Chapter 12

23 October 1810, Oakham Mount

T he question of what to do about her parents, who between them had been the major cause for her beloved sister's death, one through actions, and the other with inaction, was not one to which Elizabeth had divined an answer.

Yes, she had made certain promises to Janey just before her soul was carried home to God, but one promise she did not make was to withhold her anger from their parents. Not long before she had breathed her last, Janey had asked she not be angry at Mother and Father, but Elizabeth had never answered. Among the other promises she made, one was to not mourn beyond one year. She had committed to that promise easily. The second promise she made to her sister was that she would open her heart to love. With that promise came the unbidden image into her mind of a certain tall, dark, and excessively handsome man from Derbyshire.

She reached into her pocket and found the handkerchief Mr Darcy had given her that day at Netherfield Park. For some unknown reason, rubbing her fingers over the monogram of his initials surrounded by the Sweet Williams brought her a measure of comfort. Her thoughts returned to what she and Janey had discussed before her death.

The reason she had not responded to the promise Jane asked of her about their parents was simple. Elizabeth refused to lie to her beloved sister at the best of times, and she certainly would not lie to her on her deathbed. Yes, their father seemed to be taking a firm hand with the two youngest Bennets, and she prayed it would continue, but that did not mitigate his abdication of his parental duties in the past.

Their mother was either just blind to her own faults, or she saw them and refused to acknowledge them. It was one of the main reasons she had escaped the house. Until this terrible day when Janey's mortal remains were being consigned to the earth, their mother had remained hidden in her chamber. Today, this day of finality, she had joined the family just before the men left for the church and the female condolers began to arrive.

No sooner had Mother arrived in the drawing room than she started drawing attention to herself, casting blame everywhere except where it belonged—to the person she saw in her mirror. Knowing by what a thin thread her equanimity was hanging, Elizabeth had escaped the house. Not even the thought of her mother discovering in what low esteem she was now held by the neighbourhood had tethered her to the house. Unlike her escape at Netherfield Park, this time she had taken her outerwear, even if she had removed her jacket, bonnet, and gloves when she had seated herself on her boulder.

Thoughts of that prior flight again conjured the image of Mr Darcy, and how tenderly he had treated her when he had brought her outerwear to her. Her hand unconsciously found the handkerchief again. Even had Janey not corrected her thinking about him after his thoughtless words at the assembly, the compassionate way he had behaved towards Janey and her, especially to herself, would have shown her how wrong her initial thoughts of him were. Whether or not there could ever be more than the friendship they had established was a question for later. If and when they met once her mourning was completed, then they may consider that question. She looked down towards the graveyard knowing Mr Darcy was one of the men there to remember and honour her beloved, departed sister .

So too was Jane's fiancé, even if it had only been an engagement of some hours, Elizabeth would be eternally grateful to Mr Bingley for letting Jane know she had won his love before her life in the mortal world ended. Not only that, but Mr Bingley was resolved to mourn Janey for a year complete as he would have had they been married. If not for that ill-fated ride, they would be engaged even now as Mr Bingley had shared it had been his intention to propose the day after the dinner with the officers.

Once again, her mother's machinations, as they always had in the past, had achieved the exact opposite of what she had desired.

Elizabeth watched as the men began to disperse. She looked away again before the labourers began to shovel dirt on top of the coffin. Looking out over the desolate countryside below her, Elizabeth felt a little solace seeing nature was sad too at Janey's passing.

She heard voices telling her that at least two people were approaching the summit. Elizabeth's first inclination was to scale the branches of the oak tree, and hide, like she used to in her younger days, but then she realised it would be futile. No leaves remained so she would be seen without any effort.

When Elizabeth saw the two heads appear as they walked up to the top, she was greatly relieved it was Charlotte and Mary .

"I told you Eliza would come here," Charlotte told Mary.

"I did not disagree with you," Mary responded pertly. As soon as she reached her older sister, Mary took her hands in her own. "Are you well, Lizzy? I do not doubt how hard this day must be for you." As Mary spoke Charlotte looked on concernedly.

Since the day she had returned home from Netherfield Park, and had begun sleeping in Mary's bedchamber, Elizabeth had started to discover how much more there was to Mary than sermons and moralising. The more she came to know Mary, the more she discovered the depths of her sister's compassion and understanding, the closer the two had become.

