Page 114 of Bitterness of Spirit & The Painting

Darcy dedicated his time to Elizabeth. As promised, he showed her the estate in long rides in the phaeton—with others, with Georgiana, or sometimes alone.

In five days, a letter from Longbourn arrived, and the betrothed couple read it together.

Dear Mr Darcy,

I must first tell you that I shall never forgive you for the torment I have had to suffer because of you.

First, you invited my favourite daughter to Derbyshire only to steal her away. That alone is unpardonable. Then, you have given me not one moment of peace as, night and day, Mrs Bennet constantly praises the Lord, your handsome features, and your income.

Despite all this, I gladly give you my blessing. I truly believe that you and Lizzy are perfectly suited for each other, and as much as I shall miss her, I am sure she will be happy with a man not only worthy of her affection but also her respect and admiration.

Regarding the wedding, I would suggest it take place at Pemberley. Unfortunately, we shall not be able to travel such a long distance in this warm weather. But since Elizabeth will have her sister, uncle, and aunt there, I hope she will not be too disappointed by our absence.

Besides, I am convinced that both of you will need a little peace at the beginning of your marriage, and an invasion by the entire Bennet family would surely ruin that.

If you are still willing to have us, we could travel at the end of October—when the weather is cooler but not too cold—and stay at Pemberley until after Christmas.

Until then, I shall only say God bless you, and be as happy as you deserve.

Best regards to you all,

Thomas Bennet

PS: Tell my sister Gardiner to write to Mrs Bennet about all the details of the wedding day—along with an accurate description of Pemberley—or I shall not hear the end of it.

PPS: Tell Lizzy that I should have come to Pemberley after all to see who is marrying whom.

Elizabeth read the letter with tearful laughter. She was sad but also aware of her father’s wise decision.

“I believe October is an excellent month for travel. I shall send them a carriage and make all the arrangements at inns along the way so they will have a safe trip and rest comfortably during the journey.”

“Thank you, my love.”

“I know you are sad…”

“I am…a little… but I agree this is the best solution for everyone.”

He kissed her hands tenderly. “I shall write him immediately.”

“And I shall do the same—both to him and to Mama. I shall give her a full description of Pemberley just as she wishes.”

“My dear, I believe it would be fair also to write to my uncle and aunt. I would not wish them to hear rumours and be taken by surprise.”

“Yes, you should. If you wish, I shall assist you in that daunting task,” Elizabeth teased him.

Mr Bennet’s approval allowed the couple to spread the news of their betrothal to the entire staff and to begin preparations for the wedding day.

The news of the master’s engagement to Miss Elizabeth Bennet astounded everybody in attendance, but nobody as much as the Bingley sisters. They suffered such a shock that Miss Bingley insisted they return to London before the wedding. However, Mr Hurst strongly opposed her demand and suggested Miss Bingley leave by herself if she insisted. Feeling alone and betrayed, Miss Bingley remained but refused to join the others in any pre-wedding activities.

Mr Wilson soon became a favourite of both Georgiana and Anne as he shared with them memories of those so precious and dear to them who had left too early.

His return became the talk of Pemberley and Lambton. Many of them did not recollect him, but some did, including Mrs Reynolds who readily spread the story of young Gilbert Wilson’s bravery and his saving Mr George Darcy’s life.

Mr Wilson’s past was not known by all, but his present was: polite, friendly, generous, and apparently wealthy with connections to dukes and countesses. Except for the Darcys, nobody in their neighbourhood compared to him, and knowing he was one of their own made him almost a local hero.

Elizabeth’s love for Pemberley began to grow the first day of her engagement, as did her concerns about the responsibilities attached to her future position. Meeting the tenants and the families in Lambton—whose prosperity mostly depended on Pemberley—she gained a glimpse of the responsibility that lay on Darcy’s shoulders. She was ready to share it with him but was also aware that she had much to learn.

She dedicated time and attention in discussions with Mrs Reynolds about estate and household business. The housekeeper was impressed with Elizabeth’s interest and diligence. There was no arrogance, no self-sufficiency in the future Mrs Darcy, only preoccupation for Pemberley, for the people around her, and for the master. Mrs Reynolds thanked Darcy several times for choosing such a lovely, kind, and beautiful mistress, and her eyes moistened with affection every time she saw them share obvious mutual fondness. Though undeclared, her fear had been that he might marry the insolent and arrogant Miss Bingley—which was now proved to be a nasty rumour and a bad joke.