She had made her disapproval of the match more than clear, but Bingley would hear nothing of it. He had made his decision and was going to stick by it, no matter what his sisters or more distant relations might have to say about it. In fact, they could say little, Bingley was the head of the family, and need not conciliate any of them more than he wished.
“Well, Charles, it is time,” Miss Bingley said with a small sigh.
Her brother gave her a highly significant look. “Indeed it is, Caroline. Thank you for your congratulations.”
“I did not mean to —”
“Ah, that is quite all right, Caroline. I am quite sure you did mean to congratulate me, for anything else would be frightfully rude, and I should have to send you away to our Great Aunt Agatha in Cumberland.”
“Congratulations, Charles,” Miss Bingley replied hurriedly.
At seeing her so easily routed, Darcy stifled a laugh. In standing up to him, it seemed his old friend had learned not to be quite so easily guided by others.
“Shall we go in to the church?” Darcy suggested, and the others agreed.
The early spring day was warm, with only a gentle breeze to disturb the flowers that were just coming into bloom, sending their fragrance through the air. Darcy was glad that Elizabeth and Miss Bennet had not allowed their mother to prevail upon them to make the wedding a grander affair.
“But my dears,” he recalled her saying when he and Elizabeth had announced their wish for a simple, tasteful affair. “You are without restraints, as far as money is concerned, if you want to make a show of your new fortunes.”
Thankfully, Elizabeth had interrupted her mother’s unseemly display quickly, and had made short work of her suggestion that they ought to get a special license. Having the banns read was quite good enough for her, and so was a wedding in the church where she had attended services nearly every Sunday of her life. Darcy had known of his love’s modesty and good sense, but it had been a pleasure to be reminded of it all over again.
Time seemed to pass in a blur before he was led to his place before the minister and the ceremony could begin.
Darcy had eyes only for Elizabeth. She looked at him with a small, private smile, and his heart skipped a beat. He must have spoken the words of the ceremony correctly, must have answered the parson when prompted, but Darcy could not have sworn to it. He was only caught in a moment of pure anticipation and delight, looking into Elizabeth’s eyes.
The wedding breakfast was held at Netherfield, to Mrs Bennet’s delight. His new mother-in-law had made no secret of her wish that if the ceremony was to be modest, the breakfast, at least, should be done ‘properly.’ Darcy shuddered to considerwhat Mrs Bennet might have thought proper, but here too, her daughters had prevailed. All was arranged with real comfort and elegance, and without unnecessary grandeur or pretence. Everyone was seated at the long tables that had been set out in the grand salon. Seated next to Elizabeth, Darcy watched as their guests enjoyed the banquet before them and wished the newlywed couples well in their future lives.It was surely a delightful scene.
“I cannot remember a time I have been more eager for a party to be concluded,” Darcy whispered to his bride.
Elizabeth laughed. “Was there ever a party you were not eager to see end?”
“Yes. The assembly at Soho. I wanted to dance with you for the rest of the evening, and never let you out of my sight again,” he said into her ear.
“I am sorry, my love. Were you very disappointed when I left?” Elizabeth asked.
“I was, though I understood why you had not stayed,” he replied. “I departed shortly after you did. I struggled to talk myself out of calling on you that very night and asking for your hand.”
“You did not!” She laughed again, and he thought he had never heard a more beautiful sound.
“I did,” he told her, taking both her hands and curling his around them, protective, safe. He would allow no one to hurt her the way Wickham had sought to that night. Darcy could not bear to think of what might have happened had he been only a few minutes later. He thanked God every day that Wickham had failed to steal away his Elizabeth. “I spent the whole of that night pacing the floor, remembering every sliver of what you looked like and every word you said. And that is why I could not stayaway for long. That is why I had to come and see you every day. It drove me mad to be parted from you, even for a few hours.”
She kissed his hand. “And it did the same for me,” she whispered. “But see now? We may never be parted from each other again, if that is what you wish. I will even travel with you on your dull business meetings, if you will allow me. I do not think anything could be dull if I could be with you.”
“I want you by my side, no matter where I may have occasion to go.” he sighed contentedly, staring deeply into her eyes. “I never wish to be parted from you from this day forward, for as long as we both shall live.” He kissed her hand. Would it truly be beyond the limits of propriety to sneak away and leave for their wedding trip that very moment?
At the front of the room, her father clinked a fork on his glass, asking for silence from the crowd. He straightened, looking mildly uncomfortable in the new attire Mrs Bennet had insisted on. It seemed Mr Bennet was not one for finery.
“Esteemed guests,” Mr Bennet began. “Thank you for coming to this most auspicious day of celebration. I do not think any man has ever been as fortunate or proud as I.” Elizabeth squeezed Darcy’s hand tighter, tears glittering in her eyes even as a smile curved her lips. Mr Bennet looked at each of his daughters in turn. “I did not think there would be any man worthy of either Jane or Elizabeth — I suppose that is how every father feels about his daughters. But today, I am proud — for I have realised I am not losing two daughters, but gaining two sons.” He raised his glass of champagne. “To the brides and grooms!”
Everyone drank a toast to them. Elizabeth squeezed his hand, smiling sweetly to hear their guests call out their well-wishes. Nearly everyone Darcy could see seemed delighted.Everyone, that is, save for Caroline Bingley. He could describe her expression as nothing so much as sulky. Darcy might have had more sympathy for her if he thought there was anything of real affection in her desire to wed him, but nothing could be farther from the truth. The lady wanted nothing more than Pemberley and his stocks in the ‘Change, and she would have been equally happy to marry any man of equal affluence. Now her schemes could never be realised. Elizabeth had ‘won’ him, as Miss Bingley would see it, and there was nothing she could do to change that.
After the toast, his cousin Fitzwilliam made his way to the bridal table and gave a magnanimous bow. “Well, I will not say I am not disappointed that you won her heart, Darcy, but I understand. You are not only the more handsome, but also the more solvent of us.” He placed his hand over his heart and gave them both a good-natured smile. “In all seriousness, I wanted to come and say how happy I am for both of you. You could not be wed to a more deserving man, Miss Bennet —” He shook his head. “I mean, Mrs Darcy. It shall take a moment for me to get used to that. I had hoped, until a few weeks ago, that you would have agreed to become Mrs Fitzwilliam.”
Darcy smiled, stood, and shook his hand. “Well, at least she will be married to one of the Fitzwilliams in the family,” he teased.
“Ah, true. It was not enough that he was named after my father, but that he should also win the most exquisite bride. I suppose you are the original, since you are the eldest.” He winked at Elizabeth, who stood and came around the table to greet him.
She shook his hand with affection. “You are very amiable, Colonel. I shall always treasure your friendship. I hope you know that.”
