A/N - this has been updated to correct grammar and spelling - a big thanks to my beta reader Ann ( goclimbatree), who has begun reading through and helping me fix errors and ensure clarity.
Let me know if you continue to see any issues. This story will be published on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited at some point once it is finished (August?).
Chapter 8
William's knock on the Gardiner's door was quickly answered by the housekeeper, who was surprised to see the master's niece standing there. "Miss Elizabeth! We did not expect you for several more days," she exclaimed.
"My plans changed, and I hope to visit my aunt and uncle if they are home," Elizabeth informed her. The housekeeper stepped aside so they could enter and informed her that the Gardiners had arrived home only a few hours ago and were taking tea in the drawing room.
"Lizzy!" Jane cried when Elizabeth entered the room. She rushed to hug her and paused when she saw Mr Darcy standing behind her. "Mr Darcy!" she cried in surprise.
Mr and Mrs Gardiner stood more calmly when Elizabeth entered the room but were also surprised to see the tall, handsome man standing behind her. They were reassured by the broad smile on Elizabeth's face but wondered what brought the two to their door several days before Elizabeth was expected.
Elizabeth first hugged Jane, then moved to her aunt and uncle to greet them in the same fashion before she spoke. "Mr Darcy, my uncle, Mr Edward Gardiner, and his wife, Madeline Gardiner. Aunt, Uncle, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley, in Derbyshire."
With introductions out of the way, Mrs Gardiner invited everyone to sit and called for additional cups and fresh tea. All noted the courteous way Mr Darcy treated Elizabeth and that he stayed very close to her. Mrs Gardiner particularly noticed the frequent looks that passed between them as they exchanged pleasantries while they waited for tea.
Finally, after everyone had been served their tea and pastries, the discussion turned to more serious matters. "Elizabeth, I have been patient, but can you tell us now why you are in London already? You were not to arrive until early next week?" her aunt inquired, a hint of impatience in her tone. "I confess I am quite surprised at you and Mr Darcy turning up on our doorstep without a chaperone accompanying you."
Elizabeth and Darcy flushed slightly, and Elizabeth patted his arm as she took a deep breath and began her story: "Much has happened in the last few days and weeks, Aunt. I met Mr Darcy again in Kent — he was visiting his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who resides at Rosings Park, next to the parsonage., and is Mr Collins' patroness" She explained the events of the last several days, ending with Mr Darcy's visit to Hertfordshire and Mr Bennet's letter to Elizabeth recommending they marry as soon as it could be arranged.
Mr Darcy then took up the story. "My great-uncle is a bishop and helped me obtain a special licence that should be delivered to me tomorrow. My aunt took Elizabeth shopping this morning to order clothes for her trousseau. They even found a dress for the wedding that will be ready tomorrow afternoon. She is planning to host the wedding and wedding breakfast from Matlock House. Given Mr Bennet's letter, we were hoping to hold the wedding on Saturday morning if you are available then."
Mr and Mrs Gardiner looked at each other for a long moment. "Elizabeth, this is all very sudden and quite a change from when we last saw you. Gentlemen, may we ladies have a few minutes to speak privately?" Aunt Gardiner said.
"Let us go into my study, Mr Darcy," Mr Gardiner suggested. The gentlemen stood and exited, but not before Darcy took Elizabeth's hand, kissing it and then squeezing it gently in encouragement. Neither gesture was missed by the sharp eyes of Mr or Mrs Gardiner, who were watching the couple carefully.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Mrs Gardiner turned to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, in December, you could barely stand the man. Now, you appear eager to marry him. What has changed between then and now?" she demanded.
"Oh, Aunt, I was so wrong about him before. He truly is the best of men; you should not worry about that," she said. "We met many times in Kent and spoke about all manner of things. I misunderstood him in Hertfordshire and allowed others to prejudice me against him. Well, to be honest, I was already upset with him and perfectly willing to believe the worst of him. However, we were able to discuss these matters calmly and clearly, and I do love him so very dearly now. He has been patient and kind with me, and we have much in common."
"What changed?" her aunt persisted.
