A/N: This chapter should be considered the calm before the storm or wedding. A much overdue conversation takes place and some new characters arrive on the scene. Kudos to my perceptive readers regarding Mrs. Gardiner's suspicions!
The carriage ride back to Hertfordshire was relaxing and pleasant. Elizabeth was able to enjoy the company of her sister and father without the stress of the impending wedding hanging over her head. No mention was made of their time in London. Their conversations were light and trivial. This had most likely been contrived between her father and sister but Elizabeth did not mind their plotting at all. Feeling safe from the specter of Mr. Darcy was a very welcome change.
When they arrived at Longbourn Elizabeth felt a wave of nostalgia. It seems that nothing had changed. As soon as they stepped out the carriage her mother was waiting to pounce. She uttered the word wedding thirteen times before they entered the house. Elizabeth had counted. They retired to the parlor and Elizabeth could not speak over the din of her mother's and sisters' exclamations. Her mother was berating her father for the short time she had to prepare for the double wedding. Mary was offering moral platitudes on a woman's duties in marriage. Kitty and Lydia were going back and forth between begging for more pin money from their father and asking Elizabeth and Jane for a season in town. Elizabeth began to laugh out loud. Yes, the atmosphere at Longbourn was undignified and chaotic but it was home and she was very happy to be home.
Elizabeth spent the next week wandering to her old haunts and enjoying the fresh air. Her walks were severely limited in London and she wanted to make up for her lack of exercise. She felt rejuvenated and more like her old self. She spent much time reflecting upon her time in Hunsford and London. She did not come to any monumental conclusions but was much calmer about her predicament. Elizabeth was able to tolerate her mother's hysterics over the wedding with poise. She did not stamp her feet, shriek or make even one snide remark. Mr. Bennet actually complimented Elizabeth on her return to normalcy albeit quite sarcastically. Whenever the topic of the nuptial celebrations arose Elizabeth retreated into herself. She was perfectly comfortable in leaving all the details to her mother and just smiled and nodded at the appropriate times. Jane was far more involved due to her phenomenal patience.
A few days before the Darcy siblings and Mr. Bingley were to return to Netherfield Elizabeth and Jane took a leisurely stroll around the gardens. Since their return, the sisters had really not talked about anything of significance. Jane felt Elizabeth needed some time off, so to speak, but now she decided it was time for a serious discussion.
As they walked Jane took her arm and said, "I am so happy to have my sister back. It seemed like you lost yourself while we were in London."
"I am so happy to be home. I was frazzled and angry during our entire stay. I was not myself and I am sorry for that. I believe I owe our aunt and uncle an apology as well. I was desperate and in my unhappiness I upset my family."
"I know you are in a situation that is not to your liking. However, I did not expect your reactions to be so extreme. Are you resigned to accept your situation?" Jane inquired.
"No, I am not resigned but I am trying to be sensible. It is far easier for me to think rationally when Mr. Darcy is not present. I do not know how I will act when he arrives." Elizabeth admitted.
"And why do you think that is? Our aunt seems to believe that you react so strongly to Mr. Darcy because you have feelings for him that you do not want to acknowledge." Jane said quietly hoping her sister would not take offense.
"The only feelings I have for him are those of anger and resentment. I still have not forgiven him for his flagrant manipulations regarding this engagement. However, it seems childish to hold onto my other objections when many of the things I thought him guilty of are no longer germane."
"So, you have forgiven him for his trespasses against myself and Mr. Wickham?"
"You are happy and will have a wonderful future with Mr. Bingley so I can no longer blame him on that score. Although I am still disgusted that he involved himself in the matter to begin with. As for Mr. Wickham, I was completely duped by the man. Mr. Darcy does not deserve any of the blame in that matter. Mr. Wickham is not a good person. He should not be trusted. I feel I should talk to father and warn him of the man's dishonesty. I would hate for the people of Meryton to be taken in any further by his charming manners. Who knows what mischief may result. I was ungenerous when Mr. Darcy informed me of Wickham's true character. I did not want to believe I could be so easily misled." Elizabeth said.
