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The Duke and Duchess had informed their family that Uncle Sed and Aunt Rose, and Uncle Cyril and Aunt Pricilla and their children had to attend a soiree in Town that day so they would only arrive on the morrow. The first to arrive on Friday morning were the Gardiners.

Edward Gardiner had met Miss Madeline Lambert in the market town of Lambton in Derbyshire, the daughter of the vicar of the local church.

There had been an instant connection, and it was not many months later that they had married.

Along with their other family and friends, the Bennets had been at the wedding.

The Bennets had stayed at Snowhaven, the Earl of Matlock’s estate in Derbyshire.

After their wedding trip, the Gardiners had moved into the house on Gracechurch Street near Gardiner and Associates’ warehouses.

Lilly was born two years after they wed, followed by Eddy, then May, and lastly was Peter.

The three younger children were the first to alight from the carriage and they ran to Tom and James Bennet, who were firm favourites, especially for the boys, and May loved to be picked up by her strong cousins and hugged tight.

Lilly, who was approaching her thirteenth birthday and had just moved from the nursery to her own bedchamber, exited at a much more sedate pace, but like her siblings were overly excited to see her Bennet cousins, especially Elizabeth.

After greetings were exchanged, the Gardiners were shown to their chambers in the family wing, and Miss Lilly Gardiner was well pleased that she too had a bedchamber and was not shown to the nursery like her siblings.

It was just before midday when four more carriages drew to a halt in the circular drive at the entrance to Longbourn.

The first two came to a stop under the large overhang that would protect one if there was precipitation.

Two contained family while the last two held Miss Darcy’s companion and the personal servants of the arriving party.

Lord and Lady Matlock, and Lady Catherine and Anne alighted from the first conveyance, and they were followed by the Fitzwilliam brothers and Misses de Bourgh and Darcy.

Lady Anne looked on with appreciation as Lady Elizabeth went to her timid daughter and immediately started to make her feel welcome and at ease.

After changing and washing from the road, the Fitzwilliams, Darcys, de Bourghs, and Gardiners joined everyone in the largest of the drawing rooms. While they were busy with their ablutions, the Netherfield party and the Phillips had arrived.

Those who had not been introduced previously were presented to those that were unknown, and after a lot of bows and curtsies they all found seats as the Duchess rang for the butler to bring some pre-luncheon aperitifs.

With a small glass of sherry in hand, Lady Anne, who had been happy to see her protégé Miss Bingley so readily accepted by all, sat down next to Lady Elizabeth.

“Lady Elizabeth, allow me to express my gratitude at the way that you welcomed my Georgie and put her at ease.” She placed her hand on Elizabeth’s arm to stay her response.

“William told us that you all know about Ramsgate, so Georgie was very worried that she would be rejected because of her folly. She was still worried even after William reassured her. I can see how all your family accepts her with no judgement. That she is sitting with your younger sisters and participating in the conversation warms my mother’s heart more than I can say. ”

“It was very easy for us, Lady Anne. She is but a fifteen-year-old girl, he is almost thirty. With the combined lies and manipulation by that man and the companion, Miss Darcy stood no chance. God’s hand must have guided your son to arrive when he did to save his sister.

” Lady Elizabeth squeezed Lady Anne’s hand in a show of understanding for what the mother had endured almost losing her daughter to such a rake.

Just as she was about to let Lady Anne know about Wickham’s comeuppance, there was a loud guffaw from the Earl of Matlock.

“Lady Elizabeth drew him in and then closed the trap. How I wish I had been there to see it,” the Earl said with glee.

“Of what are you talking, Reggie?” Lady Catherine asked. Though she was reformed, she still liked to be part of any conversation.

“I was informing your brother of what had befallen that wastrel, George Wickham, but yesterday, Lady Catherine,” the Duke explained.

“ Wickham is here ?” Richard Fitzwilliam bellowed then instantly apologised for raising his voice.

