AN: So, I saw the multiple comments (and a few PMs) about some of the scenes that happen off stage which would be more satisfying on stage. Chapter 24 had a few of those, which is probably why it came up so strongly. I've had several off days (as opposed to days off, which would have been much more productive) and no longer have my little bank of chapters written ahead. Some spots in chapter 24 were being uncooperative and I think I just rushed a bit to get it out, trying to move along to the dinner party (which was supposed to be the second have of 24 and then was supposed to be this chapter) instead of subdividing it and getting a little more detail in place. Caroline, in particular, did not want me to write her dialog out for the set down in the sitting room, so I pulled the summary instead. (Usually when you see those points I either tried to write the scene and it just wouldn't work, or I don't feel quite capable of handling it effectively as a direct scene). After seeing the comments, I thought about backing up and reworking chapter 24 before proceeding on, but eventually decided to forge onward and think about filling in those scenes in rewrites (and expanding on them a bit here in chapter 25). If I start feeling rushed again, or just feeling off, I may skip a day or two of posting to give each chapter the thought it truly deserves. I like to post daily but that is not always best for the story. Anyway, I do have some plans and outlines and am setting them up in some of these slower chapters. Shoes will drop – they just might not be the ones you expect. However, you can look forward to a face off with Mrs. B and a major faux pas by Caroline (she did tell me about that and it will be big). Eventually we will find out more about Will's father and, of course, we need to hear what Lord Ashby has to say to Will. Stick with me, there are fun times ahead.
~o~
When they retired from the company for the evening, Lizzy told Will she was not yet ready to discuss either her time with Jane or the evening's discussion with Caroline. She asked him to wait until their walk the following morning when she had been able to sleep on her reactions to the situations. Knowing that he also sometimes had to think over events before he could talk about them, he agreed to her simple request, telling her he would not push, but was available when she was ready.
Consequently, Will was not surprised when Lizzy began the conversation as they left the house that morning. The early morning light was just bright enough to allow them to walk through the open spaces of the formal gardens without leaving the path or tripping over any obstacles.
"I am sorry Jane and I just left the company the way we did yesterday," she said.
"I wondered at it," Will replied, "but Mrs. Gardiner explained how much the two of you needed to talk over the experiences you have had while you were separated, and Mary reminded me that there were sometimes things I only felt comfortable sharing with Richard. I realized that part of the reason is that he knew first-hand the background and there was much I would not have to explain to him in order for him to understand an issue in the present."
"Exactly," Lizzy said with relief. "I trust you, Will, but even though you have seen my mother and, to some extent, understand what life with her is like, you have not lived it in the way Jane and I did. Because we were older and have been out in society under our mother's orders for so long, even Mary cannot completely understand because she was sheltered until recently."
"Yes, it is much the same for me in relation to the situation with George and my father. Even Georgiana, who grew up in the same house, cannot truly understand living in that situation day after day."
"You do understand. I have told you that I let Jane take my turn with Aunt and Uncle Gardiner because Mama was trying to force her into a marriage she did not want..." She began and then hesitated.
"And I have seen first hand the lengths to which your mother is willing to go to arrange a marriage she does want for one of you," Will continued. He felt Lizzy squeeze his arm, although he was not certain if she was upset by the reference or showing appreciation that he understood.
"The man in question was a widower whose wife died in childbirth according to him, but it is common knowledge that he often beat her. No one can prove that led to her death, but even if it did not, he was not a man Jane wished to marry. Unfortunately, he actually was interested in her, mostly because she is so beautiful, and that gave Mama hope of making the match. Since Papa would not protect Jane if it required any effort, we thought it was best to get her to London and out of the way. We felt it unlikely he would turn to me instead. I am known to be outspoken and I think he was aware I would fight any alliance with everything I had."
"It sounds like you both did what you had to in order to protect each other." They turned onto one of their favorite side paths, the gravel crunching beneath their feet. Around them the morning began to lighten, gradually giving color to the landscape.
