Chapter 22
A few days before the family was to arrive, Bennet met with the man who was applying to replace the parson at Longbourn—his distant cousin, William Collins. Luckily for Collins, his rejection for every position he applied for had taught him some genuine humility.
"Mr. Collins, there is a reason no one will offer you a living fresh out of seminary and taking your orders," Bennet explained gently. "You are unproven. Unfortunately, only one with little sense would award a green clergyman a living. Before we proceed I need to clear something up."
"What is that Cousin?" Collins asked.
"After my son was born, your late father was rather abusive and made veiled threats against my boy. If your aim is to come here to try and remove the impediment for you to become the heir presumptive to Longbourn, I will find out soon enough and it will not go well for you," Bennet stated, matter of factually.
"My father was disappointed as his hopes of becoming a landed gentleman—for himself or myself—were dashed the day the notice of your son's birth was received. Yes he blustered, but I convinced him that it must be the will of God a Bennet was to remain at the helm of Longbourn," Collins related. "I read over all of the entail paperwork and unlike him I understood even if one of the Collins was to inherit, he would have only the land and future earnings, nothing from before is part of the entail, and that was my father's dream, which died the day I explained it to him."
"You are happy to be a clergyman and know that unless God takes our Tommy from us, you will never be master of Longbourn?" Bennet pressed.
"Yes Cousin. I am here to apply for a clerical position, not to become master of Longbourn," Collins vowed.
"In that case, I will accept you as a curate, with an eye to receiving the living when Mr. Dudley retires in less than a year. You will receive a cottage with all meals included and five pounds a month on top of that. If you accept, you will learn from Mr. Dudley who has close to forty years in the pulpit," Bennet offered. "Do you accept my terms?"
Collins had finally accepted he would not immediately receive a living and what his cousin was offering him was two to three times as generous as he had been proffered anywhere else he had applied, so he accepted happily.
He met all of his cousins the first Sunday when he was invited to dine and was taken by the beauty he saw arrayed among the Bennet sisters. He was aware only the oldest who was betrothed, was out and as much as the second daughter captivated him with her green eyes, she was not out and as the daughter of a gentleman of means was far out of his reach.
It was the first Sunday he met Miss Charlotte Lucas who was about a year older than he.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Once the date for Jane and Andrew's wedding had been decided, notice had been sent to Pemberley and Robert Darcy had departed with his daughter to collect William a week earlier than originally planned as he wanted to arrive at Netherfield Park well ahead of the festivities which would include a betrothal ball.
The Darcys arrived on the first Wednesday in December. The coach had barely stopped, and the footman managed to open the door when Georgiana was out of the interior as if shot out a cannon. It had been some months since she had been at Netherfield and had missed all of the Bennet offspring greatly.
As much as she wanted to spend time with her best friends, she was also looking forward to taking up her lessons with the masters again as she would remain with the Bennets while her father was in London for part of the season after Twelfth Night.
"I have missed all of you so much," Georgiana stated as she hugged each Bennet child in order, even—to his dismay—Tommy who was at the stage when he found girls strange foreign creatures.
"It is good to see you again Gigi," Jane stated for herself and her siblings.
"In less than a fortnight you will make us all cousins when you marry Andrew," Georgiana gushed.
Robert and William Darcy stood back as the whirlwind that was Gigi made her way greeting everyone. After Andrew, she moved to the Bennet and Fitzwilliam parents and ended with Uncle Freddy. She missed her Aunt Catherine who was standing a little away from the main group.
"Welcome Robert and William," Fanny stated once Georgiana had moved off with Kitty and Lydia.
"You would swear Gigi had not been here in a few years, not a few months," Darcy observed.
William greeted each one in turn, wishing Jane and Andrew on their betrothal as it was the first time he had seen them since that joyous day. "How are you Lizzy?" William asked not missing the blush on her beautiful face as he took her hand in his and bestowed a gentle kiss on the back of one of her hands.
"Ehem, I am well, thank you, William," the discomposed young lady responded. It was at that moment William saw that Elizabeth may have tender feelings for him like he had for her.
After I wash and change will you be in the library? There are some new works by Byron I would like to see if you have read," William asked.
"Yes, I believe I will be there, with Jane and Andrew," Elizabeth replied, her eyes not quite meeting William's.
