Chapter 30

During the preceding fortnight, Elizabeth had gotten much closer to her birth family, although the new connections had not mitigated her missing her Bennet family. She had, however, come to the realisation that she had two sets of parents and siblings who loved her.

An intimacy had grown between Elizabeth, her brother and sister-in-law. It was not only because of the way their daughter loved her new aunt.

Elizabeth was unaware it had taken a conversation between Emily and her mother for the former to completely accept Elizabeth and allow a true and deep relationship to develop between them.

12 August, the day of the arrival at Woburn Abbey

“Emily why are you standoffish with Lizzy at times?” Priscilla asked her daughter when the latter had joined her in her mother’s private sitting room that evening before bed. Her husband, brother-in-law, and Jamey were still in the drawing room with Rose and Lizzy.

“I am not Mama…” Emily attempted to obfuscate.

“Emily Priscilla Rhys-Davies!” Priscilla interjected. “I know you too well for that to work with me. I can see you holding yourself back.”

“Oh Mama,” Emily allowed her tears to cascade down her cheeks freely. “I thought I had moved passed any anger at Lizzy for the pain which you are living with now. I want to move on, but when she laughs, enjoys her life, and smiles, all I see is the pain you are experiencing.”

“You are my daughter and I love you, however, in this case, your anger is misplaced. Lizzy is as much to blame for what occurred that night in Meryton as you are.” Priscilla raised her hand to stem her indignant looking daughter’s protests. “Lizzy did not choose to be given to the Bennets, any more than any of us chose to be given sons who were not ours. I will not go into the reasons for Mrs. Brown’s misguided actions again, you know them.”

Cilla took a deep breath and reached out to take Emily’s hands in her own. “Bless you for feeling my pain, but none of my pain is because of Lizzy. It is for your brother Gregory who I never got to hold, it is for the knowledge that Philip was never mine, and his being with us stole eighteen years from the Bennets, just like Lizzy being with them robbed your Aunt Rose and Uncle Sedgewick of their daughter.

“All you do if you allow resentment against Lizzy to grow for something over which she had no more control than you or I, is to turn yourself into a bitter person. My Emily was not built to be that kind of woman.”

“I think logically I knew what you said was true before you said it, but I needed someone to blame for the pain I see in your eyes. It was very wrong of me to apportion blame to Lizzy,” Emily admitted. “I swear this to you Mama, from this moment onwards, I will be a true sister to her.”

“As it should be,” Priscilla averred.

The present

Elizabeth opened the latest letter from Jane and read it again. She missed Janey so much but they would be together in just a few short days.

24 August 1810

Longbourn

My dearest sister, Lizzy:

How I missed you when we recently travelled to London to purchase my trousseau and to see Fitzwilliam House on Berkeley Square. It is not the same without you Lizzy and I am counting the days until you arrive with your parents and family on the 2nd day of September.

We visited Aunt Elaine’s (Mother, as I have been asked to call her) modiste but not before we visited Uncle Edward’s warehouse. He had some bolts of fabric for me, ones that no shop in London had been supplied with as of yet. For my wedding dress, I chose an off-white silk for the body of the dress. Lizzy it shines and shimmers so when the light strikes it, it reflects the colours of the rainbow. Madame Chambourg (the modiste) said she had never seen a fabric like it so my dress will be quite unique.

Aunt Maddie and Uncle Edward, and our cousins all asked me to pass on their regards to Lady Elizabeth. Lilly and May especially are keen to be able to curtsy before you and use your honorific. I have shared all the news you have told me (unless there is anything confidential you asked me not to) with the Gardiners.

I am so thankful you write regularly and have allayed my fears for you when you relate how well you are being received by your family by blood and how you have been enjoying exploring Woburn Abbey. I cannot fathom an estate so large, even if, as you have told me, it is not among the largest in England. I can only try to imagine how big it is.

Richard took Mary, Aunt Maddie, and me to see his house (it is across the square from the Gardiners’ house so I will see them as much as I desire when we are in Town) yester-afternoon. It is very well appointed, and other than changing colours in what will soon be my chambers, there is nothing which needs redoing. Like I know you would not, I will not change anything just for change’s sake.

Even though Mary will write to you later, she has again begged me to send you her love and regards. Like all of us are, Mary is missing you greatly. At least Cathy and Lyddie spend much time in Giana’s and Maria’s company so although they miss you as well, they are too busy to dwell on it.

