Page 114 of A Life Diverted

“You will, your Grace; however, she is assisting her sister into her wedding gown, I believe,” Bennet stated.

“As your adoptive daughter is our cousin, please call me Bedford, my son Birchington, and I am sure my wife would want you to call her Lady Rose,” the Duke allowed. “There is no need for ‘your Grace.’”

“Now, Cousin, who is this Uncle Freddy Marie was telling us about?” Lady Rose asked with a smile.

“I will explain, but I want to apologise to Lady Marie for my anger-fuelled rebuke. It should have been reserved for her parents, not her. Believe me when I tell you, I understand better than most how one is forced to live with the dictates of parents,” the Prince granted.

“Your anger is justified, your Highness,” Lady Marie replied. “It also helped open our eyes to the cruelty my parents visited on our late sister. To keep peace with our parents, we tried to ignore their actions and carry on as normal for too long, but those days are past.”

“It is a pity it came to this point, but my Cilla left clear instructions, and as her parents never attempted to reach out to her, there was nothing to be done,” The Prince clarified.

“You mentioned Priscilla is resting eternally at St. Alfred’s near Meryton?” Lady Marie asked. Bennet nodded once that this was true. “Wes and I intend to visit her grave before we depart for London after the wedding.”

Just then Fanny entered the drawing room with Jane and Elizabeth. “That is a good idea,” Fanny approved the idea without reservation.

The Duke and Duchess, who had known Priscilla before she married, instantly knew who her daughter was even before she approached Marie and hugged her aunt.

Introductions were made, and Jane and the Bennets were congratulated on Jane’s imminent nuptials.

It was decided that there would be time at and after the wedding breakfast to talk to Elizabeth as the hour to depart for the church at Longbourn had arrived.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Charlotte Lucas was not devoid of intelligence and for a while now had suspected ‘Uncle Freddy’ was more than the late Lady Priscilla’s ex-husband.

Seeing the array of peers of the realm seated in the church was one thing, but then four people entered just before the start of the wedding rites and Charlotte did not miss the greetings.

From what she heard, they were the Duke and Duchess of Bedford and the Marquess and Marchioness of Birchington.

Charlotte’s parents used to be the only titled persons in the area before Lady Priscilla took up residence at Netherfield—even though her father was a lowly knight.

Then sometime after the lady’s death, the neighbourhood found out her former husband was none other than a Prince, second in line to the throne.

About ten or eleven years ago the Bennets seemed to become close connections of a number of peers and an extremely wealthy and well-established family from Derbyshire.

Charlotte did not fail to recognise the protective cocoon around her friend Eliza either, although she had never verbalised her thoughts. Given what she was seeing at Jane’s wedding, Charlotte decided it was time to have a conversation with her friend.

Before Charlotte could muse further on the subject, Mrs. Bennet and the members of her family who were not involved in the wedding party took their seats.

Charlotte saw the handsome Viscount take his position to the right of the altar with Mr. Fitzwilliam behind him.

Mr. Dudley and his curate, Mr. Collins, assumed their positions.

Charlotte smiled shyly to herself; she felt as if there were butterflies in her stomach when she watched Mr. Collins on the dais.

Just then, the vestibule door opened and Elizabeth glided up the aisle to take her position opposite Richard.

William Darcy was struck dumb at the sight of her, for he had never seen her look better.

Her maid had done wonders with her sometimes unruly tresses, and her light-green velvet gown accentuated all of her bountiful womanly assets.

Once Elizabeth took her position, Mr. Dudley indicated the congregants should stand.

Both vestibule doors opened, and Jane entered the church on her father’s arm.

She was glowing with happiness as her eyes sought and found her groom’s; his awe and obvious approval were apparent in the smile which seemed to grow with every step that she took toward him.

Bennet stopped and lifted Jane’s delicate, gossamer veil. “I could not have parted with you for one less worthy, my Jane; you will be a very happy woman,” Bennet told his daughter quietly as he kissed her on the cheek.

“Thank you, Papa, I will be,” Jane averred and kissed her father on his cheek before he lowered her veil again.

Her attention shifted to Andrew who was standing ready as Bennet placed his eldest daughter’s hand on her groom’s arm.

The two then turned as one and took their place in front of the parson.

Before they knew it, the two had recited their vows and the rector intoned the final benediction of the wedding ceremony.

“ God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen.”

Save signing the register in the vestry, it was done.

The congregation stood as Mr. Collins led the couple and their two attendants to the vestry where the register was open to the relevant page.

Jane signed ‘Bennet’ for the final time, was followed by her husband, and then the two witnesses.

Once the register was signed, Elizabeth, Richard, and Mr. Collins withdrew and closed the door.

