Chapter 19
"Sarah this is an unmitigated disaster!" Lord Jersey complained. "The Rhys-Davies are talking possible divorce claiming we misled them regarding the royal's support for us cutting out daughter."
"It seems our supposition was incorrect," Lady Jersey stated the obvious. "The other patronesses have requested I withdraw as a patroness of Almack's. How has it come to this?"
"We made a critical error; we cut Priscilla before asking for or receiving direction from the Crown," Lord Jersey said resignedly. "That miscalculation has turned us into social pariahs. The Prince's displeasure was not hidden; not just that, it was publicly displayed."
"If only Marie had not thought she had seen Priscilla and made her utterances in his Royal Highness's hearing." Lady Jersey was upset at their behaviour being discovered rather than the cruelty to their oldest daughter.
"Look what it had cost us, a possible divorce for Marie, and Wes was refused when he requested a courtship with Huntington's daughter. Before this Lord Huntington would have salivated at a connection to our family,' Lord Jersey lamented.
"The only solution is to reach out to Priscilla. We will have to show deep contrition if there is to be a hope she will help smooth our way back into the good graces of the Royals and society at large," Lady Jersey surmised.
"Yes, Sarah; post her a letter. I am sure she will be gratified for our condescension," Lord Jersey agreed.
Lady Sarah De Melville hated humbling herself above all else, but the situation they now found themselves in required it, so she sat down at her desk and wrote her daughter a letter she never imagined having to write.
The sad fact was that both Lord and Lady Jersey were only interested in what would look good to society and conveniently forgot how they had cast out their daughter like she was yesterday's broadsheets.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
"You desired to talk to us Jane?" Fanny asked as her eldest sat down in her father's study at Netherfield Park.
After the coming out, Jane had accompanied the Carringtons and Fitzwilliams to London for part of the little season. Unlike the coming out ball, none of her siblings—who were not yet out—had any expectation of accompanying her to Town.
During the two months in London, Jane and Andrew had become very close. The attraction on both sides had grown to the point that both were sure the other's feelings were engaged as was true for themselves.
Before Jane left London, Andrew had requested a courtship. Jane had agreed conditionally—she could not tell him what the condition was, but she asked him to give her a few days at home before he presented himself.
As planned Jane had returned home in mid-November. Once she had answered her siblings—her sisters, Tommy had no interest in who she danced with and at what ball—questions about her time in Town, Jane requested the meeting with her parents.
"Andrew requested a courtship, and I want to give him an unconditional yes, but I am not sure I will be able to," Jane told her parents.
"Andrew is one of the best young men we know, why would you hesitate if your inclination is to accept his suit?" Bennet asked.
"I do not want to start our courtship off with a lie, even if it is one of omission," Jane revealed sadly. "I swore to keep the secret about Lizzy and I will, but that places me in a quandary."
"Jane, my darling sweet and thoughtful Jane." Fanny enfolded her daughter in a hug. "Richard was able to piece the facts together just after Aunt Anne passed away and Uncle Freddy told him the truth. He has not mentioned a word in three years, not even to his parents who know the truth. I would trust Andrew no less."
"Why was Andrew not informed when Richard was?" Jane asked.
"Until now, there was no need. If Uncle Freddy had not had a slip of the tongue and Richard put the pieces together, he would not have been told," Bennet informed Jane. "Now that Andrew is about to be an official suitor of yours, he needs to know as neither your mother nor I would expect you not to be completely truthful with Andrew."
"When he arrives on the morrow, we can talk to him and tell him the whole truth?" Jane confirmed.
"Yes, Janey. The whole truth," Fanny assured her.
"Thank you Mama and Papa." Jane was finally able to relax with her parent's permission to share everything with Andrew.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
"Come in Anne dear," her uncle Reggie welcome her to his study.
"Is there a problem Uncle Reggie?" Anne asked nervously. After her aunt's death she was always wary of being summoned for serious meetings.
"Nothing bad Anne, we promise you," Aunt Elaine assured her niece who visibly relaxed.
"Anne, the reason we requested you join us is because we would like to discuss your mother with you," Uncle Reggie informed her.
"What has Mrs. de Bourgh tried to do now?" Anne asked testily. Since the day at Pemberley Anne had put the woman who gave birth to her out of her mind. Given all she was forced to suffer under her mother's control, nobody mentioned the woman in Anne's hearing.
"That is just it, she had undergone a complete transformation…" Anne's aunt and uncle shared all with her. If it had been weeks or months, Anne would have rightfully been sceptical, but it was going on three years and Catherine de Bourgh was—if anything—more conscientious in her good acts.
"She is unaware you are having her watched?" Anne asked.
