Page 67 of A Life Diverted
“Fanny, you remember my telling you about my good friend from Cambridge, the Earl of Holder, Lord Paul Carrington?” Bennet asked as he sat as his desk with a letter from the man.
“I do, Thomas,” a heavily enceinte Fanny replied. “Why do you ask?”
“A letter arrived today; he begs my presence to help him with some matters about which we have been corresponding. I pledged to help him if he ever needed it for the service he provided me at Cambridge, protecting me from those vicious lordlings. He has never expected anything in return, but I feel honour bound to assist him now that he has need,” Bennet explained.
“I will allow you to make the decision, Fanny, as I am not able to promise I will return by the time you enter your final confinement.” Bennet did not inform his wife that a large part of his reason for travelling to his friend was to see if there was a way to break the entail on Longbourn, for he did not want to get her hopes up if it came to naught.
“You should go, Thomas. I will join Priscilla at Netherfield Park until you return so we will not be alone. Miss Jones and Jane will accompany me,” Fanny agreed.
“Only if you are sure,” Bennet verified again, more to reassure himself she was accepting of his leaving at such a time as this.
“I am. I will be with Priscilla and I am able to call on Hattie, Sarah Lucas, or any number of other friends, if needs be. Do not forget the midwife, Mrs. Sherman, is experienced and will be there with us,” Fanny assured her husband.
“From my observations, Priscilla has never fully recovered from her heartbreak. I believe it is part of the reason why she had been ill far more than her wont since that terrible day,” Bennet opined.
“She is as well as can be expected,” Fanny replied protectively.
In the neighbourhood, other than the Bennets, only her sister Hattie and brother-in-law Frank knew the truth of Priscilla’s situation.
Telling them had been necessary because Frank Phillips drew up a new will for Priscilla.
Most in the area did not read the London papers; those who did had not made Priscilla’s acquaintance, so none were aware the divorce decree referred to her.
The Gardiners were also aware, because Edward Gardiner had been entrusted with managing Priscilla’s massive fortune; he was able to produce returns around ten percent per annum.
Of the approximately thirty thousand per annum income, a quarter was used to fund various charities, with a small portion kept for Priscilla’s personal needs.
As Netherfield’s profits were in excess of four thousand pounds per annum, of the balance was reinvested as principal.
The following morning, the Bennet carriage departed for Holder Heights in Staffordshire, just before the Netherfield coach arrived to transport Fanny, her daughter, a nursemaid, and the governess to Priscilla’s estate.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
March 5, 1790
“Priscilla, are you sure you do not want me to notify his Royal Highness?” Fanny asked the morning both of them woke with the beginning stages of labour pains.
“No, Fanny. I do not want him contacted; of that I am sure. It was too painful when he informed me of his father’s decision and actions.
It will do nothing but occasion him more regrets, and now that his betrothal to Princess Frederica Charlotte has been announced publicly, I choose not to be the reason he is pained again,” Priscilla averred.
“I will respect your wishes, my sister,” Fanny indicated her understanding as she squeezed her friend’s hand.
“Have you heard from Thomas lately?” Priscilla asked.
“There was a letter two days ago. You know what a poor correspondent my husband is.” Fanny laughed around a wince and Priscilla nodded that she knew it to be true. “He should be home in a fortnight.”
“Then you will be able to introduce him to his new son or daughter. I am sure he will be delighted with either,” Priscilla opined. “Our children will grow up as best of friends—cousins.”
“Are you sure you want to be so generous to me and my future daughters in your will, Cilla? You know I never wanted anything in return for my friendship, do you not?” Fanny asked.
“If I had believed otherwise for a moment, I would never have written my will as I did. My parents have cut me from their lives and that of my siblings, but I have a family, Fanny. It is you, and our bonds are stronger than any blood ties could have made them,” Priscilla stated adamantly.
When Mr. Phillips had written her will, Priscilla had added a clause to provide for Fanny and any of her daughters, starting with Jane.
If Bennet predeceased her, Fanny would receive two thousand pounds a year for life.
It was written in such a way that even if she remarried, her husband would never have control of the funds.
