Chapter 21
Mary and Kitty were worried because Aunt Eleanor had remained in bed all day.
Dr Randall had come to examine her and assured them that she simply needed to rest and that, if the fever subsided, she would soon be able to resume her usual routine.
Both nieces knew that their aunt was to marry General Sinclair the following day, but neither knew where he was.
They had left Eleanor to rest, hoping she would recover as quickly as possible.
A little before the afternoon, they decided to go to her bedchamber to see whether she was feeling any better.
"Excuse us, Aunt," Mary and Kitty said as they entered Eleanor's bedchamber. "We have come to see whether you are feeling any better."
"My dear girls, thank you for your concern, but you need not worry any longer. I feel quite well now. As a precaution, I shall remain in bed for the rest of the day, but the fever has gone."
Eleanor invited her nieces to sit beside her on the bed so that they might talk a little longer.
"So General Sinclair went to fetch Lizzy from Kent?" Kitty asked curiously.
"Yes. We wanted to make certain that she arrived safely so that we might be married tomorrow without any delay," Eleanor explained.
"The general is a very kind man, Aunt," Mary said.
"And so handsome," Kitty added with a laugh.
"Yes, you are both right. Marcus is indeed very handsome, but, above all, he is a truly good man."
Whenever Eleanor spoke of Marcus, she could not help becoming emotional.
Mary and Kitty understood how deeply their aunt loved the General and were immensely happy for her.
"Aunt, I am so delighted that we shall be able to share such a special day with you.
Aunt Gardiner and Jane will be here shortly to help us finish the last preparations for the wedding breakfast. Then, early tomorrow morning, we shall go to the church to decorate it with flowers.
Jane is in charge of that. So you need only rest and recover for tomorrow.
We shall take care of everything," Mary said firmly.
"Thank you, my dear girls," Eleanor replied warmly. "You cannot imagine how happy I am to have you in my life."
"We are the ones who should be grateful for everything you have done for us, Aunt," Kitty said as she embraced and kissed Eleanor.
"Claire also told us that the General is the best uncle in the world.
I cannot wait to tell everyone that my new uncle is a national hero.
I only hope he does not mind our living with you. "
Kitty asked the question rather timidly. She and Mary had spoken about it the previous evening, and both were uncertain what would become of them once their aunt married.
Eleanor understood her nieces' anxiety. Taking each of them by the hand, she said affectionately,
"Marcus and I have already discussed that. We both hope that you and Lizzy will live with us for as long as you wish—or at least until you marry."
Both nieces were overjoyed to hear their aunt reassure them that her home would always be their home.”
"I only hope you and the General never grow tired of me, because I shall never marry," Mary said with a smile.
“Many young people say that Mary,” counselled Eleanor.
“Then they finally meet that very special person and discover the overwhelming and powerful feeling that is love. They discover that there is a very good reason that all of those songs, plays, sonnets, and tragic epics have been written about it. And, of course, such strong feelings can only be shared in a marriage. But I do understand that, until you have felt true love, it does seem rather fantastical, like fairies or unicorns. It seems like something imaginative that can’t possibly really exist, at least for oneself.
I cannot promise you that you will feel true love, but I can wish it for you as it is easily the most wonderful, if not also the most heartbreaking, feeling in the entire world. ”
"I used to think I wanted to marry, but ever since I came to live with you, Aunt, I have been so happy that I cannot bear the thought of leaving your side," Kitty added.
"Well, there is no hurry. Also, for the present, I am the only one who is getting married.
We shall see what fate has in store for both of you, my dear nieces.
You never know when Cupid may strike. Goodness knows I did not expect to feel his arrow quite so keenly.
But when it hits, love is often… life-changing.
Anyway, I suggest that you not be quite so ready to entirely dismiss the ideas of love and marriage so early in your young lives. "
Mary and Kitty remained in Eleanor's bedchamber for luncheon to keep her company. They spoke a little longer about the plans for the wedding before quietly leaving the room so that she might continue to rest.
They then went to the drawing room to make the final arrangements while waiting for Aunt Gardiner, who was coming to help them settle the menus and decorations for the wedding breakfast.
