The Falconwood steward had forwarded her the information on three possible men for that estate’s living. She intended to discuss the men with William in a few days.
Madeline fought to keep her emotions in check as she kissed Lizzy on both cheeks and her forehead. “Sleep well Lizzy dear.”
With her aunt’s departure from the master sitting room, Elizabeth made her way into the bedchamber where Loretta was waiting to prepare her for bed. She was determined it would be the last night she would sleep alone in her bed.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
William woke the morning of his wedding far earlier than he had planned. With the excitement he felt at marrying the love of his life in a few hours, he was more surprised he had been able to sleep at all rather than at his waking early.
He still felt some embarrassment at the conversation he had with Father yester-night. Unlike Elizabeth, William was an innocent. He understood the irony at the role reversal of the sexes. It was the man who would usually come to a marriage having experienced the pleasures of the flesh while the lady would be the innocent.
From conversations they had on the subject, Elizabeth had made it clear she had never experienced pleasure from the couplings she had been forced to endure. She had told him that although she was no longer a maiden, there would be many firsts for them both. One of the many important firsts they would share was her welcoming him to her bed willingly. Before she had no choice, now it was completely her decision and she chose him.
Who was and was not an innocent was immaterial. All that mattered was the love they shared.
Once he was dressed in a shirt, breaches, and riding boots, William made his way down to the small breakfast parlour where he knew there would be coffee, warm rolls, and muffins on hand.
Surprisingly, he was not the first one to reach the parlour. Andrew, Richard, and Lawrence were all sitting and sipping steaming mugs of coffee.
“Did I not tell you William would be along within minutes?” Richard drawled.
Andrew and Lawrence nodded their heads.
William drank some coffee and munched on two muffins. “Do any of you desire to join me for a ride?” he enquired. All three cousins responded in the affirmative.
They exited the house via the kitchen where each man found a treat for his horse. Word had been sent to the stables asall four mounts were tacked, saddled and waiting for their riders when the four young men arrived. Each horse happily munched the proffered treat before their riders mounted.
The horses were allowed to walk until the cousins rode through a gate, being held open by one of the grooms, which led into a field. Within seconds all four horses were thundering across the field in full gallop.
Thankfully the four were riding abreast so none of them were treated to the clods of earth and grass being thrown up by the hooves as they propelled the horses forward.
After an hour and a half of punishing exercise, the four returned to the mansion, more than ready to bathe and dress.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As the coach was brought to a halt outside of the church in Lambton, Edward Gardiner looked at his nieces seated on the forward facing bench opposite him with as much fatherly pride as he would have felt had they been daughters of his blood.
Atop the conveyance, looking as proud as if he were the man walking Her Grace up the aisle was Biggs. Johns, who felt no less pride in the Duchess finding her happiness, was on the back bench with Smith. This day, they would not be waiting outside of the church, but would be in one of the rear pews watching the woman they would give their lives to protect marry a man of her own free choice.
Johns placed the step himself and then handed Miss Bennet out. He stood aside and allowed Biggs the honour of handing down Her Grace.
Elizabeth smiled at John, Brian, and Albert. When she had asked if they wished to continue with her and be employed by the Darcys, there had been not even a moment’s hesitation before accepting the offer of continued employment.
With Jane on one arm and Elizabeth on the other—being followed by their attendants who had ridden in a separate carriage, Gardiner led his nieces into the vestibule of the church where his wife waited with Lilly and Eddy. The former was the flower girl, to whit she had a large basket of rose petals while Eddy was the ring bearer. He did not care that the rings were sewn onto the pillow or that they were not the ones which would be used in the ceremony, as long as he could be part of his two favourite cousins’ weddings.
Andrew and William were both impatient to marry their respective sister. When they saw the inner vestibule door open and their new aunt enter after giving her brother a nod, they knew their wait was almost over.
Lilly entered first. She was a poised girl of almost nine. She took handfuls of the colourful petals—from roses of Pemberley, Snowhaven, and Castlemere—and dropped them on the aisle’s carpet as she walked. Soon, Eddy, who was six followed her. He was extremely proud and walked with his head up. When they reached the head of the aisle, the two eldest Gardiner children slipped into the pew past Aunt Eve to take their seats beyond their mother, leaving an open seat next to her for their father.
Soon Mary and Lydia were walking up the aisle, the latter a few steps behind the former. Both were holding bouquets of flowers picked that morning from the conservatory at Castlemere.
Next, once Mary and Lydia took their positions on the side where Jane would stand, it was Kate and Anna’s turn, also with bouquets of fresh flowers, to enter the nave of the church. After they were in position opposite their sisters, the inner vestibule door was closed and Reverand Lambert signalled the congregation to stand.
Both inner doors were opened and much to the grooms’ pleasure, Gardiner with Jane on one arm and Elizabeth on the other entered the nave.
Jane was dressed in an ivory silk gown, with an empire waist. The shoulders were puffed and the sleeves ended a few inches above her elbows. Her ivory satin gloves did not quite reach her elbows. Jane had elected to wear a veil instead of a wedding bonnet. It was made of very fine Belgium lace.
Elizabeth had allowed Jane to choose whatever she desired to wear from the Jewels which had been sent from London. She had chosen a delicate set of sapphire earrings and her hairpins were also sapphire tipped. Instead of a matching sapphire necklace, Jane was wearing her simple gold cross.
