November 24, 1812
Elizabeth doubled over at the smell of cold ham and vomited into her mother's hand cloth, Jane holding her up by the shoulders as she dry heaved. A gloved hand wiped tears away from her eyes as she registered the first symptom of her first pregnancy witnessed by half the ballroom. " Oh, Heavens have mercy on me…" She breathed deeply as she debated whether to tell Fitz in person or by letter. " Jane, you look ready to cry,"
Card games could not have distracted Seth Bennet long enough, and so he learned through several young ladies not yet married gossiping about Elizabeth experiencing nausea. Having fathered five daughters, he recognized every sign of pregnancy by heart. Her pale complexion and the guarded hunch of Jane at her side clinched Mr. Bennet's happiness in knowing his daughter finally bore fruit of the Darcy marriage. Hopefully she bore a boy, then her future and her children's future never would be threatened as theirs were.
Charlotte Collins did not attend, claiming illness, robbing everyone of the expected pleasure of her company. Lady Lucas, therefore abstained from attending, and only Sir Lucas attended out of representation and escort for his daughter, Maria and his son, two years younger than Kitty. Mary spent the chief of the evening in Mr. Kent's company. She refused to dance the entire evening, instead choosing to discuss the finer topics of politics rocking the countryside and London with Mr. Kent, who was already fully informed on said politics as he lived in London and heard it daily.
" I can not be any more pleased with this turn out than Gideon," Edith said to Mrs. Bennet as they enjoyed a light supper. " He feared no one would come, as all of the Bennets are betrothed, or married, and that it was the ball that originated the marriages,"
" Nonsense. Bingley already marked Jane at the Meryton Assembly, and by the ball, he proposed. As for Lizzy, her marriage was more at the hands of business than a ball, as distasteful it is."
Edith laughed. " Mrs. Bennet, I tease. You mustn't work yourself up. I had hoped Mrs. Collins would attend, but as Lady Lucas said – the new year," She shrugged and picked at the cold meats. " On a sobering note, when I begin my lay-in, do I have the promise of your company? My mother can not always be present, and I had hoped Charlotte might be here so I could ask her-"
" With all my heart, Mrs. Wilder," Mrs. Bennet accepted the invitation without persuasion. " You must be at least three to five months in as is,"
" Five to six, as the midwife insists that symptoms vary pregnancy to pregnancy, woman to woman,"
" And you eat so much. Why are you not starving yourself?"
Edith explained to Mrs. Bennet the Wilder's beliefs, and that if the poor survived birthing through such behavior choices, then it surely meant the woman's body could do so much more than the doctors believed. " I am humoring him this pregnancy, and if the baby is healthy and I am too, I intend to follow it the next pregnancy as well," The horror on Mrs. Bennet's countenance put Edith into deep laughter that reached beyond their end of the long table. Gideon only guessed what caused his lovely wife to be so amused.
" But Mrs. Wilder, you could-" And Mrs. Bennet whispered the last part. "-die,"
" I will not die, Mrs. Bennet," Edith assured her most confidently before offering to retrieve more punch for the elder woman.
Kitty danced the entire evening, in between sets speaking with Mr. Carter about her betrothed and the rest of his family, learning the eldest Mr. Carter resembled Mr. Wickham almost down to the roguish handsomeness and regretfully including partaking too much in the drink. He lost his right to the family trust after nearly shooting his brother because James tried to remove the bottle from his hand. Walter spoke highly of Mr. Kent's attention to details and predictions on the changes in political currents. " You're sister will be most gifted with his wisdom, Miss Catherine," He promised her, falling on his seven years of friendship with Edmund Kent.
When everyone retired that evening, and Mr. Carter declared he needed to return to London earlier than planned – apologizing to the Bennets most profusely. Kitty wished him well and asked if she could write his mother. With permission attained and relief that his family would gain a better portrait of her character, Kitty turned her love and attention to Mary until she needed to manage Lydia again with limited support. Unaccustomed to the complete attention and total support heaped on her, Mary clung to Kitty in case the moods changed and she was once again alone and destined to be a spinster.
