Page 72 of The Next Mrs Bennet
A lthough she had received the ‘talk’ before her wedding to him , Elizabeth was pleased to be included the night before their double wedding when Aunt Maddie came to speak to Jane. Elizabeth could have had her Mama give her the talk that evening, but as she was about to marry Mama’s son, it would have been too awkward for that subject to have been canvased between them.
As her aunt was speaking, Elizabeth looked at the engagement ring she had chosen glinting in the candlelight on her finger. It had a gold band with alternating small diamonds and emeralds leading to the two stones in the centre, a diamond and emerald set side by side. There were delicate roses engraved on the band between the stones, which given her middle name had drawn Elizabeth to this particular ring. Unlike the one from him which she had only worn in his company, this one she never wanted to take off. It was from William, and she had been the one to choose it.
The wedding ring William would slip onto her finger on the morrow was part of a set of which the ring she was wearing belonged to. There were no stones on the wedding ring, but there were raised roses all the way around it. Elizabeth pulled her attention back to her aunt and away from the ring.
With both sisters marrying men they loved, what Aunt Maddie shared with them was centred around that fact, the giving and receiving of pleasure, never being afraid to tell what they enjoyed, or did not enjoy, and making sure they discovered the same about their husbands.
Once Aunt Maddie’s talk was complete, she remained with Elizabeth after Jane had departed to her own chambers.
“Lizzy, you heard what I told Jane about having relations with her husband even after she falls with child, did you not?” Madeline verified.
Elizabeth could have kissed Jane when she had raised that particular question as it was one she really wanted the answer to and did not feel comfortable asking it in front of Jane who was, after all, still a maiden.
“Yes, I did,” Elizabeth responded with only a slight blush. “If Janey had not asked it, I would have done so now once we were alone. Even after I have felt the quickening it is safe to be with William?”
It had been the one thing which had concerned Elizabeth. She wanted to banish any memory of him importuning her and she had been praying it would not be only after she gave birth.
“It is quite safe. Your body will tell you when it becomes too uncomfortable to join with your husband,” Madeline informed her niece. “That should not be much time before you begin your lying in, but you never know, everyone is different.”
“I am marrying for the deepest love again,” Elizabeth mused. “Last time it was my love for Janey, this time it is because I adore William and love him so very ardently.”
“On another subject, did I see a letter from the Shetland Islands today?” Madeline enquired.
“The man in command of the watchers sent a report. Although she hates it, Mrs. Bennet is in her small cottage. Evidently, she complains to any who will listen about her wilful, disobliging daughter.” Elizabeth smiled. Unlike Mrs. Bennet who it seemed thought about Elizabeth constantly, Elizabeth never spared the woman a thought if she was not reading one of the reports.
Thankfully, from that point on, the man in charge would only post a letter if there was something of significance to report.
“I am sure her whinging will not endear her to her neighbours,” Madeline stated.
“Your perspicacity does you proud. According to what I read; she is already being shunned by the locals.” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “Enough about that woman. I want to thank you and Uncle Edward for your love and support. I do not know if I would have been able to remain strong without knowing you would be there for me if I ever needed it.”
“We could not have done less,” Madeline replied as she wiped an errant tear which had begun to roll down her cheek. “Knowing how strong you are Lizzy; you would have been able to endure far more. I am well pleased that man was dispatched before he could ever put his dastardly plan to break you into action.”
“From this point forward, I choose to think of the past only as it gives me pleasure!” Elizabeth insisted.
“When the notices of Jane’s and your engagements appeared in the London papers, especially yours with royal sanction, there were many disappointed men and young ladies, and I am sure much gnashing of teeth. There were not a few who wanted to marry you for your wealth and ladies who fancied themselves the future Countess of Matlock.”
“Did I tell you that hopeful men kept calling at Hertfordshire House even after our departure? I could not be happier knowing the next time I am in London I will be a happily married woman.”
“I think it is time for you to get some sleep,” Madeline opined
“I would not want to walk up the aisle to William looking haggard now would I?” Elizabeth nodded. She threw her arms around her aunt. “Thank you Aunt Maddie, for everything.”
