Dear readers: I will frequently post chapters of this story. Stay tuned because once it's complete, I'll remove it in a few days.
Chapter 15
After Elizabeth left with her family, Mr. Darcy decided to go to his club to distract himself. If he kept locked in his study, he knew he would be unable to calm his mind. As a rational man, he knew everything he thought was impossible. Elizabeth was his wife, and he trusted her. Furthermore, one of the reasons why he loved her was her frankness. But at the same time, he did not like another young man taking the liberty of hugging her like that, even if he was a relative. It was stronger than his reasoning, especially since he had no idea who that gentleman was.
At the club, he could converse with some acquaintances, and after spending half an hour there, he had forgotten his troubles. He planned to practice fencing later to fill his day with activities and keep his mind busy.
Once his convulsed mind had calmed, he took the time to understand the situation better. He had never aspired to marry for love and had a different idea of how love between spouses was before meeting and marrying Elizabeth. His father and mother had been so different; they had always respected each other, but each lived their own lives. They spent very little time together. Although they were courteous to each other, his son Fitzwilliam rarely saw signs of love between them.
He had always planned to find a good woman with whom he could have a cordial relationship and the heir and spare that his estate needed. But when he met Elizabeth, he realized that he wanted something else. After almost four months of marriage, he knew that he had not been wrong. She made him feel alive and content and experience feelings that he never thought could exist. So, he felt guilty thinking about how he had acted the previous night. They should have spent the night together, and he should have told her how much he loved her. As soon as he saw her, he would apologize for being so foolish. He did not care if she liked jewelry or preferred a dog they found in the middle of the road. She was different, and that was why he loved her so much.
He had put aside all his insecurities and was ready to go fencing when he saw his friend Charles Bingley walking in his direction.
"Darcy, long time no see," Mr. Bingley said coldly. "I suppose I must congratulate you on your marriage to Miss Elizabeth. I must tell you that I was shocked when I discovered the happy news, considering your opinion of the Bennet family."
Mr. Darcy did not like the sardonic tone that his friend used. But he did not want to argue with him or anyone, so he responded immediately. "I still have the same opinion, but I did not marry the Bennet family, only Elizabeth."
"I see. As always, you have thought through everything. I must confess that I was also surprised that you admired Miss Elizabeth, not because there was anything wrong with her, but because of you. I always thought she was a pretty charming young lady."
Mr. Bingley sat so that he could converse with his friend. He tried to remain calm, but despite that, he could not avoid asking, flustered. "Why did you hide that Miss Bennet had come to London and called on my sisters? Why did you do such a dishonorable thing, Darcy?"
Mr. Darcy did not expect to have an awkward conversation like that in a public place. But he preferred to explain everything immediately. "I admit it was dishonest to withhold information from you, Bingley. It is something I have reflected on, and I do not feel at all satisfied with the way I acted. At the time, I thought it was the most convenient, but I now see I was wrong, and I apologize if that helps ease your mind. If you allow me to add something..."
"Yes, please, say everything you have to say."
"In the future, I believe you should make your own decisions concerning such important matters. For my part, I shall always be ready to offer you my advice, but the final decision must always be yours."
Mr. Bingley knew that his friend was referring to his sisters. He admitted that they had too much influence over his personal affairs. But he was also pleasantly surprised. He had not expected his friend Darcy to admit that readily that he was wrong. Apparently, Miss Elizabeth was doing his friend very well.
"I suppose you are correct. I have been a doormat and wanted to blame you and my sisters for my lack of decision. Did you know I saw my Angel a few days before Mr. Bennet died?"
"No." Mr. Darcy did not desire to speak about the Bennet ladies. In a way, he was ashamed to admit that his wife never spoke of them. Although he was sure that it was the best thing for them, he did not want to discuss such personal matters with his friend, and even less so in a public place.
"She was with her aunt, and they informed me of Mr. Bennet's condition. I promised to visit her the next day before she returned to Longbourn, but I did not do it. You cannot imagine how hard it is for me to accept that nothing between us is possible. What should I do, Darcy?" Mr. Bingley assumed his friend knew that Jane Bennet was married to another man.