"I confess that he drew my eye from the first moment I saw him. However, his comment at the assembly angered me and prejudiced me against him. I believed him to be contrary in every word he spoke, but at Rosings, after he apologised for the comment he made, I reconsidered each of our interactions and realised I had been determined to see the worst in him. That, and the conversations we had while walking at Rosings and in various drawing rooms here in London, have shown me that he truly is my perfect match. I cannot imagine loving anyone as much as I love William," Elizabeth enthused. "I have found much to admire in him; he is so very good and kind."
Her aunt nodded, carefully considering all her niece told her. "I cannot say that I am thrilled about a wedding happening in mere days, but since your father did not see fit to give us any more details about why a quick wedding is preferable, we will support it. I do hope you will stay in London for some time after the wedding, my dear. Your uncle and I will want to see you and be assured of your happiness and well-being."
"Aunt Helen, that is Lady Matlock, suggested we take a honeymoon period of a week or two and then participate in the remainder of the season so I may be introduced to society. She intends to throw a ball to celebrate our wedding a few weeks after and plans to imply to the gossips that we have been engaged since we met in Hertfordshire, and William preferred a small, private wedding due to his quiet nature," Elizabeth told him. "So, yes, we will be in town until late May or early June before we go on to Pemberley for the summer. We will decide then if we should visit Longbourn on the way there since Papa was unclear about whether it would be wise at that point."
She pondered for a moment. "I do not know what Papa was thinking in insisting on a quick wedding. He said nothing to William about it when he was there, only mentioning it in a letter he had William deliver to me. I do not understand it."
Mrs Gardiner nodded at Elizabeth's comments. "Despite the speed of everything, it is evident you have given considerable thought to the matter, which makes me feel more content, as does his obvious care and concern for you. However, my dear, if he looked at you in Hertfordshire the way he looks at you now, I do not know how you could misconstrue that as finding fault."
Elizabeth laughed. "He is more open in his regard for me now, and he definitely smiles more than he did in Hertfordshire. There, he always seemed to glower at me, but now I know he was fighting his attraction to me." Elizabeth coloured as she said this. "And, and, perhaps most importantly, I understand him better now, which makes a significant difference in how I interpret his expressions."
"Will you stay with us until the wedding or remain at Matlock House since you are to marry from there?" Jane finally spoke up to ask. She was hoping for some time alone with Lizzy so they might talk in greater detail. She had read the letter Elizabeth sent with Darcy from Rosings and wanted more information about what had changed Elizabeth's feelings toward Mr Darcy so drastically. "You do know Mama will have a fit of nerves when she hears about all of this and the special licence." All three women laughed at that comment.
"We were not certain you would be home tonight," Elizabeth said after the laughter had subsided. "Since you are, I will ask William to have his aunt send me my things so I may stay here until the wedding. We need to do some more shopping tomorrow morning, and I do hope the two of you will join us. I am to be fitted for my wedding dress and some other items for my trousseau."
Jane looked pleased and leaned over to hug his sister. "I am so happy for you, Lizzy. I was so surprised when you told us of your engagement that I neglected to congratulate you and Mr Darcy. You seem rather pleased, and he seems to care for you quite a bit."
Laughing, Elizabeth accepted their congratulations. When the gentlemen returned to the room, William sat down beside Elizabeth and took her hand, kissing it briefly. Aunt Gardiner smiled in approval at the evidence of his care.
"William," Elizabeth said quietly to him. "I hope Aunt Helen will not be offended if I do not return to Matlock House with you this evening. Since the Gardiners are home, I would like to stay here until the wedding on Saturday. Jane and Aunt Maddie can join us for the final fitting of my wedding dress and escort me to Matlock House for the wedding on Saturday. I have not seen Jane in several weeks and would like to spend some time with her before we marry in two days." She blushed again at the reminder of how her life would change in such a short time.
"I cannot imagine her minding the change, my love," was his reply. "I will greatly miss your company, but soon enough, we will not be separated again." Their eyes locked, and they were lost to the rest of the group once until a throat clearing drew their attention back to the group. Mr and Mrs Gardiner smiled understandingly at the couple and were further reassured by the affection the young couple clearly shared. "Mr Darcy, will you join us for dinner tonight?" Mr Gardiner asked.
"I thank you for the invitation, but I cannot accept for tonight as my aunt and sister expect my return, and I need to arrange for Elizabeth's things to be delivered here since she plans to remain until the wedding," he stated. Then, pausing briefly, he spoke again. "I would like to invite all of you to dinner at my home tomorrow night if that is convenient for you. I would like to escort the ladies to Bond Street for shopping tomorrow, and you could take tea at my home and stay until dinner."
