Page 34 of Mission to Meryton (Pride and Prejudice Variation #25)
“I would not say that I reach above my station, sir, but yes, I am most honored and delighted with any attention Mr. Darcy has chosen to bestow upon me. Your nephew is a handsome, intelligent, kind gentleman, and naturally I appreciate our time together. Indeed, I am quite sure any woman would be pleased with his notice.”
The earl hesitated, somewhat confused by this direct attack. “You have not mentioned that Darcy is also wealthy and well connected.”
“He is both wealthy and well connected,” Elizabeth agreed gravely.
“Of course, neither of those are a direct reflection on his character; he was born with noble relations and the heir to a great fortune. However, he is by all accounts an excellent landlord and master, and has not wasted away the bounty from his estate, and that is a strong recommendation of his character.”
The earl’s eyes protruded a little in frustration. “I hope you are not suggesting, Miss Bennet, that it is my nephew’s character, and not his fortune, that is of particular interest to you! I despise prevarication and falsity.”
“So do I,” Elizabeth riposted with steel in her eyes.
“Thus, I will tell you that Mr. Darcy’s fortune and connections are of no special interest to me.
As the daughter of a gentleman, I am of equal rank with your nephew.
As to fortune, my own is sufficient for my needs and wants.
I admire your nephew’s intelligence and diligence, and he is also quite absurdly handsome.
But I assure you that I would never welcome the courtship of a man for wealth and connections alone. ”
Darcy had been listening to Elizabeth’s speech with growing excitement and now he stepped forward to stare down into her fine brown eyes. “But you do welcome my attentions, Miss Bennet?”
“Of course I do,” Elizabeth returned, her cheeks pinking slightly. “As I said to your esteemed uncle, any woman would.”
“I am not certain that is true,” Darcy replied humbly, “but it matters not, since you are the only woman for me. Miss Bennet, will you accept my hand in marriage?”
There was a choking sound from the earl, followed by an outraged, “Darcy!” followed by the sound of a hand slapping over the nobleman’s mouth.
Elizabeth could not take her eyes from her suitor, who was waiting breathlessly for her answer. She smiled, tears in her eyes, and said, “Yes, Mr. Darcy! Yes!”
Lydia and Mrs. Gardiner, both of whom had their eyes fixed on Elizabeth and Darcy, exclaimed with excitement and happiness.
Mr. Gardiner was the only one of Elizabeth’s relations to observe that the Countess of Matlock had one hand over her husband’s mouth and was using the other hand to drag her horrified husband out the door.
/
“Oh Brother, oh Elizabeth! How very happy I am!”
“Thank you, Georgiana. I feel that I am the most fortunate woman alive, to win the love of your brother!”
“Congratulations, Mr. Darcy.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Gardiner. This is the happiest day of my life, I assure you.”
“Elizabeth, I must introduce you to my cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam.”
“Colonel, what an honor to meet you at last!”
“It is entirely my honor, Miss Bennet. I can see that Darcy has chosen very well indeed.”
“Mr. Darcy, the Earl and Countess of Matlock have departed Darcy House.”
“Richard, it appears your parents quite forgot you in all the fuss. Would you care to spend the night?”
“I would indeed. Perhaps Miss Mary and Georgiana could play another song for us to end the evening?”
“We would love to do that!”
“Well, Elizabeth, you have found a very fine man as a husband.”
“Thank you, Uncle. I am truly overjoyed and even amazed. What did I do to deserve such happiness?”
“God has truly favored you, my dear.”
/
The carriage, with the family coat of arms emblazoned on its doors, had almost reached Matlock House when the Countess, who had been suppressing her mirth, lost control and began laughing in near hysteria.
Her lord had been growling and ruminating throughout the short journey from his nephew’s house, and now stared at his wife as if she had gone entirely insane.
“I cannot imagine what you find humorous in this deplorable matter, Lady Matlock!” he snarled angrily.
The lady patted her husband’s arm as she sought to control her chuckles.
When she was calm enough to speak, she said, “My dear Matlock, the very idea that you could intimidate a woman who captured the interest of Fitzwilliam Darcy is incredibly amusing. Who did you think we would find at Darcy House tonight? A vapid female prone to fainting? A harridan who could be bought off? Elizabeth Bennet is exactly the kind of woman that Darcy needs. I think he has done very well, and I expect that Pemberley will be blessed with healthy heirs for the estate.”
