“Aunt Helen, that is Lady Matlock, suggested we take a honeymoon period of a week or two and then participate in the remainder of the season so I may be introduced to society. She intends to throw a ball to celebrate our wedding a few weeks after and plans to imply to the gossips that we have been engaged since we met in Hertfordshire, and William preferred a small, private wedding due to his quiet nature,” Elizabeth told him. “So, yes, we will be in town until late May or early June before we go to Pemberley for the summer. We will decide then if we should visit Longbourn on the way there since Papa was unclear about whether it would be wise.”
She pondered for a moment. “I do not know what Papa was thinking in insisting on a quick wedding. He said nothing to William about it when he was there, only mentioning it in a letter he had William deliver to me. I do not understand it.”
Mrs Gardiner nodded at Elizabeth’s comments. “Despite the speed of everything, it is evident you have given considerable thought to the matter, which makes me feel more content, as does his obvious care and concern for you. However, my dear, if he looked at you in Hertfordshire the way he looks at you now, I do not know how you could misconstrue that as finding fault.”
Elizabeth laughed. “He is more open in his regard for me now and definitely smiles more than he did in Hertfordshire. There, he always seemed to glower at me, but now I know he was fighting his attraction to me.” Elizabeth coloured as she said this. “And, perhaps most importantly, I understand him better now, which significantly affects how I interpret his expressions.”
“Will you stay with us until the wedding or remain at Matlock House since you will marry from there?” Jane finally spoke up to ask. She was hoping for some time alone with Lizzy so they might talk in greater detail. She read the letter Elizabeth sent with Darcy from Rosings and wanted more information about what changed Elizabeth’s feelings towards Mr Darcy so drastically. “You do know Mama will have a fit of nerves when she hears about all this and the special licence.” All three women laughed at that comment.
“We were not certain you would be home tonight,” Elizabeth said after the laughter subsided. “Since you are, I will ask William to have his aunt send me my things so I may stay here until the wedding. We need to do some more shopping tomorrow morning, and I do hope the two of you will join us. I am to be fitted for my wedding dress and some other items for my trousseau.”
Jane looked pleased and leaned over to hug his sister. “I am so happy for you, Lizzy. I was so surprised when you told us of your engagement that I neglected to congratulate you and Mr Darcy.You seem rather pleased, and he seems to care for you quite a bit.”
Laughing, Elizabeth accepted their congratulations. When the gentlemen returned to the room, William sat down beside Elizabeth and took her hand, kissing it briefly. Aunt Gardiner smiled in approval at the evidence of his care.
“William,” Elizabeth said quietly to him. “I hope Aunt Helen will not be offended if I do not return to Matlock House with you this evening. Since the Gardiners are home, I would like to stay here until the wedding on Saturday. Jane and Aunt Maddie can join us for the final fitting of my wedding dress and escort me to Matlock House for the wedding on Saturday. I have not seen Jane in several weeks and would like to spend some time with her before we marry in two days.” She blushed again at the reminder of how her life would change in such a short time.
“I cannot imagine her minding the change, my love,” he replied. “I will greatly miss your company, but soon enough, we will not be separated again.” Their eyes locked, and they were lost to the rest of the group until a throat clearing drew their attention back to the group. Mr and Mrs Gardiner smiled understandingly at the couple and were further reassured by the affection the young couple clearly shared. “Mr Darcy, will you join us for dinner tonight?” Mr Gardiner asked.
“I thank you for the invitation, but I cannot accept for tonight as my aunt and sister expect my return, and I need to arrange for Elizabeth’s things to be delivered here since she plans to remain until the wedding,” he stated. Then, pausing briefly, he spoke again. “I would like to invite all of you to dinner at my home tomorrow night if that is convenient for you. I would like to escort the ladies to Bond Street for shopping tomorrow, and you could take tea at my home and stay until dinner.”
Mrs Gardiner accepted the invitations for his escort while shopping and for dinner but told him she would let him know the following morning if she would be needed at home with the children in the afternoon. She suggested the young ladies could stay for tea with his sister, even if she could not. Darcy was pleased to accept this adjustment to his plans.
With these decisions made, William took his leave of the Gardiners and Jane, asking Elizabeth to walk out with him. She was therefore surprised when he escorted her into her uncle’s study and not to the entry. “William, what are we doing here?” she asked after he kissed her passionately.
“I admit, I had not considered you might not return to Matlock House this afternoon,” he said, pressing his forehead to hers. “I will miss you, dearest, but knowing we will wed in two days makes the separation somewhat easier to bear.” He took a deep breath and stepped slightly away from her to regain his equilibrium. “I asked your uncle for a few minutes alone with you so I might give you something.”
