The Resolute Suitor: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by Don Miller

  She laughed. “You know the likelihood of both of those occurrences is very small. I will certainly not meet another man before my coming out and I can assure you that you will not be forgotten. In any case, I enjoy dancing with you so much, I will always be willing to dance with you, if you ask, whatever our situations are.”

  In another part of the ballroom Richard was dancing a waltz with Mary. Holding her as closely as he was gave him feelings he had never experienced with a woman before. “You know, Mary, dancing with you like this makes me wish the upcoming wedding was ours also.”

  “I know how you feel Richard, but I fear society would not approve of such a step so soon after my full mourning and we have already decided with your mother it will be in three or four weeks. I must admit I have thought it was too bad we did not meet each other earlier, but then, maybe you would not have liked me as much.”

  “Yes. Our society has some ridiculous rules. Of course, these are only society’s rules; they are not laws of the land. It is not illegal to wed right after your full mourning period, just not socially acceptable. Why do not we just ignore society’s rules and marry with your sisters?”

  Mary laughed. “First of all, my Uncle Gardiner would probably not allow it. Second of all, to marry, we need to have the banns read and obtain a license. And thirdly, I doubt very much if Elizabeth and Jane would like to have to make changes to the wedding at this late date. But it makes me happy you are as anxious to be married as I am.”

  “I have a confession to make. I know you will think I am crazy and presumptuous, but I have been thinking of little else since we had our walk in the park, so….” He patted his pocket. “I have in my pocket a special license I talked the bishop into giving me which will allow us to marry when we wish. He has quite a sense of humor and he thought it would be a quite a surprise if he could officiate at our wedding at the same time as your sisters’.”

  Mary stopped and looked at him, her surprise at what he just said clearly visible on her face. “You cannot be serious.” She stared at him. “You are serious! Richard, your mother and Jane and Elizabeth will never agree. Besides, it would show disrespect to my parents.”

  “Would it? Darcy is of the opinion your father was often ridiculing societal rules and it seems to me your mother would be ecstatic. You will be, after all, marrying a knight of the realm and the second son of an Earl.”

  “You have really thought this out, have not you, Richard? I had no idea how anxious you were to be married, and I am flattered, but there is one thing I doubt even you can arrange. I would have to have an appropriate wedding dress, which I can assure I do not have and I do not believe it is possible for us to come up with a wedding dress in three days.”

  He gave her a big grin. Her eyes got big and she clapped her hand over her mouth. “Do not tell me you have somehow gotten me a wedding dress.”

  He nodded. “I let Alicia in on my plans, which she was at first reluctant to support, but in the end she and Rutherford thought would be a fun surprise. Therefore, we snuck behind your uncle’s back and went to Mrs. Sheffield at his warehouse, who we knew had made several gowns for you. We told her what we wanted to do; she and Alicia chose a material they thought you would like; and Mrs. Sheffield selected a design she thought you would like, and made it over a week ago. I brought it in the carriage with me, telling my parents it was a present for Elizabeth and Darcy. It is, of course, hidden in my dressing room. Any adjustments to it can be made by Mrs. MacGregor, the seamstress here at Pemberley, who Georgiana says is excellent at what she does.”

  Mary was too astonished to speak. Finally she said, “I cannot believe you did all of this without asking me.”

  “I have asked you, Mary. The only real expense was the wedding dress, but Mrs. Sheffield assured me you would like it and be willing to wear it whenever we were married. Apparently you talked to her about what you would like in a wedding dress when Lizzie and Jane were at the warehouse looking over material for their dresses. If you decide you do not want to do it now, I will accept it without question. I just wanted to show you how much I love you and how anxious I am to marry to you. If it is to be later, then that is when it will be.”

  As they were talking, Matt walked over to them. “Hey, you two. The Rutherfords asked if we could practice the cotillion again. Are you going to try it with us?”

  Before Richard could answer, Mary said, “Yes we will.” As Matt turned and walked away, she said to Richard, “Come, Let us dance. I need time to think about this. I will give you an answer after this dance.”

