No one made a single negative comment regarding the speed of the nuptials.
Chapter 22
Netherfield Park’s butler sent a note to his master and mistress at Longbourn telling them that Mr and Miss Bingley departed the estate just after eleven that morning, with the latter complaining vociferously. In the same note, he mentioned that Johns and his men being stationed outside Miss Bingley’s suite for the rest of the previous day insured that no estate property was removedin errorand kept any breakages to a minimum.
“The Bingleys are no longer at Tommy’s estate,” Becca reported to the ladies sitting in the drawing room with her. “From what Nichols could glean from their personal servants, they are for London.”
“If they thought the threats about their ruin were empty, they will be made painfully aware that we are serious about this by the reception, or lack thereof, they will receive in society,” Lady Anna related. “Yester-afternoon, one of our couriers was sent with messages to the Duchesses of Bedford and Hertfordshire, as well as Lady Jersey and her fellow patronesses of Almack’s. They will find all doors of London society closed to them, and soon, like my William warned them, the news of their ruin will be spread throughout the kingdom.”
“Mother, you excluded the Hursts, did you not?” Marie verified.
“Indeed. I made sure to state directly that the Hursts are not to be tainted by the actions of the two Bingleys,” Lady Anna replied.
“Andrew told me he met with Mr Pierce yesterday and applied for the common licence,” Lady Elaine revealed. “The vicar will issue it on the morrow, just in time for the wedding the next day. Becca dear, you must let us know if you need any assistance in planning for the wedding.” The other ladies all nodded their willingness to assist as well.
“Thank you, Aunt Elaine, and all of you. Seeing that Jane and Andy want a simple affair, there is not much to do. Besides, with no tenant at Netherfield Park, the staff and servants are available as needed. That estate’s cook and kitchen maids are here with ours, so the wedding breakfast will be ready, and there will be more than enough food,” Becca reported.
“Have you sent invitations to the local families Jane wanted to attend?” Beth asked her daughter-in-law.
“Yes, I sent a footman with the cards earlier this morning. The Phillipses, Lucases, Longs, Gouldings, and Purvises have been invited to the wedding breakfast, but anyone is welcome to attend the ceremony at the church,” Becca responded. “The only ones from London to attend will be the Gardiners, as they will arrive on the morrow.”
“Janey is very happy that Maddie, Edward, and the young cousins will be here,” Beth noted.
“Does she know that her birthmother’s father and older sister perished in a fire a year or so ago?” Marie enquired. “She never met them, did she?”
“Janey is aware, and no, she never knew them. So although she was sorry that they lost their lives, she had no connection to them. Her Uncle Edward only kept very cursorycontact with them and never mentioned them to Janey,” Becca told.
“It is good timing as we will move to Town to prepare for Mary’s coming out a sennight after that oddity of a cousin of Thomas’s arrives,” Marie observed to speak of something somewhat more pleasant. “When is the special guest to arrive, Aunt Elaine?”
“The day before Catherine’s sycophant,” Lady Elaine replied.
“And as far as we know, the investigation is ongoing,” Lady Anna pointed out. “It should be complete by the time the man arrives here, should it not?”
“That is the plan,” Becca responded.
“I still cannot believe the temerity of the man,” Connie huffed. “Not only is he obviously quite insane, but to invite himself to your home the way he did is far beyond the pale.”
“My guess is he is delusional, and the way he worships my sister-in-law, he would not think to question anything she tells him,” Lady Elaine opined.
“Let us speak of more pleasant things,” Connie suggested. “Is it not strange that Mama’s granddaughter is to marry her nephew?”
“If one did not know that Andy was born nine years after you, then yes, Connie love, it would seem rather strange,” Lady Anna smiled at her youngest child. “It will make me both aunt and grandmother to Jane, and I suppose I will be Andy’s grandmother as well as his aunt also.”
“I trust our husbands are enjoying their chess tournament in the library,” Connie stated. “At least they cannot complain that Ellie is there to beat them.”
“She is with her cousins at the moment,” Becca revealed. “She will take on the winner after dinner this evening. She said she will even remove her queen to give her opponent a fighting chance.”
There was a round of light laughter from the assembled matrons.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The weather was good for this time of the year, which allowed the younger generation of the family to have varied activities and not be restricted to indoors. The aforementionedyoungstershad split into two groups. Mary, Rosemarie, Felicity, Harriet, Giana, and Ellie were ensconced in the music room while the rest were riding to Oakham Mount.
As much as Mary would have enjoyed riding next to Richard and being in his company, she did not want to desert her youngest sister and her cousins who were close to her in age. She was enjoying getting to know Giana, so that mitigated her missing Richard—somewhat. They had similar tastes and abilities in music; both loved playing the pianoforte, and coincidentally, they had been taught by the same music master.
At the moment, Mary and Giana were playing a duet on the pianoforte, Ellie was accompanying them on her cello, Rosemarie on the harp, while Felicity and Harriet leant their voices to the piece.
The riding party was somewhat larger and was made up of the Fitzwilliam brothers, Darcy, the two eldest Bennet sisters, Will the younger, Ian, Tommy, and Henry. The first three had their own stallions with them; the rest were all riding some of the plentiful mounts available in Longbourn’s stables.
