Chapter 3
The Fitzwilliams and Darcys arrived at the Gardiner’s house just after eleven.
As everyone took seats in the large drawing room, there was an uncomfortable silence as no one wanted to be the first to speak.
It was understandable that after a night to consider the occurrences of the prior day that there would be some reticence, as no one from the newly extended families knew one another.
Perry and Lady Rose had left some minutes before as they felt that the families needed the time alone.
As she was the reason for the meeting, Elizabeth decided that she needed to break the ice. “Uncle Thomas and Aunt Tammy, what was I like before I was kidnapped from your home?” Elizabeth asked, assuming that it would be a subject that her birth father would be able to talk about easily.
“From the time you began to crawl, and you started early, it was like trying to catch the wind. You were a little whirlwind! Once you started walking, at about eight months of age, there was no stopping you. It was as if you went from crawling right to running, and once you started you did not stop,” Bennet reminisced.
“My late Reggie and I, in fact, all of the family, called Lizzy our little whirlwind. I am happy to report that at Snowhaven, she was as she was when she lived with you,” Elaine smiled the smile only parents can share when they love the same child.
“We all called her a whirlwind,” Will contributed.
“Do not forget Sweetling and Sprite,” Richard added with a grin.
“Lizzy was very intelligent; she started to talk early, although, as you found out, she had not mastered pronunciation yet,” Bennet had a fond smile as he remembered his little Lizzy.
“She loved me reading to her, and although she could not read, she always wanted to hold a book when I read to her, and one was never enough.”
“One is definitely not enough even still today; do you have any idea what it is like trying to win an argument with one that remembers every word that she has read? She will take a position that she does not hold at times just to make the debate more interesting,” William shared.
“I am here, you know!” Lizzy stated pertly.
“How could we forget, Sprite?” Richard drawled.
“Itch!” If her birth family were not there, she would have jumped up and chased her brother, but she decided to act ladylike, at least for a while longer.
“I believe there was talk of a chess match,” George Darcy reminded the combatants.
“So, Darcy, you want to see me humbled by a young lady?” Bennet asked.
“Just as the rest of us have been when we tried to beat her!” came George’s reply.
As if by mutual agreement, the two took up their positions at the board waiting for them in the corner of the drawing room.
The rest of the family formed a semi-circle to watch the game, not just two years in the making, all knowing it was actually far more years than two.
Andrew picked up both a black and white pawn, then mixed them behind his back and then offered Bennet the pick.
He deferred the pick to Elizabeth, who chose white.
Someone had quipped about five minutes; but it did not even take that long.
Bennet was amazed as he watched his second daughter wait for him to make his second move.
From that point it seemed as if she had his number, knew what he would do before he did.
He was fascinated as her eyes kept track of each piece on the board and how she would make her move the instant he removed his finger from his piece. In less than four minutes it was over.
“When we played by post, you did not have a board set up, did you?” he asked, but he was sure that he knew the answer before she gave it.
“No, Uncle Thomas, there was no board,” she informed him almost apologetically.
“You remembered all in your head. Amazing!” Bennet had heard talk about her memory, but now he started to understand just how special Elizabeth was. “Have you read Romeo and Juliet?” he asked, and she nodded. “Act Four Scene One,” he challenged.
Elizabeth gave him a look of ‘that is too easy’ and she started to recite:
Enter Friar Lawrence and Paris
Friar Lawrence
On Thursday, sir? The time is very short.
Paris
My Father Capulet will have it so,
And I am nothing slow to slack his haste.
Friar Lawrence
You say you do not know the Lady’s mind.
Uneven is the course. I like it not.
Paris
Immoderately…
“Enough!” exclaimed Bennet, who took a moment to align his thoughts and turned to Will. “Yes, Will, I can see how trying to win a debate against my niece could be very frustrating.”
“But well worth the challenge, Uncle Thomas,” Andrew added.
The butler announced luncheon was served, and everyone walked into the dining parlour, sitting where ever they chose. Once they were served, Elizabeth turned to Jane. “Have you and my brother-in-law set a date for your wedding yet?” she enquired.