Mrs Gardiner accepted the invitations for his escort while shopping and for dinner but told him she would let him know the following morning if she would be needed at home with the children in the afternoon. She suggested the young ladies could stay for tea with his sister, even if she could not. Darcy was pleased to accept this adjustment to his plans.
With these decisions made, William took his leave of the Gardiners and Jane, asking Elizabeth to walk out with him. She was therefore surprised when he escorted her into her uncle's study and not to the entry. "William, what are we doing here?" she asked after he had kissed her passionately.
"I admit, I had not considered you might not return to Matlock House this afternoon," he said, pressing his forehead to hers. "I will miss you, dearest, but knowing we will wed in two days makes the separation somewhat easier to bear." He took a deep breath and stepped slightly away from her to regain his equilibrium. "I asked your uncle for a few minutes alone with you so I might give you something."
Darcy held up a beautiful ring—a gold band with a medium-sized emerald surrounded by diamonds—that he had removed from a small velvet bag that had been in his inside pocket. She gasped when he silently slid it onto the third finger of her left hand before bringing it to his lips and kissing the fingers tenderly. "This is the ring my grandfather gave to my grandmother when they wed; I still have memories of them walking through the gardens at Pemberley hand in hand and seeing this ring on her hand. They died within weeks of each other; I believe my grandfather simply had no will to live after she was gone.
"My father loved my mother, but not in the same devoted way my grandparents loved each other. I hope we will emulate my grandparents' relationship, both because they both lived to old age and because they were two parts of a whole. I think we will be like that, Elizabeth. I love you tremendously, and I feel more at home and, well, more whole when I am with you than when we are apart. I struggled against this feeling — for a long time, I did not understand it — but once I quit struggling and allowed myself to embrace it, I know I never want to be parted from you. You are mine, Elizabeth, and I am yours."
She reached up and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips. "Strangely enough, or perhaps not so strangely, I do understand what you are saying, William. We fit together, you and I, and I do not believe I could have been happy with anyone else. I am most content when I am with you. Even when I thought I did not like you, you were never far from my thoughts."
William embraced her, holding her tightly to him for several long moments. Then he kissed her hair and sighed. "I must go, Elizabeth. I do hate being parted from you and will keep reminding myself that it is only for two more nights. I realise your father's letter has spared me weeks and months of waiting. I love you, my dearest. I will see you tomorrow."
He kissed her gently one more time before taking her hand and leading her to the front door, where his phaeton was just arriving. Quickly boarded the carriage, he drove away, but not without glancing back several times to see her watching him from the doorway until he turned and was out of sight.
Elizabeth stood there until Mrs Gardiner came looking for her. "Lizzy, come join us in the parlour, my dear, so we may continue our discussion." Shutting the front door, Elizabeth followed her aunt into the room, taking her seat and accepting a fresh cup of tea.
"Well, Lizzy, your mother should be pleased, and I confess, I am as well. You are to marry Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley, and I dare say you will love his estate!" Mrs Gardiner enthused. "I never dreamed a member of the Darcy family would visit my home, much less marry my niece. Do you understand what type of man you are to marry?"
"I know he is wealthy; rumours at the assembly reported his income was at least ten thousand a year. He is related to the Earl of Matlock, and I have seen Darcy House. It is an impressive house, to be sure," Elizabeth agreed. "I have not stopped to think what all that may mean, however." She pondered for a moment. "Oh, Aunt Maddie, he is so far above me, and I had not considered what it would mean to be Mrs Darcy." Her face transformed, and she began to look anxious.
"Elizabeth, look at me!" Mrs Gardiner snapped to draw her niece's attention. "You shall be a wonderful Mrs Darcy. You are intelligent and clever, as well as kind and compassionate. Pemberley has not had a mistress in many years, and I have no doubt the housekeeper will provide any guidance you may need. Most likely, Lady Anne Darcy or the housekeeper have kept journals over the years, which you can consult. You have been visiting tenants at Longbourn for several years now and helping your father with the estate. You have the skills to manage Longbourn, and you will simply apply those skills on a larger scale at Pemberley.
