Chapter 5
Eleanor got up very early. It was her custom from a very young age. Trying not to disturb the family, she walked around the first floor since all the bedrooms were on the house's second floor. She was saddened to see that most of the rooms remained much the same as twenty years ago. She knew how much Longbourn could produce and how her parents had always managed to keep the house in perfect condition and save a lot of money at the same time. Thomas was even a worse administrator than she thought.
When she approached the office, she sensed that someone was there, and she was curious and came to see who the person was. The door was half-open, and she saw Elizabeth working with a ledger book and writing and answering some letters. "Excuse me, dear niece, may I come in," Eleanor asked without wanting to interrupt a concentrated Elizabeth.
"Of course, please come in," said Elizabeth trying to put all the papers scattered on her desk in order.
"I hope I'm not intrusive, but can I ask you what you are doing?" Eleanor thought she knew very well what Elizabeth was doing, probably the same thing she used to do in that same office twenty years ago.
"Do not worry, you are not disturbing me. My whole family knows that I help my father with the accounts and the administration of Longbourn. He is not very good with numbers, and it is difficult for him to read these letters because he has problems with his eyes." Elizabeth explained in more detail all the reasons why her father could not devote more time to matters that were his responsibilities.
"Thomas, your father, has always been a very curious man. He has trouble reading all things related to work, yet he spends hours reading everything he likes." As soon as Eleanor finished saying that, she regretted it, but she couldn't help but say what was obvious.
Elizabeth looked at Eleanor for a few seconds as if trying to justify her father and contradict her aunt. But she was a smart enough woman to know that what Eleanor had said was true. Without wanting to argue, Elizabeth changed the subject and told her aunt a little of what she was doing, and she was pleasantly surprised to see that Lady Campbell knew very well how the operation of an estate was like. She even gave her various tips that she found very helpful.
An hour later, the rest of the family began to wake up, and finally, everyone gathered for breakfast. Mr. Bennet, as always, kept aloof without intervening and trying to pay attention to everything his sister was saying so that he could try to guess what she really wanted.
In the following days, Eleanor had individual conversations with her nieces. She spent a lot of time with each of them and was able to understand them better.
Lady Campbell knew that Jane was more than just a beautiful woman. She was also a Kind person who always tried to please others and avoid conflicts. That's why she was the one in charge of reassuring her mother and making her see reason when she had her nervous breakdowns over unimportant things. She also knew the reason for her melancholy, even though she tried to hide it. The young and seemingly good Mr. Bingley had toyed with her feelings and abandoned her, leaving Jane heartbroken.
Elizabeth was a brilliant, beautiful, and quite impulsive young lady. Although all of her nieces were pretty girls, Elizabeth was so different from the rest of her sisters. Her appearance reminded her of someone. But she preferred not to think about it. There was something that connected her to Elizabeth. They were very similar in intelligence and determination. However, Elizabeth was witty and charming, something she never was. Those characteristics she had found in just one person before, and it was because of those qualities that she had fallen madly in love with Marcus.
Mary was perhaps the most physically similar to Eleanor and her brother. Mary was extremely intelligent, Eleanor was amazed at her ability to memorizing things. Finding no guidance from her parents, she had turned to read books on morals to find the way to conduct her life appropriately. After discussing with Mary about the books she read, Eleanor realized that her niece was more flexible than many people thought. She just needed a little attention and love. She sensed that Fanny probably never understood Mary, and therefore had no emotional connection to her. And her brother was not interested in any of her daughters.
Eleanor thought that Kitty was very similar to Mary. To avoid being absolutely invisible to her parents like Mary, she had decided to imitate Lydia and capture her mother's attention.
The most difficult of all her nieces was Lydia. She was just as immature and uneducated as her mother at that age. But Lydia had inherited the worst of both of her parents, and like Thomas, she was envious and malicious. She also handled her mother at her whim and openly defied her father. She was a totally out-of-control girl calling for calamity.
