Chapter 47
Chapter Forty-Seven
MONDAY, 20 JANUARY 1812
W hen the Darcys, accompanied by Colonel Fitzwilliam, departed for London by way of Pemberley early Monday, there had been little change to Lord Matlock’s condition. He was able to open his eyes although he remained unable to communicate. His physician was uncertain if he understood what was being said to him; however, it was evident that he could react to stimuli, such as a needle pricking his skin.
Knowing this and trusting Lady Julia to keep them informed regarding any changes, they left, intending to put their plans into place.
They arrived at Pemberley to find it in a state of chaos. In her daughter’s absence, Mrs. Bennet had attempted to command the servants into making some of the changes she wished, and, having listened to the mistress’ commands that nothing be altered in her absence, they had refused. This led to a stalemate between Mrs. Bennet and the servants with both Jane and Mary attempting to convince her mother that she had no right to act in such a manner.
With a deep frown and mounting irritation, Elizabeth went to confront her mother after hearing troubling reports from the household servants. She found Mrs. Bennet seated in the room designated as the mistress’s study, a space meant for Elizabeth’s use. Her mother was surrounded by papers and giving imperious instructions to a flustered maid. It was evident that Mrs. Bennet had decided to assert herself as if she were mistress of Pemberley.
“Mama, this absolutely will not do,” Elizabeth began firmly, her tone brooking no argument. “This is my home. Fitzwilliam and I are the master and mistress here. You are a guest—one who will soon become unwelcome if you continue as you are now. If you wish to be in charge of a household, you might return to Longbourn, but you will not take over here. Fitzwilliam and I have agreed upon several changes, and while those are being implemented, you and my sisters will move to the dower house. We must travel to London on business.”
Mrs. Bennet, visibly affronted, opened her mouth to protest, but Elizabeth did not give her the opportunity.
“If you accompany us to London, you will be taken directly to Longbourn, where you will remain,” Elizabeth said crisply. “Our time in London will be brief, as we must then travel to Rosings. We are not going to London to socialise nor to indulge your whims. Furthermore, we are in mourning for my husband’s cousin.”
Mrs. Bennet dismissed the explanation with a wave of her hand. “A cousin! You barely need to mourn a week for such a distant relation.”
Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed. “We will honour the late viscount for a full month, if only to show respect to the new viscount. Part of our purpose in London is to support Colonel Fitzwilliam as he resigns his commission. He is now Viscount Ashburn and soon will become the Earl of Matlock, for Lord Matlock suffered an apoplexy upon learning of his son’s death.”
Mrs. Bennet brightened, clasping her hands together. “How delightful!” she exclaimed. “I have seen how he looks at my Jane. They will make a lovely couple. Imagine it—a viscount and perhaps an earl! Jane could not do better.”
Elizabeth’s expression hardened. “Delightful?” she repeated sharply. “The Fitzwilliam family is in mourning for one member and might soon lose another. This is hardly a time for matchmaking. Should Lord Matlock pass away, Richard will be in mourning for an additional year or six months and unable to consider marriage during that time. He will mourn his brother for three months as it is. Even if there were an established courtship or engagement—which there is not—any plans would have to wait.
“Moreover, Richard is not a man to enter into such commitments lightly. He carries a great many responsibilities now, and there is much to resolve before he could even think about forming an attachment. You must put aside your scheming, Mama, and understand the gravity of the situation.”
Mrs. Bennet pursed her lips, clearly displeased, but Elizabeth held her gaze, unflinching. It was clear that no amount of protest would sway her daughter, and Mrs. Bennet’s attempts to assert control would meet with unyielding resistance.
“How can you be so indifferent to your sister’s chance of marrying such a wealthy and titled man as the new viscount?” Mrs. Bennet scolded, her voice rising with indignation. “I would think you would relish the opportunity to have Jane settled so near to yourself, comfortably and grandly.”