Mr. Darcy found the question ironic. A few minutes ago, he explained that he did not wish to interfere in his affairs. But he also needed his friend to understand that he did not wish to know or have anything to do with anything related to the Bennet family.
"Bingley, my wife's relatives, is a subject I do not discuss with anyone. I made a promise to Mrs. Darcy that I would not get involved or comment about any of her family members. So, please, do not speak to me about them again. What you decide to do from now is your decision."
"I understand."
Mr. Bingley was slightly disappointed with his friend's response but understood Mr. Darcy had no interest in the subject. So, he changed the subject and spoke about other topics for a few more minutes.
"What are you planning to do this summer, Darcy?"
"As you know, my wife is in mourning. Besides, she and I enjoy country life. I think we shall spend the whole summer in Derbyshire with Georgiana and no one else. Next season, I intend to introduce her into society with the Countess's assistance. And what are your plans, Bingley?" Mr. Darcy sensed that his friend wanted to know if Miss Bennet would visit them in the summer.
"I am traveling to Scarborough. I want to spend time with my family. I do not wish to be in London during the summer."
"You know that you are always cordially invited to Pemberley if you wish to stop for one or two weeks on your way north."
"Thank you very much, Darcy. It will be very pleasant to see Miss Elizabeth again and to offer my condolences on the loss of her father personally."
"Do not forget that Elizabeth is now Mrs. Darcy."
"You are right, I will not forget it."
Before saying goodbye, they agreed that Mr. Bingley would visit Pemberley in a few more weeks, and they said goodbye amicably. However, Mr. Bingley sensed that his friend was hiding something and that his relationship with his new wife was much more complicated than he was willing to admit.
P&P
When Elizabeth left the house and saw her uncle, she ran to greet him.
"Uncle, thank you for coming," Elizabeth said as she kissed him on the cheek.
"It is so nice to see you again, Lizzy; you do not know how much we have missed you," added Mr. Gardiner cheerfully.
At that moment, without Elizabeth noticing, Lawrence left the carriage. So, Mr. Gardiner immediately made the required introductions. "Lizzy, I did not come alone. Someone who really wants to meet you begged me to accompany us."
Elizabeth turned around and saw that a tall man with piercing blue eyes was looking at her smilingly, and she could not help but smile as she guessed who that stranger was.
"At last we meet, dear Lizzy; it is a pleasure to finally put a face on the protagonist of so many stories," said Lawrence while laughing.
"Lawrence Clark, it is an honor to finally meet the man who has done so much for my mother and sisters. Although we met a few years ago, I think we shall have time to speak about that later," Lizzy said as Lawrence hugged her tightly.
"I believe we should go; all the women are gathered in the Clark house waiting for us. But, of course, they do not know that we have a huge surprise for them," added Mr. Gardiner.
They all got into the carriage and set off to meet the rest of the family a few blocks from Darcy House. Along the way, Elizabeth and Lawrence converse non-stop. They were both delighted to spend time together and finally have a moment to get to know each other better.
####
At Clark house, the four Bennet sisters, Mrs. Bennet, Mrs. Gardiner, and Lawrence's mother, discussed the final preparations for Mary's wedding. It would be the following day. Although they were all happy, in a way, they felt Elizabeth's absence, but none of them wanted to talk about it to avoid unhappy memories.
"Mary, imagine how handsome your husband will look tomorrow in his uniform. You will be the envy of many women," said Mrs. Bennet, happy to know that three of her five daughters would be married.
"Yes, mama," replied Mary shyly. It made her feel very uncomfortable every time they talked about how handsome her future husband was. He was a man of integrity and devotion, which was more important to her than his appearance.
Lydia and Kitty began to talk about the church decorations and the beautiful dresses they would wear. Just then, Mr. Gardiner and Lawrence walked into the drawing room.
"Dear family, we have a surprise for you, someone who did not want to miss your wedding, dear Mary."
At that moment, Elizabeth entered, "I hope you have room for one more person in the church and the wedding breakfast."
Her sisters ran excitedly to hug her. Even Mary, who was always very reserved, could not help but pounce on her sister.
"My dear Lizzy, we have missed you so much," Jane said as she kissed her.
