by Kate Jensen
“Not yet,” replied Mr. Bingley. “There has not been much time to discuss it yet, but I am hoping that it will not be a long engagement.”
“Perhaps you should seek a special license,” suggested Mr. Bennet.
“Oh Mr. Bennet!” cried his wife. “How could you suggest such a thing? We must have time to properly plan Jane’s wedding. It will take several weeks to get everything ready. We must go to London to purchase her trousseau, a wedding gown, and the wedding breakfast must be planned. Not to mention new gowns for all the other girls as well. There will be plenty of time for the banns to be read before we will have everything prepared.” Mr. Bingley looked disappointed as Mrs. Bennet listed all that must be done before he could marry Jane. His hopes of a short engagement seemed unlikely.
“My dear,” said Mr. Bennet. “I am sure that you can accomplish all of this much sooner than you imagine. Perhaps we may all travel to London in a day or two to arrange for new clothes for all the girls while Mr. Bingley arranges the settlement and a special license. Before we leave there will be time enough to speak with Hill about a menu for the wedding breakfast.”
“That sounds like an excellent plan,” Elizabeth said. “And with Mrs. Gardiner’s help I am sure that my sisters and I can get everything else done quickly.”
“But the neighborhood will want to wish Jane and Mr. Bingley well before the wedding! There will be no time for parties or dinners if we rush the wedding,” argued Mrs. Bennet.
“They may wish them well at the wedding breakfast,” countered Mr. Bennet. “That is the purpose of a wedding breakfast after all. Also, since they will be settled at Netherfield it is not as if the neighborhood will not have further opportunities to issue dinner invitations.”
“And I can host a dinner at Netherfield a day or two before the wedding if that would please you,” added Mr. Bingley. “I’m sure that Mrs. Nicholls can arrange everything while we are in London.”
“Excellent!” said Mr. Bennet. “As reluctant as I am to return to London so soon it seems infinitely better than weeks and weeks of listening to talk of wedding preparations.”
Mrs. Bennet was disappointed that there would be so little time to prepare for the wedding but accepted it as well as anyone could reasonably hope for. She soon began to discuss all of her ideas for the wedding.
After dinner Mr. Darcy requested a word with Mr. Bennet in his study. “What may I do for you, Mr. Darcy?” asked Mr. Bennet as he sank into his chair with a sigh.
Mr. Darcy sat stiffly in his chair trying not to show his nerves. How could it be so hard to ask Mr. Bennet for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage when Elizabeth had already accepted him? He took a deep breath.
“I would like to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
Mr. Bennet raised his eyebrows. “I would imagine that Mr. Bingley would not be pleased to hear that. It will probably ruin your friendship.” Mr. Darcy furrowed his brow in confusion. “However, Mrs. Bennet would be happy enough to have Jane throw Mr. Bingley over for you.” Mr. Darcy saw the twinkle in Mr. Bennet’s eye and felt his own lips twitch in a smile.
“I hope to please Mrs. Bennet even more by taking another of her daughters in marriage. She is so pleased with Miss Bennet’s engagement that I hoped to add to it by announcing my own engagement to Miss Elizabeth.”
“I am sure that Mrs. Bennet would be very pleased with that but I must confess that I will be less happy about it.” Mr. Darcy became scared that Mr. Bennet would refuse him and was beginning to plan out his arguments in favor his marriage to Elizabeth when Mr. Bennet continued. “I know that it is wrong for a parent to have a favorite child but there has always been a special bond between Lizzy and myself. I shall be very sad to see her leave Longbourn but I could not ask for a worthier man than yourself. I have been very impressed with your character over the last week or so. I assume that Lizzy has accepted you?”
“Yes, she has. We spoke in the garden before supper.”
“Then I welcome you to the family.”
“Thank you, Mr. Bennet. If the others are agreeable I would like to have a double wedding with Bingley and Miss Bennet.”
“That sounds very sensible. You may just beat out Mr. Wickham as my favorite son-in-law yet if you are willing to spare me from more talk of weddings.”
“Thank you, Mr. Bennet, and please know that you will always be welcome either at Pemberley or at Darcy House in London. It may not be the same as having Elizabeth here with you at Longbourn but I know that she could never be happy without frequent visits from her family and her happiness means everything to me.”
Mr. Bennet nodded. “I appreciate that.” He cleared his throat. “Well, shall we go make the announcement? I would not like to delay Mrs. Bennet’s happiness at such news.”
Mr. Bennet and Mr. Darcy joined the others in the parlor. Mrs. Bennet was busy discussing wedding plans with the women while Bingley and Mr. Gardiner talked together in another part of the room. Mr. Bennet cleared his throat to gain everyone’s attention.