The ceremony had been moved to the Lambton church. Since the decision to have a double wedding, and the expanded number of guests, the chapel did not have enough seating for all of those in the family and the Fitzwilliam connections who had accepted the invitations, let alone people from neighbouring estates, and the servants from the three family estates who would be present.
As soon as she had a clergyman in place for the Castlemere living, consulting with him, Elizabeth planned to enlarge the chapel to a full sized church. Her Uncle Adam had given her a list of names of estimable men seeking a living.
The Falconwood steward had forwarded her the information on three possible men for that estate’s living. She intended to discuss the men with William in a few days.
Madeline fought to keep her emotions in check as she kissed Lizzy on both cheeks and her forehead. “Sleep well Lizzy dear.”
With her aunt’s departure from the master sitting room, Elizabeth made her way into the bedchamber where Loretta was waiting to prepare her for bed. She was determined it would be the last night she would sleep alone in her bed.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
William woke the morning of his wedding far earlier than he had planned. With the excitement he felt at marrying the love of his life in a few hours, he was more surprised he had been able to sleep at all rather than at his waking early.
He still felt some embarrassment at the conversation he had with Father yester-night. Unlike Elizabeth, William was an innocent. He understood the irony at the role reversal of the sexes. It was the man who would usually come to a marriage having experienced the pleasures of the flesh while the lady would be the innocent.
From conversations they had on the subject, Elizabeth had made it clear she had never experienced pleasure from the couplings she had been forced to endure. She had told him that although she was no longer a maiden, there would be many firsts for them both. One of the many important firsts they would share was her welcoming him to her bed willingly. Before she had no choice, now it was completely her decision and she chose him.
Who was and was not an innocent was immaterial. All that mattered was the love they shared.
Once he was dressed in a shirt, breaches, and riding boots, William made his way down to the small breakfast parlour where he knew there would be coffee, warm rolls, and muffins on hand.
Surprisingly, he was not the first one to reach the parlour. Andrew, Richard, and Lawrence were all sitting and sipping steaming mugs of coffee.
“Did I not tell you William would be along within minutes?” Richard drawled.
Andrew and Lawrence nodded their heads.
William drank some coffee and munched on two muffins. “Do any of you desire to join me for a ride?” he enquired. All three cousins responded in the affirmative.
They exited the house via the kitchen where each man found a treat for his horse. Word had been sent to the stables as all four mounts were tacked, saddled and waiting for their riders when the four young men arrived. Each horse happily munched the proffered treat before their riders mounted.
The horses were allowed to walk until the cousins rode through a gate, being held open by one of the grooms, which led into a field. Within seconds all four horses were thundering across the field in full gallop.
Thankfully the four were riding abreast so none of them were treated to the clods of earth and grass being thrown up by the hooves as they propelled the horses forward.
After an hour and a half of punishing exercise, the four returned to the mansion, more than ready to bathe and dress.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As the coach was brought to a halt outside of the church in Lambton, Edward Gardiner looked at his nieces seated on the forward facing bench opposite him with as much fatherly pride as he would have felt had they been daughters of his blood.
Atop the conveyance, looking as proud as if he were the man walking Her Grace up the aisle was Biggs. Johns, who felt no less pride in the Duchess finding her happiness, was on the back bench with Smith. This day, they would not be waiting outside of the church, but would be in one of the rear pews watching the woman they would give their lives to protect marry a man of her own free choice.
Johns placed the step himself and then handed Miss Bennet out. He stood aside and allowed Biggs the honour of handing down Her Grace.
Elizabeth smiled at John, Brian, and Albert. When she had asked if they wished to continue with her and be employed by the Darcys, there had been not even a moment’s hesitation before accepting the offer of continued employment.
With Jane on one arm and Elizabeth on the other—being followed by their attendants who had ridden in a separate carriage, Gardiner led his nieces into the vestibule of the church where his wife waited with Lilly and Eddy. The former was the flower girl, to whit she had a large basket of rose petals while Eddy was the ring bearer. He did not care that the rings were sewn onto the pillow or that they were not the ones which would be used in the ceremony, as long as he could be part of his two favourite cousins’ weddings.