"Will you tell Mr. Darcy you absolve him from all blame in the matter?" Jane asked.
"I wish I was magnanimous enough to do so but I do not think I am able."
"Why ever not? It may be the very thing to break through the antagonism you both display whenever you are in company."
"It is a simple matter of pride. It pains me to give him the impression that he was correct."
"Lizzy, at least in this, he was correct," her sister admonished.
"I know he was but that does not make admitting it to him any more palatable. Jane tell me, what do you think of Mr. Darcy?"
"I think him to be a handsome, well educated, honorable man. He seems to be an excellent brother and a good friend. I do not think him perfect but none of us are without fault. We all have traits that we could improve upon. I believe he had good intentions when he advised Charles regarding our situation even if the result was painful to myself. When he learned of his mistake he made amends. I think that is very telling. In truth, he may have done both Charles and I a service through his actions."
"A service, whatever can you mean? That is ridiculous Jane. Mr. Darcy hurt you terribly."
"No, Elizabeth, Charles and his sisters hurt me terribly. I had no relationship with Mr. Darcy at that point. I did however, have what I thought was a close friendship with Charles and his sisters. Mr. Darcy did not force Charles to leave Netherfield. He did not abscond with him or and throw him in the back of a wagon to remove him from the area. Charles left on his own accord."
"I think you have forgiven Mr. Darcy far too easily." Elizabeth stressed to her sister.
"No, dearest, there is nothing to forgive. This entire situation forced Charles and I to become more mature. I do not believe we would ever have come to a true understanding if not for our hardships. Our relationship would have been superficial, not a true partnership. Charles now has more confidence in his own opinions and can stand on his own. We both have learned not to blindly trust those around us. It was a difficult lesson but a necessary one. Sometimes gains made after adversity are the truest rewards."
"Jane, you have become a philosopher in your old age."
"Now back to the subject of Mr. Darcy, perhaps the difficulties you have both faced during your engagement will allow you understand each other better and allow you to grow as well. I think you should give him a chance. In fact, you must give him a chance. If you do not, I believe you will come to regret your intransigence. He has some excellent qualities and it is not fair to blame him for all the woes in the world."
"You are a very good person Jane. I cannot give him so much credit."
"Why not? With the exception of how the engagement came about, what else do you hold against him at this point?"
"His behavior in Hertfordshire to begin with and the things he said during his first attempt at a proposal."
"You told me he explained his reticence in public settings. You cannot reproach the man for being reserved or you would be reproaching your favorite sister as well." Jane said with a smile.
"There is quite a difference between reserved and arrogant. What about the unpleasant things he said of our family?" Elizabeth countered.
"Lizzy, you know I love our family unconditionally but their behavior can oft times be challenging. How many discussions have we had over the years about the constant lack of decorum our mother and sisters display in public. It would be absurd to think that others did not notice it as well. We are fortunate that our friends in Hertfordshire respect us enough to tolerate their follies."
"I know that Jane, but I still did not like to hear it, especially in the midst of a marriage proposal. I believe I have had three of the most poorly articulated marriage proposals in history and two of them were from the same man." Elizabeth said with a giggle.
"I am so glad that you can laugh about it now. It is a far healthier reaction than dressing like the maid and quoting Mary." Jane said now giggling herself.
"Yes, well, there is no need to dwell on that particular occurrence."
"Do you think you will be able to demonstrate a benevolent attitude when Mr. Darcy and his sister arrive?"
"Probably not, but I will try, for you. He galls me so thoroughly," she answered honestly.
"Elizabeth please take what I am about to say in the spirit of sisterly love. You do your best to provoke him and furthermore some of the things you have taken great offense to have been quite benign. If anyone had made the same remarks you would have barely noticed."
"You are far too perceptive my dear sister." Elizabeth said wryly. "He brings out my acerbic side as well as my hysterical qualities. I seem to be more like our mother than I care to admit."
"Well, I have given you much to think upon. Let us return to the house before you become outraged with your dearest sister."
