Chapter 8: Meetings and Wedding
1809, Matlock
After 2 months at Matlock, frequent visits from Georgianna and William and lots of time with her new family; Elizabeth quickly began feeling at home. Her new siblings were very protective of her, and did not allow anyone close to her when she was alone. Particularly Maxwell, was very protective and looked after his younger sister, - he did not want her hurt anymore. Especially because he had seen what had happening at Rosings, and the injuries it had cost. The Countess was very happy to finally have Elizabeth in Matlock, and she was so happy to see her children being so protective of their new sister. Richard was the son, who Elizabeth bonded with over his funny stories, and how close he was with William, Richard was also the one who gave Elizabeth a better insight into her sometimes aloof cousin William, and an insight into her pretty young cousin Georgiana. Maxwell though, she developed a stronger bond with, that she could go to him for anything, he listened when she needed it and he gave her advice when she felt that it was needed. Her sisters; Rachel and Mary-Rose though they were older than herself, and were out – they still needed to bond and become real sisters very fast after Elizabeth's adoption into the family – they bonded over books, music, their brothers and family mostly. Madeline was thrilled to see the family ties that Elizabeth had been in need of for years developing between the Fitzwilliam family. She herself wrote long letters to Edward Gardiner, the man who was courting her, and who had asked her to marry him. She told him of how happy she was to see her charge become the young woman, she hoped she would become and that she finally had the family she deserved.
The pending wedding of Lady Rachel Fitzwilliam to Viscount Jonathan Blake was in all the gossip columns, and the Fitzwilliam Matriarch was busy arranging the whole wedding alongside her daughter, Rachel. Rachel was talking constantly about her fiancé Jonathan; they had known each other for years. Elizabeth was looking forward to meeting her soon to be brother-in-law, he sounded very pleasant from her sister's comments. It was a normal day in the Fitzwilliam home, when Viscount Blake and Lord Blake were announced at tea time. Elizabeth glanced over at her sister, who had a blooming red colour cover her cheeks, Mary-Rose met her eyes and winked teasingly at her, where to Elizabeth had to suppress her giggles. Their mother looked on fondly for a moment before she sent her three daughters a warning glance, just as their guests entered the room. Viscount Jonathan Blake was a man of six and twenty years, black hair and grey kind eyes, he bowed shortly followed by his younger brother Lord Daniel. Countess Matlock said, "Viscount Blake, I do not believe you have met my youngest daughter, Elizabeth." Elizabeth stood and made a curtsy, "My Lord."
He smiled, "Lady Elizabeth, it is a pleasure to meet you at last. Your sister has told me all about you."
"I hope nothing too horrible, Your Lordship." Rachel commented with a fond smile, "All positive things, Elizabeth." Elizabeth smiled at her sister and her fiancé,
"May I congratulate you on your upcoming nuptials, Your Lordship."
Jonathan smiled, "Thank you, your sister make me very happy." Soon after Jonathan and Rachel was sitting in a corner, planning and talking, while it was left to Mary-Rose to introduce the younger Blake,
"Elizabeth, this is Viscount Jonathan's brother Daniel, um, Lord Daniel Blake." Elizabeth curtsied, "Lord Daniel, it is a pleasure indeed."
"I assure you the pleasure is mine, Lady Elizabeth." Lord Daniel said. He was a man of four and twenty years, with the same black hair as his brother but with electric blue eyes instead of grey.
Mary-Rose said, "Lord Daniel and I met when I came out. I have told him everything about my new younger sister."
"Mary-Rose! Hopefully you have not told him shocking stories!"
"Not to worry, Lady Elizabeth, Lady Mary-Rose has only expressed how fond she is of you." Lord Daniel interceded, and then looked at Mary-Rose,
"I actually came to speak with you, Mary. Somewhere private, please." They left the room, and Elizabeth sent her mother a look of wonder and expectation, and her mother subtly nodded.
London 1810, February
One day Madeline Moore had gotten permission to take Elizabeth with her to London, after the Fitzwilliam family had moved to their townhouse, because she wanted Elizabeth to meet Edward Gardiner, her fiancé. Elizabeth was clinging to Madeline, since she did not feel safe without her new family and Maddie,
"Are you afraid, Lizziebeth?" Elizabeth nodded and clung even tighter to Maddie's arm.
