“I do not see why Mr. Darcy and Lizzy cannot be married at St. Paul’s as easily as in the church in Meryton, but that must be their decision,” said Mrs. Bennet, her voice affecting dispassion.
Leave it to the youngest Bennet daughter, Lydia, to handle a delicate situation so indelicately. Judging by the haste in which Mrs. Bennet echoed the idea, she likely had secretly entertained the notion herself. Any wonder Lydia was her mother’s favorite? Their minds were so similar.
Mrs. Bennet looked at Darcy. “Sir, I am sure it will mean the world to my daughter to be married in such an auspicious place as St. Paul’s Cathedral. Do you not agree?”
He gave a slight nod. “I am happy to marry your daughter anywhere she pleases. I defer to her, for a happy bride is the surest ingredient for a happy wedding.”
The gentleman’s words were like music to the lady’s ears. Her face beamed with pleasure.
“Then, it is settled,” Mrs. Bennet responded. “Lizzy shall be married here in town.”
“Mama!” Elizabeth cried.
“What possible objection can you have to such a charming scheme, Lizzy? Surely Mr. Darcy’s family would expect nothing less,” cried Mrs. Bennet impatiently.
“Papa hates town! In fact, in his letter, he expressly urged me to return to Hertfordshire as soon as could be.”
Mrs. Bennet dismissively waved the crumpled handkerchief in her hand. “You must leave your father to me, Lizzy. Surely he would not wish to deny you such a pleasing prospect as a wedding at St. Paul’s, and in a manner suitable for the future wife of a gentleman of Mr. Darcy’s stature. Your Mr. Darcy has ten thousand pounds a year and likely more for I have heard it said he owns half of Derbyshire.”
If looks alone had the power of silencing one’s speech, Elizabeth would not have suffered such mortification. How could her intended be anything other than offended by her mother’s mercenary words?
“Mama!” Elizabeth exclaimed with energy.
Being a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper, subtlety was not Mrs. Bennet’s strong suit. “You need not worry about a single thing, Lizzy,” she replied to her daughter’s outburst. “I shall see to every detail of your wedding and the wedding breakfast, too, of course. Why, it must be held at your house here in town, Mr. Darcy! Pray you do not object to such a delightful scheme.”
“Consider my home as your home,” Mr. Darcy said.
“Oh, what a perfect gentleman you are, Mr. Darcy. My Lizzy is the luckiest girl in all of England. Oh! I knew she could not be so clever for nothing.”
“Now,” she began, “the only thing that remains to be settled is the matter of our living arrangements in the interim. It will hardly be feasible for all of us to travel back-and-forth between Longbourn and town what with all that needs to be done and with time being of the essence.”
Interrupting her mother’s speech, Elizabeth said, “Which is even more reason to keep things simple and return to Longbourn.”
“But the six of us are already here in town. As we are all here at the Gardiners’, the only one who really needs to be inconvenienced is your father.”
“Surely you must consider the inconvenience to Uncle and Aunt Gardiner caused by the addition of so many guests: unexpected guests at that.”
Mrs. Bennet peered at Mrs. Gardiner, who had remained a silent witness to the thickening wedding plot. “What say you, Sister?”
An elegant woman, who was several years younger than her sister-in-law and leagues ahead of her in terms of sense and sensibility, Mrs. Gardiner replied, “I am sure your brother and I will do our best to see to everyone’s comfort.”
Lydia exclaimed, “La! Mama, did you not hear Mr. Darcy say his home is our home? Why should we not all stay at his townhouse? No doubt it is very large and very grand, too.”
Kitty lifted her skirt just so and commenced dancing about the room. “We may even be invited to elegant soirees and society balls. The balls at home are nothing compared to the balls in town, I am sure.”
“Lydia!” Elizabeth said. “You cannot invite yourself to another person’s home!”
“Lizzy, how can you be so selfish?” Lydia asked. “If Mr. Darcy does not object, then why should you?”
“Selfish?”
Having likely heard enough, Mr. Darcy said, “Mrs. Bennet, Misses Bennets, if you give me leave to have a private audience with Miss Elizabeth, my lovely bride, I shall be in your debt.”
“You are welcome to talk in privacy in Mr. Gardiner’s study,” Mrs. Gardiner said in compassion to the young lovers’ plight.
With that said, Darcy and Elizabeth were gone directly.
When they were alone behind closed doors, Elizabeth released a frustrated breath. “Welcome to my life, Mr. Darcy.”
He took his intended in his arms. Their lips met. Gently, he coaxed Elizabeth’s lips apart, ran the tip of his tongue inside, and for a moment or two, it seemed they were the only people in the world. Oh, the power of his kiss to lift her spirits.
Their lips parted, he gazed into her eyes. “There is no place else I would rather be.”
The agony she had suffered in the parlor now all but faded, Elizabeth said, “Are you certain? It is not too late to change your mind.” With some reluctance, she eased away. “Save yourself while there is still time.”
“Never,” he said. “Your family is excited about our wedding. I can only wish for a fraction of such exuberance on my own family’s part. You are fortunate in that regard.
“Besides, I can think of far worse things than spending the next few weeks or so under the same roof with you - night after night.” He drew Elizabeth once again into his embrace. “After night.” He brushed his lips against hers. “Once the rest of the household has settled - silent footsteps away.”
More aroused by his conjecture than she cared to confess, Elizabeth said, “Indeed, having my dear mother close by.”
“Well, there is that.” Still holding her in his arms, he whispered softly in Elizabeth’s ear, “With a bit of ingenuity on our parts, I believe we shall persevere.”
Her spirits rising to playfulness, Elizabeth said, “Perhaps I ought to remain here in Cheapside while the rest of my family reside at Darcy House.”
“You would not dare!”
“Leave you alone with my mother and my younger sisters? I love you too much to subject you to such a fate.”
“You love me, Elizabeth?” Mr. Darcy asked, taking her somewhat aback.
Smiling a little, she nodded. “Do you really need to ask?”
“Given how we parted in Kent and the events leading up to this very day, I must confess to having suffered a bit of concern.”
“I suppose I might have handled things more sensibly, and I will do my best to behave with more thought than emotion going forward. The fact is, I can scarcely recall a time that I did not love you, Mr. Darcy. I love you with all my heart and soul.”
Darcy and Elizabeth sealed her ardent declaration as warmly and sensibly as could be expected until a general awareness of their surroundings drew them apart.
“Elizabeth, my love, why not allow your family to have this time? Soon enough, we shall be man and wife, happily secluded far, far away from everyone at Pemberley for an indeterminate amount of time and making such happy memories as to render the next few weeks or so inconsequential. If this is what is required to bring your mother and sisters a modicum of satisfaction, I say so be it. Our happiness is assured.”
Gently retaking her lips, he drew her into a lingering, sweet kiss.
Soon enough, he added, “Of course, as it is my mission in life to deny you nothing that is within my power to bestow, I shall defer the final word on all such matters pertaining to our wedding to you.”