Late June 1812–Mid-July 1812
At last, the long-awaited day arrived, and about fifteen people gathered at Pemberley's chapel to witness Elizabeth Bennet's wedding to Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Among the guests were Lord Hertford, Lord Sebastian, the Matlocks, and the Campbells. Unfortunately, Mary and her husband could not attend because she was indeed pregnant. After her first experience, no one wanted her to take any chances, especially with all the travelling required to go up north. The Bingleys sent Darcy a long letter congratulating him, but they did not attend.
As the organ played, Mr. Harrison entered the church with his niece on his arm. Elizabeth was radiant in a new pearl-coloured gown embroidered with silver threads, and she had an adornment of beautiful flowers and pearls in her hair. Darcy was wearing a dark blue suit that brought out the colour of his eyes and put a smile on his face.
When he saw his bride, Darcy was immensely moved, and his eyes became moist with the glistening of happy tears. He had never seen Elizabeth so beautiful. At last, her uncle, with a slight nod, kissed Elizabeth's forehead and placed her hand on Darcy's.
It was clear to the priest who officiated the ceremony and everyone present that this was a love match. The couple said their vows with conviction and feeling, both of their voices trembling with emotion.
The wedding breakfast was hosted at Pemberley, and everyone agreed the food was delicious. To give the young couple privacy, Georgiana left for two weeks with the Matlocks on their estate following the wedding.
Wedding night
The first night they spent together as husband and wife was beautiful, a memory they would cherish until they died.
Aunt Victoria had gifted Elizabeth a beautiful lace nightgown for that particular night. She was sitting at her vanity combing her long, dark hair when Darcy entered her bedchamber.
For several moments, Darcy was both petrified and enthralled looking at his beautiful wife, and he soon gently approached her. Tenderly, he took the hairbrush from her hand and began to brush her hair while, with his other hand, he caressed her hair and shoulders.
"Your hair is so beautiful and even silkier than I imagined. You cannot know how many dreams I had of seeing you like this, with your beautiful hair down. How many times have I dreamed of touching and caressing your hair?" They looked at each other through the mirror, and both smiled.
She looked into his eyes. "Please tell me, what other things have you dreamed of?"
He kissed her right shoulder. "I have dreamed of kissing every part of your beautiful body and being so close to you that not even the air fits between us. I love you so much, Elizabeth."
"I really like those dreams. You have my permission to make them come true."
Darcy helped her to her feet while he passionately caressed and kissed her, untying the laces of her nightgown until it finally fell to the floor. Within a few minutes, to Darcy's delight, Elizabeth was completely naked in the middle of the room.
He looked at her in wonder and murmured, "You are so beautiful, my love, so beautiful." He carried her to the bed, laying Elizabeth down in the middle of the bed with her hair on the pillow.
Darcy looked at her long, staring with a mixture of desire, love, and passion. He fulfilled his dream of kissing and caressing her with abandon, and when they did come together as a couple, it was one of the most rewarding experiences of their lives.
Their first two weeks spent alone as husband and wife passed in the blink of an eye and were the happiest of Darcy's life. To Darcy's surprise and delight, as the days passed, he fell even more in love with his beautiful wife. Elizabeth was a passionate and curious woman, and their lovemaking was even better than his wildest dreams.
Darcy never tired of looking at her, either when she was sleeping or when she was awake. He never tired of caressing her hair and her body. He never tired of hearing her voice, hearing her laugh, and kissing her until they were both breathless. Each day that passed, he was discovering little additional details about his Elizabeth, from a small mole on her right hip to the slight smile she often had while she slept, and with each passing minute, he became even more under her spell. To Darcy's joy, they agreed on their first night together to always share a bed from that day forward. Before retiring to their shared bedchamber every night, she played the pianoforte and sang for him.
Those days they spent alone together were also a beautiful experience for Elizabeth. She had never imagined a man could feel that kind of passion, love, tenderness, and devotion for her, and she felt utterly adored. In every way, Darcy was respectful and considerate, and he considered her opinion before making decisions about their future.