Page 46 of The Next Mrs Bennet

L ady Morag McIntire visited Hertfordshire House for the final practice session before Her Grace was to be presented to the Queen.

She had much sympathy for the very young Duchess. Without Lady Elizabeth saying so in words, Lady Morag was positive she had not married the horrible man by choice, but had somehow been forced into it.

Knowing how the Duke liked to leverage people to do his bidding, the Countess suspected it had been something along those lines that had led this young girl—for that is what she was—to marry such a man. Not for the first time Lady Morag gave thanks to on high for the fact her daughter was safely married. She was certain had Skye still been single, the Duke would have used the vowels he held to force a marriage to himself.

The Countess could not know if the leverage had been applied to the family or the girl herself. She would not be surprised if it were the latter because there were no depths to which the man would not sink.

There was no way to have a private conversation with the Duchess to confirm or refute the Countess’s suspicions as they were never left alone. Either that Wickham man—as he was now—or one of the Duke’s other lackeys were within hearing distance so the most the two would talk about were inconsequential subjects.

“You are ready, Your Grace,” Lady Morag announced after the last practice was completed. The young girl learned fast and walked with a certain amount of confidence.

“Thank you for all of your assistance, your Ladyship,” Elizabeth replied.

She relished these sessions each day as they allowed her contact with one who was not him or someone he employed. In their fortnight of marriage, much to her chagrin he had come to her, but not every night, so that was a small blessing. Elizabeth would take them where she could.

How Elizabeth missed Jane, her other three sisters, her aunts, and her uncles. Communication with Gracechurch Street was by letter. At first, he had wanted to read her incoming and even her outgoing letters.

At least she had won the concession—by reminding him of what he agreed to in the settlement. Her post would be delivered directly to her and no one else, including her hated husband.

There was a thick letter from Janey waiting for her in her chambers.

“Did you say your dress for the presentation was delivered yesterday?” Lady Morag asked in her Scottish brogue.

“Yes; what a waste. I will wear it for a few minutes and never again. Whatever was Her Majesty thinking to require such an ensemble?” Elizabeth huffed.

“You will be able to ask her yourself on the morrow when you are presented. You are a duchess and the Queen will have some conversation with you,” Lady Morag pointed out, more in jest than seriousness regarding questioning the Queen. Court dress or one’s objections to it would not be a subject looked upon with favour by the Queen.

For a moment, Elizabeth who claimed she never felt intimidated, felt intimidated. The Queen! She would have to have a sensible conversation with Queen Charlotte. She calmed, her courage rose, and told herself it was only a conversation with another person.

“Do I really need to wear the tiara and the other jewels my husband has made available to me?” Elizabeth enquired.

“The tiara you will wear indicates your rank and yes, it is expected you will be bejewelled when you are at court,” Lady Morag clarified.

“Wearing the tiara is bad enough, but those peacock feathers as well! That is too much along with the hooped monstrosity I am to wear,” Elizabeth sighed.

All Lady Morag could do was smile. It was no less than the objections she had made before her presentation. Like the Duchess, she would have been happy without it. It was something else she had in common with Her Grace. Before she had fallen in love with her Kenneth, she had been a happy lass living on a small estate near the estate of Colbath.

The only complaint she had ever had against her husband was his love of games of chance. Thankfully, since the Duke of Hertfordshire had won—he had cheated—so much, her husband had never so much as made a wager for a penny ever again.

Now, the leverage the Duke had held over their heads would be gone on the morrow. The solicitor would be present outside of St. James and as soon as the Duchess exited and confirmed she had been presented, the markers would be turned over to Kenneth. From that time on they would never again acknowledge the dastardly Duke, never mind be in his company again.

Knowing of the man’s propensities, Morag would pray long and hard for Lady Elizabeth’s protection from her husband.

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

Elizabeth made for her chambers to change out of the practice hooped dress as speedily as she was able. Her maid assisted her and soon, not soon enough for Elizabeth, she was dressed in a day dress.

She took Jane’s letter with her into her private sitting room and after kicking her slippers off, sat down in a comfortable window seat, tucking her legs underneath herself.

She looked at Jane’s thicker than normal letter longingly. How she wished she could see all her sisters and the rest of the family she was willing to acknowledge. Her selfish desires would not win out, they needed to be kept apart for the safety of her sisters, so apart they would remain. Elizabeth allowed her fingers to caress the Gardiner seal while imagining being at Gracechurch Street with them and not in this gilded prison she inhabited.

Elizabeth broke the seal. A second letter from Charlotte was contained within. Her old man husband would not allow letters from anyone but her close family hence when she wrote to Charlotte or vice versa, the letter would be contained within one to or from one of her sisters, or one time to Aunt Hattie.

Elizabeth began to read Jane’s letter first.

15 May 1806

23 Gracechurch Street

My dearest sister and best friend, Lizzy,

How I miss you, Dearest. The enclosed letter from Charlotte arrived this morning. Knowing you would want to hear from her as soon as may be, I wrote to you as well.

It seems so strange to me that we are only a few miles apart, yet we could be at opposite ends of England. One day you will have to explain all to me. I know you said it is for my and our sisters’ protection, but it does not mean I miss you any less.

