You may ask how I would still say this when I experienced the worst pain imaginable when my Anne, your mother, was taken from me. The answer is simple. My life would not have been worth living had I not known your mother’s love. Yes, she was taken too soon, but I would never have given up the years I had with her for a long married life with one who was not your mother.
“Mother and Father, when I fell in love with Elizabeth, she had neither wealth nor connections; now she has an abundance of both,” Darcy said as he lifted his eyes to the heavens.
“William and Anna, among others, have told me all about the two of you. I am much poorer for not having met you,” Elizabeth added. “Mr Darcy and Lady Anne, I must tell you that your son is the best of men, and our marriage will have love and respect as its bedrock.”
It is one of my great regrets that I am not in the mortal world to attend your wedding and then, one day, to be able to walk Gigi up the aisle and give her away.
“Gigi?” Elizabeth asked.
Darcy explained it was what they called her until she felt she was too old for that name and chose Anna as her sobriquet. The engaged couple returned to the letter.
This may sound like obvious advice, but never go to bed angry one with the other. My hopefor you is that you marry an intelligent woman like I did, one who is willing to disagree with you when you are wrong. No matter how much we disagreed (especially about George Wickham), we never entered our bedchamber with acrimony between us. Never forget this, William; it is very important so that small things do not become large impediments to your felicity.
Being able to listen to another is a skill needed for any successful marriage. I know the vows say ‘obey’, but you want a partner who can think and reason for herself, and my prayer is that is exactly the kind of woman you plan to make your wife.
Of course, if she is like most of us Darcys and leans towards being a bibliophile, so much the better.
As long as you have not given in to that Miss Bingley and offered for her and the woman you are to marry is gently born, you have my blessing, William. I can also tell you without fear of contradiction that had she been alive when I wrote this, your mother would have agreed wholeheartedly.
As sad as I am not to be with you as you take this next step along life’s path, I am sure I would love the woman you have chosen (as long as she is not that Bingley harridan).
That being said, William and whoever your wife-to-be is, I wish you a long and felicitous marriage.
With all my love,
Father
Elizabeth and Darcy sat with their heads touching without speaking for a while. They intended to strive to follow the advice in the long-lost letter.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The prewedding ball was enjoyed by all. When Bennet stood up and announced that his Lizzy was engaged to Mr Darcy, those in the neighbourhood—there were not many—who were unaware of the second Bennet daughter’s changed opinions about Mr Darcy were greatly surprised. As soon as they spoke to Hattie Phillips, she set the record straight.
The two engaged couples were overjoyed as they danced the three significant sets with their respective betrotheds. That Viscount Hilldale opened the ball with Miss Mary Bennet, and partnered her for the supper set as well was unexpected and started many tongues wagging.
The day after the ball, the newly engaged couple chose the fifteenth day of September as the day they would marry. It was a little longer than either wanted to wait, but as Elizabeth wanted to be sure Jane would be back from her wedding trip, a longer wait was in order. Elizabeth was to stand up with Jane, and she wanted to make sure Jane would be her matron of honour.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Happy were both Fanny and Thomas Bennet when they witnessed Jane become Viscountess Hadlock. Their pleasure had nothing to do with her new title or the Carringtons’ wealth. Rather, it was because they knew Jane had married an estimable man, and their eldest daughter would have a respect-filled and felicitous marriage.
Another reason the Bennet parents were joy-filled was that Fanny had missed her second month’s courses. Theywould tell no one else until Fanny felt the quickening in the next two months or so.
As Darcy stood next to his beloved watching the Hadlock coach disappear from sight to convey the newlyweds to London, his mind was on his own wedding which would be in a little less than three months. At least, he would have time for his beloved to see Pemberley before they married.
Elizabeth was also thinking about her wedding and after the wedding, when they would not need to be parted again, and there would be no need for chaperones.
Epilogue
March 1813
“Jane and I always spoke of a double wedding,” Elizabeth told her husband as he had come to make sure she was well as she sat in a pew in St Hugh’s Church in the Longbourn Village. “I am not complaining; I loved our wedding, William, as Jane and Jamey did theirs. I am especially happy that I am increasing.” Elizabeth patted her slight bump in her belly after missing her courses for three months. “Was it not kind of Charlotte and Mary to agree to wait until Mamma was churched after Tommy’s birth?”
Thomas Henry Bennet had entered the world in the middle of January past. His father had quipped that as soon as a son was no longer needed to break the entail, they were blessed with one. With the land from both the former Netherfield Park and Purvis Lodge annexed to Longbourn, it was much larger than Rosings Park, and its income would be far higher as well; it was only right that a Bennet son would inherit Longbourn. Rosings Park would go to either Kitty or Lydia, depending on who needed it. If they both married men who had their own estates, the first grandson without his own estate would be the next master of Rosings Park.
“Like you, I was more than satisfied with our wedding the way it was. It was the best day of my life up to that point. However, every single day living with you has been a best day,” Darcy said next to his beloved wife’s ear. “And I promise not to try wrapping you in wool as you increase. I am aware that you are healthier and stronger than my late mother.” He lookedto the altar where Richard was looking at him questioningly. “I need to return and do my duty to Richard.” Darcy kissed his wife’s cheek and went to take up his position next to their cousin. He would have stood up with Richard no matter what, but on this day, he was returning the favour as his cousin had been the one to attend Darcy on the glorious day he had married his dearest, loveliest Elizabeth.
When her husband returned to his place with Richard, Elizabeth’s eyes followed him and she looked at him longingly.
