Chapter 19
Two days later, the first installment of new dresses and fur-lined pelisses arrived at Northampton House.
The womenfolk gathered in the upstairs sitting room were all excitement, emitting the all too familiar oohs and ahs as each exquisite garment was revealed.
Suddenly, Lydia let out a blood-curdling scream…
“No…o! What happened? These dresses are not mine. They are so stupid! They are fit for a schoolgirl, not me!”
She turned to her mother. “Mamma, how dare the modistes make such an unforgivable mistake! You must dismiss them! Now I shall not have the dresses for the outings next week. I want the dresses I ordered by tomorrow.”
Her Grace turned to her companion, Mrs. Trimmer, who was frowning.
By now, the Duchess had a good idea of what behavior was acceptable for a daughter of a duke.
Mrs. Trimmer approved of Jane and Elizabeth.
They merely needed to learn the finer nuances of their new station.
Mary was not keen on society and had volunteered to help at a charity school for girls that Mrs. Trimmer’s mother had established; there she would be in the company of other noble ladies in a non-competitive, non-marriage mart setting.
The Duchess reluctantly agreed to Mary’s scheme after Mrs. Trimmer explained that allowing all five girls out at once before the oldest two were married would create gossip and speculation.
Kitty needed extensive tutoring before her debut, and she seemed receptive.
In addition, as both Mary and Kitty exhibited a strong inclination toward music and the arts, they would be better taught at home by masters of the highest caliber.
Lydia, however, needed the structure of a school to curb her excesses.
As a result, only Jane and Elizabeth would be presented at Court in April.
Without the threat of the hedgerows hanging over her head as had been when she was the mere heir-less mistress of Longbourn, the Bennet-Fitzstuart matriarch was determined to find the best husband for each of her daughters, however long that might take.
The ‘liveliness’ Lydia exhibited now seemed a gross impertinence and would surely be an insurmountable obstacle for her youngest to attract a husband of the highest breeding.
Yes, Lydia would be sent to school for a year or two; Mrs. Trimmer had recommended a girls’ seminary near the ducal seat, where all the students were daughters or nieces of peers.
That the late Duchess of Devonshire had attended the school could only be in its favor.
Lydia had not yet been told because everyone, including Her Grace, wanted to delay for as long as possible the tantrums that were sure to follow.
“Lydia, love, you are right about the styles of the dresses not being what you ordered. Since you will attend a seminary, you must be dressed appropriately.”
“What! No… o! It is not fair!” Lydia emitted another shrill protest. “Mamma, please do not jest. Schools are like nunneries. I will not go. I want to attend the most fashionable balls in town. I am Lady Lydia, daughter of the Duke of Northampton! I shall be the belle of the season!”
If eyes could spit fire, Her Grace’s were shooting flames.
“I am Francine, Her Grace, Duchess of Northampton. No daughter of mine will disgrace me as you just did, even in our home. Lydia, you are the only one of your sisters who would undoubtedly put the Northampton name in jeopardy. You are no longer Miss Lydia Bennet of Longbourn. The sooner you stop behaving like her, the sooner you will find a young man with as illustrious a name as your father’s.
You will be disciplined, not the modistes.
They simply followed my orders. I had planned for you to go to the school in two weeks.
As I have no wish to see you throw another shameful tantrum when you see your noble sisters going into society in their fine dresses, you will leave next week. Am I clear?”
There was a shocked silence. The sisters held their breath. Their mamma, loud and indecorous in the environs of Meryton, had transformed her brashness into a dignified fury worthy of a duchess.
Lydia’s first reaction was to run out of the room, screaming, but she thought better of it. Instead, she curtsied and said meekly, “Yes, mamma. May I be excused?”
Her Grace answered with a nod, but Lydia did not see the permission given with her eyes cast downward.
Mrs. Trimmer led Lydia away.
The Duchess turned to the rest of her daughters and said, “Your father and I are of one mind. The reputation of our family is of paramount importance and must be upheld at all costs. Because of our modest beginnings, we must try ten times harder than those born into these circles just to avoid turning into a laughingstock. I am not worried about you, Jane and Elizabeth, but, Mary and Kitty, you two will have to exert yourselves. I have found Mrs. Trimmer a great help. She will teach you how to become grand ladies. Pay her heed!”
