“Do you remember that Father Bennet told me that my middle name is Rose as he named me Elizabeth Rose for Grandmother Elizabeth Rose Bennet?” There were nods all around.“I was thinking of adding Rose and Bennet between Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam. Bennet will be like a middle name, regardless of where I was birthed, I am and always will be a Fitzwilliam, well unless I marry one day, and even then, it will not change who my family is.”
“That sounds like a good name for you, Sprite,” Richard offered.
“Thank you, Itch, I think so, too,” Elizabeth answered.
“I hate to say it,” Will said with a grin,“as much as I hate to agree with mymucholder cousin, it sounds fine.”
There was no dissention within the family. Elaine hugged her daughter tightly. The family group joined the Bennets and young Alex in the drawing room where Elizabeth announced her new name to all. Just like he had when she had called him‘Father Bennet’the first time, Bennet had moisture in his eyes.
Elizabeth was snapped out of her reverie when Georgiana stuck her head into their shared sitting room to confirm that it was only Lizzy present.“Come in, Gigi, it is only Aggie with me in here.” Aggie lifted her head on mention of her name and once she saw who was visiting her mistress, she put her head down and went back to pleasant snore-producing dreams.
“Can you believe that Jane will be a Duchess on the morrow,” Georgiana asked excitedly.
“It does seem unreal, but I can tell you from talking to Jane that she would have married Perry title or not. She is marrying for the only good reason to marry, the deepest love,” Elizabeth informed her younger cousin.
“I believe that Andrew’s restriction on Mr Ashby to propose to Anne is over the day after the wedding. Just do not go off and marry someone who will take you to the other side of the country Lizzy., I do not know what I would do without you,” Georgiana begged.
“I will keep that in mind after I come out, Gigi,” Elizabeth smiled. If her wishes were granted and her feelings were returned, then she might live close—awfully close—to her cousin, and they mayhap would be sisters.
For her part, Lady Elaine felt much relief after the meeting when Lizzy had announced her name change, the last vestiges of doubt that her daughter would change her mind about where she was to live slipped away.She had breathed a sigh of relief as she understood what Lizzy wanted to do—she was stating for all to hear that part of her was a Bennet, but she was and always would be a Fitzwilliam.
Thomas Bennet was beyond happy at his second daughter’s decision. It was far more than he had ever expected.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Anne had been counting the days ever since Ian had informed her that he had Andrew’s permission to ask for her hand—they only had to wait until after Jane’s and Perry’s wedding. She had started crossing days off the calendar, with the seventeenth day of January circled so much the number was all but illegible.
Until she met and then fell in love with Ian, she did not know that it was possible to love another the way that she loved him. While ruminating on what was soon to come, she thought back to the woman who had given birth to her. She had tried to claim that Anne was too sickly and that she would not be able to marry, except to someone she chose who wouldunderstand. Anne was now aware that she was as healthy as anyone else and that the woman had sprouted that nonsense so that if she chose to one day kill Anne, she would have a plausible reason for her death.
With his will, her father had gifted her with the best family that a girl could want and had secured Rosings for her, making it impossible for his wife to touch any estate funds. She did not remember her first father as he had died when she was but a few years old, but her second father she had loved, known, and remembered. She was sad that when she did marry, Father Reggie would not be there to walk her down the aisle; but Andrew would stand in his stead. With Andrew, Richard, and Lizzy, she had the best of siblings and was never alone.
Mrs Jenkinson, who had saved her from her mother, was still with her. She had gone from nursemaid, to governess, and then finally to companion, and Anne loved her like a second mother after Mother Elaine. It was already decided that when she and Ian married, they would reside at Rosings, and Mrs Jenkinson would be given a sizable cottage on a few acres of land. She would also be provided with a very generous pension to live out the remainder of her life in comfort.
Anne loved Elaine as well as any daughter could love her mama and had only kept the de Bourgh name to honour her first father. She would have been Lady Anne Fitzwilliam had she not wanted to keep her first father’s name alive. As she teased with her dry wit at the time, it would have been too confusing with two Lady Anne’s in the family. While she was exceedingly happy for Jane, she could not wait for her wedding to be over, so that they could get to the day that Ian would propose.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The morning of the wedding of Jane Bennet and Perry Rhys-Davies was a clear and frigid winter day. There was a layer of snow on the ground. When Perry awoke to gentle shaking by his valet at Bennington Fields where he was residing with the De Melvilles, Ashby, and some other families, he almost jumped out of bed. It was the day that he was to marry the woman that he loved.
A little after nine, he was pacing back and forth in the drawing room when the Fitzwilliam brothers, Charles Bingley, Will, William Bennet, and John Manning arrived.“I expected you earlier,” Perry barked as anxiety took hold of him.
“We do not have to leave for at least ten minutes brother,” Andrew told him as he put his hand on Perry’s arm to stop the frenetic pacing back and forth.“We have to be at Longbourn’s church by half after nine; as it is we will be there before that time, so calm yourself, or do I have to ask my assistants here to hold you down?” he threatened his friend in jest.
That seemed to reach Perry, and he calmed down, concentrating on how his Jane would look as she walked toward him that day. The ten minutes seemed to drag by, but they finally entered the coaches that would take him to the church and his heart.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Jane was ready by half after the hour, even with her mother and Aunts Maddie and Hattie fussing over her. She was wearing a white silk dress with empire waist and puffed-up sleeves. It was very tasteful and modest, even for the fashions of the day. There was a transparent organza overlay that flowed into a longer back piece, which formed a train. The overlay and her delicate veil were lightly decorated with oblong pearls. She wore a strand of pearls around her neck with teardrop pearl and diamond earbobs. When she descended the grand stairs, she truly looked like an angel from on high.
Mrs Hill was quietly crying as she watched one of her girls preparing to marry. Even more wonderful was that Miss Lizzy was with her older sister; the two of them together on this day was a source for much joy. Elizabeth was waiting in the entrance hall for her sister, gazing at her with the same wonder the rest of the ladies and her father gaped at her with.
Tammy, James, Kitty, and Tom all kissed Jane, and then they and the aunts left the house to make the short walk to the church, just to one side of the manor house. After Elizabeth checked all was well with the dress and the veil was in place, she helped Jane don a warm coat for the short walk. Then with her father on one side and her younger sister on the other, Jane Bennet left the house that she had lived in these last eighteen years for the final time as a Bennet.
When Martha Bingley and the Hursts arrived at the church, they were welcomed by their friends and others who lived in the area. After helping escort Perry to the church, Charles joined the family in their pew.
Perry was standing in his place at the front of the church when he saw his very soon to be mother-in-law and her three younger children take their seats next to William and John in the front pew. After a brief pause, the door to the vestibule opened and a radiant Elizabeth made her way slowly up the aisle.
As Will watched her from his seat next to his parents and siblings, his heart prayed that one day it would be him standing at the front of the church while she walked toward him. He suspected that Wes De Melville may have similar wishes, and he did not have any idea where Lizzy’s preferences laid, or even if she had any.
