The Resolute Suitor: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by Don Miller

  Jane went to Mary and hugged her. “I wish you had asked us. We were so absorbed in our closeness, we never considered you might like to be a part of it. I am so happy you have found your true self and let the world see it.”

  Elizabeth, who had arisen, came to Jane and Mary, and also hugged Mary. “Mary, you have shown yourself to be an amazing young woman these last months. I did not even guess just how wonderful that young woman was until you stopped hiding behind that mask you had created. I am glad it came out in time for Richard to meet you when he did. I think you are just what he needs. It almost seems as if God planned it so the two of you would wait to meet until you were both ready. Are you here because you are worried about tomorrow?”

  “Yes, and because I somehow knew the two of you would be together now and tonight I was not going to deny myself the chance to be a part of this sisterhood. We are marrying men who I know will be lifelong friends and I would very much like to be as close to the two of you as you are to each other.”

  Elizabeth stepped back from Mary and grabbed one of her hands. “I have no doubt we will be.” Jane then took her other hand. “I second that. Now, what is your concern about tomorrow? That is the very topic about which we were talking when you came in.”

  “Only that I am so innocent and lacking in social skills. You two have spent years interacting with people and learning what to say and do in various situations, and I have, until recently, been avoiding most of those situations. I am afraid I will embarrass Richard or you or his parents and that I will disappoint Richard tomorrow night. I know what Aunt Madeleine told us and I sought her out again to talk more about it, but hearing about it and doing it are two very different things, and I love Richard so much, I do not want to disappoint him.”

  “Mary,” said Elizabeth, “we are all innocents relative to male-female physical relationships, but our future husbands are not. They value we come to them as virgins and I can guarantee you that at this instant in time, they are worrying about being able to make our first experience in the marriage bed something we will cherish and look forward to for a lifetime with them. Remember what Aunt Madeleine said. On the first night, theirs is the greater responsibility if they want it to be a loving, healthy marriage. I am sure Richard is praying he will not fail you—that he will make it a wonderful experience for you. I am going to trust William and be willing to follow his lead and try to let my overwhelming love for him help me enjoy the experience. My advice is to repeat what aunt said. Try not to worry and be receptive.”

  The sisters had agreed to talk for only ten or fifteen more minutes because they needed to get up early, but it was over an hour later that Jane and Mary left. The bond that had always existed between Jane and Elizabeth had been extended to Mary earlier, but that night it had become even tighter. They all looked forward to the closeness they knew would exist between their families in the coming years.

  

  The triple wedding at Pemberley was an event which would be remembered for years in Derbyshire, especially by those who attended it. The history buffs of the region scrambled to look in whatever records they could find to see if there had ever been an instance among the upper classes of three sisters being married on the same day in the same place. There were more guests than had been anticipated, consequently Pemberley, the Lambton Inn, and Sir James Throckmorton’s manor house were all full, with a few of the single people having to share rooms. Pemberley’s large ballroom, surrounded by a balcony on three sides, managed to hold all of the guests invited to the wedding. Mrs. Gardiner, with Lady Matlock’s help, had done a magnificent job of decorating the house and ballroom. Her choice of draping material from Mr. Gardiner’s warehouse and her connection with florists in London gave her access to all that she wanted to make the ballroom look spectacular. Chairs and benches were brought in from all over the countryside by Darcy’s neighbors to ensure there was enough seating.

  As Darcy, Richard, and Bingley waited near the altar with their groomsmen, Lord Vollenbrook, Lord Gladney, and Mr. George Bingley beside them, they expectantly looked at the doorway to the ballroom, each eagerly awaiting their first glimpse of their wife-to-be entering the room. Each groom with his groomsman was standing on a different stair leading to the platform which had been built to hold the altar. They were standing in such a way that Darcy, who was actually on the platform, could see Richard and Bingley below him on the steps and their nervous anticipation of the entrance of their loved ones. He could not help but smile and wonder if he looked as nervously expectant as they did.

