Page 54 of The Next Mrs Bennet
N ever in the whole of her life had Elizabeth looked forward to attending church as much as she did that Sunday morning.
Elizabeth was in anticipation of seeing those she loved most in the world. She was filled with frenetic energy making Loretta’s work in preparing her for the day that much harder. Every time she sat at the dresser, Elizabeth would jump up again and begin to pace.
“Your Grace, are you well?” Jennings inquired worriedly.
For the last few days, her mistress had been distracted like the maid had not seen in the months since she had begun to serve the Duchess. She would not normally be so forward as to ask her mistress the question she had, but with Her Grace being with child, she felt she must.
“Yes, indeed I am very well,” Elizabeth responded distractedly. “I am in anticipation of attending church in Lambton, I have heard the rector delivers excellent sermons.”
Elizabeth was not one who liked to prevaricate and she had had an internal debate about whether or not to take Loretta into her confidence.
In the end, for now at least, she had decided against it. She did not want to put the maid in the position of having to dissemble in order to protect her mistress if one of her vile husband’s lap dogs questioned her. Loretta’s loyalty was above reproach, it was that man and his lackeys she did not trust.
The maid made no further comment. She knew the mistress had not attended services the first Sunday they had been in Derbyshire and at Falconwood she had only been allowed to use the chapel at the estate. A curate from the church in Chesham came to deliver the service.
‘ How fortunate ,’ Elizabeth thought as she finally sat long enough for her maid to complete her work on her hair. ‘ It is John and Brian who will accompany me to the church today. They are completely loyal to me. ’
One day at Falconwood she had overheard the two men discussing the hardships of their families and how what the Duke paid them was not enough. Elizabeth had begun to use some of her vast amounts of pin money to begin to augment the wages of John Biggs and Brian Johns. She had not done it to purchase their loyalty, but the result had been the two, who her delusional husband thought were his men, would do anything to protect Her Grace.
Yester-afternoon Elizabeth had requested they wait outside of the church as she was sure she would be perfectly safe inside with the worshipers.
Neither man had questioned her motives and agreed without hesitation. For the same reason she had not shared with her maid, Elizabeth had decided not to tell John and Brian the truth at this point.
“I think you are ready, Your Grace,” Jennings stated.
The maid had piled most of the hair on top of her head, held in place with pearl-tipped pins. Elizabeth was dressed in one of the myriad of new gowns she had been supplied with after the days of shopping in London.
It was certainly not the most ostentatious of her gowns. Even though she cared not, she guessed it would be finer than what most were wearing.
At the door, the butler was holding her bonnet and light pelisse her lady’s maid had provided him. The day was not cold, and with her body heat increased because of being with child, Elizabeth had chosen the lightest of her pelisses. She tied her bonnet in place and then exited via the great hall.
On the large stone veranda, John and Brian were waiting for her. The former offered his arm to his mistress to guide her to the waiting coach.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Andrew was frustrated. They had been busy since their arrival and he had not found an excuse or time to go into Lambton to see if he would be able to discover the whereabouts of Miss Bennet.
If that were not bad enough, the family were to attend the church at Kympton this week. As the gifts of both that church and Lambton were his uncle’s to bestow, the Darcy’s alternated between the two churches each week.
He could have asked Uncle Robert for them to attend Lambton’s church, but that would have engendered too many questions Andrew was not yet ready to answer.
Monday they would be in Lambton. William had suggested they go fishing at Castlemere in the morning that day and return via Lambton where they would have their midday meal at the Rose and Crown Inn. Like his own family did in Matlock and he did in Hilldale, the Darcys patronised the local businesses as much as possible when they were in residence.
He enjoyed fishing, but he would have been willing to eschew the activity on Monday if it meant spending more time seeking out Miss Bennet. The longer he could escape Richard’s inevitable, relentless teasing once his brother discovered he was seeking out a young lady, the better.
