Chapter 20
Lydia was a very happy girl as she sat waiting her turn to be measured by one of Madame Chambourg’s seamstresses.
That morning before heading to Bond Street, the three girls that Kitty had told her of had been shown into Bennet House’s family sitting room and it was not long before the three had welcomed Lydia into their group with open arms. It was not many minutes later that she was asked to call each by her first name.
She felt an affinity to Georgiana that she would never have imagined before that morning.
As much as a shock the grandeur of her home and her bedchamber and rooms had been, the discussion that she had with Miss Darcy, the revelation that the girl had made in private after Lydia mentioned the name Wickham, had stupefied and mortified her.
Her mind drifted back to their conversation, which was so powerful she could recall it word for word.
“Lydia, that, as my brother refers to him, wastrel did not manage to ruin you, did he?” Georgie asked fearfully.
“No Georgie, although at the time I was both outraged and resentful that my Papa separated me from him, I did nothing beyond one or two very chaste kisses. I see now that he was grooming me for more. I thank God that he did not succeed,” Lydia admitted as she blushed with shame.
“He came very close to ruining me. I see your shocked look, but it is true. My brother and my cousin, who are my co-guardians, know all except this part. I have never shared this with anyone, but I feel the need to confide in you as we almost committed the same folly with the same man.” Georgiana took Lydia’s hand in her own so they could give each other strength.
“I vow that I will keep your confidence and I am happy to hear what you have to say,” Lydia had said while at the same time petrified about what she was about to hear.
“You have heard tell that I almost eloped with him while I was under the care of his cohort in Ramsgate?” Lydia had nodded her agreement, “As you know, my brother arrived unexpectedly two days before the planned elopement.” Georgiana smiled thinly, still grateful that he had despite the time passed.
“Yes, my family relayed the facts to me on the way back from school yesterday,” Lydia admitted softly.
“What no one was aware of is that he had started to tell me that if I truly loved him then I would demonstrate it by anticipating our vows.” Georgiana had the shame and disquiet written on her countenance.
“T-that is exactly what he told me! I would have allowed him to have me in another day or two had my parents not put me back in and made sure that I would not be able to escape Longbourn,” Lydia gasped.
“He had convinced me as well! Lydia, you are not the only one. In fact, I know now that we are two of the lucky few as he ruined many na?ve girls with the same manipulation. I had agreed to lie with him the night that my brother arrived. At first, I was humiliated and shameful when I comprehended that the only reason that he wanted to anticipate our vows was to guarantee that even if my guardians found out, they would have to allow him to marry me!” Georgiana finally vented her anger at him.
“Thank the Lord on High that your brother arrived when he did. I understand that that…wastrel,” she smiled at Georgiana who nodded that she used the appropriate word, “was hoping to get your dowry and revenge himself for his own problems that he blamed on your brother.”
“Correct, except he did not know that without prior permission from both guardians, he would have received not a single penny of my dowry. When my brother enlightened him of the restrictions on my dowry, he became verbally abusive and showed me his true character as he denigrated both my brother and me.” Georgiana blushed in shame.
Lydia, although she still censured herself for her foolish ways, was now sanguine about the ways of men and concluded that although the rules of propriety were not equally applied to men and women in society, she understood the need for said rules and made a solemn pledge to herself that she would always follow the rules, no matter how hard.
‘Georgie and I are bonded for life by our very narrow escapes. All of this,’ she looked around the exclusive store that had been closed to all others besides their party, ‘would have been lost to me. But more salient is the fact that my family would have been lost to me too.’ Rather than become maudlin, Lydia smiled and looked at Georgiana.
“I submit that we both have had a tough lesson, and now can look toward the present and future much more wisely than we once may have. Let us follow some of Lizzy’s advice to only think of the past as the remembrance gives us pleasure,” Lydia offered, smiling with Georgiana knowing that together they would look forward to their futures with much better judgement.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Lord Longbourn stood on the dock where ‘The Whippet,’ the Dennington Lines ship that made the London to Liverpool run, was tied up.
