Page 24 of The Next Mrs Bennet

H appy for all her maternal feelings was the day on which Becca Bennet watched her eldest daughter marry the man she loved beyond all reason. Jane was most deserving of the love and felicity she would enjoy with Andrew. Not for the smallest measure of time did Becca believe that during their years of the marriage Jane and Andrew would have anything but a respect-filled, happy, and loving union.

Becca was sitting next to her beloved Thomas, who was between her and her mother-in-law—who was on the aisle—in the Bennet pew, which was the front row to the right of the altar. Her husband had forgone the seat on the aisle as it was more comfortable for his mother to sit there. Beyond her sat Henry, Mary, Tommy, and Ellie. Her mother and father sat next to their youngest granddaughter. Across the aisle in the first pew were Aunt Elaine, Uncle Reggie, Liam, and Giana. Between the families invited to the wedding breakfast and others from Longbourn Village and Meryton, the church was near capacity.

The Gardiners sat on the aisle of the pew behind the Bennets, with Will, Marie, and their children and Connie, Harry, and their two offspring next to them. The latter two families could have sat either side being related to both the bride and groom, but Jane being a niece rather than a cousin like Andrew decided the matter.

The church had been decorated in a very understated manner, just as Jane had requested. There were white ribbons formed into a small bow at the end of every second pew.

Jane was wearing a light blue gown with a translucent silver lamé overlay. The blue of the gown matched the engagement ring, now on a finger of her right hand, waiting for the wedding ring to be slipped onto Jane’s ring finger before it would be returned to its place of pride. Her gown was one she had worn once before in London but had never been seen by her fiancé. As he stood watching his bride intently, Andrew loved it on her. Jane’s veil was fabricated from a delicate Belgium lace, the same one Becca had worn when she married Thomas. On her hands were sheer white gloves, which ended just below her elbows where the sleeves of her gown reached.

It was with a mixture of happiness, pride, and a tinge of sadness as Becca sat and watched while Mr Pierce conducted the ceremony with Lizzy standing behind and to the side of Jane while Rich was in a similar position in relation to Andy. As happy as she was for Jane, one of her daughters would be leaving home, which caused a touch of sadness. It was an emotion she deemed selfish and pushed it to the side.

Mama had told her she had experienced similar emotions at the weddings of all three of her children. She had opined that, like many things in life, happiness was at times accompanied by a little sorrow. Becca shook the thoughts from her head. She concentrated on Jane, who was glowing with pleasure.

All too soon, it was over, the final benedictions recited, and Andrew and his new viscountess were on their way to the registry to sign the register with Lizzy and Rich as witnesses. The latter two returned with speed; the newlyweds, not so much.

Once they were alone in the registry and the door closed, Andrew pulled Jane into his loving embrace as they both expressed the depth of their love with their lips. After more than five minutes, they breathlessly pulled back one from the other. “Well, Lady Hilldale, I think we need to join our family waiting in the nave of the church,” Andrew said as he added one more kiss for good measure.

“Indeed, Lord Hilldale, I dare say you are correct,” Jane replied cheekily as she captured her husband’s lips again.

Mama had given her the talk the previous night, and thankfully, what she had been told had increased Jane’s anticipation of the wedding night tenfold. Mama had asked if Jane had wanted Aunt Maddie, Aunt Connie, or Aunt Marie to come to answer any more questions. Jane had not needed any further clarification. When Lizzy had come to wish Jane a good night, Jane had refused to satisfy her inquisitive sister’s curiosity.

The newly married couple inspected one another to make sure they were presentable, then Jane used her hands to check that all of her hairpins were still in the places they were meant to be. Once they were both satisfied with how they looked, Andrew pulled the door open.

Other than Charlotte Phillips, only family remained in the nave. Jane was congratulated by the Bennets while the Fitzwilliams and Darcys did the same with Andrew. The two groups swapped places, and they were replaced by the Gardiners, Cavendishes, and Smythes. Last to hug Jane was Charlotte. Once she had, she met her husband and children, who had waited for her in the vestibule before they made their way to Longbourn. It took close to a quarter of an hour for everyone to express their approbation for the marriage. Only then did they all leave the church, and as a group make the short walk to the manor house.

Even though it was not a large crowd at the wedding breakfast, it was being held in the ballroom—one of the additions when the house was expanded and renovated. Food was plentiful and of the highest quality, leaving the family and invited guests greatly satisfied and sated.

Jane and Andrew made sure to spend time with all their friends who had been invited. About one-and-one-half hours later, after whispering to Andrew and him nodding, Jane signalled Lizzy. The two sisters made their way up the stairs to Jane’s now former bedchamber in the suite she used to share with Lizzy.