Eleanor had been in Longbourn for almost a week and was very excited because her great friend Eddie Gardiner would arrive the next day. Jane and Elizabeth had said wonderful things about Mrs. Gardiner and how they spent a lot of time with her since they were children. Apparently, her friend's wife had been a significant influence on Thomas and Fanny's older daughters.
"I can't make up my mind, Kitty. One day I prefer Denny, and the next day I prefer Carter. But I must confess that the one who drives me crazy is Wickham. But he likes talking to Lizzie about the obnoxious Mr. Darcy more than kissing me". Lydia giggled rudely as she talked to Kitty.
Jane, who was in the parlor with Aunt Eleanor, couldn't help but blush, and she said to her younger sister, "Lydia, please, that's not the way a young lady should speak."
"Jane, you and Lizzie are always criticizing me because you're so boring." Looking at Eleanor, she added, "I don't care what old people who were not capable of have their own children think of me. All the officers believe that I'm very nice and funny. Come on, Kitty." Lydia said as she stormed out of the room. She did not like Lady Campbell. She constantly criticized her and wanted her to be just as dull as Jane and Elizabeth.
"I will stay here, Lydia," was the only thing Kitty said, and she sat down next to Aunt Eleanor. Kitty enjoyed the company of her aunt. She was loving and always paid attention to what she said.
Before dinner, Eleanor decided to talk to Fanny about Lydia. For some reason, her sister-in-law avoided her. At first, she thought that she was angry, but she sensed that it was something more than that.
"Fanny, excuse me, but I need to talk to you about Lydia," Eleanor told her sister-in-law what she had heard a few hours ago. She also explained that due to Lydia's behavior, it would be complicated for her to help Lydia enter London society, where the standards of manners and education were much more demanding.
Mrs. Bennet immediately became nervous. Every time someone commented on how vulgar and brazen Lydia was, she felt it as a personal attack and immediately became defensive. "Sorry, Ella, but I know your past. So, do not come to give me the great lady speech and less criticize my daughter."
"Precisely, Fanny. Because you know my past, and all I have suffered, you know better than anyone how these officers come to a town and play with the feelings of innocent girls like I was one day, and how your daughter is now. In my case, at least my father had an interest in protecting me because he needed me. I don't know if Thomas would do the same with Lydia." After that, Eleanor withdrew so that Fanny would not see her shedding some tears.
Mrs. Bennet was just as affected by the encounter with her sister-in-law. She went to talk to Elizabeth, who was reading in her room. Mrs. Bennet opened the door and, without asking permission, entered and began to pace nervously while she said. "Lizzie, I want you to know that I love you very much. If I wanted you to marry Mr. Collins, it was because I thought and I think it was the best for you. I know that many times, we do not understand each other, but you are my daughter, and I love you, and you will always be my daughter." Mrs. Bennet continued talking the same things uncontrollably for several minutes.
Elizabeth laughed a bit at the scene because when her mother was nervous, something that happened very often, she spoke incoherently. "Mama, I know you love me, and I want you to know that I love you too."
"Come here, impertinent girl," Mrs. Bennet said to her daughter, unable to avoid crying as she hugged Elizabeth tightly.
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Caroline Bingley had insisted to her brother that they should pay a visit to their dear friend Georgiana. When they arrived at Darcy House, she was once again in awe of the size of the house, the decor, and everything it represented. But the big prize was Fitzwilliam Darcy. A fine very wealthy man, but above all, handsome, intelligent, and enigmatic. She was madly in love with everything he stood for, although she hardly knew the real Mr. Darcy. She could only think of the carriages and jewelry that she would have as his wife. The envy that all women would feel when seeing her on the arm of such a handsome man. It didn't interest her that he had never spoken more than a few words to her. In her head, they were meant to be together.
When they entered the drawing-room, Georgiana was chatting animatedly with a pretty ordinary-looking young lady. Still, from the clothes she and her companion were wearing, they must have been important people.
Mr. Darcy was quite uncomfortable. Lady Emma had arrived a little over half an hour ago, and it was clear that she wanted him and her daughter to get to know each other better. But he found Lady Claire quite boring, and every time he looked at her, he couldn't help but think of his Elizabeth. At least, Lady Claire was kind, and apparently, she had become good friends with his sister. He knew it was the tactic many women used, reaching out to him through Georgiana. That's why, when he saw his friend Bingley come in, he knew he would have the perfect excuse to get out of the drawing-room.
