Happenstance

Chapter Nine

The next morning after a breakfast she had to force herself to eat, Elizabeth was finally afforded the luxury of some time to herself outdoors. She walked to the tiny garden behind the estate and not even the crisp and biting morning air deterred her from appreciating the sight that lay before her.

The fact that winter was fast approaching was unmistakable in everything she beheld on the estate. The late autumn flowers had long been pulled and the trees were bare, having long ago lost their colourful foliage. Frost had fallen overnight and the ground at her feet showed signs of it; her boot prints were easily discernible upon the dried grass.

Before she had exited Longbourn, her father stopped her to once more remind her that Mr. Darcy had promised to call upon them sometime this morning. He was not very subtle in his recommendation that she curtail her favourite activity and not be absent from the house for longer than was necessary. Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh of repressed disappointment.

How was she expected to behave today toward this man who was soon to become her husband? She knew she should perhaps be the tiniest bit grateful to him that he had not left her to face this shame alone, but found she could not muster one favourable sentiment toward him. Yet, he could have easily scuttled off to London and thereby escaped marrying her. Of course, this would have tainted his reputation as well, but the degree to which it would have done so was nothing to the censure she and her family would have faced forever.

Still, she could not feel overly indebted to him because, by doing so, she would be almost condoning the fact that he alone was blameworthy for causing this slanderous defamation. She had done nothing for which she should now feel guilty. Of course, she could have flatly refused to walk with him or she could have attempted to flee from him after she had first met him in the forest. Yet, he had refused to leave her and she was not entirely convinced that she could have in any way changed the outcome of this horrible affair. Perhaps confronting him in anger had not been wise, but she had no regrets there either. She had told him distinctly that she preferred to be alone and he, in his arrogance, flagrantly ignored her plea for privacy. She was perfectly within her rights to be affronted and could not be sorry that she had not hidden this from him.

No, the mess they now found themselves in was entirely his fault and she did not intend to soon pardon him for it.

She continued to walk but her pace suddenly quickened and the landscape that surrounded her became a meaningless blur. How could she ever come to accept this? Late yesterday afternoon, when her father returned from Netherfield with the news that Mr. Darcy had agreed to marry her, she felt lost. She had desperately clung to the notion that he would never consent to the nefarious scheme and, thus, her first reaction to her father's news had been to feel a wave of nausea envelop her which had almost rendered her senseless. How she wished she had been one of those females prone to fainting spells for then she would have been able to drift away from the harsh reality that her father's words presented. Unfortunately, her disposition did not allow her to fall unconscious and so she merely stood, mouth agape, as her mother danced merrily about her and her younger sisters giggled ridiculously. Jane merely glanced at her sympathetically before embracing her compassionately. Mary simply looked at her, her steady disappointment evident. Elizabeth had fought the urge to cry and maintained her resolve until later that evening when, alone in her bedchamber she threw herself upon her bed and pummelled her pillows furiously. Later, she had felt slightly better, but her torment had been far from allayed completely.

Walking the grounds of the estate that morning, she resented not being permitted to marry a man of her own choosing, one who undoubtedly would have suited her better and could have made her happy. Suddenly, Mr. Wickham's image floated into her consciousness. Although she had not seen him since well before the Netherfield ball, she thought of him intermittently in the past days and had heard from Lydia and Kitty that he had returned to Meryton. Even though he could not promise her a financially secure future, in every sense, he personified the essence of the man she knew she could respect and perhaps one day even love. She never cared much to be a rich man's wife and knew that his lack of fortune would have been no barrier to her. She realized she did not love him yet, but believed that if they had continued in the manner that they had, she could have quite easily have found herself susceptible to his charm and handsome mien.

She looked to the front of the estate and noticed Mr. Bingley's fine carriage stationed there. And so, he had arrived. Reluctantly, she admitted to herself that she could not avoid the meeting any longer.

Once inside, she was immediately waylaid by her anxious mother who thoroughly reprimanded her for staying away so long and ushered her bodily into her father's study.

"Miss Bennet." Mr. Darcy's greeting was perfunctory and, not surprisingly, betrayed no warmth at all toward her.

"Good day, Mr. Darcy. Have you come alone? I had thought Mr. Bingley would accompany you today." Elizabeth took a seat located next to Mr. Darcy's and across from the oak desk her father occupied.

"In fact, he is here. He is in the study with your sisters and your mother."

Elizabeth noticed her father silently observing their interaction warily.

"Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy comes to us today so that we can determine a date for the wedding ceremony. Have you any suggestions to make?"

Elizabeth knew her mortification would not go unnoticed by Mr. Darcy. "No father. I have no date to suggest."

"But you do understand Miss Bennet, that ours cannot be a long engagement? As your father has suggested to me repeatedly, we have already been far too lax in this. Do you not agree?"

Elizabeth mused in acrimony at the thought that Mr. Darcy would now appear to champion this horrendous travesty of a marriage. "As it happens, I do agree, but I still do not have any idea as to what date would satisfy. Perhaps you should fix upon an appropriate date and I will do my best to remember to be present at the chapel on that day."

"Miss Bennet, I had hoped you would have accustomed yourself to our joint destiny by now and that we would be able to converse rationally this morning. Clearly, I was wrong on that score. I am trying to be patient, but we can settle upon nothing constructive if you do not accept our fate."

"Pardon me, sir but it is obvious that is not the only score you have misjudged. In fact, your poor sense of intuition is the very cause of our fates being joined in the first place. Forgive me for not enthusiastically accepting my lot."

"Elizabeth, my dear child, you must see that if you continue in this contentious manner, this circumstance will only serve to make you more miserable." Mr. Bennet felt compelled to speak. "Mr. Darcy is attempting to find resolution and your indignation is making the entire process more gruelling for us all. Would you, perchance, prefer not to assist us in selecting a date? For, if that is the case, I will gladly excuse you and inform you later of the particulars of our meeting?"

"No Papa. I do wish to be present during your discussion," she risked a glance at Mr. Darcy who sat ramrod straight beside her. "I am sorry, Mr. Darcy. I will attempt to curtail my sarcasm for the duration of our meeting."

Mr. Darcy smiled thinly. "Thank you, Miss Bennet. That will help immeasurably."

"Well then, Mr. Darcy is to leave for London tomorrow. There, he will iron out the particulars of the settlement with his attorneys and the assistance of your uncle Gardiner. He has yet to reply to the express I sent him but I do not imagine for a moment that he will not consent to meet with Mr. Darcy in my stead." He paused briefly and turned to address Mr. Darcy, "I understand, Mr. Darcy that you will also see to it that the marriage is announced properly in the London papers. Is that correct?" To this, Mr. Darcy nodded his assent. "Mr. Darcy has also mentioned a need to procure a special license while he is in London. That will alleviate the requisite to cry banns announcing the engagement. How long do you imagine that will take, sir?"

"I believe I will be away for at least a week tending to all these matters, as well as spending some time informing my family of my upcoming marriage. I do not imagine, however, that they will be able to join me in Hertfordshire to attend the ceremony, unfortunately." Elizabeth did not miss the anxiety in his voice at the mention of his family.

Good. Inform your blasted family of our marriage and may they plague you mercilessly because of it. I should think they will not be attending our wedding ceremony! Likely, they will be mourning your predicament.

"Well then, it appears you shall be quite occupied while in London at any rate. After your return, Mrs. Bennet has insisted upon hosting at least one engagement party."

"Papa really! Given the circumstances, we should strive to keep this as quiet and private an affair as possible!"

"Elizabeth, it is of no use to us at all to attempt to deter your mother in this. In her mind, she believes your wedding is cause for celebration and I, for one, cannot fight her."

"No doubt," Mr. Darcy said levelly. Elizabeth shot him an icy look.

"Thus," Mr. Bennet continued, "we should set the wedding date for, say, a week after your return."

"That would bring us to December seventeenth."

"Yes. December the seventeenth. As good a day for a wedding as any, I imagine. What say you, Elizabeth? Mr. Darcy?"

"That does not give us much time. It is a mere fortnight away! I had hoped I would have a longer period to prepare myself for... for this, Papa."

"And you, Mr. Darcy? Have you any misgivings about the date?"

"While I tend to agree with Miss Bennet's concerns about the fast approaching date, I understand why it must be so and, thus, can offer no true resistance to the idea."

"Very well, then. Elizabeth, a fortnight will have to suffice. You can begin preparing without hesitation and then perhaps the employment will not seem so onerous. I am glad that this, at least, is settled."

"Yes, Papa."

"Good! Now, let us join the others in the sitting room. I am certain your mother is beside herself with curiosity. Come now."

Mr. Bennet walked to the door and held it open for Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth to pass through. "Now, Mr. Darcy, you would do well to prepare yourself for expressions of effusion flowing from my wife. However fierce they are, I can assure you they will multiply tenfold once you are out of earshot. You cannot say you have not been warned."

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

Elizabeth could not help but detect the look of alarm that spread over Mr. Darcy's countenance upon hearing Mr. Bennet's words. Her father, she knew, had intended to inject some levity into this otherwise tense situation but, regrettably, Mr. Darcy had missed it.

In the sitting room, Mrs. Bennet rose immediately upon their arrival. "Well, Mr. Bennet? Has it all been worked out to everyone's approval? Has a wedding date been set? Tell me this moment for, if you do not, I fear I shall burst!"

"Mrs. Bennet, you will be happy to learn that Mr. Darcy has agreed to marry our daughter, Elizabeth, on December the seventeenth. He departs for London tomorrow where he will no doubt see to all the tedious details associated with the marriage." Mr. Bennet announced unequivocally. "I can leave you all now, satisfied in the knowledge that I have prevented you, my dear wife, from bursting yet again." Having said this, he made an attempt to quit the room but was prevented at the sound of his wife's shriek.

"The seventeenth? Why that gives me no time at all to prepare for the parties we shall need to host, much less for the wedding breakfast itself. Surely, I need at least a month."

Mr. Bennet chose to interrupt her rant. "And yet, Mrs. Bennet, a fortnight is all the time you have. Remarkably, we have decided in favor of a short engagement rather than allow for time to plan a series of senseless gatherings."

"Yes Mama. Truly, you need not go to any unnecessary trouble?" Elizabeth attempted to interject.

"Unnecessary trouble? What in the world are you about, Lizzy? You are entering into a marriage with one of the richest men in England! Unnecessary trouble indeed!"

Mr. Darcy had thus far borne it all with far more leniency than Elizabeth had imagined he would ever demonstrate in the face of her mother's euphoric outbursts. However, she saw clearly the contempt he held for her mother and, for all her dislike of the man, she truly could not blame him for it.

"Mrs. Bennet, while I understand your fervour to celebrate our marriage, Miss Bennet and I must stand by our decision to wed on December the seventeenth. I apologize for the inconvenience, but the short time allows for only one, preferably intimate, social gathering before our wedding. I trust you will see the wisdom of our determination in this matter."

While Mr. Darcy had never been a favourite of hers, he had never been her future son-in-law before either. The prospect was daunting - even for Mrs. Bennet - and she wisely refrained from voicing her disapproval before him. Elizabeth knew that there would be time enough for her to express her dismay after he had taken his leave of them. In his presence, however, she feigned cautious acceptance of his wishes.

"Mary, please ring for some tea. I am certain the gentlemen will join us."

"But I, on the other hand, will quit your delightful company and return to my quiet study." Mr. Bennet turned to the gentlemen graciously, "Thank you once again for your cooperation, Mr. Darcy. I expect to see you again as soon as it is convenient for you to call upon us after you return from London. And now I bid you and Mr. Bingley good day."

"Good day, sir," both gentlemen returned in unison.

While awaiting their tea, Elizabeth hazarded a glance at Mr. Darcy. He was seated upon a velvet-covered maroon chair, concentrating steadily on the swirls that were visible in the wallpaper that covered the room. He was clearly ill at ease and Elizabeth could detect he longed to leave the confines of Longbourn as quickly as politeness would allow him to do so. She stifled a laugh and took pleasure in his apprehension although she knew it was uncharitable of her to do so and, thus, attempted to restrain her mirth.

"Will you be accompanying Mr. Darcy to London, Mr. Bingley?" Lydia was the first to break the hushed silence.

"Why, we have not even discussed the matter, have we, Darcy?" Mr. Bingley turned to Mr. Darcy, his voice full of surprise. "Would you prefer I come along?"