“We have, the day after I am eighteen, the sixteenth of January. We are marrying from our…I mean my home.” Elizabeth did not comment on the slip.
She saw that as Jane had been three at the time of her abduction, her older sister would have traumatic memories from that time that she at age one would not have had.
“You will all come, will you not,” Jane asked pleadingly.
“If we are invited, we will not miss it,” Elizabeth stated.
“Not if Lizzy, when,” Jane responded with finality. Elizabeth squeezed the hand of the woman who had once been the girl she had often seen in her dreams over the years.
An announcement and the wording thereof had been agreed upon between all of them earlier in the day and sent to the Times to appear on the morrow. The Bennets would no longer be unknown in Town after it was read by the Ton in the morning.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Mr and Mrs Phillips arrived just after the meal was over.
Having seen the portrait of Bennet’s mother many times, as soon as Hattie saw Elizabeth, she knew for certain who she was.
Before introductions were completed, she marched up to Elizabeth, who was frozen in uncertainty, and enfolded the young woman in a hug while she cried tears of happiness.
Aggie growled but stayed where she was, eyeing the person accosting her mistress.
Luckily, Elizabeth had requested the footman looking after the huge dog outside, to bring her in to meet her new family.
Lizzy patted the woman hugging her to show Aggie all was well.
She nodded to the servant, and he led Aggie outside again, who assessed everyone in the room one more time before she followed.
“Your Aunt Hattie Phillips, my sister-in-law,” Bennet said with a grin. “I think she is appreciative your beast did not have her as a snack.”
“What a beauty!” Hattie exclaimed, as she took a step back from the young lady who had, but for the hand gesture to Aggie, stayed still. Thankfully, Hattie had not seen Aggie, or she would have had an attack of her infamous nerves.
When Elizabeth had recovered her equanimity after being soundly hugged by the kindly lady who she had never before met, her birth father made the official introductions.
It was not long before Franny and Georgiana excused themselves to get to know one another better, as they were but a few months apart in age.
The story was told in abbreviated form for the Phillips; who then retired to their suite to rest from the trip.
‘In the span of one day, I have gained three sets of uncles and aunts and a slew of cousins!’ Elizabeth told herself.
Yes, gaining a bigger family was definitely a huge positive, even if her newest aunt’s manners were a touch on the vulgar side.
Elizabeth felt that manners aside, she was a good person.
They had just been invited to stay for dinner and the invitation had been happily accepted, so poor ‘little’ Aggie was sent home sans her mistress.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When the Bingleys arrived, they saw that the Fitzwilliams and Darcys were at Gardiner House, as were the Duke and Dowager Duchess of Bedford.
Before they greeted anyone else, the Bingley parents offered profuse congratulations to the betrothed couple, then Charles Bingley stepped forward.
Perry was prepared in case he said something to upset Jane as she had apprised him of Charles being an erstwhile suitor and his bitter words at her ball.
Most sincere wishes were offered, and Charles apologised again to both, this time for his petulant words at the ball.
Jane was pleased that she would not have to cut the acquaintance, and Perry too was pleased knowing that the man had behaved as a gentleman ought, thinking that the first minutes after a disappointment should earn anyone a little latitude.
He would have been miserable had Jane rejected his addresses, so Perry had some insight most would not consider.
Both the wishes and apology were accepted without reservation.
Martha heard Lady Elizabeth address Netherfield’s landlord as ‘Uncle Thomas.’ “I did not realise that you are related to the Fitzwilliams,” the confused matron stated.
“Neither did we until yesterday, Martha,” Tammy told her as she took her arm.
“I do not understand.” Martha was becoming more confused.
“We wanted to inform you of this when we invited you to dinner,” Anne Darcy said, as she stood at Martha’s other side.
“You know that we had a daughter stolen from us,” Bennet reminded the Bingleys. All three nodded.
“You are aware that Lizzy was a foundling?” Elaine asked. Again, there were nods and then it hit all three Bingleys.
“Good Lord, Lady Elizabeth is the missing Bennet daughter!” Martha blurted out.
“After all these years, how, why, when?” Oscar asked, more than a little flummoxed.
“Many thanks to your son,” Bennet grinned.
“What did I…oh, the chess games!” he realised.