Page 57 of The Next Mrs Bennet
H ertfordshire summoned his man demanding an update on the progress of his mission to get him into Jersey House.
“Well Wickham, what news is there?” he demanded.
“The maid I have charmed has been most helpful. I am sure that by Thursday at the latest we will have every man who we need to execute the plan agreeing to accept your funds. Each will be willing to make sure you will not see anyone from the time you enter the house until you reach the master suite,” Wickham reported.
“I am certain all the banknotes I have provided you are helping.” The Duke could not conceive of servants and peasants not having a purchase price to gain their cooperation.
“Your money is and will be spent well Your Grace, a worthy investment to further your aims,” Wickham stated. His words had the intended effect of inflating the master’s ego.
“That is why I suggested you have money to assist with my plan,” the Duke stated assuredly.
Knowing it would only engender anger, Wickham said nothing about whose plan it was and who had suggested the need for funds to make the plan work. “I have the latest report from Biggs in Derbyshire, Your Grace,” Wickham changed the subject.
“What has that big lunkhead to tell about my impertinent wife’s behaviour?” Hertfordshire demanded.
“There is nothing of note, Your Grace,” Wickham read. “Her Grace remains at your estate, has had no callers—other than the doctor and midwife, and has called on no one. She is yet to receive any letters and has only posted one to her sister.”
“It pleases me she is under the care of the physician and midwife. It shows she is taking her duty to me seriously,” the Duke decided, “even if she took too long to become with child.”
Wickham kept his features schooled and allowed His Grace to rant on, as he was wont to do, spewing nonsense. As was the way of things, once the Duke had spewed his vitriol, he waved dismissively releasing Wickham.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Elizabeth felt the excitement building as her coach rolled over the rise in the drive and began its descent on the other side. Her anticipation had kept her blind to the forests her coachman was driving past.
The previous night she had managed very little sleep. Each time she had felt herself slipping into Morpheus’s arms, her exhilaration at seeing her sisters, family, and friends openly and without fear on the morrow woke her all over again. It had been the wee hours of the night before she had finally slipped off to sleep. Then, less than three hours later, as dawn was fighting to assert itself, she had woken.
Loretta was sitting opposite her and as they always were when she travelled anywhere, John was next to the coachman and Brian on the rear bench.
She was unsurprised when she was met by a large group. Brian handed her out. Except for the two older men, she recognised everyone. The men seemed to be waiting and Elizabeth realised as the highest ranking person there, it was up to her to request an introduction.
William could not believe this beauty was at his house. Since he had met the fiery duchess he had been having rather inappropriate thoughts about a married woman. Yes, she had been coerced into matrimony, but it did not change the facts. She was, in fact, someone’s wife, regardless of how deplorable the man was. William cared not for the Duke, but he did care about the vows the man and his wife had taken before God and he would not dishonour the Duchess in any way.
“Lady Elaine, would you introduce your husband and brother to me, please,” Elizabeth requested.
“Lady Elizabeth, it is my pleasure to introduce Lord Reginald Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Matlock, my husband, and Mr. Robert Darcy the master of this estate, and my brother-in-law. Reggie and Robert, Lady Elizabeth Chamberlain, Her Grace, the Duchess of Hertfordshire and Marchioness of Hertford Heights,” Lady Matlock performed the duty.
There were bows and curtsies exchanged, even though Elizabeth was aware as a duchess she was not required to curtsey to those of lower rank. If he had been present, it would have disturbed his equanimity. Even though her husband was absent, she felt it was an act of freedom to defy him in any way she was able.
“Quite a mouthful is it not,” Elizabeth jested.
Both men smiled. “It is, Your Grace,” Darcy intoned. “Welcome to Pemberley.”
“As I requested of your wives and Anna, please address me as Lady Elizabeth if you will not use my familiar name,” Elizabeth responded. “And thank you for inviting me, and especially for inviting my family to your estate.”
“May I suggest we enter the house, Elizabeth ,” Lady Anne stated. She did not miss the glow of happiness the young duchess demonstrated to be addressed without any title.
“Thank you for your note informing me of your exceedingly kind invitation to my family and friends had been accepted,” Elizabeth told Lady Anne as they walked down the hallway, arms linked, towards the large foyer near the main front doors. “When did they say they would be here?”
Lady Anne squeezed the younger lady’s hand in reassurance, not at all surprised Lady Elizabeth…Elizabeth was keen for information on the pending arrival of her loved ones. “According to what your Aunt Madeline wrote, they will be here after eleven this morning,” Lady Anne shared. “As it is not yet ten, you have over an hour to wash, change, and if you choose to, have a rest.”