When the girls returned to the house they had very unexpected visitors. Elizabeth was surprised to see Colonel Fitzwilliam and an elegant older couple awaiting them in the parlor. The Colonel proceeded to introduce the Bennet family to his mother and father, the Earl and Countess of Matlock. Elizabeth was shocked, she had not known the Colonel's family would attend the wedding. In fact, she had not asked Mr. Darcy whom he would be inviting. She steeled herself for what was to come. Elizabeth was positive their guests would not be welcoming.
All of a sudden, the Earl of Matlock pulled Elizabeth into an embrace and said, "Welcome to the family my girl. I have heard much of you from both my son and my sister. I am so very pleased to meet you. You must forgive our unannounced visit. We left town earlier than the rest of the party and wanted some time to get settled before the festivities. Mr. Bingley was kind enough to open Netherfield for us. My sister Catherine and her daughter Anne will joining us as in a few days. They are most eager to see you and meet the rest of your family. I must admit I was anxious to know the young lady who stole my nephew's heart."
Elizabeth turned bright red at his statement. "Oh, look, young love, the poor girl blushes at the mere mention of my nephew's name. I never thought I would live to see the day Fitzwilliam Darcy married and now I am meeting his beautiful fiancée. I am a very happy man!" He stated jovially.
The Colonel and Elizabeth shared a brief glance at this blatant misconception but neither said a word. It prudent to allow the Earl to think that Elizabeth was quite taken with her betrothed.
The Earl of Matlock was a younger version of Colonel Fitzwilliam. He was affable and seemed quite carefree. He immediately put the Bennet family at ease. The Countess, or Lady Matlock, as she asked to be called, was everything lovely. She was soft spoken and sweet. Neither of their illustrious guests put on any airs. Elizabeth wondered if they were truly related to Mr. Darcy or Lady Catherine De Bourgh for that matter.
The assembled group had a lovely visit. The company was kept entertained by the banter between the Colonel and his father. Mr. Bennet even seemed pleased with their camaraderie. Mrs. Bennet and the girls were in awe of their guests and on their best behavior. Elizabeth was her witty self and the couple seemed to be delighted with their nephew's fiancée. When the visit ended the Fitzwilliam family happily accepted a dinner invitation for the next evening.
"Well, Elizabeth you will certainly have illustrious relations," Mr. Bennet quipped. "I enjoyed this meeting more than I anticipated. It seems you have charmed them thoroughly. Hopefully, you will be able to do the same with their nephew or I hope you will at least make an attempt."
"I liked them very much and am looking forward to furthering our acquaintance," Elizabeth said ignoring the last part of his remark.
"Oh, Elizabeth, an Earl and Countess coming to our house for dinner. We must have at least three courses. Oh, there is not enough time. What shall I do? Ring for Hill! We must start planning immediately." Mrs. Bennet shrieked. The upcoming dinner had her even more flustered than usual which was certainly saying something. "No, first I must visit Lady Lucas and tell her of my guests. She will be so envious! Oh, Mr. Bennet what shall I do? There is no time to go to Lucas Lodge. Perhaps I should send the girls to tell the Lucas family of my triumph."
"Mother, I do not think the Earl would appreciate his name being bandied around Hertfordshire. Lady Lucas will see the Earl at the wedding. I feel it would be better to say nothing at present," Elizabeth almost begged. The Colonel's family seemed to approve of her and she did not want anything to ruin that. She was of the opinion that she may need them as allies in her future hostilities with Mr. Darcy.
"I agree with Elizabeth. Mrs. Bennet, go and plan your dinner at once. I am sure it will be a most elegant affair. Sir William and Lady Lucas can wait for your news. Details of a family dinner with an Earl will give you so much more to boast about during your next morning call."
Dinner the next evening was all that Mrs. Bennet could wish. The food was excellent and all were well pleased with her table. Elizabeth spent much time speaking with the Countess and found her to be a kind woman with good taste and intelligence. The Earl had them laughing far more than they could have ever imagined. Lydia, of course, was quite taken with the Colonel and begged him for stories of his adventures. Mary exhibited on the pianoforte and much to the relief of her elder sisters played a piece that was well within her skill level. She blushed a deep crimson when the Earl and Colonel complemented her performance. The Fitzwilliams were certainly not ill tempered, or critical. For the second time in two days she wondered if they were really relations of Mr. Darcy. If he had seen the enjoyment the Fitzwilliam family had taken with the Bennets, he probably would have disowned them.