November 26, 1812 – December 1, 1812
Little wails from powerful lungs upset all of Netherfield's brightest drawing room as Clara Flint paced back and forth with her unhappy babe barely a month old. She tried forcing feeding, changed his nappy despite Mrs. Abanathy's cries to let her handle it, and now sang a most soothing lullaby while rocking him in her arms. " Hush a bye, baby, on a tree top, When the wind blows the cradle will rock, When the bough breaks the cradle will fall, Down will come baby, cradle and all," She sang over and over until the crying ceased and she gazed into the half-lidded eyes of Augustus Flint. " There, there Gus-gus. Mama's here,"
Gideon hovered at her side, holding out his arms. With the severest of looks, Clara shooed him away. " Not while he is about to sleep, you should know better-"
" But you've let no one hold him,"
" I know that,"
" I want to hold my nephew, sister,"
" You might drop him,"
" I will not,"
" Yes, you will. You do not know how to handle babes-" Gideon eased his hands under hers and fished Augustus out of her arms, clutching him in the crutch of his folded arm, one hand supporting the boy's head and neck. Clara huffed off to the settee for tea with the ladies as Gideon doted on his nephew in unreserved adoration.
Edith's own baby bump showed through the dress. " He will make a wonderful father," She whispered in awe as Gideon sang the same lullaby to the babe and put him to sleep finally. Clara pointedly ignored her brother's heavy handedness, secretly relieved that her arms earned rest.
The pregnancy circle did not stop at Edith however as Elizabeth awkwardly avoided any mention of her own possible pregnancy. No one spoke of the fatal beast in the middle of the room – death waiting to claim many a daring lady to give birth – and so the good spirits stayed good. " Gideon, please put him in his cradle," She pointed to the bassenet on wheels Gideon commissioned to be made for Edith's first born. Since Augustus needed it now, they allowed Clara use of it.
" I don't want to. Look at his chest rise and fall, and those eyes – oh he is truly handsome. Definitely a Wilder,"
" Uncle Flint disagrees. Says he's a Flint through and through," Clara declared for the sake of being contrary. She stuck her tongue out at him in childishness, Elizabeth chuckling at the open display, and picked up an encyclopedia of crops in current existence. Bless the heart of the scholar who devoted his life to gathering the information into one thick tome for perusal pleasure.
" We're all the same clan, who cares what the old man says. How is Jonathan taking to being a new father?"
" Well enough. Worships the ground I walk on, swears I have earned an entire new wardrobe just for the act of birthing him a son. Seems to neglect to remember that Augustus is still young, and it is impossible to rest easy knowing that an illness as minor a cold could take him any moment,"
" Then why are you traveling?" Elizabeth asked, leaning forward unable to take her eyes off of Mr. Wilder cuddling the babe in his arms. The roads were not for the faint of heart, even if they did recently improve to various reasons. More importantly, however, the carriage rides themselves often were beset upon by villains of various shades of character and motive. Even though security increased, no one could really be completely secure.
In the middle of a page on the crops mainly planted at the Flint estate, she kept one hand to keep the book open on that page. " Family. I am sure you're aware of how important family is to the clans Flints and Wilders. We put family above wealth even. Even if one is disinherited like your sister, they are still watched over by family members till the end of their days. Then they are buried with the rest of the Wilders and Flints in the clan burial sites,"
To Elizabeth the luxury of a family burial site set deep within her as a privilege, a privilege the Bennets would never know. Did the Darcy's have their own family tombs? " Why not wait till Augustus is older?"
" We do not live forever, Eliza, and I may die at the next birthing, suffer apoplexy, or some other foul mean of dispatching. Besides, would you stay in Derbyshire until your children were two years old before bringing them to see your parents?"
