Chapter 19
The night before the wedding, Elizabeth was in her own bedchamber at Longbourn once more. It was the first time back in her that room since the late Martha Bingley had her move to the one above, next to Louisa. She felt the presence of her mother and father in the walls of the house where their love had infused itself into the very structure.
Unlike most who had only one to talk to them the night before her wedding, Elizabeth had four—Aunt Amy, Jane, Aunt Maddie, and Marie—to talk to her. First the aunts sat with Elizabeth. They assured her that as she was entering into a love match, marital relations would be a pleasure, not a chore as some characterised them. They gave her the practical facts about how it may hurt some, but not too badly, when her maidenly barrier was breached during the first time she joined with her husband. They warned her there may be some blood, but it was quite natural and nothing to be concerned over and if there was, it would only be the first time.
Elizabeth was assured that mutual pleasure was desired and not something to be eschewed. Both aunts advised her not to be shy in telling William what she found pleasurable and asking the same of him. When Elizabeth asked about marital relations when she was with child, she was informed her body would tell her when it was no longer able to accommodate her husband. Also, they made sure she understood that it was nothing but a myth some propagated about marital relations somehow harming the babe in the mother's belly and that once a woman was with child, she should refuse her husband entry to her bedchamber.
When Elizabeth told her aunts she felt like a wanton at times as her desire for William smouldered, and it would have been easy to give into her passion, which she had not done. The aunts made sure she understood relations between married, consenting adults were never wrong in private. By the time the aunts completed their talk, the little apprehension Elizabeth felt had been banished.
Once the aunts kissed Elizabeth's cheeks, they were replaced by Marie and Jane. Both reinforced what the aunts had told Elizabeth. "What of it not being acceptable to share a bed?" Elizabeth blushed. "Is it not frowned upon by polite society?"
"Lizzy, since when have you allowed other's skewed mores to dictate to you? Jamey and I have not spent a night apart since the wedding night and other than my confinement, we do not ever intend to!" Jane told her sister emphatically.
"It is the same with Andrew and me, especially on the long and cold winter nights. Sleeping with your husband in the bed is worth more than all the bed warming pans in the kingdom! Marie looked at Jane to and said, "When you enter your final confinement, the midwife will try to chase William and Jamey out of the birthing chamber. Do not allow it if your husbands and you wish them to remain with you! Andrew was by my side for the birth of both of our children—and I would have it no other way. His support was worth more than his weight in gold!"
"It seems those of us in this family do not follow the dictates of the Ton, I see that you feed your babe yourself Marie, I know you have a wetnurse, does she ever work?" Elizabeth asked.
"Uncle Thomas, may he rest in peace, was accurate in his assessment of the members of polite society. They make all these arbitrary rules and yet the behaviour of so many supposed paragons of society is disgusting, but it is excused because of their wealth and rank. So excuse me if I do, as I suggest both of you should, decide what works for my family. Excuse me for saying this, but the Ton be damned!" Marie stated in no uncertain terms. "The wetnurse feeds little Amy at night or if I am unavailable, that way I am able to sleep a full night unhindered."
"Mother Amy told me that she felt a bonding with you and your siblings when she fed you as babes," Jane stated.
"My mother is correct; I felt the same way with my son and now my daughter. And I will continue to do so with any future children we are blessed with," Marie agreed.
"William and I have discussed it and we agree with you on both issues, sleeping arrangements and my feeding out future children. Once we are married, I never want to be parted from him." Elizabeth blushed a little as she prepared to ask a question. "The aunts told me never to be shy to tell William what pleases me and ask him the same for himself, is it like that for both of you?"
"Absolutely yes," Marie replied, and Jane nodded her head rigorously.
"In that case, I believe all of my questions are answered. I thank you both." Marie gave her sisters-in-law a hug each and then departed for Netherfield Park. Jane and Jamey were spending the night at Longbourn with Tommy, the Gardiners, and Elizabeth.
The sisters talked about anything and everything until well after midnight, claiming many missed hugs during their conversation. Elizabeth fell asleep close to one in the morning.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
While Elizabeth was talking to the ladies at Longbourn, the Duke was sitting with his relatives and soon to be relatives in the billiards room. They had played some games, but now was the time to relax. At almost eighteen, Phillip was with the men and he to had a snifter of brandy in his hand. Richard, Andrew, and the Earls were more restrained in their ribbing of the groom due to the young man's presence.
"Do you regret that you are as inexperienced as your bride William?" Uncle Reggie asked quietly as they sat off in a corner.
"I do not Uncle Reggie. The attitude that a lady was be as pure as the driven snow, while we men are lauded for our prowess and conquests is one of the many hypocrisies that I soundly reject. Anyone who looks at my Elizabeth and still calls women the weaker sex is in my opinion fit for Bedlam. If I expect her to be pure on our wedding night, should she not rightfully be able to expect the same of me?" William stated with meaning."
"There is truth in your words Nephew. I suppose you will learn together," the Earl opined.
