Chapter 20
The wedding was now less than three days away, a fact Mrs. Bennet reminded everyone of as she bustled about the Gardiners’ home in a flurry of activity.
Gone was the tranquil woman of the last few weeks and in her place stood the Agnes Bennet her children had long grown accustomed to, though ever so slightly less voluble.
She insisted Mr. Darcy would have plenty of time to see Elizabeth after they were married and dragged her two eldest daughters from shop to warehouse to milliners all day Monday. By evening they were exhausted and collapsed in a heap across their shared bed.
Once everything was complete, Mrs. Bennet relaxed slightly, just in time for Darcy to call Tuesday morning. Elizabeth, Jane, and Mary quickly whisked him away to the park for a walk, barely taking the time to tell their mother where they were going.
Jane and Mary walked ahead toward a small pond while Elizabeth and Darcy lagged behind, strolling leisurely on the shady path.
“How are you, my dear?” he asked her gently. Her hand was on his arm and he placed his free hand over hers and held her as close to him as was possible without impeding their stride.
She sighed. “I am tired,” she said softly.
She laid her head on his shoulder for a moment, the second time she had ever done so, and he found the action oddly endearing.
He squeezed her hand, wishing he could do more, and directed them to a small alcove in the trees where they would be protected from view.
“Will you tell me your troubles, dearest?” he asked once they were secluded.
“I love when you do that,” she said.
“Do what?” he asked, trying to control his elation that she had said she loved something about him, even if it was an unnamed action.
“Understand when I am distressed and seek to comfort me.”
She smiled so sweetly at him he couldn’t help but feel moved by the intimacy of it all and he leaned down and gave her a gentle, lingering kiss.
She anticipated his actions and tilted her chin up to meet him. “I love when you do that, too,” she said impishly as he pulled away.
He kissed her once more for good measure before leading her back to the path, too overcome for the moment to speak.
“Fitzwilliam, are you well?” she asked quietly.
He looked at her in surprise. “Yes. Very well.” He saw her confusion and continued.
“Forgive me if my silence indicated otherwise.” He could not tell her how her innocent words and sweet affection had done him in or how he longed to hold her tightly to him and kiss her senseless before continuing on to more agreeable pursuits.
Instead he said, “I am very pleased to be walking with you, and even more pleased to be marrying you tomorrow.”
“I’m afraid I am not as adept at understanding you as you are me.”
“Truly?” He thought she was remarkably good at sensing his feelings and knowing exactly what would restore him to good humor or how to comfort him when he was upset and soothe his anger before it got the better of him. It was one of many reasons they were perfect for each other.
“Truly. I cannot read you as yet. How will I know what you are thinking?” she inquired.
“Easily. If I am smiling, I’m thinking of you,” he said charmingly.
She smiled and tilted her head flirtatiously. “And if you are frowning?”
“I am thinking of business. Or my Aunt Catherine.”
She burst into peals of laughter. And just like that, she was restored to good humor herself.
That evening, the entire Bennet family plus the Gardiners were due to dine at the Darcy townhouse for dinner.
Darcy had invited her family, which she had assumed included the Gardiners, and when the thought crossed her mind that perhaps it didn’t, she purposely included them to prove a point.
Firstly, that her relations were intelligent, kind, genteel people and deserved respect based on their own merits.
Secondly, she was soon to be mistress of that house and she wanted to set a precedent.
She would not forego her relations for his sake.
It was not right of him to ask it of her and she wouldn’t agree to it even if he did.
The Bennets and Gardiners alighted from their carriages in front of the tall imposing structure that was the Darcy home. Mrs. Bennet tittered to her daughters until her husband nudged her and they walked up the front steps.
Kitty and Lydia were joining the family.
They were given strict instructions not to speak to anyone unless spoken to and to behave with utmost decorum.
Lydia rolled her eyes when first being told, but when her father had swiftly said she would not be going at all if that was her attitude, she deftly adjusted her behavior.
She was allowed to wear her hair up for this occasion, though her dress was still one suited for a young lady not yet out—not the lower cut gowns of her elder sisters.
