“Rather than just leave Rosings to Mr. Firth’s excellent management, we will reside here one week out of four, and as we are close, if we are needed, we can be here without delay.
“Neither Sherwood Park nor Rosings Park are entailed, we have decided our firstborn son will have Sherwood Park and the second son will inherit this estate. If we only have one son, then our first daughter will have Rosings Park, and in the case of no sons, the eldest two girls will inherit the estates.” Anne smiled brightly, excited to have, at long last, the future she dreamed of within her grasp.
“It seems as if you and your fiancé have had some serious discussions about the future, Anne,” Lady Elaine smiled lovingly at her niece.
“That sounds like my Ian, Lady Matlock. He likes to plan for all contingencies,” Lady Ashbury revealed.
“As we will be family in but two days, you must call me Elaine. As you get to know us, Lady Ashbury, you will see in our family group we do not stand on ceremony.”
“Then Elaine you must call me Gillian,” Lady Ashbury agreed.
“Lady Sarah,” the pregnant Mary Fitzwilliam turned towards the lady as she rubbed her stomach, “did you know Mr. Allenton before you met him here? You two seem to have a prior acquaintance.”
“We do, Mrs. Fitzwilliam, and please call me Sarah.” Before she could carry on, she was cut off by Elizabeth Darcy.
“So there is no more Mrs. that or Lady this, I am Lizzy,” she then pointed from lady to lady, “my mother Fanny, my Aunt Maddie, my sisters Jane, Mary, Kitty, Georgiana, and Louisa. Did I miss anyone?” The ladies all shook their heads, so Elizabeth Darcy said with an impertinent smile, “Now the floor is yours, Sarah.”
“Where was I?” she drawled, laughing with the women then nodded at Lizzy with amusement. “Oh yes, we met when Mr. Allenton accompanied Ian home for a term break when I was but twelve. He was a shy young man and hardly ever paid any attention to his friend’sbabysister.” At this, both Kitty and Georgiana gave her looks of understanding, “The next time I saw him was two years later, I was fourteen, and he was the new curate for the living that belongs to Ian’s estate.
“He was no longer shy and was as handsome as you see him now. I had a young girl’s infatuation with him, but he still paid me no heed. I have not seen him since until we came here to see Ian and his fiancée.” Lady Sarah blushed as she completed her recitation.
“I think he notices you now, Sarah,” Lizzy opined.
“I am sure you are wrong, Lizzy,” Lady Sarah replied as her blush deepened by many shades.
It was then the men re-joined the ladies, and mortified by her blushing, Sarah dashed to the pianoforte and started to play the first piece of music she found. Her mortification increased when Graham Allenton asked to be allowed to turn the pages for her, but she steadied herself and gave him a nod of agreement.
The ladies who had heard what Lady Sarah had said about the pastor gave each other knowing looks and were relieved Lady Ashbury was not unhappy. She knew Allenton’s character and she would not be opposed if her daughter accepted him as her potential husband.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Monday morning dawned and a very excited Anne de Bourgh, who had not slept much due to anticipation and not nervousness or dread, was ready to be Mrs. Ashby already. She had to admit the conversations she had had with her aunts and married cousins the previous night still left her a little worried about the wedding night, but after the ladies all told her the act, when done between two loving partners, was nothing to be afraid of and was, in fact, a source of pleasure, any doubts and fears Anne had were eased. She was looking forward with pleasure and not trepidation to her wedding night.
She would follow their advice and not be shy to ask her husband what he liked and let him know the same about her. Lizzy reiterated this was the most important part, and her words had been echoed by Jane and Mary.
When her maid entered and told her that her water was ready, she sprang out of bed and was soon soaking in a luxuriating bath. Once she was finished, she was joined by her Aunts Elaine and Fanny, who oversaw the processes of turning Anne de Bourgh into a glowing bride.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
At the extravagant wedding breakfast, the new Mr. and Mrs. Ashby flitted around accepting wishes for joy and happiness from the assembled revellers. Anne Ashby was overjoyed as she had just gained a mother, father, brother, and two sisters, along with nephews and a niece.
She was incandescent with happiness. On some level, she was sad Lady Catherine was not present to witness the true joy she had found in her life and her love match, but that was but a fleeting moment, and she determined it would also be the final moment she had any regrets about Lady Catherine. The woman had hurt her in too many ways.
After staying at their wedding breakfast for a little more than two hours, the newlyweds departed for their wedding trip, which was to Seaview Cottage. The cottage that had had so little use each year prior to Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy’s wedding was now, to the pleasure of the servants working there, in very regular use and had become the wedding trip destination of choice for members of the family.
In addition, members of the family were starting to visit as individual families and as groups for vacations not tied to weddings. There was now so much use the Darcys had determined to keep the cottage fully staffed all year round.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The following day, the now expanded family headed toward their respective estates and homes. The Darcys first headed to Hertfordshire for two days at Netherfield Park to be hosted by the Fitzwilliams.
Kitty and Georgiana, along with their companions, travelled to Town with Lord and Lady Matlock and the Gardiners. Before the Ashbys left, Graham Allenton asked to take a walk with Lady Sarah, where he requested and was granted a courtship by her and received her father’s permission.
After a two-day sojourn at Netherfield Park, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy started the planned five-day trip home to Pemberley. Elizabeth was ready to get home. While at Netherfield Park she had been visited by many of the local matrons who all opined on her pregnancy and how enormous she was.
Elizabeth could see a significant difference in her belly just in the little over four weeks since they had left the sanctuary of Pemberley. As they were more than halfway through the month of April, Elizabeth Darcy knew it would not be too much longer but felt she would not be unhappy if she had birthed her babes already, so long as they were healthy.
Her husband reminded her that Sir Fredrick and his nurses would be arriving at Pemberley within a sennight of their return. Darcy did not have to tell his wife to curtail her walking any longer as she could only go a short way before needing to sit and recuperate.
