Chapter 13
The Gardiner’s butler delivered the express on a silver salver just after they had eaten dinner. “Edward, it is from Lizzy; please tell me all is well,” Madeline Gardiner said with concern.
“Lizzy will arrive on the post on the morrow; she is to live with us permanently,” Gardiner told his wife as he handed her the missive. “The situation must have been bad, to induce Lizzy to travel on the Sabbath.”
“Edward, I know she is your sister, but how could she treat her own flesh and blood in such a manner?” Madeline asked with worry.
“I have no answer, my love,” Gardiner replied. “It seems Lizzy also now sees Jane for who she really is.”
“It is well we did not tell Lizzy before; it may well have damaged our relationship with her. That poor girl. It seems Bennet capitulated to Fanny’s whims yet again,” Madeline stated disgustedly.
“You know he has no strength of character and gives in to all of Fanny’s insane desires for the sake of peace. Do you see that Lizzy wants to seek a position?” Gardiner pointed out.
“We will not allow her to do so, will we?” Madeline verified.
“Of course not. Lizzy has no need to work; she is wealthy in her own right,” Gardiner confirmed.
“Why did you never tell her just how much her money had grown or that you added five pounds for every pound she invested?” Madeline enquired.
“It was for her own protection. If she had let slip she had over five and thirty thousand pounds now, even though it is in my name, can you imagine the ruckus my sister would have raised trying to get her hands on Lizzy’s money?” Gardiner explained.
“What is her annual income on such an amount?” his wife asked.
“In the beginning, I used a much more aggressive investment strategy, which almost always paid off. Currently, I only risk about twenty percent in the more chancy investments and the rest is in more conservative instruments now. Blended, her rate of return is between ten and twelve percent, so her income is between three and four thousand pounds per annum,” Gardiner revealed to his wife.
“No wonder you hid the true amount. My goodness, Edward, Lizzy is a wealthy woman,” Madeline realised. “The children will be excited Lizzy will be living with us. She does tell the best stories.”
The Gardiners had four children. Lilly was eleven.
She was followed by Edward Junior, or Eddy, who was nine; Peter, who was six; and the baby, May, who was three.
When the Gardiners said goodnight to the three older children, who were still awake, they were excited that Lizzy was coming to live with them.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The Monday after she excised her wilful daughter from the family, Fanny Bennet prepared to visit Meryton.
After all of the upheaval on Saturday, the family had not attended church that sabbath.
She chose to forget what Elizabeth had revealed about Jane’s wanton behaviour and asked Jane if she would like to join her.
Jane, knowing full well their reception would not be a friendly one, chose to remain at home but did not tell her mother why.
What Fanny did not know was, as she was on her way to her sister Hattie, her two youngest girls were returning home in tears.
First, Lydia—who had decided to give Mr. Wickham her virtue—had been told the man was in the brig.
Evidently, he owed a very large amount of money and his colonel wanted to make sure he would not flee.
In addition, she found he was reputed to have trifled with, among others, the blacksmith’s daughters, promising marriage, just as he had promised her.
None of their friends would speak to them. The two did not see their mother in the Bennet carriage because they stopped at Lucas Lodge on their way home, where they were told they were no longer welcome. Even Maria refused to see them again.
It was a great shock to Lydia Bennet; a girl not used to hearing the word no. Bennet heard the wailing of his youngest two daughters and was sure it was nothing compared to what his wife’s lamentations would be when she returned home.
Fanny’s first stop was her sister’s house on Meryton’s High Street. She banged on the door and, after a moment or two, her sister’s housekeeper opened the door. “Step aside Campbell, I am here to see my sister,” Mrs. Bennet demanded.
“My apologies, Mrs. Bennet, but the mistress is not home to you,” the housekeeper informed Mrs. Bennet.
“Where is she? I come at this time twice a week and she is always home,” Mrs. Bennet insisted.
“I did not say she was not home, just that she is not home to you, Madam,” Mrs. Campbell clarified.
“Move aside now, or I will make sure my sister sacks you without a character,” Mrs. Bennet screeched.
“What is this caterwauling at my front door?” Phillips asked as he replaced his housekeeper blocking the way. Fanny did not notice the growing crowd watching her performance?none of whom looked on her with a friendly eye.