"Correct. In the last six months I increased her allowance to two hundred pounds a month. More than enough for her to move to a reasonably comfortable house with at least four or five servants, including a cook. The condition was she had to spend at least forty pounds a month on herself and her household. Every penny of the balance, she uses to make the lives of the people not only in Hunsford, but Rosings Park's tenants, and the citizens in the Westerham area better," Uncle Reggie laid out. "There is no question she is sincere. Fifty pounds is given to the rector at the Hunsford church to distribute as he sees fit to the needy each month."
"If only she had been like this when I had lived with her," Anne stated wistfully as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. What caused the sea change in her mother was not important. The only thing that mattered was that she had changed, and this was the mother Anne de Bourgh desperately wanted to meet.
"From all the reports we have, she is nothing like she was. She has begun to educate herself, and believe it or not, she is using part of the extra money she had to spend on herself to hire masters, including a music master who is teaching her the pianoforte," Aunt Elaine reported. "She has written to us requesting the chance to meet with the family to apologise in person."
"Why now and not two years ago?" Anne asked.
"She did not feel worthy Anne," Uncle Reggie averred. "She felt crushing shame for the way she used to behave and did not know how to face us. After counselling from the clergyman at Hunsford, she has taken his advice and believes she has become the type of person worthy of begging our pardon."
"The same parson she used to command as if he was her personal servant is counselling her now?" Anne was flabbergasted.
"Yes Anne, the self-same one. I am waiting for Frederick's response before we go see her, that is assuming you want to come with us," Uncle Reggie stated questioningly.
"Before you jump to conclusions, she does not want her courtesy title back," Aunt Elaine stated. "Your mother realised the value of character and not a title. The days of her lectures on the maintenance of the distinction of rank are forever gone."
"When do we depart for Kent?" Anne asked. She was starting to feel excited about seeing her mother—and thinking of her as mother again.
"We will depart two days hence," Uncle Reggie informed his niece.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
"Welcome Andrew," Jane stated excitedly. She had missed Andrew greatly even though it was but three days since they had seen one another in Town. As it was wont to do, her heartbeat sped up when Andrew was near.
"Thank you Jane," Andrew bowed to the Bennets. "Uncle Thomas, Aunt Fanny it is good to see you again."
"If I were a wagering man I would say it is not us you are here to see—well at least not yet," Bennet stated with raised eyebrows. Andrew's colour darkened.
"Papa, behave yourself," Jane gave her father a playful tap on the shoulder. "May we use your study?"
"You may, as long as the door remains partially open and a maid or footman is sitting in the hall nearby—out of earshot," Bennet granted.
Jane arranged the chairs, so they were facing one another and indicated one for Andrew to sit in while she took the one opposite him. "This must be serious Jane," Andrew tried to lighten his mood. He had been troubled when Jane was not willing to answer him right away and was worried her had overestimated her feelings for himself.
"Andrew, I did not want us to start our courtship with any secrets between us." Jane handed Andrew the portrait her mother had shown her when she was told about Lizzy's true parentage.
"Why have you placed a painting of Lizzy in my hand?" Andrew asked confused.
"That is just it. The person you see is the late Lady Priscilla, Uncle Freddy's late ex-wife." Jane stated evenly.
"Jane what are you telling me?" Andrew asked still not able to assimilate the facts staring at him in the face-literally.
Jane told Andrew the story from the birth of the two babies in 1790 forward. When she was done Andrew was slack jawed. "As I swore to my parents I would not share the story with anyone; I needed their permission to tell you. I want nothing more than to be courted by you Andrew, but I refused to enter into a courtship with any secrets between us."
"My parents and Richard know?" Jane nodded. "You say Richard picked up…I remember! It was not long after Aunt Anne passed away, uncle Freddy stopped himself from saying something. William, Jamie, and I left with Uncle Paul and Uncle Robert, but Richard remained with Uncle Freddy, Uncle Thomas, and my father." Andrew puzzled out.
"Yes, that was when Richard discovered the truth," Jane confirmed. "It is less than two years until Lizzy is told. I am not sure how she will react to being kept in the dark for eighteen years."
"William knows nothing does he?" Andrew verified.
"No, he does not. In his case it is a good thing," Jane opined.
"How so?" Andrew asked.
"Because his feelings for Lizzy developed before he knew she is a princess and one of the wealthiest women in the realm," Jane explained.
"I suppose…wait did you say you want to accept a courtship with me?" The realisation hit Andrew like the kick from a horse.
"Yes, Andrew, I most certainly do accept your offer for a courtship, truth be told, I love you already. If you need a courtship, then so be it but…" Jane never finished what she was going to say as Andrew pulled her into an embrace. He was about to kiss her when he remembered he was missing a critical step. He dropped to one knee.
"Jane, I am in love with you too. I have been for some time now. Rather than a long flowery speech, will you accept my hand in marriage my one and only love?" Andrew asked hopefully as he held Jane's hands.
