Elizabeth looked at her mother with curiosity. Mrs Bennet appeared torn.
“The match with Mr Darcy would be a highly agreeable one,” she said. “Lizzy would have fine clothes and carriages and jewels. Oh, and what pin money she would have! Lady Lucas would envy me with such a son-in-law. Poor Charlotte is so very plain she is unlikely ever to attract a husband. Why, the other day, she said…”
“My question, Mrs Bennet, if you please,” said Mr Bennet.
“Mr Darcy has much to recommend him, though he is so disagreeable,” said Mrs Bennet. She cast an agonised look at Mr Collins.
“Considering the service he has rendered our daughter, it seems a little ungrateful to consider him so,” said Mr Bennet.
“There is nothing disagreeable about Darcy,” said Elizabeth with spirit. “He is the finest man I have ever known. I love him and will hear no more talk of marrying anyone else.”
“Peace, Lizzy. I wish to know what your mother means,” said Mr Bennet.
Mrs Bennet cast an anxious look at Mr Collins, whose face was turning redder by the moment. He drew out a hanky and mopped the sweat from his brow.
“Mr Collins was good enough to inform me that Lady Catherine would not allow the marriage to go ahead and that Mr Darcy is already betrothed to Lady Catherine’s daughter. Lizzy must have a husband. It is better that she has a husband willing to marry her now rather than angle for a man Mr Collins assures me will not have her.”
“I would ask that Mr Collins not speak for me,” said a terse voice from behind them. Elizabeth turned to see Mr Darcy standing in the doorway. His expression was cold. Seeing Elizabeth, he came towards her at once.
Mr Collins gaped at him. “Sir, you cannot be serious about marrying this woman. You know your aunt will forbid it. The marriage would be the ruin of you.”
“I thank you not to speak for my family,” said Darcy. “And I will thank you not to attempt to steal my wife. It is shocking behaviour from a man of the cloth.”
Mrs Bennet and Elizabeth’s sisters all stared at him in astonishment.
“Your wife?” said Jane. “What do you mean, sir?”
“The thieves forced us to marry,” said Elizabeth. “No one can decide if the marriage is legal or not, but we plan to rectify that as soon as possible.”
Mrs Bennet stared between the couple while Mr Collins looked as though he might be ill.
“You are married?”
“As far as we are concerned, yes,” said Darcy firmly. “Elizabeth is my wife. Another ceremony will remove any doubt about the legality, but we are married.”
The room was stunned into silence. Darcy took Elizabeth’s hand in his, prompting a giggle from Lydia.
“Married to Mr Darcy! Oh lord, what a fine joke. I suppose you like him now, Lizzy?”
Elizabeth threw Darcy an apologetic look.
“My feelings for Mr Darcy have altered so entirely that they are now the opposite. I would sooner forget I ever harboured any dislike for him.” She smiled at him. “It seems extraordinary to me now that I was ever unaware of his excellent qualities.”
Jane came towards them, her hands outstretched. Her eyes were filled with tears.
“Then I am very happy for you both.”
Elizabeth embraced her then turned back to Darcy.
“I must confess, I am rather shocked at Mr Collins,” she said. “I thought he had more respect for you than to interfere in your affairs.”
Mr Collins wiped at his brow.
“It is not interference. Lady Catherine was most particular about my staying here and ensuring I marry Cousin Elizabeth.” His voice was plaintive, the news of Darcy’s marriage taking the wind out of his sails completely.
“Did she?” said Darcy. “Then she has been more foolish than I gave her credit for.”
“You cannot call her foolish, sir! I can only assume my cousin’s impertinence has cast a bad influence over you and caused you to forget what you owe your aunt. She does not wish to see you forced into a disgraceful alliance and ordered me to step into the breach to ensure you did not have to take such a step.”
“I can assure you, sir, no one in the world will prevent me from taking such a step apart from Elizabeth if she should decide she no longer wants me.”
“Which will never happen,” said Elizabeth firmly.
Darcy smiled down at her while Mr Collins looked sickened.
“You may tell my aunt, Mr Collins, that you were too late. We returned already married. In fact, I will write and tell her so myself as she may be more likely to pardon you under such circumstances. Now, if you will excuse me, there is much I wish to discuss with my father-in-law.”
Elizabeth was amused to see Darcy’s authoritarian tone rouse everyone at once. They shuffled from the room, casting glances over their shoulders. Darcy turned back to Elizabeth.
“I will find you soon,” he whispered.
Elizabeth smiled and followed her sisters from the room.
Chapter 45
Elizabeth smiled at her sister.
“You look beautiful, Jane. Are you happy?”
Jane brushed her gown and looked at Elizabeth with radiant eyes.
“More than I can say. Can you die from happiness?”
“I would advise against it,” said Elizabeth. “It would be a waste, would it not?”
Jane laughed and hugged her sister.
“Be careful,” cried Elizabeth in a perfect imitation of their mother. “You will ruin the gowns. They came from the best warehouse in London, you know. No expense was spared.”
Jane moved back and looked at Elizabeth, admiring the pale silk and lace of her wedding gown.
“I should think even Caroline Bingley will not find fault with your appearance today,” she said.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “We both know she will try her best, anyway. She will not wish to disappoint us on our wedding day.” She clasped Jane’s hand. “Are you sure you wish to have her for a sister?”
Jane smiled and rolled her eyes. “I am very sure I want her brother, so I suppose I have no choice. At least she has declared she will live with Louisa from now one. You are happier in your future sister. Miss Darcy is a dear girl.”
