Page 15 of Lydia Acquires Adoration (Bennet Ladies Liberation #5)
Chapter Fourteen
Elizabeth looked around the room, happy to see all her family but frustrated as to why they had converged. The only sister who was absent from the sitting room was Lydia, who was spending the afternoon making plans with her future husband and William. She assumed a few other of the husbands were there helping as well. It was just as well because they were all gathered, for the most part, to discuss Lydia’s choices.
“You seem to have recovered well from Gilbert’s birth. How have you been adjusting?” This came from Mary, who was the most recently married. Elizabeth wondered how soon she would announce that her own little bundle of joy was on the way.
Smiling at Mary, Elizabeth replied, “The labor was no more difficult than my first one and I believe I am getting my strength back at a good rate. William tends to coddle me and would prefer to keep me cosseted and wrapped in lamb’s wool, but I have been leaving my room and even took a short walk in the garden yesterday. I do not know where the silly notion that woman should stay in bed for a month complete after they have given birth came from, but it is stupid. Woman would do much better if they were to get fresh air and exercise.”
Her mother laughed at her display of petulance, saying, “Not all ladies are as fond as you are of walking the trails and paths, so many of the high society ladies do not start off with the strength you have. You will have to forgive them if they prefer to be cosseted after such an ordeal.”
Rubbing the large swelling of her abdomen, Kitty commented, “An ordeal that I am not quite looking forward to. Though I cannot wait to meet my little addition. Whoever they may be.”
Reaching over, Jane grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. Smiling at her, Jane said, “I am sure you will do remarkably. You have proven yourself quite capable in the past of handling difficult situations with strength and grace. I am sure you will do no less in bringing your child into the world.”
All the sisters nodded in agreement as their mother added, “If I can have five girls without a husband’s support, I am sure that you can do no less with Theodore by your side.”
Once everyone paused to take sips of tea and bites of the little delicacies that had been provided, Elizabeth took the opportunity to say, “Darling Clara aside, I cannot say I am thrilled that Lydia would chose to marry without love, but I have not attempted to stop her. What is everyone’s opinion of Lydia’s recent decisions?”
Setting her teacup down, Fanny said, “While I was ready to be disapproving and putting a stop to the marriage if I had to, my trip with them to Swarkstone Park was enlightening.”
Mary took another sip of tea before asking, “How so?”
Tilting her head to the side, Fanny hesitated a beat before responding, “There was a very disrespectful servant who we soon realized would have to be let go if any true improvements could be made. As the housekeeper, her poor attitude was, of course, affecting most of the staff. Lydia confronted her and in the course of the conversation explained that since she refused to change or improve her attitude, she would have to be let go. The woman denied that Lydia could possibly have that power and insisted that Mr. Burgess would want her to stay. Her screeching, however, drew the attention of Mr. Burgess, who immediately supported Lydia’s choice to dismiss her.” Taking a sip of her tea, Elizabeth noticed her mother looked pensive before she continued, saying, “I believe he respects Lydia. Which is at least a firm foundation for a marriage, even if there is not love.”
Kitty was quick to say, “I would not be quick to say that there will not be love in their marriage.”
Turning to her younger sister, Elizabeth said, “You have spent a lot of time with Selene and Mr. Burgess, as they were frequently by your side while you were courting Theodore. Lydia also accompanied you on those walks. Did you see something that we have not?”
Repositioning her larger than typical bulk, Kitty sighed but then explained, “Though I will admit that I was, most of the time, otherwise occupied, I often noted how well the two got on. In fact, I distinctly remember thinking that they may one day form a match of it. Since the day they first crossed paths, they held each other in high regard and, if I may be so bold, were undeniably drawn to each other. I think this will end up far better than you suppose, Elizabeth.”
Nodding in agreement, Georgianna said, “I believe Kitty is correct. While the order of things may be a bit jumbled, the fundamental components for a deeply loving marriage are all in place.” Reaching out, she picked a little tea cake from the tea tray and took a bite.
