Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

O nce Elizabeth allowed herself to think of leaving Longbourn, she could not stop. Although she tried to force it from her mind, once faced with the truth, she could not deny her discontent, her sense of being left behind while the world passed her by. The more she argued that her reasons for staying were sound, the more she wondered what other course her life might take. Yet how could she leave her father alone? How could she leave Longbourn? And how on earth would she ever find a life that provided the more stimulating experiences she desired when she did not quite understand it herself?

The letters she received from her sisters were full of what they were learning and the people they were meeting; accounts of their busy lives with husbands who were, amazingly, all excellent men. Perhaps that was not such a miracle when she considered what exceptional people the Gardiners were. Of course their acquaintances would be of a high calibre.

In the end, the decision was taken out of her hands when Martha called to her. "Miss Lizzy! There is a man riding up the drive!"

Good heavens! How long had it been since any person had openly come to Longbourn? She ran to the front door just as the man reined in his horse. It was Captain Bancroft. A stable boy ran up and took charge of his mount.

"Captain Bancroft! Welcome to Longbourn, sir. Please, do come in," Elizabeth said, rising from her curtsey. Within minutes, her father joined her in the entrance hall and offered his own words of welcome.

She wondered what purpose the man could have in coming all the way out to Longbourn, but no matter. She and her father had both enjoyed his conversation when they had dined in town, and visitors of any kind were sorely lacking.

She ordered refreshments, and the three sat together in the drawing room. After the usual enquiries about health, the roads, and the weather, conversation flagged; Captain Bancroft was a quiet fellow. Elizabeth began to speak of Longbourn House and the estate, Mr Bennet joining in, which kept them going for a while. In response, the captain told them a little about his past travels. After a few minutes of consideration, Elizabeth asked him whether he had heard anything from the Admiralty, and the captain brightened.

"I have been offered the command of a fine third-rate frigate in the East India Squadron, serving under Admiral Langley. I am very pleased to have been given another mission. When the Admiralty's plans for reduction were announced, I was concerned. While I had considered retirement in some distant future, I hoped for at least one more extensive mission, though I have enough of an income through investment of the prize money I have earned over the years to be completely independent. I simply wished for one more voyage and to build a house on some land I purchased several years ago. In fact, I spoke to Mr Magnussen yesterday about designing a house for me."

He is a good man , Elizabeth thought. Though he seems rather lonely. Perhaps that is the result of being in command.

By the time Captain Bancroft finished speaking, they had far exceeded the usual visiting time allotted; however, the captain made no move to leave, having come a long way apparently with no other object but to speak to them.

Then the conversation took a turn very quickly. The captain very properly asked Mr Bennet whether he and Elizabeth could take a turn in the garden, within sight of the windows. She blinked in astonishment and turned to her father, who also appeared to be quite taken aback. He recovered quickly and looked back at Elizabeth, who, though still surprised, nodded slightly. The three rose to their feet, and she led the captain out to the garden.

In silence, they strolled slowly past the banks of flowers; dahlias, late roses, yarrows, and purple verbena, swaying gently in the pale golden light. The captain spoke first, saying quietly, "What a wonderful place this must have been to grow up. It is beautiful."

"I do love it dearly. The Bennet family has been here for several centuries. It is, however, not truly ours. It is entailed in default of heirs male. In our case a distant cousin named Collins."

"Ah, I see. How ridiculous."

Elizabeth chuckled. "I could not agree more."

"It has been a delight to meet your aunt and uncle, your father, and your sisters. Your family obviously derives much happiness from being together. You are all very close, I perceive."

"We have grown closer in recent years, after we lost our youngest sister and our mother. I always loved my family, but now I cherish and value them more." A few minutes went by with only the sound of their footsteps in rhythm together. Elizabeth asked, "Do you have any family, Captain?"

