by Bella Breen
Mr. Darcy nodded. “I understand how that would look. Believe me, I was quite surprised myself when Col. Fitzwilliam told me what had occurred this morning. You must believe me that I had nothing to do with what my aunt did. My plan was to get a special license and then be married to Miss Elizabeth in Hunsford. However, I do not think that that is a wise plan anymore.”
“Indeed, it is not.” Mr. Gardiner was still not happy as he said nothing else to Mr. Darcy.
Elizabeth was surprised at Mr. Darcy’s amiable behavior. She had expected the man she knew to be yelling and quite angry.
Mr. Gardiner turned to Mr. Darcy. “Let us go into my office. I believe we have some business to discuss regarding the upcoming marriage.”
“I would like my cousin Col. Fitzwilliam to also be involved in our discussion. He too knows my aunt quite well and he may provide some help in the future if we need it.”
The three men walked into Mr. Gardiner’s study. Not once did Mr. Darcy look at Elizabeth. She knew this because she could not stop staring at him.
Chapter 10
Mr. Darcy followed Mr. Gardiner into his study. He did not catch Elizabeth’s eye as he had been embarrassed at being questioned on the front steps like a hooligan. Considering that Elizabeth had been thrown out by his aunt and left at a posting inn on her own, it was no less than he deserved, especially since her relatives had thought he arranged it.
In Mr. Gardiner’s study, the three of them discussed the details of the wedding, including how to keep the wedding secret so Lady Catherine did not hear of it. The only way that would happen was if Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth married quickly in London. So it was decided that in two days they would marry in a local church, and the only people invited would be relatives already in London.
Mr. Darcy’s anger at Elizabeth had calmed during his ride to London. He was angry at his aunt for what she had done to Elizabeth, and then at George Wickham for spreading his lies so convincingly. Mr. Darcy felt it was his fault for not letting George Wickham’s behavior be known. Wickham would never have been able to deceive so many good people if his horrible behavior had been made apparent the minute he had seen him in Meryton.
What bothered Mr. Darcy greatly about the upcoming quick marriage was that his younger sister, his only immediate family member, would not be at his wedding. Pemberley was far north, several days’ ride from London. Even if a rider were dispatched immediately, there would still not be enough time for Georgiana to arrive. Mr. Darcy sighed and realized he would have the distasteful task of writing his sister a letter to announce his nuptials.
Mr. Darcy planned to go to his solicitor and have the marriage contract drawn up on the morrow. He would not see Elizabeth until they met again in the church to get married. Mr. Darcy vowed it would probably be the most awkward wedding in history. Not only that, but he imagined Elizabeth was still quite angry with him. According to his cousin, his first proposal might not have been as romantic as he thought.
Now that the business was concluded, Mr. Gardiner began to provide advice regarding his niece. Elizabeth was intelligent and loyal but could be quite stubborn and headstrong. Mr. Darcy nodded and took note of everything Mr. Gardiner said while he imagined Elizabeth’s fine eyes.
The discussion took so long that Elizabeth and Jane went upstairs to prepare for bed. The sisters were used to sharing a bed at Longbourn so it was no hardship for them to also share a bed at the Gardiners’ house.
“How do you feel about this, Lizzy? I know how much you dislike the man, but you are to be married soon. I think it would be for the best if you tried to see the good in him.” Jane continued to brush her hair as the two women sat on the bed.
Elizabeth looked down while she brushed her own hair. She was still quite angry at Mr. Darcy for Jane’s ruined happiness. She hoped that somehow as Mr. Darcy’s wife she could get that fixed. But of course she could not tell Jane any of it. “I will have to be optimistic. I do not want a marriage in which the partners hate each other or barely tolerate each other and instead have affairs.”
“Elizabeth!”
“You know as well as I do that married men have affairs and mistresses.”
“But we are not to discuss it, especially as we are unmarried.” Jane still looked at Elizabeth with wide eyes. She was much more of a stickler for societal rules than Elizabeth was.
“I shall definitely work hard to be happy on my wedding day. But if I cannot be happy, then I hope to at least be pleasant.”
