A/N: Sorry for the wait. We had a LOT going on in getting ready for Christmas. This chapter has been mostly written for a week, and I finally had time to sit down and edit!
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Darcy and Elizabeth entered the sitting room together. Mrs. Gardiner greeted Darcy and then looked to Elizabeth, who nodded.
"It is decided then?" she asked.
"Yes, Miss Bennet has agreed to be my wife," Darcy replied simply. He was much happier than the statement implied, but did not think Elizabeth would appreciate any overt display of satisfaction. He wished it could be different, but he still had high hopes for their future.
"Well then, I offer you both my congratulations. I hope you are able to join us for dinner, Mr. Darcy," invited Mrs. Gardiner.
"It would be my pleasure," he replied as he and Elizabeth sat.
The remainder of the afternoon and evening was spent in polite conversation. Mrs. Gardiner and Darcy spoke of Derbyshire, as it was discovered that she had grown up only five miles from Pemberley, at Lambton. Elizabeth was amazed, she had never seen Darcy so unreserved. Had Miss Bingley not told Jane that he could be so amiable among close friends though? Was he that comfortable with the Gardiners, the very people he had declared objectionable just three weeks before? She could not decide if this was true acceptance of her relations, or merely a show for her. What had Colonel Fitzwilliam said to her question of why Mr. Darcy could not recommend himself to strangers? Because he would not 'give himself the trouble.' He was certainly 'giving himself the trouble' now!
To Elizabeth's relief, there was no talk of wedding plans that first evening. When Darcy made his leave, it was with promises of returning with settlement papers for Mr. Gardiner to review. With the following day being Sunday, the earliest they anticipated his return was Tuesday. There were no plans made for visits until then.
That night Elizabeth lay awake for several hours, thinking a lot and crying a little. At times it felt like her father was not gone. While she was at Longbourn, he could have easily been in his bookroom. Here in town, she was so used to spending time with the Gardiners without him, it was natural to not particularly miss him. But when she made a decision like this, one that she would have had his opinion on, she missed him. She wondered what he would say, knowing she did not love Mr. Darcy, about her agreeing to marry him. Would he understand what she was doing, knowing he could have prevented it? Elizabeth was not blind to the fact that if he would have managed his estate and money better, she would not have felt compelled to marry Mr. Darcy to save her family. She felt no resentment toward him, though. She loved her father dearly, faults and all. She just hoped he was not disappointed in her.
While Mr. Gardiner was out to business on Monday, Mrs. Gardiner broached the subject of wedding plans with Elizabeth.
"Lizzy, have you and Mr. Darcy discussed wedding dates?"
"We have not made any plans yet, Aunt. I think it was enough to become engaged on Saturday."
"Be that as it may, I want to know you have thought of it. Mr. Darcy may ask the same question when he meets with your uncle, and I do not want you to be caught unawares."
Elizabeth was thoughtful for a minute before responding, "I really do not know. While my first instinct is to delay as long as possible, I do not know if that is practical. I am marrying him for the sake of my family, and if I am able to relieve their current situation sooner, I feel I ought to. It is not as though Mr. Darcy can begin supporting us before the wedding even if he was willing, as it would invite questions of my relationship with him."
"Very true. How soon, though? You are still in mourning, and it is not as though your family is homeless."
"And I will be in mourning for five more months. What kind of condition do you think the atmosphere at Longbourn will be in by then? I know what is generally expected, but how much sooner do you think I can marry and not cause a scandal?"
It was Mrs. Gardiner's turn to be thoughtful, "I think if you have mourned for at least two months, it would be understood. We can ask Mr. Darcy his opinion, since you will face heavier scrutiny from his circle."
"Then if we were to begin reading the banns next Sunday, that would still give us a full month from the announcement until the actual wedding. Do you think that is a respectable length of time for an engagement?" Elizabeth questioned.
"I do. I think a month keeps you from being questioned about rushing into it, which would not help your acceptance into Mr. Darcy's society."
They settled that the soonest day after the tenth of June that Mr. Darcy wished for should be taken. Their conversation then moved to other plans; how soon to bring the remainder of her family to town, and who, if anyone else, should be invited.
