Chapter 27
Once the celebration of Jane and Andrew's wedding was complete and the guests departed, only the four Rhys-Davies remained at Netherfield Park along with the extended family. "It will take some getting used to not seeing Jane here with her sisters and brother," Fanny waxed.
"That it will," Bennet agreed. He had no doubt Jane was with the man she was supposed to be with, but that did not stop the feeling that a small part of his heart was missing.
"Elizabeth, you remember you met the Duke, Duchess, and Marquis before we departed for the church, do you not?" Fanny reminded her daughter.
"Yes, Mama, I do," Elizabeth replied.
"Lady Rose is a cousin to your grandmother," Fanny did not miss Elizabeth bristle as she assumed the wrong grandmother, so she added quickly, "Your paternal grandmother, Queen Charlotte."
It was easy to see how Elizabeth visibly relaxed. "It is good to make the acquaintance of more cousins, your Graces," Elizabeth allowed.
"The pleasure is ours Your Royal Highness," Lady Rose returned. Elizabeth had tried not to think too much about her rank, but it was at that moment she assimilated the fact she was higher than a duke and duchess.
After hearing of the musical prowess of the family, Lady Rose requested the young ladies exhibit for her. The Rhys-Davies and Wes on hearing the performances of the young ladies realised if anything, their abilities had been understated. The singing, especially Elizabeth's, was sublime.
"Your mother will enjoy her granddaughter's accomplishments greatly, Cousin," Lady Rose remarked to the Prince.
"You will not hear me dissent, Cousin Rose," the Prince agreed. "All I can hope is that my parents are not too angry with me for hiding their granddaughter's existence from them for so long."
"I agree with your opinion that His Majesty will remove Elizabeth from the line of succession therefore, it is my opinion the King and Queen will not be too put out," Bedford surmised.
"Will you bring your daughter with you when you travel to Buckingham House on the morrow?" Lady Rose asked.
"No. If my parents want to meet her—as I assume they will—I will send an express to Bennet and he and the whole family will travel to London," the Prince averred. "Once her existence becomes public knowledge, the royal guard around her will no longer have to be disguised as footmen and outriders."
"I have a suggestion," Darcy stated. "Why do we not all travel to London? The Bennets can stay with us at Darcy House or across the square at Matlock House, not to mention Holder House. That way their Majesties will not have to wait a day to meet their granddaughter."
"Unless there is an objection," Bennet replied thankfully, "we will take you up on your invitation, Darcy."
"What about your aversion to Town, Papa?" Elizabeth challenged with arched eyebrow.
"I will survive, Lizzy. I know Darcy House's library is not Pemberley, but if I know my friend here, it is impressively stocked and will give me much reading material," Bennet told his daughter.
"As we are to travel, I have much to arrange," Fanny stood and was followed out by Ladies Elaine and Edith.
"We are for Town, but as soon as you know the schedule of events with the royals, let us know as we would have you all for dinner at Bedford House on Russell Square," Lady Rose requested.
Not long after the Rhys-Davies departed for London, Wes De Melville with them.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
"Sarah are you sure our children will relent?" Lord Jersey asked his wife as they sat in their lonely house. It had been many months since they had received any invitations or received a response to one they issued.
"Of course they will," Lady Jersey replied with far more conviction than she actually felt. "Why did we not wait to see if they royals required us to break with Priscilla before we did so?"
"You were sure we were doing the right thing to protect our social position and look at where we are now. We are pariahs!" Lord Jersey spat out.
Deep down both parents knew what they had done to their daughter when she needed their support the most was neither moral nor correct, but they would neither allow themselves to admit such to each other, never mind anyone else.
If Lord Jersey was honest with himself, he would have admitted that there was a determination in his younger two children. No matter what his wife had said with bravado, Lord Cyril De Melville had a feeling that they had lost their two remaining children as well.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The carriages arrived at Darcy House just after midday on Tuesday. The Killions, Darcy House's butler and housekeeper, were waiting on the top step of the entrance to the house by the time the footmen placed the steps and opened the doors.
It was the first time the Bennets had been to Darcy House and were very impressed at the understated elegance of the décor and furnishings of the house, which the master credited to his late wife's excellent eye for decoration. There was no doubt that everything was the best quality, but it was meant to be used in comfort, not for display.
"Uncle Robert, your house is wonderful," Elizabeth exclaimed after she returned form her bedchamber after washing and changing. By the time she arrived in her assigned chambers, Jacqui was already almost complete with the unpacking. As he always was—and now Elizabeth understood why—Mister Taylor was in a suite towards the end of the hall on the family floor.
"Thank you Lizzy, it was your Aunt Anne's pride and joy to make a comfortable home for all of us to live in," Darcy shared wistfully as he thought about his beloved wife. "She would have been most pleased to see everyone enjoying the house."
