Chapter 21

Meryton Church

Friday, 20th December

It was slightly cool in the gray stone church for evening attire, but Darcy disregarded the chill while Bingley, bouncing gently on his toes, eyes gleaming with excitement and anticipation, likely did not even feel the cold. Bingley cut quite a fine figure, in his royal blue coat with the gold-picked buttons, his snowy cravat, his creamy breeches and shining boots.

The church itself was somber, adorned with only a smattering of ribbons, with no flowers available in the dead of winter to brighten the nave or altar. But the bright morning light illuminated the stained glass windows, throwing festive splashes of color across the pews.

Half of the same stood empty. Much to Mrs. Bennet’s dismay, Jane and Bingley had chosen to invite only a handful of their acquaintances rather than the entire town, which Jane’s mother would have preferred. Only the front most pews were filled. All the Bennets were lined up in their Sunday best, of course, with Mrs. Bennet closest to the aisle and beaming nearly as brightly as the sun outside. Behind the Bennet family, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner sat hand in hand, trading occasional fond glances. Beside Mr. Gardiner rested Mrs. Phillips, smiling mistily and dabbing at her eyes, while her husband solemnly watched the bridegroom.

Across the aisle from them were the Hursts and Miss Bingley, all very finely dressed in silks and lace and feathers. Though Mrs. Hurst appeared calm, her expression resigned and even accepting, Miss Bingley’s mouth was pursed up as if she had just bitten into a lemon, her eyes overly bright and spots of color high on her cheeks.

Mrs. Annesley and Georgiana, beside them, were more simply dressed. Mrs. Annesley smiled approvingly upon the affair, while Georgiana was openly delighted, her face bright and her gloved hands folded properly in her lap.

Behind the Netherfield party sat the Lucases, all attentive and solemn and congratulatory. Charlotte waited with her hands in her lap, face serene with quiet happiness at the reminder of her own upcoming wedding.

At last, the back door of the church opened, and all the guests twisted as one to look at the bride and her father. Beside Darcy, Bingley’s gasp was audible. Darcy could not fault his friend, as Jane Bennet was radiant. Her cerulean organza gown was decorated with ivory lace, pearl buttons at throat and cuffs and lining her gloves, and her flaxen hair was pinned up under the simple blue-ribboned bonnet.

His own eyes, however, were fixed on Elizabeth Bennet, who followed her father and sister up the aisle, dressed in soft green, with a straw hat on her head, which contrasted charmingly with her dark hair, her fine eyes sparkling, her lips curve upward in delight. The two eldest Misses Bennet were very close. He knew that, and he was happy for Eliza … for Miss Elizabeth that her beloved elder sister would soon be marrying a fine, compatible, and wealthy man.

Mr. Bennet guided Jane to the front of the church and carefully transferred her hand to Bingley’s, while Elizabeth took her place next to the happy couple and turned a joyful countenance on Mr. Allen, who was standing behind the pulpit looking down with obvious pleasure.

Darcy forced himself to look away from Elizabeth toward the parson, though it was difficult. All he wanted to do was to look upon the lady’s radiant face and pleasing form. He was in love. He was in love with Elizabeth Bennet. He…

“We have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony,” Mr. Allen began, and again Darcy shook himself and forced himself to pay attention. The wedding ceremony proceeded without interruption, and soon Miss Bennet was Mrs. Bingley. When the last prayer had been said, the newly married couple, arm in arm, made their way to sign the register. After both parties had signed, Darcy signed as a witness and then stepped aside and watched as Elizabeth signed as the other witness. When she was finished, she looked up, and her gaze met his. His chest tingled at the intensity of her gaze, and he had a bizarre inclination to step forward and embrace the lady he adored.

A moment later, rationality won out.

“Miss Bennet,” he said with a slight bow, “I am overjoyed for my friend and your sister.”

“I am delighted as well. They are an excellent match. Now I hope that you and your sister are planning to come to Longbourn for the wedding breakfast?”

“We would enjoy that very much, so long as Mrs. Bennet does not mind.”

Elizabeth laughed, and again Darcy felt the stir in heart and soul. How beautiful she was! How bright! How alive!

“My mother arranged for enough food for Wellington’s army,” she assured him.

“Then we will definitely join you there,” he replied with a smile.

/

Jane and Bingley were both popular among the local residents, so Elizabeth was not surprised to see the crowd of townsfolk awaiting the newly married couple outside the church. More than a few red coats were in evidence, and she recognized one or two tenants from Longbourn and Netherfield, too, including Mrs. Miller with her baby, little Phoebe, and old Mr. Ridder.

The crowd cheered as Charles stepped off the church doorstep, his new bride on his arm, both of them beaming. Elizabeth – now Miss Bennet – came behind them on her father’s arm, her mother on his other side. She looked around at the brilliant blue sky with the white cotton-puff clouds and the bright sunshine and the sea of jubilant faces. Her own spirits were so buoyant, she felt as though she could float on them. Jane looked so blissful, gazing up adoringly into Charles’s face, and Elizabeth felt her throat tighten at the sight of her beloved sister’s joy.