As they made it to Hyde Park, a man came over, - Elizabeth hid a bit behind Madeline, even if she knew she was too old to be hiding. The man said with a smile: "Hello Madeline." and kissed her hand as a gentleman ought to.
"Hello Edward, it is wonderful to see you again. This is Lady Elizabeth Fitzwilliam." Madeline introduced.
Elizabeth by now stood by Maddie's side, and she curtsied and said in a whisper: "It is a pleasure, Mr. Gardiner."
Edward Gardiner smiled and said: "The pleasure is mine, Lady Elizabeth."
"Elizabeth, please." Elizabeth returned in a shy tone of voice.
Edward smiled, and Madeline said: "Elizabeth, Edward has asked me to marry him, which means that you will need a new companion, sweetheart."
"But Maddie….I am…"
"I know, sweetheart. But Edward has suggested his niece Jane, - she is a little more than three years your senior, and, she is gentle and kind."
Mr. Gardiner added, "And Jane is unable to think badly about people, - and she is loyal and very protective, since she is the second eldest of five siblings."
Elizabeth just nodded and Maddie said: "I will arrange a meeting with young Miss Jane, so she can visit the London house, if you wish to meet her, Elizabeth? We do have to coordinate with your presentation plans, Elizabeth, Edward's occupation and the Bennet family's plans."
Elizabeth merely nodded, "I do wish to meet, Miss Bennet, before we discuss it further with my parents, Maddie."
Edward said: "It would be the easiest if the meeting were here in London, - but, if necessary, I can escort Jane to Derbyshire later in the year."
Madeline smiled and touched Mr. Gardiner's arm. Elizabeth tried to bolster her courage, - and as her eyes met Mr. Gardiner's smiling eyes, she felt more calm and relaxed slightly.
"Do you like books, Lady Elizabeth?"
"Yes I do, Mr. Gardiner, Maddie has installed her love of litterateur in me." Mr. Gardiner looked at Madeline with a smirk, and Madeline blushed and laughed.
Mr. Gardiner said: "Can I suggest we then visit the book shop, there is one just around the corner."
Elizabeth looked at Madeline with begging in her eyes, "Please Maddie?"
Madeline said with an indulgent smile: "Yes, of course, Elizabeth."
Mr. Gardiner asked as they entered the shop a few minutes later, "Any preferences, Lady Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth looked around with eyes shining in delight, "Oh, novels, history…poetry, please…"
Madeline said: "Elizabeth is able to read and understand several languages already. English, French, German, Latin and has recently asked about learning Italian."
Mr. Gardiner said: "You are a very intelligent lady it seems, but it should not surprise me with Madeline as your governess."
As Elizabeth was looking through the shelves, Edward Gardiner and Madeline talked quietly about Elizabeth, since they both wanted to do the best for the girl.
As Edward Gardiner went over to Elizabeth to help her, he found her sitting on a pillow on the floor soaking up the pages in a book she was currently reading. "Have you found something you like, Lady Elizabeth?" Mr. Gardiner asked.
Elizabeth nearly jumped as she was dragged out of the world of the book by Mr. Gardiner's voice. "Oh...oh yes...yes Mr. Gardiner, a few." Elizabeth replied.
"If you will allow me, I would like to gift them to you? Maybe one day I can hope to be viewed in as positive light as Madeline?" Mr. Gardiner asked.
Elizabeth searched his eyes for truth and found a fondness and caring, she had only experienced with Maddie and now her new family. Elizabeth liked Mr. Gardiner, he was kind and he seemed like he cared for Maddie, deeply.
"Thank you, Mr. Gardiner, - you are very kind." Elizabeth said in a shy voice. Mr. Gardiner knew that the young girl had been through a lot but not precisely what, since Madeline would not reveal anything of the particulars of her young charges life at Rosings Park.
After they left the bookshop, Edward Gardiner followed them home to the Fitzwilliam townhouse.
London, a few days later 1810
Matlock Town House
Elizabeth was sitting in her room, in her family's townhouse, reading in the window seat where Madeline had left her not ten minutes earlier. Just then her maid, Melanie, came in and said,
"Lady Elizabeth, the Countess wants you in the blue sitting room as Miss Moore is waiting with a young lady and a gentleman."
"Thank you, Melanie. I will go down right now. Am I presentable?" Elizabeth asked. "Yes, milady, you are."