The Earl and Countess were meeting with their brother and sister in the Darcy’s private sitting room. “What will we do if the Duchess attends Kympton?” Lady Anne asked her husband. “We cannot ignore her because we all disdain the man she is shackled to.”
“From what Wickham, he and the steward at Castlemere are very good friends, told me, she did not attend either Lambton or Kympton churches last week,” Darcy informed his family.
“It is no wonder,” Lord Matlock spat out. “From what is known of the dastard, I would not be surprised if he had her locked away at that estate of his.”
“It is all speculation,” Lady Matlock stated. “I, like Anne, do not think we should be shunning her because of that man. Do not forget the approval of her the Queen demonstrated so very clearly.”
“It could be I am being overly cautious,” Darcy admitted. “Anne and Elaine, mayhap you can call on her during the next fortnight?”
“We have plans on Monday, but both Tuesday and Wednesday are available for calls,” Lady Anne averred.
“Do you not want to wait until the following week, after Easter?” Darcy suggested.
“I think not, Robert,” Lady Anne replied firmly, “We have allowed for enough time to pass already.”
Robert Darcy knew when to withdraw from the field of battle, and the look his beloved wife was giving him informed him that the time was now. He simply raised his hands in surrender.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Those congregants who had not taken up their seats in their pews inside yet were standing about speaking to one another in front of the Lambton church. All were greatly surprised to see the large coach with a coat of arms on the door none recognised pulled to a halt.
As the Darcys and Fitzwilliams had attended the week before, it was known it would not be them, and besides, their coats of arms were known by the locals.
Those watching observed two mountainous men alight, one from the bench next to the driver, and the other from the back bench, one of whom opened the door. He handed a young lady out, one who was perhaps fifteen or so years of age. She was followed by a maid. Based on the quality of her clothing, she was clearly wealthy.
The enormous man who had offered the young lady his arm, guided her to the outer vestibule door and then stepped back. The maid followed her mistress inside while one of the men stood on one side of the doors leading into the vestibule and the nave of the church beyond. The other seemed to be walking around the church for some reason.
Elizabeth had to remind herself to breathe. She turned to Loretta and nodded to a pew near the rear of the church. The maid slid in and took her seat. She faced forward again allowing her eyes to sweep left to right to spot her family and friends.
The first she noticed in the second pew from the front on the left of the aisle was the balding head of Sir William, next to him was Lady Lucas, and then, Elizabeth had to fight to keep her equanimity, was Charlotte. Aunt Hattie was next to her best friend with Uncle Frank just beyond her.
Her eyes looked to the first pew. There was a lady Elizabeth did not recognise in the first seat of the front pew. Next to her was Jane, then an open place, followed by Aunt Maddie, Uncle Edward, her three younger sisters, Maria Lucas, and Lilly. She assumed at five years of age, Eddy, was at the parsonage where the Gardiners were being hosted.
She fought her inclination to run up the aisle and fling herself into the arms of her loved ones. Rather, Elizabeth walked sedately and as she approached the front pew, the lady she knew not, stood to allow her to enter.
Like all of those there to see Lizzy, Jane had kept her eyes trained steadfastly on the pulpit where Uncle Adam was waiting. They did not want to give the impression they were waiting for Lizzy in case one of his watchers was present.
As soon as Jane saw Lizzy, her first instinct was to jump up and wrap her much loved sister in her arms. She tamped down the burning inclination and when Aunt Eve stood to allow Lizzy to join them in the pew, Jane stood as well, still looking to the front.
The three youngest Bennets wanted nothing more than to pull Lizzy into hugs, but the necessity of not showing any emotion and recognition had been impressed upon them, a lesson they had taken to heart. All three kept their eyes forward—for the most part—stealing sideways glances as Lizzy entered the pew. Maria and Lilly followed their lead.
No sooner had Elizabeth sat than her hand on each side sought that of Jane and Aunt Maddie. Hard squeezes were exchanged while all three looked, as nonchalantly as they were able, to where Adam stood.
