Chapter 21: November and December 1818
After all the suffering that Nathaniel and Georgiana had endured, it was only right and just that everything should progress with the perfect smoothness that it did over the following weeks.
Nathaniel and the Matlocks arrived home in the last week of October. By the second week in November there were two applicants for the stewardship of Matlock, by the third week one had been selected, and by the fourth Mr. Carter had begun his trial period. Nathaniel spent many hours going over the books and riding over the estate with him, to assure that he was well prepared for his work.
The very day after their return to Matlock, Richard and Nathaniel had ridden over to Springthorne, the estate which Richard had spoken of. Mr. Finch, upon being applied to, proved most eager to sell his property to someone who would care for it and love it, as he had for so many years. It seemed he had simply been waiting for the right buyer to appear, and Nathaniel, with his experience, mixed with youthful eagerness, suited the old gentlemen perfectly.
When Nathaniel and Lord Matlock had ridden away, and Nathaniel looked back at the stone house, situated on a high piece of ground, with the Yorkshire hills rolling away on either hand and rising up in the distance to craggy peaks covered in heather, he knew that he was looking back on home.
Thus it was that in the first week of December, Nathaniel entered Pemberley House once more, accompanied by a light flurry of snowflakes. There was no one in the entrance but the footman who admitted him, but soft strains of music soon guided his willing feet to the sitting room, where Georgiana was sitting at her pianoforte. She was playing Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, her back was to the door, and Nathaniel stood watching her in silence, his heart filled at once with both overwhelming joy and perfect peace. As Georgiana's fingers lifted off the keys after the last soft chord had melted away, Nathaniel clapped lightly, and Georgiana turned with a smile, expecting to see Fitzwilliam. Their eyes met, and there was a moment of breathless silence, before Georgiana started to her feet with a glad little cry and ran forward. Nathaniel met her halfway and caught her in his arms.
They stood silently for several moments, until Nathaniel said, "Let me see your face."
Georgiana raised it to him, and he looked at her earnestly. "Yes," he said. "There is color in your cheeks again, thank God."
"I am quite well again, Nathaniel," Georgiana said. "And you, you are well also? Your ride was not too chilling?"
"No," he replied. "But Georgiana, I cannot let this opportunity pass. I realized about a week ago, that due to the unusual history surrounding our relationship, I somehow overlooked actually asking you to marry me. I asked you to wait for me, but that is all. I intend to remedy that now."
He went down on one knee. "Georgiana Darcy, will you be my wife?"
"Of course I will," she cried, tears starting to her eyes in spite of herself. She took a step forward and took his face between her hands. "You would have to be a fool Nathaniel Wakefield, not to know the answer to that question by now," she said, with a laugh that was brighter than the sun.
"I am a fool," he said, rising and taking her hands in both of his. "A fool to think I could ever have you. But then, you are a fool as well, for having me."
"We shall be fools together then, at any rate," Georgiana whispered, looking up earnestly into his blue eyes, her tone slightly breathless.
They were so close, their faces mere inches apart. Georgiana's lips parted, and Nathaniel kissed her. It was a light, tender kiss, like butterflies on flowers, or snow on upturned faces. It was a promise of kisses to come.
A step was heard in the hall without and Elizabeth's voice was heard. But there was no fear of discovery in the lovers' hearts now. Georgiana smiled at her Nathaniel, and they turned to greet Elizabeth together.
When Darcy, Nathaniel, Georgiana, and Elizabeth had conferred together, it was discovered that the only things left to do before the wedding were to procure the necessary license and set a date. Neither the bride nor the groom wished the banns read in Pemberley's church where both of them were well known, for there would be enough stir as it was, and Darcy was not quite comfortable bringing the case before the Archbishop, as was required to purchase a special license allowing Georgiana to be married from her own home, for fear of certain noble relations getting wind of the matter before all was settled. So it was decided that Nathaniel would procure a Common License, and the whole party would drive down to Pemberley Church early in the morning of December 5th, and there Georgiana and Nathaniel would be married.
On the 3rd, the Bingleys were invited to come and stay at Pemberley for a day or two. They came, and the whole story was told again. Jane's sweet temper, coupled with the remembrance of all she had suffered when she and Bingley had been so unfairly separated, made her instantly sympathetic to the young people, and Charles, whose father had made his money in trade, could never object to a person for the way they earned their living.