“I think that is a wise idea, Elizabeth. Perhaps you could list some of his qualities that you admire? That will start you on your way to seeing him in a new light.”
Jane always saw the best in everyone, and Elizabeth knew Jane could make that list for her and she did not even know Mr. Darcy.
“I shall try Jane, but I must tell you I might not have anything after the first point on the list. I am not even sure I have the first point on the list!”
Jane laughed. “Surely there is something that you have admired about him? You have met him at several assemblies, balls, my stay at Netherfield when I was ill, not to mention the number of times you saw him at Rosings Park.”
“I saw him many times at Rosings Park but did not speak to him much. He was not very talkative. Actually, the only time he did talk much was that horrible marriage proposal.” Elizabeth frowned as she remembered what he had said to her regarding her sisters and mother.
“From what you have said, I think Mr. Darcy’s concerns are accurate. We both have talked about Lydia and Kitty’s behavior. And we know our mother’s faults.”
“But he did not have to tell me of them when he was proposing to me!”
Jane smiled and shook her head. “I have to say it sounds as if he is not well acquainted with speaking to women. Which is a point in his favor. You do not want to marry a rake.”
Normally Elizabeth liked Jane’s optimism and seeing the good in everyone, but not when she wanted to be angry at Mr. Darcy. “It does show that he does not have much experience with women. Definitely not with marriage proposals!”
Elizabeth looked at Jane and they burst out in laughter. “It is good then that he does not have to make another marriage proposal,” Jane said.
“It is good. I would hate to hear what his next attempt would sound like.”
They both laughed again. Poor Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth felt her anger slowly going away. She was pleased at the thought that Mr. Darcy was not smooth and experienced with women.
The next day was quite busy for both of the engaged. Mr. Darcy reserved the church, wrote his sister, and informed the housekeeper of the upcoming wedding breakfast. The staff were shocked and overjoyed that the master was finally getting married, though of course they wondered why it was happening so quickly and in secret. They could not imagine Mr. Darcy having compromised anyone, yet why else would the wedding take place so quickly?
One of the hardest tasks that Darcy undertook did not have to do with his wedding, but with his good friend Mr. Bingley. He knew Charles was in London so he forced himself to go to Bingley’s townhouse. Mr. Bingley was delighted to see his friend but concerned when Mr. Darcy told him he had some important news he needed to share.
In the closed study Darcy told Bingley of what occurred at Rosings Park, and that he was now engaged to Elizabeth Bennet and to be married on the morrow. Mr. Bingley was astonished but quickly looked at the bright side.
“You have been admiring Elizabeth Bennet for some time now. This is wonderful news! I think she will make an uncommonly wonderful wife.”
Mr. Darcy so wanted to shake his friend. Mr. Bingley was an eternal optimist and glossed over anything distasteful, in this case Mr. Darcy’s fears about Elizabeth never warming to him.
Mr. Bingley was optimistic about that as well. “I am quite sure she will change her mind when you tell her the truth about George Wickham. She could not stay mad at you long; you are getting married on the morrow! Have faith and trust your bride. She is quite intelligent an
d I am sure she will come around.”
Mr. Darcy knew she would certainly come around much faster after he had the next difficult conversation with his good friend. Mr. Darcy took a deep breath and then confessed to the part he had played in keeping Jane and Mr. Bingley apart.
“You mean to say you knew she was in London all this time?” Mr. Bingley stood and looked ferociously angry.
“I know it was wrong of me to make that decision. However your sisters both agreed that they also did not see much affection on her part. I did not do this without discussing—”
Mr. Bingley turned around from his pacing. “They have nothing to do with my happiness. You did not discuss this with me! I know my happiness and I know that Jane very much liked me.”
“Charles, you have to realize that you fall in love at least six times a year. How were we to know that this was any different?”
Mr. Bingley stepped forward and Darcy braced himself. “You could have talked to me! She is still the most beautiful woman I have ever met. The nicest and the kindest. I have not gone a day without thinking of her.”
