“We are,” Jane and Elizabeth chorused.
It took a while for the expressions of approbation and congratulations to die down.
Charlotte sat next to her friend and took her hand with much pleasure. “Eliza, this is the best news. I see you did not want to wait until after I wed my Lawrence,” Charlotte teased.
“If I had my choice we would be married already,” Elizabeth stated seriously. “Marrying a man I love with my whole heart, a manIhave chosen with my free will and who I accept whole-heartedly, will eradicate the last vestiges of the memories ofhim. I cannot wait until my family name becomes Darcy. When this one is born,” Elizabeth touched her belly, “he or she will be a Darcy. That man will have failed in everything he tried to do by blackmailing me into marrying him. As part of his punishment in purgatory, I hope he is able to understand the depth of his failures.”
“He deserves no less than that,” Charlotte averred. She decided to change the subject to something more palatable. “I am well pleased you are still able to travel and will attend my wedding in Meryton. All of those who love you and your sisters will be gratified to see you again. Have you and your fiancé spoken of a wedding trip yet? And what of a settlement or were you waiting for your Uncle Frank to arrive?”
“With my increasing, we will remain here at Castlemere while Jane is on her honeymoon. Just being together alone will be the best sort of wedding trip for us,” Elizabeth related. “Our sisters will be at Pemberley with Anna. As to the other, William and I will sit and discuss things with Uncles Edward and Frank on the morrow.”
Charlotte remembered how Eliza had written to inform her she would be involved in all decisions which affected her. Hence, she made no comment.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
William and his father arrived at Castlemere at the appointed hour in the morning to meet with Elizabeth and her guardians. As the master of all Darcy holdings, Robert Darcy’s signature was needed on any document which could affect his holdings, like a marriage settlement.
Philips had contacted the local solicitor in Lambton who had agreed to allow his clerk to scribe the settlement once all parties were in agreement.
“Welcome Papa and William,” Elizabeth enthused as Timmons showed father and son into the study.
Darcy kissed his soon to be daughter on her cheek. As much as she and William wanted to kiss one another, they refrained with his father and her uncles in the room. Elizabeth sat between her uncles on one of the two facing settees in the study. William and his father were on the one opposite on the other side of a low table. The clerk was at the desk ready to make notes of the salient points agreed upon.
“Before we begin, I am adamant on one clause in the settlement,” William stated. “Anything which belongs to Elizabeth, will remain under her control after we wed.”
A document was passed by Darcy to Philips. “I noted the stipulation William enumerated as well as the amount William would like to settle on Elizabeth.”
Philips handed the document to Elizabeth who read it dispassionately. Once she finished reading it, she gave it to Uncle Edward.
“As much as I appreciate the gesture, I would not know what to do with the fifty thousand you are settling on me, especially as you demand my wealth and properties I own now remain with me,” Elizabeth stated gratefully. “Please do not mistake my reaction for ingratitude.” Elizabeth turned to Uncle Frank. “Please hand the summary document to Papa and William.”
Philips did as his niece requested.
Father and son put their heads together so they could both see what was listed on the document at the same time.At first the looks were ones of incredulity, as if someone was making sport of them. Seeing a nod from Philips confirming this was no jest, both men lost some of their colour.
Elizabeth’s income from her estates and investments, even after the sale of the ship building yards, was more than double the Darcys’ income. The massive amounts she had in the banks made the more than half a million pounds the Darcys had on hand look insignificant.
“I had no idea…” William managed before he faltered after he had absorbed the numbers on the page in front of him.
“Even had we not known your upstanding character, we were certain it was not Lizzy’s fortune which drew you to her,” Gardiner stated.
“You never mentioned just how wealthy you are,” Darcy exclaimed.
“You never asked Papa,” Elizabeth replied simply. “It was not a secret, but I never thought about it or found a reason to discuss the particulars.”
“As you are now aware of her wealth, here are some things Elizabeth intends for its use,” Philips read from a document he had picked up off the low table. “At least fifteen percent of the liquid wealth and annual income will be made available for charities. If Lizzy bears a son, he will be gifted a quarter of the wealth along with Falconwood and Hertfordshire House. If she bears a daughter, she will receive a dowry of two hundred thousand pounds and her first son will be given that which would have gone to a son. Falconwood and Hertfordshire House will be managed by Lizzy until her son or daughter is of age, and if a daughter is born, they would become the property of her son in the future.
“Any daughters begot from your union will be dowered with the same amount Lizzy gave to her sisters.” Philips could see from the looks the two Darcys were not aware of the amount, only that Lizzy had dowered them. “It is one hundred thousand pounds. If there is more than one son born, they will receive one of the remaining estates after Lizzy’s sisters are given one each.”
“We have three satellite estates too, if there are a bevy of sons, there should be enough estates to go around,” Darcy added.
“In addition, from the second son born of Lizzy and William’s union onward, in addition to an estate, they will receive a legacy of five and seventy thousand pounds,” Philips summed up.
“That is fair as the first son, if they are blessed with a son, will inherit Pemberley and all the Darcy holdings one day,” Darcy agreed.
“Then are we agreed that settling an amount on me would be superfluous? Also, as you are determined to leave what I own under my purview, with the income I have can we agree I will not need an allowance from Pemberley?” Elizabeth clarified. “One last item, as my wealth will be under my control, I will be free to transfer, if I choose to, any amount to be added to the Darcy holdings.”
Darcy and William looked at one another. William knew how stubborn Elizabeth could be if she was determined, as he could see she was now. He nodded to his father.
