Foiled plans
Chapter 20
Despite Darcy’s declaration that she will never be admitted into his house, Mrs. Bennet could not easily accept the edict which prevented her and her unmarried daughters to benefit of Elizabeth’s unconscionably stellar marriage. She was sure that once she will show up at Darcy House, they will never go as far as to turn her away.
“We shall all go to London and we shall have Lizzy throw you in the path of other rich men” she cackled with glee, sitting in her favourite chair by the fire in her parlour.
“Oh Mama, does that mean that we can go to balls in London and catch wealthy gentlemen even though Papa said that we cannot?” Lydia asked hopefully.
“Of course my dearest. Mr. Bennet would not dream of hindering your chances now. I am sure that dearest Jane and you my pet will marry Dukes. With your liveliness and with Jane’s beauty I expect nothing less!”
Lydia pranced about the room sticking out her tongue at Mary and Kitty. “I am to marry a Duke” she chanted “which will place me far above Lizzy and her stuffy husband. Oh Mama, do you think that there would be any chance to get a Duke who wears regimentals? I so do love a man in uniform!” she said dreamily.
“Then you should probably aim for the Prince of Wales. He is a Colonel of the Light Dragoons” Mary said dryly. “Oh, wait. He is already married. Maybe the Duke of York then? Alas, he is married too.”
“Mary, you will stop this at once” Mrs. Bennet shrieked. “My dear Lydia will not be laughed at. I forbid it.”
“Of course Mama” Mary nodded with a glint of wry amusement in her eyes. “You can forbid me to laugh at her all you want but that certainly will not stop others to do so. And laugh they shall if she continues to behave like this.”
“You are disrespectful and jealous of your youngest sister’s charms. Because of that I shall not take you to London. I have decided to go to town with you and have Lizzy lavishly outfit you and Jane, and take you to all the grand events that she is attending, but now I have changed my mind. I shall take my lovely Lydia instead.”
“Mama, Lydia is but fifteen. Ladies in the ton are not out until they are eighteen” Mary said softly.
“She might be full young but she is taller than both you and Kitty and her figure is more womanly. I am sure that she will catch the eye of a gentleman or two wherever she goes“ Mrs. Bennet declared with a satisfied smirk. “Lydia my love, pack your trunks. We are going to London.”
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“Mrs. Gardiner, Mrs. Bennet, Miss Bennet and Miss Lydia Bennet to see you Madam” Cornwell announced.
Elizabeth rose in surprise, flabbergasted at her mother’s gross disregard of her husband’s ban of her ever entering his house. Before she could say a word to her butler Mrs. Bennet sailed into the room calling for refreshments and rooms to be readied for her and her daughters in the family wing.
“This room needs redecorating Lizzy!” she said looking around her with nary a look at Elizabet. “It is cosy, I grant you that but it should reflect your wealth and status better. But do not worry, I shall take care of it. I know that the task is way beyond your abilities but I will…”
“I am sorry ma’am but you shall never reside at Darcy House, much less redecorate it” Elizabeth said coolly when she finally found her voice, after having been shocked into silence by her mother’s shameless brazenness.
“What nonsense is this?” Mrs. Bennet scoffed dismissively. “Of course I shall stay at my daughter’s house whenever it pleases me and as your mother, I have a say in how you run…”
“No ma’am” Elizabeth said calmly. “You have disowned me as your daughter three years ago and you did not care what my fate will be. At that time you have effectively forfeited all your claims of any daughterly duty from me. And you have heard my husband. You are not welcome into his house. Jane and Lydia are welcome to stay here if they wish it, but you ma’am shall not.”
“Why, this is not to be bourn!” Mrs. Bennet screeched. “You cannot just throw me out!”
“I am not throwing you out ma’am” Elizabeth said levelly. “You are welcome to stay for tea since you are here now, although no one invited you. It is just that you shall never reside in this house.”
“I shall reside wherever I please” Mrs. Bennet glowered “If it pleases me to stay with my most wayward daughter, there is nothing to stop me” she declared with superb aplomb.
“Nothing but the master of the house’s ban of your presence here, as well as that of its mistress’” Elizabeth drew herself up at her full height, squaring her shoulders. “Insolence is not suffered in this house. If you Madam cannot behave properly, I shall withdraw even my offer of tea and you shall be escorted out momentarily.”
“Oh, come off it, Lizzy!” Lydia roared with laughter. “We came here so that I can marry a Duke in regimentals, so stop all this nonsense and tell us when shall we meet them?”
“Lydia” Elizabeth smiled at her youngest sister trying to reason with her, aware that she was only a child repeating what her mother stuffed into her head. “You are but fifteen. Do you not think that it is too early for you to think of marriage?”
“Not at all” Lydia tossed her head in a coquettish manner. “I am beautiful and I am the liveliest of all of us. I shall have a suitor in no time.”
Mrs. Gardiner and Jane were flabbergasted by both Mrs. Bennet and Lydia’s ghastly behaviour.
“Lydia” Elizabeth patiently explained, “do not listen to what your mother says. You are not ready for marriage. Far from it. What do you know about managing a household or an estate, about having and raising children…?”
