Chapter 3

L ydia Bennet was not happy. Her dreams of having the pick of myriads of officers from the various regiments in Brighton was not happening like she had been sure it would.

She had been a guest of the Forsters for almost a fortnight. Rather than balls every night like she had told herself there would be, there were assemblies once a fortnight. Lydia had decided in and of itself that was not so bad as long as she was able to spend time in the officers’ company and flirt to her heart’s content. Rather than having all the freedom to go visit the various encampments she was sure she would have, Colonel Forster had given his wife strict orders about the chaperoning of Miss Lydia. In fact, the Colonel had employed a companion for his wife and guest, not to mention a maid and two additional footmen who accompanied the ladies whenever they were out of doors. So far, there had not been a visit to any encampment. For some unknown reason, ladies were not allowed to visit any of the camps without express permission from the Colonel of the relevant regiment.

No matter how much she had batted her eyelids at the three Colonels from whom she and Harriet had sought permission to visit their respective encampments, none had been granted. If that were not bad enough, none of the officers who had paid her so much attention in Meryton did so in Brighton. Lydia had noticed there were many more young ladies here than at home.

On this morning she had been shopping near the Regent’s pavilion with Harriet and the annoying escorts when she saw Captains Carter and Saunderson, and Lieutenant Samuels, each walking with a lady on their arm. Knowing what a favourite she had been of all three men in Meryton, Lydia called out first Carter’s name, then when he did not look at her, Saunderson’s, and finally Samuels’s. The three greeted Mrs Forster, and then they and their ladies had cut Lydia.

“Who was that vulgar child?” one of the young ladies asked.

“Some flirt with nothing but fluff between her ears. She does not realise none of us are so desperate to want to spend time with a child who should be in the school room and not in society,” Captain Carter replied.

As fast as Harriet and their escorts could walk, Lydia led them back to the Colonel’s house. She practically flung her pelisse, gloves, and bonnet at the waiting footmen and ran up the stairs. She pushed the door to her bedchamber open, and as soon as she was inside, she locked it.

Lydia threw herself on her bed and cried. These were not the crocodile tears she used to get her own way when needed. Her tears now were born of genuine sorrow, and the realisation that all which glitters is not gold.

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

“Well my dear, how was your day,” Colonel Forster boomed when he arrived at his rented house before dinner.

“My day was good, but not so much for Lydia,” Harriet Forster declared. She elaborated when she saw her husband’s questioning look. “How can your officers be so rude to Lydia; she is your guest after all?”

“Did you not say that she screeched like a fishmonger’s wife from one side of the street to the other?” Forster verified, and his wife nodded with some embarrassment. “That is not very ladylike behaviour, my dear. In fact, that and the way she has been importuning my fellow colonels to allow her into their encampments makes me wonder if such a girl is an appropriate companion for you. I am afraid at times she behaves more like a strumpet than someone who should be in your company.”

“That is true to a certain extent,” Harriet responded, “but she is young and does not know any better.”

“That, my dear, is no excuse,” the Colonel began to reply.

The Forsters looked up as a gasp came from the doorway. Lydia had worked hard to compose herself and was about to join the Colonel and Harriet. She had convinced herself it was an aberration and all was well and would be as she expected. Then she had heard their discussion and the low estimation in which they held her.

“I want to go home,” Lydia wailed as she turned and ran back up to her bedchamber as fast as she was able to go.

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

Elizabeth had just returned from a long ramble to Oakham Mount when Hill told her the master was asking for her to join him in his study. Both the Bennet patriarch and his second daughter were early risers who usually woke with the dawn.

She knocked once and let herself into the study. Elizabeth sat in one of the chairs facing her father. “Yes, Papa?”

“Lydia is coming home, in fact, I depart within the hour to collect my wayward daughter,” Bennet said with a satisfied look on his countenance. Seeing Elizabeth sitting with her mouth open, Bennet grinned. “Do you not want to know why?”

“Please tell me she did not ruin herself, and us with her,” Elizabeth hoped.

“Nothing like that.” Bennet picked up a page from his desk and handed it to his daughter. “It is from Colonel Forster.”

With no clue as to why her father looked so pleased with himself, Elizabeth took the page from his hand while looking at him with her head cocked. He gave nothing away so she looked at the paper in her hands.

26 April 1811

52 King’s Road

Brighton

Bennet,

It is done. Miss Lydia has learnt of her own insignificance so well she is demanding to be returned to your custody.

