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Placing her son on the floor, Elizabeth beamed with pride as the child she had prayed for took several energetic steps towards his doting father, who had already knelt and was holding out his arms. As Will fell into William’s arms, he pulled him against his chest, then stood and hugged him, rocking him from side to side.

“I knew you could do it, Son! You had only to make up your mind!”

Suddenly overcome with love for this little person, he buried his face in Will’s sweet-smelling curls and pressed kisses there before reaching for Elizabeth’s hand to pull her, too, into his embrace. As the three embraced, lost in their love for each other, Will’s grandfather grinned with the thought of something he now recalled—Richard’s wisdom on why the boy had not walked yet.

Will does not walk because he is just like his father—he will not be cajoled into anything! And, besides, why should the child walk when everyone insists on carrying him around?

The Pemberley Chapel

Sunday

1815, July 15

“But I do not understand why William insisted I dress so grandly,” Elizabeth complained to Jane and Georgiana as they exited the carriage that had just delivered the three—the last of the family—to Pemberley’s chapel. As she stood, she smoothed the beautiful white gown replete with Belgium lace ruffles and appliqués. “Mrs. Reynolds brought this gown into my dressing room this morning, informing me that it was a present from William, and that he wished me to wear it today. I imagine my husband is quite pleased with himself for having it created without my knowledge, but I scarcely wear white since Will was born as he always manages to stain my gowns. And since he is to be blessed today for his birthday, he will probably manage to do that before we leave the chapel. Besides, this one is too elegant for everyday wear.”

Jane and Georgiana exchanged cautious glances but did not reply, each praying they could finish their directive for William’s surprise—getting Elizabeth inside the church.

“Does Mrs. Drury have the baby with her?”

“Yes, Lizzy,” Jane sighed a little exasperated. “As I have told you twice before, Mrs. Drury has Will, so you do not have to worry about him.”

As they neared the stained glass panel in the front door, she caught a reflection of the flowers tucked in her dark curls. She giggled. “And one would think I was going to a ball instead of the local parish church. I can only wonder at Lady Matlock’s insistence that her maid style my hair today.”

Jane and Georgiana still did not comment, and this time it did not go unnoticed. Elizabeth stopped and turned to study her sisters, one brow raised in suspicion as she eyed first one then the other. “Is there something that I should know?”

Jane sighed and Elizabeth looked to her, knowing she could get information from her sister more readily than from William’s. “Tell me what you know that I do not!” Jane bit her bottom lip and looked to Georgiana. “Jane? You know how I hate surprises. Does William have something planned for later today?”

Jane stared at her feet. Elizabeth glanced at Georgiana, noting that she was doing the same. “Well, I shall just have to ask him! Since it seems we are the last to arrive, I imagine it will be after services before I shall have the chance!”

As Elizabeth was speaking, she turned to open the chapel door with much more force than was necessary, due to her exasperation and took one step inside. The sight that greeted her, however, was so breathtaking that she stopped short. The ceiling of the chapel was decorated with layers of white tulle strung from all four sides to one central point just in front of the altar. There, it was gathered and tied with lace, and a small nosegay of white roses and baby’s breath was tucked inside. These same nosegays decorated the ends of the pews, and dozens more roses filled crystal vases throughout the chapel. There were enough candles lit to brighten the entirety of Pemberley.

Stunned, Elizabeth began to look around the room, meeting the gazes of those who were now smiling at her. Among the throng, were not only their family members, but Mr. and Mrs. Barnwell, Mrs. Browning, her sister, and Arthur—all of whom nodded their greetings. Being in a trancelike state, Elizabeth would not be able to recall later the names of everyone in attendance.

Finally her eyes rested on William, standing in front and looking every inch the prince from one of her favourite fairytales. Her ebony eyes widened as she distinctly heard her father’s voice in a bittersweet dialogue from the past.

“Ah, yes. Martha.” Her father sighed, remembering the rag doll that Elizabeth had fashioned by herself. “How is Miss Martha?”

“She is sad sometimes. But I talk to her, and I remind her that things will get better once she grows up.” Lizzy swept a lock of unruly hair from her forehead, looking up with the dark, bright eyes her father adored. “That is true, is it not? Things will get better when she grows up?”

Mr. Bennet directed a long, thoughtful look at her. “Yes, Lizzy. Things will get better when Martha grows up. You see, this little trunk is called a dowry chest. Martha should put all the things in it that she loves, and the things she will want to take with her when she marries. One day a handsome prince will fall in love with her. They will marry and go to live in a beautiful castle. And they will both be happy for the rest of their lives.”

Georgiana, seated at the church organ, began the first notes of a wedding song, and it penetrated her consciousness causing her to recover from her reverie. Seeing her slight disorientation, William held out both his hands to her—just as he had on their wedding day. That gesture was all that was needed and Elizabeth smiled at her groom, the love radiating between them almost palpable to those watching. Sighs could be heard from all sides, and the next thing Elizabeth knew, Jane was pressing a bouquet of white roses into her hands, giving her a hug and then a little nudge towards the front. No other incentive was necessary as Elizabeth followed her heart to the one who held it securely in his grasp.

This ceremony was much longer than their first, though not any more heartfelt, as Mr. Williamson now used the entire marriage ceremony instead of the shorter version they had requested in Liverpool. The service progressed beautifully, the only incident to mar the solemnity of the occasion coming near the end when the vicar asked Elizabeth to repeat her vows. Will, upon hearing his mother’s voice, found that the toys Mrs. Drury had brought no longer entertained and began to call, “Mama!”

William and Elizabeth both instinctively turned to look toward their son, as the congregation chuckled quietly. Mrs. Drury, on the other hand, turned a lovely shade of crimson as every eye fixed on her attempts to capture the child’s attention with a toy. Nevertheless, Will would not quiet now that he had seen his mother and began to whimper. William knew that that meant he would soon begin to cry, so he caught Richard’s eye and nodded towards his son. Immediately Richard went to fetch the boy and bring him to his parents.

Thus, when Elizabeth began again—promising to love, cherish and obey, ‘til death would part them—their son, content in his father’s arms, smiled back at her, trusting that she was talking to him.

Sensing that he should hurry along now, Mr. Williamson promptly completed the ceremony and pronounced them man and wife. This time William needed no prodding from Richard and quickly leaned down to kiss his bride. However, upon seeing his parents kissing, Will leaned forward to receive his share. As the congregation laughed aloud, the couple quit their kiss to give Will one—a parent on either cheek.

There was not a dry eye in the chapel as the service ended.

~~~*~~~

Epilogue

In later years, Elizabeth and William would recall the day they renewed their vows as one of the happiest of their lives—in the same category as their wedding and the births of their children. And, by then, they had come to an understanding—while William still insisted that Elizabeth was the one responsible for filling their lives with love, children, and beautiful memories, she, in turn, insisted that it was he who had given her the chance to do so. As she so aptly pointed out, without his redeeming love, she would never have experienced any of it.