Page 74 of A Life Diverted

There was a knock on the Bennets’ sitting room door and the Darcys were welcomed inside.

They were not wholly surprised to see their host and hostess present as well.

There was a tea service on the table, and Lady Edith poured for everyone.

There was silence except for the sounds of teacups on saucers until all six had drained their cups.

“First, Lady Anne, in her letters to you, did Priscilla mention her sister of the heart who lived at a neighbouring estate?” Fanny opened.

Lady Anne nodded her head, as she remembered how often her friend wrote of her best friend she had made in Hertfordshire, Francine.

“Fanny—you are that same Francine, are you not?” Lady Anne asked softly.

As she now recognised who Fanny was, she knew from what Priscilla had written before the divorce, that the lady opposite her would have done anything for her friend.

The relief of knowing she was with Priscilla’s true friend was nearly overwhelming, and any thoughts of Priscilla being ill-used by the Bennets were expelled from her consciousness.

“Why did Priscilla stop writing to me? I never cut her, unlike others did, including her own family.”

“You will understand shortly, and please call me Fanny.” Fanny proceeded to tell Lady Anne how their mutual friend had been with child when the King tore her apart from her Freddy, how they had entered their confinements together, and that each given birth, Priscilla a stillborn son she named Frederick after his father, and Lizzy born to herself. “Now, Lady Anne…”

“Please call me, Anne,” Lady Anne requested softly as she dried her cheeks, the news immediately overwhelming her with sadness.

“Now, Anne, we come to the hardest part I need to tell you, which will explain why she never wrote to you again,” Fanny began again, trying to find the gentlest way to tell the lady sitting opposite her.

“She is no more, is she?” Lady Anne asked quietly, wilting into the arms of her husband when she saw the answer in Fanny’s eyes, grateful she had his arms around her and knowing that her friend had been denied such comfort when her Fredrick had been torn asunder from her life.

“I am so sorry.” Fanny herself fell into tears as she had finally met someone who loved her friend as much as she had and who would grieve with her.

“She went home to God only hours after she had given birth. I sat with her and held her hand until she left the mortal world,” Fanny informed Lady Anne gently.

It took about ten minutes for Lady Anne to recover some equanimity. “I am well now, Robert; I think I suspected she was gone, but I hoped I was wrong. Do her parents not know?”

“No, they do not, and that is per Priscilla’s wishes.

She told me, made me swear to her on her deathbed, that I could only inform those who asked.

I understand now you were honouring what you thought were Priscilla’s wishes when she did not respond to your letters, but based on my vow, I could not inform anyone who did not reach out first. For that, I am sorry, but I trust you are able to understand why I could not,” Fanny stated evenly.

“It speaks very well of you that you are as good a friend to her in death as you were to her in life. Yes, I completely understand,” Lady Anne returned.

“Given the news you just learnt, do you want us to continue our conversation as we planned, Anne, or would you like to do so at a later time or date?” Fanny enquired.

“No, Fanny, I am willing to continue now if you are.” Lady Anne averred.

“Are you sure, Anne?” Darcy asked his wife, his concern for her touchingly obvious.

“Yes, Robert. I am sure. I have regained my composure and would very much like to hear about Priscilla’s life after she married the Duke—the Prince,” Lady Anne assured her husband.

With that, the other four exited the sitting room and the door was closed.

The two ladies moved to sit next to one another on the settee.

Lady Anne took Fanny’s hand in hers, the bond created in their mutual admiration of Priscilla one that would be for life, and already made them friends, and more, in under an hour’s time.

“If you have questions, please ask them, Anne,” Fanny allowed.

“How is it you have Netherfield?” Lady Anne asked.

“We live there, but do not own it. Priscilla added a clause to her will, one she never thought would be needed, but did so in the event the worst happening. Other than some small bequests, she willed everything to my Lizzy because we had been with child together,” Fanny related the same explanation she had told her husband to Lady Anne.

“Tell me honestly, it was your son who died, was it not? Elizabeth is Priscilla’s daughter, is she not?” Lady Anne asked with surety.

“How did you know?” Fanny enquired, already knowing the answer as it was in her daughter’s green eyes, should anyone be looking to find it.

“When I met Priscilla for the first time, she was Lizzy’s age.

When I first saw Lizzy at the wedding breakfast, I thought I was hallucinating—seeing Priscilla as she was when we met.

Then when I saw her from close up, I could see Priscilla looking back at me.

Not only that, but Lizzy also sounds just like her mother,” Lady Anne stated.

“Her father does not know he has a daughter, does he? Does anyone know she is a Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland?”

“No, the Prince is unaware. Let me retrieve something for you. Priscilla wrote four letters before her final confinement. At Priscilla’s behest, I wrote the name and gender where needed in the letter for her birthfather; it is to be given to him when Lizzy receives hers, on her eighteenth birthday or when I feel it is needed beforehand.

There is one to my Thomas, and one to her parents, all to be given to or posted to the recipients when Lizzy is informed.

“She made me swear I would honour her wishes before she told me what it was she wanted. It was her wish that we switch the babies and for me to raise Lizzy as my own. I made the vow; I could do no less. What I am about to retrieve is a fifth letter she had me write for her before she let go, which she signed herself.” Fanny stood and retrieved the letter she always kept close and handed it to Lady Anne who opened it and began to read.

