Before the couple realised it, the ceremony flew by and Richard heard himself repeat his vows.
Next Jane repeated her vows.
The couple released each other’s hands and William placed the rings on the pages of the Archbishop’s open book of common prayer. The Archbishop took Jane’s ring and handed it to Richard who placed it on the fourth finger of her left hand.
“With this Ring I thee wed, with my Body I thee worship, and with all my worldly Goods I thee endow; In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” Richard promised his Jane.
Traditionally it was not normally done, but by prior mutual agreement the process was repeated when Jane took Richard’s ring from the prayer book’s page and placed it on the fourth finger of his left hand and then intoned a similar vow in which she returned Richard’s promise.
After a closing prayer asking God and His Son Jesus to bless the couple, the Archbishop raised his hands above the almost wed couple’s heads and concluded the ceremony as follows:
“Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder. Forasmuch asRichardandLady Janehave consented together in holy Wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and hereto have given and pledged their troth either to the other, have declared the same by the giving and receiving of a ring and by the joining of their 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.”
It was done. After the congratulations rung out and many tears were dried, the couple and their witnesses followed the church’s pastor into the registry to sign the register.
“I knew how it would be. Jane could not be so good for no reason.” Lady Longbourn was heard to say as the couple headed to the vestry. Jane smiled to herself, her tension easing as she truly was no longer just an object of beauty to her mother.
Mr Hastings had the registry book open to the correct page and as her new husband, the Archbishop, Longbourn’s vicar, and the two who stood up with them witnessed it, Jane signed the name Bennet for the last time. She was now Lady Jane Fitzwilliam. Richard signed his and the deed was done. The two clergymen, Darcy, and Elizabeth left the newlyweds alone for some privacy.
The couple had kissed before, but these kisses were full of pent up passion and desire they had barely held at bay. When Jane felt Richard’s tongue on her lips, she opened her mouth to allow him access, and soon her tongue was responding in kind. Her arms snaked around her husband’s neck and she pressed herself against him as tightly as was possible so that their bodies melted into one. As much as Richard wanted to ravish his bride, he would not allow himself to dishonour church property in such a way, though he would feel less frustrated had he but known that Bennet had too considered consummation here after he and his Fanny had signed the registry so many years ago. As hard as it was as his manhood was swollen with tumescence, he separated from her and took a step back.
“Jane, I never want to let you go again, but we must calm down and leave the registry.” He managed to get out with ragged breath. “Our families are awaiting us in the nave of the church just outside of that door,” he reminded them both because Jane had a blaze of passion in her eyes that promised that their marital relations would not be passive.
“I know husband, oh how well that sounds—husband! Let us set ourselves to rights and not keep them waiting. If it is too much longer,” she blushed crimson as she imagined what she would have liked to be doing at that moment, “I would not be able to face our family for mortification of them knowing what we were about.”
It took a few minutes for the visible sign of Richard’s arousal to subside and for them to make themselves presentable, though Jane admitted to herself that she was not unhappy at the bulge in his pants that had presented itself. It portended of an enjoyable time in the marriage bed as she saw the passion that she felt for her husband reflected in his eyes for her. When ready, they opened the door and stepped out into the welcoming arms of their parents, siblings, and cousins.
Richard was engulfed in a bear hug by his father followed by kisses on his cheeks from his crying mother. They were tears of joy, for her son had not only found the love of his life, but she felt the same relief that she had felt since the day that her younger son had announced that he was resigning his commission, as he had found his equal in all ways that truly mattered. Andrew enfolded him in a congratulatory hug, as William and Georgie stood back with the Phillipses, Bedfords, and Jerseys to allow the parents and siblings their moment. Jane was surrounded by an overjoyed family all wanting to be first to use the appellation ‘Lady Jane Fitzwilliam’ before the others. She was hugged and kissed by her mother, who like her now mother-in-law had moisture in her eyes, then by each of her seven sisters.
They were followed by Aunt and Uncle Gardiner and the four Gardiner children. Jane and Lizzy had always been favourites with the children and she was able to quell their worries that they were losing a cousin, explaining that she would see them fairly often as her new home at Brookfield was just over fifteen miles from the Gardiner estate Dovedale. She also pointed out that they were in fact gaining, not losing cousins.
“Jane, I cannot tell you how happy I am to gain not just you, but six sisters today!” Lady Tiffany enthused and Jane hugged the younger of her newest sisters.
Last in the line to hug Jane was Lady Marie Fitzwilliam. “Welcome to the family, sister,” Marie said with much glee. “Now I am no longer the only daughter-in-law.” After Marie hugged Jane yet again, she was hugged by her new in-laws and welcomed to the family very heartily, then finally her new brother gave her a kiss on each cheek.