Mr. Darcy immediately realized that his plan to separate his friend from Miss Bennet was now rendered futile in the face of his future connection to the Bennet family. Yet, he did believe that Bingley's company on the journey to London and in the midst of the complex legal wrangling could serve as a much-needed distraction for him. He imagined he would have time enough after his own marriage to save his friend from having to join this family as he himself was now being forced to do. At that very moment, he could not imagine facing the rigors of the upcoming days in London without Bingley's easy companionship.

"Bingley, both your company and your counsel would be appreciated if you could at all spare the time to join me."

"Of course. We had intended to journey there together tomorrow at any rate." He was clearly uncomfortable discussing this in the Bennets' company yet he truly had no choice given the direction of the conversation. "It will be no great sacrifice to leave now that we will only be gone a week." Mr. Bingley met Jane's eye and she graced him with a small smile.

Well, I can at least be happy knowing that my upcoming marriage has prevented Mr. Bingley's permanent departure from Netherfield for the time being. Pity it affords me no greater comfort than that!

As Elizabeth predicted, the gentlemen took their tea in a hurried manner and departed soon after that. Mrs. Bennet tried desperately to have them extend their visit but it was to no avail. The gentlemen would leave and she would have to face her disappointment.

"See Mr. Darcy to his carriage, Lizzy."

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy both looked at Mrs. Bennet in shocked dismay and recoiled uncomfortably at her presumption. Elizabeth, in particular, felt the unease sweep over her but she followed meekly behind her fianc鼏nce outside, after bidding Elizabeth a brief farewell, Mr. Bingley quickly made his way into the carriage leaving Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth very much alone for the first time since the grievous incident had occurred in the forest.

"Yes, well ...I shall return in a week. In the meantime, I trust everything will proceed quite smoothly."

"I am certain it will, Mr. Darcy. My father and mother shall see to it, I imagine."

"Should your father need to contact me, I will leave my address with Doyle, Mr. Bingley's steward. Will that be acceptable?"

Elizabeth could hardly credit her eyes. There before her stood anything but the proud, confident man she had previously known. Although she was standing directly before him, he was unable to meet her gaze. Why, he had seemingly developed an awkwardness which appeared to almost exceed her own acute embarrassment. She watched tentatively as he shifted his weight uneasily from one foot to the other and raked his hand across his hair. For a moment, Elizabeth almost forgot her previous aversion to him.

"I am sure that will suffice, Mr. Darcy." She replied in a voice that was clearly less cutting than she had used in past conversations with him.

"Well, then... Goodbye, Miss Bennet."

"Goodbye, Mr. Darcy. May you have a safe journey."

"Thank you." Yet, rather than enter the carriage then as she imagined he would, he seemed unwilling to move and continued to look at her as if in contemplation. Tired of the entire ordeal, Elizabeth turned and prepared to re-enter Longbourn.

When she cautiously looked behind her as she closed the door, she noted he was gone. She exhaled a sigh of relief.

Chapter Ten

Just as Sir William Lucas had predicted, the roads were in very good condition the next morning when Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley journeyed to London.

He looked thoughtfully over at his friend who was sleeping soundly across from him and envied him his quietude. For the past two nights Darcy had been so consumed by his wearisome thoughts that each time he lay down to sleep, it evaded him. He spent these nights mulling over his fate and pondering how it had suddenly become so irrevocably and shamefully connected to Elizabeth Bennet. Still, he did not feel tired though he knew he should be exhausted. He was restless and wished, not for the first time, that he had ridden his horse to London rather than let himself be persuaded by his drowsy friend, to join him in the confines of the carriage.

As his friend dozed, Darcy's thoughts were drawn back to the realization that his life was shifting permanently and he could do nothing to prevent it from continuing to change once he was married. Since his father's death, he had largely been able to do as he liked. The fact that he now had so little command over what was to happen disturbed him, yet he knew he must accept his circumstances as they were now or he would certainly go mad.

He could not help but reflect upon how this journey to London was originally intended to be so different. When he first suggested the trip to Bingley, he had believed he would be spending a large part of the voyage, consoling his friend over the loss of Miss Jane Bennet. It was pathetic how wrong he had been. Yet, how he could have possibly foreseen his present circumstances, he did not know.

Hoping to improve his spirits, his mind turned to Miss Bingley's absurd reaction upon hearing of his engagement. Naturally, he had anticipated her shock, but he could never have imagined the fervor of her insistent petitions that he reconsider marrying Elizabeth. During breakfast that morning, when the true reason for their trip was explained to Miss Bingley and the Hursts, he had feared that she would stop at nothing to change his mind. In fact, he suspected she was seriously contemplating standing before the door as a means of preventing their departure! Repeatedly, she referred to his impending marriage as an 'atrocious mistake' and vowed that he would lament his choice. It had taken all of his resolve not to agree with her. Yet, he could not help but take a small amount of secret pleasure in having confirmed to her finally that he would never be available to marry her and, thus, her deliberate efforts to gain his favor in the past had all been wasted.

He considered what the Matlocks would make of his marriage. He had learned, in a letter from his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam, that they were in town. He understood they would be shocked. They knew nothing of Elizabeth or her family and would never freely accept her as his wife if they did. When they learned about how low her connections were, they would be astonished and surely question his sanity. He realized he would have to be honest with them about the whole sordid business if he hoped to garner their understanding - if not their approval - of his choice. In his mind, he already envisioned his uncle's angry demeanor and heard his aunt's cries of shocked dismay. Yet again, there was simply nothing he could do to prevent any of it from occurring. Consequently, it was pointless for him to worry about their reaction now when so much else demanded his attention.

Even more overwhelming than meeting with his own family, was the prospect of having to make the acquaintance of Elizabeth's uncle. Instinctively, Mr. Darcy's hand moved to his pocket and he pulled out the address of Elizabeth's relations sent to him by Mr. Bennet that very morning. Actually, he knew very little about them other than the fact that Elizabeth's uncle was a tradesman and that the family lived on Gracechurch Street, which was by far, a most inauspicious part of London. He wondered if this relation of Elizabeth's stemmed from her father's or her mother's side of the family. If the man was a member of Mr. Bennet's family, then perhaps the legal issues involving the settlement could be resolved swiftly and relatively painlessly. If, on the other hand, he was in any way related to Mrs. Bennet, conferring with him would be indeed... taxing. Having to meet with a man such as Mr. Gardiner was by no means new to him, as he had in the past convened with tradespeople to discuss his many business endeavors. Yet, to have to now consult with such a person and look to him as a future relation was beyond belief. How his friends would laugh at him if they knew he, the esteemed Master of Pemberley, was in a position to seek the favor and sanction of a man like Mr. Gardiner! He shuddered in resentment. He simply would not permit himself to think of the degradation any further.

He attempted to clear his mind of this entire calamity and picked up his copy of Roxana* hoping Defoe's apathy for his subject matter would distract him as it usually did when he read this text. He leafed through the text, unable to determine where his reading had left off. Even after he selected a passage to begin with, he found his concentration waned and he could do no justice to the dark novel. He wondered why he had selected this book at all given his already somber disposition. He knew then he should have picked something more uncomplicated to divert him earlier that morning from his friend's limited collection at Netherfield. He threw the book on the seat next to him in irritation.

Pushing the heavy velvet curtain aside, he took in the passing scenery. He knew there was still some time before they reached London. He hoped its bustle would rouse him out of this bleak temper which would not leave him no matter how hard he tried to overcome it. Conveniently, the view outside the carriage was gloomy and uninspiring on that early December afternoon. Darcy could not help but be satisfied that the climate corresponded so perfectly with his mood.

He allowed the curtain to fall and sank back into the plush seat of the carriage. Elizabeth... Looking over towards Bingley and noticing he was still buried in the depths of sleep, he allowed himself to think of her.

Since learning of the scandal stemming from their ill-fated meeting in the forest, he truly had not given her that much consideration. Selfishly, he was too angry at his own lack of prudence and what it had cost him to ponder her at length. Without a doubt, he knew she disliked their current predicament as much as he did. Still, he could not rid himself of the notion that her circumstances would improve after their marriage, while his future was, at best, tenuous.

Before this, he had no doubt found her beguiling - with her quick wit and lively spirit. He had also been attracted to her enticing eyes and pleasing figure. He had tried to dispense with the manner in which she intrigued him, knowing that he could never act on his desire for her; but he remained hopelessly captivated by her when she was in his presence.

Now that she was destined to become his wife, he wondered how he felt about her. Would his desire for her be enough to eventually assist him to regard her as he should his wife? Doubtful ... given the reality that Elizabeth would be unlikely to want their relationship to evolve on a physical level. Yet, evolve it eventually must as he knew unquestioningly that one day he would need to produce an heir to his estate. But would she ever consent to allow him in her bed? He could not imagine her doing so... willingly... and he was too much of a gentleman to force her, even if she was his wife. Still, Elizabeth was a rational woman and must understand that they could not perpetually live together chastely. Undoubtedly, she would want children herself one day and, he presumed, she was intelligent enough to realize that there was only one way to produce them.

The vision of sharing a marriage bed with her was not at all objectionable. Based on what little he knew of her, he imagined she would be every bit as passionate in her lovemaking as she was in her arguments with him. His thoughts turned wayward as he indulged himself and momentarily fantasized about making love to her. But the illusion ceased the moment he realized that she was unlikely to allow him to do so given her current aversion to him.

He sighed in frustration. He was looking beyond the scope of what their current reality was and knew it was futile. Continuing in this manner would surely not relax his spirits.

He breathed deeply and again wished for his friend's peaceful slumber. He shut his eyes and attempted to force Elizabeth's image out of his mind... without success.

~ * ~

The next morning, Mr. Darcy thankfully set down his pen and relaxed in the chair behind his desk. His competent steward, Gilmore, had left him very little to do upon his return, other than to decline a few invitations, consider some interesting business prospects and put a brief notice in the paper announcing his engagement to Elizabeth. He advised the editor to have the announcement appear no sooner than four days hence. He had also written the vicar at his church and asked that he begin the process involved in procuring a special marriage license from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Additionally, almost immediately upon his arrival, he had written to his Aunt and Uncle Matlock, advising them that he was in Town and that he would call upon them as soon as he was settled. He purposely avoided mentioning to them the actual reason behind his early appearance, as he felt it was best that he tell them of it in person. Overall, Mr. Darcy felt proud of his industriousness.

The staff at his London townhouse had met with the news that he was to be wed in less than a fortnight with an equanimity he did not anticipate. Mrs. Graham, his housekeeper, had politely extended her congratulations, while Gilmore had efficiently notified his attorneys that Darcy needed to see them without delay upon the next day. Darcy had even conferred with Mrs. Graham about hiring a well-recommended personal maid for Elizabeth and discussed some changes that would need to be made to the Mistress, chambers in preparation for her arrival.

After his housekeeper had left him alone in the room Elizabeth was soon to occupy, he compelled himself to examine it critically, willing himself to see it as Elizabeth would. This had been his mother's room and it had not been in use since her death. It was definitely in need of some work and a proper airing out in order to rid it of its stifling, musty aura. Since the loss of his mother, he had only visited the room once and that had been on the first anniversary of her death several years ago. Still, he was shocked by how lifeless it now seemed. He knew that he could not expect Elizabeth to occupy it as it now was and feel wholly at ease. He made a mental note to ask Mrs. Graham to purchase new bed linens and to do what she thought would help to make the room appear more inviting. He himself did not know how to begin to do it, but he trusted his housekeeper's good judgment in this regard and, thus, it was one less thing that he needed to tend to himself.

Mr. Bingley's arrival at his townhouse signaled that it was time for them to depart. He quickly penned a brief note to Elizabeth's uncle, informing him that he was going to first meet with his attorney alone to discuss the settlement before asking that he join them.

He had hoped that their early arrival in Town meant that the likelihood they would run into persons he knew would be significantly reduced. Thus, he was surprised when they were prevented from entering his carriage by his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, who had learned from his parents that he was in London.

"Darcy! Bingley! I must say I am surprised. In your last letter to us, you suggested you were to remain in Hertfordshire at least until next month."

"What a surprise. How good it is to see you again, Colonel." Mr. Bingley greeted Darcy's cousin with pleasure.