Selecting her own miniature cake, Mary took a small nibble as if testing whether she would enjoy it. Elizabeth knew that her sister had not announced anything, but still she wondered. Taking a larger bit this time, Mary chewed contemplatively before saying, “I am happy to let Lydia make her own choices in the matter. We all know that she has her reasons for marrying Mr. Burgess and not one of us can say that she is wrong for wanting to protect that little girl. I believe her actions are noble. Think of the many women of the bible who took part in marriages of convenience or arranged marriages and were blessed for it. I think we should recognize Lydia for her courage and not doubt her for her choice to marry where is only the hope of love.”
Mary's words resonated with Elizabeth, piercing straight into her heart. Lydia was being brave, and she should not be doubting her. Looking down at her teacup, Elizabeth watched the steam curl into the air. She would not like it if anyone doubted her convictions, even if it was one of her sisters. Sighing, she said, “I suppose you are right. Had I married William sooner, I would not love him any less today for having married before I was truly in love. Lydia's bravery is undeniable, and it feels almost unjust for me to question her.”
As the days passed, the countdown to his wedding seemed to accelerate, leaving Sebastian feeling both excited and anxious. He would marry in two days’ time and he had no idea where the time had gone. His days had been full of attempts to gain Clara’s trust. Watching her play with the other children and smile more was heartening. In the moments he wasn't with Clara or Lydia, he busied himself with making plans and penning letters. He did not want Lydia to come to Swarkstone Park as a new bride and be confronted with inadequate and insolent staff, along with rooms that were in a state of disrepair. So he wrote to staffing agencies but found that most of the replies he received were not favorable.
He could not understand it. How were so many agencies experiencing a lack of applicants? If he did not know any better, he would have thought they were conspiring against him, but there was no reason to keep him from finding the staff that he needed. It just made little sense.
Then, too, there was the letter from his father. It was not even worth considering. His father's advice, which was usually questionable at best, was now completely devoid of any value. Sebastian would completely ignore the viscount’s complaints and admonitions. He did not even deem them worthy of a response. It was fortunate that his letter to his father announcing his impending marriage would arrive too late for his father to intervene.
Deciding to take a break from reading frustrating correspondence, Sebastian went in search of Lydia. As they had worked together to plan for their future, their friendship had grown ever stronger. He found himself looking forward to the moments that they could spend together. She always had a smile for him and often was able to look at things in a better light than he did.
Lydia, Selene, and all the other females that had converged on Pemberley had been kept busy with their own arrangements, mostly for the wedding. Walking out into the sun dappled gardens, Sebastian was sure that he would come across Lydia and at least one of her sisters. Perhaps even his own sister. Lydia had been taking clippings and root stock from many of the plants so that she could add to the gardens at Swarkstone Park. He was sure that with her remarkable affinity for plants, Swarkstone’s gardens would be a marvel in no time.
Sebastian found Lydia along with his sister and Miss Georgianna Darcy in amongst the roses. Miss Darcy was asking, “Are you sure you do not wish to take more than just these two types of roses?”
“No, this is plenty for now. Besides, I do not know what the soil there is like, and these two varieties are the hardiest. I can expect them to thrive no matter where they are planted. I can obtain more once I know what I am dealing with,” came Lydia’s reply. Sebastian watched as she wrapped the root stock carefully with a burlap before tying it in place.
A gardener stepped up saying, “I will take it and put it with the others, and make sure they all arrive at your new home healthy and well.”
She smiled kindly at the young man, saying, “Thank you, Mr. Roberts.”
Feeling it was as good a time as any to make his presence known, Sebastian said, “I see you are hard at work preparing to make our future garden glorious.”
Looking up at him from the ground, Lydia’s smile widened dramatically and laughing, she said, “A lady needs to find a way to beautify her surroundings.” Wiping her hands off on a nearby rag, she held one of her hands aloft and Sebastian was all too happy to help her to her feet.
Squeezing her hand, Sebastian replied, “Oh, but you take care of that merely by granting us your presence. Your beauty far outshines any flower.” Sebastian did not know why he had been prompted to say such a flirtatious comment, but he definitely enjoyed watching the resulting blush creep across Lydia’s cheeks. For a time, he only had eyes for Lydia, but realized his mistake when he heard the other women giggle.
Looking away from Lydia’s flushed face, he smiled at Selene, who stood with her arm linked with Miss Darcy’s. With all of Lydia’s sisters showing up for the wedding, along with her mother, there was certainly a plethora of ladies present. He had never before spent so much time surrounded by feminine sensibilities.
