Chapter 17 #2
“And I will send a note to Charlotte to ask her father to wait on you this afternoon. In fact, should we not invite the Philips, Lucas, Long, and Goulding families to see for themselves that Jane and Tommy are alive and well, rather than at the masque along with everyone else?” Louisa suggested.
“Lulu, you are brilliant! I should have thought of it myself; I can only plead my brain was addled by the excitement. Oh! Do not forget the Hills! William, please have them sent for now.” Elizabeth knew the Hills would be overjoyed when they saw Jane and Tommy hale and healthy.
While the notes were being written, Jane turned to her sister. “Lizzy, you say our stepbrother has turned his life around; is it genuine?”
“It is, Jane. He helped dealing with Lady Catherine without any expectation of reward. When William offered him a substantial reward, he refused. He came to his epiphany years after Lulu, but it is real,” Elizabeth shared with Jane.
“If that be the case, if I ever see him and he asks me, I will forgive him,” Jane allowed.
“Jane, before we received your letter, I planned to ask Lulu to stand up with me, but you are here now, so if you agree, I will ask you stand up with me as well,” Elizabeth shared her quandary.
“Louisa has been a saving grace; it was she who offered you friendship when you needed it most; it is right she should stand up with you. If you desire it, I will be more than content as a bridesmaid,” Jane replied with complete sincerity.
The sisters hugged again. They had many years of hugs to make up for.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
A little more than an hour later, the Hills were shown into the drawing room at Netherfield Park. One of the Duke’s coaches had waited for them in the lane next to Longbourn to convey the couple.
When Mrs. Hill saw Jane, and then Tommy, she stood with her hand over her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks. It became real for her when Jane enfolded the long-time housekeeper in a welcoming hug. Mr. Hill looked pleased and nonplussed at the same time.
Not much later, the three families from the neighbourhood arrived.
When Charlotte saw Jane, she shrieked and then pandemonium broke out with much crying, laughing, and hugging as the three families welcomed the long-believed-dead Bennets back home.
Those who did not know the Holder Bennets were introduced, and the younger children were led outside by the Ladies Georgiana and Allie, who were assisted by Phillip and Tommy.
Once there were only the adults remaining, the tale of the attack on Elizabeth was related, and the plan for the morrow.
Sir William, normally jovial and affable, looked as if he were ready to commit murder himself.
“I wish I had known right away.” He looked at Charlotte in an accusatory fashion; she would not look her father in the eye.
“Sir William,” the Duke called Sir William’s attention away from his daughter, “Elizabeth and I swore Miss Lucas to silence. My betrothed and I support her completely.” The surprise on the faces of the neighbourhood residents caused William to remember they were unaware of his betrothal.
“Elizabeth wanted to be the one to deal with the despicable women. I could not deny her that. Would any of you?”
The men and women all nodded; they would not deny Elizabeth the closure she was seeking.
“Sir William, I ask that you and some constables be present on the morrow. They will be leaving Tommy’s estate under arrest, and they will be transported to the Tower to answer for committing treason,” Elizabeth stated with steel in her voice.
‘Papa, how I wish you were here to see this! Not only to see Jane, Tommy, and all our family alive, but cleansing Longbourn of them on the morrow! I miss you, Papa, but it is a little easier now with all of my family standing with me,’ Elizabeth looked to the heavens as, in a moment of solace, she offered her message to her father.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Monday, the two and twentieth day of May, was no different than any other day before it for Martha Bennet and her darling daughter, though it was one of the few days Louisa had remained at home.
Caroline was whining about the lack of entertainment and the fact no invitation to the upcoming masque had been received from Netherfield Park.
“Mayhap our invitation will be delivered today,” Louisa suggested.
“How well that sounds. I am sure some servant dropped our invitation and has just found it,” Martha deluded herself. The three ladies sat up when they heard a knock on the front door.
“Mama!” Caroline Bingley jumped up and down with excitement. “I recognise the crest on the first carriage; it is the Duke’s!”
“Sit, Caroline; you must appear ladylike when the Duke comes to solicit your hand for two or three sets,” Martha fussed to straighten her daughter’s skirts. Louisa shook her head at the delusion they both lived in.
“Mr. Harold Hurst, private secretary to the Duke of Derbyshire, Earl of Lambton,” Hill announced.
Mr. Hurst entered the drawing room bowing as the ladies curtsied, and he shot his betrothed a quick smile. “His Grace requests an audience with the Bennet and Bingley ladies,” Hurst intoned.
“His Grace, and any he cares to bring, are welcome at any time,” Martha preened.
Mr. Hurst turned and nodded to the door. The Duke, Lady Georgiana, the Earl and Countess of Holder, Viscount Glenmeade, Tommy Bennet, and Sir William entered the drawing room. Caroline shifted over, hoping the Duke would take the hint and sit next to her, but he sat as far from her as possible.
“Would you introduce your friends, Your Grace?” Martha asked, demonstrating for all her lack of knowledge of protocol.
“You know, Jane, given the number of times I informed those two about protocol, you would have thought they had learnt something,” Elizabeth said as she and Jane sauntered into the drawing room arm in arm.
Mrs. Bennet and her terrible daughter were in absolute shock and horror as Elizabeth and Jane entered the room.
Both had contorted faces as they shook their heads not believing their own eyes.
On reopening their eyes, to their chagrin, the two sisters were very much alive and standing looking at them with pure disdain.
“WE KILLED YOU!” Caroline Bingley screeched.
