-coloured satin graced the neckline, sleeves, and hemline.
Her dusky hair fell over her temples in thick ringlets, and she wore a pearl-coloured, swans-down-trimmed bonnet with draped Belgian lace attached in back.
Three saucy curls dropped carelessly at the nape of her neck, and her only jewellery was the garnet cross her father had given her for her coming out.
Pearl-coloured kid gloves extended above her elbows, and white slippers of Denmark satin were on her feet.
She smiled at Darcy with her rosebud lips as she regarded his handsome frame in his formal attire.
Bennet’s eyes misted as he handed his daughters to their respective bridegrooms, all the feelings and thoughts of the morning rushing again through his mind.
As he swallowed, he felt tightness in his chest that spoke of loss yet joy for this day.
He reluctantly turned to take his place beside his wife and observed that she already had a handkerchief ready for her own tears.
As the Bingleys arrived at Netherfield following the wedding breakfast, the Darcys’ carriage was already bound for London with the curtains drawn.
Lady Elizabeth Darcy had all but attacked her new husband before he could draw the curtains.
She knew she had caught him off guard by the little sound he made when she eagerly threw her body against his and assaulted his lips with a fervour unleashed after weeks of sharing burning glances across drawing rooms and hurried, frantic fumbling in darkened hallways.
Ever since their abruptly interrupted interlude in Darcy’s carriage six weeks earlier, she was craving sustenance for her powerful physical needs.
She felt a longing for more closeness than seemed to be possible; she wanted to melt their bodies together.
Being relatively innocent, she knew not how long the actual act would take, but she had been sorely tempted to abandon all propriety and steal away with Darcy to try to find out.
Now there were no more boundaries, and she was ready to consummate her marriage as soon as humanly possible.
Darcy’s surprise did not stop him from responding. He parted his lips and entwined his tongue with hers. Elizabeth moved her husband’s hands from her waist to her breasts as she unbuttoned his waistcoat and pulled his shirttails out of his breeches. She climbed atop him to straddle his lap.
“Lady Elizabeth Darcy, do you know what you are you doing to me?” Darcy groaned helplessly.