Chapter 28 #3
There was no discussion of a wedding date yet, and I do not expect that they will marry before Ashby and Anne, though your sister has been surprising of late. I did not want you to learn of this in the papers but from your family that loves both of you.
Enjoy the rest of your time at Seaview Cottage, and your mother and I look forward to seeing you in Kent in August.
Much love and best regards,
Papa
“It was only a matter of time, Jane. Those two are almost as much in love as you and I. Talking about being in love, have you noticed how our sister Lizzy has been looking at William lately?” Richard smiled as he gently wiped the tear that had fallen as Jane tried to contain her joy for Mary.
“I agree with you about Mary and Hugh, Husband,” she offered after a moment and the swells of emotion had eased in her heart.
“Yes, as I am not blind, I have seen the way that Lizzy looks upon him. She may not be ready to admit it to herself yet, but my sister has indeed lost her heart to our cousin.” Jane smiled wishing that her sister and best friend would find the kind of felicity in marriage that she had.
“Tiffany and Georgie will get their wishes and be sisters, and you and William will be brothers, and Georgie’s prediction that she too would have Bennet sisters will be proven true. ”
“Enough about others, Wife. It is time for us to lose the unwanted layers of clothing…” Richard growled in her ear.
His wife had no objection and they sprinted to their chambers, dismissing their servants until they were rung for and slamming the door on the world.
Clothing went flying every which direction as the lovers who could not get enough of each other would find satisfaction and satiation.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The express announcing the betrothal reached Dovedale after lunch on the day that the Darcys and their guests at Pemberley were due to arrive for dinner.
None were surprised that the couple had gotten Lord Longbourn to relent.
It was clear to anyone with eyes that the two were deeply and truly in love.
An hour or so later the carriages from Pemberley arrived, and by the volume of questions from her sisters, Lizzy knew that an express had reached Pemberley as well.
As the estates were so close, she was sure that the same rider that brought the letter to Dovedale had delivered one to both Pemberley and Snowhaven.
Darcy introduced them to Mr Patrick Elliot, the rector at Kympton who held the Pemberley and Lambton livings as well.
After the previous owner had gotten himself into his financial quagmire, the Lambton living had become vacant and the local bishop temporarily made it another gift for the master of Pemberley to bestow.
Unlike some who only wanted to collect livings for the income and have curates do all of the work, Elliot was intimately involved with each of the parishes.
He did employ two curates who were paid four hundred and fifty pounds per annum, three to five times more than most.
Against his friend’s objections, Darcy paid half of the curate’s wages leaving Elliot no choice but to relent.
The Pastor lived at the Pemberley parsonage even though it was a smaller church and parsonage, it was a most comfortable abode for just him and his daughter.
Each of the two curates stayed at one of the other two parsonages for no cost as Darcy employed and paid for the servants.
This living arrangement was unheard of and envied by any curates who learned of it, but it ensured that they were supremely content and dedicated to the parishioners.
The three clerics rotated each Sunday and major celebrations so that one out of three services were officiated by each at each church.
By following this schedule as the living holder, Elliot was not an unknown name but someone who the parishioners saw regularly and who was as involved in the parishes as the curates were.
The Lambton living had just reverted to Gardiner, and Elliot informed him that he was more than willing to give up the living so that Sir Edward could appoint someone of his own choosing.
The vicar was told in no uncertain terms that it was not required, that the reports from all three parishes were so glowing he was afraid he would be lynched should he try to do so, so he believed there was no reason to make a change.
Grace Elliot was led up to the nursery to play with May and Peter, who she straddled in age.
It took all of ten minutes for the shyness to be banished and the three to become fast friends, and it was a friendship that would last a lifetime.
Lily and her brother James, who had turned eleven one day earlier, were in the drawing room with the older girls and adults.
Darcy and the lady he loved were sitting on a settee with Charlotte. “Is this your first time in Derbyshire, Mrs Collins?” Darcy asked.
