Chapter 20
Jane and Jamey waited for Elizabeth and William outside Netherfield’s ballroom.
Mr. Hill stood ready to open the doors with Mr. Nichols stepping aside so the former Bennet girls and their husbands could be announced by Longbourn’s long-serving retainer.
At a nod from the Duke, the doors were opened wide, and all turned toward them.
“My Lords, ladies, and gentleman, their Graces Lord William and Lady Elizabeth Darcy, Duke and Duchess of Derbyshire, Earl and Countess of Lambton. James Bennet Junior and Jane Bennet, Viscount and Viscountess Glenmeade.” Mr. Hill proudly stepped aside.
Mrs. Hill was standing just outside the doors with her husband, and each former resident of Longbourn squeezed her hand as they passed her.
A loud cheer went up from the assembled guests as the two couples entered the ballroom.
Although the cheer was mainly to celebrate the two couples, there were not a few Meryton residents who put some extra effort into their cheering so as to celebrate the permanent removal of a certain two hated women.
So happy were the people of the area that these women were not in the neighbourhood any longer that no one allowed the names of the two criminals to pass their lips.
Departing in opposite directions, the couples made their rounds of the guests.
No matter how many times the neighbours heard the story of their survival, they were always hungry to hear it again, in case there was even a single detail they had missed on prior retellings.
Those who asked were indulged by Jane and Jamey without impatience, for it was a story worth retelling.
When the Viscount and Viscountess reached Charlotte, she was on the arm of Charles Bingley.
It had taken some getting used to by both the Bennets and many in the neighbourhood, but as it became evident the changes the pastor had made were both genuine and permanent, the number of those against him had dwindled to a few watching him with a gimlet eye, though it was about making sure Charlotte was happy, not about his past sins.
“If that coy smile is anything to go by, you have some news to share, do you not, Charlotte?” Jane asked, her head cocked to one side in question.
“We were going to wait until the morrow to say anything, but as you have asked, Charles requested a formal courtship and I consented, and my parents gave their blessing,” Charlotte smiled widely.
“I am very happy for you, Charlotte,” Jane told her, as she leaned in to hug her friend.
Jamey shook Bingley’s hand and leaned forward so only Bingley could hear him. “Charlotte is a best friend to my wife and my sister Elizabeth; do I need to point out what will occur should you ever hurt her?” Jamey asked, quietly.
“My purpose in life will be to make sure that Charlotte never repines accepting me, if she does when the time comes,” Bingley averred sincerely.
Jamey nodded once at Bingley, then the couple continued with their rounds to greet and thank their guests for helping celebrate their marriage.
The two couples met their family members, who were seated near where the musicians would normally be for a ball.
“I hope this is a little better than your first wedding breakfast, Jane,” Elizabeth teased her older sister.
“The best part about it is there is no fish!” Jane exclaimed. She, as well as the rest of the former castaways, had steadfastly stuck to the decision of give fish a break. Some, like Jane, said forever, and certainly it was for at least a long while.
“I take it you will not want to join us when we go fishing at Pemberley, Jane?” Uncle Edward teased his niece.
“Edward!” Madeline admonished.
The newlyweds sat with Jane and Jamey as both couples had some repast and quenched their thirsts.
After they felt refreshed, the couples walked in opposite directions, as they had when they started to greet the guests.
An hour later, no guests had been missed, and the couples were able to relax with their families.
Elizabeth arched her eyebrow when she and her husband arrived where Charlotte and the rest of the Lucases were seated. After greeting and accepting good wishes from the rest of Charlotte’s family, Elizabeth cocked her head toward Charles Bingley.
“I know you have made a change for the positive, Mr. Bingley, but if you ever hurt my friend, a sister of my heart, I will not rest until you are dealt with,” Elizabeth told Bingley quietly as they stood a little apart from the rest of the Lucases.
“I will tell you the same thing I told your brother the Viscount, Your Grace. If Charlotte accepts me, it will be my life’s work to make her happy,” Bingley related, sincerely.