In addition to that, each daughter would receive a dowry of twelve thousand pounds.
Fanny had objected vociferously, just as Priscilla had anticipated.
She had used the argument that Fanny and Jane, who called Priscilla ‘Aunty Cilla,’ were her only remaining family.
She also pointed out that the amounts she was bequeathing to Fanny, Jane, and any subsequent daughters were but a drop out of the bucket that represented her annual earnings from her invested wealth and Netherfield Park’s income, not to mention the principal.
It took some cajoling, but eventually Priscilla convinced her friend to accept the bequest graciously.
Both hoped it would be many years before either Cilla or Thomas were called home to God.
For Fanny, it meant she never had to worry about the entail to the male line that dictated Longbourn—if she never delivered a son—would pass to some distant cousin.
The relief such knowledge offered was as if a large stone had been lifted from her.
She had not carried the burden on her shoulders alone, but deep in her soul fear for her, and more importantly, her children’s future had taken root.
About three hours later, Fanny entered the final stage of her confinement. Mrs. Sherman attended her, while receiving regular updates on her Ladyship’s progress who, as yet, was not as far along as Mrs. Bennet.
Half an hour later, Fanny Bennet’s babe was born into the world.
Fanny began to panic when she did not hear the tell-tale crying she had experienced with Jane’s birth.
“It pains me to tell ya’ Missus, but your son were born dead.
‘is chord were wrapped around ‘is neck,” Mrs. Sherman informed Mrs. Bennet.
“Let me hold him, please,” Fanny asked, quietly crying for her dead son who she had loved from the day she had learned he was inside of her. After the silent body was cleaned and swaddled so his face was visible, he was passed into his mother’s arms.
Just then, the midwife was called away to attend Lady Priscilla.
An hour later, the lusty cries of a new-born were heard, and Fanny cried for joy knowing her best friend had not suffered the same fate as her.
She had Jane and a husband she loved; she was sure she would have more children in the future, but she knew this had been Priscilla’s only chance to bear a child.
Because it was her beloved’s babe, it was a most precious gift.
Her friend could never love another and would never marry again.
What Fanny did not know just then was that her friend was suffering a side effect too many women experienced and was haemorrhaging blood in enormous amounts.
It took much, much longer than was healthy to stem the flow.
When Fanny heard of the problem, she forced herself out of her bed and went to her friend’s side.
She stifled a gasp when she spied Priscilla.
Her pallor was as white as the sheets she lay on.
As weak as she was, Priscilla requested the chambers be cleared of all but her and Fanny.
“Fanny, I am so sorry; I was informed your son was stillborn.” Fanny was about to interject, but Priscilla stilled her with a weak squeeze to the hand.
“You are my sister of the heart, and you will do anything for me, will you not, Fanny?” Priscilla asked.
Fanny nodded as the tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Swear to me, Fanny, swear you will do whatever I ask of you.”
“You have my solemn word, but you need to conserve your strength to get better for all of us who love you, for your daughter most especially, Cilla,” Fanny pleaded.
“Fanny, you are too intelligent to not see what is before your eyes. By tomorrow I will be no more. My baby girl, I want her named Elizabeth Sarah for my grandmother Beth and my mother. Yes, even if Mother has rejected me, I have not rejected her,” Priscilla paused as she drew on the reserve of strength left in her body.
“This is the hardest thing you will ever be asked, but have your son brought to me, and I want you to take Elizbeth and raise her as your own. I promise to care for him above in heaven as you will care for my Elizabeth here on earth until you join us a great many years from now. We will have many stories to share then, Fanny, a great many.” Seeing her friend was about to protest, Priscilla curtailed her.
“Fanny, you swore you would do as I asked!”
“I did, and I will. But what of the two maids, Mrs. Nichols, and Mrs. Sherman? They all know the truth,” Fanny asked carefully, trying to determine the best path to accomplish all that was being asked of her.
“First, I leave it to you Fanny to tell Elizabeth the truth of her birth when she is eighteen, or you feel she is ready, that she is a Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and more than likely high in the line of succession to the throne.
How she proceeds will be up to her at that point.