Chapter 71

71

D arcy swelled in pride as he approached the door of the little kirk. Having checked yesterday evening with the minister and discovered how plain and sober were the vows that would be used; a relic of an old joyless religion in this harsh climate — they were totally without undue emotion or love — he had at once decided that Elizabeth deserved to know of his emotion and passion. And she deserved to hear him out before the ceremony.

She moved softly beside him, her steps confident and her head high. As they entered, he could see the expressions on the faces of her family, and the thoughtful concern on Richard's features, too. He smiled as best he could to relieve their concerns, but he could see they were more reassured by Elizabeth's radiance.

Her gown swirled around her — where had she had the time to obtain that? As he led her to the plain table, unadorned with the usual trappings of the Church of England, she lifted her face towards him and he bent down for her to whisper in his ear. "Thank you for the romantic prelude outside. I now see why you felt it necessary." But her joy seemed unconfined, and the minister looked at each of them, speaking first to him.

"Fitzwilliam Henry Darcy, are you here of your own free will and consent?"

"I am."

Then the man turned to Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth Frances Bennet, are you here of your own free will and consent?"

"I am." Her reply was assured and confident, and the minister then led them through their responses, and their promise that they knew the marriage was binding on them until death.

Then he produced the register and they signed it, before he pronounced the final words. "I now declare you lawfully wed under Scottish law and in the eyes of God." He nodded at each of them in turn. "Permit me to be the first to congratulate you, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy."

He beckoned the witnesses forward. "If you would care to sign the register, ladies and gentlemen, and then we will need you all to countersign the certificates, too."

After he and his wife — his wife! Darcy could hardly stop smiling — had signed all copies of the certificates; he sat with her in the plain little pew while their relations all signed as witnesses.

"I am prouder than I can say that you are now Mrs. Darcy." He whispered the words in her ear and watched her blush. But she looked a little distracted. "Is the music intruding?"

She smiled up at him. "I don't think this one will ever be for publication, or buyers will think Santorio has become romantically soft."

He chuckled. "Perhaps it could be the first thing you play for me on the Broadwood at Pemberley."

She leaned against him. "I cannot wait to be done with all the travelling and be there with you." She glanced up at him. "How long will it take?"

He grimaced slightly. "It is nigh on two hundred miles, Elizabeth. If we hurry, we might do it in three days, but as we are starting later in the day, I hope you will be happy to think of it as part of our marriage, and the beginning of our lives together."

"Of course." Her head was on his shoulder, and he could barely think clearly for her scent and her nearness.

"May I wish you joy, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy?" Richard's voice was perfectly modulated, but his eyes were alight with mischief, and Darcy glared at him.

"Thank you, Colonel." Elizabeth's voice was demure, but Darcy knew she had divined what Richard was about.

He rose to his feet, and gave his hand to Elizabeth. "Let us return to the inn. They will have set out a wedding breakfast for us all."

After seeing Elizabeth safe with her relations, he turned back to the minister, and took the rolled-up certificates — he had asked for half a dozen, so that he could prove their marriage to whoever needed to be convinced. "Thank you, sir. A much better marriage than at Gretna."

"I am pleased you took the trouble to search out the best place for you, sir." They shook hands as he went outside, where his steward waited close to the door.

"Is all well, Mr. Reed?"

The man glanced round and lowered his voice. "Mr. Bennet has been waiting two days at Gretna, sir. Apparently he is certain he has beaten you there and is waiting in an attempt to prevent your marriage."

Darcy grimaced. In all conscience, he could not leave the man there, however tempting it might be.

Reed looked a little uncomfortable. "My source has said Bennet appears to very angry and exhausted. Men like that may be on a hair trigger of temper, sir."

Darcy glanced round. It was hardly the time to make decisions. "Very well, come with us back to the inn. We will have a quiet conference during the wedding breakfast, and then decide what is best to do."

He moved forward to stand beside his wife. His wife! It had been a long journey. "Mrs. Darcy, shall we return to the inn for the wedding breakfast?"

Her eyes glinted. "I like the sound of my new name." She hesitated. "It was only a few minutes in the coach — is it possible to stroll there?"

"I think it is rather too far for that, Elizabeth. We will take a stroll partway on our journey, perhaps."