“She is. Though I would have married Darcy if he had a thousand Miss Bingleys in his household.”
The sisters stood with their arms around one another’s waists as they observed themselves in the mirror one last time.
“Don’t you make beautiful brides,” Mrs Bennet sang as she swept into the room. “I always said no one could compare to my girls on their wedding day. Well, let me look at you.’
Elizabeth and Jane exchanged smiles as their mother looked them over, tugging at their gowns here and there, muttering to herself as she did. She stood back with a smile.
“I must say, Lizzy, you look almost as well as Jane. Mr Darcy shall have no cause to regret you when he sees you side by side.”
Elizabeth tried not to laugh. “Thank you, Mama.”
The church was crowded with onlookers when they arrived. Elizabeth looked about in surprise.
“I did not expect so many to be here,” she muttered to her father. “It must be the entire town.”
“I believe it is,” Mr Bennet muttered. “They all want to see a double wedding, and they particularly want to see the bride and groom who rescued themselves from dangerous rogues and fell in love with one another in the process. Every young girl in town has been sighing over it.”
“Somehow, I doubt they understand the reality,” said Elizabeth. She smiled and waved but walked to the church so quickly, her father and Jane had to hurry to keep up with her. She barely noticed who was there and who wasn’t. There was only one face she cared about seeing at that moment…
And there he was. As if he sensed she was there, he turned to see her. His handsome face lit up at the sight of her.
“You look beautiful,” he said when she reached him. He took her hands in his and smiled. “Do you think this is an impro
vement over our previous wedding?”
Elizabeth looked about the pretty little church, the sunlight reflecting through its stained glass windows. She smiled.
“If I had to choose our weddings in order of preference, I should refer to our first one as my second favourite.”
Darcy laughed, causing the observers who craned their necks to see them to stare at one another and murmur in astonishment. Mr Darcy laughed? They had not thought him capable of it. Though they had to admit, since he returned to Hertfordshire with Elizabeth Bennet, he smiled and laughed a great deal.
“That is damning with faint praise,” he said. He pressed her hands gently. “I have a surprise for you.”
He nodded to the altar. Elizabeth had been so engrossed by her husband she had not spared a thought for the clergyman. She turned to smile at him, expecting to see the familiar face of the man who usually performed their church ceremonies.
Her eyes widened as she stared at the man at the altar in astonishment. He smiled at her, his kind eyes twinkling.
“Mr Graham,” said Elizabeth. “What are you doing here?”
“Your husband wrote and asked me if I would perform the honours. I could not say no.”
Elizabeth shook her head with a smile. “I cannot believe it. It is wonderful to see you again.” She dropped her voice. “I am so sorry we were not truthful with you when we stayed with you —“
John raised his hand to stop her. “There is no need for apologies. Mr Darcy explained everything to me. I should have done the same if I were in your situation.”
Elizabeth beamed at Darcy. “There is no one I would rather have to perform our ceremony. What of Martha and Daniel? Have you spoken to them?”
“I sent a man to them to explain what had happened to us and to invite them though I did not have much hope they would attend,” said Darcy. “I know they do not like to be far from their home. They declined though they sent their love and said how relieved they are to know we are safe. I sent Martha a replacement for the boots she gave you and I arranged for a supply of fuel and food to be sent to them every winter. I thought of sending them money, but I feared it might make them a target for thieves if anyone knew of it.” He smiled. “They said you will make a beautiful bride and they wish us every happiness.”
“I do not believe happiness will be in short supply,” said Elizabeth. She felt such joy she thought her heart might burst. “Jane, Mr Bingley, I am so sorry. Allow me to introduce you to Mr John Graham. He is a very dear friend of ours…”
Though Mrs Bennet’s tears flowed as she unburdened herself of her two most deserving daughters, for everyone else, it was a day of unbridled joy. John’s handsome face and cheerful manner proved him to be a popular addition to the party. Elizabeth and Darcy looked on in amusement as Kitty and Lydia hung about him with smiles. Even Mary seemed rather taken with the young man.
“He is a great improvement on the last clergyman who stayed in this house,” said Elizabeth.
“Without a doubt. Poor Mr Collins. I will need to ensure my aunt does not make his life too miserable.”
Lady Catherine had been as furious as Mr Collins anticipated. She wrote a letter so abusive of Elizabeth that Darcy declared all communication between them was at an end. Elizabeth hoped she could influence him to mend the relationship soon, but she was not about to allow Lady Catherine to ruin their day.
“If she is as you say, I think she shall not be too hard on him,” she said. “At least not for long. She needs his attention and adoration too much for that. Besides, I am sure Mr Collins gratifies her with many accounts of my failings and how much I pale in comparison to Anne de Bourgh.” She smiled mischievously.
Darcy laughed. “How well you understand her. It seems your study of character has not been wasted.”
“Oh, I have been known to be wrong occasionally.” She looked at him from under her eyelashes.
“Have you? I had no idea. I know nothing about you ever misjudging someone’s character. Just as I have no memory of ever having been eaten up with pride,” said Darcy.
“In such cases as this, a good memory is unpardonable,” said Elizabeth. She looked over at John again. “Should we rescue him?”
“In a little while. For now, I want you to myself.”
“We are leaving for Pemberley soon. You shall have me all to yourself then.”
Darcy smiled and, heedless for anyone else in the room, he wrapped his arms around her. “Every day and every night, with no one to tell us otherwise. For the rest of our lives.”
Elizabeth sighed and rested her head against his chest.
“Yes, I have to say, I think this wedding is my favourite.”
Follies and Vices Page 24