It was a hard lesson for her to learn, but I believe she has discovered we do not get everything we want just because we want it. I have not shared what was done with my wife yet, but an unintended consequence is the circumspection my young wife has gained.

As I am unable to leave Brighton at this time, and am sure you do not want your daughter of fifteen to ride home via the post, I will await your instructions.

Forster

As Elizabeth would have expected from a military man , it was a short letter with no beating around the bush. She looked up and saw the knowing look on her father’s face. “Papa, what did you do?”

“Lizzy, you thought I ignored your warnings that day in my study, did you not?” Bennet surmised.

“What else could I conclude from what you said to me?” Elizabeth averred.

“Knowing that simply forbidding Lydia from going would not be effective. I was thinking about what I should do and how to do it when I overheard Lydia boast to Kitty how she had convinced Mrs Forster to not invite her to join them in Brighton. It was then the plan formed in my mind, and I rode to call on Colonel Forster…

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

“Please excuse my calling on you so late, Colonel,” Bennet apologised when he was shown into the Colonel’s study.

“It is almost never that I am in bed by this time of the night. There is much to plan when moving a regiment about five and eighty miles. The men who have to march, do less than twenty miles each day Hence my soldiers and officers began the journey at the beginning of the week. They are not permitted to march more than five miles without a good break for rest and refreshment,” Forster explained. “I am sure hearing about the intricacies of moving a regiment is not why you are here though. Please sit and tell me of what it is you need to speak.”

The Colonel offered his guest a drink and rather than brandy Bennet chose port. “What I am about to ask may seem like my shirking my duty to my family, but I see no other way my youngest will ever desire to make changes and amend her behaviour. I could lock her up and make demands, but if it does not come from within her, she is far too stubborn and wilful to make any meaningful change. My second eldest came and begged me to not allow Lydia to travel to Brighton…” Bennet gave a synopsis of Elizabeth’s objections, leaving out the part about Mrs Forster being a silly girl herself. “Until I overheard Lydia crowing about how she influenced your wife to not extend the same invitation to my second youngest, I was not sure how this is to be done.”

“I am the first to admit my Harriet does not always think for herself and may not be the best chaperone for a girl of fifteen years. How then may I be of assistance?” Forster wondered.

“Lydia will be away from her family in a city, not a market town where she is one of the few who openly flirts with your officers.” Bennet paused. “I thank my lucky stars the truth of the characters of Lieutenants Denny and Wickham were discovered before one of them plied their trade with Lydia. She does not have the tools to see past their facades. Kitty would have followed because she will go wherever Lydia leads.”

“In truth, I believe, Denny and Wickham are much like Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia. Before that libertine joined my regiment, Denny was one of my most dependable officers. That all changed thanks to his friendship with Wickham. Enough about the deserters, I am sure that is not the subject you wish to canvas. What can I do for you?”

“As I was saying, Lydia has never experienced not having things go her way, and I think it would be the kind of shock she needs to shake her to the core. If she can learn of her own insignificance and what some of your officers truly think of her, it is my hope she will then be more malleable. That way, I, with the aid of my older daughters, will be able to redirect her and correct much of her forward and brash behaviour.”

“Let me think on it. If I do not reach a conclusion before we depart, I will have two days in the saddle to cogitate. In that case, I will write to you as soon as I arrive in Brighton.”

“Thank you, Colonel, I could not ask for more.” Bennet stood and offered the Colonel his hand. The two men shook.

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

By the time, Bennet told Elizabeth about his discussion with the Colonel, she was crying tears of relief. “Thank you, Papa, you know not how relieved I am to learn you do care about our wellbeing and reputations.” Elizabeth squinted her eyes and her eyebrows moved closer one to the other. “But, Papa, what did Colonel Forster do?”

Bennet lifted another letter. “Read for yourself,” he said as he handed his daughter the missive.

Elizabeth began to read.

17 April 1811

52 King’s Road

Brighton

Bennet,

If this is too harsh, write and tell me. In the absence of your instructions to the contrary, this is what I will implement.

I began with the officers in my own regiment. I let them know that as Miss Lydia is under my protection, if any of them dare to look at her in the wrong way, they will earn forty lashes. I have the cooperation of my fellow colonels who will pass on the same orders to their men.

Next, my fellow commanders and I will issue orders that no females may visit the encampments without the respective colonel’s written permission which will, of course, never be granted to your daughter.

Finally, Miss Lydia is very familiar with three of my officers. I will arrange for my adjutant Captain Carter and two other officers to encounter her when she is already upset at not having access to the camps or daily balls. Captain Carter and the other two will make some comments in her hearing which should help convince her to return home.

