by AmyJ
The betrothed couple could not help but nervously take in their surroundings.
They looked at each other, and then, realizing their thoughts were the same - in four months, it would be them taking their vows - had to bite their lips to keep from keep laughing.
They turned their attention once again to the front of the church where an
impatient Mr. Collins was standing. "Not having second thoughts, are you?"
Darcy whispered.
"About our decision to marry, or the one regarding Mr. Collins?" She bit her lower lip to keep from laughing out loud. "In either case, no. There are no second thoughts."
Darcy smiled. "You truly called him the last man in the world? He is a bit pompous, and..."
"Fitzwilliam! Please!"
At that moment, the doors opened to admit Charlotte Lucas on Sir William Lucas' arm. As they passed Elizabeth and Darcy, Elizabeth sent an encouraging smile to her friend.
The ceremony itself took but twenty minutes; then Charlotte Collins left the church on the arm of her husband. Elizabeth could not help but be stricken at how a few words could determine her friend's fate. It had taken nothing more than a few prayers, a few phrases, and now Charlotte Lucas no longer existed; her entire being was now wrapped up in that fool of a man, Mr. Collins.
In comparison, her future was not so bleak. No, she was not marrying for love, but her existence would be tied to a kind, respectable man. A feeling of peace settled on her; she knew she had made the right decision. She looked over at Darcy and smiled. To say she was not at all nervous would be untruthful, but she did not fear for herself. Darcy was a good man and would always care for her. Things would turn out well; she only wished she could say the same for her friend.
After the ceremony, those gathered made their way to Lucas Lodge for the
wedding breakfast. Once again, Lady Lucas had seen that the rooms were
decorated with flowers and lace and ribbons. Elizabeth could not help but smile at the tasteful but somewhat superfluous décor.
While Elizabeth was busy admiring the rooms, Darcy took her reproofs of a
few days ago to heart, and much to her surprise, made a concerted effort to speak with most of the guests. Though she could tell he was out of his element, it pleased her to see him attempting to make a better impression on the
neighbourhood.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Bennet spent most of the time critiquing all she saw.
Throughout the celebration, Elizabeth and Darcy were accosted at regular
intervals by the matron, explaining how their wedding would be different, and more extravagant.
"Gretna Green begins to tempt me," Darcy murmured after one particular tirade from Mrs. Bennet.
Elizabeth pressed a gloved hand to her lips to keep from laughing. "You have only yourself to blame, sir."
"I fail to see how I can be blamed for your mother's attraction to lace and frippery."
"You were the one who gave my mother carte blanche over the wedding
preparations without consulting me."
"I was attempting to be conciliatory... I seem to recall someone critiquing my character for just that not long ago."
"Then I suggest you practice the timing of your execution."
Darcy pursed his lips tightly and stared ahead, but the rare dimple that appeared belied his amusement. "Very well. I shall bear it the best I can."
They spent the remainder of the celebration speaking with friends and
neighbours until the newly married couple were seen off, headed for Hunsford.
Then, after taking their leave, Darcy and Elizabeth headed towards Longbourn with Jane, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana in their wake.
Chapter Seventeen
After the Collins wedding, the Darcys remained in Hertfordshire another six days before departing to Pemberley for the Christmas season.
Georgiana, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Darcy were daily callers at Longbourn.
Mornings were spent indoors playing the pianoforte, playing cards, and other sundry of acceptable activities; afternoons, when the air had warmed, and if weather permitted, were spent in the gardens and the wooded paths of the area and making calls.
Darcy's ease with Elizabeth's family and neighbours grew, but it could not be said that he ever became comfortable around them. Despite his efforts, many were too much in awe of his person to permit such familiarity, and others, even Elizabeth had to admit, were not sensible conversationalists. Nonetheless,
Elizabeth appreciated the effort. The idea that he would make such an attempt for her sake made her blush.
Eventually the day came when the Darcy party departed to Pemberley.
Georgiana and Elizabeth exchanged a teary-eyed, but warm goodbye. The
parting between Elizabeth and Darcy was less emotional; a few whispered
phrases, a kiss on the hand, fervent promises to write, and assurances that they would meet again in February.
The carriage ride to Pemberley was quiet and more sombre than one would
have expected. Darcy and Georgiana were content to pass the time quietly with books and needlework, despite Colonel Fitzwilliam's efforts to engage them in conversation.
The reason for such a dreary attitude amongst the travellers was anybody's
guess. It could have been the cold air and grey skies, the tedium of the journey, or missing someone in particular. Whatever the reason, it made the trip seem longer.
When he finally arrived at Pemberley, Darcy was surprised at the loneliness it exuded. Pemberley was his sanctuary, the place he went when he wanted to
rejuvenate his spirits. It had always welcomed him with warmth and
familiarity. This time, however, he almost wished he had decided to spend
Christmas in London or... He shook his head and convinced himself he simply
needed to re-acclimate. After spending so much time surrounded by the Bennets, it was no wonder he the house seemed cold and quiet. It will not seem so empty when the Matlocks and Blakeslees arrive, he told himself.
