Chapter 25
Elizabeth felt that the wedding was over in a flash.
She had never really dreamt about her wedding, although once she was engaged to Darcy, she certainly had a few expectations—her father walking her down the aisle, and Jane standing by her side at the altar—but the tiny wedding they actually had was still perfectly lovely.
Uncle Edward walked Elizabeth down the aisle, and Georgiana stood up with her.
The vows were the same, no matter who was in attendance, and the feeling that, now, no man could put asunder their status as married was certainly comforting, given the uncomfortable fact that members of her family had aided members of his family in an attempt to prevent the marriage.
They had the wedding breakfast at Darcy House.
Elizabeth accepted a kiss on her cheek from Richard and a kiss on her hand from Mr Bingley.
Neither man lingered long, and the Gardiners, who had spent the week living at Darcy House, had packed before the wedding for an easy leave-taking immediately after sampling the cakes and savoury dishes on offer.
At that point, it was just Georgiana and Mrs Annesley in the drawing room with Darcy and Elizabeth.
Georgiana smiled and said, “I never really thought about the possibility of you having such a small wedding, Brother. But it was still delightful. And I am so happy to have you in our family, Elizabeth! Still, I believe it is time for me to resume my lessons.” The two left without even so much as a knowing smile.
“And now for the traditional wedding-day festivities,” Elizabeth said. Her voice was teasing, and she saw Darcy sit up, very alert, and lick his lips. He looked a bit nervous but also a bit lascivious.
She stood and took from a locked drawer in the corner desk the two letters that were ready to be sent to Longbourn. “To whom did you plan to entrust these letters?”
“Ah, yes, the traditional ‘we got married without you’ letters!” Darcy drawled, shaking his head.
He rang and asked for Gilbert and Ross. When they arrived, he made sure that they understood that the letter addressed to Mary, Kitty, and Lydia was meant to be given only to one or more of those young ladies.
“It will probably involve staying in the town of Meryton for hours, up to two days,” Darcy said.
He gave them some funds for expenses if it took that long.
Elizabeth described the three girls and wished the footmen good luck in swiftly delivering the letters.
The two men left, and Darcy said, “And now, may we partake of the truly traditional activities of a brand-new bride and groom.”
“If we leave this highly public location for a more private one, we can and we will.” Elizabeth pulled his hand so that she was towing him up the stairs. At the landing, Darcy released himself from her hold and swept her up into his arms so that he could carry her up to their rooms.
“When you are ready, come to the sitting room,” is all he said before pulling the bell rope. He disappeared through the adjoining door.
Elizabeth felt equal parts eager and nervous.
Sloan, her new lady’s maid, helped her don her new nightgown and dressing gown. “Would you like me to brush your hair, miss?”
“No, thank you. It will take too much time.” Elizabeth laughed at her own words, at her eagerness. Certain she would be first, she whisked into the private sitting room located between the bedchambers.
Darcy was there before her, pacing in a manner that appeared impatient even though she had taken less than a quarter hour getting changed.
She laughed again, and he swung around immediately, joy in his eyes. He practically leapt across the floor. “What took you so long?” he asked, his tone self-deprecating. “Thirteen minutes and six seconds? Outrageous!” His laugh was rueful.
Elizabeth promised, seemingly apologetic, “Believe me, I shall endeavour to shave those six extra seconds off my time in the future. Perhaps, if we adopt proper military discipline, I can shorten my readying time even further?”
“Mmm, practice is the best teacher, but instead of concentrating our focus on speed of readiness, perhaps we can practice other bedroom related maneuvers.” Darcy pretended to adopt a stern countenance, but his eyes shone with the smile he hid.
“I consider stamina and intensification more important than speed, completion and mutual satisfaction more important than hurry, joy and fulfilment more important than efficiency.”
“Your vocabulary does you credit, Darcy, but you are rhapsodising about matters I do not yet understand. Please, I would prefer a personal acquaintance with the matter rather than the most beautiful explanation.”
“Would you?” he growled in her ear. “Would you indeed?”
Darcy ended up demonstrating his points in the master’s bed, the mistress’s bed, against the wall of his dressing room, in the bathtub, and on the hearth rug.