He knew the look in his sister’s eyes. She found his situation highly entertaining. Quirking an eyebrow, Selene said, “I see that you have left your papers and letters for a time, brother. Have you come to escort us to the house for tea?”
“I will admit that I had lost track of time, but enjoying tea with you all sounds quite pleasant after looking over letters for so long. Some people I am getting responses from have the worst penmanship,” admitted Sebastian. Letting go of Lydia’s hand, he offered her his arm, and the group began strolling to the house.
Miss Darcy and his sister seemed to walk faster than him and Lydia and quickly drew away from them. Sebastian suspected this was by design and could only be grateful for the opportunity to speak to Lydia alone. Lydia, however, spoke first. “Are the responses from the employment agencies not going well?”
Shaking his head, Sebastian resisted the urge to run his fingers through his hair. He wearily responded, “No, the employment agencies I have contacted do not have anyone to suggest or offer as workers. Something is not right about it.”
Squeezing his arm as they walked, Lydia said, “I believe you may be right, but regardless, we can make do. Besides, Kitty has provided the two people we need the most.”
Looking down at her, he said, “It was very kind of Lady Matlock to arrange for Mrs. Wilson and Nurse Harris to arrive with her. Having a housekeeper and nursemaid we can trust will go a long way towards making things go more smoothly.”
Squeezing his arm, Lydia chided him, “You will have to stop calling my sister and her husband by their titles. Kitty and Theodore may have come up in the world with the death of his older brother, but they are still the same people.” Resting her head against his arm in a way that he was growing rather fond of, she continued, “As for staffing issues, I am confident we will manage. I am not so dissimilar to my older sister, Mary. She took on our old home when it was completely in shambles and with only borrowed staff initially. Swarkstone is not nearly so dilapidated. Eventually, if we find that we really must get more staff, we can talk to my sisters and their husbands. With nine fully staffed estates, I am sure there must be some individuals looking for a promotion or a new location. If somehow there is no one interested in relocating to Swarkstone Park, we can always have Theodore contact the employment agencies. They cannot very well turn away the business of the earl of Matlock.”
The parlor was full of her family, and she was delighted to have everyone together for her wedding, even if she would have to by necessity say goodbye to them all. At the other end of the room, Selene was chatting happily with Georgianna, who had arrived with Mary and Gabriel the day before last. Her mother was sitting with her husband, Mr. Hawkins, and they were chatting with Elizabeth and William. Mary and Jane were seated together on a settee enjoying each other’s company, their husbands close by discussing horses, she thought. What truly touched Lydia was that she noticed that her mother and two of her sisters appeared to be working on dresses for Clara as they socialized.
Even Kitty had made it with as far along as her pregnancy was. Lydia had been afraid Theodore might put his foot down and prevent her from traveling, but they had arrived that morning. Looking at Kitty and Theodore as they sat cuddled together on the settee next to her, Lydia said, “I am so very glad you both made it. With my wedding the day after next, I worried you would not be able to come.”
“We took our time on the journey, making frequent stops to avoid overtaxing Kitty.” Looking at his wife, Theodore kissed the back of her hand before putting a possessive hand on the swell of her stomach.
Kitty smiled fondly at him before turning back to Lydia and saying, “I could tell he thought about putting his foot down and saying no, but he knows me too well.”
Laughing, Theodore said, “Yes, if I tried to put my foot down and stop her from making it to her baby sister’s wedding, she would just stomp on it and find her own way here.” This had the entire room laughing. Everyone knew how much Theodore doted on his wife and found it difficult to deny her anything.
“I want to thank you for bringing along Mrs. Wilson and Nurse Harris. Having them with us when we arrive at Swarkstone will be very helpful.”
Kitty smiled brightly, saying, “It is not a trouble at all. In fact, I think that Mrs. Wilson is very excited to spread her wings, so to speak. As for Esther Harris, she is the daughter of one of our tenant families and was rather disappointed that I had already selected a nursemaid for our coming little one when she let us know she was looking for employment. She has plenty of experience with children and has the sweetest disposition.”
