Alias Thomas Bennet (42 page)

“Perhaps we have been afraid of a consequence that might never occur.”

“I had not thought of it that way.” She pursed her lips. “But the disclosure would change our lives. There would be no going back.”

“We do not necessarily have to broadcast our secret. If we left circumstances as they are, in time, we may decide to take a chance on my visiting Pemberley, keeping to a closed carriage as I did in Town.”

“The idea of never being able to travel to Derbyshire with me to see Lizzy and Darcy is something you might clearly regret,” Mrs. Bennet conceded.

“My situation has influenced Bingley to consider taking Netherfield rather than take Jane to live at Shelton Manor. You know they would have a better future there but would deny it in concern for my situation. If they were to move to Derbyshire, my remaining at Longbourn would deny us their company more than once or twice a year, and I loathe sending you and the younger girls to such a far county alone.”

She sighed. “All of the worries we have had in the past could still be a threat to our girls’ futures.”

He nodded. “Even though I have argued otherwise, I have thought on more than one occasion that all might be forgotten before it had any negative repercussions on our family.”

“Then maybe Darcy is right, and we should allow fate to take its turn rather than continue to conceal your identity as Lord Shelton.”

“Is it what you want, Fan?”

“No,” she said without hesitation.

The statement did not require an answer.

Bennet was relieved. Perhaps in time, perhaps when all the girls were married, they might relax their circumspect ways. But as much as it was tempting, he had become complacent in his life at Longbourn and did not want to change it for the demands that would constitute the life of a peer of the realm. Ironically, twenty years before, he had been equally satisfied with his life until forced to alter it dramatically.

Chapter 27:
A double wedding takes place.

June 1812
Longbourn, Hertfordshire

Thomas Bennet excused himself from the busy goings-on in his home and seated himself in the garden. He sat with steepled fingers and a contemplative expression as he reflected on his life on the day he was to give up his two eldest daughters to two very deserving young men.

What would my life have been had I never fled England in shame and met my twin on that boat to Bermuda? What would Fanny’s life have been?
He shuddered to think of it.

Without Fanny, he would not have the additional three daughters he so treasured: Mary, the studious one; Kitty, the creative one; and Lydia, the exuberant one. Each had numerous special qualities that set her apart from her sisters. Without Fanny, he would not have such a sweet, gentle and caring woman by his side through both difficult and blissful times. He would not have the memories of the way her face looked in the morning when she was just waking, or the sound of her laugh, or her sparkling enjoyment of helping the girls to trim dresses and bonnets, or the private, passionate looks he could cherish as simply his alone.

Jane and Elizabeth would know that kind of love. They were to be married this day to men who truly loved them and with whom they were well matched in temperament and values. However, he knew that, even with such fortunate futures, he would still miss them dreadfully. He had been important to them, and they were priceless to him. Although he regretted their leaving, he had known this day would eventually come, when their lives would be changed and they would make their own families.

“What is it that has you so pensive?” Fanny asked, interrupting his thoughts. He smiled at her, glad that she had approached and offered a welcome reprieve from his ruminations.

“I was thinking of how much I love you and how lucky we have been in our lives. I am also sad to give up my daughters, even if the matches are good.”

“They are respectable and illustrious men, good men who love them without hesitation and who are willing to protect and honour them and be the best of husbands.”

“But I shall miss them. Pemberley and Shelton are a long way to travel. I will have to hope that Darcy and Bingley will bring them here a few times a year.”

“You will still have three at home.”

“If I have read correctly the way Henry Lucas looks upon our Mary, it will not be for long.”

“He will not offer for her until he is established and can support a family. You have time still.”

“I suppose Lydia will be concern enough to make up for two gone.” Bennet sighed.

“That she will. Just think of the excitement we will have in learning how to curb her impulsiveness!”

“Indeed.”

“She gets it from you, you know.”

“How so? I pride myself on my ability to think things through before acting.”