  Twenty minutes later, when the dance was over, without saying anything, Mary put her arm through Richard’s and led him over to the piano, where Mr. Gardiner was talking to Mrs. Gardiner. “Uncle Edward, Aunt Madeleine, could we talk to you privately?”

  “Does it have to be done right now? I am sure the others want to dance more.”

  “Georgiana or Cynthia can play for a while. We truly would like to talk with you now.”

  Five minutes later the four of them were sitting in a corner of the vast library. “What is so important you need to talk to us immediately?” asked Mr. Gardiner. “You have us concerned.”

  Mary looked at Richard, who spoke. “I love your niece very much, Mr. Gardiner—more than I thought possible and you cannot imagine how much I look forward to being married to her. You know she accepted my proposal after her full mourning period was over and I know I will find the waiting until we can be married interminable. My mother would like us to marry in London so that she and her friends can make it a grand event. Therefore we have talked with her about the end of October. However, it occurred to me Mary might very much like to be married alongside her sisters. We would like permission to marry at the wedding in four days.”

  Both of the Gardiners looked at him in astonishment. “You cannot be serious,” said Mrs. Gardiner. “You do not just decide to marry and then miraculously make it happen in four days. Societal considerations aside, it just cannot be done.”

  “I said basically the same thing to him, but I found out I was wrong. Tell them, Richard.”

  Richard then told them all of the preparations he had made so they could be married, including giving his argument why Mr. and Mrs. Bennet would approve. Again, the Gardiners were amazed. “Let me understand this. The bishop gave you the license and agreed to marry you, and you, Richard, and your sister secretly had a dress made for Mary, using my seamstress.”

  Looking somewhat embarrassed, Richard nodded.

  Mr. Gardiner looked at his wife, and suddenly both of them burst out laughing. “I must admit, this is a situation I could never have imagined. I can see you are a decisive man, Richard, and that you carry out your plans with military precision. This is remarkable. What do you think, Madeleine, should we allow it if Lady Matlock and those being married agree? I do think Franny would not object, but I am not sure about Bennet.”

  “I think they were so sure Mary might never find a husband, they would agree to almost anything. Therefore, I will agree if the other two couples agree, we should let them marry. Now, I think I should get back to playing the piano for the dancers. Edward, why do not you take these two lovebirds with you to find Elizabeth and see what she thinks?”

  They found Elizabeth with Lady Matlock and Mrs. Reynolds in the mistress’ study discussing, appropriately, how to set up the ballroom for the ceremony. As they walked in, Elizabeth greeted them and asked why they were there.

  “I have had a very unusual request from Richard and Mary and I wanted to ask your advice about it.”

  Mrs. Reynolds, feeling this did not concern her, excused herself and said she would return after she had ensured all was prepared for the noon meal. Lady Matlock asked if she should leave, to which Richard answered, “No mother, this does concern you, so you may stay.”

  After Mrs. Reynolds had gone, Mr. Gardiner said, “Lizzie, I know you are very happy to be sharing your wedding with your sister, Jane. What would you think about sharing it
with Mary also?”

  Elizabeth at first looked somewhat astonished and then amused, while Lady Matlock was clearly shocked. “What do you mean, share it with Mary? We are planning your wedding for the end of the month,” said Lady Matlock.

  “I know, but Mary would love to be married alongside her sisters.” He then went on to tell them all that Richard had done to make it possible for him and Mary to wed in four days.

  Clearly, Lady Matlock was slightly upset, but Elizabeth laughed and clapped her hands. “Richard, I should have known. When you decide on something, like a good tactician, you do it. I, for one, would be happy to have you marry with us. I think Mama and Papa, but particularly Mama, would definitely approve.”