5 March 1790

Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire

If my sister Fanny Bennet has handed you this letter then you are someone who was very close to me, and I can only think of two, Anne Darcy and Elaine Fitzwilliam, who might see my daughter and guess she is of my body and not Fanny’s child by blood.

I am weak of body, but not of mind. Before I told her what she was promising to do, I convinced Fanny to promise me she would obey my wishes to the letter as I have asked of her.

Who better to raise my daughter than the woman who has been at my side through these recent times, good and bad?

The same lady whose daughter Jane is my niece in all ways but blood.

Yes, Elizabeth Sarah, named for my beloved late Grandmother Beth and my mother is my daughter. Even after she cut me, I have honoured my mother with my daughter’s middle name. No matter her actions, she is still my mother and I will always love her.

I have made some small bequests, but everything else, including the money Frederick settled on me, will be Elizabeth’s. Other than Fanny, and now you, the only others who know the full truth are the solicitor, Mr. Frank Phillips, and my man of business, Mr. Edward Gardiner.

Not being here to have you give me your vow as I requested Fanny make, I beseech you to honour my wishes.

When Elizabeth is eighteen, she will know the truth, as will her birthfather, my parents, and Thomas Bennet.

I ask that you not share the truth of Elizabeth’s parentage, even with your husbands.

As I dictate the last, I am sure it is something you will not be able to do.

Anne or Elaine, if it is you, I understand if you need to tell Robert or Reggie all. I know you do not keep secrets from your husbands under any circumstances. Before you do so, please have them promise they will not inform anyone until Elizabeth’s existence becomes common knowledge.

Mr. Phillips has the true page of the register, the one witnessed by the midwife and others if there is ever a question of her paternity.

As I was with child before the divorce, Elizabeth will never be tainted with the stain of illegitimacy.

Given she was born less than six months after Frederick was torn from me, there will be no question who the father is.

The law states that a child born up to ten months after separation is the child of the previous husband.

Thus there is no legal or moral question of my daughter’s paternity.

I support Fanny in keeping her true fortune from becoming common knowledge as it would draw every fortune hunter in the known world to her.

Please know how much I value those like you who did not abandon me. I meant to write and reopen correspondence, but it was not to be. If the reader is either Anne or Elaine, know how much your friendship meant to me.

God bless you,

Cilla

“I am so happy she had you with her Fanny; what a burden you have shouldered these five years.” Lady Anne repeatedly wiped away her tears, her shoulder resting against Fanny’s as she was grateful to share her grief with someone so connected to Priscilla, who had been her support and comfort until she breathed her last. “Mr. Bennet does not know Lizzy is not his daughter by blood?” Lady Anne asked after she composed herself.

“No, he does not. He commented once on Lizzy’s green eyes, but never anything since. If he asked me directly I would tell him, but I cannot break my promise to Cilla,” Fanny averred.

“Where is she buried?” Lady Anne asked.

“At St. Alfred’s in Meryton. It is the church closest to Netherfield Park,” Fanny replied.

“You live at Netherfield now, correct?” Lady Anne asked, her mind starting to race now that she had more from Mrs. Bennet than she had ever imagined she might gain during this visit, and within but three hours of their meeting.

“Yes, we lease out our estate, Longbourn. When Lizzy gains her majority, she will receive control of her inheritance, including Netherfield Park. I still feel Cilla’s presence in the house, which is why I asked Thomas to allow us to live there.

” Fanny smiled sadly, understanding the look of longing in Lady Anne’s expression.

“When you travel to Town for the season—I assume you do?” Lady Anne nodded.

“If we are home—and the chances are we will be as Thomas eschews Town—you will be welcome to visit Netherfield Park. It is as Cilla decorated it; I am sure you will feel her presence there as well,” Fanny suggested.

“Fanny, may I take the letter to show Robert when I tell him? Priscilla knew me well; as she herself asked you to write, we do not keep secrets, and I did not make that vow to her, but Robert will be the only one I share the information with, as she asked of me,” Lady Anne requested.

“You should know that my sister Elaine will not keep secrets from her husband—my bother—either.”

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

After his wife told him all and allowed him to read the letter, Robert Darcy was silent for some minutes.

“So William insulted a Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, one who has more wealth on her own than we do. And unless she tells him, or there is an announcement from the royals after she turns eighteen, he will not know.”

“You know we are about to become close connections of the Bennets do you not, my love?” Lady Anne asked.

“No doubt, Anne; I had no doubt when the two of you started crying together.” He soothed her as he held her hand a little tighter in appreciation of her finding some relief after being sad so long because she had no word from her friend.

“It does not hurt that Bennet seems to be exactly the kind of man I would like to know. What about Elaine and Reggie?” Darcy asked.

“If Elaine draws the same conclusions I did, Fanny will tell her and allow her to read the letter. Whether or not my sister then tells my brother will be up to her. I am sure Elaine would not keep secrets from Reggie,” Lady Anne opined.

Lady Anne returned the precious letter to her new friend. An hour later, the Matlock coaches arrived at Holder heights.