Epilogue
By the next day, news of Lydia’s recovery had been conveyed to Longbourn, and an express was sent in return.
The residents of Mrs. Jennings’s house had but a few hours’ notice to prepare for the arrival of the rest of their relations.
With Longbourn no longer in crisis, Mrs. Dashwood was eager to return to Norland, and her daughters were scarcely less so.
Lady Rebecca Fitzwilliam had, since meeting Elinor and Marianne, wished – and therefore expected – to call them both sister.
Having gotten her wish, she now insisted Mr. Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam accompany the ladies for safety.
Naturally, Lady Rebecca would be obliged to be one of the party as well, for her brother and brother-in-law would not have done half so well in wooing their ladies without her assistance, and she was determined to bestow this same generosity upon her eldest brother and their cousin Darcy.
Mrs. Bennet had neither Mrs. Dashwood’s good reason nor Lady Rebecca’s cunning, but she was determined nonetheless that she and her remaining two daughters must also travel to London.
Her letter to Mr. Bennet conveyed all this, and despite the haste in which she had written, misspelling a great many words and forgetting some entirely, he took considerable pleasure in pronouncing it a delightful communication.
Mr. Bennet read the letter aloud in all its nonsensical glory as Jane sat with Elizabeth and their aunt, taking tea with their friends and future relations in the parlor.
He was already exceedingly proud of his future sons-in-law, for they bore his teasing in good cheer; now he must prepare them for the excesses of his wife.
“I have told her that our Lydia’s misadventure came to a safe and swift conclusion, rather than ending in tears – or worse yet, at the altar with that mealy-mouthed miscreant,” Mr. Bennet informed them.
“My sister shall have all the triumph of her two eldest daughters becoming engaged an entire day before you, Jane, Lizzy. Perhaps a little more fanfare and congratulations for them shall be in order when they arrive this afternoon, before your mother hears of your news, for once she does, we shall not hear two words of sense spoken together for at least a month!”
Lydia looked up at her father and grinned.
She had recovered enough from his scolding the day before to brave a little defiance as she said, “But Papa, you have lamented the lack of good sense at Longbourn for these five years or more. Are you not accustomed to it by now?” On either side of her, Georgiana and Sophie giggled, until Mrs. Gardiner admonished all three with a simple tilt of her head and furrowing of her brows.
Elizabeth grinned. “Indeed, Papa – what is another month of nonsense?”
Mr. Darcy declared himself entirely at Mr. Bennet’s disposal, resolved as he was to be guided by Elizabeth’s sense of mischief and mirth.
At Jane’s side, Mr. Willoughby tutted and shook his head.
There existed between the two gentlemen an easy sense of camaraderie already, and he grinned at his new brother.
“I shall take what I daresay may be the easier path, if my dear Jane’s information is to be trusted. I shall accept that, despite managing a very large book store, I shall only be your second-favorite son, sir – and I shall instead be content to be Mrs. Bennet’s favorite son.”
Mr. Bennet nearly choked on his tea and began muttering protests about his enthusiasm for Hatchard’s.
Lydia came to Mr. Darcy’s defense, for his determination to share in the blame for Wickham’s perfidy had spared the girl considerable reprimand from her father, who had been tempted to lock his youngest away until she was fully forty-two.
Mr. Darcy suggested she was not beyond reclamation, if she instead spent more time learning from Georgiana at Pemberley.
Jane and Mr. Willoughby shared a playful smile, their hands entwined. “If your mother is fond of London, I am sure to win her over – I also share her enthusiasm for her favorite.”
Jane nudged his shoulder with hers. “It will be convenient indeed to have her as an ally, if we are to be often visiting Longbourn. I mean to ask Papa to involve you more in the running of the estate,” she said softly.
They had accepted Mrs. Hatchard’s generous offer to reside with her at her husband’s home in Cavendish Square, for Mr. Willoughby knew he had not many months left with his beloved step-father.