"When will be we hear from Father?" Elizabeth asked. She was full of frenetic energy and would not be able to fully relax until she knew one way or the other.
"He should have arrived at Buckingham House about the same time we arrived here," Fanny informed her daughter. "It will not be too long before we hear something."
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
"You requested to see us," the King stated. The King, Queen, and the Prince of Wales were in a parlour with Frederick.
"Yes Father, Mother, and George. I need to inform you of something. There is something I have kept from you on the strength of my late Priscilla's request. You remember some years ago I told you my beloved had passed after birthing a stillborn son?" Frederick reminded his parents and eldest brother.
"Yes Son, we remember your telling us," the King replied suspiciously. "Why do you bring this up now?"
"The account I gave you was not entirely factual," Frederick owned.
"You would never have lied about your ex-wife's death, so that means the son lived," the Queen reckoned.
"Not quite. Priscilla did not birth a still born son, she gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby girl," Frederick revealed. "She had been raised as the daughter of my Priscilla's best friend—her sister of the heart—since she was born."
"Are you telling us that a royal Princess was kidnapped? That is treason!" the King demanded.
"No father, that is most certainly not what I am telling you. Priscilla made the Bennets our daughter's guardians, so they have done nothing except fulfil the wishes of her and my wishes," Frederick explained. "In fact I issued the Bennets a royal indemnification certifying that my daughter was placed with them with my full agreement."
"Why did Priscilla not want her daughter—your daughter—to know her grandparents?" the Queen asked the hurt showing. She was a queen but also a loving grandmother.
"That is a complicated question. She did not object to your knowing Elizabeth, she only wanted her to have a chance to grow up in a loving family and not in a country house with governesses and tutors," Frederick explained. It was easy to see his parents understood the implied rebuke in his words.
"Did you know from her birth?" the Prince of Wales asked insightfully.
"No, I was not to be told until she was eighteen to make sure she was allowed to be raised as Priscilla desired, however…" Frederick told of the reasons for the disclosures more than eleven years ago.
"So now we understand why you spend so much of your time in Hertfordshire," the Queen stated. "Has your daughter ever been in London?"
"No, Mother. Today is her first time. She is the splitting image of her mother, which is what led the late Lady Anne and Lady Elaine to instantly know whose daughter she was. It is less than a sennight since my daughter was told of her true parentage. She is extremely angry—almost as much as I am—at her maternal grandparents and has no desire to know them." Frederick took a pause to calm down as his anger at the Earl and Countess of Jersey boiled up again.
"Brother are you telling me your former wife's parents do not know their daughter has been dead these sixteen years or more?" the Prince of Wales asked.
"Yes, until recently the Marchioness of Birchington and Viscount Westmore did not know either. When they came to apologise to Priscilla and beg her pardon, they were informed and have met Elizabeth, as have the Duke and Duchess of Bedford and their heir," Frederick informed his family members.
"Technically she is fourth in line for the throne but given that her birth was after the divorce I will not anger the church, so she is removed from the line of succession," the King decreed.
"It was expected Father, in fact she has been told it would be so. When you meet her you will see titles, pomp, and ceremony are not the things that interest her. She and her sisters are wonderful musicians. My daughter also has the voice of an angel and can speak many more languages than I," Frederick owned.
"Then her education has not been neglected?" the King asked.
"Not at all, the opposite is true. She is as educated as any man I know. She debates rings around the Darcy heir who has just completed his additional studies at Cambridge. My daughter is beautiful inside and out, my natural bias notwithstanding," Frederick reported proudly.
The Queen looked at the King who nodded. "We will recognise Princess Elizabeth as our granddaughter with all rights and privileges of a Princess of England except her ineligibility to be part of the line of succession. When may we meet our granddaughter?" the Queen asked.
"Before you answer that, is she not angry with us for forcing the divorce on you and your Priscilla, Frederick?" The King asked.
"She is not, and you have her birthmother to thank for that…" Frederick explained what Priscilla had written and her explanation of the King's duty to crown and country.
"We are very sorry she is no longer with us; she was an exceptional lady. What were Jersey and his wife thinking? Did they not know what we did, we did for England and not to be cruel? No parent should have done what they did, to abandon their daughter when she needed their support the most," the King mused. "We are tired, we will go rest."
Once his father had left the parlour, Frederick turned to his mother to address her question. "May we bring her on the morrow, Mother?" Frederick requested. The Queen nodded her assent. "Would ten o'clock be agreeable to you?" The Queen nodded again.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
"The King raised the spectre of treason?" Bennet asked with no little trepidation.
"It took me less than a minute to point out the truth of the matter to my father and he understands it was with my full permission and approval Elizabeth was raised by you and Fanny. It was very much as I predicted. Lizzy is not part of the line of succession. Other than that, she will be recognised as a legitimate Princess of England." Frederick went on to tell Bennet, Fanny, and Darcy about his meeting and also the King's sentiments regarding the Earl and Countess of Jersey.
