On Christmas Eve, the families gathered for dinner at Netherfield Park before attending the midnight service. The next day, the families again gathered, this time at Longbourn, to celebrate Christmas. Shortly after breakfast, the Netherfield party arrived. They gathered in the parlor and everyone took a seat. Kitty, Lydia, and Georgiana handed out the gifts–a task they completed with great excitement as a footman accompanied the Netherfield guests carrying gifts. Two trips were required to bring them all in the house. The Gardiner family was also present, and the children’s excitement at the sight of so many presents had them trembling with joy.
Mr. Bingley used his ties to trade and provided each of the four younger Bennet ladies with several yards of floral patterned cotton for a new day dress. Both Mrs. Bennet and Miss Bennet received a quantity of silk for a gown. Jane’s was a beautiful sapphire blue that matched her lovely eyes. On top of the cut fabric sat a small black velvet box. Jane opened it to find a heart-shaped sapphire surrounded by diamonds and suspended from a delicate silver chain.
“My mother possesses a set of diamonds that my father gave to her upon their marriage. It is the only piece of the Bingley family jewels. I wanted you to have something just for you that we can add to the collection. I chose the sapphires to match your eyes and your engagement ring.” Jane thanked him tenderly, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Mrs. Bennet commented profusely about the expensive jewels, but Mr. Bennet shushed her to open his gift from Bingley. It revealed a box of expensive imported cigars.
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner received gifts similar to Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and each of the young Gardiners received a toy. The Darcys purchased bonnets for Mary, Kitty, and Lydia, in colors that matched the fabric from Bingley. Mrs. Bennet and Miss Bennet received soft cashmere shawls to complement their fabrics. Mr. Bennet received two first edition books. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner received two tickets to an exclusive concert scheduled at Drury Lane Theater. The two Gardiner boys each received a set of toy soldiers in different-colored uniforms so they could battle each other. The older Gardiner daughter received a porcelain tea set with delicate flowers painted on it, while the younger daughter received a lovely doll with a porcelain head and curls the same color as her own.
Elizabeth was the last to open her gift from the Darcys. Her box contained a length of lovely amber silk. She also had a black velvet box on top of the fabric, though hers was much larger than Jane’s. She opened it to reveal a magnificent set of jewels containing a necklace, a bracelet, a ring, and earbobs. Taking in the surprising sight, Elizabeth could not help the small gasp that escaped.
Darcy, who was watching her closely, smiled at her surprise and delight. “Do you like it, Elizabeth?” he whispered.
“It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, William. Is it part of the Darcy family jewels?”
“No, I bought this just for you. The color reminds me of the specks that appear in your sparkling eyes. They are like rays of sunshine that make them light up even more than your bubbling personality does. I find them mesmerizing.”
“Thank you, William. I will cherish them as I do your words.”
“What did you get, Lizzy?” demanded her mother.
Elizabeth lifted the swatch of fabric from the box to show it to the others. Dropping it, she then lifted the jewelry box and turned it to face the others.
The box contained a choker with three strands of pearls. Both sides held a square topaz surrounded by diamonds that connected the strands. In the front, each strand was slightly longer than the one above it. Suspended from the longest string of pearls was a larger square topaz, also surrounded by diamonds. The bracelet was similar, with a diamond-surrounded topaz on top. The ring was diamond and topaz, and the earbobs held the diamond-encrusted topaz suspended from a large pearl by a diamond chain. A brilliant gold setting held the stones.
“Oh my stars!” cried Mrs. Bennet. “I have never seen anything so dazzling!”
“It is quite lovely,” agreed Mrs. Gardiner.
“Can I borrow it, Lizzy?” asked Lydia. Elizabeth shook her head at her youngest sister and barely refrained from rolling her eyes.
