Chapter Text
Lizzy was getting impatient.
She had done her utmost to give her sister some privacy (in actual fact, it was Mr. Darcy who had coaxed her away, reminding her that there was little she would be able to do to steer their conversation from the other side of the library door). But after a week of scheming and nearly half an hour of waiting, enough was enough. She needed to know.
And while she felt reasonably confident that her scheme would lead to success, she could not help but worry about her little sister.
Lizzy slipped down the hall and scurried toward the library. Upon returning to her post, however, she found the door still securely shut. She leaned her ear against the wood and concentrated on the hum of low voices. Mary was talking. At length. She nearly intervened when she heard Mary start to cry, but she held back, trusting that Mr. Hayward had been serious in his resolve…then the laughter came, and she felt better.
More talking followed. More silence. Lizzy glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner. Privacy or not, Mary and Mr. Hayward would have to finish their conversation soon, lest they overstep the bounds of propriety– to say nothing of the fact that Mother was due to return from the village imminently.
Unable to restrain herself any longer, she knocked softly on the door. She gave the couple a moment to compose themselves before entering.
However, when Lizzy walked into the library, it became very apparent that neither Mary nor Mr. Hayward had heard the door knock at all. There was nothing untoward about their behaviour; they merely stood there, hands clasped together, fully absorbed in one another as they spoke in low tones.
Lizzy breathed a sigh of relief. At last.
She cleared her throat, and the pair returned to themselves, blushing as they stepped back from one another. Lizzy noticed how Mary’s fingers remained loosely in Mr. Hayward’s grasp, as if he couldn’t bear the loss of contact.
“I trust that all is well?” she asked. The pair nodded mutely in unison.
Mr. Hayward composed himself first. He lifted Mary’s hand, brushing it with a kiss. “I will go and speak to Mr. Darcy now,” he told her, before leaning in to murmur something inaudible in her ear. Mary nodded in reply to his words, her blush deepening.
He turned to Lizzy and bowed. “I thank you, Mrs. Darcy,” he said. Then, with a final lingering look at Mary, he departed the room.
Lizzy fought back a smirk as she turned to a furiously blushing Mary.
“Well?”
“You might have given me some warning about this scheme of yours,” Mary admonished.
Lizzy was unrepentant. “I often laugh at those who act without thinking,” she said blithely. “But there are times when it is necessary to think a little less, and simply act.”
Mary stopped to consider this. “You may have a point. Perhaps we both might have spared ourselves considerable heartache if we had thought a little less, and acted a little more.”
“It is not worth dwelling on, I think,” Lizzy reasoned. “Though to be honest, I cannot believe the man tried to convince himself he could live without you. He seemed quite unable to let go of your hand, let alone quit the room.”
She stifled a laugh at the way her sister’s eyes widened at the observation, but decided against teasing her too intensely. Mary had been through enough.
“In any case, I shall not unleash the fullness of my wrath upon Mr. Hayward given how clearly besotted he is with you. He is very lucky that I have decided to forgive his idiocy, but then, he has also made you very happy, and such things must be taken into account,” she said with a grin. “I like him for you, Mary. I think you have chosen well.”
Mary blushed again. “You truly think so?”
“Setting aside the fact that he is a handsome barrister of good character with excellent prospects? Yes, of course I do.” Lizzy looked at her sister pointedly. “In all seriousness, Mary. I have been acquainted with the man for no more than two hours. I have stood together with the pair of you in the same room for approximately two minutes. That is time enough to see how patently obvious it is how much he adores you, and you him. It would be impossible to believe that you will make for anything other than a very happy couple indeed. Certainly at least as happy as Jane and Bingley, though I cannot say if you will be quite as unbearably in love as myself and Darcy…”
Mary rolled her eyes, but took her hand, giving it a squeeze. “Thank you, Lizzy,” she said softly. “For everything.”
