The Masque

Chapter 19; the whole story

The day after the Spring Masque, everybody was a bit stiff about what had happened the night before. Elizabeth was still fighting with her inner demons about what happened eight years ago. Jane was still shocked but more composed about it.

As Elizabeth and her family went back to Rose Quinn Manor, Elizabeth was thinking the happenings of eight years ago through, and when she came to the memories about the trip from Hertfordshire on the road to London… she could see the happenings again, and remembered them clearly.

The carriage overturned, Jane was sitting with tears in her blue eyes because of fright. Elizabeth said while she fought the urge to cry herself: "Don't worry… nothing is going to happen, Janie. We are sisters; we are going to be all right." The two men dragged them out of carriage, and Elizabeth asked with a voice which rang with anger and sounded very annoyed: ""Why are you doing this?"

"Our employer wants an estate and her daughter married to the heir and you are in the way."

"Who is your employer?"

"A grand lady with an opinion about everything, and has a very short temper."

"Oh no… William?"

The next thing she remembered was a pair of kind grey eyes, and voice said: "Are you all right, girl?"

"I….I think…Sir…who are you?"

"I'm Mr. Bennett, who are you dear?"

"I…I don't…I don't know!" and began crying.

Mr. Bennett asked: "Is this your sister?"

Jane rose and said: "Yes…we are sisters, sir."

Mr. Bennett asked: "Do you know your name, dear?"

"No…I can't remember… I don't know who I am!" Jane was fighting her tears but was much panicked.

Mr. Bennett said: "Come on, we will find your family, and then we must have you cleaned up, and see if you have been hurt when the carriage was overturned."

Elizabeth looked around in the carriage, and discovered that tears were rolling down her cheeks. Jane asked: "Elizabeth, are you all right, dear?"

Elizabeth replied: "Oh Jane…I remembered! I remember what happened that day…when we were kidnapped."

Jane asked: "You do? Were we scared?"

Elizabeth replied: "A little, more panicked because we couldn't remember who we were. There was one thing you remembered was that we were sisters."

"Funny…I have begun to remember more, but I am not so far in my memories as you are, Lizzie."

"I do hope you remember it, because there is some things I don't remember. I could use your memories to fill in the blanks and you can get my memories so you can get the blanks filled in."

Their father asked: "Are you all right, girls?"

Jane smiled and said: "Yes, father, just demons of the past."

When they arrived to at Rose Quinn Manor, Jane and Elizabeth sat down, and Elizabeth asked: "What do you remember?"

"I remember that we were going from Hertfordshire and were on a road…I am guessing we were going to London."

"Yes, that is right. Do you remember anything else about that day?"

"Only that Mr. Bennett…oh, Papa or Mr. Bennett helped us, and asked if we knew who we were, which we didn't."

Elizabeth replied: "The carriage was overturned and we were dragged out of it by two men, and I asked them about why they did this, and they replied that they did it for a grand lady with an opinion about everything, and that she wanted an estate and her daughter married to the heir. Then I suppose it went back for me, and the next I remember is Mr. Bennett's kind grey eyes and that he helped us."

Jane smiled and said: "I remember our time with the Bennett-'s so many girls we were… it was funny to have so many sisters, but I am glad that we are sisters and have a kind brother, good fiancées and a kind sister-in-law soon."

Elizabeth smiled and said: "I have begun to remember everything so very clearly that it frightens me…but I am glad that William was able to bring those memories of treasured times back!"

Later that evening, Duchess Quinn, brought her two girls into her private sitting room, - where she sat them down, and said: "Girls, - I have made a great wrong against you, both, all these years, - I never did anything to try and contact you. I should have just come and collected you and brought you home to your brother and your father and me."

Jane said: "We do not blame you, Mother. We are just glad that we finally have the truth, about what happened."

Elizabeth said: "I am glad that you didn't let Lady Catharine walk all over us, mother."

Duchess Quinn looked at her youngest and said: "You do know, Elizabeth, that it is the first time, you have called me that, since we found each other again, don't you?"

Elizabeth replied: "Yes, I do, mother. I didn't have confidence in you, until after Lady Catharine's appearance. There you showed where you true loyalty is, and you told that you protected us and that you did it because you were threatened and you wanted to keep us safe."

Duchess Quinn smiled and said: "I am glad that I kept you safe, although I lost you for years. I am glad that you and Jane found your way back, despite you didn't have many memories to guide you through, but I am glad that Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy helped you to find your way home."

Jane smiled and so did Elizabeth. They rose and embraced their mother. Now they were truly home, with the whole truth out in the open.

Now there would be no danger to Elizabeth and William's happiness and their marriage. The Darcy's, the Bingley's, the Abbott's, the Fitzwilliam's and the Quinn-'s and agreed to have William's and Elizabeth's wedding as soon as possible.

AN; Hey everybody, I am so very sorry, I have had a really hard writers block, but now I think I am able to finish the story since there is only two or three chapters left and an epilogue. But leave a Review, please! And everybody who reviewed thank you, I greatly appreciate it! As always my deepest thanks to my beta Lizzie!