The children played with the toys as the adults talked. When Mrs. Hill announced dinner, the family sat down to a feast. The five-course meal included roast beef, roast goose, venison, pheasant, and a fish dish. There were roasted potatoes, Brussel sprouts, and carrots, apples, and onions seasoned with sage and nutmeg, as well as baked squash sweetened with cinnamon and brown sugar. There were Yorkshire pudding and other assorted breads with black butter and jams. The dessert course included a flaming plum pudding, whipped syllabub, fruit, cheese, nuts, candies, and sweetmeats.
After dinner, many of the adults dozed off, giving the young people time to themselves. When they awoke, Mary played several Christmas carols on the pianoforte before the group enjoyed games of charades and snapdragon.
All agreed that it was a wonderful day. The young couples were delighted that their weddings were just over a week away.
Finding Happily Ever After
The January morning glistened in the sunshine. The previous day had begun with rain before the temperature had dropped and changed the precipitation to snow. On her wedding day, Elizabeth woke with the sun. She sat on the window seat in her bedroom to watch it rise. As the sun soared higher in the sky, the snow changed from orange to peach to pink before it became a blinding white world. The trees sparkled like diamonds, their bare branches coated in ice. A downy white fluff blanketed the landscape as far as the eye could see.
Soon, Elizabeth detected footsteps traipsing along the hallway. They were heavy and slow as they passed her door the first time. However, on the return trip, they sounded quick and light. Realizing that they must be filling the tub, Elizabeth gathered her things and quietly exited the room. As her hair was much thicker than Jane’s and her elder sister was not a morning person, Elizabeth would be the first to bathe and wash her hair in preparation for her wedding.
Elizabeth sank into the hot, lavender-scented water of the half-filled hipbath. Fortunately, a fire blazed in the large fireplace in the bathing room. Sally, the maid she shared with her sisters, made quick work of washing Elizabeth’s hair before leaving her to soak for a few minutes. When she returned with two more buckets, Sally set them on the hearth to stay warm before handing Elizabeth a bar of scented soap. Elizabeth quickly washed. Then Sally poured one of the buckets over her head to rinse her hair. Elizabeth stood as the other bucket was used to rinse her body. Sally handed her a towel from the rack before the fire, and Elizabeth wrapped it tightly around her. Sally then gave her a second towel, which Elizabeth wrapped around her long locks. She twisted it on top of her head before slipping down the hall to her room.
There, Elizabeth sat before the fire that the maid had built up while she bathed. After unwrapping her hair, Elizabeth reached for her comb and began to pull it through her tangled tresses. When detangled, she pushed her hair behind her shoulders and turned her back to the fire to allow it to dry.
Jane awoke to the sight of Elizabeth’s head bent over a letter. She wore a brilliant smile, but Jane also spotted tears on her cheek.
“Are you well, Lizzy?” came Jane’s sleepy voice.
Brushing at the tears on her face, Elizabeth looked up at Jane, her smile still in place. “I am well, Jane, but I cannot believe my good fortune in finding a man like William. He is everything I ever dreamed of and more.”
“I feel equally blessed,” replied a dreamy-eyed Jane.
“I believe your water is ready and I suggest that you hurry or Lydia may try to sneak in ahead of you.” The sisters laughed, knowing that Lizzy’s words were entirely true. Lydia, being the youngest, often had the last use of the tub that the sisters shared. In many households, the entire family used the same water. Mrs. Bennet did not subscribe to that belief, so everyone had fresh water for bathing, but it was only a few inches, as it would have taken most of the day to warm enough water to fill th
e tub for seven family members.
Lizzy, Jane, hurry. It is time to leave for the church,” Mrs. Bennet called up the stairs. Mrs. Gardiner and Mrs. Hill had kindly kept Mrs. Bennet busy throughout the morning, allowing the girls a quiet, peaceful time during which to prepare for the biggest day of their lives.
“The girls are ready, Mrs. Bennet. You should go on to the church. We will be only a few minutes behind you.”
