“Devon, did you send the announcement of our engagement to the papers?” Bennet enquired.
“I did, and it states that Becca is engaged, but does not give many details about you. That will preserve your anonymity for now, as well as ours in the local area,” Devon reported.
“When will you make for Derbyshire, and when should we join you?” Beth asked.
“We will depart within the sennight, and you and Thomas are welcome at any time,” Mrs Devon responded after a nod from her husband. She turned to her soon-to-be son, “For obvious reasons you will not be residing at Hardwick Hall with your betrothed in residence. I will arrange with my sister for you to be hosted at Snowhaven, as it is only about five miles distant.”
“I understand; I would not have expected anything less,” Bennet accepted. “If Mother agrees, we will follow you about a sennight after you depart Netherfield Park. Devon and Becca, if you would like to join me in the study, Phillips delivered the final draft of the settlement with all of the clauses we discussed.”
That Thomas wanted to include her when they looked over the settlement only reinforced for Becca that she had found the perfect man for herself.
So agreed, the engaged couple began to count the days until they married.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bennet missed Becca from the time she departed the area with her family until he and his mother alighted from the Bennet carriage at Hardwick Hall. They were met by the Cavendishes, which included their son and his wife.
The engaged couple’s first inclination was to fall into one another’s arms, but the six family members looking on, not to mention the footmen unloading the carriage of Beth’s trunks, killed the intention but not the longing to hold and kiss the other.
Lady Georgiana approached. “Welcome. Beth and Thomas. The Fitzwilliams are within, and they will escort you to Snowhaven later,” she greeted after Bennet kissed her cheek. Then she offered her arm to Beth. “Come, my friend, I want you to meet my sister. I know you two will get along famously.” The two matrons headed up the stone steps and into the house; everyone followed, except the Marquess, who placed his hand on Bennet’s arm.
“Imagine my surprise when I discovered Becca was to marry one of the few men I was unable to beat in chess at Cambridge. I trust you will allow your new brother a chance to redeem his honour,” the Marquess stated with a grin. “Unless you object, I will address you as Bennet, and with my father also named William, please use Hartington for me.”
“I have no opposition to those forms of address, and it will be my pleasure to beat you across the chess board…again,” Bennet replied.
Hartington led his brother-in-law to be to the lady waiting on the top step. “Bennet, this is my wife, Marie, Marie, our future brother, Thomas Bennet of Longbourn in Hertfordshire,” he introduced.
“It is good to meet you, Mr Bennet,” Lady Marie stated as she returned Bennet’s bow with a curtsy.
“Please call me Thomas, my Lady,” Bennet allowed.
“And I am Marie, no title needed,” the lady granted.
Bennet followed the Marquess and Marchioness to a drawing room. As soon as he entered, there was no missing who Mother Anna’s sister was. Had Bennet not known Becca’s mother for close to two months and had not recognised the dress she was wearing as the one she wore when they were met, he would not have been able to tell the sisters apart. He guessed theolder man was the sister’s husband, the Earl, and the two young boys their children.
His conjecture was proved correct when he and his mother were introduced to the four Fitzwilliams just before the two boys left to go play in the park.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After dinner, that evening, Bennet joined the Fitzwilliams in their coach for the short ride to their estate. He could not but grin when he thought of the private interlude he and Becca had enjoyed as they walked in the park and had been hidden from view thanks to the very wide trunk of an ancient oak tree. The hugs and kisses they had both desired when Bennet arrived were liberally bestowed during the brief privacy they had enjoyed.
He had been invited to call the Countess, Aunt Elaine, and the Earl, Uncle, or Matlock. Even though the two were much younger than himself, Bennet liked his new cousins, Andy and Rich, as they were called among the family, very well. The older one could not stop speaking about his new pony he had just been gifted, and the younger one had asked Bennet to play with him and his toy soldiers.
There had not been time to play chess, but the men would hold a tournament on the morrow once they were all at Hardwick Hall. Bennet knew Devonshire and his son enjoyed playing. He discovered that Matlock was just as keen. The latter had mentioned that one of the best players he knew, his brother-in-law Darcy, was away from Derbyshire with his family for an undetermined period of time. Becca had seen his questioning look, and when they could speak quietly, she explained that her Aunt Anne had suffered three or four miscarriages since the birth of her son.
Thanks to the lateness of the setting sun in July, when they arrived at Snowhaven, Bennet was able to see that themanor house had a castle at its centre, with new wings built on either side of it.
“The first Earl of Matlock was gifted the castle more than two hundred years past,” Lord Matlock explained. “Over the years there have been modifications. The newer wings you see were added in the last twenty years, while the original castle was preserved and strengthened. If you like getting lost in a maze, there is a rather large one behind the house.”
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
That night, when the Earl and Countess were in bed just before they fell asleep, Lady Elaine turned to her much loved spouse. “Thomas is Becca’s ideal match,” she opined.
“It would not have hurt if he were wealthier and higher in society,” Lord Matlock responded.
“Reggie, you can be a snob and Catherine-like at times,” Lady Elaine insisted. “They were destined to be together, and besides, you know that those things are not important to Anna and William. If they do not give weight to those superficial things, then what can it be to you?”
“You are correct, my Love,” Lord Matlock owned. “That is a proper setdown indeed to be told that I am ‘Catherine-like’, I will keep my pride of position under good regulation like our brother does. Once I do that, I am able to see how well Becca and Bennet will do together.”
