Chapter 14
Will woke up before sunrise. It was two hours to the church at Matlock, but to be safe, he had demanded that the younger men who had stayed with him at Pemberley be ready to depart at a quarter before seven.
The wedding was to commence at half past the hour of nine, and he cared not if he had to wait, but he would not be late for the wedding to the woman that he loved more than he could aptly describe.
Andrew had returned to Snowhaven with the aid of a full moon after the stag party, leaving Richard, Bingley, and Wes as Will’s escorts. Perry would have been present if not for his care of his wife.
As if he had a bell around his neck, Carstens entered the bedchamber before Will’s feet reached the ground.
Will had no idea how his valet knew when he rose from his bed regardless of what time it was, but he always did.
He assisted his master to bathe in steaming hot water and then shaved Will as close as could be.
Next, he assisted in dressing the groom in a deep navy-blue suit with a shimmering white waistcoat.
Last were the black shoes that Carstens had polished to perfection.
Will made his way down to the breakfast parlour as the first glimmer of the approaching dawn was visible out of the east-facing windows.
He had expected that a footman would have to be dispatched to wake his three escorts, especially as at least two of them had been somewhat in their cups, so it was a complete surprise when he entered to three grinning men all sipping coffee.
“And here I thought that you would be the first of us ready this morning; mayhap the day is not as important to you as the rest of us,” said Richard.
“You know how Darce has to primp and preen before the mirror,” Bingley added his jibe.
“We were worried that you had changed your mind,” Wes added with a grin.
“Just you wait, Richard, when you are nervous on the day of your wedding, I will pay you back tenfold,” Will retorted good-naturedly.
“I would expect nothing less, Will,” Richard smirked.
“Is everything planned for your wedding trip?” Wes asked.
“It is. I have a full floor at an exceptionally good inn just outside of Birmingham reserved for tonight; it will be a little more than forty miles of travel. The next day we will go about eighty miles to Oxford, leaving us less than sixty miles to Southampton the day after next, as we will not travel on the Sabbath. We will board Perry’s ship early in the morning on Tuesday the five and twentieth day of June and will sail with the tide that morning,” Will informed the three.
“Lizzy will love the trip you have planned, Will. You know how much she had desired to travel and see some of the places that she had learnt about,” Richard opined.
“Which is why I planned it as I did. Keeping the plans secret from Lizzy has not been easy.” Will was about to add ‘when she withholds her kisses,’ but with Richard standing before him, he decided that discretion was the better part of valour.
As they were ready, the men entered the waiting carriage at just after half past the hour of six as the first tendrils of the sun’s fingers were streaking across the eastern sky, heralding the rising sun.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Elizabeth had her most vivid dream of being with Will that she had ever had and woke up with a distinct longing for him.
She was sure that the talk that she had with her Mama and Mother Tammy the night before had influenced her dream.
She did not feel like a wanton, thanks to the words spoken by the two women and their assurances when they had their discussion.
Rather than apprehension, like so many young brides, Elizabeth was looking forward to her wedding night with anticipation.
Andrew and Father Bennet would accompany her in the carriage to the Matlock church.
It was less than two miles to the church, so it would be a quick ride.
Elizabeth smiled as she remembered how her mother had checked and then rechecked with Mrs Smythe that everything was planned and ready for the wedding breakfast, which was to be held in Snowhaven’s ball room.
Elizabeth sat on the edge of her bed and rang for her lady’s maid just as the sun was creeping over the horizon.
It was well before seven, but there was a lot to do to get ready before she departed for the church.
Having anticipated the time that her mistress would start to prepare, Thénardier arrived within a minute of her mistress pulling the bell pull and informed Lady Elizabeth that her bath would be ready in moments.
As Elizabeth sat in her robe after her bath, there was a knock on the door, and her mother, Marie, Mother Anne, and Mother Tammy entered her room. “Did you manage to sleep at all, Lizzy?” her mother asked.
“Not so very much, Mama,” Elizabeth responded. “I am too excited for sleep.”