Seeing Jane as she reached the bottom of the stairs, Mrs. Bennet said, “Oh,” adding with a sniff, “My mother’s pearl combs look so beautiful in your hair.” The Bennet matriarch had presented them to Jane the evening before.
As Sally put the finishing touches on Elizabeth’s hair, a knock came at the door. “Come in, Papa.”
Jane had already descended the stairs on her father’s arm, so Lizzy knew it was Mr. Bennet coming back to accompany her. Mr. Bennet stepped into the room but stopped in his tracks at the sight of his favorite daughter. “Lizzy, my dear girl. You look wonderful.”
“Thank you, Papa.”
Catching her eyes in the mirror of her dressing table, her father said, “As you know, we named you after my dear mother.” Elizabeth nodded. “She gave me something to give you on your wedding day.” Mr. Bennet handed her a small box.
Lifting the lid, Elizabeth gasped, “Papa, these are beautiful.” Inside, on a bed of velvet, sat a pair of large pearls surrounded by diamonds with a matching pendant. Sally took the box and Mr. Bennet removed the necklace, which he placed around Elizabeth’s neck. Sally set the box on the dressing table and lifted the earbobs, then put them in Elizabeth’s ears. The maid placed her bonnet on her head and Mr. Bennet held out his hand to assist Elizabeth in rising. They joined Jane in the hall and the three of them descended the stairs, stepped into the waiting carriage, and took the short ride to the Meryton church.
With a last wave to her family, Elizabeth Darcy settled into the seat across from her husband as the carriage pulled away from Longbourn, taking Elizabeth to her new London home. Staring at her, Elizabeth’s husband of about five hours, Fitzwilliam Darcy, wasted no time before moving to settle himself beside his new bride. He removed her hat and gloves, tossing them onto the rear-facing seat. When her wedding bonnet was out of the way, Darcy cupped his beautiful wife’s face in his hands before gently caressing her lips with his. The kiss began tenderly, but grew in intensity, each trying to show the other their love and desire. When they finally drew apart, they were both gasping for breath, their hearts racing. Elizabeth snuggled into her husband’s embrace, her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat slow.
“For all her excitability, your mother does set an excellent table. The wedding breakfast was a lovely affair.”
“Did you tell Mama that?” asked his wife with a cheeky grin.
“I thought I might just send her a note.” Darcy would not meet his wife’s eye, but her tinkling laugh caused his chest to begin shaking. Soon his deep rumble could also be heard. Their conversation continued, ranging from topic to topic. They spoke of everything and nothing, talking of their hopes and dreams.
When the carriage pulled up in front of Darcy House, Elizabeth was surprised to see the servants lined up to greet her. As she stepped down from the carriage, Darcy swept her in his arms and carried her up the front steps to the cheers of the servants. This auspicious beginning was just the start of the Darcys’ happily ever after.
Epilogue
For those of you wondering what became of Mr. Collins and his new wife, the former Miss Bingley, they returned to Rosings immediately following their wedding. However, before their arrival, Lady Catherine received a letter from her nephew thanking her for her good wishes and understanding of his and Anne's feelings about marrying each other. He also included the information about her parson's failed attempt to compromise Darcy's betrothed. He gave her all the particulars of the incident. As the great lady read the letter, her anger mounted.
When Mr. Collins returned to his home, he wasted no time in sending word to Lady Catherine and requesting the opportunity to present his new bride. He was thrilled to receive her reply for an immediate interview.
The butler's solemn voice intoned, "Mr. and Mrs. Collins, ma'am."
"Lady Catherine, how grateful we are that you would deign to receive us so soon after our return. Allow me to present my bride, Mrs. Caroline Collins nee Bingley."
Caroline barely dipped a curtsey and was quickly chastised by her husband. "My dear, I am sure you recognize that my dear patroness is far above both of us in society and is due all courtesies related to her.” His tone was quite firm, as he feared angering Lady Catherine further.
