Chapter 31 #3
She was kissed by both of her mothers and reminded of the necessity to eat and drink something before dressing for her wedding in the morning. It took her a while to fall asleep, but when she did, she dreamed of her William.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Fitzwilliam Darcy, Viscount Conyers, and Richard Fitzwilliam who was standing up with him, stood next to Charles Manners-Sutton, The Most Reverend Willowmere, by Divine Providence, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury near the altar in Westminster Abbey.
Off to one side was the Bishop of London as concelebrant and stood ready to assist His Grace as needed.
Conyers still could not believe this day was finally here.
But it was. His mother and father sat behind the two rows of pews reserved for the royals.
Next to them sat Aunt Elaine and Uncle Reggie, Andrew, Charlotte, Anne and Granville.
Just beyond Granville were Giana and Petunia Smythe, their heads together speaking softly.
Across the aisle, in the first pew on that side, was an open space for Meryton once he handed Bethie over to him.
Next, sat Mother Fanny—as he had been asked to call her—Aunt Amelia, Grandmamma Beth, Aunt Penelope, James, Mary, and Kitty.
Behind them sat the Gardiners and Phillipses.
In the pews beyond them were families from Meryton who had been invited.
As soon as he saw the inner vestibule doors close, Conyers’s breath hitched. His Bethie was here!
The Archbishop gave the signal for the congregation to stand, the pipe organ began to play, and the doors leading into the nave were pushed open. Meryton had his Lizzy—today she was his Lizzy one last time—on his arm as he began the walk up the aisle.
Jane Fitzwilliam, Viscountess Hilldale, followed behind with the bridal bouquet in her role as matron of honour.
When Meryton reached a point before the rows where the royals would sit, he stopped.
A side door opened and everyone from the archbishop down bowed and curtsied as the Queen and the Regent led some of the princes and princesses into the nave.
When they sat, the Prince Regent nodded to accept the courtesies.
The organ, which had gone silent, began to play again signalling to everyone to stand straight up again.
With that Meryton, Bethany, and Jane resumed their walk the rest of the way to the head of the aisle.
Conyers was so lost in the vision of his beloved Bethie approaching that it took an elbow from Fitzwilliam for him to make his way down the marble steps to meet his bride.
Meryton lifted the front of his daughter’s delicate veil.
“No matter what your name is, you will always be my Lizzy,” Meryton whispered next to her ear and then kissed her forehead.
With that done, he gently replaced the veil.
Next he took her hand from his arm and then placed it on her groom’s arm.
‘I could not have parted with her to one less worthy,’ Meryton thought as he entered the pew next to his beloved wife.
The archbishop gave the signal for the congregants to sit. Then, the bishop handed him a copy of the Book of Common Prayer, opened to the relevant page. His Grace took a deep breath and began the wedding rite.
It seemed like no time at all until the couple were pronounced man and wife.
At that point, everyone in the abbey stood and bowed and curtsied while the royals exited.
As soon as the door closed, people were free to exit the church.
With that done, the newly married Darcys and their witnesses made their way to sign the register, which was on a stand on one side of the altar.
There, another clergyman waited to assist as needed.
The bride signed ‘Bethany Elizabeth Anne Elaine Rose Bennet Osborne’.
In that way, she honoured both her adoptive family and her by blood family.
All he cared about was that she was now Lady Bethany Darcy. When he saw how Bethie scribed her name, Conyers had thought that the way she did was wholly appropriate. After he signed, Jane and then Richard added their names as witnesses.
“There is no going back now,” Conyers teased as they walked to join the extended family and close friends all waiting to congratulate them.
“I would not have it any other way,” Bethany replied pertly.
Fanny and Amelia stood back watching their daughter and new son-in-law accept wishes of happy from those waiting.
“I never showed it to my other daughters, but do you know that Lizzy was always my favourite daughter? As Bethie, she belongs to both of us,” Fanny said in sotto voce so only Amelia would hear.
“No matter her name, and notwithstanding she is my only daughter, Bethie is my favourite daughter as well,” Amelia said with a wide smile. She took Fanny’s arm. “We need to make for Leeds House to be ready to receive the many guests.”
Knowing she would have time with Bethie at Leeds House before she and William departed, Fanny joined Amelia as they went to collect Thomas.
‘Yes,’ Fanny thought, ‘God has been very good to us.’