"I have told Lizzie that Mr Contini and Jonathan have been friends since
they were at school together, and my son speaks so highly of Mr Contini, I am in no doubt he is an exceptionally fine man and you will both be very happy."
Becky blushed at this fulsome praise and thanked her; Jane had always had the capacity to see the very best in everyone she met, even if it meant turning a blind eye to some of their faults; with Mr Contini, however, Becky was happy to let her sing his praise, especially to Elizabeth.
She was even more gratified by the utmost courtesy and appreciation with which both she and Mr Contini had been received at Pemberley, as well as the interest evinced by Mr Darcy and the other gentlemen in Mr Contini's opinions on a range of subjects, from the success of Mr Garibaldi to the immense popularity of Italian opera in England.
As for her own relations with Mrs Darcy, about which Emily had expressed such concern, Becky could not fault Elizabeth's conduct on this occasion.
At dinner, she had placed Mr Contini between herself and Dr Gardiner, and Becky had noted that he appeared to carry on conversations with both of them with equal ease. Watching them from across the table, she had been pleased to see that Elizabeth listened attentively to her guest. Becky knew from observing her that Elizabeth was not just being a courteous hostess; her manner and engagement in the conversation suggested she was genuinely interested.
Later, when they were seated together after dinner, listening to the musicians, Becky had remarked upon the pleasure of being at Pemberley again, and once more, Elizabeth's response had surprised her.
"Well, Becky, I know you will forgive us if we do not travel to Kent for your wedding," she had said. "Neither Mr Darcy nor I do much travelling in Winter, but I hope that when you have returned from Italy, Mr Contini and you will return to Pemberley and spend some time with us, perhaps in the Spring? It is very pretty here in May, and it will be our great pleasure to welcome you back as husband and wife."
Delighted, Becky thanked her sincerely and said she was sure Mr Contini would like very much to return to Pemberley in the Spring.
"He has a great love of the English countryside, and Pemberley has within its boundaries and in its environs so much beautiful country, I know he will enjoy it very much. For my part, there is nothing I would like more. It is a most peaceful place. Mama always loved Pemberley and spoke often of the many
happy days she had spent here with you."
Elizabeth, remembering her dear friend Charlotte, could not conceal her feelings, and impulsively, the two women embraced.
Elizabeth's voice was gentle as she said, "Life has not always been kind to either of us, Becky, though I count myself more fortunate, in that I still have my dear husband with me; but I do want you to know that I am glad you are happy now. Jessica has told me what you intend to do for Emily—I must thank you very much; it is very generous of you. Mr Darcy and I want to help her, yet she will not accept any more help from us. We have tried to persuade her to return to live at Pemberley, where we can look after her, but she has refused, insisting she must stay on at Oakleigh. Your plan will mean she can continue to live there comfortably, and I thank you for your kindness with all my heart."
Becky hardly knew what to say; she had not expected such praise from Elizabeth. Yet she was so touched, she had to fight back tears and was relieved when Jessica came to say it was time to leave. She was glad they had accepted the invitation to dinner. It had been the best possible end to what had been a bittersweet week.
Promising to write, she thanked Elizabeth and embraced her again, and when Mr Contini said farewell and kissed her hand, Mrs Darcy appeared to be particularly pleased.
"Becky seems to have made a sensible choice this time," Elizabeth said to her husband as they went upstairs, as the servants cleared away the debris of the dinner party. "Mr Contini seems a most acceptable person, and his affection for her is undeniable. Do you not think so, dearest?"
Mr Darcy did not even bother to suppress a smile. "Indeed, my dear, I noticed you were having what appeared to be a most lively and entertaining conversation at dinner. I was sorry to be too far away from you to eavesdrop on any of it."
"I assure you it was more than entertaining, much more," Elizabeth declared. "Mr Contini was regaling us—Richard and myself—with wonderful tales from the Italian campaigns of the Risorgimento. I had no idea Mr Garibaldi's followers had such fun."
"Hmm… between bouts of killing and being killed themselves, no doubt!" Darcy retorted and added, "Confess it, Lizzie, he is a charming fellow and you liked him very much, but, I agree with you absolutely, Becky does seem to have made a happy choice this time. From my limited knowledge of him, I believe Mr Contini is a man of integrity. Jonathan speaks very highly of him—they have been friends for years. He is amiable enough, and if, as you have found, he also has a sense of humour, he will suit her well. It is quite plain she seems happier already than she has been in a very long while."
Elizabeth agreed.
"Yes, I believe you are right, my dear, and anyone Jonathan calls a friend must be particularly acceptable," she conceded, and Mr Darcy had no wish to contradict her.
***
Before leaving Oakleigh on the following day, Becky told Emily of her conversation with Elizabeth.
