Chapter 157
Elizabeth stood outside the airport exit, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. The display board said the flight had landed, but she knew from experience that the lines at Immigration and Customs could be long. Winston Shepherd stood beside her, leaning against the car, his arms folded across his chest.
“Lizzy! Lizzy! We’re here!”
The shrill voice was almost as familiar to Elizabeth as her own. It issued from the center of a noisy cluster of travelers making their way toward her, with one frantically waving hand thrust above most of the heads. She searched for the face she most wanted to see, and finally found her. Jane was at the rear of the procession, no doubt herding the group toward its destination. A moment later, Elizabeth was surrounded by a noisy throng.
“Oh, Lizzy, thank goodness we’re finally here!” Mrs. Bennet wailed. “It seems like we’ve been traveling for days. First, our flight from San Francisco was the longest flight ever! And then in Miami we had to walk for miles to get to our second airplane. And when we landed here, can you believe that we had to walk down a rickety set of steps to get off the plane? Who ever heard of such a thing? And when I couldn’t find my passport, this very rude person didn’t believe me when I said I had one, so they wouldn’t let me go.”
“You lost your passport?” Elizabeth broke into her mother’s tirade. “What happened?”
Mrs. Bennet shrugged and waved her hand in dismissal. “Oh, Jane found it in my purse; it was there all along.” She rolled her eyes and gusted a loud sigh. “But they acted like I was trying to sneak into the country with, I don’t know, drugs or something.”
Elizabeth almost laughed; she couldn’t imagine a drug dealer being foolish enough to hire her mother as a mule. “Well, I’m glad—”
“And it took forever to get our luggage, and then there was another line to get out of that area! Thank goodness Charles found a man with a cart to help us.” She glanced in the direction of the redcap standing beside a cart laden with suitcases.
“I’m sorry you had a bad time, Mom, but I’m glad you’re here.” Elizabeth hugged her mother lightly. Then she turned to her father, noting his weary smile. “It’s been a long day,” he remarked, enveloping her in a warm embrace. “But it’s wonderful to see you, Lizzy.”
Next, Elizabeth greeted Kitty and her aunt and uncle, the Phillipses. Mrs. Phillips kissed her cheek before returning to her previous task, tut-tutting at Mrs. Bennet’s continuing litany of complaints.
At last, Elizabeth reached Jane and Charles. She could see the lines on tension on their faces. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “When we moved the wedding down here, I didn’t stop to think how inconvenient it would be for you.”
“Nonsense, Lizzy,” Charles replied, wrapping her in a bear hug that nearly lifted her off the ground. “We’re thrilled to be here. Our two favorite people are getting married; plus, we get to relax at the beach for the next week. What could be better than that?”
Elizabeth and Jane exchanged a wordless embrace, and Elizabeth felt tears threatening to form in her eyes. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she whispered.
“So am I,” Jane replied. “And don’t take Mom’s comments to heart.” She raised her voice. “Mom, aren’t you forgetting something? Wasn’t it lovely sitting in first class on the flights?”
“Oh, my, yes!” Mrs. Bennet’s aggrieved expression cleared instantly. “Free champagne and good food and those huge seats! And with all seven of us up there, we really took over the first class cabin.”
Elizabeth sent an inquiring glance at Jane, whose tight smile offered a good notion of what “taking over the cabin” had entailed. Then she glanced down at Jane’s slightly protruding belly. “Oh, wow, you’re pregnant!” she exclaimed.
“Well, yes, I am,” Jane answered, her eyes glowing, “but that’s not news.”
“Yeah, but now you look pregnant, at least a little. The long travel day didn’t wear you out?”
“No, I feel great. People told me the second trimester was the best part of pregnancy, and I think they were right.”
“She’s still out there running every morning,” Charles said. “But at least she’s letting me go with her. I’m worried she’ll lose her balance and fall, so I pick our routes and make sure to avoid hills—as much as we can, anyway—and rough terrain.”