"Lizzy, you don't know how happy I am to see you. Now my wedding will be the most important event of my life because I have all my sisters with me."
Mrs. Bennet started crying and could not stand because she was overwhelmed with emotion. Elizabeth, seeing her, ran to her side. "Mama, you look so good, as pretty as ever," and she kissed her on the cheek. She was very excited to see her recover but still with the evidence of apoplexy.
"Oh, Lizzy, how you surprise me like that. You have never had mercy on my poor nerves, stubborn girl," Mrs. Bennet said as she took her daughter's face in her hands and kissed her lovingly.
"Lizzy, we have so many to tell you," Kitty said excitedly.
"We have learned many new things," Lydia added, wiping her tears.
The greetings lasted more than an hour between laughter and tears. The sisters talked a little about all the subjects that could come to mind, but above all, about how happy they were to spend time together as a family again.
That night Jane hosted a dinner at her home, and Elizabeth met Captain Roland Walker, Mary's future husband. She liked her future brother-in-law very much. He was a knowledgeable gentleman who had traveled much of the world, so it was very entertaining to listen to his adventures. At first, he seemed stern, but it was just the facade, as he was quite personable once he felt comfortable. But Elizabeth was also amazed by his patience to answer her mother's impertinent questions without difficulty. He seemed so happy next to Mary that he did not care what was happening around him.
On the other hand, Elizabeth was pleasantly surprised by the change Kitty and Lydia had undergone. They were both much more demure in their opinions. Also, they had other interests beyond talking about balls and officers. She observed how they both looked at Lawrence with admiration and how he considered their opinions and even fondly reprimanded them when he believed that they were misbehaving.
Elizabeth was delighted to be with all her relatives in a house full of joy, where none of her brothers-in-law looked down on her mother, sisters, uncle, and aunt. But despite her happiness, she could not be completely content. She missed her husband and was very sorry to think she would have to be divided all the time between her love for Mr. Darcy and her relatives.
"Lizzy, I want you to sleep in our room. We have two giant beds. You can sleep one day with me and the other with Kitty," Lydia explained.
"You do not need Lizzy. I have already prepared a room for you," Jane said.
"Thank you, Jane, but I think I shall sleep in the room with these two monsters, although I warn you that no pillow fights. You know very well that I am invincible even if it is two against one," Lizzy replied while her sisters laughed.
When they finally retired to sleep, all the sisters gathered in the younger sisters' room to chat and ask Elizabeth private questions without her mother hearing. They wanted to know how her new life with Mr. Darcy was.
"Are you happy, Lizzy?" Mary asked dryly and as was characteristic of her.
"Yes, Mary, my husband may be a bit stubborn, but he is very loving, and Pemberley is a wonderful place. Also, I love Georgiana very much. She is a good girl and treated me as a sister. I do not understand why Mr. Wickham said she was an arrogant and proud girl because it is the opposite."
As soon as Elizabeth finished speaking, Lydia became sad. "Mr. Wickham is a hateful man, Lizzy, an evil man." Seeing her sister so upset, Jane immediately hugged her.
"Lydia, why are you crying?" Elizabeth asked worriedly.
"Lizzy, Mr. Wickham is a scoundrel." Mary recounted to Elizabeth what had happened a few months ago in the barn and how Lawrence had ensured that that man did not disturb any other young girl again.
"Lizzy, why do you not tell us stories about Papa? I miss him so much, and you knew him best," Kitty asked, trying to change the subject.
"That is an excellent idea, Kitty. Let me tell you about that time Papa hid in his study for almost ten hours so he would not have to talk to Mrs. Long," Elizabeth said, laughing.
"Papa always said she was a very tedious lady," Jane added.
After ten minutes, Lydia had forgotten about Mr. Wickham and laughed as Elizabeth told stories about their father.
Later that night, Elizabeth felt ashamed of believing Mr. Wickham's lies about Mr. Darcy. She fell asleep hugging Lydia to comfort her for having had to remember such a tragic episode in her life.
P&P
The journey had seemed endless. Mr. Darcy had not slept well the previous night, and knowing he would soon see Lady Catherine did not make him feel any better either. Georgiana had also been very quiet during the journey. The fact that Elizabeth had not invited her uncle to come to the house and did not want to introduce him to her made her wonder. She was horrified that her sister-in-law had learned about her horrible mistake and did not want her family to be associated with her.
