A Bennet of Royal Blood
By Shana Granderson
© Copyright held by the author
AN: PLease note: What was here before I posted the prologue was not part of the story I am writing. It was a blurb to give you and idea what I was planing. Once I start on a story, I will post a blurb to let you know what to expect. From the prologue onward is the real story.
Prologue
London 1787
Prince Frederick Augustus, Duke of York and Albany had just returned to London permanently from having lived primarily in Hanover from 1781 until his return. The Duke of York and Albany was the second son born to King George III and Queen Charlotte in 1763.
His father the King decided early on his second son would pursue an army career and had him gazetted Colonel in 1780.
The Prince was appointed Colonel of the Second Horse Grenadier in 1782 before being promoted to Major-General in November 1782. Next he was promoted to Lieutenant-General in October 1784, as well as being appointed Colonel of the Coldstream Guards the same month.
His title, Duke of York and Albany, Earl of Ulster was created in November 1784, and he became a member of the Privy Council at the same time. On his return to Great Britain, the Duke took his seat in the House of Lords, where, on fifteen December 1788 during the Regency crisis, he opposed William Pitt's Regency Bill in full throated support of his father, causing the bill to fail.
In November of 1787 the Duke of York met a lady who took his breath away and quickly captured his heart. Lady Priscilla De Melville was almost twenty and the eldest daughter of Lord Cyril and Lady Sarah De Melville, Earl and Countess of Jersey. She was petite with dark, mahogany wavy tresses and the greenest eyes he had seen in his life. The next daughter, Marie, was more than ten years her sister's junior and their son Wesley, Viscount Westmore was only three.
By early 1788 the two were ardently in love with one with the other. Lady Priscilla turned one and twenty in April of that year and after warnings from her parents to think better of it without royal sanction, Lady Priscilla married her prince in a quiet ceremony in Essex in May 1788.
The Duke had demanded there be no announcements in the papers. He was fairly certain his father would try to arrange a marriage for him as he had his older brother, the Prince of Wales. Given that their new son-in-law was a son of the King, Priscilla's parents begrudgingly agreed although they warned their daughter no good would come of the subterfuge.
Shortly after the wedding, the couple moved to Lady Priscilla's estate of Netherfield Park in Hertfordshire. He maternal grandmother Beth had willed the estate to her eldest granddaughter to become hers on her reaching her majority.
With the fact that the Duke was sure some of his servants at his estate, Oatlands Park, near Weybridge in Surrey, reported to his father, his estate was not an option for the madly in love couple. In the limited contacts with their neighbours in the area where Netherfield Park was situated, Frederick introduced himself as Mr. Oatland.
A Mr. Bennet visited to introduce himself and not long after, Lady Priscilla made the acquaintance of Mrs. Francine Bennet and her baby daughter Jane. For some inexplicable reason, the two were drawn to each other and soon were calling one another Priscilla, or Cilla and Fanny. Their husbands were friendly as well, but not close to the level of intimacy of their wives.
The Prince would be gone for lengths of time as he attended to his military and Privy Council duties and attended his parents from time to time. When he was home he spent as much time with his beloved wife as he could. Bennet was the only man he was close to in the neighbourhood, and they would play chess and chat now and again.
Their wives, on the other hand, were to be found in one another's company almost daily. An unintended consequence of their friendship was the amendment of Fanny Bennet's behaviour.
Fanny was the youngest daughter of a local solicitor, Mr. Elias Gardiner, when her looks and vivacity had attracted the prime catch in the neighbourhood—the heir of Longbourn, Thomas Bennet. He was blinded by her beauty and did not pay attention to the fact that they were intellectually incompatible.
She seemed to be of mean understanding, spending her time talking of fashion and inconsequential gossip. That was until she met and became friendly with Lady Priscilla Oatland. As their friendship deepened, Fanny clearly saw the deficiency in her own behaviour in her observations of her friend.
One day, not long after the two had decided to use familiar names to address one another, Fanny took a deep breath. "Cilla I have a request," Fanny stated nervously.
"Fanny you may ask anything; if I am able, I will grant it," Priscilla averred.
"As you know I was not raised as a gentlewoman and in my observations of you I have begun to see the deficiency in my behaviour." Fanny raised her hand to kill the protest her friend was about to make. "My husband thinks I am of mean understanding. I am not, but the way I behave had led him to believe so. What I need from you my friend is to learn how to behave as a gentlelady should. Please say you will assist and teach me Cilla," Fanny beseeched.
"Fanny it will be my absolute pleasure to help you in every way that I am able," Priscilla had returned emphatically.
And so it began. Between observing how her friend behaved and instruction, within six months Thomas Bennet, to his delight, did not recognise his wife as the one he thought was crass, vulgar, and of mean understanding. She had become a gentlelady in every sense of the word.
There was no more gossip, she read and discussed books with him intelligently, she spoke softly, almost never raising her voice as she had been wont to do, and her nerves which had begun soon after their marriage were never in evidence again.
