Page 71 of The Next Mrs Bennet
J ust as Elizabeth had predicted, the couriers returned within three days with the replies from both uncles giving their consent and blessing for her to marry William. Both agreed with her assertion there was no reason to delay the wedding.
With her uncles’ permission in hand, Elizabeth had a discussion with William where she made a suggestion. He agreed as long as those involved had no objections.
Hence she asked for her fiancé, his parents, Jane, Andrew, and his parents to meet with her in the lakeside drawing room the Monday after the engagements were announced, a few days before the family and friends from London and Meryton were due to arrive at Castlemere and Pemberley.
“William and I have discussed when we should marry, and we are of like minds with the uncles that there is no imperative to have a long engagement. It is not like anyone can accuse us of anticipating our wedding vows as it is known throughout society I was with child before he was sent to Hades,” Elizabeth revealed.
“If that is the case, then why do you and William not marry the same day as us?” Jane suggested.
“You would not object, Janey?” Elizabeth enquired. “We do not want to detract from your day.”
“No silly, other than marrying Andrew, I can think of nothing which I would like more,” Jane insisted. “It will be like we dreamed as little girls, a double wedding. Besides with our family and friends all to arrive to attend our wedding, what could be better?”
“Andrew, do you agree as well?” William verified.
“Why would I object? Of course I approve,” Andrew confirmed.
“Mama and Papa? Aunt Elaine and Uncle Reggie? Do any of you have an objection?” Elizabeth questioned.
“Robert and I do not,” Lady Anne stated happily. “The sooner you become our daughter, the happier we will be.”
“Neither do Reggie and myself,” Lady Matlock added. “Jane is already counted as a daughter and you and your younger sisters nieces. You and William marrying the same day will only enhance the celebration.”
“In that case, I will apply to your Uncle Adam for a common licence,” William decided.
“Soon to be your Uncle Adam too,” Jane pointed out teasingly.
“I suppose we should tell the four younger girls,” Lady Anne suggested.
The four were taking a ride around the lake. Mary was riding Jamil ; Anna had her own pony with her, Miss Younge was on the mare Mr. Darcy had made available for her to ride. Kate and Lydia each rode a pony from the estate’s stables. They were protected by six guards and two grooms.
“They should return in an hour,” Elizabeth estimated.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The four younger girls could not have been more excited if it were one of them marrying in a little more than a sennight. The main reason was all four of them would perform the duties of bridesmaids. Before the double wedding, Lizzy was to be Jane’s matron of honour, now Mary and Lydia would stand up with Jane while Kate and Anna would be Elizabeth’s attendants.
Andrew had asked Richard to stand up with him before the decision regarding the double wedding had been taken.
Richard and Anne were on their way and expected to arrive on Wednesday. The two grooms decided if Richard agreed, he would do duty to both of them. Even though it was a double wedding, Mr. Lambert would solemnise the ceremony for Jane and Andrew completely (Elizabeth had insisted Jane be married first regardless of her own rank) so Richard would be able to attend both grooms without a problem.
Given the departure from London the day after Andrew proposed, Jane had not purchased her trousseau in Town. Instead she had been giving her custom to the dressmaker in Lambton, which had endeared her to the lady and her seamstresses who had never had so much work at one time.
Anything she felt was not attainable in Lambton would be ordered in Town after their wedding trip.
Elizabeth had a rather extensive wardrobe, so all she ordered in Lambton was a wedding gown. She refused to marry the man she loved in an ensemble he had ordered purchased.
With the wedding breakfast being held at Castlemere, Mrs. Reynolds, Pemberley’s cook, and some of the kitchen maids had the pleasure of working closely with Mrs. Bannister, the cook, and the rest of the servants at the Duchess’s estate to make sure everything would be perfect on the day.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Anne and Richard, along with Mrs. Jenkinson—Anne’s longtime companion—arrived at Pemberley as planned. Richard accepted the request to stand up for William as well as Andrew without a moment’s hesitation.
Two days after the three from Rosings Park arrived, the convoy from London and Meryton reached Pemberley and Castlemere. As would be expected, the Portnoys and Barringtons were to be hosted at the former estate. With young Peter not having reached two months yet, the group from Hertfordshire—who had met the Gardiners on the Great North Road—had taken a day longer to travel than normal to facilitate shorter distances between stops.
The Longs and Gouldings who had not seen Lizzy’s estate previously were awed by what they saw. They had heard about the castle and the large lake, but until they saw it with their own eyes, it had not been real for them.
Except for the Gardiner children, after they had refreshed themselves, an hour later, everyone met in the lakeside drawing room.
Elizabeth stood and waited until the hum of conversation ceased. “As I am sure you have heard, I am to marry William Darcy.” All those who had arrived that day nodded they were aware of the recent engagement. “What you do not know is on the thirtieth, you will attend not one but two weddings.”
It took a few moments for the import of her words to sink in. “Jane and Lizzy, you are marrying in a double ceremony!” Madeline exclaimed happily.
“We are,” Jane and Elizabeth chorused.
It took a while for the expressions of approbation and congratulations to die down.
Charlotte sat next to her friend and took her hand with much pleasure. “Eliza, this is the best news. I see you did not want to wait until after I wed my Lawrence,” Charlotte teased.
“If I had my choice we would be married already,” Elizabeth stated seriously. “Marrying a man I love with my whole heart, a man I have chosen with my free will and who I accept whole-heartedly, will eradicate the last vestiges of the memories of him . I cannot wait until my family name becomes Darcy. When this one is born,” Elizabeth touched her belly, “he or she will be a Darcy. That man will have failed in everything he tried to do by blackmailing me into marrying him. As part of his punishment in purgatory, I hope he is able to understand the depth of his failures.”
