J ust as Mildread had promised, they were able to slip back into Netherfield as though they had never left.
Their clothing was restored, and Mr. Darcy appeared clean-shaven.
Elizabeth’s fatigue was passed off as a result of caring for Jane, who had been stranded at Netherfield by her mother’s refusal to send the carriage and Mr. Bingley’s reluctance to send her home.
Elizabeth did feel guilty about being given credit for what she had not done.
Still, as Jane was entirely well and had joined the party in the sitting room for tea and after dinner several times, she did not dwell on it.
That evening, she had the pleasure of seeing how well pleased Jane and Mr. Bingley were with one another. If Miss Bingley recalled their meetings near the lake, she did not mention them. What she did mention was a plan to rid the entire property of its cats.
“But Caroline,” Mrs. Hurst murmured, “they are needed to keep down the population of mice.”
“Just so,” Miss Bingley replied.
Elizabeth slept late the following morning, and Mr. Darcy ate several helpings of each dish at every meal despite Bingley’s delighted teasing that he was outeating Mr. Hurst. Once she was rested, Elizabeth ate more than her wont as well.
By the time she and Jane climbed into the carriage to travel home two days later, both she and her betrothed were entirely recovered.
“You and Mr. Darcy appear to be getting on very well,” Jane remarked as they turned on to the Meryton road.
“He will be visiting Papa tomorrow,” Elizabeth said with a smile.
Jane’s congratulations were effusive. “It all happened so easily,” she remarked at the end of it all. “I only wish Priscilla were as efficient.”
A month later, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy were wed along with Jane and Mr. Bingley in the Longbourn chapel.
Mr. Darcy’s sister and his cousin travelled from London to witness the ceremony, which Elizabeth felt a great honour.
The wedding breakfast was well attended by many people who wished them well.
Even Miss Bingley pretended to be pleased.
One person not celebrating with them was the distant cousin who was Mr. Bennet’s heir.
He had invited himself for a visit but changed his mind when he discovered Elizabeth was betrothed to Mr. Darcy.
His reason was clearly stated. His patroness, who was revealed to be one of Mr. Darcy’s aunts, did not look on the match with a friendly eye.
Mildread had taken great offense. Elizabeth quite agreed.
Their relationship was repaired as they commiserated over meddling, self-important human relatives.
They were completely restored to felicity when Mildread revealed that the beautiful fairy dress she had been sewing had always been meant to be Elizabeth’s wedding gown.
“How did you know we would be married?” Elizabeth had asked the morning of the wedding. “For he slighted me, and I only pitied him.”
The fairy was incredulous. “Do not you know? I brought him here for you, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth was surprised. “I thought Priscilla brought Mr. Bingley for Jane, and that Mr. Darcy just happened to be one of the party.”
Mildread rolled her eyes. “I knew that you would resist it. He was perfect for you, all fire and stubbornness. Mr. Bingley being perfect for your sister was just Priscilla’s good fortune.
She prefers not to do too much, you know, and with Jane, she did not have to.
I shall allow her Kitty next. Mary will have need of me. ”
Elizabeth wrinkled her nose. “But he was so rude at first.”
“Yes. I was quite vexed at him for that. Made my job much more difficult.” Mildread tapped a curl with her wand, and it moved into place.
“But I knew if I appeared angry enough, you would feel sorry for him rather than despise him. That I could work with. And then!” Mildread began to warm to the conversation.
“Then you both made a mash of it all. You needed to learn to patiently listen to him despite his penchant for speaking poorly, and he needed to practice gathering his thoughts carefully before speaking. He is charming once he is comfortable. You simply required private time together to work through it all. I gave you that time.”
Private time? She had been genuinely anxious for Mr. Darcy’s welfare. Something occurred to her. If Mildread had been pushing them together all this time . . . “Would you really have left Mr. Darcy asleep for a hundred years?”
Mildread pulled a face. “Of course not. He would only have slept overnight. But the two of you are so mulish! You required the kind of drama normally only found in Shakespeare’s tragedies to bring you together. It is simply who you are.”
Elizabeth’s cheeks warmed. “I might have done with something less theatrical,” she mumbled.
“You are a vision, my dear,” Mildread said, ignoring her.
She handed Elizabeth a bouquet of wild roses, the deep red complemented by the bold blue of her gown.
“Mr. Darcy wanted you to have these.” She took Elizabeth’s hand and twirled her about, causing the story of the fairies to rise from the skirt and dance around them.
“You are my favourite Bennet of all, you know. You always have been.” She winked. “I think we are very much alike.”
Elizabeth was determined not to forgo Mildread’s good opinion now, so close to losing her for good, so she smothered the reply that sprang to mind and instead answered the fairy with an affectionate and heartfelt embrace.
When they stepped inside, Mr. Bennet returned from handing Jane to Mr. Bingley and took his place to escort her. Elizabeth paused a moment to glance at all the people she loved and intended to love.
At last, Elizabeth’s eyes lit upon her Mr. Darcy, who waited for her near the altar, and everyone else faded away.
His dark blue eyes caught hers and held them.
He offered her everything in that look—his whole heart.
His whole soul. And she hoped that he could see in hers that everything she was, everything she would ever be—they were all his, too.
“I know I have been hard on you,” Mildread whispered as she took Elizabeth’s free arm to escort her along with her father, “but that is only because I wanted you to have your happily-ever-after as soon as possible.”
“Thank you,” Elizabeth whispered back, and, with her gaze still held by her beloved’s, took her first step to meet it.