  As Darcy was thinking that, Georgiana started the wedding march, the doors opened and the two eldest Gardiner children came in, each with a basket of flower petals and spread them on the aisle as they came toward the altar. They were followed by Margaret Farnsworth, dressed in a beautiful yellow silk gown, who descended the steps, carrying a bouquet of flowers. Soon after her came the most beautiful sight Darcy had ever seen—Elizabeth on the arm of her Uncle Gardiner in a stunning yellow gown of the same material as Margaret’s but with a jeweled bodice and wearing Darcy’s mother’s wedding necklace and tiara. She was followed by Kitty in a striking blue silk gown matching the wedding dress of Jane, who followed behind Kitty on the arm of her Uncle Phillips. Finally, Lydia entered in an off-white silk gown to be followed by Mary in the similarly colored silk wedding gown Richard had brought from London. She was on the arm of her future father-in-law, Lord Matlock. Rarely, if ever, thought Darcy, had six such beautiful women walked down an aisle in a wedding.

  The wedding went smoothly, but at one point, as Darcy and Elizabeth were holding hands and looking intently at each other, the bishop asked Darcy if her would love, honor, and cherish Elizabeth, and he gave a very fervent ‘I will.’ The Bishop then asked Elizabeth if she would love, honor, and obey Darcy, and she also gave a very fervent ‘I will,’ but then raised her right eyebrow in a manner Darcy knew well when she was questioning what he had said. He struggled to hold back a burst of laughter. He knew she was telling him he should take that ‘obey’ with a grain of salt. “Oh, how I love this woman,” he thought. “I certainly know that life will be full of surprises.”

  As they were recessing, he leaned over and whispered, “I will get you for that, Mrs. Darcy.” To which she answered, with a smile, “I will look forward to it.”

  Because of the large number of guests and the desire of his tenants and the people of the Lambton region to celebrate the wedding, there were three wedding breakfasts and three balls held that day. Peers of the realm and other friends of the Fitzwilliams and Darcys, most of whom were staying at Pemberley, ate and danced at Pemberley. The Bingley family and friends, as well as some of the guests from Hertfordshire, were mostly housed at Hilltop Manor and a breakfast and ball were held there for them. There was also a breakfast at the Lambton Inn and a ball at the Lambton Assembly Hall for the tenants of Pemberley and local folks. Those from out of town who were staying at the Inn were provided transportation to and from one of the other two sites unless they stated a preference for celebrating in Lambton. During the wedding, Bingley’s and Jane’s things were moved from Pemberley to a room at Hilltop Manor that had been reserved for them, and they only made a brief appearance at the ball at Pemberley. Richard and Mary stayed mostly at Pemberley, but did go to Hilltop Manor for a brief period so Mary could meet with her friends from Hertfordshire and introduce Richard to them. Darcy and Elizabeth visited all three sites for the breakfast, but they opened the ball at Pemberley and stayed for an hour before going to the Lambton Assembly Hall, much to the delight of the locals. They spent over two hours there before returning to Pemberley for the final three hours of that ball.

  It was, all in all, a wedding the likes of which had never been seen in Derbyshire and, in fact, in very few counties of England. The weather had cooperated, the autumn colors had been magnificent, and the decorations, mostly coming from the imagination of Mrs. Gardiner, were hailed by all as being as fine as any had seen. All of the Group
of Seven approached her afterward and asked if she would be willing to help them if they had to plan a wedding for any of their children or grandchildren. All who had stayed at Pemberley were also impressed with the atmosphere to be found there. Despite the furor over the preparations and the number of people who had to be served, the staff was efficient and friendly and everything seemed to go smoothly. When they learned that much of it was because of Elizabeth’s involvement, they were very impressed and were convinced that Darcy’s choice of a wife could not have been better. Her acceptance in the ton, if ever in question, was assured.

