Elizabeth huffed and then tilted her nose into an air, assuming the air of injured dignity. “Indeed!” At that point, Elizabeth and Lydia made the mistake of catching each other’s glance again, and both dissolved into peals of laughter.
Lydia’s interactions with her were a balm of sorts. Elizabeth didn’t begrudge her sisters the eventual life and love that she knew they would all find. Every one of them deserved to find a love as wonderful as what she had with William. She was slightly sad because in the center of her being, Elizabeth knew she would soon lose Jane to her own life and love. Smiling, Elizabeth pulled Lydia a little closer to her side. It was nice to know she still had several years with Lydia before she lost her, as well.
Sliding off his horse, Bingley hurried to Jane’s side to help her down from the wagon. He had thought of arranging for her to ride back to Pemberley in a carriage, but Jane had balked at the idea, insisting that the wagon was bringing back supplies and Susan, anyway. Why should she require a second conveyance?
Who was he to say otherwise? So here he was, escorting her back to her family. Her all-consuming smile told him how much she was eagerly anticipating seeing her mother and sisters. It was her genuine smile, not her mask. Bingley freely admitted to himself that he would do anything to keep that lovely smile on her face.
He had already crossed off all but the closest estates that he had looked at. He knew Jane could never live very far from her sisters and mother. The estate he had visited a while back on the other side of Kympton might meet with approval. It was not Pemberley’s equal, but neither he nor Jane cared for extravagance.
Bingley clasped Jane around the waist and lifted her to the ground without kissing her, but it was a near thing. It did not help that the way Jane wrapped her arm around his offered elbow and leaned into him as they walked up the path to the house was unmistakably possessive, not to mention distracting.
They were within fifteen feet of the side door when the squealing started. Giving her arm one last squeeze before stepping back, he watched as Jane was enveloped by a plethora of dress-clad bodies.
For a moment, Bingley could not decipher all the overlapping conversations, but eventually he heard Mrs. Bennet say, “Stand back and let me get a look at you.” Mrs. Bennet took her daughter by the shoulders, studying her as only a mother could. She clucked under her breath when she noticed what Bingley had already seen. It had been a long, hard week for Jane. “You are going to take the next few days to rest, young lady. Good food, naps, and time with us all is what you need.”
When Jane seemed about to protest, Elizabeth linked arms with her and guided her in the direction of the house, saying. “Do not fret, Jane, you can join me. I have no energy lately and keep sleeping in.” All the sisters closed rank around the two, fluttering around like so many butterflies.
Moving to follow them into the house, a hand on his elbow stopped Bingley. Looking down, he saw Mrs. Bennet standing there. She was mostly composed, but upon seeing the moisture in her eyes, he asked, “Mrs. Bennet, are you well?”
Fanny Bennet studied the man who she knew had taken hold of her oldest daughter’s heart. She had long known that it would take a special man to see through her daughter’s hard-earned defenses and find a way in. She had worried Jane might never open herself to anyone besides her trusted sisters.
Mr. Bingley had been a support to her and her girls for a while now. He had been there when they attained their freedom from her wretched husband. He had helped his friend William during the recent distress with all the sick tenants, willingly risking his health to assist others. It was clear that he was a man quite unlike many others.
Most important to Fanny was the way he looked at her daughter, as if she was his next breath, as if he could not breathe if he could not see her. Above all else, she wanted that for her girls. That kind of love would see them through nearly anything. Oh, there would be problems, but if they worked together, they could make it through the problems the world was sure to throw at them.
When it seemed that Mr. Bingley was confused by her stare, his eyebrows having crawled up into his hairline, Fanny finally said, “Thank you for watching out for my girl. I know my daughter. She would have easily pushed herself straight past exhaustion without someone there to rein her in.”
Nodding, the young man pursed his lips and then drew closer, enveloping her in a hug as he whispered, “Always. I will always watch out for her.” Then, after a heartbeat, he said, “And all those that she loves. You and your daughters will always have a place with us should you need it.”
Fanny’s throat was too clogged with emotion to say anything for a moment. She could only look at the dear man with love in his eyes. Jane had chosen well. Taking a deep breath, she pushed back her maudlin thoughts and asked, “So, have you set a date yet?”
Laughing out loud, he paused to catch his breath before saying, “Mothers always know,” with a smile on his face. Offering her his arm, he began walking with her into the grand house that was Pemberley. Patting her hand where it rested on his arm, he added, “We have not.”
Smiling at him, she replied, “It will only take three weeks to read the banns, and I find that I am quite fond of the idea of lots of grandchildren.”
The laugh that she elicited with her comment made everyone stare at him as they entered the morning room.
