Page 49 of The Next Mrs Bennet

“A ndy, we have been walking the paths of Hyde Park at this time for close to a month and we have yet to see the young lady who caught your eye,” William pointed out to his eldest cousin. “If this was Bingley chasing after the ghost of one of his willowy, blonde angels, then I would understand—but this is you, who I have always counted amongst the most sensible of men.”

“Do you not think I realise how unlikely the chance is that I will encounter her again?” Andrew bit back. “I am fully aware my actions are illogical.” He paused and added, “In that instant, when I stopped her from falling, I felt something. Something I have never felt before or, for that matter, since.”

William admitted, shaking his head, “I need no reminder of my ungentlemanly conduct that day. I behaved more like Aunt Cat with my wild accusations, yet we were the ones in the wrong.”

“Unlike our presumptuous aunt, you admit to your errors. When have you ever known her to do so?”

William bowed his head in thanks for his cousin’s assessment of part of his character. “You are but six and twenty, surely you have time before you need to worry about taking a wife. Aunt and Uncle are not pressuring you are they?”

“No, they are not. Mother and Father want Rich and me to find what they and your parents have, a union based on mutual love and respect. Speaking of your puppy, Bingley, are you still ducking his younger sister? She is how old, nineteen now?”

“I believe so. I have never met a woman as obtuse as that one. My parents and I have all made it very clear she will never be my wife, but it seems she hears only that which she wants to hear—much like Aunt Cat.”

“Does not the fact she has never been invited to Pemberley after she inserted herself uninvited when Bingley visited, or to Darcy House tell her something? Not to mention my parents and I will never permit the introduction to her. I am thinking you may want to make sure Bingley makes things clear to her.” Andrew scrunched his nose up like there was a bad smell as he spoke about the fortune-hunting, social climbing, shrewish harridan.

“No, she does not see a connection between the lack of invitations and her not being desirable company. It does not help that Bingley refuses to tell her I will never offer for her under any circumstances. Mother and Father support me fully in this. If she tried to entrap me, the only one who would suffer would be her.”

“And you know you will have the full support of the Fitzwilliams and our connections behind you if it ever comes to that, do you not William?”

“Speaking of only hearing what one wants to. Do you know that regardless of how many times my parents have refused her entreaties to engage me to Anne, Aunt Cat still writes to Mother every month or so demanding such? Her letters do seem to make good kindling for the fire.”

“Lady Catty would be most gratified to hear that,” Andrew grinned. William looked at his cousin quizzically. “You know how she likes to be of use, do you not? By the way, she writes to Father claiming me as her future son as well.”

William let out a guffaw. “I am glad I am not her only option . It seems our aunt is even more obtuse than Miss Bingley!” William paused, his face changing to a more sombre mien. “I miss Richard every day. Have you or your parents heard from him since his departure to the Peninsula?”

“No, and I would not expect to hear for some weeks, if not months. It takes long enough for post from the continent when there is no war raging. Now it is ten times worse,” Andrew opined.

“I suppose you have the right of it. I will keep praying for his safe return to us,” William said as he lifted his eyes to the heavens.

The cousins arrived at the pond—as they did each day they walked together—where the Viscount had seen his angel on earth walk away from him to meet the younger group that day. As it had been every day after, she had not been seen.

Andrew and William turned and began the walk back towards the Grosvenor Gate and the square beyond it.

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

“Janey, was not that the man you bumped into some weeks ago?” Mary asked as she saw the two men turn and head away from the duck pond. “Also the rude one was with him, but not the officer.”

The four Bennet sisters who resided with the Gardiners were walking in Hyde Park again that morning with the two eldest Gardiner children as well as an appropriate number of escorts.

This time, they had walked along the Serpentine first and then made for the pond so the younger among them could feed the waiting ducks.

When the man had saved her from falling Jane had felt a frisson at his touch which she could not explain. As soon as he had released her it was gone. Not for the first time since that day she admonished herself that a Viscount would not be interested in the poor daughter of a country squire who lived with her tradesman uncle on Gracechurch Street near Cheapside.

Besides, instant attraction and love at first sight were the stuff of gothic romance novels, not real life. At least that is what Jane was trying to convince herself of to protect her heart.