Darcy sent a note over late in the afternoon stating his intent to bring the draft settlement documents with him for an interview with Mr. Gardiner the following day, if Mr. Gardiner was available. A reply was sent to the affirmative, and they expected him at eleven o'clock.
Darcy arrived the following morning promptly at eleven, and he and Mr. Gardiner spent over an hour in the study before her uncle sent for Elizabeth to join them. She entered the room and greeted Darcy.
"Well Lizzy, I thought you might like to see these before I sent them back with Mr. Darcy to be finalized, in case you have any objections."
"Thank you, Uncle," Elizabeth replied as she sat down and accepted the documents. She glanced at Darcy to see what his reaction was to her being allowed a say, but he simply watched her quietly. If he objected, he was not showing his displeasure.
She read quietly for a while, until she reached the section that listed the amounts to be settled on her and her family.
"This is too much!" She exclaimed, "To settle so much on me, and then the pin money is wholly excessive, plus such a large annuity on my mother. Surely you needn't do so much."
"Elizabeth, this is what is due to you as my wife. I promised to take care of your family, and I mean to. With the amount your uncle and I understand your mother to have on her own, my additional will allow them to live in comfort, but very little more. There will not be room for much extravagance. I will not have your pin money or settlement lessened because of it. Your pin money is exactly what it should be for woman of your future station. I would be remiss as a husband in my position if I did anything less. If word got out, there would be suspicion as to why you were shorted, and it would cause more gossip. The dower is necessary to protect you and any future children, so that you are all provided for outside of my heir's inheritance. While I would like to think our oldest son will be a man of honor, I do not want to leave you and our younger children to another's whims," was Darcy's firm reply.
With tears in her eyes, Elizabeth turned to him, "But I do not like it. I bring nothing to this marriage, and I do not want to take so much from you. It does not feel right."
"And that feeling does you credit, however wrong it is," he replied softly. "You may not be bringing financial assets to our future, but Elizabeth, I am marrying you because I want you. If I wanted a dowry, I would marry a dowry. I want the happiness I feel by merely being in your presence."
This only made Elizabeth's tears spill over as she began to cry, "How can you say that when I have been nothing but rude and hateful toward you? How can you say I bring you happiness?"
"You are not rude, you challenge me. You challenge me like no woman has before. I cannot explain how it feels to have an informed debate with a lively woman who does not change her opinion to match mine because she thinks it is what I want to hear. You know what you believe and you defend it with energy. At the same time, you can debate both sides just to make the other person defend themselves harder. You are one of the most naturally intelligent women I have ever met. I find you fascinating, and I do not expect that to change. I have found the best woman for me, and I wish to keep you with me, always."
He said this with such feeling, and he meant it. How could she not see herself for the treasure she was? She might feel forced into marrying him for financial reasons, but it went against everything she believed in. He had already realized she was not mercenary, but this honest rejection of his money was a balm to his heart and gave him such hope.
As he handed her his handkerchief, gently pressing it into her palm, Elizabeth stared at him in shock. Where had this man been when he had proposed? She had no idea that he felt that way! When he spoke in that manner, she could almost believe that he truly loved her. As she watched him, she saw him squirm slightly in his chair. Was he truly that uncomfortable expressing his feelings?
"Lizzy, do you now find these amounts acceptable?" interrupted Mr. Gardiner, amused. The more time he spent with Mr. Darcy, the less he was concerned for his niece's future.
They both startled; they had forgotten her uncle was there.
Elizabeth took a deep breath to steady herself before responding, "I will not argue the amounts anymore. Uncle, how do you think my mother will do with an additional income? You know as well as I do that she is incapable of economy. While the amount is more than sufficient, I do not think she will steward it well."
"What do you suggest then, Lizzy?"
"I think that it would be better to list specific, necessary items that will be paid for on her behalf, in a way that she cannot overspend. For example, we must agree upon the house she lets, so that it meets certain expectations and is a reasonable price; an account could be set up at the grocer and butcher with monthly allowances; we would pay servants on her behalf. Perhaps a small amount of pin money for my sisters. Any spending over these predetermined things which she wished to do would need to come out of her own income."
Elizabeth turned to Darcy here, "If you do not want the trouble of paying separate bills every year, I would be willing to steward the account on her behalf."
