Adversity and Felicity A sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
By phantomballerina
Chapter 1- The Height of Felicity
In general, there are few situations in life more joyful and felicitous than that of a young couple greatly in love on the day of their wedding. Such was the situation of not one, but two young couples who would be married one glorious May afternoon at Netherfield Hall. The two eldest Bennett daughters, Jane and Elizabeth, had together decided upon a double wedding, since they and their fiancés were all best of friends. This was most agreeable to Mr. Bennett, who, having five daughters to pay the wedding expenses of, knew that to have two of them married on the same day would save him a great deal of money.
Netherfield Hall was presently in a state of joyful chaos. Everywhere one looked there were servants busy arranging decorations and chairs, chefs working up a storm in the kitchen, and guests milling about the hallways and drawing rooms. The two grooms, Mr. Charles Bingley and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, having been staying at Netherfield while in Hertsfordshire, were dressed and ready for the ceremony well ahead. They then proceeded to nervously pace the floor of the grand ballroom, and generally get in everyone else's way. Meanwhile, upstairs, the brides and their sisters had taken over one of the spare bedrooms for use as a dressing room.
“Quickly Mary, bring a rag; I think I've got a spot of rouge on my gown!” The second youngest sister exclaimed.
“Oh Kitty, if you wouldn't worry about your complexion so, you wouldn't need to wear rouge.” Elizabeth reprimanded.
Kitty glared back. “You're wearing some, Lizzy, and so is Jane!”
“Only because you've all forced me to! You somehow believe that only heavy amounts of cosmetic treatments would make me suitable enough to walk down that aisle today.” The bride complained.
Jane, always the peacemaker, interjected, “Don't get in such a fuss, both of you. This is a day to be happy! Elizabeth, I think what our sister intended is to simply enhance our beauty so that we will look our best when we go to meet our beloveds.” She took the rag that Mary handed her and proceeded to dab at the stain on Kitty's dress.
As she worked, Mary, the middle Bennett sister, decided to practice the scripture she was planning to read during the ceremony. Since there were so many girls in the brides' and grooms' families, and not many men, they had agreed that for all the girls to be bridesmaids would be too many, and they couldn't possibly get enough groomsmen to stand on the other side during the ceremony.
It was decided that Mary, the next eldest sister after Jane and Elizabeth, should do a reading. Catherine, called Kitty, would be in charge of lighting the candles right before the service. The youngest sister, Lydia, always the socialite, would greet the guests and see that each of them signed the guest book. Georgiana, Mr. Darcy's sister, was especially skilled at playing several musical instruments, and would be performing all the ceremony music. She had chosen to play her harp for the prelude music, and to play on her specialty, the piano-forte for the processionals. Mr. Bingley's sisters had no wish to participate in the wedding, since they were still mortified by Charles and Fitzwilliam's choices of brides. Mr. Darcy's cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam was selected to be the groomsman, and Jane and Elizabeth asked Charlotte to be the bridesmaid. Charlotte Lucas, now Mrs. Collins, had long been a dear friend of the Bennett sisters. Though there were some hard feelings when she first married Mr. Bennett's cousin, the heir to the Bennett's estate, Jane and Elizabeth had decided to continue their friendship after they heard how happy the Collinses were at their parsonage in Kent and had no intention of taking the estate away from their family. Mr. Collins, so pleased that two more of his fair cousins were to be wed, insisted on being the officiate, much to everyone's dismay. He had a habit of unknowingly droning on and on in long speeches that were made very wordy in an attempt to impress the listener.
Once the stain was removed from Kitty's gown, Charlotte had pinned down the last of Elizabeth's curls, and everyone's appearances had been checked a second or third time, they were ready for the ceremony.
The grand ballroom was hushed as Georgiana played her serene melodies upon the harp. As the last guests were seated, Catherine walked down the aisle with her candle and began lighting the beautiful gold candelabras. Soon the entire front of the ballroom was glowing. As Georgiana played the last chords of her prelude music, Catherine extinguished the candle she held, and sat down. There was a pause as Georgiana stood from the harp and moved to sit at the piano-forte. Then, to the gentle tune of Bach's “Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring”, the two grooms, the groomsman, and Mr. Collins walked forward and took their places. Charlotte followed, holding her small bouquet of pink roses and walking slowly but deliberately. The song ended and there was another pause. Charles Bingley clasped his hands in nervous anticipation. His tall friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy, stood still, his proud face showing but a slight smile.