The Duke explained that the wastrel had departed with his tail between his legs the night before and shared what had happened the previous day.

He went on to tell them about his punishment and expulsion from the militia.

When Miss Darcy had heard her tormentor’s name she had blanched.

Seeing her discomfort, both Ladies Mary and Kitty had each taken a hand.

By the end of the Duke’s recitation, her pallor was restored, and she was feeling much better, wasting no sympathy for the pain that the seducer had suffered.

“I wish I had known that he was in the area,” the former colonel growled.

“As happy as I am that for once he had felt some consequences to his actions, the man will never accept that his own actions are the cause of all of his ills, and once he recovers, he will be hell bent on revenge.” Richard was only sorry that he was not the one to be able to deliver the punishment that the blackguard so richly deserved.

“I will go see that incompetent officer, Forster, on the morrow and see if he had an idea where Wickham slunk off to.”

“We always have at least two footmen with us when we are away from home.” Lady Jane informed her betrothed. “That should give anyone who tries to approach us pause. You have seen the size of the footmen Papa retains as bodyguards for us all.”

Richard was mollified to some degree, but he also knew that angry men, especially ones such as Wickham, were never wise.

He kept his concerns to himself, promising himself that he would do everything within his power to protect his beloved Jane.

Luncheon was announced and would be held in the formal dining parlour.

It was not a formal meal, but there were too many to comfortably sit in the family dining parlour.

At lunch, Lady Anne sat with Lady Elizabeth to her right and Miss Bingley on her left. “She leaned toward Miss Bingley, and in a soft voice that only that lady could here she asked, “Was my William as bad as I have been told while he resided in the area?” Miss Bingley simply nodded decisively.

‘I need to have a conversation about this with Lady Elizabeth. Anyone who can cow and humble my son and leave him with a tendre for her is well worth knowing . ’ Lady Anne smiled to herself as she looked to her right with approval.

After the meal was completed, the two mothers of the betrothed individuals, along with the other matrons, met with the two couples in one of the smaller drawing rooms while the older men retired to the Duke’s library for port, conversation, and chess.

The younger men headed to the billiard room while the ladies, under the watchful eyes of footmen and companions, took a turn around the extensive park.

The three younger Gardiners, to their supreme delight, were taken to have pony rides.

Once tea had been served in the drawing room where the couples were meeting with the ladies, the Duchess looked at them and then asked, “You are all sure that you want a double wedding? It is no hardship to plan two separate weddings if that is your desire.” Lady Sarah paused and looked at both of her eldest daughters and their suitors again.

“I want to make sure that you are not choosing this just to cause less trouble , because I can assure you that all we care about is what you genuinely want. It is your day or days, not ours.”

The four had discussed their desire to have a double wedding extensively before the men had returned to town, so Marie gave Jane an almost imperceptible nod, designating her very slightly older sister their representative.

“I promise you that it is what we want. Marie and I have done most of the things that marked our progress from girls to women together, so we always spoke of a double wedding from the time that we became aware that was a possibility for us.” Jane Bennet paused and looked at the brothers, “It is not only our desire, Richard and Andrew are the closest of brothers, so they have no objection to being married in a double wedding, either.”

Elaine Fitzwilliam looked smug, “I told you that none of the four would ever do anything that they did not want to do. Lizzy is not the only strong willed one between our children.” The Countess’s tease produced some giggles from the ladies and wide smiles from both of her boys.

Men, yes, but they would always be ‘her boys’.

“Well, if that be the case,” Sarah Bennet said with a smile, “let us plan a wedding.” She looked at her soon to be sons-in-law and saw the looks of horror on their countenances at the thought of being trapped planning their nuptials, so she gave them the relief they so desired.

“Andrew and Richard, go join my sons and the other young men in the billiard room; I dare say we will manage without you here.” Neither man needed to be told again.

Each kissed his betrothed’s hand and could almost be accused of running out of the room.

As the footman was closing the door after their rapid exit, they could hear laughter emanating from the room they had just escaped.

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