Chapter Thirteen #6
The next day, Elizabeth and Kitty resolved to be idle and content.
The sisters were not ready to part with one another, and so Elizabeth agreed that she and William might postpone their elopement until the following morning.
The two happy couples passed the day entirely at leisure together; William and Mr. Bingley’s combative attitudes had cooled into a playful contest of who could share the most embarrassing and amusing anecdotes of the other, and Elizabeth and her sister found this mode of entertainment exceedingly gratifying.
They finally had a chance to all dine together, along with Miss Annesley and the ever-present vicar, who seemed peculiarly fixated on the notion of baptizing Mr. Bingley under his newly prized alias, now that William had promised to give it up.
Miss Annesley made a few polite inquiries about whether any of Kitty’s other relations – and perhaps a respectable chaperone – might be visiting to celebrate the engagement and the courtship that had lately been agreed upon.
Elizabeth had persuaded her dearest William to allow the courtship of his friend and his ward, and had made sure Kitty was informed of every true particular about Mr. Bingley’s situation in life.
Kitty was far from objecting to hearing of his wealth, delighted that he cared nothing for her own lack of fortune, and piqued at the challenge presented by his tedious and tiresome sisters; Elizabeth was pleased that her sister was again so contently enamored, though sorry that they would likely be soon parted.
When Miss Annesley retired and the vicar departed, the four companions began to plan.
Elizabeth knew that Rebecca could not hold Lady Catherine off forever, and she suggested she and William could no longer delay their departure for Scotland.
It would be several days’ journey, but Elizabeth might celebrate her birthday as a married woman, and they would certainly return in time for Jane and Rebecca’s weddings.
“You must be my olive branch, Kitty, for I am sure Jane will be cross with me for deceiving Mamma and running off as I did, but she will be so very pleased to meet you again after nearly a lifetime of separation.”
“And I am looking forward to it, absolutely – only you had better not go tomorrow morning. It is the Summer Solstice fair in Markby, and I should be sorry if you missed it.”
Elizabeth and William exchanged a look. “It is one of the few family traditions we have, Kitty and I. Perhaps we might attend for a few hours? It is the longest day of the year, after all – we shall have plenty of daylight for travelling, if we leave in the afternoon.”
“Very well,” Elizabeth agreed. She hesitated yet, for she really feared it could not be much longer until her relations came looking for her, but there was such delight amongst her companions that she relented, electing to believe that fate would yet again smile upon her.
Later that night, however, Elizabeth jolted awake. Her hair and night rail were matted with sweat. Pleasant dreams of William’s kisses had turned to dark and hazy nightmares of her mother’s anger and betrayal when she learned of the elopement.
Elizabeth shakily threw off her coverlet and stood, pacing for a few minutes before lighting a candle from the dwindling fire in her room, and changing into a new night rail.
Then she paced a bit more, conflicted by her passionate love of William, and the love and gratitude she felt for her stern but devoted mother.
And it was not only her mother. Her actions affected Jane, and even Georgiana, whom she had left in the dark.
And though Rebecca had consented to help her, she risked the fury of their relations and possibly even her engagement to the marquess.
Elizabeth had every faith in her favorite aunt, Lady Anne – surely of all people, she would understand what Elizabeth had done, what she still meant to do.
But after disobliging so many people she loved, Elizabeth would have to face them, to tell them that her husband’s name was something entirely different than what they had been told.
And that she had married him even after his deceit.
She did not regret forgiving him, but she knew she could not expect the same from all her family.
And then there was Kitty. Was that enough to cast some blessed silver lining on her elopement? She had, through her own natural levity, raised Kitty’s hope already, but what if she had in fact utterly dashed her sister’s chances of a bond with Jane and the others?
Tired of pacing, Elizabeth sat down at the ornate escritoire by the window, placing her candle to one side as she drew pen and paper before her.
She took a deep breath and stared at the page as she considered what to write.
She stared at it for a long time, her head full of incoherent hopes and fears.
It was dawn by the time she began writing, and in the end she only penned a single paragraph. A sense of relief washed over her.
Elizabeth sealed the letter and left it on her dressing table so that she might remember to send it when she awoke again, and then she slept blissfully, her dreams again agreeable.