"Bingley, Miss Bingley, Mrs. Hurst, welcome." He introduced them to Lady Emma and her daughter and decided it was time to leave the women alone for a while.
"Bingley, I need to talk to you about some business. Ladies, please excuse us." Mr. Darcy and his friend went to his office and left the women chatting in the drawing-room.
Lady Claire was fascinated conversing with Georgiana. Although she was quite a shy girl, past her initial embarrassment, she was very nice. When she learned that Richard was Georgiana's cousin and legal guardian, she asked her questions about him. Georgiana told her many hilarious anecdotes about the Colonel, and every single thing she heard convinced her even more that Colonel Fitzwilliam was the most wonderful man in the world.
When Caroline learned that the woman talking so animatedly to Georgiana was the Earl's daughter, she immediately decided to mark the ground. That insignificant woman would not come between her and her beloved Fitzwilliam. "Lady Claire, you do not participate much in society, I do not remember that we were introduced"
Claire immediately blushed and said, "I attend all the events that my parents are invited to."
"Surely, you shouldn't dance a lot because I don't remember ever seeing you at a ball, for example."
"I'm not sure that the daughter of an Earl like my daughter necessarily attends the same balls as a young lady like you," said Lady Emma, not believing the audacity of that social climber and the stupidity of her daughter for allowing a woman of that ilk insulted her.
"And how have you been, dear Georgiana? Mrs. Hurst asked to prevent her sister from getting into trouble any further.
Mrs. Hurst, Lady Claire, and Georgiana continued to speak kindly, while Lady Emma and Caroline verbally attacked each other. Lady Emma remarked the origin of Caroline, and Caroline stated how insignificant her daughter was. Of course, everything was masked in supposedly kind words that showed concern.
In the office, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley drank brandy and talked until the subject of Hertfordshire came up. "Do you think it is a good idea to go back to Netherfield? There are still many things I have to learn about an estate. Besides, I really liked living in the country. Do not worry; I know very well that you cannot accompany me".
"Bingley, you're sure that's a good idea. You can't ignore the fact that your strong preference for Miss Bennet generated certain expectations. If you go back, you will leave her in a very uncomfortable position if you are not willing to fulfill those expectations." Mr. Darcy couldn't believe his friend wanted to talk about Jane Bennet again, how he could be so weak and have so little sense of what was right, even more so when she was a woman who didn't even care about him. He was sure that his attraction to Elizabeth was much more profound and also reciprocated. Yet he had closed that door forever, as painful as it was. He had a responsibility to his family and his estate.
"You're right, Darcy. I don't like the idea of thinking that Miss Bennet is going to be forced to be my wife." Mr. Bingley hoped his friend wouldn't say anything, so he could do whatever he wanted. He would never dare go against the advice of his best friend and protector.
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Everyone in Longbourn was looking forward to the Gardiners, including Lydia, who loved the gifts Aunt Gardiner always gave her. Edward and Madeline had been married for fourteen years and had a thirteen-year-old son and an eleven-year-old daughter. Both well-behaved children were Jane and Elizabeth's favorites. They had shared with them since they were babies.
Mr. Bennet was tense. He had sent a letter to Mr. Gardiner explaining Ella's presence and why he had introduced her as a cousin. He knew that her brother-in-law was an honorable man and that he had been very good friends with Ella in childhood and adolescence.
Madeline Gardiner was worried. Since her husband got the letter from Mr. Bennet, he was absent and sad. She knew that finding out that Eleanor Bennet was alive was a great shock to him, but she sensed that there was something else, and she did not know how to help her husband.
When the Gardiners finally arrived at Longbourn, everyone was overjoyed. Eleanor was happy to see how all shared happily and to feel part of a family that she believed was lost. After dinner, Mr. Gardiner and his wife had the opportunity to speak with Eleanor.