I must conclude this letter my dearest sister. It is time to prepare for the theatre at Covent Gardens.

With much sisterly love,

Jane

PS. I am glad I had not sealed this letter yet. Richard told me at the theatre during the first intermission that we are travelling to Rosings Park before we make for Longbourn. I did not tell Richard before he decided we would go there, but I had hoped I would have a chance to see my future home.

We very much enjoyed the play, it was Much Ado About Nothing, and knowing how much you enjoy Shakespeare’s comedies made me miss you all the more. When you are in London for the season, and once we are returned from our wedding trip, we must see some plays together.

In my next letter I will tell you what my impressions are of the estate which I will call home in a few short weeks.

Jane.

The Bedford travelling coach had passed Hilldale’s gatehouse and was on the drive which led to the manor house. Elizabeth folded Jane’s letter and replaced it in her reticule. She was very keen to meet her eldest sister, who was two years older than Janey.

It was just the Rhys-Davies as the Carringtons had left for their own estates the day after arriving at Woburn Abbey. By now Jamey was already returned to Meryton to further his courtship with Charlotte. Elizabeth looked forward to the day Jamey would make Charlotte a cousin.

Thinking of her friend’s courtship caused the image of William Darcy to form in Elizabeth’s mind’s eye. She missed him far more than she was willing to admit to herself. Somehow, she found herself thinking about him many times a day. She longed for their debates, being in his company, and the way she felt when she was around him. It was a warm feeling of everything being right in her world as long as he was near her.

Before Elizabeth could examine her feelings too deeply, the coach was pulled to a halt. No sooner had she alighted when her eldest sister, who Elizabeth identified from portraits she had seen at the Abbey, pulled her into a hug. “My goodness Elizabeth, no matter how much Mama and our aunts wrote about how much you look like Mama and Aunt Elaine, nothing prepared me for the reality. Please call me Belle like everyone else in the family does,” Isabelle enthused. “This is my husband, Andrew.”

Andrew stepped forward and bowed to his new sister-in-law. “I am pleased to meet you, Elizabeth. Please call me Andrew or Hilldale.”

“Thank you for the warm welcome Belle and Andrew, Elizabeth is acceptable to me, but I prefer Lizzy,” she responded with a half curtsy.

“Enough gabbing in the drive, there is a granddaughter who I need to see,” Rose stated.

“I pway babi?” Julia asked excitedly.

“Your cousin needs to become a big girl like you before she can play with you, little imp,” Sed told his daughter as he kissed her on her cheeks.

His daughter wrinkled her nose in disgust but then she saw Lizzy. Her arms shot up. “Stowie,” was all she said.

“It seems Julia has a new favourite,” Isabelle observed with a smile.

Belle and Andrew led everyone into the house.

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

As much as he had desired to be at Hilldale when Elizabeth arrived there, his mother’s voice of reason had prevailed. She had pointed out to William that Elizabeth would be on her way south in a day or two.

In the end William had heeded his mother’s advice. Now he was in great anticipation of the Rhys-Davies, Carringtons, and the younger Fitzwilliams arrivals at Netherfield Park. They were expected in the next hour or so. Even if as the maid of honour for Jane, Elizabeth would be hosted at Longbourn, William was determined to see the woman he loved each day, for as much time as possible.

To himself he thanked his Aunt Elaine and Aunt Fanny, with the assistance of his mother, for deciding there would be an engagement ball the Tuesday before the wedding. As soon as he was able, he would request the opening and supper sets from Elizabeth. On the night of the ball, he planned to ask her for the final set, if it did not belong to another.

As much as he was aware the Duke and Duchess would not want to part with Elizabeth too soon after they had been reunited, William understood his first hurdle would be to divine if Elizabeth had any tender feelings for him. One thing he was sure of, even before it was known she was the daughter of a duke, she would not have accepted him unless her feelings were engaged.

A few weeks ago, shortly after they had returned from Windsor Castle and the departure of Elizabeth and her family, William had inadvertently overheard a conversation between Jane and Mary where they had discussed the pact, which Elizabeth had also made, about never marrying a man except for the deepest love and respect. It was another reminder of how wrong he had been to try and advise Richard on who he chose as his future partner.

Yes, he had made significant changes to his character and addressed the reproofs which had been delivered by Elizabeth, his parents, Richard, and others. But from time to time, he was still shamed by his former opinions.