"Mama was furious. She blamed me, of course, stating I had selfishly driven Jane away. As a result, I spent a great deal of time outside of the house for the first month after Jane went to London. Fortunately, it was at the beginning of the harvest, so there was good reason for me to be out and about on our land. I was able to keep busy dealing with the tenants and making certain everything was being properly prepared for winter. At the same time, I missed Jane. I can be impulsive and sometimes make decisions before I know all the relevant facts. Like you, Jane tends to think things through and consider the outcomes and how to find the best one, although she will sometimes consider so long she cannot decide how to proceed. We work best together, just as I think you and I will do over time."
"I can understand that. Charles and I often worked that way, particularly when we were at Cambridge and roomed together. He would sometimes drag me away to do something fun and spontaneous and I helped him make plans and stick to them. We both learned from each other."
Lizzy nodded. "At the same time I was missing Jane, she was missing me. Of course, she was with our aunt and uncle, but we both dislike having to run to them for protection from our own parents – the people who should be protecting us. We help with the children and do our best not to be either an expense or a bother, but it is frustrating to be there because home is not safe."
"You wrote some of this in letters to one another?" Will asked.
"Obliquely. Letters are not safe either. Sometimes when Mama is in a fuss she decides to read anything that comes in through the post. Other times she does not bother reading it, she simply burns it. The rest of the time she ignores the mail, but one never knows what mood she will be in. We have developed a rudimentary code that passes for fashion news, but even if we could pour our hearts in words knowing only the intended recipient would see them, it is not the same as sitting together and letting the words pour out into the air between us without fear of being judged."
"That is why you both looked as if you had been crying."
"We had. We shed tears of anger, frustration, sorrow and joy. I had not intended or wished to be married this young, but if it had to happen, I am glad you are my husband, Will. I told Jane how glad of that I am and she told me how pleased she is to be marrying Charles. We talked of our sisters and how they are so much safer where they live now. We talked of Tom and how he has decided to be the master of Longbourn. I do not know that we will ever have such an intense talk again. Going forward we will each have husbands we trust and love with whom to share the joys and sorrows of our lives. That is how it should be."
"I am glad you know you can trust me. I also trust you, and I respect your opinion. From the hints my uncle has given, whatever he has to tell me may change our lives. I want you to know I will consult with you before I make any decisions that will impact where and how we will both live."
"I appreciate that. It is one reason I have grown to love you, Will."
They walked on for a time in the golden dawn light that was now starting to reflect down from the east-facing windows near the garden in which they walked. Even with the beds bare of flowers, mounded and prepared against the winter, and the naked trees that waved their branches in the slight breeze, the glow of the morning brightened their spirits as they headed back towards the house.
"You were not hurt by Miss Bingley's rudeness last night, were you?" Will asked.
"I was more surprised and confused than anything. Even my mother knows better than to deliberately insult your host or hostess. She often insults them unintentionally, but never deliberately. Yet Miss Bingley was going out of her way to be rude to everyone except your aunt and uncle, and even with them her manners were strange. I cannot understand her attitude or what she hopes to gain by such behavior."
"She does not want Charles to marry your sister."
"Oh, that was crystal clear," Lizzy chuckled. "Once she realized Mary and I were Jane's sisters we were no longer just overindulged servants who could be ignored. We became active targets of her spite. Yet I cannot believe she thought to gain favor with Aunt Susan, as she has asked me to call her, by deriding my playing when it was Aunt Susan who asked me to take the instrument. It is as if she cannot see how others react to her, in the same way my mother cannot see the reactions she provokes. Or perhaps she just does not care."
"Both Charles and Mr. Bingley think there was something fundamentally wrong with the lessons she and her sister learned at the school they attended, although Mrs. Hurst does not appear to be quite as bad."
"No, she did not seem either as unpleasant or as invested in being hateful towards us as Miss Bingley. Nor does she seem quite so blind to the reactions of other people. When Aunt Susan told them she would see to their social ruin if either of them spread any gossip about our families , Mrs. Hurst simply agreed to the terms. Miss Bingley looked like she was going to argue, but Aunt Susan clarified her ability to carry through on her threat. That finally prompted her to silence. I would still rather not have to live in the same house with her for any length of time. Her attitude is frightening."