  Elizabeth rang for the maid and when she appeared, Elizabeth sent her in search of Darcy and Jane and Bingley and asked her to tell them they were wanted in the mistress’ study. After the maid had gone, Lady Matlock finally expressed her opinion. “I cannot say I am sure that this is at all proper. I do not think I would have approved such a thing for Alicia or Georgiana. But I suppose I will not object. I know how long you have looked, Richard, and I suppose I can understand Mary would like to be married alongside her sisters. Will we mention this before the actual wedding occurs?”

  As they were discussing it, Jane entered to room. “What is it you wanted to see me about?”

  Elizabeth told her and she seemed to have no hesitation. She went over to Mary, hugged her, and then, much to Elizabeth’s surprise, also hugged Richard. “I think that is wonderful and of course I approve. Who could imagine three sisters marrying in the same ceremony? I wonder if that has ever happened in genteel society.”

  Darcy and Bingley arrived shortly after Jane and hearing the reason they were summoned, both were as pleased as Jane about it and congratulated both of Richard and Mary. When asked, Darcy expressed the opinion they should keep it a secret until the wedding. He thought it would be interesting to surprise everyone at the ceremony by adding another couple. He looked forward to seeing the reaction of those in attendance.

  It had been planned Mary would be Jane’s maid of honor and Margaret Farnsworth would be Elizabeth’s. Now Jane needed someone to replace Mary, and Jane naturally chose Kitty. Mary after some deliberation chose Lydia as her maid of honor. They would have to tell Kitty and Lydia immediately about the change, because Kitty would have to wear the dress made for Mary which matched Jane’s dress and they would have find a gown for Lydia which would somewhat match Mary’s gown. Now all of the sisters would be involved in the wedding, including Georgiana, who would be playing the piano for the processional and recessional.

  From there, all of the women went with Richard to retrieve the gown he had purchased for Mary and then to Elizabeth’s dressing room, where Mary tried it on and Mrs. MacGregor announced very little alteration was needed—it fit almost perfectly. Mary was ecstatic about the dress. She said it was just what she had dreamed about and that Mrs. Sheffield and Alicia had done an amazing job providing her with what all of the ladies agreed was a gown fit to go with those being worn by Elizabeth and Jane.

  Thus, over the next three days the additional necessary arrangements were made for the simultaneous marriages of three Bennet sisters, an event that all wished that Mr. and Mrs. Bennet could have been there to see.

  Chapter 30: The Wedding

  The night before the wedding, after Darcy had prepared for bed, he sat in the big leather chair in his room and thought over the events of the past year. “Has it only been a year? It has seemed like a lifetime. I went to Netherfield in low spirits, worrying about Georgie and thinking there was no woman in England I would be willing to marry, and suddenly there was Elizabeth.” He chuckled to himself. “Not handsome enough to tempt me, indeed. I wonder if I had looked at her carefully and asked her to dance that night, if we would be married now and already starting a family. But still, how is it that two such supposedly intelligent and perceptive people as we are could not recognize each other’s feelings—she thought I did not like her and I thought she wished for my attention. I truly believe we were meant for each other—that we were fated to be together. Maybe it was a test to show us that we were made for each other.”

  He stood, snuffed out the candle, and crawled into bed. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, thinking about the wedding and the wedding night. He had dreamed about Elizabeth walking the halls of Pemberley and being his wife for so long it was hard to believe tomorrow it would actually happen. “I now know how it will feel to have her with me all of the time, but I wonder how it will feel to actually make love to a woman—not to just have sex. Whenever I had sex in the past it was just to satisfy a physical desire and while the pleasure was real, there was no true fulfillment. When it was over, I just felt empty. But tomorrow night, it will be so different. I know it will. I know she loves me and she has desires just as I do—I can feel when we embrace and kiss she wants more, but just does not know what it is. In a sense, I feel almost as innocent as she is. I pray I can show her how wonderful it will be to sleep together and make love often.”