Elizabeth walked down, straightened her dress, and walked into the blue sitting room with her head held high and made a flawless curtsy to the women and gentleman in the room. Madeline rose and said, "Lady Elizabeth, this is Jane Bennet, Edward's niece. I am sure you remember my fiancée, Elizabeth, dear. Jane, this is Lady Elizabeth Fitzwilliam, my student and charge."
Both girls curtsied, - and Jane said, "I am glad to finally make your acquaintance, Lady Elizabeth."
"Please call me Elizabeth, Miss Bennet."
Jane replied, "Only if you call me, Jane."
Elizabeth smiled and said: "Agreed."
Constance Fitzwilliam was delighted to see her daughter talking so animatedly with Jane Bennet and, as the girls were seated in a corner talking, she said to Madeline: "Thank you, Miss Moore. It was a good idea"
"I could see that Elizabeth needed friends and companions her own age, and thought Jane could draw her out before she would be introduced to the rest of the Bennet's after I marry Edward, once Elizabeth is ready to be presented in two years or so." And she smiled at her fiancée.
"Excellent idea, Miss Moore." The countess said with a smile for the couple.
"I am glad to help, Countess. Elizabeth means a lot to me." Madeline replied respectfully.
Then the two women and Edward Gardiner talked until he took Jane with him, after the two girls promised to write each other.
The days following the introduction of Jane to Elizabeth, the Fitzwilliam family's private messenger was very busy since Elizabeth and Jane at once started their correspondence, so letters were riding between Cheapside and Mayfair twice or more a day.
A week later, the wedding of Rachel and Viscount Jonathan was about to happen, Elizabeth was waiting in the attaché room with Rachel, Mary-Rose and their father. Mary-Rose was giving Rachel calming words as she was a little nervous. Elizabeth then looked at her sister's and said, "Rach, you love Jonathan do you not?" Rachel looked surprised at her youngest sister, "Yes, I do."
"Then trust that love, trust that he loves you, and he is at least as nervous as you. I am sure at this very moment; Lord Daniel is either forcing a glass of brandy down his throat or keeping him from coming here to collect you himself." Their father chuckled, and all three girls looked at him, "I just remember something very similar happening on my wedding day to your mother." He commented.
Then the music began, and Elizabeth and Mary-Rose gave Rachel a quick hug, before they entered the church first, as bridesmaids. As Mary-Rose was the Maid of Honour, Elizabeth sat down next to her mother, looked around and saw Jonathan and Daniel stand at the altar, Jonathan looked happy, barely able to keep a delighted smile from breaking out on his face. Soon after Rachel was standing next to him and they were wedded, and finally pronounced to be, The Viscount and Lady Blake.
One day, two weeks after Jane and Elizabeth had met; Elizabeth and Maddie were sitting in one of the sitting rooms; with Mary-Rose and their mother. Elizabeth was writing to Jane, Mary-Rose was talking and sewing a bit with their mother who was engaged at her desk, when a footman came in and announced,
"Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Georgiana Darcy, Madame."
Elizabeth tensed up; after she had been removed from Rosings, she had more or less accepted that she found her cousin very, very handsome, especially when he smiled. Everybody rose and made their curtsy and bow, and Countess Matlock said, "William, Georgiana, I thought you would not come before tomorrow?"
"Change of plans, aunt. I apologise. I hope we can stay for a while?" William said with a calm, if a bit apprehensive, tone of voice.
"Of course you can, I was just about to call for tea; Richard and Maxwell are at the club and your uncle is in Parliament. Sit down."
Elizabeth followed her sister's lead, and continued with her letter silently, until she finished, - just as a cup of tea was sat down next to her. She looked up and saw William, he said: "Two small spoons of sugar and a bit of milk, if I remember correctly?"
Elizabeth did not quite follow; - she was completely lost in his blue eyes, when she realised he had talked to her, "Oh yes...you remember correctly, Cousin William." Elizabeth managed to say with a smile at the end.
Seeing Elizabeth smiling brought a smile to his face, and Elizabeth blushed at the attention he was paying her, especially since her mother and two of her siblings were in the room, "Thank you." She whispered; it was for more than just the tea she thanked him and they both knew it. When William was sitting down with his tea, he could not help but observe Elizabeth and note that she looked happier than he had seen her in a long time. Elizabeth knew that she was observed, and knew it was William, she was glad she had her back to him, as she was blushing heavily.