Page 30 of A Life Diverted
For her part, Elizabeth had thought William handsome from the instant she saw him at the assembly.
At first, she had begun to ignite her prejudices against him for the standoffish way he had behaved, thinking him proud and above his company.
Once she began to become more familiar with him, she also came to understand that, more than anything else, he was shy; an endearing quality.
As he assisted her down from Aphrodite as if she were weightless, she placed her hands on his shoulders and was somewhat surprised at how muscular they were. She could feel her cheeks burn with heat and could only hope William had not noticed.
It was impossible to miss Ellie’s becoming blush.
With her beauty and light, pleasing figure, he noticed everything about her.
He was pleased that she reacted to him in that way, but he wanted to discover if she was as intelligent as he thought she was, and not just another pretty, empty headed woman like so many in the Ton .
Even if the initial attraction he felt to Ellie grew into something deeper, and she was interested in him, there was a long road to travel before he could consider anything beyond friendship.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“You have cost me six months’ worth of lease payments.
Even though we have not yet been officially evicted, rather, we are leaving before that occurs, it is the same thing,” Bingley whinged.
His coach with the Hursts and his younger sister within had just departed the manor house.
None of his former friends had been there to see him off—Bingley had half hoped they would reconcile with him before he left.
They had only seen Lady Catherine and Miss Darcy’s companion, and neither woman had said a word to them.
“This is all your fault!” Miss Bingley screeched. “If you had not been such a milksop, you would have forced Mr Darcy to marry me.”
“I am not sure which of you two are more delusional,” Hurst derided.
“Your brother was fully aware that neither Fitzwilliam nor Darcy would gratify a compromise. In addition, he had been informed more than once that he would lose their friendship if he was enough of a simpleton to support you. Besides, the fact that both men and their aunt were in the bedchamber tells you that they were aware of your idiotic plan and were determined to thwart it.”
“Who asked you! Have some more food and drink and go…” Whatever Caroline Bingley was about to say was lost when her sister’s hand connected with her cheek.
It was no tap but a full slap, with the power of Louisa Hurst’s weight behind it.
“You will not disrespect my husband again,” she hissed.
“If you think that Lady Catherine’s words about your and Charles’s ruin were empty threats, then you are deluding yourself.
She wrote letters to her friends which have already been sent to London.
Also, she will speak to her sister-in-law, the Countess of Matlock, about you later today. ”
Caroline Bingley sat silently with her mouth open in shock, her hand on her red, stinging cheek.
She could not believe Louisa had stood up to her in this fashion.
What Louisa said about Lady Matlock pierced her consciousness.
“If the Countess of Matlock is coming, we need to return so she can make things right,” she insisted. “Charles, stop this coach now!”
“You are really a buffoon,” Hurst commented.
“Did you not hear when Fitzwilliam told you not to insult his cousin again when you called her a peasant? Louisa and I spoke to him and Darcy. That peasant is Lady Matlock’s beloved, long-lost niece, who just happens to be her goddaughter.
Further, Lady Matlock is close to every patroness of Almack’s, duchesses, countesses, and many more.
What do you think she will do to your reputation?
Not only did you publicly insult her much-loved niece, but you attempted to compromise her nephew into an unwanted marriage. She sees him as a third son.”
“Once we arrive at Hurst House, pack your belongings and leave London. You two will never be welcome in polite society again,” Mrs Hurst suggested.
Suddenly the weight of his misjudgement and failure hit Bingley. “This is irrevocable, is it not?”
The Hursts both nodded.
“You cannot be serious, Charles; you have to fix this. I will not leave society; I will not!” Miss Bingley shrieked.
“Well then, Caroline, I will release your dowry to you, and you will be on your own,” Bingley said with a sigh. “I will be returning to Scarborough in order to take up management of our father’s business. It is clear to me that being a member of the landed gentry is not for me.”
“ TRADE ! You cannot go into trade; I will not allow it!” Miss Bingley demanded .
“As I said, you may remain in London with your dowry. I will see my solicitor before I depart and make it so,” Bingley replied.
