Family (a Pride and Prejudice fanfiction)

At Last

The carriage pulled up at Longbourn. Mr. Bennet was waiting, along with Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Phillips. Mr. Bennet handed Jane out of the carriage, and then Mrs. Bennet and Georgiana. Lizzie should have been second, both from her placement within the carriage and her position as bride, but she remained in her seat, waving the others past her. Once they were all out she stood up—but didn't move for a long moment. Then, declining all assistance, she stepped down from the carriage. Mrs. Bennet was hurrying Jane along toward the steps up into Netherfield Hall, and the two uncles followed them, but Georgiana and Mr. Bennet waited until Lizzie was ready.

"What was that?" Georgiana whispered, unable to contain her curiosity.

Lizzie blushed. "You will think me a romantic fool."

"When is one to be allowed romantic foolishness if not on one's wedding day?" Mr. Bennet asked. "I am quite of one mind with Miss Darcy's curiosity. It appeared an unusually capricious moment for you, my Lizzie." He tucked her hand more firmly under his arm, the affection between them clear to see as Lizzie lifted a smiling face to her father's.

"Well, then, if the two of you must hear ... it was in that very spot that Mr. Darcy handed me into the carriage as Jane and I left Netherfield once she had recovered from her illness, and ..." She paused, the colour flooding her face again. "I seemed to see him for the first time. I was not aware of it then, but I believe my feelings for him began to grow from that moment."

Georgiana's smile sprang directly from the well of happiness that bubbled up inside her with Lizzie's words. "What a beautiful story." In the brief moments it took them to climb the steps, her imagination raced ahead a few years to a faceless young man who took her own hand and made her feel the way Lizzie described—a feeling she could just barely begin to fathom, thinking of how she had felt in the presence of Mr. Wickham, just at that first blush of emotion that had died before it could bud, much less bloom.

"A farthing for your thoughts, sister," Lizzie whispered to her.

She could feel her face heat from the impetuousness of her own thoughts. "Just imagining your future happiness," she assured her soon-to-be-sister.

"Indeed. And soon we shall be imagining some future happiness for you."

"None needed. For the moment, all I ask is to see you safely wedded to my brother."

"Hear, hear," Mr. Bennet said from Lizzie's other side. "If I may be truly candid, of all my sons-in-law, present and imminent, I most look forward to counting young Fitzwilliam amongst our family connection. Of course, I equally resent him, for stealing my Lizzie away from my fireside to brighten his instead."

"Oh, Papa!" Lizzie stopped their portion of the bridal procession to throw her arms around her father's neck. "My fireside is your fireside. You must and will come to visit us very often. Mustn't he, Georgie?"

"Yes, he must." Georgiana was rather in awe of Mr. Bennet, who spoke so little, and appeared so grave when he did speak, but Lizzie's warm affection for him spoke many volumes.

"Come on, Lizzie, come on, Mr. Bennet!" Mrs. Bennet called impatiently from the doorway. "We don't want to keep them waiting." She ushered Jane quickly into the house through the open doors. Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Phillips had evidently gone in ahead of the two brides.

"Does she fear they'll both run off and leave us here with both you and Jane still on our hands?" Mr. Bennet's tone was jovial, but there were tears in his eyes as he pressed Lizzie's small hand, which lay on his arm. "I must confess, I would not be entirely cast down by such an event."