“Brother, you need to sack that useless woman,” Fanny informed him and tried to push past him into the house, but he did not move.
“Mrs. Bennet,” Phillips intoned formally, “our housekeeper is acting on our instructions. Neither you nor any of the Bennets of Longbourn are welcome in this house.”
Fanny stood with her mouth flapping open and closed and no sound coming out until she managed, “Why?”
“You tried to force my niece to marry that odious parson and then you and your horrible, wanton daughter banished her from her home and family. You have the temerity to ask why?” His voice rose in volume as his anger built.
“We choose Lizzy, and as you have banished her from your family, you have cut us from it as well. Good day.” With that Phillips closed the door.
Then Fanny turned around and saw a hostile crowd?several of them were ladies she had counted as friends—Mrs. Long, Goulding, and Purvis.
As one, the crowd turned its back to her, giving her the cut direct.
Fanny scrambled into the carriage and told the driver to take her to Lucas Lodge.
It seemed Fanny either forgot, or was unaware that, the Lucases counted Elizabeth—Eliza—as another daughter.
At Lucas Lodge a scene reminiscent of her time at the Phillipses played out.
This time it was Sir William, Lady Lucas, and Miss Lucas who answered the door.
Fanny might have been of mean understanding, but she recognised the unbridled disdain directed at her, even from the normally jovial Sir William.
“Fanny Bennet, you are a disgraceful parent and human being. Do not return, neither you nor any of your family who reside at Longbourn are welcome here,” Lady Lucas stated stridently.
The three members of the Lucas family turned their backs on Fanny until she reboarded her carriage, then they closed the door.
When Bennet heard the wailing, which was many times louder than that of his youngest daughters, he knew his wife had returned and now was aware of the new normal in their lives.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
A half an hour before they were to go to the post stop to meet Elizabeth and bring her back to Gracechurch Street, an express arrived from Meryton. Gardiner opened it. Even though he recognised Bennet’s script and almost consigned it to the fire without reading it, he was glad he did not.
11 November 1810
Longbourn
Gardiner:
By now I am sure you are aware what happened to Lizzy. It is with great shame I acknowledge I do not have the strength of character to stand up to your sister. I remember what you and Maddie told me some years ago about Jane; I know now it was an understatement.
I am fully aware that I have lost Lizzy’s affection and worse, her respect. I deserve no less, so this is a small attempt to make sure she will never be bothered by Fanny or anyone else from Longbourn again.
Yes, it is too little too late, but it is all I can do. The attached document, notarised by our brother Phillips, grants you full and irrevocable authority for Lizzy. Once she attains her majority, it will be up to her how she proceeds.
This way, once Fanny experiences the consequences of her actions, she will have no means, legal or otherwise, to demand Elizabeth’s return to Longbourn.
Bennet
Gardiner had no respect for Bennet, but he did credit him for doing at least this to protect Elizabeth. He would have his solicitor file the papers with the Court as soon as possible.
The Gardiners departed to meet their niece as soon as Gardiner locked the all-important document in his safe.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Miss Bingley did not expect a letter from Meryton so soon. She noted it was dated the Saturday after the ball?the day before they had put the little backwater town behind them forever.
10 November 1810
Longbourn, near Meryton, Hertfordshire
Miss Bingley,
As we share a common dislike for my former sister, I thought you would be interested in what happened today. As I expected, Elizabeth refused my cousin.
My mother and father ordered her to comply, but unfortunately there is an inconvenient rule in the church that a bride may not be married if she refuses to recite the vows.
I helped direct my mother, and Elizabeth was banished from Longbourn. If she had the funds to do so, I am sure she will run to my tradesman uncle in Cheapside.
Mayhap you will be lucky enough to run into her, as I am sure she will go to work in their store, Gardiner Emporium on Gracechurch Street.
Enjoy the season,
Miss Jane Bennet
Miss Bingley almost jumped up and down with glee. Thanks to Miss Bennet’s intelligence, all she had to do now was find a way to ensure Mr. Darcy visited Gardiner Emporium and saw the newest shopgirl.
She had not missed the look of anguish Mr. Darcy displayed when she shared the news of Eliza’s imminent betrothal. She would destroy any feelings Mr. Darcy had for the chit before she took her rightful place as mistress of all of the Darcy properties.