◆◆◆
Matthew had taken part of the morning off and decided to visit Jane for a few hours. When he arrived at the Gardiners' house, he was surprised to learn that Lady Campbell was to be married the following day. His beloved Jane was in the drawing room arranging floral displays to decorate the church.
He thought Lady Campbell placed too much trust in her future husband.
She intended to marry without first signing a marriage settlement.
For a lady of fortune, such a precaution was indispensable.
As her solicitor and financial adviser, he intended to advise her on the matter as soon as the opportunity arose.
"Matthew, would you hand me two white roses and two pink ones?" Jane asked as she arranged them amongst the other flowers in a small basket. "Do you like the way they look, my dear?"
"I like everything you do, my love," Matthew replied as he slipped an arm around his betrothed's waist and kissed her passionately.
Jane loved the way he kissed her, but at times she was frightened by the strength of her own feelings for him. Naturally shy and modest, she could not help but blush and feel flustered.
"Mr Andrews de la Garza, someone might see us," Jane said.
Matthew immediately realised that he had embarrassed her.
"I beg your pardon, my dear. You are quite right. This is neither the time nor the place for you to indulge this poor fool who is hopelessly in love with you," he said with a smile. "Fortunately for me, we shall be married in only three weeks."
"Do not misunderstand me, Matthew," Jane replied. "I love you too, and I long to become your wife. It is only that, sometimes, I do not know how to govern my feelings.”
"Once we are married, there will be no need for either of us to restrain them, my dear.”
“That is exactly my concern though, Matthew. I must admit that I find the prospect of being with you both thrilling and terrifying. I want everything to be perfect! But what if I fail? What if I don’t know what to do?”
Matthew saw the terror in her eyes, and he knew exactly how to respond. He turned and put his hand to her cheek. “Mi amor… mi vida… You love me, right?”
“But, of course, my love!”
“Then how can anything that happens between us possibly go wrong? We have all the time in the world. We have to trust in the tenderness of our love that just by being together we will be perfect. I remind you that all your instincts as a woman have been excellent up to this point, have they not? Of course they have been! It is why I have been helpless in the presence of your womanly charms since the very moment I first set my eyes upon you! You made me fall in love with you without you even so much as thinking about how you acted. You were simply yourself. So you must trust those instincts which have so easily and effortlessly captured my heart. Also, trust my love and my tenderness, and we will find our way joyfully and easily. When we are together, everything between us is always perfect, is it not?”
“Yes, of course, sweet Matthew. Life is so happy when I am with you.”
“Then it always shall be, especially on our wedding night, which will be both of our sweetest dreams come true.”
“When you say it that way, I feel silly for worrying,” admitted Jane.
“All young brides worry. Naturally, they should do so. Being with a man is… a little bit frightening. We are big, and strong and brutish.” Matthew growled a little for effect.
“But a good man is never brutish with a woman, any woman, much less with the woman he loves. It will be a night of tenderness and joy.”
“I suppose you are right. I know you are a gentle and good man, so I will try to stop being so very anxious.”
“Good, now, let us speak of something else less… intimidating, like, uh… furniture. Our bedchamber is almost ready. A few finishing touches remain, but I assure you that the furnishings and decoration are exactly as you wished."
"Thank you, my dear, for understanding."
Jane gently stroked Matthew's cheek, and he tenderly kissed her hand.
After their marriage, Matthew and Jane would live in James Andrews's house.
Matthew's father owned a large and elegant residence in one of London's most exclusive neighbourhoods.
James had insisted that Matthew and Jane should make it their home, explaining that it was far too large for him alone and that he would find a smaller house in which to settle.
Jane, however, immediately asked her betrothed to invite his father to remain with them, for she would never dream of turning him out of his own home. After much persuasion, James finally agreed.
Jane was very fond of her future father-in-law.
He was not only a cultivated and intelligent gentleman but also a remarkably affectionate one.
Mr Bennet had seldom taken any notice of her, and the greatest compliment he had ever paid her was to remark that she was less foolish than her younger sisters.
That was why earning the respect and affection of a man such as James Andrews meant so much to her.