It was Darcy's turn to be impressed.
"I cannot find fault with that plan, and you know your mother better than I do. I leave it up to you who stewards the account."
"Thank you," was her reply, as she returned to her reading.
Elizabeth looked up as she finished, "Do I really require an additional sum for my initial wardrobe? I am quite certain that the pin money will more than cover anything I need. I have no intention of buying the amount of clothes this would cover immediately."
"Lizzy, Mr. Darcy added this when I expressed your aunt's concern about your lack of trousseau. Our gift to you will be a new gown that you can use for the wedding day, but other than that, will you have any dresses that would be suitable for your new life? You will be traveling in a much higher circle of acquaintance than you are used to, and your clothes will need to match. Besides, every young woman should have new things to start her married life, and you know your mother cannot afford to provide that now."
The thought of Mr. Darcy purchasing the personal items that would normally be part of a trousseau caused Elizabeth to blush. It did not matter that her pin money would provide those things later, it was awkward to think of him paying the bill now.
While she still did not think she would need to spend so much, she could agree that she needed new clothing.
She sighed, "Fine, I will not argue the amount."
She did not expect she would win anyway. She was also starting to think the 'ten thousand a year' that she had heard upon first meeting Mr. Darcy was an understatement. He did not seem like the type to outspend his income, and if this meeting was any indication, there was plenty of income to go around.
"I assume you will have final copies of these drawn up soon, Mr. Darcy?" asked Mr. Gardiner.
"Yes, by the end of the week."
"I think we are ready to begin the reading of the banns, then. We have already discussed the wedding date, Lizzy, and Mr. Darcy has agreed with your aunt on the social acceptability of your plans. Would you be satisfied with June eleventh?"
Elizabeth gave a simple yes. With the discussion over, Darcy joined them for a few minutes in the drawing room.
As Elizabeth walked him out, he asked, "I should like to introduce you to my sister Georgiana. Perhaps you could join us for tea tomorrow?"
She looked at him carefully for a moment. Would Miss Darcy be allowed to come near Cheapside at Gracechurch Street?
"My aunt and I would be delighted."
"As will Georgiana. If you would like to view the house, you are welcome to. Perhaps I could have my carriage come for you and your aunt, and then your uncle could join us later for dinner?"
Elizabeth agreed and then bid him a good day.
As Darcy left, he thought back over their conversation, where Elizabeth had questioned her worth in their relationship. He had always thought she was so much more confident than that showed. He did not understand why she would be insecure about herself in this, when she had made it clear that his opinion of her did not matter. He had hoped that she would come to care, but what she said earlier made it sound as though she already did. It was beginning to become quite clear to Darcy that he did not understand Elizabeth nearly as well as he had thought.
The Darcy carriage collected Elizabeth and her aunt as planned the following afternoon. Stepping out at her future house, Elizabeth was overwhelmed. Of this was she to be mistress! While not the largest townhouse she had seen, it was even more clear that her fiancé was at least as wealthy as rumor had it. She would not be surprised to find it had more bedrooms than Longbourn, and it was a townhouse!
She felt herself growing rather anxious, until her aunt spoke.
"It is just a house Lizzy. It might be larger than we are used to, but I think you will find it not much different from your uncle and my house. More and bigger rooms, a few more servants, but that is all."
Elizabeth relaxed, "You are right of course, aunt. It is overwhelming to see the house that I will call home, though. This puts the reality of my future in perspective."
"You will do fine."
"My mother did teach me how to run a house, that is for sure. I do not think even London quality could scoff at her table."
Mrs. Gardiner smiled in response. Elizabeth was never held down for long.
The door was opened by the butler, who took their things and led them to the drawing room. Elizabeth glanced around and then looked at her aunt with a raised eyebrow. It was definitely bigger, and Mr. Collins would have a hard time containing his description of the crown moulding. She would not call it ostentatious by far, but the quality and elegance was clear.
"Mrs. Gardiner, Miss Bennet," Darcy greeted almost eagerly as soon as they were announced in the drawing room, stepping forward with a young lady they presumed to be Miss Darcy.
He performed the introductions, proper curtsies followed, and then a momentary silence fell on the group.
