Chapter 28
On Wednesday morning, the Fitzwilliams and Carringtons present were visiting the Darcys and Bennets when the Prince stopped by after a meeting at Buckingham House with his parents and siblings.
His other brothers and sisters who were in Town were informed they had a hitherto unknown niece and were keen to meet Princess Elizabeth and introduce her to her cousins. The King and Queen told their son that a royal notice would appear in the papers later that day in the evening editions announcing Princess Elizabeth Priscilla Francine and recognising her as a full and legitimate grandchild.
"It seems that Lizzy's introduction to the King and Queen could not have gone better," Matlock stated before the Prince could inform the group of the impending notice in the papers.
"Very true, except I believe Bennet has omitted to share his news with you. Will you tell them or should I Sir Thomas?" The Prince was distracted momentarily as Bennet rolled his eyes.
"Did the King knight our friend?" Holder asked.
"And how is it you never mentioned anything after your return from Buckingham House?" Darcy added.
"Bennet was not knighted, my father awarded him a hereditary baronet in thanks for looking after his granddaughter all of the years," the Prince informed the group.
"Lady Francine," Lady Elaine stated, "how well that sounds."
"York, were you aware your father was going to bestow a title on Bennet?" Holder asked.
"No, I truly was not aware until the Lord Chamberlain had Bennet kneel. Even though Bennet and Fanny protested the need to honour them thusly, in my opinion they deserve that and more." The Prince looked at Bennet in challenge daring his daughter's adopted father to gainsay him.
Bennet raised his hands in surrender. "It is not something I wanted, imagined, or needed. However, one does not tell the King they are not willing to accept an award from him," Bennet stated stoically.
"Poor Sir William and Lady Lucas. They thrived on the fact they were the only titled ones in the neighbourhood—that is until Uncle Freddy was revealed to be a Prince—then all of the titled visitors in the neighbourhood made them feel their own insignificance," Fanny told the group. "They told us that at least they were the only citizens of the area with titles, but now we are above them not to mention what they will say when they find out our Lizzy is royalty. We will include them in our social life as we always have so they can see we are as we ever have been, and the new titles will not change us one jot."
"That reminds me," the Prince stated, "now that Lizzy is being recognised and the notice will mention her late mother I believe it is time to post Priscilla's final letter."
"You have the right of it York," Bennet agreed. He looked at his wife to gauge her opinion on the matter.
"There is no choice now," Fanny approved, "I suspected it would need to be done so I have the letter with me. I will write the direction and place it with your outgoing post Robert."
"If I may, I would like to write a note to be included with the letter to warn my daughter's grandparents not to dare approach or importune her or my wrath will be swift and great," the Prince stated firmly.
Darcy gave the Prince the use of his desk. It did not take long to write the missive as it was succinct, and the meaning conveyed could not be missed. If the Earl and Countess of Jersey ignored the warning contained in the letter, they would do so at their great peril.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The next day, the post arrived along with the previous evening's broadsheets from London at Broadhurst. As was usual, letters were placed on the master's desk by the butler and the newspapers on the table in the breakfast parlour.
Lord Jersey was enjoying his repast, trying to ignore the fact they were not welcome in society when he heard his wife gasp. "Sarah, what is it?"
"Priscilla is dead, and she had a daughter!" Lady Jersey exclaimed.
"What makes you utter such nonsense?" Lord Jersey demanded. Without another word, his wife passed him the paper open to the page she was reading.
Lord Jersey's eyes nearly popped out of his head. There was a royal decree announcing the King and Queen's acceptance of their granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth Priscilla Francine. The notice mentioned the sad passing of the Princess's mother in childbirth. There was not one word of the maternal grandparents. In the same notice, it mentioned the awarding of a baronet to Sir Thomas and Lady Francine Bennet.
"The last thing my daughter knew of us in this world is that we rejected her," Lady Jersey lamented, feeling guilt over her actions for the first time. "There is nary a mention of us, we will not be allowed to be part of our granddaughter's life."
"Pish posh," Lord Jersey returned dismissively. "The girl will be our way back into society."
After he broke his fast, as was his wont, the master of the estate repaired to his study. He did not miss Prince Frederick's seal on a thick letter. When he opened it he noted there was one sheet from the Prince and inside was a second missive, the names—that of his and his wife's names—were in the hand he recognised as his late daughter's, the direction was in a hand he did not know at all.
Lord Jersey had his wife summoned and he handed her the letter from their daughter to read before he perused the note from His Highness. Lady Sarah read aloud.
