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Elizabeth looked up as Mr Hill approached her with the salver in hand. He bowed and proffered it to her. There was a missive on it and Elizabeth immediately recognised Gigi’s hand and the Darcy seal. It had been almost a fortnight since she had written to her younger friend so she was hungry for news.
“Thank you, Hill,” Elizabeth sang as she removed the epistle. She broke the seal, opened the paper, and began to read.
7 August 1809
Pemberley
Lizzy,
I apologise that I did not respond to your letter sooner. I meant to but I have been accompanying Mrs Reynolds (our housekeeper) on tenant visits, and it tired me out quite a lot, but I enjoyed them.
William had the right of it when he told me that I would learn much from the visits and find them very fulfilling. He is such a good brother. But it is not only that; if you ever come visit me here (I pray you will), you will see that, with very good reason, the servants and tenants all call him the best master and landlord.
While I am on the subject of William, he asked me to send his regards to all of our future cousins. He swears that he will best you in chess one day.
Elizabeth could not but smile. It seemed that she was not the only one thinking about the other, as she was in Mr Darcy’s thoughts as well. She found she liked that, but as she was only eighteen, she was not yet ready to discover what that meant. Her eyes went back to the letter.
Your stories about how your brother and Arthur Hurst play together were most amusing. I can very easily see you joining in their games as the fearsome pirate queen. It is very kind of your youngest sisters to spend time with little Tisha Hurst. Did you not tellme how your cousin May Gardiner and Tisha became playmates in London? I am sure Miss Hurst will be very pleased when your Gardiner cousins arrive for the wedding. I suppose the boys will be just as happy seeing that your cousin, Eddy, will be there to lead the younger boys in games.
I am sorry we will not be able to come to Anne’s wedding. However, with the amount of work William has set for himself and the upcoming harvest, it is understandable.
At least I will see you in early October. As you are aware, it is usually very difficult for me to meet new people, but I find I am in anticipation of meeting your 3 younger sisters. Thanks to my love of the pianoforte, I know if she will have me as one, I will want to be friends with Miss Mary.
Due to their closeness in age to me, I am sure that Misses Catherine and Lydia (especially the latter, who is but 3 months younger than me) and I will be the best of friends.
William mentioned that Richard is planning to propose to Miss Lucas before the ball. (I know at 13 I am too young to attend, even just until supper.) Did you not mention she has a sister who is 14? As we will all soon be cousins, I hope I meet her too. Perhaps I should not have repeated that, about the proposal, that is. Please do not mention it to anyone. Ifit is a surprise for Miss Lucas, I would hate to spoil it.
My French and Italian are improving apace. My French is so much better that I am able to read and translate French texts without too much trouble. Both my governess and William are pleased with my progress.
A sennight past we were at Snowhaven to visit our Aunt Elaine and Uncle Reggie. Brother insisted we should call on Aunt Catherine at the dower house. I used to be afraid to be in her company, but she is so different now, almost like a shell of her former self.
She no longer expresses opinions on every subject, does not make pronouncements, or attempts to direct anyone else’s life. When William told her that Anne was to marry, Lady Catherine said she had a letter from her daughter and only wished her everything of the best for the future. Not one word of her former insistence that Anne and William marry was mentioned. It is almost like she received a great shock which changed her forever. William told me that from what he can recall, Aunt Catherine’s change began after she came to Pemberley subsequent to our father being called home to God.
That is all the news I have for now. I am counting the days until we come to Hertfordshire prior to Andrew’s and your sister’s wedding.
Until I see you then, your friend,
Georgiana (Gigi) Darcy
Elizabeth also looked forward to when the Darcys would arrive. As much as she wanted to see Gigi and introduce her friend to her younger sisters, if she were honest with herself, she would own that she was even more keen to see Mr Darcy again.
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On the final day of August 1809, Mr Hector Martin, the same clergyman who had seen Anne de Bourgh grow from a babe into the lady she was this day, conducted her wedding ceremony at St Cuthbert’s church in Hunsford, where he had served as the rector for over forty years. Now that he had seen his late patron’s daughter wed, he knew that his decision to retire after the upcoming Easter was the right one. To see the woman the girl had become, glowing with both health and love, was a balm to the old clergyman’s soul.
As soon as Mr Martin pronounced them man and wife, Anne Ashby basked in the cheer which rose from the small congregation who witnessed her join her life with her beloved Ian.
Her Fitzwilliam family, the Bennets, the Hursts, and, of course, Ian’s family were in attendance, as well as some long-time and loyal staff and servants from Rosings Park. None of them commented on the fact that the newly married couple took a rather long time to sign the register after those standing up with them had departed the registry. Jane Bennet had stood up with Anne and Ian’s brother, Stephen, stood up with him.
A sumptuous wedding breakfast was enjoyed at Rosings Park before the newly married Ashbys departed for Ramsgate, where they would enjoy their honeymoon. They would bestaying in the Fitzwilliams’ house, which was right across the coastal road from the beach and sea.
They had decided that once they returned from their wedding trip, when not in London or away visiting family, they would alternate months between Ashford Dale and Rosings Park. The fact there were less than ten miles between the estates helped greatly in being able to administer two large properties. Ian had insisted that Rosings Park remain Anne’s property. She had refused. Everything was theirs, not his or hers.
Once the Ashbys had departed to begin their honeymoon, the Fitzwilliams, Hursts, and Bennets returned to Hertfordshire.
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