Page 27 of A Life Diverted
B ennet read the missive very quickly. All eyes were on him. “We were not the only ones to discover Lizzy’s birth family,” Bennet revealed. “I will read Jane’s letter aloud.” He cleared his throat.
Fitzwilliam House, London
“Your daughter sent this from my house. The Wendells are in residence there. They must have met somehow. As I said earlier, Wendell does invest with Gardiner,” Richard puzzled.
“If you allow me to read a little more, all will become clear,” Bennet said.
Mama, Papa, and Lizzy,
Be not alarmed at receiving an express from me this night.
No one is ill, and it is not a bad reason!
I have met Lizzy’s birth parents, Mr and Mrs Joseph Wendell!
She has 2 brothers, the eldest, Mr David Wendell (more about him later), and the younger Mr Barnabas Wendell; everyone calls him Barney.
You remember Lizzy used to speak about ‘Dawy’ and ‘Bawny?’ (10 and 6 years older than Lizzy.) The name she refused to use, Ellie, is the one by which her birth family knows her.
How I came to be in their company does concern David. I met him at Aunt Maddie’s and Uncle Edward’s house the day after I arrived in London. We had an instant connection, and he was soon calling on me. After the events of tonight, I think we will be engaged sooner rather than later.
I did relate his calling on me to Lizzy in my letter to her, but I did not write to Mama and Papa yet; I intended to do so after today.
On Saturday, Mrs Wendell issued an invitation to Aunt, Uncle, and me to join them for dinner at the above address this evening.
Also to be present were Lord and Lady Matlock.
The latter is Mrs Wendell’s older sister.
When we arrived and Mr Wendell led us into the drawing room, I saw my aunt and uncle frozen and staring.
I walked forward worried for them, and then I saw 2 older ladies with Lizzy’s face and promptly fainted.
“I am glad I am not the only one who fainted tonight,” Elizabeth said wryly. “How strange that we both discovered my birth family on the same night.”
David caught me before I fell to the floor and held me until I was able to stand on my own. Even then, he would not move from my side. This is why I said what I said earlier in this letter.
There is much to tell. I will be returning to Longbourn on the morrow with Uncle Edward, Mr Wendell, David, and Lord Matlock.
Mrs Wendell wanted to come with us to see Ellie (Lizzy) more than anything, but I told her how Lizzy does not do well with sudden change, so she will wait until her husband and brother-in-law summon her.
She will not wait very long. She and the Countess never stopped believing Lizzy was alive, and it has been her fervent dream for more than 17 years that she be reunited with her ‘darling daughter’.
I suggest agreement is reached soon because wild horses pulling against her will not keep Mrs Wendell from Lizzy for too many more days.
Lizzy, I will be at your side in but a few short hours.
With love,
Jane
“It seems that Ellie will keep being your eldest daughter’s sister no matter what,” Lady Catherine observed. “Not that anyone would ever try and convince you to give up the Bennets; of that I am certain. You have nothing to fear.”
“Just like the unexpected events which led us to finding Ellie tonight, it seems God decided that the ties between the Bennets and Wendells should be even stronger,” Darcy observed.
He looked at his aunt and cousin. “I think we have imposed on the Bennets for long enough tonight. There is no doubt we will see you on the morrow.”
“Catherine, you and your nephews are more than welcome to return to break your fasts with us on the morrow. That way you will be here when those from Town arrive,” Fanny invited. “At the same time, you can meet our other three children who remained at home tonight.”
Lady Catherine looked from Richard to William; both nodded.
“Thank you, Fanny, we will attend. After Miss Bingley’s performance at the assembly tonight, I assume it will be far more pleasant than having to suffer her company at Netherfield Park.
Will you object if we bring Giana and her companion? Giana is fourteen.”
“Not in the least. I am sure Mary would love to meet her,” Fanny agreed.
Hill was summoned and told to let the Darcy coachman know it was time to depart.
Elizabeth approached the cousins as they prepared to take their leave. “Are you both my cousins? I know Richard’s mother is Mrs Wendell’s sister.” She was not ready to call the unmet lady Mother yet.
“We are first cousins,” Richard replied. “William and I are the same. But there is no blood relationship between you and him. You are only cousins by marriage.”
“Thank you for elucidating, Richard,” Elizabeth returned gratefully.