“I hope so. Talk is cheap; we will see by your actions. Charlotte looks happy and she is a good judge of character, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt,” Elizabeth allowed. Bingley inclined his head to the new Duchess.
After talking to Sir William and Lady Lucas for a few minutes and extending them an invitation to Pemberley, the newlyweds continued their walk around the second half of the room.
“When will you depart for Holder Heights?” William asked Lord James when he sat down after completing his duties to their guests.
“Three men arrive on the morrow for us to interview them for the position of Longbourn’s steward, so I believe we will depart Meryton for London within a sennight.
We will be in Town for up to a month and then depart for Staffordshire.
I am in anticipation of seeing our estate again,” Lord James clapped his son-in-law Andrew on the back, “and I owe this young man an enormous debt of gratitude.”
“It was my pleasure to look after your interests for you, Holder. You would have done the same for me,” Andrew averred humbly.
“It is time, William. I am going to change for travel,” Elizabeth told her husband as she stood, and Jane and Louisa accompanied her, to assist if needed.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“It is hard to say goodbye to you after just getting you back, Janey,” Elizabeth told her sister as she hugged her tightly in the front of the house while the last of her luggage was loaded.
“We will meet again in about six weeks, Lizzy, and Glenmeade is near the Derbyshire and Leicestershire border, which is little more than four hours from William’s—your—estate, I am told.
I promise we will try to make sure to see each other at least once a week!
This is as much a new adventure for me as for you.
We both remember Holder Heights, but we never saw Glenmeade before, so it will be another first. Now go, Lizzy,” Jane told her sister, sending her back to her husband after a kiss on the cheek.
As she did with Jane, Elizabeth spent time with Tommy, who took pleasure in calling his sister Your Grace.
She also spent time with each of the cousins—sisters and brothers now— with whom she had so recently been reunited.
After hugging and wishing everyone else goodbye, her Aunt Amy and Uncle James were the last two she hugged and kissed.
Tommy was the last to shake his new brother’s hand.
“I could give you the ‘never hurt her speech’ but I know it is not needed, William.” Tommy jested.
“Lizzy could not have asked for a better husband for herself, and brother for Jane and me. Have an enjoyable wedding trip, and hopefully your voyage to and from Ireland will be uneventful.” Tommy clapped his new brother on his shoulder.
“And I believe you, Jane, and the rest of the Bennets will be the best of brothers and sisters. Both Gigi and I are happy our family has expanded so greatly,” William returned.
With all goodbyes completed, the new Duchess was led into one of the large and extremely comfortable Derbyshire coaches by her Duke.
With a rap on the roof with his cane, the driver gave a flick of the reins, the conveyance gave a little jerk, and it started rolling forward, away from Elizabeth’s childhood home.
Before the coach had made the turn from Longbourn’s drive to the lane beyond, William moved to the forward-facing bench where his wife was seated and drew her on his lap with alacrity.
Each time they kissed, Elizbeth felt her heart skip a beat.
Some kisses were passionate and when his tongue sought entry into her mouth, which she granted, with pleasure, she was sure her heart skipped two beats or more.
After some time, William pulled back a little. “Elizabeth, as much as I want you, the carriage is not where I envisioned us experiencing our first time joining. Like you, it will be my first time, and I want us to be able to take our time and have pleasure in our bed.”
“You are not experienced? I thought men always…” Elizabeth did not need to say the rest.
“For most men, I dare say it is the norm, but not for me…” William explained his philosophy, and when he was done, the respect Elizabeth already felt for her husband had grown exponentially.
In a world where women were no more than chattel, she had found one of the few who saw them as equals, as partners in every way.
As much as she had missed her father not walking her up the aisle to William, Elizabeth was mollified by the fact that had he met William, he would have approved of the man, not his wealth and rank, just as those were not factors for her.
His wealth would have meant nothing if her late father had not thought his daughter would be protected and loved.
Her father would never have entrusted her to one less worthy.
She knew beyond a shadow of doubt her mother would have loved William too. Even though Elizabeth had been young when her beloved mother was lost, she still retained many warm memories of the late Fanny Bennet.