Speaking of being close to you on Berkeley Square, on the morrow, the two older Gardiner children and we four Bennet sisters will have a picnic in Hyde Park and then we are to have some ices at the famous Gunter’s.

How I wish you could bump into us just by chance but I know that man has you watched at all times and under heavy escort when you are out of the house without him.

As I have told you in a previous letter, our sisters and I, and am sure it is true for Aunt Maddie and Uncle Edward as well, pray for your wellbeing and protection every night before we go to bed.

I hate that you are enslaved to that terrible man. I can only hope he is not as bad as we have heard even though I doubt that. You see Lizzy, I do not try and make everything in the world good any longer.

You will enjoy Charlotte’s letter especially about Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.

Aunt Maddie is calling me so I will end here.

With all of my sisterly love,

Jane

“I miss you, all of you every minute of every day,” Elizabeth told her sister’s letter as she dashed some tears away from her cheeks which had fallen towards the end of her reading. She picked up the second letter, broke the seal, and smoothed the pages so she could read it.

14 May 1806

Lucas Lodge

My dear Eliza,

Or should I give a deep curtsy and say, Your Grace ?

Elizabeth could see her friend’s teasing face as she mockingly did just that. How she would love to see Charlotte again. Her gaoler would not allow her to have contact with someone with ties so close to trade. She returned to the page.

Much to her chagrin, Mrs. Bennet has discovered a fortnight would not make the residents of the area forget her crimes.

Yesterday, she had the temerity to call at Lucas Lodge as if nothing untoward had occurred. It did not take long before she was screeching at full volume, and using some expletives mind you, when she was not granted access to the house.

My father had once before threatened her with arrest for trespassing if she set foot on our land again. She obviously thought it was an idle threat. It was not! The woman who gave birth to you is in the town gaol and will remain there for 5 days.

Do you think she finally understood how serious my father was? I hear that no matter how much she screamed, screeched, and caterwauled for someone to have Mr. Bennet come and pay a fine so she could go home, he never did. I would wager he is relishing the temporary peace and quiet at Longbourn.

“Now that is something I would love to see! Fanny Bennet in a gaol cell,” Elizabeth smiled widely. “If only it was for much longer and Mr. Bennet was in the cell next to hers!”

Although I understand you not being able to see us is not your choice, I do miss you so much. Each time I go for a walk and end up on Longbourn’s lands, I almost expect, or more likely hope, you will come around a bend in the path singing and swinging your bonnet around in your hand as you walk.

Alas, it is not to be.

Before I forget, Mama and Papa, Franklin, John, and Maria all ask to be remembered to the Duchess . John says he cannot imagine the girl who used to fight with him over a frog in the mud is now the Duchess of Hertfordshire and a marchioness as well.

“John is not the only one who cannot believe it. I wish it were not true,” Elizabeth said to her sitting room. “If only that was all I had to worry about, catching more frogs than Johnny Lucas.”

You know Eliza, the Lord works in mysterious ways, so mayhap it will not be too long before I see you again.

Stay strong my friend. With warmest regards,

Charlotte

Elizabeth gave a long and loud sigh. It was almost time to dress for dinner, the one meal of the day he insisted she join him.

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

Thankfully her husband was not welcome at St. James, or any other royal residence for that matter. It was a pleasure to be going to be presented without his objectionable company. His lackey, Mr. Wickham, would ride behind on a horse. Much to her approbation, he would not be allowed into St. James Palace either.

Elizabeth had been collected at Hertfordshire House by the Earl and Countess of Colbath. There was another man in the coach, who she quickly learnt was the man she would inform after her presentation was complete.

“Your Grace, we have never been away from your husband’s men before, so excuse me if my question is impertinent,” Lady Morag stated.

The Earl saw the Duchess give a questioning look towards his solicitor. “That is Mr. Crawley, my solicitor. He is the soul of discretion,” the Earl assured Her Grace.

“In that case, please ask what you will,” Elizabeth allowed.

“Am I correct being attached to that man was not your choice?” Lady Morag probed. “You of course are free to ignore any of my questions you feel have crossed a line.”

“You will find I am rather outspoken with my opinions, so if I feel I do not choose to answer, I will tell you,” Elizabeth informed the Countess. “No, it was most certainly not my choice.” Elizabeth paused. “May I ask a question?”

“We will be as candid as you have been with us,” Lady Morag responded.

“How is it you attend my husband when he is universally scorned by the Ton ?” Elizabeth questioned.

“My husband was cheated…” Lady Morag told the Duchess of their association with the Duke and all about how he had hung the vowels like the Sword of Damocles above their heads.

“That is why I must inform Mr. Crawley after I have been presented; it is the last thing you agreed…” Elizabeth was cut off by the Earl.

“We never agreed to anything with him, he always demanded using the threat of calling in my debts if I refused,” Lord Kenneth revealed.

Each time she thought she had discovered the depths of her husband’s depravity; she discovered a new low.

“I am so sorry he used you so ill for so long after he cheated you,” Elizabeth averred.

“Your Grace, you are not the one who needs to apologise,” Colbath insisted. “You are as much a victim of his machinations as I was, and I was supposed to be an intelligent man and yet I still fell into his spider web.”

Just then they arrived at St. James Palace. If the ostentation Elizabeth saw outside was any indication, this was not her type of home.

She took a deep breath and when ready, nodded to the royal footman to open the door.