"Do you fear she will attack you physically?" Will asked with concern.
"I would not discount the possibility but her visit is only for a few more days, and I will be careful not to be caught alone with her at any time. Mary is resolved to do the same, so we will keep each other company when you are not around."
"Please be careful and safe, Lizzy. I do not want to lose you."
"Then you must do the same," she told him, leaning in for a quick kiss in the shelter of the side door.
They stood in the full sunlight now. Will enjoyed how it glinted in the highlights of her hair and made the gold flecks in her eyes sparkle with joy. He kissed her once more before they opened the door and went back inside.
~o~
Will found the rest of his daily schedule for Tuesday seemed likely to be as disrupted as the day before had been. Instead of taking his normal solitary ride after escorting Lizzy back to the house, Will met with Charles to join Howard and Benny for an early breakfast. They would need the meal to sustain them during a visit to Longbourn.
As he had planned, Charles had gone to Longbourn the previous afternoon to see Jane. When he returned before dinner he brought a note from Tom asking Will if he could possibly come for a second riding lesson. The Admiral approved, having heard from his sons how much fun they had helping Tom during the first lesson. Charles had also heard how much fun they had and could not stand to be left out, so he decided to join them despite having to wake up well before his usual time for the second day in a row.
Will's three companions were somewhat drowsy and uncoordinated at first, due to what was an early hour for them. However, breakfast revived them and soon they were ready to go. Before too long, the small group was mounted up and headed down the drive towards the lane.
"You did not say much about your visit to Longbourn yesterday. Did it go well?" Will asked his friend as they rode along behind the two boys.
"Well enough, I suppose. At least I saw Jane. We got the final settlement signed as well. Gardiner and I drew it up in London. After hearing about your experience, we made it easy for Mr. Bennet. We came to his study with the documents ready and two witnesses at hand. All he had to do was sign both copies and it was done."
"Did he balk at any of the provisions?"
"No. He already knew about Jane's dowry after having seen your settlement. We followed the model you used, turning her dowry into her jointure so she is protected should I predecease her."
"You do not really have much more in your name than I do at the moment, do you? I had forgotten that your wealth is actually your father's."
"No, I do not have much to my name except my new carriage and the horses. Of course, I have a good savings account, and Father added a bit to it, but I cannot count his funds as mine even though I am the heir. We included wording like you had to make provision for anything I might inherit without explicit amounts or property names."
"I was glad Mr. Phillips thought of that in my case. My expectations of an inheritance from my father are low, but just in case I wanted it to be clear that Lizzy is entitled to a portion of everything that comes to me. The will Mr. Phillips and I drew up recognizes that."
"You two seem very happy together. Is marriage all you hoped?"
"It is and more. I wish I could give her more of my time through the day, as well as a home of her own, but we do the best we can with our current circumstances and we are happy. In addition, the Admiral often acts like a doting uncle instead of an employer, and I could not be more grateful."
"I wish I could give Jane a home of her own as well. I dread having to live in the same house with Caroline, especially after yesterday's performance from her. She just gets worse all the time. I cannot imagine what they taught her at that school."
"Before Georgiana went to stay with my aunt and uncle, Father was considering sending her to a school for girls. Neither Aunt Susan nor Aunt Miranda thought it was a good idea and protested, not that I expect my father would have listened to them. If your sister's school turned her into what she is, I have to hope Georgiana remains free of such a fate."
"I will hope with you. Your sister is a sweet girl. I would hate to see that change."
They reached Longbourn's stable without problems, the two boys demonstrating the results of their riding practice by sitting well and managing their ponies with ease. Mr. Gardiner was in getting the horses, but Tom was waiting for them outside. He clearly wanted them all to see his new riding clothes and well-polished boots before the lessons began.
"Very nice outfit," Will told him, dismounting as he reached the boy. "You may not have your full height yet but dressed like that you look the part of Master of Longbourn."
