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. I took down several chapters and am slowly adding them back. Some chapters have been split so this is not the same as the original chapter 9.
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 9
Mr Darcy arrived on Gracechurch Street at the time agreed upon with Colonel Fitzwilliam in tow. The Colonel was introduced to the family, and while he was speaking to Jane and Mrs Gardiner, Darcy stole a moment to whisper with Elizabeth.
"It seems our minds ran similarly last night, my dearest," William murmured as he sat next to her on a small settee.
She smiled brilliantly at him and laughed lightly. "Yes, it does, William, and I must admit that fact and your note did much to reassure me and eliminate most of my concerns."
He grinned and brought the hand he was holding to his lips. "I hope to eliminate whatever concerns remain, my love. I am confident your abilities and your natural intelligence will make you a wonderful mistress of our homes, and with my aunt's sponsorship and assistance and your own wit and vivacity, you will have few difficulties gaining acceptance in the ton. Mrs Reynolds, our housekeeper at Pemberley, will be happy to have a mistress and will assist you as you become familiar with our estate. As you mentioned in your letter, you are already familiar with the responsibilities of the mistress of an estate. Pemberley may be somewhat larger than Longbourn, but the principle remains the same. My staff and tenants have not had a mistress for many years, and your care for others and your kindness will make you a most excellent one."
Glancing around to ensure no one was watching them, she surreptitiously placed her hand on William's cheek and lightly caressed it. "Thank you, William, for your love and for your faith in me. I do love you so."
He turned his head and pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand. Something must have drawn the others' attention to the couple as Darcy heard his cousin lightly chuckle as they stood.
"Well, ladies," the Colonel declared. "I believe Darcy and I were tasked to attend you to Bond Street to meet my mother and my young cousin. After shopping, will all of you be joining us at Darcy House for tea?"
Mrs Gardiner answered for the group. "My nieces will be joining Miss Darcy for tea, but I will return home and accompany my husband to Darcy House for dinner. The girls will stay for the afternoon and have already messengered their clothes for dinner tonight."
The Colonel offered one arm to Miss Bennet and the other to Mrs Gardiner while Darcy escorted Elizabeth to the carriage. They handed the ladies in before entering themselves, with William sitting directly across from his Elizabeth. His long legs occasionally bumped into hers as the carriage jostled, and each time, Darcy grinned at her while Elizabeth blushed and smiled shyly. When they arrived at Bond Street, the gentlemen left the carriage and then handed the ladies out. Colonel Fitzwilliam again escorted Jane while Elizabeth took Darcy's arm as Mrs Gardiner led the way to the modiste, where Lady Matlock and Georgiana had just arrived. After a quick consultation with the other ladies, Lady Matlock informed the Colonel and Darcy when their escort would be required, and the men headed off on their own errands.
As they drove away from the ladies, Darcy abruptly chuckled, causing his cousin to ask what was on his mind. "It has occurred to me that my current felicity is due to Lady Catherine's insistence on having her own way in everything." He laughed again when he said it out loud.
Richard looked at his cousin with one eyebrow raised. "How is that?" he inquired.
"If Lady Catherine had not expelled Elizabeth from her parson's home, she would be arriving in London tomorrow. Instead, Elizabeth arrived in London nearly a week ago and landed quite literally on my doorstep, where we were in company with Georgiana for several hours. We understand each other better now, and Elizabeth is learning about my character and, I believe, knows she can trust me. Since we also suspect she has something to do with why Mr. Bennet urged a quick wedding and told Elizabeth not to return unwed, she is, in essence, forcing me into a quick marriage with the woman I love more than life itself. If she had not acted, our wedding would likely be several months away instead of tomorrow," he finished.
Richard laughed with him and asked, "Will you inform our aunt of her role in your current felicity?"
