Chapter 4 #2
“We just added those two huge footmen who are cousins—Biggs and Johns—to the guards that we employ,” Reggie told his wife as he kissed her forehead.
“First thing in the morning I will assign them to be Lizzy’s personal bodyguards, that way one of them will always have her in sight.
” With this decision made about protecting their precious daughter, the Countess of Matlock felt as though she could rest easily again.
As he had promised his wife, the Earl sought out the two mountain-sized men first thing in the morning and gave them their charge, to keep his daughter safe.
He was sure to detail his concerns as far as young Wickham went.
After breaking their fasts, Lizzy was taken to be introduced to the two footmen.
When she stood in front of them, she had to tilt her head back all the way to be able to see their faces.
Both men grinned and crouched down so she would be able to look them in the eye without having to tilt her head back quite so far.
Even at this tender age Elizabeth was very perceptive, and though the two men were huge she felt safe with them and accepted that one or both of them would always be close by without any questions.
She patted Biggs cheeks and nodded, as if telling him that she would watch with him and then smiled when he arched a brow.
“Do not go running so far I cannot see you. If you cannot see me, then I cannot see you, Miss Lizzy. You are in charge of making sure you can always see us and helping us find you if we are looking in the wrong direction.” Biggs waited, turning it around in such a way the Earl was deeply impressed and doubled their salary without even bothering to tell them.
“Promise!” she agreed and removed her hand, returning her attention to her father.
“Come on, you precocious mite.” He chuckled. “Your mother is expecting us for breakfast.”
When George Darcy was told what steps had been taken and why, he objected vociferously on his godson’s behalf until he learnt that Lizzy was wary of him.
He had never known the child to be wary of anyone, so it gave him such a pause he felt that he needed to seriously re-evaluate things.
Mayhap young Wickham was not telling him the truth all of the time as his own son had intimated on numerous occasions.
He did agree that while the Fitzwilliams were in residence that there would be no more invitations issued to young Wickham to come to the great house.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Nine-year-old George Wickham was not a happy boy.
Not only was he no longer invited up to the great house, but the one time he tried to insert himself into the family group as he believed that his exclusion had been an oversight, his godfather had called him to his study and informed him that he was to go home.
He had added that unless he was specifically invited that he was not to come to the manor house or the park around it.
Suddenly his usual charm had stopped working on Mr Darcy.
His mother had taught him all manners of stratagem before she passed, and they had worked for years.
His father, as he was sure that is who Mr Darcy was, had always fallen for his lies and manipulation, at least until today.
Wickham was shown out the servant’s entrance and was scratching his head.
He could not fathom what had changed. Why did Mr Darcy suddenly not intend to recognise his son?
If the Fitzwilliams recognised a foundling, a mongrel who was not of their blood, why was it that he, who was of Darcy blood, was not acknowledged?
It never entered his head that his mother had lied to him and unfortunately there were no paintings of Sir Louis at Pemberley.
If there had been, George Wickham would have seen proof of who his father really was.
How he hated the foundling, not because she had done anything to him per se, but the little nobody had the life he wanted.
After his mother’s delusions that were poured into his ears, he felt that everything she received was his due.
He did not know how or when, but he would find a way to hurt the foundling, one way or another.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The hare-brained Collins sent yet another letter with outlandish claims and accusations.
Bennet rode into Meryton on his stallion Jupiter, and showed Phillips the ridiculous letter in which the man had his solicitor accuse Bennet of taking a foundling and claiming him as his son to steal his inheritance.
It was suggested to Bennet that he retain Norman and James to write the letter.
After helping the crown, Mr Norman had received a baronetcy and was now Sir Randolph Norman.
Phillips opined that a letter from Norman and James would, at the very least, cause the solicitor to withdraw from the case.
The two men sat and composed an express that was dispatched to Sir Randolph Norman of Norman and James at the Inns of Court.
The day after the express was sent, which included the last of the missives from Collins’s solicitor, Thomas Bennet of Longbourn became the newest client of Norman and James in London.
A letter would be drafted and sent to the new client for perusal, and as soon as there was a final approved draft, a letter of demand would be sent in response to the letter received.
Edward and Maddie Gardiner had travelled from London for the weekend.
Maddie was with Tammy and the children and Gardiner joined Bennet for some of the fine port that was stored in the master’s study.
As Gardiner had built his business, he had diversified into many areas in addition to import-export.
Over the years, he had seen the success his brother-in-law was having, so Bennet had invested a substantial portion of his capital in Gardiner and Associates and was well satisfied with the returns that were usually close to double that of the four percents.
“You have heard of the Rhys-Davies family, have you not, Brother?” Gardiner asked and Bennet allowed that it was so.
“Did you know that the Duke of Bedford, Lord Sedgwick, and his family own the Dennington Lines?” The shipping line was by far the largest in the realm and transported both passengers and goods.
Bennet had not known who owned them until Gardiner told him, but he did know that they worked closely with the East India Company.
“The family also owns a number of ship-building yards, and I have recently invested heavily in them and believe that the returns will be at or above ten percent.
“Not only that, but I have signed a mutually beneficial agreement with Dennington Lines. From now on, all of our goods will be shipped at reduced rates, and in return they will get access to my exclusive suppliers. I do not know if you know this, but the Duke’s younger brother is Lord Cyril, the Earl of Jersey.
Very few in the Ton are aware that two of its most influential members have very deep ties in trade.
My belief is that the relationship between our two companies will grow stronger over the years, and that bodes very well for our investments. ”
“That is all very good news Edward; you know that I trust you implicitly, do you not?” Bennet asked in a gruff voice.
“I do, Brother. As much as it chagrins me to broach a sensitive subject, you do have five and twenty thousand pounds sitting in a dowry account for Lizzy,” Gardiner said, knowing that he had to tread lightly. “Why do you not use it, or transfer it if your Tammy gifts you with another daughter?”
“I will not, I cannot touch Lizzy’s dowry, Edward,” Bennet said, his voice thick with emotion.
“In my mind, as illogical as it is, as long as her dowry is there it is a symbol of hope, that my daughter is alive and somewhere in the world.” A single tear ran down Bennets cheek, “In my mind, if I use her dowry for anything else, then I am giving up hope.
“You were there when I had the headstone removed after your sister’s disclosure.
The fact that her accomplice sent a deer’s heart and not a human organ was only a sliver of hope, but it was better than none at all.
It gives me some small measure of comfort to believe that my girl is out there and being well taken care of, hopefully even loved.
And regardless of the state she is in if we ever find her, I want it there for her to use as she needs and prefers. ”
The two men sat in companionable silence for a while as they sipped their port.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
In the city of Scarborough in Yorkshire lived the Bingley family.
Oscar and Martha Bingley had three children; the oldest Louisa was eleven, next was Charles who was ten, and lastly Caroline who was seven.
Oscar Bingley came from a long line of tradesmen and had raised the family fortunes to the point that he outright owned Bingley Carriage Works, the largest manufacturer of conveyances in not only the city, but all of Yorkshire.
While Mr Bingley was happy with his lot, his wife was not.
She wanted them to join the landed gentry and eventually be accepted into the Ton.
The fact that new money like they had would take a few generations to be accepted into the circles that she coveted did not enter into her thinking.
In order to try and satisfy his wife’s ambitions, Oscar worked harder than most people, resulting in him hardly seeing his family.
Although it only made Martha happy for a short while, Oscar purchased a townhouse in the most exclusive area of Scarborough.