Chapter 8. Miss Elizabeth’s Plan
At first, the passengers were silent as the carriage slipped through busy London traffic toward Gracechurch Street. Then Mr Gardiner said, “Lizzy, you must not tell Jane the revelations we heard today. We shall discuss them with your aunt, but no one else can be told.”
“What do you mean? Why?” asked Elizabeth.
“In my opinion, the Bingley family is the worst sort of people,” Uncle Gardiner continued. “They have a great deal of money but few good morals.”
“Nouveau riche,” Elizabeth said bitterly. “They rise and mimic the gentry’s fashions and houses, while forcing their way into a society they do not understand.”
After another moment of silence, Uncle Edward said, “If Jane heard what Miss Bingley said and what Mr Bingley did not say, it would break her heart.”
“I must go home…I must go to Longbourn this afternoon.”
“Tomorrow morning,” Uncle Gardiner argued.
“You must clear your head and know what you want to accomplish when you arrive at Longbourn before the carriage leaves the house in the morning. If you arrive without any idea what you want to do, then you can only react to what your father says and plans.”
“Father?” Elizabeth asked. “Why my father?”
“At Longbourn, Thomas Bennet is master, and he determines Jane’s future. If there is scandal attached to the expectation of a marriage between Jane and Bingley, your father might arrange for your sister to leave Longbourn. In any case, there are none who can gainsay him.”
“He can order me…”
Uncle Gardiner frowned and said, “I have authority for you now. You have lived under my roof for most of the past three years. And your father has not contributed any funds for your food, clothing, and education.”
“I…”
“Lizzy, your aunt and I hold you in our hearts as a daughter. You are a blessing in our lives,” Edward said. “At one point, I felt guilty for ‘stealing’ you away from Frances and Thomas, but they have given no indication of wanting you back.”
Now Elizabeth Bennet felt her tears falling freely as her uncle held her close. At Gracechurch Street, they climbed down from the carriage and hurried into the house, where Aunt Madeline welcomed them but quickly moved them into the parlour and ordered tea once she noticed their faces.
After sharing the stories from their morning, Madeline Darcy said, “We must bring Jane here. No one in our circle knows the connexion to Hertfordshire and she can build a new life here.”
“Thank you!” Elizabeth cried in relief.
“Now, what was in the envelope from Mr Darcy?” Aunt Madeline asked.
“I had forgotten,” Mr Gardiner admitted as he pulled the envelope from his coat pocket. “Mr Darcy paid me a commission based on total sales of over seven thousand pounds. And he provided a cash bonus to the workmen for the care they took with his floors and walls.”
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The next morning, just as the sun rose above the horizon, the Gardiner carriage left Gracechurch Street.
Elizabeth Bennet would return to Meryton with one of the chambermaids as chaperone, and the Gardiner footman seated with the coachman to ensure her safety.
She would reach Longbourn in just over three hours.
During the journey, Elizabeth stared out the window as the city fell behind and small farms appeared.
There were a few wooded glens but the landscape near London was filled with farms and small villages.
The roads were dry and generally open but for a few herds of sheep and cattle headed toward slaughterhouses in the metropolis.
“Miss, would you mind if I napped?” the maid asked before they were very far into the trip.
“I do not mind, Alice. I shall wake you when we arrive in Meryton.”
The carriage passed through Meryton without any problem, and Elizabeth glanced at once familiar street and shoppes. She noticed Uncle Phillips’ law office with the living space above where Aunt Phillips welcomed officers, neighbourhood ladies, and gentlemen for cards, tea and gossip.
The small village was left behind in mere moments as the carriage continued without pause.
Along the last two miles to Longbourn, Elizabeth noted Sir William and Lady Lucas walking along the road from her father’s manor house.
They did not recognize the carriage, so the couple did not bow or call greetings, and Elizabeth’s eyes sought the first hints of Longbourn’s roof among the trees.
Finally, the carriage pulled into the drive to her childhood home, and she looked for familiar figures pouring from the front door to greet her.
The footman dropped from the box at the front of the carriage, opened the door and provided a hand as Miss Elizabeth stepped down onto the gravel.
In the wilderness area on the west side of the house, she caught glimpses of the gardener with his pruning hook.
There were the noises of roosters, guinea fowl and cattle behind the house but there were no voices from inside the house.
“Shall I pull your trunk from the carriage, miss?
“Let me find my family first,” she replied. “Keep Alice…keep the carriage here.”