“She turned to William. “I look forward to meeting Miss Darcy on the morrow. Another cousin will not go amiss.” She paused as she cogitated for a moment.
“I suppose I will have to become more sanguine with many changes in my life.”
Both of the men bowed over Elizabeth’s hand before they left the drawing room.
Bennet walked them out and handed Lady Catherine into the coach himself.
“You may want to warn your friend that he is teetering on the edge of eviction. His sister’s unchecked behaviour at the assembly, not only to Lizzy, but to the rest of my neighbours, has put him on a dangerous path.
Also, please do not mention me as the landlord to the Bingleys. ”
“I will tell him I spoke to Phillips,” Richard decided.
Darcy extended his hand after Richard had done so. He boarded, and as soon as the footman closed the door and hopped up onto the rear bench, Darcy struck the ceiling with his cane, and they were off.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Beth sat next to Lizzy on the comfortable sofa after the guests had departed. She snaked her arm around Lizzy’s shoulders and pulled her to herself. “Are you well, dear girl?” she enquired. Lizzy looked sanguine with the revelations of that night, but Beth needed to verify that fact for herself.
“I am better than I would have expected with all of the changes on the horizon. From my conversations with Richard and William, I am confident my birth family will never demand that I break the connection to all of you. The way I am trying to see the upcoming changes is that I will gain more family, not lose those I already love.” Elizabeth looked at her grandmother.
“If anything becomes overwhelming, I promise I will tell you.” She put her head on Grandmama Beth’s shoulder and felt far calmer than she had before.
Bennet and Fanny sat on the settee and watched Lizzy and her grandmother.
“I was worried how Mother would react if she thought Lizzy would be ripped away and she would never see us again. After hearing what our guests had to say, I feel more confident that will not happen. When we meet on the morrow, it will be very telling.”
“As there is proof Lizzy is Ellie Wendell, and she has not reached her majority, if Mr Wendell decided to remove her on the morrow, he could, could he not?” Fanny worried.
She wanted to believe all would be well, but the Wendells’ life with Ellie had been diverted.
She knew if the roles were reversed, she would do anything she could to recover her lost child.
While she could understand that urge, it would rip her heart—at least part of it—from her chest if Lizzy was separated from them in that fashion.
“Yes. Legally he would be within his rights to do so. However, I think they will do all that they can to make sure Lizzy is well. Sundering her from us right away will do her far more harm than anything else: something I am sure Jane has conveyed to them,” Bennet opined.
“Let us not make assumptions until tomorrow when we will know much more.”
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The Gardiners and Jane were preparing to depart Fitzwilliam House after ten o’clock that night when word was conveyed to Wendell that a Darcy courier had arrived.
“They did attend the assembly this evening, and Ellie was recognised by Richard and William. Evidently, Ellie fainted when they mentioned her name. She is well, and Lady Catherine, Richard, and William went to Longbourn with the Bennets. They suggest we all travel into Hertfordshire with all speed,” Wendell reported.
“All! Does that mean I may travel with you and see my Ellie?” Cilla enthused.
“Cilla dear, it may be only meeting with the Bennet parents on the morrow. Remember Jane’s words. When you meet our daughter, you need to not overwhelm her. And I mean meet . Do not forget that to Ellie we are strangers,” Wendell told his wife gently.
“Cilla, dearest, I will be with you as well,” Lady Matlock assured her younger sister.
“In that case, Gardiner, we will arrive with more than one coach at your home at dawn on the morrow,” Matlock stated. “If Emily is feeling better, I have a feeling Andrew will want to accompany us. As the eldest cousin, he always felt he had failed in his responsibility to protect Ellie.”
David walked the Gardiners and Jane to the entrance hall where the butler stood with their outerwear.
He placed a hand on one of her forearms before she accepted her items of clothing.
“Jane, I will never force you to do anything against your inclination, but I believe we need to speak after we have seen Ellie.” It was still not real for David that the sister he had believed was in heaven was in fact twenty miles away.
Until he saw her on the morrow, it would not be a fact.
When the Gardiners and Jane arrived back at the formers’ house, a note from Longbourn telling them what they already knew waited for them. Jane was unsurprised to see that Lizzy had Papa write a request from her that Jane’s calming presence was needed at home.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Charles, you will be ready when I scream, will you not?” Caroline Bingley commanded.