Chapter 3
When she was not in Will’s company, he was the one that she was thinking of.
She knew without any doubt that when he asked, whether it be courtship or a betrothal, her answer would be yes.
She was sure that as soon as he was allowed to do so, he would ask one of the two questions, and despite hoping it was the latter option, she could not deny that so long as she knew he was hers, she would accept the former gratefully.
And it would seem presumptuous but for their conversation within days after the last of the perpetrators of the attempted attack on the family had been dealt with.
Earlier that May at Pemberley
It was less than a sennight after the men had returned from the trial of Catherine de Bourgh.
None had attended the hanging, but they had not left London before it occurred.
Once the five men returned to Pemberley, it was within days that the Bennets and Rhys-Davies departed for their respective estates.
The night before the Ashbys’ departure, the four siblings and Ian had sat together in a parlour discussing the events of the past months.
Anne’s brothers and sister wanted to make sure that she was well.
All of them were grateful Ian had been there to support her as needed.
Even though there had been no love for the condemned woman, she had been Anne’s biological mother.
Anne had assured them, and in no uncertain terms, that the only thing that she felt sorrow about was the woman’s victims. The judge had issued the order to seize all of the woman’s assets.
She and Ian were looking forward to meeting the murdered maid’s family and presenting them with the recovered fortune and property deeds for the house the woman had unwittingly purchased for them.
As planned, the Ashbys departed the following day, and Richard went with them as he had to return to his unit.
That left only the Darcys and Fitzwilliams at Pemberley.
A few days later, Andrew, Marie, Will, Elizabeth, Georgiana, and Alex went for a long ride in Pemberley’s fields with Aggie running alongside some of the time and others lying down and resting while watching her mistress and the usual complement of escorts.
At one point, maybe even intentionally, Will and Elizabeth were riding some twenty yards behind the other four.
Will took the chance to ask a question that had been eating at him since the day he and the others had gone to finally end the threat to their family.
“Lizzy, before we left, you said something that could be meant in more than one way,” he opened somewhat nervously, knowing that he was intentionally skirting the limits of conversation that Andrew would permit, but some clarification was crucial; the conjectures were driving him mad at every turn of thought.
“Whatever can you mean, Will?” she responded playfully, “We had many conversations before you left, did we not?”
“You know I mean the one we had during the ride we took the day before the confrontation,” he returned.
“I do,” Elizabeth blushed, agreeing that she knew exactly what he was referring to.
“I do not want to run afoul of Andrew but am I correct in believing that you too were referring to the future as well as the present, the same as I was?” he asked, praying that her answer would be in the affirmative.
“You did not misunderstand my meaning, and I am glad to say, it seems neither did I yours,” she offered, her smile growing in time with his.
Neither had said the words that were with each breath harder to hold in, but they finally knew that it was mutual in both regard and intent.
Knowing it was now but a matter of time, both were able to face the coming months more easily, as they knew they would walk whatever path it was they would find together.
Back to November/December 1808
Since May, the family had known that something had transpired between the two, which caused the looks between them to become far more tender and contented than they had been before.
The lack of anxiety, the lack of furtive glances, were more what gave them away than anything else.
Will smiled to himself as he recalled the conversation he had had with Andrew before the Fitzwilliams had departed for Snowhaven.
Andrew had requested that Will join him in the sitting room of the suite he and Marie shared. Will had been asked to sit, but even before Andrew spoke, the look of concern l told Will what, or more correctly, who his cousin wanted to discuss.
“Have you declared yourself to my sister?” Andrew asked pointedly.
“That would be problematic as Anne is already married,” Will replied, trying to inject some humour into the tense meeting.
“Do not be purposefully obtuse,” Andrew shot back, “You know I mean Elizabeth!”
“Peace, Andrew, I was attempting humour, but I obviously have fewer skills than even I thought.” Will held up a hand to ward off a retort, that statement gaining a slight smirk, and both settled into their seats.