"Uncle Gardiner warned me when we went that I might have to wait for the boots but Mr. Denton had this pair on hand. They are a bit loose, but Uncle says that is good because I can grow into them, the same as with the clothes. I have never had a pair of boots before."
"They are fine-looking boots," Charles told him. "You were certainly in luck yesterday. Are you ready for a bit of riding now?"
Tom agreed he would be after he showed his new boots to Howard and Benny. The younger boys were suitably impressed by the shiny leather. Their boots were not nearly as fancy looking.
Will greeted Mr. Gardiner, who emerged from the stable leading the two saddled horses. "You made some good purchases for him yesterday."
"He had the hardest time putting those away after we got back so his mother would not see them. I think he spent most of the afternoon admiring them in his room."
"It is not just the boots. I can see you took care to help him look like an adult. He will need that as he deals with the estate."
"That was my thinking. I just wish we could get a little more weight on him. The boy looks so gaunt, even though he is happier now with the attention you give him and the satisfaction of being responsible for something. He tells me he has trouble with many of the foods his mother prefers to have served. I have a friend in London who is a physician. He has found that some people do not thrive on foods that most people find nourishing. One of my boys was not putting on weight properly, but once we removed milk and cheese from his diet he began to gain some weight. I have asked Mrs. Hill to make some adjustments to the food Tom gets, removing the things that bother him from his trays and substituting some things the physician recommended for my David. I hope we can find a way for him to feel better."
"I certainly hope we can help him. It would be interesting if his health could be improved by simply changing what he eats."
"I had a good talk with him about it yesterday and he is willing to try. If Mrs. Hill cannot help, I will send my friend here. Bennet cannot object if he does not have to pay for it, and my sister is never averse to the attentions of a physician. In the mean time we need to teach to be more active. These riding lessons are a good start."
"Well, let us put those new boots of his to use right now and get him up on the horse."
Tom showed great improvement with his second lesson. His seat was good as they rode up and down the drive and then onto a trail around the home farm. All three boys were thrilled to leave the lane as Mr. Gardiner led the way with Benny at his side. Charles teamed up with Howard so Will could concentrate on coaching Tom.
"Longbourn looks different from horseback," Tom observed as they headed back to the stable.
"Yes," Will agreed. "That is why a landowner should both ride and walk his land. You can see different problems or solutions depending on the height at which you travel."
Before leaving, Will confirmed with Gardiner that he and his wife would bring Jane early for the dinner that evening. "I believe Mrs. Blackwood wants Jane and Charles to help greet the guests as they arrive."
"I think we can sneak out without my sister noticing. We will be there early either way," Mr. Gardiner promised.
"I will find a way to distract Mama if she does notice anything out of the ordinary," Tom told them. Charles expressed his confidence in the young man and thanked him as he remounted in order to help Will guide the Blackwood boys back to Netherfield.
~o~
They had been back for only a little more than an hour when Alex and the Earl of Matlock arrived. The Admiral sent a footman up to the schoolroom to notify Will and Charles. They settled the boys with their assignments and headed down to greet Will's family.
By the time they reached the sitting room the Admiral was already talking happily with Will's grandfather and uncle while the ladies had apparently moved to a different room. Leaving the three older men to their conversation, Alex got up to greet Will and Charles with hearty handshakes.
"It is good to see you both," Alex said. "I am sorry we could not get here before.
"I understand you were taking care of something for your father in London," Will said, hoping to gain a clue on the topic of the upcoming discussion.
Alex laughed. "If he has not told you about that yet, I am not going to give anything away. You can wait. Now, tell me what is up with Bingley's sisters. They seem to be in a bit of disgrace judging by the looks my mother was giving them when we were introduced."
"My younger sister was being herself yesterday at dinner and your mother did not like it. Lady Ashby informed Caroline and Louisa of her expectations for their behavior for the rest of the visit and that she would not tolerate gossip later. Caroline took the lecture with bad grace. She does not want to be here and she is set against my marriage to Jane."
"Your mother took offense when Miss Bingley tied to prove her own superiority by insulting my wife. Although she knew Lizzy is Jane's sister, she had not realized yet that I am related to your family which means Lizzy is now as well."