Between them they had decided they would not touch Janey's possessions until after the interment. It would be difficult, but on the morrow, they would begin. Kitty and Lydia had promised to assist, and not just to evaluate what of Janey's things they would acquire.

"When I saw Mother enter the drawing room, I had the same feelings of repulsion I had at Netherfield Park, and I needed to escape again," Elizabeth explained. "I know what the fifth commandment says, but after what they caused, I find my reservoir of respect for our parents is dry."

"By the time Mrs Long arrived, and she was the fifth one, Mrs Bennet flew back up the stairs to her bedchamber," Charlotte revealed. "The ladies, my mother and Mrs Phillips included, did not hold back in letting your mother know how much they disapprove of what she did." Charlotte smiled at the remembrance .

"She was almost as speedy in her escape as you were," Mary added. "The condolers only began to leave a little while ago, which freed Charlotte and me to come find you." Mary noted the coat and gloves lying near to Lizzy. "Are you not cold?"

"Now that you mention it, I suppose I am," Elizabeth owned as she made to put the warm garment on. The coat was buttoned and then she pulled on her warm gloves. "I suppose I cannot hide here until my majority in March, so I will come home with you."

"Have you decided what you want to say to Mama and Papa?" Mary asked as the three began their descent from the summit of the hill.

"It will come to me," Elizabeth averred. "Let us pack up Janey's things first. Then I will decide what to say, how to say it, and when to do it." Elizabeth turned her head to Charlotte. "Will you come assist us on the morrow?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course I will!" Charlotte exclaimed. "Has anyone decided what to do with Jane's belongings?"

"You and my sisters may choose what you desire. I am sure Jane would have been happy if most of the rest of her clothing is given to the servants, tenants, and Mr Pierce to distribute to the needy," Elizabeth replied.

"Will you not want some of her garments?" Charlotte enquired.

"There are only two of us who can fit into Janey's dresses and gowns. Mary here, and Kitty are of similar shapes. Both of them are a little shorter than Janey was, but that is an easy fix," Elizabeth opined.

Mary stopped herself from saying that she would not wear the colours Jane wore. Then she realised she would be honoured to wear any of her late sister's clothing. It was finally time to listen to Jane when she had stated lighter colours would look good on herself, as would a less severe coiffure.

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

The three men resident at Netherfield Park were on their way back to the estate from the Longbourn Village church in Bingley's coach. They neither noticed nor cared about the post from London which had just arrived at the Red Lion Inn, especially given the outcast who was still resident there.

Seeing the inn reminded Hurst of what had been related to him, before the church service had begun, regarding his wayward sister-in-law. "Caroline finally faced a lady who was not intimidated by her," Hurst reported. Seeing the questioning looks from the other two, he revealed what had been told to him. "I would have enjoyed witnessing Miss Bennet, putting that shrew in her place. "

"As would I," Bingley gave a half smile for the first time since his angel had passed away. "That sister of mine has never understood when it is better to be quiet than speak. When I see Miss Bennet again, I will have to commend her for her indominable spirit."

"That is one lady who would not even back down from Prinny," Darcy stated with admiration. "Bingley, are you set on your course regarding the dowry?"

"I am, more so now after she compounded her already atrocious behaviour. I am steadfast in my decision," Bingley declared firmly. He turned to his brother. "Your resolve to not allow Louisa to attend the Bennets while we were at the funeral looks ever better in light of what Caroline did."

"When will you go to London to see your solicitor?" Darcy queried.

"On the morrow as there is no time like the present," Bingley returned. "That way I should be back at the estate on Thursday with the signed documents. I want everything irrevocable before I meet with my sister."

"I will join you. I would like to see Giana and the Fitzwilliams," Darcy decided.

For the balance of the two miles from Meryton the men were silent. The sombre nature of the day weighed on each man in different ways. As Darcy's thoughts were during his dreams and much of his waking time, his were now with Miss Bennet. He wondered how she was faring and if and when she intended to confront her parents. At least, if her parents did not like what she said to them and banished her, she would have a home with the Gardiners. After hearing how much Mr and Mrs Gardiner loved all of their nieces, especially the eldest two, he was sure Miss Bennet would be safe with them.

Bingley was thinking about what would never be with his late fiancée, the woman he loved, and Hurst was trying to decide what to do to correct his wife's behaviour.