Beyond this, their future was full of possibilities.
They might use her fortune to let a house of their own in Mayfair.
Someday they would have Combe Magna, when it became solvent, and in what Jane hoped was the far distant future, they would have Longbourn.
“I suppose we shall get on well with our neighbors at Netherfield,” he teased her.
Jane laughed. “I cannot believe Marianne will be content so far from Norland, now that it is restored to my cousins. Between her sentimentality for Sussex and Mr. Bingley’s perpetual desire to please, I daresay they will have found an estate near Norland Park before they have exchanged their vows.”
Elizabeth caught the turn of their conversation and leaned in to add her own sportive speculation. “And if they do quit Netherfield, what a fine thing for Mamma, and for Mary and Kitty. Another single gentleman in possession of a large fortune will surely soon come into the neighborhood.”
Their merriment together lasted through the afternoon, and gave way to chaos when the caravan from Meryton arrived.
Jane found that she could meet again with Mr. Bingley with perfect equanimity, and in warm friendship she declared herself happy to call him cousin, for he was profusely generous in congratulating her and her betrothed, the man he had only the day before threatened to shoot.
Jane and Elizabeth and Elinor and Marianne were joyfully reunited, and they spent a happy hour together congratulating one another on finding husbands so perfectly suited to their dispositions, and who were soon as perfectly at ease together as their fair ladies.
They were nearly as elated as Mrs. Bennet, who found there were not enough smelling salts in all of London to calm her lengthy exultations.
Mrs. Bennet surprised them all by declaring she had always known Mr. Darcy admired her ‘dearest Lizzy,’ though Mr. Willoughby carried his point in the end by promising her that her ‘lovely, clever Jane,’ should always be settled an easy distance from Longbourn.
Mrs. Palmer called in the midst of their celebrations, and after making sure her absent mother, Mrs. Jennings, was duly credited for all four of the splendid matches, she so swiftly found a kindred spirit in Mrs. Bennet that she invited the Bennets to stay at her husband’s home for the few days Mrs. Bennet was determined to remain in London and purchase her girls’ trousseaux.
The Dashwood ladies remained at Berkeley Street, with every promise of daily visits – and the relief of not having to share bedrooms.
Lady Rebecca was as forward and imperious as ever in acquainting herself with Jane and Elizabeth, and they were already disposed to think so well of the impudent creature who had helped bring about the healing and happiness of their beloved cousins.
Lydia and Kitty were delighted by Georgiana and Sophie, and formed an inseparable cluster of giggles as they celebrated the four engagements and speculated on when their own turn for romance would come.
Mary was encouraged by her elder sisters and cousins to participate in their cheerful frivolity, but found herself more agreeably engaged when Colonel Brandon called to lend his own placid felicitations to the revelry.
All of them were very well-pleased with Lady Matilda's generous invitation to dine at Matlock House the next day and celebrate the betrothals properly. It was there that the four couples were soon persuaded by Lady Rebecca that a fifth engagement was imminent, and greatly to be desired, for the easy kinship between Julia Gardiner and the viscount’s three daughters made obvious to everyone what Jane suspected she was the first to comprehend.
When their stay in London had delighted them all long enough, Mrs. Dashwood was elated at the prospect of hosting a house party immediately upon her return to Norland Park, and Lady Rebecca reached new heights of self-congratulation as she made herself indispensable in assisting Mrs. Dashwood with every possible arrangement.
The Bennets, Dashwoods, and all their future relations travelled south to Sussex in what can only be described as a roving ruckus.
The ailing Mr. Hatchard and the equally infirm Earl of Matlock insisted on accompanying their families, and rode together in the earl’s carriage, which was so finely outfitted for their particular comfort that the various complaints of their ailments soon gave way to rousing political debates, and never had two stout old Englishmen been so delighted to disagree.
