“Did you lose your way so much, Charles? Why would you attempt to do this to a woman who Mr Darcy told you more than once was being courted? And, I suspect, after he had warned you numerous times that Caroline would ruin herself and you with her. Mr Darcy will not mitigate any of the self-inflicted damage,” Mrs Hurst mused.
“The fact that Miss Bennet did not so much as look at me drove me to make the biggest error of my life. It also cost me my friendship with Darcy,” Bingley admitted.
“Before you go, Bingley, my advice to you is that you separate yourself from Caroline and put as much distance between yourself and London as you are able,” Hurst suggested. “Also, do not attempt to enter White’s or Boodle’s. They have already revoked your memberships and will throw you out should you attempt entry.”
“Not that she will listen, but warn Caroline she will be turned out of any shop patronised by members of polite society,” Mrs Hurst added.
Bingley said a final goodbye to his sister and brother-in-law. It was a very subdued man who made his way out to his coach. He took a deep breath before he boarded; he was sure that his younger sister would vent her spleen at him for making her wait; he was not wrong.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The next morning, Thursday, ignoring the dire warnings of doom and gloom from her brother, Caroline Bingley dressedin her most fashionable outfit to make some morning calls. Not one of herfriendswas at home to her. In fact, at each of the houses, she was told in no uncertain terms, never to return.
To placate herself, she decided to do some shopping on Bond Street. Spending copious amounts of her brother’s money always made her feel better.
No matter how much she caterwauled and loosed invectives and profanities, she was not allowed to enter a single shop. If that were not bad enough, anyone she approached gave her the cut direct. If anyone saw her before she neared them, they cut her and crossed the street.
It finally began to sink in, through the haze of her delusions, that she was well and truly ruined.
Chapter 23
Happy for all her maternal feelings was the day on which Becca Bennet watched her eldest daughter marry the man she loved beyond all reason. Jane was most deserving of the love and felicity she would enjoy with Andrew. Not for the smallest measure of time did Becca believe that during their years of the marriage Jane and Andrew would have anything but a respect-filled, happy, and loving union.
Becca was sitting next to her beloved Thomas, who was between her and her mother-in-law—who was on the aisle—in the Bennet pew, which was the front row to the right of the altar. Her husband had forgone the seat on the aisle as it was more comfortable for his mother to sit there. Beyond her sat Henry, Mary, Tommy, and Ellie. Her mother and father sat next to their youngest granddaughter. Across the aisle in the first pew were Aunt Elaine, Uncle Reggie, Liam, and Giana. Between the families invited to the wedding breakfast and others from Longbourn Village and Meryton, the church was near capacity.
The Gardiners sat on the aisle of the pew behind the Bennets, with Will, Marie, and their children and Connie, Harry, and their two offspring next to them. The latter two families could have sat either side being related to both the bride and groom, but Jane being a niece rather than a cousin like Andrew decided the matter.
The church had been decorated in a very understated manner, just as Jane had requested. There were white ribbons formed into a small bow at the end of every second pew.
Jane was wearing a light blue gown with a translucent silver lamé overlay. The blue of the gown matched the engagement ring, now on a finger of her right hand, waiting for the wedding ring to be slipped onto Jane’s ring finger before it would be returned to its place of pride. Her gown was one she had worn once before in London but had never been seen by her fiancé. As he stood watching his bride intently, Andrew loved it on her. Jane’s veil was fabricated from a delicate Belgium lace, the same one Becca had worn when she married Thomas. On her hands were sheer white gloves, which ended just below her elbows where the sleeves of her gown reached.
It was with a mixture of happiness, pride, and a tinge of sadness as Becca sat and watched while Mr Pierce conducted the ceremony with Lizzy standing behind and to the side of Jane while Rich was in a similar position in relation to Andy. As happy as she was for Jane, one of her daughters would be leaving home, which caused a touch of sadness. It was an emotion she deemed selfish and pushed it to the side.
Mama had told her she had experienced similar emotions at the weddings of all three of her children. She had opined that, like many things in life, happiness was at times accompanied by a little sorrow. Becca shook the thoughts from her head. She concentrated on Jane, who was glowing with pleasure.
All too soon, it was over, the final benedictions recited, and Andrew and his new viscountess were on their way to the registry to sign the register with Lizzy and Rich as witnesses. The latter two returned with speed; the newlyweds, not so much.
Once they were alone in the registry and the door closed, Andrew pulled Jane into his loving embrace as they bothexpressed the depth of their love with their lips. After more than five minutes, they breathlessly pulled back one from the other. “Well, Lady Hilldale, I think we need to join our family waiting in the nave of the church,” Andrew said as he added one more kiss for good measure.
“Indeed, Lord Hilldale, I dare say you are correct,” Jane replied cheekily as she captured her husband’s lips again.
Mama had given herthe talkthe previous night, and thankfully, what she had been told had increased Jane’s anticipation of the wedding night tenfold. Mama had asked if Jane had wanted Aunt Maddie, Aunt Connie, or Aunt Marie to come to answer any more questions. Jane had not needed any further clarification. When Lizzy had come to wish Jane a good night, Jane had refused to satisfy her inquisitive sister’s curiosity.
The newly married couple inspected one another to make sure they were presentable, then Jane used her hands to check that all of her hairpins were still in the places they were meant to be. Once they were both satisfied with how they looked, Andrew pulled the door open.
Other than Charlotte Phillips, only family remained in the nave. Jane was congratulated by the Bennets while the Fitzwilliams and Darcys did the same with Andrew. The two groups swapped places, and they were replaced by the Gardiners, Cavendishes, and Smythes. Last to hug Jane was Charlotte. Once she had, she met her husband and children, who had waited for her in the vestibule before they made their way to Longbourn. It took close to a quarter of an hour for everyone to express their approbation for the marriage. Only then did they all leave the church, and as a group make the short walk to the manor house.
Even though it was not a large crowd at the wedding breakfast, it was being held in the ballroom—one of the additions when the house was expanded and renovated. Food was plentiful and of the highest quality, leaving the family and invited guests greatly satisfied and sated.
Jane and Andrew made sure to spend time with all their friends who had been invited. About one-and-one-half hours later, after whispering to Andrew and him nodding, Jane signalled Lizzy. The two sisters made their way up the stairs to Jane’s now former bedchamber in the suite she used to share with Lizzy.
Elizabeth helped Jane out of her wedding gown and into one she would wear for the short journey to Netherfield Park. Once her sister was dressed, Elizabeth made a complete circle turn as she looked at the chamber, which was devoid of all of Jane’s possessions already. “Even if it is indecorous to tell you this on your wedding day, I will miss you, Janey,” Elizabeth admitted.
“As I will miss seeing you every day,” Jane agreed and pulled her younger sister, the new Miss Bennet, into a warm hug. “We know this is the way of things, but that fact does not make parting from my closest companion and best friend for the last twenty years any easier.”
The two held onto one another for some minutes, not speaking, just feeling the other’s closeness. “I cannot be selfish; my new brother is waiting for you downstairs. I am sure I will not see you before the day that simpleton of a cousin of ours arrives. Until then, I love you, Janey, and will miss you,” Elizabeth declared with warmth.
After Jane looked around the bedchamber of her youth one last time, she followed Lizzy out and pulled the door closed.She linked arms with her younger sister, and the two made their way down the stairs.