In the end, however, it did not really matter what Mr. Bennet had said to his youngest daughter, for she was so awed with the grandeur before her that she was silent and gaping, much like her mother.
Kitty fared no better, staring with wide eyes at everything around her.
Even the butler was the handsomest such man she had ever seen and she couldn’t help feeling that her sister was entering into an enchanted world of some kind, where everything was always polished and sparkling and no one ever spoke above a whisper.
She half expected to find royalty in the drawing room when she entered, but there was only Mr. Darcy’s family.
Darcy met them in the entryway and led them to the drawing room himself, Elizabeth’s arm safely tucked in the crook of his elbow.
He entered the room with his head held high, his pride in his bride more than evident.
Those that knew him realized what he was doing.
He had made his choice and would not be gainsaid.
Anyone who stood against her stood against him, and he would not look kindly on her being mistreated.
He introduced the Bennet family, beginning with Elizabeth and her parents and ending with the Gardiners.
He had been surprised to see them in the entryway, but now was not the time to discuss who was and wasn’t an appropriate dinner party guest. There would be plenty of time to discuss that after the wedding.
Elizabeth had likely been confused when he said her entire family was invited. It was nothing but a misunderstanding.
The Bennets bowed and curtseyed and looked very charming, all done up in their finest clothes, the women all in new gloves and slippers.
Mrs. Bennet smiled and looked at her daughters proudly.
They may not be as wealthy as the painted peacocks before her, but they were the prettiest ladies in the room, she’d bet her dowry on that.
Darcy introduced his family, beginning with his uncle Lord Carlisle, the Earl, and his wife, Lady Carlisle.
He was the brother of Darcy’s late mother and the father of Colonel Fitzwilliam, who stood in the corner smiling mischievously.
Next was Lord Melburn, the viscount, and his wife Lady Constance Melburn, Darcy’s paternal aunt.
Elizabeth curtseyed to each and smiled. Lord and Lady Carlisle only nodded, while Lady Melburn graced her with a shallow curtsey.
Elizabeth had gathered from Darcy that he was closer to this relation than the others and hoped she would get a chance to speak to the grand lady at some point in the evening.
Lady Catherine was absent, as expected. Lord Carlisle’s sons were present, Viscount Linley, the firstborn and heir, then Mr. Michael Fitzwilliam, a rector near his maternal uncle’s estate, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam whom Elizabeth had already met in Kent, and who bowed deeply and kissed her hand with a wink, and Mr. John Fitzwilliam, the youngest brother who was a barrister in town.
Elizabeth smiled and greeted them all, then moved on to Lady Constance’s children. The eldest son was not present, but his younger brother, Henry, was, as well as Darcy’s cousins Angela and Amelia.
“I hadn’t realized your family was quite so large,” she whispered to her betrothed as he led her away from his relations.
“Only these two families have four children. As you know, Lady Catherine has only one daughter and my own family is just Georgiana and myself.” She nodded and sat on the settee he’d led her to. “My Aunt Gibbons and her husband are not yet here, and they also have only one son and daughter.”
“She is your father’s younger sister, correct?”
“Yes. Lady Constance is his elder by one year. They were all very close when I was young. Aunt Gibbons, her given name is Amelia—my cousin is christened after her—still lived at Pemberley when my parents were first married. She was very close with my mother.”
The pre-dinner hour proceeded without event.
The Gibbons family arrived and was treated to the Bennet family lineup while Elizabeth searched Darcy’s aunts for traces of similarities.
The Fitzwilliam family was obviously where Georgiana got her lighter coloring.
As she understood it, the late Mrs. Darcy had been fair-haired like her brother and his children.
But Lady Constance and Mrs. Gibbons, the late Mr. Darcy’s sisters, were both dark haired and blue-eyed, with defined jaws and perfectly straight noses that came to a soft point at the end, more feminine versions of her Mr. Darcy’s.
My Mr. Darcy, when did I start to think of him like that? It is just as well. I am marrying the man tomorrow! I should have begun thinking of him as My Mr. Darcy long ago!