Lizzy paused to study the rosy brightness in her sister’s cheeks, the lightness of her smile. It was a look that she wished she had seen more of during their youth. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes. “Happiness looks very well on you, my dear Mary,” she replied. “That is all the thanks I need.”
They embraced one another, sniffling and giggling as they sat down to talk about Lizzy’s scheme, Mary’s confession, and Mr. Hayward’s proposal. It was the kind of sisterly conversation both had needed for some time, and it brought no small amount of giddy satisfaction.
“There is one more thing I will need assistance with,” Mary said at length. “Tom has gone to Mr. Darcy to request his help in arranging for our return to London. Together.”
Lizzy raised a brow at the use of Mr. Hayward’s Christian name…as well as the news of their plan to leave Pemberley together. “But you are not married,” she pointed out.
“No. Not yet,” Mary acknowledged. “But we will be, as soon as we can arrange it.”
Lizzy’s face fell a little, sad to be losing her sister to London so soon. “You know that you are most welcome to be married from Pemberley—”
“I know, Lizzy,” Mary assured her. “And I am grateful, so grateful. But Tom— Mr. Hayward, I mean,” she corrected with a blush. “He wants a city wedding. And so do I.”
“Well, I cannot say I am surprised,” she replied, ideas about wedding arrangements already beginning to take shape in her mind. “However, I must warn you that a London ceremony would make for quite the ordeal for our dear mother. Her nerves may not survive yet another journey into town, especially so soon after returning here. She might not be able to make the trip,” Lizzy added, struggling to contain her smile.
“That is most unfortunate indeed,” Mary agreed. Her expression mirrored that of her sister.
As if on cue, Mrs. Bennet’s voice could be heard in the hall. “Mary! Lizzy!”
A footman entered the library with a bow. “Mrs. Bennet is asking for you and Miss Bennet, Ma’am.”
Lizzy and Mary looked at each other and sighed.
It was time to face their mother.
Mrs. Bennet appeared to be as nonplussed as ever.
“You have gone long enough avoiding me, Mary,” she said accusingly. “We have been here an entire week, and you have been a most inadequate companion.”
“More than a week, actually. It has been eight days,” Mary corrected. Mrs. Bennet glared at her.
“You already have a companion, Mama,” Lizzy pointed out. “You have Susan.”
“Oh, hang Susan! Susan is not my daughter. Susan is not the one who has a responsibility to her mother, unattached as she is to a husband.”
Lizzy watched as her sister straightened, preparing for the inevitable confrontation. Mary held her head high. “About that, Mama…”
Mary trailed off, her eyes lighting up at something else. Lizzy followed her line of sight until it landed on Mr. Hayward, who had just entered the drawing room with Darcy.
Lizzy exchanged a smile of her own with her husband, silently thanking him for his impeccable timing.
Mr. Darcy bowed to the ladies, adopting a pleasant but commanding tone that always seemed to work on his mother-in-law…perhaps because he used it sparingly. “Mrs. Bennet, allow me to present to you Mr. Thomas Hayward of London.”
Mr. Hayward bowed. “A pleasure to meet you.” Though he addressed their mother, Lizzy could not help but notice how his gaze remained fixed on Mary.
Mrs. Bennet took immediate notice of the gentleman, and curtsied. “How do you do, sir. And what brings you here to Pemberley?”
Mr. Darcy answered on his behalf. “I asked Mr. Hayward here to handle an important legal matter for me,” he said authoritatively. “He is a barrister, quite accomplished for one still so young. Very excellent prospects, if I say so myself. He has quite the career ahead of him.”
Mr. Hayward blushed. Mary beamed. Lizzy tried very hard not to laugh.
Mrs. Bennet’s interest, meanwhile, was clearly piqued. Lizzy noticed the familiar gleam that had returned to her mother's eyes as she addressed him, all charm and flirtation. “And are you here for long, Mr. Hayward? We hope that you will not be so focused on business that you cannot enjoy the beauty of the country.” She motioned for Mary to remove her glasses, but Mary took no notice; her attention was completely taken by Mr. Hayward.
