Chapter 2

This was the moment that Elizabeth dreaded but it could not be avoided or delayed.

The Gardiners had four children. The oldest was Edward, called Eddie by everyone, who was 13 years old. He had been born within a year of his parent’s marriage. But then there was a near six year gap until the birth of his sister. Elizabeth had overheard various snippets of conversation over the years but still was not quite sure why there was such a gap between Eddie and his three younger siblings. Angela was seven and would not turn eight until close to the end of the year. Rebecca was six years of age and Michael was the baby of the family at only three. His fourth birthday was in September, the first to occur following the death of their mother.

Elizabeth’s aunt appeared to have been putting on a performance for the neighbours because she was once again calm as the two of them ascended the stairs to the nursery. The next hour was a weepy blur of hugs and cuddles, murmurs of comfort, and just being two familiar faces for the shattered children. With the help of their nurse the three youngest were settled into their beds and Elizabeth and her aunt held the children’s hands until they fell asleep. They were all emotionally exhausted and it was but a few minutes until they were fast asleep.

“Lizzie, I am going to check with the cook and the housekeeper. I will organise dinner for when your uncle and father return.”

Elizabeth nodded and while her aunt descended the stairs she walked to the bedroom next to the nursery which was Eddie’s room. He had stayed back and let the younger children monopolise their aunt and cousin. Now Elizabeth could devote time to him exclusively.

“Come in cousin Elizabeth.”

Eddie was standing beside his bed looking lost and Elizabeth crossed the space between them in three quick strides and pulled him into a hug. They held it for a long time.

“Will you be honest with me?”

Eddie spoke the words into her hair but she heard them clearly. They separated and sat on the edge of the bed.

“I will. However, I will also ask at various points if you are sure.”

She saw by the set of his jaw that he would be sure.

“What happened?”

“There was an accident in town. I do not yet know where precisely but when I find out I will tell you. A cart was alongside your parents when it was brushed and bumped into by another cart going in the opposite direction. This caused a rope to snap and part of the cargo fell. According to the letter from your father’s solicitor it was a tun of wine. This volume, and weight, of liquid is the basis for the naval and freight term, the ton, T-U-N became T-O-N. So in weight terms a ton weight fell off the cart.”

Elizabeth paused, not to check on her cousin, but to compose herself.

“Your mother was killed instantly. It was a terrible tragic accident, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She did not suffer.”

Elizabeth stopped her narrative for a moment, to let Eddie compose himself, just as she had done.

“Thank you for being honest. I am glad that she did not suffer. What about Papa?”

“The huge barrel that killed your mother crushed his legs. I do not yet know all the details but what the doctor wrote in his note was that his legs were crushed to above the knees. Immediately upon his admittance to hospital they were both amputated. As soon as Uncle Philips returns he is going to take our aunt to the hospital to check on him.”

Eddie nodded but then screwed his eyes shut. His question, when asked, could barely be heard.

“Will he survive?”

Elizabeth took his hand.

“As I said to Jane a few hours ago, it is in God’s hands. If there is no infection then he should recover. But it will not be a full recovery, his legs are gone forever.”

Eddie’s face took on a mask of resolve.

“I have become aware of injuries such as this through the other pupils at school. Several of them have brothers or fathers, various different relatives, who have serving with the Army or the Navy. Many of the notes received have been black bordered telling the pupil of the death of the relative, but there have also been many notices of injury as well. When the pupil returns the circumstances are discussed. One of the pupils who is two years ahead of me told a tale similar to that which has happened to Papa. In his case it was the husband of a cousin and it was a cannonball from a French warship but the result was the same.”

Sadly this was all too common. The navies of Britain and France had been fighting for nigh on 20 years with only limited months of peace. There were thousands of men who had been discharged from service because of wounds similar to those of Mr. Gardiner. It mattered not whether it was death or maiming in battle, death in childbirth, death as an infant from numerous diseases, it was a rare family that did not have to deal with an early death.

“Do you wish to come downstairs?”

“Not tonight cousin Lizzie. I am going to stay here and think and pray.”

“I will check on you before I turn in for the night.”

“Thank you.”

With a final hug they parted and Elizabeth went downstairs to the parlour. Her aunt was sitting on the sofa weeping quietly into her handkerchief. Elizabeth passed her a fresh dry square but otherwise remained silent. Her aunt would speak if, or when, she wanted. After five minutes Aunt Philips sat up straighter and dapped her eyes for the final time.

