Unforgivable Sinner,
Pride and Prejudice retold
She loathed the mere sight of him, he did not know she existed until she committed an unforgivable sin...
Note: My first bad Elizabeth story with an OOC Georgiana. 18 chapters, 65.6k.
Chapter 1 Obligation.
Chapter 2 Shallow.
Chapter 3 The Raven's Cliff.
Chapter 4 New acquaintance
Chapter 5 Fool's Errand
Chapter 6 Disruption of Peace.
Chapter 7 The Scottish Border.
Chapter 8 The Long Journey Home
Chapter 9 Residual Brokenness.
Chapter 10 The Comfort of Home
Chapter 11 Unexpected Visitors
Chapter 12 An Unpleasant Guest
Chapter 13 A Ball to Remember.
Chapter 14 Reconciliation.
Chapter 15 To Strain at Gnats and Swallow Camels
Chapter 16 Matters of the Heart.
Chapter 17 Forgiven
Chapter 18 Loves Beauty.
Chapter 1 Obligation
"Jane!"
"Jane, I need you to attend me immediately. Mrs Hill has been searching all over the house for you."
"I beg your pardon, mama. Lizzy and I were weeding in the rose garden."
"Come inside," Mrs Bennet urged yet remained on the front steps of Longbourn house. "I have great news for you, Jane. Mr Bennet has received a letter from Mr Gardiner. Mrs Gardiner has been unwell for a while and wants you to come to London and aid her recovery. She had whooping cough this spring and her convalescence is dragging out. Mr Gardiner is very busy with his warehouses and cannot afford to spend much time at home with his wife."
Elizabeth wondered why her mother had bothered calling Jane inside when she had related the news on the front step, even Mrs Gardiner's illness.
"Is not whooping cough a childhood disease?"
"It is regarded as such but you can catch it as an adult. It is usually much more severe when you are grown. I guess she contracted it from one of her little ones. Thank heavens, my daughters are all grown up."
Elizabeth thought the last statement was debatable but voiced nothing out loud. Instead, she dragged her mother inside before she revealed more family matters before anyone who happened to pass by. Her mother's shrill voice did carry a long way...
Jane waited until she was inside before she answered her mother's question.
"Oh, it is Lizzy's turn to go. I was there at the beginning of the new year. I cannot possibly usurp my sister's turn?"
"I guess Lizzy would do as well. Perhaps it is better. I am not sure if I can spare you, Jane. Now that I come to think of it. Yes, I will tell Mr Bennet to write to Mr Gardiner."
"You better write to him yourself if you do not want my coming instead of Jane to be a complete surprise on arrival."
"I guess you are right, Lizzy. Mr Bennet is not fond of writing letters. I shall write to Madeline myself, at this very moment. Be a dear and fetch me my writing supplies, Lizzy. The ink well in the parlour is empty again."
Elizabeth nodded and ran up the stairs to do her mother's bidding.
"No running inside the house, Lizzy. You must remember to act like a lady!" Mrs Bennet bellowed up the stairs, making her daughter roll her eyes before she continued up the treads at a slightly slower pace.
"What is all the ruckus about?"
Mr Bennet stuck his head out of the door of his study as Lizzy was skipping down the stairs.
"Mama has decided that I should go to visit my aunt and uncle instead of Jane. She needed more ink..."
"Can you fetch it quietly? I am trying to read my book."
"Certainly, Papa." Elizabeth walked quietly passed him and entered the parlour creating a perfect portrait of an exaggerated well-behaved lady.
"That is it, my Lizzy." Her father chuckled as he closed the door to his study.
XxX
Her dear aunt and uncle did not mind at all that it was Elizabeth and not Jane who turned up at their doorstep.
Both were exceedingly grateful for her company.
It was early June and the birds were busy feeding their young in a nearby park. Mrs Gardiner, however, was not able to enjoy neither the birds nor the early flowers. Her infection had settled in the lungs. She was still suffering from shortness of breath and bouts of coughing, weeks after the fever had left. She despaired that illness had settled for good and that she would not improve. Mr Gardiner hoped that a visit from their niece at least would rally her spirits. Her children were well taken care of by their nurse and governess but Mrs Gardiner was disheartened and bored. He wished that their niece would bring her some much needed joy and entertainment. If nothing else, she could read and play the pianoforte half decent.
