Page 127 of A Life Diverted
By mid-February plans were finalised for their departure to London. Fanny had been communicating with the Queen’s principal Lady in Waiting, the Duchess of Wolverhampton, to make sure the wedding would reflect Elizabeth’s and William’s tastes as much as possible.
During February, Cassie felt the quickening and informed the family she was with child. She had shared her suspicions with Richard in January; she had not been surprised when he—very much attuned to his wife—told her he suspected it beforehand.
To Elizabeth’s and William’s chagrin, the weather over the last month had not been cooperative; they were forced to spend many a day inside the house. In addition to reading and the subsequent discussions, hours had been devoted to card games—vingt-un, lottery tickets, whist, and loo.
On the first cloudless day for some time, Elizabeth and William rode to Oakham Mount. Elizabeth wanted to watch the sun rise from the mount—merely a glorified hill—once more before she left, but the particularly cold weather meant they, and their escorts, departed after ten that morning.
Fortunately, the ground had dried sufficiently so they were not covered in too much mud by the time the horses stopped at the base of Oakham Mount.
Leaving four guards with the horses, Biggs and Johns followed the betrothed couple at a respectful distance.
Johns stopped just below the summit, while Biggs placed himself on the path where he could see the flattened surface of the top and still allow the couple the illusion of privacy.
“In little more than two weeks, we will never be separated again,” William pointed out as they looked out over the familiar view.
Elizabeth stood in front of William; he wrapped his arms around her, holding her in tight against his body and resting his chin on the top of her head.
Both would have liked to have stolen a kiss—as they had on a few occasions when they had snatched a minute of complete privacy during the last month— but knowing the ever-observant Biggs could see them on the summit kept them in check, despite their desires for a more passionate embrace.
“I am counting the days as well. Time cannot pass quickly enough, although it does remind me of a conversation I had with Jane on the eve of her wedding about a woman’s lot of leaving home,” Elizabeth said as she looked across the plain to Netherfield Park.
“Before you ask, no, I do not require that we live within an easy distance of my parents, but I will miss them very much nevertheless.”
“There is no need to feel maudlin, Lizzy. You know we will see them many times during the year,” William assured his beloved.
“Have you thought more about where we will live after the wedding? At Derby Springs or Pemberley? Rivington, the main estate of the dukedom, is an option, but I am not sure we need an estate which rivals—or exceeds—Pemberley in size.”
“We have many options, but I would like to live at Pemberley for at least the first year. For myself, I know I will always be happy at Pemberley, so as far as I am concerned it can become our permanent residence, but I will leave it up to you. I do not like the idea of Uncle Robert, I mean Father Robert, alone for much of the year while Gigi is at Netherfield with the masters and my siblings,” Elizabeth informed her betrothed of her preference.
“As I love Pemberley, it will be no hardship for me to continue living there. I believe you are correct; Father will love having us with him. Also, remember we will be almost half of the year with the family between Hertfordshire, Kent, and London,” William reminded her.
“I cannot hide a Royal Princess away in the wilds of Derbyshire forever, no matter how much I would like to have her to myself alone.”
Elizabeth blushed becomingly at the allusion to soon having time alone.
She had read enough books, and she had grown up on a farm, so she had a very good idea what the marriage bed entailed—physically.
She thought herself wanton that she was so keen to experience marital relations with her William, rather than having trepidations, which she had heard was appropriate for a new bride.
The wind starting to pick up was cold and biting, so they reluctantly separated and started walking down the hill, with Biggs and Johns following at a distance.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Elizabeth knew she and the Bennets would not stay at Darcy House; she thought they would be hosted at Matlock, Hilldale, or Holder House.
Instead, the day before departure, Fanny received a missive from the Duchess of Wolverhampton inviting Princess Beth, her adoptive parents, and her siblings to be hosted at Buckingham House.
As with other invitations from the Queen, this could not be refused. Wednesday was cold with occasional light flurries visible from the windows of the Bennet coaches as they drove past the royal guard members on duty in front of Buckingham House.
The Duchess of Wolverhampton met them on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen and had one of the housekeepers show the Bennets and the Princess to their apartments.
Everything there, from the décor to the furnishings, was gilded and ostentatious, as was the rest of the house.
Thankfully, the furniture, including gigantic beds in their bedchambers, were comfortable in spite of being ostentatious.
Tommy had been wondering what he would do in the enormous house.
Uncle Freddy took them on a tour and pointed out St. James Park across from the house, telling them that behind it was Green Park, which ended at Hyde Park.
Uncle Freddy promised he would organise riding parties when the weather allowed, and that he was sure that a few of his nieces and nephews were in residence who would love to join them.
Before the end of the tour, he pointed out Westminster Abbey, where the wedding would take place in less than ten days, as well as the houses of Parliament, all visible from the upper floors of the house.
That evening at dinner, the Bennets were announced by a major-domo and joined the King, Queen, Prince of Wales, Prince Frederick, Prince Edward, and Princess Amelia.
The latter was one of her father’s favourites.
Kitty and Lydia had been moved to Darcy House that afternoon; they would be more comfortable staying where they could be themselves with Georgiana, without having to worry about royal protocol.
Tommy, even though he liked the idea of riding in the parks, missed Eddy, so Fanny sent him to stay with the Gardiners vastly pleasing the youngest Bennet.
Luckily, the Bennets at Buckingham House had been schooled in protocol, so they knew not to begin eating until the King had, and to cease once the King had completed the course in front of him.
The King, conscious others took their lead from him, ate slowly so no one left food on their plate they preferred to eat.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Three days before the wedding, those involved in the ceremony met at the Abbey to go over the order of service.
However, they would meet his Grace, Charles Manners-Sutton, The Most Reverend Willowmere, by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, only on the day of the wedding.
The meeting on this day was held with one of the bishops who assisted the Archbishop.
Young May and Peter Gardiner, seven and five respectively, were excited that they would have a role in the wedding.
May was to be the flower girl and Peter was to act as page and carry his cousin’s train.
Jane and Mary were to stand up with Elizabeth, while Andrew and Richard would do the honours for William.
The Bishop explained that the congregation would stand until the royal family was seated, the congregants would bow and curtsy to the royals, and then they would be seated.
Each participant would bow or curtsy to the King and Queen and their children in attendance as they entered the abbey from the vestibule.
Elizabeth would be walked up the aisle between her papa and her father. After the service, the bride and groom would return to Buckingham House in a royal coach pulled by eight white horses and escorted by a contingent of royal guards.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The next day, the betrothed couple went for a walk in St. James Park, escorted by Biggs, Johns, and a cadre of royal guards. Jane and Andrew, Cassie and Richard, Wes, and Mary walked with them.
None of them realized they were being watched.
Lord Harrington Hamstead was desperate. He had no way of paying his debts of honour.
He had been so confident his luck was changing that he had put his estate in Shropshire and his town house in London up as collateral.
He had lost, and if he did not make a substantial payment in the next few days, the man holding his vowels would foreclose on the properties that had been in his family for generations—they were not protected by an entail.
He watched Buckingham House for a chance to get near the countrified Princess. Desperate men are rarely smart men, and he needed funds desperately. Deciding his only option was to compromise the Princess before she was lost to him by marriage, he watched as the four couples entered the park.