Chapter 2
After the younger children were in their beds for the night, the adults and the older children sat in the family sitting room at Gardiner House still trying to assimilate everything that had transpired on this most momentous of days.
Looking at her oldest daughter with concern, Tammy said, “Jane, I am sorry that so much attention was taken from yours and Perry’s news.”
“I was thinking about that at Matlock House when Lizzy requested we make the announcement, Mama, and I have no regrets. Today was a miracle. When I saw how Papa was staring at that portrait, I knew, and when Lizzy entered the room wearing Grandmother Beth’s cross, all doubts I had were swept away.
I would have my news overshadowed today with us being reunited with my sister no matter the day,” Jane exhaled slowly to keep her emotions in check, as the joy and heartbreak of so many missed chances could be overwhelming if considered closely.
“Father, now that you have found Lizzy, how come she will not live with us?” James asked carefully.
“That is a good question, son,” Bennet nodded.
His thoughtful and studious son always had the most carefully considered questions which, as this one did, had many levels to both it and the answer.
“Let me explain it thusly, James. Imagine, son, that tomorrow you met a man or woman who said they were your birth parent. How would you feel at the prospect of leaving the only family that you knew, that loved you, that you came to by no fault of your own or theirs?”
James contemplated his father’s hypothetical question. “I would feel like someone was trying to rend me from the only family that I knew and loved, I suppose,” James replied slowly, as the longer he considered it, the more he internally rebelled at the thought.
“This is the exact reason that I can never demand that Lizzy come live with us. She has a family, one that by the grace of God rescued her after the demented woman’s paramour discarded her in the forest. He did not kill her as he was asked to do, but if Lizzy’s brothers had not discovered and rescued her, he would have killed her, even if not by his own hand,” Bennet explained.
“As I said, I could never cause Lizzy the trauma of being torn from the family that loves her. Instead, I suggest we consider it a blessing that they told her she was found and not their natural child and loved her the more for it, so today was not rife with anguish and sorrow while we would naturally feel such happiness as we never thought to have.”
“I am beginning to see that it is not as easy as I had hoped, Father,” James nodded slowly. “I think I will thank the family of our sister when I get the opportunity. You are right, today could have been much harder.”
“It amazed me that Lizzy remembered my name,” John offered to the conversation, “I hardly remembered her at all.”
“That is expected, John, as you are but three months older than Lizzy,” his mother told him.
“We are considered cousins of hers, correct Mother?” William asked.
“For now, at least.” Bennet nodded in agreement with his wife. “At some point in the future, if all are in agreement, then the true relationship will be revealed.”
“We need to send an express to Frank and Hattie,” Gardiner turned to the business of matters of the closest concern.
“Hattie always felt guilty that she could not do something about her sister. She, in particular, will be overjoyed to know, then eventually see for herself, that Lizzy is well and happy.”
“I will write the express if you are willing to send one of your couriers at first light,” Bennet agreed, and Gardiner nodded as it was too late to send one that evening.
He had no doubt that Bennet intended to write the missive before he went to bed so that the courier could depart in the morning with no delay.
“Do you remember when we met Lizzy about ten years distant at the warehouse, Aunt Maddie?” Jane asked.
“My goodness, yes, I do remember now. You said that you felt you knew her, and we dismissed it as impossible!” Maddie stared at Jane in all wonder one would have when such seemingly impossible things are proven.
“We came close to her several times over the years,” Bennet sighed with longing for the time lost with his daughter.
“I have been playing chess with, and of late being routinely beaten by, my daughter for nigh on two years without knowing it! I do not believe that was a coincidence; somehow we were fated to meet again, and serendipity brought us all together in one place today.”
“Thomas, you do know what this means, do you not?” Tammy asked with a smile.
“What is that my love?” Bennet could not fathom what she was hinting at.
“Your days of eschewing the Town are well and truly over!” Tammy laughed at the look of horror on her husband’s face.