  When an exhausted, but happy, Darcy and Elizabeth went to their suite that night, they agreed to change into their night clothes and meet in front of the fire in their private sitting room. Darcy arrived first, sitting on the floor on the bearskin rug, staring at the fireplace and wondering if he had the energy to make love to his new wife that night, but when he heard her door open and stood up to see her, he knew it would not be a problem. The sheer gown and matching robe she wore left nothing to the imagination and he could not help but stare at her, which made be blush very becomingly. “Lizzie, you are the most gorgeous creature I have ever seen.”

  She gave him a smile with sparkling eyes that made his heart melt. “My Aunt Madeleine gave me this gown and once I put it on, I was almost too embarrassed to wear it, but Leila assured me it was perfect, so here I am. “

  He walked over to her, took her hand, led her to the fireplace, and pulled her down on his lap in front of it. She put her arms around his neck and buried her head in this chest. She loved his smell and had never felt more happy and safe. He put his face in her hair, kissing it and smelling its beautiful lavender scent. “Mrs. Darcy, this will be our first full day of marriage and it is the day I am reborn. I do not think I ever really lived before this day.”

  He then pushed her forward so he could look in her eyes and see the love that was shining there. Slowly he leaned forward to kiss her, first gently and then more insistently. Her response was all he desired, as his hand slowly started to explore her body. Elizabeth had never felt so alive or so passionate and had desires she did not fully understand, but she knew this man she loved more than life itself would teach her. She was not wrong and it turned out to be a magical morning for both of them, the exhaustion that had been with them seeming to miraculously disappear.

  Epilogue

  One happy outcome precipitated by the triple wedding at Pemberley was that Lord Vollenbrook, who had known Margaret Farnsworth for years, finally realized she was the woman for him—a fact she had known for years. They were married the next year in London at St. James Church, their wedding being one of the highlights of the Season.

  To no one’s surprise but Kitty’s, the coming out of Georgiana and Kitty had been anticipated by many young men and their dance cards at their coming out ball were full. Both had several requests from men to call on them and over that Season, Darcy House entertained many men seeking Kitty and Georgiana’s favor. Kitty continued to find it hard to believe men of the ton would be interested in her and was continually astonished at how many young men wished to visit her. Happily, the young man she most hoped would be interested in her, was, and it did not take many weeks for the competition to realize her heart was already taken. Likewise, Georgiana rather quickly decided who her favorite was. By the end of the season, both had agreed to courtships that had been approved by Darcy and Mr. Gardiner.

  Over the months following the triple wedding, Matthew Dumont discovered he was correct—Kitty was indeed qualified to become the Baroness of Monttard. He began an official courtship of her in August and finally asked for her hand in marriage during a Christmas celebration at Pemberley that was a joint Christmas celebration for the Dumont, Darcy, and Fitzwilliam families. The Darcy and Fitzwilliam families had always celebrated Christmas together, but the Dumonts were invited to have their family celebration at Pemberley because the young man courting Georgiana was also a Dumont, Mark Dumont. As did his brother, he started his courtship in August, however, because he still had two years of Cambridge to complete before he could contemplate marriage, Mark and Georgiana, with their parents’ and guardians’ urging, had decided to stay in the courting stage until he finished. The closeness among these three families continued over the years and family celebrations, Christmases, and summer gatherings were usually held at Pemberley.

  Because they had so enjoyed the three sisters’ wedding at Pemberley, Kitty and Matt asked to have their wedding in May of 1812 at Pemberley and Darcy and Elizabeth were happy to accommodate them. After all, Kitty had essentially become a Darcy, since she had lived with them from the day her parents died. The event was much like the three sisters’ wedding, except there were not quite as many guests and only one couple was to be wed. Once again most of the Group of Seven were at the wedding and this time Capt. Sir John Witherspoon, the 36 year old son of Mr. and Lady Witherspoon, who were members of the Group of Seven, was there. Love was once again in the air, because he met and was enchanted by Matthew’s sister, the very charming Cynthia Dumont, who Sir John discovered was very knowledgeable of ships and often sailed. By the end of their sojourn at Pemberley, he asked to court her and was granted his wish. Their marriage occurred at year later at Dumont House. At the urging of Mr. Dumont, Sir John resigned his commission after Napoleon surrendered and joined the Dumont Shipping Line to be a merchant captain. He and Cynthia, with their children, sailed the world.

