by Ola Wegner
Perhaps all which occurred before, all the kisses and caresses and the after part, sleeping in the safety of his arms, was so pleasant to reward somehow the discomfort of his being inside her. We need to practice more she thought with determination. She knew what to expect now. She would try to brace herself the next time and not show any signs of uneasiness. She only hoped there would be no bleeding in the future. He had been so terrified the last time.
Four weeks only, she whispered to herself. She refused to think that Lydia’s elopement might delay their wedding.
***
Elizabeth and the Gardiners reached Longbourn in the early afternoon of
the third day of their journey. Only Jane, accompanied by her cousins, came out in front of the house to greet them. The little Gardiners gathered around their parents, simultaneously pulling at their sleeves, climbing up them and speaking all three at once.
“Oh, Jane.” Elizabeth fell into her sister’s embrace. “Any news?”
Jane shook her head. “No, Lizzy. Father went to London the day we received the letter from Brighton to look for them, but we have not heard from him since then.”
“Mr. Darcy went to London as well,” Elizabeth informed her. “He promised to help find them and make him marry her.”
Jane let out a sigh of relief. “Then we are rescued. Mr. Darcy is a man of his word. He has the influence and means to find them.”
“Jane, dear.” Mrs. Gardiner walked to them, with the youngest boy cuddled in her arms. “Tell me, please, how my children behaved.”
“They were perfectly well behaved. I had absolutely no trouble with them,” Jane said without hesitation, smiling.
“You are the only person who says so, Jane,” Mr. Gardiner said as he stepped closer with another boy in his arms and a girl wrapped tightly around his leg. “I know them far too well to believe this.”
“They are sometimes too spirited,” Jane acknowledged cautiously. “However, it is quite enough to take them aside and have an earnest talk with them, and they are again on their best behaviour.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “No, Jane. It is you, sister. You have a way with children like no one else, so they always obey you, even the naughty ones.”
“Lizzy is right.” Mrs. Gardiner put the boy on the ground, taking his small hand. “You will be a wonderful mother one day.”
The Gardiners, together with the children, went inside where a hot meal was already waiting for them. Elizabeth refused to eat anything, saying she was not hungry after the long hours spent in the carriage on uneven roads.
“Let us go to Mama, then,” Jane proposed.
Elizabeth sighed. She could only imagine the state her mother was in.
“She is not leaving her room these days,” Jane whispered as they approached Mrs. Bennet’s room.
Jane knocked and entered. “Mama, Lizzy is here.”
“Lizzy, my child.” Mrs. Bennet opened her arms wide in an almost theatrical gesture. “You came! At last!”
“Yes, Mama.” Elizabeth knelt beside her mother, who half lay on the sofa and returned her embrace.
“Did Mr. Darcy throw you out of Pemberley when he learned the truth about the ruin of our family?” Mrs. Bennet asked, her eyes wide.
Elizabeth was taken aback with her mother’s presumption. “No, Mama. No, of course not.”
“Mr. Darcy is currently in London now,” Jane explained. “Lizzy says he promised her to find Mr. Wickham and Lydia and force them to marry.”
Mrs. Bennet clasped her hands together. “That cannot be!” Her round eyes directed at Elizabeth for confirmation. “He said he would find them?”
Elizabeth nodded. “Yes, Mama. He assured me that he knew Wickham well and his ways. He asked me not to worry about the entire matter as he would deal with it.”
Mrs. Bennet was mute for a long moment. “Thank you, God,” she breathed at last. “We are rescued. Such a good man this Mr. Darcy is! And we once all thought him to be so disagreeable. You are lucky, indeed, he stood by you in such dire times, Lizzy.”
“I know, Mama. I know,” Elizabeth agreed quietly.
“But how could Lydia have done this to me? Did she not know what a scandal it would be?” Mrs. Bennet exclaimed after a moment, her ire rising once again. “What if Mr. Darcy does not find them, or Wickham will not want to marry her?”
“We cannot think the worst, Mama.” Elizabeth patted her hand.
