Chapter 38
The very next day Bingley arrived again at Pemberley and spoke to Jane at length.
They discussed the whole of their acquaintance and each other's insecurities openly.
By the end, Jane was sobbing desperately with all the pent-up emotions from the last couple of months.
Bingley assured her with heartfelt words that he would never ever behave as he had and that Jane's happiness and her love were all that mattered to him.
Finally, Jane did accept him again, for there was nothing else she could have done.
Her heart had always belonged to Bingley no matter how imperfect he may be, but she insisted on a long engagement.
“Oh! Jane, I am so happy for you,” Elizabeth exclaimed as the news was broken to her. Then turning towards Mr. Bingley, she asked, “Sir, are you planning to stay in the neighbourhood for the duration of the courtship?”
“I have asked Darcy’s help in investigating a couple of estates in the neighbourhood. Now that Jane has agreed to be my wife, it is even more imperative that I find a permanent home near Pemberley.”
“See Jane, Mr. Bingley is already bribing me with your company to approve of him,” Elizabeth teased her sister.
“Mrs. Darcy, I would like to apologise for all the heartache I caused you. In my anger at Darcy, I failed to consider your agony,” Bingley spoke contritely.
“As long as you keep my Jane happy and smiling, I have nothing to complain about, sir.” Elizabeth replied with a smile.
“I am happy Lizzy; I hope you will trust me on that. I will soon write to Papa and tell him the news.” Jane happily responded.
“I will be going to town for a few days for I came here on a whim. My sisters and Hurst were to accompany me but when I heard from Caroline that Miss Bennet was at Pemberley, I came without thinking,” Mr. Bingley spoke as he took Jane’s hand.
“Then I would like to extend an invitation for you and your party to reside at Pemberley on your return. Judge Darcy and Mrs. Ashcombe will also be arriving in a few days with their family, and we will have a large party,” Elizabeth said, thinking that with such a large party Jane and Bingley will have enough chaperones.
In the next fortnight, Pemberley was alive with the merriment of its guests. Jane and Bingley found enough time to converse among themselves, for Elizabeth was busy with her duties as the Mistress and Darcy was occupied with either his relatives or estate matters.
Lydia had found her perfect companion in Mr. Edward Ashcombe.
The shy, young man was in awe of the bold girl and could be seen following her around the estate.
She had even convinced him to play with the tenant children and to climb trees.
Mrs. Ashcombe had always despaired of her son’s shyness and timid behaviour and was delighted with this change.
Elizabeth’s prediction came true, and the lady decided that Lydia was to be her protégée.
She could be seen subtly correcting some of Lydia’s more outrageous behaviours and encouraging some of her boldness.
By the time their visit came to an end, she had invited Lydia to visit her on her estate when Elizabeth and Darcy would travel to London for the season.
Judge Darcy and Lady Margaret seemed to enjoy a much quieter occupation. The Judge could be found in the library more often than not. Elizabeth had realised the deep respect Darcy held for his uncle, for he seemed to discuss varied estate and investment matters with him.
Lady Margaret was a woman of few words but a formidable presence.
Her stature was insignificant but her personality exuded respect.
Elizabeth was aware of her role in quieting Lady Catherine, but she had mostly considered it out of loyalty for the Darcy name.
The lady, while perfectly polite to her, had never shown the same warmth as either Mrs. Ashcombe or Lady Matlock.
Thus, it was an immense surprise to her when one evening Lady Margaret asked to walk with her exclusively.
“Mrs. Darcy, you strike me as an intelligent and capable person. You are now the mistress of Pemberley, and I would prefer that we were in accord even if not the best of friends,” Lady Margaret said without preamble.
“Mr. Darcy has a lot of respect for you and your husband. I would be honoured to have your friendship, your ladyship,” Elizabeth responded a little surprised by the comment.
“I will be upfront with you my dear. Darcy was too deep in despair last year after your refusal. My husband had gravely feared for his wellbeing, thus when you finally accepted him, we had no choice but to approve of the union. Pemberley and the Darcy name is not more important than Fitzwilliam himself. Though we all had reservations about your family and connections, you have acquitted yourself beyond the highest expectation.”