"Yes. Given your warm welcome, it is a wonder we did not come earlier," Darcy returned, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"No, no! You mistake me completely! Of course, I am happy to see you. Yet, I must confess, I am curious as to what led you to depart your estate quite this early, Bingley. Netherfield - did you call it?  As it happens, this surprise is a good one as I am certain you both mean to assist me in awakening this sleepy town before the Season."

Mr. Darcy concealed the moan he felt rising from his throat upon hearing his cousin's words. How excellent it would be if they were free to do as his cousin had just suggested - gallivant aimlessly with him and enjoy their time there. Instead, the many details he must consider before his marriage were certain to prevent him the luxury of much free time. He wondered how he and Mr. Bingley could leave his cousin tactfully, while raising no questions about where they were going or what they intended to do there.

"Fitzwilliam, I am afraid this particular early jaunt into London will not leave me much time for revelry. I cannot, however, speak for my friend, Bingley. Nonetheless, I intend to call upon your parents later today. If you are there, we will be able to perhaps conspire a way to inject a little vitality in this town - in my limited opportunity to do so. Now, however, I must be off. I am already quite late for an appointment."

His cousin looked to him askance. "Darcy, do you mean to tell me that you intend to leave me here, stranded, while you go scuttling about town? I tell you, I will not have it. I am quite at leisure today and thus free to accompany you both." With that, his cousin smiled blithely and opened the door to Darcy's carriage. He gestured for them to enter by bowing in an exaggerated, humble manner.

Mr. Bingley looked at his friend in alarm. It appeared he had been rendered quite mute.

"Normally, Fitzwilliam, I would not hesitate to accept your offer to accompany us but, you see, our business today is of a delicate and tedious nature." Darcy attempted to stall his cousin but could see that it was to no avail. "Surely, you would be bored to distraction."

"Perhaps. But accompanied boredom is infinitely better than a solitary one," his cousin returned cheerfully. He threw his arm around a stunned Mr. Bingley companionably. "I believe I shall join you and risk it."

Darcy was left with little to do but watch anxiously as his cousin and friend mounted the carriage. After letting out the moan he previously had suppressed, he instructed his driver to take them to his attorney's office. When he entered the carriage, he met with a probing look from his cousin.

"Buck up, Darcy! You look positively green! I hope your unease has not been caused by me joining you today. After all, am I not your most favorite relation?"

"Truly, Colonel, Darcy insists that you have earned that coveted position." Mr. Bingley returned with a small smile.

Darcy could not help but grimace wryly. "Yes, but correct me if I am wrong. Given the monotony of some of our relations, I do not have many other viable alternatives, have I?"

"There you go! I knew I could rouse your spirits! Why, look what good a few mere moments with me has done for you already!" As if they were engaged in a conspiracy, Fitzwilliam leaned over to him. "Now, tell me, what exactly is the reason for your hasty return? Apparently, Hertfordshire was nowhere near alluring enough for you. Still, remember cousin, "Society is no comfort to one not sociable."**

"I assure you, I was sociable enough. In fact, the place was constantly abuzz with a veritable whirlwind of social activity."

"Indeed it was, Colonel. I even hosted a ball at Netherfield. It was really quite delightful!"

"But, of course, you did not partake of any of it, eh Darcy?"

"Fitzwilliam, it would shock you, I am sure, to learn just how companionable I was," Mr. Darcy replied wryly and looked over at Bingley, who turned away from him uneasily.

"Now you are mistaken, Darcy. You forget, I know you quite well and am well aware of how pleasant your company can be, when the society pleases you. I take it then, you found some manner of diversion there?"

The longer the conversation continued in this vein, the more Darcy was certain that he would have to tell his cousin the horrible truth sooner than he had intended. His blasted cousin simply would not let him be!

"Yes. In fact, the society was so diverting, I could not help but become engaged."

Fitzwilliam looked at first at his cousin and then at Mr. Bingley in shock. He mockingly placed his hand upon his heart. "Excuse me? Engaged? You? You can hardly expect me to believe that, Darcy!"

"Believe it if you will. It is nevertheless true," Darcy returned evenly.

"Bingley, he is joking, surely." The Colonel looked at Bingley pleadingly. "I trust you not to partake in this - I grant you - horrendously delicious joke."

Bingley glanced at Mr. Darcy nervously. "It is no joke, I assure you, Colonel."

His cousin recovered from his shock, laughing as he patted him on the back heartily. "Why then, please let me the first among your relations to wish you joy! I suppose I always suspected you would beat me to the marriage altar. Well done!"

"Fitzwilliam, I wish I could accept your felicitation with pleasure. Alas, I cannot. I am afraid my upcoming marriage is not necessarily reason to celebrate."

"Not reason to celebrate? Whatever do you mean?" Colonel Fitzwilliam's countenance had once more regained its earlier skepticism. "Darcy, I must ask you to stop speaking such nonsense! I tell you, I do not have the head for it this morning."

"As I expected, you will not stop until I tell you all. It will, thankfully, have to be a brief tale as we will be arriving at my attorney's office in a matter of minutes." Darcy paused and breathed deeply. "I am engaged to a young lady named Elizabeth Bennet. I was forced to enter into this engagement because I, your foolish cousin, apparently abandoned all reason and was caught in a secluded wooded area alone with her." The Colonel looked as though he were about to interrupt him. As a means of circumventing him, he carried on his summary in a louder tone. "And, before you ask, the lady I am to marry is not well connected... or, rather, she was not before this incident."

"So then you are telling me she trapped you into this marriage! Shameful!"

"If it were as benign as that, I would have no reason to feel any shame as a result of the maliciously fabricated gossip that ensued because of our meeting." Darcy looked at his cousin carefully. "You see, my inquisitive cousin, I am entirely at fault here. The young lady asked me repeatedly to leave her, but I did not. There. You are now in possession of almost the entire repertoire of sordid details behind my sudden marriage."

"Darcy, surely you are joking! You must be - for I cannot fathom how you would have allowed yourself to behave so unspeakably!"

"Believe me, Fitzwilliam, nothing you say can possibly lead me to feel any more embarrassment than I do already. I am doing an excellent job of chastising myself over this situation. Bingley can confirm this for you, as he has had to contend with my mood for a few days now."

Fitzwilliam sat in stunned silence. Moments later, the carriage jerked and halted. Darcy peered outside and noticed they had reached their destination. Suddenly, the driver opened the door to allow the gentlemen to exit.

Outside, he turned to his bewildered cousin and noticed he had not mounted the steps leading to the door to his attorney's offices. "Fitzwilliam, will you not join us? You can now, you know. There is little left to hide, I assure you."

"Thank you, Darcy, but I believe I must refuse your generous offer. My shock and dismay may prove too much for your attorney. I will, however, await your arrival at my parents? townhouse later. You know me too well not to know I love a good show and this one promises to be spectacular! Good day, gentlemen!"

With that, his cousin departed, leaving him with a fierce desire to join him. Realizing again that fleeing from what awaited him was no longer an option, he resolutely entered the building after Bingley.

~ * ~

Two mornings later, Mr. Darcy deliberated the steady progress he had made. Yesterday, he met with Mr. Gardiner and, together, they worked out a fair settlement for Elizabeth. He even wrote to his sister, Georgiana, to inform her about his upcoming nuptials. But, he had yet to visit his aunt and uncle as he promised. He realized he must confront them soon, or they would read about his engagement in the Society pages and be deservedly angry.

As he sat in quiet reflection in his study, he considered Mr. Gardiner carefully. Darcy had been pleasantly surprised by the gentleman, to say the least. He had expected to meet with either a dry-humoured, older gentleman - much like Elizabeth's father - or a witless, silly man similar to his sister, Mrs. Bennet. Instead, the gentleman he met yesterday at his attorney's office was genial, clever and interested only in insuring Elizabeth receive a reasonable settlement. Darcy wondered if Mr. Gardiner had observed his surprise upon learning that he was, in fact, Mrs. Bennet's younger brother. He hoped he was able to hide his amazement successfully while in the gentleman's presence, but he doubted it nonetheless.

He responded to the knock on the door with an impatient, "Come in." He had explicitly told both Gilmore and Mrs. Graham that he was not to be disturbed this morning. Thus, this interruption was far from welcome.

"Excuse me, Mr. Darcy. Lord and Lady Matlock are here to see you. Colonel Fitzwilliam is accompanying them as well. I attempted to dissuade them from disturbing you, but they would not be swayed. I am sorry, sir," said Mr. Gilmore somewhat anxiously.

Trust my demmed relations to ignore the upturned door knocker announcing to all and sundry that I am not at home to visitors!

"I see. Show them in, Gilmore. Thank you."

Darcy had done everything in his power to avoid this meeting with his relations. He knew he had employed stall tactics and that, eventually, he would have to call upon them and reveal the shocking news about his imminent marriage. He hoped his cousin had not told his parents about the scandal. He had intended to delay the meeting for at least a day.

He heard his aunt's lament even before she entered the room. "Darcy! You absolutely must speak to your man, Gilmore! He had the audacity to request we wait in the foyer while he asked you if you would see us! Imagine! I simply will not tolerate such treatment at the hands of one of my nephew's servants."

"Good day to you all. Actually, Aunt, he was following my instructions. I did not anticipate your call and told him not to admit visitors. I am absolutely inundated with estate matters."

"Well, Darcy, for two days we have been awaiting your call to no avail. And, as they say, "If the mountain will not come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain...,*** and so here we are." Lord Matlock's voice boomed his greeting.

Do they know? Has Fitzwilliam informed them about my scandalous marriage? Truly, I cannot gauge their reactions. He stole a glance at his cousin who returned it nonchalantly.

"Allow me to ring Mrs. Graham for some tea and refreshments."

"Well done, young man. I am quite famished, in fact." His uncle offered, patting his stomach.

"Tell me, Darcy, whatever are you doing in Town quite so early? Your uncle and I had assumed we would be quite alone here at this time of year. Yet, we are constantly surprised at the number of callers we have. It is all rather surprising."

"Quite. I myself was shocked to receive your letter. The tedium of the country held no charm for you, eh Darcy?" His uncle inquired blithely. His cousin attempted unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh. His father turned to him questioningly. "Whatever is the matter, Fitzwilliam? Honestly, at moments such as this, I believe you are quite daft."

Darcy stopped glaring at his cousin and realized that it would do him no good at all to keep the entire truth from his relations any longer. His cousin's unrestrained glee as he looked at him in anticipation infuriated him. If he continued in this manner, his aunt and uncle's suspicions would reach desperate proportions.

"Actually, Uncle, Hertfordshire was rather tedious. I am glad to be home." He recognized he was being cowardly and knew he had to face the situation with conviction - perhaps even a feigned conviction would do in this instance. He turned to his cousin for inspiration. "Yet, this visit will end in a matter of days when I depart once more to return back to Hertfordshire?I am going to be married in a fortnight." Suddenly, the words tumbled out of his mouth before he could prevent them.

Mrs. Graham chose that moment to enter with tea and refreshments. She efficiently laid out the tray of cold meats, breads and fruits neatly. Yet, Darcy was more satisfied at the timely reprieve her entrance provided him, rather than at the delectable food she brought them. He scrutinized his relations briefly who sat in stunned silence.

After his housekeeper departed the room, his aunt was the first to recover. Even Fitzwilliam, who knew about the scandalous marriage, appeared shocked at his cousin's perfunctory announcement. "Married? Do I hear you correctly, nephew? You are to be married?"

"I am, Aunt."

"To whom? Am I to understand that you have been surreptitiously courting a young lady from Hertfordshire? And you never saw fit to inform us of your intentions? Us? Your nearest relations?" Lady Matlock fired her questions in quick succession. She sank into one of Mr. Darcy's armchairs with a huff. "Pardon me, Darcy, but this cannot please me!" She turned to her son suspiciously, "Did you know of this Fitzwilliam?"

"I learned of it only the day before yesterday, Mama, and did not wish to spoil Darcy's secret by revealing it. Darcy has obviously kept us all in the dark." Fitzwilliam could not keep the mirth out of his voice.

Mr. Darcy scowled at his cousin. Oh, that the man would learn to keep his badly timed sense of humour to himself!

"The lady I am engaged to is Miss Elizabeth Bennet. She is the daughter of a gentleman who owns a modest estate, Longbourn, which neighbours the manor that my friend, Mr. Bingley, recently leased in Hertfordshire."

