“You know I would have begged that you just stay with me, and it is true that with Tiffany, Lily, Georgiana, Loretta, and Kitty we are the happiest of young ladies about to take theTonby storm over the next few years.” Lydia rested her head on Helen’s shoulder for a moment then smiled with Helen when Bennet grimaced playfully at the thought before he again focused on their Helen.
“Fanny and I did not hesitate to make official what Lydia already felt about you in her heart. Making you our ward has been nothing but a pleasurable experience for all of us,” he disclosed and smiled serenely as the best truths cause no anxiety. “You know your sister Elizabeth does not hide her feelings well, do you not?” Helen nodded. “Have you ever felt anything but acceptance from her? Has she ever treated you as less than any of her other sisters?”
“No, Father Bennet,” Helen owned.
The Earl felt warm inside as Helen called him Father.
“Lizzy accepted me fully the same day we were all told I was to be one of her sisters and has treated me like it has always been so. It is overwhelming to think that Tim and I could have been alone in the world, or with a guardian that cared for naught but what he could gain from the situation.” Helen inwardly winced at all that might have been but for her Papa seeing that she loved her friend more than she had any of her few very distant cousins.
“I know the loneliness and despair the Darcys faced when a similar situation occurred to them and I did not want that for either you or Tim to experience anything similar when such a gift of gaining you both as our family was so easy a solution,” Bennet stated.
She offered a tremulous smile of understanding. “Not only have you gifted us with significant fortunes, but you gave us a stake in Gardiner and Associates. Comprehension of such generosity to those not related by blood is very hard,” Helen admitted with a blush.
“Family is not governed by blood,” Fanny shook her head as she again hugged their sixth daughter, “it is what is in the heart. One cannot always choose family, but one always has a choice to love and bring into the family those that are family of the heart, sometimes even when they do not know how yet to love you in return. You, and Tim by extension, were already loved by our Lydia, so it was true that in my heart you are no less of a daughter to me than the five that I birthed. You gifted your friendship and support to Lydia, when you had no obligation to do so. At the time she was struggling with her passions and needed the fortitude to manage them. It was because of love freely offered with nothing expected in return. Is that something only you get to give?” Fanny challenged.
“No, Mother Bennet,” Helen said into her mother’s shoulder.
“Then it is as simple as loving you and you loving us. A few papers needed signing only to allow us to offer you our full protection, but we would love you as Lydia’s sister with or without them as you would have been my charge for the rest of your youth and beyond and I would have been very selfish in keeping you with us.” She hugged Helen tighter as the warmth and sincerity of the feelings expressed set Helen off crying again, but this time they were tears of appreciation and love for her whole family. Her papa and mama would always live in her heart, but at that moment she learnt the lesson that Patrick Elliot had learned recently. God made the heart with unlimited capacity to love. Loving new people did not expel those who already were held within, the heart simply expanded to add room for the new, side by side with the old.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The Bennets, Darcys, and Fitzwilliams were welcomed to Ashbury by the master and mistress of the estate. Well wishes were offered to Darcy and Lady Elizabeth and Lord Birchington and Lady Mary for their upcoming nuptials. Richard, after consulting with Jane, accepted Ashby’s invitation to be hosted at Sherwood Park. He was not as close to the master of the estate as Andrew was, but they were acquainted and Andrew and Marie would be hosted there too. Added incentive was that Darcy, Lord Hugh and Granville too were hosted at the estate, making it a merry party at Sherwood Park. Jane would likely be asked a hundred questions about her sisters. The thought amused her to no end to be the leading fount of information to help the besotted men feel close to their beloveds during the hours they were apart.
Anne hugged her cousins with gusto. Gone was the mousy and compliant girl. The woman that had been waiting to blossom while repressed for too many years was now in full bloom.
They also learned that Anne’s droll wit they had all recently experienced was very much evident when she felt it was warranted. It was not long before Sarah Ashby resumed the informal terms of address that they had all agreed to with the Bennet daughters just before Jane’s wedding, which now extended to the Misses Darcy and Jacobson. As they had arrived only a few days before the nuptials, she had not much time to get to know Lady Jane Fitzwilliam as she and her husband had accompanied her betrothed back to his estate to get settled.
The party staying at Sherwood Park joined the Ashbury Party for nuncheon. Mary was excited to see her betrothed again and hoped that they would find some private time to ‘catch up’ before having to separate from him to change for dinner as any distance was too far away from him.