“Good,” Elizabeth said. “I’m glad you’re taking care of my sister and my future niece or nephew.”
“Niece or nephew! Don’t remind me,” Mrs. Bennet cried. “I don’t understand why you won’t tell us the sex of the baby!”
“Now, Mom, I told you, we decided we’d rather not know till the baby arrives.”
“But couldn’t the doctor … I don’t know, send me a letter or call me or something? That way I could find out, but you wouldn’t need to know. And I wouldn’t tell anyone, I promise.”
Elizabeth snickered at the notion of her mother keeping a secret, especially one that big. Mrs. Bennet scowled, but before she could assemble an angry retort, Elizabeth said, “Let’s get the luggage sorted out. Jane and Charles, you’re coming with Winston and me. The rest of you have your own car and driver; they’re included with the house where you’re staying.”
“Jane and Charles aren’t staying with us?” Mrs. Bennet asked, wearing what could only be described as a pout.
“Right,” Elizabeth added in her most cheerful tone. “And we rented an amazing house for you, right on the beach. Besides the car and driver, you have a cook and a housekeeper to take care of you. When I emailed you the photos last month, you said it looked like heaven.”1
“Oh, yes, I suppose I did.” Mrs. Bennet nodded, seemingly mollified.
“The pictures looked wonderful,” Mrs. Phillips said. “Like paradise! A tropical paradise!”
“And you said, several times, that you couldn’t wait to see it,” Mr. Bennet added. “Not to mention sharing the photos with everyone we know. So instead of standing here talking about it, let’s get going.”
“But, Lizzy, aren’t you coming with us tonight to help us get settled?” Mrs. Bennet’s pout had returned.
Elizabeth’s jaw clenched, but she took a slow, deep breath. Smile and stay calm. She’s never been out of the USA before, and unfamiliar situations make her nervous. Be patient. “Mom, tonight I’m going to help Jane and Charlotte get settled at the house where we’re staying. But I thought I’d come see you tomorrow around lunchtime, if that’s okay. And in the meantime, you have your household staff to keep you comfortable.”
“My household staff ….” A faint smile played around the corners of Mrs. Bennet’s mouth.
“Sounds good, doesn’t it, Francie?” Mr. Bennet asked. “Let’s get going.”
This time, Mr. Bennet’s suggestion galvanized the group into action. Elizabeth, Jane, and Charles waved goodbye to the Bennets and Phillipses as their gleaming silver van pulled away from the curb.
“I’m so sorry,” Elizabeth said to Jane and Charles as Winston helped them into the rented limo. “You must have had a miserable day. I feel terrible; we were so selfish to only think of ourselves when we moved the wedding down here.”
“Lizzy, there’s no need to apologize,” Jane replied in a soothing voice. “Charles and I are glad to have some time to relax at the beach. This will probably be our last vacation for quite a while.”
“But you had to deal with Mom for hours on end.”
Jane shook her head. “No, really, it was fine. Mom was excited, of course—her first time in first class, and her first time in the Caribbean—so she was a little … boisterous on the flights. But the flight attendants were very kind to her, and despite the things she complained about just now, she told me she felt like royalty. It was so generous of you and William to pay for first class tickets for all of us.”
“That was William’s idea. I didn’t even know until about a week ago that he had Sonya book everyone in first class.” This was one of several thoughtful touches he had added to the wedding plans.
“Well, it was a treat for all of us. Of course, Charles has flown first class before—”
“Not anymore, though,” Charles retorted cheerfully. “It’s the back of the plane for me from now on.” He kissed Jane’s cheek. “And I couldn’t be happier.”
Elizabeth and Jane exchanged warm smiles. Charles had settled into his reduced circumstances with a degree of ease—even delight—that astonished William, though as Elizabeth had pointed out, Charles was far from destitute thanks to the generous wedding gift from his mother.
Half an hour later, Winston turned off the coastal road and proceeded down a narrow drive. Lamps on the ground shone upward, bathing the trees in ethereal light. At the end of the drive sat a low, white house.2
“We’re here!” Elizabeth couldn’t wait to show Jane the house. She jumped from the car.
