Chapter 14 - Wednesday, November 4, 1812
The day of the wedding dawned clear and bright. As Mr. Darcy stretched and prepared to face the day, he realized that in just a few hours he would be a married man. Then, there was the wedding breakfast to endure. Then the four hour coach ride to Darcy House in London. Then, well, then, well, he better not let his mind wander there just yet. His valet directed the footmen who arrived with hot water for his bath, followed by a shave and getting dressed in his wedding finery.
Everything at Netherfield was running smoothly. Even Miss Bingley dared not act out of line on this day; her brother had made that very clear when he found the number of broken plates and glasses that needed to be replaced. His repeated threat of sending her to their Aunt Sadie was enough to keep her in line for one more day. She had decided that after the wedding she would remove to London and stay with her sister for a while. She could not bear the thought of giving precedence to that Bennet woman, even if she had been polite to Caroline and was kind enough to request Caroline call her Jane. She had tried and failed to prevent her brother marrying a country nobody and she had failed at her attempted compromise of Mr. Darcy; she washed her hands of Hertfordshire, and Derbyshire for that matter. London was where the quality people were, and to London she would go.
As expected, it was pandemonium at Longbourn with five ladies all trying to get ready at once with the help of one maid. Mrs. Bennet insisted that Lizzy get ready hours in advance of the wedding and sit to have her hair styled in an ornate style as befitting the bride of a rich man. Lizzy tolerated the attention but soon convinced her mother to go get ready herself in an attempt to obtain a little peace and quiet before the ceremony. Not that she was nervous, or uncertain about today. No, she was quite certain that marrying Mr. Darcy was the best thing that could ever happen to her. She was a little nervous about what happened after the wedding. Her mother had attempted to explain, in her own nervous way, what would happen on the wedding night. Luckily her dear sister Jane had given her an entirely different idea of what to expect; for which Lizzy would always be in her debt.
The ceremony followed the Book of Common Prayer and all the proper pronouncements were made at the appropriate time, the marriage was recorded in the church register and the marriage lines given to the new Mrs. Darcy by the vicar. The wedding breakfast was a lavish affair, surpassing Jane's by the inclusion of an Earl, a Countess, a Viscount, a Viscountess and a Colonel in attendance. Mrs. Bennet would crow about the wedding breakfast for years to come.
After many goodbyes, it at last came time for the newlyweds to depart for London. Georgiana would be traveling with her aunt, the Countess, and hugged her brother and her new sister tightly when they reached the coach. "I would tell you to write, but I know you will be too busy." she said with an impish voice. "See you in a month."
The coach pulled away from Longbourn for the four hour trip to London. The new Mr. and Mrs. Darcy were truly alone for the first time. No servants, no maid, no valet, no chaperones.
As any married person knows, life before marriage, and life after marriage are two entirely different stories. As we are at the end of the first story, you must find another story to continue the tale. And may I add,
God Bless you.
The End - of the first story.