Chapter 28 #5
“And yet, you will, because you are a truly good man, and a loving father, who is not selfish.” With that, she hugged him, and he felt instantly better and more composed with the knowledge that he would forever be a better man, and a better father than Thomas Bennet.
Twenty minutes later, Marcus entered the church with his daughter on his arm while Mr Darcy waited at the altar for his beloved Elizabeth. The only people absent from the wedding were Mr Bennet and Lady Catherine. The rest of the family had gathered to witness the marriage of the happy couple.
The ceremony was brief but deeply moving.
Mrs Bennet and Eleanor could not help weeping.
The wedding breakfast was magnificent; Netherfield had never looked so splendid.
It was an event people spoke of for months afterwards, for never before had so many distinguished guests gathered in that part of the country.
“My love, at last, after so long, we are finally together. I cannot wait to show you your new home. I know you are going to love it.”
Mr Darcy and Elizabeth would spend their honeymoon in the Lake District before travelling through other parts of northern England, finally returning to Pemberley after a month.
“There is something else I wish to give you—a very special gift.”
“Fitzwilliam, no more presents, please. All I want is to be with you. Besides, I already have more gowns and jewellery than I shall ever be able to wear,” Elizabeth said with a laugh.
“I cannot promise you that, because you cannot forbid me to give you gifts,” Mr Darcy replied, stealing a kiss from his wife while they were alone in the library at Netherfield.
“My gift is not something material. I had planned to invite your parents to spend some time with us at Pemberley. What do you think?”
“Fitzwilliam, I love you so much,” Elizabeth exclaimed as she embraced her husband and repeatedly kissed him on the cheeks.
Once she had composed herself, she asked the butler to inform her parents that she wished to speak with them.
They appeared in the library at once, fearing that perhaps something was wrong with their daughter.
“Mama, Papa, please do not be concerned. I asked you to come because I wished to share some wonderful news with you. Mr Darcy and I should be delighted if you would spend some time with us at Pemberley,” said Elizabeth.
“And you may remain for as long as you please. It would give us the greatest pleasure to have you at Pemberley,” Mr Darcy added.
“Indeed? Thank you, Mr Darcy. You are most generous,” Eleanor said with delight. “But are you quite sure? We would not wish to intrude upon your privacy.”
“I have been away from my estate for many months, and a great deal of work has accumulated during my absence. You will therefore accompany Elizabeth, and you can help her settle into her new responsibilities as the Mistress of Pemberley,” Mr Darcy explained, so that Eleanor would not feel uncomfortable.
“We shall be delighted to come, Mr Darcy. Next month I shall retire from the army and shall have all the time I need to support my daughter in her new responsibilities,” Marcus added, giving his son-in-law a firm handshake.
After several hours of celebration, the newlyweds departed on their honeymoon. Marcus and Eleanor were the last to bid the bride and groom farewell, and they stood watching the carriage until it had disappeared past a turn in the road.
“Our daughter is leaving us, and although I feel a great emptiness, I am happy to have you by my side, my dear Ella,” Marcus said as he kissed his wife's hand.
“That was terribly thoughtful of Darcy to invite us. He obviously understands that we are sad to lose our Elizabeth after having just found her,” said Marcus.
“Indeed,” agreed Eleanor. “It seems our Elizabeth has found herself a truly good man, and a handsome one at that. And in that, my daughter has obviously taken after her mother who also married a good and handsome man,” said Eleanor, smiling up at him.
“Well, it will only be for a few months. Once they return from their honeymoon, we shall spend a season with our daughter and her husband, and we can take the opportunity to look for an estate nearby. I do not wish to miss watching my grandchildren grow up,” Eleanor replied, smiling at her husband.
“Nor do I,” Marcus replied. He offered his arm to his wife, and together they returned to Netherfield to continue celebrating with the rest of the family.
As the carriage drew farther away from the place where she had grown up—and where so many secrets had long been hidden—Elizabeth could not help wondering what her life might have been had her mother never returned to make peace with her past.
“What are you thinking about so deeply, Mrs Darcy?” Mr Darcy asked his beautiful wife.
“How much my life has changed in such a short time, and how happy I am to have found my parents and a wonderful man like you,” Elizabeth replied, taking her husband's hand. “I love you, Fitzwilliam Darcy.”
“And I love you, Elizabeth Bennet-Sinclair, the new Mrs Darcy.”
Mr Darcy gently cupped his wife's face and kissed her passionately, telling her again and again how deeply he loved her to the sounds of the carriage horses trotting down the road in the direction of the setting sun.
FIN