Her satisfaction was clear. "Oh my dear Becky, I cannot tell you how happy that makes me. I never felt it was my place to lecture Lizzie or you about it, but I have been saddened by the coldness that existed between you. You have both shared so much of life's experience, it was such a waste that you could not talk to one another," she said with such obvious pleasure that Becky had to warn her not to be too optimistic.
"I do not know how far this feeling goes, but I am happy too, and I promise I shall try my very best to maintain good relations with Elizabeth. But, Emily, I owe all of it to your goodness and kindness of heart, and I shall not forget that, as long as I live."
Emily characteristically refused to accept the credit for the rapprochement between Elizabeth and Becky, which did not surprise Becky at all; what did continue to amaze her was her friend's uncomplaining acceptance of life's afflictions.
Emily had loved and lost twice over good, loving husbands, yet never had she been heard to bemoan her misfortune or curse her fate. Indeed, she would, at every opportunity, speak of the great happiness she had enjoyed in both her marriages and extol the wonderful qualities of the two men she had loved.
Becky could not help but wonder at her resilient spirit, having not loved as passionately at all, except for Josie, whom she had probably loved too well and indulged too often. With her untimely death, Becky had felt every happy person in the world was her enemy and her life had become tainted with bitterness, until Aldo Contini had shown her that it could be
different.
When it was time to leave, Becky could not dispel her feelings of apprehension as they drove away from the house, leaving behind Emily, Jude, Jessica, and Julian. They appeared cheerful, smiling and promising to write, but Becky had felt a shiver pass through her body, and Mr Contini, sensing it, took her hands in his. They were cold and trembling, and he held them firmly, drawing the folds of her cape over them to keep them warm, calming her unspoken fear and grief.
Becky was grateful for his presence in her life; now, as she coped with her anxiety about Emily, and later, as she would have to face the vexation and woes that life would undoubtedly bring, she knew he would be there, loving her, understanding her fears, and making everything easier to bear.
Slowly, her hands stopped trembling as she felt his strength. Most of all she was deeply and happily aware of his warm, comforting love. Their wedding was a week away. Soon there would be time to speak of their deepest feelings; Becky had never felt more certain of anything in her life.
End of Part Five
An Epilogue…
Returning to Edgewater, with Christmas only days away, Becky was eager to tell Catherine of her conversations with Mrs Darcy. "I
must confess to being somewhat surprised; I had not expected such a cordial welcome from Elizabeth," she said, but Catherine responded differently.
"Why, Becky, I do believe you are too sensitive about Lizzie's opinions; as I have said before, she is no longer upset with you. She has no reason to be, with Julian happily married again; even if Lizzie did harbour some kind of grievance about Josie, I do not believe she does so any longer. Besides, I am convinced that Mr Darcy would have counselled her against it, and Mama used to say, Lizzie always heeds his advice."
At this, Becky had to laugh.
"Cathy, I doubt that Elizabeth would agree with you on that last matter. She does pride herself upon her independence, you know. However, I am prepared to accept that she has at least ceased to blame me for everything that went wrong with Julian and Josie's marriage and genuinely wishes us to be reconciled."
"I have no doubt at all on that score," said Catherine and rang to ask for more tea.
The maid who answered brought in the mail, which was chiefly for Mr Burnett, with the exception of two letters, one of which was from Emma Wilson. Catherine opened it, not expecting to find within it any startling news. The two women had carried on a casual correspondence for some years, and their letters had dealt mainly with family matters.
It was therefore with some surprise that she turned over the first page and read the reference to a Mr Danby, who had been brought before Emma's husband, Mr Justice Wilson, at the county assizes.
Emma recalled Becky's interest in the case of one William Rickman of Blessington and advised that Mr Danby and a co-conspirator had been charged with perjury, conspiracy, and several other offences in relation to a case of false witness.
She wrote:
I am sure Becky will be very pleased to hear of this.
Becky, who had been reclining on the sofa, her thoughts miles away, was wrenched back to reality when her sister cried out, "Oh well done! Look, Becky, Emma writes that a Mr Danby has been brought to court and charged. Is that not good news?"
Becky sat up, disbelieving. She reached for the letter, and as she read it, her elation knew no bounds.
"Oh Cathy, this is wonderful news!" she cried. "It means Mr Danby has been brought to justice at last and is likely to be punished for his crimes."
"I thought that would please you," said Catherine.
"It certainly does," Becky replied, "but it will also come as a relief to Annabel, who never believed that Danby would give up. She feared that his evil mind would conjure up some other means of persecution to wreak his revenge upon Rickman. She will be truly grateful for this news."
"Well, Emma will be pleased to know that her information has brought such universal joy—I shall tell her all about it when I next write," Catherine promised, and Becky could not resist some self-congratulation at the result.
"You may certainly convey my thanks and my feelings of utter satisfaction," she declared, adding that she could not wait to give Annabel the good news.
