Chapter 16

As Elizabeth came to, she looked at the anxious faces looking back at her, none more worried looking than her—betrothed. William had proposed she had accepted. Then why was she lying here? She remembered Mr. Phillips making a frantic dash up the drive and then he said…

"Mr. Phillips, did you say they are alive?" she asked hoping she had not dreamt that part.

"It is true Lizzy; they are all alive and will be here about a fortnight after the letter!" Marie informed her cousin while tears of happiness still flowed down her cheeks. "We all wish you and William happy, but as I am sure you agree, this news is what we have wished for beyond all else!"

Elizabeth took the letter that her betrothed proffered as she sat up on the settee. She slowly broke the seal and let her hand run over the script she was starting to think she would never see again: Jane's!

March 4, 1809

Nassau, Bahamas.

My dearest Lizzy,

How long have I desired to write that. Two days after we departed Jamaica…

Jane wrote about the wreck, how they survived and their life on 'New England,' the name they dubbed their island. She told of their longing to be rescued and how until their rescuer was sighted, they had only seen a handful of pirate vessels. Then Jane continued:

Jamie and I were falling in love in Jamaica and after we had been on the island for more than a year, we decided we could wait no longer, so we became betrothed. After we were rescued, we married the very next day on board HMS Charger, a frigate, by a clergyman from the Church of England. I pray you understand we could not wait any longer after being betrothed for more than eighteen months!

You will not believe how tall Tommy is Lizzy, he looks like a man not a boy any longer! I am sure he will dwarf Papa! Phillip too has grown so much, although he is not as tall as his new brother. Tommy never misses an opportunity to point out to Phillip he is the bigger of the two any longer. Phillip simply points out no matter how tall our brother is, he will always be the baby of the family. Tommy and our aunt and uncle have also written to you and Papa.

I cannot wait to see you two. For so long I have dreamt about seeing and hugging you and Papa, Lizzy. From the time you receive this missive you will not have long to wait my dear sister until I see you both, I cannot wait!

We will depart two or three days after this letter. However, I must cut my writing short as the packet boat is readying for sea. I will tell you the rest in person when I see both of you.

Please kiss Papa for me as I asked him to do the same to you from me,

Jane

"Marie you are my sister! I have four more brothers! Oh my, when we marry, you will be Richard and Andrew's brother! Tommy is coming home to claim his inheritance, I will go distracted," Elizabeth babbled. Then the maudlin thoughts hit her. She was going to have to tell Jane and Tommy their father was dead.

When she looked up at William, she knew she was not alone; she would never be alone again. Elizabeth and Marie sat in one another's arms for some time crying tears of joy, although for Elizabeth they were mixed with tears of sorrow as she was reminded of her father's loss. As happy as she was that Jane and Tommy were alive and on their way home, Elizabeth was struck that had this same news arrived before that fateful day her father rode his stallion while foxed, he may still be alive.

As if he were somehow responsible for her father's death when the stallion was in fact innocent, she had refused to ride Orion. Once the woman and her evil stepsister were evicted from Longbourn and Mr. Jones cleared her to ride again, she would ride him.

Elizabeth realised if she got stuck in the past about the would haves, the could have as, or the should haves, she would make herself insane. She heard her father's voice in her head: 'Only think about the past as that remembrance gives you pleasure.' Jane and Tommy were alive, as were all of her cousins; that was the only important fact.

"Lizzy," Richard was grinning from ear to ear. "I have had a brilliant idea!"

"You think all your ideas are brilliant," Major Wickham stated, causing a round of laughter and a playful glower, that said 'just you wait' from his friend.

"What are you thinking, Richard?" William asked.

"We should hold the masque ball! I would suggest toward the end of the month when the travellers are here. Invite those two witches to the ball and then all, including your betrothal, will be announced. I suggest Thursday the five and twentieth, as you two plan to marry on the seven and twentieth," Richard proposed.

