Vol 2, Chapter 4 #2
“If that is settled, there is something momentous I must share with my family,” Bennet stated.
Seeing Lady Catherine, Anne, the two Darcys, and Charlotte stand to leave, Bennet stayed them.
“You are all family, or will be soon, and so as long as you can promise me that until the official announcement is made you will not talk to anyone not in this room on the subject, you are welcome to remain.
Those who had started to stand sat down, all vowing that what was said would not leave the room.
“It started about one hundred and fifty years ago…” Bennet read the copy of the letter the fourth duke wrote.
He then went on to relate what took place in the meeting at Norman and James, and all that had been happening since.
He ended by telling his middle daughter that Jane, along with Andrew, had only been informed after the betrothal so they would understand why there would be no public announcement yet.
Elizabeth was the first to recover from the shock of the revelations. “Papa and Mama, you are a Marquess and Marchioness now, like Uncle Stan and Aunt Marie,” Elizabeth confirmed.
“That is correct, Lizzy. And you, Jane, and Esther now hold the honorific of Lady, Tom a Lord, and this scamp,” she pointed at Mark,” is Viscount Netherfield,” Priscilla replied.
“We will not use the titles in public until the Royal Decree is published on the day of the investiture. It is planned for the second day of April, as long as Uncle Sed is still with us.” Priscilla realised that those who had just been informed knew not who she was talking about.
“Uncle Sed is Lord Sedgewick Rhys-Davies, the current Duke of Bedford.”
“In my arrogance, I thought I was above all of you, when, whether you knew it or not, you were always far above me! Andrew, ‘horse’s arse,’ sorry ladies, does not begin to cover how arrogant I was,” Darcy shook his head in rueful regret.
“You were told nothing of our connections, the ones we knew about before today, or our wealth, because I did not want you to make amends only because of those things. You alone decided to make changes and you apologised before you knew any more than you did in Meryton, which is why we have all forgiven you completely,” Elizabeth corrected him.
“You cannot go back and change the past, and you agreed we should all begin again. Chastising yourself for the past will achieve nothing other than making you melancholy.”
“When my parents arrive in a few hours, they will be most appreciative to receive your apology, William,” Charlotte pointed out.
As Darcy shook off his maudlin mood, he turned to Bennet. “You have my apology for making it about me when you had just relayed life changing news, Lord Birchington.”
“Nothing to apologise for, and I am still Bennet until the investiture. Then it will be Birchington, I suppose,” Bennet returned.
“Wait, I will be like Uncle Wes, also a Viscount?” Mark asked in wonder.
“For a short while. When your papa becomes the Duke of Bedford, you will become the Earl of Meryton,” his mother clarified.
“So like Grandpapa and Uncle Reggie?” Mark put it in terms he could understand easily. “Will I have to call mama and papa your Grace?”
“Only when you misbehave,” Bennet teased his youngest.
“When does Tom arrive in London, Papa?” Jane asked.
“By the last Friday in March, which is why the investiture is set for the second of April. That, and we did not want people to think it was a prank for the first day of April,” Bennet smiled wryly.
Lady Catherine who had been silent up to this point looked at Bennet. “Is the Bedford dukedom not the wealthiest one on the realm?” She asked. It seemed Lady Catherine’s interest in wealth was not completely banished just yet.
“That is true,” Bennet answered without giving any details.
“Papa, just how wealthy will we be?” Esther asked. The shocking information seemed to have no end of revelations.
“I will be happy to discuss that with you at another time,” Bennet deferred the question.
After more questions about where they would live and when they would move, the discussion returned to more mundane matters, though the disclosures were never far from anyone’s thoughts. Not long after, the new butler announced the midday meal.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Miss Caroline had been sitting with her aunt when the papers had been delivered.
As she always did, she read the society pages first. She saw a particular entry that made her blood boil, but she schooled her features and politely excused herself from her aunt’s presence.
Her aunt did not miss the deep look of displeasure before her niece tried to hide it.
The article that had destroyed her equanimity and caused something to snap deep within her was the one that officially announced that Lord Andrew Fitzwilliam, Viscount Hilldale, was courting one Miss Jane Bennet of Longbourn in Hertfordshire.
The fury that she felt was nothing like she had ever felt before.
How was it that the insipid blond who smiled too much had captured Lord Hilldale?
Was she not a companion when in Town? She had hied to her chambers as she would not have been able to maintain her countenance before her aunt.
Miss Caroline focused all of her vitriol and ire on Miss Bennet.
Mayhap the chit would believe the letter she had written to apologise and would allow her near her person?
She would manipulate the Bennet girl to help gain her way back into society’s good graces!
Miss Caroline smiled as she made her plans. She chastised herself for the momentary weakness of thinking herself the problem, but she did know if she were to succeed in getting back to society, possibly even Mr. Darcy’s good graces, she had to project the contrition that would be expected of her.
As soon as Miss Bingley had been taken by her performance, she knew it was her way back and she was sure that, regardless of what she had written to Charles in the letter she sent, that he would soon restore her funds and she would again be able to manipulate him, just as she had always done.
If she had ever been around the former Colonel Fitzwilliam, she would have heard him relate how a plan seldom survived first contact with the enemy.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bingley was visiting Winsdale, the Hurst’s estate in Yorkshire. He was seated in a parlour with his sister and brother-in-law. “Have you read Caroline’s letters, Louisa?” Bingley enquired. “I myself have consigned anything from her to the fire.”
“As have we,” Mrs. Hurst reported. “That scheme to get us to Pemberley uninvited was the last time I will ever assist our youngest sister with any of her machinations.” Then she added.
“Charles, I need to apologise for my part in the lies you were told. I thought it would be harmless, but I never imagined the cost would be your friendship with Mr. Darcy.”
“I was as weak as you were when it came to Caroline’s manipulations, Louisa, so we both bear guilt, me more so.
I should have checked her a long time ago.
” Both Hursts were impressed by the apparent maturation of their brother.
The time apart had all of them making changes for the better after having been confronted with the need.
“There is no one to blame but myself for the loss of my friendship. I should have known better. In fact, I did know better.”
“Did you see that Jane Bennet is being courted?” Mrs. Hurst asked her brother.
“Yes, I am aware of that. She was never for me and, as evidenced by her suitor, she was meant for far better than myself,” Bingley reflected.
“I received a letter from Aunt Mathilda where she gave her opinion that although Caroline at first seemed sincere about changing, she quickly detected that it was not so. Our sister still thinks no one sees through her manipulations,” Mrs. Hurst stated changing the subject again.
She shook her head in sorrow for the sister she had lost.
“I too received a similar missive and wrote back warning our aunt not to be fooled,” Bingley agreed quietly.
“What are your plans for the future, Charles?” Mrs. Hurst asked.
“I have decided to leave the Kingdom and travel to the Americas. I have heard so much about New York. It is reported to equal, or even exceed London in size. Tradesmen are not looked down upon in that country. There, class is more along the lines of wealth, so I will do well. I would be pleased if you two would come with me,” Bingley invited.
“But I am the heir to Winsdale,” Hurst objected.
“You have a younger brother, do you not?” Hurst nodded. “In that case, if you left the estate would still have an heir,” Bingley reasoned.
After a lengthy discussion, Hurst agreed to approach his father and present the subject. “My father says he is sure Jack will do well by the estate and wishes us well,” Hurst related when he returned.