“Do I look dead to you, Jane, William, Gigi, family?” Elizabeth asked mockingly, as she looked from one to the other.
“Y-you are dead!” Martha spluttered as she looked at Jane, her eyes as huge as saucers.
“Lizzy, did you hear what that woman said? I, too, am supposedly dead.” Jane scoffed at the gaping woman.
“As I refuse to call you a Bennet, Mrs. Bingley, and Miss Caro, do you know the charge for attempting the murder of a relation of the Queen and royal family?” Elizabeth asked, evenly.
“You, a relation to the Queen? You are naught but Cinder-Liza, the one who often gets cinders and soot on her face from reading in front of the fire!” Caroline tried to stand, in an attempt to get to Elizabeth, but an enormous hand pulled her back into her chair, and none too gently.
Biggs and Johns had taken up positions, one behind each lady.
“Did I omit to mention to you, my dear stepsister, my connection to the Duke? You see, my cousin, Lady Marie Fitzwilliam, née Bennet, is married to Viscount Hilldale, who just so happens to be the Duke’s cousin, so that makes me cousin to his Grace, and, by extension, his cousins, the royals.”
“What of Louisa; she helped us that night,” Martha was clutching for any straw she could think of.
“You mean my sister, Louisa Bennet, who saved my life that night? She played along so she would be left with me and got help as soon as she could. You may wonder who these other people are.” Elizabeth watched as the two women who were now whiter than a sheet looked at those unknown to them.
“We may not have mentioned that my late father’s cousin is the Earl of Holder, Lord James Bennet, and his wife the Countess, Lady Amelia Bennet.
Their son and heir, Viscount Glenmeade, happens to be Jane’s husband.
Sir William you know, and the young lady and my future sister is Lady Georgiana Darcy. ”
“You are betrothed to my Duke!” Caroline screeched, vainly struggling against the hand holding her in her seat.
“Are you really that delusional, Miss Bingley?” the Duke drawled.
“The one time you tried to talk to me, I cut you. If you were the last lady alive, I would not offer for you. You disgusted me a long time before you attacked my betrothed. It is but her desire to see you thrown out of her home in person that stayed my hand from having you hung the day after your despicable attack on her person. You have lived in for far too long, but that all ends today!”
“And this tall, strapping fellow is the one you have asked after so many times.” Martha and Caroline looked at Tommy, not knowing who he was, but not failing to note he looked eerily like the late master of Longbourn. “My brother, Thomas Bennet Junior, the heir of Longbourn!”
Martha was stupefied as blow after blow kept punching the air out of her lungs.
All her bad decisions seemed to be coalescing around her this day.
“I may have advocated for transportation had you showed even an iota of remorse for what you did to my betrothed, but the only thing I see is regret that you have been caught!” the Duke told the two with disdain.
“Louisa, how could you do this to us?” Martha screeched.
“As you believe, and have said many times, I am only here for the food. I have done nothing to you, madam. It is by your actions and those of your disgusting daughter that have led to your well-deserved consequences. Not that it is any of your business, but I will be Mrs. Harold Hurst before the masque!” Try as she might, Louisa could not summon any sympathy for the two.
She knew, had she asked it, Elizabeth would have had them transported; however, the last remaining bonds between her and the woman who bore her were irrevocably torn asunder the night they had attacked and kicked her sister on the filthy floor of the hunting lodge.
“We are done here, Sir William. Please have your men remove this rubbish from our house,” Elizabeth stated dispassionately.
Four constables entered the drawing room at Sir William’s nod.
A pair lifted one of either Martha or her daughter by the arms and carried them out as they screeched invectives at anyone they could see.
The last words they heard from Caroline Bingley was something about Cinder-Liza, but then, thankfully, there was quiet in the house.
Mr. Philips waited in the hallways until the two criminals were arrested.
“Now that Lord Holder is returned, he becomes Miss Elizabeth’s guardian until she marries, and Tommy becomes his ward until he reaches his majority.
Additionally, the Earl will manage Longbourn for Tommy until that time,” Philips explained after a question from the Earl.
“I do not know if we will find anyone to manage Longbourn as effectively as Lizzy has since my cousin passed, but I believe we will look for a steward,” Lord James stated.
“There are one or two under-stewards at Pemberley who would more than fit your requirements, Holder,” William offered.
“If memory serves, Andrew told me we have a good candidate who is under-steward at Holder Heights. I think Tommy and I should interview all three and then make a decision,” Lord James stated.
“Papa would have loved to be here this day, when the interlopers were dragged out of Longbourn,” Tommy said, as he looked to the heavens.
“I am sure Mama and Papa are looking down on us with love and pride,” Elizabeth told her brother.
“Lizzy is correct, Tommy; Mama and Papa had a love for the ages. I too am sure they are together again looking over us. If, since the start, Mama and then Papa were not watching over us, do you think we would have survived the shipwreck and the years languishing on New England?” Jane asked.
“I suppose not,” Tommy replied, thoughtfully.
Before they departed a much more peaceful Longbourn, Jane, Elizabeth, and Tommy spoke to the Hills and requested they have the house cleansed of any remnants of the Bingley presence, and ready it for a small wedding breakfast on the morrow, and so they would be able to sleep at Longbourn the night before Elizabeth’s wedding.
The Hills gave their word that the house would be ready by that time.
Everyone returned to Netherfield Park to inform those who had remained behind of the outcome of the arrest and removal of the vermin. After the exit of the two evil woman, Elizabeth was never called Cinder-Liza again.