Page 22 of Aunt Felicity

B ennet was reading his latest book and sipping his port when the door to his study was pushed open, and Hill led four gentlemen into his sanctuary, all finely dressed. He was about to ask Hill what the meaning of this interruption was when he saw one of the younger men. He was limping but that was not what caught Bennet’s eye. His hair was the same colour and had a similar wavy texture to it as his late mother. On its own that would not have been significant. It was the eyes of the exact same colour and shape that he saw each time he looked into Lizzy’s eyes, the same eyes his mother had had, and Felicity had. He realised that he had not thought of his sister in well over twenty years until that moment. Could this younger man be related to his long banished sister?

“Hill, what is the meaning of this?” Bennet blustered.

“Mr Hill, would you please make the introductions?” Reggie requested.

“Aye your Lordship,” Hill bowed. “Lords Matlock and Hilldale, Mr Darcy, and Mr Fitzwilliam, I present to you Mr Thomas Bennet, master of Longbourn. Mr Bennet Lord Reginald Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Matlock, Lord Andrew Fitzwilliam, Viscount Hilldale, the Honourable Mr Richard Fitzwilliam, and Mr Robert Darcy, the master of Pemberley in Derbyshire.” Having done his duty, Hill bowed and withdrew from the study.

“Darcy of Pemberley, are you related to the one visiting Mr Bingley, who decided to insult my favourite daughter?” Bennet asked disrespectfully.

“Yes, William is my son, and I intend to have words with him. He should never have slighted Miss Elizabeth. In addition, there is no excuse for him not begging her pardon immediately. He will be doing so very soon,” Darcy replied evenly.

The last thing he thought Lizzy’s arrogant insulter’s father would do was to own his son’s error without trying to excuse his actions. As such Bennet was taken aback. He recovered and turned to the Earl and his sons. “Why would a peer of the realm lower himself to enter the study of a lowly country squire?” he sneered.

“Because, Mr Bennet, after being married to the woman whom I love more than life itself for more than four and thirty years, I thought it was time I met my brother-in-law,” Reggie allowed his statement to hang in the air as the sneer was wiped from the other man’s face. Instead, the man behind the desk lost his colour as he processed the information which had just been shared.

“You are an earl,” Bennet managed.

“Indeed,” Reggie confirmed.

“That means that Felicity is a …” The words stuck in his craw. He could not say it.

“Yes, the sister you rejected is the Countess of Matlock, one of the leading lights of the Ton , and a personal favourite of Her Majesty, Queen Charlotte,” Reggie completed. “Let me ask you something, Brother , have you ever taken the trouble to read the documents which govern the entail on Longbourn?”

Regardless of his past determination to keep the banishment of his sister in place, Bennet would not say a word about that. He did not need the trouble which he would invite taking on a powerful earl and his family. He was already reeling at discovering his sister was a countess, favoured by Her Majesty, and now questions about the damned entail. “I had no need to trouble myself. That buffoon William Collins is my heir presumptive; besides, what business is it of yours?” Bennet managed.

“Just like your mother told us,” Reggie looked at his sons and shook his head in disgust, “always the path of least effort.” He pulled the copy of the entail from his folio and opened it to the relevant page. “Read from here,” he commanded as he pointed to a clause.

As he read, Bennet, who was not an unintelligent man, understood what the Earl had meant. “Your heir is also my heir presumptive,” Bennet realised.

“If you had ever taken the time to read the document, you would have noted that there is no specification that it must be the eldest son. Hence Richard here, who before he was injured on the Iberian Peninsula was a Colonel, is the heir presumptive. Your brother-in-law Phillips can confirm that what I am telling you is valid,” Reggie explained. He saw Bennet looked amused. “What in this is entertaining to you?”

Bennet found the letter from his idiot cousin on his desk. “Because of this, my Lord. The man who thought he was the heir presumptive wrote to me and invited himself to visit early next month.” He handed the letter to the Earl.

Reggie was not ready to invite the man to address him informally yet. He took the letter and with Darcy and his sons reading over his shoulders, all four read the drivel.

While they were reading, Bennet realised who was not in his study. “Where is my sister? Or did she not accompany you?” he enquired. He hoped it was the latter, for he was not looking forward to facing Felicity and explaining why he had carried on with his late father’s banishment.

“My wife , my eldest son’s wife, our daughter, and Darcy’s daughter went to make themselves known to, and visit with the ladies of the house,” Reggie revealed.

“How I would have loved to have seen Fanny’s reaction when she saw my sister.” Bennet looked at the four men and was struck that none of them seemed surprised at reading Collins’s name or his extolling of his noble patroness. “You knew Collins was the former heir, did you not?”

