Chapter 28

H eedless of the January temperature and the remnants of snow on the ground, Jane was waiting at the bottom of the stairs when the coach bearing her family members and two Fitzwilliams arrived from Hertfordshire.

Richard was first to alight so he could hand the three Bennet ladies out. It was no surprise his hand lingered when he assisted his beloved fiancée. First was Elizabeth, then Mary, and lastly the Bennet matriarch. Last but not least he handed out his mother. The two Fitzwilliams planned to visit for some time before making for Matlock House. Although he would be residing at his parents' house, Richard had sent word to his housekeeper and butler at Fitzwilliam House to have the house readied for the future mistress to tour it.

The instant Elizabeth spied the glow of happiness on Jane's countenance she knew something had changed. As much as she wanted to interrogate her sister immediately, she gave in to prudence and joined everyone entering the house to reach the warmth indoors.

"We need to speak," Elizabeth said close to Jane's ear. Her older sister's only reaction was to nod and beam a face-splitting smile.

As impatient as she felt to speak to Jane, Elizabeth waited through Aunt Elaine's visit. Elizabeth barely touched the biscuits Aunt Maddie served with her tea as she tried to puzzle out what had caused the change in Janey. She was certain Mary—who only had eyes for Richard—had not noticed Jane's dreamy looks. On the other hand, she was sure Mama had.

Elizabeth's supposition was confirmed when Mama spoke after the two Fitzwilliams departed. "Janey dear, I have missed you since you left Longbourn. Let us adjourn to my sitting room to hear all of the news."

"May Mary and I accompany you and Jane?" Elizabeth requested.

"I cannot see why you may not," Priscilla said turning to Jane, "unless you need to share news of a private matter?" She arched her one eyebrow as she waited for her eldest to respond.

"There is no objection to my sisters joining us, Mama," Jane responded.

When Madeline and Mary returned to the parlour after seeing the Countess and Richard off, the former understood Priscilla's desire to speak to her daughters. The rest of the day was free as the shopping for Mary's trousseau would only commence on the morrow, beginning with a visit to inspect various bolts of fabric at the Gardiner warehouses.

Priscilla told her daughters to join her in a half hour so those who had just arrived would have time for ablutions.

Elizabeth bit her tongue to stop herself from probing for the information she wanted when Jane followed her into her bedchamber. Whatever her sister had to tell, it would be when they were with their mother.

Soon enough the four Bennet ladies were ensconced in Priscilla's sitting room. "Janey dear, do you have something to tell us?" Priscilla enquired.

Mary, who was already missing Richard, realised how distracted she had been and only at that moment truly looked at Jane and saw the look on her eldest sister's face she knew all too well. She had seen it in the mirror many times since Richard had requested their courtship.

"Firstly, we have all been invited to the Jersey ball Wednesday coming. Uncle and Aunt Gardiner will be attending as will the Fitzwilliams who are in London," Jane informed her mother and sisters.

"Jane, we have no acquaintanceship with the De Melvilles, how is it we are invited, or is it through Edward's business connections?" Prescilla enquired.

"Yes, I mean no," Jane blushed. "The Earl of Jersey is one of Uncle Edward's partners in a business venture, but that is not why we are invited. Two days previously I accompanied Uncle Edward to his offices so I could assist Mr. Hopkinson to identify some errors in one of his ledgers. I had just sat when…" As Jane related she had felt an instant connection to Lord Westmore, she blushed more and more. She told of how after they had formally met, they had spoken and the requests he had made of her. She also spoke of her scepticism that a bond could be formed in an instant, even though that was the way it felt. "He delivered the invitation in person yester-morning when he called on me."

"Jane, you are not the first, nor will you be the last, who feels an instant chemistry with a person of the opposite sex. The day I met your father I knew he was the only man for me," Priscilla assured her daughter.

"And my birth mother almost succeeded in sundering you and Papa," Jane pointed out.

"Yes, but she did not succeed, did she?" Priscilla riposted. "That does not make what I said to you about finding such a connection any less valid."

