Volume 2

Chapter 11

Elizabeth's relief, on their safe arrival to London, was too great to put into words. Her son had tested her patience, and that of everyone in the carriage. Even sweet Jane had physically restrained his hands twice. As they moved closer to Park Lane, Elizabeth thought she just might be able to bear the separation for him to ride with his nurse.

Any thoughts of more necessary discipline were pushed to the side for her to appreciate the white blanket the snow laid on the surrounding street. Her son needed no encouragement to press his face against the glass. There would be plenty of time to enjoy the snow, she assured her son as they climbed out on Grosvenor-street.

It took a few days for the family to get settled in and Elizabeth was grateful for the servants she had taken with her to Purvis Lodge. She could tell that their trust and acceptance of her did much to grant her favour in the eyes of those at Rockwood House.

She had received a note from Lady Julia that all but summoned her to the lady's house. If she was not a dear friend and her sponsor into society, Elizabeth would have been offended. But knowing it was not in the lady's nature to mince words, Elizabeth presented herself for questioning three days after arriving in London.

The house intimidated her, which Elizabeth always thought was rather strange, for she was not intimidated by the Lady of the house. But as she made her way up the stairs her heart beat faster. She recalled the first time she had climbed these stairs.

They had been married a week. But as she climbed these stairs, she realised who she had married. He squeezed her hand, "Your courage rises up at any attempt to intimidate you, does it not?" She straightened her back and smiled at him with so much love it was a separate entity. He had been honest with her, society did not approve of them. His friends were sceptical and so withheld their support until they knew her. He had told her that only two people in his life would support him irrespective of who she was, Lady Foster and Lord Durham. The Lady had requested an audience with them, and yet somehow they went to her. But Andrew had assured her that she was the only person alive he would do so much for, he did have the good sense to caveat that statement to include her.

The inside of the house did not calm Elizabeth. The house was all that was gauche and pompous. If the house was any reflection of the Lady, Elizabeth doubted they would get on. This added to her stress, for she would hate to oppose someone who had earned the love and respect of her husband. Initially, when he had talked so much about the Lady, Elizabeth had been worried. But she had no reason to be, the Lady was much older than her husband and her son was a friend of her husband. But she was a matron of society, and if she would support Elizabeth for her husband's sake, then she would be grateful.

Her stress tripled when Andrew informed her that he would leave her to it, "she will want to meet you alone." He said as he kissed her hand right in front of the servant. "Beth, you are my choice. That is all that matters." She stroked his cheek, then followed the offended butler.

Her first impression of the short and petite woman she was announced to was how harmless she looked. The Lady's hard stare soon disposed of that notion. Belatedly she noticed that with Andrew gone there was no one to introduce her, but since the Lady was still staring, she assumed propriety had no place here.

"I know this is all rather odd. If your husband was not your husband, I would join society in condemning your marriage. It would be expected of me to do so. Society hates social climbers, they do not know you, and so you are unworthy of your husband's title. Andrew tells me you intend to change that."

"Lady Foster if my husband was not my husband, I would not know you. I was the daughter of a modest country gentleman, that was all I knew, and I was not unhappy." Elizabeth was not sure if the small lady before her would be won over by impertinent remarks, but as she had free reign to be herself, she could reply in no other way. When the lady said nothing, she continued, "I did not marry Andrew because he is an Earl, but because he is the best man I know. Many wives, I am sure, would say that. With my status now elevated I have more reason to think so, I know. But I could not change that fact, any more than I could have helped being born to a modest country gentleman." She was glad her voice was strong.

"You are not beautiful. Pretty, yes, but not beautiful."

"I know that, Lady Foster. But luckily for me, it was not a prerequisite for marriage." The lady smiled.

"Call me Lady Julia, I reserve Lady Foster for those I hate and who hate me in return." Elizabeth raised her eyebrow at such an odd statement. Then focused all her energy on ensuring that her stance did not waver on realising that she had earned the lady's favour. She was glad Andrew was not here, for she had done it all by herself. A servant was called for, refreshments were ordered and her husband's presence was requested.

"Do take a seat." Elizabeth's knees did wobble then, but her dignity remained intact as she sat down.

"Ah – I see my wife meets your approval, Julia," Andrew said on entering the room and seating by her.

"Yes she does, but then you knew she would or else you would not have allowed her to come alone." Lady Julia said as she poured the tea.

"I could not resist an opportunity to show her off. Should I formally introduce her to you?" he laughed when he saw two arched eyebrows, one from each lady.