“You did not hesitate when you decided to become Thomas Bennet and marry me. You may be calm and collected now, but I cherish the day that you agreed to take me into your care when my cousin died. You gave me Jane and Lizzy that day. I was in love with them immediately.” Fanny smiled.

“And with me much later.”

“We needed time to grow into our love. Not all in life is so impulsive!” she said archly, and they shared a smile.

***

Although Catherine Bennet had been the first dressed, the mother of the bride was the first to appear. Mr. Bennet looked upon her with awe as she descended the stairs, and he placed a worshipping kiss on her hand when she came to his side.

Her still-blonde hair was twisted into a sophisticated knot atop her head. A bronze-gold turban, dressed with a short plume of curled ostrich feathers dyed gold, was wrapped about her hairline, with several carefully placed, dishevelled-looking curls peeking out in front.

Her gown spoke of an elegant married woman who still retained much of the beauty of her youth. It was a cream-coloured, satin gown with a bronze-gold robe atop. The robe had beautifully detailed, slashed sleeves with inlays in soft cream satin and flat lace along their length with rosettes inset into the sheer, bronze-gold bands about her arms. A tulip-shaped hemline with cream-coloured lace and gold stitching enhanced the overdress.

Long, cream-coloured gloves clung to her arms, and above were armlets of gold with nacre inlays. She wore gold jewellery: an intricately worked filigreed choker and matching ear-bobs with teardrop pearls suspended from the fine, golden threads. Fanny carried an ivory fan that her brother Gardiner had given her as a gift and had slippers of embroidered satin on her feet.

As expected in the Bennet family, the rest of the ladies were nearly late with Kitty’s last-minute fussing over the details of each sister’s appearance. She had chosen a strikingly simple gown of pale rose silk for herself. Her headdress was a bugle band that matched the border of her gown.

Mary and Lydia escaped much of her notice and were in the hall before the brides came down. The two girls were dressed in gowns of the latest colours, the former in white with marigold velvet and Vandyke lace accents, the latter in Grecian-styled fawn with a matching twisted fillet to tame her unruly hair. Mary stood with equanimity, wishing she had a book, and Lydia tried not to show her impatience by holding her hands demurely in front of her.

Finally, the remaining girls joined the party, and Bennet handed each into the carriage.

***

Darcy and Bingley had little forbearance as they stood at the altar. The wait seemed to be more than protracted, but finally Thomas Bennet appeared at the end of the aisle with the two eldest Bennet daughters, one on each arm. The gentlemen at the altar were oblivious to the father, as their eyes were each on one of the ladies approaching them.

Lady Jane Lydon looked beautiful in a white gauze gown over a white satin slip, trimmed in celestial blue velvet that complimented her eyes. The close-fitted sleeves had narrow, white satin piping along their length and a narrow, blue velvet ribbon around the arm. There were white velvet rosebuds and lace edging the neckline and delicate hand detailing in the tucks and folds of the tastefully abbreviated bodice. Pearls edged the shoulder bands. A wider velvet sash in celestial blue was tied at the high waist, and a bouquet of matching velvet roses was featured at one side. The overdress dropped behind her in a graceful demi-train and was trimmed along the edges with lace and accented with a row of pearls in undulating waves.

Her fair hair was dressed with delicate plaits woven through and about the base of a neat bun. She wore a fine tiara of pearls with a sprig of orange flowers, and Mechlin lace draped behind. Her necklace, ear-pendants, and bracelets were of pearl. White gloves and blue-trimmed, white satin slippers completed her elegant presentation. Bingley wore a blue, uncut-velvet suit to complement his future wife’s gown.

Darcy let out a sigh when he saw Lady Elizabeth Lydon on her father’s arm. She was soft and feminine in pearl-coloured crape over white satin. The skirt was draped to show her shape; similarly, the fitted bodice dipped deeply both front and back with dropped sleeves, revealing her creamy white skin to perfection. Quilled, primrose-coloured satin graced the neckline, sleeves, and hemline.

