20. Chapter Twenty

Glad to be finally released from her room by her well-meaning sisters, Mary went in search of Evaline. She had learned from a maid that Evaline had been placed in a room near to the nursery. Mary was eager to see how she fared.

Finding the room, Mary peeked inside, not wanting to disturb Evaline if she was asleep. The girl seemed to be awake and looking out the nearby window, so Mary knocked softly and entered the room. Turning at the sound, Evaline spotted Mary and smiled before bursting into a fit of coughing.

Rushing to her side, Mary helped the girl to sit up, soothing her as best she could. As soon as the fit passed, Mary arranged the pillows so that she could lean back while remaining upright. "You poor thing. Would you like a sip of water?" Reaching for the nearby glass, she held it to Evaline's trembling lips while she took a measured sip. "There you go, slowly now." Feeling Evaline's forehead, Mary realized that she still suffered from a fever, but it was not what it had been.

"Thank you, Mary." Evaline spoke, her voice raspy from coughing. Smiling wanly, she squeezed Mary"s hand in gratitude.

Looking around, Mary realized that there was no one in the room with Evaline. She was under the impression that a maid had been asked to sit with her. "Are you alone Evaline? I thought someone would have been in here with you."

Clearing her throat, Evaline smiled at Mary's concern. "The maid wanted to see about getting me some broth now that I am awake. She only just left."

Nodding in understanding. "I am sorry you are so very ill. Is there anything I could do for you? Would you like a book or something to help pass the time?"

"I am too tired to focus, but maybe later." Reaching out, she grasped Mary's wrist, squeezing it. Her countenance shifted, her glassy eyes betraying a heightened sense of eagerness. "You know, I dreamt of you and Gabriel."

"Really? Was it a pleasant dream?" Moving to the bedside table, Mary took up the rag that was in the basin and ringing it out, placed it on Evaline's fevered brow.

Settling more comfortably into the pillows at her back, Evaline explained, "Yes, it was. We were all living at Longbourn. You and my brother were there, and it was nicer and clean and warm. We were having a fun time and laughing." Grinning despite herself, she giggled softly.

"That does sound like a delightful dream." Mary smoothed Evaline's hair away from her face, smiling in response to the joy.

Brows drawing together, Evaline shook her head slightly before continuing. "Then it became very odd. Octavius invited all his cat friends and then he started wearing Roman armor and they began making plans to declare war on another cat family. It was very odd."

Mary felt her shoulders shaking in restrained mirth at the image that Evaline depicted. "Yes, well, sometimes when you have a fever, you can have odd dreams. Did Octavius end up fighting the other cats?"

Scrunching her face slightly, Evaline said, "No, I woke up."

A slight knock on the door had Mary looking to see that Jane was there with two little forms in tow. "Hello, Mary, I was wondering if you would be in here. Hello Evaline, how are you feeling?"

Swallowing back a cough, Evaline smiled faintly. "Fine, I think."

Mary eyed Artie, who was standing slightly in front of Jane. Always so protective, Artie kept glancing at Evaline and then back at Jane and Ellie as if he might have to defend them.

"We were going to go down and spend time with the family before dinner and I wanted to say hello," Jane smoothed Artie's hair in a reassuring fashion. Ellie was settled comfortably on her mother's hip, looking down at Evaline with wide eyes. While Artie was protective, Ellie was proving to have her mother's soothing disposition.

When Evaline sneezed several times in a row, Mary and Jane looked at her in concern. Ellie struggled to get down, which Jane allowed. Mary was curious to see what Ellie wanted to do. Standing in front of her mother, she patted Jane's pocket, prompting Jane to remove the handkerchiefs she kept there. Artie stepped closer to Ellie and maintained his position between her and Evaline. Meanwhile, Ellie picked one of the handkerchiefs and took it over to the side of the bed and held her arms out to Mary. Her small voice asking one of the few things she could. "Up".

Pulling Ellie up on her lap, Mary watched with wonder as Ellie leaned over and offered Evaline the handkerchief. Artie, eager to continue his guard duties, positioned himself next to the bed as close as he could to his small cousin.