"It was like that for Richard and me," Mary owned. "I felt a connection to him the first time we met, and he has told me it was the same for him. It seems based on Lord Westmore's reaction to you, and the way you light up when you speak of him, it will be similar for both of you as well."

"I am developing tender feelings for him, but I know I must be circumspect until he gives me an indication that he feels the same for me," Jane mused. "I care not for his title and wealth, only for the man he is. He does not treat me like a bauble on his arm and in our short acquaintanceship he has shown respect for my intelligence."

"In that case, I will send a note to Lady Jersey accepting her kind invitation on behalf of myself and my daughters," Priscilla decided.

"How long did he spend with you when he called?" Elizabeth queried.

"He was here for some hours and we spoke about many varied subjects," Jane averred. "He will call again on Monday as I told him we will be beginning our shopping on the morrow. I almost forgot, after Lord Westmore departed, I called on Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley."

"How are they since their brother was transported?" Elizabeth worried.

"As well as can be expected," Jane replied. "Thankfully for them Uncle Reggie made sure Mr. Bingley's name was not shared with the press." Jane turned to her mother. "Mama, if you object, I will rescind the invitation, but I invited Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley to call on us on Tuesday, the day before the ball."

"Mary dear, that is not the day you will go see Fitzwilliam House, is it?" Priscilla enquired. Mary shook her head. "In that case, as long as Maddie permits it, I have no objection." Cilla looked at her eldest daughter.

"Aunt Maddie already told me that any friends may call on me here," Jane confirmed.

"Miss Bingley was as she was towards the end of her stay in the Meryton area, was she not?" Priscilla verified.

"Yes, if anything she was even more subdued. I think the truth of her brother's actions and the near ruin he caused has made her far more introspective," Jane opined.

"Well, I for one am looking forward to meeting your Lord Westmore…" Elizabeth began to say .

"He is not my anything," Jane interjected.

"Yet," Elizabeth disagreed. "Regardless, I am in anticipation of meeting him on Monday. Am I allowed to interrogate him to determine if he is good enough for my Janey?"

"No, Elizabeth Rose Bennet, you will not." Cilla knew her second daughter was teasing. Just in case she added, "If there is any questioning to be done it will be done by Papa and me." She turned a warm smile on her eldest. "I am very pleased you have found a man you are attracted to and who seems to return your regard. You, like Mary, and Lizzy deserve every happiness in your eventual matches."

"Mama, tis too much!" Jane exclaimed, "by far too much. I do not deserve it. If only Lizzy could find a man she could love and be as happy as Mary and me."

"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. When it is my time, my season, if He grants me such, I will meet the man I am meant to be with." As much as Elizabeth did not want it to, the face of the rude, insufferable, but very handsome man popped into her mind. She could not fathom why that would be when she thought of her possible future with a husband.

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

They were a merry party of shoppers on Saturday morning. The four Bennet ladies were accompanied by Lady Elaine and Madeline Gardiner. As a treat the recently turned thirteen Lilly Gardiner was included.

The ladies were escorted by Biggs, Johns, and two additional footmen-guards. Even though the threat of George Wickham was no more, Bennet kept the former military men he had employed and had dispatched some of his men to London to watch over his women.

While the ladies were picking through the bolts which had not yet been supplied to any shops in England, the four guards remained outside, two near the front entrance and two stationed at the back.

Mary was not the only one who chose fabric. Lady Elaine, Cilla, Jane, and Lizzy selected material for a few gowns and day dresses as well. Madeline allowed Lilly to choose one piece of fabric, appropriate for a girl of her age, to be made into a dress for her.

Once the footmen loaded the selected bolts into a second carriage, the ladies and their escorts set out for Bond Street and the premier modiste who catered to members of the Ton , Madam Chambourg. The only way Madam accepted one as a client was if one of her existing customers recommended the lady or ladies. As Lady Elaine had been with Madam Chambourg since the lady opened her shop, before she became so sought-after, when the Countess of Matlock recommended someone to the modiste, she accepted them without question.

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

When Lord Westmore called at Gardiner House on Monday morning, the drawing room was far more crowded than his previous call at the house. He had been prepared for it to be, as Miss Bennet had informed him her mother and sisters would be arriving on Friday past.