27 February 1790
Lord and Lady Jersey,
I will not use the appellation of mother and father as what you have done to me—broken with me when I needed your succour the most—are not the actions of those worthy of the name Mother and Father.
If you are reading this letter, then I did not survive the birth of my child and this will serve as a final goodbye. No matter the sex of the child, if I am alive to do so, I will use your names as the child's middle name. Sarah if it is a girl and Cyril for a boy. No matter how you have treated me, you are after all my parents and gifted me with life.
"Let me read the notice again," Lady Sarah found the page. "No Sarah in her name, I have a feeling our granddaughter demanded her name be changed once she was informed of the way we treated her mother." She returned to read the rest of the short message.
Whether or not you have my child in your lives is up to you. If you try to contact me because you are contrite for your treatment of me—your firstborn—then you will be welcomed with open arms.
If you are motivated by anything else my sister Fanny knows my wishes and you will only receive this letter when my child's existence becomes public knowledge or he/she reaches the age of eighteen, whichever occurs first.
Your heartbroken daughter,
Priscilla
Lord Jersey saw his dreams of redemption through his granddaughter crumble before his eyes, the only hope now was the letter from the Prince, mayhap there was salvation in that missive.
"I should have never acquiesced to your decree, Cyril. For shame I did not have it in me to stand up to you even when I knew it was wrong. That guilt will be with me for the rest of my day. Now I will never see my firstborn until I am granted entrance to heaven—if I am granted such," Lady Sarah stated firmly.
Without comment her husband read the note from the Prince still telling himself their—his—vindication would be contained within.
18 December 1806
London
Do not for one moment think about importuning my daughter!
If—and only if—she indicates her desire to know you—which after the way you treated her birthmother is highly unlikely—then you may approach her. If you do so without expressed invitation, the penalty I enumerated that day at Netherfield Park will be executed with immediacy.
Frederick, Prince of England, Duke of York and Albany, Earl of Ulster.
Lord Jersey's delusion of being saved evaporated as he dropped the unambiguous letter from the Prince. He felt a burning pain in his left arm, followed by a massive and excruciating pain in his chest. He pitched forward, his head bouncing on his desk before falling to the floor. His eyes were unseeing before his head hit the hard floor of his study.
For some moments Lady Jersey sat motionless. Her husband was not moving at all and it took her a little while before she summoned the strength to call out. The footman on duty outside the study looked in and on seeing the master lying prostrate on the floor, he made haste to summon the butler and housekeeper. Before making for the study, the butler sent the footman to request the local physician come to Broadhurst with all speed.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
There was insistent knocking at Darcy House later that afternoon. Mr. Killion showed Wes into the drawing room where the Bennets, Darcys, and the Prince were seated. No one missed the look of anguish on young De Melville's face.
"I must to Broadhurst, my father is no more," Wes reported.
"You have our deepest sympathy, Lord Jersey," the Prince spoke for all.
"Marie, her husband, and I depart within the hour. I am sure you will not want to, but I had to ask, Lizzy would you like to be with the family?" Wes asked.
Elizabeth looked to her adoptive parents and her birthfather for guidance. "It is your choice, Lizzy," Fanny informed her.
"It seems I must go, if for no other reason to support my aunt and uncles. I would feel better if we all make the journey together," Elizabeth stated contemplatively.
"Darcy, may we leave the rest of our children here so Fanny and I may be with Lizzy?" Bennet requested.
"That goes without saying Bennet, I am sure Gigi will be very happy with the arrangement," Darcy returned with no hesitation.
"Papa and Mama, may Mary come with me please? I will feel easier to have one of my sisters with me." Elizabeth asked.
"Of course Mary may join us," Fanny granted.
"I will join you as well," the Prince stated.
So it was within the hour, a caravan of coached departed London for Broadhurst.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
It was dark when the convoy passed the gateposts of Broadhurst which had been draped with black cloth. The full moon enabled the drivers to press on safely—albeit slower—and removed the need to stop an inn overnight.
Marie and Wes were the first to enter the house and found their mother sitting with the late father in the largest of the drawing rooms. He was in a coffin with the top not in place. Wes was about to warn his mother about how much Lizzy looked like her late daughter when the dowager countess heard voices in the hall and stood to welcome the guests to her home. Even in mourning Lady Sarah's instincts as a hostess kicked in.
Luckily Wes was close to his mother when she spied Elizabeth. Lady Sarah fainted dead away thinking the spectre of her late daughter had come to haunt her for the cruelty she had visited on her daughter all those years ago.
