Chapter 17
Elizabeth was disappointed in her hope she would accompany Jane to London for her presentation before Queen Charlotte. She accepted the reasoning her parents and aunts had given her that she was not out yet and the presentation was the smallest part of Jane's coming out.
The excitement was building for the ball to be held at Holder Heights as Elizabeth and Mary would be allowed to attend the ball until supper at which time they would retire. They were allowed to dance, but only with approved friends and family. Elizabeth secretly hoped William would request a set with her.
Cassie was sharing the coming out ball with Jane as she would turn eighteen a month after her friend's birthday. The two made their curtsies on the same day. Even though Lady Edith was sponsoring Jane as her godmother, Lady Elaine had presented her seeing that the aforementioned lady had presented her own daughter.
None of the ladies saw the man leering at Jane as she returned to the carriage after the presentation. George Wickham had received the post at the boarding house on Edward Street, which thankfully included a room in the attic. It was far less that he thought he deserved but worlds better than the hovel he had inhabited in Seven Dials.
George was on an errand for the owner of the house, Mrs. Agnes Younge. He thought about approaching the carriage to get a closer look at the blond beauty—that is until he spied one of the two huge footmen who had taken him to task in Staffordshire. His bent nose and missing teeth convinced him to turn tail and make all haste in the opposite direction as fast as his legs would carry him.
Johns recognised the man from the visit he and Biggs had paid to the coward to warn him off. He was getting ready to thrash the man again if needs be. He saw the instant the man recognised him, and the fear clearly displayed. Before Johns needed to make a step towards the blackguard he turned and ran.
Once the ladies were all seated, the coachman urged his team forward. Lady Edith would travel with the Bennets and Fitzwilliams from Netherfield to holder Heights where the Darcys would already be waiting for them.
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Mrs. Catherine de Bourgh, the former Lady Catherine, had learned an abject lesson in humility the last three years since she had been relegated to small cottage in Hunsford with one maid of all work.
Her brother had reduced her allowance to ten pounds per month and all of her jewellery had been taken and locked in a safe at Rosings Park. Once or twice in the first month of her changed circumstances she had attempted to enter Rosings Park. She had not made it close to the manor house before being apprehended by some of the guards her brother had patrolling the park.
After her second attempt, she had given up as she had been told in no uncertain terms that were a third such attempt made, she would be turned over to the local magistrate, Lord Metcalf, and be charged with trespassing.
Lady Metcalf had been one of the only ladies in the neighbourhood who had received her prior to her courtesy title being stripped by the Prince. The royal decree the Prince had told her would appear, had been in the papers before she was ensconced in her new abode.
She had thought Lady Metcalf would offer her succour, but she had a rude awakening when she tried to visit her friend. The butler had her wait outside, not even in the entry hall when he went to notify his mistress she had a caller. He had returned ten minutes later and told the humiliated woman his mistress was not at home to her, and never would be again.
It did not take long for Catherine de Bourgh to learn how much the people of Hunsford, her former tenants, and those from Westerham in general disdained her. None of them would forget the imperious lady who used to interfere in their affairs offering them useless advice and then haranguing them for not implementing her unsolicited, terrible, and nonsensical guidance.
After railing at everyone except herself for the first six months, Catherine started examining her actions and interactions with those around her. For the first time in her life, she admitted she was wrong. She had lost her family through no one's fault but her own.
In her desire for power and wealth she had alienated each and every single family member. She could see the sneering look of disdain on her daughter's face the last time she saw her in the music room at Pemberley. As hard as it was to hold a mirror up to herself and her actions, she acknowledged that her avaricious behaviour, especially towards Anne. She deserved nothing less than the scorn she was looked upon with by her daughter.
Catherine started to feel abject shame as she reviewed her behaviour as far back as when she was a little girl. She realised it all started when she became envious of Reggie that he was the Matlock heir and would receive so much more than—in comparison—her pittance of a dowry. It was from that point forward she had been much more concerned with what she did not have; what others had; and she desired what was not hers more than all of the blessings she had in her life.
She knew she needed to apologise for her wrongs towards many, but she was intelligent enough to know she could not simply pay lip service. She needed to act, not talk. At first when she started to help wherever she could in the little community of Hunsford, she was rejected by those who remembered the way she was.
Slowly but surely as she persevered and those who lived around her started to accept that something had changed in the formerly arrogant woman. After her maid was paid and she had food for the month covered, Catherine would donate whatever money she had left.