" I'd have my parents visit us-"
Clara's brow rose. " Eliza, would you really do such a thing knowing that you'd be leaving your disinherited sister and her husband essentially 'in charge' of Longbourn for whatever time Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are at Pemberley?" Even Edith appeared doubtful and wisely remained silent on the matter altogether. " It is better for me to visit. December 4th, Mr. Jones will marry Anne and take her to London. Lady de Bourg intends to interfere in this, and I refuse to aid her or suffer her wrath for refusing to aid her,"
Silence settled on the drawing room as the new information solidified why Clara didn't wish to return to Kent so soon. The Wilders understood the impact de Bourg's had on people around them. Old Lewis de Bourg used his authority to beat people into submission, especially his wife. When Anne was born, he blamed it on her that Anne wasn't a boy and taken multiple mistresses ( a fact they later learned from their father when their mother declared Clara was old enough to learn of such social situations to avoid,). As a result of this abusive pattern of behavior, both Lady de Bourg and Anne suffered significantly. Anne's health resembled Kitty's closely, as Clara learned from reflection on her past interactions with the de Bourg's in general. To everyone other than the twins, they just thought Catherine de Bourg insufferable busybody who wanted to be in everyone's business.
" Of course, Uncle John agrees with me completely. It is senseless for me to stay in Kent while she is in a rage, and so I have burdened Matthais and Amelia for two weeks – Matthew is grown so much. He's just darling, brother, and I tried to convince Amelia to join me but she did not want to leave Wildershire. Claimed that it'd be too much a burden on you. I believe she just doesn't want to leave an estate of 9,000-"
" That is unkind," Edith reprimanded her quickly, tired of talk about the Wilder Estate's grandness and the condescending way the twins, especially her husband spoke of anyone below 1,500 per annum even though they showed all due respect socially required. No intent of rudeness preceded the insults either, so Edith could never fault them for being malicious in intent.
Gideon cocked his head in exhaustion as he tried to gather energy to suffer through the small talk. " No, it is not. Amelia has always cared for the appearance of wealth as much as she did wealth, and she would not abandon it, even temporarily for a home as simple as this. You must understand that they earn as three times as us, and the luxuries at Wilder Estate is many. I didn't wish to leave it, and Matthais offered to keep me on as a help around the fields and with the steward, but I wanted my own freedom too,"
" In any matter," Elizabeth cut off the twin's sharp critique of their sister-in-law, briefly reminded of Lady de Bourg's confrontation with her days after they returned to Pemberley as a married couple. How she learned of the marriage, neither Fitzwilliam or Elizabeth knew. " How long do you intend to stay?"
" If Gideon will have it, After December 4th at least, then off to London to visit Lucas and Leigh. Lucas is at the Inn of Courts, and Leigh lives with her husband there. Jonny sanctioned the visit, even though Uncle John will never know that I actually will visit Leigh. I am to understand that Mr. Smith is a blackguard, an awful man, who tricked Leigh into being compromised. Such men are to never be thought of as honorable, and I just want to meet him to lay eyes on the man that makes my cousin sister-in-law miserable,"
" I forbid it-"
" You are not my husband and you will not tell Uncle John either." Clara held his stare in equal determination. " After he dies, I intend to take Leigh in at the estate as a companion. She is my sister now and I will not have her alone in London,"
" Clara, you can not make these decisions for your husband," Edith reminded her firmly. " Men are to lead, we are to follow,"
Elizabeth took a strong interest in her tea all of a sudden as Clara set down her coveted encyclopedia of crops. Gideon placed Augustus into the bassenet, but not with his back to his sister. " Why do you care? You have Netherfield and earn 3,000 a year. I am in Kent and Jonny will earn 3,000 a year when he inherits. Uncle John's health is exemplary, and Lucas has not gained his favor. Who I choose to keep me company is my choice-"
" You have no right to take in a disgraced lady-"
" You are not my husband, Gideon, and as a Wilder, I expect better of you!" Elizabeth sighed and retreated from the room with Edith. The twins shouted at each other for what seemed an hour before Clara stormed out of the drawing room with Augustus. Gideon refused to speak of the conversation to Edith as he retreated to the Billiard room, and Elizabeth returned to Longbourn. Dinner turned into a tense affair as sister and brother feuded in silence over the socially right way to handle Leigh Smith. Edith bridged the river of tension by talking idly of the young girls flirtations at the ball, the expected offer of marriage that would bring the Longs and Lucass together as family, and of Mrs. Phillips growing interest in protecting the servants from Wickham again as Wickham took to Meryton and spent increasingly less time at Longbourn.