“It looks beautiful,” Jane said. “And the beach is just on the other side?”
“Yes; wait till you see it.”
“Don’t you want a tour?” Elizabeth said. “This may be your only opportunity until after the wedding.”
Charles laughed, shaking his head. “You seriously think Will is going to stay away from here until Saturday? Or the rest of us, either. I’ll bet you anything you want that we’ll be over here tomorrow by lunchtime.” He kissed Jane. “But for now, go have some girl talk. I know you can’t wait to catch up.”
Elizabeth kissed Charles on the cheek. “Tell William I said good night, and that I love him.”
Charles grinned. “As long as you don’t expect me to pass on that kiss! Have fun; I’ll see you tomorrow.” He and Winston returned to the car and drove off, heading for Pemberley.
Elizabeth and Jane passed through the foyer and into the living room, an airy space decorated in cream with touches of gray. “Charlotte, where are you?” Elizabeth called out.
“On the terrace. Come on out.”
“Livin’ large, aren’t we?” Charlotte said, rising to her feet from a padded chaise lounge. She hugged Jane. “I’ve missed you. And I’ve got to say, little mama, you look fantastic.”
“Oh, no, I’m all bedraggled after a day of travel.”
Charlotte laughed. “I wish I looked that good when I’m bedraggled.” She waved a hand in the direction of her chaise lounge and its clones. “Let’s sit down and relax. The cook left a pitcher of rum punch in the fridge, plus a smaller pitcher of a non-alcoholic version for our pregnant lady. I was a good girl and restricted myself to a single glass—of the ‘rummy’ version, obviously—so there’s plenty left.”
“Actually,” Jane said, “I’d like to get out of these clothes first.”
“Great idea! Let’s all get in our pajamas and really relax.” Elizabeth cast a sidelong glance at Charlotte. “That is, if you brought any.”
“Just what I have on. But this is comfortable.” And Charlotte did look comfortable—and somehow as effortlessly chic as ever—in her tank top and shorts.
Elizabeth led Jane to her bedroom. “We each have a room of our own, and even more important, our own bathrooms. I thought this room would be nice for you and Charles.” Jane, Charles, Charlotte, and Richard had decided to stay on in Barbados for a few days after the wedding. They would be sharing the house starting Saturday night, while Elizabeth relocated to Pemberley.
“William really picked this house on his own?” Jane asked. “And you hadn’t even seen any photos until you got here?”
“Didn’t he do a fantastic job?” Charmed by his boyish eagerness, Elizabeth had agreed to let him surprise her with his choice, and her trust had been amply rewarded. The house, the beach … everything had exceeded her expectations.
She went to her bedroom to change. A few minutes later, the trio sat in side-by-side lounge chairs on the dimly-lit patio, sipping their drinks and listening to the quiet lapping of the water. The warm breeze carried a faint tang of the ocean.
“Wow,” Charlotte sighed. “I hope you’re planning on having the wedding on this terrace, Liz, because I don’t think you’re going to be able to get me to leave here.”
“What’s on our schedule tomorrow?” Jane asked. “Do we need to be up early for anything?”
“Not that early. Mrs. Shepherd—she’s the housekeeper at Pemberley—has a daughter who’s a manicurist. She and two coworkers are coming here in the morning to give us mani/pedis.”
“Seriously? Here on the terrace?” Charlotte raised her head and stared at Elizabeth. “At this moment, you are my favorite person in the universe.”
“It was Mrs. Shepherd’s suggestion. I was going to make appointments for us at her daughter’s salon, but Mrs. Shepherd offered to arrange this instead.”
Jane sighed. “Oh, that sounds heavenly.”
“And I need to go see Mom; I thought I’d go over there at lunchtime, but the two of you don’t have to come along unless you want to. Then, the afternoon is completely open, so we can do whatever we want until it’s time to get ready for the wedding rehearsal.”
