Page 108 of A Life Diverted
“Then it will be so, Lizzy,” Fanny said softly, almost overcome with her being so included as she had long feared her daughter’s reaction and if she would be forgiven.
Elizabeth continued to read.
So, you understand my reasons that I will swear Fanny to years of secrecy—yes even from you my child—they are as follows…
Priscilla told her child how her father and his siblings had been raised in a royal household, and how she would never want the same for her child.
She made sure that Elizabeth knew her father had not rejected her, but for the reasons she enumerated as well as not wanting to pain him more than he had been by being forced to divorce her, he was not aware of her existence.
I hope you understand that what has been done has been done to protect you, my child.
It is my firm belief that more than blood, what defines family—a parent—is love.
Before you become angry with your mother and father, ask yourself this: Have they loved you as well as the rest of their children?
It was a pleasure for me to have met your sister Jane and I am sure Fanny will provide you with more siblings, so again I ask you—have your adoptive parents ever treated you less than their other child or children?
“No, no they have never treated me as anything but one of their children they love,” Elizabeth told her long dead birthmother as her tears flowed down her cheeks.
“You could not have left me in the care of better or more loving parents, sisters, brother, and extended family.” As Elizabeth spoke, the anger she had been feeling dissipated.
On hearing such a declaration, Fanny cried tears of relief as she heard Elizabeth’s pronouncement.
Her daughter would not reject her and her family.
She lifted her head to the heavens and said a prayer of thanks for the words her dearest friend had written in her letter to placate Elizabeth’s anger at not being told before this day.
Elizabeth continued to read.
As much as I miss your father each and every day, I do not hold any animus against your grandfather, King George III.
He has the weight of the Crown on his head and must consider much more than personal desires when making decisions.
Your birthfather will confirm for you his love of his father and that of his father for him.
When my Frederick returned with the news that we must divorce, he was devastated and told me how it hurt his father to inflict pain on his beloved son.
The most important thing for you to know, my son or daughter, is you were created out of the deepest of love, and we were legally married when I became with child.
That, my child, makes you a legitimate Prince or Princess of England—of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland .
I know it is much to take in, but remember this; no matter your title, you are still the boy or girl who has been raised by two of the best parents I know.
When one day you choose a mate, make sure that you love him or her with all of your heart.
My Frederick will make sure you are not used to further some treaty as he was.
I believe the fact you were born after the divorce will protect you to a large extent.
Beware of false friends and fortune hunters, my child, as Netherfield and all of my wealth not bequeathed to others is yours.
It is a vast fortune and will bring many such vile avaricious men slithering out of the woodwork if the extent of your fortune becomes known before you choose your life partner.
Besides your mother, my good friends who did not drop my connection are Anne Darcy and Elaine Fitzwilliam.
If you ever need help, they will provide it to you as will their husbands, who are the best of men.
Although not as close a friend—but still a very good one—as the former two I mentioned, Edith Carrington too tried to keep our acquaintanceship alive after the divorce.
I withdrew into myself after my parents cut me and was not ready to contact anyone and only wanted to be with your mother—our Fanny—so as you are reading this, I did not get to contact them while I was alive.
Your mother has other letters, other than the one you are reading, and I trust she had passed them onto each of those I addressed them to—and is holding some I asked her to hold.
Let me close by reiterating that everything that has been done has been done out of love and to protect you.
I love you, and hope to meet you in heaven many decades from now,
Your Loving Mother, Priscilla
Elizabeth read the letter twice more before she silently handed it to her mother. Her birthfather drew her into his arms, and he rocked her back and forth as she assimilated the information her birthmother had shared with her.
“Mama, have all of the letters been delivered?” Elizabeth asked after she dried her eyes.
“All except one. There is one for Priscilla’s parents to be posted on your eighteenth birthday or when your existence becomes public,” Fanny averred.
“Whether you decide to have contact with either set of your grandparents is up to you, but as Uncle Freddy—your birthfather—will explain, you will have to be presented to their Majesties before you come out into society.
“I never want to meet the people who were so cruel to their own daughter; they do not deserve to be my grandparents,” Elizabeth stated vehemently. “When they rejected my birthmother, they rejected me too.”
No one said a word in opposition to Elizabeth’s statement. “Lizzy, besides those in this room, Jane, Andrew, and Richard are aware of your true birth and heritage…” Fanny explained how each one found out or was told and why.
“Jane has known since before her coming out and has never treated me differently,” Elizabeth observed. “Why could others be told and not me?”
“It was partly your birthmother’s instruction as well as our,” Bennet indicated all the adults in the sitting room, “desire to protect you. I suppose we could have told you sooner, but we wanted you to live a carefree life without the weight of being a royal on your shoulders.”
“Jane’s sisterly love for you did not change, nor will it ever,” Fanny reassured her daughter. “As Priscilla pointed out in her letter and you have seen for many years, family ties are so much more than just blood.
“I cannot be upset they knew before me as there was sound reasoning behind each disclosure,” Elizabeth decided.
“At Pemberley, after insulting the Prince, I then proceeded to screech in front of his daughter, a Princess?” Catherine shook her head at the depths of her former bad behaviour.
“You did not call a Princess riffraff, Aunt Catherine. I believe as far as insulters of royalty go, I am far ahead of you,” William stated as the shock of the revelations started to wear off.
“William, neither you nor I knew who I was then,” Elizabeth stated with arched eyebrow, “and besides, I believe I pardoned your offence almost twelve years ago—after delivering a kick to your shin.”
“There is a story here I need to hear—later of course,” Catherine said with amusement.
“Lizzy, at the same time we have been meeting here, Jane, Andrew, and Richard have been sitting with Jamey, Anne, Cassie, and Mary and telling them of your true parentage,” Bennet revealed. “We felt that when we inform the younger children on the morrow, you should be with us.”
“How hard is it to have my middle names changed?” Elizabeth asked pointedly. “The sooner I do not carry the name of the woman who treated my birthmother in so callous a fashion, the better.” Elizabeth, like the rest present, never considered that Lady Sarah may have been acting under duress.
“On the morrow. I will request Uncle Phillips to make the change and it will be done,” Bennet responded. “Both he and Uncle Gardiner know the truth. Uncle Phillips drew up your late birthmother’s final will and testament, and Uncle Gardiner manages your fortune.”
“The letter said I own Netherfield, is that correct Papa?” Elizabeth enquired.
“Yes Lizzy, when you reach one and twenty or marry, it and your fortune become yours. At that point, we will move back to Longbourn,” Bennet clarified.
“No, Papa, I will never ask you, Mama, or my siblings to leave this house, unless,” Elizabeth looked at William, “I marry a man without his own estate.” Both blushed and no one commented. “You mentioned a fortune, Papa?”
“Yes Lizzy, it has grown to close to a million pounds, thanks to Uncle Edward’s management of your wealth,” Bennet revealed.
There was silence in the room. Other than Fanny and Frederick, no one had ever heard the exact amount of Elizabeth’s wealth before. William realised she was wealthier than the Darcys and their combined holdings.
“I think we all need to rest and allow Lizzy—and William—to come to grips with all these revelations,” Fanny suggested.
It was agreed they would talk more on the morrow, and at that time Elizabeth would meet with her birthfather to discuss when and how to make the revelation to the King, Queen, and the rest of the royal family.