Hi so before the chapter I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all your readers, it was delightful to see how much attention this story had gotten. I would also like to thank all those that brought Leenie Brown's attention to this story. it was a great honour to find not only a review from such an accomplished author on this story but also a privet message from the kind woman as well.
So to all those, I have to thank for this I say thank you and I hope you enjoy this next chapter of the story. Enjoy.
Disclaimer; some plot aspects belong to Leenie Brown, 2015, 'The choice series; pride and prejudice Novella'. (Edited; 10 / 05 / 2018)
Jane and Charles Bingley's winter white wedding ceremony passed, after only a few hours in the church, the party all moved back to Netherfield Park's large dining hall for the wedding breakfast. It was a shared wedding breakfast for both the newly married Charles and Jane Bingley as well as Lord Samuel and Lady Mary Rycroft. Many of the families around Meryton had been invited for the ceremony and wedding breakfast, all sitting tables in the large room while both couples were sat at the high table, watching, laughing and just celebrating the joyous occasion with their family and friends.
From her seat Many could vaguely hear the boasting of her mother, whom sat on the almost centre table of the room. She boasted about having 3 of her 5 daughters all married within one year of each other. Though it was her right to boast as the proud mother she was, it was very familiar to those that had heard similar arrogant boasts of her daughters' beauty before any of them had even been courted.
Mary could predict that her mother's words word spark views of envy and jealousy in the eyes of other mothers in the crowd, but the all three daughters in question was not focused on keeping their mother from embarrassing them like had at one time. Instead the three were much more focused on their husbands.
Elizabeth Darcy, first daughter married was thinking of how glad a library had not been needed for her younger sister. She was amused that Lord Rycroft had manged to out shine her and her husband's compromise with his own, his much more public comprise at a ball in front of everyone, including Mary's family. Jane Bingley was staring at her new husband while he was did the same towards her, both of them excited and slightly nervous for what would be the next step in the vows to each other once the breakfast was over and they parted from their guests.
Mary Rycroft was smiling next to her husband, observing the faces in the hall she expected she would not be seeing for quite some time. Lord Rycroft meanwhile was counting the seconds before he could whisk of his new wife off to their town house. He was eager to whisk his wife away as soon as a sufficient time had passed so that they could depart in the waiting carriage as he had instructed earlier. He wished for them to depart as soon as would be appropriate so that they could greet his mother before dinner time. He was eager to present Mary to her as the daughter she was eagerly expecting.
When it was nearing the end of the joyous event he knew it would be the best time for them to slip away. It would mean that they could arrive and sit down with his mother and his cousin Georgina for dinner. Samuel Rycroft knew that his sweet cousin would only be with him, his wife and his mother for a little longer as the knocker on the Darcy town house had officially been up before they had all left for Christmas. He knew that Fitzwilliam was looking forward to having his wife and sister in the house at the same time.
"I think it is time we depart Lady Wife" Rycroft spoke softly as he lent down to whisper into Mary's ear. She turned her head slightly and looked at to him with slight sadness.
"Already?" she asked softly, saddened at the thought of her finally leaving. She knew that once she left her life really would change forever. It wouldn't be like the time when she went visiting her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner in Cheapside or when she had left for the week to stay with Lady Sophia, her new mother-in-law. When she left Hertfordshire this time, it would be with her new husband to start a life with him. It was an aspect that both excited and frightened her at the same time.
"If we want to get to Rycroft place for dinner, we need to really leave in the next half hour" Rycroft explained before moving one of his hands to her thigh. "Plus, I'd like some time just with my beautiful blushing bride" he said confidently, loving the feeling in his chest when he teased his proper bride.
"Oaf" Mary muttered as she pushed his hand off her thigh with a roll of her eyes before looking straight in the eyes. Rycroft just smiled more.
"Yes, I'm a lucky Lord oaf in loving with his beautiful Lady" he said with a smile before standing up and walking towards a footman by the door, setting about the arrangements for a carriage and their luggage to be readied. Mary gave a quite sigh and turned to Jane who was only a space away from her at the table.
"Jane" Mary called quietly. Her blonde sister turned towards her with a bright smile. However, when she looked at her sister and saw her Lord husband talking to one of her husband's footmen she guessed what Mary wanted to tell her.
"So soon?" Jane asked, slightly sad. Mary gave a nod of her head before standing and walking the space between to give her newly married sister a hug. Jane rose from her seat and returned her younger siblings hug.
"Lord Rycroft would like to make it to London before dinner to eat with Lady Sophia tonight" Mary explained as she hugged her taller sister.
"It was a shame she couldn't have been here for the wedding or the breakfast" Jane said back as they released each other. Mary saw in the corner of her eyes her husband walking towards where the Darcys and Coronal Fitzwilliam were seated, her sister Kitty with them.
"It was too far for her Ladyship to come for the wedding breakfast to just straight back to town" Mary stated simply as she watches her husband talk with his cousins on another table. Elizabeth and Kitty stood from the same table while making their way over to where the other two sisters stood. "And I doubt that Rycroft was willing to wait for a carriage last night on the way here" 'to marry me, in the middle of a ball' Mary added in her mind while keeping her smile. Her comment did seem to cause Jane to laugh.
"No, I suppose not, he seemed much too determined to be here as quickly as he could" Jane said with a cheerful smile. It was that moment two more of the five sister came to Mary's side.
"Your husband tells us you are heading to London within the hour" Elizabeth said with a smile. Jane release her hold on Mary and the second eldest was quick to take her sister into her arms. "I am glad you are happy dear Mary" she said quietly as she hugged her sister close.
"We will see how long my husband can keep it that way, the partial oaf does have his stubbles it seems" Mary said in jest as the two lean out of their hug.
"The family seems does seem to have a knack for annoying us former Bennet girls" Elizabeth teased. "But mine seems to have improved on marriage, I can only hope yours does the same" she stated with a genuine smile. "For his sake" she added in light humour.
"I'm sure we will have our moments, but as he has said, he is a partial oaf and always will be to me" Mary teased back. "That is the man I have fallen for it seems, so I'm sure it will not affect me so" she said before turning to embrace her second youngest sister, but was interrupted.
"OH MARY!" was wailed from in the large hall and all four sisters turned to the familiar sound of their mother. They turned to see the older woman making her hurried way over to her middle daughter, handkerchief in hand and fresh tears in her dramatic eyes. Mary's posture stiffened ever so slightly when the woman reached the group and embrace her in a tight embrace. From her positions she could turn her head in the direction of her sister and gave Kitty a sorrowful look in apology. Kitty just shook her head slightly with amusement in her eyes to show she was not offended by the interruption.
"Oh my dear child, you are leaving us so soon!" her mother complained. Mary turned to look down the hall and spotted her husband was standing at the table behind her father's seat with an amused smirk on his face. Mary sent him a disguised look of annoyance for what he had started and was not amused when all he sent towards her was a mere shrug of his shoulders before turning and shaking hands with her father.
Oh her husband was at fault for her mother's dramatic tears and she knew just how she would make him pay for his actions. After all, it is a very long carriage ride to Rycroft place, and she had at least three books backed in her carriage bag. Mary gave an amused smile of her own. Yes, it would defiantly be a long ride back, for her husband at least.
Ok so thanks it for today and will update when I can. hope you are enjoying it. Thank you to MGM, Vesper1931, Dovecot55, juliaw, Red Writer, Lil and K. Berlin for reviewing the last chapter and all those of your have that have favourited this story. Also special thanks again to LeenieBrown for her approval and warming review on the story. Hope to give you more soon.
-MSW-
