Page 8

As much as Maddie loved her nieces, she prayed that He would bless her with a child of her own. So far, her prayers had not been answered. There was no doubt in her mind that she would not love Lizzy and Mary any less when, if, she had her own.

Word had reached those living in Gracechurch Street via Hattie and Frank Phillips—who had not been blessed with children—that Fanny was large with child again.

The new one was expected in June or July.

The hope shared between the Phillipses and Gardiners was that this time the Bennets would be blessed with a son so Fanny would not reject another daughter, especially if said daughter favoured the Bennets.

That night when Gardiner joined Maddie in their shared bed, she looked at him lovingly, as was their wont. However, he could see she was contemplating something deeply. He knew that as soon as she was ready, she would speak to him.

“Edward, if this is another daughter and Fanny rejects her, as I am sure she will, we need to be ready with a wet nurse to take the babe as soon as may be. I have been corresponding with Mrs Innes, and neither she nor the other three wives of Longbourn’s tenants have given birth recently, and none of them will by the time Fanny is due to deliver.

We will take her as well if this child is in fact, another daughter,” Madeline insisted.

“What say you we check with Hattie and Phillips first?” Gardiner suggested.

“You know how sad my sister is that she has never been with child. I am sure Bennet will sign the same agreement with Phillips as he did with me. But all of this is supposition, as we will not know until Fanny delivers.” He saw his wife was about to protest. “Yes, my love, you have the right of it. We need to prepare.”

“Correct,” Madeline agreed. “I will write to Hattie and suggest the option in case another daughter is born to the Bennets.” She paused and then shook her head at the thought she had.

“Never have two more selfish people married. He hides in his study, and Fanny only cares about Jane because she looks like herself. That man has no spine; he never stands up to his wife.”

“In general, you are correct. However, Bennet has stood firm on one thing. He has refused to give Jane Millar his name, and in a new letter from Phillips, he tells how Bennet has let it be known that no matter what Fanny says about it, she is Miss Millar. She is not now, nor will she ever be Miss Bennet. Maddie, I have no inkling as to why he has made a stand on this. It is not like it would cost him any effort to adopt her and allow her to take his name, but he refuses emphatically. Much to Fanny’s displeasure, no one calls Jane ‘Miss Bennet’.

They all tell her that her mother’s firstborn daughter with Bennet, Lizzy, is the holder of that particular title.

Phillips wrote that only makes Fanny hate Lizzy all the more. ”

“I know she is your younger sister, but what kind of person blames an innocent babe for all sorts of things over which she has no control? She is a terrible person.”

“If you are waiting for me to defend Fanny, you will be waiting until after the second coming, and even then, I will still not pardon all of her offences. I told you she expected my late father to restore her dowry in his will, did I not?” Maddie nodded her head.

“Her dishonourable actions led to my mother’s demise, and then Father was never the same after she went to heaven.

Fanny Bennet would not recognise a consequence if it fell on her head.

From the age of nine or ten, she became the person she is now, and none of us who knew her then understand what changed her. She was never indulged by my parents.”

They spoke of much more pleasant things after Gardiner finally climbed into the bed and soon enough were asleep in one another’s arms.

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

The day after Lizzy turned three, a letter was received from Hattie Phillips.

When Gardiner returned home from his office, which was located inside of his newly expanded warehouse, after kissing his wife on the cheek and then his wards on their foreheads, he took some time to speak to his wife as he did each day after work.

Once his office door was closed, the couple shared kisses and touches they would never do in front of any other.

“Do you have news?” Gardiner asked once he sat on a spacious armchair with his beloved wife on his lap.

“I received a letter from Hattie today. She and Frank will take the next Bennet child without hesitation if it is a girl. They will employ a wet nurse from as far afield as Hatfield or Stevenage if needed,” Madeline reported.

“Fanny has been heard to say that she will not keep any girl who is dark like the Bennets. Also, she is turning Jane into a copy of herself. Hattie opines that Jane will be no better than her mother when she grows up. Is there anything to share from your work?”

