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“I do, but do not ask me for his name. Before you protest, we both know you have a stubborn streak, and I do not want to create prejudices in you just because I happen to name him. Either you will find one another, or you will not. All I will tell you is that if you do come together, you both have my blessing.” He took a break to allow a pain spasm to pass.

Now is a good time to tell you I have written letters to you, the children, and the man I think will make you an excellent husband after the year of mourning is complete.

The ones for the children will be in your care, the others with my solicitor and friends.

“As sorry as I am to be leaving you so soon, I will never regret the years we were granted together. You brought meaning to my life, a light which has shone brighter than the sun and warmed everything it touched. Is it unfair we must part so soon? Yes it is. Rather than rail against the time we will not have, I choose to revel in the time we have enjoyed together.”

“Oh, Archy, I know you have the right of it, but I will miss you every day for the rest of my life.” Elizabeth was crying once again.

“You know what I believe about the heart, so keeping a corner for me will not preclude you from allowing another in, and I mean besides our children, who all own parts of your heart.”

Elizabeth nodded as the tears kept falling. Her time with her beloved husband, while he was still in the mortal world, was almost at the point when it would end.

Hertfordshire held his wife as he rocked them both side to side.

He ignored the pain in his belly and kept it up until her crying was done.

When he said it was time to ride back to the house, Lizzy stood and then helped pull him up.

With his weight as it was, it was not very difficult for her to do so.

While the footmen packed everything back in the cart, with instructions to eat what they desired from what was left of the food and share the remainder with their fellow servants.

With the guards and groom following, the Duke and Duchess rode back towards the house, this time along the eastern shore of the lake towards the stone bridge over the river.

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

Both Elizabeth, who was Mary’s matron of honour, and their Aunt Maddie spoke to Mary the night before her wedding. They assured her that marital relations with Richard, a man she loved, just like he loved her, would not be a chore, but something pleasurable.

After the talk, understanding that relations was only one very intimate part of marriage, Mary was keener than ever to marry her Richard.

Mary had been prepared to wait many months for the ceremony to occur, but now it was one short night away.

When she thought of Richard’s parents, who she had been asked to call Mother and Father, she realised that although she had had surrogate parents in Aunt Maddie and Uncle Edward, she finally had those who she could call her parents.

They were not hers by blood, but a better mother and father she could not wish for.

She also gained a brother and sister by marriage as well as two nieces.

Marie had told Mary that she and Andrew would not despair if they were not blessed with a son because as long as Mary and Richard were blessed with one, the Matlock Earldom would continue on.

Even though they were already called Aunt and Uncle, Mary was gaining the Darcys as family as well. The previous day Anna had shared how she was so excited to be gaining so many female cousins, especially ones she was the best of friends with and who were close to her in age.

When Mary eventually fell asleep, she dreamed of her Richard.

Said man was in the sitting room at Pemberley between the bedchambers in the suite he shared with William.

Both held heavy cut-crystal glasses with one finger of cognac within.

Neither man was one to over imbibe. The glasses in their hands still contained the first of the liquor William had poured for them.

“I envy you,” William stated as he stared into the amber liquor in the glass. “Your love is requited, and on the morrow you will marry the lady you love and who loves you in return.”

“Come now, William. As you are standing up for me, I forbid you to have maudlin thoughts the night before my wedding,” Richard commanded.

“That was self-indulgent of me. Sorry, Rich,” William said contritely.

“I would feel the same if the woman I loved seemed out of my reach,” Richard responded thoughtfully. “At least you know, there is a chance that you will one day marry the woman of your dreams.”

“Yes, but look at the cost! Hertfordshire is such a good man. I know it is not my place, but there are times I question His plan for us.”

“It is the nature of the Heavenly Father, we cannot understand what He sees.”

“I accept that. However, even after Lady Elizabeth concludes her mourning, there is no guarantee she will want anything to do with me. Yes, I changed my character and am not that same arrogant man oozing improper pride any longer, but I did rather make a cake of myself when I saw her the first time.”

“For which you know, you have been forgiven.”

“I suppose, but it was her first impression of me. Besides, even without that, she may never see me as more than a friend.” William took a small sip and waited while the cognac burnt its way down to his gut. “How would you recommend I move forward?”

“Just be there for her. You enjoyed your time with her children, did you not?”

William nodded it was true.

“Do not overstep, be her friend, support her as she needs and only help when she asks. You have to know she is not some shrinking violet, do you not?”

Again William nodded.

“Lord Matty will be ready to ride a Shetland Pony in a few months; if I were you, I would volunteer to teach him.”

“You have given me much to consider. Now it is time to get some sleep, you do not want to wait for Mary looking tired and haggard from lack of sleep on the morrow, do you?”

“No, no, I do not.” Richard stood, placing his less than half drank glass on the table between them. He shook his cousin’s hand and then made for his bedchamber.

William placed his glass, only a sip missing, next to his cousin’s and made for bed.

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

The morning of her wedding, Mary woke and followed the advice to have something to eat and drink. Lizzy sat with her while they enjoyed some fresh pastries and hot chocolate from the kitchen. Thereafter, she went to bathe with the help of her maid.

While her maid was drying her off, Mary thought about how her life would change today.

Unlike when Lizzy married Archy, and Mary lived with them.

When she married Richard, she would not see Lizzy every day like she had almost all the days of her life.

Even though Archy would not be there, something which saddened Mary immensely, Rosings Park was not very far from Falconwood.

Also, they would be with one another for most holidays and for months in London each year.

It would be different, but that was not such a bad thing.

Mary was ready to begin her life cleaving unto Richard.

Once she was completely dry, her maid, Ingrid, helped her into her stays and shift.

Lizzy, who had gone to ready herself, returned to assist Mary into her wedding gown.

It was a shimmering ivory coloured empire waisted gown with a translucent lamé overlay which, with its silver glow, added to the effect of the gown.

When she was ready, Mary walked to the entrance of the castle with Lizzy where they joined Archy for the four-mile ride to the church in Lambton where the ceremony would be conducted by their uncle, Adam Lambert.

The congregation was standing by the time the inner vestibule doors opened, and Mary began the walk up the aisle on Archy’s arm with Lizzy following behind, holding the bridal bouquet.

As soon as she saw her Richard, Mary’s eyes locked with his, and from that moment, she saw no one nor anything else.

She was vaguely aware of Archy lifting her veil, kissing her cheek, and replacing it.

As soon as he placed her hand on Richard’s arm, she was fully aware of the charge of electricity that shot through her body from where her hand rested on his muscular arm.

The service went by in a blur, and both members of the couple recited their vows when prompted by Mr Lambert.

Once the rector pronounced them man and wife, Mary and Richard made the short walk to the registry in a room at the rear of the nave, and after William and Lizzy signed, they added their names to the register, Mary signing Bennet for a final time.

It took them some minutes before they exited the registry, and received congratulations and wishes for felicity from their close friends and family members who had waited for them. Neither were abashed at their swollen lips.

They remained at the wedding breakfast for two hours before the newlywed Fitzwilliams departed for the lakes and the Fitzwilliams’ house, Lake Vista House.