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Darcy and Elizabeth exchanged furtive glances. He gently brushed his thumb against the back of her hand.

Lady Catherine rattled on. “Is such a girl to be my nephew’s sister? Is her husband—the son of a steward—to be my nephew’s brother? Heaven and earth! Of what are you people thinking? Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?”

Mr. Bennet cleared his throat. “You have said quite enough, your ladyship. You can now have nothing further to say.” He extended his hand towards the door. “You have insulted my family in every possible way. I must beg you to leave my home. However, as we are all destined to be family, you are most welcome to return for the wedding.”

Her ladyship would not be waylaid. She glared at Elizabeth. “You are committing to a grave mistake, you foolish girl! Do you not consider that a connection with you must disgrace my nephew in the eyes of everyone of consequence?”

Elizabeth huffed. “Lady Catherine, you know my sentiments.”

“You are then resolved to have him?”

“I am resolved to act in that manner, which constitutes my happiness, without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me.”

“You refuse, then, to obey the claims of duty, of honour. You are determined to ruin him in the opinion of all his friends, and make him the contempt of the world.”

“Neither duty, nor honour would be violated by my marriage with Mr. Darcy. And with regard to the resentment of his family, or the indignation of the world, if the former were excited by his marrying me, it would not give me one moment’s concern—and the world in general would have too much sense to join in the scorn.”

Lady Catherine turned away from Elizabeth. Her eyes fixed pleadingly on her nephew, she cried, “Darcy, I implore you to be reasonable. You have invited nothing but misery to your doorstep!” She cast a disparaging glance about the room. “Look around you, Nephew. These people are nothing in comparison to us. What on earth leads you to suppose you will ever be contented with a woman the likes of that one. She is impertinent. She is wilful, and I have been made aware she suffers a grave inability to curb her sharp tongue. She would be an embarrassment to us all.”

Darcy said, “There will be no more of such talk, Lady Catherine! My future is settled. Desist your tirade at once; else I shall forever consider you a stranger.”

“You cannot be serious. I am your closest family—your own blood!”

“Miss Elizabeth and her family are my family now.”

“And this is your real opinion! This is your final resolve! Very well. I shall now know how to act.” She turned her back on her nephew and scowled at Elizabeth. “Do not imagine, Miss Bennet, that this is the end of it. I am not without influence. You Bennets shall regret the day that you crossed me.”

In this manner, Lady Catherine talked on until she reached the door. Turning hastily round, she added, “I take no leave of you and your so-called family, Nephew. You deserve no such attention. I am most seriously displeased.”

Some minutes passed, and Mrs. Bennet still had not formed her thoughts in a manner suitable to the ears of her future son-in-law whom she now looked upon with approbation.

Heading for the quiet sanctuary of his library, Mr. Bennet paused. “Perhaps her ladyship will not be returning for the wedding after all. What a shame it is, for her liveliness will surely be missed.”

Now that her ladyship was gone and had taken with her the gravity of the situation, Elizabeth could not help smiling. She was marrying a man whom she dearly esteemed. This incredible man, standing by her side, had proved his love for her by his steadfastness and his devotion. And ultimately, by his sacrifice on behalf of her family, he had demonstrated his love for her.

Nothing else matters.

CHAPTER 18

MY FAVOURITE THINGS

Happy for all her maternal feelings was the day on which Mrs. Bennet got rid of her two most deserving daughters. With what delighted pride, she often visited Mrs. Bingley. If any of the good people of Hertfordshire bothered to notice that Jane had given birth to a healthy baby girl during her sixth month of wedded bliss, no one made mention of it.

The Gardiners were amongst the guests who attended the double wedding ceremony. Elizabeth could not have been more pleased with the intimacy between her dear aunt and uncle and her groom. Neither of them could testify to anything other than his goodness, which gave Elizabeth a great deal of satisfaction, and she could hardly wait to have them come to Pemberley at Christmas.

Mr. Bennet was delighted with the occasion of having two daughters well settled. With the Netherfield library being the finest in the county, Mr. Bennet availed himself to it with alacrity. He came to know it was nothing in comparison to the library at Pemberley, however. Not satisfied with second-hand accounts, he made plans to attest to the veracity himself.

As for Mary and Kitty, the former was assured of unfettered use of the library at either of the two fine estates, and the latter was satisfied with the promise of at least one or two balls a year. In her letters from Newcastle, poor Lydia often opined over the injustice that her dear Wickham should not be just as rich as her new brothers, for he was certainly the handsomest of all.

Miss Bingley had yet to accept her brother’s marriage to Jane with any measure of regard approaching sincerity, for while it was true that the resolution of the Mr. Wickham debacle had been enough to quiet the scandal, her brother would forever be the brother of the son of a steward. The stench of such an attachment was regarded differently where the Darcys were concerned. Though deeply mortified by Darcy’s marriage, Caroline in thinking it advisable to retain the right of visiting at Pemberley, dropped all her resentment, was fonder than ever of Georgiana, almost as attentive to Darcy as ever before, and paid off every arrear of civility to Elizabeth.

Lady Catherine was extremely indignant over her nephew’s marriage and the foul treatment afforded to her by the Bennets of Longbourn. She declared she would not attend the wedding, and she held fast to her conviction. Charlotte, comforted by the fact that Mr. Darcy indeed had found his way to the top of her dear friend’s list, rejoiced in the match. The same could not be said of her husband. He, like his noble patroness, was abhorred. Neither could make sense of Mr. Darcy’s behaviour, and they regularly consoled each other over the terrible injustice of it all.

Georgiana arrived in Hertfordshire soon after learning of her brother’s happy news. There she remained until the day of the much desired occasion. In forming her acquaintance with Elizabeth, she had already learned to think of her as a sister. From the moment she saw her brother and her friend sparring that late winter morning in Cheapside, she endeavoured to make it so. Despite her promise to her brother that matchmaking was not her motive in throwing him and Miss Elizabeth in each other’s path, she suffered no compunction in doing just that. After all, she never made such promises to her dear friend.

Upon seeing Pemberley for the first time, Elizabeth had every intention that she might one day see it again. Fanciful notions of what it must be like to be mistress of such a place aside, never had she supposed that she might assume that role or that the handsome young gentleman whose likeness had held her captive might one day profess his undying love and devotion to her. Yet here I sit, captive in his loving embrace—a living testament to the fact that all things are possible.

Intending to relish every single moment of those last miles of their journey, Elizabeth shifted comfortably in Darcy’s arms. From the carriage window, she saw and admired every remarkable spot and point of view. Their carriage gradually ascended for half-a-mile, and they then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence where the wood ceased. Her eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, sweetly situated on the opposite side of a valley. Elizabeth was overjoyed, for this was more than a grand manor house surrounded by magnificent streams and delightful walking paths perfectly winding amongst the finest gardens she had ever seen. This was forever more, her home.