Taking the handkerchief with tears in her eyes, Evaline looked at them all in wonder before looking at Ellie again. "Thank you, Ellie. I am sorry I pushed you before. I promise to do better."

Ellie patted Evaline's hand and smiled before leaning back and snuggling into Mary's comforting embrace. Artie, on the other hand stayed there looking at Evaline, his brow pensive and very like his father's dark stares. After a moment he said, "Thank you for pologizng. It was good. But why you push Ellie?"

Blushing despite her sickly pallor, Evaline looked the small boy in the face and responded honestly. "I was afraid of the mud."

Artie seemed astounded by her honest reply, questioning, "You ‘fraid of mud?"

Responding with a simple nod and a shrug, Evaline offered no other explanation.

Seeming to think hard, Artie straitened his shoulders, "I will protect you from mud next time. You feel better we play with no mud."

"Thank you. Artie, that would mean a lot to me."

"Feel better. See you later." Turning, Artie went back to Jane's side, ready to go.

Seeing that the exchange was over, Mary kissed Ellie"s rosy cheek, and stood handing her back to her mother. "Well, I was going to stay with Evaline until the maid comes back with her broth. I will meet you downstairs."

"I will come visit again after dinner, Evaline. Rest if you can. Sleep is some of the best medicine." With a last warm smile, nodded and then holding Ellie securely ushered Artie from the sickroom.

Shaking her head, Evaline stated, "I did not expect that at all. Even baby Ellie is kind."

"Yes, it is a bit of a rule in our family. Kindness is a must." Mary thought about all the examples of kindness she had seen displayed by her family and smiled. Though it was not always easy to be kind to those who had been cruel to you, being kind had its rewards. Continuing, Mary said, "It is rarely ever very hard. In fact, you do not need to be able to speak much to show compassion, as Ellie so adequately demonstrated."

Glancing at Mary with a hopeful glimmer in her eyes, Evaline whispered, "Jane told me earlier that I am to be one of you."

"Yes, I do believe you are one of us. You are to be our little sister. I think Lydia will be thrilled to meet you. She has always been the youngest and will be glad to hand the position over to you." Mary grinned at the joyful look that came over Evaline's face. The poor girl really needed some kindness and sisterly love in her life.

The maid bustled in carrying a tray loaded down with broth and bread as well as a few other odds and ends. "I am sorry I was gone so long, miss." The maid seemed a bit frazzled, trying to bob a curtsy with her hands full.

Standing away from the bed so that the maid could put the tray down on the bedside table, Mary said, "Do not worry yourself, Clare, we are fine."

"Yes, thank you for bringing the broth." Looking at both the surprised maid and Mary, Evaline offered a wry grin. "If I am to master kindness, I will need to start practicing."

When it was time for dinner and the children were yawning, their nurses came to collect them. They would most likely fall asleep shortly after returning to the nursery with all the busy fun they had had that day. Between snow fights and exploring the various parts of the house with Kiernan, they had walked what must have seemed like miles on their little feet. They had also played for a time with all the adults before dinner, of course.

Unlike many adults of means, all the adults present had taken part in the fun and games that the children presided over. Artie was happy that his uncle Bingley and his father were available to play with his blocks as he confided to them that Ellie was not good at the game of building castles. Kiernan was his chief architect, and he was even kind enough to allow Gabriel to join in the fun, providing he was careful not to knock the tower in the corner down. The girls, on the other hand were content to look at the dolly that Ellie wanted to show off. They even helped change her into her night clothes so that she would be prepared for bed.

The dinner was a bit of a special one and Elizabeth had made sure that the cook would have something that everyone would find delectable. The table buzzed with lively discussions and bursts of laughter as everyone enthusiastically engaged in conversation. They spoke of everything from the latest news of Theodore and Kitty, who had chosen to weather the winter in Scotland to the Luddite movement to progress at Longbourn and plans for the upcoming spring planting at the various estates. It was a lively gathering where no one, not even Kiernan or Gabriel, felt left out, as everyone made an effort to ensure their full participation.