Offering the group an unapologetic look, he pointed at his future mother-in-law and said, “Your mother has given me her blessing and has requested a lot of grandchildren.”
While Jane looked slightly mortified, it was Lydia who laughed, saying, “Mother! You have five daughters. I am sure between us you will have plenty of babies to coddle. Do not make Jane think she has to have all of them!”
Smiling at her youngest, Fanny tilted her head, and with her best mother's voice said, “Yes dear, I am sure that if your sisters lag behind, you will shore up the numbers.” Lydia’s huff set everyone laughing.
Epilogue
“But what about the children? You said that they were better, but surely you could not have left them all alone! All of their family was dead!” Evaline could not keep the concern from her voice and knew her eyebrows had risen into her hairline.
Despite her raised voice, Jane simply offered her a kind smile. “They had an aunt and uncle living in Kympton. Unaffected by the sickness, Mr. and Mrs. Wright hurriedly traveled to Pemberley upon hearing of the McGregor family’s dire situation.” Looking up at her husband, she smiled at him in a soft way that Evaline did not quite understand before looking back at her. “We would have taken in the children ourselves had the Wrights not been so happy to have Grace and Allen in their lives. They had desperately desired to have children for years, and despite the tragedy of Mrs. Wright losing her younger sister and most of their family, they saw Grace and Allen as a blessing in their lives.”
Nestling back into her chair, Evaline attempted to settle her heart. Even at twelve, Evaline found it difficult to comprehend how difficult it would be to lose both her parents in such a horrible way. How was Grace able to bear it at seven? How was she able to bear any of it? The sickness, the death, caring for her younger brother before help arrived?
Tilting her head, Evaline tried to look at the bright side of things. At least Grace and Allen were able to settle into a nice home with their aunt and uncle. Though they had lost their parents, they still had people who loved them. Looking back at Jane and Mr. Bingley, she managed a smile. “It is wonderful they all ended up happy together.”
“Yes, I am happy they all got the family they needed,” Jane agreed from where she sat, leaning into her husband. “I visit them whenever possible. They live in the town of Kympton, above their aunt and uncle’s bakery. Both children seem to be thriving in their new situation, despite everything that they experienced.”
Looking around the room at the three couples, Evaline grinned. “Am I imagining it, or do you sisters tend to come to the love of your lives in the most interesting ways?”
From where she sat across from her husband at the chessboard, Elizabeth laughed. “Yes, it seems we do, but you must admit that despite the trouble we go through, we end up with the best of men.” Leaning over the table, Mr. Darcy blatantly kissed his wife. Evaline found herself looking away from such obvious evidence of their love until she heard Elizabeth say, “Do not think that kiss is distracting me. You are still in check.”
Mr. Darcy smiled, showing off his dimples before responding with, “Yes, I see that, my love.”
Soon after that, Evaline made her way up to the bed that awaited her. She was better, but still tired easily since she had been so sick after the blizzard. With the aid of a maid, she readied for bed, feeling the warmth of the sheets envelope her as she prepared to fall into a peaceful slumber. Oddly enough, as she drifted off to sleep, she found herself thinking about Lydia. She was the only Bennet sister who had not found her match yet. She had never met the girl but based on how each of her sisters had found happiness, she wondered what kind of adventure Lydia would have on her way to true love.
Acknowledgements
Before you go, I'd like to express my gratitude to all those who assisted me in bringing the Bennet sisters' stories to the world. I'd like to start by acknowledging and thanking the people closest to me. It was thanks to my sister Megan's encouragement that I began writing. Then there is my mother, who serves as my alpha reader and sounding board for fresh ideas. My sister Chelsea's support is invaluable, just like the inspiration I find in my nieces and nephew for my younger characters. If you haven't had the pleasure of debating with a one-year-old who can articulate their thoughts in complete sentences, you're missing out. It is an absolute delight!
Additionally, I would like to extend my appreciation to my Beta readers and the people who show support through my newsletter. Doris, Debra, Carol, and Frankie, working with you to bring my stories to the world has been an honor. The encouragement and feedback I get from you helps me more than you know.
Lastly, it has been an utter pleasure working with my editor, Tayler. Your feedback not only helps me ensure that my story flows and my characters shine, but I also thoroughly enjoy reading your comments. I always love seeing your emojis in the comments, especially the ones with heart eyes!
Most importantly, I would like to thank you. It's been a joy to create this work of love, but without readers, it would be an exercise in futility. The fact that you chose my book to read is an honor. Thank you for taking the time to finish my book, I hope the characters and their stories resonated with you.
If you enjoyed reading this book, please consider leaving an honest review on your favorite site. It does not have to be very long, but I would really appreciate the feedback.