It did not take long before opinion the unknown young lady was none other than the new Duchess of Hertfordshire began to circulate among those seated in the nave of the church. It was only the parson’s clearing of his throat and his signal for everyone to stand that quelled the talk and blatant staring.
After the opening prayer, the clergyman signalled his congregation to be seated. As soon as she sat, Elizabeth’s hands again sought those of her sister and aunt. All three ladies had a few tears rolling down their cheeks, but due to where they were seated and the bonnets they were wearing, that fact was not visible to the rest of the congregation.
Jane lifted her prayer book to shield her mouth. “The lady you do not know is Uncle Adam’s wife, Evangeline, we all call her Eve,” Jane told her younger sister in sotto voce .
At the thought of the couple being known as Adam and Eve, Elizabeth had to fight not to giggle.
“It is beyond the best thing to see all of you again,” Elizabeth responded softly so only Jane and their aunt could hear.
“You are looking well, Lizzy,” Aunt Maddie quietly added as she assiduously concentrated on her prayer book. “You have not been harmed, at least not physically, have you?”
“No, Aunt, not physically,” Elizabeth confirmed.
When they next stood, Elizabeth felt some pressure on her arm from behind her. Charlotte wanted to speak to and hug her friend, but she had to be satisfied with some brief comfort as everyone stood.
For the rest of the service Elizabeth revelled in the closeness of those she loved and who loved her in return.
She felt strong pangs of regret when the concluding hymn had been sung as she had no excuse to remain at the church for longer than it would take her to walk to her coach. When she exited out of the vestibule into the bright sunlight she could have kissed Uncle Adam.
“Excuse me for asking, but are you Her Grace, the Duchess of Hertfordshire?” he asked innocently.
“I am,” Elizabeth averred. “I was most taken with the lesson you preached in your sermon, Mr. Lambert if I heard correctly.”
A murmur went up from the crowd milling about outside of the church as the speculation she was the Duchess was confirmed. None would walk home until Her Grace departed.
“Indeed Your Grace. Would you allow me to introduce you to my family and some friends?” Lambert requested.
Lambert made a show of introducing his family—instead of Bennet, he used the family name of Gardiner—and friends. All Elizabeth could do was incline her head to each. If she extended her hand, it would have raised too many questions, and if there was a watcher loyal to the old man, she did not want to provide any morsels to be reported to him.
Biggs and Johns noted Her Grace was happy to be introduced and was not being importuned against her wishes. Hence they kept in the background, ever vigilant, ready to pounce if needs be.
Mrs. Medford the midwife, who had examined Elizabeth the same day the doctor had earlier in the week, approached.
After conveying sabbath wishes, the midwife spoke at a volume easily heard. “I see you have met my assistant Mrs. Gardiner and her apprentice, Miss Jane. They will be calling on you at Castlemere on Tuesday for your next examination, if that meets your approval, Your Grace.”
“Yes, thank you, Mrs. Medford, that is entirely acceptable to me,” Elizabeth agreed.
To not make it seem as if he was especially singling out certain people to meet Her Grace, Lambert introduced some of the leading denizens of Lambton to the Duchess before one of her giant-sized men handed her into the coach, and it departed in the direction of Castlemere.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
That afternoon, subsequent to the post church meal, the Darcy and Fitzwilliam parents were seated in the former’s private sitting room in the master suite.
“You will not believe what Mrs. Reynolds told me,” Lady Anne articulated.
“What is it?” Lady Matlock enquired.
“The young Duchess attended Lambton’s church, and those who met her, say she is open and friendly,” Lady Anne reported. “Evidently, she sat with the rector’s family.”
“That is particular,” Lord Matlock opined. “I would wager she sat among the populace because her husband is far away in London. Let us hope he remains there when word of his wife mixing with the unwashed masses reaches him.”
“That she was willing to mix with all at the church speaks well of her character, I think,” Lady Anne postulated.
“I look forward to meeting her, if she is home to callers on Tuesday,” Lady Matlock stated.
“You and me both, Elaine,” Lady Anne agreed.