Page 3 of The Next Mrs Bennet

L ady Rebecca was not pleased that her family had not retired to Netherfield Park during the season. She envied Connie, who was not out yet, for not having to brave the shark-infested waters of the Ton where she was sought for her dowry of sixty thousand pounds and a connection to one of the most powerful dukes in the realm. Her sister spent most of her time with their aunt or with some of her friends who were in London.

It was already past the middle of May 1789, and they were still at Devonshire House on Piccadilly Square. Unfortunately, there was a contentious session of the Lords in progress, and Papa could not in good conscience leave yet.

The only positive was that Uncle Reggie was also required to be present so Aunt Elaine and the young cousins were available to visit, which Becca preferred to being seen out and about where she would be importuned by some young buck, or in some cases, an older one, who fancied himself her future husband. Was it too much to ask that someone could like her for herself and not for her dowry and connections?

Mama and Connie were visiting Aunt Elaine at Matlock House on Grosvenor Square. Becca was not feeling sociable when they had departed thanks to the way she was accosted by both males and females at the theatre the previous evening, all of whom were seeking her favour and an invitation to the Devonshire and Burlington boxes. The latter was an earldom Papa held along with his dukedom.

Becca was seated in a drawing room with a view of the square when she noted a conveyance pulled to a halt in the circular, stone-paved drive in front of the house. She was happy to see it was her father’s town coach. She watched as he stepped out and made for the front doors. As soon as he disappeared from her field of vision, she headed to the grand staircase, where she stood and waited while Papa was relieved of his gloves, hat, and cane by the butler.

The Duke looked up the stairs and saw his eldest daughter waiting for him. “Becca dear, I have the best news,” Devonshire related as he reached his waiting daughter. “The session which delayed our departure to Hertfordshire has concluded.”

“That is the most welcome news, Papa. When may we depart? How I look forward to being plain Rebecca Devon when we are there,” Rebecca insisted.

“Your mother and I know how trying this time in Town has been for you, so we will remain incognito in Hertfordshire for as long as you need to recover your equanimity. I too will admit that I relish being among those who know not who we are and will not want to ingratiate themselves with us,” Devonshire revealed. “As to when we will depart, it will be about a sennight. The Fitzwilliams will depart for Snowhaven then, and you know your mother will not want to leave before your Aunt Elaine does, especially as they will not accompany us into Hertfordshire.”

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

As the middle of May approached, Fanny desired nothing more than the babe in her belly to be expelled. It kicked her at the most inopportune times; she had to relieve herself almost hourly, and in the building heat of the coming summer, carrying the bulk was becoming more and more uncomfortable. She hoped she carried a son, not only because it would guarantee the end of the entail Fanny had heard about. More importantly, it meant that her husband would never lie with her again. Or so he had promised.

Coupling was something she had learnt to endure, a duty she had been relieved of since she had reported missing her first month’s courses; hence she was not keen to repeat the actions. That is why the babe she was carrying just had to be a boy.

On the fifteenth day of May, when Fanny went to bed to try to sleep between kicks and needing to use the chamber pot, she had a dull ache in her back. Sometime after midnight, Fanny realised she was labouring.

Her screaming brought the footman on duty to her door. Hearing what the younger Mrs Bennet screeched at him, the man woke the butler and housekeeper. Soon Mrs Beth Bennet was awake as well. She went to be with her daughter-in-law while a groom was sent to summon the midwife.

As soon as Mrs Hill and one of the maids were dressed, they assisted the master’s wife into the birthing chamber.

All Fanny could think of between pains was how much larger this room was than the meagre chamber to which she had been relegated. She was certain that once she delivered the heir, she would be treated much better.

It was past three that morning before Mrs Brown arrived. She examined the young Mrs Bennet without washing her hands, or any of her implements, which had obviously not been cleaned for a very long time. “The pains be close together, but it being ‘er first one, it could take many hours yet,” the midwife announced.

Beth instructed the butler to wake her son. A half hour later she met him in the hallway outside the birthing chamber. “Mrs Brown thinks it will still be a long time. I thought you should be aware you are about to become a father,” Beth told her son.

“You did the right thing in having me roused. I will be in the study when there is news.” Bennet squeezed his mother’s hand and made his way downstairs.

The caterwauling emanating from Fanny was no less than what Beth had expected. The woman kept demanding laudanum only to be rebuffed by Mrs Brown, who told her it would complicate the birthing process.

The sun was already up when Fanny’s screams were replaced by the mewling of a newborn babe. While Mrs Brown did what she needed to, Beth and Mrs Hill cleaned the new Bennet. They looked at one another when they noted the sex. Beth knew that neither member of the couple would be pleased that the babe was a daughter. At some point, once Fanny was fully recovered, they would have to begin again to attempt to have a son.

“Let me see my son,” Fanny crowed once she had been cleaned and changed.

“It is not a son, Mrs Bennet; you have a daughter,” Beth revealed.

“No! That cannot be! I wanted a son so I would never have to suffer through relations with my cruel husband again,” Fanny screeched. When she calmed down some, she was given her daughter. The girl had tufts of golden blonde hair like Fanny’s and the bluest of eyes. “She looks just like me,” Fanny cooed, quickly forgetting her former pique.

