21. Chapter Twenty-One

"I believe you were correct in wanting to keep everything simple for your wedding. You were such a beautiful bride, Mary. The minimalism of your wedding made it all the more special, emphasizing the true essence of love and commitment." This came from Jane, a large smile on her face.

Mary remembered her lovely wedding not two weeks ago, and she felt a warm tug on her heart. "Really, I could not be bothered with all the useless fripperies that brides normally want. It wasn"t about the act of getting married for me, it was about embracing the commitment and status of being married. I just wanted to be done with it, so I could fully dedicate myself to my new home and embracing my role as a wife."

Jane smiled at her comment and exchanged a look with Elizabeth who giggled. The joy of having older sisters that Mary would not give up for anything. All of her sisters were there with her. The only one missing from their gathering was her mother. Though she missed her presence, Mary understood why she had gone back to her estate with her new husband so soon after the wedding. Her mother had apologized for the short visit, but Mary understood the weight of painful memories that her mother carried. It was one of the reasons why Mary was working so hard to transform Longbourn.

Mary looked around the sitting room and smiled. If you had not seen Longbourn at its worst, you would have never known that a few short months previously there had been holes in the walls and the furniture had laid in broken ruins. A fresh coat of paint in a soothing sage green had helped to transform the space. Among the few little pieces of bric-à-brac, there was one that stood out - a sentimental figurine gifted to her by Gabriel.

The furniture was all new to her but had, for the most part, been gifts from her sisters. Kitty and Lizzie had the attics in their estates searched through for suitable pieces to supplement her empty house. It was enough that between them and a few select purchases from her uncle's warehouses; they were comfortable. She and Gabriel had left what rooms they did not need to use empty. They saw no need to refurbish the entire estate when they should really focus on the tenant homes and ensuring that they could have a good planting season.

In fact, they had managed to provide tenant cottages for four families so far. Two were newlywed couples looking for a good start to their married lives and two were actually families that had lived at Longbourn previously. By the end of the month, they would have another two tenant homes ready to be moved in to by waiting families. It was a lot of work, but Mary was happy. She had never liked being idle.

"It seems that married life suits you." Lydia's energetic voice drew Mary back to the conversation she should have been attending.

"Yes, I believe it does." Mary said joyfully, smiling at Lydia and then at the rest of her sisters. She had been the only one to have been married from Meryton's chapel, though her wedding breakfast had been at Netherfield, not Longbourn.

Shifting in her seat to accommodate her burgeoning belly more comfortably, Elizabeth studied the little side table that seemed to pull the room together. Looking at Mary, she said, "I love what you have done with this room, but that is no surprise you always had wonderful taste."

"That is kind of you to say, but Kitty helped me pick out the coordinating colors." Mary beamed. It was nice to be able to preside over her own sitting room with all of her sisters present. As time passed, it was becoming increasingly rare to be able to manage it.

Shaking her head, Kitty refuted her sister's claim. "Oh, do not say it was all my doing. I just let you know what colors I thought best go with that lovely green you liked so much." Kitty took a sip of her tea and propped her feet up on the footstool that Lizzie was already using.

"I am still astounded that this tea service survived." Looking at the teacup in her hand, Jane blinked away the tears that seemed to creep up on her.

"Yes, it is quite remarkable that somehow grandmother's cherished tea set has survived when so much else didn't." Mary examined the teapot with delicate little flowers adoring its surface. Standing, she went to the tea service and, glancing at her sisters, she asked, "Would anyone like some more tea?"

Pouring more tea for Lydia and herself, she regarded her sisters. Jane and Lydia sat on one of the settees chatting together about upcoming plans. Mary had told Lydia that she was always welcome to stay at Longbourn. They all were, but Mary wanted to make sure Lydia felt as though she had a home anywhere she chose. Lydia had hugged her and thanked her, but said she was eager to return to Pemberley with Lizzie. Mary understood Lydia was eager to go wherever the children were. With Artie at Pemberley and another babe soon to arrive, she would be content. Their niece Ellie and their little brother Mathew both lived on estates that were just a morning"s journey away, which was incredibly convenient.

