Chapter 14 #2
The sermon that morning was delivered by Clem Collins.
Mr Pierce, the long-time rector, was suffering from a summer cold.
Collins had volunteered to stand in, and Pierce knowing that his counterpart spoke well, was only too happy to be able to stay abed and allow his friend to conduct the worship service.
The younger Collins was at St Alfred’s Church with the Bingleys and Hursts.
They would join everyone else at Longbourn for the after-service meal.
Once the service was completed, those from Longbourn held back until Collins had time to greet all of the parishioners. With his duty done, they all walked the mile back to the manor house together.
Lizzy and Fanny led the group, outpacing them all somewhat.
Elizabeth took Mamma’s hand. “Mamma, even if I have another mother, I will always be your girl. You have raised me in love and respect, and if I could not be with my original mother and father, I could not have done better than you and Papa.” She paused as she thought about something her mother had said when the fact she was not a Bennet by blood was first revealed to her.
“I believe that you have the right of it. God guided you to save me because he knew my Osborne mother was not able to be there and help me at that moment.”
“Thank you for saying that, Lizzy dear,” Fanny responded as she squeezed her daughter’s hand.
“Having you in our lives has been a blessing for all of us. As happy as I am that we have had you with us, I am sad that your mother went almost sixteen years longing for you and not knowing whether you lived or died. As a mother who has suffered losses, I can only imagine how she suffered. If only Papa and I had not misunderstood…”
“As a duchess, Mamma, I command you to stop that this instant,” Elizabeth teased.
“As my new aunts and uncles have said, you did the best you could with the tiny amount of information you had. Nothing will change the fact that had you not found me, by the time the carriage and the criminal were found, I may not have been living any longer. You and Papa saved my life.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Fanny teased right back.
When mother and daughter reached the manor house, Fanny went to talk to Mrs Hill to make sure all was ready for the meal while the rest of the party walking from the church arrived. As they were filing into the house, the coach with the Bingleys, Hursts, and William Collins arrived.
As she walked into Longbourn on her William’s arm, Caroline Bingley could not but smile as she thought of the irony.
Her mother had so much wanted for her to meet people high in society, and here she was in the company of many nobles all because she had never tried to force herself on their notice.
Not only that, but her childish dream of discovering the lost duchess had mostly come true, and she and Lady Bethany, or Elizabeth, as she preferred to be addressed, were becoming friends.
Once relieved of her outerwear, Lady Anne laced her arm around Elizabeth’s and guided her to the drawing room. “Your mother walks as fast as you do, and I do not mean your Mamma; I mean Amelia. When we walk, your Aunt Elaine and I have to remind her we do not walk as fast as she is able to.”
It had not taken long before all of the ladies were on familiar name terms, which was the same for the Bennet, Darcy, and Fitzwilliam offspring. At the same time, Elizabeth agreed to address the Fitzwilliam and Darcy parents as aunts and uncles.
“Then that is something my mother has in common with both Mamma and me. Mamma loves her walks,” Elizabeth responded.
“I am aware of that. It was her propensity to walk among trees which led her to discover you in the woods near Gainsborough,” Lady Anne agreed.
A look of sadness flashed across her face.
“I am only sorry that your father is not alive to meet you. He was as devastated as your mother when you were stolen.”
“What was he like?” Elizabeth asked.
“He was a good, godly, honourable, and charitable man,” Lady Anne began as she and Bethie sat on a settee in the drawing room.
“He loved his Amelia to distraction and always respected her[9]. When he and your mother were not blessed with children, he threw himself into politics, and when William Pitt the Younger was prime minister, your father was his Foreign Secretary. When it was certain Amelia was with child, he left the world of politics behind to concentrate on being the best father he was able to be. I will never forget that when you were born; Francis, may he rest in peace, was giggling with pleasure like a little girl.”
“Do you know that Mamma’s name is Frances as well?” Elizabeth questioned. “Pardon me, Aunt Anne, I did not intend to interrupt you.”
“I was aware of that, and you have nothing for which to apologise,” Lady Anne responded with a warm smile.
