Page 34

“Mrs Bennet, you did not exit your cottage, but you sent Miss Millar to attempt to maim or kill Miss Bennet. She failed to harm Miss Bennet in any way, but that does not change the fact that you solicited your own daughter to attempt to murder your own flesh and blood,” Sir William stated with a hard edge on his voice. Gone was the jovial man everyone knew.

“I did nothing of the sort. If Jane attempted to rid the world of that demon, as much as I support the idea, it is nothing to do with me,” Fanny dissembled. She was positive Jane would not turn on her…again.

“Miss Millar has admitted to all, and rather than have you tried and hanged for attempting to harm his fiancée, His Grace is going to have you transported,” Sir William related.

He watched her begin to force tears from her eyes.

“Those false tears have never worked with anyone before, they will not assist you now.”

Fanny replayed his words over in her head and when she realised what he had said, she screamed, “ NO !” I will not allow that devil’s spawn to become a duchess! I will kill her myself...”

One man grabbed the insane woman’s arms while another stuffed a gag into her mouth. Her hands were bound behind her back. When the enraged lady attempted to kick, her legs were bound at her ankles as well. Johns lifted her as if she was nothing and dropped her into the bed of the donkey drawn cart.

“His Grace will sign the order as soon as we return you to Purvis Lodge,” Sir William explained Fanny Bennet’s fate which was awaiting her. “You will be branded as a felon, labour for fourteen years, and never be allowed to return from Van Diemen’s land.”

As much as she tried to fight against the restraints and gag, nothing helped. Suddenly Fanny let out a strangled cry, her eyes rolled back, and she went quiet.

Biggs was standing nearest to her. “She aint livin’,” he opined.

Sir William examined the prostrated form in the bed of the cart. “I believe she got herself so worked up that she had a massive apoplexy. Let us return and report what has occurred to those at Purvis Lodge,” he stated.

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

“Thank you, Sir William, you did everything we asked of you,” Hertfordshire stated as he extended his hand to the knight who would soon be a relation of his. “The fact that Mrs Bennet expired when you arrested her is a coincidence. My men bound her, and they would not have done so too tightly.”

“As sorry as I am for any person to lose their life, I cannot say I will miss Mrs Bennet,” Sir William stated seriously. “Do you want me to notify Bennet?”

“No, it is not necessary as I need to speak to him. You may as well know as it will be public knowledge soon enough, I am to marry Miss Bennet. We would have waited a few years, but these events have accelerated the process. This way I am able to protect all of the Bennet sisters from their neglectful father,” Hertfordshire revealed.

Sir William kept his features schooled. Even when he had been told of the courtship, he had held out hope his Charlotte would be a duchess one day.

It seemed that would never be. At least, she would be the Duke’s niece.

He had to fight from smiling when he realised that Charlotte’s best friend, who was six years her junior, would be her aunt once Lizzy Bennet wed His Grace.

“If there is nothing else, I will have the men deliver the body to the undertaker,” Sir William stated as he bowed.

The Duke looked around at the contemplative faces in the drawing room.

“I second Sir William’s words, none of us expected this.

I know that you never had a relationship with her, but she was your mother,” he looked at Lizzy and Mary, then at Mrs Phillips and Gardiner, “and sister. As such, for what they are worth, I offer my condolences.” He cared nought for the woman who had wanted to harm his Lizzy; his worry was for those left living.

Gardiner looked at Hattie who nodded. “Like you, we never hoped for this outcome, however, we will not miss having her as a sister. Neither Hattie nor I see the need to mourn her so as much as we appreciate your wishes, they are unnecessary,” he stated.

“Mary and I never even met the woman, and all we know is she wished us harm. More than that, she actively attempted to hurt me. We will not mourn her passing either,” Elizabeth stated evenly.

She would never wish this on anyone, but perhaps it was His punishment for her attempting to murder one of His children.

She turned to Aunt Hattie. “Cathy and Lydia will not need to honour her, will they?”

“No, we will not ask that of them.” Suddenly Hattie thought of someone. “Who will inform Jane about her mother?”

“I think you and I as Fanny’s sister and brother should deliver the news,” Gardiner suggested.

Hattie nodded her agreement. She and her brother stood and exited the room.

“When will you go to speak to Mr Bennet?” Elizabeth enquired once her aunt and uncle had left the room.

“He is no better a parent than his late wife was, but at least, he never attempted to harm us the way she did. Neither of them should have ever been parents. She did not love Jane; all she saw was someone to manipulate and mould into a copy of herself. There was no good in the late Mrs Bennet.”

“I agree with your conclusions. My intention is to make for Longbourn once your Uncle Frank codifies the agreement, I will be offering your birth father when, as we suspect he will, he denies his permission for us to marry. I hear he is not the bravest, so I will put some fear into him once I reveal who I am,” the Duke responded.

Phillips stood. “Hertfordshire, let us make for the study,” he suggested.

“I will come for you when we are done. You should be with me when I confront Mr Bennet. It is only right as I want us to have a true partnership,” Hertfordshire stated as he took leave of his beloved.

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

Miss Jane Millar did not know how to feel when her Aunt Phillips and Uncle Gardiner informed her of the death of her mother.

During her time locked up and alone, she had begun to reach the conclusion that her mother did not love her; she only loved herself.

She had asked herself why her mother had accepted her while rejecting her half-sisters.

She finally accepted it was for purely superficial reasons and that was because she looked like her mother when she had been younger.

All of these thoughts were running through her mind while the news was broken to her. Jane also did not know if this would change her being sent to the estate, Greenfield, in Ireland. “What is the mourning period, and will I be able to mourn when I am in service?” Jane enquired.

“The accepted period for a parent is six months, three in deep mourning and the rest in half mourning,” Gardiner informed his niece.

Neither he nor his sister missed the fact that Fanny’s daughter expressed no words of sorrow at her mother’s passing.

“I believe your uniform will be black anyway, but it is not the same as if you were living here and in society. If you choose not to partake in any form of entertainment, such as there is for servants, during your deep mourning period, that would be enough.”

“Remember, there are no hard and fast rules in society regarding mourning, they are more suggestions,” Hattie added. “As Edward stated, you will not be with anyone who knows you, and also, it is your personal choice. Do what feels right to you.”

“Thank you for informing me. I will think on it,” Jane stated without emotion.

The death of her mother had changed nothing with regards to her punishment. She would soon be on her way to Ireland. Jane owned that she had some very hard lessons to learn.

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

“Why do we have to make a stop in this little hamlet on the morrow,” William Darcy complained. “I know you are friends of His Grace, but other than the Duke, there is no one there who will not be below my notice.”

“William, your attitude begins to grate on my nerves. You sound more like my sister, Catherine, than my son. His nephew and heir presumptive will also be present,” she huffed.

Lady Anne turned to her husband with a flash of anger.

“Zeus is with us. Allow the boy to ride to London. I think it would be more enjoyable without his superior attitude.”

“I agree,” Darcy stated. “You have learnt your duties well, William, but your behaviour is not acceptable. Some time alone in London may give you time to cogitate on the way you relate to others.”

He gave his parents a tight bow and left their sitting room at the inn.

Why did no one understand that he needed to keep away from those below him?

William ignored the voice screaming in his head that Bingley was the son of a tradesman, yet he had become his friend over the years.

It was not pleasant to have his parents’ censure him in that way.

At least he was pleased he would not have to tolerate the Duke’s neighbours. He would miss his parents and Anna—when she had turned ten, she had eschewed the name Gigi, but liked being called Anna—but he would see them soon enough in Town. He was positive his parents would forgive him by then.