Elizabeth helped Jane out of her wedding gown and into one she would wear for the short journey to Netherfield Park. Once her sister was dressed, Elizabeth made a complete circle turn as she looked at the chamber, which was devoid of all of Jane’s possessions already. “Even if it is indecorous to tell you this on your wedding day, I will miss you, Janey,” Elizabeth admitted.

“As I will miss seeing you every day,” Jane agreed and pulled her younger sister, the new Miss Bennet, into a warm hug. “We know this is the way of things, but that fact does not make parting from my closest companion and best friend for the last twenty years any easier.”

The two held onto one another for some minutes, not speaking, just feeling the other’s closeness. “I cannot be selfish; my new brother is waiting for you downstairs. I am sure I will not see you before the day that simpleton of a cousin of ours arrives. Until then, I love you, Janey, and will miss you,” Elizabeth declared with warmth.

After Jane looked around the bedchamber of her youth one last time, she followed Lizzy out and pulled the door closed. She linked arms with her younger sister, and the two made their way down the stairs.

As expected, Andrew was waiting for his bride at the base of the staircase. Jane transferred her hand to his arm. They returned to the ballroom in order to convey their final thanks to everyone for attending their celebration and to then take their leave. The last one Jane farewelled was Charlotte. Jane and Andrew, accompanied by the family, made their way to where the Hilldale coach was waiting for them under the portico. The family’s exodus left the ballroom with only a few people within.

Even though they would see Jane and Andrew in five days, it did not make the goodbyes any easier. Soon enough, the conveyance was on its way with the family waving until it turned and disappeared from view.

Gardiner was one of the last remaining with Becca and Bennet. “Jane truly looks very much like Fanny did before she forced you to marry her,” Gardiner stated wistfully as he still looked at the spot where the coach disappeared from view. “I am very grateful that there is none of my late sister’s character in Jane.” He paused as he cogitated. “At least, the Gardiner line will continue on after me, with me being the last surviving member of my generation of Gardiners alive. Eddy and Peter will be good and honourable men, of that I am certain.”

Neither Bennet disagreed with their friend and business partner’s assessment. The three walked back into the house.

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

“What do you mean you are returning to Scarborough and selling the lease on this house? We need to remain in London and fix things,” Miss Bingley shrieked at her brother.

“Caroline, if you think we will ever be accepted back into polite society, then you belong in Bedlam. Do you not remember the Duke of Devonshire telling us our ruination is irrevocable? What did it tell you that within a day of our attempted transgressions against the Bennets being committed, our name was already scorned and reviled in Town?” Bingley looked around as the servants packed up the house. “I am leaving; if you would like to remain, I will release what remains of your dowry to you, and you may do as you wish. No matter what, I have learnt a costly lesson, and I will no longer follow your whims and dictates. Remind me again, Sister, how many of your so-called friends were at home to you?”

Miss Bingley looked anywhere except at her brother. She had told him her acquaintances were otherwise engaged, not that she had been told never to darken their doorsteps again. She remembered something Charles said about her dowry. “What do you mean, ‘what is left’ of my dowry? I have the whole of the twenty thousand pounds!”

“Once I have deducted your overspending for the last two years only, as well as the amount you cost me when my money on the lease was forfeited, you will have a little less than fourteen thousand pounds remaining.”

“ You cannot do that !” Miss Bingley screamed. “Our late father set the amount of my dowry, and you have no authority to change it!”

“That is where you are wrong. Father’s will gave me complete authority to adjust the amount of your dowry as I see fit. Before you claim it is only to increase it, that was not what was specified. Knowing how our mother spoilt you, I am sure he worded it the way he did with intention.”

“How could you do that to me? I will not live with you any longer. You can find another to be your hostess,” Miss Bingley threatened. “What has happened to you? You were always so affable.”

“I am finally beginning to mature and grow a backbone. Your days of manipulating me into doing whatever you want me to do are past. I learnt too late to save my friendship with Darcy or to stop you from destroying any chance we had in society, but learn I did.” Bingley ceased speaking while he made a calculation in his head. “If you choose to have me release your dowry, all of your living expenses will be paid by you. I will not subsidise one penny.” He held his hand up when she was about to protest. “Your principal will bring you five hundred eight and forty pounds interest a year; that is about five and forty a month. From that, you will have to pay everything, including a companion, if one will agree to work for you given you are ruined.”

It seemed she would need to leave London and remain with her brother, at least for a short while until the next scandal made people forget about the Bingleys. The monthly amount he mentioned would not pay for her wardrobe needs, never mind anything else. “I have decided to join you, so I will instruct my maid to pack,” Miss Bingley stated. She stood and sailed out of the drawing room; her nose high in the air.

