Sisters
Chapter 21
After Mrs. Bennet and Lydia have been unceremoniously led out of the room by Cornwell and a rather intimidating looking footman, Darcy gently folded Elizabeth in his arms. “I am sorry my love” he muttered into her ear, kissing her temple.
“It is I who is sorry darling, that you had to put up with their unseemly behaviour” she leaned into his embrace.
“Not at all my dear. I shall never let that woman upset you ever again. Cornwell now knows not to allow her entrance, should she try to barge in again. And as far as unpleasant relatives are concerned, I am sure that you remember my Aunt Catherine” he said with a lopsided grin, trying to put her at ease and make her smile.
“Oh, that” she grinned back, unshed tears still shining in her eyes. “Who could ever forget her?” Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled with a mischievous twinkle. “Jane, I hope you shall stay with us?”
“I would be happy to… if Mr. Darcy agrees that is…” Jane said blushing and looking determinedly at her hands neatly folded in her lap.
“It is William, Jane” Darcy said gently. “Nothing would give us more pleasure. I know how much you and Elizabeth love each other.”
Jane looked up with a heartfelt smile gracing her beautiful face. “Thank you William.”
“Darling, do you think it would be acceptable to have Mary join us too?” Elizabeth beamed at her husband. “She is just as upset with Mrs. Bennet’s behaviour as Jane and I are and she is just as disparaged by her as I have ever been.”
“Of course she is more than welcome. Shall I write to Mr. Bennet?”
“Yes darling, please write to him and then, if he agrees, we could go pick Mary up” Elizabeth beamed up at him, gently squeezing his waist. “I think it is long overdue that I have a discussion with him about his care of his daughters” she added determinedly.
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Mrs. Bennet was fuming as she was rather unceremoniously handed into the carriage by a burly footman. She had fully expected to cow her daughter into submission and take over the direction of Darcy House and everything Darcy, to use it as she saw fit for her own purposes. For the first time ever since Lydia was born, Mrs. Bennet took out her frustration on her most favourite daughter for her failed plans.
“Why did you have to antagonize your sister thus?” she scolded her youngest daughter once they were both seated in the carriage. “We could have had at least you residing in that grand house and be known to society as the sister-in-law of Mr. Darcy. Now we are both banned” she groused.
“I said nothing wrong. I only said what you said before!” Lydia scowled back. “Lizzy is only jealous because I am more beautiful than she is.”
“That you are my love. But now she will not help you in society.”
“Who needs her help?” Lydia scoffed disdainfully. “I am sure that the moment I walk into a room I can make any gentleman notice me” she tossed her head proudly.
“With such behaviour as yours, I am sure that you will attract many men’s attention Lydia” Mrs. Gardiner who just joined them in the carriage said sternly, “only it will be not the kind of attention you should seek. Not to mention that you will not be allowed anywhere near the High Society without your sister Lizzy, who is now an integral part of that society, sponsoring you, which I do not believe her to be inclined to do anytime soon given your lack of the smallest trace of ladylike behaviour.”
“Whatever do you mean, Maddie?” Mrs. Bennet bristled.
“You know as well as I that a tart is much appreciated by all the rakes, in any level of society. Of course, no one would marry one.”
“Are you calling my Lydia a tart?!” Mrs. Bennet gasped.
“She sure sounds like one and I am sure that given the chance, she is fully capable to act like one too, and under your careful guidance I might add” Mrs. Gardiner fixed a steely glint on her sister-in-law. “Honestly, at times I wonder at the fact that Edward and you are the children of the same parents. Edward is all that is right and proper while you…” Mrs. Gardiner trailed off with a soft scoff.
“Are you accusing me of improper behaviour? I will remind you that I am the wife of a gentleman” Mrs. Bennet screeched.
“Well, it is common knowledge that your moral compass did not always point north, is it not?” Mrs. Gardiner said with a meaningful glance at her sister-in-law. “You are lucky that Thomas is rather phlegmatic about it or you might have found yourself abandoned a long time ago.”
“Whatever does she mean Mama?” Lydia looked with confusion between her angry aunt and her rather flustered mother.
“That is none of your business” Mrs. Bennet said brusquely and glowered out of the window, determined to put a stop to the suddenly uncomfortable conversation.
Mrs. Gardiner smirked and looked out the other window. It had been way past time to confront her brash sister-in-law about her behaviour.
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Mr. Bennet put down the letter he just received from his son-in-law, informing him that Elizabeth desired the company of her younger sister Mary and should he agree, they will collect her the next day.
Mary was the daughter he felt most guilty about, except for the debacle with Elizabeth. Jane had been his first born and he had loved her from the moment she had been put into his arms. Lizzy was so much like him that he could not help teaching her to love all the things that he prized, philosophy most of all. By the time Mary arrived he had been completely disillusioned by his marriage and the life that lay ahead, so he paid little attention to his third child who did not seem to be exceptional in any way. With Kitty and Lydia he did not even try to connect, considering them both just as flighty and empty headed as their mother. He wondered what his family would be like, had he taken more interest in it.
