A kitchen maid came to retrieve the tray, and then Mrs. Gardiner’s personal ladies’ maid assisted Elizabeth with her hair and dress. Just an hour later and a little ahead of schedule, both women arrived downstairs, ready to depart to the church in Mayfair.
CHAPTER 12
A New Name
The wedding went off without a hitch, and very soon, Elizabeth gave up the name Bennet and took up the name of Darcy. Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth were now wed and, after signing the register at the church, entered the carriage waiting outside to convey them to the wedding breakfast. Darcy House was only a short distance from the church, and the newly-minted Mr. and Mrs. Darcy were the first to leave but were somehow the last to arrive at the breakfast. Elizabeth was somewhat flushed, and her hair a bit mussed, as was Fitzwilliam’s, although no one remarked on their appearance, or at least not out loud. Fitzwilliam caught both his brother George and his cousin Richard smirking at him throughout the wedding breakfast, and it was that, as well as the anticipation of what was to come, making him anxious to depart his family and take his wife somewhere they could be truly alone.
“Fitz,” George called when he found his brother alone, “how are you holding up? You obviously enjoyed your new wife’s company in the carriage on the way here. Did your coachman lose his way? The family was all here a good quarter hour before you arrived. Where did you go?”
Fitzwilliam’s ears pinked, causing Richard and George to laugh. “I asked the coachman to take the long way to Darcy House so my wife and I might have a few minutes of privacy. Should either of you ever deign to marry, then you may find you wish for the same, although, George, if you continue as you have, you maynot care about getting time alone with your wife. I still cannot believe you asked Uncle to broker a marriage.”
“Stop flogging a dead horse, Fitzy,” George replied, his annoyance evident in using a much-despised nickname. “I hope to revive the Marquessate of Kympton, and to do so, I will need a titled wife, preferably a wealthy one. Mother is aware of my intention, and while she may disapprove, she will not protest. She and Father had a good marriage, and while they may have managed to marry for love, I do not mind marrying so long as I can tolerate the woman. This conversation has been exhausted.”
While Fitzwilliam disagreed with his brother, he was determined not to show it in this instance. Instead, he simply clapped his brother on his shoulder. “I hope you find someone who makes you happy, George. We have not always seen eye to eye, but I am delighted with Elizabeth and hope someday you will find someone who makes you just as happy. Perhaps you will find this in an arranged marriage, but I am inclined to doubt it. I know Mother has told you often enough Pemberley needs an heir, but you should not sacrifice your happiness for an heir or for a title.”
“If I successfully reinstate the title before I produce said heir, then you will be in line for the title. Then, if you and Elizabeth manage to produce a son, and I do not, he will someday inherit,” George told him.
“But for my son to become the marquess after you means both you and I would have to die,” Fitzwilliam retorted. “As I have just married a beautiful young lady I love dearly, I would hate to think of leaving her so soon. Besides, I will have an estate and enough income to live well. Perhaps not as well as you at Pemberley, but I am determined to do all I can to make my new estate successful. My wife,”—he grinned as thewords passed his lips—“my wife would be most upset at the direction of this conversation. She does not like to speak of my dying. She became quite upset when we discussed the marriage settlement.”
Richard interrupted. “This conversation has become much too serious for a wedding breakfast. Truly, William, find your wife, and I will distract our mothers so you might make your escape. I am frankly amazed you have lasted an hour here without at least attempting to leave.”
“If I thought I could abscond with my wife, I would,” Fitzwilliam replied. “However, if you are running interference …”
Although Richard and George attempted a distraction, it was unsuccessful. This was likely due to how obvious they were in their efforts and were caught out. However, after another hour at the breakfast, a few guests outside the family began to depart, and Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth were allowed to make their excuses. Lady Anne reminded them of the ball to be held at Darcy House in a sennight and informed the couple they were expected at dinner the night before the ball.
Finally, the couple were alone and rode the short distance to their borrowed home in silence, their lips too occupied for speaking. The carriage stopped in front of the townhouse, and the footman knocked on the door several times before being given permission to open it. When the couple emerged, laughing and embarrassed at how long it had taken them to become aware of their surroundings, they quickly entered the house. They were greeted by the housekeeper whom they had met the previous week when they toured the house and were informed of the arrangements that had been made. Fitzwilliam’s valet and Elizabeth’s new abigail were awaiting them in their dressingrooms, and a light meal would be delivered to the sitting room between their chambers in half an hour.