Wes caught his mother before she fell to the hard marble floor of the hallway. She was placed in an armchair in the drawing room opposite as the housekeeper revived her mistress with salts. It was all the housekeeper could do not to faint away herself when she saw the young lady who was the image of Lady Priscilla.
When their mother started to revive, Wes and Marie waited until she had her wits about her and were about to tell her about Lizzy. "Priscilla is dead, how is it I saw her just now?" Lady Sarah asked her voice quavering.
"Mother we wanted to tell you before you saw her, that is your granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth, not our sister Priscilla. You needed to be prepared for the fact that Lizzy is an almost exact copy of her late birthmother," Marie informed her mother gently.
"Why does everyone refer to Priscilla as her birthmother? I noticed her father said the same in his short note of warning," Lady Sarah asked.
Wes and Marie informed the mother about the newly elevated Bennets and the fact they had raised Elizabeth, with the Prince's full approval, so they were acknowledged by all—from the King on down—as her parents.
Once Lady Sarah assimilated the information, she looked from son to daughter. "I thought I would never see your two again," she shared as she stopped holding back her tears.
"Mother we knew you had to follow father's edicts. I am loathe to talk ill of one who had just passed away, but we all know you had not choice but to follow him once he made the decision to cut Priscilla. We have explained this to Lizzy on our way here, and at the very least she will meet you," Wes explained.
"You are the earl now my son," Lady Sarah stated almost absent mindedly. "You will be a good steward of the earldom Wesley; of that I am sure."
"Would you like to meet your granddaughter?" Marie asked. Lady Sarah simply nodded not trusting herself to speak at that moment.
Not many minutes later, Elizabeth, her adoptive parents, Mary, and the Prince entered the drawing room. "Will you introduce us please Wes," Elizabeth requested.
"Your Royal Highness, Sir Thomas and Lady Francine Bennet, Miss Bennet, my mother, Lady Sarah De Melville, Dowager Countess of Jersey. Mother your granddaughter Elizabeth, her parents Thomas and Fanny Bennet and her younger sister Mary," Wes intoned.
"Your Highness, you look just like my Priscilla," Lady Sarah marvelled at the vision before her as the green intelligent eyes watched her intently. "I wish I was able to apologise to Priscilla. Even though I knew my late husband's decision was cruel, I ceased objecting when he commanded it should be so. I should have…" Whatever Lady Sarah was about to say died on her lips as Elizabeth sat next to her on the settee and placed her hand on her grandmother's arm.
"I forgive you grandmother, as I am sure my birthmother would have as well," Elizabeth granted. Her statement caused Lady Sarah to sob with great wracking sobs as she understood how many years had been wasted by her not standing up to her husband.
"I am so very sorry," Lady Sarah managed as her sobs subsided.
The funeral service was the following day, the day Elizabeth was supposed to have tea with her other grandmother, which had been rescheduled for the following week before the Bennets and the rest of their party were to return home to Netherfield Park for Christmastide.
It was a small group of men who attended the service and interment. On Monday morning everyone began the journey back to London—including Lady Sarah.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
It did not take long for word to be disseminated that Lady Sarah was accepted as a full member of society once again and had fully reconciled with her children and granddaughter. Any who had residual doubts were convinced when two days after returning to London, Lady Sarah would have been one of the party who attended the tea with the Queen at Buckingham House if not for being in deep mourning.
The tea was reported to have been an absolute success. It was soon known far and wide how impressed her Majesty had been with her granddaughter, her adoptive sisters, Lady Cassie, Miss Anne de Bourgh and Miss Georgiana Darcy's musical talent. Not only the playing, but the singing voices of the girls, especially when the Bennet sisters combined for a song and harmonised perfectly.
Lady Sarah was invited to reclaim her position of one of the patronesses of Almack's, but she demurred claiming she had much time to catch up on in getting to know her granddaughter and her family, and besides she would be in deep mourning for a full six month.
By the time the convoy of carriages departed London that Thursday, the denizens of Meryton and the surrounding area were on tenterhooks waiting to call on their elevated friends and the Princess who had been in their midst for so many years with no clue to any of them.
Sir William and Lady Lucas finally accepted the honour Sir William had received from the King was the lowest on the rung of those available and decided they should follow the example of many they had met, and be accepted for who they were, not what title they held. None at Lucas Lodge missed the knowing smile Charlotte sported as she waited to meet her friend again now that the truth was known by all and no longer needed to be hidden.
At Netherfield Park, the four Gardiner children could not wait to see their cousin, the Princess, again. Their parents pointed out it was the same Lizzy they had known the whole of their lives who would be arriving home that day. That did not dim the excitement of the four young Gardiners who were excited to see Princess Lizzy.