“I suspect that we will all have these moments when our emotions overcome us.”

Elizabeth knew the benefits of moments of catharsis and nodded in agreement.

“How is young Eddie?”

Elizabeth pondered the question.

“Trying to be brave, while not sure why he is trying to be brave. There have been many deaths and severe wounds amongst his classmates and other pupils at his school. Children are exposed to the risks of life at a young age. He is in shock about his mother but his father is the focus of his prayers.”

It was late when the two gentlemen returned, too late to attend the hospital. The arrangements had been completed and the funeral service would be at 11.00 the following morning. They had stopped on the way back to Gracechurch Street and posted notice of the service on the board at the church of St. Magnus the Martyr, where the Gardiners worshipped.

The following morning Elizabeth was awake and downstairs in time to see her aunt and uncle head to Guy’s Hospital to see Mr. Gardiner. She waited in the dining room for her father before they started breakfast.

“What are your plans Papa?”

Mr. Bennet swallowed a mouthful of tea and dabbed his mouth with a napkin.

“A lot will depend on the news from Guy’s. The biggest cause of death is infection. If Gardiner has survived this first day and night and there is no sign of infection then I will return to Longbourn on the morrow. Once Gardiner is back here then I will return with your mother, although we will likely only stay one night. As soon as he is able my brother Gardiner will need to speak to Philips about how to handle his business. Yesterday you said you would assist.”

The last was a statement yet Elizabeth could hear the question.

“I will go to the office tomorrow. I know Mr. Smith the chief clerk and will ask him to give me his assessment of the situation.”

Mr. Bennet nodded, but Elizabeth waited for the follow up questions.

“We have to talk about your situation Lizzie.”

It was Elizabeth’s turn to hold her breath.

“I am a gentleman and therefore you are the daughter of a gentleman. Your mother is the daughter of a solicitor, your grandfather the man your Uncle Philips took over from upon his death. A solicitor is not classed, by society, as a gentleman. I knew this when I married your mother, but as I had no expectation of inheriting Longbourn it did not matter to me. After the scarlet fever epidemic wiped out my family I was thrust unwillingly into the role of Master of Longbourn, a role you have ably assisted me in for the last six years. We will return to that issue anon. The gentry do not participate in trade. Which in our immediate circumstance means that you cannot participate in Gardiner’s business.”

He held up his hand to forestall his daughter’s interruption.

“I know you, your ability, your inclination and your heart. We both know that you will assist Gardiner in every way possible. Starting tomorrow when you meet Mr. Smith at your uncle’s office you should request to be known as Miss Gardiner, rather than Miss Bennet. In all correspondence with your mother and your two youngest sisters you should only record that you are helping in the house. I will leave it to your own discretion as to whether you inform Jane or Mary of the truth. This is important to your future, and to a degree the future of your sisters. It will limit your choices in the years to come if you have the ‘stench of trade’ upon you.”

“Really Papa! The stench of trade, is that what you think of Uncles Philips and Gardiner.”

“Of course not, I would hope you know me better than that.”

Elizabeth flushed at the rebuke and offered her apology.

“I understand Lizzie, I do. There was a reason I said such a pejorative phrase. Because that is how many people within the gentry think and treat people who work for a living. Most will not be so rude as to say it out loud, although a few do, but it colours their treatment of individuals and families. Even in sleepy quiet Meryton some members of the landowning families use the phrase. When Mr. Lucas was knighted and became Sir William Lucas he bought the small estate that is Lucas Lodge. Your mother has heard unkind comments about how they need to do more than buy an estate to escape the taint of trade. It is a deep grained prejudice.

“You know full well both of the following facts. Your mother is obsessed with marrying all five of you off as soon as possible. And the reason that she worries about this is because neither of your parents have done right by any of you when it comes to setting aside dowries. It is important that your generous and Christian gesture to the Gardiners does not add another layer of impediment to your future.”

Elizabeth inclined her head to acknowledge the request.

“What do you suggest?”

“Like I said, you are now Miss Gardiner. Your maternal grandfather was the only child in the family to survive to adulthood. We can invent a brother, your Uncle Gardiner’s own uncle, you are the grandchild of this fictitious brother. Nobody else is alive, you are a distant cousin rather than a niece. And why not use your middle name rather than your own; Miss Rose Gardiner.”

