Chapter 20
Charlotte Arrives
Charlotte arrived in London less than a fortnight later carrying news from Lucas Lodge and Longbourn.
After receiving Elizabeth’s last letter, Charlotte encouraged her younger sister to help her meet with the youngest Bennets to speak of the situation there.
Mr. Bennet was as he ever was, but Mrs. Bennet was still upset by her second daughter’s marriage—mainly because it did not benefit her.
Although Elizabeth married well, the estrangement between them meant Elizabeth would not introduce her other daughters to wealthy men.
It was unfathomable to her that the daughter she liked the least managed to marry not only a wealthy gentleman but one who was connected to no less than an earl.
Jane continued displaying a haughty demeanour, firmly convinced of her superiority.
She often spoke about the exceptional match she believed she would find upon her arrival in London.
Upon hearing about Charlotte’s courtship with Mr. Livesay, Jane initially reacted angrily.
Still, she quickly dismissed it by asserting that Mr. Livesay did not deserve her in the first place.
Both Charlotte and Mr. Livesay shared a laugh at this remark, as it was well known that Jane had shown a keen interest in him before he became involved with Charlotte.
Charlotte shared this with Elizabeth soon after her arrival. Though Elizabeth was not terribly surprised by this news, she wondered a little what trouble Jane might attempt to cause. She would unlikely come to London, as she had managed to ostracize her former friends in Meryton.
The day after Charlotte arrived, Elizabeth took her shopping for new clothes for her stay in London and their trip north. The modiste promised a few dresses could be obtained quickly and the rest would be ready in a fortnight before they were to leave for Derbyshire.
Accompanied by the Darcys, Mr. Livesay escorted Charlotte to several events upon her arrival in town.
The two gentlemen found they enjoyed each other’s company, although they readily admitted preferring the company of their particular lady.
Together, they attended the theatre twice and dinners with friends.
Lady Anne hosted the couples one evening and the Gardiners another.
At the end of their fortnight in London, Mr. Livesay seriously considered proposing to Charlotte and spoke to Fitzwilliam one afternoon in the latter’s study.
“How long did you know Mrs. Darcy before you proposed?” his friend asked.
“I only knew her a few days before I was convinced she was the one for me,” Fitzwilliam admitted.
“The Gardiners spoke of her often, so I knew much about her even before we met. It was … almost like lightning struck my heart when I first saw her. I cannot say it was love from that first moment, but it was something akin to it. The first time I spoke of marriage … I believe we knew each other less than a fortnight at that point; however, I did not propose then and merely discussed our marriage as an inevitability. Elizabeth was upset at first”—here Fitzwilliam chuckled—“I likely frightened her as her mother had convinced her she was nearly unmarriageable. I do not understand her parents—I know you’ve also met them—but that mother…
” Fitzwilliam took a deep breath to calm his rising anger at the mention of his wife’s mother.
“Well, you met her and know what she is like. My Elizabeth put up with that for most of her life, at least whenever her grandmother or the Gardiners could not shield her from that woman’s vitriol.
If I have my way, we’ll never return to Hertfordshire. ”
“Would you be willing to return to the area for my wedding to Miss Lucas?” Mr. Livesay asked, a little hesitant after that declaration. “My friend still has the lease on Netherfield until Michaelmas, so perhaps we could arrange for your family and mine to stay for a time.”
Fitzwilliam scowled as he considered this.
“Elizabeth will likely want to attend her friend’s wedding, and the Bennets are unlikely to be invited.
I suppose we could avoid them easily enough.
” He paused as he continued to think. “When do you intend to propose? We all intended to head north to Oakridge soon.”
“Yes, well, I thought about taking a page from your book. If I propose before leaving town, we could stay at Netherfield while the banns are read. Then we can head north as a married couple.”
“Have you already spoken with Sir William?” Fitzwilliam asked.
Mr. Livesay grinned. “I sent him a letter a few days ago. I hope to speak to Charlotte privately this afternoon.”
Fitzwilliam laughed. “Yes, I think we could arrange that. Perhaps a common license would be better than waiting for the banns to be called? We would not have to remain at Netherfield as long that way.”
“That depends on Miss Lucas, I am afraid,” Mr. Livesay replied. “I would not want to rush her into a wedding if she prefers something different.”
“I suppose not every woman is like my wife; it was she who suggested we marry a fortnight after I proposed. Granted, it ended up being longer than that, but that was because of my mother’s insistence,” Fitzwilliam shared. “Although my wife and Miss Lucas have many things in common, so perhaps …”
“But you are forgetting the mother’s influence,” Mr. Livesay relied. “From what I know of Lady Lucas, she will not be happy with a mere week to plan. She may try to insist on a much longer period, but I hope I can convince Charlotte to make it a short engagement.”
Fitzwilliam laughed at his friend. “Good luck with that,” he said. “Let us join the ladies, and I will see what I can do to help you find that time alone to propose.”
Elizabeth was pleased to leave her friend alone with her suitor for a few minutes.
Upon their return, Fitzwilliam whispered what Mr. Livesay requested in her ear, and she quickly invented a reason for the two to leave the room.
The Darcys stood in the hallway just outside while Fitzwilliam shared their discussion regarding a possible wedding with her.
“Oh, Fitzwilliam,” she whispered. “I am so happy for Charlotte. I hope she can be persuaded to have the wedding quickly though, as I would not like to stay in Hertfordshire long. I am certain Mama will try to pretend a relationship exists between us, and I do not like the idea of you being that close to Jane for any length of time.”
“Would Miss Lucas agree to a short engagement?” he asked.
“She will, but Lady Lucas will not acquiesce,” Elizabeth sighed. “She will want to make it a big celebration and will likely want to rub it in Mama’s face. Perhaps, though, we can convince her that we can only remain in town for a short time and use that to encourage a quicker wedding.”
Hiding his face in her shoulder, Elizabeth felt more than heard his laugh. “What is so funny about that?” she demanded.
“I imagine your mother and Lady Lucas battling it out. I can imagine the two of them trading barbs as they attempt to get the advantage over the other,” Fitzwilliam teased. “Can you imagine what would happen if one of her daughters were to marry her son? That would be a wedding to remember.”
Elizabeth chuckled quietly at the image his words created. “They would perpetually be trying to outdo the other, and the wishes of the children in question would be ignored entirely. It would be a cacophony of sights and sounds.”
Fitzwilliam leaned down and kissed her for a long moment. When he released her, her eyes slowly opened, and she stared at her husband momentarily. “Not that I do not appreciate that, my dear Fitzwilliam, but what was that for?”
“I am inordinately pleased to have found you, my love, and more so that you have married me. I love your wit and wisdom—you are my perfect match,” he whispered huskily.
She sighed into his arms. “Fitzwilliam, as much as I would love to continue this, I believe we have left my friend alone with her suitor long enough. Should we return and allow them to share their news so we might send them all away?”
He laughed, loud enough this time to be heard in the room. This noise was enough to break the new couple apart, and when the Darcys entered, Charlotte and Mr. Livesay separated, and their happiness was clearly written on their faces.
“So, what have the two of you concluded?” Elizabeth asked as they entered the room.