As Elizabeth approached the door, Mrs Hill, the housekeeper from her childhood, opened the door and caught the young woman in a tight hug.
“Oh, Miss Elizabeth, you have come home to a sad house,” Hill told her.
“What has happened, Hill?”
Before the housekeeper could explain, Mrs Bennet’s voice called from above stairs, “Hill! Where are you Hill? I need you!”
“Go on,” Elizabeth urged the housekeeper who turned and climbed the stairs.
The door to the parlour opened and Lydia emerged. The youngest sister, now fifteen, frowned when she saw the visitor. “Well Elizabeth, you certainly picked the worst day to visit. We have had nothing but yelling and tears today.”
Remembering that Lydia enjoyed gossip as well as embarrassing others, Elizabeth asked, “You know all, and I know nothing. I should be in your debt if you tell me what occurred.”
“Sew me a gown?” Lydia asked.
“Your mending…”
Lydia grinned and replied, “This morning, Mamma took Jane to her room after we broke our fast. In just a few minutes, Mamma screamed, ‘We are ruined!’ She flew down the stairs and shortly there was yelling and shouting in Papa’s library.
Finally, Mamma went upstairs and brought Jane down to Papa’s office. ”
In a whisper, Lydia continued, “Mary kept telling me and Kitty to go to our rooms, but I stayed outside the door and heard everything. Jane and Mr Bingley anticipated their wedding vows and Jane is with child.
“What?” Elizabeth asked in shock.
Lydia’s face was bright as she related the gossip saying, “Jane is going to have Mr Bingley’s babe in summer. They did not wait for the parson to marry them and now he is gone. Mamma wailed about being ruined and dying in the hedgerows so long and so loud that Papa yelled for Mamma to be silent.
“But how…Mr Bingley promised to marry her,” Elizabeth said.
“Papa called Jane a foolish girl to believe Mr Bingley.”
“God’s teeth. Where is Jane now?”
“Papa banished her from the house.” Lydia announced simply as if it were a small matter.
“What do you mean?”
Lydia explained, “Papa grabbed Jane by the arm and drug her to the door. Then he pushed her outside. Then he announced that this was no longer Jane’s home, and she was no longer his daughter.”
“No,” the young woman said to deny the words.
“Yes, Jane is no longer my daughter,” announced Thomas Bennet who appeared in the hallway. He stared at his youngest daughter and said, “Lydia, you were ordered to your room for the day.”
“I went into the parlour for my mending,” the youngest daughter replied coolly.
“Do not test me today,” Mr Bennet said. “Unless the house is on fire, do not come below stairs again today. Mr Hill cut branches that I shall use to beat my daughters as needed after today.”
Suddenly fearful, Lydia climbed the stairs quickly and did not look back. They heard the door of her room slam as Mrs Bennet began to wail once more.
“My house will never know peace again,” Mr Bennet told his long-absent daughter. “Why have you come today?”
“I came to see my sister, Jane,” she replied.
“There is no one by that name living in my home,” Mr Bennet insisted.
Elizabeth stepped back, shaking her head and said, “Papa, you do not mean that.”
“I do. Jane surrendered her virtue to that man before their wedding day. She dishonoured her family and now the entire neighbourhood knows.”
“How does…”
“Sir William and Lady Lucas walked up just as your Mamma wailed the news for the entire world to hear. Sir William was shocked, and Lady Lucas pretended to console with your mother, but I am certain she spent the time gathering every bit of gossip to spread among the neighbours.”
“When Mrs Bennet finally ceased her howling, I ordered your sisters to their rooms for the rest of the day, told Mrs Bennet to retire, and as quickly as possible sent Sir William and Lady Lucas on their way.” Mr Bennet sighed and said, “Now you have appeared.”
“I shall not stay,” Elizabeth said. “I came to see Jane and you say she is gone.”
“She is compromised and disowned,” Mr Bennet repeated. “That is the end of the matter.”
“But Mr Bingley…he promised to marry Jane. They were to become engaged the morning after the ball.”
Mr Bennet snorted with a sour look on his face, “He left for London and did not call. She sat in the parlour for two days and insisted that he would come for her. He is a cad and rake as bad as any I have ever met. But she…”
Elizabeth interrupted her father and pointedly said, “…was not properly chaperoned if he was able to take advantage of her.”
“Do not think you can speak to me in such a manner,” Mr Bennet told his daughter.
With a nod her head, the young woman said, “I shall leave and not trouble you again, sir.”
“How are you moving about?” he asked.
“I have a carriage,” she replied, turned and left Longbourn.