“Yes, completely,” Ian confirmed.
“It is too close to the date that I granted a courtship,” Seeing Ashby was about to argue, Andrew lifted his hand.“That being said, I require you to wait until after Jane and Perry’s wedding. In that case, you have my permission to approach her on the day after the wedding.”
“It is less than six weeks; I believe we will survive,” Ashby responded.
“You hadbetter!” Andrew warned.“I assume you will not want a long betrothal?” Ashby nodded his head.“I will grant a minimum of three weeks.”
Ian thanked his friend and returned to share the information with Anne. She would have preferred not to wait, but she agreed that the time that Andrew demanded was not without consideration. It was even generous, considering they had only enjoyed a few weeks of courtship, with only a few days of it in common.
Chapter 10
January 15, 1807
Jane could hardly contain her excitement; not just because it was her birthday, but on the morrow, she would marry Perry, and they would not have to be parted again. Yes, she would also be a Duchess, and she was happy about that, but her change in rank was nothing to the fact that she was about to marry the man that she loved. The only thing that came close in joy was that her sister had been reunited with her and her family, and in the month since Lizzy had started to call them sister and brother, she had become remarkably close to her birth family, Jane especially. The two sisters were now so dear to one another that Lizzy would be standing up with Jane on the morrow opposite her brother who, as Perry’s best friend, would be standing up with him.
The last month had flown by. They had the banns read even though acquiring a special licence would have been nothing for her betrothed. Lady Rose, who she now called Mother Rose, had assured her that she would be by Jane’s side to guide her as she took up her duties as Duchess of Bedford. She had made Jane blush when she had intimated during one of their discussions that she would not object to many grandchildren to spoil most rotten.
Tammy Bennet knocked on her daughter’s door and entered when she heard her daughter bid her to do so.“Jane, I cannot believe that you will be a married woman and a duchess in the morning. I will miss you so very much, but I know that Perry will always protect you and make sure that you are happy,” Tammy told her oldest daughter.“How did you enjoy your birthday yesterday?”
“It was the best one that I can remember because we are a complete family again. Even though Lizzy will continue to live with her Fitzwilliam family, and we will not be in the same house, we will never be parted again. I love that she has added Bennet to her name. Elizabeth Rose Bennet Fitzwilliam; how well it sounds. Until Papa told her, she had no idea that her second name was Rose. Mother Rose was very pleased when she found out.” Jane smiled as she remembered.
“Your father was overjoyed with her middle names. He told me his aim is to try and beat her in chess again—something he has not been able to do for almost a year!” Tammy smiled as she thought about how much pleasure her beloved husband had derived from Elizabeth’s announcement.
“Are you here to help me calm myself before the wedding night, Mama?” Jane asked pointedly.“If you are, I must tell you I am not nervous. Although I do not know all yet, I am very much looking forward to being Perry’s wife in all ways. If that makes me a wanton, so be it” Jane added defiantly.
“Oh, Janey, it does not make you a wanton, just a woman violently in love. You know the mechanics, having lived on a farm your whole life, do you not?” Tammy asked causing her daughter to blush scarlet as nodded.“Never be ashamed of what is done between the two of you in privacy—and that need not be restricted only to the night.
“It is possible that he will take pleasure in seeing all of you as you will in seeing him. That too is perfectly natural between a married couple, and nothing of which to be ashamed. The first time will hurt, possibly quite a lot, and there may be some blood as he takes your maidenhood; but after that, it will not hurt again. In fact, it will get better the more times that you repeat the act together.
“Lastly, always talk to one another about what each of you likes and dislikes. He loves you too much to ever impose something on you that you articulate as not pleasurable to you,” Tammy concluded her talk with a hug of her daughter.
“Thank you, Mama, I was not nervous, but now I am looking forward to our wedding night with anticipation of pleasure both given and taken,” Jane informed her mother with a tinge of pink in her cheeks.
“Try to get some sleep, Jane, or do you want to speak to Aunt Maddie before you try?” Tammy asked.
“No, Mama, I will try to sleep,” Jane kissed her mother on each cheek and bade her good night.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The Lucas parents were grateful that their son had come to his senses and that he had not destroyed their friendship with the Bennets or ruined their name in Meryton. After his apology, Franklin had backed up his words with actions. He had thrown himself into his duties at Lucas Lodge and had not gone near the bar at the Royal Crown.
There had been two or three times that he had been in the same room with Lady Elizabeth, and other than a polite greeting to the family, he had kept away. The last time, her brother Richard Fitzwilliam had been present. Luckily for Franklin, Richard had not found his behaviour lacking, so there was no reason to‘talk’to him again.
There had been a dinner hosted at Lucas Lodge that had been attended by the Bennets and their guests. Sir William had been beside himself hosting a Duke; an Earl and Countess; and a Dowager Duchess and Countess. Franklin had been in the receiving line and greeted Lady Elizabeth like he did everyone else. Even in his own home, he kept to his word.
Due to his now exemplary behaviour, his name was not removed from the wedding invitation. He would be at the church and subsequent wedding breakfast with his family, and he was bound and determined that he would continue to behave in a way that was above reproach.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Elizabeth was in the sitting room between her chambers and Georgiana’s, which was a few down from where Jane and her mother were having their discussion. Aggie was curled up in front of the fire, snoring away. Being at Longbourn with both her families around her was the happiest that she had felt since her beloved father was murdered. Any time that she would start to allow her self-created guilt to intrude, which was very seldom these days, she would hear her Papa’s words and the promise he extracted from her, followed by her family’s words of love. She knew that one day, many years in the future, she would see her Papa once again in heaven. She ruminated about the conversation that she had with her Fitzwilliam and Darcy family about ten days earlier.
The family, excluding Alex, had met in Andrew and Marie’s sitting room. Richard was with them for the weekend.
“Lizzy, you asked us to meet you here?” her mother asked.
“Yes, I did. I have been thinking about something, my name!” Elizabeth saw the looks of consternation and quickly move to reassure her family.“I amnotdesirous of removing a name; it is adding two that I am talking about.”
Everyone, her mother especially, had relaxed at her assurance that she had not changed her mind about being a Fitzwilliam.“What is it that you are thinking of Lizzy?” Aunt Anne asked.