"So it is left to me to clean up your mess."

"I am my own man; I marry where I choose. In any case, I hardly see my wife as my mess."

"That was not the mess I referred to. By all means, marry where you choose. But did you have to do so secretly? That fanned the flames and created this mess."

"Secretly? Our marriage was witnessed by over 100 people, the banns were read at Beth's family church, I see no secret here."

"You are not a simpleton, Andrew. You excluded society from your courtship. You did not seek their approval whilst courting, yet you expect it whilst married. They are not at your beck and call."

"Not my beck and call. But certain principle people of society can change the story. We married for love, society loves to love that."

"And if I refuse you?"

"You do not have it in you to refuse me."

"I may yet surprise you. I imagine you do not intend to give me enough time to work miracles."

"We are off on a wedding trip in a week."

"I do hope you manage to cure him of his need to control all things." She said to a watchful Elizabeth. "What if I was unable to help in so short a time?"

"You can do so much more in less time; we both know this." The lady smiled.

Of course, Andrew was right. She did far more in far less time. In two days they were the foolish young couple who married for love, and by the time they left for their wedding trip some young ladies cried at the story of the orphaned young man finally having a family.

She knew her withdrawal from Nettleham had caused some damages, how much, was yet to be seen. But she was not thinking when she had called for her carriage and left her husband's estate. It took two months for her to start thinking, and by then the benefits outweighed the loss.

She was shown into the drawing room that she had first met the lady, nothing had changed.

Further acquaintance with Lady Julia proved her house did not represent her, but her husband. It broke Elizabeth's heart to hear the tales of Lord Foster, for the first five years of the lady's marriage, had been spent living with her husband's mistress on his estate. Lord Foster, it turned out was an admirer of His Grace the Duke of Devonshire. But the lady was not to be pitied. When she realised that society's pity had no currency, she traded on her virtues alone. She was strong because she had no other choice and so became respected for it.

The lady asked no questions and Elizabeth was grateful. As soon as she arrived, they talked only about the plans for her re-entrance into society. Lady Julia had worked hard for her and not wanting to seem ungrateful, Elizabeth opposed nothing. On further reflection, she would question the wisdom of her silence. It had begun to feel as though the next six months of her life was planned by someone else.

Exhausted after that one meeting it would take another three days for Elizabeth to open up her home to Lord and Lady Durham. Lord Durham greeted her with more enthusiasm than was proper, but they were kindred souls. Both of them were willing to throw off the shackles of society when good sense demanded it. Amelia was not like Michael, and as they both watched him greet his godson, Elizabeth felt her friend was less than pleased to see them.

That thought was pushed aside. As Lady Durham told of all that had occurred in their circle of friends, during Elizabeth and her sisters' absence.

Amelia was all that one would expect from a lady of quality. She had the flaxen hair and slender limbs that were all the rage in society. She was the picture of the ideal daughter and perfect wife, and at six and twenty years she had been married twice. On both occasions to wealthy and connected men, that increased her parents standing in society. Society's standards were of great importance to her and Elizabeth was sure she would not have had Amelia's support if she had married any other Earl. But Elizabeth did not have it in herself to judge her friend too harshly. Amelia rarely spoke of her first marriage. But what she did say was telling. Her only comment was on how lucky she felt that her parents had chosen a young and mild-mannered man, the second time around. So as she passed on society's gossips, Elizabeth listened with no judgement.

If Elizabeth was prone to much philosophical thinking, she would have found much interest in the construct of time. From the second her feet stepped on the paved streets of London to the day just after her curtsy to the queen, time had been on a perpetual fast forward. The last event of her life where time was a fickle construct was in the first two months after her husband's death.

When news of his accident had reached her, there was no dramatic fainting, nor loud exclamation. She had merely stood from her seat in the green room, where she was entertaining her sisters. But that action of rising from her seat felt like it took days, time slowed down till every action was a conscious one, including breathing. But after the men had buried him and she had returned to her father's house, time refused to move. Each morning she would wake. She would ask Jane the same question, receive the same reply and then time would stop. This happened for a month before a sobbing Jane restarted time.