“You may be correct, Mary,” Jane acknowledged, “however, they seem to be walking away from where we will be.”

“Lizzy should be at the Duke’s estate now, should she not be?” Mary verified.

“Unless their plans changed, I believe so,” Jane confirmed.

“How I wish we were able to visit her.” Mary saw Jane was about to interject. “I know it is for our own protection, but that does not make me miss her any less.”

“In that, we are in lockstep,” Jane agreed.

“Jane,” Mary stopped walking.

Jane noted that fact and returned to where Mary stood. “What is it, Mary?”

“Am I a bad person that I do not miss our parents? Does the bible not command us to honour our mother and father?” Mary worried her lip.

“It is a subject with which I too have struggled,” Jane admitted. “Something Lizzy said makes much sense to me. As soon as our parents showed they were willing to barter one of us for their own selfish needs, they stopped being our parents. Mrs. Bennet only cares about her own future comfort and Mr. Bennet wants everything to come to him without stirring himself from his study.”

“Brava Jane! That is the most unforgiving statement I have ever heard you utter, and it is all true.” Jane playfully swatted at Mary’s arm. “When I think of how our two youngest sisters,” Mary inclined her head towards where Kitty and Lydia were assisting Lilly and Eddy feed the ducks, “had they been raised by our moth…Mrs. Bennet, they would have turned out very wild indeed, especially Lydia, I believe.”

“As much as I wish Lizzy was not tied to that old man, there could be some positives to come out of our move away from the pernicious influence of our parents. All we need is Lizzy to be free for everything to be good.”

“How do you like the expanded house?” Mary queried to change the subject to one less melancholy than them worrying about Lizzy.

Rather than completely break down the walls between the two houses altogether, a builder had suggested making a series of doorless entryways. Uncle Edward had agreed and the work had been completed within a fortnight and now there was plenty of room with bedchambers to spare at the Gardiners’ house.

“Sharing with you was never a chore, but I must admit to enjoying having my own chamber, especially as it is next to yours and across from Kitty and Lyddie’s.”

“Lilly, Eddy, and May are enjoying the new nursery which is twice the size of the old one. I like that Uncle is converting the old nursery into rooms for the governess and nurses,” Mary agreed.

The two linked arms and made their way towards where their sisters and cousins were feeding the quacking ducks trying to demand their attention and the pieces of bread being thrown.

As the sisters turned, neither saw the Viscount turn back and then freeze in his tracks.

Andrew’s heart was convinced it was indeed Miss Bennet, but how could he be sure at the distance and what excuse would he have to suddenly make an about face and walk back from whence he had come.

He told himself he could only hope he would be given another chance to see her. Why had he not asked her direction at that first meeting?

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

By the next morning, which was shaping up to be a gorgeous day, the story of how the Duchess had been concerned for the servants being able to eat had made its way to all those who worked below stairs like wildfire through dry brush.

Her words of greeting became all the more believable and the servants had begun to believe the new mistress would not treat them the way the master did. When Her Grace’s lady’s maid had reinforced her mistress’s goodness and kindness, the prevailing sentiment was the new Duchess was someone who deserved their loyalty.

In the past when Wickham heard of negative sentiments regarding His Grace being expressed he would have reported what was being said and who was saying it. As he agreed with the expressed sentiments, not a word was repeated to his master.

As was her wont, especially when she was in the country, regardless of the fact he had wanted to importune her yester-night—only receding when he saw proof she was still indisposed, Elizabeth was up before the sun. Loretta attended her soon after the bell had been pulled.

Elizabeth dressed in a dark green day dress and laced up her favourite half boots for walking. She had Loretta pull her hair back into a simple chignon, took her lightweight pelisse, the same one she used to wear at Longbourn, and a bonnet, and then made for the front doors one floor below her.

Seeing two footmen in the hallway outside her apartment, Elizabeth greeted the men cheerfully, and just like she said she would, she asked each his name and then said it back to burn it into her memory.