  When Mark graduated from Cambridge, he preferred not to enter the family shipping business, but to be a landowner and gentleman farmer like Darcy. His family bought him a very large estate not forty miles from Pemberley and after he and Georgiana were married in 1813, she got her dearest wish to live near Pemberley and her beloved brother and sister.

  The Bingleys, after two years leasing Netherfield Park, decided they were not suited to the life of estate owners. Bingley never did seem to take to estate management and decided to return to the business his father had started, much to the chagrin of his sister Caroline. He and Jane and their first child, a boy named William, moved to Scarborough, built a very large house and he took up management of the mills with the help of his uncle. Jane, who had always thought the simple country life was what she wanted, found she very much liked the society of the wealthier merchants in Scarborough and she and Bingley gave up all efforts to be a part of the ton. Consequently, even though they felt close to the Darcys, they saw them only occasionally and Jane did not remain a part of the close sisterhood that developed between Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, Georgiana, and Margaret Farnsworth.

  Perhaps strangest of all was what happened to Lydia. Living with her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner, she was asked by her aunt to help with some of the decorating projects which had come to demand much of her time. After what she had done at Pemberley, Mrs. Gardiner found herself in demand and decided to hire a full-time bookstore manager so she could spend most of her time as a decorator. She enlisted Lydia’s aid at one event and found Lydia had a natural talent for decorating and event planning. Lydia took to the work with an enthusiasm rarely shown in her younger life.

  Lydia had matured into an exceedingly beautiful young woman—rivalling her older sisters. She was sponsored by the Darcys in the ton and because of her dowry and her connections, she began to receive requests for visits by eligible young men. Showing how much she had matured under the guidance of her aunt, she was very careful and proper in her interactions with the young men she met and it took her two years after she was out to find the man for her. She and her aunt had been asked by a German Baron to help design the decorations for a ball to be held in the townhouse he had leased. The Baron was the representative of the German government to the English throne and this ball was the first he had thrown since he had been accepted into English high society circles. Lydia, who had shown some affinity for foreign languages, had been urged by her aunt to study one in depth and for no particular reason had chosen German. In the year or so that she had studied,
she had become quite fluent and it was her fluency in his native language that had, in part, convinced the Baron she and her aunt would be excellent consultants for decorating for the ball. As she was looking over the townhouse with her aunt and speculating on how best to decorate it, Lydia was noticed by the son of the Baron, who was in his late twenties and who was visiting his father and mother, taking time off from managing the family estate in Germany while his parents were in England. He was immediately attracted to her and was most pleased she could speak his language so well. Few in England could. Discovering she was an accepted member of the ton, he invited her to the ball and while she was there showed a decided preference for her. Much to his parents’ displeasure, he called on her and asked for a courtship, which she accepted. Eventually the Baron and Baroness grudgingly accepted their son’s choice, and by the time they married in 1816, they had come to love their new daughter-in-law very much. Thus it was that the once-upon-a-time silly Lydia eventually became a German Baroness and, because she lived most of her life in Germany, seldom saw her sisters.

  Lydia’s success turned out to be the end of Wickham. He had been living on the edge of society since his abortive kidnapping of Lydia. When he read in the paper of her pending marriage to the Baron’s son, he contacted the Baron’s household to try to blackmail them. He was met in a secluded area by a younger son of the Baron and told his story, most of which was untrue, and demanded money for his silence. With no remorse at all, the Baron’s son drew his dagger, killed Wickham, and had his men bury the body in a secluded area. When the Baron asked his son what Wickham had against Lydia, he was told him Wickham was obviously trying to spread falsehoods to get money and the situation had been handled. The Baron did not ask his son how and never knew. Neither the Baron nor the son ever told the Baron’s heir about the incident.