Chapter 35
Half-mourning for Jane passed in the blink of an eye, though she could tell that poor Yates was nearly trembling with frustration as the end neared.
Two weeks before she was finally free from the yoke of mourning Charles Bingley, as she bid Yates farewell for the afternoon, he assisted her to her feet and took a half-step closer before lifting her hand to his lips and placing a lingering kiss on her gloveless hand.
Her lips fell open with surprise and she licked them nervously.
“I look forward to seeing you in the morning, if you are available, to look over the south fields. Perhaps we might bring Ellie and enjoy a picnic lunch on the hill overlooking the house?”
Jane could only nod in agreement.
“Would you like to speak with Cook?”
She nodded again, cheeks burning with delight.
“Excellent, I shall just pop in on Ellie before I return to my house. Until tomorrow,” he bowed over her hand, kissed it once more, and left. Jane had still not spoken, her brain turned to mush.
Once she was able to shake off her trance, Jane hummed to herself as she went to the kitchens to ask Mr. Scruggs to prepare them a basket on the morrow. She had high hopes that he might finally address the sea of attraction they had been boiling in for months; what were a few days early after all.
The next morning, Yates joined her in breaking their fasts before they swooped up a now toddling and jabbering Ellie and boarded the phaeton.
Jane and Yates smiled and laughed as the little one squealed and pointed at the world around her and chattered on.
She knew quite a few words, mostly animals, a favorite topic, and Mama and Yay, as she called Yates, interspersed with unintelligible noises and happy laughter.
Jane stood in awe of his patience and affection for another man’s child and sent a prayer of thanks to the heavens.
Luncheon was an adventure as Ellie was off, fast as her little legs could carry her as soon as she had eaten her fill squealing with delight as Yates chased her about growling and snatching her up for kisses.
Once they had tired and Jane had repacked the remains of their repast, they loaded back into the equipage for the short ride back to the house.
Jane smiled and enjoyed the ride, but secretly she was disappointed that nothing had been said.
They enjoyed one another’s company every day that week and after accompanying her to church that Sunday in a high-perch phaeton he had purchased, Yates quietly asked if they could speak the next day, as he had something in particular to inform her of.
Jane agreed but spent the rest of the day worrying over what he had meant.
Perhaps she had misread his intentions, and he wished to warn her off.
She slept hardly a wink the entire night and was tired and a bit short with her maid the next morning as she was preparing for the day.
As she sat in the office, going over accounts while awaiting Yates’ arrival before breaking their fasts together, her mind began to sink into despair as she began to imagine the worst.
When he arrived, she shot to her feet and demanded, “Tell me now! Are you leaving?”
He blinked in surprise, his welcoming smile turning questioning, “Well, yes, but—"
Jane did not hear the rest as her heart shattered into a million pieces. Somehow this hurt so much more than Bingley’s betrayal ever had. “Please leave,” she declared, turning away to face the window before her tears could fall.
“I— if you wish,” he said, sadly.
Jane’s sobs began in earnest, and she nearly fell to the ground but was caught up in his strong arms and settled onto his lap in a most scandalous position upon one of the large armchairs. He held her, stroking her back comfortingly until her sobs became less frantic.
“Dearest, clearly you do not truly wish for me to leave. Please, tell me what the matter is. I never imagined my proposal would cause you such distress.”
“Proposal?” she hiccupped.
“What did you think that I meant when I said that I could not live without you and wished for you to join me at Statham Court?”
“I did not hear anything after you declared so flippantly that you were leaving.” she admitted sheepishly, wiping at her ruddy, tear stained cheeks. “Might you repeat what I am sure was a most romantic proposal so that I may give it the attention that it deserved?”
He laughed, his joy almost fizzy with relief.
“Jane, I have never imagined that anyone could feel as much love for another as I feel for you. You bring joy and light to my days, and I cannot imagine a world where I am in it without you and Ellie by my side. I love you; earnestly, deeply, completely, irrationally! Please, say that you will be mine, no matter what comes.”
“I love you as well, and I cannot imagine a better husband and keeper of my heart. Nor a better father for Ellie, who loves you almost as much as I. I will gladly—”
He stopped her with a hand to her lips. “I have one last thing to tell you before you commit to marrying me, as once you do, I refuse to allow you to renege on our agreement.”
Jane laughed and placed a soft kiss upon his teasing mouth.
“Be good, minx,” he growled, making her laugh again.
“That is usually Elizabeth’s moniker, I have never been called anything but an angel.”
He smiled nervously and wrapped his large hand around the back of her neck as if to keep her from retreating, not that she wished to. “Do you remember when I left to visit my father?” she nodded. “And returned with a mourning band on my arm and informed you that my brothers had passed away?”
