Vol 2, Chapter 10
Longbourn was a sight for sore eyes to the four Bennet ladies and the younger Bennet lad.
If someone had told them how their lives would change when they were last at the estate, they would have had that person consigned to Bedlam.
Yet even here in Hertfordshire only the house they were approaching was the same.
In a little more than ten days, Jane would be married and leave them for her own home as Viscountess Hilldale.
And there were the massive changes that had occurred to the Bennets as a whole.
The three large coaches, all with the Bedford arms on the doors, came to a halt in the drive with fourteen outriders as escorts, not to mention the footmen-guards with each carriage.
None of the occupants had missed the deferential looks they had received as they had rolled through Meryton. No matter how they tried to tell themselves all would be the same once they were at Longbourn, the reality was nothing would ever be the same again.
“Welcome home, your Grace, my Ladies, and Lord Meryton,” Hill bowed low as his wife gave a deep curtsy.
“Thank you, Hill, Mrs. Hill,” Lady Priscilla smiled warmly at the couple. “We will discuss the wedding preparations as soon as I return from changing, Mrs. Hill.”
“Yes, your Grace,” Mrs. Hill replied.
A half hour later the family met in the drawing room.
“I know everything feels strange, and, in some ways, we wish things were the same as they were before we departed the estate months ago.
We cannot go back and you, we, will have to get used to the way those who have been our friends and servants for these long years address us and relate to us differently than they did before.
It will not be due to a lack of affection, but it is not every day someone in this little part of the kingdom is confronted by a duke, duchess, and the plethora of titles we now claim.
“The difference in the way the Hills were with us is only the beginning, and I ask all of you to try and make it as easy for our friends as can be. Once they see we are as we ever were, they will relax, but we cannot force them to that point. They will need to get there on their own, so it is as I said, the way we behave with them will go a long way towards putting them at ease,” Lady Priscilla explained when she saw that her children had been frustrated at the stilted conversation from the Longbourn servants.
She had no doubt of her family’s behaviour, but she felt she would be remiss in not preparing them for the reactions she believed would be forthcoming from the populace of the neighbourhood. “I can see you girls want to ask my permission for something! Out with it,” she encouraged.
“It has been a while since we rode Mama, may we ride and then stop at Lucas Lodge on our return home?” Elizabeth asked pleadingly.
“I see no reason why not. Do not be too long though; you know the new rules when you are out of our home, do you not?” their mother reminded them.
“Yes, Mama,” the three chorused.
“May I join my sisters Mama?” Mark asked hopefully.
“Sorry Scamp, but no.” Priscilla almost laughed as her son’s face fell and he affected a pout.
He was an earl, but he was still a boy of eleven, for another three weeks anyway.
“For obvious reasons, we have not insisted on you taking your lessons recently, Mark, but we are home now so you have a lot of catching up to do.” Seeing her son was about to plead his case, Priscilla shook her head and stopped his planned bargain.
“Work hard today, and in the morning, you will be able to ride with your sisters.”
“Thank you, Mama,” Mark reluctantly accepted her decision and took himself up the schoolroom to his waiting tutor.
While her daughters changed into riding habits, the Duchess asked Hill to let Biggs and Johns know her daughters wanted to go riding.
Hill had not met the arriving men yet. However, once she mentioned that they were the two biggest men of the new servants, Hill nodded that he knew who the Mistress meant.
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By the time the three sisters walked outside, their horses were saddled and waiting for them with two grooms and four of the new footmen, including the two aforementioned giant-sized men.
As they rode past some of their long-time tenants, it was not hard to see what their mother had warned them about.
The reactions were much more formal, but the three sisters followed their mother’s sage advice and behaved no differently than they always had, greeting them warmly in return to their guarded bows and curtsies with averted eyes.
And there was understandable intimidation when Mrs. Black and her daughters beheld the men escorting the Bennet sisters.
The fact that they behaved without airs, or a feeling of superiority was noted by the Blacks, who shared such unexpected news with their neighbours, which led to the tenants feeling more relaxed around the Bennets over the coming days.
