Page 37 of Why I Kissed You (Pride and Prejudice Variation)
The sisters hardly noted the passing of the hours—for the first time in a great while, they happily enjoyed just being together, talking of Elizabeth’s trousseau and all the balls and parties she and Darcy might attend before they at last went away to Derbyshire—until Mrs. Bennet burst into the room ahead of Miss Lacey to demand they all begin readying themselves.
“You especially, Jane, must take care to dress well,” said their mother, “for Mr. Bingley will be there, and you may catch him yet!”
Elizabeth’s eyes met Jane’s in the mirror over the dressing table, and they shared a secret smile. Nothing would be said of just how close Bingley and Jane were until after he’d had a chance of speaking with Mr. Bennet.
Elizabeth sighed in contentment as her wedding gown was being drawn over her head by Jane and her maid—it had been completed only that morning.
Three other of her new gowns were hung up inside the wardrobe, in the place of three older gowns which she had given over to Miss Lacey.
There were boxes stacked in the corner of the bedroom with many of the smaller items from the list of trousseau purchases that would be transported over to Darcy House on a cart along with her trunks; besides the two she’d brought from Kent, she now had a third, given to her that morning by Mr. Gardiner as a present.
She had assured him it would be put to good use.
When all in the house were ready, and Elizabeth’s gown had been gushed over by all the ladies and appreciated by her father and uncle in more subdued terms, the family of seven made their way out to the two carriages waiting at the pavement.
Elizabeth was to ride with her parents and Jane, and her younger sisters with the Gardiners.
When Elizabeth sighed and gripped Jane’s hand as the Bennet carriage pulled into the street, her sister smiled at her. “Do not be nervous Lizzy,” said Jane softly.
“I am not nervous—at least, not in the way I think you mean,” Elizabeth replied. “Though I am a little as regards the fact I am about to be married to one of the most illustrious young men in the country, what concerns me more are our sisters.”
“Your sisters?” challenged Mrs. Bennet. “Why should you be nervous about them?”
Elizabeth stared pointedly at her. “It is their behavior that concerns me, Mamma,” said she.
“You may not wish to recognize it as such, but my younger sisters—Lydia especially—have been known to expose our family to ridicule with her wild behavior. I should be utterly mortified if they were to act inappropriately before the earl and countess, should they even be there. I do not wish to give them any reason to raise an objection during the ceremony.”
“If Lord and Lady Disley, or your dear Mr. Darcy, take offense to your having two—or mayhap I should say three—silly sisters, then they do not deserve you, Lizzy,” said Mr. Bennet.
“However, as your countenance tells me that you are in earnest, I will have a word with them before we enter the house.”
She reached across the carriage and gave one of his hands a squeeze. “Thank you, Papa. I do not like to disparage our family, and you only care to make fun of us, but—”
Mr. Bennet frowned. “Is that really your opinion of me?”
Elizabeth sat back. “I am sorry, Papa. I should not have said that—forgive me.”
He stared for a moment, as though studying her features, then inclined his head. “It is your wedding day, my dearest girl. You are forgiven.”
Elizabeth smiled and tried not to let the moment dampen her spirits.
She thought of Darcy and how well he had looked in his evening wear the night of the Netherfield ball, for he would dress much the same for their wedding.
He had looked so very handsome—she’d recognized his good looks even then, but at the time had been too vexed and angry to allow herself to enjoy the frequent views of his person she’d been afforded.
The two carriages were stopping before Darcy House almost before she knew it.
Mr. Bennet climbed out when the footman had opened the door, then handed out Mrs. Bennet and Jane before giving his hand to Elizabeth.
When she had alighted, he called over his younger daughters and gave them—and his wife—a short speech about behaving properly before Darcy’s noble relations.
“Please, let us not embarrass our Lizzy on her wedding day,” Mr. Bennet said at last, before he turned and offered his arm to his wife. Elizabeth hooked an arm around Jane’s and followed her parents up the steps, with her sisters and the Gardiners following behind them.
Darcy greeted them in the entry hall and bowed from the waist. “Welcome to Darcy House, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. I am so very pleased you could be here to celebrate with Elizabeth and me.”
Mr. Bennet turned and drew Elizabeth forward. “I could hardly consent to your stealing away my most cherished daughter and not say goodbye to her.”
“Oh, Papa!” cried Elizabeth softly as she stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. “You know perfectly well that my getting married is not a goodbye.”
“But it is,” said Mr. Bennet, and she saw both tenderness and sadness in his eyes when he looked at her. “For in a very short while, you will be Elizabeth Bennet no more.”
She could not but kiss his cheek again. Her father rarely showed emotion, though she had always known that her getting married would affect him.
With a deep sigh, Mr. Bennet took Elizabeth’s hand and placed it in Darcy’s.
He raised her hand to his lips to lightly touch them to the back, then he turned and tucked her hand into his elbow.
They led the party into the drawing room, at which time Darcy introduced everyone.
The Earl and Countess of Disley, and Lord Rowarth, had chosen to attend the ceremony after all.
Elizabeth could tell that her mother was in awe to be in the presence of nobility, which for the moment had rendered her silent beyond her initial greeting.
Also in the room were Georgiana Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, Anne de Bourgh, Mr. Bingley, and Bishop Keller from St. Paul’s.
Elizabeth had hoped Miss de Bourgh had been removed to the earl’s residence—or better yet, that she had gone home to Rosings. The lady’s presence made her nervous.
After everyone was introduced and greetings were exchanged, Bishop Keller asked to see the marriage license, which Darcy pulled from a pocket of his jacket. After the clergyman had reviewed the document, he directed everyone to take their places.
This is it , Elizabeth thought, no turning back now .
Her hand tightened on Darcy’s arm as the bishop opened a very old copy of the Book of Common Prayer and began to recite the marriage rites.
Darcy lifted his other hand and placed it atop hers, and she took comfort in the warmth and support it offered.
“…these two persons present come now to be joined. Therefore, if any man can shew any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace.”
Anne de Bourgh’s voice broke the solemn silence that followed. “I must speak.”