She nodded again. “I was not entirely truthful. It was not just two of my brothers but three-- the third past several weeks later.” Jane blinked, nonplused.
“I— what? Why would you not tell me you had lost so much of your family?” she asked, immediately worrying over his pain. She wrapped her arms about his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. “I am so sorry for your loss. And that you dealt with it all alone.”
His grip tightened for just a moment, drawing her as close as he could manage. “You do not seem to have followed through to the logical conclusion.”
“You are the new Viscount Tygee, obviously.” Jane replied, rolling her eyes. “It seems silly that you continued to act as my steward for so many months despite your title, you dear sweet man. Surely your father could not have been happy.”
He laughed, completely flummoxed. “He was not. You seem to be taking the news with greater composure that I expected.”
“Well, I imagine that you expected to inherit the earldom about as much as I did, which is to say not at all. If you can be sanguine with the added responsibility then surely, I can as well. I have never imagined being a countess, but if you wish to marry me, and I wish to marry you, but that is the cost of our happiness, I suppose I shall become used to it in time.”
He burst into guffaws of laughter, cuddling her close once more. “You never fail to surprise me. Shall we order the house packed up and travel to Statham Court? Perhaps we could take the phaeton to Pemberley to announce the news while we wait for everything to be readied?”
“Oh, yes! Please!” she exclaimed, jumping to her feet to ring for the housekeeper. “Oh, but how could we possibly travel alone? It would not be proper.”
“Well, my father so enjoyed meeting you that he sent me a special license in his next missive, after he had decided with my aunt that you would do very well indeed. We could marry from Pemberley and then take an extended wedding trip. Do you think that Ellie would travel well?”
“Likely not, but I am confident that Elizabeth would keep her for a week or two if we wished to see more of the Peaks, or perhaps the Lake District?”
With one last scorching kiss, the pair separated to see to their preparations only to join together once more before the waiting phaeton an hour later.
They were seen off by the servants who all cheered when Jane announced that they were to have a bowl of punch to celebrate their nuptials, and wished them a hardy farewell.
When they arrived at Pemberley three-quarters of an hour later, Elizabeth and Darcy as well as the younger girls were not at all surprised when Jane and her steward announced that they were to marry.
Elizabeth nearly dropped her tea cup, however, when they declared that they wished to marry that afternoon by special license.
“When did you plan this, Jane!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “How am I to prepare a sufficient wedding breakfast in that time?”
“We do not need a fuss,” Yates assured her while his beloved laughed. “Jane and I have waited long enough to declare ourselves to one another and do not wish to be parted for even one day more.”
“Truly, Lizzy, you sounded like Mama just then. Would you like me to send for some salts for your nerves.” Jane giggled along with Kitty and Georgiana.
“You are wicked!” Elizabeth exclaimed as she rang for Mrs. Reynolds to do what could be done. “What about a dress?”
Jane flushed and laughed self-consciously. “Mourning is a very long time of waiting with little to occupy oneself. I have been embroidering bits and pieces on a new gown for six months at least.”
Elizabeth smirked knowingly. “Just to keep occupied, I am sure.”
“Of course.” Her smile gave lie to her words.
Her sisters bundled Jane off to a chamber where they assisted to prepare her for the wedding. There were several gasps when the gown was revealed. Jane had covered the entirety of the sky blue gown in a garden of flowers on a framework of golden lattice.
“Jane!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “This is exquisite! You have always been talented but this is beyond anything you have ever done.”
Jane beamed, running her hand along the fine-work. “It was a labor of love.”
By the time Mary and Kirby had arrived, all was as ready as they could make it and they enjoyed a lavish tea together before gathering in the rose garden.
The winding paths culminated in a large open bower covered over by ancient climbing roses in riotous bloom and Jane and Yates joined hands beneath it while the others looked on.
Kirby spoke the hallowed words which would at last bind them together for all time but Jane’s feelings overwhelmed her as she listened, causing tears to flow unheeded down her cheeks.
Every hurt, every tear was worth it in this moment.
She had found the other half of her soul.
He stood beside her, not before or behind.
He lifted her when she faltered and recognized that she knew her own mind.
He brought out her best self and encouraged her, supported her, loved her.
She blinked in surprise. Love, real love, was not what she had thought.
It was not worship or blind affection. It was not seeing only the best. She and Yates had faults enough between them and they both knew it.
Her eyes had been opened. She need not be an angel; an unachievable standard by anyone’s measure.
She was intelligent. She was capable. She was strong—and Yates had encouraged her in every fold as her character was tempered and worked into the strongest of steel.
“Those whom God has joined together let no man put asunder,” Kirby declared with great solemnity.