Chapter 31 #2
Conyers vaulted off Zeus and handed his reins to Johns. Next, he helped Bethie to dismount, even though he was fully aware that she needed no assistance when riding astride; however, both of them enjoyed the close contact it allowed them when he helped her down or to remount.
Once Bethany handed her reins to Brian, she gladly accepted William’s proffered arm as they walked to the boulder where they always sat.
The loving couple had barely made themselves comfortable when the sun made itself known.
Its warming rays touched everything before it, nourishing the growing crops that had been sown four to six weeks previously.
Except for the fields which were being left fallow, the fields below looked like a patchwork quilt of various shades of green.
In between were areas without crops where sheep and cattle were grazing.
As would be expected at this time of the year, ewes and cows were fussing around their lambs and calves which had been born in the early spring.
As they always did, the engaged couple sat, the fingers of the hands nearest to one another intertwined. The gloves had been pulled off their hands when they sat. The gloves lay next to them on the boulder. Both of them savoured being able to have their hands touch with no fabric between them.
“Are you as keen for us to be married as I am?” Bethany enquired.
“More than you will ever know,” Conyers responded. “Bethie, when did you know you were in love with me, which convinced you to want to marry before your majority?”
“I told you that when I proposed to you. Sorry, William, sometimes I forget that not everyone has my memory,” Bethany stated contritely.
“You have nothing for which to apologise,” Conyers assured his beloved.
“I did not recognise it then, or perhaps I was just not willing to admit it to myself, but I believe I was already in love with you when, or soon after, I asked you to defer your declaration. I certainly knew I had erred within months of asking you to wait. I fought against my own inclinations because I was cognisant there was still much I needed to learn about my role and everything that goes with it. So as much as I wished I had not stopped you, I knew I needed to keep my own desires at bay a little longer. It was not long before I proposed to you that I saw that if I desired a marriage of equal partners, then I needed to allow you to assist me in carrying the burden of my duties. Especially after speaking to Mother and Mamma, I owned how much easier my time would have been with the man I loved by my side.”
“Bethie, I was in love with you before you turned seventeen, although I was fully cognisant that I could not do anything about it until after your coming out. From the debates and our other interactions, I was relatively certain that you felt tenderly about me. I knew I would not know for certain until I made a declaration.”
Bethany squeezed William’s hand while conveying the love she felt for him from her eyes to his.
“I have a question which may be premature given that we have not been married yet, but I feel this is something we must canvass.” She saw William extend his other hand, palm up telling her to continue.
“Are you sanguine that our first-born son will be the heir to the Leeds Dukedom and not be part of the Holderness line?”
“I do understand that is how it will be, and yes, I am sanguine with it.
If we only have daughters, then the Leeds line will continue, but after me, the Holderness line will end.
Father and I discussed this after we became engaged, and he made some enquiries.
What he discovered regarding a son or sons was that, as you said, the firstborn will be the next Duke of Leeds, who will be an Osborne, and the next son, if we are so blessed, will be the future Earl of Holderness.
“However, if we only have one son, then he will hold both titles, and he will bear the Osborne and Darcy names. If our hypothetical son has two sons, then the first one would be Marquess of Carmarthen until he becomes the duke. The second son would be the Earl of Holderness. I tell you this, Bethie, so you will know that I will have no regrets regardless of how many children we do or do not have.”
“It pleases me greatly that this is not an issue between us. It is good that we discussed it prior to marrying.” Bethany paused and looked deeply into his eyes. “William, I love you so very much.”
“As I do you, Bethie. As I do you.”
They had sat on the boulder for longer than normal. Knowing this, Conyers stood and assisted Bethie to stand. They donned their gloves and walked back to where Johns was holding their horses.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Notwithstanding Bethany preferring to ride with William each morning before the wedding, it was not to be.
There was too much that needed to be done which required her presence.
However, they rode as many days as they were able to, and more often than not when they did, it was in Marylebone Park.
It not being a fashionable park, like Hyde Park, meant that when they were riding early in the morning, the park was almost deserted.
From the Wednesday before the wedding onwards, Bethany’s time was no longer her own.
She and William had elected not to have a pre-wedding ball, but given the location of the wedding and the royals attending, there was much to do.
To Bethany, it was a small price to pay, as come Friday she would be married, and then, no one would be able to keep her from William.
Besides, the last thing she wanted to be was missish and leave all of the arrangements to others while she gratified her own selfish desires.
Before she knew it, it was the night before the wedding.
Earlier that day, Madame Chambourg had come in person to see the wedding gown on her.
For any fittings before this one, a seamstress had come from the shop; but for the final one, Madame wanted to be the one to make sure everything was as it should be.
Madame Chambourg had created a gown in shimmering ivory silk with a translucent gossamer overlay, which only added to the way the gown reflected the light as Bethany moved in it.
It was empire-waisted and was not too low-cut in the area of the décolletage, just as she had requested.
The train extended about ten feet behind the gown.
Lilly and May Gardiner would carry her train until she began the walk up the long aisle at Westminster Abbey.
The sleeves were puffed, and a pair of above elbow-length gloves had been made of the same material as the dress.
The veil was made of extremely delicate Belgian lace.
When it was in place anchored by her emerald encrusted tiara, it would hang below her chin in the front and sides.
At the back, it ran all the way down to her train.
Her matching slippers were ready and would only be donned once she was in the vestibule at the Abbey before she began her walk on Papa’s arm.
There had been no question as to who would escort her to William.
It would be Papa’s final act as her guardian.
Her protection would fall to her husband after the wedding was solemnised.
With her wedding, her trustees would no longer hold official positions; however, they, like Papa, would be available if called upon for assistance.
Even without the rides in the morning the last two days, Bethany had still seen William at Leeds House each day. That had stopped today, all because of a superstition about not seeing the bride the day before the wedding.
A family dinner was held that included the Bennets, Amelia, the Collinses, the Gardiners, the Phillipses, the Lucases, the Smythes, the Hilldales, and the younger Fitzwilliams. The Darcys and the older Fitzwilliams had remained with William so he would not be on his own for dinner the night before his wedding. Everyone retired early.
All those who had attended the dinner with Bethie were being hosted at Leeds House to be with her for her final night as a single woman.
She had very much enjoyed her time with those of the extended family in residence.
Before she went to her suite, she spoke to Jane, Charlotte, and Caroline where they extolled the pleasures of a felicitous, respectful, loving marriage.
They did not answer any of the questions Bethany posed about what to expect on the wedding night, telling her that her mamma and mother would provide that information.
The three only said that being in a marriage based on love and respect made everything far better.
Not long after she had changed and was ready for bed, Mamma and Mother knocked on Bethany’s door and entered.
They sat on the bed with her, and between them proceeded to tell her what to expect in the marriage bed and beyond.
When Mamma and Mother had completed their talk, Bethany had context for what her sisters and cousins had told her earlier.