“Will I get my way this time?”
“What of my wedding ring?”
Darcy took a jewel box out of his pocket, and in it were two rings. “The emerald ring belonged to my mother, which my father chose for her because she had green eyes.” Lizzy had to hold back her tears as she looked at a beautiful, delicate, perfectly proportioned emerald set in a gold filigree setting that had once adorned the hand of Lady Anne Darcy. Beside it was a wedding band of woven gold to match the emerald setting that Darcy had commissioned weeks earlier. As he did on those occasions when he was anxious, concerned, or unsure of himself, he placed his hand upon his chin and went back and forth across it with his index finger as he waited for her answer.
“I agree to your plan,” Lizzy finally said. “Do you have anything else in your coat pockets?”
“As a matter of fact, I do,” and he took out a thin piece of paper and placed it in her hands. “That is another love letter. I suggest you read it in private and then burn it. I would not have given it to you if you were not to be my wife in such a short time.”
Lizzy blushed. If it was anything like the last one, it very might well self-ignite.
“I love you, Mr. Darcy.”
“And I love you, Elizabeth. But considering that we are to be married this week, don’t you think ‘Mr. Darcy’ is a little formal?”
“Then what shall I call you, Mr. Darcy?”
“Those who love me call me Will.”
“I love you, Will,” and she kissed him and then placed her head on his chest, and they remained in each other’s embrace until propriety moved them to join the others.
Chapter 56
Mrs. Bennet could hardly believe her good fortune in having two daughters so well married. It was true that Jane had made a fine match. But Lizzy! Oh, my! She was to be married to a man who had ten thousand a year and very likely more. What a wedding they would have. She would go with Lizzy to London to have her gown made by a modiste, who would address them in French. She was sure Mr. Darcy would order a new carriage, most likely white, whose interior would be lined with the finest pearl white satin. Mrs. Bennet was sure that dukes and earls would attend, and because of that, it would be best if the wedding breakfast was held at Netherfield. She was planning the menu when the lovers returned to the parlor.
Unwilling to let Mr. Darcy out of her sight, Mrs. Bennet insisted that he stay for supper, and Jane and Charles were welcome to stay as well. During the meal, it was her intention to learn every last detail about the upcoming wedding, and thus the inquisition began. Would they marry in the spring or summer? Summer, she suggested, since there was so much to do, and because there would be so many guests, it would be necessary to use the gardens at Netherfield, and for that, they needed fine weather. Mr. Bennet finally interrupted his wife and asked that she allow Lizzy and Mr. Darcy to speak before making any additional decisions on their behalf.
“Mama, Mr. Darcy and I have decided to marry in the village church later in the week,” Lizzy responded, ignoring her mother’s open mouth and stare. “Of course, we will need to consult the vicar, but we were thinking possibly Friday. The ceremony will be followed by a reception here, after which time, Mr. Darcy and I shall leave for Pemberley.”
“Oh, Lizzy!” a disappointed Mrs. Bennet exclaimed. “Even Jane had more than what you are proposing.”
Bingley, who was already immune to insults from his mother-in-law, laughed to himself at Mrs. Bennet’s suggestion that a Darcy wedding must be bigger and better than a Bingley wedding. Money was good; money and a pedigree were even better.
Lizzy looked to Mr. Darcy, who then explained his plan, and after Mrs. Bennet realized that she would be a guest at Pemberley and that her friends and neighbors would be invited to the manor house of which her daughter was now mistress, she set aside all objections and gave her approval. Before going into supper, Jane pulled her sister aside and suggested that she wear her wedding dress.
“Lizzy, the gown is so beautiful. With a few alterations by Mrs. Lyle, the gown will look as if it was made for you. I would be honored if you would wear it.”
Lizzy did not see any reason why she should not. The two sisters had been wearing each other’s frocks since they were children, and Lizzy readily agreed.
Now that everyone knew that Lizzy and the gentleman from Derbyshire were engaged, as anticipated, Mr. Darcy became the focus of their attention. Although he escaped further inquiries with his departure, Lizzy was peppered with questions from her mother and sisters until she begged to be excused so that she might retire. She had a letter to read.
Dearest Elizabeth,
You told me that I should have been ashamed of myself for writing you such a torrid love letter. Well, shame on you for reading another one. Although I think that bodes well for me. I will see you in my dreams and for tea tomorrow. I love you.
Will
Lizzy felt as if her face was on fire as she was blushing from head to toe. After complaining of the contents of his first letter, she had rushed upstairs to read the second, and he had anticipated it. Well, he would never know she had read it as she would never own to it. Although she had committed the first letter to memory, she retrieved it from the chest under the bed, and after reading it twice more, she placed it under her pillow, hoping that she would dream of Mr. Darcy.
As soon as Lizzy saw Mr. Bingley’s carriage coming down the drive, she went out to meet Jane because she would have the bridal dress with her. After placing it in Betsy’s capable hands, the two sisters followed their maid upstairs to their bedroom.
“Where are Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley?” Lizzy asked.
“With every member of the family and Mr. Darcy at Netherfield, George Bingley called a business meeting this morning. I swear that man is all work and no play. But after the meeting, everyone will go home, and to that I say, ‘Amen!’” Jane let out a puff of air to show her relief at their departure.
“Did something happen?” Lizzy asked.
“I found an acorn in my coffee cup this morning, and when I looked at Athena, she had a look of victory written all over her face. But enough about the Bingleys and Crenshaws. You are to marry on Friday. What happened to your courtship? How did all of this come about?”
“It was because of what happened in London that I shall have no courtship. Mr. Darcy went there for the purpose of talking to his solicitor about the marriage contract, but while dining at his club, he said that he felt as if everyone was staring at him. Finally, his good friend, Andrew Baring, the banker’s son, came over and said, ‘Sorry, Darcy. Better luck next time,’ explaining that he had heard from Sir John that morning that Miss Montford was to marry Jasper Wiggins.”
“My goodness! That was fast!”
“Indeed! While Mr. Darcy was doing everything he could to ensure that Miss Montford might be spared any embarrassment, her father was making arrangements for her to become engaged to Mr. Wiggins. It seems that Mr. Wiggins Sr. is very rich and very ill, and when he dies, Jasper will get it all. With so much money at stake, Sir John thought he needed to move quickly. Once Mr. Darcy heard about the engagement, he thought, if she is not waiting, then I am not waiting. After purchasing a special license, he rushed back here to ask me to agree to move up the wedding date and to speak to Papa.”
“Well, this cannot come as a total surprise to you. You have often said that Mr. Darcy is a man who likes to have his way.”
“Yes, he does. But this time, I am in complete agreement,” and Lizzy smiled at the memory of Mr. Darcy’s proposal. “You would think that with the wedding on Friday that I would be in a tizzy—running around like a chicken with its head cut off. But there is little for me to do. You have provided the dress. Mama is to arrange for the food. News of the wedding is being relayed in town and on the farms by John and Adam. I have written to Aunt and Uncle Gardiner and Charlotte, although I doubt she will be able to come on such short notice. All that is left for me to do is to pack up everything I will be taking to Pemberley. So here I sit, waiting for Mrs. Lyle,” she said, folding her hands and twiddling her thumbs.