A Wife for Mr. Darcy

event, and Mrs. Collins said that it is best that she tell him at a time of her choosing.”
    It was a most engaging evening because it was apparent that the Fitzwilliam clan enjoyed each other’s company immensely. They told funny stories about their childhood, including running through Pemberley’s maze or staging plays at Rosings or fishing in Briarwood’s streams. It was nearly 9:00 when Lizzy reluctantly announced that she needed to go home.
    Darcy rode with Lizzy to Longbourn and told her that they would break their journey at Wick Manor near Northampton. “It is a handsome manor house owned by the Haydon family, but since they are all in town for Christmas, Rupert Haydon said that I should make myself at home, but we will stay only the one night.” As the carriage turned into the drive, he asked her if she had read his second letter.
    “No. I told you that I would not.”
    After looking at her with a suspicious eye, he asked again, “Elizabeth, did you read my second letter?”
    “No,” she said, laughing. “You may ask as many times as you wish; my answer will remain the same.”
    “Well, then it is pointless to ask again. But it was not a fruitless exercise because now I know that if you ever tell me an untruth, I shall know it. You are terrible at deception.” He took her hand and kissed it, but made no attempt to do more. “Tonight, I am on my best behavior, but it is the last night that I shall be.”
    After visiting with her mother to learn the present state of affairs regarding the reception, Lizzy hurried to her room and got the chest from under her bed, and after climbing back under the covers, she read the now familiar words:
My dearest Elizabeth ,
Even the thankfully few days that remain before our wedding are too many. I do not sleep for thinking of you, imagining you in my arms and in our bed. If you knew my deepest wishes, indeed, if my actions at Netherfield dismayed you, my thoughts would alarm you. But, Elizabeth, how can I stop? Until I met you, I prided myself in having control over the baser instincts that govern most men. Now I find that I cannot control where my imagination roams, and it roams over the delights of your body. The night we wed I will sweep you off your feet and carry you to our bedroom. You will stand before me, and I will undress you. And as my lips find yours, our passion will rise together. A month ago, I wanted you. A week ago, I yearned. Now my only thought is to know you, all of you. Can I make it any clearer? I want you immediately, entirely, completely, irrevocably, so that you will be mine forever .
All my love, Will
    After folding the letter and putting it back in the chest, she recalled what Jane had said. “Mr. Darcy will want you to be happy in all things,” and now she had pretty a good idea of what “all things” might include.

Mrs. Lyle had performed miracles in altering Jane’s wedding dress for Elizabeth. She had worked tirelessly, adding rosettes to the new lace hem, tucking lace into the bodice, shortening the sleeves, and trimming them with tiny rosettes. When Lizzy saw the finished product, it looked like a completely new dress, and she loved it.
    What Mrs. Lyle had done for the dress, Mrs. Hill was doing for Lizzy’s hair. “There won’t be a curl out of place today, Miss Lizzy, because I put a pearl pin in each one of your curls. But I left it long in the back,” and she held up a mirror so that Lizzy might see the results.
    “It is perfect, Mrs. Hill. Thank you so much.”
    When the bride came downstairs, there were oohs and aahs from all the ladies of the house, but from Mr. Bennet, there was silence. He was doing everything he could to keep from crying. He had not shed a tear when Jane had married Bingley because she would be nearby at Netherfield Park, but Lizzy, when she was not in town, would be in faraway Derbyshire. There would be no dropping by to visit the Darcys.
    Because the day was so cold, no one was standing outside the church in the hopes of catching a peek at the bride. All were huddled inside trying to keep warm while keeping an eye on the church door.
    Lizzy and her father stepped into the vestibule, quickly closing the door behind them. After removing her pelisse, Lizzy took her father’s arm and whispered, “I love you. Nothing has changed.” Oh, but it had, Mr. Bennet knew.
    With the exception of Kitty and Lydia, who had not stopped staring at Colonel Fitzwilliam, who was dressed in his regimentals,