“We agree. If you will have the clerk write up the contract we will sign it,” Darcy stated.
“As much as it is not done, I want a place for Elizabeth to sign as well,” William insisted as his eyes locked onto his fiancée’s.
If it was possible, Elizabeth felt her love for William grow. He truly wanted her as a partner in everything. Legally her signature was meaningless, but it symbolised so much for Elizabeth so she cared nothing about the legal insignificance.
Thanks to Zeus being led behind the coach when the Darcys arrived at Castlemere, William remained when his father departed.
With Brian Johns and Albert Smith—John Biggs had the day off—as escorts, the engaged couple set out for a walk along the shore of the lake. If they arrived at their special boulder, neither remarked on that fact. Each time they walked on the shore, they were inexorably pulled to that spot.
Chapter 38
Although she had received the ‘talk’ before her wedding tohim, Elizabeth was pleased to be included the night before their double wedding when Aunt Maddie came to speak to Jane. Elizabeth could have had her Mama give her the talk that evening, but as she was about to marry Mama’s son, it would have been too awkward for that subject to have been canvased between them.
As her aunt was speaking, Elizabeth looked at the engagement ring she had chosen glinting in the candlelight on her finger. It had a gold band with alternating small diamonds and emeralds leading to the two stones in the centre, a diamond and emerald set side by side. There were delicate roses engraved on the band between the stones, which given her middle name had drawn Elizabeth to this particular ring. Unlike the one fromhimwhich she had only worn inhiscompany, this one she never wanted to take off. It was from William, and she had been the one to choose it.
The wedding ring William would slip onto her finger on the morrow was part of a set of which the ring she was wearing belonged to. There were no stones on the wedding ring, but there were raised roses all the way around it. Elizabeth pulled her attention back to her aunt and away from the ring.
With both sisters marrying men they loved, what Aunt Maddie shared with them was centred around that fact, the giving and receiving of pleasure, never being afraid to tell whatthey enjoyed, or did not enjoy, and making sure they discovered the same about their husbands.
Once Aunt Maddie’s talk was complete, she remained with Elizabeth after Jane had departed to her own chambers.
“Lizzy, you heard what I told Jane about having relations with her husband even after she falls with child, did you not?” Madeline verified.
Elizabeth could have kissed Jane when she had raised that particular question as it was one she really wanted the answer to and did not feel comfortable asking it in front of Jane who was, after all, still a maiden.
“Yes, I did,” Elizabeth responded with only a slight blush. “If Janey had not asked it, I would have done so now once we were alone. Even after I have felt the quickening it is safe to be with William?”
It had been the one thing which had concerned Elizabeth. She wanted to banish any memory ofhimimportuning her and she had been praying it would not be only after she gave birth.
“It is quite safe. Your body will tell you when it becomes too uncomfortable to join with your husband,” Madeline informed her niece. “That should not be much time before you begin your lying in, but you never know, everyone is different.”
“I am marrying for the deepest love again,” Elizabeth mused. “Last time it was my love for Janey, this time it is because I adore William and love him so very ardently.”
“On another subject, did I see a letter from the Shetland Islands today?” Madeline enquired.
“The man in command of the watchers sent a report. Although she hates it, Mrs. Bennet is in her small cottage. Evidently, she complains to any who will listen about her wilful, disobliging daughter.” Elizabeth smiled. Unlike Mrs. Bennetwho it seemed thought about Elizabeth constantly, Elizabeth never spared the woman a thought if she was not reading one of the reports.
Thankfully, from that point on, the man in charge would only post a letter if there was something of significance to report.
“I am sure her whinging will not endear her to her neighbours,” Madeline stated.
“Your perspicacity does you proud. According to what I read; she is already being shunned by the locals.” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “Enough about that woman. I want to thank you and Uncle Edward for your love and support. I do not know if I would have been able to remain strong without knowing you would be there for me if I ever needed it.”
“We could not have done less,” Madeline replied as she wiped an errant tear which had begun to roll down her cheek. “Knowing how strong you are Lizzy; you would have been able to endure far more. I am well pleased that man was dispatched before he could ever put his dastardly plan to break you into action.”
“From this point forward, I choose to think of the past only as it gives me pleasure!” Elizabeth insisted.
“When the notices of Jane’s and your engagements appeared in the London papers, especially yours with royal sanction, there were many disappointed men and young ladies, and I am sure much gnashing of teeth. There were not a few who wanted to marry you for your wealth and ladies who fancied themselves the future Countess of Matlock.”
“Did I tell you that hopeful men kept calling at Hertfordshire House even after our departure? I could not be happier knowing the next time I am in London I will be ahappilymarried woman.”
“I think it is time for you to get some sleep,” Madeline opined
“I would not want to walk up the aisle to William looking haggard now would I?” Elizabeth nodded. She threw her arms around her aunt. “Thank you Aunt Maddie, for everything.”
The ceremony had been moved to the Lambton church. Since the decision to have a double wedding, and the expanded number of guests, the chapel did not have enough seating for all of those in the family and the Fitzwilliam connections who had accepted the invitations, let alone people from neighbouring estates, and the servants from the three family estates who would be present.
As soon as she had a clergyman in place for the Castlemere living, consulting with him, Elizabeth planned to enlarge the chapel to a full sized church. Her Uncle Adam had given her a list of names of estimable men seeking a living.