The young ladies were all so attached to one another that they exchanged places in their carriages at every stop, and those who were engaged deigned only to give their betrothed (mostly) chaste kisses as the horses were changed, before returning to the company of their feminine kin.
Mr. Willoughby supplied the gentlemen with ample reading material for the journey while Mr. Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam devoted themselves to distracting the other men with every manner of japery.
Lady Rebecca perversely provided her nieces and their new compatriots with enough sugary treats to render them entirely ungovernable for the entire journey south.
Jane had the pleasure of sitting beside her Aunt Maggie when the last mile of road brought Norland Park into view at last. Mrs. Dashwood had tears in her eyes as she joined hands with Jane on one side of her, and an exceedingly buoyant young Margaret on the other.
“As much as it shall warm my heart to see so many love matches come to their natural conclusion at Norland, nothing shall ever compare to my great love. I am to be reunited with my poor Henry in every room of Norland, where my memories of him shall be comfort enough for the rest of my days.”
Mrs. Gardiner shared a mischievous look with the viscount at her side before extending her hand across the carriage to offer Mrs. Dashwood a handkerchief. “And how long until that serenity shall be met with the merry noise of grandchildren?”
The viscount still held Mrs. Gardiner’s other hand, and that lady’s query was answered only with a very droll look from Mrs. Dashwood.
She turned her gaze back to the resplendent coastal vista around them, as the sun-drenched manor grew ever-closer, and Jane knew her aunt’s frequent sighs to be those of a lover indeed.
Norland had precisely enough rooms to house the Palmers, Mrs. Jennings, and Colonel Brandon, who arrived a few days later to join the party of extended family.
Colonel Brandon was long-acquainted with Richard Fitzwilliam, and had been instrumental in recommending the now former colonel’s replacement in Meryton; he had also given some aid in the search for Lydia, and was thus received with a hearty welcome despite being the most somber of their large party.
Within a week, Mrs. Jennings had persuaded Mrs. Bennet that he would do as well for Mary as the droll Julius Palmer would do for Kitty.
The banns were called on three consecutive Sundays for the four happy couples, and the neighbors of Norland all made a fine showing of welcoming the Dashwood ladies home.
The weeks were filled with large dinners, musical parties, and, at Mr. Bingley’s insistence, ice skating.
This happy time culminated in what everyone desired most, when Viscount Bellamy finally announced his engagement to Madeline Gardiner – and his intention that they should be far and away the happiest of couples.
Marianne and Elinor were the first to wed their beaux in a florally festooned chapel near Norland Park.
Neither couple desired a wedding trip until summer, and they were persuaded by Mrs. Dashwood to remain indefinitely at Norland Park.
Mr. Bingley nearly made it to the altar without fulfilling Jane’s prediction, but on the morning before the wedding, Lady Rebecca happened to notice an advertisement in the paper for a large manor for let, not three miles distant, and she was more than happy to allow Jane every triumph.
Jane and Mr. Willoughby, and Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy married three days later, and the two happy grooms easily persuaded their equally elated ladies to journey back to London.
Not long after their return to town, Mr. Darcy and the viscount were treated to a visit from Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and a florid recitation of her opinion of their chosen brides.
Banished from all her relations’ homes forever, she was left with no choice but to vent her ire elsewhere, and thus she soundly punished Edward Ferrars by withdrawing all her support in assisting him.
That unfortunate gentleman had the additional misery of seeing his wish granted, for he was welcomed back into the home of his ailing mother.
She had lately taken a companion recommended to her by Lord Avery’s daughter.
Miss Lucas made every attempt to ingratiate herself to the grand old lady, though she fell short of securing the same good opinion of Edward Ferrars.
It was with considerable chagrin that on the very evening Charlotte Lucas intended to risk her employer’s displeasure by compromising the young gentleman she considered her rightful property, Edward Ferrars instead announced his intention to wed Miss Caroline Bingley.
And that couple, who were just as happy as they had any right to be, never enjoyed good company in London again.