When dessert was brought out, Gabriel stood and waited for everyone"s attention. Taking Mary's hand in his own, he looked at everyone at the table. "Before we all partake of our splendid looking dessert, I wanted to make an announcement. Some of you might already know, but while we were stranded at Longbourn, I asked Mary to marry me, and she said yes." Looking at Mary, he smiled and kissed the knuckles of her hand before looking back at her family. "What none of you know is that I made a decision today after visiting my family. Though I will always respect my parents for giving me life and providing for me in the way that they knew how, they have my older brother to carry on their legacy. I realized after speaking to them that theirs is not a legacy I want to uphold." Gesturing to the warm smiles at the table around him, Gabriel continued, "This legacy of joy, kindness, and closeness is what I want to uphold. I want to help represent this family. This family that was brought together and formed around some very remarkable woman of whom my Mary counts herself part of. So I have decided that rather than have Mary become a Goulding, I would like to become a Bennet." Looking around at all the wide-eyed expressions, Gabriel began to feel uneasy. Was he explaining his feelings well enough? "Except for one man, the Bennets have been a respected name in these parts for centuries. People still talk about your great grandmother with respect and gratitude. That is not something I want to be lost. I want to take up that mantle if you will let me."

Silence reigned in the room for a handful of heartbeats before Mary stood and, throwing her arms around him, hugged him with a strength that he had not expected. As she was not speaking, in fact, no one was speaking. He was starting to wonder if they liked the idea at all.

"I guess you will do." It was Kiernan's laconic response that set everyone off talking at once. Their shock at Gabriel's suggestion quickly wore off, and everyone was saying how it was a wonderful idea.

As Mary held him tightly, she whispered her thanks, her words barely audible above the sounds of their surroundings. "Thank you for seeing us, for seeing me. For seeing what we are and for respecting that. That you want to do that means so much." Finally pulling back, she reached up and kissed his cheek.

Standing up, Jane approached Gabriel, her eyes teary but her smile radiant. Taking his hand in both of her own, she said, "I remember Grandmother Catherine and I know that Lizzie and Mary have some slight memories of her as well. She died shortly before Kitty was born. Mama once told me about grandmother"s concern that her grandson would tarnish the reputation of the Bennet family and overshadow their long history of doing good. That you want to ensure that the good things, the good people of our family are remembered and represented, means more than you will ever know."

Eventually, everyone settled back into their seats and began eating the treats that had been served. When they were all nearly finished, Darcy cleared his throat and, looking slightly uncomfortable, spoke to everyone. "There has already been an announcement, but I have something I would like to say that now seems even more fitting. When Theo, Bingley and I purchased Longbourn, it was because we, like Goulding, did not want the Bennet legacy to fall by the wayside. We never intended to keep it for ourselves. Bingley and I had been trying to find a way to make sure Longbourn could remain for the Bennet ladies. Theo was the one who saw how it would be for Mary and Gabriel. His suggestion was so remarkable that we swiftly put things in motion." Rubbing at the back of his neck, Darcy clasped Elizabeth"s hand and with her smiling encouragement, he continued. "Longbourn is Mary's estate granted to her on her marriage. The only stipulation in place is an entailment of sorts, that any Bennet daughter will have a home provided at Longbourn if she finds herself in need. So with Gabriel's earlier announcement, it looks like there will be Bennets at Longbourn once again."

Reaching under the table, Gabriel gripped Mary's hand in his own. She was once again tearful, looking at him in wonder. Gabriel looked around the table. Everyone was smiling and happy, not surprised at all, it seemed that he and Mary might be the only ones unaware of the plan. They were gifting them an estate. It was too much. "I had thought to ask if I could work at one of your estates or manage something for you somewhere. I would have never dreamed that you would give us an estate. It is too much!"

