A Mutual Accord

Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

G eorgiana and Lady Priscilla arrived at Netherfield a few days before the end of April. Mr Bingley was still in London, but the ladies made use of his house for a few days, and socialised with the Bennets before continuing on to Rosings Park. Lydia was in high spirits at what she called her liberation. Elizabeth hoped that she would be equal to controlling the girl, but her father had told her that if her youngest sister gave her, Mrs Annesley, or Lady Catherine the slightest trouble, to put her in Lady Catherine’s carriage and send her straight home.

Lydia’s spirits were irrepressible, but that would likely never change. Despite that, Elizabeth was still impressed by her sister’s progress these last months. She spoke more intelligently now that Papa had taken her education in hand, and she was learning how to think rationally. A month after her first visit, Lydia had demanded the carriage for the day that she might visit Cousin Harriet and Sister Mary Frances again. Mrs Bennet had objected, she had another engagement that day, but Mr Bennet, impressed by Lydia’s interest and compassion for the ladies, granted her request. Aunt Phillips petitioned to join them, she had missed the last visit, and Lydia dragged Jane and Elizabeth with them. Elizabeth had no objection, she was curious about this mysterious cousin. Mr Darcy had offered the use of his carriage so that Mrs Bennet’s engagement might not be interrupted, and he and Mr Bingley escorted the ladies to Ashwell on horseback.

Cousin Harriet again believed Lydia to be her grandmother, and she thought that Jane was Fanny Bennet from her youth. She ignored Elizabeth completely, seeming uncomfortable about her. Sister Mary Frances explained that this was likely because Elizabeth resembled her father’s people, and Cousin Harriet had no lady in her memory to associate Elizabeth’s features with. She likewise tended to forget all about Mr Bennet whenever they were not in company. It had been many years since she had met anyone new besides the occasional novice, and they all looked the same to her. Miss Holbrook was exceedingly happy to sit with Lydia and Jane, and pepper them with questions about events they had attended recently, and clothes they had ordered at the dressmaker. She tired far more quickly this time, presumably due to there being more visitors.

The ladies decided not to come more than three at a time to visit Cousin Harriet in the future. Elizabeth had not considered the visit wasted, even though Miss Gardiner had not engaged with her. She had enjoyed a very friendly conversation with Sister Mary Frances, and had been fascinated to hear about her life. Elizabeth thought that Sister Mary Frances deserved a particular visitor of her own occasionally. It was only appropriate for the nun to receive correspondence very infrequently. Once or twice a year perhaps, unless she was conveying information about Harriet, but Elizabeth vowed to visit and write to the woman when she could, and she was proud of Lydia for caring about the two women, and wanting to bring them the comfort of family visits.

Lydia had applied herself with fresh vigour to her sewing. She was creating a quilt for her chest for when she married, as many girls did, but now she began a new one which would be a gift for Harriet when it was finished. She gave it a great deal more attention than she gave her own quilt, and in order to see it done quickly, Jane and Mrs Bennet often helped her sew squares. It was a simple pattern, something not complicated to assemble, but Lydia wanted to give her cousin something new and lovely to add to her comfort. She also embroidered a lovely shawl for the lady. She fretted that she could not give any gifts to Sister Mary Frances, and the magnitude of the sacrifice the woman had made for her sister weighed upon Lydia often.

She had fussed a great deal about Harriet being moved to a room with a window on her second visit, but Sister Mary Frances explained that when Harriet had a window, she attempted to escape from it, thinking she was meeting a lover, even when she was not on the ground floor. For her safety, she could only sleep in a room with no window, but there was a lovely and bright parlour in the castle for her particular use. The reason she had not been in that parlour during their first two visits was because of the time of day they had arrived, she had already spent the morning downstairs, and then retired back up to her room to rest for the afternoon. Lydia planned to leave earlier for their next visit, that she might see this parlour, and assess its comfort for herself.

The party of ladies was in high spirits the entire way to Kent. They travelled straight through, instead of stopping in London at their Uncle Gardiner’s. They rested at Bromley, where her ladyship had arranged a private dining room and a generous luncheon for them. Lady Catherine and William had corresponded about it, and the curate from Hunsford met them at Bromley, and escorted them on the last leg of their journey, to doubly ensure their safety while dining at the inn.

They arrived an hour before dinner, famished, and ready to wash and change as soon as possible. They were overjoyed to see Anne, who had become a great deal more firm and forceful with her mother when necessary during her stay at Netherfield. While Lady Catherine had been assisting Lady Matlock to instruct Miss Bingley, so too were Lord and Lady Matlock and Darcy working upon Lady Catherine to be less domineering with Anne. They were all devastated that she was ill. She was difficult, but she was their family, and they all cared for her. But she was made to see that if her time was to be short, that it was all the more important for Anne to assert her independence. Anne had pensioned off her companion, Mrs Jenkinson, and taken over much of the running of the house.

Anne and Lady Catherine greeted them on the steps as they were handed down from the carriage. “Welcome, all of you! Was your journey quite comfortable? You look like you have grown again, Georgiana, you must stop that. How are you, Priscilla?” exclaimed Anne as she embraced them all in their turn.