The housekeeper escorted them to their new chambers as they were unfamiliar enough with the house to find it themselves. Entering the sitting room, they looked around the chambers that would be theirs when in town and then at each other. “Is half an hour enough, dearest?” Fitzwilliam asked his wife.
“Yes,” she whispered. “How should I dress?”
“Nightclothes? I know it is early, but I would like to be comfortable,” he said, clearing his throat. “I … I am willing to proceed as slowly as you would like, Elizabeth, but, umm, I do not want to spend hours wandering the house waiting on … things. I want to be alone in our chambers with my wife, so I might kiss you whenever I like without worrying if there are any servants about who might be scandalised by our daring to enjoy each other. I merely want to be alone with you.”
Elizabeth stood up on her tiptoes and kissed her husband lightly on his lips. “I do love you, Fitzwilliam. May I … may I ask you a somewhat silly question?” At his nod, she continued. “I noticed your brother calls you Fitz, and I think I heard your cousin refer to you as William once. Do you prefer either of those names to Fitzwilliam? Is there a name I could use for me alone?”
He grinned. “Richard calls me William only in the most serious of moments, but I would not object to you using that appellation, or perhaps you would prefer Will. Now, my dear, let us continue this discussion with both of us more comfortably attired. Then, we may talk privately for as long as you wish.”
Smiling, he playfully patted her behind and lightly pushed her toward her dressing room. “Go,” he said as she disappeared into the door.
It did not takethe entire half hour for either to return to the sitting room, having dismissed their servants for the night. They were sitting together on the sofa, passionately kissing, when a knock sounded, and the servants’ door swung open to deliver their meal. A sound tore the couple apart, and a blushing maid placed the tray on the table in the corner of the room. She quickly curtseyed as she exited, followed by the footman who had accompanied her to help her carry the trays.
Finally, blissfully alone without any intention of being disrupted again, Fitzwilliam drew Elizabeth back into his arms. They remained engaged in this way for some time until breathing became absolutely necessary once again. “Dearest, are you hungry?” he asked, pressing his forehead to her shoulder as he attempted to catch his breath.
“Not for food,” came her reply.
“I, um, have no, uh, … practical experience in this, dearest, but I have read a great deal in preparation for tonight,” he said. “I will, um, try not to hurt you too badly, but I am afraid it cannot be prevented entirely.”
“Fitzwilliam,” Elizabeth said, pulling away slightly so she could look him in the eye. When he looked up, she put her fingers tohis lips. “While I am pleased to learn you have not engaged in these activities with anyone else and that we will learn together, I think this is a time when it is best to do and not speak.”
“What are you saying, my love?” he whispered.
“Take me to bed, Will,” she whispered back.
The sun shonebrightly when Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth finally emerged from their chambers in search of food. At some point the previous night, they had risen from their bed in search of the repast laid out in their sitting room, and they fed each other the slices of fruit and cheese they found under the silver covers. They had engaged in these newly discovered activities for a third time in the sitting room before stumbling back to a bed. After sampling both beds in their suite, they found they preferred the one in Elizabeth’s chambers to his, and they remained there. Finally, however, hunger forced them to dress and seek the breakfast room, although it was approaching noon.
A pleased housekeeper arranged for a meal to be brought to the room, and after satisfying their hunger for food, they spent a brief amount of time wandering around the house. However, they soon discovered there were too many servants about, and, as Lord Matlock hired these servants, they were uncertain of their discretion and loyalty at present. Therefore, they decided to return to their chambers after asking the housekeeper to have a meal delivered to their sitting room around dinner time.
Knowing the couple were only recently married, the housekeeper offered to send up food that would keep no matter when they decided to eat. Red-faced, Mrs. Darcy had also requested the housekeeper inform all the servants to wait until they had an answer before they entered their chambers or any other room when the couple was alone. When the maid and footman had returned below stairs after delivering supper the night before and had reported to the housekeeper what they had seen upon entry, she had already issued such an order but reassured the new bride she would do as she asked.