It was exactly how Strike had reported. All the man cared for was amusing himself at his wife’s and daughters’ expenses. He shook his head at the weak man before him. “Yes, we did,” Reggie confirmed. “Lady de Bourgh is unfortunately my older sister. This Collins man is exactly the type of pusillanimous bootlicker with whom she likes to surround herself.”

Bennet did not bother to ask how the Fitzwilliams knew about Collins, had a copy of the entail, or seemed to know so much about him and his family. It was neither here nor there; a Collins would never get his grubby hands on Longbourn.

“Let me ask you something, Mr Bennet,” Richard, who was controlling his anger at the man who had treated his dear mother so badly, and who for no other reason than laziness had continued his mother’s estrangement from her Bennet family, spoke.

Bennet inclined his head.

“How is it you care not that my youngest two cousins will ruin themselves and their sisters? From the books I see around us on the shelves, I can see you have not spared an expense to purchase them, but tell me, how much have you saved for my cousins’ dowries? And more importantly, how could you cast your own sister off because of the edict of my late grandfather who was obviously insane?”

“You deprived us of being able to know our cousins, we are so very grateful that Grandmama Beth was determined not to lose her beloved daughter and that we came to know and love our Grandmama before she was taken from us,” Andrew added. He saw the confusion on his uncle’s face. “We lived in Ramsgate! Why do you think your mother was there for half of the year? She was hale and healthy until Mr Bennet forced her to accompany him that fateful day.”

Suddenly Bennet understood why his mother used to return from her sojourns with a renewed sense of purpose and why her spirits lightened each year as her departure from Longbourn neared. For the first time he could remember he felt abject shame. His list of failures was long indeed.

“Who was my late mother’s friend, Angeline, who used to convey her to and from Ramsgate?” Bennet wondered.

“She was my late mother, the Dowager Countess of Matlock,” Reggie averred.

“I need to beg Felicity’s pardon, and then, if she grants it, I owe all of you my apologies as well,” Bennet admitted, his head down. Gone was his smirk.

“Just so you know, we will be making for Netherfield Park soon enough. My son, who is too high in the instep, needs to be brought down a peg or two,” Darcy reported. “By the way, my late wife, Anne, was Matlock’s younger sister.”

“As we are all family here, and two of you are my nephews, please call me Bennet,” Bennet invited.

Reggie looked at his sons and Darcy, all three nodded. “I am Matlock, he is Darcy, Andrew or Hilldale, and Richard or Fitzwilliam,” he permitted. “Do you think we should join the ladies?”

“I suggest some fortifying port before we venture into the lion’s den,” Bennet proposed. None of the others said a word in opposition.

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

While Jane and Mrs Hill assisted Fanny into a chair, Elizabeth and the three younger Bennet sisters stared at the four elegant looking ladies who had entered the drawing room. Not only did Lizzy look like the older lady who had spoken, but one of the younger ladies also bore a great resemblance to Lizzy in her facial features although she was taller, had blue eyes, and sandy blonde hair.

“You look just like the likeness of Grandmama Beth in the hallway,” Elizabeth finally managed.

“I should do, she was my mother, and like you, I bear the same middle name as Mama,” Felicity explained. Her eyes moistened, and her voice hitched when she mentioned her beloved late mother.

Elizabeth did not miss the lady’s sadness. Not just any lady, her aunt! How many times had she not asked Papa why a name of one born in 1760 had been crossed out from the page in the family Bible? He had never answered and always changed the subject. It was obvious it was this lady’s name which had been erased.

She gently pulled the lady into a hug. It just felt right, they had only just met, not even properly yet, and she already felt a pull to the older lady. “I am sure you miss your mama terribly. I was only a few months old when she was taken from us, so I never had the privilege of knowing her. Janie,” Elizabeth inclined her head to her older sister attempting to revive her mother, “was three, but sadly she does not remember Grandmama Beth either.”

“Mama?” Bethanne enquired worriedly as she approached her mother being comforted by her cousin.

“I will be well, Bethie, Lizzy and I were speaking of Mama,” Felicity explained.

“How do you know my name when I knew not that I had an aunt and cousins?” Elizabeth puzzled.

Before an answer could be provided, Fanny began to come too. Seeing that the ghost of her mother-in-law was still present, she promptly fainted again. “Agnes, I suggest you and a footman carry the mistress to her bed. She has had a great shock.”

“Who are you to order Mrs Hill about as if you are a duchess?” Lydia demanded brashly.