He still felt chagrined at his wrongheaded sentiments when he first arrived in the neighbourhood. He had thought everyone below him socially and with regards to fortune as well. By now he was aware of the true income of Longbourn, which when combined with Netherfield Park was above twelve thousand pounds per annum. Each Bennet daughter had a dowry of about the same amount as Giana’s, a fact his friend George Wickham who was waiting for Mary to come out to declare himself, was as yet unaware. It was an irony that when they were younger George had always said he would make his fortune by marrying an heiress. Now if things kept on as they were, without knowing it, if Mary accepted him, he would marry one.

As he thought about the past, William reached a realisation, as he could not change the past, wasting time and effort chastising himself for things he had done was pointless. Yes, he needed to take lessons from the past, but it was much more important that he think of the future and remember only those things which gave him pleasure.

His introspection was interrupted when Mr. Nichols announced that coaches had entered the drive.

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

Elizabeth knew the plan was to make a stop at Netherfield Park first, but she was impatient to arrive at Longbourn and see her Bennet family. When she noticed William was one of those waiting to welcome them, her thoughts of being impatient to depart for Longbourn faded.

By the time the conveyances had come to a halt, William had been joined by his parents and the Fitzwilliam parents. As would be expected, the latter two made directly for the Hilldale carriage and their granddaughter who was travelling within.

Once everyone had alighted, where a blushing Elizabeth had been handed out by William, it had been shared, and none of those arriving were surprised by the news, that Richard was at Longbourn, and Jamey was calling on Lucas Lodge. Bedford and Rose both had raised eyebrows when they observed William handing their youngest out of the coach and her reaction to him.

“I am sure you have missed Hertfordshire,” William stated as he offered Elizabeth his arm to lead her into the house.

“It is the people I have missed more than the locale,” Elizabeth averred. She realised how William could interpret her statement and found that she did not object if he thought she was only speaking of him. She added, “I am looking forward to being conveyed to Longbourn to see all the Bennets. How are Saul and Philip adapting?”

“Jamey was telling me that he is sure they miss those they used to believe were their family, but nevertheless they seem to be adjusting to the realities of the situation well,” William responded. “From what I have seen when I have visited Longbourn or the Bennets have been here, I concur with Jamey’s conclusions. I do know they enjoy playing chess against their father and like you they win about half of the time.”

“Where is Giana?” Elizabeth asked as she looked around.

“She has been hosted at Longbourn since before you departed,” Anne averred after she heard Lizzy’s question. “She has elected to remain at Longbourn with Mrs. Annesley and Mrs. Frost when we all attend the season after the wedding.”

“So, for now the Bennets still have five daughters at home,” Elizabeth stated wistfully.

“And soon enough it will be six as you will be joining them,” Rose pointed out. “This evening and tonight we will remain here, but please inform Fanny we will call on the morrow.”

A half hour later, Elizabeth was in a coach with her lady’s maid—she had had one waiting for her when she arrived at Woburn Abbey—on the rear facing bench opposite her and John on the footman’s bench at the rear of the conveyance. The closer the three teams of matched pairs drew the conveyance to Longbourn, the more her anticipation built.

Not soon enough for Elizabeth, the coachman guided the horses past Longbourn’s gate posts. By the time the equipage came to a halt, all the Bennets, Richard, and Giana were waiting in the drive to welcome Lizzy home. John Biggs placed the step and opened the door. Elizabeth was more than pleased that Papa offered her his hand to assist her to alight.

As soon as she was on the drive, all of those waiting to greet her, including Grandmama Beth, curtsied—or in Richard’s case bowed—and then in unison intoned: “Welcome to Longbourn Lady Elizabeth.”

While the others kept their composure, Cathy, Giana, and Lydia were lost in a fit of giggles. Soon Elizabeth was surrounded by her Bennet sisters, with assistance from Giana, and pulled into warm hugs. Her sisters were replaced by Grandmama Beth, who after Elizabeth kissed both of Grandmama’s cheeks, she fell into her Mama’s arms.

“Perhaps we should enter the house and continue the reunion there,” Bennet suggested.

On her way past the door Elizabeth nodded a greeting to a grinning Mr. Hill and then she squeezed Mrs. Hill’s hand. She hardly had to expend an effort to reach the drawing room as she was carried along on a wave of exuberance with Jane on one arm and Mary on the other.

It was no longer her home, but she felt very much like she fit here.