Thus far, his uncle had remained perplexingly quiet upon hearing the news of his nephew's upcoming marriage. Darcy realized this was but a temporary reprieve that he would not maintain. Thus, he was fully expecting Lord Matlock's shocked irritation when it was finally unleashed a moment later.

"Good G-d, Darcy! Have you gone mad? What can you impart to me about the young lady?s family? Has she any relations here in London with whom I may be acquainted?"

Darcy's thoughts turned to Elizabeth's uncle. Although he was an intelligent and respectable gentleman, he had no doubt that his uncle would not know him.

"She has an uncle ... a Mr. Gardiner, who lives in Town. I would not imagine, however, that you have had occasion to make his acquaintance."

"Perhaps we do know him after all," his aunt replied. "We do spend a large amount of our time here and do not exactly live as cloistered hermits."

"My dear, I do not recall ever meeting a Mr. Gardiner. Do you?"

He interrupted their private t괥-୴괥, burning with humiliation. "Pardon me. You could not possibly know this particular gentleman. I understand he travels in vastly different circles than do we."

His uncle's expression assumed a look of sudden understanding. "And just how has this Mr. Gardiner come into his money, if you please?"

Fitzwilliam sat up suddenly, desperate not to miss a minute detail concerning his cousin's predicament. Darcy stared at him pointedly, beseeching him to relieve him of his parents' curiosity.

"He is in trade, Uncle."

"Excuse me? In trade? And this gentleman is to be your uncle? Have you lost your mind?" His aunt's litany of questions began once more.

Darcy was surprised to hear his cousin speak at last. Hopefully, he could circumvent his parents' anger with some appropriately selected humour.

"Darcy, this is too ridiculous! You? Engaged to the niece of a tradesman?" He sat back in his chair, grinning broadly. "Why, this just becomes curioser and curioser!"

Lord Matlock scowled with distaste. "Darcy, whatever has gotten into you? Why in the world would you offer matrimony to a young lady such as this Elizabeth Bennet? Has she charmed you into distraction?"

Painfully unable to conceal all of the horrible circumstances of the scandal any longer, Mr. Darcy spoke in as unaffected a manner as he possibly could. He did not stop until he had revealed the entire bitter episode to his aunt, uncle and, a now humourless, Fitzwilliam. He was sure to omit nothing, praying the truth would lead his relations to know he had behaved as honourably as possible despite the unfortunate events.

"Darcy, you cannot possibly marry this woman! You cannot! Think of the gossip that will nevertheless ensue once the world learns of the reason behind this union!" Lady Matlock uttered.

Yes, but the prattle will be so much more harmful if he does not, Mother." Mr. Darcy was relieved his cousin had come to his assistance at long last. "He truly has no other choice. Thus, marry her he must."

"Yes! Yes! Of course, he must marry her!" roared Lord Matlock. "But the marriage will appear ridiculous right from its start." He turned to his nephew menacingly. "If you were younger, Darcy, I cannot be sure that I would not take you over my knee and give you the spanking you so desperately warrant!"

Thank heavens I am older then, Uncle."

"Do not dare stand before us after imparting this... this... despicable news and mock us!" He raised his hand to silence his nephew who obviously meant to protest. "I would have thought you were wiser, Darcy, and far less vulnerable. Regrettably, I was horribly wrong in my assessment of your character. I expect you to see to it that our good name does not suffer as a result of your mistake, young man - or I shall never see you again!"

Uncle, please! Miss Bennet and I do not intend to defile either the Darcy nor the Fitzwilliam reputations with this marriage! Quite the opposite, in fact."

"As I said before, I expect no less from you, young man!" He stood up suddenly and looked directly at his wife. "Excuse me. I simply must leave now. I am afraid I have had quite my full of this social visit. I expect to see you upon your return to Town and to make the acquaintance of your wife, of course. In the meantime, we will reveal to no one the particulars you have relayed to me today." His uncle's voice was scathing.

"Must you leave filled with this much bitterness? Uncle, you can see I had little choice in the matter."

"Actually, Darcy, you had a great deal of choices," his aunt returned levelly before exiting his study. "You merely chose to overlook them. Good day, Darcy. Please call upon us when you are next in Town."

Fitzwilliam whistled in awe once his parents were no longer within hearing range. "Well, that went much better than I expected!"

"Pray, just what more did you expect? Did you think, perchance, that they would hurl blunt objects directly at my head? Perhaps you even imagined that pewter paperweight upon my desk would be their weapon of choice?"

"Actually, I did consider it but then I fathomed they would reach for the silver milk pitcher instead. After all, it was clearly in their reach." He responded with a serious face before breaking out into a laugh. Colonel Fitzwilliam's humour did nothing to coax his cousin out of his brooding annoyance. "Come now, Darcy. If they had truly decided not to accept your impending marriage, they would never have invited you and your future wife to call on them. Surely, despite your scepticism, you must know that. I believe they intend to show all who care to notice, that yours is a viable marriage, worthy of respect and merit regardless of the circumstances that led to it."

"It will indeed be a viable marriage, Fitzwilliam. I can assure you of that. Miss Bennet and I do not intend to cast aspersions upon ourselves or anyone associated with us."

"Good! Then there will be no problems that cannot be surmounted - until, of course, Lady Catherine learns of your engagement," Colonel Fitzwilliam replied slyly, paying no heed to his younger cousin's desperate moan that followed his words. Fitzwilliam scowled at his half-empty tea cup. "Darcy, enough of this tea! I, for one, would benefit immensely from some of your finest brandy in spite of the early hour of the day. After all, we have a forthcoming wedding to toast! Do we not?"

~ * ~

The days that followed in London did not afford him much time to consider his family's reaction to the news much further. For that - at least - he was grateful. Throughout this time, Bingley had consistently been an immense help and distraction to him and, not for the first time, he was glad he had asked him to accompany him on this journey.

Soon, he found himself back in the carriage. His return to Hertfordshire sprang fierce images of Elizabeth back into his mind. Throughout his time in London, whenever he was alone, he thought of her constantly. Somehow, and he did not know when or how it had happened, he no longer continually bemoaned his marriage to her. After all, if she would be willing to at least be subtle in her dislike of him while they were in public, theirs would appear a union much like that of his friends. On the surface, they would seem united and, thus, would likely earn the respect they deserved. He meant to see to it that they did. In private, they could tend to their own affairs and possibly avoid the incipient disagreements that were certain to spring between them by spending very little time together, other than at mealtimes.

It was possible... Still, he realized a workable relationship between them would require a great deal of effort on both their parts. He, for one, was not against the idea.

~ * ~

*Roxana is a novel by Daniel Defoe written in 1724 focusing on a young woman's moral decay and one who is ultimately destroyed by her avarice.

**This line comes from Shakespeare's Cymbelline IV, ii

***Surprisingly, I was unable to unearth the exact source of this popular proverb, but I know the story behind it well. Apparently, after three days of attempting to prove to his people that he was God's true messenger by moving a mountain using the power of his faith alone, Mohammed gave up and the mountain remained unmoved.

****This is, of course, a self-serving reference to Alice in Wonderland, one of the first books I recall ever reading on my own.

Chapter Eleven

While Mr. Darcy was in London, Elizabeth endured a very difficult week.

Her mother was incorrigible with her perpetual planning for their engagement fete and wedding breakfast. To the best of her recollection, never before had her mother demonstrated the stamina nor the desire to rise so early or go to bed so late. She approached this task with a determination Elizabeth would have been compelled to admire in her mother, had it not left her so terribly exasperated instead. Mrs. Bennet was clearly a woman on a tireless mission to host the most elaborate celebration Meryton had ever known. After Mr. Darcy's departure, Mrs. Bennet had initially sought Elizabeth's advice for each minute detail concerning the wedding parties. Upon sensing her daughter's reluctance to match her enthusiasm, Mrs. Bennet had pronounced her an ungrateful, disobedient girl and had largely seen to the remainder of the pre-wedding preparations on her own.

Elizabeth's visit to the Meryton dressmaker had done much to augment the prevailing tension that existed between her and Mrs. Bennet. Her mother insisted she purchase at least four fine dresses and fiercely debated with her regarding how exceptional her new garments should be. According to Mrs. Bennet, the future wife of the Master of Pemberley could not haphazardly cover herself in modest dresses made of cotton or other simple fabrics. No, her mother maintained her clothing should be elaborate, heavily beaded creations made of luxurious silks and accented with French lace. Nevertheless, Elizabeth was persistent in her refusal to concede to her mother's wishes and several heated debates amongst them ensued. Ultimately, the dressmaker helped them to come to a delicate compromise: Elizabeth selected two dresses which were unpretentious yet elegant and her mother chose two gowns for her which she believed were only slightly ornamental but would suffice.

Elizabeth did, however, carry her point when it came to the selection of her wedding dress. Once more, Mrs. Bennet could not fathom how her gown for the occasion could be anything other than extraordinary, but Elizabeth had been firm in her denial to heed her mother's wishes in this case. Instead, the gown she chose was a short-bodied, Empire dress, made of fine, cream colored muslin. Its bodice was reasonably fitted and a subtle, tambour diamond pattern graced the front and back of the gown. The sleeves of the dress were altered to fit her arms securely, while the gown's underskirt flared becomingly and was topped by a sheer, cream organza that shimmered pleasingly. Hoping to appease her mother, she selected a soft, white silk shawl with a handsome fringe to wear upon her shoulders. Nevertheless, Mrs. Bennet had cried in distressed mortification upon noticing that there was not a single bead anywhere to be found on the wedding dress and that the gown itself was not made of the finest Italian silk. As a means of soothing her mother's deprivation, Elizabeth permitted her to select her new undergarments and night clothes with more liberty than she otherwise would have been wont to give her. Afterwards, both ladies left the dressmaker not wholly satisfied, but not entirely displeased either.

Meanwhile, Jane and her father dispensed some useful protection to her and Elizabeth was thankful for their efforts. Mr. Bennet had granted her permission to join him in the sanctity of his study and even locked the door to ensure they were not disturbed. There, she lost herself in her father's collection of books or she merely sat in the luxury of quiet, solitary contemplation. On the other hand, Jane joined her in many long rambles, even though Elizabeth knew she did not wholly acquire gratification from the enterprise. During these jaunts, Jane did her best to help her sister see the necessity and the advantages of her forthcoming marriage, but Elizabeth remained rooted in her stubborn hesitation to see her fate as anything but favorable.

One day, she walked over to Lucas Lodge, expecting to find in Charlotte a collaborator for support in her misery. Yet, her friend, awash in preparations for her wedding the next month, offered her little encouragement. In Charlotte's practical opinion, Elizabeth had done very well by connecting herself to Mr. Darcy and she would not criticize the man regardless of what Elizabeth said to entice her. Elizabeth fumed wordlessly as she listened to Charlotte and Mrs. Lucas tell her that she should welcome her secure future with a grace she could never envision herself feeling. In the end, she left Lucas Lodge feeling even more stymied than she had upon first visiting there.

~ * ~

On the day Mr. Darcy was scheduled to return to Hertfordshire, Elizabeth suffered from a well-worn anxiety. He had written to her father to inform him that he had procured the special license and seen to the additional wedding preparations with relative ease. The finality of their situation appeared inevitable to her. Nevertheless, Elizabeth's disquiet regarding their future persisted. She could not credit that she would be married to the gentleman in a week or that she would leave Longbourn and possibly not return for an extended and indefinite period.

Fortunately, her frequent trips to London on her past visits to her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner, had given her a limited awareness regarding what it would be like to reside there. However, the notion of living in Derbyshire at Pemberley offered her no security whatsoever. Elizabeth could not forget the tremendous responsibilities she would face as mistress of such a fine house. She wondered fearfully if she could ever be expected to successfully manage so many servants and the necessary obligations which would befall her when she became mistress. Additionally, she knew precious little about the region and her ignorance added to her list of growing worries.

From the sitting room, Elizabeth heard the sound of horse's hooves outside and looked alarmingly at Jane.

"Elizabeth, he is here. Are you well?"

"Jane, I do not believe I am prepared to see Mr. Darcy at this time. Perhaps you could inform him that I have taken to my room, hoping to recover from a headache and that I will meet with him tomorrow?"

