The air was cold and crisp, and while there were fires and hot stones placed within the chapel, it was still chilled, and the cold brought delightful color to Elizabeth’s cheeks.
Before beginning the service the vicar spoke about watching Elizabeth running about the fields and climbing trees as a girl. She was glowing and happy, and he loved the look of heartfelt delight in her eyes.
As they said their vows and listened to the words from the common book of prayer, Darcy kept himself upright while kneeling on a cushion in front of the altar by holding onto the wooden railing.
The whole service was strangely short, as though it had not taken nearly enough time for such a momentous change as that fromunmarriedtomarriedto have occurred. But after what seemed an instant Elizabeth slipped his ring onto his finger, and he placed her ring onto her finger. The vicar pronounced them man and wife.
The smile on both their faces widened as they looked at each other, and then at the crowd of Elizabeth’s relations and a few of Darcy’s who had come to see the marriage solemnized.
Elizabeth helped him to stand, and he supported himself partly with her arm, and partly with a cane. Outside there was a small crowd of servants, Longbourn’s tenants, and friends from around the neighborhood gathered to cheer the newly wedded couple.
With happy waves Elizabeth greeted her friends. Darcy swung up into their carriage, and he helped her in with an offered hand. She glowed, eyes alight, cheeks pink, smile wide.
“You look very well today, Mrs. Darcy,” he said as soon as they were both settled in the carriage.
She did. Darcy believed he would remember to the day he died every feature of her hair, her expressions, and the soft silk dress she wore.
Elizabeth sparkled. “Mr. Darcy, you look as happy as a man who just married.” And then she nestled next to him and kissed him, and they spent the brief carriage ride thus engaged.
The whole day Darcy longed for their return to that solitude, when he would be able to take Elizabeth into his arms again, and finally make her fully his wife. But there was a compensation for that delay in the delightful domestic Christmas Eve.
Longbourn was more crowded than he had ever seen the house before, with seemingly every person he had met from amongst the Bennets’ neighbors there, and also at least a dozen other persons whom he had not met.
All of them offered their congratulations to the happy couple, each brought around to shake Darcy’s hand and kiss Elizabeth’s hand by Mrs. Bennet who delighted in describing him to each person as, “My daughter’s new husband, Mr. Darcy ofPemberley, asubstantialestate in Derbyshire.”
Darcy did his best to play the combined role of delighted groom and wealthy landowner.
An easy role, because hewasboth.
As for the annoyance he might have once expected to feel at being made a prop to puff up Mrs. Bennet’s position in the community… to his surprise, Darcy found himself simply happy that she was happy.
At one point, when the crush of guests had somewhat slackened, Elizabeth leaned over to Darcy and said in a quiet voice, “It is quite noisy, we might do something to escape. I am quite ready to hide behind the bannisters upstairs — or under the bed in my bedroom.”
“Mmmm. Your bedroom.”
She giggled and elbowed him.
Smilingly Darcy added, “I have been too happy to notice the noise.”
She glowed. “And you are not bothered by my mother? She is very…”
“Proud of how well her daughter has married? I cannot censure her delight in me, after all, Iamperfect.”
Elizabeth laughed. “You are not. As I well know.”
“I mean to say I am perfect in all significant respects.”
She laughed and leaned against him. “My sweet husband — I’ll never allow you to believe yourself to be without flaw.”
“Alas, my vanity will suffer great injury due to this marriage, though my pride will only grow, for I shall have a most excellent wife to be proud of.”
She looked at him, clearly wishing to kiss him from the warmth in her eyes. Unfortunately, the drawing room was filled with a great many guests.
With a longing sigh Darcy said, “If only we could both celebrate this day with familyandat the same time be wholly alone.”
Elizabeth looked him over with clear desire in her eyes. “Being alone.” She bit her lip seductively and whispered into his ear, “Mama tried to explain about what we will dotogetherlast night. I confess that her explanation left me confused at points, but I ameagerto learn the rest.”
Her breath playing over his sensitive earlobes made Darcy’s stomach clench. She leaned back, looked at him directly, and then blushed and looked down.