When they finally arrived at Rosings, Lady Catherine was stunned. Apparently, no one had told her they would come that day, but she felt happy because she would have dinner guests with whom to share all her wisdom. Anne had not been dining with her lately, and Richard had spent so many days at Rosings that she had nothing more to advise or criticize him.
"And your wife, Darcy? A good wife should always accompany her husband," said Lady Catherine. She sat at the head of the table and looked suspiciously at her nephew.
"She stayed in London buying everything necessary for her debut next season." Mr. Darcy answered curtly so that his aunt understood that he did not wish to discuss the subject with her.
"And you, Georgiana, are you pleased with your new sister?"
"Yes, very much so, Lady Catherine."
"Why a young lady would not be happy with a sister as pretty and pleasant as Mrs. Darcy," said Richard to stop his aunt from bothering Georgiana any further.
"What do you know of what a lady should be like? Listen and take note in case you ever decide to marry, although I cannot imagine who would want to accept you if you are as impertinent as your mother and as lazy as your father."
"I am neither lazy nor impertinent, Lady Catherine," Richard replied, trying to contain his laughter. Then he looked at Georgiana and winked.
Lady Catherine redirected all her anger at Richard, but he did not care about anything his aunt said. At least she was not pestering Georgiana anymore.
After dinner, Richard explained to his cousins that Anne would be waiting for them in her room to speak without Lady Catherine interfering. Once everyone was sure Lady Catherine had retired to her room, they went directly to see Anne.
"Darcy, Georgina, you do not know how happy I am to see you. Thank you for coming. Darcy, I am very sorry that Mrs. Darcy could not come, but I understand her reasons very well," Anne said in a very soft voice.
Mr. Darcy and Georgiana were saddened to see how deteriorated Anne was. It was evident that she was very ill. "Please do not trouble yourself, Anne; she understands perfectly. She told me to give her regards and hoped to see you soon."
Anne decided to share important information with them after asking them about their trip and how they were.
"Dear cousins, I have asked you to come to tell you that Richard and I are getting married tomorrow." Then, seeing the surprised faces of her cousins, she added, "We shall do it because every day I feel worse, and I do not want my mother or one of my cousins to inherit me when I die. Richard is like a brother to me, and I want him to own everything that belongs to me. So I want both of you to be there and witness the wedding so that my mother cannot use any schemes to take from Richard what will be rightfully his."
Mr. Darcy was not surprised by the news. He knew that Anne would do something like that to protect Richard. He knew Lady Catherine would never willingly accept living in the dower's house.
"My dear Anne, thank you for trusting me, and I want you to know that you can count on us," Mr. Darcy explained. Georgiana sat beside Anne and kissed her hand to show her support.
"My dear cousin, I am happy to be here with you and help with whatever you need," said Georgiana.
The following day, they would all leave early to marry in a neighboring parish so Lady Catherine would not find out. Mrs. Jenkinson had everything ready. Georgiana was surprised by the news but understood Anne's motives. She could not help but feel sorry. If Anne was doing something like that, she surely thought she had little time to live. Seeing her appearance, it was evident that she was very ill.
Before retiring to sleep, Richard stopped by Mr. Darcy's room to speak with him.
"You must think I am a mercenary, Darcy. But I swear it was Anne who planned all this."
"Do not worry, Richard; we both know Anne has made the correct decision."
The next day, Mr. Darcy and Georgiana attended Richard and Anne's wedding. When Lady Catherine got up, her daughter was married, and Rosings had a new Master.
P&P
Mary's wedding was lovely. Both Captain Walker and the Bennet family were present. The wedding breakfast was at Lawrence's mother's house. She wanted to organize it there because that was the place where Roland courted Mary. The occasion allowed the families to get to know each other better and strengthen ties. Everyone admired Admiral Walker, the father of Roland. He was considered a hero, and he was the younger brother of an earl. However, due to his life experience, he did not have much respect for the nobility.
Before Mary went with her husband on their honeymoon to Bath and Elizabeth returned to the Darcy house, all the sisters met with Mrs. Bennet. She was very excited but sad at the same time because she did not know when she would see her daughters again.