Darcy chuckled in response, but before he could say more, the coach stopped in front of an imposing building where he had an appointment with his solicitor. Nearly as soon as Elizabeth had accepted his offer of courtship, he sent instructions to his solicitor to have the settlement drawn up and his will rewritten to include the woman he intended to make his wife. He had felt slightly foolish since they were only courting but sent his instructions ahead in the hope Elizabeth would soon accept his hand. Anticipating that at least a portion of their courtship would have been conducted in Meryton and the marriage ultimately occurring in his bride's home parish, he had felt that having the documents prepared ahead would save him having to separate from her once they were betrothed. Now that they were marrying so soon, he was pleased he had taken such a step, as his solicitor had sent word the previous afternoon that the documents were awaiting final review and signatures.
Darcy quickly and carefully reviewed the documents and signed his updated will, which was then signed by the witnesses. Additional copies would be drawn up and sent around for him to sign and place in his personal safes at both Darcy House and Pemberley, while his solicitor would send a copy to be placed in a vault at Darcy's primary bank and retain two copies in addition to filing one with the courts, thereby ensuring his final wishes would be carried out in the manner he had specified.
Darcy also left with four copies of the settlement papers for he and Mr Gardiner to review and sign after they reviewed them with Elizabeth and made any changes to what it contained. He wanted her to know the provisions he had made for her, although he wondered if she would think it all too much.
Their business concluded, Darcy and Richard were soon outside the modiste's shop, waiting for the ladies to complete the final fitting of Elizabeth's wedding gown. Before long, the entire party returned to Darcy House, although Mrs Gardiner continued to Grace Church Street until she returned with her husband for dinner.
Lady Matlock accompanied them inside before whispering a few words to Darcy, who then spoke to the housekeeper. "Elizabeth," Lady Matlock said after Darcy nodded, "after tea, would you like to view the rooms you will inhabit as Mrs Darcy?"
Elizabeth coloured slightly but easily agreed. Speaking softly in a voice intended only for her, William said, "Please make any changes you would like, as the rooms have not been updated in some time. I had them cleaned and aired after your acceptance of my hand, but there has not been time for any redecorating. However," his voice dropped lower and became slightly husky, "I do hope you will not need your own chambers and will agree to share mine."
She coloured brilliantly, but her courage rose, and she maintained eye contact with the man she loved. "I think I would like that, my love," she whispered softly, watching his eyes darken and his breath quicken at her response. She responded similarly.
It was several moments before he spoke. "Elizabeth," he said, his voice a caress. He reconsidered what he was going to say and took several deep breaths. "I can hardly wait until you are my wife, my love. But for now, let us have tea. I will not accompany you on your tour later, as I am not certain I would sleep at all tonight if I did." He gave her a meaningful glance and a wink, and she blushed again before accepting a cup of tea from Georgiana.
The group conversed easily over tea for nearly an hour before the ladies accompanied the housekeeper to the family wing, where they reviewed the mistress's suite. The room was lovely, bright and full of sunshine, and Elizabeth adored it. The drapes, bed curtain, and coverlet were faded and needed replacing, but the chairs and other furniture fit the room well, and the dressing room and bathing rooms were clean, well-appointed, and simply decorated. Only a few changes were required; the mistress's suite suited Elizabeth perfectly.
Afterwards, the ladies walked through the private sitting room between the master's and mistress's suites and noted a couple of minor changes that could be made to it but overall found it well appointed. Elizabeth wanted to peek into William's room but thought better of asking, however dearly she would have loved to see the room.
Following their tour, Lady Matlock returned home to dress for dinner, Georgiana went to her room to prepare, and the housekeeper escorted the Bennet ladies to a room where they could rest and change for dinner. The maid assigned to them assisted Elizabeth and Jane in changing into their dinner attire. She attended to Elizabeth's hair first, and while Jane's hair was being finished, Elizabeth sought out the library and a book she had spotted on a previous visit.
Arriving in the library, Elizabeth settled into a chair to read the book of poetry she had sought. A short while later, Darcy found her curled up in a chair reading, her slippers on the floor, and her feet tucked underneath her. Something drew her attention, and she noticed William in the doorway watching her, a slight smile on his face. Her answering smile warmed his heart.
"You look very comfortable, my dear," he said softly, causing her to blush, and she attempted to untuck her feet without revealing them to Darcy. "I believe I will find you here often in the future."
"I am sorry, William," she said, glancing down at her shoes on the carpet and thinking about what to do next. "This is a lovely room and very cosy. This may very well be my favourite room in the house."
