Chapter 18
CHAPTER 18
L ydia gazed at her mother in shock as she held her palm to her stinging cheek. She had never been struck in her life, apart from one time when she had escaped the nurse and fallen asleep in a closet, even then her adventure had resulted only in a few light swats on her bottom from her father, because the entire family had searched for her in terror for hours before she was found. Her mother had never had a cross word for her in her life, yet suddenly her beloved parent was like a stranger, breathing down fire upon her in a manner Lydia had never thought possible.
“The only time you should expect to leave this house will be for your sister Mary’s engagement dinner,” Mrs Bennet said to her youngest daughter. “I will not miss it to sit home with you, but you will sit between me and one of your sisters, and I swear upon heaven and earth, Lydia Bennet, if you open your mouth to speak even once the whole of the evening, I will have you locked away in a convent! My mother had a cousin like you, who thought she could not be controlled. She is in that convent still, an old woman, locked away with the sisters for her own protection. You will do everything you are told, unless you wish to join our nine and sixty year-old-cousin in her isolation. I will not permit you to ruin yourself, or your sisters.”
Lydia gulped and nodded. Mrs Bennet concluded the conversation by saying, “I believe Lydia could do with a bit of quiet. I shall take my breakfast in my room this morning, Thomas, and Lydia will join me.” Mr Bennet nodded as Mrs Bennet herded Lydia out of the door. Elizabeth assured her father that she knew nothing else, and would confide in no one but Jane, and they parted in the hall.
Shortly after breakfast, Mr Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived to speak with Mr Bennet, who had sent them a note regarding the matter with Wickham. To their horror, upon exiting Mr Bennet’s study, they encountered Miss Bingley in the Bennet’s hall, accompanied by her brother and sister, who could not dissuade her from coming, but had hoped to minimise the damage. Darcy and Fitzwilliam had done everything short of beating the woman with a stick to shake off Caroline Bingley.
The other ladies of Netherfield were waiting patiently for the ladies of Longbourn to call on them, as was proper, but Caroline Bingley knew that Mr Darcy was going to see Eliza Bennet, and she would do whatever she could to prevent anything resembling a courtship from taking place.
“Well! I do not know what sort of business this is meant to be!” Miss Bingley huffed with her hands upon her hips as the men emerged from the study.
“It is none of yours, so mind your own,” Richard growled, having tired of Miss Bingley’s antics.
“Indeed, Miss Bingley, who are you to question my activities?” asked Darcy pointedly. “If I have business in Mr Bennet’s study, it is no concern of yours.”
“Well, if you have quite completed your business, I would be glad for your escort back to Netherfield,” Caroline said, raising her nose in the air and attempting to take Darcy’s arm.
“No, I have not quite completed my business, and I am not returning to Netherfield before noon.” Darcy evaded her grasp as he and Richard made for the front door.
“Caroline, this really is enough,” said Bingley firmly. “Let us enjoy a cup of tea with Miss Bennet, which is all you claimed to wish for when you came.”
A half hour was spent in mostly enjoyable discussion, and Bingley learned that the ladies had intended to call upon Netherfield that day to visit the female guests of the house, but their mother had suddenly recalled a prior engagement that she and her youngest had to visit a cousin near Ashwell, and their carriage would be engaged all day. Bingley announced that upon returning to Netherfield, he would be very happy to send his carriage back for the Bennet ladies, and they would be welcome to spend the entire day, indeed, Miss Darcy and Lady Priscilla were hoping that they would. Jane accepted, knowing that her father was to accompany her mother and youngest sister.
After spending the early morning alone with Lydia, and seeing that the girl was not convinced that her parents were serious, Mrs Bennet decided to make a journey to Ashwell forthwith. All of Lydia’s gowns were swiftly removed from her wardrobe, and several plain gowns more appropriate for a young girl not out were produced like magic. Lydia had thrown a tantrum, but her mother had firmly enforced the edict, and by the time the other Bennet sisters had left for Netherfield, Thomas and Fanny Bennet were in their carriage heading north with their youngest daughter. Lydia refused to speak to either of them the entire trip, and neither of them pushed the issue. It was quite a journey, nearly twenty miles, but Lydia held her tongue, feeling as if she were punishing her mother by refusing conversation.
