Chapter 10
Jane could hardly contain her excitement; not just because it was her birthday, but on the morrow, she would marry Perry, and they would not have to be parted again.
Yes, she would also be a Duchess, and she was happy about that, but her change in rank was nothing to the fact that she was about to marry the man that she loved.
The only thing that came close in joy was that her sister had been reunited with her and her family, and in the month since Lizzy had started to call them sister and brother, she had become remarkably close to her birth family, Jane especially.
The two sisters were now so dear to one another that Lizzy would be standing up with Jane on the morrow opposite her brother who, as Perry’s best friend, would be standing up with him.
The last month had flown by. They had the banns read even though acquiring a special licence would have been nothing for her betrothed.
Lady Rose, who she now called Mother Rose, had assured her that she would be by Jane’s side to guide her as she took up her duties as Duchess of Bedford.
She had made Jane blush when she had intimated during one of their discussions that she would not object to many grandchildren to spoil most rotten.
Tammy Bennet knocked on her daughter’s door and entered when she heard her daughter bid her to do so.
“Jane, I cannot believe that you will be a married woman and a duchess in the morning. I will miss you so very much, but I know that Perry will always protect you and make sure that you are happy,” Tammy told her oldest daughter.
“How did you enjoy your birthday yesterday?”
“It was the best one that I can remember because we are a complete family again. Even though Lizzy will continue to live with her Fitzwilliam family, and we will not be in the same house, we will never be parted again. I love that she has added Bennet to her name. Elizabeth Rose Bennet Fitzwilliam; how well it sounds. Until Papa told her, she had no idea that her second name was Rose. Mother Rose was very pleased when she found out.” Jane smiled as she remembered.
“Your father was overjoyed with her middle names. He told me his aim is to try and beat her in chess again—something he has not been able to do for almost a year!” Tammy smiled as she thought about how much pleasure her beloved husband had derived from Elizabeth’s announcement.
“Are you here to help me calm myself before the wedding night, Mama?” Jane asked pointedly. “If you are, I must tell you I am not nervous. Although I do not know all yet, I am very much looking forward to being Perry’s wife in all ways. If that makes me a wanton, so be it” Jane added defiantly.
“Oh, Janey, it does not make you a wanton, just a woman violently in love. You know the mechanics, having lived on a farm your whole life, do you not?” Tammy asked causing her daughter to blush scarlet as nodded.
“Never be ashamed of what is done between the two of you in privacy—and that need not be restricted only to the night.
“It is possible that he will take pleasure in seeing all of you as you will in seeing him.
That too is perfectly natural between a married couple, and nothing of which to be ashamed.
The first time will hurt, possibly quite a lot, and there may be some blood as he takes your maidenhood; but after that, it will not hurt again.
In fact, it will get better the more times that you repeat the act together.
“Lastly, always talk to one another about what each of you likes and dislikes. He loves you too much to ever impose something on you that you articulate as not pleasurable to you,” Tammy concluded her talk with a hug of her daughter.
“Thank you, Mama, I was not nervous, but now I am looking forward to our wedding night with anticipation of pleasure both given and taken,” Jane informed her mother with a tinge of pink in her cheeks.
“Try to get some sleep, Jane, or do you want to speak to Aunt Maddie before you try?” Tammy asked.
“No, Mama, I will try to sleep,” Jane kissed her mother on each cheek and bade her good night.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The Lucas parents were grateful that their son had come to his senses and that he had not destroyed their friendship with the Bennets or ruined their name in Meryton.
After his apology, Franklin had backed up his words with actions.
He had thrown himself into his duties at Lucas Lodge and had not gone near the bar at the Royal Crown.
There had been two or three times that he had been in the same room with Lady Elizabeth, and other than a polite greeting to the family, he had kept away.
The last time, her brother Richard Fitzwilliam had been present.
Luckily for Franklin, Richard had not found his behaviour lacking, so there was no reason to ‘talk’ to him again.
There had been a dinner hosted at Lucas Lodge that had been attended by the Bennets and their guests.
Sir William had been beside himself hosting a Duke; an Earl and Countess; and a Dowager Duchess and Countess.
