Page 43 of The Next Mrs Bennet

“L izzy, how is it you did not write to us about all of this before? Your uncle and I would have come to attempt to put a stop to this madness before it was too late,” Madeline wondered.

It was just aunt and niece sitting in the former’s private sitting room. The rest of the Bennet sisters were with their cousins, the governess, and nursemaids at the park opposite the Gardiners’ house. It was a nice spring day, perfect for a walk and feeding the ducks in the park. Madeline had requested Lizzy remain at the house in order to speak to her.

“But I did, several times,” Elizabeth protested. “You never received one letter from either myself or Jane did you?”

Madeline shook her head. “If you wrote them then someone…” Madeline began to say.

“Removed them from the post before they were taken into Meryton,” Elizabeth completed. “I am sure it was Mr. or Mrs. Bennet! I should have thought to take a letter to the Red Lion Inn myself.”

“Did you not tell me the Duke had rented the entire inn for his stay?” Madeline verified. Elizabeth confirmed with a nod of her head. “Do you not think the Duke would have had his men be on the lookout for letters from Longbourn?”

“I thought myself so intelligent and I did not think of that either,” Elizabeth berated herself. “I should have taken the post coach to Hatfield to send a letter.”

“Dearest niece, why would you have suspected your parents to be so duplicitous?” Madeline questioned. “You hold no blame here, the only thing I am not reconciled to is why my niece who never changes her mind and will do nothing she does not want to has agreed to marry this man.”

“If I tell you, I need you to swear you will tell no one, especially not Jane,” Elizabeth insisted.

“You know I have no secrets from Uncle Edward,” Madeline reminded her niece.

“I am sanguine with your telling Uncle, but not another living soul.” Madeline agreed.

Elizabeth told her aunt what the Duke had used as a threat if she refused to marry him. She made sure her aunt was completely aware she did not resent Jane in any way as it had been her own choice to do what she did. Jane would never have asked it of her and would have sacrificed herself for the family which Elizabeth could not allow her to do.

“So I did in fact choose to marry for the deepest love, my love for my dearest sister and best friend in the world.”

“My dear girl, never have I been party to hearing about such a brave and selfless act of protection.” Madeline pulled her now crying niece into as warm a hug as she was capable of giving. “It was you who insisted some additional terms were added to the settlement, was it not? Uncle Frank mentioned something, without going into the details, to Uncle Edward.”

“It was,” Elizabeth confirmed with a watery smile.

Madeline decided to change the subject without asking Lizzy about the terms. “You have heard Uncle Edward and me speak about how the Duke treated his previous wives, have you not?”

“Yes, I am aware I am about to be shackled to the worst kind of man. If it had been my free choice he would be the very last man in the world I would ever be prevailed upon to marry.”

“If I were to guess, he will do nothing to hurt you until you deliver an heir. If he does not do this anyway, you must have him send you to his estate in Derbyshire, Castlemere, while you are increasing. From there, after you deliver your babe, if we have to, we can assist you as I know many people in the area. You have heard me speak of Lambton where I grew up, have you not?”

“Many times,” Elizabeth agreed.

“My brother, Adam, is the rector there, he took over after my father passed some four years ago. He and his wife Eve,” Maddie smiled when she noted Lizzy’s reaction to Adam and Eve, “do not look at me so, it was by chance he fell in love with Evangaline, she has always been called Eve.” Elizabeth giggled. It was a sound Madeline had not thought she would hear again. “As I was saying before you made sport of my brother and his wife’s names, Adam has many connections in Derbyshire, thusly through him, so do I. If and when we need to help you, he will know on whom we can rely. Thankfully, your husband-to-be is not at all liked anywhere in the country.”

For the first time since the nightmare began, Elizabeth saw a sliver of hope. She threw her arms around her aunt and held onto her for many minutes.

‘ I cannot tell Edward about what was done with Jane and Lizzy’s letters yet, ’ Madeline thought as she rubbed Lizzy’s back. ‘ He would hie to Longbourn and pummel Bennet again, not that he does not deserve it, but I would rather not have Edward be arrested .’

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

“What do you mean my fiancée is no longer at Longbourn? I will have the father killed if he let her escape!” the Duke thundered when Wickham returned with the ring to make his report.

“Your Grace, we know where she is, she did not escape, she is merely staying with an uncle and aunt, in fact, here in London,” Wickham explained quickly in order to avoid being the next person the Duke permanently removed from this world.

“Why did you not say that to begin with? Sometimes I wonder if you are worth the trouble,” the Duke drawled.

Wickham knew it would accomplish nothing were he to point out he had been telling the Duke all when the man had interrupted him. He had been working for His Grace long enough to know one did not gain anything by pointing out the master’s errors.