Elizabeth looked at him, her smile never slipping, though her tone was nearly hard. "It will not be easy. This will be work, but it is a work that you are both capable of. You both have the ability and the drive to make sure Longbourn is better than it ever was. I know you will care for the tenants and the people in the town with grace and compassion." Looking over at Jane, Elizabeth saw her nod. "Jane and I are happy in our homes. We do not need to worry about another estate. Kitty just became a countess, and her hands are more than full. Mama has her new life and I fear Longbourn has too many bad memories for her to ever be truly happy here. This estate is for you and Mary."

Mary spoke up, her voice full of wonder. "What about Lydia?"

Jane tilted her head as she questioned, "Would you ever turn her away if she wanted to live with you?"

"Of course not!" Both Gabriel and Mary spoke up in unison.

Elizabeth took up the conversation at that point. "Then the estate is yours. Besides, I think she is happy visiting around to all her sisters and eventually she will find her own husband." She tilted her head in apparent contemplation before waving her hand dismissively, as if to brush away a worry. "I am just hoping that we can get it livable so that you may move into your home once you marry, but that's just details."

The rest of the evening was a merry time of plans and dream weaving. Of course, they would not marry without all of Mary's sisters present, so they would have to wait until Kitty came down from Scotland in the early spring. The time that they would wait would help them work at making Longbourn livable for the new couple.

Eventually they moved into the sitting room, still discussing plans for Longbourn and the wedding. Gabriel sat next to Mary, her hand in his, the joy clearly written on her face making his heart leap within his chest. How long had he told himself that he had to wait to claim her? He had worried for so long that he had to find a way to support her when, in reality, he had only needed to follow his heart and things had fallen into place as if by magic.

Gabriel appreciated that Mrs. Darcy had pointed out that he would have to work for the gift of Longbourn. He would hate to have his pride get in the way of his happiness. She was right; it was going to be hard to build Longbourn up into a profitable estate, but he knew that it could be done. He had hoped for a place for him and Mary to start their lives together for such a long time and now, finally, it was in their grasp.

Leaning over, Gabriel could not help but kiss Mary's rosy cheek. Their hopes and dreams were coming true, and better yet, they were together.

The time leading up to Mary's much anticipated wedding seemed to both pass by in a flash and crawl. She had a mountain of work on her hands, with countless tasks demanding her attention. The physical work left her happy but tired and sore at the end of the day, though she was not too exhausted to dream and plan. Mary's dreams were not for the wedding or wedding breakfast, but for Longbourn. She was far more concerned about getting Longbourn livable than with what food and decorations would be had when she married. Frankly, she did not much care about the wedding, she just wanted to be married.

Because of Elizabeth's difficult pregnancy, Elizabeth and William had decided to stay at Netherfield longer than expected. They would not return to Pemberley until after the marriage. Mary had been happy about the decision, as it meant she could also stay at Netherfield and continue to work on bringing Longbourn to a livable state.

They were waiting to marry until Kitty and her husband arrived safely from Scotland. No one wanted them to travel when it was unsafe, so the wedding had been planned for early spring. This gave Mary the opportunity to work at Longbourn with Gabriel, well chaperoned, of course, so they would have somewhere to live once they wed.

Mary and Gabriel both believed they were not going to have so much company that necessitated ten guest rooms. Eventually they might need those rooms for their children once they left the schoolroom, but that was what a minimum of fifteen years down the line. So the plan was to scrub and clean Longbourn from top to bottom and make sure it was safe to inhabit. Not a speck of dust would be allowed to remain in the house from the kitchen to the servants' quarters. Then they would pick two rooms to be made over into guest rooms. They would redo more rooms as the need arose, and the funds were available.

Looking over at Nellie who worked alongside her, Mary smiled. She had asked Nellie to be her lady's maid, which had delighted the girl. Nellie dedicated herself to learning all she could to be a proper lady's maid, but she wasn"t hesitant to get her hands dirty and contribute to the ambitious project that was Longbourn. At that moment, they were cleaning one of the upstairs rooms. At one time it had belonged to Kitty, and it had fared no better than any of the others when it came to destruction and dirt. Everything from the linens on the bed to scrubbing the floors and walls needed to be taken care of. It would take them quite some time, but Nellie was a kind workmate who helped Mary work more effectively.