"We have both grown up on farms, I may be a duke, but I am still a farmer, so I believe we will both bring knowledge of the mechanics. Luckily, we are both voracious readers who like to study subjects of interest," William grinned.
"She is your perfect match you know," the Earl looked off into the distance, "both my sister Anne and brother Robert would have loved her William. It is sad between you there are no parents left to see you marry on the morrow. You know Elaine and I think of you and Gigi more as son and daughter than nephew and niece do you not," Lord Matlock put his hand on his nephews shoulder his voice gruff with emotion.
"We both love you as surrogate parents, and we always will," William returned.
"Enough chit-chat you two, I would like to beat William at billiards for once," Richard said.
"At least you have the excuse of your limp now when William beats you," Andrew clapped his younger brother on the back. The men retired in another two hours although the Duke did not fall asleep for an hour or so after he was in bed as he grinned thinking it was the last night he would sleep alone.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
While the men were entertaining themselves and once Lady Amy returned from Longbourn, the two Countesses, Cassie, Allie, Georgiana, and Anne were upstairs in the family sitting room, the countesses were sitting on one corner together while the younger ladies sat across the room, entertaining Parrot as he was with Phillip for that week. He had become a favourite with all of them—his sometimes colourful language aside. Parrot was a favourite of the children of the neighbourhood so everyone had been working hard to teach him other words and phrases so he would not be as apt to squawk out one or two the crewmen who were stranded with the family had taught him.
"Amy," Lady Elaine softly called her friend's attention to herself, "it was most generous of James to pay the back wages of all three crewmen who were castaways with you, even that Sparrow fellow who perished. From what I heard; he paid each family many times what the men's actual wages would have been."
"It was the least he could do. With their skills, all three were integral to our survival. With their men presumed dead, the wives and children had a hard time of it. All three families will be housed in cottages at Holder Heights and there will be employment for any who require it. The two men already have positions as does Mrs. Sparrow, she is a seamstress after all.
"You cannot believe how my niece had blossomed since Elizabeth has been in her life," Lady Elaine stated as she changed the subject.
"Lizzy has always been the girl who was able to draw others into conversation regardless of how shy they were. She is still so unassuming, it is not becoming a duchess she is excited about, rather becoming William's wife. I am glad both Jane and Elizabeth will be close to one another, and to Holder Heights. Tommy will be with us when he is on break from Cambridge so they will be able to see one another often," Lady Amy stated.
"With Snowhaven close to all the family estates, and Hilldale but five miles from your estate, Jane and Jamey are the furthest away and they are but four hours by carriage. We are not so much farther, but you and James are less than an hour from those sweet grandchildren of ours. As you missed the first years of little Jamey's life and your namesake's birth it is only right you should be much closer to them," Lady Elaine said as she squeezed her friend and co-grandmama's hand.
Georgiana and Cassie were trading questions about Phillip and Richard, respectively. Georgiana was well aware she still had several years to wait, if Phillip was even interested in her, but for Cassie time was not a concern. Even though Allie was a little older than Elizabeth, she and Gigi had become remarkably close, both being happy that after the wedding on the morrow they would be considered sisters-in-law.
The younger two girls put Parrot in his night time abode, a big cage, which they covered and then they followed the rest to bed.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The morning of her wedding, Elizabeth was awake long before she needed to be as dawn broke—even before the sun started its ascent into the sky from the east. She walked out to the stables with two apples, one for Nellie, who chomped it gratefully, and the second for Orion.
"I am sorry I neglected you boy. What happened to Papa was not your fault so there was no reason for me not to ride you." The stallion nuzzled her as if he understood her words after he enjoyed his apple. "Tommy will take good care of you I promise." Elizabeth rubbed his neck and then walked around the back of the house to the park.
She sat herself on the bench under the big oak tree, the same one all five of them would sit on, a young Tommy on mother's lap, Elizabeth on father's and Jane seated between them. "How I miss you Mama and Papa," Elizabeth raised her eyes to the heavens as the sun peeked over the horizon making it seem like the clouds had halos around them. "I so wish you could have met my William. He is the best of men, and we will have a love like you had, one for the ages.
"As much as I wanted you to walk me down the aisle Papa, Tommy will stand in your stead today. He looks just like the portrait of you when you were at Cambridge." Elizabeth paused as a little breeze wafted around her as if her parents were letting her know they were there with her. She felt completely at peace. "I will always love you Mama and Papa," Elizabeth told the heavens as she stood and made her way back to the house where Jane and Aunt Maddie were waiting for her.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Lord William Darcy, Duke of Derbyshire, Earl of Lambton also woke with the dawn. Like Elizabeth he was also without his parents, their mothers passing within a twelvemonth of one another. His father had been gone longer than Thomas Bennet, but it did not make his feeling of longing for his parents any less on this the most special of days.
The Duke was relieved very few members of the Ton had been invited. An invitation had been sent as a matter of protocol to the royals who had wished the couple joy but declined the invitation. The Queen had requested he and his Duchess let her lady in waiting know when they were in Town so she could invite them to tea. Elizabeth would have to be presented, Jane had been, but given what happened, frivolous things like presentations were not a priority for the remainder of the Bennet family.