“I only know that you are afraid that I shall marry a gentleman wealthier and of a higher standing than your worthless husband. Mama said so, but I shall…”
“Lydia!” Mrs. Gardiner exclaimed. “You are the rudest, most ignorant and unpleasant child that I ever knew. Stop this unseemly…”
“I am not a child” Lydia retorted. “I am a young lady and I will not allow Lizzy to spoil my chances of becoming the most sought after lady of the ton. I am the worthiest of all my sisters, Mama said so! I demand…”
“You are in no position to demand anything here, or anywhere else for that matter” Mrs. Gardiner said, clearly very displeased with her youngest niece. “You are but a spoiled brat with no idea of what polite manners are and how proper ladies behave. If you are to remain here as a guest, I expect it will be in the nursery where you belong until you learn how to behave yourself in polite society.”
“You cannot tell me what to do or how to behave” Lydia retorted. “You are but my aunt, not my mother.”
“That is correct” Elizabeth intervened. “Aunt Maddie is not your mother and neither am I. Therefore I hereby rescind my offer to have you stay as a guest here. You shall leave along with Mrs. Bennet. Immediately” she said with a steely glint in her eyes. All but Mrs. Gardiner gasped at Elizabeth’s referring to her mother as Mrs. Bennet. It was a clear sign of how deep the breach between her and her mother was. “Jane dear, as I told you the other day, you are and will always be very welcome to stay here for as long as you like” Elizabeth said taking in a deep, calming breath.
“I… I should very much like it… but I…” Jane stammered glancing between her aunt, Elizabeth and her mother.
“Jane my dear” Mrs. Gardiner squeezed her eldest niece’s hand. “I know that you are now torn between your loyalty to your mother, the love for your sister and your own wishes. However I urge you to remember how your mother treated Lizzy. It was… it is shocking and wrong on so many levels, and you know that. You have already paid a hefty price because of your mother’s uncouth behaviour when she chased Mr. Bingley away, and who knows how many other gentlemen who otherwise would have been interested in you. Then she hounded you to marry a man whom you cannot love, just like she did Lizzy. Do you want to keep paying for your mother’s lack of manners and decorum for the rest of your life? Lizzy can give you all the love and independence you desire. I do not think that you owe anything to my sister-in-law” Mrs. Gardiner almost spat the word throwing a poisonous look towards Mrs. Bennet. “Parents are supposed to look out for their children, all of them, and not the other way around. But I don’t expect Fanny to ever understand this. The decision is yours only my dear Jane.”
“I shall very much like to stay with you, Lizzy” Jane whispered.
“And so you shall” Elizabeth beamed at her sister. “But Mrs. Bennet, and you Miss Lydia shall leave this house now, never to return. Should you, Lydia grow up with a better understanding than what this woman instilled into you and learn proper manners, I am willing to try and help you in a few years. But not while you behave like a wild and ignorant brat. I shall not embarrass my husband or the Countess and the Earl by forcing such behaviour as you currently display on them.”
“You are in no position to censure me” Lydia sneered. “You are nothing but a vulgar nurse.”
“Right you are my dear girl” Mrs. Bennet found her voice, which Elizabeth’s firm stance robbed her of for a few moments, with a vengeance. “Who do you think you are to criticise my dearest Lydia when you went scampering with an army and…”
“We have already established that your presence in my house is undesired Mrs. Bennet” Elizabeth rang for her butler. “Do not forget Madam that I take pride in my help to our brave soldiers who fought for our country and for your and your daughters’ safety, and that my husband does take the same pride in it too. As to who I think I am, there is little doubt about it, Madam. I am the mistress of this house to which you and your faithful mouthpiece here are not welcome. Mr. Cornwell, Mrs. Bennet and Miss Lydia are leaving. Now!” she said with a stern look in her mother’s direction who looked mutinous and seemed ready to protest.
Cornwell, by now well versed in ridding the house of unwelcome visitors, innocuously materialized at the side of Mrs. Bennet. “Allow me ma’am” he said touching the matron’s elbow.
“What? Wait! No! I am not leaving” she yelled at the butler.
“Of course you are Mama” Jane said to everybody’s surprise. “Lydia, you shall escort Mama back to Gracechurch Street and then immediately send the carriage back to collect Aunt Gardiner and I.”
“But I want to meet a Duke and I want to…” Lydia started stomping her foot.
“Mr. Cornwell” Mrs. Gardiner spoke up firmly. “Mrs. Bennet requires the carriage to be brought around as she and Miss Lydia find themselves suddenly indisposed and wish to return to Gracechurch Street as soon as it may be.”
Cornwell shot a quick glance to his mistress who gave him an imperceptible nod.
“Madam, if you would follow me” he very slightly bowed in Mrs. Bennet’s direction. “Your carriage awaits you.”
“I shall not leave!” Mrs. Bennet screeched. “I have asked you to prepare my chambers” she turned on Cornwell. “I have…”
“You have been told never to impose your presence into any of my homes Madam” came Darcy’s implacable voice from the door. “Whatever gave you the impression that you could just barge in here and think that you would be allowed to do as you like? That might have been what your husband suffered you to do for years, but no one else will do so, I assure you ma’am, least of all I. Cornwell, please show Mrs. Bennet and Miss…”
“Lydia” Elizabeth provided.
“Miss Lydia out without delay” he said with finality.
“I shall go too” Mrs. Gardiner said quietly. “Jane my dear, I shall send your things along.”
“Are you sure Aunt?” Elizabeth asked. “You are more than welcome to stay as long as you wish.”
“I know dearest but right now, I need to deal with your mother and your youngest sister. I shall visit you soon, hopefully in better company.”