Because of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 38

The long awaited day had finally arrived. Even though Jane had just seen Darcie in the wedding dress yesterday, something about today—the chapel, the flowers, or even Lucas standing next to her dressed in that flattering black long coat, gray and lilac striped waistcoast, and top hat—made Darcie appear a glowing, heavenly vision. After the magnificent ceremony ended and all the guests had gone through the receiving line, the bridesmaids and groomsmen stood opposite each other on the stairs, making a path for Darcie and Lucas to walk down to the waiting carriage. The groomsmen threw birdseed while the bridesmaids threw rose petals into the air as they passed. The guests cheered and applauded. Jane admiringly watched Lucas assist Darcie into the open top carriage when a wad of birdseed hit her face. She knew exactly where that came from. She turned to scold George only to find that it was Colin who threw it. George deflected her ire by saying, "It wasn't me. I have better aim than that!"

Colin walked over and whispered to Jane, "See, there are the horses! But don't tell any of these guests they're not ours. It would ruin our image." He walked away with a finger pressed up against his lips as a warning. Charlotte who had witnessed the whole scene innocently observed to Jane, "He certainly pays you a lot of attention." She hoped that Jane would confide in her, but all Jane said was, "I think I'm just an easy target for teasing, that's all. You know, the 'Yank'." But Jane's dreamy gaze said otherwise.

A train of cars with liveried drivers were lined up at the drive to take guests back to the castle. Jane and the other members of the wedding party mingled with some of the guests while waiting for the carriage to return. Darcie and Lucas were taking a ride around the estate, greeting the well-wishers along the route. The plan was that while the guests enjoyed refreshments back at the castle, the wedding party was going to take many, many pictures. The good news (though Darcie referred to it as bad news this morning) was that they were going to take pictures at the chapel and drive to only one location on the estate as there wasn't going to be enough time to go to all the other locations. The rest of the pictures would be at the castle. They, of course, consoled the disappointed Darcie, but had let out a cheer as soon as she left the room.

As Jane watched the guests while they waited for their turn to get into a car, she thought of how only her family would appreciate the humor in the guests' attire. No one else seemed to notice that the guests were dressed in every era but the Regency. Most were dressed like the Victorian period, and there was a spattering of those dressed in the Georgian style! Jane shook her head. Her mother was going to be in conniptions when she saw these guests arriving. Everyone did, however, notice one person's dress in particular. In fact, the girls were gathered together now discussing it quite openly since that particular person had already left.

"Can you believe what she was wearing? The nerve of her!"

"What was she thinking? How could she do such a thing?"

"Poor Darcie! It's unforgivable! I would never forgive her!"

Jane agreed with all of them. They had been standing in the vestibule waiting for the ceremony to start. Darcie had just stepped out of the sacristy where she had secluded herself until the start of the ceremony. George and Colin were adorably tending to her train with exaggerated movements of their hands and arms. Then, the Burkes strode in, obviously late. It got deathly still and silent when they all saw Ann dressed in a toga! Its neckline was plunging, and it draped over one shoulder leaving the other shoulder and part of her torso completely exposed. The sheer, gauzy material clung to every curve. It was no doubt a masterpiece of clothing erotica, but highly inappropriate for the setting. The worst part, if there could be anything worse, was that it was all white. Who wears white to a wedding other than the bride?

Ann went over to Darcie and gave her air kisses as if it were perfectly natural to upstage the bride. "You look radiant!" she said. "Soooo happy for you on this happy, happy day!"

Darcie tried but could not conceal her horror. "Ann, that's not anything from the Regency. Why aren't you wearing what Franny created for you?"

"I just really wanted to get into the spirit of your themed wedding. I did some research, and the neoclassical style was very popular during the Regency, and so . . . voila!" Ann struck a pose as she waved her hands around her toga.

Mr. and Mrs. Burke also came over to blow air kisses at Darcie. At least they had the decency to wear what Darcie had Mrs. Bennett meticulously and painstakingly design for them. "Darcie, you are so beautiful, so beautiful! I know your parents would have been very proud," Mrs. Burke cooed.

Mr. Burke was the only one that seemed to realize that they were holding up the ceremony. He motioned to Ann and Mrs. Burke. "I think we should be getting to our seats now."

As they passed by the bridesmaids, Charlotte whispered loud enough so that Ann could hear, "At least she doesn't look preggers in this dress."

Colin could feel Darcie's distress because she was squeezing his hand so tightly that he lost circulation to it several minutes ago. Since yesterday, the snide comments, the side glances, the condescending tone was more than Colin could tolerate, but their rudeness had reached all new heights today. The fact that it was affecting Darcie on her wedding day made him want to kick them out to the curb, literally. Colin noticed that her eyes were watering, which just incensed him more. "Darcie, I haven't kicked them out on their arses yet because you wanted them here. But if you don't want them here anymore, George and I will gladly see them out."

"And with pleasure," George added. He, too, was affected by Darcie's mortification.

Darcie thanked them and said, "I am very disappointed. I don't know why I thought that having them present would be like having Mum and Dad here. I do miss them terribly."

Colin was afraid that she was going to open the floodgates, and there would be an emotional mess to deal with, but she surprised him. In a tone that reminded him of his grandfather, she haughtily said, "But I am a Williams. They may behave horribly, but we will be above reproach. And after today, I never want to see any of them again."