"Receiving an invitation to your ball will set Mrs. Bennet and Caroline into raptures,' Louisa stated. They will never expect that they will not be leaving the ball as free women. After what they did and tried to do to my sister, they deserve nothing less!" It irked Louisa how she had to act around the other two, but she did it to maintain the illusion all was well.

"As long as our family will be here. If not, I am sorry William, but our wedding will wait until they arrive. I like the idea of the masque ball. They will claim they have no money," Elizabeth stated. As much as she wanted to marry her William, she would wait for Jane, Tommy, and the rest of the Bennets. Elizabeth had an idea. "If you agree William and if Jane agrees, the celebration after the ceremony will be for both couples. I am sure they did not have much of a wedding breakfast on board a Royal Navy vessel.

"On a grimmer note, tomorrow when Lady Catherine arrives, you will need to keep out of sight Elizabeth," William informed his betrothed. "We do not want to take any chances that she or Bingley sees you." Elizabeth did not object; she had never met the lady and had no interest in doing so now.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Even though it was an un-godly hour to rise, Lady Catherine did so with glee on the appointed day. She had acquired a special license from Town. Once they were betrothed, she did not want to allow time for her nephew to drag his heels.

She felt almost giddy. At long last she would humble a Darcy. More importantly, her daughter would be a duchess and Lady Catherine would use the Darcy coffers as her personal reticule. She was already imagining all of the things she would be able to buy that she was unable to now thanks to the restrictions her late husband had put on estate funds.

When she did not launch into society as she expected she would and then attempted and failed to compromise the late duke, who was a marquess at the time, her parents had arranged a match for her with the much older Lewis de Bourgh. She would show her late parents who had lectured her on the immorality of her trying to gain what she felt she was due by forcing the man's hand.

Anne de Bourgh's only interest, as it had always been was to remove herself from out from under her mother's thumb. She was about to turn five and twenty and she was sure her mother was not aware of her knowing about her father's true will—not the drivel the lady presented to Anne as the will.

As she was so close to the birthday that would make her the mistress of Rosings Park, her desire to marry her cousin, regardless of his rank, was nil. It had been a few years now that Anne realised the betrothal her mother went on and on about was not real anywhere but in her mother's mind.

As the carriage rumbled on, Anne smiled to herself just as her mother's mood was giddy. It was amusing that her cousin who was guarded at all times, as was his sister, had allowed their bumbling Peeping Tom of a parson anywhere near one of the things most precious to him in the world. She imagined her mother was in for a very rude awakening indeed.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Bingley was seated in a private parlour at the Red Rooster Inn in Meryton. His patroness had questions she wanted answered before they made their way to Netherfield Park to force the Duke to do her bidding.

Lady Catherine swept into the parlour with Dryden just after half past the hour of ten, an hour before they were expected at the Duke's local estate. "You have done very well Mr. Bingley; I am impressed. I did not think you had it in your to seduce my niece," Lady Catherine pronounced.

"What will you do your Ladyship if your nephew refuses to acquiesce to your demand that he marry Miss de Bourgh?" Bingley asked for the benefit of the Duke, Earl, Viscount, Colonel, and the magistrate who were all listening just beyond the cracked servant's door as they stood huddled together in the servants' passageway.

"My nephew is soft, and he will do as I demand. He would not want it known abroad about his sister's ruination. This is my due and I will have his compliance. If not, I will allow Dryden to convince him. I will have him take my insipid niece and if my recalcitrant nephew still refuses me, I will have him end her life like he did that useless husband of mine! If only I had got him to change his will first! I digress, it will not come to that as my nephew will do anything in his power to protect his little sister which is why I gave you the task I did." Lady Catherine had no idea she had just admitted to solicitation of murder in front of multiple witnesses.

"It seems as if you have thought of all possibilities Lady Catherine, we have ten minutes before we should depart here to be at the estate on time; it is but two miles distant," Bingley informed the preening woman. She assumed, like she did with all, that he admired her mind and the 'infallible' schemes she came up with.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Just before half past the hour of eleven Lady Catherine was shown into the drawing room at Netherfield Park. What she did not know was as soon as she entered the house, Dryden had been arrested for among others crimes, the murder of Sir Lewis de Bourgh. While she was inside gloating over her perceived victory, Dryden was singing like a canary in a vain attempt to save his neck.

