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Elizabeth looked at Charlotte, who looked at Anne. And they all started to laugh.
Epilogue
Elizabeth regretted they could only stay for three days. Longbourn without Collins was a lovely place to visit. Charlotte had settled into the role of substitute landowner very well. Although many of the festivities surrounding Jane and Mr. Bingley’s wedding had taken place at Netherfield, Elizabeth and William had spent many pleasant hours with her family at Longbourn.
Charlotte had confided in Elizabeth that she sent regular sums to her husband; he sent occasional responses and never asked for additional money. Living off Lady Catherine’s largesse meant he had few expenses. The Collinses still maintained the fiction that his self-imposed exile was temporary, but nobody believed it. He had taken all his worldly possessions to Rosings and had made no plans to visit Longbourn. Charlotte intended a journey to Rosings at Christmas so Robert, who was now toddling around the house, could see his father.
Charlotte had hired a nanny, but she still doted on the boy. He received constant attention from his Lucas grandparents and Charlotte’s siblings—who were now more eager to visit the estate with Collins gone. Given his very sweet nature, Robert was sure to grow up into a fine young man. Charlotte already had plans to teach him about managing an estate; after all, someday he would inherit Longbourn.
Mary thrived as Longbourn’s steward. She had subscribed to every agricultural journal available and was always experimenting with new techniques or the latest equipment. Nearly every other sentence in her letters concerned the estate. She had even exhausted William’s interest in the subject upon the first day of their visit.
Some tenants had been mocked for taking orders from two women, but Charlotte had offered to release any tenants from their leases. So far nobody had accepted that offer. Perhaps it was because Longbourn was swiftly becoming one of the most profitable estates in the area.
Mary occasionally received odd looks—mostly from strangers—since she frequently arrived in town wearing a steward’s clothing. But the townspeople were beginning to accept Mary’s eccentricities and were even becoming a little protective of her.
Since Anne and Peter had reconciled with Lady Catherine, they kept William informed about the happenings at Rosings Park. Relations between mother and daughter were still strained, but the new couple visited regularly. Lady Catherine reveled in Collins’s presence, as he approved her every word. Anne herself was increasing and seemed quite pleased with her new home.
Elizabeth supposed that she and William would need to visit Rosings Park eventually, but she would postpone the trip as long as possible.
She drew her attention back to the wedding breakfast. The event itself was in the Netherfield ballroom, but it was filled with people she loved from Longbourn and Meryton. Over the past six months, Pemberley had become her home, but she still missed Hertfordshire.
Near the French doors, Kitty chatted with a young corporal from a militia regiment that had recently arrived in Meryton. William had discreetly investigated the man’s past and found that he was the younger son of a well-connected and respectable family—quite a suitable match. More importantly, he seemed genuinely attached to Kitty. Of course, the dowry William had bestowed on her probably had not escaped the man’s notice. Elizabeth sighed happily at the thought of another wedding—which would grant them another reason to visit Hertfordshire.
Georgiana stood quietly by Kitty’s side. William’s sister had blossomed over the last few months. William had been quite pleased to purchase a telescope for her, and Georgiana had plunged into studying the stars, developing—seemingly overnight—a voluminous correspondence with other astronomy enthusiasts, male and female.
She had been eager to see Kitty again but had also insisted that they stop in London on their return journey so she could attend an important astronomical lecture. Although she missed a lot of sleep gazing at the stars, Georgiana seemed quite happy; William no longer had a pinched expression on his face when he discussed his sister.
Mrs. Bennet sat at a table chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Phillips, the Gardiners, and Mrs. Lucas. After Collins’s departure from Longbourn, Elizabeth’s mother had moved in with her sister and brother Phillips at their house in Meryton. Charlotte had extended a cordial invitation for Mrs. Bennet to remain, but both women had breathed a sigh of relief when her mother chose to leave. Longbourn ran more smoothly when it no longer had two mistresses under one roof.