Lizzy bit back a sigh. She knew that under normal circumstances, her mother would never show any interest in a barrister - a man with no title was hardly worth considering, in her eyes - but she suspected that with Ryder gone, the tall, handsome young gentleman before them showed some promise in Mrs. Bennet’s estimation. Even if that was only because of Mr. Darcy’s mention of his prospects.
To his credit, Mr. Hayward did not show any indication that he was interested in their mother’s rather obvious machinations. “I plan to leave for London as soon as possible,” he replied. “I have very recently become engaged, and I am most anxious to return home to make the proper arrangements.”
His response delighted Lizzy, largely because Mrs. Bennet did not seem to notice the look Mr. Hayward had cast at Mary as he spoke.
Mrs. Bennet smiled tightly, apparently annoyed to have one last attempt at matchmaking thwarted once again. “I must congratulate you, sir, on your good fortune.”
Mr. Hayward shook his head. “No, madam. If anything, it is I who must thank you.”
Mrs. Bennet peered at him, flattered but confused. “Thank me, sir?”
“Yes of course, Mrs. Bennet,” he replied. “For I do believe that if not for you, I would not have found myself here at Pemberley at this very moment. In your own way, you have been the instrument that has made my engagement possible.”
Lizzy took an inordinate, bordering on inappropriate, amount of satisfaction in seeing Mama splutter as she watched Mr. Hayward cross in front of her towards Mary…and offer her his arm.
Mary, still focused on no one but her fiancé, accepted his arm with a shy smile.
Mrs. Bennet gaped at the pair in complete shock. “Mary? What is the meaning of this?”
Mary turned to her with a furrowed brow, as if genuinely confused by the question. “What is the matter? I thought Tom–” Mary paused, blushing as she looked back at Mr. Hayward, who continued to regard her with unmitigated fondness. “I believe Mr. Hayward was rather clear on his meaning, Mama.”
“He most certainly was not,” Mrs. Bennet bit out, very clearly straining to maintain her composure. “He said that he was engaged—”
“To me, Mother,” she said calmly. “I am engaged to Mr. Hayward.” Mary looked up at Mr. Hayward’s face again with an expression that could only be described as smitten. “He has proposed, and we are to be married, as soon as it can be arranged.”
Lizzy observed the exchange with pride. Mary’s happiness in that moment was so complete, it appeared nothing their mother said would have landed a blow.
Mrs. Bennet, for her part, had been so caught off guard that she was scarcely able to form sentences. “But– you– you have been here a week, how could you possibly–”
“Mama, I think it is apparent what is happening here,” Lizzy interjected. “Mr. Hayward is from London. In fact, he is a friend to our Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. It is natural that he and Mary would have formed an…acquaintance…during her time there.”
“It is not apparent at all. I did not see or hear of him once during my entire time in town!” Mrs. Bennet cried, speaking as though Mr. Hayward was not standing directly in front of them.
Mr. Hayward shifted, as if preparing to speak. “Mrs. Bennet,” he said evenly, “I–”
At that moment, the footman stepped into the room, interrupting the standoff. “Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner have arrived, sir,” he announced. “As well as their children.”
Lizzy sent a silent prayer of thanks that the letter she had sent had gotten such a prompt response.
Mary looked to Lizzy, both surprised and grateful. She looked at Darcy too, who accepted the silent gratitude gracefully, if not a little awkwardly.
“Mary! Tom!”
Marianne, George, and Rebecca rushed into the room and at the couple, all laughing and speaking at once.
“Are you in love yet? I overheard Mama and Papa speaking while I was pretending to be asleep—”
“Tom, you look different, have you not been eating? Is that why you have been away, because you were ill? Was it smallpox?—”
“Mary, we have come to take you home with us, please say you’ll come back—”
“Children,” Mr. Gardiner boomed, “let’s give Mary and Tom a bit of space. I’m sure we will have plenty of time to discuss everything together on the journey home,” he added, looking meaningfully at Mr. Hayward.