“This,” Charlotte said. “This is what I want to do, for about the next month.” She sat up. “Wait at minute. The rehearsal is tomorrow? As in Thursday? I thought it would be on Friday.”
“There’s a wedding at the church Friday evening. Everyone involved is already here except Georgie, and she gets in tomorrow around lunchtime, so it was no problem having the rehearsal tomorrow.”
“And the rehearsal dinner is at that restaurant you mentioned?” Jane asked.
“Yes. The Cliff3. The food is good, but you really go there for the ambience. William knows the owner, so they were happy to host the dinner.” Elizabeth’s glass clinked as she set it on the floor beside her chair. She rose to her feet. “Anybody want to go for a walk on the beach?”
Neither Jane nor Charlotte responded at first, so Elizabeth repeated the question. Groaning, Charlotte stood up. “Come on, Jane,” she said, “we’re the bridesmaids, so we have to do whatever the bride says.”
As the three friends followed the path from the terrace to the beach, Elizabeth felt a little shiver—mostly of excitement, flavored with a droplet or two of nerves. And I’m the bride.
“Do you know what time it is? Maybe four o’clock or so?” Elizabeth asked. The sun, though it had begun to dip in the sky, offered only minimal clues.
Charlotte shrugged. “No idea. Why?”
“Because pretty soon we need to go up to the house and get dressed for the rehearsal.”
They had been floating together in the tranquil Caribbean waters for … Elizabeth wasn’t sure how long, but it had been a perfect afternoon. The setting was impossibly beautiful—the soft, pale sand, the bright sun, and above all the water, pale aqua near the shore, deepening to turquoise. Best of all, they had enjoyed the setting in peace; the beach had been nearly deserted all day, except for Elizabeth and two of her favorite people on the planet.
The morning had been ambrosial as well. Following a delicious breakfast prepared by their cook, the mani/pedi session on the terrace had been just as luxurious as she had hoped. She glanced at her hands, smiling at the sight of her pale pink nails shimmering in the sunlight. Her toes were similarly adorned. She usually preferred darker colors, but pale pink seemed bride-appropriate. There it was again: I’m the bride!
The only activity interrupting the peace of the day had been her visit to her mother, who loved the house and the staff but had still found causes for complaint: the heat, the humidity, even the brightness of the sun. Throughout her short visit, Elizabeth had clung to her morning contentment like a life preserver and managed to escape with her good humor intact … more or less. At least she could rejoice that William and Rose hadn’t been privy to her mother’s outbursts.
“Lizzy?” It was Jane, calling to her from a lounge chair on the beach. “It’s a quarter to five. Didn’t you say it would take us about forty minutes to get to the church?”
“Oh, my gosh!” Elizabeth’s peaceful mood shattered in an instant. She swam quickly to the shallower water and then splashed toward the shore, careful to skirt the occasional rocks strewn over the sandy bottom.
Charlotte followed, but at a languid pace. “So we’ve got at least half an hour, right? Plenty of time.”
“For you, maybe,” Elizabeth called back as she flung herself up the steps from the beach to the lawn behind the house. “You don’t have a dripping wet rat’s nest on top of your head.”
“I’ll help you, Lizzy,” Jane said. “Don’t worry; we’ll have your hair looking perfect in no time.”
Jane’s prediction turned out to be overly optimistic. 30 minutes later, although Elizabeth’s hair was finally dry, Jane was only beginning to coax it into a more orderly grouping of curls.
Charlotte strolled into Elizabeth’s bedroom looking cool and comfortable in a sleek black jumpsuit with a silver belt. How can her shoulders and arms look so tan already? Elizabeth sighed with resignation; the only thing her skin knew how to do was to burn and freckle, unless she slathered on sunscreen continually.
“How’s it going?” Charlotte asked
“We’re getting there,” Jane replied.
“Hey, Liz, isn’t that the dress you wore to Jane’s rehearsal last year?” Charlotte studied Elizabeth’s champagne-colored sheath dress.