"But, Lizzy, he is certain to know I am being duplicitous. Please do not ask me to do it!" Jane responded in a voice that was as anxious as her sister's. "Also, do you think that Mama will allow you to not see him? She will think it incredibly discourteous of you, as will he. I believe you must see him."

However, when Hill entered the sitting room, it was to inform the ladies that it was Mr. Wickham who had come to call upon them. Elizabeth felt herself almost collapse in deliverance. She looked at her sister and gave her a relieved smile. She had been saved - for the moment at least - from what she had been dreading since the day dawned. Jane instructed Hill to show Mr. Wickham in and returned Elizabeth's grin with a brief nod of her head.

"Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth - how good it is to see you again!"

Elizabeth smiled warmly at him as he entered the room. "Good day, Mr. Wickham. It is a pleasure to have you visit us today."

"The pleasure is all mine, I believe." Mr. Wickham returned politely, glancing casually from one sister to the other. "In fact, I do not believe we have met since prior to the Netherfield ball which, regrettably, I was unable to attend. Last-minute business called me to London and, thus, I missed what my fellow officers refer to as an 'incredible evening filled with merriment aplenty'."

Elizabeth glanced at her sister guardedly. As she expected, the mention of the Netherfield ball had conspicuously reminded Jane of its host and she turned away from them to mask her vexation.

"Yes. The evening was indeed laced with many merry moments. But, it is also long past." Elizabeth attempted to deflect the conversation in an effort to relieve her sister's suffering. "Tell me, was your visit to London fruitful? Were you able to manage your business there successfully?"

Mr. Wickham settled himself into an armchair near Elizabeth. His response was accompanied by an open smile. "Yes... I suppose it was somewhat fruitful - but it too is also long past."

Elizabeth laughed. "And so it is. Touche."

"Do you expect to remain stationed in Meryton for much longer, Mr. Wickham?" Jane asked.

"That, Miss Bennet, is the very question I asked Colonel Forster this morning. Unfortunately, he was not able to give me a definite answer so, for the time being, Meryton will remain my home. Still, I cannot say I am wholly disappointed at the prospect of remaining here. It certainly is lovely country, filled with plenty of hospitable people."

"Thank you. We are pleased you are enjoying your time here." Jane smiled.

"Although," Mr. Wickham continued casting a sidelong glance at Elizabeth, "It is not without its problems, of course. Meddlesome gossips, I understand, reside here just as much as they do elsewhere."

Jane looked alarmingly at her sister but Elizabeth recovered herself quickly. "You are quite right, sir. And, I imagine, the gossip they disseminate is just as undisciplined here as it is anywhere."

"Indeed it is, Miss Elizabeth." Mr. Wickham hesitated only a moment before proceeding. "I do believe I have forgotten to offer my congratulations to you, madam."

Elizabeth burned with humiliation. It was not surprising that he had heard reports of the scandal and learned of her upcoming marriage. Yet, she had been encouraged by how the news of her marriage seemed to virtually stifle the disparaging innuendos that initially followed the report.

"Thank you, Mr. Wickham."

"Come, Miss Elizabeth! I offer my congratulations sincerely. You need not be discomfited by your forthcoming marriage." He said in a consoling tone. "My personal history with Mr. Darcy in no way detracts from you successfully securing your own future."

Elizabeth eyed him warily. "Please consider, however, that I did not intentionally set out to acquire for myself a secure future." After all, I would have much preferred a happy one.

"Of course - but is it not advantageous for you to have been granted one nevertheless?" Mr. Wickham's ready smile prevented Elizabeth from becoming offended at his words. She gave him a fleeting smile.

Following a few minutes of more agreeable conversation, Hill entered with the news that Mr. Darcy as well as Mr. Bingley had arrived and were requesting to see them. Elizabeth glanced at Mr. Wickham worriedly. His easiness was abruptly replaced with a detectable air of discomfort. Jane's sudden "Oh" upon hearing of the gentlemen's presence at Longbourn, only added to Elizabeth's anxiety. How would Mr. Darcy react upon discovering Mr. Wickham - man he clearly detested - had called upon them?

Fortunately perhaps, she did not have time to consider his possible response at length as Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley chose that second to enter the sitting room. They each greeted the ladies politely and seemingly did not at the outset recognize Mr. Wickham who was seated with his back to them. Yet, when Mr. Wickham rose from his seat and turned towards them uncertainly, Mr. Darcy's demeanor changed completely. His mouth formed a thin line of disgust and his back stiffened noticeably.

"Good day, Mr. Darcy. Mr. Bingley." Mr. Wickham's voice caught and its modulation was flat as he addressed the gentlemen.

Mr. Bingley recovered from his shock much more speedily than did his friend and he was able to formulate a polite response to the man's greeting. Mr. Darcy, however, hesitated. His countenance assumed a blanched look and his mouth produced an unyielding, hard line. For a moment, Elizabeth feared he would not return Mr. Wickham's salutation and her apprehension was instantly replaced by a rising bitterness toward him. However, in the end, Mr. Darcy acknowledged him brusquely with a "Good morning".

Mr. Bingley chose to take a seat next to Jane while Mr. Darcy strode over to the window. Mr. Wickham's conversation became instantly deficient and Elizabeth wished she could in fact flee to the sanctuary of her room as she had originally suggested to Jane. She now truly felt the arrival of a headache of mammoth proportions, but her situation was such that she could not effortlessly escape from it.

After several minutes of awkward conversation, it became clear Mr. Wickham was attempting to formulate a polite means to depart from the uncomfortable predicament. He began shifting in his seat and Elizabeth noticed his eyes would often be drawn to Mr. Darcy's back. Then, as if struck by sudden inspiration, he hastily claimed he had an appointment to meet with Lieutenant Denny which had slipped his earlier notice. He excused himself and left without delay.

Once he was gone, Elizabeth remained oblivious as to what she should do next. To leave when Mr. Darcy had clearly come to see her was tempting, but she knew she could not be quite so abrupt and uncivil. She stole a glance over to Jane and Mr. Bingley who were carrying an awkward, but private, conversation across from her. She noticed her sister cast her eyes down to her hands folded in her lap and was responding to Mr. Bingley sketchily, yet she was not encouraging him in conversation. Mr. Bingley, meanwhile, was attempting to capture her attention, but his own unease was evidenced by the high colour in his cheeks.

Therefore, only one option remained open to Elizabeth and that was to engage Mr. Darcy in some manner of conversation. She looked toward him helplessly. Evidently, he was displeased. He continued to stand with his back to her, but he was clearly restless as he paced to and fro before the window. She could not, however, empathize with his discomfort for long. She had never pretended not to be a friend to Mr. Wickham and, although she was engaged to Mr. Darcy, she was not yet his wife, so he had no right to sternly forbid her to see him. Moreover, she could not simply refuse to admit him when he had been gracious enough to call on them. As she rationalized this further, she walked over to him unhurriedly.

"Mr. Darcy, welcome back." She noticed the immediate return of his unyielding back and his relentless pacing ceased the moment she reached his side. "My father relayed to me the news that you were able to accomplish all you set out to do in London."

He turned to regard her briefly before turning away from her again. "I was indeed. Thank you." His response was uninspired and dry.

"Good. Shall I ring for tea? Perhaps you and Mr. Bingley are hungry."

"No, thank you. I am fine."

His voice suddenly took on a bitter timbre. "Imagine, if you will, my surprise at finding Mr. Wickham here... no doubt entertaining my fiancee with exhilarating tales of his soldierly existence."

Elizabeth seethed at his gall to mock her but she managed to remain composed.

"Actually Mr. Darcy, we were quite surprised to see Mr. Wickham when he first called today. We have not seen him in quite some time." She hoped to pacify his obvious anger and move past this tenuous topic.

"Excuse me, madam, but I cannot help wishing he would have stayed away longer... His permanent absence would have been a blessing, I should think."

"For you, it is very likely it would have been," Her determination to be pleasant was evaporating quickly. "I, however, quite enjoy his society and was not disappointed to see him."

"Then I am sorry for you. I had wished you were better able to judge him for all that he is." He turned to her finally. "Happily, you likely will not be subjected to his presence once we leave here."

Elizabeth seethed. She made no further attempt to disguise her annoyance. "And just what is he, Mr. Darcy? Pray enlighten me for I am sure I do not know."

"I have no wish to recount my history with Mr. Wickham now, Miss Bennet. I only ask you to trust me in this." Mr. Darcy's countenance regained its austerity.

"Forgive me, when shall you be prepared to chat about it, sir? Someone once suggested to me that not discussing something that is distressing would surely consume me. Do you not think the advice is relevant in this case?"

Mr. Darcy sighed and chose not to respond. Elizabeth knew he recalled all too well his words to her on that fateful day in the forest when he was attempting to persuade her to discuss her worries. She realized she was being impertinent and was devastatingly close to bordering on rudeness, but she could not restrain herself.

Thankfully, Mr. Bennet's arrival in the room put a definitive end to their conversation.

"Gentlemen, Hill informed me that you had arrived. Welcome." Mr. Bennet greeted them cordially. "I believe we need to examine all that we have accomplished while you were away and plan for what still needs to be looked to. Will you not join me in my study?"

"Certainly, sir." Mr. Darcy appeared as eager to be gone as Elizabeth was to be rid of him. Without so much as a glance in her direction, he moved to exit the room.

"Elizabeth, I imagine you will want to accompany us. Come along."

"If you do not mind, Father, I will take this opportunity to continue packing." She managed a weak smile. "I am afraid I have not quite been as industrious as you and Mr. Darcy have in my efforts to prepare for the wedding."

She could not miss her father's scepticism as he gazed at her. She looked away, ashamed at being caught in a lie before her father. He paused briefly and opened his mouth as though he meant to speak, but then apparently decided against it. He shook his head while departing the room.

~ * ~

Elizabeth spent most of the remainder of the day determining what she should bring with her when she left Longbourn. She was thankful her mother had suggested Sarah, a servant, help her in this task. While she packed, Kitty and Lydia cyclically entered her room, pleading with her to leave a certain bonnet or reticule behind for them to keep. Generally, Elizabeth agreed to renounce them, aware that she would be soon receiving the new items that she had ordered. The entire experience remained surreal to her. She was cognizant of the fact that she was preparing to leave the only home she had ever known, but in the deep recesses of her mind she could not entirely believe it.

When the dinner bell sounded, she rushed downstairs in anticipation. She had not eaten a good breakfast and found she was quite famished. However, when she arrived in the dining room and espied Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley awaiting the ladies' arrival before sitting down, her hunger all but vanished. She had mistakenly believed Mr. Darcy had left Longbourn some time ago. She then realized now how unlikely it was that Mrs. Bennet would allow him to depart before sharing a meal with them. Clearly, he too was not pleased with the arrangement and looked at her almost apologetically.

As usual, dinner at the Bennet home was a noisy affair. From across the table, she detected Mr. Darcy's repeated alarm over some silly comment made by Lydia or Kitty. When Mary began to enumerate all the wisdom of Charlotte's decision to marry the respectable Mr. Collins, Elizabeth feared he would lose his composure. He exhaled loudly and otherwise feigned not to hear her, but she knew he was unenthusiastically attending to her every word and chastising her privately. Stubbornly, she willed herself to placate the shame she felt at her sisters' inability to quell their tongues.

After dinner, the gentlemen joined Mr. Bennet to partake of some whiskey Mr. Darcy had evidently brought from London as a gift for his future father-in-law. The ladies moved to the drawing room and either chose to read or embroider. When the gentlemen returned, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley claimed they could not stay for tea as they were still quite tired from their journey. Mrs. Bennet reluctantly excused them. Fortunately, her mother did not insist she once again escort Mr. Darcy to his carriage. Given their heated exchange earlier, she could not fathom how either she or Mr. Darcy would face the episode with any degree of civility.

That night alone in her room, Elizabeth considered Mr. Darcy's palpable dislike of Mr. Wickham. She thought it was further proof of his meanness to despise the man he had knowingly almost reduced to poverty. She did not fault Mr. Wickham at all for his unease in Mr. Darcy's presence. In fact, she wondered at his ability to withstand the injury he had done him with such fortitude. Had she been in Mr. Wickham's place, she would have never been able to face him with such equanimity.

At long last, she fell into a fitful sleep. The notion of a successful marriage to a man such as Mr. Darcy seemed more and more unlikely the closer her wedding date approached.

