Chapter 30
Jane and her entourage arrived at Pemberley just before luncheon having taken the path now that Ellie was old enough to enjoy watching the view as they traveled.
Mr. Hulls drove a small cart containing their luggage and the footmen drove another for the maids.
The three conveyances being worth the greater expediency of travel.
A literal army of footmen greeted them and began unloading the carts while Jane and Mary were hugged and kissed by their sisters.
Kitty was exuberantly describing the wedding gown which had been delivered earlier in the week as she drug Mary up the stairs to see it.
“Have you heard from Papa?” Jane asked as Elizabeth stole a kiss from Ellie.
“Of course not,” Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “You know that Papa likes to show up when he is least expected. I started looking for him two days ago. If he was traveling by himself I would not have been surprised had he snuck into the library and made up a bed.”
Jane laughed, “He could never have kept Mama quiet long enough to sneak in, you are right.”
“Kitty, Georgie, and I have spent weeks shopping for Mary’s trousseau and I believe that we have everything, but I shall have you look over the lists to confirm for me. Did you finish all the linens you were hoping to embroider?”
“Yes, we finished two sets for her chambers and a sweet set with animals for Master Davey. Mama is supposed to bring the tablecloths which she completed as a young girl before Mama’s insults convinced her that she would never marry and need not spend her time on an unnecessary activity.”
“Poor Mary. I feel like we failed her.”
“Not you, but I certainly did.”
Elizabeth exclaimed in outrage, “You are always kind!”
“Nonsense Lizzy,” Jane snapped, throwing out her hands. “I was oblivious and offensively naive.”
“Jane!”
“Lizzy!” she mocked.
Elizabeth blinked in surprise and began to laugh.
“I owe you, and Kitty and Mary an apology. I never--”
“OH MY LORD!” Mrs. Bennet’s voice screeched through the air like a tree branch on a window making them both jump. “IT’S HUGE! Mr. Darcy is not simply rich, he is RICH! Oh, why did he not take my Jane! She deserves to be so spoiled!”
Elizabeth closed her eyes in mortification.
“Mother!” Jane snapped, grabbing the woman’s arm as she came through the open door, their laughing father on her heals. “Be silent! How dare you intimate that Lizzy is unworthy of her situation. William is madly in love with her and she adores him in return.”
“JANE!” the woman cried, completely gob smacked. “How—what—”
Elizabeth stepped forward. “Mama, Mrs. Reynolds is my housekeeper, and she has prepared a lovely room for you as far from the nursery as possible to spare your nerves. She also sent for a calming tea to help you to relax after such a trying few days. Will you not follow her?”
Mrs. Bennet continued to stare at her eldest as if her reflection in the mirror had suddenly reached through and slapped her, but allowed herself to be led away by the kind housekeeper.
“There was no need to silence her,” Mr. Bennet smirked. “You know that she must make herself and her family ridiculous--”
“Well, certainly you have allowed her to make her daughters a laughingstock the whole of our lives. But you do not seem to realize that you share the brunt of that derision.”
“Speak with respect to--”
“Then act in a way deserving of that respect, Papa.” Jane interrupted him. “Go wash. I am certain you have much to think on.”
Mr. Bennet harrumphed but took her advice, his wide, shocked eyes speaking more loudly than even his wife’s pout.
Elizabeth looked torn. She had always held her father up as the only admirable parent they had but her gratitude for Jane’s handling of their parents had her questioning her former certainty.
“It needed to be said, Lizzy.”
∞∞∞
Mrs. Bennet slept the rest of the day and even missed dinner, thanks to the healthy dose of brandy in the tea she had been provided with, allowing the rest of the family to enjoy their evening together.
Mr. Bennet spent the evening silently watching his daughters and the Darcys as they spoke and entertained the group.
He was even more surprised by how engaging Mary was, making observations which were not only witty but often brought a burst of mirth to the company.
Her beau, who had joined them for the meal, chuckled along and looked at Mary with a sort of awe which brought a scowl to Mr. Bennet’s face.
He too had been hoodwinked into marriage by a woman who had misrepresented herself to catch him.
When she quoted Shakespear, it was too much and he snorted derisively which he was pleased to see made Mary deflate, looking more like her usual, discontented self.
“What, no quote from Fordices to add, Mary?” he smirked.