“Yeah. I’ve only worn it once since then, and I figured nobody would remember it except the two of you.” Elizabeth studied Charlotte’s face, reflected in the mirror. “Why? Are you superstitious? You think it put a jinx on Jane’s wedding and it’s about to perform an encore?”
Charlotte scoffed. “Of course not. I was just surprised. I thought you’d have something new—and expensive—to wear to every event this weekend.”
“No way. Other than my wedding gown—and Mom and Dad gave me money for that—I paid for everything I’m wearing this weekend. I didn’t want to use William’s money for clothes and personal stuff until I was officially a Darcy.” She fingered the emerald pendant hanging around her neck and smiled. “Well, I paid for all of it except some jewelry.”
“A minor exception—diamonds and emeralds!”
“Those were my birthday and Christmas gifts.” She frowned at Charlotte in the mirror, suddenly feeling defensive.
“I know, and you’d be nuts not to wear them.” Charlotte patted her on the shoulder. “But I’m a little surprised. I thought Mrs. Darcy would force you to buy an entire designer trousseau, since you’re marrying the crown prince of the family. Maybe even a diamond-encrusted mask and solid gold flippers for the snorkel trip tomorrow.”
“Cut it out,” Elizabeth retorted. “You sound just like Richard.”
Charlotte grinned. “I admit, I stole that line from him.”
“Really, Char,” Jane said, “stop teasing Lizzy. I think she’s done an amazing job of navigating an awkward situation. William has constantly tried to give her money for pretty much anything you could name, but she’s worked hard to maintain her independence.” Their gazes met in the mirror. “I’m so proud of you, Lizzy.”
Jane’s words were a soothing balm, and Elizabeth relaxed. “If this were still the big wedding in New York, Char, you’d probably be right. Mrs. Darcy would be worried about appearances in front of her society friends. The reception in New York is going to be an Event with a capital E.”
“I know,” Charlotte replied. “And Jane is right; you’ve handled all this stuff like a trooper. Didn’t mean to suggest otherwise.”
Elizabeth nodded, accepting Charlotte’s offhand apology. “But Mrs. Darcy has really embraced the spirit of this smaller wedding, except for one thing: asking me to wear the designer gown on Saturday. That’s why I agreed to do it—she’s been so supportive about everything else. I think she wants a classic wedding picture for her family photo collection.” She smiled ruefully. “I guess I should apologize to the two of you, because when I said yes to her, it meant you had to wear your bridesmaid’s dresses.”
“No skin off my nose,” Charlotte replied with a shrug. “But Richard did a little grousing on the way down, because it meant he had to bring his tux.”
Jane smiled. “Charles mentioned that, too, but I don’t think it really bothered him.”
“Anyway, we’ll be changing out of our dresses before the reception, and the guys can at least take off their jackets and ties and be more comfortable.”
“Right,” Charlotte said, pressing her lips together. She seemed amused about something, but Elizabeth didn’t ask, too worried about the minutes ticking by. She was going to be late for her own wedding rehearsal, and she knew how William would feel about that.
I’d love to read your comments! You have several ways to comment:
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1 The “Bennet mansion” for the wedding weekend is a house called Gardenia near Holetown, a little south of Lizzy’s beach house. I found it online recently; I wish I’d seen it when I was last in Barbados. See the Airbnb listing.
2 The model for Lizzy’s beach house is a rental property called High Trees on Gibbes Beach. It’s just south of Mullins Beach, a popular spot in the northern area of the west coast. Gibbes is almost entirely residential and tends to be quiet. I walked past High Trees during a walk on Gibbes Beach several years ago; partly I was just enjoying the beach, and partly I was scouting locations for the AUS wedding. I couldn’t see that much from the beach, but I could tell that the location was perfect. See the Booking.com listing.
3 Sadly, the Cliff has closed due to financial losses from COVID, but it is to be reopened in what sounds like a more casual “bistro” format.