Chapter 7

Georgiana had finished reading a letter from her brother and was pleasantly surprised. He informed her that he was getting married and would have to do it immediately due to his betrothed family situation. Georgiana was heartbroken to learn about the accident and Elizabeth's father's precarious health condition, and she hoped that everything would turn out well.

For Georgiana, her brother was the most honorable gentleman in the world. He had taken care of her since she was little, and despite her great mistake last summer, he had forgiven and supported her. She was delighted to know that her dear William had finally fallen in love and that he had found a good woman who deeply admired and appreciated him.

She had always wanted a sister, so she was eager to meet Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Her only hope was that she would never discover her mistake. She had almost eloped with Mr. Wickham, and undoubtedly, an exceptional woman as Miss Bennet would never want to be the sister to a fallen woman like her.

Georgiana had been sheltering in Pemberley for many months without wanting to socialize with anyone. She had always been timid and fearful, and her brother, caring as he was, had been overprotective. The first and only person Georgiana had trusted outside her family circle was the same man who used her, leaving her heartbroken. Therefore, she preferred to be in Pemberley alone, where no one could harm her.

When she finished reading the letter, she ran to her room to write to her brother and tell him she was pleased with the news and could not wait to meet her new sister.

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Elizabeth wanted to explain her plans to Mr. Darcy but could not complete her statement because Lydia and Mary entered the drawing room.

Elizabeth knew that the subject of their conversation was delicate and that she needed to do it privately, so she suggested they walk in the garden. He offered her his arm, and they left the house. They walked in silence until they reached the furthest part of the house, covered by a tree, ensuring the privacy they needed to discuss the matter.

"Do not worry, Miss Bennet. If everything is ready, I will have no inconvenience to get married immediately. If the circumstances were different, I would have liked you to have a wedding as you deserve. In the future, I shall find a way to compensate you for this hasty wedding," explained Mr. Darcy as he kissed her hand.

"Before you arrived, my uncle Phillips visited my father, and I asked him to speak with our parson, Mr. Willim. They are close friends, and most likely, he will not have any problem marrying us tomorrow."

Elizabeth turned around because she did not want to look at him and continued, " But I wanted to discuss something of the deepest importance: my family. Mr. Darcy, you were sincere yesterday, and I want us to reach an agreement. I understand you have offered to protect my mother and my sisters, but you do not wish to have contact with them. I cannot deny that I would have loved to keep more direct communication with them, but I understand your motives and respect them."

"Thank you, Elizabeth. I am glad you can comprehend and support my decision."

Elizabeth was about to tell him she did not support his decision and was accepting it only because she had no other way to protect her mother and sisters. But she preferred not to argue with him because she was sure he would not change his mind. "Mr. Darcy, I only have one request for you, and I hope we can come to an agreement."

Mr. Darcy was very intrigued to know what Elizabeth wanted. Maybe she wished for a special wedding gift or to know how much her pin money would be.

"If it is within my power to fulfill your wishes, I shall gladly do it."

Elizabeth turned, looked at him, and added. "I want to marry you tomorrow, but I do not want to leave Longbourn until my father dies. Once that happens, I want to stay a week with my family, but after that, I shall travel with you, assume all my responsibilities as your wife, and do my best to be a good wife and Mistress of your estate. I hope you can understand."

"Of course I understand, and you can stay with your father and support your family. I comprehend the situation very well because I experienced something similar when my excellent father passed away." Mr. Darcy took Elizabeth's hand again and kissed it.

"I thank you very much for your consideration," Elizabeth replied, unable to help but shed a few tears. Then she remembered that there was one more matter to discuss; she took her handkerchief from the pocket of her pelisse, wiped her tears, and continued. "Mr. Darcy, beyond what you think of my family, I would like to request that you never speak ill of them again. They are not perfect, but they are my family, and I love them."

"I understand, but it is difficult not to speak ill about your relatives if they give me reasons to criticize them."

"I wish you would realize how much it hurts me when you criticize them. They will always be my family and hold an important place in my heart." Elizabeth did not understand why Mr. Darcy was so critical of the Bennets, considering that he had had to apologize for his Aunt's behavior.

