Chapter 16 #2
Miss Bingley was shocked to the extent she could not reply. For a woman who had something to say about everyone and everything, it was a very new experience for her. By the time she reached her bedchamber to begin to supervise her packing, she had not yet fully regained the power of speech.
One thing she did realise was that she could not remain in England any longer.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Two days after her cramps started, Lydia received the best gift she had ever been blessed with in the whole of her young life. Her courses began. She immediately dropped to her knees to give thanks to God on high for the blessing.
Since they had initially begun just before she turned fourteen, Lydia used to think her monthly indisposition was a curse.
That was no longer the case. She could not remember ever being so thankful for anything in her short life.
Even after she rose after offering up her prayer of gratitude, Lydia kept lifting her eyes to the heavens and giving additional thanks.
Just as she had been instructed, Lydia reported the event to the nun, Sister Etheldreda, who was the one who supervised the dormitory that she and seven other girls shared. The sister took Lydia to the Mother Superior’s office.
“You may be a very lucky young girl,” Sister Agnes stated.
“You do know had you followed the rules of society, you would not have been in this situation to begin with, do you not? And yes, I said you may be lucky on purpose. It is not unheard of for a woman in the family way to have something akin to courses in her first month, but, in those cases, it is not that.”
“B-but I-I felt the c-cramping t-two d-days p-previously,” Lydia stammered nervously as all of the joy she had felt receded.
“That is a very good sign that these are in fact your courses,” Sister Agnes responded.
“We will pray that is what it is, but I would be remiss if I allowed you to write to your parents about this now and raise their hopes up only to dash them in a month. For that reason, we will wait until you have one more month’s indisposition.
If you do, then you may deliver the good news at that time.
In the meanwhile, write your letters about what you will, except for this. ”
“Are you telling me that Paulette, who was also seduced by the same man, may be with child even though she had her courses before we departed Meryton?” Lydia worried.
It was a new experience for her that she was very concerned for Paulette’s wellbeing, especially if what the Mother Superior spoke of came to pass.
Until she had been shocked with the truth about Mr Wickham and the impropriety of her own actions, Lydia would not have given a fig about anything or anyone else. That knowledge shamed her.
“All I am saying is it is possible, about one chance in one hundred. You need to hope and pray that both you and your friend in Hertfordshire will be part of the nine and ninety, not the one,” Sister Agnes clarified.
As soon as Mother Superior quantified the odds, Lydia felt herself relax.
She knew the worst case was possible, but there was a very small chance.
Now if only Emma and Hannah would have their courses, Lydia would be incandescently happy.
She had accepted that regardless of whether she was with child or not, she would complete the full five months of study and work at St Mary’s Convent.
Lydia found that that thought did not trouble her; rather, she was pleased to finally be gaining some education.
As soon as Sisters Agnes and Etheldreda released her, Lydia sought out Emma and Hannah to share her news and discover if they had also been spared carrying the dead miscreant’s child.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Do you think I should write to Gigi?” Elizabeth asked in the afternoon, a few days after she and her sisters arrived at the Gardiner’s House. “Aunt Maddie mentioning that she is to see Lady Matlock made me think of her. I am sure you enjoyed meeting her as much as I did.”
“I did, but is she the only Darcy you want to hear about?” Jane asked slyly.
“Jane Bennet! I think I preferred you before you began to tease me so mercilessly.” Elizabeth’s smile showed that she did not object to Jane’s humour.
“If you like, I can rediscover my mask of serenity,” Jane said innocently.
“No thank you; I much prefer you the way you are now,” Elizabeth replied seriously. “Do you have an opinion about me writing to Gigi? Would it be too presumptuous of me to write to her without an invitation?”
“Wait until Aunt Maddie returns and canvass her opinion,” Jane suggested. “I hear the carriage now. You see, mention of our aunt’s name brought her home.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes at her sister’s silliness. Notwithstanding her outward expression, she could not be happier to see this playful side of Jane, one she had kept repressed for too many years.
Before Elizabeth spoke, their aunt entered the drawing room.
