Chapter 2.9 #2
Elizabeth embraced her affectionately. “My dearest, everything will be fine. More than fine! I am glad you decided to come to London. Even if you will have Charles’s sisters around, it will still be less crowded than at Longbourn. You do deserve some peaceful time for yourself.”
“Charles said he will ask Caroline to stay with Louisa, at least for a few weeks. I hope she will not mind.”
“I like Charles more and more. It was the right thing to do. You should think of nothing else but your and your husband’s happiness for now. It is time for you to be a little selfish.”
“Dear Lizzy, I will try to follow your advice, if not for my sake, for Charles’s. Yet, I cannot help worrying for our families; you know me too well. I thank you for your patience and advice. You have always been the comfort of my heart.”
“I am confident that this place will be occupied by someone else starting tomorrow. And that is how it should be, my dear Jane.”
∞∞∞
At Netherfield, Bingley and Darcy were hiding in the library, seeking privacy, both of them restless and impatient to carry on a logical conversation or at least to sit down for more than several minutes.
Darcy was distressed that Elizabeth had remained at Longbourn and counted the hours until he could fetch her.
Bingley seemed distressed by everything.
They filled their glasses a couple of times, but it did not help them calm down.
Bingley paced the room several times, stopped in front of Darcy, opened his mouth to speak, then abandoned his intention and started walking around again. When he did this for the fourth time, Darcy could bear it no longer.
“Bingley, what is wrong? You have been acting strangely for the last few days.”
“Nothing is wrong. Yes it is, it is just that—”
“Yes? For heaven’s sake man, take a seat. You make me dizzy with your irrational pacing.”
“I am sorry. I am just nervous.”
“Is there any problem that I might help you with?”
“No, it is just...no problem at all, only the wedding.”
“Are you nervous about the wedding?”
“Yes…I mean…you know…”
“No, I most certainly do not know.”
“I still cannot believe that I will marry Jane…that she will be my wife. I am afraid of disappointing her. She is so beautiful and so perfect and…”
“Yes, she is. And you should be happy. You will be married in a day.”
“I am happy. Very happy.” He gulped another glass of brandy.
“Yet, you are still distressed it seems. Am I wrong?”
“You are not wrong; you know me well enough.”
“Well, if there is nothing I can do, I would suggest you retire and rest a little. Later I will go to Longbourn to fetch Elizabeth.”
“Will you not have another glass?”
“Very well—one more. It will help both of us to sleep better.”
Bingley paced the room again, stopping from time to time as if he were tempted to say more, then he resumed.
“Bingley, you are behaving strangely. If I did not know better, I would say that you look like a young, unexperienced boy who is distressed about his wedding night. However, that cannot be the reason since I know very well that you were intimately favoured by quite a few ladies before you became attached to Jane.”
“Yes, well…it is not the same. You cannot compare Jane to any other woman. Things will be different. Were you not nervous when you married?”
“Not at all. However, I was happy and content and relieved that I could finally have Elizabeth by my side without anyone interfering with or disturbing us.”
“I should have imagined that…you are never nervous or distressed about anything. So—do you have any advice for me? You have been only recently wed.”
Darcy patted his arm. “Let us not speak more about nervousness. From tomorrow on, you will be happier than ever before. And if you are resolved to make your wife happy, your felicity will be enhanced every day. This is the only advice I can offer: make sure you attend your wife’s desires first, and yours will be easily fulfilled afterward.
Think of what she prefers before considering what you want.
Even now—you keep talking about your nervousness, but just imagine how she must feel.
You must be confident to earn her trust. She is offering herself to you, and you must be strong enough to hold her and protect her. ”
“You are right, of course. That is true. I am being selfish, am I not? You are right. Yes, let us sleep a little—please forgive me for being such poor company. I will see you later at dinner.”
Darcy shook his hand with a sympathetic smile.
“There is no need for apologies, but please do me a favour: restrain yourself from drinking more than usual today and especially tomorrow. That will not calm you down and will certainly not prepare you for your first day and night with your wife—quite the contrary.”
“I will do that—of course. Do not worry, I will do just that.”
