Page 32 of A Life Diverted
“Thank you, Fanny, if Joseph agrees, we will accept your gracious invitation. Before we proceed, I must address some things directly to Ellie.” Cilla looked at her daughter.
“Ellie, I need you to hear this from me.
Your father will tell you the same. Never , not for the smallest measure of time, did we wish you away from your home.
The thing that you thought caused us to give you away —your propensity to hide away—was one of the many things we love about you.
Finding you was never very difficult, as we just had to follow the giggles.
Your brothers used to love making you believe that they could not locate your hiding place, when they knew where you were.
They took their time discovering you because they knew how much you loved the idea of fooling all of us.
“Your love of faeries and pixies was another thing we all loved. We used to share in your excitement whenever you spoke of them. I do not know if you remember this; even your brothers used to play at finding the little sprites among the bluebells and buttercups in the spring.
“Never, ever think you were not wanted and loved. You were adored from the first moment I saw you all pink and wrinkled after your birth. As I have said, I never gave up hope you were alive. I could not allow myself to do that.
“There were those who, after many months of searching and finding no trace of you, finally accepted that you were no longer living. Your father and brothers among them, but they did not do so because they wanted to, but it was what they needed to do to cope with your loss. I know that my Joseph, your father, feels so much guilt for accepting what everyone was telling us was the truth: that the chances of your being alive were nought. If you believe nothing else, know that they love you as much as any of us. No matter how things are going forward, we are a family made whole once again. ”
The reassurance of her birth family’s love was a balm to Elizabeth’s soul. “I do not know why I believed what I did,” Elizabeth cried as the tears fell once again. “My only excuse is that I was so young and did not understand what was happening to me.”
“That is one plausible explanation for your belief,” Lady Catherine opined.
“Another could be that although you do not remember, he, or they, who stole you away from your family, could have poured that poison in your ear while you were slipping away under the influence of laudanum. If memory serves, I read that some physicians believe that people are highly susceptible to suggestion between the time they drink the drug and the time they fall asleep.”
Lady Catherine looked at her family with raised eyebrows. “Many of my opinions are based in fact; I do read, you know,” she insisted.
Lady Matlock, Cilla, and Lady Emily all smiled at Lady Catherine’s statement.
“That means that the man whose face is always blurry in my dreams could have made me believe my family did not want me, does it not?” Elizabeth asked.
There were many nodded heads in the room.
“Why would anyone be so cruel to not only kidnap me but also make me think that my family did not love me? Elizabeth wondered.
“Only one who is truly evil would have done so. Do not forget that the part about how the idea you were not wanted by your family came to you, is pure conjecture at this time,” Lady Matlock stated.
“Until the guilty person or persons are arrested and interrogated, we may never know what was, or was not, done to you beyond being kidnapped. It is disgusting to me that kidnapping is not considered a serious, punishable [1] crime. I will ask Reggie to take it up in the Lords.”
“Now, Fanny, I beg you to tell us about Ellie’s life after she came to live with you and your family. I, we, would love to hear all about the years she was away from us,” Cilla stated.
Before Fanny could reply, there was a knock on the drawing room door. When called to enter, Miss Weasley, the governess, and the three youngest Bennet children entered the drawing room. Introductions were made.
“You will not take Lizzy away from us, will you?” Lydia, who had turned eight the past July, asked brashly.
She knew how to behave, but she did not like the idea in the least that Lizzy may leave them.
Being the brave, and sometimes forward girl she was, Lydia ignored the disapproving looks from her governess and Miss Weasley.
“Even if Ellie, or Lizzy as you know her, decides to come see the home of her birth, she will always be your sister. None of the Wendells would ever think to deny her the company of the only family she knew and with whom she grew up,” Cilla replied gently.
“Miss Lydia, the truth is that there is much to discuss before any decisions are made. You are brave just like Ellie was before she was taken from us.”
Although they would not have asked the question openly like Lydia had, Mary and Henry were thankful their more outspoken sister had done so. They too were fearful that Lizzy would be taken away and they would not see her again.
“I am sure my sister is greatly relieved that you will not stop Lizzy from having contact with the Bennets. I know Fanny and Thomas see Lizzy as any of the children born of Fanny’s body.
Not to mention Lizzy’s brothers and sisters would be devastated if she were forced to break with them,” Hattie added.
“I know for myself it would leave a void in my heart if I were to never see her again.”
“After we had her sundered from us, we could never do that to any of you,” Lady Matlock responded. “Now, I believe we would love to hear about Ellie’s life in more detail. Jane did tell us part of it yesternight. ”
“When Lizzy was discovered, she was scared, thirsty, hungry…” Fanny told of how they fed the little mite and the discovery of the birthmark when Miss Weasley bathed her.
“That is a birthmark that Elaine and I have; it is in the same place as Ellie’s. All of our children have it as well,” Cilla confirmed.
Lady Emily blushed. “I can tell you that Andrew has it on his back below his left shoulder. He has told me that his Uncle Stephen has it as well, as did his late Grandmother Granger.”
Now it was Jane’s turn to blush as she related how David had displayed his birthmark.
“Richard did the same here after we left the assembly,” Elizabeth added.
“It took Lizzy a few years before she accepted that we did not think her bad and that we would not send her away.” Fanny raised her hand to stop Cilla’s protest. “I am fully aware that the wounds are very deep and still fresh, but we all know, and more importantly, Lizzy, Ellie, knows that was never true.”
Elizabeth nodded her head emphatically. “Whether it was my young mind seeking a rationalisation or something the vile thief and kidnapper whispered in my ear, I know not. But I am now as certain as I am sitting here that it was false.”
“I am just relating what her life was like. The kidnapper did more than steal her away from you; he, or they, robbed her of her confidence. Did Jane inform you that Lizzy used to get very nervous whenever anything she was used to would change?” Fanny saw nods from Cilla and Lady Matlock, Elaine.
She still had to get used to being allowed to address a countess so informally.
“It is the reason one of her sisters has always shared a chamber with her.
Having someone who loves her with her would calm her down when she had her nightmares.
“When she first came to us… I just remembered. Richard told us that you, Elaine, made the nightgown Lizzy was wearing the night she was taken; is that not true?” Fanny qu eried.
“Indeed, it is,” Lady Matlock replied. “Do you perhaps have it?”
“Mary dear, ask Mrs Hill to bring the nightgown Lizzy was wearing when she came to us. She knows where it is,” Fanny requested.
It was not too many minutes later that Mary returned with a folded garment carried gently in her arms. “Here it is, Mama,” she stated as she handed the precious nightgown to her mother.
Fanny unfolded it very carefully and laid the garment across Elaine’s legs.
“Look, Cilla, it is just as I made it all those years ago,” Lady Matlock stated softly as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Seeing the nightgown Ellie had been dressed in that fateful night when she had kissed her darling girl goodnight brought all of Cilla’s fraught emotions to the surface.
It did not help that Elaine was crying as well.
Cilla began to sob as she held the nightgown to her chest as if she were hugging the almost three-year-old Ellie and not the item she had been wearing.
“I think we should take a break for tea; there is no hurry,” Beth suggested. “We will have all the time you need to tell you about Lizzy’s life here.”
Everyone agreed. The three youngest Bennets and Giana would leave the drawing room after tea and cake.
The twins had some lessons to complete, so they would head to the schoolroom.
Meanwhile, Giana and Mary, who discovered kindred spirits in one another with regards to their love of playing the pianoforte, would join Miss Weasley and Mrs Annesley in the music room.
The ladies in the drawing room resolved to take a break before attempting to tackle any more emotional subjects. They agreed with Beth Bennet that there was no reason to hurry.