"Lizzy, you know that I have always embroidered beautifully. Despite this hand that I cannot use so well, and the little time I had because I did not know you would come, I want to give you these handkerchiefs that I embroidered for you with your initials ED, and I also embroidered these handkerchiefs for your husband, I hope he likes them."
Elizabeth received them nervously. "Mama, they are beautiful. I promise I shall always have them in my pocket, and every time I see them, I shall think of you."
"My dear, Lizzy. Convince your husband to visit us in our new house; it is very comfortable, and we have a beautiful guest room," said Mrs. Bennet, kissing her daughter.
"Goodbye, Mama. I hope to see you soon," replied Elizabeth.
She put away the handkerchief, said goodbye to Mary and her husband, and wished them all the best in their new life. Then, when she would say goodbye to Kitty and Lydia, they informed her they would accompany Uncle Gardiner to take her home.
Jane's farewell was sorrowful for both of them. "Take good care of my nephew or niece, my dear Jane. And looking at her brother-in-law, she added, "Take good care of them. It was a pleasure meeting you."
"The pleasure was all mine, dear Lizzy, and remember that whatever you need, do not hesitate to come to us."
"Goodbye, Lizzy. I promise to write and keep you informed," said Jane crying.
P&P
Lady Catherine had made all sorts of indirect offensive remarks against Elizabeth the night before.,at dinner and after dinner. So, Mr. Darcy and Georgiana did not want to stay another minute at Rosings. Besides, Mr. Darcy knew that Elizabeth would return to Darcy House that night, so knowing he could be with her again made him feel content. He had missed her so much that he never wanted to be away from her again, not even for a day.
After Richard and Anne's wedding, Mr. Darcy and Georgiana explained that they would immediately return to London. They understood and thanked them for their company, even if it was just for a short time.
Mr. Darcy and Georgiana arrived in London a little before dinner. He had been locked in the carriage all day and wanted fresh air. "Georgie, do you want to come with me and walk in the park before dinner? I need to get some exercise."
"Excellent idea, brother. I also need some exercise after being locked in the carriage for so long."
Mr. Darcy offered his arm to his sister, and they headed for the park in front of the house. They talked a lot about Anne and agreed they would write to her more often.
Elizabeth spent most of the journey in silence, listening to her two sisters talking non-stop while her uncle laughed at what they said. She was happy they had decided to accompany her because she probably would have cried if they had not. Also, her husband and Georgiana would return the following day, so they would not meet any of them. Although she did not plan to invite them into the house, at least she did not want any unpleasant meetings.
"The houses around this neighborhood are very nice, but none are as pretty as Lawrence and Jane's house," Kitty said.
"Is your husband's house close by, Lizzy?" Lydia asked.
Elizabeth understood why Lydia said, your husband's house. After all, Lydia was correct. If she could not invite her family, it was not her house.
"We have arrived," said Mr. Gardiner.
When the butler saw Mrs. Darcy, he sent one of the footmen to look for her trunk. Mr. Gardiner helped Elizabeth, Lydia, and Kitty out of the carriage. They were all saying farewell when Mr. Darcy and Georgiana approached the house around the corner.
"I shall miss you so much," Elizabeth told Lydia and Kitty as they hugged her. "Take good care of Mama and keep me informed about her health," and she kissed each of them on the cheek.
"Please do not worry, Lizzy. We shall always be with Mama," Lydia and Kitty replied.
When Elizabeth raised her head, she saw Mr. Darcy and Georgiana approaching.
"Lizzy, it is so nice to see you again." Georgiana came running to greet her sister. Then, looking at Lydia and Kitty, she smiled at them.
Elizabeth did not know what to do or say and did not want to look at her husband because she sensed he must be furious.
P&P
Thanks to everyone who leaves supportive comments and enthusiastically follows the story.
I get the impression that many of you are feeling a little frustrated by the lack of communication between E & D. But let's be honest, if they were to talk honestly, the story would be over, and there are a lot of conflicts to resolve and drama to endure 😀
In the next chapter, Elizabeth will face another great dilemma.
See you soon!
Saludos,
Yo