“Mrs. Bennet, I hope you have not made too many wedding plans yet as Mr. Darcy has a few suggestions of his own to make.”
Mrs. Bennet stared at her husband in confusion. “Mr. Darcy has suggestions for Jane and Mr. Bingley’s wedding?” she asked.
“He is hopeful that they will not mind sharing their wedding day with him as he has also recently become engaged.”
Mrs. Bennet continued to look confused. “Why would Mr. Darcy want to share his wedding with Jane and Mr. Bingley?”
“It seemed expedient since he is engaged to Lizzy. He would like to have a short engagement and he knows that with the closeness between Lizzy and Jane that it would be very convenient to plan one wedding instead of two.”
“It was merely an idea. I would not like to impose on Bingley and Miss Bennet’s day if they would prefer not to share it with anyone else. I haven’t even discussed it with Elizabeth yet.” Darcy sent her a questioning look trying to gage her reaction. Luckily she was smiling and he could tell that she was pleased with the idea. Meanwhile Jane and Mr. Bingley had exchanged a quick glance as well and silently communicated their willingness to have Lizzy and Darcy stand up with them.
“Of course it should be a double wedding,” said Mr. Bingley. “Nothing could make Jane or myself happier.” Bingley came over to congratulate Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.
“Oh! Oh! Hill, I need my smelling salts!” cried Mrs. Bennet. “Ten thousand a year and a house in town! Who would have ever thought that Lizzy would ever do so well?” Elizabeth’s face flushed at her mother’s thoughtless words. She glanced at Mr. Darcy to see his reaction. His calm demeanor relieved her greatly.
“It seems your mother approves, Lizzy,” teased her father.
Elizabeth laughed. “Did you have any doubts that she would approve any of her daughters accepting a marriage proposal?”
“You know your mother well,” replied Mr. Bennet with a chuckle.
The rest of the evening passed pleasantly with discussions about wedding plans. It was decided that they would all leave for London in two days to visit the shops and order new clothes. They would stay for five days before returning to Hertfordshire. The wedding would take place in ten days.
Chapter Fifteen
Preparations for the wedding kept them all busy over the next ten days. There was hardly any time to spend with Mr. Darcy but Elizabeth comforted herself with the thought that they would soon have all the time in the world to be together.
Elizabeth did find an afternoon to visit Darcy House while in London. The house was beautiful and elegant like Pemberley. It pleased her greatly and she looked forward to spending time there after her marriage.
Mrs. Bennet had extravagant ideas for Jane and Elizabeth’s wedding but with the help of Mrs. Gardiner they were able to keep her reasonable. Every day Elizabeth was more and more thankful that they were getting married quickly so that Mrs. Bennet wouldn’t have time to come up with more ideas for the wedding.
“Who’s here, Kitty?” demanded Mrs. Bennet.
“I do not know, mama. I have never seen the carriage before. It is a very large and grand carriage.”
“Oh dear! We shall be late for Mr. Bingley’s dinner if they stay too long. I cannot imagine who would call at such a late hour.”
Their curiosity was soon satisfied as Mrs. Hill announced their guest. “Lady Catherine de Bourgh, ma’am.”
The ladies of Longbourn curtsied to the new arrival. Lady Catherine looked down her nose at the assembled women. With a sniff she made her way to a prominent chair and seated herself. She turned to Elizabeth and in an imperious voice said, “These women are your mother and sisters, I assume.”
“Yes, ma’am,” answered Elizabeth making quick introductions.
Lady Catherine glanced about her and made a few comment on the size of the room and the state of the furniture before turning to Elizabeth and saying, “Miss Elizabeth, there seems to be a pretty little section of wilderness nearby. Accompany me. I have something I must discuss with you.” Without waiting for a response she stood and walked out of the room.
“Mama, I shall try to be quick, but perhaps you should send word to Netherfield that we have been delayed.” Elizabeth hurried to follow Lady Catherine outside.
Lady Catherine paced along a path before turning abruptly to face Elizabeth. “You can be at no loss, Miss Bennet, as to the purpose of my visit.”
“I assume your ladyship has heard of my engagement to Mr. Darcy and have come to attend the wedding.”
“Impertinent girl! You know very well that that is not my purpose. Let me be rightly understood. This engagement cannot exist. Your marriage to Mr. Darcy will never take place. He is engaged to my daughter. Now what have you to say for yourself?”
“If Mr. Darcy is indeed engaged to your daughter you can hardly believe that he would propose to me. He is too proper to behave so dishonorably.”