Incidentally, there is a fortnightly assembly, and it is the only one your daughter attended. Other than myself, not another officer asked her to dance.

If there is any of the above you would prefer is not done, please send your reply with the soldier who delivered this missive to you.

Forster

Elizabeth blew out the deep breath she was holding in while she had been reading. “You did not tell him to hold off, did you, Papa?” Elizabeth verified.

“No, Lizzy, I did not,” Bennet confirmed. “As the bard wrote in Hamlet, Act three, Scene four: ‘ I must be cruel only to be kind .’ My aim was to have Lydia return to us in a way she can be built up into a creditable gentlelady.”

“But what of Mama?” Elizabeth probed.

“You mean your mother’s influence, which I know led Lydia down this path?” Bennet established. Elizabeth nodded. “Your mother will no longer be allowed to make decisions which adversely affect your futures. It will not be easy, but it must be done. If only I had begun doing this as soon as I married your mother.”

“Better late than never,” Elizabeth allowed. She could not have been happier at the way her father was taking his family in hand. “May I tell Janey about this? You know she will take the secret to her grave.”

Bennet waved his permission and Elizabeth stood. She came around the desk, hugged her father and kissed his cheek.

“Away with you,” Bennet said in a suspiciously gruff voice.

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

“Younge, are you sure you can trust these men?” the nobleman asked.

“Aye, yir lordship. If they fail us, I will put ‘em in the river wif an ear to ear smile,” Younge promised menacingly.

“Do you not think we should receive half of the one thousand pounds each now, and the rest when we deliver what you have asked?” Wickham queried. Five hundred pounds would get him on a ship and out of England, and he was sure he would be able to relieve Denny of his bank notes as well.

“You must think me a simpleton,” the noblemen barked out a laugh. “You will have five pounds per month until the deed is done successfully. “If I am well pleased with the result I may very well double the amount I am willing to pay you. If what I am offering is not enough for you, I would have to have you killed so you do not run along and sell the story.”

“I-I w-was only asking,” Wickham stammered.

“Good! Now you three will be coming to reside in a cottage on my estate. It will be watched at all times. When it is time, Younge will collect you, and you had better pray you do not fail me.” The noble saw the one named Wickham about to question why Younge was allowed to go home. “This is not the first time I have worked with him, so I know I am able to trust him. Of you, I know nothing.”

‘ At least ,’ Wickham thought as they travelled out of London, ‘the accommodation and food will be better than the vermin infested bed and swill they serve at the Younges’ boarding house. ’

The group of riders rode East through Kent until they came to the gatehouse of an estate which, according to the brass poles and sign arching over the gates in large letters, was named Henderson.

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

“Nothing you told me about how to catch a husband was correct,” Lydia said when her mother tried to hug her after she had arrived home from Brighton in the company of her father. “I did what you taught me, and I was laughed out of Brighton.”

Fanny Bennet was shocked into silence that her favourite would speak to her in that fashion.

Like she had many times during the carriage ride back to Longbourn, Lydia burst into tears. When she had dried her eyes, she turned to her next older sister. “Kitty, can you ever forgive me for being so hateful to you before I departed? You were the lucky one to remain here.”

“What do you mean I did not teach you the correct way to catch a husband?” Fanny screeched when she recovered somewhat.

Before Lydia could reply, Bennet raised his hand. “Mrs Bennet, I realise you were not raised a gentlewoman, but those who are gently bred do not chase after men in the street and flirt outrageously with them.” Bennet paused as his wife looked livid. “It is not all your fault; I should have taught you. But now, unless you want our youngest to ruin herself, and by association make all of her sisters unmarriageable, there need to be changes made in this house. I spoke to Lydia on the journey back from Brighton. She understands why she needs to adjust her behaviour, and has agreed to do what she needs to do. ”

“But all you need is to be beautiful and lively,” Fanny asserted.

“Your wrongheaded opinions are why I will be employing a companion and governess in one person for our youngest daughters, and Mrs Bennet,” Bennet looked at his wife so she could see how serious he was, “if you interfere with the education of any of our daughters, you will lose a quarter’s allowance with each infraction.”

Fanny was about to retort, but the prospect of losing just one quarter’s pin money, never mind several quarters caused her to close her mouth and sit sullenly.

“Your three older sisters will help you, and when Madeline comes to collect Lizzy, I will ask her when you and Kitty may visit with her in London to learn about etiquette and propriety from her,” Bennet informed his youngest.

“Yes, Papa,” was all Lydia said in response.