“It is not the time to try though you will need it when facing Father Bennet. Now please, answer my question.” Andrew nodded for him to speak.
“No, I have made no declaration. Do you think me devoid of all honour that I would do so knowing that it is against your expressed wishes until after Lizzy is out?” He had not lied; he had made no declaration.
“So, you have no understanding with my sister?” Andrew pressed.
“If you are asking if we have a secret courtship or betrothal, then no, we do not. If she has me, I will be seeking such an understanding as soon as you allow me to pay my addresses to her.” Will looked directly at his cousin so Andrew could read just how serious he was.
“I want her to have at least three months of a season, the same that I know father wanted for her, before you or anyone else declares for her,” Andrew replied with resignation. “What will you ask her for?”
“Do you truly believe that we who have known one another for almost seventeen years would require a courtship to become well known to one another?” Will challenged.
Andrew was silent for a minute, and Will watched his cousin become reconciled to the fact that his baby sister would soon leave his home. “If Lizzy accepts you, I will grant whatever she does; but if it is a betrothal, it too will not be shorter than three months!”
They had shaken hands and parted.
Will could not but remember the conversation with pleasure. He knew what question he was going to ask but was determined to offer the option of courtship if Lizzy desired more time. After he had left Andrew’s sitting room, Will had shared it with his parents.
Neither looked surprised, and both stated that they would love to have Lizzy as a daughter-in-law. The two younger Darcys were not canvassed, but there was no doubt that Georgiana had been hoping for years that Elizabeth would one day be her sister.
Andrew had relayed the contents of the conversation to both Marie, who was increasing again, and his mother.
And just as it was when Will spoke to his parents, there was no surprise.
The writing had been on the wall for a long, long time.
For Elaine’s part, it was true that she would miss Elizabeth not living in the same home, but with such an easy distance between their various homes, her baby would never be that far away.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Charles Bingley was the happiest of men as he was waiting at the front of St Alfred’s in Meryton; his friend Darcy was standing up for him.
His niece Mary walked down the aisle, dropping rose petals, and then almost ran to sit next to her mother once her task was finished.
Next, his soon-to-be sister-in-law Cara walked down the aisle to take her place opposite Darcy.
The vestibule doors opened, and Mr Pierce indicated that the congregation should stand. Then she was walking toward him, Mandy Long, on her father’s arm. He was about to marry the woman that he loved above all others.
He had delayed the wedding until they had passed the two-year marking of his father’s death.
Mrs Bingley was out of mourning and, with Louisa and her mother, had planned a wedding breakfast that would be remembered in the area for a long time.
Martha, wearing light colours for the first time in public, was sitting in the front pew on the side where her son was standing waiting for his bride.
The Hursts, Martha Bingley, and the other family that had come from Yorkshire were with her and in the next two rows of pews.
Cheryl Long was sitting in the front pew across the aisle, waiting for her husband to join her after he handed Mandy over to her groom.
The girls had come to be theirs because of tragedy, but their life had been much better because of their daughters.
As Cara stood waiting for her sister to reach the altar, she was sure that their mama and papa were smiling on her from heaven as Mandy walked up the aisle on her father’s arm.
Soon after, the new Mr and Mrs Charles Bingley were being announced by Nichols as they walked into the ballroom at Netherfield with all their family and friends clapping for them.
Martha was no longer mistress of the estate Oscar had bought for her and his family, but she did not feel she was being pushed aside.
Charles and Mandy had repeatedly stated that they would not hear of her moving to the small dower house and that she was wanted.
The Bennets, Rhys-Davies, Fitzwilliams, and Darcys had made the trip from Town to witness the wedding.
It was at the wedding breakfast that Franklin Lucas asked leave to introduce his fiancée, Miss Cassandra Howell, whose father had a small estate in neighbouring Essex.
It was obvious that the two had a love match, and they received well wishes from all.