“Well then take the ring to her,” the Duke stated dismissively.

“Ahem, I tried Your Grace. Miss Elizabeth told me to tell you if you wish to present her with a ring, you need to present it yourself,” Wickham elucidated.

“ WHAT !” the Duke thundered. “Who does that chit think she is?”

“If you remember Your Grace, that is the precise reason you insisted on her being your wife,” Wickham pointed out.

“I suppose it is,” Hertfordshire allowed. “Where is this uncle’s home, in Mayfair I hope?”

“No it is not, Your Grace,” Wickham responded. “It is on Gracechurch Street near…Cheapside.”

“ CHEAPSIDE ! Cheapside! Surely my intended is intelligent enough to know I would never go to that part of Town!” the Duke spat out.

“It is my opinion Miss Elizabeth is well aware of that fact. If I were to wager, I would say it is the precise reason she demanded you attend her there. That and…” Wickham trailed off.

“What are you not saying?” the Duke demanded.

“The uncle is in trade, Your Grace,” Wickham revealed.

Wickham had, only that day, admitted to himself that he had become enamoured and impressed with the soon-to-be duchess. Never had he seen a woman as beautiful, even when he compared her to the blonde older sister. Her beauty was entwined with her indomitable spirit; she was far superior to any woman Wickham had ever met. She was scared of no one and all his employer wanted, after he had his precious heir, was to break her. Wickham did not think the Duke would succeed which would lead to him physically abusing the magnificent young lady to achieve his aims.

“Not only does she expect me to lower myself to go to Cheapside, but to the home of her tradesman uncle as well!” Hertfordshire barked in disgust.

Wickham refrained from pointing out a significant portion of the Duke’s income was derived from the shipbuilding yards, so he was in fact in trade. One only pointed out unwanted information to the Duke if they did not value their lives.

“I believe it is her aim, Your Grace,” Wickham opined.

“Wickham, return there with a letter of credit from my man of business and make sure my fiancée understands she needs to go to the best modistes and purchase the clothing she will need in her new station,” the Duke commanded.

After a bow to his master, Wickham left the room to carry out the order.

Even though he did not appear in polite society, he still demanded his wife would look the part and not disgrace his name. He cared not how much it cost him.

On the one hand, Hertfordshire was irked by the insolence of his fiancée; she held no respect for him and his position at all. On the other hand, it was in fact the very reason he had chosen her. He supposed he should not be surprised she would challenge him at every turn.

Not for the first time, he repeated his hope to himself that she bear him an heir within the first year of marriage so he would be able to have his enjoyment with her soon enough.

To break her spirit would give him the ultimate pleasure.

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

That evening the Duke of Hertfordshire called on the one peer in London who would receive him, albeit with extreme reluctance, the Earl of Colbath. The man had lost enough money in cards to Hertfordshire that he could have claimed his estate. It was the man’s own fault, for he had never caught the Duke cheating.

In return for not calling in his debts, the price had been that Lord Kenneth McIntire, whose estate was on the Scottish Highlands, and his wife, would do anything Hertfordshire demanded of them.

Unfortunately, they had no unmarried daughter or it would have been the answer to the Duke’s problem and given him a titled bride.

“Colbath, I need your wife to sponsor my new wife so she will be presented after we marry,” Hertfordshire demanded.

“You had told me that the last favour you would ask of me was when you used my house in London to bed Lady Mowbray, and that you would return my vowels to me after that,” the Earl stated with distaste.

“When your wife has mine presented, they will be yours,” Hertfordshire promised.

“You will excuse me if I do not trust you, Your Grace,” Colbath stated as evenly as he was able to in the face of the despicable man. “If you want this, then you will deliver the debt markers to my solicitor before my Morag assists your wife. As soon as the new Duchess is presented, he will release them to me.”

Hertfordshire had wanted to keep his talons into Colbath, but he needed his wife presented more and there was not another noble’s wife who would agree to do it.

“Agreed, give me your solicitor’s direction, we will meet there on the morrow and sign the agreement. Once signed, I will hand the man your vowels,” the Duke agreed with no good cheer.

When the blackhearted man had been shown out of his house, the Earl felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. He would finally be free of Hertfordshire, as well as the threat to his estate and his son’s inheritance.

With a lightness of step, Colbath sought out his beloved Morag to give her the excellent news. At least this time, the price of doing a favour for the damned Duke was not too high.

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

For the first time in her life, Fanny Bennet discovered what it was like to be on the receiving end of negative gossip. It had started at Sarah Lucas’s house. Fanny had arrived to gleefully boast about her success in marrying off her second and least deserving daughter so well.