If Kitty married her corporal, Mary would be the only Bennet sister remaining at Longbourn. It seemed fitting that Longbourn should retain at least one Bennet.
Elizabeth’s thoughts turned to Lydia with a tinge of sadness. Her youngest sister had set sail for the new world a few weeks earlier. They had all enjoyed visiting her at her little house in London during the months before her departure. Their mother had remained for weeks at a time, particularly around Lydia’s confinement. But Elizabeth had observed how eager Lydia was to start a new chapter in her life. Although she had been ple
ased to see her family, she had already started regarding them as part of her past. William had paid a nice Irish emigrant family to take care of her and her new baby girl during their trip to America. She also had access to funds that would help her get started in the new world.
Just before Lydia’s departure, William’s agent had discovered Mr. Wickham’s fate. He had been killed in a tavern brawl some months before his daughter’s birth. Lydia had been saddened at the news, but it strengthened her resolve to emigrate.
By the fireplace, Jane was listening to Caroline Bingley talk with great animation about…something. Jane had made the dubious decision to allow Miss Bingley to plan her wedding to Mr. Bingley. Miss Bingley’s plans were the primary reason the couple had waited so long to wed; she had taken great delight in spending her brother’s money. Elizabeth had teased Jane about it, but her sister had serenely replied that letting her future sister-in-law organize the event had vastly improved their relationship. For her own part, Elizabeth could only be pleased she was not related to Miss Bingley.
Standing beside his new wife, Mr. Bingley regarded her as if he had never seen such a beautiful creature in the whole world. It was unlikely he heard a word his sister was saying. No doubt he was counting the minutes until they could exit the wedding breakfast and embark on their honeymoon.
Although the wedding breakfast was at Netherfield, Jane had insisted on inviting all the Longbourn tenants—despite Miss Bingley’s objections. Those tenants had supported the Bennets, and Jane happily bore the added expense of including them—along with the necessity of holding the wedding breakfast in Netherfield’s ballroom.
Mrs. Greeves and Mrs. Wiley chatted in one corner of the room. When Charlotte offered to return their cottage, the Wileys had declined William’s offer to relocate to Pemberley. Nearby, Charlotte and Mary spoke earnestly with Mr. Greeves and Mr. Fisher; even at a wedding breakfast they were still hard at work. Elizabeth considered joining the conversation, but she was not nearly as interested in the details of agriculture or estate management as the others. She had enjoyed leading a rebellion and organizing a rescue for Longbourn, but estate management did not naturally hold her interest. Of course, the Pemberley tenants had no need for someone to lead a resistance.
Someone brushed Elizabeth’s hand, and she glanced over to find William, who passed her one of his glasses of champagne. Entwining his free arm around her waist, he pulled her against his side. Even for a married couple, many considered excessive displays of affection to be in dubious taste. But William was quite free with his gestures of love, never failing to help Elizabeth know she was treasured. Scandalizing people in Elizabeth’s mother’s generation was only a side benefit. “Admiring your handiwork?” he asked, peering around the ballroom.
“I do not know what you mean.”
He made a sweeping gesture with his arm. “Your handiwork. Nearly everyone in this room has benefited from your assistance. You have secured happiness for your family and the Collins family. Many of the families of Meryton benefit from new prosperity. And, of course, the tenants…”
Elizabeth took a swallow of champagne. “Longbourn’s tenants?”
“Not just Longbourn’s. Mr. Foster just explained to me that other estates are following Longbourn’s lead and instituting agricultural reforms. He was pleased to give you the credit.”
Heat rose in her cheeks. “William, I am not a miracle worker. I accomplished none of those things on my own. I had assistance from people such as the Greeveses, Mrs. Wiley, and many other tenant families. Not to mention my sisters’ hard work and support for my efforts. And, of course, Charlotte—and you! Goodness knows where we would be if you had not arranged for Anne to marry Peter.”
William gestured with the champagne glass in one hand. “Of course. No great leader can accomplish anything alone.” He gave her a fond smile. “However, the best leaders inspire initiative in their followers.”