The earl harrumphed indignantly. “Her connections are deplorable, as you well know. She has relatives in trade.”
“Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner.”
The earl frowned. “The couple who were in residence tonight?”
“Precisely, my dear sir. They are a very respectable looking couple, you must admit.”
“I admit nothing,” the earl said grumpily, “but apparently nothing can be done. Our younger relations have quite gone mad. The next thing is that Richard will run off with a dancing girl.”
Lady Matlock sobered and gazed sadly out the window. “I almost wish he would ... Oh no! We forgot Richard at Darcy House!”
/
April 27th, 1812
Meryton, Hertfordshire
“Oh, Mrs. Bennet!” Lady Lucas gasped, gazing around the sanctuary of the church in wonder, “it is entirely lovely! I have never seen anything like it!”
Frances Bennet gazed around with fierce pride, even as tears threatened to overcome her.
Her Lizzy would be married today and move far away, to Pemberley in Derbyshire, and she would never live at home again.
Of course Mrs. Bennet was happy for Elizabeth, whose lively intelligence and wit had always rather bewildered her mother.
Mr. Darcy would be a good husband to her with his book learning and fine intellect, not to mention his considerable wealth. It was, nonetheless, a little sad.
Jane, at least, had managed to fall in love with and marry a man who was content to live close to Longbourn.
“Thank you,” Mrs. Bennet replied to her neighbor and then glanced at Mary, who gave her an encouraging nod. “We grew the tulips in the Bennet greenhouses, all of them, and I thought Lizzy’s wedding was a perfect time to show off the fruits of our many labors.”
Lady Lucas was actually struck dumb at these words. Numerous vases were set on stands around the sanctuary in Meryton, and while most of the tulips were the simple breeders, each bouquet contained at least a few of the delicate and rare broken tulips. It was a magnificent sight.
“You … you grew them?” the woman finally whispered.
“We did,” Mrs. Bennet declared boldly, though inwardly she was quivering in fear.
She knew that her older two daughters were very well established now, that the Darcy and Matlock connection would elevate the Bennets beyond what she had ever believed possible, but it still frightened her to openly acknowledge the truth, that she and her daughters were growing flowers.
That in itself was nothing out of the ordinary, but it was quite likely that the knowledge would soon slip out that they sold the flowers as well, that much of the Bennet wealth came from the selling of tulips.
“I had no idea, Mrs. Bennet,” Lady Lucas gushed. “My dear Charlotte, the Bennets grow tulips!”
“How wonderful!” Charlotte Collins exclaimed, smiling at Mary and her mother. “Your family is truly gifted. These are quite amazing.”
Mrs. Frances Bennet took a deep breath and let loose the fears of decades. “Thank you, they have served our family very well indeed.”
/
Elizabeth Bennet, clad in a new yellow dress, with her hair held up in the pearl comb which was an engagement gift from Darcy, stood in the foyer of the church. She felt her father’s grip tighten a little, glanced up at him, and noted that while he was smiling, his eyes were filmed with tears.
“It is all right, Papa,” she murmured.
“Of course it is,” her father returned a little shakily. “It is wonderful. I could not ask for a better bridegroom for my Lizzy. I will miss you, though, quite profoundly.”
“Mr. Darcy tells me that the library at Pemberley is the work of many generations of his family. Perhaps that is enough to draw you north to spend time with us?”
He chuckled at this and nodded. “I believe you are right, that your presence plus that of many books will have a thoroughlymagnetic quality.”
Beyond the doors, the music began and Elizabeth took a deep breath asMr. Bennet pushed the door open and began to walk her down the aisle.
The church was full with family and well-wishers; Lady Matlock with her irritated spouse, the new Mrs. Anne Fitzroy and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. William Collins, Elizabeth’s mother and her four sisters, including Jane, now pregnant with her first child, plus dozens of friends from Meryton.
At the front of the sanctuary stood Darcy, with Mr. Bingley at his side.
Darcy was dressed with even more care than usual, but Elizabeth could not find any attention to give to his clothing.
All she could see was his face, and his smile, and his adoration.
She walked the last few steps and her father carefully moved her arm from his to Darcy’s. She looked up at him, and he at her, as Mr. Aaron, the rector, began the words that had been passed down for generations:
“Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony ...”