Her dusky hair fell over her temples in thick ringlets, and she wore a pearl-coloured, swans-down-trimmed bonnet with draped Belgian lace attached in back. Three saucy curls dropped carelessly at the nape of her neck, and her only jewellery was the garnet cross her father had given her at her come-out. Pearl-coloured kid gloves extended above her elbows, and white slippers of Denmark satin were on her feet. She smiled at Darcy with her rosebud lips as she regarded his handsome frame in his formal attire.

Bennet’s eyes misted as he handed his daughters to their respective bridegrooms, all the feelings and thoughts of the morning rushing again through his mind. As he swallowed, he felt tightness in his chest that spoke of loss yet joy for this day. He reluctantly turned to take his place beside his wife and observed that she already had a handkerchief ready for her own tears.

***

As the Bingleys arrived at Netherfield following the wedding breakfast, the Darcys’ carriage was already bound for London with the curtains drawn. Lady Elizabeth Darcy had all but attacked her new husband before he could draw the curtains. She knew she had caught him off guard by the little sound he made when she eagerly threw her body against his and assaulted his lips with a fervour unleashed after weeks of sharing burning glances across drawing rooms and hurried, frantic fumbling in darkened hallways.

Ever since their abruptly interrupted interlude in Darcy’s carriage six weeks earlier, she was craving sustenance for her powerful physical needs. She felt a longing for more closeness than seemed to be possible; she wanted to melt their bodies together. Being relatively innocent, she knew not how long the actual act would take, but she had been sorely tempted to abandon all propriety and steal away with Darcy to try to find out. Now there were no more boundaries, and she was ready to consummate her marriage as soon as humanly possible.

Darcy’s surprise did not stop him from responding. He parted his lips and entwined his tongue with hers. Elizabeth moved her husband’s hands from her waist to her breasts as she unbuttoned his waistcoat and pulled his shirttails out of his breeches. She climbed atop him to straddle his lap.

“Lady Elizabeth Darcy, do you know what you are you doing to me?” Darcy groaned helplessly.

“I am ravishing you, my beloved,” she replied in a breathy voice.

“Although I am delighted with your enthusiasm, I think you should reconsider your intentions.”

“It is not as if we have not been in this situation before, Fitzwilliam,” she said, then added with a loud whisper, “We can be discreet.”

“Yes, my love,” said he, “but I would prefer our wedding night in a more comfortable setting. I fear I must educate you on the pleasures we can achieve while saving our true union until we are comfortably in our wedding bed.”

And how must we accomplish this?” she asked impishly, thrilled by the sound of his suggestion, though not sure exactly what he meant.

He gave her a crooked smile, and then his lips and tongue found hers again. She triumphantly ascertained that he was adjusting his response to match her ardour. She ran her hands over his elegantly muscled chest, savouring the feeling of the hardness beneath his clothes, then down his body to where his breeches hid secrets untouched by her fingers, and she was pleased to hear his sensuous groan in response.

Darcy tugged her dress down until her bared breasts were cradled in his large hands. He kissed them reverently, and then grasped her about the waist and laid her back along the seat. He covered her body with his as their mouths merged once again.

She succumbed to his caresses and allowed him to release her lips only to pay appropriate attention to her breasts. At once, the aggressor became the captive as she lost control of her senses. She closed her eyes and allowed herself just to feel the glorious awareness of his sucking and nipping. Every inch of her body was alert, begging to be touched.

As his fevered kisses returned to capture her lips, she felt his hand sliding under her skirt, ascending along her stocking, skimming along the supple skin of her inner thigh, and she was wild with the need for his fingers to touch her where she was aching to be touched. She was writhing under him, running her hands over his back, unable to think about anything but where his hands were, where his mouth was, where the tension was building in her own body, craving release. She was desperate with anticipation until he found the place where he could provide her with the most pleasure.