“Jane requested Mary and I join her in her chamber before we get into bed for a little while, William. I trust that is acceptable?” Elizabeth smiled as she admired her husband’s physique while she waited for his answer.
“Of course it is, my love. I will wait up for you as I want to make sure we get in some good exercise before we sleep.” With the anticipation of pleasure to come, a blushing Lizzy kissed her husband then walked to Jane’s door and knocked lightly.
“Come in, Lizzy.” Came the dulcet tones of her sweet sister’s voice.
“Mary must already be here.” Lizzy laughed as she looked at her excited sisters. “How are you? Both of you? You will be married to your beloveds in the morning. Mary, are you pleased after your wedding trip you will still be in the neighbourhood near Mama and Papa? Jane, I am ever so happy we will be neighbours.” Elizabeth looked from one to the other.
“I am sad to leave Longbourn, but I am very excited to become the mistress of Longfield Meadows,” Jane responded. “Thank you again, both you and William, for allowing us to stay at Seaview Cottage and then Pemberley before we move to our estate. We are very much looking forward to the wedding trip.” Jane blushed.
“Jane, truly, it is a pleasure. I hope you enjoy the private beach as much as we did.” Elizabeth wiggled her eyebrows to leave them in no doubt of what she meant.
“Lizzy!” Jane retorted blushing furiously as was her sister Mary.
“Did...did you really have relations outside, at the beach?” Mary asked, caught between shock and longing.
“Yes, Mary we did. It is a completely private beach with only one access path from Seaview. There is no view of the beach unless you are on it. As I am sure Mama told you, having pleasure with the one you love is never wrong, and should not be restricted by time or place so long as you have complete privacy.
“Jane will soon see the truth of my statement when she and Charles stay at the cottage, whether or not they choose to have relations at the beach or in the sea is up to them. Not everyone enjoys the same thing,” Lizzy told her sisters.
“We will have to see just how private the beach is Lizzy. The place sounds so nice. You told us that you only saw the servants when you needed them?” Jane blushed at the thoughts now whirling around in her mind causing a frisson of pleasure.
“Yes. We were not the first, nor will be the last I daresay, honeymooning couple they have catered to. After William’s father purchased thecottage, many friends and family have used it for their wedding trip or as one destination on it, including Marie and Andrew,” Lizzy gave the history as it had been provided to her.
“I assume you did not have relations when you had your courses?” Mary asked softly.
“First to your question Mary, I would imagine relations during a woman’s courses would not be pleasant. To tell you the truth, Mary and Jane, and I swear both of you to secrecy,” she pressed and both nodded, “I have always been so regular and should have had them last week, but they did not come. I have also noticed that my breasts are tender.” She blushed with excitement.
“Oh Lizzy, you could already be with child! Have you had any sickness in the mornings yet like some women are afflicted with in the early stages?” Jane reached for her sister’s hand and squeezed it excitedly.
“No, Jane. Thankfully I have not had that particular malady yet,” Lizzy blushed.
“Have you told William of your suspicions?” Mary asked softly.
“No, I have not. If the signs persist and I miss my coming courses, then I will tell him. And like many of the wise women before us, I think we will wait for the quickening to tell the rest of the family. If this is real, and there are no problems, there should be an announcement when you all join us at Pemberley in December,” Elizabeth related, praying it was true.
“We will be aunts, and James and Tom will be uncles. Oh, what joy.” Mary gasped.
“Please Mary, keep your voice down. And please remember no one else other than William will be informed until I feel the quickening,” Lizzy reminded her sisters quietly.
“Not even to our soon to be husbands? I do not know if I would like to start my marriage with keeping secrets from him,” Mary frowned.
“You may both tell your husbands after you are married and on your wedding trips Mary, but only after you are both well away from Longbourn on the morrow, if you choose to share my possible news with them,” Lizzy agreed, as she would feel the same.
“It would have been ever so hard to keep this from Charles. He would want to know why I was so anxious and excited for you. If you start to increase, he will notice as we will be with you until September,” Jane smiled sweetly.
“Neither of you look worried about tomorrow. Did I not tell you that Mama’s talk would help?” Lizzy asked slyly.
“That you did. And what you told Mary and me yesterday only reinforced what Mama told us. After listening to you and Mama, I now feel sorry for all of the matrons we have heard describe the act as achoreand to beendured. How very sad for them.” Jane offered concern for those she did not know, as was often the case with her depth of compassion.
“That is the advantage of making a love match. As Mama told you, relations in the marriage bed in a loving marriage only make the bonds stronger. You become one with the other,” Lizzy promised. “But I will reiterate it is very important you are honest about what you like, and what you do not. And ask the same from your husband. That makes all the difference, that depth of honesty.”
It was after midnight when the sisters bade each other good night. Two fell asleep dreaming of their wedding night, and one went to bed able to act out her dreams as her husband had stayed awake awaiting her return.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
In the morning, the three Darcys and three Bennet siblings not getting married took a nice ride to ensure the focus was solely on the two brides.
Darcy was to stand up for Bingley, while the Viscount would stand up for his brother. Jane had Lizzy as her matron of honour, and Kitty would perform the office of maid of honour for Mary. The Gardiner children would perform the same roles as they had when the Darcys wed.