"It is only right they should suffer now after the way they treated their own flesh and blood!" Fanny stated vehemently. "As she had stated she wants nothing to do with them, what will happen if they try and importune Lizzy?"
"Then I will partly execute my threat. I will have the Earl and Countess stripped of their titles, but rather than confiscate their lands, Wes will be elevated to Earl as soon as it happens—if they are ill advised-enough to attempt such a thing," the Prince stated emphatically.
"Who will be with us when we meet the King and Queen on the morrow?" Bennet asked.
"All of the Bennets, excepting the newlyweds. They know Jane is on her honeymoon in East Sussex," the Prince averred.
"Let us inform the children of their meeting with the monarchs on the morrow," Fanny suggested.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
At a few minutes past ten, the Lord Chamberlain showed the Bennets into the receiving room in Buckingham House. It was the most ornate room any of them had ever seen with gold everywhere. On the opposite wall were two thrones, both had gold frames with red velvet upholstery. The King was seated on their right and the Queen on their left.
Prince Frederick stood next to his father and to his right was a large rotund man the Bennet parents assumed was the Prince of Wales. Elizabeth walked between her parents as they approached the thrones with her sisters and brother walking behind them.
When the Lord Chamberlain indicated they should stop, all seven genuflected to the King and Queen. "We welcome you to Buckingham House Mr. and Mrs. Bennet," the King intoned. "And especially you Princess Elizabeth. We welcome the Misses Bennet and Master Bennet too." The King turned to Frederick. "From what we remember of the late Lady Priscilla, you are correct Frederick, our granddaughter is a true likeness of her mother."
"You mean her birthmother, Father. Mrs. Bennet is Princess Elizabeth's mother." Frederick pointed out; the King allowed it was so.
"Approach Granddaughter," the Queen ordered. "We do not bite." Elizabeth approached the Queen's throne until she was a foot away. "You did not exaggerate Son; your daughter is a true beauty." The Queen turned back to Elizabeth. "We have a daughter Elizabeth, so when you visit us there will be two Princesses Elizabeth at court."
"I am sure we can find a solution that will not cause confusion your majesty," Elizabeth stated without fear for the person she was addressing.
"What is your full name child," the Queen asked.
"Elizabeth Priscilla Francine," Elizabeth replied.
"It is good your name honours both your birthmother and your mother," the Queen opined. The Queen turned to her second son. "She is delightful Frederick." Then her Majesty turned back to her granddaughter. "Welcome to the family Beth. We will call you Beth so we do not confuse you with our daughter Elizabeth." The Queen stood and opened her arms for her granddaughter and bestowed a warm hug upon Elizabeth.
As the Queen sat, the King held out his hand and Elizabeth kissed her grandfather's hand. She backed away and re-joined her parents. "Our son had told us of the love and care you have shown our granddaughter," the King stated. "We are to reward you."
"With all due respect your Royal Majesty. Nothing we did was done with an eye to a reward. It was done out of love and to honour the dying wish of my best friend in the whole world," Fanny informed the monarch.
"We are well aware you did nothing expecting a reward, but it our prerogative to grant you one," the King returned.
The Lord Chamberlain instructed Bennet to kneel in front of the King. "I grant you a hereditary baronet." The King stood and tapped Bennet on the shoulder with a ceremonial sword. "Arise Sir Thomas."
"Lady Francine, our son has told us our granddaughter is most accomplished as are her adopted sisters, we invite you and your daughters to tea, two days hence at eleven. My lady in waiting, the Duchess of Kent, will send you all the pertinent details." The Queen had issued an invitation but Fanny—Lady Francine—was well aware it was a summons not an invitation.
"It will be our pleasure your Majesty. As you are a connoisseur of music, may I be so bold as to suggest Ladies Matlock and Holder and their daughters be included as well as Miss Darcy?" Fanny replied.
"We will have our lady send invitations to them as well. We understand our Cousin Rose was at your eldest daughter's recent wedding." Fanny nodded. "We will invite our cousin and her daughter-in-law as well," the Queen decided.
After the Bennets backed out of the receiving room, they were joined by Frederick. "Did you know the King was going to award me a baronet?" Bennet asked.
"It was as much a surprise to me as it was to you," the Prince averred.
"Well then Lady Francine, I think it is time to return to Darcy House to prepare for the dinner at Bedford House this evening," Sir Thomas stated.
"Papa, am I Sir Tommy now?" the youngest Bennet asked.
"No Son, one day when you inherit Longbourn, you will become Sir Tommy," Bennet explained. Thankfully Tommy did not ask any follow up questions.
With the Prince accompanying them, the Bennets departed Buckingham House for Darcy House.