My previous contribution disturbed the sensibilities of some of my readers. I apologize for this. In reality that chapter was probably more realistic in some ways than most. We live in a "kinder gentler" time now, but expedience was quite common only a few centuries ago. When a person became a bane to society, that person might be quietly removed from doing further harm. Disturbing, yes. Realistic also.
May it please the Court
Colonel Fitzwilliam requests temporary lodging at Netherfield due to an important commission from the Crown. When his mission is revealed, it pleases many, upsets others, and changes the course of P&P.
Note: For the purpose of this tale, the calendar has shifted and the year is 1815.
"Colonel Fitzwilliam! I was bewildered by your note, but more than happy to host you for the duration of your stay," Charles Bingley stated in his usual bright and cheery manner. It was certainly unusual to receive a note begging lodgings so that a friend could carry out a Royal decree.
"Yes, Colonel," Caroline added in her own false cheer. She had not been allowed to read the note, but she was well aware that this man was imposing himself on their hospitality, "How glad we are that you could join us in this rustic backwater. Of course you must be quite used to sleeping on the ground among the unwashed. Tell me, will your brother the Viscount be visiting as well?" The first portion of her little speech was almost hostile, while the last was almost sweet. The officer restrained himself from laughing, Can this woman be any more obvious?
Caroline Bingley despised Colonel Fitzwilliam. He might be the second son of an earl, but he found her greedy, grasping, and ridiculous and had made very little effort to hide his feelings. He represented one of Caroline's greatest obstacles to securing Mr. Darcy, so he was her enemy so far as she was concerned.
Darcy, the man in question, rode up, dismounted, and gave his cousin a hearty handshake, "I am pleased to see you well and uninjured. General! You must tell us all about Waterloo. The papers have printed many stories, in which your name featured prominently in several instances, but we would be pleased to hear a first-hand account."
The other two standing there looked at each other and the two men with startled eyes. Charles, who had some inkling of military insignia, noted no stars on the officer's uniform. Richard Fitzwilliam chuckled, "I will bow before the Regent in two days to be given my new rank... and title as a baronet."
Darcy and Charles both laughed heartily and gave the man their congratulations. "General Sir Richard Fitzwilliam!" Charles crowed. Darcy smiled and added, "The Earl will be crowing in Parliament for the next year. The man will be insufferable."
Caroline only gave the most half-hearted congratulations and then made herself scarce. She would later come to regret this because she missed the most vital information. "So then, Sir Richard, Darcy teased, what does bring you here to Hertfordshire?"
"I suppose that since they will make their own bows before the Crown in two days, I am now free to reveal one of our most closely held secrets. For almost two decades, even before the little corporal rose to power, we have had a network of informants working on the continent. They kept track of important people and events and sent their information back to us. We used a coded cipher developed by one of the sharpest minds in England, a former Cambridge teacher turned landed gentleman. He also provided extremely insightful interpretations about what we collected, often leading to us staying ahead of Napoleon and his people.
"In more recent years he raised up a partner in his work, a daughter known to be just as brilliant and insightful as her father. It was a warning sent by this pair which first alerted us that Napoleon's people were preparing to support another effort, eventually allowing us to prepare and defeat the man once and for all at Waterloo.
Darcy and Charles looked at each other in shock and understanding. There was only one father-daughter pair in this area who could possibly meet this description. The soon to be general confirmed their speculations by asking: "Could one or both of you please lead me to an estate by the name of Longbourn?"
Events over the next several days were jaring and so multitudinous that it would be difficult to elucidate. Allow me to summarize:
Mr. Thomas Bennet and his lovely daughter Elizabeth made a journey to London with General-Select Richard Fitzwilliam.
In conversation with the enchanting Elizabeth, Richard learned that Lieutenant Wickham was in the neighborhood of Meryton. First he shared the truths about the cad to father and daughter. Then, after their arrival in London, he immediately dispatched a patrol to return to Meryton and collect the man. It was quite easy to find enough evidence for "conduct unbecoming an officer."