“Indeed, it is, Sir,” Charlotte replied, still amazed that the man who had barely opened his mouth when he visited Netherfield Park last year and this pleasant, almost loquacious man were the same person.
“I have never been this far north before, but it certainly is a beautiful country. Eliza and I were walking and admiring the peaks we could see but this morning.”
“If you two ladies like the view from here, you will love the view from Pemberley. Do you ride, Mrs Collins?” he inquired. As his address was to her, she appreciated that he glanced away to his Elizabeth only every other ten seconds.
“Yes, Mr Darcy, I do. I am not so expert a horsewoman of Eliza’s ilk,” she pointed to her friend who pulled a face at her, “but I can ride so long as we do not gallop.”
“Please do not sell yourself short, Charlotte. You have a good seat and ride well,” Lizzy held up her hand to stay her friend’s protest, “I do know you do not like to gallop, but it is also true you have not had as many chances to ride as I have.”
“In that case,” Darcy interjected, “we will have to ride the bridle trail up to the hill that overlooks Pemberley. More of the Peak District is visible from Pemberley due to the closeness to the Peaks, but from that elevation the view is magnificent.”
“We happily accept your offer to guide us to the place to get that magnificent vista of the peaks,” Lady Elizabeth accepted with a saucy look.
“I will be very interested to see the view as you lead us on our ride,” she added with some obvious double entendre to see how he accepted her teasing him so.
“I have been told that particular view is well worth seeing,” he stated with a full dimpled smile and Elizabeth was very much disconcerted.
‘You and I need to talk about this man, Lizzy. I would like to see you try and deny that he is not the owner of your heart.’ Charlotte pondered her friend’s love life as she looked around, her eyes connecting with Patrick Elliot’s for the first time.
The only thing he had in common with her late husband was that they were both members of the clergy.
He was tall, though not as tall as Mr Darcy, well-built and fit.
His personal hygiene was immaculate, he was considerate and he seemed very intelligent. He was as far from a sycophant that one could find. His hair was a light sandy brown, and he had a full head of hair with no grease dripping from it, and he had light brown eyes.
Reading Charlotte’s mind, Elizabeth helped her get more information about the man and asked Darcy about him.
“I met Elliot in my first year at Cambridge.
We were in the same year and became fast friends.
He hails from Shropshire; his father is a Baronet and he is the third son.
His parents are Sir Everett and Lady Ilene Elliot.
He owns a smallish estate, Riverdale, in Shropshire.
From what I understand, it was an inheritance from his maternal grandmother and he invests most of what he earns and adds land to his estate as he can so that he will have a legacy to leave a son if he ever has one, and if he does not it will be left to Grace.
“He was married to a childhood sweetheart who was taken by influenza three years ago when Gracie was but two. He was in deep mourning for a full two years after his beloved Adelaide passed. He was a curate at the time, and I believe if not for Grace he would have given up. He will always have a place for his late wife in his heart, but I know that if he finds the right woman, that he will marry again. Whether he will be able to love like that again, God alone knows. In recent times he has started to talk about a mother for Grace and his need of companionship. He is a very good man in all respects and deserves the best God can grant,” Darcy informed his beloved, his eyes on Charlotte alone and was pleased she blushed.
As Lizzy sat and looked at her very good friend, she got the feeling that Charlotte could be a good match for the clergyman, but she was not a matchmaker and would not push her friend, though she would assist if asked.
It just so happened that the widow and the widower were seated next to each other for dinner.
Darcy had suggested that Elliot would be a good dinner companion to Lady Gardiner.
This prompted her to put place settings at the informal dinner with some excuse of trying new pens.
Darcy was not above interfering a little for the sake of people he and his Lizzy both respected and wanted as happy as anyone of their acquaintance.
Charlotte certainly had paid her dues for respectability and deserved a chance at happiness, and Elliot ached for it.
As they talked, each became comfortable in the company of the other. When he discovered that the very pleasant and intelligent lady he was seated next to with the wry sense of humour, was the widow of a clergyman, they found common ground.