Chapter 23

N o sooner had the four Fitzwilliams washed and changed, than they were summoned to meet the Regent in his study.

They gave their bows and curtsy and the Prince indicated seats for them to take. “My private secretary was tasked with discovering if the Henderson line was at an end. It is not.” The Regent inclined his head to Portnoy who glowed with pleasure at the praise from his Highness. “The task was not easy, but Portnoy is as tenacious as a dog with a bone. He hates to tell me he has not succeeded, and in this case, he almost had to. That was until he discovered that three generations ago, the then baron was married to a Miss Judith Heppleman.” The Regent sat back in his chair, laced his fingers together, and steepled his thumbs as he waited.

Not too many seconds later, Lady Matlock gasped. “My maternal grandmother was a Heppleman!” she realised. “I remember my mother mentioning the name. It has been so many years since I have heard it spoken aloud.”

“As Lady Matlock just realised, she is in fact a very distant relative to the Henderson line. That means a male child of hers will inherit the title, estates, and wealth associated with it. The late Weasley had income from illegal sources, all of that has been ceded to the Crown,” the Regent drawled. He looked from one Fitzwilliam brother to the other.

“Well Andy, it seems as if you are a Baron as well as a Viscount now,” the Colonel stated and extended his hand to his brother .

“I never said it was Lord Hilldale who would take the title. As you so astutely pointed out, he has a noble title already and will one day, far in the future we all pray, be an earl.” The Regent allowed his words to sink in for some moments. He smiled when he saw all of the family’s faces light up with the realisation. “Exactly. Now Colonel Fitzwilliam, or should I say Lord Henderson, will need to resign from my father’s army and sell out.” He turned towards the earl and countess. “That is my boon to you. Your son has been into battle enough and served with great honour. He deserves this and so much more for his selfless dedication to the realm’s military.”

“I cannot thank you enough, your Highness,” Lady Matlock responded with tears of happiness flowing from her eyes. “Oh Richard…” Anything else was lost as Lady Matlock hugged her younger son to herself and held on with all of her considerable might.

“If your mother ever relinquishes you, I would like to shake your hand and welcome you to the peerage,” Lord Matlock told his second son.

“That reminds me, I have elevated the title to that of an earl. Portnoy will do some research and come up with a secondary title. We will have your investiture at the same time as Lizzy’s, but a notice will be sent to all of the papers so there will be no doubt of your status as the Earl of Henderson,” the Regent stated matter-of-factly. “That criminal’s name will be removed from all records connected with the title. That is why I will not remove the Henderson name from the title. I will not allow that vile man to cause a noble title to disappear because of his criminal deeds.”

“Hear, hear,” Lord Matlock cheered. He lauded the Regent for not allowing the late baron to have any power from beyond the grave.

“I know not what to say, your Highness, other than thank you for this honour you have bestowed upon me.” As soon as his mother released her grip on his person, the newly minted earl bowed to the Regent.

“Nothing more is needed. If I am not mistaken, did I not interrupt the intention of you two,” the Regent looked from one Fitzwilliam brother to the next, “to seek out interviews with two of the Bennet daughters?” The brothers’ eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You do not think I am unaware of what occurs under my roof, do you? Especially when the ladies in question are very dear sisters of Lizzy’s.”

“Your courtships of Jane and Mary have not been as subtle as you think they have been,” Lord Matlock grinned at his sons.

“You were worried that with the dowry Mary had, you would be seen as a fortune hunter by some, I do not believe that will be the case any longer,” Lady Matlock observed. “I know Mary will not give a whit for what you bring to the marriage as long as it is you. Now run along you two and begin the process of gaining daughters for me.”

“Yes, Mother,” the brothers chorused. They bowed to the Regent and left the study to seek their respective Bennet sister.

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

Lord Hilldale was the first one to enter the large sitting room. The bank of open windows facing the ocean gave the room a light and cool aspect. His eyes locked onto those of Miss Bennet, and his heart warmed when he saw the way the whole of her being lit up at seeing him. He was about to approach her directly to request a private interview when he saw her father watching him with a sardonic smile on his face.

Before Jane’s suitor could change his direction, Bennet decided this was not the time or place to make sport of the Viscount. “You may address Jane, although you do not need my permission,” he allowed.

Both members of the couple looked grateful. Hilldale stopped in front of Miss Bennet. “Miss Bennet, may I have the pleasure of speaking to you in private?” he requested. When he saw her nod and her cheeks pinking up, the Viscount offered her his hand and assisted her to stand.