Finally, the moment came which everyone awaited. Upon Georgiana's grand chord salutation, the assembly rose and turned towards the rear of the room. As Wagner's “Wedding March” began, Mr. Bennett led his eldest daughter by the arm, her beautiful white gown softly trailing behind them as they walked down the aisle. The smile on Jane's face was more brilliant than ever before as she came, her cheeks as pink as the flowers she held, and her eyes sparkling with love. Charles's own face broke into a huge grin at seeing his beautiful bride.
Once Jane was securely at the altar beside Charles, Mr. Bennett proceeded to escort his second daughter. Elizabeth was radiant in her own white empire-style gown, very similar to the one she had worn for the Netherfield Ball, where she first danced with Fitzwilliam. Their engagement had come as quite a surprise to everyone. For so long, Elizabeth had been prejudiced against Mr. Darcy because of rumors and lies she had heard, and Fitzwilliam's pride had kept him from revealing his true feelings until just recently. Now, as Elizabeth made her way towards the altar with her father, it was plain to everyone how much these two were truly attached to each other. The look on Elizabeth's face was pure admiration, and Darcy seemed almost overwhelmed with love for her.
As the two couples exchanged their vows of everlasting love and commitment, a ray of sunshine streamed in through the windows and illuminated them. Mrs. Bennett, who had been sitting in the front row clutching her handkerchief, now gave in to the tears of joy welling up in her eyes. She softly whispered to her husband the words that, though unspoken, were felt in the hearts of each of the brides and grooms: “Surely there can be no day more joyful than this!” Such is one of the highest heights of felicity in all of life.
Chapter 2- A Letter from Miss Bingley
Following their glorious wedding, Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth departed for their honeymoon tour. They had decided upon a visit to the lake country which Elizabeth had so greatly desired to see during her holiday the previous summer, but had not had opportunity to enjoy. She had been en route to the lakes with her aunt and uncle, and had reached as far as Derbyshire. Right after her memorable visit to Mr. Darcy's home there, she had received the letter from Jane telling of Lydia's elopement with Mr. Wickham, compelling her to rush home.
Jane and Charles had also decided to go away for their honeymoon, but chose instead to go to the seaside town of Worthing, coincidentally not far from the town of Brighton, where Lydia and Mr. Wickham had planned and executed their scandalous disappearance from.
Both couples greatly enjoyed their honeymoons. Elizabeth and Darcy spent a whole month away in the serenity of the lake areas. They found it to be a very romantic place for morning walks through the trails, afternoon swims in the cool waters, and sunset picnics by the lake shores. Now that they had gotten past their pride and prejudice, they were finding that they couldn't get enough of each other's company, and scarcely spent a moment apart.
Jane and Charles found the beaches to be very much to their liking. Jane loved walk along the beaches hand in hand with her new husband, and watch the gentle waves lap at the shores. Charles often amused Jane by building sandcastles, finding pretty seashells for her, and allowing her to bury him in the sand for fun. They passed two and a half weeks of their time in this way, before returning home to Netherfield.
The Darcys remained in a state of total reverie until their return to Pemberley. They were greeted warmly at the door by Georgiana, who was anxious to hear about all of the sights they had seen on their trip. Elizabeth and Georgiana headed for the drawing room, to have a little tea and catch up with one another, and Fitzwilliam took leave to inquire about the state of his house and business matters during his absence.
Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper, assured him that the house had been kept in fine condition whilst he was away. She also informed him that he had received a letter from his friend Caroline Bingley, Charles Bingley's younger sister. In the privacy of his study, he examined its contents.
My Dear Mr. Darcy,
I know that I have lately been very ungracious in my treatment of you. I was shocked to hear of your engagement and wedding to Miss Elizabeth Bennett, and I am afraid that my resentment towards her stemmed from a measure of jealousy on my part. I had hoped for a time that you and I might eventually come into a more intimate relationship, but after hearing from my brother how well suited you and your new wife are for each other, I only wish to offer you my congratulations and desires for your happiness. I hope that my behavior will not ruin our friendship forever, and if you are willing to forgive me, I should like to pay you a visit at your earliest convenience.
