“Aunt Hildebrand, this may not be the best day to be thinking of her, but I have been asking myself whether our late mother is the only reason Caroline is like she is, or was there something inside of her that would have come to the fore even without it being encouraged by Mother?” Louisa articulated. “I know it is too late to redeem Caroline; she is too deep in her insanity, but it does not stop the questions.”
“Only you could be so compassionate as to be thinking of this on the very day you are to marry,” Hildebrand opined. “Considering the way Caroline tried to treat you and manipulate Charles, I think there is something inside of her which made her a supremely selfish creature. What my late sister-in-law did was feed whatever it is that already resides within Caroline. That being said, in the end Caroline would still have been who she is; Mavis only accelerated things.”
“That makes sense. I will concentrate on much more pleasant things, like seeing Thomas in the church,” Louisa decided as she licked some drops of jam from her fingers.
“I understand that Thomas also likes gooseberry jam, and the cook at Longbourn always makes sure there is a good supply on hand. They make more than enough jam for the rest of the year from the fruit picked from May until July. You will never be in want of your favourite jam in your new home.” Hildebrand smiled.
“Thomas and I both love gooseberry fool for dessert. We have more in common than reading, chess, and intellect,” Louisa said dreamily.
“He is your perfect match,” Hildebrand stated. “Lulu, dear, as much as I appreciate you asking me to be your maid of honour, are you sure you would not have wanted one of the pretty Bennet sisters to stand up with you?”
“No, Aunt Hildebrand, I have the absolute right person who will be with me when I marry Thomas. You and Charles have been my support these many years, and I do not think I could have asked him to be my maid of honour. He will give me away, and that is more than enough.” Louisa drank the last few drops of the delectable hot chocolate. She replaced the empty cup on the tray and sat back, sated.
“Come, time for your bath. After your maid has helped you to dress, I will come to help with your hair.” Hildebrandrang for a maid to come collect the tray. Once it was removed, she kissed Lulu on the forehead and slipped out of the sitting room.
Louisa stood and floated towards the bathing room.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The previous afternoon when he arrived at the Blue Bull Inn in Hatfield, Collins had paid a man to discover what time and where the wedding of Mr Thomas Bennet would be in Meryton. The man had accomplished the task that Collins had paid him for, returning as dusk was falling. He reported that it would be at half past the hour of nine at St Hugh’s Church in the Longbourn Village.
That evening, Collins had a nice large meal at the inn as he imagined how much pleasure he would have on the morrow when he would succeed with his plan. He thought about the threats his cousin had made during that terrible visit to Longbourn. Collins was sure that his cousin could not have his heir arrested for trespassing on the estate which would belong to him one day, and besides, as far as Collins knew, the village was not on the estate’s land.
As his coachman had told him it was a two-hour drive to Meryton, he was in bed even earlier than was his wont and had a very restful night’s sleep as he dreamt about how he would succeed and would soon be able to claim his birthright. Like he did every night before he climbed into the bed, Collins prayed that Thomas Bennet would not be long for the mortal world.
Because of his being a clergyman, he knew his prayers would be answered sooner rather than later.
In the morning, Collins enjoyed a bountiful meal much earlier than was his wont at the parsonage. Afterward, he dressed and left his chamber wearing a blond wig as a disguise. He did not want to be recognised until it was time to act.
Before seven that morning, Collins was on his way to the church. His rented carriage arrived minutes before nine, and the coachman halted it near the church, but not too close. As no one in the area had ever seen him in the conveyance, he was not worried it would be recognised before he put his plan into action.
He alighted, very pleased not to see any of his cousin’s brutes, entered the almost empty church, and took a seat in the last row of pews on the left. He sat in the seat closest to the wall. Collins pulled his hat over his eyes and waited.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
By the time Bennet arrived at the church, fifteen minutes before the time of the wedding, the pews were already close to full. He, his family, and guests walked from the manor house as it was a dry, but cool day. It was a little more than a half mile from the house to the church. The village was on Longbourn land just across the lane from the gateposts and the drive which led to the manor.
Mr Phillips, the Bennet sisters, Maddie, her children, and her cousins filled up the first two pews on the right. Phillips would return home to be with Charlotte after the ceremony, even before the meal. Three of the sisters regretted that they could not be seated with three of the men from Netherfield Park.
As he was standing up with Bennet, Gardiner accompanied the groom to the waiting room just to one side of the altar after they greeted Mr Pierce.
Darcy and Fitzwilliam were with Anna in the first pew on the left. They had left the first seat on the aisle open for Bingley to be used once he had handed his sister to Bennet. The two men could not help stealing looks at their preferred Bennet sister.
He could have sworn Miss Elizabeth had been looking at him longingly, but Darcy was not sure. Perhaps, he needed to be bold like Richard, who on the morrow planned to request a courtship with Miss Mary. He supposed that until he put the question to her, he would never know. As Darcy thought back over their recent interactions, he became more certain that Miss Elizabeth was not indifferent to him. He admonished himself. He was not usually a timid man, so perhaps it was time to grab the bull by the horns. He decided that he too would ask to speak to a Bennet sister on the morrow. During the time the newlyweds would be sequestered at Longbourn, Darcy was aware that Gardiner or Phillips had the authority to approve of any courtships for the older Bennet sisters.
Thoughts of the lady Darcy was now sure he loved were pushed aside when he could tell everyone was standing thanks to the rector signalling them to do so.
Mr Pierce nodded and both inner vestibule doors were swung open.
Everyone watched as the bride entered on Mr Bingley’s arm, followed by her aunt, holding the bridal bouquet.
Even though the bride was wearing a veil, Collins had a good view of her left cheek, where he saw the devil’s mark. He came very close to standing and decrying that such a woman would be permitted to enter God’s house, but as hard as it was, he remained silent because he would stick to his plan.
Louisa saw nothing nor anyone other than her beloved Thomas as she walked up the aisle on Charles’s arm. He looked very dapper and other than some greying around the edges of his hair, he had a young and fit looking body. She supposed if he was one of those indolent men who did not move from his study, he would have looked quite different.
It took a gentle elbow to Bennet’s side from Gardiner to remember to breathe again. As soon as he saw his affiancedenter the nave of the church, Bennet had taken a deep breath and never released it. She was wearing a pale pink, empire-waisted gown, which he had heard was made of satin. She was wearing a wedding veil, but rather than the dark ones she would sometimes wear in public, this one was made of delicate Belgian lace which was altogether translucent.
He was not worried about any undesirables like the Kingstons intruding because Biggs, Johns, and their men were guarding outside. Some of them had been in place since just after nine. The other guards had arrived with his daughters.
