Antony took out his pocket watch and showed it to Darcy. “You have about one hour before you leave the ranks of one of England’s most sought-after bachelors. Do you know how many hearts you are breaking by marrying Miss Bennet? Alexandra Banbury has taken to wearing dark colors.”

“How is it that anyone in town knows I am to be married? I have made no announcement.” Antony looked at the ceiling, studied his nails, straightened his collar, and in every way looked uncomfortable. “You cannot help yourself, can you?” Darcy asked.

Antony merely smiled, but as he started to walk away, Darcy pulled him back. “You and I have had our differences, but you should know that if I did not care, I would not bother.”

“Of course, I know that, but as for our having differences, I know your lectures are for the purpose of making me a better man. However, I have no intention of reforming. Our time on earth is so short that it would be a sacrilege to go through life as a virtuous prig. Now, here comes my brother, so I shall have a glass of wine.” The brothers bowed in passing.

“Good grief, Darcy. You are not even a married man yet, and you are already mellowing. That is the longest conversation you have had with Antony in years, and you only rolled your eyes once. That is a record, I am sure.”

“There are times when he can actually be helpful. I assume you came in Antony’s carriage, so if he was the only means of your getting here, I am glad to have him. But where the devil did you stay last night?”

“At the coaching inn, the Roost, about four miles from here.”

“I cannot picture Lord Fitzwilliam sleeping on a well-worn mattress in a coaching inn.”

“You do not have to picture such a scene because he did not sleep on any mattress. He came prepared with his own pillow and blanket, and after spreading out his overcoat, he lay down and went right to sleep. So I slept in the bed and escaped without so much as one bedbug bite.

“On another matter, on the way up to town,” the colonel continued, “I stopped at Rosings Park and visited with Aunt Catherine and Anne, and our cousin looked very well; she was lacking that gray pallor she usually has in the winter. She sends you her love and is looking forward to visiting Pemberley in the spring.”

“Did Aunt Catherine have a message for me?” Darcy asked.

“Actually, she said that she hopes the weather stays fine—not necessarily for you, but for everyone, and there is reason to hope that she will come around. Apparently, after Georgie and you left, Anne and her dear Mama had a long talk, and Aunt Catherine stated that she hopes you will be happy. Although she doubts you will achieve domestic felicity, she wishes to be proved wrong.”

Darcy nearly spit out his wine. “Aunt Catherine wishes to be proved wrong? Yes, and Antony wishes to stop sleeping with married women.”

“However, bringing up a touchy subject was not my reason for making my way over here. I have come to execute my responsibilities as your best man and to make you aware of the time.”

“Richard, I can hardly believe it. I am actually getting married.” Darcy’s whole demeanor changed at the thought of his marrying Elizabeth. “Just like any other man, I shall have a wife and family. I did not think…” Darcy could hear the catch in his voice and looked away from his cousin.

“Come on, old boy,” Richard said, slapping Darcy on the back. “We are to church, as your bride awaits.”

Chapter 32

While Mrs. Bennet prattled on during the ride to the church, Lizzy and her father were lost in thought. Mr. Bennet still had a nagging feeling that there was more to Mr. Darcy’s lengthy absences than either the bride or groom cared to reveal, but whatever the cause, Mr. Bennet was sure his daughter knew of the reason as the couple seemed to have formed a bond that was usually reserved for those who shared a secret.

Lizzy’s mind was more pleasantly engaged. She was thinking about Mr. Darcy and how fortunate she was to have found such a man. While most men would be offended by her impertinence, Mr. Darcy found it amusing, and he had often told her how much he admired her strong character. She would be brave for him and not give into her fears, but he must do the same and not be overly protective of her or he would hear about it.

When Lizzy entered the church vestibule, she was met by Jane, who was wearing a panel attached to her pale yellow dress to hide her pregnancy, but even with her bulging middle, she looked particularly lovely as yellow was her best color. However, on this day, the most beautiful Bennet sister was Elizabeth. Her wedding dress was white satin with a gauze overdress and trimmed with Brussels lace matching her waist-length mantilla. Her only jewelry was a single strand of pearls that Mr. Darcy’s mother had worn on her wedding day.