Yours Sincerely,
Caroline Bingley
Mr. Darcy folded the letter and mused on the sentiments of its writer. Caroline had long been a friend of his, but lately she really had been quite rude. Her last letter, written before the wedding, had certainly been far from civil. She had expressed her extreme mortification at his choosing a wife so far beneath him socially, and harshly condemned him as a fool who would surely ruin his good standing among their wealthy friends. Then, for her to not show up for his wedding, even though it was also her own brother's wedding spoke volumes to him. Because of this, he wondered how she would behave if she came as a guest in their home, and questioned whether she had really put aside her resentment towards them.
At length, Elizabeth came in, and seeing the tense look on her husband's face, she came over and placed her hands on his shoulders. As she began kneading them to relieve the tension she asked,
“Whatever is bothering you, Fitzwilliam? We have only just come home and you are already stressed over something.”
The other sighed before answering. “I have just received a letter from Caroline Bingley.”
“Oh.” There was a pause. “Is she well?”
“She has asked me to forgive her offensive behavior and claims she only wishes for my happiness and good fortune. She has requested that she might come and visit us here.”
Elizabeth stopped massaging and came around to look at her husband. “And what do you think of her requests?”
“I don't know what to make of them. Considering her treatment of us, and her dislike of you, I find it hard to believe that she has reconciled herself to our marriage. Might you have any advice on the situation, dear?”
“A year ago I may have allowed such incivility as hers to prejudice me against belief in her reform, however, I have learned a great deal since then about judging human character,” she said with a smile. “Let us wait a day or so to think things over, before we send Miss Bingley a reply. Perhaps after a good night's sleep we shall be able to discern our true feelings towards her better.” Mr. Darcy agreed, and did not mention the letter again the rest of the evening. The newlyweds enjoyed a quiet supper in the company of Georgiana, then bid her an early goodnight, claiming they were overly tired after their long journey that day.
Chapter 3- Relationships Are Worth Restoring
Darcy awoke the next morning feeling much refreshed. He had put all thoughts of Caroline's letter from his mind and was in good spirits. On the other side of the bed, Elizabeth was still buried under the covers and sleeping soundly. Darcy decided to let her sleep a while longer, and dressed to go out for a walk about the grounds.
The dew was still glistening on the flowers and grasses as the sun slowly rose to shine upon the gardens of Pemberley. Mr. Darcy meandered through his little paradise and admired all the plants that had bloomed since he had last been there. The roses were finally opening now, their silken petals flushed with color. Of all the colors and varieties, the red ones seemed especially magnificent this year, and Darcy made a mental note to have some of them cut for Elizabeth. Red roses for the Rose of my life, Darcy thought. The pink rose shrub by the fountain was also thriving, and he thought perhaps Georgiana might be delighted with a few of these in her sitting room.
Leaving the orderly garden paths, Mr. Darcy headed down the beautiful, winding, trail that followed alongside the river. The sound of the rushing water, joined with the songs of the birds and the whispering of the trees, was like a symphony to his ears. As he neared the woodlands, he settled at a great stone bench by the water. He rested and meditated here for a long time.
The sound of footsteps broke his reverie. He turned and saw Elizabeth coming down the path towards him. He smiled as she reached the bench and sat next to him.
“There you are, Fitz; I've been looking all over for you!” She reached over and planted a quick kiss on his lips. “You weren't there when I woke up, and none of the servants knew where you had gone.”
“Sorry. I thought it would be nice to get some fresh air, and you looked so tired I didn't want to wake you.”
“I was tired,” Elizabeth confessed. “It took me a while to fall asleep. I was thinking about that letter from Miss Bingley.”
Her husband let out a long exhale. “I had determined to put off the subject in my mind as long as possible, but now that you've brought it up, I'm curious what your thoughts are.”
“I have never been particularly fond of her, or her sister Louisa for that matter, but I know that they have both been good friends to you and Georgiana. I once heard someone say that relationships are always worth being restored, whenever it it possible. Who are we to say that she is incincere in her attempts at reconciliation?”
“True, but I would feel better if I had some other inclination of her feelings before we welcome her with wide open arms!” He argued gently.
Unsure of what to say to this, Elizabeth moved on to another aspect of the subject. “Did you love her ever?” She tested. “I mean, were you two ever really in love?”