"Speak with Mr Darcy tomorrow during tea about your fears. It was clear today that he adores you and will assist you. One of the worst things you can do in a marriage is hide your feelings from your spouse – he will want to know your concerns and reassure you. I know you like to walk as you think through your concerns, and you may still do that, but do not hide your feelings and worries from your husband."
Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth calmed. She would talk to William tomorrow, she told herself.
Wisely changing the topic, Mrs Gardiner asked Elizabeth more about her brief courtship and subsequent engagement to Mr Darcy. Elizabeth told what led to Lady Catherine and Mr Collins ejecting her from Hunsford, and by the time dinner was announced, she felt more like herself.
After dinner, she and Jane slipped away to talk privately. Any remaining fears Jane had regarding the wedding were quickly put to rest as Elizabeth was effusive in her praise of her betrothed.
"Oh, Jane, I was so wrong in my understanding of Mr Darcy," Elizabeth told her sister. "You know that my opinion of Wickham had already begun to change before I departed for Hunsford. I asked Mr Darcy about their dealings, and he was so kind and gentle when he explained the truth of their relationship. I could tell he was angry at having been so used by his childhood friend. Then, when he asked for a courtship, I was so surprised, but I readily agreed." Elizabeth sighed.
"How did it change to an engagement and a wedding within a week?" Jane asked worriedly. "He did not compromise you, did he?"
"No, Jane, it was nothing like that," Elizabeth rushed to reassure her. "No, it was the prodigious care he took of me, ensuring his aunt could not harm me, and when he gave me the letter to read that he had written to Papa, and his love was so clear in every line, well … reading that, I realised I was in love with him. I think I was always meant to fall in love with him; he captured my attention when he first walked into that assembly room."
Jane sighed at the memory, as she had felt similarly toward his friend, although he had spoken with her instead of insulting her.
Elizabeth took this opportunity to inform her sister of Bingley's betrothal. "There is one other thing I must confess to you, dear sister. I, um, I also asked Fitzwilliam about Mr Bingley. He … Jane, he was already betrothed to another before he ever arrived in Hertfordshire. The girl is not yet out, but Bingley and her father entered into an agreement more than a year ago. Even had Mr Bingley loved you, he was not free to pursue you. I am afraid he has used you very ill."
Jane swallowed. "I will be well, Elizabeth," she said seriously. "Hearing that did not hurt nearly as much as I would have expected."
Elizabeth examined her sister carefully and believed her — Jane's heart was at last mending. She was confident William would help her introduce Jane to men of his calibre and encouraged Jane to remain in London for at least part of the season. Jane promised to write a letter to her father after Elizabeth's wedding and ask permission to remain in town.
The two girls spoke a while longer before retiring to their own rooms. As she prepared for bed, Elizabeth reviewed her conversation with her aunt and pondered sending a note to Mr Darcy asking him to arrive earlier in the morning before deciding that was too forward — until she realised it was perfectly reasonable for her to write to him since they were engaged. She set about writing him a note to convey her thoughts and worries.
Dearest William,
I must confess that I already miss you dreadfully, even though we spent several hours together today, and you left me here only a short time ago. All evening, I have thought of things I wish to share with you, mostly idle thoughts but some more serious ones that relate to our marriage and our life together. If our courtship and engagement were longer, we would have been able to discuss these in greater detail, but right now, with our marriage imminent, it occurs to me that I know little of Pemberley and your expectations of me as its mistress. My aunt grew up in Lambton - have I mentioned that before? - and has some knowledge of your estate. She shared a little with me, and I became a little anxious to realise I would soon be the mistress of such a great estate until my aunt pointed out I would perform many of the same tasks as I do at Longbourn, only on a larger scale.
At Longbourn, Jane and I visited our tenants, bringing food and other items as needed. We sewed clothes for the children, especially when a new baby arrived, and provided food and medicine when a family suffered from sickness. These tasks were always 'too much' for Mama, so Jane and I took them on several years ago when we began to recognize the needs of the people who worked the land at Longbourn. Likewise, I assisted Papa with his accounts and spoke to him about the needs of the tenants. He allowed me to assist him in meetings with the steward, Mr Todd, and listened to my recommendations, although not as often as I would have liked. It often frustrated me that he would not take any of my suggestions to improve our lot at Longbourn; he did not think it worth the effort when no child of his would inherit the estate.