If Elizabeth wished to have her sisters with her, he would not oppose it.
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“William and I have decided to settle a ten thousand pounds dowry each on Jane and Mary” Elizabeth stated calmly, seated in the chair that used to be her favourite place in her father’s library. “As for Kitty and Lydia, it really depends on their future behaviour. We are not going to condone untoward behaviour, the kind that Lydia had recently exhibited.”
Mr. Bennet nodded. “Both Jane and Mary deserve it” he agreed. “The three of you deserve more than I provided for you” he bent his head despondently.
“I would not say that” Elizabeth smiled softly. “You did provide Jane and I with a good education, one that few young ladies can boast of. You did neglect Mary, Kitty and Lydia but it is not too late. Mary will come to live with us now, so we shall take care of her but Kitty and Lydia are still very much within your reach. Talk to them.”
“I… I am not sure that I can…”
“Yes you can. They are your daughters after all. You can still reach out and form them into proper young ladies who will not dishonour our family and the Bennet name.”
“Can you ever forgive me?” the older man raised beseeching eyes to his beloved daughter. “Can you ever forgive me for not standing up to your mother and protect you when she is such a despicable person?”
“I can forgive you and I have, a long time ago” Elizabeth said softly, feeling sorry for the man in front of her whom despite everything, she loved dearly. “Many things happened because of that decision, not least of all my meeting my beloved husband.” Mr. Bennet bowed his thanks, surreptitiously wiping a tear that escaped his eyes. “You still can change things around here” Elizabeth continued with a wistful smile. “Do not let her ruin all that is good at Longbourn. I shall never welcome her into my family but I would gladly welcome all of my sisters if they learn to behave like proper ladies. Please Papa, make it possible.”
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“My dear Elizabeth, you cannot seriously consider to be actively involved with this charity project of yours” Lady Matlock started pacing the parlour when Elizabeth told her what role she intended to play in the running of the school and the hospital. “Ladies of the ton are not actively ‘working’ with their charities. They do some sewing and such, but that is the extent of their active involvement. What they mostly do is organize events to raise the necessary funds. That is what is expected of us, to provide the funds. The actual work is to be done by the employed staff.”
“I would agree that this might be true for most charity organizations, Lady Rebecca” Elizabeth replied calmly, sipping her tea. “However, this does not apply to me and my project. The whole point of it is to bring in and spread the knowledge that we, nurses and doctors alike, acquired through our experiences, of what challenges are there when caring of the wounded on a battlefield. Most of us went out there with little or no training. If I can help to provide the nurses with the little things that I have learned during my time in the service, I will do so gladly with nary a thought of what the ton will think of it.”
“But think of your reputation! Think of its effect on Georgiana and your future children!” Lady Matlock threw up her hands in exasperation. “I am sure that William cannot approve of this.”
“He did not in the beginning” Elizabeth admitted, “but he and I discussed this in detail, and now we are in perfect agreement. I agreed that I will not attend to the wounded like a nurse would. There will be no dressing wounds, cleaning their person or feeding them. All I will be doing is tell the nurses of what I have learned, what they should expect and how to best deal with what they are about to face, how to keep things as clean as possible and infections at a minimum in an environment which is a far cry from the bed chamber in the humblest abode in England.”
Lady Matlock gave a relieved sigh. “So you will have no contact with the patients then?”
“I did not say that” Elizabeth smiled wryly. “I only said I will not tend to their physical needs.”
“But…”
“Lady Rebecca…” Elizabeth bit her lower lip as she looked pensively at her husband’s aunt. “Have you ever seen a man cry? And I do not mean a weak man or a coward. I mean a man who just courageously fought in a battle because he vowed to protect his loved ones and his country.” Lady Matlock shook her head silently. “I have” Elizabeth said softly with a faraway, haunted look in her eyes. “Unfortunately, too many of them. The horrors one sees on the battlefield scar one’s soul to an extent that words cannot describe. Some bear it as best as they can, although those images will never leave them for as long as they shall live. Others however, are utterly crushed by it. The saddest thing is that one can do nothing to truly help them, to make it go away for them. The one thing I found that could somewhat alleviate their angst and despair, is for one to talk to them, to try to show them that there are still blessings in their lives which are worth living for. I am not saying that it helps them all. Some are so far gone that they are beyond reach. But if one can reach at least one of them, I consider it well worth the effort.”
Lady Matlock’s eyes shone with unshed tears. “You are scarred too” she said softly.
“No one who had been there can not be scarred” Elizabeth shrugged. “I am one of the lucky ones. I have found happiness in life, and now I have the opportunity to help others to the best of my abilities. I am not going to eschew using this opportunity only because the sensibilities of some sheltered ladies of the ton might be offended by it. I am very sorry if this upsets you Lady Rebecca, but I am determined.”
“Elizabeth dear, would you please call me Aunt Rebecca?”
“I should very much like to, Aunt Rebecca” Elizabeth accepted the peace offering with a warm smile.