Chapter 38

Church

Meryton

Wednesday, 31st August, 1812

Bouquets of dahlias and asters sat around in the vestibule of the church, with brilliant sunflowers adorning the altar and fluffy-headed grasses providing green background to the purple and orange and yellow flowers. Ribbons festooned the edges of the pews. The recently cleaned windows pooled multicolored light across a floor swept spotlessly clean.

Only a few of the pews had been filled. The Bennets were there in force, in varying states of excitement and wistfulness. Sir Christopher sat at the end of the pew, close beside his wife, who was already garbed in her traveling dress in anticipation of their departure directly after the wedding breakfast. Mrs. Phillips sat beside her sister, offering linen handkerchiefs to a weepy yet beaming Mrs. Bennet. The Lucases sat across the aisle looking very glad, and Lady Lucas's mouth was only a tiny bit pursed that her rival and friend had snared high-born men for two of her daughters. Behind them, the Hursts and the Bingleys shared a pew, all of them dressed brightly for the occasion.

Mrs. Bennet accepted the handkerchief from Mrs. Phillips and blew her nose, eyes damp and a smile as wide as it had ever been. To have two daughters well married! Truly, her cup was running over today.

Mr. Allen, rector of the church in Meryton, looked down upon the gentleman and lady standing in front of him, their bright eyes fixed on one another.

"Dearly beloved," he said, "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…"

She stood across from him, dressed radiantly in a green gown with an ivory overdress, with pearl combs in her hair and a simple cross at her throat. He knew, because she had told him, that Mrs. Bennet had been indignant that her second daughter's wedding was such a hasty affair that the lady had not been able to purchase a new gown for the occasion, but he could not imagine her looking more beautiful.

"Therefore," Mr. Allen said, "marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by God."

Lightly? No, he had never imagined taking marriage lightly. He had, however, assumed for most of his life that he would wed a wealthy, accomplished woman with superb connections, who could proudly carry on the Darcy name. He had never fathomed that he would fall in love with a bright, clever lady in Hertfordshire, with her fine eyes and arch speech, who would claim his heart by treating him with delightful irreverence.

"Elizabeth Marie Bennet, will you have this man to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor him and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I will," Elizabeth said, her eyes glowing.

"Fitzwilliam George Darcy, will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

"I will," Darcy replied in a strong voice and then repeated softly enough that only Elizabeth could hear him. "I will."

He knew that their marriage would not always be one of complete bliss. He and Elizabeth were strong-willed people, and they would have their share of disagreements. But they loved and respected each other, and they would be happy.

"Now that Elizabeth Marie Bennet and Fitzwilliam George Darcy have given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of a ring, I pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder."

"Amen," the assembled congregation declared.

"Amen," Darcy repeated softly. "Amen."

/

The Golden Goose Inn

Baldock

The newly married Darcys, seated side by side in the carriage, swayed closer together as the carriage turned into the stable yard of the Golden Goose inn. It was a bright and beautiful day, with the sun shining in a sky of pure blue. The weather reflected the joy in the hearts of both young people, though Elizabeth was certain that she would have been equally happy in a rainstorm.

They had attended the wedding breakfast at Longbourn and stayed for two hours, Darcy out of a sense of duty and Elizabeth out of genuine love for her family. Her father, while indolent, truly loved her and would miss her, and her mother would doubtless recount the glories of the Darcys' wedding day for the rest of her life.

They had escaped two hours after noon and began driving north towards Pemberley, though not in haste. Both man and wife were looking forward to time alone, not in a rumbling carriage, and Baldock was an excellent place to stop.

Elizabeth gazed out as the carriage came to a gentle halt. It had only been a little more than two weeks since she had been here before in the company of Lydia, her suitors, and the rest of the party driving north.

It seemed incredible – impossible even – that so much had happened in so short a time. Less than a month previously, she and her aunt and uncle had visited Pemberley and met Mr. Darcy. Then had come the letters from Jane regarding Lydia's folly in running away with Wickham, followed by the journey to Longbourn, and then to London, and then all the way to Scotland where Lydia was married to Sir Christopher, and then back to Longbourn, and then her marriage…

"Does it seem odd to be here again?" Darcy asked in a remarkable echo of her own thoughts.

"It does," his wife agreed, just as the door was pulled open by a servant. Darcy immediately exited the carriage and held out his hand for his lady.

"It does, very much so," Elizabeth repeated, taking his arm as the couple walked toward the front door of the inn. "Odd and so incredibly wonderful, my dear Fitzwilliam. It is a dream come true to be your wife."

He was surrounded by servants and horses, but he could not help himself. He turned and drew her into his arms and kissed her thoroughly.

"This is the best day of my life, Elizabeth," he murmured when they had drawn apart a few inches. "The best day of all."