"Lady Catherine, what brings you to my estate when you have been told more than once not to set foot on Darcy land?" the Duke asked.

"Why you impudent pup! I would show me the respect I deserve unless you want one and all to know of your sister's cavorting, unwed, with my parson," she pointed at Bingley.

"I see. So you are here to extort me. What leverage do you think you have and what exactly are you asking for?" the Duke asked evenly.

"I know it all! Your sister is nought but a common trollop lying with the son of a tradesman!" Lady Catherine insisted.

"Mother, how can you say such a vile thing about your own niece?" Anne de Bourgh spoke up.

"Be quiet Anne! What I do, I do for you. One of us will finally be Duchess of Derbyshire!" Lady Catherine glowered at her daughter.

"Where is your proof Lady Catherine?" the Duke asked. "As you correctly pointed out, this man is the son of a tradesman. Who would believe him or you with alleged second hand knowledge of a phantom compromise, over my word?"

"You would deny the truth and let some man raise her bastard if she is with child?" Lady Catherine was positive she would carry the day. "I have a special license here! It has your name and Anne's. If you marry today, no one will ever hear of my niece's shame!"

"Hurst," the Duke nodded towards the termagant and the licence she was waving about like a lace cloth.

Before she could stop him, the Duke's private secretary relieved her of the special license and tossed it into the fire. Lady Catherine sat with her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "Everyone will hear of your sister's ruin, you will be slighted by all, no one will receive you again!" Lady Catherine yelled.

"I disagree with you Lady Catherine!" Lady Georgiana who had slipped in behind the woman stated clearly. "Why are you lying about me?"

"You hussy, how can you say that when your lover is in this very room!" Lady Catherine spat.

"And who is my supposed lover?" Lady Georgiana asked.

"Do not act all innocent with me; I know it all!" She pointed at Bingley, "he is there, now deny it if you dare!"

"This is your niece? I have never met her before." Bingley stated with a straight face.

"You wrote to me and told me…" Lady Catherine started to say.

"I had success? I did not say what the success was, did I?" Bingley challenged the lady.

"But…how…why?" Lady Catherine could not grasp that another of her infallible plans was anything but.

"All of this Cathy so you could cheat your daughter out of her inheritance," Lord Matlock stated from behind her. Lady Catherine stood and turned slowly. Her face fell as she saw her brother, sister-in-law, their two sons, and the Viscountess all looking at her in disgust.

"Reggie why are you here," Lady Catherine asked lamely.

"To have you arrested for your crimes Catherine. We were behind you today when you admitted to having Lewis murdered and your man Dryden is in the process of enumerating every illegal action you ordered him to make. You did not even have the sense to tell him verbally, like you did to Bingley, you wrote your instructions down. Our parents, if they were alive, would disown you as we are about to do," the Earl stated sadly.

"By the bye Mother, I have a true copy of the will and even were you not about to be arrested, by next week, you would have no longer been mistress of Rosings! Your Grace, allow me to apologise. I went along with my mother's plans to marry you in the past as I was selfish and wanted to escape her and her dictatorial ways," Anne looked down in shame.

"You cannot do this to me! Do you know who I am?" Lady Catherine attempted to bluster.

"You are a woman with an overblown sense of her own worth and position in life. You are not a peer; you have a courtesy title which has no significance. It is time for you to learn just how insignificant you are," the Duke stated firmly. "By the way, I am already betrothed. My lady was wise enough not to ever want to meet the likes of you!"

The magistrate nodded and two constables took charge of Lady Catherine. "Reggie do not let them do this, think of the family," Lady Catherine pleaded.

The Earl raised his hand and the two men stopped and turned their prisoner around to face those in the drawing room. "Now you mention family? What cared you for family when you treated you own daughter like a captive? When you ordered the murder of your husband and others? When you tried to compromise our late brother Robert, twice mind you, and now you send a clergyman to compromise your niece! You care naught for anyone but yourself and whatever happens to you now was decided by your own hand. May God have mercy on your soul Catherine."