“You may use the green and gold parlour,” Maria Fitzherbert, who, among others, was also in the room, stated.

“Brian, will you stand outside the door while Lord Hilldale speaks to my sister?” Elizabeth asked with a smile.

“Aye, Yir Grace,” Johns responded.

“You may have five minutes, and the door will remain cracked,” Bennet granted.

As the two were exiting the sitting room, they were followed by a stoic Sergeant-Major Johns.

Still in a daze after everything which had just occurred, the new earl walked into the room.

“Richard, are you well?” Darcy enquired when he noticed his normally affable cousin looked like he had just received some bad news or a shock of great proportions. When his cousin did not respond right away, Darcy repeated his question.

“Sorry, William, and everyone, I still cannot believe it is all real,” the Colonel stated.

His parents entered the room behind him. “All is well. In fact, it could not be better for our Richard…” Lady Matlock began to relate the substance of the meeting with the Regent, with Lord Matlock adding information as he felt was needed. “So rather than a baron, Richard is now Lord Richard Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Henderson, and his days in the army are over.”

There was a cacophony of congratulations, many of his family and friends using ‘ Your Lordship ’ on him for the first time, but through it all the soon to be former Colonel did not miss that Miss Mary looked somewhat sad. It was imperative they speak as soon as may be. He looked to Bennet who nodded his head. He took three quick strides and stood in front of her. “ Miss Mary, would you honour me and allow me to address you in private?”

Although she did not think the man she loved so changeable, he was an earl now. She allowed some of her insecurities, those planted in her mind over the years by Miss Gardiner to invade her consciousness. Would he still be interested in the daughter of a country squire, or would he need to seek a lady from the Ton ? Mary knew her heart would not forgive her unless she heard him out. She nodded and stood; her eyes downcast. With all of the doubts roiling in her head, she ignored the fact that Lord Hilldale had chosen Jane even though she was not a member of the upper ten thousand.

“You two may use the lavender parlour,” Maria Fitzherbert stated.

“John, will you do the honours for them please,” Elizabeth requested. As Johns had before him, Biggs agreed with alacrity, not that there was anything they would deny their mistress.

He hated to see the doubt on Mary’s countenance, but was grateful Bennet had allowed him ten minutes realising they would need more time to speak. He led Mary to a settee in the designated parlour, after leaving the door cracked as Bennet had instructed.

“Miss Mary, I can see you are not well pleased. Did I do something…?” the earl began to ask.

“N-no, My Lord, you have always been a perfect gentleman. It is just that I know I am a country miss, and as an earl, you will more than likely need a wife from the Ton .” A single tear coursed its way down her cheek before she dashed it away.

“Miss Mary, stop that this instant!” Lord Henderson commanded. “Have I ever given you the impression I judge people solely by their rank?”

“I s-suppose not,” Mary replied as she lifted her eyes to look at his face.

“In my years in the army, and especially since the first battle in which I participated, I learnt nobility has nothing to do with rank. I have seen the lowest privates fight and display bravery you cannot comprehend, while I have seen second sons of dukes turn tail and run like the cowards they are. Do not mistake me, those who behave that way are in a small minority, however it makes my point.” The Earl paused for some moments as he organised his thoughts. “Do you know that I was the one who was wracked by doubts about whether I was good enough for you before His Highness elevated me?”

“What doubts?” Mary questioned. Her own insecurities began to leave her as she realised she had been a ninny and should never have doubted Richard’s consistency.

“I am…I was a poor soldier. Well, not impecunious, but it would have been difficult to maintain a lifestyle comfortable to one gently bred and she would have had to follow the drum. Before you say your dowry is more than enough, that was one of the things which concerned me. I would have been seen as chasing your fortune. The only thing my title and wealth changes with regards to you, is my knowledge I will be able to provide for you as needed and not be dependent on your wealth to do so. Do not forget, before you try and say you do not have good connections, one sister is the Duchess of Hertfordshire, another sister is well on her way to being my sister and a viscountess, you are niece to a baronet, and if that were not enough, you have more royal connections than any other non-royal I know.”

The earl looked directly into Miss Mary’s very pretty hazel coloured eyes, “I never want to hear you doubt your value in society again. Had you still been Miss Mary Bennet, third daughter of an insignificant country squire, with no titled relatives, and no connections to the royals, I would no less desire to ask the question I very much would like to ask.”

“And what question would that be?” Mary asked, sounding confident once again. She chastised herself for allowing her unfounded fears to affect her as they had.