The Matlocks arrived on the 4th, thereby completing the party, for these two families were to be the only guests besides those already residing at Pemberley, which was exactly the way Georgiana wanted it.
As the sun rose on the 5th and peeped through the lacey curtains in Georgiana's room, it found her standing before the mirror in her wedding gown. She had chosen not to wear a white dress as a step towards renouncing the wealth and luxury she once knew, and her silk dress was a soft shade of coral. Her hair had been plaited into a crown and Kitty had fastened small white flowers from the hothouse here and there in the golden braids. A small bouquet of coral roses and the same white flowers, tied together with a blue ribbon, lay nearby with one of Kitty's lacy white handkerchiefs, ready to complete the outfit.
"You look so beautiful Georgiana," Kitty said, smiling at the bride's reflection in the mirror. "Are you nervous?"
"No," Georgiana said truthfully. "I feel… peaceful. I once said I believed in a plan for all things, but I never trusted in the plan for me. I never thought it could be a happy one and I suffered so on account of it. Now I know in my heart what I before professed in words."
Kitty put an arm around Georgiana's shoulder and Georgiana leaned her head against her friend's.
"Have I told you yet how glad I am that you will be living so close?" Kitty asked.
"Yes!" Georgiana laughed. "At least twenty times, Kitty."
Kitty gave her a playful shove.
Lizzy entered the room at that moment and Kitty, turning to her, said, "There you are Lizzy. Will you inspect the bride while I run and see how Jane is getting on with the girl's dresses?"
Elizabeth came to stand in front of Georgiana and straightened the sleeve which had been rumpled by Kitty's hand.
"You look lovely Georgiana," she said.
"Elizabeth?" Georgiana took Lizzy's shoulders and forced her to look up into her face. "Elizabeth are you crying?"
Lizzy laughed, brushing away the betraying tears.
"Lizzy," Georgiana murmured.
"I shall miss you so very much," Elizabeth whispered, her voice breaking completely on the last word.
"Lizzy don't," Georgiana cried, her own voice suddenly choked with emotion as she pulled her beloved sister into a tight hug. They clung to each other and two large tears rolled down Georgiana's cheeks and fell on Lizzy's shoulder.
Elizabeth recovered first. "Goodness, what am I thinking? You must not have red eyes and a running nose during the ceremony. I am quite hopeless, but you will distress Nathaniel. And now it is I who have quite ruined your dress!"
"No, it is perfectly unhurt," Georgiana protested. "And Lizzy, I will not be gone so far but that I will see you often and I promise to always be your little sister."
"No," Lizzy whispered, taking her hand. "You are a woman now, Georgiana, and your days of being the little sister are over. But I would ask you always to be simply my sister."
"Always Lizzy."
Nathaniel and Richard rode down to the church together before the rest of the party. The Bingley carriage followed soon afterwards with Charles, Jane, Anna, Kitty, Cathy, and William, for the littlest children had been left at home due to the cold and the early hour. Last of all came the Darcy carriage with Fitzwilliam, Elizabeth, and Georgiana inside.
The early morning light, filtering through the stain-glass windows, cast little rainbows over the small group as they assembled in the pews.
There was no one to play the organ, but they all sang, Elizabeth, Kitty, and Jane's voices rising sweetly to the rafters, as Cathy and Anna led the way up the aisle, in their little white frocks, scattering white rose petals with the happy lack of precision common among little girls of three years old.
Behind them came the bride, leaning on her brother's arm, and while Georgiana was everything radiantly beautiful, it was her husband's face, as he gave up his only sister, that Elizabeth never forgot.
Georgiana saw only Nathaniel, and Nathaniel, standing up by the alter with Richard at his side, saw only Georgiana. His eyes lit up at the sight of her, as they always did, and Georgiana saw, with the kind of joy that made her heart ache, so strong was it, that not a single trace of the haunting, suffering look she used to see so often remained in them now.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God…."
The ceremony was finished, and Nathaniel and Georgiana Wakefield rode back to Pemberley house in the Darcy carriage alone together, while Darcy took Nathaniel's horse, and Elizabeth rode in the Bingley's carriage.