She descended the grand staircase and found Mr. Wickham at the bottom in the entrance hall. Elizabeth was concerned he would stop her from taking a walk. Her husband had not forbidden the activity, but neither had he countenanced it. First, Elizabeth greeted the four footmen on duty near the front doors and repeated the method she had used with the first two.

Next, she turned to Mr. Wickham with an arched eyebrow challenging him to stop her. “It is not my intention to curtail your desire to exercise Your Grace,” Wickham bowed to the young Duchess. “However, walking out on your own, or riding, would not be looked upon with favour. I, and two footmen-guards, and when you ride, a groom will accompany you.”

“It will be a walk. I do not ride,” Elizabeth informed her husband’s man. “As long as you allow me some space so at least I can imagine I have solitude, I will not object to being escorted,” Elizabeth allowed.

“Most gracious of you, Your Grace,” Wickham bowed again.

Detecting no mockery or condescension in his tone, Elizabeth accepted Mr. Wickham was being sincere. It confused her. The man had always been her husband’s man in every way. Now was the time for walking, not contemplating Mr. Wickham and her husband.

One of the footmen assisted her into her selected pelisse, she thanked him recalling his name was Ralph, and then tied her bonnet’s ties loosely under her chin, and they were off.

Not five minutes after being introduced to her enormous personal footmen-guards, John Biggs and Brian Johns, Her Grace began her walk, the servant’s network had made it be known she had meant what she said which only added to the prevalent opinion stating she was the best mistress they could have hoped for.

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

Mr. Wickham kept to his word, he and the two guards walked behind her allowing the Duchess a little space.

The first thing Elizabeth did was circumnavigate the house. She discovered the wings did in fact extend out at the back of the structure so if one looked at the mansion—and it truly was that—from above it would look like an ‘H’ albeit a very large one.

The formal gardens were as extensive as Elizabeth had suspected, and everything was far too ordered for her liking. There was a mix of colours in flower beds, but like colours were in rows. The rose garden was very pleasant, especially the wonderful scent of the myriad of blooming roses. Much to her approbation, the rose garden was not nearly as organised as the rest.

At the rear of the house was a large hedge maze, something Elizabeth would puzzle out—it never took her long to solve them—another day.

From the one side of the house, Elizabeth could see the wooded area about a mile distant. She struck out in that direction at her normal blistering pace. She looked over her shoulder and could see she had surprised the men with her speed but they soon increased their pace and then kept up with her.

Just before she entered the treeline, Wickham instructed each of the guards to take up positions parallel to the Duchess while still maintaining the envelope of distance.

Walking among her friends—the trees—Elizabeth had not felt so relaxed since before she had met her husband and had no choice but to marry the pig of a man. The sun was still climbing into the eastern sky so thanks to its angle the forest was cool.

The one thing she had noticed on the drive into the estate—well of what she had seen of it—there was no equivalent to Oakham Mount for her to climb in order to watch the sunrise in the mornings. Of course, she could watch from anywhere with an unobstructed view of the east, but it was not the same.

Nothing was the same, nor had it been since he had disrupted her life. Until and unless she was rid of him, it would not be good again.

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

“Did I give permission for my wife to go tramping around my estate like a hoyden? What will people say when they hear my Duchess has such wild ways?” the Duke demanded. Wickham so much wanted to point out that no one ever visited his master but he bit his tongue. “At least you had the good sense to escort her, but why did you not stop her?”

“If Your Grace had left instructions Her Grace was not to leave the house, it would have been so,” Wickham pointed out. “If I may, Your Grace.”

Hertfordshire nodded.

Wickham thought quickly, it had to be the master’s idea. “I have heard women who have regular exercise are able to become with child quicker than those who do not. I overheard two eminent London physicians discussing this some months ago.”

“That is why I have decided to allow her to walk out in the mornings. As long as you and her guards continue to escort her, I will not rescind my permission,” the Duke decided magnanimously.

“By your command, Your Grace,” Wickham bowed to his master. “Her Grace does not ride, would you object if she were to learn? The head groom is an excellent teacher and that exercise is very good as well.”

“I think the Duchess should learn to ride; arrange it with the head groom.” The Duke waved Wickham away.

Once his back was turned to the Duke, Wickham grinned to himself at how easily he had manipulated His Grace.