"Lady Campbell, thank you so much for the gifts for my children. You didn't have to bother," Madeline Gardiner said.
"Dear Mrs. Gardiner, I would be delighted if you called me Eleanor or Ella, as your husband does."
"Only if you call me Madeline," added Mrs. Gardiner.
"I can't believe, Ella, that your late husband was Daniel Campbell. He's a legend in the shipping business." Mr. Gardiner was a little more animated talking to his longtime friend, but he was so uneasy that he couldn't relax.
"That's right, and I can tell you, Eddie, that I helped with many ideas when he was starting the company. You already know that you should contact my solicitor. I think I have many business opportunities to grow your business. But enough talking about business. You know dear Madeline, what did your husband do when he was twelve to run away to go swimming in the river with Sarah, Peter and me? "
"No, but I'm dying to know," Madeline replied. Elizabeth, Mary, and Kitty joined the conversation and laughed heartily at the stories Eleanor was telling.
"You used to spend a lot of summers in Longbourn, Aunt Eleanor," asked Mary, curious. Her father had never spoken of this cousin who seemed to know Longbourn better than anyone.
"Yes, dear Mary. I can assure you that I know this area and its inhabitants very well." Eleanor did not want to lie to her niece, so she tried to answer closer to reality.
The next day the whole family would go to Phillips' house. Mrs. Phillips had told everyone that Lady Campbell would be attending her social gathering. George Wickham was the most interested of all in finally meeting the great lady. Lydia had said to him that she was the owner of Netherfield and that she had houses in London and properties in Canada. He made inquiries and knew that she was an immensely wealthy woman, even more than the ridiculous Darcy. Plus, he had been told that she was in her forties and she was quite attractive.
That is why, when he arrived at the party, the first thing he did was approach the lady who was chatting animatedly with Elizabeth. "Good evening, Miss Elizabeth." Once he greeted her, he was happy to see that the woman was quite attractive. He planned to make her fall in love with him, marry her, and make the beautiful Elizabeth his mistress.
"Good evening Mr. Wickham. May I present my aunt, Lady Eleanor Campbell." Wickham took Eleanor's hand and kissed it as he looked at her flirtatiously. Lady Campbell immediately knew what kind of man he was, but she decided to pretend that she hadn't realized it. Elizabeth had told her about this man and his misadventures, and she wanted to find out more about it.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth told me about you and how difficult your life has been lately." That statement made Mr. Wickham talked about his misfortunes while trying to get Eleanor's attention.
"You see, my dear Lady Campbell, my life has not been easy, but I remain optimistic. I know that one day I will meet the right woman, and I will be able to have my family and forget the past." Wickham was using his best arguments and all his charm to make Eleanor fall into his arms.
Lady Campbel looked at Elizabeth and saw that she was looking questioningly at her friend, so she asked her, "Elizabeth, dear, can you get me a glass of punch please?" When Elizabeth was far enough away, Eleanor stopped smiling and looking at Wickham added. "I will be very direct with you. Tomorrow I will order my secretary to hire someone to investigate you. If you plan with your pretty words and your innocent face to make me fall for you, let me tell you that I have an exceptional talent to detect scoundrels like you. Be very careful with my nieces. I'll keep an eye on you. I do not doubt that if I go for a walk among the merchants of Meryton, I will be able to buy enough debts to send you to Marshalsea for a long time".
"Here's the punch, Aunt," Elizabeth said as she watched as Mr. Wickham nervously walked away from them.
"What happened, Aunt?"
"It happened that this man is a lying scoundrel, and neither you nor any of your siblings should come near him." Elizabeth listened to the explanations her aunt gave her, and although she was surprised, she did not doubt the veracity of her statements.
After the Wickham incident, the party went on happily. After playing cards, Mary volunteered to play the piano, and they all started dancing. It was a pleasant night for everyone except Mr. Wickham.
