Elizabeth awakened to a light knock on the door. It was Sarah, who brought with her several black dresses. She told the sleepy widow that they belonged to Mrs. Bennet, who had sent them to her.
"She thought they would fit better, miss. I mean, ma'am." She curtsied in embarrassment.
"Thank you, Sarah," she said, looking though them. They had obviously been made for her mother in her younger days, and would take little alteration to fit her own slim form. It was the work of a few minutes to modify one enough to wear today, and Sarah said she would have the rest taken in by that evening.
Elizabeth thanked her again and went downstairs to breakfast.
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were in the hallway, and the aunt embraced her niece.
"I'm so sorry for your loss, my dear," she said. Elizabeth looked uncomfortable.
"Thank you, Mrs. Gardiner. It feels so strange, for we were only married a day, and under such strange circumstances."
"That makes it all the more necessary to observe the necessaries," her aunt said. "You are the proper mistress of Pemberley now, Mrs. Darcy. It will not do to let your late husband's memory be mistreated."
Elizabeth thanked her again and they proceeded into the dining room. Over the meal she satisfied her relations' questions with a palatable version of events: She and Mr. Darcy had come to an understanding early in his stay in Kent and he had persuaded her to an elopement. Sensitive to her tender feelings, they stayed away from the topic of her bridegroom's watery demise, though she could sense ghoulish questions not far from Lydia's lips. It was with relief that she accepted her father's invitation to retire to his study with him.
Cloistered in his study, Elizabeth laid out selected documents for his review and sat back while he perused them. His expression went from benign to incredulous.
"Such a man, Lizzie! Such rich plans he had for your poor relations." He set them aside and looked at her fondly. "I am sorry for your loss, whether or not you liked him, but I think I may be more fond of my son-in-law this way than the other."
"Please, Papa."
"I'm sorry, Lizzie. I can't but think of him as the proud, disagreeable man who slighted my daughter. And a secret engagement and elopement! This is the sort of conduct I would expect from Kitty of Lydia, not my Lizzie. What were you thinking?"
"I'm sorry, Papa."
"Well, I suppose he's the sort of man who could not be refused anything. I do wish that you had managed to refuse him, for his sake as well as your own, but what's done is done and I won't task you with it. I'm all to glad to have you home. I do hope you are home. You don't intend to take up residence at Pemberley, do you?"
"That is one of the issues I was hoping to speak with you about. As much as I don't like the idea of taking up residence in some drafty old mansion, I fear it might be the right thing to do. It might be what he wanted me to do."
"I don't know that we need to concern ourselves with Mr. Darcy's wishes too much at this point, my dear. But it is certainly an issue. I believe the first thing that we must do is publish the notice of your marriage, and his death, in the London papers, as soon as can be."
He pulled forth a sheet of paper and a pen and began copying details from the marriage certificate. Elizabeth hated to interrupt him whilst he was at a task, but felt she must.
"But Papa, about the estate at Crockham."
Mr. Bennet looked up.
"What, well, it seems like a handsome idea, but I imagine Miss Darcy and her guardians may have a word or two about the disposition of his properties. I'm afraid it may be difficult to get the whole of your rights recognized."
"Mr. Darcy was his sister's guardian, along with his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam. I met him in Kent. He is a good man, and devoted to his ward."
"Perhaps we should invite him to Longbourn to discuss the matter. There need be no hurry about it, Lizzie, aside from getting your marriage recognized by the various parties."
He bent again to his paper.