Page 40 of The Happiness of a Most Beloved Sister (Pride and Prejudice Variation)
S ix months after making superficial amends with Jane—and five after she had resigned the name of Bennet—Elizabeth at last saw her sister married to Mr Bingley with all the pomp and circumstance that Mrs Bennet could manage.
Her mother had been disappointed not to do the same for Elizabeth and Darcy, but they had not wished to delay their nuptials any longer than a month.
Mrs Bennet, having seen something of Darcy’s temper previously and not desiring to offend her exalted future son, had acceded with as much grace as she was capable of, and the Darcys were united quietly at the end of June.
Whatever disappointment she may have endured at being denied free rein over Elizabeth’s wedding, Mrs Bennet had apparently used as impetus for Jane’s.
As Elizabeth stood in Netherfield’s ballroom, clinging lightly to her husband’s arm, she tried to guess how many people had been invited to partake of the breakfast. It might have been a fully-fledged ball had there been any dancing.
“At least a hundred, I would say,” Darcy said when applied to. “Bingley has a wide circle of friends.”
“So it seems! My goodness, any hostess in London would be proud of such a crush. I cannot believe so many ventured into Hertfordshire just to see the Bingleys married.”
The newly married couple stood amidst a throng of avid well-wishers, basking in the attention that was their due. Jane, in particular, glowed at being the centre of an adoring crowd. Mr Bingley was no less enthused.
“Yes, well, Netherfield is an easy distance from London. I believe it was this more than anything that convinced Bingley to close on it.”
Elizabeth flicked her eyes to the ceiling, a silent thanks to the heavens above for small miracles. Really, though, she ought to turn her gratitude towards her husband. “Do not be so modest. It was you who persuaded him to settle here.”
Darcy’s mouth curled into a chagrined smile. “I might have prodded him a bit.”
They were joined in the notion to put some distance between themselves and the Bingleys.
Elizabeth had forgiven but certainly not forgotten what she had endured from Jane in the past year and was not inclined to relive such scenes.
In this same spirit, when Mr Bingley had written to Darcy asking for advice on where to settle, her husband had made sure to emphasise all of Netherfield’s best qualities in order to convince his friend to buy the place.
Thus, Mr Bingley had purchased the estate as a wedding gift to his bride.
Darcy had been uncomfortable resuming his old habit of guiding his friend, but Elizabeth reassured him that it had been done for a good cause .
“You mistake me if you think I mean to scold. To the contrary, I intend to reward you for steering him away from that property he was considering in Manchester. I do not think I could bear seeing any of them as often as they would deem appropriate.”
“Reward?” Darcy’s smile widened into a grin, dimples and all. “What sort of reward?”
“One I cannot speak of with so many people about.”
After a beat of heated silence between them, Darcy leant towards her to growl, “Do you suppose we have done our duty yet? I should like to make for London before the rest of this rabble.”
Elizabeth swatted his shoulder with the back of her hand. “Be patient!”
“How can I be patient when you tantalise me with promises of a reward?”
“You are incorrigible,” she chided, all fondness. When he waggled his eyebrows at her, she burst out laughing.
They resumed their observation of the crowd surrounding Mr and Mrs Bingley and lapsed into a comfortable silence. At length, Darcy asked, “Do you think they will be happy together?”
Elizabeth watched as Jane absently flicked her fingers at Mr Bingley, whose countenance adopted a long-suffering expression.
He shook it off a moment later and passed Jane a glass of champagne, which she accepted without so much as glancing at her new husband, engrossed as she was in conversing with Miss Bingley and her outrageously dressed friends.
“I daresay they will get on together well enough, so long as Mr Bingley’s constancy lasts.”
“I would expect them to grow weary of each other by Christmas, then. The New Year at the latest.”
Elizabeth bit her lip to prevent a giggle bursting forth. “My goodness, you truly have no faith in my sister’s ability to keep her husband at home. I would have given them till Easter, at least.”
“I speak as I find.”
“Woe betide us all.” At his chuckle, she continued, “More seriously, I think they will be content enough. Leastwise, their marriage will live up to their expectations of it—shallow as they are.”
“And you?” Darcy queried, his gaze softening as he turned to her. “Are you happier than your sister?”
Resting her head against her husband’s shoulder, Elizabeth closed her eyes and breathed deeply of his scent. “Much happier. Jane might smile, but I laugh.”