Vol 2, Chapter 6
Monday morning, just after nine, the Countesses of Jersey and Matlock; Lady Priscilla Bennet; Marchioness Holder; and Viscountess Westmore were shown into the receiving room at Bedford House.
Lady Rose, who had been sitting with her husband’s body until the ladies arrived met them, sadness evident in her mien.
“We are so sorry for your loss, Rose,” Lady Sarah commiserated. “We are here to help with whatever needs doing.”
“Thank you, Sarah, all of you,” Lady Rose said sadly. “Even though I knew his passing was inevitable, it does not make it any easier for me. I will always wish my Sed was still with me.”
Just then the butler announced Princess Elizabeth, who was followed by her retinue.
“Cousin Rose, please accept the deepest sympathies of our entire family,” the Princess conveyed as the rest of the ladies gave deep curtsies to Queen Charlotte’s daughter.
“Will you introduce us to those we do not know?”
Lady Rose introduced the only lady the Princess had not met. “Your Royal Highness, Princess Elizabeth, I present to you the new Duchess of Bedford, her Grace, Priscilla Bennet.”
The new Duchess curtsied as the Princess inclined her head in acknowledgement.
“It would have been preferable to meet our new cousin under better circumstances. You will accompany your family to Buckingham House this afternoon will you not, Lady Priscilla?” Lady Priscilla nodded, very well understanding that it was not a question, as their meeting with the royals had been accelerated by events beyond the control of any man.
“When will the late Duke be transported to Longfield Meadows?” The Princess directed the question to Lady Rose.
“As investiture will take place today, we hope to depart on the morrow, Your Royal Highness,” Lady Rose replied.
“In that case, we will take our leave.” The Princess offered her hand to both Lady Rose and Lady Priscilla to kiss and departed, her retinue following her out.
As Lady Priscilla watched the Princess depart, she considered all of the changes that had occurred the instant that the seventh Duke died.
As much as they had tried to prepare since the first meeting at Norman and James, it was still overwhelming.
They had all hoped there would be a few months at least until Thomas became the new Duke. It was not to be.
Lady Sarah saw the overwhelmed look on her daughter’s face. “Do not forget, we are all with you, Priscilla, and we will all help you, as well, Rose.”
“Aunt Rose, I am sorry to take away from you on this sad day, I just was not prepared to see the Princess and be introduced as the Duchess. It did not enter my head until you introduced me with this new title,” Priscilla looked at the Dowager Duchess contritely.
“There is no time for recriminations now, Priscilla,” Lady Rose lifted her chin. “There is much to do if we are to depart Town on the morrow. Thank goodness it is still cool enough for the transporting of Sed to Yorkshire.”
Lady Elaine indicated herself and Lady Sarah as she said, “Rose, go and sit with your Sed and let our husbands make all of the arrangements. I will remain with you while the rest of the ladies return to Gardiner House to assist the Bennets. Sarah,” Lady Elaine looked at her friend, “will you send our husbands to Bedford House as soon as may be? There is much to do, as we will all accompany the Bennets to the investiture this afternoon. Rose, I am sure they will understand if you are not present.”
“I gave my word to Sed, and I will do what needs to be done; so yes, I will attend Buckingham House.” None of the ladies tried to argue with the Dowager Duchess, for giving their word to their husbands was a promise they always tried to keep themselves.
The departing group each hugged Lady Rose and conveyed their personal sympathies before they departed.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When Priscilla returned to Gardiner House, she found her husband in the study with her father, Lord Matlock, Gardiner, and Phillips. “How is Aunt Rose this morning, Cilla?” Bennet asked quietly.
“She is as well as can be expected.” Priscilla turned to her father and Lord Matlock.
“You two are expected at Bedford House to help make arrangements. Elaine remained with Aunt Rose. Princess Elizabeth paid her condolences on behalf of the Royals, and we are to be at Buckingham House at two. I thought I was prepared for all of this, but when Aunt Rose introduced me as the Duchess of Bedford, I was overwhelmed for a moment.”
“It was a natural response, Cilla,” Bennet soothed as he drew his wife into his arms. “We expected to have some time to adjust after the investiture; we no longer have the luxury.”
“My son-in-law has the right of it, Daughter,” Lord Jersey added his support. “Do not forget you are surrounded by those who love you and will assist you and Bedford in any way possible.”
Even though the messenger had addressed him as your Grace, hearing the name Bedford used by his father-in-law drove home the change which had occurred to his family this morning. Tom was the Marquess of Birchington and Mark, not yet twelve, was the Earl of Meryton!