Bingley shook his head. He was certain his sister had told herself this would all blow over and that soon she would be able to return to society. He knew better. Also, if Caroline thought she would be able to spend freely as she had in the past, she would be in for quite an unpleasant shock.

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

William Collins was counting the days until he departed his parsonage at Hunsford to travel to Hertfordshire to see his birthright, which, if God above would answer his prayers, would be his sooner rather than later.

He was very thankful his wise, beneficent patroness had given him directions regarding marriage because he had not had much success on his own. He remembered the conversation—Lady Catherine’s instructions—clearly, as if it had just happened that very day.

“What is it you want?” Lady Catherine had asked.

“Based on your identifying the documents as frauds, I intend to write to my cousin so I may visit him, his wife, and daughters, and as you said, the foundlings he is attempting to claim are his sons. I have come to seek your wise counsel before I write and post my letter,” he had said as he bowed three times during his speech.

“So he has daughters. Do you know how many?” Lady Catherine had enquired. “As his lowborn wife did not do her duty to him, he had to bring in the foundlings to make up for her omission.”

“I am not sure, your Ladyship, but it is more than one, as far as my late honoured father knew.”

“In that case, Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. Choose properly; choose one from among your cousins who are gentlewomen. A gently bred lady is for my sake, so I may allow her in my company. For your own needs, let her be an active, useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small income go a good way. This is my instruction. Find such a woman among your cousins as soon as you can; bring her to Hunsford, and I will allow her to visit me.”

“It will be so, Lady Catherine.” Collins had remembered the refusals he had sustained from the other two instances when he had proposed. “Ehrm, what do I do if the lady I choose refuses me?”

“You should by no means be discouraged by what the lady may say in refusal, but, rather know that you will lead her to the altar ere long.

“If a cousin does not accept your generous offer, they will end up in the hedgerows when you inherit. If the one you propose to does refuse you, it will be a tactic to increase your ardour. Remember, that it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of a man whom they secretly mean to accept when he first applies for their favour, and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second, or even a third time.” He had now just realised his mistake from his two previous proposals; they had meant to accept him. However, he had erred and not pressed his suit like Lady Catherine instructed him to do. In that way, he had not proved his ardency to them. He would not make that same mistake again.

Lady Catherine had dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

Collins had only referred to amends in the letter he posted to his cousin to inform him of the pleasure he could expect from receiving his heir. He did not, however, articulate how he would honour one of his cousin’s daughters with the offer of his hand in marriage. He was sure his cousin would be in great anticipation to learn what the amends would be.

When he thought about the two clergymen who were visiting his parish to learn how to do their duties by observing him, Collins’s chest puffed up with pride. They had been greatly impressed with his sermons, especially when he had shared that they had been almost entirely crafted by the great Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

They had even accompanied him on calls to his parishioners and on a subsequent visit with Lady Catherine. His patroness had been more than pleased to educate the two visitors in the correct way to fulfil their duties and the deference they needed to show their patron or patroness. Afterwards, on the walk back to his humble parsonage, they had been awed to discover he reported everything his congregants told him to his patroness and the way she fixed all of their concerns.

Collins had taken it as a great compliment when the two men had gone among those in the parish to confirm how pleased and impressed they were with him as their spiritual guide. When he had invited them to join him in praying for his cousin’s demise, they had demurred.

The two men had departed the previous day, and now he had one last service to deliver in an hour, and he would depart on Wednesday at first light so he would arrive at four o’clock as he stated in the letter. Lady Catherine demanded punctuality, and he could do nothing less. He looked over the sermon he would preach at the Sunday church service. How privileged his congregation was to hear Lady Catherine’s pearls of wisdom on the importance of the distinction of rank and how much deference she was owed by all who were below her in the area.

Collins hoped his cousin’s daughters were comely. It would not do to marry a homely woman; his father had been very clear on that point. Like many other things, his father had beaten that knowledge into Collins’s head.

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

By the second day of their travel towards Scarborough, Bingley had ceased using his own name after being refused entry to some of the inns along the Great North Road. It highlighted for him the reach of those he and his sister had angered.

He was Arthur Medford—his late father’s familiar name and his late mother’s maiden name. From the time he employed the fake name, there were no more refusals for meals or nights at inns. At least his sister had gone along with the ruse after being shocked at the long arms of the Devonshires’ reach, as well as the speed at which it had travelled this far already, almost like a raging wildfire, consuming everything in its path.

With the Duke’s words being proved true at every turn, even in the countryside, Bingley resolved to begin planning to leave the realm. He was more than sure that Caroline would not want to join him—at least he hoped that was so.

To make a new start in the Americas—which was where he desired to be— he was certain he could not do so with the millstone of Caroline around his neck.