At that instant, there was noise from the front door as the four Gardiner children, Mary, and Kitty returned from feeding the waterfowl in the park across from the house.
After greeting their mother and two eldest cousins, the four Gardiners followed the governess to the nursery while Mary and Kitty remained in the drawing room with their aunt and older sisters.
Maddie rang for tea and was soon serving her four nieces cups of the steaming beverage, prepared like each of them enjoyed. Jane passed around the plate with the seed cake and pastries on it.
Once the tea service had been cleared away, Elizabeth asked Aunt Maddie’s opinion of her writing to Miss Darcy.
“I do not think it is inappropriate for you to write to her. It is not like you are writing to her brother. However, I would wait until we have begun our travels,” Maddie suggested.
“After our board meeting, I was invited to Matlock House for tea. When I asked about the Darcys, Lady Elaine told me there had been a fire at Pemberley, and Mr and Miss Darcy departed London the morning after the message arrived from the estate. I imagine they have much demanding their attention right now, which was the genesis of my advising you to wait to write to her.”
“I thought Mr Darcy was already at Pemberley,” Elizabeth puzzled. “Why was he in London at this time?”
“He returned to confront Miss Bingley.” Maddie smiled.
“Lady Elaine told me…” Maddie related what Lady Elaine had been informed by her son, nephew, and niece regarding the set-down Miss Bingley received.
“Miss Bingley attempted to enter society the next day…” She related the stone wall of disapproval the youngest Bingley had encountered.
“Good, she deserved that comeuppance,” Jane insisted.
If her aunt and sisters needed any other indications of the changes to Jane’s character, they would not have after that statement.
“You will not hear any of us disagreeing with you,” Elizabeth stated.
She was not one to revel in the suffering and pain of others, but after the way Miss Bingley had behaved in Hertfordshire and had done everything in her power to try to inflict pain on Jane, Elizabeth could not find any sympathy for the woman.
She remembered what her aunt said about the fire.
“I hope no lives were lost at Mr Darcy’s estate.
I will take your advice and wait to write to Gigi until I hear that things are calmer at Pemberley. ”
“There is some good news. We have been invited to spend a few days at Snowhaven, the main estate of the Earl of Matlock. If your uncle agrees, which I do not see a reason why he will not, we will split our time between Lambton and Snowhaven when we return from the Lakes.” Maddie paused.
“Did I mention that the manor house is built around what remains of the original castle that used to stand on the estate?”
“No, Aunt Maddie, you have never told us that,” Jane replied for her sisters.
“I wonder if we will ever have a turn to see such an interesting house,” Kitty said wistfully. As she developed her skill at drawing and painting, she had discovered she enjoyed sketching structures.
“You will get your chance one day, Kitty dear,” Maddie opined.
“When you and Mary are at Meadowbrook while we are away, you will have many opportunities to draw. I am sure the Jamisons will also take you to Wokingham, the town closest to the estate, and you will find much of interest to sketch there.”
Mary and Kitty expressed their excitement about going into Berkshire. Other than London, they had never before left the environs of Meryton.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“I received a letter from Bennet; he has employed a companion and governess in one lady for our nieces Mary and Kitty. Aside from the expected areas of education, comportment, and propriety, she is evidently very accomplished on the pianoforte, so she will assist Mary to improve. She can teach Kitty as well. Even though she does not have the skill of a master, she is reasonably proficient in drawing and painting,” Gardiner related to his wife that evening while he changed out of the clothes he had worn to his offices.
“Her name is Mrs Taylor, and she will arrive on the morrow. That way she will accompany the children to Meadowbrook.”
“It is timely, as our governess says her mother is ailing and requested leave to attend her while we are on holiday. I am sure the lady will not object to the occasional lessons for Lilly, Eddy, and Peter,” Maddie opined.
“I am certain that you are correct. I am pleased it is a little more than a sennight before we depart. I am looking forward to a holiday without worrying about work,” Gardiner responded as he tied his cravat.
He offered his arm to his beloved Maddie.
“Shall we join our nieces and two eldest children before dinner?”
“Indeed,” Maddie said succinctly as she took her husband’s arm.