How she would relish dropping items on the floor so Eliza would have to pick them up! It was the best news she had heard in quite some time.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Mr. Collins demanded a meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and Jane. They met in the study. “You requested this meeting, Mr. Collins,” Bennet opened.
“Yes. Mrs. Bennet, when I told you I had decided to bestow the honour of being my future wife and offering the connection with the noble house of de Bourgh to Miss Bennet, you told me she was about to receive an offer, did you not?”
“It was true at the time,” Fanny replied sullenly.
“And now, if what I heard in Meryton today is to be believed, none of you are being received in society any longer.” Collins pointed out.
Jane and Fanny looked down, but Bennet confirmed it was nothing but the truth. “It is all a misunderstanding, Mr. Collins,” Fanny prevaricated. “Lizzy will be called home in days and everyone will see there is no substance to what is being maliciously spread abroad.”
“I am afraid that is quite impossible, Mrs. Bennet,” Bennet said evenly.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN?” Fanny yelled.
“Following your instructions, I sent a document to your brother Edward renouncing any parental right to, and giving him irrevocable authority over, Elizabeth. The only way she will return to Longbourn is if your brother allows it and she desires it,” Bennet explained.
“This is not to be borne! How can you do such a thing?” Fanny screeched.
“Mrs. Bennet, are you not the one who demanded Lizzy be banished and said that she was no longer part of our family? What I did was comply with your wishes,” Bennet stated with a deadpan expression.
Fanny Bennet was speechless, not for the first time this day.
“As I was saying,” Collins brought the conversation back to his desired topic.
“My patroness ordered me to marry one of my cousins, and one of my cousins I will marry. If not, then on the day you go to your eternal reward, your wife and any unmarried daughters, which will be all of them left at Longbourn, will be evicted. It has come to my notice your options have been severely restricted,” Collins crowed.
“Mary would make an ideal…” Fanny tried to offer but was cut off.
“No. It is Miss Bennet or no one. I am an honoured clergyman and the beneficiary of the beneficence of the Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh and, as such, I deserve the best.” Collins preened as he puffed up his corpulent chest.
As Jane sat there listening to her future being discussed, her father’s words from the day before about reaping what we sow were brought home to her in stark relief. “I will not marry this man. I am of age and do not have to marry where I am not inclined.”
“What you say is nothing less than the truth; you are of age,” Bennet agreed as Jane felt a little better, momentarily.
“Remind me, Jane, what was the penalty you suggested to your mother for Lizzy’s refusal to marry this man?
Before you speak again, remember that, unlike Lizzy, you have nowhere to go as you have burnt every bridge. ”
“We cannot do that to Jane,” Mrs. Bennet added weakly.
“But, Mrs. Bennet, is this not the consequence you decided when Lizzy disobeyed your command to marry Mr. Collins? Didn’t Jane make the suggestion to you?” Bennet asked sardonically. “Or would you prefer to live in the hedgerows with your unmarriageable daughters?”
Fanny considered for but a short while. “Your father is correct, Jane. If you will not do your duty to your family then you, too, will be banished.”
Part of her world had collapsed with Lizzy’s revelation of her behaviour; now the rest of it came crashing down on her head.
Her father was correct; she had no options.
She had nowhere to go and no one to turn to.
She would have had Lizzy, but no longer.
“I will marry Mr. Collins,” Jane said resignedly.
She was caught in a trap of her own design.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Lizzy,” Madeline exclaimed as she wrapped her niece in her arms.
Elizabeth, who had been strong until this very moment, began to sob as soon as the door of the Gardiner coach closed. They simply sat there for almost fifteen minutes as Elizabeth released all of her pent-up tension.
Once she brought herself under regulation, after soaking both her aunt’s and uncle’s handkerchiefs, Gardiner hit the ceiling with his cane and the coachman put the vehicle into motion.
“Welcome home, Lizzy. You are safe now. You are wanted and loved. Never forget that,” Madeline told her niece, who had melted into her and was holding onto her aunt as if for dear life.
As they drove through London’s streets, Elizabeth started to feel peace descend upon her. It was that moment when she realised she would be able to find her happiness again.