She was told Lady Lucas was not at home to her. Fanny had screeched at the housekeeper, the Lucases could not afford a butler, but the woman had closed the door in her face.

Rather than graciously retire, Fanny had banged on the door until none other than Sir William had answered it. He had told her the entire neighbourhood was aware of what she and Bennet had done to Eliza and neither she nor Bennet were welcome at Lucas Lodge again. To emphasise his point when Fanny had refused to leave without speaking to Sir William’s wife, he had reminded her, he was the magistrate and as such he could have her arrested for trespassing.

From Lucas Lodge, Fanny had gone to the Longs, then the Gouldings, and lastly the Purvises. Her reception had been the same at each house.

After Purvis Lodge Fanny had instructed the coachman to take her to her sister’s house in Meryton. The door had not been opened to her and all she received were looks of scorn from any townspeople who saw her.

Each one cut her.

By the time she had arrived back at Longbourn, Fanny had been in high dudgeon. She demanded her husband fix everything, but he had barely raised his eyes from his book as she fumed. He then returned to reading without a word.

Having convinced herself it was an aberration, after all, no one cared about what happened to Miss Lizzy, Fanny headed into Meryton the next day. She entered the milliner’s store and every customer turned their backs on her. Worse than that, the proprietor told her Longbourn’s account had been closed. She would, henceforth, have to use coin to purchase anything.

Reeling, Fanny went to four more shops, including the general emporium which used to belong to the Lucases. It was the same in each. Backs turned on her and no account, payment in full only.

This time when she returned home, because it would affect his ability to purchase books and port, Bennet roused himself from his study and rode into the town.

For once his wife had the right of it. Even his account at the bookseller was closed. He returned home after having received demands for payment of all accounts. It seemed the denizens of Meryton did not appreciate his way of trying to end the entail.

He remembered in her ranting his wife had suggested they apply to the Duke to set things to rights in the town for them.

Bennet sat and wrote a letter to the Duke of Hertfordshire requesting his help.

A terse reply, written by the Duke’s secretary, was received the next day telling Bennet never to bother the Duke again.

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

On Saturday morning, the last one in April and only three more days to the day Elizabeth dreaded, an enormous Hertfordshire coach came to a halt outside the Gardiners’ house.

Not too long after, the butler announced the Duke of Hertfordshire and Mr. George Wickham.

Aunt Maddie, Jane, and herself had been sitting and working on embroidery when the corpulent old man was shown in. Elizabeth smirked as she watched her fiancé waddle into the room.

The three ladies stood and gave curtsies, the Duke inclined his head and Wickham bowed. “I am here to present my fiancée with an engagement ring and to inform her of the time of the wedding at St. Paul’s,” the Duke stated with no preamble.

He had taken a seat and pulled the ring from his waistcoat pocket. He handed it to Wickham to give to Miss Elizabeth.

“This is far too large for me, unless you mean for me to wear it on my thumb, Your Grace,” Elizabeth noted impertinently.

“Wickham, measure my fiancée’s finger,” the Duke ordered.

Was she worth the trouble? He decided after a moment, she was. Or, at least, she would be after she bore him an heir. Regardless, it was too late now; the notice had appeared in all of the papers, both about the engagement and the date and time of the wedding at St. Paul’s.

He would not allow the Ton to laugh at him for being jilted.

Wickham stepped forward and placed a length of twine around Miss Elizabeth’s fourth finger of her left hand. He marked it and then withdrew after requesting she give him the ring.

“How soon?” the Duke enquired.

“The day before the wedding, Your Grace,” Wickham replied.

“Who will give you away, your father or your uncle?” the Duke demanded.

“I have no father or mother. If you allow Mr. or Mrs. Bennet to attend, I will not walk up the aisle or recite my vows,” Elizabeth promised.

As it was no hardship for him, the Duke agreed.

“My Uncle Edward will walk me up the aisle,” Elizabeth informed the man.

Hertfordshire was about to make a comment about the degradation of a man in trade walking his new duchess to him, but for once he held his peace. He had no doubt his fiancée would use that as a reason not to arrive at the church.

“Be there a few minutes before ten,” the Duke instructed. “Have you been purchasing your trousseau?”

As much as Elizabeth did not want to do anything he instructed her to, Aunt Maddie had convinced her it was necessary. Besides, Elizabeth had ordered garments for her sisters, Aunt Maddie, and Lilly as well.

“Yes, Your Grace, we are following your instructions regarding Lizzy’s wardrobe,” Madeline responded.

He stood to leave. He reached out for Elizabeth’s hand but she put them behind her back. She did not want to be touched by this man any more than absolutely necessary.

As he rode back towards Mayfair in his coach, the Duke of Hertfordshire was conjuring up new ways he would break her spirit when the time came.