“After you were stolen from him and Amelia, your father never stopped searching for you. That a body was never found gave him a sliver of hope that you were alive. He would have been so very happy to see the woman you have become.”
“I am sorry I will not be able to meet him. He sounds like an estimable man,” Elizabeth said wistfully.
“You will see his likeness when you go to Hornby Castle. All of the portraits which used to be at Kiveton Park were moved there.” Anne paused as she thought how much this young lady would have to learn going forward.
“The two estates I mentioned are two of the nine or ten estates tied to the title.”
“N-nine or t-ten?” Elizabeth stammered, something she normally never did.
“I believe so, but when your mother arrives, she will have more accurate information about your holdings,” Lady Anne replied.
“Anne, you are scaring the girl,” Holderness opined. “In a few short days, she has gone from a carefree girl of sixteen to a duchess who owns many estates and other properties. Beth…Lizzy, we will all assist you with anything you need,” Holderness assured his goddaughter and distant cousin.
Conyers had been listening to his mother speak to his cousin. “Andrew, Richard, and I are reasonably proficient in estate management. If and when you need assistance, any of us would be more than happy to help you.”
“Thank you, William, I will bear that in mind,” Elizabeth declared.
Before Conyers could react, the butler announced that the meal was ready. He was too slow to offer his newly discovered cousin his arm as Richard did so before he could command his body to move.
Bennet and Fanny had been speaking to the Gardiner, Phillips, and Collins adults while they kept one eye on Lizzy. They were happy to see that Lizzy was comfortable and happy. As he stood after Hill announced the meal, Bennet cocked his head to the corner when he looked at Collins.
“Collins, will you and William, your son, not the viscount, meet me in the study after the meal, please?”
“We will be there, Cousin,” Collins agreed.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
While Mary and Giana entertained the rest with a duet on the pianoforte—Lady Anne was grateful that one as accomplished and advanced as Mary was willing to play the instrument with Giana—Bennet and the two Collins men made for the study.
“When I visited Pierce at the parsonage before services this morning, to make sure he is not too ill, he asked to speak to me. He is soon to turn seventy, and his wife is gone these four years. His desire is to retire as soon as there is a suitable candidate to replace him, which will enable him to spend time with his children and grandchildren,” Bennet revealed.
“I asked him if he had a replacement in mind. He named the same man I was thinking of. Collins, if you can spare and release him as your curate, the living is William’s. ”
William Collins looked at his father.
“You do not need my permission, William. I would never stand in the way of a chance to hold your own living, one close to your cousins, and only about fifty miles from us sounds perfect. It is entirely up to you. However, I would not dally too long over the decision in case Bennet changes his mind,” Collins jested.
“Thank you, Bennet. I would be honoured to be the next parson at St Hugh’s. How soon does Mr Pierce desire to retire?” William Collins enthused gratefully.
“The sooner the better. He will work with you as much as you need,” Bennet replied. “He will not depart until he is sure you are comfortable in your new role, and he has imparted all you need to know about your parishioners.”
“May I assume you will not object to my employing a curate for the weeks I will be away towards the end of next month, when I travel to Scarborough to marry Caroline?” William Collins asked.
His cousin nodded his head, indicating that he would not object to the arrangement.
William Collins stood and offered his cousin his hand.
“Thank you, Bennet. This comes at the perfect time; I must go tell Caroline. I know she will be happy because she likes the area and the people she has met here.”
The two patriarchs followed the younger Collins at a more sedate pace.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As the twilight waned, the Matlock courier who had been sent to intercept Lady Amelia arrived back at Longbourn. He handed the missive he carried to the butler before leading his horse to the stables.
Hill entered the drawing room, bowing to those within, and then proffered his salver to the nearest countess, as the letter was addressed to both of them.
Lady Elaine broke the Osborne seal and read the short note. “Amelia will be here on the morrow, or at the very latest, early on Tuesday. She says that had she wings, she would have arrived already,” she reported.
Fanny looked at Lizzy and did not miss the mixture of excitement and nervousness in her daughter’s look. All would be well; it had to be.