∞∞∞
The day Jane Bennet married Mr Charles Bingley was, for Meryton’s inhabitants as well as for Mrs Bennet, almost as exciting as the wedding of Elizabeth to Mr Darcy—almost.
While the bride was much praised for her beauty, the gentleman was also universally admired for his appearance and amiability.
However, everybody agreed that he was not as tall, nor quite as handsome as Mr Darcy.
And it was generally admitted that ten thousand a year was beyond comparison with half that sum.
Four and twenty families were invited to Longbourn for the wedding breakfast and remained until late in the afternoon.
Except for Caroline and Louisa, who barely spoke a few words to anyone, and Mr Hurst, who only paid attention to his drink, the guests declared they had a lovely time and that Mrs Bennet’s selection of dishes was perfect.
The mother of the bride took the opportunity to mention that, at her second daughter’s marriage to Mr Darcy, Lady Matlock herself complimented her arrangements and that she was already experienced in this matter.
With such a statement, even Lady Lucas had to agree.
After all, she had only married off one daughter—to the clergyman of Mr Darcy’s aunt—as Mrs Bennet reminded her constantly.
The newly wedded couple barely separated at all during the entire day.
Elizabeth smiled affectionately, noticing their brief touches, stolen glances, blushes, and whispers—so well known to her too.
She had no doubt that her sister would be happy and that Charles was worthy of his wife.
Their mutual adoration was enough to compensate for anything else and an excellent premise for their future.
∞∞∞
It was almost dark when the residents of Netherfield left Longbourn.
Mrs Bingley’s unease was apparent and seemed to increase as the carriage approached her new home.
She kept her gloved hands in her lap, rubbing them together while her eyes were mostly fixed upon the window.
Her smile was as serene as ever, but Elizabeth could easily guess her distress.
Once at their destination, Caroline and the Hursts retired to their rooms. Charles and Jane, together with the Darcys, remained in the main hall as if they did not know how to proceed. The host seemed even more nervous than his shy wife. Elizabeth eventually took the lead.
“Jane, do you need me to help you with anything?”
“Help me? Oh, yes, that would be very kind of you. If you could…” Jane glanced at her husband, her cheeks coloured.
“Bingley, would you have another glass of wine with me?” Darcy asked, gazing at his wife. His friend seemed exceedingly happy with the proposal.
“Yes, of course…I shall…let us go to the library…”
Elizabeth could not conceal her amusement as she took Jane’s arm and accompanied her to her apartment. Once inside, Jane sat on the bed, struggling to breathe.
“Oh, Lizzy, I am so silly…Forgive me…”
“Jane, dearest, calm yourself. Look around—you are in a beautiful chamber where your husband will join you soon. I know it can be a little distressing, but all will be well. There—here is your lovely nightgown. You should wash and then change for the night. I shall ring for the maid to bring you hot water.”
Slowly, Elizabeth managed to calm her sister. When the maid came to help her, Jane finally kissed her sister, thanked her, and asked her to return to her own husband. The new Mrs Bingley was ready to take her place.
Elizabeth hurried downstairs and found Darcy and Bingley in the library, talking animatedly. At her entrance, they stopped, and Bingley stared at her as if waiting for news. Elizabeth smiled.
“Is Jane well?”
“Of course she is. I left her with her maid.”
“Oh, well—I should go too.”
“Yes, you should,” Darcy said. “And I would suggest leaving the glass here.”
“Yes, I will do that,” Bingley said, but he left the room holding the glass tightly.
Elizabeth laughed and was about to make a comment when her husband silenced her with a kiss.
“I missed you so much, my love. I cannot believe that a whole day passed without my holding you.”
“I missed you too. I am so glad everything is finally done. It was much more tiresome than our own wedding.”
“It was—because I was smart enough to take you away right after the ceremony. If you remember, a couple of hours later we were in the carriage on our way to London.”
“I do remember—quite vividly,” she answered, pressing herself to him and returning the kiss.
“I believe it is time for us to retire too, Mrs Darcy. Although it is very rarely used, it would not do to behave wantonly in Bingley’s library.”