“Indeed, Mama,” Jane supported her younger sister. “We must have faith that Mr. Darcy and Papa will find them.”
***
The Gardiners returned to London the very next day, and though Elizabeth dearly wished to go with them, her mother disagreed strongly. Mrs. Bennet insisted that she would be of no need in London. Elizabeth knew that she should stay and help Jane to take care of their mother, their younger sisters, and the household, but she missed Darcy and wanted to see him. Waiting at home for any scrap of news was infuriating. The fact that she, as a woman, was not able to act, to do something to improve the situation, and could only sit at home drove her insane.
One day as she was working together with Jane in the garden, clearing the weeds out of the flowers beds, she saw a servant running to them from the house.
“Some news must have come,” she said, removing her thick gloves and rising from the ground.
“For you, Miss Elizabeth.” Out of breath, the maid handed her the letter, addressed with the now familiar strong, masculine handwriting.
She tore at the seal.
My dearest, loveliest Elizabeth,
We have found them. Miss Lydia is currently staying with the Gardiners. She is well and in good spirits. The wedding will take place in three days. Mr. and Mrs. Wickham will go directly to his new station in Newcastle, as Wickham has decided to join the regulars as his new life career. Understandable, unless they are going to be first invited to Longbourn. However, your father feels severely against this idea, I believe.
I cannot wait to see you, my love, and you are always on my mind. I will try to return to you as soon as possible, but there are still things I need to deal with here in London. Please, take a good care of yourself while I am absent from you. I hope that the preparations for our wedding are running smoothly.
Yours,
F. D.
P.S. One more matter, it seems that my Aunt and Uncle, Lord and Lady Matlock, will attend the ceremony of our wedding. I wrote to them some time ago, inviting them to the wedding, but issued the invitation pro forma only, not quite expecting they would want to come as they rarely travel away from Matlock these days. I am not yet aware of the details of their trip, but I ask you to inform your mother about such possibility.
Jane stared at her with tension. “What had happened?” she questioned.
Elizabeth smiled and handed her the letter to read. “All is well.”
Jane read greedily. “Thank you, God. She is rescued,” she said with relief, handing the letter back to her sister.
Elizabeth smiled. “Yes, it seems so.”
Jane gave her a long, unsure look. “Lizzy,...” her voice trailed.?
“Yes, Jane.” Elizabeth kept smiling as she folded her letter neatly and hid it in the pocket of her apron. “We should go and tell Mama at once.”
Jane stopped her, placing a hand on her arm. “Is he always so kind when he speaks with you? Like in this letter?”
“Yes, always.”
Jane nodded slowly, her expression absent minded. “He refers so nicely to you. I knew that he loved you, but I never imagined...” She shook her head.
Elizabeth stepped to her, touching her arm. “Jane? What is wrong?”
“Mr. Bingley is gone again. Have you not noticed?”
Elizabeth blinked her eyes. “No, I must say that I have not.”
Jane forced a smile. “He has not visited us since the news about Lydia broke. I heard from our housekeeper that he left Netherfield.”
“Perhaps it is only a coincidence,” Elizabeth sugg
ested after a long moment of silence. She did not want to think that the amiable Mr. Bingley had abandoned her sister once again, even though the circumstances seemed to confirm that. “He must have some business in town.”
Jane nodded, smiling almost brightly. “Yes, you are surely right.”
“He will be back in no time,” Elizabeth assured.
Jane smiled at her again, but her wide blue eyes were sad. “There is no point staying here and talking fruitlessly when we should go tell Mama.”
As they strolled back to the house, Jane asked. “Will you tell Mama now about the possibility of Lord and Lady Matlock attending the wedding?”
Elizabeth sighed with resignation. “Yes, I think that I should. I cannot imagine though how she will react. I think we can expect anything from fainting to turning absolutely speechless for some time at least.
Jane’s blue eyes twinkled with mischief. “I think that she will take a carriage and start visiting all our neighbours, announcing this news to them.”