Bingley had arrived a short time ago with his sister Louisa in tow who was presented with her annulment papers.
Louisa Bingley was not surprised that Mr Hurst had made good on his threat, just the speed at which it was accomplished.
Brother and sister looked everywhere but at their sister when she had been carried, bound and gagged, down to the brig of the ship looking much worse for wear.
“Mr Bingley,” the Earl called to gain his attention.
“Yes, Lord Longbourn?” Bingley prayed that the Earl was not about to impose further punishment on them.
“Relax, Mr Bingley, I am not about to bite your head off,” Bennet smirked as Bingley visibly relaxed, as did Miss Louisa Bingley.
She was just getting used to the appellation again; she was listening to what the men discussed.
“First, I repeat my recommendation that you have your younger sister committed to an asylum in the New World.
It is your decision, but the reason that we had your sister gagged is when she is allowed to speak all she can go on about is ‘that harlot Eliza Bennet’ and how the Bennets somehow stole her Mr Darcy, her house, meaning Darcy House, and her title.
“The other thing is that I have decided to relent as far as your traveling in steerage. Even though you and your older sister allowed the younger to run rampant and never checked her, it was her behaviour not yours. Do not mistake what I am saying for a lack of consequences. If any of you return to the kingdom you will be arrested and the charges that I mentioned previously will be levelled and prosecuted.” There was no mistaking the resolute look the Earl gave him and Bingley had no doubt of what would befall him and his family if they ever dared to return.
“As her behaviour has already caused your expulsion from these shores, I will not add to that punishment without true need. Both you and your sister,” he pointed to Louisa, “will be given cabins in first class on this and your voyage from Liverpool. I am not a cruel man, and I came to see that forcing you into steerage was indeed merciless.”
“Thank you, my Lord,” Louisa replied softly with tears of relief in her eyes. “We will abide by the conditions of our freedom and we will do what we should have done a very long time ago and deal with the reality of our sister and not ignore, appease, or placate as we did in the past.”
“For your own sanity, I pray that you do so. Miss Bingley, in the packet with your annulment papers is a bank draft for five thousand pounds. Although he was under no legal or moral obligation to do so, Mr Hurst returned part of your dowry.” He saw a look of genuine gratitude and nodded that it was so, then he addressed Bingley.
“When you get to the New World, I suggest caution, Mr Bingley. If word of your fortune circulates you will be the target of hucksters and confidence tricksters. Here is a card that lists Gardiner and Associates’ men of business in both Boston and New York,” he handed the card to a very shocked Bingley, nonplussed that the Earl would willingly assist him in any way.
“My advice to you is to allow them to help you invest your money and do not make any investment that they do not support. A fool and his fortune are very easy to separate, Mr Bingley. I take my leave of you, but I do hope that both of you find your way and have a good life in the former colonies. Good day and bon voyage to both of you.” Bennet waited as they bowed and curtsied their farewell and left the dock.
As Lord Longbourn turned toward his carriage Bingley thanked him again.
The brother and sister walked up the companionway to the deck of the ship when it struck Bingley what a great service had been done to him and his sister.
For almost the first time in his life, unfortunately far too late, his resolve firmed.
He would be his own man; he would consider the advice that the Earl had given them and make the best decisions that he could.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Around the same time that the ship with the Bingleys was sailing from the dock on the Thames, the Earl’s daughters, Ladies Jane, Elizabeth, and Mary, were taking a ride in Hyde Park with Darcy, Fitzwilliam, and Lord Birchington.
The two acknowledged and the one unacknowledged couple rode side by side in a successive column with the ladies on the left and the men on the right.
They were followed by a groom, two large footmen, and Mrs Chandler.
The companion rode behind her charge. The groom rode next to her while the two footmen brought up the rear.