“Yes, of course,” Mr. Hayward said, stepping back from the children and straightening his coat. “In fact…Mr. Gardiner, perhaps we could step into another room to speak privately?”
Mr. Gardiner smiled broadly. “It would be my pleasure.”
“In that case, please allow me to escort you both to a quieter place,” Mr. Darcy offered, leading the two gentlemen out of the room. Lizzy could not help but chuckle at her husband’s escape.
She clapped her hands, calling everyone to attention. “This has been quite the day, and I can only assume my Aunt and cousins are tired from their long journey. Shall we all retire to our rooms to prepare for supper?”
The children left directly, led by a servant. Mrs. Bennet, however, did not move. She stood in place, confused, if not annoyed, that everyone seemed to know something she did not. “I do not understand,” she said again. “Mr. Hayward and Mary are acquainted?”
“We are,” Mary confirmed. She turned to her aunt, eyes shining happily. “We are engaged.”
“Oh, Mary,” Aunt Gardiner cried, pulling her into a warm embrace. “I knew it would be so. I am so thrilled for you both.” She turned to Mrs. Bennet. “Tom is such a wonderful man, and very well suited to our Mary. You must be so happy for your daughter.”
“Indeed, Mama,” Lizzy added, taking her arm, “I do believe you are to be congratulated. Five daughters, all married. That is a triumph to be celebrated, is it not?”
She led her still-dazed mother out of the drawing room. As they retreated, Lizzy turned to look over her shoulder at Mary and Aunt Gardiner.
Thank you, Mary mouthed.
Aunt Gardiner just grinned.
Lizzy smiled back at them both, and nodded.
It was bittersweet seeing the Gardiners, Mary, and Mr. Hayward off the next day. Hugs and kisses were exchanged, including promises for the Darcys to return to London soon to assist with wedding preparations. All too quickly, the Londoners had climbed into carriages and driven away.
Mrs. Bennet, muttering about her nerves, returned into the house within moments of their departure. Lizzy and Darcy, however, remained.
Darcy wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head as they watched the carriages shrink into the distance. “Are you pleased with yourself, Mrs. Darcy?” he asked.
Lizzy could nearly hear him smirking. “Very much,” she admitted. She turned to look at him, smiling. “Though I do believe they would have found their way back to each other on their own, in time.”
“Are you saying, then, that your intervention was not warranted?”
“Not at all,” Lizzy retorted. “And I would not have you lessening the honour of my triumph with such a suggestion.”
“I would never do such a thing.”
She tugged at his lapels, pulling him into a kiss. “Thank you, husband, for going along with my scheming.”
He returned her kiss with equal enthusiasm. “You are quite welcome, wife…as long as we never have to do it again.”
She laughed, releasing her hold on him. “I make no such promises! After all, Georgiana has not yet found a match…”
Lizzy could barely hold her countenance at the look of shock her husband gave her. “Is there something you know about my sister that you are not telling me?” he demanded.
Grinning, she drifted away from him and turned back towards the house. “Your sister may end up surprising us, just as Mary did,” she called back.
He did not let her get far, grasping her hand and pulling her back into his arms. “Mrs. Darcy, I demand a clear answer!”
“Do not fret, Mr. Darcy,” she said teasingly. “I would never keep such a thing a secret from you, if indeed she had any romantic prospects to speak of. Besides, you have made it very clear that you have no further interest in meddling in the love lives of young women…even though you are remarkably proficient at it,” she added.
Mr. Darcy merely groaned, scooping Lizzy into his arms and carrying her back into the house.
Lizzy laughed, awash with happiness. Happy for their success. Happy for Mary and Tom, and the knowledge that her sister had found happiness equal to what she shared with Mr. Darcy.
She was very happy, indeed.