"I remind you that you will soon be a Darcy," Mr. Darcy explained proudly. He understood that Elizabeth loved her family, but he remembered perfectly the shame and affliction on her face when she observed the atrocious behavior of her mother and sisters in public. "I suppose I can avoid criticizing them if I do not have reason to do so."

"Precisely, concerning that, I want us to reach an agreement. I promise that I shall never tell you anything about my family. My relationship with them will be mine alone. You want them out of your life, and they will be. As you have requested, they will never visit any of your properties, and when possible, I shall see them. I want to maintain fluid correspondence with them, and I intend to remain silent about what is happening in their lives. For you, it will be as if they do not exist. You have my word that they will never imperil your social position or the chances for your sister to marry well. You will never have a reason to criticize them again. If you think you can do that for me, I accept all your conditions and shall do my best to be a good wife."

Mr. Darcy was pleased. Hearing Elizabeth speak, he knew that she was making a great sacrifice but that she understood that her family was unsuitable for the woman she would become by marrying him. "What you propose seems reasonable to me, and of course, I accept, and I promise I shall never speak a word about your family again and respect your relationship with them."

Elizabeth felt exhausted. The night before, she had almost not slept, thinking about what she should do. Mrs. Carter had confirmed that her father was nearing death, and Elizabeth knew she would do anything for her family. She imagined how happy it would make her mother discover she would marry a wealthy gentleman who would protect them; maybe that would cheer her up.

Mr. Darcy had leased Longbourn for six months, and her mother could spend her entire mourning period at her home. Unfortunately, some rumors compromised her reputation and that of her family. After much thought, she knew she had no choice and tried to think positively about her future. She had always thought of marrying for love, but that was when she had the security of a home. Now, she only hoped that Mr. Darcy would treat her with respect and protect her family as he had promised.

"We better go to the house, Mr. Darcy. My uncle Phillips must be back after talking to Mr. Williams."

"Yes, but before we return to your house, I need to do something," he said. He approached her and stared into her eyes. Then, he kissed her softly on the lips. It was a short, soft kiss but full of love that made him feel so content.

Elizabeth did not shy away from the kiss. That kiss was her first, and although she was a little mortified, she had to admit that she did not find it unpleasant.

"Let us go to the house to wait for your uncle, my future dear, Mrs. Darcy," said Mr. Darcy, satisfied that everything was well between them.

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Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner left London early that day to attend Elizabeth's wedding. When they arrived, they greeted all their nieces and went to Mr. Bennet's room to see his condition. They were both surprised and very sorry to see him so thin and pale.

Afterward, they greeted Mrs. Bennet. She left her bed after many days to attend Elizabeth's wedding. She did not look good, too, but at least she was a bit more optimistic than in the last few days and had eaten something.

"Dear brother, how good that you were able to come. Elizabeth has saved us, and we shall not have to leave our home until we have another one." Mrs. Bennet told her brother, and she wiped away her tears.

"My dear, you must try to keep calm and eat well. Your younger daughters need you now," Mr. Gardiner explained without much hope that his sister would understand. He expected that his sister would take control of her household after Elizabeth's wedding and not neglect her daughters anymore.

While Mr. Gardiner was talking to his sister, Mrs. Gardiner went to speak with Elizabeth. She imagined no one had told her what she should know about married life. Elizabeth listened to her Aunt uncomfortably, but she knew she needed to know that because she had decided to marry Fitzwilliam Darcy. She understood all her obligations as his wife and was willing to fulfill all her duties.

"How are you feeling, Lizzy? Madeline asked her niece while hugging her. She was apprehensive about Elizabeth; so much had happened to her in such a short time that she was unsure if her niece had made the right decision by accepting Mr. Darcy.

At that moment, Jane came to Lizzy's room to help her with her hair. In less than an hour, she should be at church. But when she saw Mrs. Gardiner hugging Elizabeth, she decided to wait outside. She did not want to interrupt them.

When Elizabeth felt her Aunt's embrace, she became very emotional and decided to tell her everything about her future as Mrs. Darcy. First, she told her about her doubts about Mr. Darcy's character. Elizabeth remembered perfectly what he had done to Mr. Wickham and how he had separated Mr. Bingley and Jane. Besides, she explained she would not be allowed to invite her family to Darcy House or Pemberley and their arrangement regarding the Bennet. He would protect her family financially but did not want to have any relationship with them.