Elizabeth chuckled, shaking her head. “I truly cannot guess where you have learned this teasing manner, dear sister.”
***
Elizabeth’s disappointment was great indeed when, in four days’ time, a carriage stopped in front of Loungbourn but contained only Mr. Bennet and the newlywed couple.
Mrs. Bennet greeted Wickham and Lydia as if nothing had happened and was seriously displeased that her husband insisted on their staying in the neighbourhood for two days only, before going to Newcastle.
Elizabeth could barely contain herself in the presence of Wickham. More than once, he tried to initiate conversation with her, but she pretended not to hear him. He had difficulty with taking a hint that she had no intention of speaking to him. The day of their departure, he found her alone in the breakfast room.
“We should talk, Miss Elizabeth.” He spoke with a smile which Elizabeth would have once found pleasant and now seemed false and abhorrent.
She rushed to the door, but he cut off her way, blocking the only door.
“Come on, Elizabeth, we are family now. Will you not invite me to the wedding?” He rudely looked into her face.
“I have not given you leave to use my Christian name,” she said with cold dignity.
He smiled jovially. “Are you so rigid and formal with Darcy as well?”
“Let me pass.”
He reached his hand to touch the wisp of hair, curling gracefully around her forehead. “I am curious what you did to Darcy that he was so determined and efficient in finding me and my dear Lydia, paying for everything without a blink of an eye. What charms of yours did you work on him to make his so generous?”
She looked up at him, his handsome countenance the image of ugliness for her now. “You are the lowest creature I know.”
He laughed. “Do not compliment me so, Lizzy. I do not deserve it.” He lowered his head, his voice rumbling next to her ear. “Lizzy, Lizzy...” he chanted. “Does he call you Lizzy when you pay him your duty in his bed? I am sure he does.”
She lifted her hand with the intention of slapping him, but he grabbed her slim wrist in an iron grip before she managed anything.
She pressed her lips together. “Let me go.”
“Or what?” he laughed.
“Or I will tell him about this.”
“I am not afraid of Darcy.” His tone was nonchalant, but Elizabeth could feel his grip on her hand loosening.
“Are you not?” She freed her hand. “In your place, I would pray this mark will disappear before he comes here.” With her eyes, she pointed to her wrist. “I have no intention of lying to him about who did it.”
“You would not be so bold without him,” he muttered furiously, but he stepped aside, allowing her to go.
She turned once more to him as she was leaving. “I feel for my sister. She is so young, and her life is already ruined. Marrying you is the worst fate for any woman. I do not wish death to anyone, but Lydia’s only chance for happiness and normal existence is to widow young.”
Mr. and Mrs. Wickham’s left Longbourn a few hours later, the whole family waving them goodbye in front of the house.
“Newcastle,” Mrs. Bennet sighed, bringing handkerchief to her eyes. “My baby so far away. Who knows when I will see her again.”
“We should be thankful that they are married, Mama,” Jane pointed out, her voice unusually severe.
“Yes, yes, Jane, but why do they have to go so far away? Could they not live somewhere closer? Purvis Lodge, for example?”
“Do not talk nonsense, Fanny,” Mr. Bennet’s sharp voice cut the air. “It would be better for everyone if you did not speak at all. Darcy did enough. You cannot expect him to offer them one of his houses to live in. Perhaps you think that he should share a part of his income with Wickham as well.”
Mrs. Bennet pressed her lips tightly and hastily walked inside the house, Mary and Kitty following her.
Elizabeth glanced at the retreating back of her mother with compassion. Her comment was not the smartest or most sensible in the present situation, but Mr. Bennet acted poorly/cruelly, silencing her in such a manner. A man should not talk like that to his wife in front of their children.
“Come with me, Elizabeth, please,” Mr. Bennet said as Elizabeth and Jane passed by him.
Elizabeth nodded. “Yes, Papa.”
She followed him to the library. She closed the door with care and walked a few steps inside the room.
Mr. Bennet stood next to the window, staring out of it.