"No close family. My father went against his parents' wishes when he took orders and married my mother rather than where they had chosen. All communication was cut off. When I was very young, he and my mother, who had no family to speak of, died when our village in Dorsetshire was afflicted with typhus. No one knew quite what to do with me, but at last a distant cousin sent me to the naval academy in Portsmouth."

Elizabeth was aghast. There was no one to take in a poor little boy? "That must have been a horrible time for you."

"I recall little, to be honest. I do remember enough of my parents to know how good and affectionate they were. My father was my tutor and taught me to love books. I have tried to live as they would have wished me to." He glanced away for a moment and continued. "Yet the naval academy was the making of me. I loved the demands the academy placed on me, to test my mettle, and I have always loved the sea. I consider it a great privilege, a gift, to be able to serve my king and live a useful and fulfilling life."

As they walked through the garden in the direction of the wilderness, Elizabeth noted the family cemetery in the distance. She had planted flowers beside her mother's and sister's graves, and she could see that they were blooming too.

Captain Bancroft followed her gaze and began to speak quietly. "Miss Bennet, I shall be honest with you. I have some knowledge of your family's troubles…"

Elizabeth stepped back and looked at him warily. The captain flushed slightly. "I have no talent for small talk, so I shall speak directly. I was informed of your trials by Mrs Newfield. She can be…rather free with information at times. She is a dear lady, Miss Bennet, and she dotes on young Mrs Catherine Newfield as if she were her own daughter, so please do not think ill of her. I merely wished to express my admiration for the way you and your family have coped in a dire situation." He nodded in the direction of the cemetery. "Tell me about your mother and your sister."

They made their way to the bench that overlooked the graves and sat down. She told him of Lydia's accident and the aftermath, and how their mother's grief had led to her death. She described how her aunt and uncle had intervened and the successful marriages that had resulted, yet how they were still isolated from the surrounding community.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Perhaps it is foolish of me, and I cannot account for it, but I sometimes feel that this shunning, this permanent cutting of our entire family, is some kind of revenge. It feels malicious. Our family has its flaws and shortcomings, as any family or person would. I have given this much thought, and I cannot think of any way we have hurt anyone."

Captain Bancroft nodded sombrely. "I understand your feelings. It is an extreme punishment." He shifted a little on the bench and looked uncomfortable. Terribly uncomfortable. "You see, Miss Bennet, I too have had to cope with scandal, or in my case the threat of scandal. I have an enemy. There is a person who wishes me harm."

Elizabeth stared at him in disbelief. What could he possibly have done to gain such an enemy?

The captain must have taken in the surprise on her face, and he hastily added, "I have never deliberately or knowingly hurt anyone in my life, except the combatants I have faced in battle. No, my enemy is another naval officer who believes that my accomplishments have somehow hindered his own rise. He and I served under Nelson early in our careers, and I discovered evidence of some malfeasance on his part. I did not threaten him with it or report anything to my superiors but tried to remedy the situation myself. But he knew that I knew.

"I shall not reveal his name, but he is a younger son of a wealthy and powerful family. His father is prominent in the House of Lords. His perspective is that of one who has been wrongfully deprived of some great acclamation and fame that is owed to him. He is convinced of his own brilliance."

Elizabeth listened, wondering about such a person who believed himself entitled to rewards and accolades just for existing.

"After we served together, our careers diverged. I have endeavoured to keep my distance from him over the years. On two occasions, however, I was awarded commands that he thought he should have had by virtue of his family's money and influence. The sloop Morwenna in 1797, and the frigate Juniper eight years later.

"He settled upon me to blame for his self-perceived lack of success in his naval career, even though his family has influence and wealth enough to smooth over repeated misconduct and ensure his promotion to captain."

Captain Bancroft broke off his narrative, his face sombre. "Miss Bennet, you are too intelligent not to wonder why I am here." He stood and began to pace. At length, he stopped and spoke. "I am not a marrying sort of man. I now find, however, that I must marry."