After a long-awaited gallop over the fields, the same ones bordering Netherfield which Darcy had seen the Bennets ride several times, the sisters turned their mounts towards Lucas Lodge.
There was a long history of friendship between the two families going back many years before Sir William had been knighted and purchased the small estate.
The grooms led the sisters’ horses to the Lodge’s stables, while Biggs and one other footman stationed themselves in the front of the house, and Johns with the other man were in the area at the back of the building.
“Welcome Ladies Jane, Elizabeth, and Esther,” Lady Lucas welcomed them formally as she and her daughters curtsied deeply, and the oldest Lucas son bowed low to them.
“It is good to see all our friends in the neighbourhood again,” Jane said as she and her sisters sat. “We do have a request. We understand the need for formality in public, but in private we are Jane, Lizzy or Eliza to the Lucas family, and Esther; there is no need for the honorific.”
The request had the desired effect, and soon they were chatting as one would expect friends who had not seen one another for a while to do.
It did not take long for Esther and Maria to excuse themselves and make for the latter’s bedchamber, and Franklin Lucas excused himself not long after the younger girls’ exit from the parlour.
After informing Jane of the status and progress of the upcoming wedding preparations her mother had asked them to help with and informing the Bennets that her husband was away from the estate in the town, Lady Lucas left the parlour, allowing the three long-time friends alone.
She smiled to herself at Charlotte having such true affection with the elder Bennet daughters who had always been her truest confidants.
“Charlotte, you have not told your parents of the intelligence you tricked my father into confirming at Rosings Park, have you?” Jane asked.
“I will not lie to my parents if either ask me a direct question, but no, I have not volunteered the information. My father has his pride, he would not be easy if he knew what your family has done for ours,” Charlotte opined.
“How was Richard…and Andrew,” Charlotte added quickly, “when you saw them last?” she asked hoping to hear some news of the man she loved.
“Both brothers were well. Would you like to hear all about what Andrew has been up to lately?” Jane teased.
“Richard is very well and specifically asked that we convey his deepest regards to you, Charlotte,” Elizabeth relayed, as she swatted her older sister’s arm playfully.
“Charlotte, you may also be interested to know Andrew…and the rest of his family arrive on Thursday. They will be hosted at Netherfield Park. The rest of our family arrive on Friday with Papa,” Jane smiled playfully at Charlotte who was looking well pleased that Richard would be in the area in but a few days - mere hours really!
“When we were at Rosings Park, it looked to me like our Eliza did not object to Mr. Darcy’s company any longer,” Charlotte smiled, as she moved the attention off herself.
“You know we decided to start again, Charlotte.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes, fully aware of the tactics her friend was employing.
“Methinks at this point you more than just tolerate William, Lizzy,” Jane stated slyly, and neither she nor Charlotte missed the deep blush evoked at Jane’s intimation.
“Yes, fine, I will freely admit the more I get to know him, the more I like him,” Elizabeth revealed. “Seeing him at Pemberley…” Elizabeth related their two-day break at Pemberley.
Jane filled Charlotte in on Miss Bingley’s attempt to intrude on their lives, and the set down and cuts direct the harpy earned for her troubles.
Just before the three sisters departed to return to Longbourn, Sir William returned home and greeted his friends’ daughters as jovially as he always had.
They appreciated the fact their change in rank and wealth seemed not to influence how he related to them, at least, and knew their father would appreciate it even more than they.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Mrs. Younge was afraid that her mistress would have an apoplexy, or worse, was completely insane. For two days straight the unhinged woman had railed against all things Bennet, but on the third day she had been strangely calm.
“Mrs. Younge, sit,” Miss Bingley commanded, and the companion complied.
“Do you know any unsavoury people?” Miss Bingley asked as if it were an everyday question.
“I have known some in the past, Miss Bingley, why do you ask?” Mrs. Younge replied nervously.
“I want you to find some men for me. I will pay them more money than they could earn in many years,” Miss Bingley stated, her placid tone of voice more eerie than any screech.
“Do you mind my asking why you need such men, Miss Bingley?” Mrs. Younge asked as calmly as she could.