The Masque

Chapter 20; the last days before the wedding

The days up to the wedding went quickly with preparations, and preparation for the ladies party and the bachelor party. William was making the final adjustments to Pemberley, while Elizabeth was getting her trousseau, making the decisions about her bridesmaids and the girl's party.

The last afternoon before the wedding, Elizabeth was up early, sitting in her room, writing to Mr. Bennet, or her adopted-father.

June 5th
Rose-Quinn Manor

Dear Papa.

I know it has been a long time since I wrote the last; - Jane and I are very happy. Jane and Charles are so very happy together, they are supposed to get married in a month or two. William and I are going to be married in a week, isn't it wonderful to think about? I can't tell you how very happy I am, papa! We figured out who had Jane and I kidnapped eight years ago, it was William's aunt Lady Catharine, - she wanted her daughter married to William and she wanted control over Pemberley, which will soon be my home, actually in a week.

I figured it out because of a memory, and then it went very quickly to make a trap against the lady, and we have now accused her and everything is being done to make her stay away from my family and William's. The Earl of Matlock has had a serious talk with his sister, the Earl is William's uncle and he has stepped into the role as William's father since William's own father is dead and so is his mother.

I am looking forward to get married to William, - He and I have waited for so many years! Jane and my brother Daniel is also engaged to be married to one of our neighbours Miss Abbott, for whom he has had feelings for in many long years.

Now I better close, I have some fittings to get done with! I hope to hear from you soon!

Yours

Elizabeth e.c.t.

Elizabeth hurried back to the sitting room, where Jane, Anne, Georgianna and Bianca were busy with Abby and Georgianna's kitten. Elizabeth said: "I am sorry to have left you alone. I had a letter which needed to be written."

Jane said: "It was good that you did write that letter, Lizzie. We spent the time discussing where William and you are going for your honeymoon and of course your wedding dress."

Elizabeth smiled and said: "William and I have decided to stay in Derbyshire, so William can reintroduce me to the Peaks, and to give me time to adjust to Pemberley, even though I don't think I need time to adjust. I think I am going to disappoint you, since I am going to wear a simple white dress with a veil, but one thing I can reveal that William and I will bear a wedding ring."

Anne asked: "When are you going to have your girl's night? You know, the last night as a free young woman on the market for marriage?"

Elizabeth smiled and replied: "Tonight, Anne."

Bianca asked: "Now you can't be worried, Elizabeth, the rehearsal dinner is done and over with, and there is only the hen party left and then the vows and you and William will be married."

Elizabeth replied: "I am not worried at the moment, Bianca. When are you and Daniel going to get married?"

Bianca flushed scarlet and replied: "We hope to get married in the end of August or start September."

"So soon?" Three voices asked in shock.

Jane said with a very knowing smile: "Actually, Bianca, Charles, Daniel and I have talked about having a double ceremony." Elizabeth smiled and said: "I am glad, and then I am going to have all my new sisters situated before Christmas. Though Jane can't you persuade Charles to move closer to Derbyshire?"

Jane said with a knowing smile: "As far as I know, he could be finalizing the purchase of our home as we speak. William has helped him to find an estate, not 20 miles from here."

"Wonderful! Then I will have all my sisters closer to me and especially you dear Jane!" Elizabeth replied with a happy smile to her sister.

William and Elizabeth were happy, since they were going to be married the next day, and because William had just told Elizabeth that Charles and Jane had a home now, not twenty miles from Pemberley.

The afternoon up to the hen party, the butler announced: "Miss Caroline Bingley."

Charles and William rose from their seats, and Charles went to his sister and said: "Caroline, I did not expect you until tomorrow morning for the wedding."

Caroline said: "Well, I heard from dear Jane that the hen party was tonight already, and I couldn't miss that, since I have not paid my respect to the bride-to-be."

Elizabeth could hear from her seat that Caroline wasn't sincere, and went to William and said: "Well, it was nice of you, Miss Bingley. Wasn't it William?" and squeezed his arm with her hand. William flinched a little and replied: "Yes, it was, Miss Bingley. Now will you excuse my fiancée and I, we have to talk over the seating now with an extra guest."

William and Elizabeth went into his study and William said: "Lizzie, I can't have her here in my house…."

"Why, William?"

"Because… well…I just can't!"

"Tell me why? What is wrong? Please William?"

"Lizzie, I…"

"Please, William, I don't want secrets between us, especially now, so close to our wedding day, haven't we had enough secrets between us and our families?"

"All right, Elizabeth, I will tell you, but promise me that you won't get angry."

Lizzie took a deep breath, and said: "I promise, Will."

William took a deep breath and said: "Caroline Bingley has been a pest since Charles and I began knowing each other so many years ago. Caroline Bingley was the worst flirt even back then, and she… well, shall we say tried to be very friendly so I would marry her, and she used to be very persistently to be friendly and kind to Georgie."

"Friendly? With you?"

"She tried once or twice."

Elizabeth's eyes began to flash dangerously and asked in a furious voice: "She did what? She has tried to touch you? She has tried to be intimate with you?"

"Elizabeth, calm down, lower your voice please."

Elizabeth took a deep breath, and said: "I do not want her here! William, I do not want Caroline Bingley in my future home! Not now, not ever!"