“You must be Lydia, not yet fifteen and the manners of a sailor. If you must know, I am your aunt, your father’s younger sister. No, I am not a duchess, I am, however, a peeress! My name is Lady Felicity Fitzwilliam, the Countess of Matlock. I am much closer to that title than a spoilt, ill-behaving child. This young lady is married to your eldest cousin. She is Marie Fitzwilliam, Viscountess Hilldale, next is my daughter Lady Bethanne Fitzwilliam, who we all call Bethie, and lastly is your cousin by marriage Georgiana Darcy, who we all call Anna. Daughters and Anna these are Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Catherine, and Lydia Bennet, the five daughters of my brother Thomas. Elizabeth is called Lizzy and Catherine is known as Kitty.”

Rather than react, Lydia sat staring at the Countess with her mouth hanging open.

“My Lady, how do you know who we are when we did not know you existed until minutes ago?” Jane asked. She stopped when Elizabeth began to giggle. “Lizzy?”

“Call me Aunt Felicity, you may use Marie, Bethie, and Anna for your cousins.” Felicity turned to her eldest niece. “Jane, when it became apparent there was a need to make contact with the Bennets again, regardless of my father banishing me and your father continuing his ways, we employed an investigator.” With a smile on her face she turned to Elizabeth who was trying to cover her mouth with her hand. “If I am not mistaken, Lizzy realised that the man who slighted her at the assembly is, in fact, her cousin.”

“You knew about that?” Elizabeth arched an eyebrow.

“William wrote to Richard,” Georgiana began to explain; “Richard is Aunt Felicity’s younger son. He and my brother are as close as brothers by blood. It is what brought us south now. I am so sorry that my brother dared to insult you, Lizzy. Aunt is right; he must have been blind not to see that you are a younger copy of our aunt.”

Miss Darcy, Anna, was nothing like her brother. Elizabeth knew she would be able to be close to her new cousin without very much effort. From what she had heard, none of the rest of her newly discovered family was like the proud, arrogant, insufferable man. In fact, they all seemed to reject his aloof behaviour. “Ever since the assembly, whenever we are in company with our cousin , he is always staring at me. I am sure it is to find fault,” she related.

“Lizzy dear, I know you are an intelligent, quick witted girl, but one who has no experience with the ways of men who are attracted to a lady. A man who disdains a lady does not waste his time looking at her,” Felicity disagreed.

“Mother has the right of it. In all the time I have known William since before I married Andrew more than four years past, never have I seen him look at a non-family member of the female sex twice,” Marie added.

“But I am family,” a flustered Elizabeth managed lamely.

“Something you were not aware of until only moments ago, and William has no inkling of, as he is yet to be informed of that fact,” Felicity pointed out.

Lydia was tired of not being the centre of attention. “I care not if you are a countess. How dare you call me a child, I will be…” Whatever else Lydia was about to say was lost as her aunt delivered a slap to her face. Lydia howled with shock as she held her stinging cheek.

Before Lydia could react the door was flung open, and her father led the men into the room. “Lydia Bennet, you are returned to the school room,” Bennet boomed. He nodded to Hill and the footman who dragged the caterwauling child out of the drawing room. Bennet looked at his second youngest. “Will you behave like a lady, or do you need to join your sister back in the nursery?”

“I will be a good girl, Papa,” Kitty squeaked.

Felicity and Bennet who had not seen one another for almost five and thirty years stood and stared at each other. The latter was the first to look away. “Allow me to introduce those who have just arrived,” Felicity stated before she addressed her brother.

As soon as his sister-in-law made the introductions, Darcy approached Elizabeth. “Miss Elizabeth, please allow me to apologise on behalf of my son, his behaviour was not that of a gentleman and does not reflect my attitudes or beliefs,” he said with contrition. He had heard that Miss Elizabeth and Felicity bore a close resemblance, but he had not expected it to be as similar as it was. Seeing the young lady before him was almost like seeing Felicity that first time he and Anne met her at the house in Ramsgate.

“I thank you for your words, Mr Darcy, but you have done nothing for which you need to apologise. If and when your son begs my pardon and is sincere, I will be happy to grant him such,” Elizabeth asserted.

Darcy looked at the four remaining Bennet sisters. “Please address me as Uncle Robert.” There were four nods and smiles.