The next day brought more visitors to Longbourn. The Gardiner family had arrived soon after the Bennets had broken their fast. Mrs. Bennet flew from the house to accost her brother's wife. She would not even wait for proper greetings to be completed before she demanded to see her daughters' wedding gowns. The ladies all rushed to Mrs. Bennet's chambers for the unveiling. Elizabeth stayed in the background as she had been the recipient of a very disconcerting look from her aunt. Mrs. Gardiner seemed to be displeased with her. It was the same glare her aunt had bestowed upon her after the unfortunate debacle with Miss Darcy.
The gowns were unwrapped and many compliments were given. Against her will, Elizabeth was pleased. Her gown was beautiful in its simplicity. It would most likely be her favorite possession if it did not come with the guarantee of a marriage to Mr. Darcy. After the gowns were fawned over for more than half an hour the ladies began to make their way to the parlor. Elizabeth tried to slip away unobtrusively but was not successful.
"Elizabeth, a word please," her aunt said sternly.
"Of course Aunt, let us go to my bedchamber," Elizabeth said nervously. She could not imagine why her aunt was so out of sorts.
When they entered her room, Mrs. Gardiner closed the door. "Elizabeth, I received a frantic note from Madame Delacroix, my dressmaker, the day after you left for Longbourn.
Elizabeth paled, she now knew why her aunt was so angry. Mrs. Gardiner had discovered her subversion involving the color of her trousseau. "Why was Madame Delacroix frantic? Did she misplace our measurements?" Elizabeth said while staring at the floor.
"I believe you know exactly why she was upset. She informed me that a horrendous mistake had occurred with the fabrics for your gowns. Every bit of fabric sent from your uncle's warehouse was black. It seems the error was only made with your fabrics. Jane's selections were as they should be," her aunt replied with a frown.
"Oh, I see. Well, I suppose that is too late to change anything now. I will make due with black garments."
"No need to worry dear. I was able to make haste to the warehouse and select suitable materials in a lovely selection of non-mourning hues. In fact, they were delivered to Madame Delacroix that very afternoon. It seems we are lucky she was intelligent enough to realize that an entire trousseau should not be created in black. I thought you were far too pleased and compliant during your fittings. I should have investigated further myself but I never imagined you would do such a thing."
"Thank you for going to all the trouble of correcting the error," Elizabeth almost whispered.
"Which error Elizabeth? The error you made when you purposely chose only black fabrics for your gowns or the one you are making now by dissembling?" Mrs. Gardiner said harshly.
"Both, I suppose."
"What were you thinking? Your father was very generous and you would waste his limited funds on garments that would publicly embarrass both your family and future husband. Your actions were ungrateful and selfish," her aunt scolded.
"I admit I was not thinking of my father. I was thinking of how angry Mr. Darcy would become when he saw I choose a wardrobe that reflected my true feelings on this marriage."
"I believe he and everyone else in our family knows of your true feelings. You have done nothing to hide them. I cannot imagine the uproar that would have occurred if you had been successful. I am very disappointed in your behavior. This inanity must stop. You will be married in a few days and unhappy as you are with the prospect, your behavior must reflect that of a well-bred gentlewoman. Anything less will disgrace your family and yourself. You are better than this Elizabeth."
"I am sorry to have offended you, Aunt. That was not my intent."
"Are you sorry that you were unsuccessful in your plotting or that you acted thusly?" Mrs. Gardiner questioned.
"Honestly, it is the former but I do see your point about wasting my father's money. That would have been unforgivable on my part. I was not thinking clearly."
"You have not been thinking clearly for some time Elizabeth. I love you dearly, I truly do but your comportment has been most trying as of late!" Mrs. Gardner said exiting the room and leaving a very embarrassed Elizabeth to her thoughts.