“I will miss you every day you know,” Elizabeth stated as she changed the subject. “I know, I know, it is the way of things. We girls live in our childhood homes and one day, we marry and leave the home of our youth behind, and cleave unto our husbands.”
“After the wedding trip and some time at Hilldale for me to familiarise myself with the estate and my new home, we will be stopping in Meryton to collect Charlotte on our way to London,” Jane related. “There is no reason you cannot join us in Town.”
“You know Anne will be here with us from the end of November. I would not, could not, abandon her,” Elizabeth shook her head.
“How many times has Anne told you how she does not want you to change what you would normally do because of her health?” Jane asked her younger sister.
“That she has. Although I am no misanthrope, you know I like the intrigues of the Ton no more than Papa does. I enjoy the theatre and other such activities, and you know I love to dance, but I dislike being among those who will smile at you while they are stabbing you in the back.”
“Not everyone in polite society is like that, you know that Lizzy,” Jane disagreed.
“I suppose I do, but I am still not enamoured with the way many of those of the upper ten thousand behave.” Elizabeth paused as she looked at her sister. “To be with you and Andrew, I would brave the sharks of the Ton. As such, as long as Mama and Papa allow it, I will consider joining Charlotte and come to Town for the little season.”
“That is wonderful, Lizzy!” Jane hugged her sister. “Do not worry, we will not invite the Marquess of Hertford Heights to our house when you are in residence.”
“Jane, you well know we parted on good terms,” Elizabeth admonished, and then changed the subject. “I envy you spending your wedding trip in the Lake District.”
“In that case, when you come visit us next summer, I will suggest to Andrew we visit Lakeside Cottage for a fortnight so you may see the lakes too.”
Elizabeth threw her arms around her sister as she expressed her gratitude.
Both sisters were aware of the fact that come the morrow after Jane was married their relationship would would fundamentally change. They also knew that neither time nor distance would ever dim the sisterly love they shared.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The Wednesday morning of the wedding of Jane Bennet to Andrew Fitzwilliam promised to be a warm day if the temperature at half after nine in the morning was any indicator. The sun was already climbing in the sky, well above the horizon. The sun’s rays were mitigated by the fact it was a partly cloudy day. There was no threat of rain as the clouds were white, high up, and rather wispy. There was a light breeze moving the small branches and leaves of the verdant trees and the birds were serenading the bride with their sweet song.
Jane was ready, standing in the hallway which led tothe front door. She was in her pure white silk, empire waisted wedding gown which had a fine Belgium lace overlay. Given the season, there was no need for a pelisse for the walk from the house to the church in the Longbourn Village.
The sleeves ended just below her shoulders. Her bouquet, which Lizzy as her maid of honour was holding, was made up mainly of roses. Uncle Lewis had some of his famous rose blossoms delivered yester-afternoon.
The jewels she was wearing were an engagement gift from her Andrew. It was a set which had been in the Fitzwilliam family for many decades. The necklace was a triple strand of pearls, a matching bracelet with dual strands of pearls, which had some sapphires mixed in between, and earrings which each had three pearls hanging, each one a little lower than the previous one, ending with a sapphire hanging at the lowest point.
In her hair were some pearl and some sapphire tipped pins which held the transparent gossamer veil in place. Jane’s hair was swept up and placed atop her head with a few of the curls the maid had created hanging down her neck and the sides of her head.
As she stood and admired her eldest daughter, Fanny had to fight to keep her emotions in check. One of her girls would be leaving home in a few short hours. To distract herself, in her head, she went over the lists of things she had had to organise. The wedding breakfast would be a veritable feast, and she knew Cook and Hill had that well in hand. They did not have a ball room at Longbourn, and the purchase of Netherfield Park had just become official, but given the numbers of expected guests, she had chosen not to organise the festive meal there.
Thankfully, some years ago, Thomas had the first floor renovated and enlarged. Some of the principal rooms like the dining parlour, the large and small drawing rooms, the music room, and the largest parlour all had walls which could beopened, as they were now, to make one large contiguous room.
It took no time at all for Fanny to mentally tick off each item and realise there was nothing which had not been done. She told herself she now understood the apprehension her mother had when Hattie married, even though she only moved a few doors down from the Gardiner House. Sadly, by the time she married her Thomas her mother had not been alive for a few years.
‘This is not a day for maudlin thoughts!’ Fanny admonished herself silently as she watched Lizzy verify everything was as it should be with Jane’s gown.
The three youngest Bennets and Georgiana conveyed their congratulations to Jane. Next it was Fanny’s turn. She wanted nothing more than to hug and kiss her daughter, but she knew that would crease the gown and negate all of the maid’s careful work on Jane’s coiffure.
Instead Fanny took both of her daughter’s hands in her own. “Never has a more beautiful bride been seen.” She looked to her other daughters. “I will tell you the same on the day of your weddings.” Fanny shooed the four young girls out of the house, and then followed them. That left Bennet, Jane, and Elizabeth.
“Jane, I am sure you will be a very happy woman,” Bennet told his eldest daughter. “I have no doubt he will be a good husband to you.”
There was no missing the moisture in their father’s eyes, but neither of his daughters commented on that fact. “It is time, Papa,” Elizabeth prompted. She handed Jane her bouquet of roses.
Bennet nodded his head and offered Jane his arm. Elizabeth lifted the train of Jane’s gown with one hand while she held her nosegay of roses in her other.
There was no conversation as they made the short walk to the church in the village. When they arrived in the vestibule,the inner double doors leading into the nave of the church were closed. The four younger girls had already entered, and Fanny and Madeline were waiting for them. The latter was holding May’s hand. The second youngest Gardiner had turned four a few months previously and was the flower girl.
“I am so sorry Janey, but May is too nervous to perform her role today,” Madeline stated contritely.
“As I will not be the first, nor I dare say, the last bride to marry without a flower girl, there is no harm done.” Jane looked at her young cousin who was hiding her face in the folds of her mother’s gown. “May dear, I am not upset with you at all. At four it was very brave of you to even consider doing this today.”