There was still a debate about whether Lydia would be having a season that year. Lydia had seen how Kitty's season had gone and was not overly enthusiastic about the idea. Her sisters knew that she would rather be holding a baby than dealing with the cats in society sitting rooms. With new babies on the way, it would be hard to drag her from them. Perhaps she could attend the little season or have an abbreviated season. They had time to decide.

Turning her head, Mary watched how Kitty and Lizzie snuggled into one another on the settee they shared. While it was now glaringly obvious that Lizzie was far into the middle of her second pregnancy, Mary suspected Kitty was also with child. Though Mary knew she was not yet pregnant, she was unworried, as it had been less than a month since her wedding after all. It seemed they were all soaking in the simple joy of being together. It was the last gathering of the sisters before everyone would go their separate ways to their own estates. William was eager to get Lizzie to Pemberley before she was too far along in her pregnancy. Of course, everyone would need to work on spring planting and the like.

"And here we have them all!" Mary knew that the booming voice was Colonel Theodore Fitzwilliam"s and, with a smile, she glanced up and saw all the gentlemen of the family in the doorway. They had been out checking on the tenant farms, making sure things were in order for the new tenants as well as the two farms that were about to be moved into.

Mary only really had eyes for her own husband, who, though tired and dirty, still made her heart flutter. Walking to her side, Gabriel leaned down and kissed her cheek. Knowing she was blushing wildly at his open display of affection, Mary asked, "How did the day go? Is the Harris family settling in well?"

"They are doing marvelously. Mrs. Harris thanks you for the basket again and Mr. Harris was thrilled with the help setting up his milking barn." Grabbing a biscuit off the tray, Gabriel popped it in his mouth and after chewing it, he smiled and said, "Where is Evaline?"

"She is with Georgiana in the music room. She has been thrilled to learn a few new pieces while she was here to take painting lessons from Kitty."

Shaking his head, Gabriel laughed. "My mother could not give her permission to stay fast enough when she learned she might get painting lessons from a countess."

Kitty spoke up from where she sat next to Lizzie. "Your sister is a dear little thing. It has been a pleasure showing her some of what I know."

Mary looked at Kitty. Theodore stood behind her, his hand on her shoulder and a grin on his face. When they had come back from their trip to Scotland, they were both happier than Mary had ever seen them. They said that they had loved the countryside, and the estate was in good keeping with a wonderful steward and his wife looking after the tenants well, but the winter had been harsh. They wanted to winter at Matlock, but the early onset of winter and unpredictable weather deterred them from traveling.

"I am just happy that I am not the youngest sister anymore," Lydia laughed. "We will have to pair up and embrace all of you condoling couples."

Mary was worried about how Lydia might feel now that she was the only sister without someone in her life. It was so evident when they were all together like this. William, always concerned, knelt next to his wife and placed his hand on her belly. Bingley was talking softly with Jane and Theodore was leaning over, whispering something to Kitty that had made her blush. Maybe Lydia would find someone to love this year. Though she was still young, after all. She had time.

That night, Mary sat on her stool by her mirror, brushing her hair when her husband came in. Sitting on the bed, Gabriel pulled off one of his boots. Mary smiled at him as she watched him in the mirror. "I already sent Nellie to bed. She was dead on her feet. It has been a long day for everyone."

Nodding his head, Gabriel acknowledged Mary's statement and knew too well how right she was. It had been a long day. Nellie had been so happy when Mary asked her to train to be her lady"s maid. She was very understanding that they would not have as much staff as Mr. Darcy or even Mr. Bingley, and therefore would have more responsibilities than the typical lady"s maid. A dedicated worker, Nellie had woken up early that morning to help with preparation for the special dinner they had put together to see everyone off. It was good that she would get some rest.