Additionally, my parents' marriage is an unequal one – my father is witty and intelligent, while my mother is flighty and not at all clever. Father married her for her beauty, and when that faded, they had nothing in common. Now he prefers to hide in his book room and read while she sits in the drawing room and flutters and gossips. Having five daughters and an entailed estate does not help matters, nor does Papa sharpening his wit on her. I do not think Mama always understands exactly what he means, but she recognises when he is belittling and mocking her.
This leads to my biggest fear - that you will come to regret your decision to marry me. I will strive to be the best wife and mistress of your homes I can be, but I beg for your respect above all else. Love is important, but I do not believe love will last without respect. You have shown me much to respect and admire in you, even when I did not completely like you. You take care of those around you, and there is such obvious affection between your sister and you. I have noticed the prodigious care you take of her and of me now that I have allowed you to do so. I have come to care for you very much, William, but my biggest fear, one that is difficult to share with you, is that you will someday regret me, and our marriage will become like my parents. I could not bear it if you one day despise me because my status does not equal yours, or if you make sport of me, laugh at me, or worse, ignore me. I need your reassurance in this, my love, and if you are uncertain about this, I will release you freely. You do know you are marrying a woman with opinions and the temerity to express them to you frequently, do you not?
I feel it is important to state clearly before I close that I do love you dearly, my William, and I am looking forward to not only the wedding but especially our marriage. Thank you for loving me and for letting me see what a wonderful man you are.
All my love,
Elizabeth
Her letter completed, she sealed it and set it aside to send first thing in the morning. Soon, she fell asleep, dreaming of William.
At Darcy House, Darcy was also awake and thinking about his Elizabeth. Georgiana had retired early, and Richard had teased him relentlessly about his upcoming wedding. Darcy reflected on how his life was about to change and was pleased with the life he conjured in his imagination. As he thought about it, he began to consider how much more Elizabeth's life would change than his and wondered how she felt about all the changes. Since the wedding was to take place so soon, she would not have time to slowly accustom herself to her new role as Mrs Darcy, and he briefly wondered: Would it be better to return to Pemberley after a short time in London instead of staying for the rest of the season?
He decided to write her a letter to reassure her, in case she had begun to consider all the ways her life would be changing. He did not want to create fears where there were none but was determined to assure her of his love and confidence in her.
My dearest, loveliest Elizabeth,
I find it difficult to believe anyone could touch my heart as acutely as you have done. I know I have said it before, but I want you to know for certain: you are my perfect match. I hope you consider me the same for you. We discussed earlier that it felt like we were two parts of a whole; you are my other half, and without you, I am not complete.
It occurs to me that while both of our lives are about to change, hopefully, for the better, you will face far greater changes and challenges than I. I hope you will share with me any fears you are experiencing, and I want you to know I have no fears about our future. You are the perfect woman for me – witty and intelligent, not to mention kind and caring. Those qualities drew me to you. As you know, I frequently watched you at Longbourn and Rosings and am well aware of all the wonderful traits you possess that will make you an excellent mistress of Pemberley and of Darcy House and a wonderful hostess when we welcome guests into our homes. You have a way of making others around you feel at ease – which is not a trait I possess – and you are exceedingly kind. I have seen you handle Miss Bingley, so I know you will hold your own in society. There are many women like Miss Bingley who will seek to make you feel less than you are, but I am confident you will face them all with your characteristic wit and charm.
Elizabeth, I so look forward to joining our lives together, my love, and I am confident we will have a happy future together. I look forward to making you my wife so you may join me in serving my estate and assisting me in improving the lives of our tenants and those who depend on us at both Pemberley and Darcy House. I cannot imagine anyone more suited than you to be my wife and mistress of my homes.
I love you very much, my dearest. Until I see you again,
Yours,
William
As Elizabeth had done, he sealed his letter and laid it aside to be delivered first thing in the morning.
The next morning, each woke early and tasked a servant with delivering their notes to the other. William's note was accompanied by a small nosegay of pink roses mixed with lavender, and Elizabeth was thrilled to receive them. When she read his note, a sense of peace descended on her, especially because he would have written his note before receiving hers. It soothed her to know their minds had run on such a similar track, and she was now confident their marriage would be unlike her parents' marriage in every way; she knew she would tell him that very thing when he arrived later that morning.
Copyright 2023 Melissa Anne