Taking a sip of her tea, Lydia contemplated the young woman that she had met only briefly. She already seemed to be much better than whoever had been in charge of Clara’s care previously. She certainly could not be any worse, not when the previous woman had let her live in that horrid room and then abandoned the child. Nodding her head, Lydia said, “Then I will look forward to getting to know her. I was hoping you would spend some time with Clara and myself before the wedding. You still have the best eye, and I would like your advice on decorating the nursery. I've organized fabric swatches, paper samples, and some color samples. I am hoping Clara will respond well to getting a say in picking her environment.”
Her smile causing her cheeks to scrunch up, Kitty exclaimed with excitement, “I would be thrilled to! Was the nursery really so bad?”
Eyes going hard, Lydia frowned. “Worse.” Taking another sip of her tea, Lydia intentionally worked at regaining her equanimity. This was a happy time. All her sisters were here, and she was about to get married. She was not about to dwell on what was in the past.
“How large is Swarkstone Park?” This question came from her newest brother, Gabriel.
Her mother spoke up, explaining, “Swarkstone Park’s is not as large as Pemberley, but still quite large.” Looking over at Lydia, she asked, “What do you think? Maybe twice the size of Longbourn?”
Biting her lip, Lydia tried to compare the two estates. That was a fair estimation, she supposed. “Yes, that seems about right, if not exactly correct. I did not see most of the spare rooms, but there is a whole additional wing. The building is a sort of U shape where Longbourn is an L and Pemberley is an E. Sadly, at the moment, I think the number of staff equals Longbourn, so it cannot present to the best of its ability.”
Mary nodded, continuing the conversation with, “That is not ideal, but not completely impossible. If you shut up most of the unneeded rooms, you can get by in the manor house. What about the grounds?”
Lydia looked to Sebastian, as she was sure he knew more about the grounds and tenants. He said, “There is no one assigned to the grounds besides the two stable hands. One of them was a young stable boy. There are twelve tenant families, several in need of repairs to their homes. There was a fire that destroyed one of the family’s barns recently. So that will need to be repaired.”
This started a conversation around the room about similar issues that they had all faced and the best way that one might deal with a burned structure safely. Sebastian leaned over and whispered to Lydia, “I know that your family is not like most of the ton, but I still expected most of the conversation to revolve around our upcoming wedding. Yet there has not been one mention of lace, flowers, or fripperies.”
Chuckling under her breath, she replied, “We have all the planning taken care of. I wanted to keep everything simple and there will be a few guests outside of the family. With eight ladies to help with the planning and arrangements, it was taken care of rather quickly. Actually, of all my sisters, I am the one who most enjoys fripperies, but for now I have more serious concerns to hold my attention.”
“So once we have everything under good regulation at Swarkstone, can I expect you to shift your conversation from tenant concerns to fashion and lace?” Sebastian asked, his voice carrying his good humor.
Feeling playful in response to his comment, she whispered back, “Oh, do not worry too much. I am sure I will still talk to you about tenant and household concerns. My focus will be on important things like Clara's well-being and my garden. I promise to mention fashion and the design of my latest dress only every other week.”
Selene followed her brother and Lydia as they walked out of the room. She had a few things that she wanted to say, and she was running out of time to say them. Before they could get too far away, she softly called out to them, “Sebastian, Lydia, do you have a moment to speak with me? Just the three of us?”
Turning back to face her, Lydia and Sebastian glanced at each other before looking back at her. Selene was left wondering at how good they were getting at communicating with one another without words. “Of course. Why don’t we speak in here?” Lydia asked, gesturing to a small room that seemed to be a sort of study near the stairs.
With a nod of her head, Selene followed the pair into the room. Wiping her hands on the sides of her dress, she hoped the pair of them would not become offended or hurt by what she was about to suggest. Waiting until they were all settled, Selene cleared her throat and said, “I know you were expecting me to join you at Swarkstone, but I have been invited to stay at Pemberley and I have decided to take Elizabeth and Georgiana up on their offer. At least for now.”
Leaning forward, her brother exclaimed, “Selene, you must know that you will always be welcome wherever I am. That does not change just because I will marry Lydia.”