Knowing the little she did about Miss Darcy, and assuming Mr. Wickham lied about her as well, Elizabeth hoped she was broaching a comfortable topic when she asked, "Miss Darcy, I have heard that you are very fond of music. Are you working on a particular piece now?"
"I have been learning a couple of new piano sonatas, well, new to me, that is. I believe Haydn's middle works are at least forty years old. I like to play what speaks to me, though."
Darcy looked at his sister with a slight smile. She was making an effort to speak more than usual, and he was proud of her.
"Yes, I believe our music is a part of our hearts, and speaks to our emotions. I would love to hear you play, as I have been told by several people that you play exquisitely."
"Not exquisitely!" exclaimed Miss Darcy in embarrassment. "I do enjoy the art, and practice as much as I am able, but I but I am not as good as that suggests."
"Georgiana, you do play very well," interjected Darcy.
Miss Darcy looked to her brother and blushed, and then turned back to Elizabeth, "My brother tells me that you play very well, Miss Bennet."
"Not 'very well' at all," she replied with a laugh. "If your brother told you that, he grossly overstated my talents." Elizabeth looked at Mr. Darcy with sparkling eyes, "I can only imagine what else he has exaggerated, and I am afraid you will find me a great disappointment!"
In that moment, Darcy realised how much he loved to see Elizabeth happy. He had intrinsically known he wanted her to be happy, but seeing it after having her be so solemn as of late showed him how important it was.
"I have done nothing of the sort," he rebutted.
"Oh! I could not possibly be disappointed...what I mean to say is my brother would not choose a..."
"Come now, Miss Darcy," Elizabeth gently interrupted, as she took the younger girl's arm, "I am merely teasing your brother. I do not think enough people do so, and it is good for him. He can be far too serious."
The last was said with a nearly flirtatious look at Darcy. The young ladies moved toward the sofa and sat together, continuing their conversation.
"I have feeling you had better get used to that, Mr. Darcy," said Mrs. Gardiner with a small laugh.
He startled, and a little guiltily offered Mrs. Gardiner his arm to join them. Elizabeth was driving him to distraction, and he adored her for it.
"I sincerely hope so, Mrs. Gardiner."
Their conversation over tea was pleasant. They were able to draw Miss Darcy out with more talk of Lambton and Derbyshire. It was obvious that as she felt more comfortable with the group, she was able to speak up more often. They returned to the topic of music, and Elizabeth saw this was where her true excitement lay. Her eyes lit up, and she was able to discuss the feelings that her favorite pieces portrayed with energy. Her enthusiasm for performing duets with her future sister was endearing. Elizabeth easily confirmed that Mr. Wickham had been wrong here, too. He had described Miss Darcy as proud, but it was easy to see that she was merely shy. Elizabeth was grateful that Mr. Darcy's only immediate family was accepting of her without apparent reservation.
After tea, the tour of the house came. And what a tour it was! Elizabeth was happy to see that the decor was all tastefully simple. No brocade fabrics, ornate furniture, or gilt paints, but rather the rooms were light and airy. While it was clear that everything was of high quality, it showed that the house was made to live in, not an exhibit to be viewed. Mr. and Miss Darcy showed them the principal rooms together, but Darcy left them in the hands of his housekeeper, Mrs. Rowley, when they moved to the master suite. Elizabeth was given instructions to note any changes she wished to make to her rooms and the sitting room that they shared, in hopes that they could be completed before the wedding. The thought of them sharing the suite brought another blush to her cheeks. It was difficult to picture herself as a married woman.
Other than a fresh coat of paint on the walls and updated bed and window coverings, Elizabeth could not imagine changing a thing about her room. The furniture was as elegant as the rest of the house. She was beginning to see that the late Mrs. Darcy must have had much influence on the current Darcys' decorating style. Mrs. Gardiner commented on the elegance, and the housekeeper confirmed that nothing had changed in the mistress' rooms since it was restyled for Lady Ann upon her marriage.
Miss Darcy looked around the room wistfully, "I have only been in this room twice in my memory. I have no actual memories of my mother, only the stories I have been told."
Elizabeth's heart ached for the girl, who had lost both of her parents, and well before their time. She was all too aware of that feeling herself.
"Is there anything in here that you would like to keep for yourself?" she asked Miss Darcy.