A wedding breakfast had been prepared, and never was a party so merry on a cold morning in early December as that party at Pemberley was. Louis, James, and Elinor were brought downstairs to join in the festivities, and there was hot chocolate, and coffee, and sandwiches, and little cakes for all to partake of.
The newlyweds were to travel back to Matlock with Kitty and Richard, to stay at the great house while their new home at Springthorne was being prepared. They were to leave at one in the afternoon, so as to be home well before the early winter sunset, but no one seemed to want to think of that, and it was not until the clock had struck three quarters past twelve, and Georgiana had left the party and returned dressed in her traveling coat, that anyone would admit that the parting was imminent.
Georgiana went first to Jane and Charles, thanked them for coming, and for all their kindness.
Then she went to Elizabeth, where she sat holding Elinor, and knelt down beside her chair. Georgiana reached out and touched the baby's soft cheek. Elinor reached for her aunt, and Georgiana took her gently, holding back tears as she kissed the baby's forehead, and cuddled her for a moment. With the baby still in her arms, Georgiana looked up at Elizabeth, who had tears in her eyes as well.
"Goodbye, Elizabeth," Georgiana whispered. "Remember that I am not far."
"I will remember," Elizabeth promised, bending to kiss Georgiana's forehead as a moment before Georgiana had kissed Elinor's. "God bless you dearest," she whispered.
Fitzwilliam was last. Georgiana went up to him and they regarded each-other silently for a long moment.
Then Darcy offered his arm, she took it, and he accompanied her out of the house and down the steps to the waiting carriage, in which she was to ride back to Matlock with Kitty and the children, while Nathaniel and Richard escorted them on horseback.
Kitty, James, and Cathy were already seated inside, Richard had mounted, and Nathaniel stood by the carriage door, waiting to hand Georgiana in.
But Darcy did not relinquish his sister's arm, instead saying quietly to Nathaniel, "From now on this will indeed be your task. But I should like to do it one last time."
Nathaniel stepped aside, understanding, and Darcy handed Georgiana in, saw her settled in her seat, gave her a little nod and smile which said all that he could not find the words to say, and closed the door.
Then Darcy turned to Nathaniel and held out his hand. "Take care of her, Wakefield."
"I will, sir." Nathaniel's voice was quiet, but firm.
They shook hands, and then Nathaniel swung himself up on his horse, the driver signaled to his team, and the little party started off.
Darcy turned and walked slowly up the steps to where Elizabeth stood. He moved to stand beside her, and they both watched until the carriage had disappeared completely from sight.
"I am very happy she is near to Kitty," Elizabeth said, always the first to break the silence. "It will be a great change for her, but she will weather it well."
Darcy reached over and took Elinor from her arms. The baby cooed and reached for his cravat. "I am thankful I will not have to part with you any time soon, little Elinor," he said to her.
Elizabeth laughed. "Indeed, but someday…"
"I will think about someday when it arrives." Darcy said. "Now, I think I should like a quiet afternoon with just you and the children. Will you oblige me?"
"I would, and gladly. But we have not discussed when the Bingleys are to leave yet. Even should they wish to return home tonight, Highwood is only half the distance that Matlock is. They may stay another hour or more."
But it was not be so, for at that moment Jane's step was heard in the hall, and she appeared beside them, pulling on her gloves.
"Leaving so soon Jane?" Elizabeth asked in surprise.
"Yes Lizzy," Jane replied, kissing her cheek in farewell. "After all the bustle and activity of the last few weeks I am sure you and your family can want nothing more than to have a few peaceful days to yourselves."
"Dear Jane. Your understanding and sweetness are unequalled," Elizabeth said, embracing her sister. "We shall look forward to seeing you all here at Christmas," she added, as Bingley approached with his little daughter's hand in his own.
The last of the farewells were warmly exchanged, and then the Bingleys drove away.
"Now will you join me?" Darcy asked Elizabeth.
She smiled at him from over Elinor's downy little head.
"Of course."
She put her hand through his arm and off they went.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading, for reviewing, for everything you do. :)
See you in a few days for the final chapter!