Page 76 of Intrigue and Inheritance (Crime and Consequences #3)
Chapter Twenty-Six
Elizabeth sat in her favourite chair by the window in her private sitting room at Pemberley, watching golden sunlight on the lake before the house.
Two months had passed since the London Season had ended in such dramatic fashion, two months in which life had settled into a rhythm of blessed tranquillity that made the eventful spring seem almost dreamlike.
A quiet knock interrupted her contemplation. “The morning post, madam,” said the footman, presenting her with several letters on a small silver tray.
“Thank you, James,” Elizabeth replied, immediately recognizing three distinct hands among the correspondence. She eagerly arranged the personal letters before her: Anne’s precise, careful script; Kitty’s exuberant, slightly irregular penmanship; and Georgiana’s elegant, flowing hand.
She broke the seal on Anne’s letter first, curious to hear how the once-timid young woman was faring as mistress of Rosings.
“ My dear Elizabeth ,” Anne wrote, “ You would scarcely recognise Rosings now, or perhaps more accurately, you would scarcely recognise its mistress. I have spent these past weeks thoroughly acquainting myself with the estate’s management, much to the shock of our steward who never had to explain a ledger entry to Mother in all his years of service . ”
Elizabeth smiled, picturing the scene. Anne continued, describing how she had opened several rooms that had been closed for years, replaced the dark green draperies in the drawing room with lighter fabrics, and begun planning improvements for the tenants’ cottages.
“ Timothy visits twice weekly, ” Anne wrote, “ always with some new idea for the stables or breeding programme. We have settled on a Christmas wedding, which I know will raise eyebrows as it follows my mourning period by merely a month, but I find I cannot bring myself to care overmuch for society’s opinion.
Mother kept me waiting for life itself for years.
I shall not delay my happiness any longer than propriety absolutely demands, and my dear Uncle and Aunt Matlock are everything supportive.
I sincerely hope you and Darcy are able to attend, as well as Kitty and Georgiana; you three are the sisters I never had. ”
The letter continued with practical details of wedding arrangements, Anne’s new confidence shining through with each paragraph.
“ My uncle has been extraordinarily helpful regarding legal matters, ” she noted.
“ Thanks to his assistance, I have arranged settlements that protect both Rosings and my personal independence, while still offering Timothy the respect of proper authority over the equine breeding and training programme that will become his particular domain. ”
Elizabeth set the letter aside, feeling a warm glow of satisfaction.
How remarkable to witness Anne’s transformation from the silent shadow at Lady Catherine’s side to this decisive, clear-minded woman who spoke of “proper authority” and “personal independence” with such assurance.
In many ways, Anne had travelled the furthest of the three young ladies, her journey from sheltered invalid to capable mistress accomplished in mere months.
Next, she opened Kitty’s letter, recognizing instantly the barely contained excitement in her sister’s expansive handwriting that sprawled across the page.
“ Dearest Lizzy ,” Kitty began, “ You will not BELIEVE what Edmund has done now! Yesterday the modiste arrived to discuss my wedding clothes, and before the poor woman could even open her sample book, Edmund produced sketches he had commissioned from some French artist showing exactly how my wedding gown should appear! With samples of lace from Brussels and silk from Italy! The modiste nearly fainted from shock before declaring him ‘a gentleman of exquisite taste and extraordinary vision .’”
Elizabeth laughed aloud, picturing Viscount Shandly in his element, directing the creation of what would undoubtedly be the most theatrical wedding Meryton had ever witnessed.
“ He insists on white flowers throughout the church ,” Kitty continued, “ and has somehow convinced Mr. Williams to allow doves to be released after the ceremony! DOVES, Lizzy! In the church! Papa merely raises his eyebrows and retreats to his library whenever Edmund begins describing his latest inspiration, but even he couldn’t help smiling when Edmund recited sonnets he had written about our future together . ”
The letter bubbled with details of ribbon selections and music choices and Edmund’s impassioned debates with himself over whether the wedding breakfast should feature a Roman theme (“ Classical elegance, my dear Catherine! ”) or a Shakespearean one (“ Romance and poetry embodied, my sweet! ”).