Andrew pulled his wife, who went most willingly, to him and captured her lips.

This was not as chaste a kiss as most of their previous ones had been.

It was a toe-curling kiss that held a heady promise of things to come, which caused Jane’s heart to speed up beyond anything she had ever experienced.

After inducing him to bestow another that left both husband and wife gasping for breath, they forced themselves apart because their family was waiting for them just beyond the door, and it was the vestry at a church, after all.

Neither of them realised Andrew’s hands had dislodged some of the pins in Jane’s hair until they were settled and one of Jane’s tresses was teasing her neck.

The pins were located on the floor and Andrew assisted his wife in replacing them.

Once they had put themselves to rights, the couple exited the vestry to welcoming cheers and wishes for their happiness from the waiting extended family.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

“Andrew and Jane Fitzwilliam, Viscount and Viscountess Hilldale,” Nichols announced proudly as the newlywed Fitzwilliams entered the ballroom at Netherfield Park where a sumptuous wedding breakfast, planned by Fanny, Elaine, and Edith, was laid out on groaning tables.

For the next hour, the couple made their rounds of the room, greeting and thanking one and all for their attendance and good wishes. When they reached the tables where the family was seated, Jane was introduced to the three Rhys-Davies she had not yet met.

Elizabeth’s newly met aunt and uncle looked on with happiness, appreciating anew their decision to go their own way, which had brought them into the bosom of a large and loving family.

“Eliza, will you join me on the balcony please?” Charlotte requested.

“Was there something particular you wanted to show me, Charlotte?” Elizabeth asked once they gained the chosen balcony. It was cold, but after being in the hot ballroom neither repined the fresh air.

“Eliza, long have I suspected there was a secret about you. Seeing the number of peers, the way you are guarded and protected, and the way the Prince looks at you with fatherly pride, my suspicions have risen to the point I must ask you what is the secret about you? If you choose not to tell me, I will understand, but you know me well enough to be assured of my discretion.” Charlotte waited, watching a number of emotions play across her friend's face both as she asked her question and while she waited for a reply.

“You know I prefer not to keep this from you, my dearest,” Elizabeth opened. “It started the day I was born…” Elizabeth told Charlotte an abbreviated version of events up until she was informed of her heritage some days before.

Now it was Charlotte’s turn to be silent as she stared at her friend in wonder. “My goodness, Eliza you are a royal—a Princess!” The two looked around after Charlotte’s exclamation and fortunately there were none close enough to them to hear.

“I am still Elizabeth—or in your case only, Eliza—so please do not treat me any differently. My birthfather will return to London on the morrow and speak to his parents. Once they decide how they want to proceed—whether they want to acknowledge me even—then I will know more about my way forward,” Elizabeth explained.

“It goes without saying I will not mention what I now know to another living soul until your rank and parentage become public knowledge,” Charlotte assured her friend.

“Your integrity and confidence were never in doubt,” Elizabeth stated meaningfully. “Now, let us return to the ballroom.” The two friends linked arms and made their way back to Elizabeth’s family.

After Jane and Andrew enjoyed a small repast and some lemonade, they continued to mingle with the guests for another hour. Jane gave Elizabeth a nod, and the two made their way to Jane’s former bedchamber.

“Jane, I have never seen you glow with happiness as you do now. Thank you for giving us such an honourable and fine brother,” Elizabeth hugged her sister after she had changed into her travel attire.

“Oh Lizzy, why cannot everyone be so happy as I am?” Jane gushed.

“When each of us find a man—or in Tommy’s case, a lady—so well matched to us, I am sure we will know the same joy you are experiencing today, Janie,” Elizabeth opined.

“You mean like a certain tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed man of our acquaintance,” Jane teased.

“Much can happen before I come out in more than a year. You know I hope it will be William, but we none of us know the future,” Elizabeth stated evenly.

“It is time, Lizzy,” Jane informed her sister as her maid took her wedding gown and remaining valise down to be loaded into the coach.

After one last wistful look around the suite of her childhood, Jane and Elizabeth joined Andrew and the rest of the family under the portico in front of the manor house.

There were many hugs and kisses for Jane, and not a few backslaps for Andrew interspersed with a bear-hug or eight. Once all the farewells were received, the newlyweds boarded the comfortable Hilldale chaise and six.

Andrew knocked his cane on the ceiling, and the driver gave a flick of the reins, which put the team in motion. The family remained waving until the carriage reached a turn in the drive and it disappeared from view.

Later that evening when Elizabeth informed her parents and birthfather she had disclosed the truth to Charlotte, none were surprised to learn she had suspected part of the truth on her own, given the lady’s intelligence.