Darcy held up a beautiful ring—a gold band with a medium-sized emerald surrounded by diamonds—that he removed from a small velvet bag in his inside pocket. She gasped when he silently slid it onto the third finger of her left hand before bringing it to his lips and kissing the fingers tenderly. “This is the ring my grandfather gave to my grandmother when they wed; I still remember them walking through the gardens at Pemberley hand in hand and seeing this ring on her hand. They died within weeks of each other; I believe my grandfather had no will to live after she was gone.
“My father loved my mother, but not in the same devoted way my grandparents loved each other. I hope we will emulate my grandparents’ relationship, both because they lived to old ageand were two parts of a whole. I think we will be like that, Elizabeth. I love you tremendously, and I feel more at home and, well, more whole when I am with you than when we are apart. I struggled against this feeling—I did not understand it for a long time—but once I quit struggling and allowed myself to embrace it, I knew I never wanted to be parted from you. You are mine, Elizabeth, and I am yours.”
She reached up and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips. “Strangely enough, or perhaps not so strangely, I do understand what you are saying, William. You and I fit together, and I do not believe I could have been happy with anyone else. I am most content when I am with you. Even when I thought I did not like you, you were never far from my thoughts.”
William embraced her, holding her tightly to him for several long moments. Then he kissed her hair and sighed. “I must go, Elizabeth. I hate being parted from you and will keep reminding myself that it is only for two more nights. Your father’s letter has spared me weeks and months of waiting. I love you, my dearest. I will see you tomorrow.”
He kissed her gently again before taking her hand and leading her to the front door, where his phaeton was just arriving. Quickly boarded the carriage, he drove away, but not without glancing back several times to see her watching him from the doorway until he turned and was out of sight.
Elizabeth stood there until Mrs Gardiner came looking for her. “Lizzy, join us in the parlour, my dear, so that we may continue our discussion.” Shutting the front door, Elizabeth followed her aunt into the room, taking her seat and accepting a fresh cup of tea.
“Well, Lizzy, your mother should be pleased, and I confess, I am as well. You are to marry Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley, and I dare say you will love his estate!” Mrs Gardiner enthused. “I never dreamed a member of the Darcy family would visit my home, much less marry my niece. Do you understand what type of man you are to marry?”
“I know he is wealthy; rumours at the assembly reported his income was at least ten thousand a year. He is related to the Earl of Matlock, and I have seen Darcy House. It is an impressive house, to be sure,” Elizabeth agreed. “I have not stopped to think what all that may mean, however.” She pondered for a moment. “Oh, Aunt Maddie, he is so far above me, and I had not considered what it would mean to be Mrs Darcy.” Her face transformed, and she began to look anxious.
“Elizabeth, look at me!” Mrs Gardiner snapped to draw her niece’s attention. “You shall be an excellent Mrs Darcy. You are intelligent and clever, as well as kind and compassionate. Pemberley has not had a mistress in many years, and I have no doubt the housekeeper will provide any guidance you may need. Most likely, Lady Anne Darcy or the housekeeper have kept journals over the years, which you can consult. You have visited Longbourn’s tenants for several years and helped your father with the estate. You have the skills to manage Longbourn, and you will simply apply those skills on a larger scale at Pemberley.
“Speak with Mr Darcy tomorrow during tea about your fears. It was clear today that he adores you and will assist you. One of the worst things you can do in a marriage is hide your feelings from your spouse–he will want to know your concerns and reassure you. I know you like to walk as you think through your concerns, and you may still do that, but do not hide your feelings and worries from your husband.”
Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth calmed. She would talk to William tomorrow, she told herself.
Wisely changing the topic, Mrs Gardiner asked Elizabeth more about her brief courtship and subsequent engagement to Mr Darcy. Elizabeth told what led Lady Catherine and Mr Collins to eject her from Hunsford, and she felt more like herself by the time dinner was announced.
After dinner, she and Jane slipped away to talk privately. Jane’s remaining fears regarding the wedding were quickly put to rest as Elizabeth was effusive in her praise of her intended.
“Oh, Jane, I was so wrong in my understanding of Mr Darcy,” Elizabeth told her sister. “You know that my opinion of Mr Wickham had already begun to change before I departed for Hunsford. I asked Mr Darcy about their dealings, and he was so kind and gentle when he explained the truth of their relationship. I could tell he was angry at having been so used by his childhood friend. Then, when he asked for a courtship, I was so surprised, but I readily agreed.” Elizabeth sighed.
“How did it change to an engagement and a wedding within a week?” Jane asked worriedly. “He did not compromise you, did he?”
“No, Jane, it was nothing like that,” Elizabeth rushed to reassure her. “No, it was the prodigious care he took of me, ensuring his aunt could not harm me, and when he gave me the letter to read that he wrote to Papa, and his love was so clear in every line, well … reading that, I realised I was in love with him. I think I was always meant to fall in love with him; he captured my attention when he first walked into that assembly room.”