The afternoon passed in convivial bliss, as was expected when a group of good friends spent time together. The last of the expected guests, the rest of the Fitzwilliam family arrived in the early afternoon. That afternoon a group of some of the most influential women of theTonsat together. One Duchess, a bevy of Countesses, and not a few lesser-titled ladies who were joined by some non-titled but no less influential women. Any mother would be pleased if their daughters emulated the ladies present.
The no less austere husbands of said ladies were sitting with glasses of port and brandy, smoking cigars and pipes in the host’s smoking room. The younger people, all sought entertainment out of the house. With the multitude of companions, footmen, and younger girls at the estate there was more than adequate chaperoning for the betrothed couples…much more than was needed if one would ask any of the eight of the betrothed individuals. Mary did find a private moment to ‘catch up’ with Hugh, but not nearly as much as either would have preferred.
Everyone attending the festive pre-wedding dinner arrived at Amberleigh by five o’clock that evening. The estate’s ball room had been converted into a large dining hall to accommodate all of the guests. In addition to the family and friends hosted between the three estates, there were others whose estates were close by that were joining the party for the dinner. There were over one hundred and fifty dinner guests that night, with many toasts offered to the couples marrying in less than two days, and others to the couples who would marry the following week. There were a good number of people present at the dinner who had received one of the coveted invitations to what was being deemed one of the most important social occasions since the last royal wedding. Weddings outside of the immediate Royal family that the Royals attended were very rare.
One of the most surprising sights for many, and conversely one of the most predictable occurrences was when Anne had saved a seat beside her and would allow none other than Charlotte to sit next to her. Their talk took most of the evening and into the night as they shared their stories, the pleasure they felt for their friend almost as deep as their own.
When one of the guests was unaware of the connection commented that no one in half mourning should be present and certainly not taking such time with the bride so obviously above her in standing, Richard stepped in close and locked eyes with him.
“When one is in a situation where survival is in question, one makes alliances that never, ever falter. Do not question my cousin or my friend Charlotte again. As for Charlotte’s being in half mourning…” he quieted when Jane stepped into his side.
“Richard, thank you for defending our relations and loved ones, but assumptions like that prove a man is only worth ignoring. We who care, know the truth,” she smiled sweetly at her husband while giving the man who made the offending speech a look of pure disdain.
“You are right, of course. Charlotte would take me to task herself for attempting to explain when no actual question was asked.” He picked up her hand and indicated for her to lead the way, Jane smiling at the two women and helping them smile when they were discussing both the past and the present for closure no one else could offer. The offensive man was left quaking in his boots; the last person he wanted to offend was a Bennet girl.
There was an extended separation of the sexes where the men repaired to the formal dining room to enjoy their libations and smoke. There were many exhibitions of musical talent that night, including an exquisite duet featuring Ladies Jane Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Bennet combining their heavenly voices in song accompanied by Miss Darcy on the pianoforte and Lady Tiffany Fitzwilliam on the harp. The night ended with an explosion of applause for the performance.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
On Friday, the seventh day of August, Reverend Benjamin Harrison stood in front of the altar of the Church at Ashbury flanked by a groom on each side. To his right stood Harry Smythe who had his friend Andrew Fitzwilliam standing up with him, and to his left stood Ian Ashby with his brother Franklin standing up for him. The church was filled to overflowing with the families of those standing together before the clergyman.
Granville was the only one without family present as his distant cousin had decided to cry off the festivities that would end his presumed inheritance if a son was born to the Earl.
Both brides were waiting in the vestibule as their attendants walked up the aisle. Sarah had her sister-in-law standing up for her and Anne de Bourgh’s cousin, Lady Tiffany, was doing the honours for her. Anne looked resplendent in her ivory coloured gown as she stood next to Tiffany who wore a pale peach gown. Her Uncle Reggie held his arm out for his beloved niece when they heard the music that signalled the entry for the brides. She walked with her Uncle, but later, as with many brides, the only thing that she would remember was staring into her beloved’s eyes as they recited their vows.
Lady Sarah Ashby followed Anne as she walked to her betrothed on the arm of her father. The Earl of Ashbury could not be prouder of his daughter. His pride had naught to do with the fact that his daughter would become a countess as soon as the pastor intoned the final words of the marriage rite, but it had everything to do with the fact that he knew beyond any doubt that his little girl was in love and that she was as loved in return, if not more so. Although there would still be marriages made for power and money, thankfully the tide was turning and these powerhouse couples like Mr and Lady Fitzwilliam, were making matches based on love, respect, and felicity for theTonto take note of.
Each Earl handed his charge to their respective groom, and after the pastor indicated that those in the congregation should sit, he opened the Book of Common Prayer and commenced the service.