~ * ~

Two afternoons later saw the arrival of the Gardiner family to Longbourn. Elizabeth was beyond pleased to see them and especially looked forward to the time when she and her aunt would be afforded the opportunity to confer privately. Her Aunt Gardiner had always been a trusted friend to her and she knew that she could offer her practical guidance concerning her future marriage to Mr. Darcy.

Regrettably, her mother seemed every bit as eager to monopolize her aunt's time as did Elizabeth. In fact, immediately following a brief repast after their journey from London, Mrs. Bennet had announced she required her sister's counsel regarding some momentous wedding details and instantly squired her away possessively. Grudgingly, Elizabeth decided she best bide her time until her aunt could give her the attention and consideration she needed.

Fortunately, her aunt was liberated from Mrs. Bennet sooner than Elizabeth expected. While she was alone and diligently preparing rosewater to bring with her after her marriage, Elizabeth was pleased to find Mrs. Gardiner had come in search of her.

"Why Aunt - however did you escape? I imagined copious scenarios wherein I would have to seize you as a hostage before my mother would give you up."

Mrs. Gardiner smiled warmly at her niece. "Your mother is quite anxious about tending to every last detail regarding your wedding. I would imagine myself to be every bit as apprehensive as she is, were I in her place, so I cannot fault her."

"You Aunt? I cannot imagine you ever being quite so demanding." Elizabeth considered briefly as she filled the final bottle with rosewater. "Yet, she means well, Aunt. I must remember to never overlook that, regardless of how often she entices me to do just that." She rolled her eyes and laughed softly.

Her aunt weighed her niece's appearance closely as Elizabeth began to tighten the lids to the bottles she had filled. She had not seen her in nearly three months and was concerned about the image she presented to her today. Clearly, she had lost weight and the smiles she cast in her direction were lacklustre at best. Without even asking her, she knew the entire fiasco with Mr. Darcy was at the crux of what had been troubling her niece for some time now. Mrs. Gardiner and her husband were both surprised when Elizabeth herself did not write to them to express her sentiments regarding her forthcoming marriage. Yet, her father's letter did more than hint that this marriage had not been Elizabeth's choice and had arisen in an effort to divert the horrible gossip that burst upon Meryton upon hearing of her and Mr. Darcy's secluded meeting. She knew her niece too well not to know that she would be far from thrilled about her fate, but she had not been prepared to see her quite so unanimated.

"Allow me to help you, Elizabeth." Her aunt began to assist her by repositioning the tray of unused flowers onto a nearby wooden shelf.

"Thank you." Elizabeth stood and took stock of her work. "I suppose I shall have to content myself with only four bottles of scented water for I do not think Lydia or Kitty will forgive me should I make use of all the dried rose petals."

Mrs. Gardiner espied an opportunity to discuss the matter she most wanted with her niece and seized it instantly.

"Yes, but I suppose that in the near future you will consider rose-scented water quite plain after you have become accustomed to the provocatively fragrant lilac and lavender bushes in addition to the lush citrus fruits found at Pemberley."

"Perhaps, although rosewater will forever remind me of Longbourn. Thus, I do not presume I will ever abandon it completely." Elizabeth remarked tenderly as she wiped her hands on her apron and sat upon a stool.

"And are you very excited about the prospect of seeing Pemberley for yourself in the near future, my dear?"

"A little." Elizabeth admitted. "Miss Bingley has referred to it at length as a model of beauty and nobility. There is little wonder, then, that I am curious to see it for myself."

"Has Mr. Darcy not told you anything about it at all? Or about his home in London?"

"He has not." She did not meet her aunt's questioning gaze. "Of course, we have lately both been quite occupied and have not had much occasion to discuss much of anything. No matter. I will see it all for myself soon."

"Nonetheless, you do not appear to be excited about the chance to do so." Mrs. Gardiner hesitated momentarily. She moved to occupy the stool across the table from Elizabeth and fixed a loving gaze upon her. "Please allow me to speak to you frankly, Elizabeth. My affection for you will permit me to do no less. What is it you are truly feeling about the sudden marriage you will enter in little more than three days? No doubt, you are anxious and conceivably a bit daunted by the entire notion."

"Given the wealth and position of the man I am about to marry, who would not be nervous?"

"But I am not referring to the prestige of the man who will be your husband. Your apprehension, I believe, stems from significantly more than that, Elizabeth." Her niece did not respond but instead fixed her with a look that was inscrutable. "Forgive me, but I have learned of the reason leading to your marriage from your mother and I cannot be pleased. Still, I was encouraged by the fact that you are as judicious as you are spirited and I had hoped that you would soon come to accept your fate."

"I have accepted it, Aunt. Truly, I am not fighting against it any longer."

"Yes, but how do you feel about it, dear? I would hate to think your reaction to your imminent marriage would be only unfettered acquiescence. If that is all you feel, you will - neither of you ever be truly happy.

Elizabeth was by no means immune to the compassion her aunt was showing her. Mrs. Gardiner's words spoke of a genuine concern and, thus far, only her father and Jane had attempted to truly ease her disquietude. She felt the pressing sting of tears in her eyes and, suddenly, she could not control them. Her aunt moved to her side immediately and embraced her warmly.

"Cry, my dear. Cry. Do not be afraid to reveal your emotions to me, for I believe this is just what you need."

"I feel horribly stuck in my misery. You must think me a cheerless wretch."

"Not at all." Her aunt responded with a kind smile. "I much prefer to think you a terribly afflicted one."

Elizabeth offered her aunt a tentative smile amidst her tears. "For that, I thank you."

"Have you and Mr. Darcy at all spoken of what your life will be like after you are wed?"

"No. We do precious little other than argue when we are together - which is not often. I have not seen him in almost two days."

"Two days? Your mother has informed me that he is at Netherfield. Has he not come to call upon you?"

"He did... when he first arrived from London. He arrived to find Mr. Wickham here and was consequently struck by such a black mood, we could do little but quarrel. We have not spoken since. I understand, however, he has written to my father that he and the Netherfield party mean to visit today."

"Are you surprised by his distressed reaction to Mr. Wickham's presence? You alluded briefly in your letters to me that theirs has been a troubled history."

Elizabeth wiped her eyes and faced her aunt with an evident petulance. "If it is troubled, it has become so only because of Mr. Darcy's malevolence. I am sorry, Aunt, but I cannot find fault with the other gentleman."

"Yet, you experience no difficulty amassing blame upon Mr. Darcy, who is to be your spouse?" Her aunt shook her head in a disapproving manner. "I believe I cannot sanction your willingness to favor Mr. Wickham at the expense of your fiance. Mr. Darcy deserves much more from you, I should think."

"I do not favor Mr. Wickham, but I cannot easily overlook the injustice he has suffered at Mr. Darcy's hands. Moreover, he has been steadfastly arrogant in the presence of everyone here in Hertfordshire."

"You must learn to overlook it, Elizabeth. Your future happiness depends upon it. Mr. Wickham and his misfortunes must be forgotten and you must come to see your future husband in a more forgiving manner."

"Aunt, I shall have no trouble forgetting Mr. Wickham. Trust me on that score. And I promise you - I shall struggle daily to detect goodness in Mr. Darcy, for your sake alone." Elizabeth smiled thinly.

"Do it for your own sake, Elizabeth, and I shall be all the more happy."

The sound of a carriage arriving alerted the ladies to the fact that the Netherfield party had arrived. Miss Bingley's muffled cries outside Longbourn as she lamented her creased coat and dress were detectable to both Elizabeth and her aunt although they were well within the confines of the small Longbourn hothouse. The ladies looked to one another and smiled companionably.

"Shall I introduce you to the esteemed personages from Netherfield now, Aunt? Although, I would not blame you if you would rather bolt away hurriedly."

Mrs. Gardiner laughed delicately. "Not at all. I look forward to knowing them. Let me look at you, Elizabeth." She turned Elizabeth toward her so she was facing her. She used her cloth to gently wipe away any trace of tears on Elizabeth's face. "There now! I defy anyone to note you have been crying. After all, we cannot allow your fianc頴o think your aunt's presence has reduced you to tears. He may never permit you to see me again once you are in London and I look forward to many visits from you."

Elizabeth sighed in relief. She had been right - her aunt's presence had done much to make her situation appear less wearisome and bleak. "Take care, Aunt," Elizabeth responded cheekily, linking arms with her. "When I am in London, I am certain to plague you mercilessly and then you will be sorry you wished for my presence in the first place."

~ * ~

By the time Elizabeth and her aunt arrived in the sitting room, the Netherfield party had been welcomed and were already scattered in various locations throughout the small room. The gentlemen appeared to be chatting amicably in armchairs located near the fireplace, while Mrs. Bennet was seated on the loveseat, struggling to find any means of appeasing the already-bored ladies from Netherfield. Elizabeth scanned the room speedily and discovered that Mr. Hurst was customarily sitting alone, but he had no doubt arranged that his privacy afforded him easy access to the tea things that had been laid out just prior to his arrival.

After introducing her aunt to Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst briefly, Elizabeth gently led her aunt over to where the gentlemen were sitting. She appreciated her aunt's desire to make Mr. Darcy's acquaintance and sought to initiate the overture. When they reached their destination, the gentlemen immediately arose and bowed slightly in acknowledgement of their presence.

"Good afternoon. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, my aunt wishes to meet you both."

Not surprisingly, Mr. Bingley was the first to respond. He flashed an eager smile at both Elizabeth and her aunt. "It would be a pleasure."

"Aunt, allow me to introduce to you Mr. Bingley. He is the gentlemen currently leasing Netherfield. Mr. Bingley, this is my Aunt Gardiner who has just arrived from London." Mr. Bingley lost no time in expressing his pleasure over the introduction. Elizabeth waited patiently for their mutual delight to subside before turning towards Mr. Darcy.

"Mr. Darcy, this is Mrs. Madeline Gardiner, who is married to my Uncle Gardiner. I understand you recently met him while you were in London." Mr. Darcy's gaze shifted from Elizabeth to her aunt. She was pleased to detect a small smile forming upon his visage. "Aunt, this is Mr. Darcy of Pemberley, my future... husband." The word felt strange upon her tongue as she really had not yet allowed herself to think of him as such. She wondered if it would come easier for her now that she had uttered it. Husband.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, madam. I did indeed meet Mr. Gardiner while I was in London. He has just informed me that you originally hail from Lambton."

Warmth immediately sprang into her aunt's eyes upon hearing mention of her beloved childhood home. She laughed softly. "I do indeed, sir. As you know, that tiny village is situated quite near to Pemberley. Thus, I am familiar with your home as well. Do you miss Derbyshire as much as I do when you are away from it?"

"Certainly. Who could know of the beauties of the region and not miss it?"

Elizabeth watched this pleasant exchange in awe. Never before had she observed this easy mode of conversation coming from Mr. Darcy. She continued to behold the scene in silence while marveling at her aunt's capacity to turn even the most reluctant talker into an almost eloquent conversationalist.

"And is your family still at Pemberley?"

"My immediate family consists only of a sister. To answer your question, my sister was at Pemberley but, upon learning of my pending marriage, she has traveled to London with her companion, Mrs. Annesley. There, they will meet my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and then they will journey here together to attend the wedding."

"Delightful!" Mrs. Gardiner returned. "I shall look forward to making her acquaintance as well."

To suggest Elizabeth felt shock at the news that members of Mr. Darcy's family would be attending their wedding would be to do an injustice to the tumult she experienced upon learning of it. She had never imagined any of his relations would come to see them marry. In fact, he had suggested they would not be present before he departed for London. Elizabeth noted Mr. Darcy's observance of her and attempted to withhold her surprise from his critical gaze.

"Please excuse us, Mr. Darcy." Elizabeth paused while her aunt politely took her leave of the gentleman and then led her to a chaise in the area where the other ladies had gathered. She waited for her aunt to join their conversation, determined to privately mull over the news that Mr. Darcy had just imparted to her. However, Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley appeared intent to have her enter into their discourse.

"Miss Elizabeth, I neglected to offer my congratulations to you earlier on your forthcoming marriage. Please excuse me." The words from Mrs. Hurst were kind, yet her face held a wry, doubtful look.