Eventually, the carriage arrived in front of an actual stone castle. A gothic looking one, that appeared as if it were the home of any number of old women who had been locked away by their families. Mr Bennet assisted the ladies out of the carriage, and pounded on the door. “Mr and Mrs Thomas Bennet to see Miss Harriet Holbrook,” he said, handing his card to the sister who opened the door. They were shown into a very sparsely furnished parlour, where they waited nearly half an hour before a much older nun entered the room.
“Fanny!” the elderly nun exclaimed in pleasure. “You are early for your visit this season.”
“Hello, Sister Mary Frances, I thought it would be prudent for my daughter Lydia to meet Harriet,” Mrs Bennet explained.
“I see. Good afternoon, Miss Lydia,” the sister said in friendly greeting. “Mr Bennet, it is very good to see you again. Thank you for bringing Fanny and Lydia to us.”
Lydia curtsied awkwardly, wondering why the old woman seemed so forward with her family, and why she looked so familiar. They followed her out of the room and down the hall. They climbed two sets of stairs, and by the time they entered a small bedchamber, it seemed that they had travelled deep into the castle. The little room did not even have a window! Lydia tasted bile in the back of her throat. Her mother would never leave her in this place. Would she?
“Fanny!” an old woman cried as they entered the room. “Have you come to take me to Meryton? Am I to visit my uncle?”
“Hello, dear Harriet. I am here to visit with my daughter today. You are looking very well, cousin.” Fanny said.
“Where is dear Henrietta?” the old woman peered around Lydia’s mother, presumably looking for Aunt Phillips.
“My sister was not able to accompany us today, but we are very happy to see you, cousin,” said Fanny as Miss Holbrook danced around them, and finally laid eyes on Lydia.
“Lydia!” she cried. “It has been ever so long since you came, why have you stayed away?”
Lydia looked at her parents in alarm; how did this lady know her?
“She thinks you are your grandmother, my dear,” Thomas Bennet explained.
Lydia had forgotten for a moment that she was named for her maternal grandmother. She had never seen her likeness, but she and her mother must resemble that lady a great deal. Lydia’s grandmother would have been this lady’s first cousin, so that made Miss Holbrook her first cousin twice removed.
“Come and sit by me, Lydia, and tell me all of your news. Have you attended any assemblies of late?” the woman asked in excitement, as if she were a sixteen-year-old girl herself.
Lydia looked at her mother, not knowing how to reply, but after a moment, she just began telling her cousin about the recent ball at Netherfield Park, and about Jane and Elizabeth’s suitors, and the officers whom she had danced with. Miss Holbrook was voracious for news of such doings, and questioned Lydia endlessly about her lace, her ribbons, the jewellery and finery worn by the other ladies, and the number of dances she had enjoyed.
“Have you kissed any young men? You must not, you know! That is how I got into trouble, Lydia, although you were the one to warn me. I should have listened to you, cousin. You always were so very clever.” Miss Holbrook looked over at Mr Bennet, somehow finally appreciating his presence, and laughed as she danced over to him. “Hello, good sir! Have you come to take me away from here?”
The old woman giggled and danced away again, and suddenly Lydia could see her own behaviour mirrored in this woman’s actions, a sort of grotesque view into the future, and she suddenly felt faint.
Miss Holbrook was distracted again by the arrival of Sister Mary Frances with a tea tray. The refreshments were modest, as one might expect in a convent, and Lydia was quiet as her parents chatted lightly with the nun, and Miss Holbrook made little remarks here and there about gentlemen coming to take her away, or to meet her outdoors in the moonlight, and how she intended to be the first of her cousins to wed. Though she seemed to understand that Fanny was her first cousin Lydia Holbrook’s daughter, Lydia Bennet’s presence seemed to confuse her entirely, and she somehow did not understand that the fifteen-year-old girl in front of her was not her forty year old cousin’s mother. It was obvious that their visit tired her, and shortly after they finished their tea, they took their leave.