Elizabeth closed her eyes, drawing in a slow, measured breath to steady herself. When she spoke, her tone was calm but firm. “Jane is already settled very near to me, Mama. She has a home at Pemberley for as long as she wishes to remain which is more than I can say for you at this moment. I will not push Jane towards any suitor, even one as eligible as Richard. Should she and the colonel choose to form a deeper connection, I will not stand in their way. But, as I have already explained, nothing can be considered for several months.
“Once our business in London is concluded, Richard will need to return to Matlock to set things in order there. He and Fitzwilliam will undoubtedly spend much time together over the coming months addressing the estate’s needs.”
Elizabeth’s eyes fixed firmly on her mother. “In the meantime, however, I will not allow you to throw my home into chaos. I appreciate that you have made efforts to temper your behaviour, but the scene I returned to will not happen again. Never again are you to assume you have any authority over the running of my household.
“If you cannot abide by this, my husband is willing to lease you a modest cottage nearby. It will be sufficient for your needs and for any of my sisters who wish to reside with you, but it will not be Pemberley. Let me be perfectly clear: you will not have much say in the matter. The property will be practical and suitable, but it will not match your aspirations of grandeur.”
Mrs. Bennet let out a wail, flinging herself dramatically onto the settee. “You have no compassion for my poor nerves!” she cried, pressing a hand to her forehead in exaggerated distress.
Elizabeth did not even attempt to suppress the roll of her eyes this time. “Madam, do not think such theatrics will have any effect on me. I am long accustomed to them. A maid has already been instructed to pack your belongings, and after dinner, you and my sisters will be conveyed to the dower house. You are free to depart sooner if you prefer, but rest assured, this behaviour will not be tolerated further.
“While we are away, you will have no access to the main house. Furthermore, you will not be allowed to make changes to the dower house either. Any attempts to overstep will result in your immediate removal to Longbourn.”
Mrs. Bennet sat up abruptly, her dramatic act abandoned when she realised it had no impact. For a moment, she glared at her daughter, clearly unused to such defiance. Finally, with a frown of resignation, she muttered, “Very well. Arrange for me to be transported to the dower house as soon as possible.”
Elizabeth inclined her head, her expression neutral. "It will be done." She rang the bell for a servant and gave succinct instructions as one appeared.
Angrily, Mrs. Bennet turned and left the room. Within the hour, she was escorted to a modest but well-appointed suite in the dower house. She sat alone on the edge of the settee, her hands tightly folded in her lap, her mind a whirl of indignation, hurt, and reluctant reflection.
How had it come to this? she wondered. She had spent years managing Longbourn, guiding her daughters through their early years, and striving—always striving—for their futures. Everything she did, every scheme and every argument, had been for their benefit. At least, that was what she had always told herself. Yet now, her Lizzy—the wilful, opinionated child who had once been the bane of her plans—had risen to a position of power far beyond anything Mrs. Bennet had ever dreamed for her. Here she was, cast out of Pemberley’s grandeur, left to stew in a smaller, quieter space, as though she were little more than an afterthought.
Her pride prickled at the indignity of it, but there was a deeper discomfort she could not ignore. Had she truly gone too far? She had believed she was helping—organising, asserting herself, ensuring that Jane’s future would be secure with Colonel Fitzwilliam. Yet Elizabeth’s words had struck a nerve. Had I created chaos instead of offering assistance? Have I truly overstepped?
She shifted uneasily, her thoughts turning inward in a way they rarely did. She had always been quick to speak, quick to act, assuming her motives were pure. But was it possible that her desire to control had overshadowed her daughters’ happiness? Jane had looked uncomfortable every time the colonel’s name was mentioned. Was she pushing her eldest into a match Jane might not even want?
Lizzy… Elizabeth had changed. She was no longer the headstrong girl Mrs. Bennet could dismiss or argue into submission. She was now a woman of authority, commanding not just Pemberley but also the respect of those around her. A faint pang of pride mingled with the sting of humiliation. Perhaps I have done something right after all, she thought reluctantly. She is everything I wanted my daughters to be —independent, secure, and capable—not to mention married extremely well and without my interference.