"I hope you understand, aunt," said Elizabeth, ashamed. "I know that if he knew you two better, he would realize that you and my uncle are the most wonderful people in the world."

"Of course, we understand, my dear Lizzy," replied Mrs. Gardiner. "Whenever you are in London, we can see each other, and I promise I shall write to you often to keep you informed of what is happening in our lives, the antics of your cousins , and your uncle's successes in business."

After hearing everything, Jane ran out into the garden and hid in the back of the house so no one would see her crying. She thought she was about to lose her father and dear sister. But also, she felt disappointed that Mr. Bingley allowed his sisters and friend to persuade him that she did not love him and to abandon her. She also felt silly for loving and crying so much for a man who did not deserve her devotion.

"I am sorry, Aunt, but I do not know what else I can do."

Mrs. Gardiner wanted to reassure Elizabeth, so she took her hand and spoke to her with much love and patience. She was also stunned but concealed her genuine opinion of the matter because she did not want to upset Elizabeth. "Your future husband moves in social circles very different from ours. So do not worry, my dear. We do not need to visit you if you can visit us. The important thing is that we will continue to see each other and have contact by letters." She wiped away Elizabeth's tears and explained she would find Jane to finish the wedding preparations.

"Aunt, I only want you to know how much I love you and my uncle and that if it depended on me, I would always invite you to my house and treat you as you deserve."

"I know, Lizzy. Now, it is time you got ready for your wedding." Mrs. Gardiner wiped her niece's tears again and hugged her to make her feel everything was alright.

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Shortly before noon, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth were married. It was a very short ceremony, and only Elizabeth's family attended. Everyone in Meryton heard of the wedding, and given Mr. Bennet's state of health, they understood how private the ceremony was. Also, the rumors about Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy end when they become husband and wife.

After church, the family went to Longbourn, where Jane, Mary, and their Aunt Phillips had organized a small wedding breakfast.

Mr. Darcy looked uncomfortable and only spoke a few words with Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Phillips. When Mrs. Bennet tried to converse with him, he replied curtly. Elizabeth was unaware of what was happening because she was absorbed in her thoughts, but Jane observed Mr. Darcy's actions.

Just as they were about to eat, Mrs. Carter appeared to report that Mr. Bennet had passed away. Elizabeth ran to her father's room, followed closely by her husband, while Mrs. Bennet fainted in the drawing room. Jane and Mr. Gardiner took her to her room and stayed there to comfort her.

Elizabeth did not know what had happened to the rest of her family. She only knew that she was in her father's room and he had just passed away. She was hugging her husband tightly, and he spoke words of reassurance.

"I am sorry, my love, but do not worry; I shall take care of everything. Do not forget, you have a husband who adores you to care for you."

Elizabeth knew that many things happened around her, but she did not want to leave her husband; only in his arms did she find the comfort she needed. After two hours, Mr. Darcy took Elizabeth to her bedroom. When she finally fell asleep, Mr. Darcy left her in bed and returned to the Inn in Meryton. He would have preferred to sleep next to her, but he understood that she needed to be with her family.

Mr. Darcy stayed for the funeral, and just as he had promised Elizabeth, he allowed her to remain a week at Longbourn to say goodbye to her family. He had many matters to resolve in London. He planned to take Elizabeth to Pemberley during the mourning period. He knew that being surrounded by nature would help her to recover.

On the third day, after Mr. Bennet was buried, Mrs. Bennet had apoplexy that kept her in bed. She was very ill for several days, and although she managed to recover, she was left with permanent after-effects. Part of her face and left hand were paralyzed, and she had difficulty walking.

When Mr. Darcy came to take Elizabeth to Pemberley, Mrs. Bennet was not there to receive him, and Elizabeth, fulfilling her promise, did not tell her husband anything. So she said goodbye to her mother and swore to come to see her as soon as she could.

"Mama, take care of yourself, and do not forget about me. I shall be praying that you recover very soon."

Mrs. Bennet only looked at Elizabeth and caressed her cheek. She wanted to tell her how much she loved her, but she still could not speak.

