Page 45 of Wickham Likes 'Em Young
She hoped many things. She hoped that her sister would not need to fill that bowl she carried. The wheels hit a rock, and the carriage jounced, and Elizabeth hoped even more that the bowl would remain clean and unused.
They did not go to the Meryton church, but instead rode to the church in Hertford. Lydia and Kitty looked thoroughly unnerved when their mother said, “Now we will see your eldest sister marry.”
“Today is Jane’s wedding?” Kitty asked.
“I am to wearthisordinary dress to my sister’s wedding?” Lydia demanded.
“My goodness,” Mary said. She looked at Elizabeth and then narrowed her eyes. Elizabeth could almost imagine the words “you knew!” forming in her mind, and she gave her perceptive sister a tiny nod .
The Gouldings looked so serious that the occasion could have been a funeral, and the only flowers to be seen was a tiny clump of asters that the parson’s wife handed Jane. The two families took their seats, Mr Bennet walked Jane down the aisle, and it was not long before the vows had been exchanged, Jane’s fingerboasted a new golden ring, and the (somewhat) happy couple signed the register.
Everyone gathered around Mr William Goulding’s brand new carriage. It was a bit smaller than the Bennet’s carriage and was pulled by just two horses. “It is so handsome, Mr Goulding,” Mrs Bennet gushed, apparently content again because Jane was actually married.
“Thank you. I will be saving for a larger carriage, as my family grows,” the groom said, grinning at his wife. Jane smiled and blushed prettily. “As heir to my father’s estate, I will have the ability to purchase several carriages for various uses.”
The bride and groom informed their families that they were off to London. Jane said, “We love you all. Thank you for coming to our wedding.”
The Bennets gathered around to hug Jane, while William moved towards the Bennet carriage to order the transfer of Jane’s luggage to his carriage.
“Why did you decide to have such a rushed wedding, Jane?” Lydia asked.
Elizabeth said, “Hush,” at the same time that Mary and Mrs Bennet said it.
But Jane just smiled as if she were the happiest bride in all the world (or the known cosmos, Elizabeth told herself with a smile), and she said, “It is simple enough, Lydia. I am the eldest, and I felt that I had the right to marry before any other Bennet daughters, even if Lizzy became engaged before I did.”
That made no sense, Elizabeth thought, but apparently it made total sense to Lydia. She said, “Oh, of course.”
Hugs and kisses were given and received, and wishes were expressed. The hubbub finally ceased when Mr Goulding very grandly handed his wife into the carriage, climbed in himself, and tapped the roof with his walking stick. The Bennets waved and then quietly returned home.
Before anyone even reached the front door of the house, Mary cajoled Elizabeth into coming into the gardens. “I have to show you something,” Mary said.
“Is it kittens?” Lydia asked.
“Is it a present?” Kitty suggested.
“No, I believe it is a weed that we should pull, but then I worried that maybe it was something deliberately planted. Do you want to take a look, as well? Come on to the back garden, if you please.”
“La! I do not wish to see a weed.” Lydia scoffed and walked into the house.
Kitty looked uncertainly from her two sisters to the house, but then she shook her head a bit and ran after Lydia.
Mary and Elizabeth ended up on Oakham Mount before Mary felt safe enough to ask, “What is going on? I refuse to believe that everything is well if Mama is giving up putting on a wedding breakfast for her ‘dear Jane.’”
“Tell no one?” Elizabeth asked.
“Of course I will not.”
“I am not positive that Jane is with child, but her symptoms resemble the ones women who are with child endure.”
“Oh!” Mary said. “That is devastating.”
“It explains why Mama was suddenly downcast despite two daughters engaged, and why we never heard any happy talk about scheduling Jane’s wedding. I wonder….”
“Do you wonder if Papa sent over a letter demanding that Mr Goulding should marry her immediately, to make it less obvious, later, if the child comes too early to be believed?”
Elizabeth laughed. “That is quite close to what I was wondering, Mary. You are always one to be adding accomplishments to your list; I suppose you will now have to add ‘mind reader.’”
“Well, now we can enjoy the more sedate approach of your wedding, Lizzy.”