“Then I will live at Hurst House…” Miss Bingley did not finish her sentence.
“No, you will not be living with us. You are ruined, and we will not have you taint us with your presence,” Mrs Hurst interjected firmly.
“If you are such a great lummox as to remain in Town, it will be at your own establishment. Before the day is up, your name will be known as one who has ruined herself. How pleasant do you imagine living in London will be for you?”
Miss Bingley collapsed back against the squabs.
The enormity of her errors finally began to penetrate her consciousness.
If she was being honest with herself, she had to admit that deep down she knew Messrs Fitzwilliam and Darcy could not be worked on to marry her.
She accepted that it could be that the only option was to go with Charles and become a member of a family in trade once again.
About an hour out of Meryton, the Bingley conveyance passed a convoy of fine carriages, some of them with coats of arms emblazoned on their doors, travelling in the opposite direction.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The closer the coaches came to their destination, the more impatient Cilla became.
She told herself that she had been patient for more than seventeen years waiting and dreaming of this moment.
She was very cognisant of what Jane had told her about how Ellie reacted to change, so Cilla knew she could not overwhelm her darling daughter.
They would have to move at whatever speed Ellie was comfortable with accepting.
For now, seeing her and being in her presence would be a beginning.
Over the last twelve hours, when she thought about the Bennets and the fact they had seen her Ellie grow from a little pixie into what Jane described as an intelligent, accomplished woman, she had felt a measure of resentment.
As quickly as those feelings surfaced, she banished them.
The Bennets had saved her Ellie’s life. Not only that, according to what Jane and the Gardiners related, Ellie was loved and valued as a full member of the family, not as one who was less than.
If she remembered correctly, Jane had even said that the Bennets had dowered Ellie in the same amount as the other three Bennet sisters.
She chastised herself for the uncharitable thoughts, no matter how brief they had been. The Bennets bore no blame; the only one, or ones, to blame was the miscreant who had stolen Ellie from her home in the middle of the night. How she prayed that he, or they, would have to face justice one day.
Cilla’s only regret was that Barney had not returned from his friend’s house yet, but Joseph had sent a second express telling their youngest son not to make for London, but rather to come directly to Hertfordshire.
She was riding in the lead coach with Joseph, David, and Jane.
The latter had been telling them about points of interest on the way to Longbourn.
Cilla smiled as she thought about Jane and David.
She was aware that if David had his druthers, Jane Bennet would soon become Jane Wendell and Cilla’s daughter.
Jane had related how close she and Lizzy, as she called Ellie, had been since the day Ellie had been found.
As such, if Ellie could be convinced to come to Willowmere with them, knowing Jane would possibly be close might make that a much easier choice for Ellie.
There was no question in Cilla’s mind that even if she wanted to, and she did not, she would never attempt to sever the bond between Ellie and the Bennets.
Upon hearing Jane’s voice, Cilla snapped out of her reverie.
“This is Meryton,” Jane said as the lead conveyance entered the town. “You remember it, do you not, David?”
“I do. We rode through it on the way to view Netherfield Park,” David said.
“From here, it is less than a mile to Longbourn,” Jane related. A few minutes later, the horses pulled the coach onto a road leading out of the town. “Here is the entrance to Longbourn.” Jane pointed at the gateposts ahead.
The coachman guided his team between the gateposts and onto the gravel-covered drive.
As soon as the carriage was drawn to a halt, a footman placed the step and opened the door. Wendell alighted and then reached into the cabin to hand down Cilla. They turned, and before them were people they did not know along with Lady Catherine, Richard, William, and Giana.
As David handed Jane down, his parents’ eyes locked on Ellie.
Tears flowed unbidden from Cilla’s eyes. “My darling Ellie, how beautiful you are,” she sobbed as she opened her arms.
With tears running down her cheeks, Elizabeth stepped into the lady’s arms. She looked so much like an older version of herself. This had to be her birth mother. Elizabeth felt an immediate connection with the lady.