The girl's eyes lit up before falling again, "Oh, I couldn't! The furniture is all a matched set, and it would not make sense to separate them."
"Well, not the furniture then. Perhaps there is something in your mother's dressing room. Shall we look?"
"Yes," added Mrs. Gardiner, "even something small that was hers would give you a connection to your mother's memory."
Mrs. Rowley led the ladies into the smaller room, and Elizabeth began to laugh, "I hope no one expects me to fill that closet. I cannot possibly shop that much, I would go mad."
"You do not like to shop for new clothes?" asked Miss Darcy.
"Not as much as some. I enjoy having new things sometimes, but the stress of a dressmaker's shop keeps me from overspending my budget. I find being poked and prodded and offered the latest styles, no matter how garish, frustrating. I know what I prefer to wear, and it never quite meets our local dressmaker's expectations. She, along with my mother, are always pushing me toward more lace and less neckline. While she has good intentions, my mother has very different taste from mine. I find the conflict not worth the reward, generally. I do not suppose I will get out of the process here, either," she finished on a sigh.
"If it helps Lizzy, your wedding dress will likely be designed and fitted before your mother comes to town. That is one less argument against your preferences," commented Mrs. Gardiner.
"And I am comfortable with the modiste my aunt uses," offered Miss Darcy, "she is not considered the most fashionable in London, since her name does not sound French enough, but my aunt adores her. Lady Matlock prefers to keep to her own style, and Mrs. Bonner does not argue with her. She offers advice and her opinion, but lets you make your own decisions without a fight. Perhaps we could try there for your wardrobe."
Elizabeth felt that Miss Darcy would make a much better shopping partner than her mother. If only she could have Jane and her aunt along, too, then buying a new wardrobe would be much more fun.
The ladies went to Lady Ann's dressing table and began opening drawers. After a few moments, they stumbled on a drawer with a brush and mirror set. When Miss Darcy gently removed them from the drawer, it was easy to see the engraved "AD" on the handles. She ran her fingertips over the letters before looking up at Elizabeth.
"They are yours. While they are absolutely lovely, I think they mean more to you than they can to me."
"Thank you so much, Miss Bennet. I have so little from her."
"They were likely a wedding gift to celebrate your mother's new name," added Mrs. Gardiner, "and given to her by a close female relative. These should be yours, my dear. It is only fitting."
She was very pleased with how quickly her niece and soon-to-be sister were getting along. The new life Elizabeth was entering would become much easier with a friend close by to depend on. She glanced over at Mrs. Rowley to see her gazing fondly at the pair as well.
Miss Darcy's smile trembled. These women were so kind to her. She had been momentarily terrified when her brother had told her of his engagement. She had seen the so-called eligible women that had fawned over him. She so wished to find a friend in her new sister, and she should not have worried. Her brother would not have chosen anyone who would treat her badly.
"Miss Darcy, would you mind calling me Lizzy? We are to be sisters very soon, and that is what all of my current ones call me."
Miss Darcy's eyes lit up again as she replied, "I would love to, Lizzy. Please call me Georgiana. I have always wanted a sister, and I believe I shall quite enjoy it," she finished shyly.
"Be careful what you wish for! I have four sisters and there is rarely peace in our house," Elizabeth replied with a smile.
"Four! What is that like? I only have my brother, and he is so much older than I am."
"I love them all dearly and they nearly all drive me crazy. I cannot imagine it any other way, though. I will introduce them all to you when they come to town for the wedding. We will happily welcome you to the group if you like, and then you can decide for yourself how it feels."
They were soon finished with the room, and Mrs. Rowley led them back to the drawing room and Mr. Darcy.
A/N: I imagine that Mr. Darcy would be adding enough to Mrs. Bennet's income to get her to about £500 a year. That's how much the Dashwood ladies had in Sense and Sensibility. Doesn't out Darcy too much, but allows them to maintain a respectable living.
From the research I've done, social mourning rules were more guidelines during the Regency period, especially for everyone other than a widow. Strict rules were more in the Victorian era, when better medical care started reducing early death rates (and they were all more stuffy). Society might frown on it, but they were more understanding of the need to marry for security. It mostly caused a gossip stir, and then was forgotten at the next scandal.