Standing near the altar was the bridegroom, whose impatience to be married was providing amusement for the guests, but even if he had made note of the whispers, he would have ignored them as his mind was fixed on one thing: his ardent desire to make Elizabeth Bennet his wife. He even ignored the tittering of Mrs. Gardiner and Aunt Susan, Mr. Bennet’s sister, who were listening to Lord Fitzwilliam describe his own nuptials.

“I was in the vestry, but they found me,” the earl explained, “and after being dragged from my hiding place, Eleanor and I were united in wedlock—the emphasis being on ‘lock.’ We promised to stay married for better or for worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part, and by God, we have lived up to those vows. She is richer; I am poorer. She is hale and hearty, while I am sick whenever I am in her company. It could be better, but it could not possibly be worse. And because we are both too stubborn to die, we remain married.”

But Darcy heard none of this. He had just taken out his pocket watch when the church doors opened. As he caught sight of his bride, a sense of well-being surged through him. As Elizabeth drew closer, he knew that she was feeling exactly the same thing, and their hearts beat as one.

*   *   *

Except for the absent militia, Netherfield was as crowded as it had been on the evening of the ball, and Elizabeth and Darcy had to squeeze through the throng to greet all of their well-wishers. While moving amongst their guests, Lizzy heard snatches of conversation, all complimentary, about how well the two eldest Bennet daughters had done in the business of getting husbands, but among those bits of overheard dialogue was her mother informing her friends that ten thousand pounds was not even close to the true amount of Mr. Darcy’s yearly income. How did Mrs. Bennet know that? they asked. She replied, if his assets were not substantially larger than that sum, how could one account for the large estate, the house in town, the carriages, the clothes, etc., etc.?

The Fitzwilliam brothers were enormously popular and covered both ends of the spectrum. While Lord Fitzwilliam entertained the married women with his double entendres or stories about his unhappy marriage to Lady Macbeth, the colonel, handsomely accoutered in his regimentals, had all the local beauties surrounding him, much to the chagrin of the Lucas boys and the other youths of Meryton. But Georgiana put a smile on the lads’ faces when she offered to play a jig on the pianoforte so that they might dance, and Kitty’s response was immediate. She stood in front of the colonel so that he would have to ask her to dance first.

But before the day got away from him, Darcy was determined to have a conversation with Jane Bingley. He understood why she was unhappy with him. In addition to interfering in her relationship with Charles, he had insulted her sister with his ungracious proposal, and when he had returned to renew his efforts to win Lizzy, his behavior was so erratic that at a minimum it invited criticism, but more alarmingly, it had aroused her suspicions.

When Darcy approached, Jane, who was sitting in the parlor in order to avoid the press of people, was having a conversation with Mrs. Glenn, who had recently become a grandmother, but the older woman kindly left the two to have their talk.

“Mrs. Bingley, I know that you have reservations about your sister marrying me, but…”

Jane blushed at this revelation. “I am sorry Lizzy repeated what I said. I thought our conversation was confidential.”

“Your sister did not betray your confidence. I am afraid on this subject your face is an open book, and I understand the cause for your concerns. I was not the best suitor, but I would ask that you put aside all prejudice and judge me from this day forward as I intend to be the best of husbands.”

“Sir, please understand that I only want my sister’s happiness, and since Lizzy has informed me that she cannot be happy without you, I wish you joy.”

“Be assured, Mrs. Bingley, that you and Charles are always welcome at Pemberley, and I know that Elizabeth and I will be welcomed at Netherfield Park. I anticipate a lot of time being spent on the road between Hertfordshire and Derbyshire. We shall visit so often that our carriages will leave ruts in the road.”

By the time Mr. Darcy returned to his wife, Jane was reassured. The dour gentleman from Derbyshire really could be quite charming, and she had absolutely no doubt that he loved Elizabeth. But she would hold her brother-in-law to his promise to allow Lizzy to visit frequently because if Lizzy did not come to her, she would go to Lizzy.

*   *   *

By evening, when the last of the guests had departed, not so much as a cake crumb was left, only a few scraps of meat remained on the platter, and the punch bowl had been emptied and replenished several times. Lizzy was glad she had instructed Mr. Jackson to make sure that enough food was set aside for the servants so that they might join in the celebration.