Chapter 61
The whole of Meryton had waited with anticipation for Mr. Bingley and Jane’s wedding when he had first taken Netherfield.
Their wedding now felt like a collective closure for the neighbourhood gathered to celebrate the blessed day.
Jane was radiant in a powder blue gown, and Bingley could hardly stop smiling.
The ceremony was everything they had hoped for with Elizabeth as the bridesmaid and Darcy as the groomsman.
As the ceremony concluded, the couple made their way to the open carriage decorated to transport them to Longbourn.
The denizens of Meryton followed them to the wedding breakfast. It was a puzzled group that was then guided by Mrs. Hill to the library where chairs were already arranged in a row and a platform had been erected.
Lemonade was handed to each guest as curious conversation broke out while everyone took their seats.
Mr. Bennet finally came to the front and announced:
“Dear friends, we have another happy occasion to celebrate. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth are to be joined in matrimony by special licence. The ceremony will be conducted by Mr. Lyndon, the vicar from Kympton church.”
Immediately conversation broke out with everyone asking the other about this unexpected wedding.
“Oh, my cousin is intensely private and thus decided to have a quiet affair,” Colonel Fitzwilliam was heard muttering.
“Elizabeth departed Longbourn to visit her friend, but had to stay away owing to my husband’s untimely death. Since she will now be leaving Longbourn for good, Mr. Darcy’s family arranged the licence as a tribute to her childhood home,” Mrs. Hardwicke explained.
The sound of music flowed in, and soon the conversation died down.
To everyone’s surprise, Miss Bingley was at the pianoforte playing a beautiful piece.
Mr. Darcy then walked in and took his place at the front with Mr. Bingley standing next to him.
Then Elizabeth appeared on her father’s arm, radiant with joy, as she walked down the aisle, Jane following her.
Mr. Bennet had his crutches and while he did walk his daughter down the aisle it was she who supported him.
The ceremony passed in a blur for the happy couple and soon Mr. Lyndon was announcing them husband and wife.
The dazed guests were finally directed to the wedding breakfast. The music room and the parlour had been opened and seamlessly connected to the dining room, allowing ample space.
Both the happy couple were now mingling with the guests and receiving their congratulations and best wishes.
“Lizzy, you are radiant,” Jane took her sister’s hands.
“And so are you. Life has been good to us,” Elizabeth squeezed her hands.
“Mrs. Darcy, I congratulate you on gaining such a dutiful husband and thank you for giving me Darcy as a brother. He is the most devoted of brothers if Miss Darcy is to be believed,” Bingley joked good-naturedly.
“Only to sisters, Bingley. I hope you will remember that I am a brother to Mrs. Bingley also and will definitely hold you accountable if she is ever dissatisfied,” Darcy answered much to the amusement of the whole group.
“Mrs. Darcy, I wish you the very best in life,” Lord Grimsley walked up to Elizabeth.
“Thank you, sir, and thank you for all the help in arranging this ceremony.”
“It was the least I could do after my absurd proposal.”
Elizabeth laughed at this as Darcy joined them and greeted Lord Grimsley. The Earl congratulated Darcy and then moved away.
“He is a good man,” Elizabeth said with a smile.
“Well, he can demonstrate the goodness of his personality to some other lady,” Darcy grumbled much to Elizabeth’s amusement.
“Do you always plan to be this absurdly possessive?”
“Ask me in twenty years. Perhaps by then I will be secure in your affections.”
“Should I not be equally jealous; I hear you had another lady selected, were I to withdraw from the engagement. A lady’s maid, Mr. Darcy, how very shocking.”
“I see Richard has been filling your head with nonsense.”
“Is she very pretty?”
“I have not the faintest idea, for I do not ever remember meeting her. I was making a point.”
“Well you did succeed for your aunt dismissed her. Charlotte wrote to me asking to intercede on her behalf.”
“I—I had not realised. I am sure I can arrange something for her. This is preposterous.”
“Well, I already wrote a letter of introduction for her and sent her to Pemberley. Mrs. Reynolds may decide whether she would suit as my lady’s maid.”
Darcy stared at her, stupefied. “Elizabeth, we can find appropriate work for her. You do not have to take her as your lady’s maid without meeting her.”
“Oh, I will be fine. I am sure Lady Catherine would hardly have employed her for her daughter if she were not the very best.”
“Or because she was the only one ready to work under her command,” Darcy muttered.
Mr. Bennet walked to them, interrupting their tête-à-tête. “Elizabeth, you should prepare to depart, my dear. It will be dark soon.” Elizabeth acknowledged her father, and went upstairs as Darcy stood by the window waiting for her.
Elizabeth and Darcy had decided to forgo an immediate wedding trip as Darcy had been away from Pemberley for nearly the whole year.
They had decided on having a delayed trip to the lakes in the summer while spending the next month in relative privacy at Pemberley where Darcy could at least take care of the matters that were waiting on him.
Georgiana was to come to Pemberley after a month and Kitty was to accompany her.
Mr. Darcy had been impressed by the change in her personality and wished to provide her with a superior society to any she had previously experienced.
Jane and Bingley were to stay the night at Netherfield and depart in the morning to Bath for three weeks.
Darcy’s family would remain at Netherfield for another week with Miss Bingley acting as hostess.
The Bingleys would later visit Derbyshire for the Christmas season with the Gardiners and Mrs. Ashcombe.
Darcy wished for Mrs. Hardwicke and Margaret to spend a few months at Pemberley but had not insisted on it.
They were still learning to appreciate the other and Elizabeth and finally understood some of what her aunt had borne in her first marriage.
She no longer held any grudge against her for doubting Mr. Darcy’s sincerity or affections and was once again as close to her as she had ever been.
Mrs. Bennet had decided to completely ignore her husband’s sister.
She could never be rude to a relation of her richest son-in-law but had her own pride when it came to Mrs. Hardwicke.
Sarah had no qualms regarding this and was happy to spend time at her childhood home without much discourse with its mistress.
Margaret was enjoying the company of her doting cousins and was finally on the mend from the heartbreak her father’s demise had caused.
Elizabeth returned, changed in her travelling gown ready to depart, causing all the guests to congregate in wishing the couple a farewell.
Darcy patiently received all the good wishes and promised to take care of Mrs. Darcy and ensure her happiness.
Mrs. Bennet cried and wailed and expressed her appreciation for her new son.
Jane hugged Elizabeth tightly and promised to soon visit.
Mr. Bennet was the last one to bid his daughter farewell, his eyes suspiciously watery.
“Promise me that you will be happy, my dear,” he said as he handed her into the waiting carriage.
As the carriage moved with a jolt and passed the driveway of Longbourn to enter the Meryton road, Elizabeth leaned from the window trying to take in a last glimpse of her childhood.
It was when they had left Meryton behind that Mr. Darcy finally moved next to his bride and pulled her to himself.
He held Elizabeth silently for a while as she hugged him tightly.
“Fitzwilliam, I will miss them. Papa, Mama, my sisters, even Mrs. Hill,” she whispered into his embrace.
“We will see them before we go to London for the season and you may invite whoever you wish to Pemberley, even Mrs. Hill.”
A laugh bubbled out of her throat through her tears. “You darling man. How did you manage to conceal your charm for so long?” she teased him as she kissed him.