Finding Another Mother - CH 7

Chapter 7: RETURN TO HERTFORDSHIRE

The entire group retuned to Hertfordshire when the month’s stay at Pemberley came to an end. The Netherfield group returned to Netherfield Park, the Bennet ladies to Longbourn and Miss Lucas to Lucas Lodge.

Mr. Darcy wasted no time in asking Jane to marry him. They were scarcely back a week before he was meeting with her father to discuss settlement terms after receiving a “Yes” to his proposal. Mr. Bingley also was anxious to secure Miss Lucas’ hand which he promptly did. He felt she was the key to his lasting happiness and promised himself to provide for her happiness every day for the rest of his life. Mr. Hurst took a more businesslike approach in asking Lizzy to become his wife. He told her that he was not looking for the deepest love in a marriage. He was looking for companionship and for a mother for Madeline. Elizabeth fit the bill in both areas. As his wife she would be free to pursue any endeavor that she fancied, and that he would support her interests. He also let her know that he was desirous of having more children. Elizabeth listened to his proposal with interest and told him that she would give him an answer in two days.

Elizabeth had a lot to think about. Previously, Jane and Elizabeth had made a promise to each other that they would only marry for the deepest love. Elizabeth found Jane visiting with Charlotte in the parlor at Longbourn. She asked both of the newly engaged ladies to come up to her room to talk. She asked them if they were marrying for the deepest love. Jane hesitated. She could not say yes. She remembered her most recent secret decision to never let Mr. Darcy into her heart. Jane replied that Mr. Darcy was an honorable, trustworthy, wealthy, handsome and attentive gentleman. That she would be a fool not to marry him when he asked her. She liked him and enjoyed being in his company, but it was not the deepest love. Even so she was very happy with her decision. Besides, Mr. Collins was planning a return visit in the future, and she did not want to be available as a possible selection to be his wife she joked.

Charlotte never thought that love should enter into the equation in a marriage. She said that she found Mr. Bingley to be a successful, caring, and agreeable gentleman. She very much enjoyed being in his company and was overjoyed that he wanted to marry her as she thought she would never get an offer of marriage. Much like Jane, she indicated that she would be a fool not to marry him. However, she added that unlike Jane, she thought that Mr. Collins would be a good catch as a husband.

Elizabeth mulled over her thoughts about Gregory Hurst. He was good company and an interesting person to converse with. He was easy going and she got along well with him. He was industrious and took loving care of Madeline and would make a good father to future children. Elizabeth laid out the proposal from Mr. Hurst in her head. She also would have “free rein” to do many things. Plus, she absolutely adored Maddie. Would she be a fool to turn him down? Jane and Charlotte were not marrying for deepest love, so was love really that important? Also, when she thought about Mr. Collins as a possible marriage partner, she could only think, “Eew.” She definitely did not want to be available when Mr. Collins returned.

Two days later Elizabeth and Mr. Hurst were engaged. It was agreed upon by all parties that Elizabeth and Mr. Hurst would marry in a double ceremony alongside Jane and Mr. Darcy. Mrs. Bennet was ecstatic. She was frequently overheard saying, “mmm...” when making the wedding preparations and planning the wedding breakfast. She would mutter, “mmm...” to calm her nerves, but everyone thought she was “mmm…ing” in deep contemplation.

The banns were read for all three couples. The weddings would take place in three weeks. It was decided that Charlotte and Charles would marry on a Tuesday. Then Jane and Darcy along with Elizabeth and Hurst would marry three days later on a Friday.

Lady Lucas was overjoyed with planning Charlotte’s nuptials. She hosted a large wedding breakfast at Lucas Lodge after the ceremony. Mrs. Bennet held no ill will for Lady Lucas’ festive mood. After all, she herself would have the grand honor of hosting a wedding breakfast in three days for a double wedding! After the wedding breakfast, the newly married Bingley’s decided to stay at Netherfield Park. In order to give the newlyweds some privacy, Caroline, Georgiana and Madeline relocated to Longbourn. For the same reason, Darcy and Hurst moved to a boarding house in Meryton until their weddings.

