To Do Them Justice (Austen’s Magical Girls)

Homecoming

Lydia’s homecoming did not end at the door of Longbourn.

Longbourn was a familiar sight, but it seemed somehow smaller, after almost three months away visiting the larger world outside of a small market town and even smaller village in Hertfordshire.

Mama came running out the door, ecstatic to see her, while Papa and Mary followed at a more sedate pace.

“Lydia! Oh, my darling girl, how I have missed you! Come, you must tell me everything! Oh, and my sister Mrs. Phillips has invited us to tea tomorrow, with Mrs. Bond and Mrs. Long, but I insist on hearing it all first!”

A subtle hand signal from Mary indicated that she wished to hear the unedited version later tonight, after the rest of the house had retired.

In the meantime, Lydia was happy to relax in her mother’s warm embrace, and think up a suitable replacement for her actual, rather harrowing adventures.

“The house party was simply delightful! There was a great deal of French art, for you know that is the most fashionable right now…”

She paused as Papa embraced her, for the first time in… longer than she could conveniently remember.

Had something happened, or did it merely require being alone at Longbourn for him to realise that he missed his children? Another thing to speak with Mary about later, she supposed.

Lydia pulled herself out of her shock as Mama sat them down and poured tea.

“I’m very sorry to hear that you were disappointed in your host, but I am sure there will be others.”

Papa, rather than retreating to his book room, joined them.

“I am convinced that young ladies being crossed in love is no tragedy, for it gives them attention and something to gossip over, and at the end of it they are wiser to the kind of partner they desire.”

Well, then let Wickham be her lesson in the dangers of a charming face.

Lydia would not denigrate Colonel Fitzwilliam in such a way.

“I was not so greatly attached as all that, but I mourn the person I thought I would come to know, if that makes sense.”

Napoleon had, through newspapers and rumours from returned soldiers, over the course of a war that had lasted longer than her own lifetime, been built up into a kind of bogeyman, larger than life, and somehow more than mortal.

The reality had been something of a let-down, and Lydia wondered if all the people destined for the history books might also differ between fantasy and reality.

Perhaps that was unfair to Napoleon, but at the present moment, Lydia did not feel much like being fair to him.

Papa nodded, “It does, and it shows me that you have grown up in your time away.

I look forward to getting to know this new you.”

He rose and returned to his study, either heedless of or discomforted by the flabbergasted expressions of the women around him.

Mama was less astonished, but still took a moment to remember the teacup halfway to her lips.

"Now, Kitty, you must tell me of your adventures with Miss Darcy at Pemberley.

It would not do to give my sister Phillips an incomplete description."

Kitty smiled, "Well, Aunt Gardiner has already told you of Lambton..."

Much later, Lydia took her valise, which she had kept by her side, up to her room.

The footmen had already taken her trunks, most of which had remained with the Darcys while she was absent, upstairs, with the contents unpacked or taken by the laundry maids to be washed.

Quickly checking that the door was locked, she opened it, lifting out the fine muslin underthings.

Mary gasped at the vivid silk gowns beneath were revealed, the jewelry parure, complete with delicate tiara resting on top.

“Lydia, what on earth…”

Lydia could not fault her astonishment.

“They may have been part of the French Crown Jewels, I am not certain, but they were a gift, so I brought them with me.”

Kitty spluttered in equal amazement.

“A gift? Those?”

Lydia had been almost as shocked when she received them, so she could extend some patience.

“The dress, too.

The emperor wanted to show us off, which meant jewels and clothing worthy of a royal court.

Pandora told you of how none of the French Gifted would work for him, after their fellows died.

Perhaps he hoped to buy our loyalty."

Her nearest sister examined one of the dresses, a rich blue that would look rather nice on Mary, but didn't quite suit Lydia's colouring.

"Well, he certainly wasn't one for half measures!"

Lydia very much hoped that Pandora and her family were all right.

Despite their assurances, the middle of a war zone was not a safe place to be.

"He was not.

Mary, we would need to take up the hem a little, but would you like this one for your wedding dress?"

Mary hesitated for a moment, her desire to avoid notice warring with the inclination of any bride to look unforgettable.

Mary had always been one of the most vocal of the sisters about the need for economy, after all.

"Thank you, Lydia, that is very generous."

Lydia caught herself before she could say anything that Mary would take as demeaning, like it being less suspicious if all of them had lovely new dresses that could be explained as gifts from their brothers-in-law, instead of just Lydia alone being singled out in finery well beyond what the Meryton dressmaker could accomplish, or that the blue dress made Lydia appear washed out, anyway.

"Kitty, would you like the yellow day dress?"

It was a pale yellow that reminded Lydia of sunshine, rather than the kind of bright citrus yellow that, in Lydia's opinion, looked good on no-one, and would flatter her sister quite well.

Kitty looked at her in a way that suggested she was not fooled, but they had never been very good at hiding things from each other.

It was nice to know that some things had not changed.

"Thank you, Lydia.

It will go very nicely with my green shawl.”

Aunt Phillips had not changed, either, as lively and doting upon her nieces as she ever was.

Mrs. Bond and Mrs. Long, the premier gossips of Meryton after Aunt Phillips and Lady Lucas, were also unchanged in essentials, though Mrs. Bond was a trifle more smug than usual, having recently married off one of her daughters.

Mrs. Long had only sons, none of whom seemed inclined to distinguish themselves in a race to the alter, and her nieces were newly Out, leaving her on the hind foot in the eternal competition between Mamas.

Aunt Phillips beamed at Lydia and Kitty as she finally took her seat after making sure everyone was well supplied with tea and treats.

“It is good to have you girls home, though I am surprised your older sisters did not see you home.”

Lydia could not help smiling in return, something about Aunt Phillips’ enthusiasm was infectious.

“I am not, given their current conditions.

The Midwives advised against excessive travel, and Derbyshire to Meryton is no short distance.”

The matrons gasped, and Mama could not have looked prouder if she were the one expecting.

Lydia selected a Queen Cake, and relaxed in her chair.

If matters followed the usual course, she could expect them to be pre-occupied with that for at least a quarter hour, long enough for Lydia to finish her tea and at least one more cake.

It was good to be home.