Her gaze slid to Mr. Darcy as he exited the church, a broadly smiling Georgiana on one arm. Miss Bingley was at his other side, giving him sheep’s-eyes as she clung to his arm and said something too low for Elizabeth to hear. Mr. Darcy nodded politely, expression stoic, but Elizabeth rather thought she could tell from the way the skin around his eyes tightened that he was annoyed.

Her own smile grew as she looked away and then settled her gaze on him once more. It was one of his qualities she found most admirable; his refusal to listen to flattery, his dislike of toadying. She knew his antipathy towards shameless flattery grew from a soundly principled integrity. Miss Bingley, of course, and women like her, had yet to learn this about Mr. Darcy.

Elizabeth’s mind returned anew to Lydia’s suggestion that Elizabeth marry Mr. Darcy. As much as she liked the idea, there was little that Elizabeth could do to encourage this aim without becoming one of the flirtatious females that Mr. Darcy so detested; not that her dignity would allow her to do so. She admired him very much, respected him, was attracted to him. But the lady could not say so; it was dependent on the gentleman to speak first.

Georgiana glanced over and caught her eye, and Elizabeth smiled in greeting. Georgiana smiled back before looking up at her brother, and Elizabeth watched the Darcys a moment longer. The only thing to do, she reflected, was to continue as she had; to be a good friend to both Mr. and Miss Darcy. He was an intelligent gentleman, quite capable of choosing his own wife without the input of any other. Were he to make an offer for her, she would be delighted, but if he did not choose to, all her fretting and worrying and losing sleep would make no difference.

No, she would endeavor to be content with mere friendship with the Darcys, though it might prove challenging to wait and wonder and hope.

/

Longbourn

The entire lower floor of Longbourn smelled magnificent, thanks to the vast wedding breakfast scenting the air. The polished surface of the buffet table in the dining room had entirely vanished beneath the array of dishes placed on it like a particularly clever wooden puzzle. In the center of the room, the dinner table was similarly employed, with occasional glimpses of the white cloth beneath platters of ham and pheasants and beef roast and steaming loaves of bread with butter and apple pies and berry pies and mince pies and jams and eggs and jellies and creams and bacon and a silver bowl of oranges set proudly in the middle of it all. Another small table closer to the door held urns of coffee and tea and chocolate and syllabub and lemonade.

The room was as full of people as the tables were of food. There was nowhere to sit in the dining room itself; instead, the doors to both sitting rooms, the drawing room, and the breakfast parlor had been thrown wide. Several tables had been borrowed for the event and covered in clean linen, and now visitors sat around them enjoying the skill of the Bennets’ cook and her assistants, while a slow line wound about the dining room.

Elizabeth, who had been directed by Mrs. Bennet to assist visitors in finding seats, stepped forward after the Darcys had filled their plates and said, “If you would care to follow me, I will find you a place to sit.”

Georgiana smiled gratefully and said, “That would be delightful, Miss Elizabeth.”

The two Darcys followed her down the hall, which led to a sitting room. Darcy watched her lithe figure with great appreciation, only to be distracted as he passed the door to the drawing room when a familiar, feminine voice cried out, “Four thousand pounds a year, and a fine estate! Oh, I always knew my Jane could not be so beautiful for nothing!”

Darcy winced at the strident tones and felt his jaw tighten. If he were to offer for Elizabeth, he would have to accept Mrs. Bennet’s crass speeches. It would not be fair to the lady he loved if he openly disapproved of her family. But could he do it? And if he did, what would his high and mighty relations think? Regardless of whom he married, Lady Catherine would be outraged because he would not marry Anne. Lord and Lady Matlock, his uncle and aunt, were not invested in Darcy marrying Anne, but they did expect him to marry a woman of standing, of wealth, of connections!

He knew now that he wanted to marry Elizabeth, very much, but he needed to be certain that he was willing to accept negative reactions from his family and friends; to count the cost before beginning, as advised in the Scriptures. She deserved that.

“Mr. Darcy, Miss Darcy, it is good to see you again,” Mrs. Gardiner said, and Darcy, blinking, pulled himself together in time to bow to the Gardiners and Mr. Bennet, who had already seated themselves at the table in the middle of the smaller sitting room.

“It is good to see you as well,” Darcy said appreciatively, helping Georgiana into her seat and then taking his own place at the table. There was one chair remaining, and he cast a hopeful look at Elizabeth, but she said, “I need to assist my mother further. I will come see you all later.”

He felt himself grimace in disappointment, and when he looked up, Mrs. Gardiner was gazing at him knowingly, and he flushed with embarrassment.

She kindly turned her attention on Georgiana and said, “Miss Darcy, I remembered yesterday a story that my father told about Lady Anne Darcy, your mother. There was a year when the harvests were poor, and Lady Anne was kind enough to provide a large sum to assist the poorer members of the congregation. My father was very grateful and…”

“I acquired a new book yesterday,” Mr. Bennet remarked, pulling Darcy’s attention toward the man at his side. “Have you ever read the English translation of Newton’s Principia ?”

Darcy had read part of it, and the ensuing conversation was pleasurable for both men, while Georgiana conversed easily with the Gardiners. Their table, tucked into a small room, was quiet compared to the rest of the house, and Darcy would have been entirely content if Miss Elizabeth was with them.

But she was not, and as absurd as it was, he missed her quite desperately. He was beginning to think he could not live without her.