After the Darcys departed, the Bennets turned all their attention to the coming holiday season. The house needed to be decorated, the guest rooms aired out, and the neglected chores addressed. Once the Gardiners arrived with their four children, there would be little time for anything but looking after the young ones.
Elizabeth was happy for the activity. So long as they were busy with holiday plans, wedding plans were put on hold. Not only that, it gave her little time to miss her recently departed friends. Over the last few weeks, she and Georgiana had become close; though Georgiana still experienced bouts of shyness, she
had in many ways become the sixth Bennet sister. Then there was Fitzwilliam.
In many ways, their relationship was the same as it had been before the late Mr.
Darcy's death; in other ways, it had changed.
Many of the changes were simply due to their own maturity. For starters,
through an unspoken agreement, they had given up their childhood nicknames
in favour of their Christian names. As amusing as she thought it might be to have others calling Darcy Fizzy, he would not be well pleased by it. Not only that, but she could hardly look upon him as her fiancé with the constant
reminder of the boy that pulled her braids and pushed her into the water.
Perhaps the second biggest change was, unlike when they were young, they
were careful not to cross any lines of propriety; there were no youthful pranks, no flashing of ankles, and no holding of hands without gloves. Despite their status of an engaged couple, the only intimacy they shared was a kiss on her gloved hand.
There was one other thing that caused Elizabeth consternation, Jane. Though her sister tried to appear the picture of serenity, Elizabeth could tell she was hurting. Bingley's defection had wounded her deeply, and the uncertainty of it all only made things worse. An outright rejection would have been
kinder, Elizabeth thou
ght angrily. At least Jane could then cut her losses. In her mind, what Bingley was doing was far more cruel; he had left her beloved
sister waiting and wondering; wondering what she had done wrong; wondering
if she had misunderstood them; wondering if he was returning or not.
The presence of the Darcys and Colonel Fitzwilliam had provided adequate
distraction, but now that they too had left, Elizabeth could see Jane's
depression deepening. As much as she wanted to help, she was at a loss over what could be done. Jane had always been rather closed about her feelings, and this was no different. Until Jane was ready to discuss the matter, Elizabeth could only wait and pray. Hopefully, Jane would confide in Aunt Gardiner, if she could not speak with her on the matter.
Christmas at Pemberley passed almost without notice. There were the expected signs of the holiday. The public rooms all boasted decorations of pine, holly, and red velvet ribbon; and in the drawing room, a small table held several
packages wrapped in gold and white paper and colourful ribbon. Those,
however, were the only signs the coming days held any significance.
Contrary to Darcy's expectations, the addition of the Matlocks did not alleviate the emptiness of the house. While Lord Langford's son provided some
amusement, he spent most of his time in the nursery, and the overall mood was content at best. The residents of Pemberley went from meal to meal talking and entertaining each other with any number of pastimes; billiards, recitals, and teas were plenty.
Christmas Eve was acknowledged by an exceptionally fine dinner, the reading of the Christmas story by Lord Matlock, and lighting of the Yule log. On
Christmas Day, there was a pleasant exchange of gifts, with each person
emitting the requisite oohs, aahs, and thank yous. In short, the holiday came and went with little fanfare.
Christmas at Longbourn was the antithesis of Pemberley. Perhaps the only
similarity was it too was decorated in pine and holly, with the scent of
cinnamon and clove permeating the air. The four Gardiner children provided an additional element of chaos to an already noisy house. During the waking
hours, sounds of laughter, squeals of excitement, and of course, the occasional disagreement filled all the rooms.
Longbourn was perhaps twice the size of the Gracechurch house, and as
children are wont to do, they embraced the openness with great gusto. The
rooms and gardens provided an abundance of new areas for adventure, hide
and seek, and tag. It was a merry time for all.
Christmas Eve was marked as it was every year. After a sumptuous feast, the Bennets, Gardiners, and Phillipses settled into the main drawing room with
coffee, biscuits and cakes. There, for a few short hours, the house was quiet while Mr. Bennet read the Christmas story.
Mr. Bennet was a gifted orator; that was known throughout the town. Elizabeth was told by others she had inherited the same gift, but had always thought
herself lacking compared to her father.
During the telling of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem, it suddenly
struck Elizabeth that it would be her last Christmas at Longbourn; next year she would be Mrs. Darcy and responsible for her own Christmas affair. The
idea was somewhat daunting. That she, Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn would
be responsible for the comforts and entertainment of peers of the realm.
She wondered what Christmas was like at Pemberley. Was it quiet like Longbourn was now? Or was it noisy and filled with merriment? She could not imagine Georgiana and Fitzwilliam being as boisterous as her sisters and
cousins, but hoped they expressed some joy in the season. She imagined gay
music recitals, card tables erupting in laughter, and bowls of punch. Oh, how grand it would be!
Pushing those thoughts aside, she looked around the room and smiled at the
warm picture. She soaked in every sound, sight, and smell; she wanted to
remember it all. They were not rich, nor the most prestigious of people, but they were comfortable, happy, and loved each other in their own way.