But whilst her life had been thrown into a whirlwind of social engagements after social engagements, that altered the passage of time. Elsewhere in the world time went on as normal. Her father would be leaving her today to return to Hertfordshire. As promised, Lydia with the help of her mother had altered the order of their family life. Although Mr Bennet complained at the chaos he was to return too, Elizabeth knew he was glad to return to his life of a modest country gentleman. He had served his purpose, his presence had added some respectability to Jane and Mary's status and Lady Julia had done her magic to boost that respectability. The time spent in London had provided some benefits for him and by extension Longbourn, there were still a few respectable age mates who remembered Oxford University's chess champion and so for a while, her father had held his own. He had discussed with some of his new acquaintances about some improvements that could be made to his land, and on his return to his home, Elizabeth was eighty-five percent sure he would act upon the discussion.

News of Lydia terrorising Mrs. Hopkins had not been the only developments that had taken place in Hertfordshire. Charlotte had married one cold and sunny morning. Elizabeth was sad to miss her friend's wedding but the assured presence of Mr Collins coupled with her duties in town had made her attendance an impossibility. But Charlotte was content, if not happy, with her choice. A curious friendship had arisen between Lydia and Maria Lucas, and the young lady had begged for Charlotte to include her new friend on their Easter trip. But such a trip had been rejected on two ends; Mr Bennet's return home would put an end to the social engagements Lydia had attended without strictly being out in society, and Mr Collins had said, most emphatically, he did not want that hoyden in his home.

Elizabeth had received two letters from Mr Lewis. The first had highlighted some minor flaws in their master plan. The damages to Mr Lewis's right side extended to his hand, and so the first letter was almost illegible, and the second had informed her of the cessation of Mr Wickham's courtship to Miss King. There was some suggestion of his attentions being paid to a new young lady, but Elizabeth could not quite make out what was said on the issue.

Mr Wickham had not been able to continue to fully toe the line. With Mr Davis's absence, he had slowly begun to collect debts. Elizabeth had expected this, but since the gentleman ensured that it was never too large an amount, Elizabeth was content to let the matter slide. She knew threats, could not cure a man of the vices he had accumulated in a lifetime. But Hertfordshire was no more in danger from Mr Wickham than the average soldier and she was happy with what she had accomplished.

Kitty had not been forgotten and since she had put up a valiant effort to curb her mother and her sister, Mr Bennet had promised her a trip into town some time over the summer. All things being equal, Elizabeth would return to Nettleham when the rest of society orchestrated that great exodus, and Kitty would accompany her.

By the end of the week and after her father had made his escape, Elizabeth was to host her first big social event, a ball. Even as she got ready for the day, she could feel the energy of the house as it awoke from its long slumber. No ball had been thrown at Rockwood House since Andrew's mother's death. Elizabeth was honoured and relieved that her ball was well received by the principle people she knew. Unlike the last ball to be thrown at Nettleham, she was well pleased. Every detail, right down to the uniform of her footmen, were of her choosing. Mary had executed the role of Lord of the house perfectly. Since Mr Bennet had simply taken his grandson and barricaded himself in the library. It was left to Mary to assuage Elizabeth when she boiled too close to the surface.

After his last meal at her table, Mr Bennet took his leave. He went with many presents for his wife and Kitty, Lydia's presents were more tools to bring her into submission. With the final farewells said, Elizabeth rushed in to see what could be done before the ladies came to call. She had not neglected her duties to Nettleham, and the estate's losses due to damages caused by the weather were becoming problematic. The rain had come and caused its damages, it had let up only to make way for the snow which caused its damages, and undid some of the repairs that had been made. The fear was that the land would not be made ready in time for planting and harvesting, because of all the hours spent in a futile effort to battle with nature. But the sounds came that would draw her from her duties as the master and to her duties as the mistress.

Her presentation and that of her sisters were all the conversation to be had that morning. Truth be told Elizabeth could add nothing to the: style of her dress, the beauty of her sisters or the look on the queen's face. It had gone well; she had had that assurance from Lady Julia when it was done but she could remember nothing tangible, just her heightened emotions. So she latched onto her sisters' responses and made them her own. The ladies were somewhat satisfied when their guests had left. Lady Julia had informed her that there was still whispers amongst society, and the lady wanted silence. So how she comported herself until the last day of the season would be watched and judged. This was no news to her, but she did occasionally wonder if it was worth it to gain the approval of people she could not even respect. But, she pushed such selfish ideas aside and thought of her sisters and her son. She would ensure, where humanly possible, that no doors would be closed to them because of an accident at birth.

The night of the ball came and went. Everything was above reproach. The white soup was praised, the musicians were delightful and when all three sisters performed, not even the sternest critic said a word. Elizabeth was finally Lady Rockwood.