“Then I am thankful to you much more. That you doubted my ability but still stood up for me is more than I could have expected, especially when some of Mr. Darcy's relatives were not so accommodating,” Elizabeth responded.
“You speak of Lady Catherine. She would never dare to cross me. She is conscious of rank and then I normally do not interfere. The only other time I have intervened before was when she wanted to take Georgiana to Kent after her father’s death.”
At Elizabeth’s gasp she smiled and continued.
“Old Mr. Darcy was in excellent health; his death was a shock to all of us. Lady Catherine was not incorrect in assuming that Fitzwilliam was ill-prepared for Georgiana’s guardianship.
Mr. Darcy could not have considered a young bachelor to act as a guardian to an eleven-year-old girl.
But more than Georgiana, it was Darcy who needed her.
He has always been sensitive, and the death of his father had made him even more volatile.
Georgiana’s presence grounded him and hence I fought tooth and nail with Lady Catherine.
Now I see in him an even greater need for you.
You hold a strange power over him for he seems to be incomplete when not in your company. ”
“I am incomplete without him.” Elizabeth whispered.
“It is this sentiment so obvious in your demeanour that makes all of us who care for him, appreciate you even more,” Lady Margaret replied as she patted her cheeks.
Elizabeth became much more confident in her place and her duties beside Darcy after her conversation with Lady Margaret.
It had felt like a final acceptance to gain the approval of Lady Margaret Darcy who by all accounts had acted as a mother to the Darcy siblings after the death of Lady Anne.
By the time the guests left she had a much closer relationship with them all and a promise for the same gathering next summer.
Lady Margaret even hinted that her brother, the duke, would like to be introduced to the new Mrs. Darcy during the season.
The next couple of months saw a return of the original affection between Jane and Bingley.
Left to their own devices and with no further misunderstandings, they were quick to resolve all their misgivings.
Jane’s countenance bloomed in the easy company of her betrothed.
Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst were also pleasant company for they now very much wished their brother’s success with Jane.
Bingley also finalised the purchase of an estate not twenty miles from Pemberley with Jane’s approval.
Thus, by the time September arrived Jane and Bingley had fixed a wedding date and were to travel to Hertfordshire for the ceremony.
The whole party from Pemberley were to accompany them.
It was decided that Lydia and Georgiana would go to visit Mrs. Ashcombe after the wedding while Darcy and Elizabeth would go to London.
The wedding was to be in October and the atmosphere was filled with happy chaos both at Pemberley and Longbourn.
Jane and Bingley were finally in accord and their admiration for each other apparent.
More surprising was the contented look his sisters had on seeing them together.
Elizabeth was neither surprised nor offended with the Bingley sister’s behaviour.
She understood them well and knew that they would do nothing to jeopardize Jane’s happiness.
Their reasoning, however selfish, did not take away from the fact that they would now be Jane's biggest proponent.
It was a rare sunny day in October that saw Jane Bennet becoming Mrs. Bingley.
The joy of the couple seemed to be shared in equal proportion by the whole of Meryton society.
The wedding breakfast was as lavish as Mrs. Bennet could have justified, and the guests as numerous as the neighbourhood allowed.
Elizabeth was finally content. Jane’s broken heart had been a pall on her happiness which was now finally restored.
It was with genuine gaiety that she made her way to London the next day, to finally take her position in society as Mrs. Darcy of Pemberley.
That night at Darcy House, as she waited for her husband in their chamber, she thought of her chance encounter with her husband at Pemberley.
She could not conceive of how life would have turned out had she stayed back at the inn that day.
Slowly she placed her hand on her stomach confident that she and Darcy belonged with each other; nothing would have kept them apart.
It was at that moment that Darcy entered the room and saw his wife standing next to the window, glowing in moonlight.
As he moved towards her, he noticed her hand and a smile brightened his countenance.
“Elizabeth is it true?” he asked as he placed his hand atop hers. At her nod he pulled her into a gentle hug thanking providence for all its blessings.