Epilogue #2
Henry soon made his displeasure known. Louisa, after looking at his cheeks and seeing no telltale red birthmark, put him to her breast, and the newest Bennet ate until sated.
With a cloth over his shoulder, Bennet patted his son’s back until Henry released a healthy belch.
Seeing that Lulu was already sleeping, Bennet took his son to meet his sisters and the rest of the family.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
1817
14 February 1817
Longbourn
Lizzy, my dear stepdaughter,
You seem to suffer from the same malady as me: an inability to deliver a daughter.
Your brothers cannot wait until we travel to Pemberley in June. Henry loves riding the ponies which William has at your estate. I, like Maddie, enjoy touring the park in a phaeton.
Our boys miss yours greatly. Henry is at least older than his nieces and nephews, but that is not the case for Tommy or James.
At only 1 year old, James has no concept of his being an uncle.
On the other hand, Tommy, who as you know, will be 3 in a matter of days, is highly amused that Ben, Alexander, Paul, and Matthew are his nephews, especially as Ben and Alex are older than him. (Even if Alex is only 10 days older.)
It is still hard to believe that you had twins less than a year ago. Like you, your father and I pray that He will bless you with a daughter when, or if, next you increase.
At least at 26, you have a good chance of becoming enceinte again. As for me, as I approach my 38th birthday, I assume my time for bearing children is over or close to it.
Jane’s last letter was full of news. They are so happy at Castlemere, but you know that, as you see them quite often.
She is very pleased with her two children.
I know; both of us are envious that she had a girl, followed by a boy.
Annabelle looks so much like Jane, while Charley is a younger version of his father.
Besides the three boys, your father and I are grateful that Mary, Richard, and their three children are only 3 miles away.
With Kate having married Phillip (I envy all of you living in Derbyshire and the environs as Phillip’s estate is in Staffordshire, only 25 miles from Pemberley) almost 2 years ago.
It took Kate 2 seasons before she met her Phillip and as we all remember it was practically love at first sight.
Now that Lydia is engaged to Winston Chamberlain, I will soon be the only female in the house.
I still have a hard time with the reality that Lydia will be the Duchess of Hertfordshire one day.
The poor Marquess of Hertford had to work so hard for Lydia to want to accept him.
He knows that Jane and Charles own Castlemere, and he says that with the years that have passed since his little brother’s accident, if invited, he and his surviving brother, Lord Harold, would be able to visit the estate and maintain their equanimity. He doubts that would be true for his parents.
On a happier note, how is Anna’s courtship with the Earl of Granville proceeding?
Did he not just come out of mourning for his father a few months back?
At the age of 27 to have to take on all of that responsibility.
I suppose it is a little better than your William, who lost his father when he was not yet 22.
Before I forget, your Uncle Frank, Charlotte (your ‘aunt’) and their 4 children will be travelling in the convoy with us when we come to you in June. Lawrence will be 8 in November and hopes he can ride a cob this year. Sarah, Jane’s and your goddaughter, cannot wait to see her godmothers again.
I must leave for tenant visits soon, so I end this letter now.
With the warmest regards,
Lulu
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
1819
5 May 1819
Pemberley
Dear Lulu,
First the unpleasantness. Lulu, although you were never close to your sister even before she was committed to Bedlam, I condole with you on her passing. I cannot believe that after their years at the asylum Lady Catherine and your sister finally met, and it ended so tragically.
Charles told us that the letter he received from the administrator explained that they met by chance and when Lady Catherine heard Miss Bingley claim she was Mrs Darcy, the former attacked the latter for claiming she was the wife of the man married to her daughter.
In their insanity, they lived in deep delusions.
It was unfortunate they were at the top of the stairs and both fell down them, ending their lives.
Now to the more pleasant subjects. Like you, I was very pleased when He finally blessed me with a daughter.
Even though I was 29 at the time, I thought perhaps my time for bearing children was over, but then, after not wanting to believe I was increasing again, I felt the quickening and little Annabeth was born in December past.
William is ecstatic because Annabeth has not only the same colour and texture of hair as me, but in the last month, her eyes have changed and are the same colour as mine.
You had a good reason not to attend me, as you bore Roseanne a fortnight later.
Not that it would make a fig of difference to us, but we are pleased that you are happy that none of your children have a port-wine birthmark.
It is sad that there are yet some who are ignorant and small-minded enough to draw negative connotations from something that, as His Grace correctly said at your wedding, you were kissed by God with that mark.
One of my main worries for Papa was that he would be very lonely at Longbourn once we had all married and moved away. It will never be an issue thanks to you and the sons and daughter you have gifted him.
