Her first inclination was to say she did not want her mother buried in the family crypt, but Anne knew that was both churlish and vindictive, something her late mother would have done. She was not her mother.
“Will you wait to hear from our aunt and uncle before we move her?” Anne queried.
Darcy turned to the apothecary-doctor. “Mr. Jones, will there have to be an inquest?”
“No, the death was not of a suspicious nature and if I am not mistaken there were many witnesses of unimpeachable character.” Jones saw nods from those in the room. “I will create a certificate of death later today and make my report to Sir William. He will accept my conclusions. Thereafter you are free to remove the corpse.”
Knowing they would be able to move his late aunt on the morrow, Darcy went to inform his cousin of the plans so he would tell his parents to make directly for Kent. They were sure Andrew would not attend as Cilla was due any day, which reminded them, it was only the Earl in London as his wife was at Hilldale waiting for her newest grandchild to arrive.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Much to Jane’s relief, Bingley arrived and was apprised of what had occurred. About two hours after Mr. Jones departed Longbourn, the certificate arrived signed by himself and the magistrate.
Plans were made to travel to Rosings Park after the wedding on the morrow. As they were in deep mourning—for at least a short while—the Darcys and Fitzwilliams would not attend the wedding breakfast.
Chapter 34
While the earthly remains of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, née Fitzwilliam were placed into her barouche, her favourite coach which she believed highlighted her highborn status, Darcy asked to meet with Bennet and Miss Elizabeth in the former’s study.
“We will confirm it with our uncle when we meet him at Rosings Park, but Giana and I will not mourn for longer than six weeks,” Darcy reported. “For most of that time, we will either be at Anne’s estate helping her learn to manage her birthright or in London. Our intention, as we stated yesterday, is to depart from the church as soon as the wedding ceremony is complete. I would like to know Bennet, if you will permit me to write to Miss Elizabeth through your offices. Any correspondence will be addressed to you so you will be able to make sure there is nothing objectionable before passing the missives onto your daughter.”
“I have no objection to your writing to one another in that fashion,” Bennet granted.
Knowing she would not see the Darcys, especially her suitor, during the deep mourning period did not lessen Elizabeth’s disappointment when it became a reality. She stared into the warm, crackling fire hoping neither man would see the maudlin thoughts reflected on her face.
“Tiffany and Giana have agreed to write to Jane, Mary, and me as well,” Elizabeth related.
“They want to get to know your younger sisters better too, but no one could have predicted our time in the neighbourhood being cut short in this fashion.” Darcy was already angry with his aunt for the words she had spewed about his Elizabeth, but now thanks to her untimely death, he would be separated from his dearest, loveliest Elizabeth for some weeks. “If we do not return prior to it, we will most definitely be at Miss Bennet’s and Bingley’s wedding. By then—if our uncle does not object—we will be out of deep mourning so we will be able to partake in the celebration after the wedding.”
It was then they heard the Bennet matron calling. It was time to make the walk to the church in the Longbourn village. Thankfully the coffin had been moved out of the house before the bride descended the stairs.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Those who had not seen Mary Bennet lately could not believe their eyes at the pretty picture she made as she was guided up the aisle on her father’s arm.
Mary was wearing a light burgundy gown which complimented her skin tone perfectly. In addition, she wore ivory elbow-length gloves and her hair had been arranged in a most attractive coiffure. She had even agreed to allow the maid to curl some of her normally straight hair. On her head, she wore a bonnet, also in ivory. The pins in her hair were pearl-tipped and matched her mother’s pearls which she had been given to wear on this most special of days.
During their engagement, Mary had not fallen in love. Much to her own surprise, she held her future husband in tender regard. It was nothing she had ever expected. When she told her sisters she was not romantic like them she had been sincere.
She smiled when she saw how excited William looked as he stood waiting for her next to Mr. Pierce—the same rector who had christened her and her sisters. Not having any male friends before he came to Hertfordshire, the groom had asked his future brother, Charles Bingley, to stand up with him. The latter had agreed in his typical affable manner.
Jane was standing up for Mary which facilitated the other engaged couple being able to lose themselves at times in one another’s eyes.
William Bennet had accepted he did not need to run back to his patroness right away even before the death of Lady Catherine. Due to this new understanding, some changes had been wrought to their plans for after the ceremony.
Much to Mary’s delight, they were to attend their wedding breakfast and enjoy a honeymoon. Mr. Darcy had offered them the use of a house he owned in Ramsgate. They would spend a fortnight there thanks to the curate agreeing to fill the parson’s duties for an additional length of time.
With a small prompt from Bingley, the groom met his bride at the head of the aisle. There, Bennet kissed his middle daughter on her cheek and placed her hand on William Bennet’s forearm.
As ceremonies of this kind tended to, it seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. The newlyweds, Jane, and Bingley all signed the register. Unlike most brides, Mary did not have to resign the name Bennet thanks to her husband reclaiming his ancestral name.
The Darcys, Fitzwilliams, and Anne de Bourgh waited with the family members, and soon-to-be family, who were wishing the newly married Bennets happy when they emerged from the registry.
When they walked out to the waiting Darcy travelling coach, everyone was relieved the barouche with the remains of the self-styled great lady had departed for Rosings Park directly after being placed within, so it was not waiting outside of the church as everyone emerged and made the short walk to the manor house.
Elizabeth hugged her two new friends and confirmed her commitment to correspond with them. She was followed by Jane who made the same promise. Anne de Bourgh was given their condolences once again and then she joined her two younger cousins in the cabin of the conveyance.
Richard took his leave of the Bennets and then he too boarded the coach to take a seat on the rear facing bench. Darcy wished the newlyweds happy again and then farewelled the rest of the Bennets except for Elizabeth.