Both twins listened half-heartedly knowing by next morning they'd have to apologize to each other, accept that neither could interfere in the other other's marriage, and love each other regardless of Clara's ever growing need to take care of people and Gideon's never changed demands to do well for himself and those he considered family. Therefore by the following morning peace once more reigned at Netherfield, with the ladies vacating its premises to visit Longbourn, leaving Mrs. Abanathy and Mrs. Chambers to look after Augustus.
All the while Clara fretted about her son not being more than arm's length away, Elizabeth, Kitty, and Mary helped Lydia sew a dress together for Mary's wedding. Clara gifted Mary a set of pillows with the Kent name embroidered on them and Mary's new initials with the scheduled wedding date in flowing cursive. Mrs. Bennet lovingly watched and Mr. Bennet counted the days till Mary left Longbourn as a married woman. When Edith and Clara returned to Netherfield, Gideon presented to the ladies new Redingotes. " I know that the weather is colder, and I only wish for you to be warm when you take your walks," The lie relieved them all of hearing clear apologies neither side wished to relent on.
With no reservations, Edith donned it, as it fit her almost as well as her dresses, and carefully walked about the room in it. Clara simply held the folded the black Redingote over her arm leveling a neutral expression on him that revealed neither censure or pleasure. " Thank you for the gift, brother. I hope it didn't set you back too much,"
" Do I ever purchase anything that sets me back that much?"
" No,"
The twins settled the matter with finality now. Edith took Gideon's hand in hers. " Thank you, Mr. Wilder, it is a fine piece,"
Leaving the couple to their general happiness, Clara wrote to Wildershire and Kent. She received a letter from Anne a few days later with some alarm, as Lady de Bourg threatened to withhold permission from Mr. Jones if he took Anne to London with him. Anne colluded with the elder Mr. Flint and compromised herself by first and foremost traveling to London without her mother's consent with a chaperone other than Mrs. Jenkins. To expound on this, she was then seen at a private ball hosted by her uncle and danced three dances with her betrothed (though by no means her choice in husband). As result, she and Mr. Jones were to marry or else Lady de Bourg accept the public shame of her only child.
" That is very brave of her," Gideon said as Clara related the particulars to them over dinner. " But was it wise? Lady de Bourg has connections, even if Almacks shuns her and she rarely is welcomed at the King's court. Anne could very well be a disgraced lady for years before law allows her to sign her own marriage documents,"
Shocked by the bold actions of Anne de Bourg, Edith simply listened to the practiced indifference of the twins born into great wealth and who married into near equal expectations given the growing divide between the poor and wealthy. While men were plenty, not all were wealthy, and even the wealthy were deep in debt while the growing merchant class earned a profit and not a debt.
" From what I gather, Anne is blackmailing her mother, and I applaud her for it. Not like Lydia Bennet, she knowingly chose someone well beneath her – even in consideration of her own character and standards. No, Anne, as far as I am concerned, is marrying above her mother. Now, Mr. Jones can elope with her or wait out the years, not knowing how Lady de Bourg will treat her daughter, but in the end the current currents are against her."
" Did Lady de Bourg not threaten Aunt Elinor before too? She said Aunt Elinor would never be welcomed at Almacks and such?" Gideon asked in between courses. Edith long since lost interest in the de Bourgs. She felt the family exceeded their quota of recognition for the month and she just wanted to never hear the name mentioned again in Netherfield.
