Page 52 of Wickham Likes 'Em Young
She whispered back, “She said that I entrance men, and that the moment I walk into a room, all the women will hate me because all the men will be…I actually cannot remember exactly what she said, but it made me feel awful if…men…. Oh! I cannot discuss this, not in a whisper in a carriage.”
“At Longbourn, then,” he breathed.
Having stepped down from the carriage, the two of them stood within sight of the house, but not within earshot of anyone. Darcy said, “I imagine that you have seen how men look at you. Have you not?”
“I have seen how you look at me, and I love it. But I love it because I love you. I remember feeling uncomfortable with Mr Wickham, and the way he looked at me, but I hope other men do not look at me like either you or Mr Wickham. Do they?”
“My love, I hope my eyes on you do not feel comparable to Mr Wickham’s.”
“No, not at all.”
“Good. I would say that you are one of the most beautiful women that most men have ever seen or will ever see, and thatvarious men look at you in quite different ways, but all of them register your beauty.”
“You said something like this before, but I thought you were just trying to make me feel better, because you love me.”
“I was serious, of course. I am certain you recognise that now. But I do not wish you to think that all men, of all stations and ages and relationships to you, are thinking as I am thinking, because of course they are not. But I am certain that all men who can see at all do see your outer beauty. And those who know you also see your inner beauty.”
“And what is it you are thinking?”
“Frankly, that I cannot wait for the day when we finally, blessedly marry.”
CHAPTER 22
5 December 1811
It was not long before the day that Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet were able to finally, blessedly marry.
Everyone who lived nearby attended the wedding at Meryton’s little church. It is not as if teeming hordes of people were invited to the wedding itself, because that would be incrediblygauche. But all the friends and neighbours were invited to the wedding breakfast, and it was not much of a challenge to figure out approximately when and exactly where the wedding would take place.
Still, Darcy and Elizabeth had eyes only for one another. His cousin Richard stood up with him, and Mary stood up with Elizabeth; her father walked her down the aisle, and his sister kissed his cheek as the two walked up the aisle, less than an hour later, to sign the register.
The wedding breakfast was pronouncedun succès fou.The food was varied, plentiful, and quite delicious. The greenery was fresh and aromatic, and more than one hundred ribbon roses perked up the holly and evergreen boughs. The cake was massive, three huge tiers, with plenty of good brandy taste and realistic-looking marzipan flowers and fruits decorating the bright-white icing.
The countess was quite impressed that the wife of a country squire could orchestrate such an enjoyable event, and the fact that she was not even raised as a gentlewoman made her success even more impressive.
Elizabeth considered it a very good thing that her mother was entirely cowed by hosting an earl and countess at the wedding breakfast. She actedalmostas properly as Elizabeth would have wished.
Darcy was courteous in all his expressions of gratitude. “Thank you for being here, Mr Long.” “Thank you for bringing such an excellent bottle of wine, Sir William.” “Thank you, Mother Bennet, for all of your hard work. I think that the people of Meryton and its environs will be praising your party for a very long time.”
Elizabeth had tears in her eyes as she said many of the goodbyes; she gave fervent hugs to her family, including the Gardiners, knowing it would be months before she saw them again. She also gave grateful hugs to Aunt Helen and Uncle Henry, and their family, even though she would see them soon. She knew that many people would not be so welcoming to a “country upstart,” and they had been entirely positive in every way. She had an especially warm hug for Georgiana.
Still, despite all the love and affection she had for the people clustered about, eating and drinking and chatting, Elizabeth was looking forward to leaving with Darcy. With actually beginning her marriage and her married life.
Darcy did not complain one bit as they rolled away towards London, giving a few final waves to their guests.
“Elizabeth, are you well?”
She laughed. “You ask me that with some frequency, husband. I hope I do not consistently look ill.”
“You know that you do not. Not only have I told you several times that you look exceptionally beautiful, you do own a glass and have seen for yourself just how…entrancingyou are.”
“Oh, dear, just as I forgot about that word, you have to remind me of it! It is too bad of you!”
“Well, I certainly have been entranced all day, dearest. Let us see if we can think of something we can do during our long ride.”
Three and a half hours later, the number of hairpins scattered over the carriage alone would hint that the newlyweds had, indeed, found something to do.
Elizabeth gazed up and up—and up!—at Darcy House. It was huge! And certainly Pemberley would be far larger still.
