“My other fear was, that by falling in love, you have become blind to Mr. Darcy’s faults. After all, your acquaintance has been very short. I was worried that you were acting too hastily because you are in the grip of an infatuation. Thankfully, I am now reassured. Mr. Darcy is a worthy gentleman, and from everything I have heard from your uncle, and witnessed myself, I am now convinced that he will make you very happy.”
He kissed Elizabeth on the brow. “I am very happy for you, Lizzy. I believe Mr. Darcy will do.”
Tears sprang to Elizabeth’s eyes, and she threw her arms around her father. “Thank you, Papa. Now my happiness is complete.”
“Enough, child,” he said. “We cannot stand around all day. There are things to be done, and papers to be signed. Mr. Darcy has informed me that he is waiting for your decision whether to marry at once, or to wait and have a proper wedding. I am convinced it would be best to marry at once. Your young man will be able to obtain a license very quickly, and I see no reason to delay. In fact, I would say, the sooner, the better.”
Elizabeth did not have a sound argument against it. It was not unusual for people to have small, private ceremonies.
“Very well,” she said, “I love Mr. Darcy, and I am eager for us to begin our life together.”
“Good,” said Mr. Bennet. “Then we can move ahead. Fortunately, Mr. Darcy had the foresight to have the marriage settlement prepared, or we would be running around like headless chickens.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Papa! Please do not let Mr. Darcy hear you call him a headless chicken.”
“What Isaidwas quite the opposite. You need not rush so quickly to his defense.”
“Of course I will defend him. In case you have not noticed, I am going to marry him. Speaking of which, I would like to write to Mama to inform her about the wedding, but I do not know what you have told her so far.”
“Whatever you do, do not write to her just yet. My impression is that Mr. Darcy does not want to invite any of his relations, except for his cousin, who will be a witness. I think it would be better if only the Gardiners and I will be in attendance. That way, he can honestly say that no-one was invited.”
“Mama will be very disappointed to miss it.”
“Not for long. Once I inform her that he is a tall handsome fellow, with 10,000 a year, she will be too busy crowing the news to everyone in Meryton. You need not worry. You will be seeing plenty of your mother and sisters in the coming weeks. I do not envy poor Mr. Darcy. He is trying to escape his own relations, but he has no idea what is in store for him with yours.”
“I doubt whether Mama will even care if William is tall and handsome, when she hears about his fortune.”
They chuckled together and talked for a few minutes, until Mr. Bennet rose heavily.
“I suppose I had better go and read the settlement papers. Your uncle has seen them already. He says Mr. Darcy’s provisions are very generous. I have no idea how you did it, but I do believe you have bewitched him.”
“Well, Papa,” said Elizabeth with a smile. “They do not call me the Siren of the Serpentine for nothing.”
The wedding took place in the tiny chapel at Darcy House. It was mercifully short. Darcy was too distracted by Elizabeth to pay attention to anything else. He heard himself utter the solemn vows of the ceremony from a great distance. Beside him, Elizabeth made her promises. Her voice had a musical quality to it, he realized for the first time.
Then it was all over.
They signed their names on the register. Darcy looked down at the neat signature, still in a daze. Elizabeth Darcy. His wife.
Then Colonel Fitzwilliam’s heavy hand landed on this shoulder, and he woke up from the daze to return the blow. He looked down at the wet ink on the page.
“Do you call that a signature, Richard? You must have come up with it in the barracks on a drunken night.”
“At least it does not look like the writing of a child who is practicing penmanship under the hawk eyes of his tutor,” the colonel shot back.
Then there were the congratulations and good wishes of Mr. Bennet, and the Gardiners, followed by the butler and the housekeeper and Moreau, who offered them some kind of pastry.
“It is a tradition, where I am from,” he said. “It will bring you luck.”
Outside, the servants were lined up to throw petals.
Elizabeth laughed as a petal landed on Darcy’s eye and reached out to brush it away. He took hold of her hand to kiss it.
It was drizzling. The Darcy carriage was on its way. Darcy could see it in the distance, at the end of the street.
“What is the meaning of this?” came a gruff voice.
“Father!” said Colonel Fitzwilliam. He turned to Darcy and Elizabeth. “Go!” he said, “I will stall him.”