Mary paused from scrubbing the floor and glanced up, surprised to see Gabriel standing in the doorway. She watched him grin at her for a moment, wondering just how long he had been watching her. Feeling confident and playful, she tilted her head and greeted him with a question, "Do you need my help with something, Mr. Goulding?"

Gabriel grinned, saying, "Do you have a moment to come see something, Miss Bennet?"

Scrunching her nose, Mary pretended to think for a moment before saying, "I have tea with a duchess in a few hours, but I suppose I do have a moment to see something with you." Standing, Mary dusted off the skirt of her dress, taking note of the wet spots, but deciding it was a small price to pay for getting her future home in shape.

Walking to Gabriel, she giggled when he offered his arm as if they were at some grand ball and not in their rattiest clothes and both coated in dust and grime. It was a short walk down to one of the more put together sitting rooms. There was not much there, but there were a few chairs and a little table in case anyone needed a break and wanted to sit and drink some tea.

Gesturing for her to sit, Gabriel looked slightly nervous. Once she was sitting, Mary noticed there was a plain box on the table that hadn't been there the last time she had come through the room. Interest piqued, she slid her gaze from the box back to Gabriel, waiting for an explanation. She did not have to wait long.

Picking up the box, Gabriel handed it to her, saying, "It isn't much, but I thought… Well, open it, and I will see if I can explain."

Mary's fingers hesitated only a moment before prying open the lid of the box and looking inside. At first, all she saw was packing material, but then she noticed a flash of porcelain shining through. Ignoring the wood shavings, she reached in and carefully plucked out the mysterious item and froze.

It was a fragile porcelain figurine, reminiscent of the ones her mother used to scatter around the house as decorative accents. Painted with soft, delicate hues, the figurine showcased a cheerful young lady walking with a gentleman. The detailing was amazing, Mary could even depict a small kitten peeking out of the basket on the woman's arm. Glancing up at Gabriel, Mary blinked tears out of her eyes.

Rubbing at the back of his neck, obviously slightly embarrassed, he said, "I know your father destroyed all the little breakable things that you cherished from your childhood. Although the figurine may not hold sentimental value, it symbolizes the beginning of creating the warm and joyful home I aspire to provide for you. It is not much, but I wanted you to have something pretty and delicate in your home."

For a moment, Mary could not stop the tears that leaked out of the corners of her eyes. The memory of finding her mother"s broken shepherdess amidst the destruction of Longbourn weeks ago lingered in her mind as she reflected on the passage of time. So much had changed for the better. She was confident in the love of a wonderful man, and she was working with him to build their future together. Running her finger down one of the delicate lines of the figurine, Mary smiled. Things were only looking up. Where her father had destroyed and degraded, Gabriel upbuilt and encouraged. Longbourn would never be the same, and for that she was eternally grateful.

Dashing at her tears, Mary held the figurine to her heart and said, "Not just my home, our home, and it is perfect! We are rebuilding this home together and we are going to fill it with our hopes and dreams and happy memories. I love the idea of starting it with this."

Gabriel leaned in to wipe her wet cheek with his thumb. "You know, I would not be opposed to filling our home with children, too. I only mention it because you know we have been coming up with lists of projects we need to work on, and I was thinking we should add it to the list."

Laughing at his audacity, Mary replied, "That is one project that will have to wait until after our wedding." With one last loving caress, Mary began putting the little figurine back in its box. It was too precious to leave out during all the remodeling.

"Speaking of weddings, do you need help making any of the arrangements? I would hate for it to be delayed unnecessarily."

Mary couldn"t resist the magnetic pull of his exuberant gaze as she met his eyes, a smile spreading across her face. It seemed that he was just as eager as she was to be married. "My sisters have it all in hand. Frankly, I could not care less what goes into the event. I just want to be married to you."