"Do not apologise, dearest," he said, watching her for a moment longer. Her foot peaked out from under her skirt, and he was enthralled by the sight of it. He forced his attention back to her face and the conversation. "I am glad you are comfortable in Darcy House, and I look forward to spending evenings with you in a similar attitude. Perhaps after we are married, you will allow me to glance at your lovely feet, even hold them in my lap while we both read." Again, she blushed, but a glance revealed she was smiling at his words.
"Since we will be married tomorrow, might you help me now with putting my slippers back on?" she asked with a look that was somehow demur in its boldness. He knelt in front of her and picked up her slippers.
"Your feet are so small, love," he said huskily. She carefully unfolded her legs and placed her feet on the floor in front of her, lifting one at a time as he placed the slippers gently on her feet. Moving slowly and glancing around him, he leaned forward and captured her lips in a gentle kiss. Drawing back for a moment, he watched her, eyes still closed. She sighed softly, and he claimed her lips again, this time pouring more of his love into the kiss. A few moments later, they both drew back, needing to breathe.
Darcy helped Elizabeth stand and then reseated them on a settee nearby. Sitting closer than was proper, he held her in his arms and whispered words of love punctuated by light kisses.
"Come now, you two," Richard said when he entered the library. "We are all gathered in the drawing room, wondering what could be keeping the two of you." He winked as he spoke.
Darcy glanced at the clock, arched his brow, and retorted, "Dinner is not for another thirty minutes, Richard. I would be surprised if anyone is in the drawing room at this time."
Richard laughed. "You may be right, cousin, but my mother is looking for the pair of you, and I offered to find you. You had best be glad it was me, and not Georgiana who found the two of you cuddled up like that before you are married." He gave his cousin a stern look, but it did not last long. "You are besotted, cousin. I never thought I would see the day a mere slip of a girl felled the great Fitzwilliam Darcy." He laughed heartily at the scowl his cousin directed his way.
Darcy stood and assisted Elizabeth to stand, placing her small hand on his arm and pressing it tightly to his side. Whispering a quick "I love you" into her ear, he smirked at his cousin as he brushed past him to lead his betrothed to the drawing room.
Richard laughed at his cousin and followed them from the library. "Look who I found, Mother!" he exclaimed as they entered the room. Greetings were exchanged, and all four took a seat and discussed some final details related to tomorrow's wedding ceremony. When the Gardiners arrived, and Georgiana and Jane came downstairs, the conversation shifted to different topics until dinner was announced. Deciding to ignore protocol on the eve of his wedding, Darcy escorted his almost-bride into the dining room and seated Elizabeth beside himself, brushing a kiss on her hand as he sat, and allowed the others to sit where they would.
The conversation flowed easily around the table, and no one commented on the couple's occasional distraction or on the hand-holding beneath the table. When dinner was over, Darcy chose to forgo the separation of the sexes, and as most of the group went to the drawing room, he escorted Elizabeth and Mr Gardiner to his study to review the marriage settlement.
As they entered, Darcy offered drinks, and at Gardiner's nod, he poured him a small glass of brandy.
"Mr Gardiner, Elizabeth, I would like you both to peruse the marriage settlement and ask any questions you have," he said after a moment. For several minutes, it was silent in his study as both read the documents. Darcy watched Elizabeth's face as she read and watched as a look of astonishment spread over her face.
"Mr Darcy, William, you cannot possibly mean to settle so much on me," she cried. "I have no dowry to speak of, and I do not need so much. Fifty thousand pounds is more than generous, sir."
"You are worth more, my Elizabeth," he said tenderly. "As Mrs Darcy, you will have different expectations placed on you, and your pin money will allow you to participate in charitable endeavours both in town and at Pemberley."
She nodded but was clearly surprised by the amounts settled on her. Gardiner finished reading and, after a question or two, signed the three copies Darcy put in front of him. Elizabeth signed, and the signatures were sanded and allowed to dry. "Elizabeth, Gardiner is already aware of this, but you should know that in addition to Pemberley, which brings in ten thousand pounds per year, I own two smaller estates, bringing in an additional five thousand pounds a year. With investments and other sources of income, my annual income is a little over twenty thousand pounds. So, you see, I can easily afford the amount I have settled on you, and I will likely add to it throughout our marriage."