“Miss Mary Bennet, will you allow me to court you?” Lord Henderson requested.

“Yes, My Lord, I would like nothing more than to be courted by you,” Mary responded with a beatific smile which rivalled the ones Jane would give.

“In private, it is Richard,” he insisted. “My hope is your father will not demand a lengthy courtship. The sooner we are married the sooner you never have to use anything but my familiar name to address me.”

The Earl helped Mary stand, and then bestowed lingering kisses on the pulse of each wrist. With a discomposed Mary on his arm, he began the walk back to the sitting room to speak to Bennet and gain his consent to court his middle daughter. When they entered the room, it was obvious from the wishes for happiness flowing, all directed at Lord Hilldale and Jane, the former’s petition had been received with favour by the latter.

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

It did not take long for Anne de Bourgh to be accepted as a member of the circle of friends of the three older Bennet sisters and Charlotte Lucas. As far as the latter went, although Anne did not wish death on anyone, she was pleased an intelligent lady like Miss Lucas was no longer tied to a simpleton like the late Mr Collins.

And now that Andrew and Richard were in courtships with Jane and Mary—she had been invited to call all of the ladies by their familiar names, as she had asked them to address her—it would not be long before she was a cousin to the Bennets. Anne had gone from being a member of a very small family, and she only used to see some of them during the annual visits to Rosings Park, to being a member of a very large, warm and loving clan. Even the Regent was down to earth in private. So much for her mother’s nonsense about maintaining the distinctions of rank.

Now all she needed was to find a man who she could love for who he was and would love her for herself in return. There were no eligible candidates at the Pavilion for her, as she was not so blind as to not notice how true Andrew’s and Richard’s words were when they had ribbed William about his being besotted with the Duchess…Lizzy. If the looks of longing Anne noticed which Lizzy stole towards William when she thought herself unobserved was any indication, his feelings were returned.

As sad as it was to admit it to herself, Anne did not miss her mother in the least. How could one miss a mother who had done everything in her power, short of poisoning her, to steal her birthright? An added bonus was being away from her mother’s ridiculous pronouncements.

When her uncle and cousins had shown her the ledgers which reflected the true state of the estate’s income and expenditure, she would have been prevaricating had she said anything contained within surprised her. Lady Catherine could remain on the Isle of Wight, and the rest of the family, herself included, would not repine her absence.

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

Within a week of her marriage being dissolved, Fanny Gardiner found a cottage on the outskirts of Hatfield. The sooner she was away from her former husband’s property and from the whispers and looks of those in Meryton the better.

At least, her brother-in-law had been kind to her. He had taken her out in his gig for four days in a row, and Frank had agreed that the home she had selected was a sound structure and well within her means. Not only that but he had assisted in finding servants for her. She had a manservant, two maids, one of which would double as her lady’s maid, and a cook who Fanny had designated her cook and housekeeper in one person.

Her house had a sitting room, dining parlour, and the kitchen on the ground floor. There were three bedchambers on the first floor, one larger and two small rooms. The larger one was of course for Fanny’s use, and one of the smaller rooms had been converted into a closet and dressing room. Best of all, there was a garden in the front of the house where she would be able to work with the flowers, and a small kitchen garden in the rear which the manservant would tend.

The one thing lacking was some form of transport, but Frank had pledged to help her find a small trap, drawn by a pony. If one could be found for sale, he would teach her to drive it.

Paying rent on her small home was far more preferable to being at Longbourn with the constant reminders of all she had lost. It was not just her home and status, but it seemed that wilful girl had turned Jane and Lydia against her. Not one letter had she received! Fanny knew it was Miss Lizzy’s fault.

Before she had moved into her new home, Frank had made sure the two carts from Longbourn delivered all of her property. Thankfully, the leased residence was furnished, and none of the pieces looked threadbare like that infernal cottage to which she had initially been banished. In order to give her neighbours a sense of her classiness, Fanny named her house ‘ Gardiner House .’ Once her rent and the servants were paid, she still had fifty pounds each quarter, which would be more than enough for food and all of her personal needs. In addition, as Frank had predicted, there would be some money left over at the end of the year. Fanny already planned what she would do with the balance of her funds. Some new gowns and some jewellery would not go amiss.

She had been forced to relinquish all the Bennet jewels before she was taken to the cottage. Hence she needed to buy new pieces to go with the sparse collection with which she had entered into her former marriage .

Now all she had to do was decide how she would make Miss Lizzy pay for all the ills which had been visited on herself.