" Yes, and Mama was mad, if I remember. She said Lady de Bourg was just mean spirited because her husband was mean spirited, and the good people didn't need to judge by fashion but actions." She now understood where Clara inherited her good nature from. " If I remember correctly, Her Ladyship considered her constant meddling into other people's lives as good, and I've seen it too. She boasted of the living at Hunsford as appropriately furnished, but when we got there, the furniture was richer than the house itself."
A house too richly furnished? Could that ever be a true insult? " But why would she interfere so much?"
" You must understand Lewis de Bourg." Gideon advised Edith. " He would compromise with my father on some issues, and Lewis was the socially upstanding man that society considered respectable. Behind doors however, the servants spoke of his abusive behavior. When he died of apoplexy, Lady de Bourg never remarried. No more bruises and sprains to hide, but then when Anne wasn't presented as she should've been, our father considered that Her Ladyship passed on the abusive behavior."
Now she worried for the twin's health as much as she did their conceited beliefs that they were above Caroline Bingley and her obsession with others. " And how do you keep tabs on this woman and why?"
" We don't. The families are familiar with each other due to the income levels associated for the circle," Clara explained to Edith as she sipped on her soup. " But by proxy, Anne has been like a second cousin to us,"
" So you're just as meddlesome as her," Edith looked right at Clara as she said this.
The twins shrugged in unison. " It's not like they gave us a choice in the matter. The politics that run between patriarchs and the wealthy dictated we know what kind of men the men are." Gideon tried to lead Edith along with the fine dance they danced since kids. " Which is why Clara is likely going to offer shelter and why it might be useful to re-introduce myself to the Earl of Matlock, Lady de Bourg's brother,"
" No! You are not the superior," Edith scolded him without refrain. " He is an Earl-"
Once more the twins joined forces. " Would you wish for Miss de Bourg to be beat about as Lady de Bourg was? Would you wish her to remain dishonored for at least four years? Think hard on this Edith, as you are advocating for the fate of a young lady who has done nothing wrong but exist," Clara exercised her on-point appeal to emotion and social duty. " Think hard, if this were your sister, Addie, would you just sit by and allow it?"
Edith, with nowhere to go and teamed up on, threw a hand in the air. " It is unsettling to think of, yes, I would not wish it on Adelaine,"
Seeing their victory clasped, the twins allowed her relief and hovered over Augustus as he fretted and slept. Edith separated herself from the twin siblings the following two days to reconcile her conscience with her mother's wisdom before applying herself to Elizabeth before Elizabeth returned to Pemberley. Both women agreed that if it could be helped, Miss de Bourg deserved the escape. Mrs. Collins clinched Edith's comfort with Gideon re-introducing himself to the Earl of Matlock, aiding Clara in her recruitment of Lady Matlock's assistance. The boon presented itself that one did not just introduce themselves to a titled person without committing a social faux-pas unless they were another titled person.
Therefore while Clara wrote Anne back, Edith suggested they attend London. Through idle conversation, as Mary and Kitty visited, they asked why didn't Anne just write to her Aunt and ask for assistance? "
" It'd be much easier than presenting yourself to her and it would save you the cost of traveling," The ever practical Mary added.
" And really – don't you agree, Mary? – do you want to draw Lady de Bourg's wrath directly on you? If Anne assumes the full responsibility of the wrath, you are freed,"
" It is wiser to allow the subject most affected to carry the burden of the actions necessary to create freedom," Mary seconded Kitty's enthusiastic embracing of her intelligent suggestion. " Fordyce doesn't have a suggestion for this one, Clara," Edith and Kitty laughed as Clara offered to let her hold Augustus. When Mary refused – more accurately, she looked down at the baby, shook her head, and held her hand out to ward the babe back – Clara clutched her darling bundle close flowering kisses along his forehead, nose, and head. It'd been settled then – Anne de Bourg would be rescued from her own mother.