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

George Wickham could not believe he had sunk so low as to have to join the militia. He had been in London, doing what he did best—running from creditors, as well as angry brothers and fathers of seduced girls. He realised London was getting rather uncomfortable as the searchers were starting to get too close to him. One of the men looking for him had known to check Karen Younge's boarding house on Edward Street.

Luck had been on his side as he had been at the local inn trying to win some blunt at the tables. As was often the case, the cards were not with him. It was only when he returned to Edward Street, and Karen had told him about the man asking about him, that he realised how close he had come to disaster. Even though he did not have an abundance of funds, well hardly any—thanks to the bastard Darcy—he knew he needed to leave Karen's house behind him.

He had entered a seedy inn and for the second time in the same day, Lady Luck had smiled upon him—if only she would do so when he was gambling. He had recognised Jim Denny from Lambton. It was fortuitous there were no Denny daughters, and the father was a farmer so there had been no debts left owing to anyone named Denny. The man was wearing regimentals. Wickham had approached him and thankfully, although Denny remembered him, he did not mention any of the indiscretions Wickham had left behind in Derbyshire.

After a little conversation, Denny had related his aim was to recruit several officers for the regiment of the Derbyshire Militia in which he was serving. If one had a gentleman's education and was from the shire which gave the regiment its name, a Lieutenant's commission was free, if not it cost ten pounds. The man was returning to the town of Meryton in the backwaters of Hertfordshire. With the commission being free, and being in the last place anyone would seek him, Wickham agreed to join the corps .

They were to depart in the morning. Fortunately, Wickham had the blunt for the night in one of the inn's rooms, the same establishment where Denny was staying. He would not chance being rejected by the militia by not paying for the night, as much as it went against his nature.

That had led Wickham to where he now stood after he and Denny alighted from the post coach—in front of the only inn in this backwater town. It was a good place to hide for a while. He would earn two pounds a month, and from what he could see there were more than enough shops, where of course he would gain credit. He was also certain he would never pay what he owed.

As he looked up the street, he was surprised to see a coach and four turn off the street he was on. He had not thought there would be any in this place with resources for such a vehicle. Could it be there was a woman with a large dowry who would fall for his charms? If there was such a woman in the vicinity, Wickham was sure he would be able to marry her and make off with her dowry as soon as he said, ‘I will' and signed the register.

It would not replace the thirty thousand pounds he had been shifting for when he and Karen had convinced that mousy Georgiana Darcy to agree to an elopement. That was gone so he needed to concentrate on the here and now. As long as the amount was ten thousand pounds or greater, he would be happy—for now.

He walked with Denny towards the Colonel's office. "Are there pretty ladies here abouts, and more importantly do they have decent dowries?" Wickham asked nonchalantly.

"There is a group of five Bennet sisters. Four of the five are very pretty. The youngest two are always flirting with any officer in regimentals, but they have no dowry, only fifty pounds a year, so I hear," Denny related.

As he had been away for more than a sennight, Denny had no knowledge of the tragedy which had touched the Bennets or the changes regarding the youngest two.

"They would be good for a tumble, but I could never marry any woman on so slight a temptation," Wickham announced. "However, if they like to flirt, I have no opposition to bedding them."

Denny said nothing of the Colonel's rules regarding locals and no meddling with them, or for that matter, his instructions to the merchants to not issue credit to any of his men, without his personal say so. He wanted recognition for a new recruit and did not want Wickham to change his mind before he signed. "There is the one we call the ice queen. She has twenty thousand pounds and tells anyone who will listen, that she will be the next mistress of some estate named Pember something or other. Her name is Miss Caroline Bingley," Denny told him.

Wickham asked no more questions. He would seek out this Miss Bingley as soon as may be. She had more than enough of a dowry to tempt him, and the added bonus was it seemed she was Darcy's fiancée. How the prig escaped that termagant of an aunt of his and her demands he marry her daughter, Wickham cared not. He had not managed to avenge himself on Darcy through his sister, so now he would do it using his fiancée.

He could charm anyone, so he was sure his charisma would work on this Miss Bingley as well.

In the Colonel's office, Wickham signed the Code of Conduct, which of course he did not read, and after being welcomed to the militia by Colonel Forster, Denny led the newest Lieutenant in the regiment to the quartermaster to receive his uniform, sabre, and other necessary items.

The new Lieutenant was well pleased he was not sleeping in a tent like a soldier. He was assigned a room in the same boarding house where Denny was billeted. It was of far better quality than the rundown house Karen Younge owned.

Yes, his luck had finally turned.