Elizabeth considered all this but then a thought struck her.

“You do not expect me to return to Longbourn?”

Her father reached over and grasped her hand.

“Do I hope that you return? Of course I do, with all my heart. But you are a very clever young woman with a huge heart. What can we offer you in Hertfordshire? A small confined society where you will never get the opportunity to spread your wings. These circumstances are tragic and I would not wish them upon my worst enemy but you will thrive here, as much as any woman can in our society.”

Elizabeth sat stunned at her father’s speech. But it felt right, in a way that she would be incapable of articulating.

“All I ask of you is that you continue to manage the ledgers for me. As an incentive I will send one of your sisters, for two weeks after the end of each quarter. It will most likely be Mary but I will try and pry Jane free from your mother’s grasp on occasion as well. If possible they will alternate visits. They will bring the ledgers for updating and bring back any instructions. Will you continue to do that for your family?”

It was only many quarters later that Elizabeth revisited this emotionally manipulative conversation but at the time she agreed without hesitation. She voiced a final thought and question.

“May I inquire when you considered all this? It does not seem the work of a moment.”

“During the carriage ride Lizzie. There was little conversation, understandably, so my mind replayed the events of the morning. It started with your determination to assist the Gardiners. From there the various threads swirled in my mind until they settled as I have discussed this morning. As we left Longbourn I had not thought of the topics of our discussion. But four hours let me piece it together within my own mind.”

Elizabeth nodded, thinking back over the conversation. There was nothing unknown, it was just the way her father had explained everything, and connected them. There musings were interrupted by the return of the Philips’.

“It is nothing short of a miracle!”

Aunt Philips had burst into the dining room and this was her first exclamation.

“Martha, calm yourself. Let me get you a cup of tea and we will explain to Bennet and Lizzie.”

Once Mrs. Philips had sipped from a fresh cup of tea she smiled at the two Bennets.

“I believe my brother will live. He has survived the first day without infection. But it is more than that. Edward would have died, and quickly, if there had not been a military surgeon passing as the accident happened. It was he that tightened two belts on his legs to stem the flow of blood. Without that act he would have bled to death within minutes. He performed the amputations at the hospital, sadly he has much experience of the procedure, and Edward is now recovering.”

She paused and took another mouthful of tea. Her husband took up the tale.

“He is still unconscious but the attendants were optimistic he will survive. That being said, there will be a long recovery period. And of course he will need to become accustomed, if possible, to wooden legs.”

At that moment the family was just happy that the prognosis was hopeful. Elizabeth stood.

“I am going to tell the children the news. I will be careful not to give false hope. Eddie is going to attend the service with us.”

She stopped for a moment.

“I will ask him if he wishes to be known as Edward from now on. Sadly his childhood is over.”

“That is a good idea Lizzie. Edward Gardiner the younger will represent his father at the funeral and committal of his mother.”

An hour later young Edward Gardiner took his first steps as a man. He was still young, not yet grown into his body, but he walked behind his mother’s coffin, his two uncles each accompanying his aunt and cousin. The church was at least half full, the Gardiners both well-known and well liked. After the men had attended the burial the Gardiner townhouse ebbed and flowed for the next two hours as people came to pay their respects. By 3.00 in the afternoon the door was closed and the family could finally relax. Elizabeth and her aunt spent time with the younger children giving them an age appropriate version of the day’s events. Finally it was dinner time and young Edward joined them.

“You handled yourself well today Edward. How are you feeling?”

They watched the young man, barely into his teenage years, ponder his uncle’s question.

“I do not know.”

Nobody interrupted, they let him consider his feelings.

“Angry, numb, grateful, sad, parts of me feel all of that. But there is an understanding as well, how the future is going to play out. I recall the way other pupils, classmates of mine, have dealt with similar situations. Right now I am glad that you are here, and that so many people had nice things to say about Mama. At the same time I am angry at the accident, grateful that Papa has survived, and just.”

He paused.

“Part of me feels empty, numb like I said. Is this normal?”

Mr. Bennet patted him on the hand.

“That is a very articulate way of expressing your feelings. I do not know if it is normal but it is exactly how I felt when I received the news of the death of my family due to scarlet fever those many years ago. I too had no opportunity to say goodbye, the letter notifying me of their death arrived the morning after I first received the news that they were ill.”