The housekeeper was waiting for her mistress at the base of the wide, white marble grand staircase. Lady Anne made the introductions.
Mrs. Reynolds looked like a very pleasant woman to Elizabeth. Before the housekeeper could lead her away, the youngest Darcy spoke up. “Mama, may I show Lizzy…Lady Elizabeth to her suite?”
Elizabeth gave Lady Anne a nod when the latter looked at Elizabeth to gauge her feelings on the subject. Lady Anne smiled and gave an almost imperceptible nod. “Go ahead, Anna. You know which suite Elizabeth is in, do you not?” Lady Anne verified.
“Yes, Mama. The Rose Suite if I understood correctly,” Georgiana confirmed.
“That is the one. Off you go sweet girl.” Lady Anne turned to Elizabeth. “I assume you will be with us in an hour before our other guests arrive.”
“If not sooner, yes I will be downstairs,” Elizabeth enthused.
“Your maid is already in your suite unpacking, Your Grace,” Mrs. Reynolds informed the Duchess. “If you require anything else, please ring your bell.”
While the rest of the party made for a drawing room, Elizabeth followed the bubbly Anna up the stairs.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As they approached the biggest mansion Jane had ever beheld, she was sitting on the edge of her seat willing the carriage to speed up so she could be in Lizzy’s company already. Yes, she had seen and even touched her sister at the church, but now they were about to have unrestricted and open contact with Lizzy.
The Gardiner conveyance was in the lead, followed by the rented one, which in turn was followed by the Lucas equipage, and lastly the conveyance bearing the Philipses. The Lamberts would come to call on the morrow as both had parish work this day.
Jane and Mary were riding with their aunt and uncle, the two youngest Bennets were in the rented carriage following along with the three Gardiner children and their nursemaid.
She did not realise she was holding her breath until the conveyance made a turn from the drive into an internal courtyard. Several people were waiting to welcome them, but Jane only saw one. She finally exhaled when she saw Lizzy standing between two older ladies with a blonde girl.
The footman had barely opened the door when Jane, followed closely by Mary, exploded out of the carriage.
Elizabeth dropped Anna’s hand and ran forward her arms open to receive two of her sisters. Before the rented carriage stopped, the three sisters were already crying tears of joy. No sooner had the carriage they were in come to a halt, if not before it did, Kate and Lydia were running to join the group of their sisters hugging and crying unashamedly in the middle of the courtyard.
The five sisters were all speaking at once which came out as a garbled mess of words, but they were together, and that was all any of them cared about.
The Gardiners stood back to allow the sisters their time.
Soon enough the other two conveyances had come to a stop and those riding within alighted with slightly more dignity. Charlotte wanted nothing more than to hug Eliza as well, but she held back, knowing her time would come.
The Lucas parents, Maria, and the Philipses joined the Gardiner parents who were standing with their children at that point.
The Bennet sisters, all trying to dry their eyes, stepped back from one another. There followed a stream of family and friends who wanted to greet Elizabeth and hug her to assure themselves she was as well as she looked.
Aunt Hattie tried to apologise for her sister and Elizabeth would not hear it. She held her aunt blameless and informed her aunt her only request was there would be no talk of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. It was something with which her aunt and all others from Meryton were more than happy to comply.
There were many happy tears shed as Elizabeth was embraced and kissed, even by Sir William.
The last was Charlotte who had stood and waited until everyone else had their turn. Just when Elizabeth thought she had cried all of her happy tears for that day, she fell into her friend’s arms and cried all over again.
“Should we enter the house? My housekeeper will show everyone to their chambers.” Lady Anne suggested.
“Before we do, I would like to introduce everyone,” Elizabeth stated.
“Go ahead, Elizabeth,” Lady Anne agreed.
It took some minutes, but Elizabeth made the introductions. As they all began to move towards the entryway, Elizabeth leaned towards Jane. “Your bedchamber is the second one in the suite where I am. We will only have a sitting room between us.”
“Are the Darcys really able to accommodate all of us?” Jane enquired worriedly.
William turned as he heard the tinkling laugh that had captivated him at the lake. How much more beautiful the Duchess was while she glowed with happiness.
