Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig
As the footman handed Lizzy down from the coach, she saw a blur running toward her and then felt small hands wrapping around her knees.
“You’re home,” Lizzy’s little brother Robert cried. Then he tilted his head up, stared into her eyes, and asked, “What did you bring me?”
Lizzy broke out in a hearty laugh, put her hand on her brother’s head, and ruffled his hair.
In quick reflection, she thanked her Grandmother Bennet for the additions to her family.
Grandmother had insisted Francine visit a special doctor in London a year after Lydia was born.
The doctor informed the younger Mrs. Bennet that she could have more children, dispute what the midwife had said, but that her body need a two-year rest before she tried.
Feeling her first ray of hope, Mrs. Robert Bennet did just that, and two years later, birthed young Robert Alexander Bennet.
Three years later, she gave birth to one more child, Thomas James Bennet.
“Robbie, I might have a gift for you in my trunk, but I did not bring home any more brownies, if that is what you were hoping for,” Lizzy replied half chuckling as she spoke.
“Aw, I was hoping we would have a new one added to our house.” His uplifted face went from a smile to a frown, and then he released his hold on his sister’s legs.
“I know, but not all brownies want to leave the homes they have been serving for hundreds of years. We are lucky the few who have wanted to leave were willing to come to Longbourn.”
Robbie then reached up and took his sister’s hand.
“Come on, everyone is waiting in the house. Tommy is even up from his nap. I bet he will be happy to see you. He likes your stories.” Robbie began to pull his sister by her hand toward the front door of the house.
“l like your stories, too,” he quickly added.
“I can promise you I have a new story to tell, but we will wait until all the family are gathered before I share the story,” Lizzy happily replied and followed her brother inside.
Upon entering the house, Lizzy paused to divest herself of her pelisse and bonnet and then allowed Robbie to lead her to the front drawing room where her family was indeed awaiting her arrival.
Lizzy saw her littlest brother, Tommy, sitting on the floor playing with some blocks. Her father sat in his favorite chair reading, her mother was working on her embroidery, and her sisters were seated around the room engaged in different activities.
Lizzy smiled at the domestic scene and recalled her grandmother saying, ‘At one time your father would retreat to his bookroom and ignore your mother. I encouraged him to become an example for her by joining her and reading in front of her. At first, he did not believe he could change his wife’s disinterest in reading.
I, however, encouraged him first to read poetry to her and then, find out what she might find interesting to read.
Surprisingly enough, after sharing a number of different books with her, he discovered your mother enjoyed biographies, especially those of the kings and queens.
She enjoyed a book about Henry the Eighth but found inspiration in the life story of Queen Elizabeth. ’
This piece of information also surprised Lizzy, at the time.
Grandmother Bennet went on to say, ‘Francine confided in me that she wanted to emulate Queen Elizabeth. She found her majesty a strong, determined lady and decided she wanted to be like her. Your mother spent more time with me, after that, learning how to be a better mistress of the estate, wife, and eventually mother.’
Looking at her mother now, Lizzy smiled. She knew her mother still enjoyed biographies.
Before Lizzy could step further into the room to greet her family, little Tommy rose from his position on the floor and ran to her. Like his older brother, he also wrapped his arms around her leg and then loudly declared, “Izzy, s’ory.”
Lizzy laughed, picked her brother up, and hugged him.
Then she tapped his nose with her finger.
“At bedtime. You know that is when I tell stories.” She then made her serious face as she said, “But you must mind you nanny, eat all your vegetables, and be ready to be tucked in when I come up to the nursery.”
Tommy giggled. He always giggled when Lizzy made her serious face. He did, however, reply, “I be ready, Izzy.”
“You are my favorite little brother,” Lizzy declared before setting him back on the floor. “Now, show me what you are building.”
Lizzy then followed her brother over to his blocks and listened as he explained in detail what he was building. No one else disturbed the two of them for they knew Lizzy would share her adventures during the family meal.
As the family, minus the younger daughters and sons, sat down for their meal, the discussion of Lizzy’s trip began.
“Did you visit many homes in Wales?” Mary knew not to ask about family or estate names. Grandmother Bennet always reminded her granddaughters about the importance of confidentiality.
“Not as many as the last time I traveled to Wales with grandmother. This time, it was to reinforce only a few wards, but I did have to create a new one,” Lizzy replies.
“A new one? Why?” Jane inquired.
Lizzy laughed before answering. “It seems there was a disagreement between two family members.” Seeing her mother’s look of interest, Lizzy quickly added, “I did not inquire as to the cause of the disagreement. It did, however, cause part of the family to move out of the home and purchase a different one. Since some brownies become attached to specific members of a family, three of the brownies followed those who moved. The family requested I weave a new ward around the house they purchased.”
“How odd,” Mary commented.
“Not necessarily,” Mr. Bennet observed. “My mother often created new wards because of splits in families. Of course, other events caused the need to create new wards.”
“What other events?” Mary asked.
“Marriages,” Lizzy replied. “As I said, many brownies become attached to specific family members rather than the house they are in. When a daughter marries, she moves away. and any brownies who became connected to her will move with her. Sometimes, her husband will have his own brownies. Hence, a ward around his home already exits. Some, however, have never had a brownie in their home, so a new ward must be created.” Lizzy smiled as she remembered another reason.
“In addition, an inheritance can add new estates to one’s holdings, and sometime, this new estate was never warded during the time of the previous owner. ”
“What happens if a young lady with brownies marries only to discover her husband does not want brownies in his home?” For Mary, some of this was new information. It had been five years since Lizzy had created a new ward.
“It is something a couple should discuss before they ever decide to marry. Should you find a gentleman you are attracted to, you must discover if he has brownies, and if he would welcome your brownie into your home,” Mrs. Bennet advised.
Lizzy laughed as her father added, “I doubt Flutterbee would agree to stay here when you leave. She has been your brownie since the day of your birth.”
Mary covered her mouth as she laughed. Then she said, “Flutterbee would follow me even if I told her to stay behind?”
“Yes. Brownies are extremely loyal, and Flutterbee attached herself to you at the exact moment of your birth.” Lizzy laughed softly. “She saw you even before Papa saw you.”
Mary smiled. “I would be honored for her to move with me, if I ever decide to marry. Of course, whoever I marry must also welcome her to his home. I cannot see marrying any man who would not accept a brownie into his home.”
Jane nodded her head in agreement because she too had a brownie who would follow her wherever she went after marrying.
The rest of conversation focused on Lizzy’s travels, the areas of she saw, the few stops she made to visit the more interesting homes along the way, and when her next journey would occur.
The next months passed in a blur for Lizzy.
Her life returned to normal. She rose early in the morning, took a long walk around the area often spending some time on Oakham Mount staring across the landscape and admiring the fields, the nearby estates, and the distant outline of Meryton with the church steeple being the most noticeable structure since it rose so high above the tree line.
Lizzy had no expectations of any change in her routine until it was time to undertake her next warding journey, but she knew that was three years in the future.
Too soon, she knew, to make any travel plans.
For the next years, she planned on enjoying her family, playing with her young brothers, learning under the tutelage of her father and her sister’s governess, and reading as many books as possible a possible on her father’s bookshelves.