Mrs. Bennet sighed, her hands unclenching. As much as she disliked being confined to the dower house, she could not ignore the truth in Elizabeth’s words. Pemberley was Lizzy’s home now, and if Mrs. Bennet was to remain part of her daughter’s life, she would have to find a way to adapt.
Still, the thought of relinquishing her role as the guiding force in her family’s life was a bitter pill to swallow. For so long, she had defined herself by her daughters’ futures. Without that purpose, who was she?
Elizabeth sought out Mary and Jane to share some of what had been learned at Matlock and to explain the plans for the coming days, particularly regarding their move to the dower house. As she spoke, she carefully observed Jane’s reaction to the news that Colonel Fitzwilliam was now Viscount Ashburn and that he would be traveling to London to resign his commission and begin to arrange for the transfer.
When Elizabeth finished, Mary seemed to sense that there was more her sisters needed to discuss privately. With quiet understanding, she excused herself, leaving Elizabeth and Jane alone to continue their conversation.
“What are you thinking, dearest?” Elizabeth asked her elder sister gently. It was clear that Jane had been distressed by the news shared that morning.
“Nothing, Lizzy, truly. I am well,” Jane replied, though her tone betrayed her effort to mask her true feelings.
Elizabeth tilted her head, studying her sister closely. “You like the colonel, do you not?” she asked, deciding to dispense with subtlety and seek a direct answer.
Jane inhaled sharply, startled by the question. She had thought her feelings better concealed. “I do like the colonel; how could I not?” she admitted, her voice soft. “But I have always known nothing could come of it. He needs to marry a wealthy woman, perhaps even one with a title. Now, with the estate in jeopardy, it must be more important than ever for him to find a wife with a substantial dowry.”
Turning her head away from her sister, Jane took a steadying breath, trying to regain her composure after revealing so much.
“Jane,” Elizabeth began gently, “the colonel will be in mourning for several months yet. I do not believe the situation is as hopeless as you think. Both my husband and Richard’s grandfather have committed to restoring Matlock—not only financially but also by helping him learn how to manage the estate more effectively. Much could change in the coming months, so I encourage you to be patient.
“Additionally, I have discouraged Mama from pushing you at Richard, using the mourning period as a reason to deter her. Her continued stay at Pemberley is contingent upon her good behaviour. You and Mary, of course, are welcome to stay as long as you wish. The move to the dower house was made to ensure that such disruptions as this morning’s incident will not occur again.”
Jane could not help but laugh softly. “Mama and Mrs. Reynolds were quite the spectacle. While your housekeeper tried to show Mama the deference due a guest at Pemberley and the mother of its mistress, she was firm in refusing every unreasonable demand. I have rarely seen anyone as stubborn as our mother, but Mrs. Reynolds outlasted her in every way.”
Elizabeth smiled fondly. “I met her nearly five years ago, and even then, she was fiercely protective of the Darcys. That protectiveness now extends to me, and I cannot imagine managing this house without her. She is, without a doubt, a force of nature, and Pemberley owes much of its grandeur to her influence.
“I pray she will live a long life, for she will be nearly impossible to replace when the time comes for her to retire. I have already spoken with her about training a successor—someone she can guide and prepare to eventually succeed her. It was not an easy conversation, but she understood the necessity. Still, I told her what I tell you now: I hope that day is far off and that this effort will, in the meantime, lighten the burden she carries.”
Jane nodded. “I am thankful that such a position is not mine, at least not yet. Perhaps once you return from your travels, you can take me under your wing and teach me what you have already learned about being the mistress of such an estate. While I am uncertain if anything will ever occur between Colonel Fitzwilliam and me, I do truly hope to marry. I would like to have my own home.”
Elizabeth smiled at her sister and patted her hand lovingly. “I pray for the same for you, Janey. You deserve your own home and a man who adores you. While I do think that man might be Richard, I will not pressure you one way or the other. I wish for you to find happiness.”
“Thank you, Lizzy,” Jane said, before she excused herself and went to make sure her own things were packed for the move to the dower house.