Chapter Sixteen #4
Georgiana giggled. “What nonsense. Fitzwilliam never looks away from her. I have high hopes of finding a gentleman I can respect and love who looks at me in the way that Fitzwilliam looks at Lizzy.”
“You are in a better mood.” Darcy studied his sister.
Georgiana smiled beautifully. “We talked a great deal about George while Lizzy’s hair was being done by Sarah. I am still sad that he cannot be the man I wish him to be, but…but you two are marrying, and that will make you both the happiest couple in the world.”
She wiped her eyes.
“Darcy absolutely refuses to be the happiest,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said.
Emily cheered, “Miss Lizzy! Miss Lizzy! Miss Lizzy!”
Darcy took his daughter into his arms and said, “You will be the happiest child in the world at having a new mother.”
“She promised to always play with me,” Emily replied. “You know, children need to be played with a great deal.”
“That is true,” Darcy agreed.
“The girl will be horribly spoiled, but she has a good nature that will limit the damage,” the colonel offered.
“I do not mean to let Emily be spoiled,” Darcy said.
“Mean it or not, you will spoil her,” his cousin replied.
“Nonsense,” Georgiana said. “My Emily is too good natured to ever spoil.”
“Oh, but she can,” Colonel Fitzwilliam insisted.
“I shall do my best,” Darcy said, “but it is impossible for me to guarantee that Emily will grow into a rational, kind, prudent, affectionate, sensible, and restrained creature.”
The rector was shown in, and he smiled genially at Darcy and shook hands with them all in introduction.
Afterwards, the Lucases arrived, and Elizabeth’s aunt Mrs. Phillips and her husband came in, along with several other families whom Darcy had met in the neighbourhood.
Everyone’s cloaks were dripping from the rain, and they all talked to each other about whether the weather would clear at all before they had to return home.
The servants of the household also gathered.
Then the Bennet family entered the room in procession, but with little ceremony.
First, Mrs. Bennet and her younger daughters, and then the eldest Miss Bennet came in, led by Charlotte Lucas.
Elizabeth followed, supporting her father with the help of a footman. Mr. Bennet leaned heavily on her, and he seemed wan and tired. She led him to a deep armchair, and he sank into it.
Finally, Mr. Collins entered with the bearing of a man who considered himself to belong.
As soon as Mr. Bennet was seated, Emily hurled herself at Elizabeth, who picked up the girl. Emily said, “You will become Mama Lizzy, and then you will play, play, play, play, play, play with me.”
“Well maybe not that much,” Elizabeth said, laughing. “I must spend some time with your papa and with Georgie.”
“No, you won’t.”
“I will,” said Elizabeth, poking Emily’s nose before putting the girl down.
Her eyes met Darcy’s, and his stomach leapt.
She was beautiful, elegant, delicate, pleasing, and warm.
He wished to kiss her lips again and to sink into the closeness and union, and for nothing else to exist as the rest of the world disappeared for a long time.
Her expression was serious as their eyes met and held, but she then smiled at him. There was something confident in her manner.
She was dressed in a fine yellow silk dress, with some lace around the neck and arms, and her hair was finely done by the girl she had decided to take with her to Pemberley as a lady’s maid.
The contrast to Darcy’s memory of Mary’s bedecked form was striking. Mary had worn near as much lace, bracelets, necklaces, and puffed finery as a duchess when they married in the most fashionable parish church in London.
Elizabeth had never seemed less like Mary to him.
The rector was a middle-aged bespectacled man who played the role of village parson with aplomb. He smiled warmly at Elizabeth and carefully looked over the special licence. “I never thought that I would see one. Quite the fashionable lady, Miss Lizzy.”
He laughed and then directed them to kneel.
Throughout the ceremony, Darcy was filled with a terrible fear that he would make Elizabeth miserable.
Twice Georgiana had to hush Emily, who watched with great cheerfulness.
Elizabeth was beautiful.
Beautiful, ravishing, and perfect. Perfect in face, form, neck, fingers, eyes, nose, and coral lips. And if he was not mistaken, she had a great deal of goodness, and far more real worth, than that which was measured in consols and peerages.
It was only when it came time for him to say his own vows that Darcy truly returned to himself, like a wagon that had been nearly tipped over slamming back onto its wheels.
The look in Elizabeth’s eyes, the fineness of her features, and the glow of her skin.
“I will,” Darcy said firmly, meaning it from the depths of his soul.
Elizabeth was then called upon to make her vows. She looked about the room, her eyes falling on her family, her sister, her father, and then Emily and Georgiana. She finally looked at him.
Their eyes held.
She said in a clear voice, “I will.”
“Then I proclaim you husband and wife.”
It was done.
He hoped that Elizabeth would never come to terribly regret their marriage.