"I am not marrying you for your wealth or status, William," she said forcefully.
He smiled at her gently. "I am well aware of that, my love. I would have done this for my wife, whoever she was, but I am more than pleased to do this for you. You are my other half, my dear, and when we wed, all I have will become yours. You will notice that if something happens to me before we have a son old enough to care for Pemberley, I leave everything to you to hold for our child or children. I fully intend you to be my partner in all things and will share with you the responsibility of caring for our estates and investments with all that that entails.."
She looked at him with tears in her eyes, which concerned him until she flashed a brilliant smile. "Thank you, William," she said softly, losing herself in his eyes. Mr Gardiner, recognizing the couple needed a moment, stepped into the hallway, leaving the door slightly ajar.
In the study, Darcy took Elizabeth's hand and knelt in front of her so they were eye to eye. "Sweetheart, we have not spoken much about the letter you sent me, but your intelligence is one of the many things I love about you. At Netherfield, I was drawn to you, and the more I listened to you, the more impressed I was. Nearly everyone spoke well of you, and I realise now that they were taking me to task over my slighting you at that first assembly. When I was out riding in the mornings, I often saw you visiting tenants, including a few from Netherfield. If I am not mistaken, you nearly ran Longbourn as the steward told me of decisions you had made the few times I spoke to him. I was very impressed by your ability to manage Longbourn, which is another thing I love about you.
"I have always wanted a wife who could be my partner in all things and not just a hostess or a … a trophy on my arm. To me, marriage is a partnership; I will help you carry your burdens, and you will do the same for me. We may have different roles in our marriage, but I want you to be a part of all I do."
She leaned over to kiss his lips lightly. "Thank you, William, for your faith in me. I, too, have imagined marriage as a partnership where our mutual purpose was to work together to improve the lives of the people who rely on us. I would not be happy in a marriage where I was merely a trophy or a hostess. I want to walk beside you, share your burdens, and help you. I told you what my parent's marriage is like and how I never wanted that for myself. I am still slightly anxious – I have heard Pemberley is rather grand – but with you beside me, I have faith our marriage will be a happy partnership, and we will strive to better the estate for our children and grandchildren."
His large hand caressed her face. "We will make mistakes, Elizabeth. We are both strong-willed, and I do not doubt we will argue on occasion, but we must never allow that to come between us. I remember my parents arguing rarely, but they never let it separate them. Father told me before he died that he and Mother had an agreement to resolve any issues as soon as possible and, most importantly, to never go to sleep angry." He laughed briefly. "In fact, he said that on two or three occasions early in their marriage, he told me they were up until the early hours of the morning because it took them that long to resolve an argument as neither was willing to concede to the other. Eventually, they would realise their argument was silly, and they made up, eventually falling asleep in each other's arms." William coloured slightly as he remembered the method by which his father had said they made up.
Elizabeth noted his high colour. "What makes you blush so, William?"
His face burned. "My dear Elizabeth, I can only tell you he said they made up in a method common to husbands and wives. In the future, when we argue, I hope to employ the same method, but for now, my inquisitive bride, we should leave that subject for both our sakes."
It occurred to Elizabeth his probable meaning, and she coloured as well, looking down briefly.
Suddenly realising they were alone, William pulled Elizabeth into his lap and kissed her deeply. After a moment, he gentled the kiss before stopping and pulling away slightly, pressing his foreheads to hers. "Tomorrow, Elizabeth," he whispered. "Tomorrow, we will be able to kiss like that and not stop." He suddenly laughed, remembering his conversation with Richard from earlier in the day.
"What is so funny, William?" she inquired.
