He clasped his hand without a word, and together, they watched Elizabeth walk away.
Alone in her room, she tried to understand what had happened to her before summoning Anna. Yet the feelings in her heart were so new, so unexpected, and so powerful—at oncewondrous and painful—that she found herself almost paralysed, wondering what would come next.
She called for Georgiana, and together, they wept in each other’s arms for the first time, sharing their pain.
They needed no words; a single glance between them was enough to decide they would not weep again from that moment onwards, so long as he would be by their side. Still, they had needed that outpouring of sorrow to move forwards.
Chapter 23
“Fitzwilliam Darcy, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”
Darcy answered, “I will.”
“Elizabeth Bennet, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honour, and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”
Elizabeth answered, “I will.”
Elizabeth and Darcy, their hands clasped, gazed into each other’s eyes while Mr Thompson, the vicar who had seen Darcy grow up, nearly dropped the sacred book from which he read. The two young people looked at one another with an expression he had always sought in couples exchanging vows, yet oneso often was absent. The brides would usually beam at their families, rejoicing in the union; the grooms awaited the wedding night with a yearning rooted in the body rather than the soul. Yet when, at last, a pair like the one in front of him gazed at each other with the joy of simply being together, tragedy threatened their happiness before it had even begun.
Their gaze was a testament to deep, earnest emotions—a silent commitment to disregard the weight of the future and live the blessed hour of their wedding ceremony in its purest form. They had vowed to live together as husband and wife yet had decided to consider their marriage as an island adrift in a boundless sea, a sanctuary untouched by time or expectation, existing solely for them and them alone.
Darcy’s love for Elizabeth was more profound than he had ever imagined possible, a love that was wholly selfless, impervious to anything beyond that moment that was so precious to both of them. Elizabeth, in turn, felt a unique exaltation, the thrill of fulfilling a destiny shaped perfectly for her while bringing goodness to those around her, to the people who depended upon her.
“Forasmuchas Fitzwilliam andElizabethhave consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be man and wife together, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
Elizabeth looked at the vicar.
Their armchairs were placed before the window, casting the clergyman in a wash of light, rendering him almost too radiant to behold, elevating that unusual wedding to the realm of a sacred ritual, ideally attuned to her state of mind. It was as though she were caught in a dream, joyful and sorrowful all atonce, unable to fully grasp the reality of her circumstances. Yet, as she watched Darcy sign his name beside hers and then Jane and Colonel Fitzwilliam sign as their witnesses, things fell into a new and unfamiliar order that bore no trace of the life she had known before. She was married, she was in love, yet her life was far from anything she had ever dreamt of.
Her soul, overwhelmed by this new love, ached, for she longed to look at her husband and let him see what had blossomed within her heart. Yet, it was not possible. To let him see her love would be a torture too great for him to bear. But on the other hand, how could she let him leave without knowing she loved him?
Torn by this dilemma, Elizabeth did what she had never managed to do before—she postponed any decision, forcing calm to settle over the tumult in her heart. She looked at Darcy and smiled as he kissed her hand, allowing no emotion other than peace to show on her beautiful face, illuminated by an inner joy she saw no reason to conceal.
The young couple received the congratulations of those who had attended: first, the physician, who gazed at Darcy with notable intensity, then Georgiana, Mr Bennet, and Mr and Mrs Gardiner, followed by Lord and Lady Matlock, and finally the Duke and Duchess of Nantwich. Few words were spoken, for nearly none of the customary phrases suited the occasion. Even Lord Matlock, visibly moved, had ultimately accepted the situation with a kind of indulgent grace. The guests, each with their own thoughts and emotions, formed a community of shared joy and tension.
The family had witnessed the ceremony seated behind them. At the same time, the servants—many of them gathered in the hall—had also been present, eager to share in the moment. Darcy had allowed this without hesitation.
It had been an intensely emotional ceremony that everyone present had felt profoundly. It was unlike any wedding they had ever attended. There was love in the air but also a restraint, coming mainly from the couple themselves but also from the unspoken questions each guest silently pondered, for they were surrounded only by those who loved them.
“You look beautiful,” said Lady Matlock with genuine admiration in place of the usual congratulations. She had met Elizabeth just moments before the ceremony, yet her gaze was warm and approving. The Duchess of Nantwich embraced her, murmuring an invitation to visit her soon.
Elizabeth had half-expected someone to recognise her gown, to catch a curious or reproachful glance, but no such thing occurred. As Darcy had said, the wearer gave life to the garment, and the exquisite dress seemed made for her. Even Mr Bennet, indifferent to fashion, had exclaimed in wonder, “You are marvellous!” as he led her to her future husband.
Still sitting side by side, surrounded by the love of their families, they drank a glass of champagne and tasted the bride cake. Soon after, everyone left, guided by Georgiana to the dining-room, where a late breakfast awaited, leaving the newly married couple alone. Their first moments were filled with relief, joy, and a hint of nervousness about the life ahead.
“You ordered them to cut all the flowers from the greenhouse,” said Elizabeth reproachfully as the door closed behind the servants who had cleared the room, leaving them surrounded only by the colourful bouquets that had been the sole decoration.
“And I love you,” Darcy replied, smiling at her but silently thanking her for scolding him instead of slipping into a dangerous state of regret that might have overwhelmed him. “No, Mrs Darcy, I did not decimate the greenhouse. Only your bouquet was made ofLady Darcyroses from our greenhouse.But I am certain that my mother would have done the same. For the rest, there are greenhouses in London that cultivate flowers for such occasions all year round.”
“Are there?” she asked in surprise. He smiled, for this was precisely what they needed—to talk about Elizabeth preparing herself for the life that awaited her, a life about which she still had so much to learn.
“There are so many things I do not know,” she lamented, her tone and words ideally suited to the moment. Immediately after the wedding, most husbands would begin the ritual preceding the wedding night, gently guiding their brides towards the realisation that she was now a wife and soon would be a woman. Elizabeth and Darcy lacked this essential step, so Elizabeth sought to restore some semblance of balance by granting him control over her future life. She had made no plan; instinct alone guided her words and actions, for the only emotion she felt was her love for him, while her sole purpose was to make these days as peaceful as possible for him, with no regard for herself.The pain will come later,she had repeated to herself several times that morning as she stood before the mirror, resolute in her determination to embark on this difficult journey beside him without burdening him with her suffering.
“Do not be silly,” he said tenderly. “As long as we have time, I shall try to sketch a rough map of your life for you. But I have complete faith in your ability to find your way, even along unfamiliar paths.”
“I shall get lost.”
“And you will enjoy getting lost, for you are curious and delight in doing new things in your own stubborn way.”