Happy was the Friday that Mrs. Bennet oversaw the double wedding of her two eldest daughters. The wedding breakfast at Longbourn was excellent. Many people attended and they were all of them warm in their admiration. There were a lot of compliments to the mother of the bride and plenty of “mmms” ensued from the lady herself. Due to the quickness of the wedding, Mr. Darcy’s only relative to attend, besides Georgiana, was Colonel Fitzwilliam. Colonel Fitzwilliam was cousin to the Darcy siblings, and he also shared guardianship of Georgiana with Darcy. He was in the army and very close with his cousins. He wholeheartedly approved of Jane after seeing the happiness that radiated from Darcy when Jane was around.

Jane and Darcy spent their first few weeks as newlyweds at the Darcy townhouse in London. Elizabeth and Mr. Hurst also went to London after their wedding and stayed at his home. Caroline and Madeline rode in the carriage with the newly married Hursts to London and were dropped off at the Bingley townhouse where they stayed. Caroline had gifted Maddie the tiny tea set and they enjoyed tea parties daily. Elizabeth and Hurst were often seen visiting Maddie during their two-week honeymoon. They too delighted in participating in tea parties with Maddie and Caroline. However, Mr. Hurst often would have to have an additional snack after arriving back home. Georgiana returned to London with Colonel Fitzwilliam and stayed at the Colonel’s parent’s home. The Colonel’s parents and brother were on a six-month holiday to the continent and were thus unable to attend the wedding.

Lady Catherine de Bourgh declined to attend Mr. Darcy’s wedding as she could not believe that Mr. Darcy would go against her wishes regarding whom he should marry. Due to Lady Catherine’s displeasure of having a Bennet woman pollute the halls of Pemberley by marrying her nephew, Mr. Collins did not attend the weddings either. He even went so far as to rescind his offer to marry one of his cousins. He felt that his allegiance to Lady Catherine trumped his “Christian duty.” To say his cousins were upset with his decision would be a falsehood. Inwardly the three remaining unmarried Miss Bennets all breathed a sigh of relief.

Life for our three newly married couples was all that they could have hoped for. Jane proved to be a formidable mistress of Mr. Darcy’s homes and was beloved by all. The newlyweds would spend every evening together for several hours discussing the events of the day. They would usually sit together, or Jane would be on his lap and they would take turns reading to each other. Mr. Darcy was deliriously happy and life was good.

Mr. Bingley desired Charlotte’s opinion on every business venture and every estate matter. He found her sensible and quite well informed. His sister Caroline made it her mission to spruce up Charlotte’s image and took her shopping to expand her wardrobe. Caroline also convinced Charlotte to try different hairstyles which suited her quite well. Several times Charlotte would be on the receiving end of Mr. Bingley’s effusive compliments. She found she very much enjoyed being called “quite pretty” and “fetching” by her husband. The Bingleys were a couple that leaned on each other and were most happy when they were together.

Elizabeth and Mr. Hurst settled into a comfortable rhythm. He would work on his business interests during the day and spend time exclusively with her a few hours each week. Often you could find them debating a topic, playing chess, or just reading side by side. Elizabeth loved being mother to Maddie and found great joy in teaching her to sound out letters. Elizabeth was very satisfied with her choice and her life. Mr. Hurst also did not neglect Maddie and spent several hours a day with her. He too was satisfied with his choice of a wife for himself and a mother for Maddie. Madeline still referred to Elizabeth as “Misbeth” and Mr. Hurst joined her in using this epithet when referring to Elizabeth. Elizabeth longed to be called mama but remained patient. She was waiting for Madeline to feel comfortable with addressing her as such. Overall, the three members of the Hurst family melded well together.