Andrew and William were both impatient to marry their respective sister. When they saw the inner vestibule door open and their new aunt enter after giving her brother a nod, they knew their wait was almost over.
Lilly entered first. She was a poised girl of almost nine. She took handfuls of the colourful petals—from roses of Pemberley, Snowhaven, and Castlemere—and dropped them on the aisle’s carpet as she walked. Soon, Eddy, who was six followed her. He was extremely proud and walked with his head up. When they reached the head of the aisle, the two eldest Gardiner children slipped into the pew past Aunt Eve to take their seats beyond their mother, leaving an open seat next to her for their father.
Soon Mary and Lydia were walking up the aisle, the latter a few steps behind the former. Both were holding bouquets of flowers picked that morning from the conservatory at Castlemere.
Next, once Mary and Lydia took their positions on the side where Jane would stand, it was Kate and Anna’s turn, also with bouquets of fresh flowers, to enter the nave of the church. After they were in position opposite their sisters, the inner vestibule door was closed and Reverand Lambert signalled the congregation to stand.
Both inner doors were opened and much to the grooms’ pleasure, Gardiner with Jane on one arm and Elizabeth on the other entered the nave.
Jane was dressed in an ivory silk gown, with an empire waist. The shoulders were puffed and the sleeves ended a few inches above her elbows. Her ivory satin gloves did not quite reach her elbows. Jane had elected to wear a veil instead of a wedding bonnet. It was made of very fine Belgium lace.
Elizabeth had allowed Jane to choose whatever she desired to wear from the Jewels which had been sent from London. She had chosen a delicate set of sapphire earrings and her hairpins were also sapphire tipped. Instead of a matching sapphire necklace, Jane was wearing her simple gold cross.
Andrew had to restrain himself when he saw Jane walking towards him. His desire was to run down the aisle and sweep her up into his arms, but he regulated himself.
When William saw the beauty he loved walking up the aisle, his mouth fell open. She wore a simple hunter green empire waisted silk gown, matching elbow length gloves, and a white wedding bonnet.
She had selected the earrings, necklace, bracelet, and hairpins which had the same rose design as her rings.
As Elizabeth walked, her eyes locked with William’s and that was the impetus for him to close his mouth. By the time Gardiner and his nieces reached the spot near the head of the aisle, each groom was waiting impatiently for his bride.
Gardiner lifted Jane’s veil, kissed her cheek and placed her hand on Andrew’s forearm. He kissed Lizzy on her cheek and repeated the action of placing her hand on her fiancé’s arm as he had Jane’s.
With Elizabeth on his arm, William smiled at his parents sitting in the front pew across the aisle from the Gardiners and Lucases. He led Elizabeth to their spot and waited.
As was planned, Lambert performed the ceremony for Jane and Andrew first. It was not too long before they were married. While the newly married Fitzwilliams had recited their vows, Elizabeth and William, lost in one another’s eyes, had mouthed the vows one to the other.
Next it was their turn while Jane and Andrew stood to the side as spectators. There were no objections expressed to their marriage and when it came to the vows, there had been one small, almost unnoticeable change. William had asked his soon-to-be uncle to omit the word ‘obey’ from Elizabeth’s vows. He had done so.
Soon the wedding ring with the roses was slipped into place. Just before the ceremony, she had, albeit reluctantly, removed the engagement ring and placed it on the corresponding finger on her right hand. Before they made for the wedding breakfast, it would be back in its rightful place.
As Elizabeth signed the register, she wistfully looked at the name she had just signed: Elizabeth Rose Gardiner . The family name had not been hers for long, but it had fit until now.
‘ Elizabeth Rose Darcy ,’ she tried out in her thoughts. ‘ How very well that sounds .’
As there were two couples, they did not tarry in the registry. “You are My Grace now,” William whispered as they walked back into the nave of the church behind Jane and Andrew.
“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,” Elizabeth whispered back.
After a round of hearty congratulations from their family and close friends, with Biggs, Johns, and Smith in their regular positions, the coach which had brought the two brides to Lambton now made its way back to Castlemere; two newly wed couples within.