Lydia was quick to follow with, “Sebastian is correct. You are family and we want you with us. Though I understand Pemberley’s appeal, I would hate for you to feel as if you could not come with us. Clara is your niece, too.”
Shaking her head, Selene tried to find the words to explain how she felt. “I know I am welcome. That is not in question.” Reaching out to Lydia, she took her hand in her own. “Never once have you made me feel as if you are trying to supplant me in my brother’s life. I know we will always be close, but you are getting married and taking over a poorly run estate. That is a big change, and I want to give you both a chance to adapt to that. Even just dealing with the poorly trained staff will be a trial. I do not want to complicate matters by giving them another person to look to for direction. It will be, for all intents and purposes, your estate until Clara is old enough to run it herself.”
As she sat back in her chair, she attentively observed her brother and Lydia sharing a meaningful gaze, their connection palpable. That was the other part of why she wanted to stay away for a time. Most everyone was aware of their budding connection except the pair themselves. She wanted to give them the time alone to help it flourish. Selene waited, knowing from her brother’s expression that he wanted to say something but hadn’t found the words yet.
Eyebrows drawn together and jaw hard, she could see his concern in the lines of her brother’s face when he said, “Though I feel you would not be in the way as we take over the estate, I respect your desire to stay here at Pemberley. The Darcys are wonderful people, and I know they will make you feel welcome. I would hate it if you felt that you were unwelcome in my home. That is certainly not the case. I told Father years ago that you would always be welcome in my home wherever I was, and I will not go back on my word because of a change in circumstance.”
Sighing, Selene replied, “Yes, I know. This is not because I feel unwelcome. It is more like my gift to you so you can start your marriage off on the right foot. I want you two to learn to depend on each other and to grow closer. I will not stay away forever. Only a month, maybe two.” Hesitating, she decided the time to be ambiguous was past. “Remember, you are getting married and heading straight over to Swarkstone Park. You are not taking a wedding trip. You will both need time to adjust to all the changes in your life, and you deserve to do it without me hovering about the place.”
Her brother took her meaning because he swiftly turned three shades pinker. Even though he stayed by Lydia's side, his body grew tense, his posture stiffening. He opened his mouth but only managed to say, “I… Well, uh…”
When he looked at Lydia, whose cheeks were similarly pink, obviously floundering with what to say, Lydia boldly said, “You need not worry about disturbing us, we are not…or rather… Clara will stay with me temporarily, until we can renovate the nursery and make it suitable for her.”
If she wasn’t so embarrassed as well, it would be comical to watch her brother and Lydia struggle. Clearing her throat, she said, “Regardless of your plans, I intend to give you time alone to adjust to everything.”
After staring at one another for a time, her brother nodded finally, as if he knew he could not sway her. Or he had decided to forgo further embarrassment. Either way, he said, “Very well, but I expect you to come stay with us eventually.”
Lydia took a seat on the floor of the nursery, glad that at least here she would not have to have such a horrifying discussion as she had just left. Selene was the sweetest to think that Lydia and Sebastian would need time to themselves after their wedding. However, theirs was not that sort of arrangement. They would not be constantly sneaking away the way that Elizabeth and William had. How all of her sisters had, really.
Hers was to be a different sort of marriage, and while she hoped that one day they would form some kind of love for one another, it certainly would not start out that way. She had rather hoped to fill her time alone with Selene’s company, but she would have to be noble and allow Lydia time to bond with Sebastian. The question to Lydia was, did Sebastian wish to bond with her?
He had not protested when she said she would have Clara stay with her. It was only later that she had supposed that Clara could stay with her new nursemaid. Sebastian's lack of response made it evident that he had no plans to take advantage of his husbandly privilege, at least at that time. They had discussed their desire to have children eventually. So it would happen, whatever it was, just not anytime soon.
Shaking her head, Lydia moved her mind in a more profitable direction. She watched as Artie interacted with Mathew and Ellie. It was obvious that he was the leader of the group. Clara stood on the sidelines, uncertain. Talkative Artie approached her saying, “Here you can have this horse and play with us.”
Eyes wide, she nodded and imitated the other children with helping her horse to prance around the area. Having been raised mostly alone and without the interaction of other children, it was a completely new experience for her, but Lydia was happy to see her adapting. Lydia watched them play for a time and eventually they even got Clara giggling with the rest. It was enough to make Lydia’s eyes misty.