"Of course you are quite right, Louisa. I am afraid I also have not yet extended to you my hope for a felicitous future for both you and Mr. Darcy." Miss Bingley's face did not wear a smile as she spoke and Elizabeth found herself slightly grateful she did not attempt to entirely disguise her true sentiments. "I presume you are quite excited about assuming your new position as Mr. Darcy's wife."

Although not being of a mind to continue this false exhibit of social niceties, Elizabeth nevertheless felt the need to respond. She summoned her resolve and steeled herself to brave the Bingley sisters' curiosity and personal criticism of her. She knew that she could do little to alter the low opinion they both had already formed of her, but she was determined to provide them with as little fuel as possible to sustain it.

"In fact, I am. I am quite anxious to take my place at Pemberley, a place you have both described so compellingly." She took a small degree of pleasure in the fact that she, thus far, had not equivocated.

"I imagine you are indeed excited! After all, who would not be willing to move onto something greater? Longbourn is... charming, of course, but you will soon find nothing will compare to the natural magnificence of Mr. Darcy's ancestral home."

Elizabeth was surprised to find she could feel no true umbrage at Miss Bingley's words and instead accepted them as truth. While she was certain she would forever regard Longbourn with the same affection as she did currently, she was not naﶥ enough to believe it could ever compare to the splendor of Mr. Darcy's estate.

Before she could respond to Miss Bingley, she sensed Mr. Darcy's appearance at her side. She looked up to him guardedly.

"Excuse me, Miss Bennet. Your father has graciously allowed me the use of his library for a few moments. Would you be so kind as to join me so we can further our plans for the journey to London?"

"Of course." Elizabeth was shocked yet again by Mr. Darcy. That he would request a private audience with her was quite incredible. She turned to the ladies politely. "Excuse me, please."

Mr. Darcy allowed her to lead him to the small library, but he proceeded to leave the door ajar for propriety's sake once they were ensconced within. Walking past her, he stopped before Mr. Bennet's collection of poetry and began examining them.

"Is there something you wish to discuss with me, sir?"

"No. Nothing in particular." He bent down to monitor the texts more closely. "I observed your discussion with Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley, and even from a distance, I could tell it was not a wholly satisfying experience. I imagined you required a way out of it, so I devised this plan to assist you. I hope you are not angry at my presumption."

"I am not angry, but I am surprised. I had not noticed you observing us." She could not deny her astonishment to him. That he would deliberately attempt to remove her from a situation that was unpleasant, she would never have considered possible in the past. Of course, that may be because he was always before the primary reason for my discomfiture whenever he was present.

"I was actually surveying the room when I noticed you."

"I see." Elizabeth looked away, feeling suddenly foolish for suggesting he would be looking at her in particular. "Tell me, Mr. Darcy, why did you not inform me your relations would be attending the wedding when you last called upon us?"

He made his way over to an armchair and sat down. "I am afraid it quite escaped my notice once we began discussing other matters that were not germane to it."

Wanting desperately to avoid another argument between them, she chose not to encourage his anger regarding finding Mr. Wickham at Longbourn when he returned from Town.

"In spite of that, there were opportunities for you to mention it later - at dinner perhaps. I would have liked to have known and not merely learned of it by means of a conversation you had with my aunt." Elizabeth did not mean to appear resentful, yet she had previously been denied the opportunity to privately consider the news of his relations' imminent coming. Regardless of their troubled relationship, she felt the sting of his intentional attempt to keep their arrival from her.

For the first time since they had entered the library, Mr. Darcy turned to behold her. "Really? Actually, I did not imagine you minded one way or another."

"Mr. Darcy, please! It is not altogether unusual to wonder about one's wedding guests. It really is not so bizarre a concept." Slowly, as it always did whenever they were together, Elizabeth's ire began to rise.

"No. It is not a bizarre concept at all. Nevertheless, you have barely had two words to say to me since this incident has arisen that have not been laced with anger or resentment." Elizabeth looked away from him quickly. "You will pardon me then, for misjudging the level of your interest by considering it in the most negative vein."

It was pointless. They were absolutely unable to remain together without further acrimony arising between them.

"Mr. Darcy, I believe I can securely return to the sitting room at this point. Thank you once again for providing me with an escape from your friend's sisters, but I imagine I am quite safe now." Elizabeth crossed the short distance to the door of the library.

"Miss Bennet, please wait." Mr. Darcy stood and walked toward her. "Now that you are here and we are in private, I should like to relay to you some critical information, after all. I do not imagine there will be time for us to gather privately in the coming days."

"Sir?"

He placed a hand upon her elbow and ushered her toward a chair. Once she was seated, he took the chair opposite her. "Madam, we have not had the opportunity to discuss our marriage in private. You are far too wise, I think, not to ascertain that our lives will change permanently following our union."

"My life has already changed, Mr. Darcy."

"And so has my own. Yet, there are certain expectations... for both you and I, which we will need to meet if we desire to keep prying eyes from questioning the integrity of our marriage."

"What are you suggesting, sir? I am afraid I do not understand you."

"Surely, you appreciate that a man in my position unfortunately is often a target of public interest. You may expect the same attention once you are my wife." Elizabeth looked at him questioningly as he regarded her with unmasked frustration. "Miss Bennet, it would not do for anyone to speculate on the nature of our marriage. It would do neither of us credit."

"Mr. Darcy, do you imagine that I will air our private grievances in public?" She was stunned that he would believe she would willingly subject them to open ridicule.

"I am merely suggesting that we must appear to others very much united and not rouse any further speculation. Madam, please understand my family will not stand for any degradation of our reputation. I join them in this. We must, at all costs, not cause shame to come to my family."

"And my family, Mr. Darcy? Does my family's good name not deserve the same consideration? Is that not why I am required to marry you in the first place?"

Mr. Darcy sank back against the cushions of the chair. "Of course. If we maintain the semblance of a respectable union, both of our families will not suffer."

"Pardon me, but does that mean that in private we can argue as much as we see fit?"

"Miss Bennet, I would hope that once we are married, our arguments would be kept to a minimum. I assure you, I do not intend to provoke your choler - either publicly or while we are alone."

"Come now, Mr. Darcy. Do you suppose for a minute two contrasting characters such as our own can ever live harmoniously?" She watched in secret pleasure as he shifted slightly in his seat. She was satisfied that she had managed to assume control of a conversation that had previously rendered her powerless. "Earlier, you called me wise and now I find myself in a position to return the compliment. You, sir, are far too wise to expect a congenial equanimity to be a natural consequence of our wedded state."

Mr. Darcy rose from his seat and stood before her. "Madam, I am merely attempting to clarify for you the need for us to keep up appearances and not allow our private quarrels to enter the public realm." He paused briefly, waiting for her to respond.

She rose and faced him as a means of signalling to him she was not in any way unsettled by him. "Thank you for the warning, sir. But, truly, it was not necessary. I will be ever the dutiful wife in company of your friends and family, but please do not attempt to instruct me while we are in private. You would do well to remember that I do not take kindly to orders and commands, sir."

Elizabeth walked to the door of the library and, this time, Mr. Darcy did not attempt to stop her.

When he rejoined the company in the sitting room, Elizabeth purposely avoided meeting his gaze although she regularly sensed his pointed stare turned in her direction. Throughout the evening, whenever attention was called to them or to their wedding, she made every attempt to ignore it or casually amended the conversation.

Nonetheless, it was now a mere three days before their wedding - a fact neither Elizabeth nor Mr. Darcy could ignore.

~ * ~

As she settled in to sleep on the eve of her wedding, Elizabeth wondered at how quickly the last few days had passed. She had anticipated this period would appear interminable - and in many ways she had been correct... yet, in retrospect, it now all seemed a hopeless whirlwind of activity and preoccupation.

Over the past three days she had spent very little time with Mr. Darcy. Although he had visited Longbourn daily, the bustle that pervaded the house did not allow them to meet privately or to sustain any meaningful conversations. Any dialogue they had shared was based on rudimentary arrangements regarding the wedding and had been in the presence of others.

Yesterday, his cousin and sister had accompanied him and Elizabeth was pleased to make their acquaintance. Colonel Fitzwilliam was everything delightful and Elizabeth was well inclined to like him immediately. He made several deliberate attempts to engage her in conversation and soon they struck up an easy acquaintance. Mr. Darcy's sister, Georgiana, had been rather more difficult for Elizabeth to read initially. Miss Darcy was clearly overwhelmed by the vibrancy of the Bennet household, which had been rendered even more boisterous by the coming wedding. In spite of her hesitation, Elizabeth was able to finally discern that Georgiana's indecision and her apparent reluctance to join in conversation stemmed from her unremitting timidity. Accordingly, in an attempt to relieve her future sister's anxiety, Elizabeth suggested that Georgiana accompany her to her bedchamber as the servants began to load her belongings onto the Darcy carriage. Once they were alone, Miss Darcy was by no means overly loquacious, but she made an effort to describe what Elizabeth might expect from their London townhouse and at Pemberley. Try as she might, she was not able to detect any of the proud vanity Mr. Wickham had charged her with. She was pleased to learn that Georgiana's shyness was perhaps an obstacle that she could overcome as they grew to know one another better.

The engagement gathering Mrs. Bennet had hosted that evening had been well attended. Far from intimate, as Mr. Darcy had suggested, it drew virtually all of Meryton. The regiment had come as well, but Mr. Wickham had opted to remain conspicuously absent. Elizabeth found herself the object of much attention and she smiled and charmed her way through the evening. Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, provoked even more curiosity than did his future wife, but he remained rather aloof and, accordingly, the majority of their guests had kept their distance. Still, he had made an attempt to be more open than was his custom and she was not unaware of the unpleasantness that must have caused him. Elizabeth watched secretly as he spoke to Sir William and braved Mrs. Kane's wry congratulations with an expression that revealed nothing of the contempt he held for her. However, the remainder of the evening he spent with his relations.

There had been one time, however, while Elizabeth was talking to Lady Lucas that she noticed his unexpected presence at her side. When she looked up to him, she was surprised to see his mouth held a slight smile and that he appeared to be attempting to follow their conversation. After Lady Lucas departed from them and moved to speak to another neighbour, he remained next to her - unsmiling - for a few moments before he left to join the rest of the Netherfield party. Elizabeth was tempted to follow him and imitate his recent behaviour, but she resisted the impulse to do so and moved instead towards her mother who was speaking to Charlotte.

Now in her bedroom and feeling suddenly warm, Elizabeth kicked off her bed sheets and rolled over onto her back. Her wedding was tomorrow and yet she was no closer to feeling any degree of ease over this transition in her life. She sat up and attempted to study her bedchamber in spite of the pervading darkness. She noted her dressing table was now bereft of the mounds of the combs, pins and brushes that were generally heaped upon it. She knew the only remaining items on the table were the things Sarah would need to fix her hair tomorrow. Her closet was shut, but she knew the clothes that had hung there previously had been taken to Mr. Darcy's home in London. She fell back against her pillows in distress: could any other bedchamber - regardless of how grand it was - ever lead her to the sense of security and comfort this one inspired in her? She very much doubted it.

She was not of a mind to sleep in spite of her mother's explicit hints that she would need her rest for the day - and night - which followed this one. She had been tempted to laugh out loud as her mother had furtively suggested she and Mr. Darcy would share a bed together on the night of their wedding. Once again, her mother's inadequate powers of perception had stunned her. Thankfully, Mr. Darcy had been well out of earshot and, thus, had not overheard her mother during this conversation. He would have no doubt mocked Mrs. Bennet mercilessly later if he had.

Suddenly, Elizabeth observed her wedding dress hanging on one of the wall hooks. She could not make it out clearly in the moonlight, yet she felt a shiver of pleasure overcome her at the fact that she had held fast to her decision to select the gown she wanted to wear for her wedding. She knew it was beautiful in its simplicity and that it did much for her figure. The relief she felt at having had the opportunity to control what she wore to her wedding in no way delighted her to the extent it would have if she had been able to have some influence in who she was marrying. Still, she had exercised some power and, thus, could not be absolutely displeased.

She tried desperately to rid her mind of these annoying thoughts and resolved to lie still and rest. The next day would be progressively more insufferable if she met it feeling weary and agitated. She shut her eyes tightly and forced herself to consider anything other than what awaited her in the future.

Chapter Twelve

To Mr. Darcy, the Longbourn chapel seemed entirely too full.