“You were right when you tried to convince me not to let Lydia go to Brighton.”
“Nobody could foresee that something like that might have happened,” Elizabeth said calmly. “The most important thing is that they are married, that you have found them in time.”
Mr. Bennet laughed, turning to her. “You wanted to say Darcy found them. He did everything. I did not lift a finger in the entire matter. He found Wickham, paid his debts, and bought his commission in the army. He refused to tell me how much it all cost him, but I think it was certainly not less than ten thousand pounds.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “Ten thousand... Heaven forbid.”
“At least.” Mr. Bennet walked closer. “He paid for my mistakes as a father, and he never even mentioned your name.”
Elizabeth lowered her eyes.
“I envy him. He is twice my junior, but already a better man that I have ever been.”
She stepped closer, touched with the raw bitterness in his voice. “Papa, I...” she began, but he did not let her finish.
“I could not trust you with a more worthy man, Elizabeth.” He took her hand. “I know you will always be safe with him.”
Chapter Nineteen
Elizabeth ran out of the house, urgently craving not only fresh air, but some peace and quiet as well. She was about to become a married woman in five days. Her mother was shaking Longbourn to its foundations in the midst of wedding preparations. With the matter of Lydia’s elopement resolved and the youngest Bennet girl being safely married and settled in the far north, newly invigorated Mrs. Bennet concentrated all her attention and efforts on the wedding of her second daughter.
Elizabeth sincerely had enough of packing, her wedding gown’s alterations, the constant, endless talks about the menu and the seating arrangements at the reception.
Darcy had not yet returned from London, and she had not received any news from him since his letter where he had revealed the news about finding her youngest sister. She could not stop herself from wondering why he was not here yet. Surely something important detained him; she only hoped that it was nothing bad.
She took her usual shortcut across the fields to Oakham Mount. As she walked, she kept glancing down at the road, hoping to see Darcy’s carriage. When indeed she saw a familiar rider on a black horse, she could hardly believe her own eyes, thinking it was only her good wishing.
“William!” she exclaimed, jumping up and down, but the rider did not stop.
“William!” she shouted at the top of her lungs, waving her hands. “William!”
Finally he looked up, and seeing her, instantly reined his horse.
Elizabeth waved again, and sprinted down the gentle hill towards him. By the time she reached the road, he had dismounted, and held his arms wide open, waiting for her.
“William!” she cried one more time as she leaped straight into his embrace.
“That is a welcome I like.” he laughed, twirling her in the air.
She locked her hands around his neck. “What took you so long?”
He shifted her down onto her feet, his hands running possessively down her back.
“Have you missed me?” he asked, his deep voice resonating warmly, making her knees weak.
She nodded. “I have wondered why you were not coming back.”
“I was about to depart two days ago, when my aunt and uncle came to London, bringing Georgiana with them,” he explained. “I needed to postpone my departure and take care of them.”
“Will they come here?”
“Yes, tomorrow.” He bent his head, and their lips met.
“I am on my way to Oakham Mount,” she whispered with a soft sigh when the kiss ended. “Let us not return to Longbourn yet. Once my mother sees you, we will not even have a short moment alone till after the wedding breakfast.”
Darcy smiled and led her to his horse. He lifted her up, and the next moment he was in the saddle behind her.
They spoke almost nothing on the ride to their destination, apart from his enquiries whether she was comfortable and her assurances that she was indeed well seated. Darcy was silent as usual, as it was more in his character to speak little. Elizabeth had many concerns she wished to discuss with him, mainly the matter of Lydia and all things connected with it. However, she preferred to wait till they were on the solid ground, for now, enjoying the ride with him, his solid frame behind her back, his strong arm hooked around her middle.
Once atop Oakham Mount, as he dismounted and lifted her down from the horse, he did not release her from his embrace for a moment, allowing his horse to stride away to enjoy some fresh grass. He kissed her again, only this time, she felt more of his hunger. With an impatient hand, he untied the big bow beneath her chin and pulled the bonnet down, letting it fall to the ground.