  In a bedroom on the other side of the sitting room of the master suite, in the mistress’ suite, Elizabeth was sitting in front of her mirror, looking at herself as Leila brushed her hair, having somewhat the same thoughts as Darcy. It was not all that long ago she was sitting alone in her bedroom looking in the mirror and wondering if there was a man in the world who could love and respect her and whom she could love and respect. “Just think. I could have lost him. He was right in front of me for so long and I almost let my pride and prejudice cost me the best man I have ever known. How could I have been so unperceptive and stupid? I am still amazed that after my awful refusal, he persisted in his attentions to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you, William, for being so resolute. I will try to show you the rest of my life how much I love you.”

  As she was having her reverie, there was a knock on her bedroom door and Jane stuck her head in the door. “May I come in?”

  Elizabeth looked at her in the mirror and smiled, “Of course, there is no other person I would rather see at this particular moment. Leila, that is enough. We must get an early start. You may retire.”

  Leila curtsied to Elizabeth and Jane and left. “I was sitting in my room with the maid brushing my hair and I wondered if you were doing the same,” said Jane. “It reminded me of how we used to brush each other’s hair almost every night and talk and I became nostalgic. This might be the last chance we will have to do it. Would you mind if I brushed your hair for a while and then you brushed mine?”

  Elizabeth got up and hugged Jane. “I would love it and I was thinking of coming to talk with you about tomorrow, so I am glad you came.” She handed Jane the hairbrush, sat down in front of the mirror again, and Jane start brushing her hair.

  “Your hair is so beautiful, Lizzie. Charles has told me how much Darcy loves your hair and to run his hands through it. It goes so perfectly with your face and personality.”

  “Yes, I am glad I have it, but I can remember when you wished you had my hair and I wished I had yours. You wanted my curls and I wanted your straight hair that was so easy to coif and never seemed to get all tangled up like mine. However, God knew what was right for us. Yours goes so well with your face and figure and personality and I know your hair is one of the things Bingley so loves about you.”

  Jane smiled and nodded, but said nothing for a few minutes. Finally she said, “Lizzie, are you apprehensive about the wedding or the wedding night?”

  Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. “I was at first, but I am not now. I certainly am not worried about the wedding or the breakfast or the ball, but I was concerned about the wedding night. Despite all of the assurance and advice and information we received from Aunt Madeleine about having relations with our husbands, I have sometimes wondered if I will be what he expects or hopes for. But then, I remember the times we have embraced and kissed and how natural it felt. I felt, if we had been married and had let the embrace
s and kisses continue to the final act, it would have been wonderful. When I think of those times, I can hardly wait until tomorrow night to become truly one with William.”

  Again Jane was silent for a time. “I envy you, Lizzie. You seem to adapt to things so easily. I am worried about everything—walking down the aisle with all those high society people there, talking with them at the breakfast and the ball and then having husband-wife relations with Charles. I think you and Darcy have probably been more demonstrative with one another than Charles and I have been, so I do not have quite the confidence you have, although I do look forward to being intimate with Charles. I am glad we had the talk with Aunt Madeleine. She certainly seems to think it is a wonderful experience. It is clear she and Uncle Edward have a very good marriage in all respects.”

  Before Elizabeth could answer there was another knock on the door, and Jane and Elizabeth looked at each other and almost in unison said, “Mary.”

  Sure enough, the door was opened and Mary stuck her head in. “May I come in?”

  With a small laugh from both Elizabeth and Jane, Elizabeth said, “Of course. Come in and join the bride’s convention.”

  “What is so funny? At what are you laughing?”

  “When you knocked,” answered Jane, “Lizzie and I both said ‘Mary’ at exactly the same time. We are sisters after all and like minds think alike.”

  Mary smiled. “I am glad you think I am of ‘like mind.’ I always used to envy the closeness you two had. I would sometimes see you brushing each other’s hair and talking and I always wished I could be with you exchanging sisterly secrets and having my hair brushed. But I was too unsure of myself. You two always seemed to be so confident and sure of yourselves and I felt you would not really want me, so I never asked. I hid my disappointment behind that ridiculous image I created for myself of being very righteous and sure that I knew what was right.”