She did not know it, but she was always under surveillance, both for her own protection and to make sure she did not cause trouble. When reports reached her brother of the sea change in his sister, he thought it was an act to try to regain what she had lost. It soon became evident the change was real.
Lord Matlock increased her allowance to twenty pounds. He was beyond amazed when the reports told him that rather than hire another servant or spend on herself, she merely increased the amount she was able to use to help others in the area.
By the end of the second year, her allowance was at fifty pounds a month. Her brother had conditioned the increase on her hiring a man to work in her cottage and help her and to buy better food for herself and her household. Even after complying, there was still close to forty pounds per month Catherine was able to use to help others. She was finally truly able to be of use to others in a way they needed.
If a lady was sick, or heavy with confinement, Catherine would help and if she was unable, she would pay for a maid to help them, she would look after their children when needed and she began to teach the local children their letters and sums. As she approached the third year living among the people of Hunsford, Mrs. Catherine de Bourgh had gone from one of the most hated to one of the most loved people in the Town.
There was no question as to her sincerity. Lord Matlock felt pride in sister for the first time in many years.
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When her father's final will and testament was read, Miss Bingley was most displeased. Her dowry was unchanged, and she had inherited nothing beyond it. Everything had been left to her brother, the one who was happy to be in trade. What was even worse was that their Uncle Paul was the executor and now her guardian. Another tradesman!
If she did not marry, her dowry would be released to her when she was five and twenty. How was she ever going to find a husband of the first circles in Scarborough living in the house of a tradesman?
She did not notice—or care to see—the looks from her brother, uncle, aunt, and her married sister. Louisa had a hard time believing they were born of the same parents. She did not want to think ill of the dead, but she held her mother responsible for planting the social climbing desire in her younger sister.
She would return to her husband soon. She suspected she was at long last with child, but did not want to get Harold's, and her in-law's, hopes up yet until she felt the quickening. She hoped Charles would not ask her to take her sister as she would have to refuse him. Both her husband and his parents would not have Caroline in their houses again. There was only so much one could bear of the youngest Bingley.
At one and twenty, Charles Bingley had recently graduated Cambridge. When he reached the age of five and twenty all of his father's fortune, just above one hundred thousand pounds would be his. After a disappointed Caroline stomped off, Paul Bingley asked his nephew to join him in his office.
"Uncle Paul, what are we to do about Caroline?" Charles asked, disgusted with his sister's attitude. "It was like she cared not about our parent's deaths; all she was concerned with was if she had gained from the tragedy."
"My brother knew how his daughter was which is exactly why he refused to increase her dowry as he was worried it would make her even more insufferable than she is now," Paul Bingley told his nephew. "Your father recognised Caroline for the shrewish hoyden she is. He used to tell me often that she was far to high in the instep."
"Yes, Father told me the same," Charles agreed. "With her attitude, who would want her as a wife? She thinks she will be wife to a member of the Ton, but if she truly believes that she is more delusional than I even believe her to be." Charles paused. "Did Father tell you I turned down some offers of friendship as I would not subject potential friends who were highborn to Mother, may she rest in peace, and Caroline."
"Yes my brother told me," Paul Bingley nodded. "I remember he told me about the Darcy fellow who helped you and young Jamison at Cambridge."
"All I could see was Caroline attaching herself to him and declaring herself the next mistress of Pemberley—that is his estate—as soon as she met him and found out about his connections and wealth. If we had been friends I am sure she would have resorted to engineering a compromise if she felt she had to."
"The reason I asked you to come see me in the office and not where Caroline could hear is the following. Your father was seriously considering the purchase of an estate where he wished to retire. He wanted to relax and partake from the fruits of his labours. Unfortunately, that will never be," Paul Bingley stated sadly. He missed his big brother. "You heard in the will, the carriage works was owned jointly by us brothers. Now you own an equal share. Your share of the profits should be more than two thousand five hundred pounds per annum. If you add the amount to the interest from the money your father saved, you should have more than six thousand pounds per annum.
"Arthur planned to lease an estate in 1808, in Hertfordshire. He prepaid for two years. The estate is named Longbourn, and the landlord lives three miles away on a second estate. My brother heard about the estate from his friend Edward Gardiner in London, his sister is mistress of both estates. The current lessee is leaving at the end of June of 1808. You will be able to take up the lease on the first day of August of that year."
"I thought Father was not interested in owning an estate, that he was happy in the business you two built," a confused Charles stated.