“He deserves no less than that,” Charlotte averred. She decided to change the subject to something more palatable. “I am well pleased you are still able to travel and will attend my wedding in Meryton. All of those who love you and your sisters will be gratified to see you again. Have you and your fiancé spoken of a wedding trip yet? And what of a settlement or were you waiting for your Uncle Frank to arrive?”
“With my increasing, we will remain here at Castlemere while Jane is on her honeymoon. Just being together alone will be the best sort of wedding trip for us,” Elizabeth related. “Our sisters will be at Pemberley with Anna. As to the other, William and I will sit and discuss things with Uncles Edward and Frank on the morrow.”
Charlotte remembered how Eliza had written to inform her she would be involved in all decisions which affected her. Hence, she made no comment.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
William and his father arrived at Castlemere at the appointed hour in the morning to meet with Elizabeth and her guardians. As the master of all Darcy holdings, Robert Darcy’s signature was needed on any document which could affect his holdings, like a marriage settlement.
Philips had contacted the local solicitor in Lambton who had agreed to allow his clerk to scribe the settlement once all parties were in agreement.
“Welcome Papa and William,” Elizabeth enthused as Timmons showed father and son into the study.
Darcy kissed his soon to be daughter on her cheek. As much as she and William wanted to kiss one another, they refrained with his father and her uncles in the room. Elizabeth sat between her uncles on one of the two facing settees in the study. William and his father were on the one opposite on the other side of a low table. The clerk was at the desk ready to make notes of the salient points agreed upon.
“Before we begin, I am adamant on one clause in the settlement,” William stated. “Anything which belongs to Elizabeth, will remain under her control after we wed.”
A document was passed by Darcy to Philips. “I noted the stipulation William enumerated as well as the amount William would like to settle on Elizabeth.”
Philips handed the document to Elizabeth who read it dispassionately. Once she finished reading it, she gave it to Uncle Edward.
“As much as I appreciate the gesture, I would not know what to do with the fifty thousand you are settling on me, especially as you demand my wealth and properties I own now remain with me,” Elizabeth stated gratefully. “Please do not mistake my reaction for ingratitude.” Elizabeth turned to Uncle Frank. “Please hand the summary document to Papa and William.”
Philips did as his niece requested.
Father and son put their heads together so they could both see what was listed on the document at the same time. At first the looks were ones of incredulity, as if someone was making sport of them. Seeing a nod from Philips confirming this was no jest, both men lost some of their colour.
Elizabeth’s income from her estates and investments, even after the sale of the ship building yards, was more than double the Darcys’ income. The massive amounts she had in the banks made the more than half a million pounds the Darcys had on hand look insignificant.
“I had no idea…” William managed before he faltered after he had absorbed the numbers on the page in front of him.
“Even had we not known your upstanding character, we were certain it was not Lizzy’s fortune which drew you to her,” Gardiner stated.
“You never mentioned just how wealthy you are,” Darcy exclaimed.
“You never asked Papa,” Elizabeth replied simply. “It was not a secret, but I never thought about it or found a reason to discuss the particulars.”
“As you are now aware of her wealth, here are some things Elizabeth intends for its use,” Philips read from a document he had picked up off the low table. “At least fifteen percent of the liquid wealth and annual income will be made available for charities. If Lizzy bears a son, he will be gifted a quarter of the wealth along with Falconwood and Hertfordshire House. If she bears a daughter, she will receive a dowry of two hundred thousand pounds and her first son will be given that which would have gone to a son. Falconwood and Hertfordshire House will be managed by Lizzy until her son or daughter is of age, and if a daughter is born, they would become the property of her son in the future.
“Any daughters begot from your union will be dowered with the same amount Lizzy gave to her sisters.” Philips could see from the looks the two Darcys were not aware of the amount, only that Lizzy had dowered them. “It is one hundred thousand pounds. If there is more than one son born, they will receive one of the remaining estates after Lizzy’s sisters are given one each.”
“We have three satellite estates too, if there are a bevy of sons, there should be enough estates to go around,” Darcy added.
“In addition, from the second son born of Lizzy and William’s union onward, in addition to an estate, they will receive a legacy of five and seventy thousand pounds,” Philips summed up.
“That is fair as the first son, if they are blessed with a son, will inherit Pemberley and all the Darcy holdings one day,” Darcy agreed.
“Then are we agreed that settling an amount on me would be superfluous? Also, as you are determined to leave what I own under my purview, with the income I have can we agree I will not need an allowance from Pemberley?” Elizabeth clarified. “One last item, as my wealth will be under my control, I will be free to transfer, if I choose to, any amount to be added to the Darcy holdings.”
Darcy and William looked at one another. William knew how stubborn Elizabeth could be if she was determined, as he could see she was now. He nodded to his father.
“We agree. If you will have the clerk write up the contract we will sign it,” Darcy stated.
“As much as it is not done, I want a place for Elizabeth to sign as well,” William insisted as his eyes locked onto his fiancée’s.
If it was possible, Elizabeth felt her love for William grow. He truly wanted her as a partner in everything. Legally her signature was meaningless, but it symbolised so much for Elizabeth so she cared nothing about the legal insignificance.
Thanks to Zeus being led behind the coach when the Darcys arrived at Castlemere, William remained when his father departed.
With Brian Johns and Albert Smith—John Biggs had the day off—as escorts, the engaged couple set out for a walk along the shore of the lake. If they arrived at their special boulder, neither remarked on that fact. Each time they walked on the shore, they were inexorably pulled to that spot.