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Christmas was very special for Eleanor. She couldn't help but remember Daniel and James. First, James had died, and seven years later, Daniel. After that, she was left alone in the world. She always wondered what would have happened in her life if she and Marcus had married. But before she got sad, she decided to give the gifts to everyone. Even Mr. Bennet was encouraged to share and sincerely thanked the books and the new collection of pipes his sister gave him. Eleanor was so generous with her gift that all her nieces thanked her on more than one occasion.
That night when everyone went to sleep, Elizabeth and Jane talked about many things. "Jane, how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, Lizzie, and happy that tomorrow I'm going to London with Uncle and Aunt Gardiner. I know Aunt Eleanor wanted me to go with her, but I had already promised John and Laura to spend some time with them".
"You know very well I'm not talking about that," Elizabeth replied.
"When I'm in London, I'll go visit Caroline. If Mr. Bingley is interested in me, he'll return the visit. If that doesn't happen, Lizzie, I have to forget about him. I don't want to be suffering the rest of my life for a man who doesn't care about me." Jane seldom spoke with such intensity. Elizabeth realized that Mr. Bingley's abandonment really hurt her sister.
"You're right, Jane. The good thing is that in a few more days, I'll be in London too and we can do a lot of fun stuff with Laura, John, Aunt Madeline and the rest of the family. Speaking of something else, you realized that Uncle Gardiner had been withdrawn since he arrived. He's always such a happy and jolly man. I hope he's not sick. " Elizabeth was concerned to see her uncle so changed.
"Yes, I have also noticed. But mother is also different. It could be that there is a problem between them, don't you think?" Jane asked.
"Now that you mention it, you're right. They have hardly spoken." Elizabeth also told Jane about the incident between Wickham and Aunt Eleanor, and Jane was stunned. "I feel sorry for Mr. Wickham. If it hadn't been for the arrogant Mr. Darcy's wickedness, now he would be a clergyman. Poor man, after losing his inheritance maybe what things have he had to do to survive".
"I think it's time to sleep, Lizzie. Good night dear sister," said Jane.
"Good night, Jane."
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Three days later, Jane and the Gardiner family had returned to Cheapside. Madeline was tense and sad to see her husband ill. She thought she knew why he was like that, and she decided to talk to him. He was in his office, where he locked himself after dinner. Jane, Laura, and John were in their rooms so that they wouldn't interrupt.
She entered the office and told her husband. "Dear Edward, your silence is killing me. The only reason I have for explaining this is Lady Campbell. You were in love with her, and now that she's back, you don't know what to do with your feelings?
The visibly haggard Mr. Gardiner got up and hugged his wife tightly. "My love, how can you think that? She is like a sister to me. Indeed, knowing that she is alive after believing that she was dead has been difficult to process. But it is not that what ails me".
"Edward, please trust me. Let me help you."
Mr. Gardiner paced for a moment until he said. "Certain information was confided to me many years ago, when I believed Ella was dead, Madeline. But she is alive," said Mr. Gardiner, almost crying.
"What is that that makes you suffer so much, my love"?
Mr. Gardiner took a deep breath and said. "My dear, I think Elizabeth is Ella's daughter."
Mrs. Gardiner was so shocked by the information that she was unable to speak for a long time.
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Thanks for the supportive comments. I read them, and I appreciate them very much.
Another long chapter, you finally discovered the second secret. Now we only need the third, which is to know what really happened with Elizabeth and her Mama and Papa (the real ones)
I'm going to take a few days off because the "grammar police" (some of you used that term in the comments one time, and I liked it) managed to steal my inspiration.
Finally, thanks to the person who clarified that the daughter of a Baron was not Lady but "The Honourable." Can you imagine me writing that word a few times per chapter knowing that "The Grammar Police" is watching me closely? LoL, I met with my royal council, and we promoted Baron Wagner to Earl, so I can keep writing Lady Claire and not the other word that just looking at it gives me a headache.
See you!
Gracias a todos los que dejan comentarios en español. Me voy a tomar unos días por las razones que ya expliqué. Lo único que sé, es que si me atrevo a escribir otra historia lo haré en español sí o sí.
Merci à tous ceux qui ont laissé des commentaires en français pour leur patience avec mon pauvre français.
À bientôt!
Saludos,
Yo