All the visitors would leave Hertfordshire at first light, going off to their various destinations. The large family dinner had been the biggest gathering they had had at Longbourn thus far, but it had gone very well. They had talked well into the evening, despite the knowledge that it would be an early morning. It was only when both Mrs. Darcy and Lady Matlock had fallen asleep curled into their husbands' sides did the party break up and everyone left for Netherfield. Pausing with his hands on his remaining boot, Gabriel asked, "Are you going to be okay with all of your sisters leaving tomorrow?"

Shaking her head, she turned on her stool and faced him. "I will miss them, but we will write, and they will be back at some point. Then, too, we have plans to gather again at the end of summer for a few weeks before harvest. I think we will meet up at Matlock this year. Theodore and Kitty certainly have the room for our burgeoning families." Turning back around, she set down her brush and began to plait her hair.

"I am glad. You know I hate to see you miss them." Gabriel looked around the room that was so very them. The master and mistress chambers had been thoroughly redone in order to accommodate the couple and remove any last vestiges of Mr. Bennet. Like her sisters, Mary saw no need to sleep separately from her husband, and Gabriel had been rather happy with the idea as well. So they adapted the master suite to their needs and turned the mistress suite into an office and library with space for both of them to be about their tasks. Gabriel had said he always wanted to be as close to his wife as could be, even if he had to work.

Old Mr. Bennet's study had been converted into the housekeeper"s office and sitting room. Most of the bookshelves had been removed and dispersed about the house. Gabriel had been thrilled when they had offered the housekeeper's position to Mrs. Humphrey, and she accepted. She still helped in the kitchen occasionally when she wished to, but her efficiency in all things had transferred well in the way that she ran Longbourn. She also got along famously with Mary, which was a bonus. They had, in effect, created the perfect little home for themselves. It would not have suited many, but it suited them.

Even Evaline spending time with them was so very suitable. Mary was able to shower her with affection, adopting her as a true sister, especially when her own sisters were not nearby. Evaline visited often and his new sisters had managed to bring his mother around to the idea of allowing the countess to arrange Evaline's come out with a certain amount of training beforehand. The arrangement was proving beneficial to his sister, and not in any of the ways his mother had hoped for. In just a few months, she had begun to understand true kindness and the importance of finding love and making it a priority in your life.

Returning to the moment, Gabriel watched the woman who had brought love into his own life. He could not help but be mesmerized by the way her fingers moved through the splendid strands of bronze and gold in the candlelight. While Gabriel loved her hair down and wild around her face, he also understood it would tangle while she slept. So he refrained from undoing it as he wished. At least he refrained from undoing it sometimes.

Narrowing her eyes as she tied off her braid, she attempted to glare at him in the mirror. "I have come to know that look, Gabriel Bennet."

"What look, my love?" Gabriel replied innocently.

"I can see you calculating how best to get my hair out of its confinement."

Finishing with his second boot, Gabriel stood and put them away, then slowly stalked back to his wife. "I admitted to you amid that snowstorm that I was thoroughly in love with your hair. You came into this marriage well aware. I still can see no reason why you would be so put out by my habit."

Gabriel watched the blush suffuse Mary's face and run down her neck and under her collar. It had been enchanting to find out just how far down her blush went when she was embarrassed. Huffing and rolling her eyes, he could tell Mary saw the direction of gaze. She had quickly caught on about his fascination. Gabriel had been thrilled to learn that, though she tried to act annoyed by his behavior, she was rather flattered.

Facing him while attempting to maintain her frown, albeit unsuccessfully, she said, "You are not the one who wakes in the middle of the night with hair seeming to have gained a mind of its own and trying to strangle you. I should make you braid it every time you take it down."

Closing the distance, Gabriel leaned in and whispered, "It would be my pleasure to braid your hair for you. You only need to teach me." Kissing the hollow behind her ear, Gabriel grinned as he heard her breath catch.

It was some time before braids reentered either of their minds, yet neither of them was disappointed with the outcome.