On Christmas day, an unexpected and large package was delivered. Elizabeth
blushed when the postman informed them the crate was for her. Intrigued, she stood nearby while her father opened it and handed her the envelope that lay on top.
Feeling the eyes of the room upon her, Elizabeth blushed even more deeply and took the note in hand.
Elizabeth,
I hope I have succeeded in surprising you. Enclosed are gifts for you
and your family to add to your holiday cheer.
The season at Pemberley is beautiful with the snow covering
everything. I must own to possessing the unpopular opinion of winter
being my favourite season. I have no doubt you will love it as well,
though it is a bit colder than Hertfordshire.
Georgiana would not forgive me if I did not send her greetings. I
believe she is already counting the days until we can return to
London.
God bless you and your family.
Your betrothed,
Fitzwilliam
Before Elizabeth could give much thought to the letter, she was interrupted by cries from little Samantha, "Lizzy, what is it?"
Elizabeth laughed at the excitement of the children. "It is from Fitzw... er, Mr.
Darcy. He sends his best wishes to everyone for a Happy Christmas."
"Open it! Open it!" Young Ian bounced impatiently around the crate, trying to peek at its contents.
As she was bid, Elizabeth pulled back the sack cloth that lined the wooden box and then handed each of the gold paper wrapped gifts to its intended recipient.
The young Gardiner children were permitted to open theirs first. Everyone watched as the children squealed in delight. Ian received a wooden boat
complete with crew; Jonathan a bow and arrow; and Samantha and Leah each
received a new doll with a porcelain face, real hair, and silk gowns.
While Kitty and Lydia opened their gifts, Elizabeth's attention was garnered by Ian. "Lizzy, will you tell Mr. Darcy that next Christmas I should like a bow and arrow. Jonathan said he will not share his," Ian said petulantly. Mrs. Gardiner quickly hushed her son, but not before the others shared in a laugh.
The gift opening continued. Mary was given some new pieces of sheet music in addition to a pair of white satin evening gloves; Kitty and Lydia were each given a plain reticule with an assortment of ribbons and beads with which to decorate them; and Jane was given a length of lovely lace.
Filled with every bit as much of excitement as her young cousins, Elizabeth opened her gift. Inside the ornate paper, she found a silver-handled mirror, with matching comb and brush. In addition, there was a set of silver hair combs
adorned with small painted porcelain flowers. She gasped. The expense of the gift, combined with the intimacy of it, left her at a loss for words.
She recollected herself only in time to hear her mother cry, "No jewellery? Are you certain you have not forgotten something, Lizzy? I am certain a man of Mr.
Darcy's status would have sent you jewellery."
Simultaneously with Jane, she admonished her mother. "These are quite lovely, Mother. I do not need jewellery." Mrs. Bennet let out a huff, but was soon distracted by opening her own gift. The matron's next cries were ones of
raptures over the Kashmir shawl and set of silver candlesticks she received.
"How thoughtful your Mr. Darcy is Lizzy! I must show this to Lady Lucas.
What fine material this is! Is he not a most wonderful man, Mr. Bennet?"
Elizabeth cringed and reddened at the same time. Her mother's referral to
Darcy as hers still made her uncomfortable, despite the age of their
engagement.
In the next moment
, everyone turned to Mr. Bennet. A bright smile graced his countenance as he gingerly ran his had over the covers of the first edition books he now held. The books were set aside for only a moment as he
examined the fine bottle of sherry that accompanied them. "I think I shall like your Mr. Darcy quite a bit, Lizzy," he said dryly. "He seems to have a keen understanding of my habits."
For the Phillipses and the Gardiners, there was a large box of chocolates and small keepsake boxes with glass inlays. Mr. Phillips was given an exquisite new pen made of tortoise shell, and Mr. Gardiner two first edition books
different from the ones Mr. Bennet received so they could share.
In addition to all of this, there were three large bags of candy for everyone to share, and two jars of Pemberley's apple butter.
"Your young man has made a most admirable attempt to ingratiate himself in the family. Were it not for these gifts, I might have been inclined to withdraw my permission," Mr. Bennet said dryly.
Mrs. Bennet cooed loudly, supporting her husband's claims. "He has indeed, as well he should. He has enough money for us all. Why I dare say these gifts
were a mere pittance to him."
Elizabeth attempted to quiet her mother and change the subject, but it was not to be. Mrs. Bennet was only beginning to realize her good fortune in having a daughter engaged to such a man and could not be quieted.
At Pemberley, the day after Christmas, the post arrived, delivering two small packages. Darcy was pleased to see the feminine writing on the accompanying note.
Fitzwilliam,
Glad tidings to you, Georgiana, and the rest of your family. I trust
your travels to Pemberley were uneventful, and everyone arrived in
good health.
Christmas at Longbourn will no doubt be chaotic, as it is every year;
though truthfully, I am looking forward to it. I adore my young
cousins and do not get to see them often enough. What is it about
children and Christmas? I do not think it would be the same without
them. They bring such joy and innocence to the season.
It is my hope these gifts arrive before Christmas, though I did not