Franklin had been in the receiving line and greeted Lady Elizabeth like he did everyone else.
Even in his own home, he kept to his word.
Due to his now exemplary behaviour, his name was not removed from the wedding invitation. He would be at the church and subsequent wedding breakfast with his family, and he was bound and determined that he would continue to behave in a way that was above reproach.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Elizabeth was in the sitting room between her chambers and Georgiana’s, which was a few down from where Jane and her mother were having their discussion.
Aggie was curled up in front of the fire, snoring away.
Being at Longbourn with both her families around her was the happiest that she had felt since her beloved father was murdered.
Any time that she would start to allow her self-created guilt to intrude, which was very seldom these days, she would hear her Papa’s words and the promise he extracted from her, followed by her family’s words of love.
She knew that one day, many years in the future, she would see her Papa once again in heaven.
She ruminated about the conversation that she had with her Fitzwilliam and Darcy family about ten days earlier.
The family, excluding Alex, had met in Andrew and Marie’s sitting room. Richard was with them for the weekend.
“Lizzy, you asked us to meet you here?” her mother asked.
“Yes, I did. I have been thinking about something, my name!” Elizabeth saw the looks of consternation and quickly move to reassure her family. “I am not desirous of removing a name; it is adding two that I am talking about.”
Everyone, her mother especially, had relaxed at her assurance that she had not changed her mind about being a Fitzwilliam. “What is it that you are thinking of Lizzy?” Aunt Anne asked.
“Do you remember that Father Bennet told me that my middle name is Rose as he named me Elizabeth Rose for Grandmother Elizabeth Rose Bennet?” There were nods all around.
“I was thinking of adding Rose and Bennet between Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam. Bennet will be like a middle name, regardless of where I was birthed, I am and always will be a Fitzwilliam, well unless I marry one day, and even then, it will not change who my family is.”
“That sounds like a good name for you, Sprite,” Richard offered.
“Thank you, Itch, I think so, too,” Elizabeth answered.
“I hate to say it,” Will said with a grin, “as much as I hate to agree with my much older cousin, it sounds fine.”
There was no dissention within the family.
Elaine hugged her daughter tightly. The family group joined the Bennets and young Alex in the drawing room where Elizabeth announced her new name to all.
Just like he had when she had called him ‘Father Bennet’ the first time, Bennet had moisture in his eyes.
Elizabeth was snapped out of her reverie when Georgiana stuck her head into their shared sitting room to confirm that it was only Lizzy present.
“Come in, Gigi, it is only Aggie with me in here.” Aggie lifted her head on mention of her name and once she saw who was visiting her mistress, she put her head down and went back to pleasant snore-producing dreams.
“Can you believe that Jane will be a Duchess on the morrow,” Georgiana asked excitedly.
“It does seem unreal, but I can tell you from talking to Jane that she would have married Perry title or not. She is marrying for the only good reason to marry, the deepest love,” Elizabeth informed her younger cousin.
“I believe that Andrew’s restriction on Mr Ashby to propose to Anne is over the day after the wedding. Just do not go off and marry someone who will take you to the other side of the country Lizzy., I do not know what I would do without you,” Georgiana begged.
“I will keep that in mind after I come out, Gigi,” Elizabeth smiled. If her wishes were granted and her feelings were returned, then she might live close—awfully close—to her cousin, and they mayhap would be sisters.
For her part, Lady Elaine felt much relief after the meeting when Lizzy had announced her name change, the last vestiges of doubt that her daughter would change her mind about where she was to live slipped away.
She had breathed a sigh of relief as she understood what Lizzy wanted to do—she was stating for all to hear that part of her was a Bennet, but she was and always would be a Fitzwilliam.
Thomas Bennet was beyond happy at his second daughter’s decision. It was far more than he had ever expected.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Anne had been counting the days ever since Ian had informed her that he had Andrew’s permission to ask for her hand—they only had to wait until after Jane’s and Perry’s wedding.
She had started crossing days off the calendar, with the seventeenth day of January circled so much the number was all but illegible.