Jane opened her mouth to berate him for his rudeness but was interrupted by Mary, rising to her feet.
“Without my family attempting to ruin us at every turn, I have no need to attempt to divert disaster.” Her voice was calm and collected, further inflaming his ire.
“So you claim. But we know better! You are a bitter, pedantic spinster who cannot help but oppress everyone around her with her sermons!”
Mr. Kirby shot to his feet, hands clenched into fists, but Jane stopped him with a hand on his arm before she stood and wrapped an arm about Mary’s shoulders while Elizabeth did the same about her waist. “You do not know her at all, Papa! If anything, her former persona was the mask, as she could not be herself while constantly belittled by you and my mother. All you knew of her was that she was attempting to do what you refused to do. I can only imagine that Lydia would have ruined us all even sooner than she attempted had Mary not been so diligent in her observation of her and Kitty. You certainly did nothing but hand your youngest the ability to do so!”
“I will not sit here and listen to you malign my character!” he snarled, stomping from the room with as much petulance as his wife had ever shown.
The rest of the family soon retired themselves, the ladies deciding to gather together in Mary’s room to spend an hour or two trading secrets and relaxing in their dressing gowns.
It was the perfect antidote to Mr. Bennet’s bitterness and Mary was very grateful for their affectionate support and told them so repeatedly.
Once the younger girls were sent to bed, Elizabeth and Jane spoke with her about what to expect the next evening with many blushes and much mortification on the part of all.
Elizabeth’s descriptors were quite eye-opening to Jane.
The difference between their experiences once again highlighting Charles’ selfishness in her mind.
“We will leave you to get a good night’s sleep, Mary dear,” Jane declared, pulling her into a tight embrace. “Have sweet dreams and do not allow Papa’s words to settle in your heart. Poor Mr. Kirby looked fit to be tied and had I not waved him down, would likely have called Papa out.”
Mary giggled at the thought and kissed them both before settling into bed with a beatific smile. Elizabeth shut the door and shared a look with Jane before linking their arms together and starting down the hall.
“Mrs. Darcy!” a footman called, hurrying up behind them. “There is an issue which needs to be discussed.”
“Of course, David. What has happened?” Assuming her mother had caused some upset when she woke.
“A… a person, has arrived at the door claiming an invitation.”
“What? Who would…” she shared a look of confusion with Jane.
“She said that her mother invited her, but she arrived on foot and dressed most, er… questionably?” He winced.
“Lydia!” Jane and Elizabeth groaned at the same time.
They followed the footman back down the hallway to the stairs where Lydia’s piercing voice could be heard as she flirted brazenly with the footmen who were preventing her from entering further than the foyer.
Elizabeth grumbled under her breath at the blushes both men had on their faces, obviously mortified by the girl.
“Lydia!” she cried, hurrying down the steps, Jane close behind her. “Leave them alone! What on earth are you doing here?”
“La! Are you not pleased by the surprise?” Lydia cackled. “I told Mama that you would never expect me to appear and what a great joke it would be! Where is everyone?”
“Lydia, it is nearly nine! Everyone has gone to bed. How did you come here? They said you walked?”
“Well, Mama sent me the funds to come but I needed this bonnet so I did not have the coins to rent a carriage in Lambton, so a handsome farmer gave me a ride to the turn off and I walked the rest of the way. You will need to send a groom to fetch all my trunks.”
“All of…”
“Lydia, why would you bring a large amount of luggage? You will only be here for a few days.” Jane gave her a narrow-eyed look.
She replied with a huff, and crossed her arms.
“I believe that I shall supply several maids to assist with going through your luggage,” Elizabeth declared.
Her lip popped forward in a heavy pout. “I am certain I shall be grateful,” she said with a sniff.
“Hmmm,” Elizbeth replied. “Howard, would you please show my sister to the room beside my mother? And Freddy, please send a groom to Lambton at first light to retrieve her luggage.”
Lydia flounced up the stairs behind the footman, her nose in the air. Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Jane and they followed more slowly.
“We cannot allow her to pull her usual tricks and draw attention away from Mary,” Elizabeth murmured.
“How will you stop her? Nothing has worked before.”
“Just leave it to me,” Elizbeth growled, her eyes bright with righteous indignation.
Jane gulped. That look never bode well for the object of her displeasure.