"Mrs. Bennet, remember what the doctor said. Please do not get upset; it is not good for your health. Your mother wants to tell you many things, but as soon as she is better, I shall help her write you a letter so she can explain what she could not today," said Mrs. Carter as she caressed Mrs. Bennet's face to reassure her.

"Mrs. Carter, as soon as I can, I shall send you money..." Elizabeth tried to say.

"Mrs. Darcy, do not worry. I have become very fond of your mother and sisters. Besides, I have my savings and can stay until your mother is better." The nurse was aware of everything transpiring and knew she could not abandon the family at such a critical time.

Once all her luggage was in the carriage and they were ready to go, all her sisters came out to say goodbye. Elizabeth had told them about the restrictions imposed by her husband, and she had apologized for not being able to invite them, but they all told her not to worry, that they would always love her.

Mr. Darcy waited patiently for his beloved wife to say goodbye to her family. That was the best way to show consideration and respect. He felt very sorry for Elizabeth's situation and could not stop imagining how different everything would have been if Mr. Bennet had never had that fateful accident. They would be happy enjoying their mutual love.

"I shall miss you, my dear sisters," said Elizabeth with a voice broken with emotion.

"And we will miss you, Lizzy," Lydia and Kitty cried.

"Do not worry, Lizzy, I shall write to you every week without fail to keep you posted on what is happening here," Mary said nervously, trying not to cry.

"Thank you, Mary. The good thing is that you have the most legible handwriting of all of us," Elizabeth replied, taking her sister's hand. She knew that Mary loved to hear her handwriting praised.

"Oh, Lizzy, take good care of yourself, please," added Jane.

"I shall, Jane. Please do not hesitate to ask me for support if my mother needs it. Promise me," Elizabeth said.

"Do not trouble yourself; everything will be well here."

All the sisters hugged, kissed, and cried until they finally said the last goodbye.

The parting was sorrowful, but Elizabeth had a week to prepare, so she faced it with aplomb. Once in the carriage, she shed a few tears but quickly wiped them away. She asked Mr. Darcy how his week in London had been, and he told her he had managed to solve everything he had pending. After that, they talked about nothing significant and were silent for most of the journey.

Mr. Darcy was worried about his wife's health, but he understood she was melancholic and did not wish to speak. So, he simply hugged her and kissed her hands or forehead to reassure her.

After a few hours of traveling, and when it began to get dark, they stopped at an Inn to spend the night there. When they arrived, Mr. Darcy's valet and Mrs. Darcy's new maid were waiting for them.

Elizabeth was exhausted, so she ate something with her husband and immediately went to her room, took a bath that her maid had prepared, and put on her nightgown to sleep. She felt lonely and so sad that even though she was exhausted, she could not sleep.

When she was in bed braiding her hair, Mr. Darcy came in in his nightclothes. Elizabeth felt embarrassed, but she hid it as best she could. Mr. Darcy took off his robe and was left alone in his nightgown. He blew out the candle and lay down beside his wife.

"Sleep, Elizabeth, tomorrow we have to get up early. You are very pale, and you need to rest," Mr. Darcy whispered into Elizabeth's ear as he hugged her.

Elizabeth felt comforted in his arms and snuggled into them. She felt better every time she took refuge in her husband's arms.

When he felt her embrace, he said, "Sweet dreams, my love," and he gave her a little kiss on her lips.

Elizabeth responded with another kiss, and he kissed her more intensely but gently. They spent a few minutes kissing each other, and Elizabeth relaxed and began to cry. Mr. Darcy continued stroking her hair and kissing her gently on the forehead and cheek for a long time without saying anything. He was content just holding and comforting her.

"Thank you, Mr. Darcy," was the only thing Elizabeth dared to say.

"I love you, Mrs. Darcy," he replied, and they fell asleep hugging each other.

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In Longbourn, Jane looked out the window into the darkness of the night, thinking about what would happen with her life, while in London, Lawrence Clark prepared his trip to Hertfordshire.

End of the first part

P&P

Thanks to everyone who leaves supportive comments and enthusiastically follows the story.

In this chapter, I made several modifications to the original story. It is vital to understand the rest of the story, so I added more dialogue and explanations and gave more relevance to a secondary character.

I hope you liked it 😀

In the next chapter, many crucial events will happen. Also, it will be the last chapter of the first part.

See you soon!

Saludos,

Yo