With that the magistrate and his men left with their prisoner who looked like she was in a stupor as she tried to understand how everything had gone so very wrong. "It is sad, but there was no choice Reggie," Lady Elaine soothed her troubled husband.

"I know that Elaine, she is, or at least she was my sister," Lord Matlock sighed.

"Anne, I hope you know you are welcome for as long as you would like to stay, and please no more grace nonsense, it is William as it was when we were younger," William offered.

"Thank you, William. Are your truly betrothed or was that for my mother's benefit?" Anne asked.

"I promise, she is very real Cousin," Andrew said with a grin. "He only asked yesterday, and she accepted him—even with all of his warts and problems."

"In that case, I wish you and the lady who will take you on happy William, will I meet this paragon soon?" Anne enquired.

"You will Anne." Was the only answer the Duke offered.

"Mr. Bingley you have done me and my family a great service. We have canvassed your past and you have owned up to your errors and pledged to keep walking the honourable path. You are sure I cannot reward you?" the Duke asked.

"It was my pleasure to be of service your Grace. No, what I did I did because it was the right thing to do, not for any pecuniary advantage, so I thank you for the thought, but no thank you. I must return to my parish and become the parson my parishioners need and deserve." Bingley looked to Anne. "I look forward to working with you as my patroness Miss de Bourgh."

Anne inclined her head; Bingley bowed to all and took his leave. Per the master's instruction, once the confrontation in the drawing room was over and Lady Catherine and Bingley had departed, Nichols informed Miss Elizabeth and Miss Louisa it was safe to join the family in the drawing room.

"This," William said as he extended his hand to Elizabeth, "is my betrothed, Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn, who happens to be cousin to Marie, so she is your cousin too Anne. Elizabeth our cousin, Miss Anne de Bourgh of Rosings Park. The other young lady is Elizabeth's sister Miss Louisa Bennet, formally Bingley and also happens to be the sister of your clergyman."

"It sounds as if there is a good story there William," Anne surmised. For the next hour Anne was regaled with the history of both Bennet families, the good and the bad, and the fact that those feared lost were expected to arrive in England in the next fortnight.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Ten days later, a Dennington Lines ship that had left Nassau more than two months previously docked on the Thames. When the Bennets set foot on English soil, their odyssey that began almost four years previously came to an end.

A man from Holder House had been watching the berth ever since the Earl's letter was received. Other than all of the children being much grown, the coachman recognised the family instantly. Before they knew it, they were being shepherded into two Holder coaches. There were only two trunks between all of them and Parrot. He was a point of interest for all who saw him.

By the time the two coaches pulled up at Holder House, word that the Holder Bennets had returned was spreading through London society with the speed of a warm knife cutting through butter.

Later that afternoon, a Holder carriage pulled up and number three and twenty Gracechurch Street. When the Gardiner's housekeeper opened the door, she almost fainted, as there was no missing Miss Jane Bennet standing in front of her in the flesh with a handsome man on her arm. Next to them was a young man who looked oddly familiar.

The shocked housekeeper wordlessly led Jane, Jamie, and Tommy into the drawing room where they found their Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. "Jane! Tommy!" Uncle Gardiner exclaimed. "I assume this is my new nephew," Gardiner looked toward Jamie.

"Dearest Jane, we wish you happy on your marriage. My goodness Tommy you look like…your father! When do you all depart for Hertfordshire?" Madeline Gardiner asked.

"On the morrow, Aunt," Tommy replied, his voice that of a man not the higher pitch of a young boy.

"Sit, there is much we must relate…" Gardiner proceeded to tell them all that had occurred. There were many tears shed for the father neither would see again. At least they were assured that Lizzy was well again and were not displeased that they could be present when the criminals were called to account. Before they left, the Gardiners sent an express to Netherfield as the one the Bennets sent had been directed to Jacob Phillips's offices.