“We must away, Jersey, my wife awaits us,” Lord Matlock stated, reminding all of the first task that was also of utmost importance. He led the way to those who most needed them.
“I assume your primary estate will be Longfield Meadows in Yorkshire?” Phillips enquired.
“That is a safe assumption,” Bennet agreed quietly.
“What about Longbourn and Netherfield?” Phillips asked.
“We need to change my will, Phillips. Mark will have both estates now and,” he looked at his wife, “what say you, Priscilla that we no longer lease out Netherfield? More money is the last thing we need.”
“You will hear no objection from me, Thomas,” Priscilla agreed.
“Although we will spend time in Yorkshire, for my part we will not abandon Longbourn. I suggest that, until Mark is of age, we reside at Longbourn for a month before the season. With the easy distance to London, if we need to escape the machinations of the Ton now and again during the season, it is close by.”
“Who will criticise a Duke and his family if they forgo part, or even all of a season?” Bennet smiled wryly.
“What of the girl’s dowries?” Gardiner asked.
“Now, as we have what is for all intents and purposes unlimited wealth, we will increase the amount for all three. Priscilla and I will discuss that, but there is no need to make a decision right away,” Bennet stated.
“Have the children been informed?” Priscilla asked.
“Not without you by my side, Cilla. With all of the activity, they likely have guessed or at least know something has happened, and Jane was woken by the messenger banging on the door this morning. But by now they know we will tell them what they need to know when we are ready,” Bennet explained.
“Let us not delay, Thomas,” Priscilla suggested.
The Bennet children were found in the breakfast parlour, along with the two older Gardiner children and their two aunts. Gardiner nodded to his wife who asked her two children if they had eaten sufficiently, and when they agreed their mother ask them to return to the nursery.
“As I am sure Jane has informed you, there was a messenger who arrived in the early hours of this morning,” Bennet began.
“His sad duty was to inform us that Uncle Sed had passed away.” Bennet did not miss the realisation on the faces of his four older children as they assimilated the meaning of his words.
“Had we not believed, or at least hoped, Uncle Sed would live for some more months?” Elizabeth asked. She had only met her late uncle once, but had felt affection for the kind, old man.
“That was the hope, Lizzy. We also prayed for him to recover, but unfortunately those prayers were not answered, and God called him home,” Bennet said softly.
“Papa, does that mean you are a duke and Mama is a duchess?” Mark asked carefully.
“Yes, son, it does,” Priscilla told her youngest.
“Does that mean I am Mr. Meryton now?” the young boy pressed.
“Not Mr. Meryton, but Lord Meryton. Do you remember the discussion at Rosings when you asked if you would be an earl like grandpapa and Uncle Reggie?” Bennet reminded his son, smiling sadly when Mark nodded. “That is what has happened today.”
“Tom is like Uncle Stan now?” Mark verified.
“Yes, Tom is the Marquess of Birchington, and your sisters are all Ladies now,” Bennet confirmed.
“I know my sisters are ladies!” Mark exclaimed in confusion.
“Not ladies as in girls, Mark. You know how grandmama, Aunt Marie, Aunt Elaine, and Aunt Jacqui all have the honorific Lady before their names?” His mother asked.
“Because you are a Duke, my sisters are Lady Jane, Lady Lizzy, and Lady Esther?” Mark verified.
“Yes, son, you understand now,” Bennet smiled at his youngest. Mark was a smart boy; but like all of the family, he was bewildered by the speed of the events.
Even though they had known Uncle Sed was sick, they had counted on having some time after the investiture which had originally been planned for the morrow.
“We are all to be at Buckingham House by two, which means we will arrive at least a quarter hour earlier. One does not keep the royals waiting, even if it is their prerogative to have us do so if they choose,” Priscilla informed her children.
As she considered the enormity of what lay ahead, she remembered something the Princess had said.
“Thomas, I forgot to tell you Princess Elizabeth called us cousins. It seems the royals will accept us as such, even though it is Aunt Rose who is related to them by blood.”
“You met one of the Princesses, Mama?” Esther asked in awe.
“So shall you, all of you, this afternoon. Not just one, but some of her sisters and brothers, the Queen, and the Regent,” Priscilla informed all of her children.
“On the morrow, we will be part of the convoy of coaches that will escort Uncle Sed back to the primary ducal estate, Longfield Meadows in Yorkshire,” Bennet told their children.