He understood that his engagement had created an uproar in Hertfordshire, but he could not credit that quite so many curious onlookers would attend to watch as he and Miss Elizabeth Bennet were joined in matrimony. He groaned. They had come to witness the spectacle and no doubt his boastful future mother-in-law had encouraged their participation in it.

Mr. Darcy adjusted his new waistcoat uncomfortably. While he had been in London, his cousin, Fitzwilliam, had accompanied him to his tailor's where he had been fitted for his wedding clothes. In the past, he had always been a man who prided himself on looking well and generally found he quite enjoyed selecting new garments. Yet, on that particular occasion, he was inundated by such profound unease he had not much benefited from the experience. When the tailor suggested he wear a white pique waistcoat with a blue, double breasted coat and matching trousers to his wedding, Mr. Darcy had agreed with him readily, desperate to be away from the tailor's shop.

Now, as he waited for the arrival of his soon-to-be bride, he realized how improvident his former perpetual angst concerning the wedding had been. As soon as he learned of the manner in which the scandal regarding he and Elizabeth was disseminated, he had known he would end up here - in a chapel awaiting her arrival. Darcy had tried to fight against it, railing against the possibility. He had spent countless hours praying that there could have been some other means rather than to marry this woman who gallingly intrigued him and yet regarded him with such a flagrant hostility. In the end, all his worries had been senseless. He himself had sealed his own destiny when he deliberately threw prudence aside and pursued Elizabeth into the wooded area just over a fortnight ago.

A sudden bustle called his attention to the back of the church. Through the now open doors, he noticed the carriage had arrived and that Mr. Bennet was tentatively stepping outside of it.

The time had come. The ceremony was to begin.

He braved one last glance in the direction of his sister who smiled at him in anticipation and turned to face the altar. He said one last silent prayer asking for the fortitude he knew he would need.

~ * ~

The very first thing Elizabeth noticed upon entering the chapel that morning was the myriad of ladies' hats that were peppered throughout the crowded pews.

Everywhere, there seemed to be headdresses bedecked with lace, dried flowers or feathers. For a moment, the striking array of coloured hats captivated Elizabeth, and she lost herself in the vibrancy of the image they presented. Then, her father's arm taking her elbow transported her back to the moment. She noticed her neighbours and friends anxiously peering at her with impatience. She saw Jane turn to her slowly and smile hopefully before she began her walk slowly down the aisle to a beaming Mr. Bingley and then, inevitably, she saw Mr. Darcy's back.

He was facing the altar.

Mr. Bennet looked at his daughter cautiously and tilted his head forward to suggest she best begin walking. Almost as if it were happening to someone else, Elizabeth felt her feet propel her forward and she began the walk toward her groom. Mr. Darcy remained with his back turned away until she reached half way down the aisle. At that point, he looked over his shoulder and caught her eye. His look told her nothing of the apprehension he felt that morning - all she read in his eye was a disinclination of what was soon to come.

Upon reaching the altar, Elizabeth felt her father release her arm and indicate to her that she should move closer to her fiancé. She managed to do this without meeting Mr. Darcy's gaze. In her heart, she believed time would stop then and was therefore surprised to hear Reverend White begin to speak. Even now, she could not fathom how she and Mr. Darcy had agreed to let their predicament come to that moment.

"...and the first miracle that He wrought, in Cana of Galilee; and is commended of St. Paul to be honourable among all men: and therefore is not by any to be enterprised, nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, to satisfy men's carnal lusts and appetites, like brute beasts that have no understanding; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly and in the fear of God..."*

Elizabeth sensed Mr. Darcy's posture stiffen. She knew him well enough to discern that he was affected by the Minister's words regarding the solemnity of marriage. She briefly wondered if he was feeling guilty, marrying her only because he must and not for the reasons "for which Marriage was ordained." She herself felt virtually awash with remorse.

She speculated if the people witnessing the marriage ceremony were surreptitiously contemplating what a profane picture they presented. Rather than two people who were preparing to pledge their devotion before God, here were two people who had no love for one another whatsoever and were marrying simply to protect their good names. Elizabeth would have dearly loved to turn around and weigh their reactions, but, alas, she could not do so without it appearing peculiar. The image which sprang in her head of the Reverend being forced to abruptly halt the ceremony as she turned to scrutinize the congregation, caused her to stifle a barely-audible giggle. Mr. Darcy heard the mirth escape her lips and subtly turned to her with raised eyebrows. At the sight of his quizzical expression, Elizabeth's smile vanished. He inhaled noticeably before turning his attention back to the ceremony.

Suddenly - altogether too soon it seemed - it was time to cite the wedding vows. Elizabeth sensed the anticipation in the audience and in Mr. Darcy, who appeared to be impatiently tugging at his waistcoat. The Minister instructed them to face one another. Once again, Elizabeth felt herself move instinctively.

"Fitzwilliam Darcy, wilt thou have this Woman to thy wedded Wife, to live together after God's holy ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?"

Mr. Darcy turned to Elizabeth and responded with an even, "I will."

Reverend White then turned to Elizabeth and graced her with a benevolent smile.

"Elizabeth Anne Bennet, wilt thou have this Man to thy wedded Husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?"

For a fleeting moment, Elizabeth was tempted to simply not reply. She allowed herself the brief moment it took to envision Mr. Darcy's chagrin if she gave into the impulse. She could not deny that the very notion of not agreeing to accept him as her husband provided her with a modicum of pleasure. Yet, even as she was picturing his reaction, she sensed Georgiana's inquiring gaze upon her. When she looked over to her quickly, Elizabeth saw she was awaiting her reply edgily. She wondered just how much she knew of the shameful circumstances that had led them to this sudden marriage.

"I do," she managed weakly. She looked away, refusing to meet Mr. Darcy's piercing stare.

Surprisingly, the pledges to honour and cherish one another which followed were relatively easy for them both. Mr. Darcy's oath was given in a deep timbre that revealed no emotion, but she noticed he blinked more often than was his wont as he repeated the words Reverend White provided for him. On the other hand, Elizabeth had expected her voice to catch several times as she uttered her vows, yet her tone remained remarkably steady throughout. When they were over, each of them regarded one another with something akin to fascination.

When the time came for Mr. Darcy to place a ring upon her finger, Elizabeth experienced a momentary panic. He had never mentioned procuring a wedding band for her. Surely, he had not done so while he was in London tending to the many other matters regarding their marriage. He had forgotten and, thus, their marriage would be exposed for the artificial sham that it was. She cast her eyes down to her satin slippers, hoping the minister would interpret this as a sign that they were not in possession of the necessary wedding band. Elizabeth vaguely recalled reading of a time when a church key had been used in lieu of a wedding ring and thought she would die of mortification if she were faced with that alternative.**

Thus, when she noticed Mr. Bingley stepping forward to give him a ring, she was truly astonished. She watched as Mr. Darcy placed the band upon the Bible and then waited for Reverend White to return the ring to him and instruct him to place it on the fourth finger of her left hand. She was further taken aback by Mr. Darcy's passing smile as he placed it on her finger.

No doubt he is enjoying my unmistakable surprise! He deliberately chose not to inform me of the fact that he had procured a ring merely to delight in my evident distress. Clearly, the audacity of this man knows no bounds!

She instantly knew she was thinking vengefully and attempted to circumvent her temper and attend to the rest of the ceremony with due diligence. When Reverend White joined their hands, and later pronounced them Man and Wife before the congregation, Elizabeth felt Mr. Darcy's intense gaze and met his look with an indifference she did not feel. In response, he gently released his hold of her hands, but his eyes looked as if they burned.

The remainder of the ceremony left a vague impression on Elizabeth. She certainly heard the reverend's blessings and his feeling recital of the Beati Omnes Psalm 128. When the time came to recite the Lord's Prayer, she did so unthinkingly. In spite of the haze that seemed to saturate the church, Elizabeth overheard the words of St. Paul instructing husbands to love and treasure their wives as they did themselves and to mysteriously become one flesh with them. She also listened to the minister speak of the blessed apostle's belief that wives should faithfully revere their husbands. Self-consciously, the bride and the groom averted meeting one another's eyes during this portion of the ceremony.

As they later wrote their names in the vestry, Elizabeth felt not a little sad as she signed her given name for the last time. They did not look at each other again until after Reverend White announced the ceremony was over and then the gazes they directed toward the other were laden with a mixture of resignation and uncertainty.

"You may now make your way outside, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy." The curate's voice was kind, but Elizabeth could not help but startle at the appellation. Mrs. Darcy, indeed. She did not know if she should laugh hysterically or weep miserably.

"Thank you, Reverend." Mr. Darcy responded benignly, extending his elbow for Elizabeth to take. She felt herself mindlessly place her hand in the crook of his arm and once again was propelled to move.

~ * ~

As he marched up the aisle, a curious serenity settled over Mr. Darcy. It was over - he was now married and, in the end, he felt rather proud of his ability to withstand the ordeal. As they walked up the aisle, he noticed Elizabeth nodding and smiling graciously to her friends and neighbours. He appreciated the tremendous effort it took to appear as if she were a real blushing bride. Almost instinctively, he slightly shifted the position of his arm over her hand and watched her; with a small sigh she was brought back to face their true circumstances.

Outside in the open air, Mr. Darcy looked at Elizabeth casually.

"And so - it is done." His voice was wooden even to his own ears.

"Yes." She responded to him in a tone that was just as stilted as his own.

Almost instantly, they were besieged by well wishers who crowded them and loudly proclaimed their congratulations exuberantly.

Hastily, he ushered Elizabeth into the fashionable Landau carriage*** that awaited them. The hoods were extended to cover them, yet he lost no time grasping the woollen blanket on the opposite seat and instructing her to cover her legs if she felt chilled. He spotted Elizabeth admiring the fine equipage with a wonder she was not entirely successful in hiding from his watchful eyes. Judging from the shocked expressions upon the faces of their wedding guests, she was not alone in her wonderment. He allowed himself to be pleased that he had thought to ride in it for this momentous occasion after all.

The short ride to Longbourn for the wedding breakfast was a silent one as well. He did not speak and instead spent his time taking in the passing scenery. Elizabeth, meanwhile, sat ramrod straight upon her seat, as though she were rendered mute by the enormity of what had just happened to her.

Invariably, his mind wandered to the wedding ceremony. Surprisingly, in the end, it had all been so...unremarkable. The events were nothing to the monumental proportions they had assumed when he allowed himself to imagine what the service would be like. He knew that neither of them would have chosen to marry one another given all that had transpired between them, but as a man of pride who always sought elusive perfection, he really could not ask for more from either he or Elizabeth. Of course, he had noticed the varying emotions which at times seemed to threaten Elizabeth's composure during the ceremony - mirth at one point, then resignation and then a feigned pleasure at the end - yet he really could not blame her. He may have been better at concealing his torment, but he was certainly nowhere near immune to the entire incident himself.

When they reached the Bennet residence, they waited while the driver opened the door to the carriage and allowed Mr. Darcy to descend first. Once he was well out of the carriage, he turned to Elizabeth somewhat rigidly and extended his hand. His recalcitrant bride hesitated slightly, and he believed she was meditating upon whether she should attempt to alight from the carriage without his help. In the end, she cautiously took hold of his hand and proceeded to dismount.

Mr. Darcy followed Elizabeth into Longbourn with a hesitation he could not conceal. He remained conspicuously behind her and appeared to be quite unable to move beyond the sanctity of the space afforded to him once the doors shut behind him. He saw Elizabeth watch mindfully as she beheld the servants bustle in and out of the dining room with trays laden with all of the delicacies Mrs. Bennett had no doubt insisted bestowing upon her guests. He knew enough of his new mother-in-law to realize she meant to impress the local populace with this wedding breakfast. He wondered how he would withstand the torment of being forced to watch all of Hertfordshire fawn over this celebration. Surely, to do so was beyond his level of tolerance.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth made an effort to move cautiously towards the flurry of activity. However, as she reached the entrance, she seemed to notice Mr. Darcy was still not following her lead. Her face conveyed clear vexation.

"Mr. Darcy, you may join me, you know. In fact, you are quite safe for the time being. Our guests have yet to arrive."

He startled upon hearing her address him. "Pardon me. I am afraid I was lost in my own thoughts. Of course, I intend to join you."

"Then you were wool gathering