Knowing Fitzwilliam was engaged to Miss Mary Bennet, even before they were introduced, it was easy to identify her as she was sitting next to Fitzwilliam, their heads close together as they spoke.

"Miss Bennet will you do me the honour of introducing your family to me please," Westmore requested.

"Lord Westmore it is my pleasure to present my dear mother, Mrs. Priscilla Bennet, my next younger sister, Miss Elizabeth, and our youngest sister, Miss Mary. Mama, Lizzy, and Mary, Lord Wesley De Melville, Viscount Westmore," Jane responded.

"Westmore," Richard inclined his head .

"It is my pleasure to meet more of Miss Bennet's family members," Westmore bowed to the curtsies he had received. "I must question Miss Mary's judgement if she has accepted a reprobate like Fitzwilliam," Westmore teased with a grin.

"My fiancé has hidden that part of his character very well," Mary teased back. "I suppose I will have to keep him in line."

"You may discipline me any time," Richard said so only Mary could hear him. She blushed a deep scarlet from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes. His reward was a ‘ you will pay for that ' saucy look from his fiancée.

The Viscount turned to address Mrs. Bennet. "My mother thanks you for your prompt acceptance of the invitation to her ball," Westmore stated gratefully.

"It is our pleasure to attend. Jane had mentioned that you would like to walk in Hyde Park, is that correct?" Priscilla verified.

"If you permit me to accompany Miss Bennet, we would enjoy a walk in the park," Westmore agreed. "Of course, any others who would like to are welcome to join us on our ramble." Westmore turned to his hostess, "Mrs. Gardiner, my sister, Alicia, who is not quite fifteen yet, has a request." Madeline inclined her head signalling he should proceed. "I have mentioned Miss Gardiner just turned thirteen a fortnight ago, and Alli has requested she be allowed to accompany me, or your daughter come to Jersey House, and if it is agreeable to you and your daughter, she would like to meet Miss Gardiner."

Madeline turned towards her eldest who was seated near to Lizzy. She looked at her daughter questioningly and received an excited nod as an answer. "Lady Alicia will be welcome to meet Lilly," Madeline averred. Westmore inclined his head in thanks and then offered his arm to Miss Bennet.

So it was that six persons left for a walk under the watchful eyes of Biggs, Johns, and two of their men. Jane was on Westmore's arm, Mary walked with Richard, and Elizabeth and Lilly ambled next to each other. As the park was no more than a half mile from the Gardiner's door, it did not take long to walk there.

"Miss Bennet, would you grant me the supper set at the ball upcoming," Westmore requested.

"It would be my pleasure to grant you that set, my Lord," Jane blushed with happiness at his requesting a set from her ahead of time. She very much hoped he would ask for more than one set.

As if he were reading her mind, the Viscount leaned closer to Miss Bennet. "There is nothing I would like more than to open and close the ball with you as my partner," Westmore said so Jane and none other could hear. "However, I will not do that to you at this stage. If things change for us in the future, and there is some sort of formal understanding, it will be my honour to ask for more sets, depending on the form of the agreement between us, but I refuse to make you the object of that much gossip as there is no understanding currently." He wanted to add the word ‘yet' but Westmore did not. "If I followed my own selfish desires and requested the first set as well at this stage, there would be few repercussions for me, but your name would be in every gossip rag in London and beyond."

"I appreciate your desire to protect me, my Lord," Jane replied softly. "Who knows what will be in the future."

Jane wrapped her arm around the Viscount's forearm and sighed with pleasure. Unlike a certain man who was on his way to, or already in, New South Wales, the man she was walking with put her interests above his own. He was just the sort of man she had always dreamed of meeting.

All the while trying to pay attention to what Lilly was saying, Elizabeth was watching the interactions between Lord Westmore and her eldest sister. ‘ You were wrong, Janey deares t ,' Elizabeth thought, ‘ he is very much yours, and unless I am mistaken, you are his. Poor Mama and Papa, two daughters will be leaving Longbourn. At least I will be with them for the foreseeable future. '