“Jane, this house is enormous, even larger than the one at Castlemere, which is three to four times larger than Netherfield Park’s manor house,” Elizabeth giggled. “Anna told me…” Elizabeth trailed off when she saw Jane’s questioning look. “Anna is Miss Darcy. She told me there are three floors of guest chambers, and a full floor of family apartments. Two families, Mr. Darcy’s sisters and their families, arrive on the morrow, and even with them added to the rest of us, only about a quarter of the available chambers will be filled.” Elizabeth paused. “The only house I have seen to rival this one in size is his at Falconwood.”
There was no missing the moue of distaste whenever Lizzy referred to him . Jane shuddered as she imagined what her sister had to endure to become with child. She still had her maidenly sensibilities, but until recently, she had lived on a working farm all of her life.
Charlotte was walking with the two eldest Bennet sisters but was content to just listen to Eliza’s happy babbling. This was the Eliza she knew and loved, not the one who had written to her while in the Duke’s house.
Unsurprisingly, Anna led the three youngest Bennets and Maria Lucas to their chambers. Mary and Kate shared a suite while Maria and Lydia another.
Across the corridor from the suite Jane and Elizabeth were in, was Charlotte’s bedchamber. The Gardiner parents, Philipses, and Lucas parents all had suites close by the girls on the same floor. The Gardiner’s was very close to the guest nursery where Lilly, Eddy, and May would be.
While the maid Jane had been assigned was unpacking her trunk, she made her way into Lizzy’s bedchamber. Just to make sure it was not a dream, the sisters hugged one more time.
Seeing Loretta carrying some gowns to her walk-in closet, Elizabeth called her over and introduced her maid to her beloved sister. After the maid curtsied, and went back to her work, Elizabeth turned back to Jane. “She is completely loyal to me, as are the two huge guards, John and Brian, who you will see whenever we venture out of the house.”
“You are sure none of them will report back to the vile old man?”
Elizabeth explained why the staff and servants were loyal to her. Jane was amazed the Duke owned so many estates and business interests, and took no care of the dependants or took the time to manage them himself, not even visiting any of his satellite estates.
“Your husband is extremely wealthy, but he seems to be as indolent as Mr. Bennet.”
“As distasteful as I find it to speak of Mr. Bennet, I tend to agree with you.” Elizabeth shook her head.
“How does it feel to be with child?” Jane asked to move them away from the subject Lizzy disdained.
“Other than some mild morning illness, I do not feel very different yet,” Elizabeth averred. “Well,” she blushed, “my breasts have been tender.”
“Have you felt the quickening yet?”
“Not yet. Mrs. Medford, the midwife you met, says I should feel it in early to the middle of May.”
“You do not know how long your husband will allow you to remain in Derbyshire in peace, do you?”
Elizabeth shook her head and decided to change the subject. “Janey, you recognise some of the young men, three of them do you not?” Elizabeth asked after they had thrown themselves onto the enormous four-poster bed.
“How would you know that?” Jane wondered.
Elizabeth related her meeting the three cousins at Castlemere. Jane began to giggle when she came to the part about Master Darcy’s insulting words. “He told me he made some wild accusations against you when they were not minding where they walked,” Elizabeth recalled.
“Yes, he did, although he was quick to apologise. But Lizzy, that does not explain your question.”
“What do you think of the Viscount?” Elizabeth asked a seemingly incongruous question.
“I hardly know him Lizzy, however…” Jane’s voice faded.
“Yes?”
“You will think me a romantic fool.”
“Janey, I think you romantic, but a fool? Never! Is it possible you felt a connection to him?” Jane nodded. “He has been seeking you out because he felt something similar for you.”
Jane sat upright. Her mouth opened and closed a few times and no sound came forth, but she did blush deeply. “But I am the daughter of an insignificant country squire who lives with her uncle who is in trade.”
“You are also the sister of a duchess and marchioness. Keep in mind that after I birth a son, you will be in possession of a large dowry.” Elizabeth sat up as well and took Jane’s hands in her own. “If he or any other man only sees your connections, fortune, and beauty at the exclusion of your character, then he, or they, do not deserve you. I have not been much in Lord Hilldale’s company, but I do not believe he is such a man.”
“I do not want to court expectations which may come to nought. First, before we speak of anything like that, he and I need to get to know one another and see if we suit. Before that, I want to spend time with my younger sister, not with a duchess or his wife.”
Soon they were joined by the other three Bennet sisters. No one in the house thought them rude that they spent the next two hours talking among themselves before they joined the rest of the residents in the largest drawing room, where among other treats served with tea, was some of the pineapple Elizabeth had sent home with Anna.