An unintended and welcome consequence was her sister Hattie Phillips changed in behaviour as well. Hattie was married to Frank Phillips who had taken over the Gardiner law practice when Mr. Elias Gardiner had passed soon after his youngest's wedding.
The middle child and son, Edward, had no interest in the law as he worked first in another's import export concern and then struck out on his own. He began Gardiner and Associates with money he saved plus one third of the needed money invested by his brother Bennet.
Hattie had always followed her younger sister and when she saw the way her sister had changed, she emulated the behaviour much to her husband's pleasure. No more gossip was heard from either former Gardiner girl again which in turn increased the local circle of friends of both.
Many of the local ladies had avoided Fanny, as she would tend to boast relentlessly after her marriage. They had to make sure they were not dreaming when the changes in Fanny and then in Hattie first became evident. It did not take long to admit the changes were permanent, which led to Fanny quietly becoming one of the leading voices in the area.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The Prince and his beloved Cilla had been married a little more than two years in 1789. Frederick took the agonising decision that he had no choice but to finally inform his father of his marriage. He hoped that as his marriage was more than two years of duration his father would not do anything to separate him from his wife.
Lady Priscilla believed she was with child, but she did not share the suspicion with her husband before he departed for London to see the King. Fanny had recently shared her belief she was carrying her second child.
It was early June when Frederick was preparing for his journey to Town. "Do not worry my love, all will be well," he stated more out of hope than conviction. "I waited two years on purpose as there would be no question the wedding was consummated, thereby making it impossible for my father to order an annulment."
"Frederick, I am afraid," Priscilla worried. "What if my parents were correct and we were doomed from the start?"
"All will be well; you will see my love. Do not forget you are a Princess of England." Frederick kissed his wife and with a final wave to her, he was off towards St. James to see his father.
Later that day, Fanny and her sweet and beautiful daughter Jane were visiting. It was a balm to Priscilla's troubled soul to see her friend and her serene blond, blue eyed daughter. "Cilla you look troubled, what ails you?" Fanny asked thoughtfully. "You husband often travels, and I have never seen you thusly before. You know you can tell me anything and mayhap sharing will relieve your burden."
"If only this was like his former travels, he is on his way to see his father—the King!" Priscilla owned. She had wanted to tell her best friend the truth for so long and now it all bubbled over as she revealed all.
Fanny quietly rang for Netherfield's housekeeper to show Jane to the nursery for a nap before she reacted to the incredible news her friend had shared. "My goodness Cilla, you are a princess. Your husband is the second son of the monarch!" Fanny stated as she assimilated all of the information she has been told. "Is the reason we have never met your parents their opposition to your marriage?"
"It is Fanny. They are too afraid of the possible backlash from the King, so they have kept their distance. We write to one another occasionally, but no more than that," Priscilla shared sadly. "If that was not enough, I too suspect I am with child." As the worry overwhelmed her Priscilla began to cry.
Fanny held her friend in her comforting arms until she had cried herself out. "Let us pray all will be well Cilla. Until we know if there is aught to worry about, nothing is to be done. Just know I will be here to support you, no matter what," Fanny assured her best friend in the world, her sister of the heart.
In the two years since her becoming friends with Lady Priscilla, Bennet and his wife had become as close as a married couple could be. That day when she returned from her friend, Bennet could tell his wife was troubled. He would not force a confidence and knew if Fanny had something to tell him, she would.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Frederick held his breath as he was shown into the receiving chamber at St. James where he greeted his father, mother, and brother George, the Prince of Wales, the heir to the throne of the Kingdom.
"Frederick, we welcome you son. It has been too long since we have seen our son. What news do you have for us?" the King asked.
Frederick paused for a few beats and knew there was no choice. "Father, Mother, George, I need to inform you that I have been married for more than two years to the former Lady Priscilla De Melville," he managed before he his father interject.
"How could you marry without our permission?" the King thundered. The Queen placed a hand on the King's arm to calm him. "We negotiated a betrothal for you with Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia some years ago. You will marry in 1791 when she is eighteen," the King stated firmly.
"But father I am married!" Frederick objected.
"As the head of the Church of England I will have the wedding annulled," the King returned.
"Father think about what you are saying, I have been married to her for over two years, the marriage is fully consummated and no one, not even the Archbishop will issue an annulment," Frederick pleaded.
"Our brother is correct father," the Prince of Wales intoned.
The King looked to his wife who shook her head. "In that case we will grant a divorce effective immediately," the King decided.
"Please father no, I love my Cilla, Princess Priscilla more than life itself. I beg you not to do this. I have always been the one to stand by you," Frederick begged as he looked at his brother pointedly.
The King too looked at his eldest who had the decency to look away in embarrassment for his attempt to gain the regency in 1788. "Son, your support has always been invaluable. Your wife is worthy, but this must be done. To us who much has been given, much is demanded. It was not a whim, but an alliance, one that England needs. We understand you love your wife, but this will be done for the good of the country. This is one of those times where obligation and duty trump all other concerns. If it were not for the future security of our nation we, I, would not take this action." The King attempted to dull the blow as much as he was able. It killed him to see the depths of his favourite son's despair, but he had no choice in the matter.