Caroline glared at her spouse before offering a deeper curtsey. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Catherine. I am well acquainted with your nephew, Mr. Darcy. Our families have been quite close for about four years now. I should warn you, my lady, that Mr. Darcy has fallen for a fortune-hunter. She is a nobody, a country chit who will disgrace him in society."
"And you are the disgraced daughter of a tradesman. How dare you accuse my nephew of such ridiculous behavior. You are merely spouting sour grapes, as you desired to be the next mistress of Pemberley. Darcy would never have married the bitter, conniving daughter of a tradesman above the daughter of a gentleman." The lady turned to her parson. "And you, Mr. Collins. How dare you go against my wishes and try to steal my nephew's betrothed. I am very displeased, Mr. Collins, very displeased.”
The rotund parson cowered before his patroness, bowing so low that he nearly toppled over in an undignified heap. "I am sorry, Lady Catherine. The last I knew, you were unhappy with your nephew. I thought I was helping you, as I always wish to do, my lady."
“I am disappointed in both of you. Do not present yourselves before me until I send for you. Nor should you expect to receive any invitations for quite some time. I am most seriously displeased.”
Lady Catherine never did forgive her parson nor take to his ambitious, manipulative wife. Over the next seven years of service at Hunsford, Mr. Collins struggled under the weight of Lady Catherine's displeasure. It slowly wore him down until he refused to eat and eventually died before he could inherit Longbourn. His wife had denied him her bed throughout their marriage, so there was no son to inherit in his place. Because of her behavior at the Netherfield ball, Caroline never contacted her family for the remainder of her life. She used what remained of her dowry and set herself up in the best London neighborhood she could afford. She attempted to contact friends from school, but too many years had passed and no one was interested in renewing the acquaintance after learning of her lowly marriage. Caroline remained a lonely, bitter, condescending woman to the end of her days.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to my amazing sister-in-law, Lori Whitlock, for making the cover template and teaching me how to make this cover and future ones. I am also grateful to Tonya Blust for her work editing the book.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Linda C. Thompson has had a forty-five-year love affair with Pride and Prejudice in particularly and the Regency Era in general. She cannot get enough of the love story between Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. This love affair has led her to author seven books, which reimagine the love story between Darcy and Elizabeth.
Linda’s husband of 31 years is the Elizabeth in their relationship. Linda is the shy, formal one and uses her writing as an outlet for her romantic nature.
Hearing from fans is one of her biggest joys. You can keep in touch with the author in the following ways:
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Linda Thompson Books
Instagram: Lindasusancooperthompson
Twitter: @LindyT07
Website: http://lindacthompsonbooks.com
OTHER BOOKS BY
LINDA C. THOMPSON
HER UNFORGETTABLE LAUGH
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Dark curls and an unforgettably sweet laugh are all he knows of his sister’s rescuer. Later, a second glimpse shows her to be lovely, and he hears her melodious laugh again. Darcy wonders what it would be like to meet this remarkable—and remarkably lovely—young woman. Would the spirit that compelled her to assist a stranger bring some joy into his lonely life? Would they ever meet? Or will he always be left wondering?
Little does Fitzwilliam Darcy know that his trip to Hertfordshire will bring him face to face with the lovely young woman whose unforgettable laugh has haunted his dreams for the last several years. Will she be anything like the woman he has built up in his dreams? Will he be able to avoid Miss Bingley long enough to discover more about this mysterious young woman?
Laughter Through Trials
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Dark curls and an unforgettably sweet laugh . . .
In Book 1 of the Her Unforgettable Laugh series, a trip to Hertfordshire brought Fitzwilliam Darcy face to face with the woman who had haunted his dreams for five years. Their chance meeting led to a courtship, despite the efforts of those who wished to separate them. Now Elizabeth Bennet is traveling to London, where she will be introduced to Darcy’s family and the ton. How will Elizabeth be received? Will their love flourish and grow? Or will new trials overwhelm them?
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