While George Wickham was being stripped of his commission and sent to a distant part of the world as an enlisted soldier, Thomas and Elizabeth were enjoying the hospitality of Lord and Lady Matlock. It should be noted that the Colonel was in the home and flirting with the beautiful Miss Elizabeth as often as time and duty allowed.
Two days after the start of this tale, all three made their bows before the Prince Regent and the top brass of His Majesty's Army and then sat down for a prolonged talk. What all took place in that visit will be revealed as our tale progresses.
Around noon on the day following the visit to the court of St. James, Thomas Bennet and Elizabeth were once more with their family and, unfortunately, one unwelcome guest. In the tumult of meeting General Fitzwilliam, Thomas had entirely forgotten to inform his wife about the imminent visit from his cousin, the Reverend William Collins. He and his second daughter had returned to Longbourn to find everything in chaos, with Mrs. Bennet in bed with a case of nerves, Mr. Collins irritated about his welcome and attempting to take control, Jane Bennet as close to murder as the serene young woman had ever been, and the other three girls as far away from the irritating visitor as possible.
"Mr. Bennet, I must say that I have never seen an estate run so shoddily! Why, your wife and daughters, even the my most beautiful cousin Jane, were wholly unprepared to receive me. As the heir of Longbourn I feel..."
"Allow me to stop you there, Mr. Collins."
"... that my most beneficent patroness, Lady Catherine DeBourgh, would be most appalled. Furthermore..."
"MISTER COLLINS!" Thomas Bennet's barked demand for attention finally stilled the man's officious diatribe. "Good. Now kindly be quiet and listen to my news. It will have a profound impact on my family and upon you."
Elizabeth had been waiting for her father to speak and now she handed her father a folio. Bennet placed the oil-skin wrapped document on the table as he began, "Yesterday afternoon my daughter Elizabeth and I answered an official summons. At this time I will not reveal the complete nature of the summons, but I will address that portion which pertains specifically to you."
He slid the oilskin over and Mr. Collins begrudgingly opened the wrapping. His eyes went wide as he recognized the large wax seal on the document contained within. Mr. Bennet nodded, "Yes, Mr. Collins, that is the Royal Seal. Our summons was to St. James Court, and this letter is written to you by the Prince Regent's secretary and signed by the hand of the Prince himself."
With great ceremony but shaking hands, Mr. Collins broke the seal and then read. Halfway through his brows furrowed. "I do not understand."
"It is simple, cousin. By his own hand on the twentieth day of November, Eighteen-Hundred Fifteen, the entail placed upon Longbourn is officially broken..." When Collins tried to protest, Bennet firmly continued, "And a representative of the Crown will expect to meet with you at your abode in Hunsford on the twenty-fourth in order to negotiate the purchase of a suitable replacement property in Kent."
"I... I..." Still confused, Collins tried to read again, but Elizabeth spoke up, "Congratulations, Mr. Collins. This means that you will become a landed gentleman right away instead of waiting another twenty years for my father to pass. Better still, you may continue to serve your patroness if you so choose."
This information finally got through, but then the oily man looked over at Jane, "But what about my betrothal?" Jane, who had been harassed by this stupid man for the past two days, lost her temper and barked, "There is no betrothal, Mr. Collins. I have not given you any encouragement and my father has never given you permission to address me! . . . I will not ever marry you!"
The rest of those at the table were shocked, having never heard Jane raise her voice. Mr. Bennet saved her from any more strife and embarrassment by interceding, "Mr. Collins, as you see, your suit had failed. I suggest that you hurry back to Hunsford and prepare your home to receive a Royal representative post-haste. Once you are settled as a squire, then you will be able to choose from many young ladies in your area. My daughters must subsist with the men they find on offer hereabouts. I have already advised Mr. and Mrs. Hill to prepare your trunks for travel. I would not wish to be the one who annoyed the Prince's man... would you?"