"I was remembering the conversation Richard and I had about Lady Catherine's role in my current felicity. She loves being useful, although I doubt she would be pleased if she knew she was useful in allowing us to marry so quickly. I am beyond pleased to be able to marry you on the morrow, as I am not certain I would have survived a month or longer of waiting," William confessed. He sat up straighter and looked at Elizabeth. "I meant to ask you earlier – are you comfortable with the speed of our marriage? I do not understand the circumstances that require it, and while it means you are my wife much sooner than I could have ever anticipated a week or so ago, I must know, my dear, are you regretting the speed of our union?"
She lightly kissed his forehead before smiling softly at him. "Not in the least, William. I would have liked my father to give me away, but he seems content to give that responsibility to someone else, so I will not be sorry for it. Jane and the Gardiners will be with me, but the person I most need at the wedding is you, my love. Mama would have wanted a big affair and two or three months to plan it all. I always wanted a small ceremony without the pomp Mama would have felt was necessary, and I admit I am glad to escape the spectacle I am sure our wedding would have been."
They shared one more quick kiss before he helped her stand. "Love, you should return to the drawing room now, and I will follow after I put these papers away." He needed a few moments away from her before he would be fit to return to company. He doubted she was aware of the reaction of his body to her words and her kisses, but after tomorrow, she would be well acquainted with it. Stop it! he silently scolded himself. Thoughts like that will not help me calm myself.
After she left the room, he took several calming breaths as he brought himself back under regulation. Gardiner was waiting for him in the hall. "I did not hear all that was said, but as a happily married man of more than a decade, I wanted to reiterate your father's advice to you to never go to bed angry. Lizzy has a passionate nature and sometimes reacts before thinking things through fully. You have been the master of your own estate for a number of years, and you will have to learn to give way to your wife, just as she will need to learn to give way to you. There will be a period of adjustment where you will learn more about each other, and you will both need to take care not to allow little hurts to fester and communicate with each other frequently about all manner of things.
"I would add to your father's advice to not allow your feelings to control you. Once something is said, it is impossible for it to be unsaid. Lizzy has a tendency to speak first and think later, which requires her to apologise for it later. I have a feeling you may have the same tendency, so you both will need to be conscious of that and avoid speaking to the other in anger. If you allow those things to build up, it will create serious problems later."
William pondered this. "You are wise, sir," he acknowledged. "I will speak to Elizabeth tomorrow about your advice."
Gardiner laughed. "I believe my wife intends to impart the same advice to her tonight. I know I can in no way replace your father, Darcy, as I am only a little more than a decade older than you, but my wife and I have a good relationship. It has taken a lot of work and a lot of understanding, so I hope to spare you and Lizzy some of the problems that Madeline and I have faced. But perhaps not, because our Lizzy prefers to learn from personal experience, and she is one of the most stubborn individuals I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She is often quick to judge, is capable of carrying a grudge, and does not like to be directed. You can imagine how well she likes to be told what to do; she wants to have a say and be heard. Learn to talk to your wife, Darcy; explain things to her; you are not marrying a simpering miss who will look to you for your superior wisdom in all things."
It was Darcy's turn to laugh. "I have noticed those aspects of her character and confess that her intelligence and wit are among the things that drew my attention to her, and we have already battled over my tendency to direct rather than request or suggest. I thank you for sharing the advice, Gardiner, and I will do my best to remember it. But do know, I love Elizabeth and intend to make her as happy as I can for the rest of my life. I do not doubt we will argue at times, but I do hope that we will always be able to work out our differences."
"I can see that, son," Gardiner said seriously. "I do not think there is a better man for Elizabeth than you, and I am thankful you have both realised it with a minimal amount of trouble."
"I am just grateful she was able to forgive me for my behaviour when we first met," Darcy said. "I did think for some time that I had ruined my chances with her."
"You seem to be doing well enough now, Darcy, since she is to marry you tomorrow," Gardiner said, chuckling once again. "Now, we should join the ladies for a few more minutes before my family needs to leave as we have to prepare for a wedding in the morning. "
Not long after they returned to the drawing room, the Gardiners and their nieces took their leave. Darcy and Elizabeth were afforded a mostly private leave-taking where they whispered endearments to each other and exchanged a chaste kiss or two. Before long, Elizabeth was in the carriage with her family, happily thinking about the changes that would be taking place in her life on the morrow.
Copyright 2023 Melissa Anne