From the description sketched of Elizabeth's father—first by Elizabeth and then by her siblings and the Holder Bennets—the Duke was sure he would have enjoyed Mr. Bennet's company greatly. He lamented the fact he had never met the man who had fathered three honourable children and was a fellow bibliophile to boot.
When he looked ahead, he saw a joy-filled life with Elizabeth at his side. Life would never be boring with her. He was sure they would argue—after all, they were both strong willed people—but he also knew the strength of their love would overcome any problems which may present themselves in the future.
After his soak in a steaming bath, Carstens shaved him and assisted his master to dress. Following some advice from his uncle and uncle-to-be, William had a tray before his bath where he made sure he had something to eat and drink as he knew his Elizabeth had, or would do at Longbourn before her bath. He was thankful the reaction to the vision he had to her naked in her bath at her estate had subsided before he stepped out of his into the towel his valet held up for him.
By the time William joined the waiting group downstairs, the Holder Bennets had already departed to Longbourn. Richard was to stand up with him while Andrew and Wickham would be groomsmen.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
"Lizzy you are a vision of beauty," Cassie told her cousin once Elizabeth joined them in the entrance hall at Longbourn. Her dress was simple, a cream flowing gown with an empire waist, puffed sleeves and long cream gloves to match; there was a train, but a small one.
"That is an understatement Cassie!" a glowing Louisa Hurst stated as she looked at her sister. "My goodness Lizzy, your William will want to carry you off from the vestry before the wedding breakfast when he sees you."
"My sister does look gorgeous, does she not," Jane beamed. It was one time she would not collect a hug—well, at least not before the ceremony.
"My my, Lulu, you are looking happy. I take it married life, or some aspects of it, are treating you well?" Elizabeth arched her eyebrow at her best friend and sister.
All Louisa managed to say as she blushed from light red to deepest scarlet in a matter of seconds, was "Lizzy! Just wait until I see you after you have been married a few days!" Louisa threatened playfully.
"As we will be on our way to Ireland I will be safe," Elizabeth retorted smugly.
"I think it is time Lizzy," Tommy informed her. His sister was no quite used to his deep bass voice yet.
Everyone departed to make the short walk to the church leaving Elizabeth with Tommy, Louisa, Jane, and Marie. With the Hills looking on, and not a few tears escaping the long-time housekeeper's eyes, the bride and her attendants were escorted by Tommy to Longbourn's church a few minutes after the rest.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
William along with Richard, Andrew, and Wickham all noted the entrance of the Holder Bennets. Richard could not keep his eyes off of Cassie as she walked up the aisle with her family and took her place in the Bennet pews.
It was Andrew's turn to stare next as his wife walked up the aisle looking even more beautiful to him than the day he had requested a courtship. Jane followed her and her husband's eyes followed his wife intently as she glided up the aisle.
There was a slight pause and Hurst was bursting with pride as his wife followed the bridesmaids and stood opposite the former Colonel near the altar. There was a hush as the vestibule doors were closed and the vicar signalled his congregation to stand. The doors opened again.
William was transfixed as his beloved Elizabeth approached him on her brother's arm. She could have been wearing sackcloth and she would not have looked any less beautiful to him. He noted she paused next to Charlotte Lucas, who was sitting next to none other than Charles Bingley, and squeezed her friend's hand. After that little pause, Elizabeth and Tommy proceeded.
The groom was so entranced, it took a not so gentle nudge from his cousin to propel him to the point to claim his prize from her brother. Tommy lifted the sheer gossamer veil, kissed his sister's cheek and after gently lowering it, he placed her hand on William's arm. Both bride and groom felt the tingles travelling through the whole of their bodies as the were physically connected by touch.
It seemed like an eternity as they approached the waiting vicar but it was a matter of less than a minute in reality. He gave the signal for the congregants to be seated and opened his copy of The Book of Common Prayer. "Dearly beloved…"
Before they knew it, they had recited their vows and given and received rings. The vicar intoned the final benediction and then presented their Graces, Lord William and Lady Elizabeth Darcy to the cheering congregation. The newlyweds were escorted to the vestry accompanied by Richard and Louisa where the last thing they had to do to be legally wed had been completed—they all four signed the registry. Louisa and Richard then slipped out of the vestry.
"Alone at last my dearest, loveliest Elizabeth," William said, his voice filled with desire as he pulled her to him with purpose. Her arms snaked around his neck as she was as keen as he to seal their wedding with their lips.
They had had hardly any time with so many around them at all times to steal more than a few chaste kisses so when he captured her lips hungrily, she was just as keen as he. Elizabeth had read of a toe curling kiss in a novel somewhere, but these kisses not only curled her toes but made her weak at the knees. Luckily, with her husband's arms around her waist and hers around his neck, she was held in place as their bodies were crushed one against the other's.
After a few minutes, they remembered their family were awaiting them in the church and they reluctantly separated with the promise of more to come later.