“ Despite his dramatic flourishes ,” Kitty concluded, “ even Mama is impressed by his generosity, though she still occasionally looks bewildered that I am to become a viscountess! ”
Elizabeth set the letter down with a tender smile.
Kitty had found in her theatrical viscount not merely an admirer but a champion who celebrated her vivacity rather than attempting to subdue it.
They would undoubtedly have a most colourful life together, filled with dramatic gestures and grand emotions, but also, Elizabeth suspected, with genuine affection and mutual delight.
Their wedding in the middle of October would undoubtedly be the most spectacular Longbourn had ever witnessed, perhaps even the whole of Hertfordshire.
Georgiana’s letter, in contrast to Kitty’s exuberance, opened with characteristic thoughtfulness.
“ Dear Sister, ” she wrote, “ Alexander and I have been working on a special composition for our wedding ceremony, a piece that will bring together elements of traditional music with our own modern sensibilities. We practice each morning in the music room at Netherfield, and I confess I have never known such pure joy as when our separate melodies intertwine to create something neither of us could have composed alone .”
Elizabeth’s heart warmed at the image of shy Georgiana finding such perfect understanding in her match with Mr. Townend. The letter continued, detailing their plans for transforming Eastfield Court’s former ballroom into a music room with exceptional acoustics.
“ We shall arrive at Pemberley three weeks before the wedding, ” Georgiana wrote, “ to allow ample time for final preparations. Alexander is particularly eager to hear the Pemberley chapel organ, which he means to incorporate into our wedding music. I confess I am somewhat nervous about having so many guests at Pemberley for the occasion, but the thought of being married in the chapel where Father married Mother gives me courage .”
The letter closed with a detailed list of expected guests, including all the Bennets, Lord Shandly, Lord and Lady Matlock, Sir Richard and Lady Fitzwilliam, and various musical acquaintances of Mr. Townend.
Anne, regrettably, was still in mourning and would not be able to attend, but Georgiana knew her cousin and dear friend would be with her in spirit.
“ It will be the largest gathering Pemberley has hosted in many years ,” Georgiana observed, “ but my brother assured me the house has accommodated far greater numbers in the past. Still, I hope you will not find the invasion too taxing, dear Elizabeth. Your comfort and approval mean everything to me. ”
Elizabeth smiled fondly, touched by Georgiana’s considerate nature even in the midst of her own wedding preparations.
Of the three young women, Georgiana’s transformation had perhaps been the subtlest, a gentle unfurling rather than a dramatic metamorphosis.
Yet the confidence with which she now expressed her preferences and the assurance with which she approached her future spoke volumes about her growth.
Gathering the three letters together, Elizabeth held them against her heart for a moment, grateful beyond measure for the happiness each woman had found after the darkness of the London season.
From Anne’s newfound independence to Kitty’s joyful match to Georgiana’s quiet confidence, each represented a triumph of genuine affection over the machinations and tragedies that had threatened to overshadow their lives.
And soon, Pemberley would celebrate Georgiana’s wedding.
The thought filled Elizabeth with quiet satisfaction, a sense of completion to the circle that had begun when she first came to Pemberley as a new bride herself just over a year ago.
Elizabeth found Darcy walking in the formal gardens.
The August sun caught the auburn highlights in his dark hair, and as he turned at the sound of her approach, the warmth in his eyes caused her heart to flutter in a manner most unbecoming for a woman married over a year.
She held up the letters with a smile, watching his expression soften in anticipation of news from those dear to them both.
“Three letters this morning,” she said, slipping her arm through his as they began to walk along the gravel path.
“Anne writes from Rosings with news of her Christmas wedding plans. Kitty’s letter is filled with tales of Lord Shandly’s theatrical involvement in every wedding detail.
And Georgiana offers a precise accounting of who shall descend upon Pemberley for her autumn nuptials. ”
“And how does Anne fare as mistress of Rosings?” Darcy asked, his tone revealing genuine concern beneath the casual inquiry.
“Remarkably well,” Elizabeth replied. “She speaks of estate improvements, tenant matters, and her equestrian plans with Mr. Hislop as though she has managed such affairs all her life, rather than having been kept from them deliberately. I believe she has discovered a natural aptitude for administration that even she did not suspect she possessed.”