“I apologize again, Charles. I have erred greatly and I am sorry for the agony I have caused you. Miss Bennet is still in London. She will be at my wedding.”
Mr. Bingley’s countenance underwent a dramatic change. “She will?”
Mr. Darcy swore he could actually see cherubic angels singing and flying around Mr. Bingley’s smiling face. And all was right with Mr. Bingley now. He continued to talk about Jane, wondered what he should wear, if he should stop by to talk to Jane today or wait until the wedding. Then he wanted to know if he could be best man and Jane maid of honor.
Mr. Darcy let his friend talk. He found it ironic that Mr. Bingley was more excited about seeing Jane than Darcy was about his own wedding.
Chapter 11
The wedding day turned out to be a beautiful without rain or gray clouds. Her trunk was readied, her hair curled, her new lavender dress put on and her bouquet of lavender hyacinth and hydrangea tied with ribbon. Jane was smiling which caused Elizabeth to smile as well. It was so nice to see her sister smile instead of Jane’s constant sadness.
Elizabeth and Jane rode in Darcy’s carriage to the church. The Gardiners arrived in their own carriage. Elizabeth hoped that the Bingleys would also be in attendance at her wedding. With Mr. Bingley being a close friend of Mr. Darcy, if he was in London he should be at their wedding today. She fervently hoped that Mr. Darcy had corrected Mr. Bingley with the fact that Jane did indeed care for him.
When it was time for her to enter the church on Mr. Gardiner’s arm, Elizabeth was surprised to find the church was not empty. On Mr. Darcy’s side was Col. Fitzwilliam standing with two people that had to be his parents. She also saw Mr. Bingley, the Hursts, and Miss Bingley. In comparison Elizabeth’s side of the church was nearly empty.
Elizabeth concentrated on walking straight and not fainting. Though she could not help but glance at Miss Bingley. How devastated she must be that Mr. Darcy had slipped away from her. Mr. Bingley stood next to Mr. Darcy and was smiling so brightly at Jane that one would think it was his wedding day.
Suddenly she was in front of the pastor and Mr. Darcy. Mr. Gardiner took Elizabeth’s hand and put it on Mr. Darcy’s arm. They recited their vows and Mr. Darcy pushed a gold wedding band on her left hand’s ring finger. They were now husband and wife. Elizabeth sincerely hoped that her husband was not the proud, arrogant man that she thought he was. It was all she could do to keep from crying.
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth climbed into the Darcy carriage along with Mr. Bingley and Jane, the best man and maid of honor. Mr. Bingley nearly talked nonstop on the ride to the Darcy townhouse. He was so ecstatic to be reunited with Jane, who was warming up to him.
Elizabeth had the pleasure of hearing Jane ask Mr. Bingley if his sisters had received the letters she had wrote to them. The letters that said she was coming to London and she planned to call on them. Mr. Bingley looked at Mr. Darcy then back at Jane and said he had no idea. Hopefully Jane believed him.
Elizabeth was not going to tell her of the part Mr. Darcy played in the deception. Elizabeth even glanced at her new husband to find him stoically staring out the carriage window. At least one of her complaints was rectified. But what about George Wickham? Hopefully she would find out that Mr. Darcy had corrected his actions toward Mr. Wickham as well.
Elizabeth kept a smile on her face during the wedding breakfast no matter how she felt. The time passed very quickly with trying to eat and answer questions. She found out that Col. Fitzwilliam’s parents were the Earl and Lady Matlock. Elizabeth was proud of the Gardiners who comported themselves with decency and propriety, in contrast to the accusations Mr. Darcy had leveled at Elizabeth’s relatives during his first marriage proposal.
The only sad part of the day was that her father was not present. She would have loved to have seen him and been walked down the aisle by him. However, she was glad that her mother and younger sisters had not been present. It would take some time for her to forget what Mr. Darcy had said about them.
The wedding breakfast was finally over, which surprised Elizabeth as the time seemed to have gone by fast and yet also crawled like a snail. She fidgeted and became nervous as she said goodbye to the guests. Soon she would be left alone with her husband. Elizabeth did not want the Gardiners to leave, especially as they were taking Jane with them. What would she do when she was by herself with the man she did not like?
