Mrs Huntsman was struck that this was a young lady who would not make changes each time the fashion changed or just because she could.
“Thank you for the compliment, Jane dear,” Lady Matlock replied. “I never touched the mistress’s chambers. I decided that when Andrew found you, you would like to change the décor to something which suits your character.”
Next, they saw the music room. Mary looked at the pianoforte lovingly. There was also a harp, a cello, and a violin in the room. The harp looked much newer than the other two string instruments. Andrewsaw the way Mary looked longingly at the pianoforte. “Mary, I will have it tuned. It has been some years since it was played.” He saw Jane’s arched eyebrow as she looked at the harp. “Yes, as I know you play the harp, I purchased one for this house and ordered another for Hilldale.”
His actions reminded Jane what a good and considerate man she was marrying. “Thank you, Andrew. I look forward to entertaining you when we are in residence here,” Jane stated gratefully.
When they reached the master suite and entered the mistress’s side, Jane saw what Mother meant. It was the only suite of rooms she asked to be completely made over. It was currently done in dark colours, which made the whole room gloomy. She ordered light yellows and light blues, which would make the space much lighter and airier.
About two hours later, those who had been looking at Hilldale House returned to Matlock House. Elizabeth and the group who had been touring Darcy House had arrived a half hour before them.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The following Thursday, only a sennight before the double wedding, those who had travelled to London, which now included John Biggs, returned to Hertfordshire. The latter had been told to travel with the Earl and Countess by his master, and that when he and Mrs Fitzwilliam came to Meryton, they would tell the men where they were needed.
When they arrived home, the four Bennet sisters who had travelled to London did not miss that their father was absent. All their mother would say was that he was away, taking care of an errand, and he would be home by Saturday.
As she would say nothing more, no matter how much her four daughters interrogated her, they eventually concededdefeat and stopped asking.
Anne de Bourgh had become very comfortable at Longbourn; hence, when her family returned, she accepted Aunt Fanny’s invitation to remain. Gigi was also invited to be hosted at Longbourn, an invitation she accepted as soon as William gave her a nod.
On Saturday when the Bennet carriage approached the house, the ladies were going over the arrangements for the wedding breakfast, while, with Fanny’s permission, the men were sequestered in her husband’s study, reading or playing chess. The two grooms were keen to see Bennet so that they could go over the settlements with him, and if he did not require changes, have them signed.
Hearing the sound of carriage wheels, the four Bennet sisters poured out of the front door to meet Papa. When the conveyance stopped, said father alighted, but he turned around and proceeded to hand someone out.
As soon as his daughters saw who it was, there were simultaneous squeals of “Lydia!”
The youngest Bennet charged towards her sisters, proving that although she had made many changes, some of her wild animal spirits were still inside of her somewhere. The five Bennet sisters all hugged each other and cried tears of joy as they were together for the first time in four and a half months.
Those in the house had come outside to see what all the fuss was about. As hard as it was for her to wait, Fanny stood back until Lydia had greeted her sisters. When that was done and her youngest saw her, Lydia flew into her arms and mother and daughter held onto one another as they cried rivers of joy. With her one arm around her baby, Fanny led the way back into the house.
In the drawing room, she wasfaced with four arched eyebrows. “Did you think we would allow Lyddie to miss the wedding?” Fanny asked.
“Lyddie, we are overjoyed to see you here, but what of your determination to complete your time at St Mary’s? Also, what of Emma and Hannah?” Jane wondered.
“Given the circumstances, Sister Agnes proclaimedtheirtime completed.” Bennet looked at his four older daughters slyly.
“Their?” Jane and Lizzy chorused.
“Yes, we travelled home with Emma and Hannah. They met their parents in Hatfield and returned with them from there,” Lydia enthused. “Paulette, Emma, Hannah, and I are bonded together in a sisterhood forever. We will always remind one another to never repeat the mistakes of the past.”
When Bennet reviewed the overly generous settlements, he found nothing to change, so he signed all copies.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Charlotte and Richard Fitzwilliam, travelling with the Gardiners, arrived two days before the double wedding. Unlike his brother and cousin, Richard did not have to be separated from his wife at night. It was something he never failed to mention to Andrew and William.
If Charlotte had been glowing at her wedding, that was nothing to how happy she was after a little more than a fortnight of marriage. Before, she performed her duty, which thankfully did not produce children. Now, it was a pleasure.
That night, a huge family dinner was held in Netherfield Park’s ballroom to include everyone. The Lucases, the Phillipses, and the two families closest to the Bennets, the Gouldings and the Longs, were included, which had necessitated the use of the ballroom. The dinner had endedlate that night. Neither bride was interested in an engagement ball, so the dinner was planned as a celebration of their engagements instead.
Hattie related that rather than jealousy, the prevailing opinion in Meryton was that Jane and Lizzy had deserved to find such estimable men.
On the more serious side, as Lady Catherine was no longer a threat, Richard stated that if the men agreed, he would allow Andrew to employ Biggs and Johns as the men in charge of security, especially that of his soon-to-be wife and any future children. The two enormous men accepted the offer of employment. They had neither wives nor children, which gave them flexibility.
The night before the wedding, Fanny ceded her right as mother of the brides to Elaine and Maddie, allowing them to givethe talkto her eldest daughters. She had been invited to address Lady Matlock thusly. She knew that her old opinions of marital relations were wrong, and she had not wanted to impart that to her daughters.
Both Jane and Elizabeth had survivedthe talkunscathed and left in anticipation of the wedding bed rather than in dread.