The inn had done wonders and the large parlour was decorated and the tables laden with food. He was happy it was a small party compared to the society wedding he had so dreaded for many years, with some faceless debutante beside him. But Elizabeth had enough of her family there to give her great pleasure; he did not think she had quite understood yet the enormity of the necessary farewells to come.

Quietly, he caught the attention of both Gardiner and Richard, and they moved slightly aside. Darcy kept his voice low, and his eyes on his wife as she talked to her aunt and sister, Bingley beaming beside them.

"Thank you for this. My steward has told me that Bennet has been two days in Gretna, waiting for us to arrive."

Gardiner's eyebrows shot up. "That seems an uncommonly foolish thing to be doing."

Darcy nodded. "Mr. Reed also tells me that he appears to be both angry and fatigued, and believes he may be on a hair-trigger of temper."

The lines deepened on the face of his new uncle-by-marriage. "I would expect nothing less. Bennet is infuriated at the loss of being able to control Lizzy and her earnings. He has come to rely very much on the funds I send him, which he believes come from Elizabeth's own money. I must lower them slowly — I would not wish my sister to feel the deprivation, but I have been funding it myself, as you know, so that Lizzy's fortune may remain hers; and I have my own family to consider."

Richard shook his head. "I am privileged to have met such an honourable gentleman, sir." He dipped his head respectfully at the merchant.

Darcy nodded. "However, in all conscience, I cannot leave Bennet there. If something happens to him, Longbourn is lost to the family." He glanced at his cousin.

"You have your uniform in your luggage here, I believe?"

Richard nodded.

"If I leave Mr. Reed and a couple of footmen with you for protection, might I ask that you convey one of the wedding certificates to him? In about two days, when the ladies are all well away from here? I will hire a coach to return you home."

At last, he could return to her side. Elizabeth looked up at him.

"Are you finished with your plotting?"

He smiled down at her. "Are you finished with your confidences to Mrs. Gardiner and Mrs. Bingley?"

"I am." She slipped her hand onto his arm. "Are you able to tell me what has you still anxious?"

"Soon, my dear. For now I would like to enjoy the company of my new relations." He glanced over at Bingley.

"I always hoped the day would come when I could call you brother."

"But not by marrying Miss Bingley!" Richard laughed uproariously, and Darcy tried to hide his cringe.

"For shame, Cousin Richard!" Elizabeth's eyes were dancing still, as she pinned her gaze on the errant gentleman. "Miss Bingley will be sorely disappointed when she hears that William is off the marriage market, and it will fall to my sister to take her disappointment."

"Really?" said Bingley. "I was hoping that we might continue our own sadly-interrupted wedding tour from here."

Darcy huffed a laugh. "I cannot be sorry it was interrupted, or the situation would be very different." He rested his eyes on his wife. Elizabeth might even be dead . He shuddered at his thoughts as her hand tightened on his arm, and she came up on tiptoe to whisper in his ear.

"Remember the past only as it gives you pleasure, William. I will have to remind you of it often."

His heart swelled. She was his now, and he could remain with her. "I hope we can make new memories from now that we will always wish to remember."

Her eyes were soft. "I do, too."

Finally, the occasion was over. Goodbyes had been said; Mr. and Mrs. Bingley would take three days further into the Scottish lowlands, and Richard and Mr. Reed would slowly make their way to Gretna. After serving the certificate on Bennet, they would meet the Bingleys, and travel south with them, Mr. Reed diverting en route to Pemberley.

And the Gardiners would return to their children, calling briefly at Longbourn on the way. Darcy was happy that Elizabeth seemed pleased with the plans, and he climbed into his coach after assisting her in. He drew a deep breath, and sat beside her, instead of on the opposite seat, and discerned a faint blush on her cheeks.

A rush of satisfaction surged through him, and he took her hand, although he ensured he was not pressed up close to her. Yet.

"Mrs. Darcy." He lifted her hand to his lips. "I shall always be thankful you were willing to give me another opportunity to prove myself worthy of you."

"And I shall always be thankful that you were willing to wait until I could push myself past the distrust." She sighed. "I still have a lot to learn."

"We will do it together," he promised. "Our lives now will be the opportunity to grow closer every day."