Jane did give Elizabeth advice before she left. “Lizzy, remember that you are married and you need to make this work. Whatever has happened in the past, let it go and start afresh.”
“That is easy for you to say. You like your man.” Jane leveled a disappointed look at Elizabeth. “Yes, I know, I vow I will do my best. Believe me, I do not want to be in an unhappy marriage either.”
The sisters hugged and then Jane and the Gardiners left. But not before Mr. Bingley asked if he could call upon Jane. Elizabeth smiled as the front door closed. Mr. Bingley and Jane were reunited. Hopefully soon they would be announcing their engagement.
The Hursts left with perfunctory statements but Miss Bingley completely ignored them, which was fine with Elizabeth. She did not know whether Mr. Darcy was fine with being snubbed by the woman who so obviously chased his affections. It was hard to tell what Mr. Darcy felt.
The townhouse was suddenly too quiet and small. Where could she go and what could she do? Elizabeth turned to her husband, who was adjusting his jacket. “I suppose I shall go upstairs and change.”
“I think I shall as well.”
Elizabeth frowned but with no further conversation she walked up the stairs. She could feel a sadness settle over her. This was a horrible beginning for her marriage, though she knew not how to correct it.
Chapter 12
After walking upstairs, Elizabeth realized that she did not know what door to open, or even if she would have her own bedchamber. Now her nerves really started to set in. The wedding night. In all the bustle and hurrying to have the wedding, she completely forgot about the wedding night.
Elizabeth wiped her sweaty hands on her wedding dress and took a few deep breaths. She would get through this. She had to. She was married now, her sister’s future was safe, and she would be a good wife to Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy, who said she was not tolerable enough to tempt him. But he had asked her to marry him as he could not get her out of his mind. Even though she had no connections, a lack of proprieties with her sisters and parents, and even against his logical mind, he still offered his hand. Elizabeth clung to that thought like a lifeline. Mr. Darcy liked her so much he could not live without her, and had proposed to her.
While thinking that he actually did care about her, she also had to remember what she said to him in return. Elizabeth cringed as she remembered lambasting him to his face. Oh, how she wished she could go back and change that. Mr. Darcy had corrected his mistake of interfering with Mr. Bingley’s admiration of Jane. And Mr. Darcy
had married Elizabeth, angering his aunt Lady Catherine. He could have gone along with his aunt and let the compromise be hidden, but no, Mr. Darcy did the honorable thing. She owed him much.
But he had not answered to her satisfaction what he had done to George Wickham, who now was forever out of the running for her heart though he still had a special place in it. If Mr. Darcy had indeed ruined his future, refused to give what was Wickham’s, Elizabeth now could try to do something to rectify that as Mr. Darcy’s wife. She took a deep breath and decided that would be her focus. To undo the mistakes Mr. Darcy had done. To be the pleasant, kind one compared to his arrogant, proud one.
She opened the first door and saw a feminine room. Was this her bedchamber? Elizabeth walked in and saw that there were dresses already hanging in the armoire. Dresses for a younger woman, and for a much taller and a slender one. This had to be Georgiana’s room. Elizabeth could not imagine that much wealth to own enough clothes that you could leave some in each house you lived in.
But she was now mistress and would be able to see what that wealth could do. Not that she was planning to do anything with it. She felt like an imposter: she was Mr. Darcy’s wife, but in name only. That she had no rights to his money and actually, legally she did not. It was all his. Everything she had before she married was now his to control.
Elizabeth shook herself from these maudlin thoughts and left the room. She had gone upstairs immediately and had not heard Mr. Darcy follow her, but she did not want to interrupt him or barge in to much awkwardness. So she knocked at the next door. No answer. She opened the door and saw a plain bedchamber. This must be a guest room. Perhaps it could be her room until her husband came at night for his rights. Elizabeth grabbed the sides of her wedding dress and forced herself to stay calm.