William next wished Richard and Anne on their betrothals. Both thanked him. It was then he noticed his Aunt Catherine standing off the side. "Aunt Catherine, I want you to know that my mother would be so very happy at the changes you have made in your life. She would be proud of you." William hugged his aunt and was genuinely happy to see her for the first time in many years.
It had taken the Bennet parents and the Prince to accept that the Catherine who had arrived with the Fitzwilliams was the same woman who had barged into Pemberley making demands, lying, and insulting everyone. They had heard the reports of her reformation, but until they saw it for themselves, and heard the absolute contrition in her apologies, they had been a little sceptical.
The six adults standing together were watching the interaction between Elizabeth and William, shook their heads, and remembered the perspicacity of the late Anne Darcy. "My Anne knew what she was about," Darcy said softly so only those right next to him would hear. "I should have known better than to think she was incorrect about those two."
"We need to talk in privacy as soon as we can now that Robert is here," Bennet told the others in their group. It was agreed they would meet in the master suite's sitting room in an hour.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Edward Gardiner was impressed. Seldom was he proved so wrong, but in the short time George Wickham had been an employee there was no task too menial for him to do, no hours to long for him to toil, and the man was intelligent.
He had caught onto what was needed in his position of a clerk in a fraction of the time others trained in the same position had done so. Not only that, but the man was good at solving issues which would otherwise have taken Gardiner's own time to solve.
Gardiner was not proud of it, but he had placed temptation in young Wickham's way. His purse had dropped out of his pocket onto the floor. There was more than twenty pounds in notes, two guineas, and some coin in the purse. Wickham had discovered it when he was alone in that section of the office. He had picked it up and found Mr. Gardiner and returned it without delay and without opening it to see how much was within.
His employer had thanked him and rewarded his honestly with a single guinea. Gardiner knew he would need to watch the man over the longer term to see if he was genuine or if he was acting a part to gain access to greater amounts to steal. His gut told him it was the former not the latter.
Before Gardiner, his wife, and four children departed for Netherfield Park, he put Wickham in charge of two other clerks. He spoke to his manager and told him to keep a weather eye as he wanted to know how the young man did when not under the owner's constant supervision.
By ten that morning, the Gardiner carriages were on their way to Netherfield Park bringing the family to the ball, wedding, and Christmastide. Gardiner had a report on both the Bennets' and Lizzy's investment portfolios. After sixteen years of wise investments the over three hundred thousand pounds Lizzy had inherited now was over a half million pounds as of the drafting of the report.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
"Elaine and Reggie, you asked us to meet. Is there a specific worry we need to address?" Fanny asked.
"We think it is time," Matlock stated without preamble. "In less than four months Lizzy will be seventeen. She should be told the truth. You all know how intelligent she is, and especially now as there seems to be a mutual attraction between her and William, we—Elaine and I—do not think you are protecting Lizzy any longer but may be hurting her not telling her the truth."
"Why now Matlock?" the Prince asked.
"Richard has been aware of the truth these past three years, then Jane was told, and now Andrew is aware. Richard does not want secrets between he and Cassie, just like Jane did not want before she and Andrew began their betrothal," Lady Elaine explained.
"You think the more people know, other than Lizzy, and I suppose William, it will come out and then there will be anger at us hiding this from her for so long," Fanny surmised.
"What about you Freddy? Will your parents try and force their will on Lizzy at this stage?" Darcy asked. "I do agree it is time. She is an extremely intelligent young lady and I believe she will understand all, especially as you have a letter from Priscilla for her."
"At this stage," the Prince stated thoughtfully, "if Elizabeth wants to be known to them, they will defer to my judgement. My father still feels much guilt after forcing the divorce on Priscilla and I so that more than anything else will stay his hand. When she is ready they will welcome her as a granddaughter, but I told you what Father will do regarding the line of succession."
"Not to mention that William will have to come to terms with her true rank and wealth," Fanny stated. "Today they are equal, mayhap William believes his position is slightly better, but after her true parentage and rank are revealed, he may not think himself worthy of one so high."
"What of the younger children Fanny?" Bennet asked.
"If we decide now is the time, then we will need to talk to them after Lizzy has been told depending on what her reaction is," Fanny responded.