“You made excellent time, we did not hope to see you before dinner. The change of horses must have increased the speed of your journey, those were my horses I sent for your change at Bromley,” said Lady Catherine as she looked on in approval as the ladies displayed their curtsies to her. “Miss Bennet, that is a handsome travelling gown, you have excellent taste. I predict that when my nephew’s funds are added to your discernment, you will be well dressed indeed. Miss Lydia, that curtsey was very nicely done. Come inside all of you.” Lady Catherine was pale and gaunt. She had grown rather thin since leaving Meryton.

Due to the closeness of the dinner hour, instead of repairing to the drawing room for tea before going up, their hostesses led them directly upstairs where they were installed in their rooms. There was hot water for washing, and Elizabeth felt the benefit of being thus refreshed and more presentable when she had made good use of it and changed her clothes. A maid had been assigned to help her, but Elizabeth dismissed her for the evening, needing no assistance with the simple but elegant evening gown that she wore downstairs an hour later.

The ladies all entered the drawing room within a few moments of one another, and they barely had time to speak before the butler, Mr Torrens, entered to announce dinner. Once they were seated and the first course had been served, Lady Catherine opened the conversation. “How is my brother, Priscilla? Is he minding the doctor? Reginald was always difficult. Only I could keep him in his bed if he was injured. He broke his collarbone when he was five, and his arm when he was nine.”

“Father will ever be thus. Thankfully, Ashley and his family came north to keep an eye on estate matters, so Papa is the recipient of my mother’s undivided attention,” Lady Priscilla answered mirthfully, referring to her brother, the Viscount Carlisle.

“Your mother knows well how to manage your father. He did well the day he chose Lady Eleanor Ashley,” said Lady Catherine approvingly. “Miss Lydia, have you mastered an instrument yet?”

“I have not,” Lydia replied, glancing at Elizabeth nervously. “I have little interest in the pianoforte, and we have no violin. I have been applying myself to my sewing at home. I am making a quilt for our elderly cousin who lives in Ashwell.”

“We will bring the harp with us to Eastbourne, and Georgiana will begin your instruction. You play pianoforte beautifully, niece, but I fear you neglect your practise at the harp. Miss Lydia, I have ordered a new harp for our music room here. The one we have is old, and I will have the best, even if I do not play myself. If you take to the instrument, it will be yours to return home with you, for we will have no further use for it. I admit I enjoy listening to the harp greatly, so I will take great pleasure in listening to you both practise.”

Georgiana did not at all neglect her practise at the harp, at least when she had one at her disposal, which she had not at Netherfield. She had, however, come during her time there to just let her aunt's words wash over her without taking them as criticism. Georgie had learnt that while her aunt’s words were not always presented tactfully, they were always well-meant, and that her aunt approved of her thoroughly, even if she seemed stern or critical. Georgie was adept at the harp, and had no objection at all to helping Lydia, and said so. Lydia thanked Lady Catherine for her consideration and generosity, a little daunted by such expectations, but willing to put forth the effort. She had never considered the harp, because they never had one. No one in Meryton did. Lydia thought she might not mind the distinction of being the only lady in the village to play.

“Elizabeth, I am determined to bring my phaeton to Eastbourne with us. I do love to drive, but Mama fears me driving alone outside of the lanes around Rosings. Do say you will join me on the trip there,” Anne begged.

“Of course I will. Lady Catherine, I was a passenger in Mr Bingley’s little trap with Anne several times in Hertfordshire, I am confident that her skills are equal to the journey,” Elizabeth assured the two ladies.

“Aunt, tell me of this doctor in Eastbourne,” Lady Priscilla demanded suddenly. “Has he some miracle treatment that might help you?”

“It is more likely that he is a butcher, but Anne insists that I go, and I cannot deny her,” said Lady Catherine. “She and Darcy have been sneaking about researching doctors and treatments, and they insist this man is the best. I do not believe I will agree to the ghastly operation this surgeon is said to perform, but I will go and receive his advice and take it under consideration, if it will ease Anne’s mind.”

“I want my mother to live; that would ease my mind,” said Anne with an edge to her voice. It was obvious to everyone that this was not the first time the subject had been discussed. “There is no point in hearing advice if you do not go with an open mind to the possibility of taking it.”

“You are asking too much, Anne. ‘Tis mutilation,” her mother said sternly. “You threw away all of your potions and tonics at Netherfield, and declared that you were a grown woman, and would do as you wish with your health and body. Pray, extend to me the same consideration.”

The table was hushed for a few moments. It was not proper to speak of in detail, but all of the women at the table knew that Lady Catherine had a cancer of the breast. It was a terrifying disease from which women died painful and horrible deaths. There were whispers of procedures of mutilation carried out by specialists in the cities. Mutilations that might give the patient a few more years, occasionally longer, but were carried out while the patient was awake, for there was no opium strong enough to sedate a person for such horrors. Few women underwent the knife, and those who were brave enough did not always survive it. The idea of escorting Lady Catherine to Eastbourne to consult with a physician about such a procedure was a sobering thought.

Lady Catherine spoke again. “Do not let my troubles cast a shadow upon our journey or our meal, ladies. I must admit to you all that once I allowed myself to accept that Anne will be safe when I am gone – and that my time is limited, and I must make the most of what is left – I came to like all of you, and learned to enjoy your company a great deal while visiting Meryton. That is why I invited all of you in particular to join me. You girls bring me comfort and courage, particularly you, Miss Bennet. Georgiana, you bring me the comfort I once received from my dear sister. I am grateful that you all consented to join me.”