“You have more than enough helpers, so I will return to my chambers to dress, but I could not start the day without seeing you, Sister,” Marie stated as she kissed her sister-in-law on the cheek then departed the chambers.
“What a bride you will make today, Lizzy,” Mother Anne gushed as Thénardier hung the dress on a hook in preparation for Elizabeth to don it.
The colour of the groom’s waistcoat matched the dress.
It was a simple sparkling white dress with an empire waist and puffed sleeves with a band of Belgium lace around the bottom edge.
There was a gossamer overlay that had a few pearls worked into it that would match the pearl necklace and earbobs that she would be wearing—gifts from Mother Tammy and Father Bennet.
Elizabeth had forgone a wedding bonnet for a gossamer veil with pearls and a very few diamond chips that would sparkle in the light.
It was exactly the dress that Elizabeth wanted as she did not favour too many embellishments; the bit of lace on her sleeves was more than enough for her.
“I could not agree more. The contrast of the colour of your hair with the dress will be stunning,” Mother Tammy opined.
“It is my wedding day, so you will do anything to help me?” Elizabeth asked the three women cryptically as she arched her eyebrow. “Where is Will taking me for my wedding trip?” Elizabeth’s persistence made all three giggle like the girls they were many years ago.
“We will help with anything that you need to get ready before your wedding, Lizzy,” her mother replied. “Knowing where Will is taking you is not one of them. Let him surprise you; and besides, you will know soon enough.
Elizabeth sighed when her latest attempt to gain the intelligence was rebuffed. She did not mind being surprised, but her curiosity would not allow her to give up until the moment that she decided to follow her mother’s advice; it was her wedding day, after all.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Will and his three attendants arrived at the church just under an hour before the time that he had to be there.
Knowing that Will at least would have been barred entrance to Snowhaven before the ceremony, and with the men not wanting to leave Will to wait on his own, all accompanied him to the church.
The pews started filling up about half an hour before the ceremony.
Mr Beckman and William Bennet entered the church from the rectory and showed Will and Richard to the room off the altar where they could wait and sit out of the arrival congregants' view.
“I know that you have known my sister her whole life,” William said seriously to Will, “just remember that she has a cadre of brothers who will be willing to deal with you if you ever do anything to hurt Lizzy.”
“If you knew Will as well as I do, you would know that it is not in his nature to hurt anyone intentionally, especially not one who he loves like our sister,” Richard defended Will.
“That I believe,” William stated, “but as one of her older brothers, I felt that I had to say something. Now it is done, we can move on with the most pleasant task that I have before me. I meant no offence, Will.”
“No offence taken, William. I would not have expected less and would do the same with the man who one day has the honour of being accepted by Georgie,” Will returned as he extended his hand to shake William’s to back up his words with action.
William left the two cousins alone, and about twenty minutes later, he poked his head through the door to tell them it was time to take their places.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The carriages bearing the family from Snowhaven arrived, and their passengers had all filed out a little before the one bearing Elizabeth, Andrew, and Bennet arrived.
After the last of the family, excepting Georgiana, entered and took their seats in the front pews, the doors to the vestibule were closed.
The doors were opened again briefly, and Georgiana made her way up the aisle towards her position opposite Richard.
William Bennet was struck at how beautiful Miss Darcy was as she glided towards her spot with measured, slow steps.
Once Miss Darcy was in place, William gave a nod to the string quartet leader, and they played a flourish.
As they did, William gave the sign for the congregation to stand.
The doors to the vestibule opened, and with Andrew on her right and Father Bennet on her left, Elizabeth started the walk toward her destiny, to the love of her life, to finally join with her Will.
Will knew that Elizabeth was beautiful, but he had never seen her looking more so than she did as she walked toward him.
She gave him a saucy look that promised much love, laughter, and pleasure to come for the rest of their lives; and at last, he understood why Carstens had insisted on the waistcoat that he was wearing, as it matched her gown perfectly.