When there was a pause in the play as the children put away the horses in favor of a game with blocks, Lydia got their attention by saying, “Children, come over here for a moment. I have something I want to tell you.” She waited as they came over and sat down around her, the youngest, her little brother Mathew, settling in her lap. She continued by asking, “Have you enjoyed getting to know Clara?”
Artie, ever the spokesman, said, “Yes, she is fun. I like having someone bigger to play with, even if she is a girl.”
Mathew and Ellie both nodded in agreement with Artie’s statement, though Ellie said, “I like Clara!” Leaning over, she gave the older girl an enormous hug.
Startled, Clara looked down at the younger blonde in surprise, but after a moment, she hugged her back and whispered, “I like you too.”
“I am glad you like her because soon she will be family.”
“Really?!” Artie exclaimed, jumping up off the ground.
“Yes, really.” Lydia laughed.
Artie went over to the girls and, grabbing Clara’s hands, asked, “Do you want to be my sister? I heard Mama say before that she wants a little girl, but she had baby Gill.” Laughing, he hugged her and continued, “I bet she would be so happy if I could bring her you.”
Lydia looked at Clara’s confused expression and Artie’s thrilled one, wondering how things had gotten so out of hand so quickly. She cried, “Wait, wait!” Getting all their attention, she explained, “Artie, she cannot be your sister because she is going to be your cousin. Of a sort, at least.”
Leaning back, he looked over his shoulder at Lydia. His face scrunched up, he asked, “My cousin? Like Ellie?”
“Yes, like Ellie.” Reaching out, Lydia smoothed her hand along Clara’s pensive brow and explained, “Do you remember how you have an aunt and uncle named Selene and Sebastian?” The little girl nodded with wide eyes. Little Artie, possibly sensing her unease, sat next to her and pat her hand in comfort. Ellie looked on, her eyes uncertain, as she sat next to Clara.
Lydia continued, “Soon, Sebastian and I are going to get married, and that will mean that I will be your aunt, just like I am Artie and Ellie’s aunt. What do you think of that?”
Clara did not look as if she knew what to say. Her eyes were still wide with upraised brows and her lips pressed together in a hard line. Leaning over, Artie hugged her, saying, “Auntie Lydia is the best aunt! She is so much fun. You will see.”
Ellie nodded in agreement, but then asked, “Mr. ’bastian my un’cle now too?”
“Yes, Sebastian, or Mr. Burgess, will be your uncle, like Gabriel, William, and Theodore are your uncles.”
“He builds forts?” asked Mathew from her lap.
While she was not going to point out that the much older gentleman was going to be his brother-in-law, she was happy to see his curiosity. Explaining the family tree more thoroughly was going to come later. Lydia grinned down at Mathew and said, “Yes, I am sure Sebastian can build forts with blocks, though if he does not, I suppose you can teach him.”
With a nod, Mathew said, “Good.”
Pausing in his enthusiasm, Artie asked, “Are you leaving like Mary and Kitty?”
Looking askance at Artie, the child really did understand more than he should at three. Sighing, she said, “Yes, Sebastian and Clara and I will be going somewhere nearby and making a home for ourselves. But we will visit and eventually you can come and visit us.”
Artie nodded and said, “All right then.” Then, studying both Lydia and Clara for a moment, he hugged Lydia. “Clara needs a good aunt. I can share you.”
Shaking her head, Lydia once again wondered at her remarkable nephew and his precocious attitude about things. Setting Mathew up on his feet, Lydia said, “Why don’t you go play a bit while I talk with Clara about her new room?” Smiling at the nursemaids who were chatting by the open window, she knew they would care for their charges. Getting to her feet, Lydia held her hand out to Clara, who promptly took it. She led the girl out of the nursery, and they made their way towards where Kitty was staying, asking, “What is your favorite color, Clara?”
The entire time she talked with Kitty and Clara about colors and flowers, Lydia’s mind kept wondering back to the idea that she would be getting married. The prospect of the upcoming change in her life filled her with increasing excitement and anticipation. So much would change, and she could not wait to see what her future held.
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