Beth held her tongue, not wanting to upset the woman again. She did not tell her that the eyes could change colour within six months or so, and there was a chance the mite may have emerald-green eyes like Beth’s or any number of other colours. “She is a very pretty babe,” was all Beth said.

“She will be named Jane Esmeralda just like my late mother,” Fanny insisted.

Leaning down, Beth retrieved the girl from Fanny’s arms. For now her name was Jane—unless Thomas objected to the name. “I will take Jane to meet her father,” she stated. She left the birthing chamber before Fanny could object.

“Thomas, meet your daughter,” Beth announced as she entered her son’s study with the sleeping babe in her arms. She did not miss the moue of distaste on her son’s mien. “I know the thought of having to lie with your wife again is anathema to you, but do not take your disappointment out on Jane.”

“Jane?” Bennet enquired.

“Yes, Fanny named her Jane Esmeralda for her late mother. Before you protest, it is a nice name, and it will cost you nothing to allow her this. After all, she did make you a father and me a grandmother,” Beth advised. She placed the serenely sleeping girl into her son’s arms.

“I will not demand she change the name,” Bennet agreed as he looked at his tiny daughter. He did not miss the blonde tufts on his daughter’s head. All he could hope was that even if this babe looked like her mother, she would not be like her in character. “She does look like a Jane, does she not?” He paused as he thought of what he would have to do once his wife was healed and rested. “When I have to go to her again, I will pray that she falls with child as quickly as she did this time; and the next one will be a son.”

“That will be my prayer as well. Let us hope He hears us next time,” Beth added.

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

By Sunday night, some twelve to fourteen hours after Jane was born, Fanny developed a fever. It was not too high, so it did not engender too much concern. Mrs Brown and her instruments had left a few hours after the birth.

Meryton did not have a resident medical man. The nearest was an apothecary in Hatfield and two physicians in St Albans. As long as the fever was low, something many women experienced after the travails of childbirth, there was no need to panic. When Beth visited her daughter-in-law in the morning on Monday, her concerns were aroused.

Normally fevers peaked at night and were reduced in the morning. Fanny’s temperature was far higher than the previous evening when Beth had last seen her. She supervised the two upstairs maids as they prepared a cold bath and then helped the younger Mrs Bennet into it.

Fanny was mumbling deliriously. Beth knew it was time to summon help. She went to see her son. “Thomas, we need to send for assistance. Her fever seems to keep climbing, and now she is somewhat delirious. No matter what you feel about her, we cannot allow her to suffer unaided,” she told her son.

“I would never withhold medical treatment from her or any other. I will have one groom ride for Hatfield and the other to St Albans,” Bennet related. He rang for Hill and issued his instructions.

The two grooms were on their way within minutes. His wife’s brother had left his direction in London, so Bennet wrote a note and had Hill engage an express rider to deliver it. No matter how angry the younger Gardiner had been at his younger sister, Bennet was certain he would want to know if his sister was ailing. He did not have the father’s direction in Devonshire, but he assumed that Edward Gardiner did and that he would take the responsibility of sending a letter to his family.

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

By the time the apothecary arrived from Hatfield, it was the middle of the afternoon. He was shown directly to the patient’s darkened room. Beth was present in the chamber when he conducted his examination.

“I believe this woman is suffering from childbed fever. I am of a growing school of thought that believes that one of the causes of this illness could be dirty hands and instruments being used on one lady after another without cleaning them in between. Some of the newer midwives are open to change, but those who have been practicing for a longer time are more resistant to new ideas,” the apothecary reported.

“Is there any cure?” Beth asked, although she suspected she knew the answer.

“I am afraid not. I know some physicians use bleeding to attempt to expel the infected blood, but as far as I know, it helps not. There are extremely rare cases which have been reported where the mother recovers, but from what I am aware of that is one in a thousand cases, if not a higher ratio. In my opinion, all you can do now is attempt to make her as comfortable as possible,” the apothecary counselled. “I will remain if you and your son require me to stay, but I do not believe there is anything I am able to do.”

After a quick consultation with her son, Beth thanked Mr Bradford, handed over his fee, and returned to sit at Fanny’s side.

That evening Edward Gardiner arrived on horseback from London at about the same time as one of the doctors from St Albans arrived. While the physician followed Mrs Bennet to the chamber where the ailing lady lay, Edward was shown into the study.

“I did not want to be married to your sister, but I never wished this on her,” Bennet said after he had shaken the arriving man’s hand.

“And I would not think that of you. This is His will; we mere mortals cannot understand why He does what He does and when. I can only hope that Fanny is admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven and is reunited with our mother there,” Edward lamented.

“Port?” Bennet offered.

“Please,” Edward replied. “The doctor from St Albans arrived when I did, so all we can do now is wait.”

“The apothecary from Hatfield was here; he was not very hopeful,” Bennet reported. “By the way, you have a niece, and she has been named Jane Esmeralda. She was born on Sunday. As Fanny did not want to feed her, a wet nurse was employed from among my tenants.”