“One thing you should know,” Bennet addressed his four daughters remaining in the drawing room, “is that my nephew, Richard,” he inclined his head towards the one he named, “is in fact the heir presumptive and not anyone named Collins.” He turned to face his sister. It was not a time for him to sit by passively and wait for events to unfold and to choose the easiest path. “Felicity, I was so very wrong. I should have opposed Father’s attempt to force you to marry that brute many years ago. I should not have compounded my lack of backbone by allowing what had become the status quo to proceed just because it was easier for me. It is evident to me that you have a husband who loves you and a family who is as devoted to you as you are to them. I robbed my daughters of knowing the wonderful woman I knew you were. I know not whether you will, or if I even deserve, to be forgiven for my errors and inactions, but I want you to know that I know how much I erred and do beg your pardon, if and when you are ready to grant it.”

There was no question that it had not been easy for her brother to acknowledge his faults so openly before the whole of the family. Felicity was not the type of person to hold grudges. The one exception may have been the late man who had been her father, but as he was long dead, she would never know. “Thomas, you and I will talk more, but I thank you for your words of contrition and do not reject them. It may take me a while to move past all of the pain of the last three decades with regards to the name Bennet, but I am confident that with the support of the loving family, which now includes my nieces, I will be able to grant you a full pardon. First, Brother, do you not think it is time to assert your authority over your family?”

Bennet was aware of his failings as a father and husband. Felicity had never been shy about speaking plainly, and it seemed that had not changed in the intervening years. “I will be taking my youngest girls in hand,” Bennet looked directly at Elizabeth as he said the last and was shamed all over again at the look of relief he saw on her countenance. “What did I miss before we men joined you?”

Jane showed her father the note from Netherfield Park before she and Lizzy told him what their mother had attempted to order before seeing their aunt and fainting away.

“May I make a suggestion?” Felicity interjected. Bennet inclined his head to his sister. “Jane dear, send a note that you have plans tonight, which is true; you have many family members to come to know. Then on the morrow, we can all go to visit Netherfield Park. We do not want William to be forewarned of our coming.” She turned to her beloved husband who was at her side. “We should go and see if the Red Lion Inn can accommodate us tonight.”

“Nonsense! After being away from your home for so many years, we will make a plan and make room here at Longbourn,” Elizabeth stated. She blushed knowing she had overstepped, but she was so used to making decisions in place of her father.

Seeing his daughter’s discomfort, Bennet spoke, “Lizzy is correct. She and Jane are much more familiar with the running of the house than I am, but I am sure we can accommodate all of you.”

“There are three guest chambers,” Jane related, “and if Kitty will join Lydia in the nursery tonight then Mr Fitzwilliam…” His cousin interjected, “Jane, we are cousins, please call me Richard,” he allowed.

“As I was saying, then Richard can have Kitty and Lydia’s room. Bethie and Anna, between Lizzy, Mary, and myself, we will find space for you,” Jane completed.

Felicity looked at her husband and the rest of those who had arrived with them. All nodded. “Thank you, it will be wonderful to spend the night at Longbourn once again,” she accepted.

“I will go and speak to Mrs Hill and cook as soon as I write the missive to send to Mrs Hurst,” Jane stood and made her way out of the room.

“And I need to go see my wife. As entertaining as it would be to see her faint each time she sees Felicity, I must explain everything to her. Bennet left the rest of the family to become more familiar with each other and made his way up the stairs to his wife’s chambers. He paused at the door. It had been since before Lydia’s birth that he had entered Fanny’s suite. Nothing was to be gained by delaying. He knocked once, and pushed the door open before waiting for an answer.

“Oh Mr Bennet, your mother is haunting me,” Fanny wailed as she sat up in her bed waiving a lace square furiously.

“Mrs Bennet, stop this instant!” Bennet commanded firmly. “It was no ghost you saw, and it is not my long dead mother. Surely you remember I have a sister, Felicity? You and she were never close, but I know you were aware of one another many years ago.”

“Your sister? You never mentioned her after her elopement. Hence, I assumed she was dead. Why is she here, and how is it that she and the other ladies are dressed so fine?” Fanny demanded.

“When she eloped, it was with the second son of an earl, her husband ascended to the title, so they are the Earl and Countess of Matlock…” Bennet related a condensed version of the tale ending with their nephew being the heir, not Mr Collins.

At first Fanny did not move. “The older brother is a viscount? What a shame he is married. Is the heir single?” she asked as the wheels began to turn in her head.

“I did not ask that.” Bennet raised his hand to cut off his wife’s next statement. “Mrs Bennet, Fanny, there will be no pushing any of our girls at their cousins. There will be many changes coming to Longbourn, not the least of which will be with me. And listen to me, Mrs Bennet, Jane will not be riding anywhere on horseback to get caught in the rain.” Again he held up his hand. “For now, wash and put yourself to rights, and I will escort you downstairs to meet our family.”

Fanny did not know who this assertive man was, but she found she quite liked this version of her husband.