Unlike the brief wedding and the fleeting wedding breakfast, the “wedding night” began in the afternoon and gratifyingly lengthened well into the next day.
By the time they emerged from their rooms, Elizabeth felt as if she must be waddling, but Darcy insisted that she moved almost as gracefully as usual.
They had kept up their strength with cold collations and all manner of confections, plus two hot meals on trays.
However, the couple was hungrier than usual as they ventured down to the public rooms. Darcy ordered an afternoon tea with more substantial foods than usual, to be served in the smallest dining room rather than the drawing room.
He went to his study to scoop up the post, messages, and reports that they could peruse while they ate.
“Gilbert and Ross have returned from Meryton already,” he said. “Can you stand to read the responses they brought us?”
“Oh, I had understood that they would deliver my letters and then leave.”
“Those were their instructions,” Darcy confirmed. “However, it made sense for them to stay a short while, if the recipients asked them to, and return with responses. Three responses, in this case.”
Elizabeth looked at the three messages. “This one is in my father’s hand, this is from Jane, and the last is from Mary. Or possibly all three of the younger girls.”
“Shall we put them aside for a week or so?” Darcy asked, care in his voice.
“No, they will weigh more heavily on my spirits unopened than anything they could say.”
Elizabeth broke the seal on her father’s message first.
My dear Lizzy, I have been miserable with the choices I have made and what I assume was your resulting misery.
I am delighted that you are somehow free of whatever had been arranged for you, and have married the man you chose for your future life.
I am—as you can imagine—wholly astonished that your choice was a man you used to despise, and I am also sad beyond anything that I did not walk you down the aisle.
However, I understand that it was my own selfish, weak-willed actions that resulted in my not understanding what has transpired between you and Mr Darcy and my inability to participate as I ought to have at your wedding.
“Papa….” Elizabeth breathed, feeling her own sorrow that her father was selfish and weak.
Her father went on to explain that the earl had sent a man to explain to the Bennets that the planned marriage must be prevented, else the great name “Darcy” would be ruined forever.
The earl’s agent had laid out a series of threats that he would engineer, starting with rumours about the two youngest Bennet daughters.
Their independence in walking to Meryton and reputation for flirtation would give credence to manufactured stories about trysts and ruination; the rumours would be such that no sensible man would ever offer for any of the Bennets.
Further threats included revoking Uncle Gardiner’s shipping licenses and manipulating agricultural markets in such a way that would ruin Longbourn’s tenants.
I should have told you what the agent said to us and consulted with Mr Darcy, when he arrived, about what could be done to safeguard our family and estate. But instead, I capitulated with the forces of evil, as usual attempting to exert the least effort. I am deeply sorry.
“Husband,” Elizabeth said, holding out the letter to her intended. “I am deeply worried about these threats that your uncle made. We must ensure that none of them come to pass.”
Darcy nodded with assurance. “I will move mountains to do so, dearest.” He then read the letter.
Elizabeth chose to open the letter penned by Mary next. She glanced down and saw that all three of her younger sisters signed this one.
We are so proud of you, Lizzy, that you did not allow others to stop your marriage. We were told that some of Mr Darcy’s relatives made threats, but it seems to us to be a huge mistake to succumb to such tyrannical tactics.
All three girls seemed disgusted by Jane, impressed with Darcy, and eager to visit or live with Elizabeth. Smiling with satisfaction, Elizabeth turned to the letter she most dreaded. She calmed her mind before breaking the seal.
Just as she feared, Jane seemed more concerned with appearances and herself than with truth and others’ well-being. Her letter was startling in that she did not mention threats of any kind. Instead, Jane made the claim that Darcy was a violent and degenerate man!
Surely you do not think that any sort of threats towards me would convince me to act against you!
That was not the case. Instead, the earl kindly sent a man to inform us of Mr Darcy’s foul and often violent temper.
You cannot have forgotten what Mr Darcy did to Mr Wickham—but this man added that Mr Darcy actually beat Mr Wickham after he dared to ask a second time for what he was due.
I am desperately afraid that you have been dazzled by Mr Darcy’s beautiful properties and are therefore unwilling to face the truth you always sensed about this man.