That Mary, Richard, and their brood are only three miles away does not hurt either.
Of course, the new Duchess of Hertfordshire and her duke live not many miles further at Falconwood.
Can you believe that Lydia is a duchess?
It was sad that her parents-in-law were called home to God within a fortnight of one another in April of 1818.
Is it not amusing that the two youngest (before my brothers and sister were born) in the family have married the highest-ranking men.
Anna loves Harry very well and discharges her duties as the Countess of Granville with aplomb.
William is very pleased that their main estate in Nottinghamshire is only twenty miles from Pemberley.
As you well know, we all meet in London for the season each year, not to mention the calls at each other’s estates.
As Henry is soon to be 7, would you and Papa object if we gifted him with a cob as a birthday gift?
Yes, in fairness, we will do the same for my other two brothers and youngest sister when they reach the same age, if you and Papa approve, of course.
It is bad enough that my brothers rib their older nephews and nieces about being their uncles, but wait until Roseanne is old enough, if she is of a teasing disposition like her second eldest sister, she will enjoy much sport because of that.
We will stop at Longbourn when we travel to London in November, and also, we will all see one another over Christmastide at Longbourn.
You and Papa did very well when you purchased Purvis Lodge and annexed the land to Longbourn.
It also gave you a house to live in while Longbourn’s manor was practically rebuilt.
You mentioned that there are enough chambers for the extended family to be hosted there, with just a little help from Netherfield Park.
As this will be the first time I am to view the new mansion, I am in great anticipation of seeing it.
Please tell Papa my next letter will be to him. Warmest regards to you, Papa, my brothers, and little sister.
Lizzy
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Christmastide 1819
When Longbourn had been renovated, given the rapid expansion of the family with the addition of all the spouses and children who had joined the family, the main drawing room had been made three times larger than the old one.
In addition, a much bigger music room, which was separated by a wall which could be retracted as it was now, had been constructed.
Mary was seated at the pianoforte, with Anna next to her, as they played carols.
As accompaniment, they had Jane on the harp, Kate playing the cello, and Lydia had her violin in her hands.
The children who knew the words were singing the carols, helped by their fathers, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
Louisa was seated on a sofa in the drawing room: Aunt Hildebrand was on one side and Lizzy on the other.
Her aunt was holding Roseanne on her lap as the toddler of one chattered away to no one in particular.
Little Annabeth, also one, who had begun to walk about a month past, was for once—a very rare occurrence—sitting quietly on Lulu’s lap.
She could not believe how many grandchildren she and Thomas had, and she was only forty.
“Lulu, Aunt Hildebrand, did you hear that the miscreant George Wickham did not even live long enough to complete his hard labour?” Elizabeth asked.
The two ladies shook their heads. “I am sure Richard will tell Papa, if he has not already. He tried to steal something from a fellow convict. The man did not appreciate it, and Wickham ended up dead. There were no witnesses, and I am sure the gaolers did not look too deeply.”
Before the ladies could reply, Annabeth’s time of sitting peacefully was over when she saw her papa playing with her brothers on the rug.
She squirmed off her Grandmama Lulu’s lap, and as soon as she reached the floor, she was running as fast as her little legs would carry her towards him, a stream of “Papa up, Papa up,” coming from the mite.
Elizabeth followed her daughter—a much younger copy of herself—with a huge smile on her face.
“When will Uncle Christopher join us?” Louisa enquired.
“I expect him in an hour. Even though he retired after Epiphany this year, he wanted to call on his successor and some of his friends in the area,” Hildebrand replied.
“You will be with his children and their families next year; will you not be?” Louisa queried.
She saw her aunt nod her head. “I hope you know they would have been welcome here. Speaking of that, Anne, Ian and their two are spending the festive season with the Medfords at their house in Sanditon. We will all see them for Easter at Rosings Park in 1820. You and Uncle Christopher will join us, will you not?”
“Yes, to both. It is funny that we have been more than half of the year away from Scarborough since we moved into my house. But, I repine nothing. Between you and Charles and all of my nieces and nephews, we always have somewhere to visit.” Hildebrand paused as she cogitated.
“Is Thomas still bound and determined that no mention of the murderous, excommunicated, late former parson will be made in his hearing?”
“Yes indeed, it is so. I, however, will never repine the effect that man had on Thomas by making him finally follow the dictates of his heart. We have a love as deep as the deepest ocean and look at the four blessings we have received from Him. For that, I will be forever grateful,” Louisa insisted.
“Amen, Lulu, amen,” Hildebrand said, eyes to the heavens.
~~~The End~~~
Keep reading, a free copy of the reedited ‘The Hypocrite’ follows.