The four sisters said in unison, “Yes, mamma.”
“I am fatigued. I shall rest for a while.” Her Grace left the room without another word. Her lady’s maid, Marie, collected the duchess’s new clothes and followed.
The four sisters looked at one another in astonishment. Finally, Elizabeth let out her breath and said, “We have all been so busy the past few weeks that we missed mamma being reborn as a duchess. That was marvelous to watch!”
Kitty whined, “It is easy for you to say, Lizzy. You will not need to ‘exert yourself’ to become an aristocratic lady. How shall I learn that? I should not follow Lydia’s example anymore, but I might have unknowingly picked up her unladylike habits.
Mrs. Trimmer has been spending all her time with mamma, so how am I to pay her any heed, even if I wish to?
I cannot even remember where to stand before entering a room! Perhaps I should go to school as well!”
Mary interjected, “Simply follow me, Kitty. I have no trouble remembering the order of precedence, especially when we are so high in the hierarchy. There are few who go before us. Oh, would you consider joining me at the charity school? Mrs. Trimmer spent enough time with me to learn my wishes and directed her sister to help me learn about the school. As ducal daughters, we must exhibit our charity for the world to see—to set an example.”
Jane said approvingly, “Mary, Reverend Fordyce would approve of your virtue.”
Elizabeth said under her breath, “What about vanity?” She turned to offer comfort to Kitty, who was still distressed. Clearly, volunteering at a school for motherless girls held no appeal for her.
Before she could say anything, Mary offered helpfully, “Kitty, let us go to Mrs. Trimmer. She will have good suggestions.”
Everyone was agog. Mary’s increased self-confidence manifested itself again. Even if self-importance emerged on occasion, it was a welcome sign of maturity in Mary.
Wearing pleased smiles on their faces, Jane and Elizabeth watched Mary and Kitty leave the room.
“I begin to think that being elevated to the dukedom is a true blessing. The only drawback is that we must give up old friendships simply because they are far away in Hertfordshire and we are in town and shall be in Oxfordshire,” said Jane with a hint of regret.
Then she remembered Lizzy’s upcoming trip to visit Charlottes Collins in Kent.
“You will see dear Charlotte soon. When will you be leaving?”
“Oh, I shall likely postpone the visit. Jenny is awaiting news of her betrothed’s fate.
I need to be here to support her in any way I can.
She might have to leave England at a moment’s notice.
Besides, after that ridiculous proposal Mr. Collins had offered for me only one day before proposing to Charlotte, it would make seeing either of them at their marital home exceedingly awkward, not to mention the inevitable encounter with the formidable, or should I say, insufferable, Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
Charlotte will always be a dear friend, but might not a little distance and time away make hearts grow fonder? ”
“Well… Charlotte’s loss is my gain. With so much going on in our lives and our presentation at Court so soon upon us, you are wise to put off your journey at present. I am ashamed to confess that I am being selfish. I cannot cope without you.”
“You speak the truth, Jane. We must band together to navigate the treacherous waters of the peerage.”
◆◆◆
The subsequent days were more than hectic.
The Duke was scheduled to be presented to the House of Lords and then the newly installed Prince Regent, who, at the last minute, demanded to meet the Duchess and all of his fair cousins.
He even convinced his Queen mother to receive her distant cousins at Buckingham House.
This was momentous news. The preparations for these meetings without forewarning reached a fever pitch. Lady Fitzwilliam managed to borrow court dresses for the younger daughters while modistes worked day and night to finish those for the Duchess and her two eldest.
Lydia gleefully presumed she would be out in society at the tender age of fifteen after she kissed the Queen’s hand, but her hopes were dashed when her parents refused and insisted she wait two years for her official debut.
It was a lively dinner that evening. The Gardiners and the Philipses joined them to celebrate the public recognition of the Duke and his family.
His Grace remarked, “Dear Duchess, you should expect to receive an onslaught of guests starting tomorrow. All the lords attending the session, including the High Lord Counselor himself, told me that their ladies would be honored to pay you a visit.”
He turned to his two eldest and said with a wink, “The heirs and younger sons may choose to come along with their mothers.”
Jane and Lizzy were speechless. So soon?