William said: "I think we have to have her either here or at your home at least until after the wedding." Elizabeth said still in a very annoyed voice: "I don't want the woman who has tried to compromise my husband in my house or my future home!"

Elizabeth's eyes still flashed with anger, and William said: "Elizabeth please calm down! We can't do anything about it!"

Elizabeth took some deep breaths and knew when William called her "Elizabeth" he meant it seriously. "Are you not worried that she is here, William?"

"Of course I am, Lizzie. But right now, we can't do anything except pray that she doesn't do anything stupid."

Elizabeth said: "Well, then we better get a guest chamber ready at Rose-Quinn Manor."

William said: "Thank you, Lizzie."

Elizabeth and William left the study a few minutes later and Jane and Charles stood and waited and asked: "What is wrong?"

Elizabeth smiled and let William do the talking: "Charles, your sister… well, let's say that she has tried to be friendly."

Charles took a deep breath and said: "I am sorry, Darce. I shall keep her away from you and Elizabeth until the wedding."

"Thank you, Charles." William said.

That very same evening.

Later that night, the hen and bachelor party, both parties were at Pemberley, the gentlemen in the library and the ladies in the sitting rooms.

Duke Quinn looked at his soon-to-be-son-in-law and he did not look so good, they had all had a little more to drink than they could handle. Charles Bingley talked a head off, Daniel was out cold and William did not look so good.

Duke Quinn said since he was the only one not drunk: "I think we should all go to bed. As far as I can see, all of you need to get some sleep. William, a cup of tea will help with your nausea and then go to bed. You will need it, trust me."

William said: "I think if I get on my feet, I will lose my stomach…"

Duke Quinn said: "Well, I think the rest of us, will retire. I will send Mrs. Reynolds in with some tea."

"Thank you, Duke Quinn."

An hour later when William finally got up without losing his stomach, he made it to his bed chamber; he went in and began dressing for bed when he heard a voice: "Mr. Darcy, you look truly attractive."

William turned around and saw Caroline Bingley, "This is not happening!"

Caroline walked closer to him, but a good thing that he wasn't drunk! She tried to reach out to him, but he at once pushed her away from him, she hit the mirror and it shattered onto the floor, and William said in an angry voice: "How dare you? The night before my wedding, aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

He took her up from the floor and escorted her out of his chambers and to her own chamber, and asked her to pack her bags and then he went to Charles' chambers and knocked and a moment later, Charles came to the door and said surprised: "Darce.. What?"

"Caroline has asked to be taken to Malton, and she is packing."

Charles asked: "Did she…? No, please do not answer that."

William only looked at Charles, and turned around and went back to his own chambers. Elizabeth would be furious!

Meanwhile in Elizabeth's chambers.

Georgianna, Jane, Bianca, Anne and Elizabeth were in her chambers when they saw a carriage drove away. Jane said: "Looked like Charles's carriage."

Elizabeth said: "I wonder what has happened… if it weren't the night before my wedding, I would go to William and ask but Papa said that he didn't feel good and headed to bed."

Georgianna said: "I saw who it was who entered the carriage, it was Caroline. I thought she had gone to bed."

Elizabeth got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach and rose and left the chamber, with Jane's, Bianca's, Anne's and Georgianna's voices called her back. Elizabeth went right to William's chambers and knocked. Elizabeth tapped her foot at the floor, while she waited. After she had knocked again, and then a voice came to the door: "Who is it?"

"Will, it is me, Lizzie. Open the door; I need to talk to you!"

The door opened and Elizabeth asked: "Why did Caroline leave?"

"She wanted to go to Charles' and hers relatives in Malton."

"William, I can feel that something is wrong! Now tell me the truth!"

William took a deep breath and said: "All right, come in and sit while I explain."

Elizabeth stepped into his sitting room, and sat down, with all her thoughts which were troubled about being in William's chambers.

William said: "I think you know what happened since Caroline has left, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's eyes began blazing and said: "She tried to be friendly with you again?"

"She thought I would be drunk, but I wasn't, thank God! I pushed her away immediately and escorted her to her own room."

Elizabeth said with a furious tone of voice: "She was in here? How dare she enter my husband's chamber?"

William said: "Nothing happened, Lizzie. I promise you! Come on, the night before I am supposed to marry the love of my life…why should I…and Caroline Bingley, please she has been a pest from the very start!"

Elizabeth looked at William and said: "You better have been telling me the truth, William! I really mean it, if there is anything; I want you to tell me!"

William said: "I promise there is nothing, Lizzie!"

"There better not! One thing I want to make absolutely clear, I never want Caroline in our house again!"

"We agree on that, Lizzie. But now we both of us should go to bed, we have a busy day tomorrow."

Elizabeth rose and kissed William on the cheek and said: "Don't be late tomorrow, William. Goodnight now, darling."

Elizabeth walked back to her room, and went to bed. Only thirteen hours until she would be Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy.

AN; Hello, I know it has been a long wait but I have had a writer's block… A big one, so I needed a little help from friends to write this chapter. But here it is, chapter 20 and 21 is going to come up as well in a little time, I hope to have it up during Easter or maybe after.

If I don't make it for Easter than I wish everybody a Happy Easter!