“Does the feeling change?”

“Yes, it does. The next month will seem the longest, and will be toughest. But once you are back at school and distracted then the raw edges of your feelings and emotions will start to dull.”

The following morning Mr. Bennet returned to Longbourn, able to pass on the good news of the continued recovery of Mrs. Bennet’s brother. Mr. and Mrs. Philips crossed the Thames and spent part of the day with Mr. Gardiner. It was his sister that broke the news to him of the death of his wife. Elizabeth never asked about this day, the grief of her uncle was only ever known to his sister and her husband. Once her father had started back to Hertfordshire Elizabeth sent a note to the chief clerk at Gardiner Import/Export, a Mr. Smith, asking him to Gracechurch Street. He arrived immediately after lunch. They met in the parlour, a maid sitting beside the door, chaperoning but not eavesdropping.

“Thank you for coming today Mr. Smith. Were most of the staff able to attend the service yesterday?”

He nodded.

“Yes Miss. All the staff that knew Mrs. Gardiner were in attendance.”

“How can the family help in running the business until Mr. Gardiner is recovered enough to return to work?”

“Help?”

“When Mr. Gardiner returns here, I expect him to still need significant convalescent time. For example I have seen an injured sailor with one wooden leg but I have not seen anyone with two. Will Mr. Gardiner be able to walk? I am not asking you expecting you to answer, rather it is something that will have to be faced. If Mr. Gardiner is in hospital for the next two or three weeks and then housebound for the next two or three months, what becomes of the business?”

It was clear from Smith’s expression that he had not contemplated Mr. Gardiner being absent from the business for so long. She kept quiet and gave him a moment to gather his thoughts.

“It will be difficult.”

Another longer pause.

“Mr. Gardiner was not down at the docks very often, he has a man who inspects all the cargo as it comes off the ship. But he was in the warehouse all the time. He would look at the inventory, constantly thinking about the price, getting it sold, ‘moving it through’ he calls it. But as I sit here and think about it, a large part was just his presence, he was involved in every aspect of his business, nobody could get one over on him. With him being hospital- or house-bound then others will take advantage of his absence.”

“You say ‘will take advantage’, not ‘try to take advantage’?”

“I see your point. Perhaps a better way to say it is that everyone is always trying to advantage of others, it is the nature of trade, and that without Mr. Gardiner there it will be easier.”

Elizabeth thought back to the time at the office, reviewing contracts and manifests with her uncle. She nodded, understanding the point Mr. Smith was making.

“I am going to the hospital tomorrow and I will raise this with Mr. Gardiner.”

Smith rose to leave.

“Thank you for coming so promptly Mr. Smith.”

When Elizabeth accompanied her aunt and uncle to Guy’s Hospital the next day she was nervous about what she would find, and how she would act. She desperately hoped that she would not stare at the stumps of his legs. Her worries were unnecessary as her uncle was not lucid and his legs were covered with a frame to keep the blanket off the healing stumps. He was being dosed heavily with laudanum for the pain and she was unable to ask him anything about the business.

The fourth day after the accident it was just Elizabeth and Mr. Philips at breakfast, as it was still early.

“How long will you be able to stay here in London before you have to return to Meryton?”

Her uncle sighed.

“Three more days I think, but I made no plans with my clients and I will need to return after an absence of a week.”

“Is Aunt Philips going to stay here or return with you?”

“Gardiner is barely conscious and is likely to remain in that condition for another week. Can you cope here on your own with the children?”

Elizabeth knew her aunt was well-meaning but she was not great with the children, never having had any of her own. She was an aunt not a mother.

“With the housekeeper, cook and the children’s nurse I am confident I will manage. If it is too much for me then I will send word.”

So it was agreed. One week after the accident Mr. and Mrs. Philips returned to Meryton in the Gardiner coach. It returned the following day with several letters for Elizabeth, the longest from her mother. When Elizabeth visited the hospital the next morning Mr. Gardiner was finally awake and able to hold a coherent conversation.

“Lizzie! You are here.”

She leaned forward and kissed her uncle’s forehead, delighted that he seemed so normal, from the waist up at least.

“I am Uncle Edward. I have moved to Gracechurch Street to help with the children. All of them will be overjoyed to know that you are awake and able to pass on messages. With your permission I will bring Edward with me tomorrow morning.”