Lady Catherine sniffed. “You may have drawn him in in a moment of weakness. Rest assured that no marriage between you will ever occur. I had come to try you but if you will not oblige me I shall speak to him and remind him of his duty.”
“Mr. Darcy is a man of honor and no one is more willing to do his duty. In light of that I cannot imagine that there is any truth to your claims of an engagement between Mr. Darcy and Miss de Bourgh.”
“The engagement is of a peculiar nature. It was the favorite wish of his mother as well as myself. From their cradles we planned the union. It shall not be brought to nothing by your upstart pretentions. Is my nephew to be brother to the son of his father’s steward? Is his name to be tied to the scandal of your youngest sister? Yes, I have heard it all and I will not have his respectability questioned by a connection to you. His pride will not bear it. He will grow to resent you in time. If you knew him at all you would see that this union is inconceivable in every way.”
“Lady Catherine, your nephew proposed knowing full well of the scandal my family faced. He is not concerned about the scandal or his good name and I have certainly not ‘drawn him in’. Mr. Darcy is too intelligent to fall for such ploys.”
“I am ashamed of you, Miss Bennet,” thundered Lady Catherine. She raised her walking stick and for a moment Elizabeth feared that Lady Catherine would strike her with it.
“Lady Catherine!” yelled a voice hurrying towards them. “That is enough! You will not treat Miss Bennet in this manner.” Elizabeth turned to see Mr. Darcy hurrying towards them.
“Darcy, you must end this disgraceful engagement at once. You know that you have been designed for Anne from your cradle.”
“Enough, madam,” interrupted Mr. Darcy as Lady Catherine opened her mouth to continue her rant. “There is not now, nor has there ever been, any understanding between Anne and myself. It was a vague hope of my mother’s that you have clung to in spite of our repeated assurances that neither of us desire it. Come now, Lady Catherine. It is time to take your leave. The Bennet’s have a dinner to attend at Netherfield this evening and there is nothing for you here.” Darcy offered Lady Catherine his arm but she refused it and stormed past him with her head held high muttering about the younger generation’s lack of respect and sense of duty.
Mr. Darcy bade Elizabeth to wait for him while he ensured that his aunt left without causing any more of a scene. Elizabeth attempted to calm herself while she waited for her fiancé to return. The encounter with Lady Catherine had disturbed her but she refused to allow it to ruin her night.
In a few minutes Mr. Darcy returned to Elizabeth’s side and offered his arm. “I find that it helps to walk off the frustration after and encounter with my aunt.”
Elizabeth smiled up at him. “I agree that a walk can be very beneficial after a frustrating encounter, and now you understand how I have gained a reputation as a great walker. I often find myself in need of a long walk after listening to my mother, my younger sisters or whenever Mr. Collins is about.”
“Mr. Collins? I thought that you could not remember him. Have you recovered your memory, Elizabeth?”
“Yes. When we returned to Longbourn I found the letter that you wrote to me at Hunsford. As soon as I opened the letter all of my memories came rushing back.”
Now Mr. Darcy appeared nervous. Hesitantly he asked, “Do you still wish to marry me, Elizabeth, after recalling all of my pride and arrogance? I confess that I have been worried about how to tell you about that part of our history.”
Elizabeth squeezed his arm in reassurance. “It is quite all right, my love. When the memories returned all of my shame over the things I accused you of returned as well. I cannot express how sorry I am for the things I said to you that night and I cannot imagine how I have retained your love and affection. I was no more anxious to discuss that part of our past than you are. Perhaps we were neither of us at our best that night. Let us forget it and be thankful that we have found our way to happiness at last.”
“I cannot forget my faults so easily. You must allow me to apologize for that night. It has long filled me with self-loathing when I think of my pride and arrogance. Thank you for showing me my errors so that I could attempt to become a man worthy of you.”
“You have always been a good man, Mr. Darcy. I am only glad that I finally looked past my prejudice long enough to recognize it.”
Epilogue
Happy for Mrs. Bennet was the day that she saw her two eldest daughters married to rich young men. It was the accomplishment of all her dreams and desires since Jane had turned 15 and entered society. True, there hadn’t been enough time to plan the lavish wedding that Mrs. Bennet had dreamed of, but she chose not to worry over that too much on such a long anticipated day. The weather was perfect and her daughters looked beautiful as they walked down the aisle on their father’s arm. She would certainly have plenty to boast about to her neighbors over the next few months, and then it would be time to start planning for Kitty and perhaps even Mary. After all, if Elizabeth could make such a brilliant match when she was entirely too headstrong and independent then there must be an acceptable match for her remaining daughters.