The King summoned his Lord Chamberlain and instructed him to have the prime minister, Mr. William Pitt the Younger, attend him forthwith. In a matter of hours it was done, Frederick was divorced from the love of his life and his heart was shattered in millions of tiny pieces.
He knew his wife would be well, he had settled two hundred fifty thousand pounds on her to go along with her dowry of fifty thousand pounds. The King had agreed his former daughter-in-law would receive all as was enumerated in the settlement. The King also agreed his son could inform his former wife before the notice was published in the papers.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As soon as Priscilla saw the abject dejection of her husband's face, she knew the worst had happened. "Tell me Frederick," Priscilla requested as soon as he sat on the settee next to her.
It was the first time she had ever seen her husband cry as he told he all, including that as of yesterday they were divorced. He apologised over and over again for what had happened and putting the love of his life in such straights.
Once he had calmed to a great degree, Priscilla took his face in her hands and looked into the blue eyes she loved so. "We always knew there was a possibility this would happen my love," Priscilla said with far more strength than she felt. She knew that at this juncture she had to have enough outward strength for both of them. "You told me the King does not object to me as being unsuitable for you as a wife, but this was a matter of duty and for the security of out nation, did he not?"
"Yes my darling Cilla, that was what he told me. I know it was not easy for him to cause me, us, the pain he did," Frederick averred dejectedly.
At that moment Priscilla decided she could not add to her beloved's pain by telling him she thought herself with child. "My parents warned me this would happen, and I allowed my heart to rule, so I own as much fault in this as you my love. You must know I will love you until the day that I die, there will never be another."
"No one will ever possess my heart Cilla, it is yours until I draw my last breath. I care not what the decree says, you will always be my wife in my heart. When I marry Princess Frederica Charlotte, in my heart my vows will be to you, not to her." Frederick rubbed his former wife's hands with his thumbs, he so wanted to kiss her, but he restrained himself as it was hard enough on her already without more intimacy. "You must know Cilla that my father has honoured our settlement to the letter. Here is a record showing three hundred thousand pounds deposited in your name in the bank of England."
"You must also know that is the last thing which concerns me at this time," Priscilla stated as she fought to keep her composure.
There was a cough from the door reminding his Highness it was time to depart. With a last longing look at the only woman he would ever love, Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, Earl of Ulster took his leave. Once she heard the coach begin to move outside, the dam broke, and Priscilla cried like a baby curled up in a ball on the settee which still had her beloved's scent on it.
An hour or more later Priscilla regained some composure and wrote a note to her best friend requesting her immediate presence at Netherfield Park. Fanny did not miss the tear stains on the note and immediately understood the worst had happened.
"Thomas I must go to Priscilla, I may be there for some days," Fanny stated after her husband had invited her into his study. Seeing her husband's look of concern she added. "Thomas please do not ask me questions now; I will tell you what I am allowed to when I return I promise. Jane will be well taken care of by her nursemaid."
"I will not importune you before you leave Fanny," Bennet granted. He had learnt over the last two years since she had amended her behaviour and character to trust his wife implicitly.
Bennet kissed his wife and saw her to the Bennet carriage which would carry her to Netherfield Park.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When Fanny was shown into her sister of the heart's private sitting room the latter collapsed into her arms with a fresh bout of tears. Each time Priscilla thought she could cry no more, more tears would flow.
Fanny said not a word. She held her friend and rocked her gently to try and soothe the obvious pain. It was more than an hour later before Priscilla regained the ability to speak coherently. She told Fanny all, what the King had done and why.
"It is not fair Cilla, and as much as I feel your pain, in matters of state I can see why the King did not hesitate to take the action he did. You were his wife for a little more than two years and in that time your heart knew the purest kind of love. I know what I am telling you may sound like empty words right now, but in time you will move past the pain and be comforted by the memories," Fanny opined. Priscilla gave her friend a watery nod showing her comprehension of what was said.
When the London papers were delivered the next day to both Netherfield Park and Longbourn they contained the divorce decree. At Longbourn Bennet realised his wife knew the truth of who Frederick and Priscilla were and would tell him when the time was right.
At Netherfield Park, Fanny ordered Mrs. Nichols to dispose of the papers. There was nothing to be gained by Priscilla seeing the decree, it would not change anything. Slowly but surely over a sennight Fanny began to draw her friend out. All the progress was lost when a curt letter arrived from Lady Jersey.
June 18, 1789
Broadhurst, Essex
Lady Priscilla,
As you have brought the scandal of divorce down on our family, we have no choice but to break with you to protect the reputation of the family, especially Marie and Wesley.
May God bless you,
Lady Sarah De Melville
This was expected by Priscilla, but it did not stop the added infliction of pain on the already frail emotions of the woman. Fanny stayed with her friend for almost a month until Priscilla was able was able to get through a whole day without spontaneously bursting into tears.
It was during Fanny's stay at Netherfield that both her and Priscilla's state of being with child was confirmed. They would both be due in February or March of the coming year. Before she departed, Fanny received her friend's permission to tell Mr. Bennet all.