"Oh, Mother does not like that kind of behavior."
"She did not like seeing my sister snub our host or fawn on her either. Since the Admiral does not have a title, he does not count in her estimate, nor does his wife. I doubt she will think anyone at tonight's dinner party is worthy of her company aside from your family," Charles explained.
"She does know your father is in trade, does she not? No offense to you or your father intended, but her ideas of who might be worthy seem extreme."
I do not understand her at all," Charles said. "She seems to honestly believe she is of the first circles and nothing anyone says can convince her otherwise. Evan the dressing down she received yesterday simply angered her; it did not correct her."
"Her anger will not stop you from marrying the lovely Miss Bennet, will it?" Alex asked.
Charles grinned. "Never."
"Do you know Jane?" Will asked his cousin.
"Yes. I have met her on a few occasions. Staying with Grandfather means I spend more time in London. I have often been Father's agent in his business with Mr. Gardiner, so I have also met his family. I was surprised when I met your wife a little while ago that she looks so little like her sister, although she is a lovely woman as well."
"That she is," Will agreed.
"I understand we have a dinner party to attend tonight."
"We are celebrating my wedding in a setting where the guests will not have to deal with Mrs. Bennet. The neighborhood is shunning Jane's mother for her behavior that resulted in Will's marriage," Charles said.
"Is she truly that bad?" Alex asked.
"Worse," Will replied. "Until you have actually experienced her you will not completely understand."
"Must I experience her?"
"She will be at the wedding. You do not need to be introduced, but you will not be able to escape hearing her," Will told him.
"I will take your word for it. What do you say we go talk with your wife and her sister for a bit. I would like to get to know them both a little better. I can tell Georgiana adores them both."
"She adores them all. In fact, because Mr. and Mrs. Phillips will be here so late for the dinner tonight, the Admiral suggested they bring Kitty and Lydia with them so they can stay the night and keep company with Georgiana. All three of them are too young to join us for the dinner, but he thought it would make my sister happier."
"That was kind of him. I really like him so far."
"Oh, I think you will continue to like him. I had a good situation with the Cluett family, but I could never have imagined a place like this. He really does treat me like family. Lizzy and I both feel so fortunate."
"Do you think the post will last for some time?"
"I am not certain. Of course, given their ages it could be two or three years before Howard is ready for either Eton or Harrow, like his cousin, David Cluett. It would be another two years beyond the for Benny. However, the Admiral is not finding the life of a landowner to be as pleasant as he had hoped. I would not be surprised if he returned to the sea in some capacity or moved to a smaller residence in a seaport town within the next few months."
"Are you worried about that?" Charles asked.
"To some extent. I have enough to keep us until I can find another position - the Admiral pays well, and I received a good bonus from Mr. Cluett. I doubt I will find a place that would allow me to have Lizzy and Mary in the same house, but if I can rent a cottage for them they will be able to keep each other company. I do not fear a change, I simply do not look forward to it."
"That is reasonable," Alex said. "Still other things may come up."
"Speaking of other things, what took you to London right after Christmas? I thought Lady Penelope was at her family's country seat."
"Yes, she is with her family and they are not in London. Actually, neither was I, except for last night. Grandfather and I were actually at Rosings Park. You know the family has been worried about Aunt Catherine. We celebrated Christmas with my parents and Georgiana, but Grandfather decided he needed to check in on our aunt. I could not tell if she was pleased to see us or not."
"How is she?"
"She says she is fine, but I think she is lonely and bored. And something else is bothering her as well, although she would not tell us what."
"I have written to her, but her answers are very brief and infrequent."
"That has been the case for everyone."
"I will just keep trying then. At least she knows we care, even if we are not there. Now, you mentioned something about going to talk with the ladies. I think you will enjoy the company of my wife and sister."
"They are not Jane," Bingley added, "But they are very pleasant young women." Will and Alex laughed at Charles.
"Lead the way," Alex told them. Leaving the older men to continue their conversation, the three younger men went off in search of Lizzy and Mary.