"Yes, Andrew, Yes, yes, yes, YES!" Jane responded effusively. "I would love to marry you Andy."
Andrew stood and drew Jane into his arms again. She looked up at him, where each time she saw him her heart would speed up, now it was racing with pleasure as he closed the distance between them until Jane felt his lips on her own. It felt right, so very right.
The first kiss was nice, but then Andrew deepened the kisses and Jane was thankful her arms had snaked around his neck as she went weak at the knees from the pleasure their kisses evoked.
As much as neither of the newly betrothed couple wanted to stop the contact between them, they knew they had to. After one last lingering kiss, by silent mutual agreement they both took a step back.
"Does this mean the revelation about Lizzy does not change anything between us?" Jane teased her love.
"Not in the least, just like it changed nothing for you with the way you see you sister," Andrew stated firmly. "She is not the one to whom I am betrothed." Andrew waggled his eyebrows. "I think I need to talk to your father, Janie."
"Wait here, I will ask Papa to join you." Jane kissed her betrothed's cheek and was gone before Andrew could react.
Not many minutes later Bennet joined him in the study and took a seat behind his desk. "Do you have a question for me Andrew?"
"I do Mr. Bennet, Uncle Thomas," Andrew began. "Jane did me the greatest honour in accepting my hand in marriage, so I now request your consent and blessing to marry Jane."
"I thought you were requesting a courtship," Bennet asked with raised eyebrows.
"So did I, until I was informed a courtship was superfluous," Andrew informed Bennet.
"Rather than run afoul of my eldest, you have both Son, welcome to the family." Bennet rose and offered his soon-to-be son his hand and the two shook hands heartily.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
William Collins had graduated the seminary and taken orders. He could not understand why no one at any of the livings he applied for would offer him more than a trial curacy. He was better than a curate.
His dearly departed father, who had passed away two years previously had always told him this so it must be true. He would try one more parish, he had read a notice that the Longbourn church was interviewing clergymen to fill the soon to be vacant living as the incumbent was retiring.
He debated for some time as it was the parish attached to the estate that his father had told him had been stolen from him by the Bennets daring to sire a son. In the end his need for a position won out, so he started the journey from Loughborough, the last opening he had not been awarded.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Jane looked at her beloved Andrew when he and her father entered the drawing room. Andrew was grinning from ear to ear like the cat that got the cream which told Jane his petition had been granted. Bennet asked Jane to join him. "It is my pleasure to tell you that Andrew has requested Jane's hand in marriage, and she replied in the affirmative. We congratulate both of you as we know you will be happy together," Bennet intoned.
"I know you could not be such a wonderful person for nothing Jane," Fanny told her as she enfolded her daughter in arms and kissed her on each of her cheeks.
"At last, I will not be the only brother," Tommy exclaimed.
"You could not have chosen a better woman for your betrothed," Elizabeth told Andrew as she hugged him. He was mobbed by Mary, Kitty, and Lydia as soon as Elizabeth moved aside.
"Jane you are gifting us with such an honourable and good new brother," Elizabeth told Jane as they sisters hugged one another tightly.
"Have you two decided on a date for your wedding yet?" Fanny asked.
"That is not a discussion we have had yet," Jane acknowledged.
"On the morrow, I return to Town, and I will inform my parents of our happy news," Andrew stated. We are all headed into Kent soon thereafter. When we return to London, if you are ready for some guests Aunt Fanny, we will join you here the day after we return from Kent."
"You should know by now you and your family are welcome any time we are in residence, and I think from now on you need to call me Mother Fanny," Fanny told her daughter's betrothed.
"Bennet is good for me," Bennet clarified before anyone suggested a different appellation for Andrew to use for him.
"Thomas," Fanny got her husband's attention softly, "will you join me in the study please?" Bennet noticed the letter in his wife's hand.
"Who is the letter from Fanny?" Bennet asked after he closed the door to the study.
"It is from Priscilla's parents, her mother to be exact," Fanny revealed.
"We expected they would suddenly try and make contact after their name was dragged through the mud at Holder Heights," Bennet stated.
"You are correct, Husband," Fanny averred, "and we all agreed how to treat the expected self-serving letter when it came."
"You will send it back, will you not?" Bennet verified.
"Absolutely yes," Fanny replied emphatically. Fanny handed the offending missive to the butler and instructed him to have it returned from whence it came.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The butler at Jersey House delivered the post and placed it on the master's desk as he did every day. When Lord Jersey sat down, the first letter he spied was the one his wife wrote to their daughter, returned unopened.
Getting out of the trouble was not going to be as simple as a letter to their eldest daughter after sixteen years of no contact. The Earl went to find his wife so they could find a solution to their problem as the Duke of Bedford was due to call on the morrow and they had hoped they would have good news from Priscilla by then.