“Your wife has the right of it, brother. Do you not think that the time has come for you to look at acquiring a townhouse?” Gardiner pointed out.
“You know Papa, if you are interested in purchasing one, Perry mentioned that his mother was thinking of selling the townhouse on Grosvenor square she inherited from her mother as she has not used it in some years, and it just sits empty with a skeleton staff. It is but three houses away from Matlock House,” Jane revealed to her family.
“Please ask your betrothed, Jane,” Bennet sighed with resignation. “If it is for sale, may we view the house at his convenience?”
“That will be my pleasure, Papa,” Jane kissed her father’s cheek as she headed to her chamber to dream about the man that she loved.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After the rest of the guests left, the Fitzwilliams and Darcys were silent for a minute or two when Elizabeth then looked at each of her family members in turn: “Did that truly happen? Did I find my birth family, or, rather, they found me after almost fifteen years? I have so many questions! I forgot to ask what my actual birthday is!” Elizabeth was babbling, rare for her to do, but understandable given the magnitude of the day.
“I asked Tammy Bennet,” Elaine offered calmly.
“Do not make me wait, Mama, when was I born?” Elizabeth asked excitedly.
“In 1791, on the fifth day of March,” Elaine revealed.
“Lizzy, we share a birthday!” Georgiana gasped in excitement.
“Does that mean I will have two birthdays?” Elizabeth lit up at the thought.
“Sprite, you will only have one birthday,” Andrew informed her. He saw a pout forming and then added, “However, we will always celebrate the twentieth of June as the day that you joined our family.” The pout disappeared before it could make its full appearance and was replaced by a bright smile.
“That is an excellent idea, Andrew,” Uncle George agreed. “It will be such a hardship for my niece to have to suffer through more of the chocolate cake as we know she detests it!”
“Uncle George, it is Itch’s job to tease me, not yours.” Came the droll reply from his niece.
“Yes, that is my domain,” Richard agreed with a grin.
“You know,” Elizabeth again turned serious, “I feel like I was being selfish tonight.”
“How so?” Aunt Anne asked.
“While worrying about how this will affect me, I forgot that Uncle Thomas and the rest of my birth family have been hurting since that insane woman had me removed from the nursery and ordered my murder,” Elizabeth answered, feeling chagrined.
“You know that from now on they will be part of our family, do you not Lizzy?” Marie asked easily, as she had already started including them in her mind as such.
“If you heard your birth father’s words, you will understand that he is doing what any parent would do; he is protecting you,” Elaine stated.
“Legally, as you are still a minor, he could demand your return to his home, but rather than do that, he considered the damage that would be done to you if you were ripped from the only family that you have ever known.”
“Mother is absolutely correct,” Andrew added gently.
“If this had been months after you were taken, or even a year or two, there would have been no question, but now that you have been with us for almost fifteen years, it would do you far more harm than good to demand that you return to your birth family. I respect Uncle Thomas greatly as he put your best interests ahead of his own desires.”
“Do not make the same mistake you made after Uncle Reggie was murdered, the same one your birth father was making tonight, when he attempted to take a burden on his shoulders that was not his to take,” William told Elizabeth as he gave her a hug of support.
“You are a fine one to talk, Will,” Richard smirked. “There is no one better than you at trying to take responsibility for that which is not yours!” Richard may have been ribbing his younger cousin, but all who knew William recognised that there was a lot of truth in the statement.
“Do not forget that after we all have had a night to absorb the miracle that happened here today, that we will be meeting at the Gardiners on the morrow to discuss the way forward,” Aunt Anne offered.
“I am happy for you, Lizzy,” Anne de Bourgh spoke for the first time in hours.
“Even though your birth … I truly do not want to say mother, as that demented woman does not deserve the title, so I will say birth woman. Even though her actions were despicable, you now have two families that love and care for you. In fact, you may be the luckiest woman in the realm rather than someone who was discarded.”
“Will all of this not interfere with your coming out season, Anne?” Elizabeth asked her sister with concern.