"Do we need to wait for Edith and Paul—who also agree it is time—or are we all in agreement?" Elaine asked.
"It is time," the Prince stated.
"When should we talk to her?" Bennet asked.
"I suggest William be with us when she finds out, he needs to know and she may draw strength from him being present," Fanny opined. "If they are to have a chance at a mutual future she needs to know he knew nothing and is not interested in her for any reason but love and respect."
"The Carringtons will be here on Friday, I see no harm in waiting until they are present," Bennet recommended. "We will of course include Catherine."
"Yes," Matlock agreed, "we want her to know she is not excluded from the bosom of the family."
"Are you sure your sister does not want me to reinstate her title?" the Prince asked.
"No Freddy, she was adamant," Lady Elaine stated. "She loves her life as it is now without any courtesy title." Then the Countess got a malevolent look on her mien. "Let is hope the De Melvilles so something to cause you to strip their titles. We are not sending their letter yet, are we?"
"Only if the news of Lizzy's existence becomes public knowledge, otherwise they will wait until she is eighteen," Bennet stated with purpose.
"I agree with Thomas," Fanny stated. "We have all been through this together so there is no pressing reason not to wait and it will relieve Richard of the need to keep this secret from Cassie for one more day." Then Fanny had a thought. "Most of you do not know this, but Mrs. Nichols was witness to all that day, I think she should be included to answer any questions Lizzy may have." There were nods from the others in the sitting room.
So it was agreed. There would be a meeting two days hence after dinner.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Andrew, Richard, and Jane were summoned to the master suite thinking it had something to do with their resent betrothals—which in a roundabout way it did. The Bennet and Fitzwilliam parents were waiting for them. Richard closed the door and the three took seats.
"We will be revealing Elizabeth's true parentage to her, and William too, on Friday after dinner," Bennet informed the three who were party to the secret without any preamble.
"Why now, Papa," Jane asked, "it is only a little more than a year before Lizzy is eighteen."
"The circle of those who know is ever widening…" All four parents told the three about the meeting and the decisions taken.
"It makes sense," Andrew postulated as he unconsciously held Jane's hand. "Lizzy has more than enough maturity to assimilate the information."
"Poor William," Richard pointed out. "He is going to be flummoxed. I will wager he will apologise all over again for his comments at Pemberley more than eleven years past."
"You could be correct Richard," Fanny smiled. "Another advantage is that they will both be able to become comfortable, one with the other, if this creates any distance with more than a year before Lizzy is launched into society."
"She will not be sanguine about the way the truth has been bent. She will understand that yes Papa has an aversion to Town, but not like it was made to be and it was not the main reason for her never going to London," Jane pointed out.
"I pity her De Melville Grandparents if they meet here once she understands what they did to her mother," Fanny stated. "If Lizzy unleashes her anger on them once she knows she is a Princess of England, they will pray for her father to take them to task in comparison."
"The Christian thing to do would be to forgive them," Jane highlighted.
"If they had shown any contrition for what they did and not just being motivated by their position in, and the opinion of, society, I would agree Jane," Andrew stated. "They had sixteen years to offer amends; they did not until they started paying a social cost."
"Thank you for not making me think about keeping a secret from Cassie." Richard felt a sense of relief, he hated keeping secrets from the woman he loved beyond all others.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
"Charles," Caroline Bingley whined, "when will you take me to Town? How will I meet men of the first circles when we only associate with tradesmen?"
"Do I need to point out to you Sister that I am a tradesman, as is Uncle who is your guardian," Bingley pointed out. He had lost count how many times he had this conversation, or a variation of it with his pretentious harpy of a younger sister.
"How could our father make another man stinking of active trade my guardian," Miss Bingley complained. "Mother would have never…"
"As it was not her choice, but rather father's, what you were about to say is as irrelevant as it has been each time we have had the self-same conversation," Bingley sighed with frustration. "If you continue in this vein I will not take you with me when I take up a lease at the estate in another year or so. Before you tell me I will need a hostess, I will simply request that Louisa and Hurst join me, and she will be my hostess."
As she always did, as soon as he brother issued this threat, Miss Bingley subsided. Her brother refused to introduce her to anyone other than the nobody Jamison friend of his. She would do her late mother proud and find a husband of the first circles even of she needed to engineer a compromise.