"His reasons were not the same as your late mother," Paul Bingley averred. "It had nothing to do with social status and climbing. What he told me is that if anything were to happen to him before he took up the lease, he wanted you to do so. He is not dictating what you do in the future, hence, there was no mention of it in the will. If you enjoy life as a landed gentleman, then you have the means to purchase an estate, if not, the business will be here. You will need to attend quarterly meetings with the investors, and the rest we will cover by post."
"I will honour my father's wishes," Charles informed his uncle. "Now what about Caroline?"
"She is my ward, therefore my problem. We will discuss her later." Paul Bingley stood and slapped his nephew on the back as the two made to region the family in the sitting room—except for Miss Bingley who was having a snit in her bedchamber.
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"Sarah, could it be that our decision to break with Priscilla may not have been for the best?" Lord Jersey asked his wife.
Rather than be lauded for their decision as they had thought they would have been the opposite had happened. Invitations had all but dried up, especially since their former son-in-law had suddenly turned his life around in 1795.
There had been no royal invitations and now there was a coming out ball at Holder Heights from which they also had been excluded. "We could not have expected to be invited to this particular event Cyril. Lady Holder is a friend of Priscilla's, as is Lady Matlock. The Bennet girl who is sharing the ball is daughter to Priscilla's best friend in Hertfordshire. So it is not surprising we are not invited," Lady Jersey rationalised, ignoring the lack of invitations in general.
"I suppose you are correct, Sarah. Even though we and Wes are not invited at least there will be one representative of the family present, even if she is only included as she is a Rhys-Davies now," Lord Jersey opined.
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The ball at Holder Heights was well attended. There had been not a single refusal as those of the Ton invited simply delayed their return to London. All three ladies organising the ball had made sure they had looked at the names carefully to make sure none where intimates of the De Melvilles.
The Bennet parents were in the receiving line with the Carringtons. One of the couples to enter were the Marquess and Marchioness of Birchington, Lord and Lady Rhys-Davies. He was the heir to the dukedom of Bedford.
Lord Sedgwick Rhys-Davies Junior, known as Sed by all, had married the lady he chose to be a future Duchess, Lady Marie De Melville as was. Lady Marie was not close to her late sister in looks, but there were definite similarities.
Lady Marie had never felt good about her parents' decision to break with her older sister over a divorce the King forced on her sister and then brother-in-law. She was still remonstrating with herself for not being willing to go against her parents even now and write to her sister.
She was well aware that her parents were not held in high regard by many at the ball, especially the joint hostesses. Lady Matlock, another of Priscilla's close friends was in attendance she could see. She prayed her sister was present, if she was, there was nothing she would like more than to hug her elder sister.
When the Marchioness greeted Fanny, she had been distracted until she looked up, and without hearing the name again, she knew exactly at whom she was looking—Priscilla's sister, about ten years her junior.
Lady Edith recognised the lady at the same time and understood Fanny's look of shock. Lady Marie may not have seen her sister for more than sixteen years, but when she saw Lizzy she would think she was seeing her sister as the likeness was so close.
There was nothing to be done at that instant as the receiving line duty was not complete. After Lady Marie and her husband moved past the line towards the ballroom, both Fanny and Lady Edith indicated Lady Marie to Lady Elaine with their heads.
Lady Matlock sent her husband to delay the Marquess and Marchioness while she sought out Elizabeth. It took a little longer than she would have liked, but she found Elizabeth and Mary with Jane, Cassie, her sons, Darcy, and Jamie.
"Elizabeth and Mary dears, we will have to ask you to retire now," Lady Matlock stated giving a nervous look towards the doors leading to the hall outside.
"But Aunt Elaine, Mama and Papa gave their permission," Elizabeth stated plaintively.
"Something has occurred that we believe may effect either your or Mary's security so as much as it pains your parents they ask that you and Mary retire this instant," Lady Matlock insisted. Captain Richard Fitzwilliam saw the nervous glances toward the doors and guessed it was someone who could identify Elizabeth as connected to Lady Priscilla.
"I will escort the fair maidens so safety, Mother," Richard gave a mock gallant bow.
"As will I," Darcy repeated Richard's bow.
Without further complaint, although neither was happy, Mary took Richard's arm and Elizabeth William's.
As Lady Marie Rhys-Davies entered the ballroom with her husband, she scanned the room hoping to glimpse her sister. She was about to give up when she saw the back of a lady who was being escorted out of the ball room.
From behind she swore it was her sister, Priscilla!