Thanks to assistance from all of the ladies in the family, everything was already decided and organised for theweddings and the celebratory meal on Wednesday. Like with Jane’s wedding, the wedding breakfast would be in Longbourn’s ballroom, and a large contingent of staff and servants from Netherfield Park would be on hand to assist. As it was, some of the food was being prepared at Longbourn while the balance was being cooked at Tommy’s estate.
It had been decided not to have another engagement ball locally. A few good friends, like the Phillipses, Lucases, Gouldings, and Longs, had been invited to, and attended, the engagement ball in London. The Bennets did sponsor an additional assembly for their neighbours, which had been held on the previous Friday. Everyone in the family attended which allowed their neighbours to convey their wishes for happiness to the two engaged couples.
Between the two estates, there were more than enough chambers for both the family and any guests who did not live locally. With the courtship between their son and Rosemarie, the Carringtons—Jamie plus five, his parents, younger brother, and two sisters—had been invited to attend the wedding. They had accepted and would travel from London on the morrow. Of course, the Gardiners were already present. They had arrived on Friday past and were housed at Longbourn as they always were. To make up for the fact that Jane and Andrew had a very small wedding with hardly anyone beyond family, several friends in common to the Cavendishes and Fitzwilliams were invited. Like the Carringtons, those guests would be housed at Netherfield Park. In addition, a larger cross-section of the local population was invited to the double wedding’s celebratory meal for the same reason as more London friends had been invited.
While their wives were busy organising everything for the upcoming wedding, the husbands kept out of the way with chess tournaments in the library. The winner crowed about his victoryuntil Ellie challenged him to a game and beat him soundly. For some reason, the desire to boast disappeared after being thrashed at the game by a girl who would turn fourteen in a few weeks.
The men groaned when Lizzy decided to enter a competition. More often than not, she won. When she did, at least the game against Ellie was hard-fought. Ellie won more, but Lizzy did not lose every game to her like they did.
The two couples who would soon marry spent most of each day in their respective beloved’s company, but unfortunately for them, they were extremely well chaperoned. In addition to those who had been in Town with them, a host of companions and the ever-present guards were with them when they were out of doors. Tommy and Ian had remained at Longbourn and not returned to their school after Twelfth Night. They would return to school a few days after the wedding.
Even when the two couples walked in opposite directions in the park, weather permitting, of course, there were chaperones with each couple. Not that they wanted to do anything too bad; they just would have liked the opportunity for a few kisses here and there.
There was a family dinner which included the Lucases and Philipses on Monday night. Before Liam and Richard departed with the group travelling to Netherfield Park—even with so many in residence at Longbourn, the two grooms had to sleep at the other estate—Elizabeth placed her hand on her fiancé’s arm to hold him back. He looked at her questioningly.
“Liam, tomorrow is the last full day we will be single. You know the direction to Oakham Mount, do you not?” He nodded it was so. “If there is no precipitation on the morrow, will you meet me there at dawn? I would like us to, for the first time, watch the sunrise together from the summit.”
“You know I can deny you nothing, my dearest, loveliest Elizabeth. Unless it is raining or snowing, I will be there,” Darcy agreed softly. He was gifted with a beaming smile from his beloved.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Elizabeth arrived on Aphrodite at the time that the eastern sky had begun to lighten. Liam and Zeus were waiting for her. She was not, of course, alone. Both John and Brian were escorting her. The only concession she had wheedled out of the two gentle giants—they were to her—was that one of them would remain at the base of the path up to the summit while the other would be standing at the head of said path. That way she and Liam would have relative privacy, as they would be on the opposite side of the summit, sitting on a rock with their backs to the footman-guard.
“Good morning, Mrs Darcy to be,” Darcy greeted with a lopsided grin when he saw her arrive. How he loved this woman. He stepped forward and handed her down from her saddle.
“And to you, Liam,” Elizabeth returned with a smile once she regained her voice after the pleasure of her beloved’s hands on her waist.
Biggs remained with the horses while Johns preceded the engaged couple up the hill. As soon as he was happy there were no others on the summit, he stood aside and took up his station next to the path.
Elizabeth led Liam past the stand of oak trees to her favourite place to sit and watch the sunrise—a large boulder with a flattened top, which made it the ideal natural bench. Before she could sit, Liam had placed a large handkerchief on the surface of the rock for her to sit on. It had never bothered her before to sit on the stone, but she appreciated her betrothed’s consideration for her.
From where they were seated, they could see a good portion of Meryton. Some businesses, like the smithy, the baker, and a few others, were already preparing for the coming day. West of the town, they could make out the indistinct shadow of the manor house at Netherfield Park. The more the sky lightened, the more of the structure became distinct.
“There is Longbourn,” Elizabeth pointed. She moved her arm towards another estate. “And Lucas Lodge there, closer to Meryton.” Suddenly she remembered what was in her pocket. “On my way through the kitchen, Cook gifted us some treats to enjoy.” She pulled a cloth from her coat’s pocket, placed it on her legs, and carefully unwrapped the contents. “An apple-cinnamon pastry and a warm roll each.” Elizabeth handed one of each to Liam. “John and Brian enjoyed theirs earlier while they waited for me to arrive.”
“Hmmm, this is rather delectable. I wonder if Cousin Becca’s cook will share her receipt?” Darcy enquired as he licked the residue of the apple and cinnamon from his fingers. She had told him he could call her Mother, but Cousin Becca was ingrained for Darcy. Even though she was sixteen or seventeen years his senior, he could not bring himself to address her as ‘Mother’. When he had eaten the roll as well, Darcy took Elizabeth’s hand in his own. Since the large man would not be able to see from his vantage point, she did not attempt to withdraw her hand.
“Even though it is winter, the way the colours change on the clouds as the sun approaches is beautiful, almost like a painter colouring his canvas. It is fascinating to me.” Elizabeth rested her head on Liam’s shoulder. It just felt right to be there.
“Yet, I am looking at the most beautiful of women. There is no sunrise which shines as brightly as you do, my beloved Elizabeth.”
As much as she wanted to turn and capture Liam’s lips, Elizabeth was very cognisant of the large presence of Brian next to the path. The two men allowed her some latitude, but not that much. That made her think of something she wanted to ask her beloved. “Liam, if Papa agrees, would you be willing to employ John Biggs and Brian Johns?”
“Of course, I would! I am not sure Bennet would give them up too easily. But for you, my one and only love, I will make the request of him.”
“I love you, Liam.” Elizabeth squeezed his hand that she was still gripping.
“No more than I love you, my Elizabeth,” Darcy responded as he returned the pressure, making sure not to apply too much force to her much smaller hand.
Even though the sun was weak, once it was completely above the horizon, much to the chagrin of both, they released the other’s hand, stood, and shook off any remaining crumbs. Elizabeth took Liam’s handkerchief and put it in her pocket. He did not ask her to return it. With that, first Liam slipped off the boulder, and then he handed Elizabeth down.
“I am marrying you tomorrow, and we will never have to separate again,” she whispered to him as they walked.
“I cannot wait for the wedding to be over.” Darcy’s ears turned red, and Elizabeth blushed at the double meaning in the statement.
Elizabeth found she agreed with him with regard to both interpretations.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