“Edward?”

Elizabeth pursed her lips.

“He is the child who fully understands what has happened. The others are still too young, especially Michael. The accident was the end of his childhood, and so it seemed appropriate that he stopped being Eddie and is now Master Edward Gardiner. We have avoided the sobriquet of ‘the Younger’ as it may encourage him to venture into politics.”

Despite the serious topic they both smiled. Mr. Gardiner reached out and squeezed Elizabeth’s hand.

“I understand, and approve. Tell me all that has happened in the last ten days.”

Elizabeth spoke for half an hour, including the pauses where they both dealt with tears. She outlined the timeline for her uncle, from receiving the news at Longbourn up until that morning.

“May I recap to ensure that I understand?”

“Of course Uncle.”

“Bennet accompanied you and the Philips and the four of you plus young Edward were present at the service for Madeline. All the staff who knew Madeline, plus our neighbours were at the service and then you and Martha acted as hostesses after the burial.”

He looked at Elizabeth and she nodded.

“Bennet left the next day and the Philips returned a week after the accident, which was three days ago. You have told your parents that you are staying at Gracechurch Street for the foreseeable future. And they have agreed to this.”

Another look seeking confirmation and another nod in response.

“Michael does not understand what has happened and although he has been told his mother is dead he is too young to process this. Rebecca and Angela have also been told and in your words ‘understand but do not really understand how things will change’. Finally Edward has had to grow up in a hurry and has been a help around the house, particularly in entertaining the children.”

“He is sad but classmates and other pupils at his school have faced similar adversity. He is modelling his behaviour on those examples. I will escort him here tomorrow morning but will then step out for half an hour and let the two of you reconnect. You will have privacy for your grief and Edward will be more likely to share his thoughts and be open to answering your questions if I am not here.”

Elizabeth’s hand was patted in acknowledgment of her comments, and of the plan.

“The house is running smoothly. The housekeeper and the cook know what they are doing, as does the children’s nurse. Perhaps the best thing I can say about myself is that I know what I do not know, and am not afraid of asking and learning from Mrs. Brewer.”

“You are understating your own contribution I am sure but I know you, and so we will move past that. The final thing I want to confirm is what is happening at the business. You spoke to Mr. Smith seven days ago?”

Elizabeth paused and checked the dates in her head.

“No it was the day after the funeral, so eight days ago.”

Mr. Gardiner nodded but Elizabeth could see the faraway look in his eyes and so waited for him to think about everything she had told him, and how this would impact his business. His sigh was not a good sign.

“Lizzie, I am going to have to explain to you about my business. In fact it does not apply to just my business but to all the trading and import/export businesses.”

She waited as Mr. Gardiner winced in pain before resettling.

“Owners do not trust their employees with financial information. Knowing some of that information is inevitable as part of their job but it is minimised as much as possible.”

“Why?”

“Hold your questions please Lizzie, I will explain.”

“People are always looking for an advantage. If I am successful then someone else is not, and they may try to find out or even steal the information they need to compete with me. And that includes bribing or even suborning my staff.”

Elizabeth thought about Mr. Smith.

“James Smith is an excellent clerk and I was happy to promote him to chief clerk. But that does not mean that I trust him with the detailed financial information of the business. He has a rough idea, but not the detail.”

Mr. Gardiner looked over fondly at his niece and smiled at her.

“Why do you think I encouraged you to ask questions when you were so young. I am not an ogre of a mill owner from the north employing children. That you excelled at arithmetic was a boon to me. It aided me immeasurably and every subsequent quarter you have grasped more aspects and have helped me with both contracts and reviewing manifests. You did not realise that I was sharing information with you that I do not share with anyone else.”

He looked searchingly at her to the extent that Elizabeth flushed under the scrutiny.

“Would you be prepared to go to my office for me, both to pass on instructions and to gather any documents I need?”

Elizabeth smiled widely.

“Yes, Uncle. Of course I would be prepared to do that for you. I must admit even before I left Longbourn I presumed that I would need to assist you until you made a recovery. I did not realise that certain information was so closely controlled.”

“Will you bring writing supplies tomorrow please? Once I have spoken to Edward then I will write some notes of instruction and explain about the information I would like you to gather.”

Elizabeth’s smile was wide and genuine. She had the chance to really assist her uncle.