“Yes, there is. The risky investments I told you about all paid handsomely. We are becoming rather wealthy. This way, if He grants us children of our blood, we will be able to easily purchase a larger house to accommodate us all. Lizzy and Mary have been rejected once before; they will never be sent away from here, and certainly not for a lack of space,” Gardiner insisted.

After some more kisses, the two went to find the girls. They made a point of spending time with them in the nursery before dinner and then wishing them a good night before having their own meal.

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

The Darcys and Fitzwilliams had just arrived in London for the upcoming season when they were notified about the death of the Duchess of Hertfordshire. None of them enjoyed being in company with Lady Felicia, but Lord Hertfordshire was liked by all of them.

As soon as they were washed and changed and their children with their governesses—or, in Andrew’s case, his tutor—the Fitzwilliam and Darcy parents made directly for Hertfordshire House.

There was no missing the black fabric on the wrought iron gate or the wreath of the same colour on the door.

When they knocked, the butler, wearing a black armband, opened the door a little.

Once he saw who they were, he opened it fully and showed them in.

He had a limited list of names of friends who His Grace would see.

After they were announced, as they had decided before arriving, they allowed their friend to lead the conversation. None of them were under the illusion he was truly mourning his late wife, but they understood that he needed to seem like he was.

“Welcome Matlock, Lady Elaine, Darcy, and Lady Anne,” Hertfordshire greeted warmly. “I assume you are familiar with Colbath and Lady Morag?”

“I know Colbath from the Lords, even if he is from that wasteland to the north of England,” Matlock jested. “It is good to see you again, Colbath. I am not sure if you have met my wife, sister, and brother-in-law.”

“I canna say I have,” Colbath inclined his head.

“I have met Ladies Matlock and Anne at one of the charities we are patronesses of in common,” Lady Morag revealed. “It has been far too long, and I am sorry it is for this reason we are together.”

“Where will the funeral be held?” Lady Anne enquired.

“I am not sure if my late wife had a premonition or it was just something she did because of the inherent danger for each lady who births a babe, but a month back she made me promise that if she passed during childbirth, I would bury her at her brother’s estate of Gryffinwood Dale in Devonshire.

She wanted to rest with her mother and father.

Gryffinwood agreed even though he did not like his sister,” Hertfordshire related.

“I will escort the body on the morrow. The cold temperatures are fortuitous.”

“I know it is early, and I ask this as the daughter-in-law of your late mother’s friend, not meaning to give offence. Will you consider marrying again after your mourning?” Lady Elaine enquired.

“From you I do not object to that question. I will be open to marrying again once my year of mourning is complete. But, I will only propose if that lady and I love and respect one another.” Hertfordshire paused.

“Would you believe that some of the men who called on me in the first days after my wife passed away dropped subtle, and some not too subtle, hints about daughters, granddaughters, or other family members who would make a fine duchess? It is why I had Browning tell all but a few I am not at home.”

“Many nobles are lacking nobility,” Lady Anne observed. “I assume that you will not gratify an attempted compromise like you did not when my sister attempted to entrap you.”

“I will not.” Hertfordshire paused. “Thanks to the fact that Anthony Barrington is my heir presumptive, unless I find a woman I can love, he will be the next duke. All he will have to do is take the Chamberlain name, which I know he will do if needed. I do not feel any pressure to marry and produce an heir.” He ceased talking again as he contemplated his next words.

“Never will I marry a selfish being like my late wife. Do you know she was the architect of her own demise?” The callers all shook their heads, so Hertfordshire explained what she had done, which had led to the death of the babe and herself.

He said nothing to those with him, but the woman’s rank, if he ever found one, would not be a determining factor for him.

There was little they could say to such an act by one who was supposed to be a mother.

The Fitzwilliams and Darcys remained for an hour or so before making for their own houses, one on the same side of Grosvenor Square and the other across the green.

The two MacIntyres made the short ride to Cavendish Square to their house and children.

Those who heard what had been done all hugged their own children tightly when visiting them before they went to sleep.