The younger Gardiner’s eyebrows shot up. “You do not object to her bearing my late mother’s names?”

“It was your sister’s final wish, and I will not change Jane’s names.”

The two men lapsed into silence. The only noise was the ticking of the clock on the mantle above the now cold fireplace. Both stood when the doctor and Beth Bennet entered the study.

“I wish I had better news for you, but I am afraid there is no hope,” Mr Blackwell revealed. “I could try to bleed her, but the fever has already ravaged her body to such an extent that the bleeding may end her before she is claimed by the sickness.”

“Thank you, Mr Blackwell, you have confirmed what Mr Bradford from Hatfield opined,” Bennet related. “It will be dark before you reach St Albans; may we offer you a chamber for the night?”

“I would appreciate that, thank you, Mr Bennet,” Blackwell replied gratefully.

Bennet slipped the gratuity into the special pocket in the physician’s jacket while his mother went to instruct Mrs Hill to have two guest chambers prepared. It was not long before Beth came to collect Mr Blackwell to show him to his chamber.

“I will go see Fanny and then make my way to the Red Lion Inn. I am sure they will have rooms available,” Gardiner stated.

“You will be hosted here,” Bennet told him emphatically.

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

It was after five in the morning when Fanny Bennet breathed her last. That night, while her brother Edward sat vigil for her, the young rector of the Longbourn church, Christopher Pierce, administered the last rite sacraments. She was in no shape to confess her sins, but Mr Pierce forgave her in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

The two Bennets and Edward Gardiner met in the study once Mr Blackwell took his leave. “Bennet, before you say it, I do not expect you to mourn Fanny. It would be a farce. Also, I am assuming you would prefer not to bury her with all of the Bennets who came before you, is that not so?” Edward stated firmly.

“I am glad we agree on my not mourning,” Bennet responded with relief. “If I were to mourn her, it would be rather hypocritical of me. I am not pleased she lost her life, regardless of how much I disdained her. She did leave me with a priceless gift in the form of Jane. Although I am not sure I would welcome contact with your father or Miss Gardiner, however, as her uncle, you are welcome to spend time with Jane.”

“Thank you, Bennet, I appreciate that. I do understand your reluctance to have to be in my father’s and Hattie’s presence. I propose that Fanny be laid to rest next to my mother in the graveyard at St Alfred’s,” Edward suggested.

“Due to the higher temperatures during the day, we should see to her burial on the morrow, or at the latest the following day,” Beth opined.

“I will contact the rector at St Alfred’s. He is the one who christened all three of us Gardiner siblings. He presided over Mother being laid to rest, so it is only right he is the one who sends Fanny on her way to her eternal slumber. On behalf of my family, I thank you for your compassion in this. Given everything which Fanny did, you have been truly magnanimous.” Edward Gardiner looked at the Bennets as he said the last. He was fully cognisant of the fact that the Bennets did not stint on care for his late sister, right up until the moment that she breathed her last.

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

Everything was arranged with speed, and on Wednesday, the nineteenth day of May 1789, Fanny Gardiner Bennet was interred next to her mother at St Alfred’s Church in Meryton. No one questioned the fact that Thomas Bennet was not present, as the residents of the area all knew what had occurred in August of the previous year.

Edward Gardiner let it be known that the Bennets had his full support in their decision not to mourn his late sister. An hour after the funeral, Edward was on his way back to London.

As he was departing Meryton, Edward rode past some coaches heading into the town from the direction of London. He saw no crests on any of the carriages.

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

“Welcome to Netherfield Park Your Gr…” Mrs Nichols, the housekeeper, stopped as she saw the raised eyebrows as she remembered the instructions she had received. “Please pardon me, welcome Mr and Mrs Devon, Miss Devon, and Miss Constance. The house is prepared per your instructions.”

Mr and Mrs Nichols, who had been installed as the butler and housekeeper were known to the family. They had been under butler and assistant housekeeper at Campton Place in Eastbourne, one of the Cavendishs’ many homes. On purchasing this estate, they had been promoted to the position they now held. They hoped their slip would be excused by the Duke and Duchess.

“It may take some getting used to, but please make sure that around the local servants we are the Devons. We are here to relax and be free of all of those who toady up to us for our rank and wealth,” Devonshire stated.

“We have had cards made up, which we will send around soon so we may begin to meet our neighbours. We understand the neighbouring estate is Longbourn?” Lady Georgiana, Mrs Devon verified. “It is our hope that our daughters can make some local friends.”

“The Bennets own Longbourn. You will hear this from many of your new neighbours…” Mrs Nichols told of the compromise, the birth of the daughter, and the death of Mrs Fanny Bennet. “It was Mr Edward Gardiner, the late Mrs Bennet’s brother, who let it be known that, with his full blessing, the Bennets will not mourn his sister.”

“Given what you told us, I can understand them not wanting to honour a woman who was so underhanded,” Lady Rebecca, Miss Devon, asserted.

“In that case, send our card to Longbourn; it will be good to meet the Bennets,” Mrs Devon instructed.