Page 92 of Roses from Pemberley
“Scotland! That is rather far. I can only hope we shall be able to frequently visit Mamma and my sisters.”
“Yes, perhaps,” said Gardiner. He turned to Darcy. “And how is Purvis Lodge coming along? Are the renovations going as planned?”
“Purvis Lodge!” cried Lydia. “What do you mean?”
Apparently Lydia had not been told of the impending move of her family.
“Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley have purchased Purvis Lodge for your family, Lydia. And they shall move there in the next few months.”
“Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley! But…why them?”
Apparently Lydia had not been told of the engagements.
“Your two sisters have recently become engaged, Lydia,” said Mrs. Gardiner, throwing him a look of apology. “Jane to Mr. Bingley, and Lizzy to Mr. Darcy.”
“I cannot believe it!” said Lydia “Lizzy does not even like Mr. Darcy.”
“Lydia!”
“Well, it is true. He did, after all, insult her at the assembly.”
Mr. Gardiner looked as if he would try to silence her again, but Darcy spoke instead. “‘Tis true, Miss Lydia, Elizabeth did not like me much at first but…we have worked out all our differences and now we shall be married.”
He hoped that Lydia would be satisfied with that.
Lydia looked at him skeptically. “But you are so serious all the time, Mr. Darcy. And Lizzy is so…”
“Lighthearted?” finished Darcy. “Yes, I am aware of that. And that was why I fell in love with her.”
“So you do love her…” murmured Lydia. “And I suppose she loves you as well?”
“She has told me so,” he said with a half-smile.
“And it probably isn’t just your money, is it?” asked Lydia, while Mrs. Gardiner said her name loudly once more in an attempt to intervene.
But Darcy was not distressed in any way, having already come through the most trying part of his relationship with Elizabeth, namely getting her to fall in love with him. By comparison this was hardly anything. But he only said, “No, it is not just my wealth.”
He saw that the Gardiners relaxed a little and he gave them a small smile of reassurance.
“Well then,” said Lydia, “do you think that we might visit you once in a while? Your estate - Pemberley, is it? - is also in the north, is it not?”
Darcy swallowed, never imagining he would have to invite Lydia and Wickham to Pemberley once he was married. But if he had to do it, then he would. Nevertheless, the only answer he could give at present was, “Your husband may be too busy in his new regiment to be making such visits but…we shall see.”
Soon after that, the evening came to an end and Darcy found himself once more in his carriage.
The wedding took place the following morning and he stood with Wickham at the front of the church while Lydia was walked down the aisle by Gardiner. Afterwards they all repaired to Gracechurch Street for the wedding breakfast. Lydia, who had seen that Darcy’s carriage was nicer than the Gardiners’ had insisted that she and Wickham ride with him and, not wishing to be rude to Elizabeth’s sister, he complied.
Wickham, who had been more gracious than usual during the ceremony, now began to revert to his usual self. And it took all of Darcy’s patience not to say anything too inflammatory to the scoundrel. But it was difficult.
“Lydia tells me that you have invited us to Pemberley,” he said at one point as they sat in the well-appointed dining room. “I must say I am surprised.”
“I did not invite you to Pemberley,” he said shortly, trying for a mixture of blandness and severity.
“Did you not?” asked Wickham.
“Mr. Darcy,” said Mrs. Gardiner who was sitting beside him, “will you not try the meat pie? It is one of our cook’s specialties.”
Thankful for a reprieve from Wickham’s insolence, he replied, “Yes, ma’am, I shall.”