It took another hour and much blustering, but the pest was finally gone. Then Mr. Bennet went up to his wife's room to share his news. Shortly afterwards there was a flurry of excited screams. Mr. Bennet left as quickly as he could. Mrs. Bennet rang for "Hill" soon thereafter and was soon dressed and running down the stairs in glee.
Mr. Bennet had to calm his wife down before she could order the carriage and rush off to share her news. It took some doing, but he finally persuaded her that his plan would have the greatest impact on the neighborhood. Then they shared the information with the rest of the Bennet daughters. Mr. Bennet had to essentially place the family under house arrest for the next week. The only way that he could turn the younger girls to his will was to inform them about the London Modiste, a client of Mr. Gardiner's fabric warehouse, who had agreed to visit Longbourn to create ball gowns for the entire family.
The Bennets were a sociable lot, so more than a few of their neighbors took note when no visits were forthcoming. The invitations to the Netherfield Ball served the unintended benefit of distracting said neighbors from worrying about the Bennets.
On the evening of the twenty-sixth of November, eighteen and fifteen, four and twenty families and sundry others dressed in their finest and hurried off to Netherfield Park to attend the event of the year, the Netherfield Ball. All who entered quickly agreed that Miss Caroline Bingley outdid herself in arranging the ball, even if rumor had it that six servants quit over her mistreatment of them. Caroline Bingley herself felt that she had done all that was needed, and more than these country nobodies deserved. Now her Mr. Darcy would finally see that she was the perfect Mistress of Pemberley.
She took no joy in standing in the reviewing line except in looking over these people of no fashion and sneering at the attempts at elegance. She was nonplussed, therefore, when the entire Bennet family arrived dressed in the finest and latest fashions from London. Even Mr. Bennet was dressed much finer than anyone had ever seen him.
Until that point in the evening, Caroline had barely seen Mr. Darcy or General Sir Fitzwilliam. Now they appeared out of nowhere and seemed to be competing for that upstart Eliza Bennet's attention! Couldn't they see the she, and not that pretentious country nobody, was the belle of the ball?!
But Caroline Bingley's night had not reached the peak of despair until that annoying General Fitzwilliam called for attention. "Ladies and Gentleman, Mr. Bingley has kindly allowed me a moment to pass on this important proclamation." With great ceremony, the irritating man unrolled a parchment and read, "By Royal Proclamation, this twentieth day of November. In the year of our Lord eighteen fifteen, I hereby elevate Mr. Thomas Bennet to the rank of Baron for his services to Crown and country. His title and properties shall pass through his bloodline, heirs male or female as he determines, in perpetuity. On this same day, in acknowledgment of her service to Crown and country, I also declare that Miss Elizabeth Bennet shall hereafter be known as Lady Elizabeth, and shall receive gifts commensurate to her rank and service. An approved transcript of their contributions shall be published in the Press on the twenty-seventh day of November for all to read and understand."
The people of Meryton and beyond in attendance were shocked at the news. Many were pleased. Many were jealous. All were bewildered as they supposed that Mr. Bennet was merely an indolent landowner who seldom left his study. Lady Bennet, Baroness, had waited a week for the news to be revealed, and now she behaved with remarkable dignity... at least for her. The same might be said of the younger girls. Nobody was to know that the General's own mother had visited at his request and shared with the ladies what was expected of the nobility. Even Mrs. Bennet and Lydia listened to a countess.
Caroline Bingley quietly left the ball and went to her room, where she screamed into her pillow for the next two hours until she fell asleep in exhaustion.
Charles Bingley danced every dance he could with Jane Bennet. He danced the rest with other members of the same family and with other ladies without a partner. In between sets he always returned to Jane's side.
Louisa Hurst made at least some effort to speak with the newly elevated family. Because she had so faithfully echoed her sister, she made little headway.
Mr. Hurst ate and drank too much and fell asleep on a chair in a dark corner.
Fitzwilliam Darcy and General Fitzwilliam seemed intent upon competing for Lady Elizabeth's attention. In fairness and brotherly love for his cousin, the general had corrected many of Elizabeth's misconceptions about Darcy. That did not preclude him from throwing his hat in the ring for the lady's attentions.