***
The journey to Derbyshire to visit Emily Courtney had taken almost ten days from Becky's wedding preparations, which, therefore, had been seriously set back. She now faced the fact that there was very little time left and, save for her family and a few close friends, no one had been invited. Having considered the matter overnight, she had reached a decision, which she put to Mr Contini the following day. It was a somewhat radical plan, and she was not entirely sure he would approve. He had arrived at Edgewater after breakfast, and they were seated in Becky's study, where her desk was littered with lists and notes that lay exactly as she had left them before departing so hurriedly for Derbyshire a fortnight ago.
Mr Contini had expected to receive a catalogue of tasks that had to be done and letters that must be written and despatched forthwith. To his amazement, his bride-to-be proposed no such thing.
Instead, Becky said simply, "Dearest, would you mind very much if we had just a simple ceremony at the church and a wedding breakfast for our families and closest friends, here at Edgewater? I very much doubt there will be time to prepare for anything grander."
So surprised was he by her suggestion, he took a minute or two to respond, during which time she, fearing he was disappointed, tried to explain. "I am sorry, I know I should have asked your opinion earlier; it is only that I have just realised we would need to spend a great deal of precious time in all these preparations, when what I really wish for is for us to spend as much time together as possible."
By the time she had completed her sentence, Mr Contini had understood that Becky was seriously suggesting something he had always wanted but had not dared to ask, believing all ladies wished for elaborate weddings.
It was certainly true in Italy, and he had not supposed it would be any different in England.
But now, in view of what she had said, so delighted was he, he could do no less than rise and take her in his arms.
"Becky my love, that is precisely what I would wish for us to do—a simple ceremony and a wedding breakfast just for the family would be perfect!" he said.
When she expressed her surprise, he went further, saying with a smile, "How very clever you are to have discovered exactly what my feelings were on this matter. I cannot imagine anything more congenial to my present mood, especially if you will let me suggest that we have only our most favourite family members and friends to join us on the day, yes?"
Becky could scarcely believe her ears. She was happy to comply, she said, but felt compelled to warn him that some folk may not be pleased at being left out.
She reminded him that he had aunts and uncles in Italy who may well expect to be asked to attend.
"Will they not be unhappy about being left out?" she said, only to have him laugh merrily, and say, "Of course, and they are just the folk we do not need to see at our wedding, for they will only make long faces and criticise your gown or my coat or the length of the sermon and perhaps fall asleep in church and snore in the middle of the ceremony. Can you not see it, my dear? Besides, many of them will probably attend the wedding party in Florence."
Becky was pleased that they had agreed upon this very first question in their marriage with such good humour.
"I agree entirely; if only we could settle all matters that we may have to confront in the future in such a harmonious fashion, we should never quarrel at all," she said.
This drew from him a light riposte about a lesson learnt at his father's knee.
"My father was a wise man; whenever he had lost an argument with my mother or my grandmother, he would say to me, 'Remember, Aldo, my son, never begin an argument with a woman, unless you mean to surrender in the end. It is far less painful that way and may even be pleasurable.'"
"It is a lesson well worth learning. Clearly, your father was not just a wise man, but a witty one as well," said Becky.
***
On Christmas Eve, Mr Contini was to return to London to spend Christmas with his aunt and uncle, planning to return in time for the wedding with them and a gentleman, Mr Antonio Pieri, who was to be his best man.
"Antonio and I have been friends all our lives. His father was killed in the early struggles of Garibaldi, and my family took him in. We are as close as brothers, maybe even closer, for there is no petty rivalry between us as there often is between siblings. I have long wished to introduce him to you, and he will be honoured if you were to meet him," he explained, and Becky was quick to respond.
"I should be very happy to make his acquaintance, and so will Catherine and Frank. Any friend of yours must soon be one of ours, too," she said.
Before leaving for London, Mr Contini presented his bride to be with a necklace, fashioned in Florence of silver and polished turquoise, which brought exclamations of envy and admiration from the entire family. It was the first gift he had given her, and Becky was overwhelmed by its beauty.
"You will wear it on our wedding day?" he asked, and she said without hesitation, "Of course, it is very beautiful; thank you."
&nb
sp; When he left, having taken long and loving leave of her, she was dismayed at how lonely she felt without him. She missed him within the first hour of their parting and was glad she had made him promise to take great care on his journey and return to her as soon as ever he could.
Becky spent Christmas Day at the Dower House with her sister and Mr Burnett, hoping that with Catherine's help, she could prepare for her wedding without needless bustle or panic.
Recalling the extravagant celebrations of her first marriage, where all of the arrangements had been taken over by the staff of the Tate household and most of the guests were friends and business associates of her husband's family, Becky delighted in the thought that this time, everything would be as she and Mr Contini wished it to be.
They had promised each other there would be no fuss, no formality, and above all no speeches.
Woman of Influence (Pemberley Chronicles) Page 34