Darcy shook his head. “No, we never moved beyond friendship in our relationship. As children, she was always `Charles' little sister'. When we got older, she developed an infatuation for me, which I never reciprocated. I suppose if her feelings were injured when I married you, it was really my fault; I allowed her to continue to flirt with me, and wasn't very straightforward in telling her I wasn't interested in her. I guess I thought she would eventually get over me, and so I mostly ignored her attempts.”
“Yes, I can definitely see how that could give her the wrong impression. But don't feel too bad; so long as you've never returned the flirtations, you weren't straight out leading her on. She should have guessed that your indifference to her behavior suggested your disinterest in developing a romantic relationship.” Elizabeth consoled.
“You're right Lizzy, as you usually are.” He gave her a peck on the cheek.
Elizabeth smiled and allowed Fitzwilliam to wrap his arms around her. Together they watched the rushing river currents as time passed by, each content to maintain the simple joy of resting in their embrace, not requiring any conversation to enjoy each other's company.
The peace of the morning was interrupted by a servant who came to let them know that breakfast was being served. They both reluctantly admitted that they were indeed hungry, though each felt that they could have easily sacrificed eating in order to stay on that bench all day, had they not been told that Georgiana was also looking for them. They met her in the breakfast room. She stood and smiled widely.
“There you two lovebirds are; Where on earth have you been all morning? Breakfast has been getting cold while everybody was looking for you!” Georgiana exclaimed. “I was planning to walk to Lambton after breakfast and buy myself a new bonnet. Would you like to join me?”
“Oh, yes,” Elizabeth replied, “I scarecely got to see anything of Lambton on my last visit. I daresay there are a great many things I should still like to do there.” She turned to her husband. “Fitz, would you like to accompany us, or would you rather tend to your business affairs?”
“And leave my two favorite ladies to fend for themselves all day?” He joked. “I would be delighted to go with you. It's been a great while since I've been to the village also.”
The three enjoyed their morning meal, then prepared to go out. As they were almost to the door, Mrs. Reynolds saw them.
“Oh, Mr. Darcy,” she called out, causing them to stop and turn to her. “Another letter for you arrived with the morning mail. This one's from Mr. Bingley. I thought you might like to know.”
Darcy accepted the letter.
“Oh, do read it, Brother! It's been quite forever since I've heard from Mr. Bingley!” Georgiana exclaimed.
He conceded and read the letter aloud to them.
Dear Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth,
I hope you are doing well. By this time, I'm sure you will have returned from your honeymoon trip.
Jane and I had a spelendid time on our own trip. The coast was very much to our liking, and we hope to return again on future holidays. We have been home for a week and a half now and are beginning to settle into our new life together.
My sisters have arrived two days ago to visit us, and they threw us a charming housewarming party last night. They will stay several days more. I must say I am pleased that they have gotten over their hard feelings towards my marriage, and are getting along with Jane quite as well as they did when they first became friends. Caroline has also expressed her wishes to come and visit the two of you sometime after she leaves Hertfordshire. Louisa, I am happy to say, will not be able to travel much longer, as she and Mr. Hurst have announced that they are going to have a child!
Jane sends her love most wholeheartedly and promises that you both are welcome to visit anytime.
Your friend,
Charles Bingley
Georgiana was the first to respond. “Miss Bingley wishes to visit us? Oh I would love to see her again! Please say you'll invite her,” she begged excitedley.
“It does seem that she has really changed her attitude. She has condecended to pay a visit to her brother again, even though she wasn't pleased with his marriage either.” Elizabeth pointed out.
Darcy thought hard for a few moments.
Georgiana continued her pleading. “I've always gotten along so well with Caroline. I think you should forgive her and let us be friends again.”
“You did say that you only wanted some more proof of her reform before allowing her back into your life,” reminded Elizabeth.
Mr. Darcy looked at both women and smiled. “How can I argue against either of you when you persuade me so! I will write to her and invite her to come later this afternoon,” he decided.
“Oh, wonderful! Now I shall really need to get a new bonnet!” Georgiana beamed. The threesome left the house as planned, and spent a lovely day in the nearby village. Before nightfall Darcy sent a reply to Miss Bingley, requesting that she come in two weeks time. Elizabeth told him she thought he had made the right choice, and preparations were begun for the anticipated arrival of their guest.