“Do not allow that brother of mine to get away with any nonsense. You will have to keep a watchful eye on that one,” Andrew teased his new sister, giving her a wink to make sure that she knew that she was being teased.
Richard was being simultaneously welcomed to the family by his in-laws, with a gentle reminder to treat his daughter like the beloved treasure that she was by the Bennet patriarch. His new Uncle Edward repeated the warning a little less gently, then his mother-in-law and aunt just kissed his cheeks. Next, he was hugged by his five new sisters, all of whom had warnings about what would happen to him if he ever hurt Jane, the scariest and most believable from the middle daughter, Mary.
Once the new extended family had greeted and wished the newlyweds well, they were approached by the Darcys. Darcy kissed his new cousin on the cheek and then looking at her next younger sister. “Welcome to the family, Cousin Jane. It is very good to be part of your family. As much as I will enjoy being cousins, my aim is for Georgie and I to be brother and sister to all of you at some point.” He stated boldly and his comment earned him a saucily arched eyebrow from his intended target.
“I am happy to be your cousin, William,” Jane agreed as she hugged Georgiana tightly, then pulled back so she could lock eyes with the young lady in her arms, “and yours Georgie.Ifone day we are closer than cousins, I will not be opposed,” Jane said softly. “Take heart, Georgie, I do not think it will be much longer,” Jane whispered to her as she kissed Georgie’s cheek, ‘but that is a secret I would only share with my soon to be sister,” she added as she kissed the other.
Darcy had moved on and was hugging his cousin as he slapped him on the back, glad for the older brother of his heart, hoping against hope that they would soon be brothers in deed. Georgiana then hugged her other guardian and kissed both of his cheeks. Anne de Bourgh and her betrothed followed, Anne to welcome Jane as a new cousin with a hug and a kiss and kissing Richard on his cheek while the latter wished his one soon to be cousin joy and shook the hand of the other.
The newlyweds were lastly surrounded by the De Melville and the Rhys-Davies families. While not relations by blood…yet, one was Jane’s godparents and the other long-acknowledged aunts, uncles, and cousins. After the initial wave of well-wishes, hugs, kisses, and back slapping was done, the newlyweds were followed out of the church where a column of conveyances stood to take them the few miles to Bennet Fields for the wedding breakfast. Charlotte Collins, who would not attend the celebration due to mourning, hugged and kissed Jane and congratulated her husband then turned to walk toward Lucas Lodge. Richard assisted his wife into the open landau, pulled by four pure white horses, that was to transport them to their celebratory meal.
By the time the new Mr and Mrs Richard Fitzwilliam arrived at the Fields both had very swollen lips, though if it was noted by anyone, they had the good sense not to comment on the fact.
As the couple were announced by Mr Hill, who was given the honour by the butler of the estate given, his long history serving the Bennets, the large crowd of well-wishers expressed their approval and joy with a rousing three cheers for the newlyweds. As to be expected, the one thing that Jane or Richard barely had time to do was eat. There were so many people to meet and thank for their warm wishes.
There were three men present watching the celebration calculating how soon they too could marry the women who claimed their hearts. In the case of Lord HughRhys-Davies, he wondered how soon after he proposed would he be able to marry his Mary. Darcy, although more confident than he had been since the insult of a proposal that he made at Hunsford, asked himself if Elizabeth would signal in some way that she was open to him renewing his addresses. Lastly, Harry Smythe was asking himself if Sarah Ashby would agree to a request for a courtship, or if it was too precipitous considering they had been known to one another under a sennight.
Darcy was seated at a table with the other two suitors with the very three ladies they each were hoping would secure their future happiness. All three men had asked his lady if he could make a plate of food for her, and they had also had the good sense to ask what foods his lady preferred rather than assume that they would eat whatever he deemed she should by his blind selection. The three ladies, dissimilar in many ways, were united in their approval of the fact that the men asked. While they understood that some favourites had been noticed over these days together, they appreciated that the men who were paying court to them did not forget that they liked to be included in decisions as partners, friends, and potential lovers.
By the simple act of gleaning her opinion first, each man raised the opinion of the young lady he was courting, or in one case, hoped to enter that state soon. Elizabeth had left the table only to intervene on behalf of her sister and brother to sit for a minute or two and made sure that they had a sip of lemonade to wash down a pastry she knew Jane loved and had seen that Richard liked when similar treats had been served at teas. Her officious action was appreciated by both and respected by those assembled, allowing the bride and groom a moment’s peace.
While Jane was escorted to a chamber by her closest sister to change out of the magnificent creation that Madame Chambourg had designed for her, her new husband sat down next to his cousin.