Longbourn was now the official seat of the Bennet Barony. Now that the entail was broken, Thomas Bennet found a new lease on life and he dedicated his energy to growing the estate's land and its profits.
Charles Bingley married the Honorable Jane Bennet and renewed his lease on Netherfield. After all, their firstborn son would be the next heir to the the Baron's title and estate. Eventually they decided to purchase Netherfield so that a second son would also have an estate. Longbourn prospered and grew, just as Thomas intended.
Lady Elizabeth Bennet, having already made her bow, attended the next season in Town. Although many young and older men exhibited an interest, it quickly became apparent that two men, cousins, were intent upon winning the prize. The final decision was made when the General accepted a posting as Governor-General of _. Elizabeth had no interest in living so far away for years, possibly even decades. Richard had expected as much when he saw the light in her eyes for Darcy one morning visit.
The truth was that she had finally recognized and acknowledged her deep feelings for Mr. Darcy soon after being awarded her courtesy title and the shockingly large dowry from the crown. Her first thought in learning about these boons was, You cannot say that I am not good enough for you now, Mr. Darcy. Up until that moment, she hadn't realized how much she wished to be "good enough." Even with her own secret understanding, it still took almost a year to feel safe in making her true feelings known to Mr. Darcy. Lady Catherine suffered an apoplexy when the engagement announcement was made.
The Honorable Mary Bennet married a bishop who was also the president of a prestigious seminary. For the next half century she hosted dinners in her husband's home and found great joy in debating religious doctrine and ideas with the young seminarians.
The Honorable Catherine Bennet and the Honorable Lydia Bennet were sent to separate schools recommended by Lady Matlock. Catherine graduated without much distinction and it was therefore a surprise to all when she married a viscount. She lived a long and full life, but her husband died before his father, so their oldest son would eventually inherit his grandfather's earldom.
A handsome gentleman attempted to compromise Lydia to force her hand, but a well-delivered kick in his nether regions ended that plan. A wealthy landowner from Australia witnessed the encounter and was quite impressed by the young woman. He set himself to win her hand with a much more circumspect but nevertheless determined approach. Lydia eventually agreed.
They spent five happy years together before a virulent local sickness took Benjamin Hopper away from Lydia. She remained in Brisbane, content to raise her son and daughter, until the day she was attending a play with friends and a familiar voice called out her name. Governor-General Sir Richard Fitzwilliam was visiting Brisbane for a short break when he saw a familiar face. Lydia Hopper, nee Bennet, had grown into a stunningly beautiful woman and had matured well. His two week break became four, and when he returned with was with a new wife and her children.
Lady Francine Bennet, Baroness, lived a long and happy life at Longbourn. She never had a case of nerves again. It seems that the Prince had compassion on her nerves by securing Longbourn forever. She never became the toast of the Town or the Ton, but she was a fixture in her own little domain of Meryton. She was pleased for the disposition of all her girls, though she missed her Lydia. She preceded her husband in death by only one year.
On a side-note: Mr. Collins allowed Lady Catherine DeBourgh to advise (command) him on the matter of which property to accept from the Crown's representative. She then advised him on what type of house to build, how to treat his tenants, and what crops to plant. Within ten years of the award, Mr. Collins was insolvent and had to sell his estate. To his dying day he blamed the Bennets for stealing his true estate rather than his patroness for giving ridiculous advice.
Author's Note: Way back when I wrote "Our Lady of Longbourn," I looked for any cases of women being awarded titles and could not find any. I do remember reading what I think were cases of a woman being provided a courtesy titles and monetary rewards for notable activities. I have tried to find those links, but I can't remember where I found them. If these notes show up, I will append the references.
Author''s Note II: I have decided to expand this into a full story, though I intend to work faithfully on my other two unfinished tales first. These short stories are helping to restore creativity after more endless rounds of doctors. Does it sometimes feel like we exist to support the medical profession?