His guilty conscience would not mind either. He was in the middle of some vital negotiations with a promising new investor. He could afford to lose him but the prospect of expanding his business to new areas was tempting and highly profitable. With this new adventure, he was looking at early retirement in a country estate.
He had wanted to enter the palm oil import. With the wars making the trade with the continent difficult and America a risky business. He had set his eyes on Africa and bought ships at a bargain price. His coffers were not exactly empty after his latest investment but a healthy dose of fresh capital would set him up nicely without having to borrow at a high interest from one of the banks.
He had done his numbers, calculating the cost of the merchandise, shipping, depreciation, insurance, port dues, wages, trade goods, ceremonial breakfasts and dashes. It was all adding up to significant if not downright enormous profits.
Sheer luck had put him beside Charles Livingstone, the British Council for the Bight of Biafra, at a dinner party he attended. Livingstone had spoken of the West African palm oil trade and the money to be made. A seed had been sown in his mind and was now about to come to fruition. Mr Gardiner was in his ace. The gentlemen he negotiated with were young but by no means unworthy opponents.
He and his Mrs had been invited to a dinner party to seal the deal. With Elizabeth here, he could leave Madeline with her when he retired with the gentlemen to the study to sign the papers. Madeline wanted to go, despite not being entirely well. Mr Gardiner could deny his wife nothing she asked for...
~*~
Mr Gardiner could detect a small improvement in his wife's health on the first night Elizabeth was there.
She smiled more, probably at the expense of his coffers but he did not mind the small outlay.
Madeline had decided to treat Elizabeth with a new gown before their dinner engagement, a week hence. She always enjoyed being of service to others.
The dinner would proceed with cards and dancing. Madeline could not dance herself, she was too short of breath and prone to coughing but the mere thought of Elizabeth dancing was enough to bolster her spirits. The shopping was just a bonus.
As Mrs Gardiner said to herself: "If I am no longer young and vicious myself, I may relive it through my nieces."
They requested the carriage for the next day. Mr Gardiner happily granted their inquiry with some admonishment to not overtax his wife.
Madeline laughed and promise she could sit in a carriage and sit and watch at the modiste. The coughing fit that followed her laughter made Elizabeth solemnly promise to stay vigilant.
~*~
Mrs Gardiner had a specific modiste in mind when they set out the next day. Madame Celeste was a famous Bond Street modiste who could boast of several titled ladies among her clientele. She came highly recommended.
Mrs Gardiner thought it essential to look the part as well as behave the part when mingling with the upper éclat of London society. She was cognizant of her tradesman mark and had no intention of feeding the belief that they were in any way inferior in breeding nor composure.
Elizabeth was a fine young lady but she needed a little polishing. The handy down gowns from Jane had been altered but they were by no means a perfect fit nor of the latest fashion. Elizabeth did not mind, she was not obsessed with fashion like some of her younger sisters. Serviceable and comfortable was her only requirements, it would not do in this company.
The challenge was to make Elizabeth accept the fact that she needed some additions to her wardrobe and convince her to let her aunt purchase said items. Elizabeth had a frugal mind that was admirable but not strictly necessary.
Mrs Gardiner, however, had an advantage that gave her the upper hand. Elizabeth's overlooked birthday in March and her recent illness. Any excitement or exertion made her cough, even arguing with her niece to let her buy her some new attire.
Elizabeth relented, not a small feature when Elizabeth Bennet was concerned. In addition to tender-hearted, she was also headstrong and fiercely loyal to those she cared about, how little they may deserve it...
By design, they had ample time to peruse the fabrics on display before their appointment. After utilizing said time, Elizabeth had a fairly good idea of what she wanted and waited patiently for the modiste call her name.
A lady, the wife of an earl no less, came into the shop with her young niece. The girl was about to travel to the seaside but had grown so much since spring that several of her new gowns needed alterations. Mrs Gardiner graciously offered to wait on her appointment.
The Countess thanked her by making a fuss over not being served promptly despite not having made an appointment.
Mrs Gardiner knew she had been very fortunate to receive an appointment with the sought after modiste who could be fastidious in her choice of clientele.
The advantage of ordering this late in the season was that most of the high society ladies had long since ordered and collected their gowns. The modiste was mostly engaged in small alterations and had time to spare for a woman who wanted to order a new wardrobe for her niece, regardless of standing in society.
Madame Celeste showed her gratefulness by giving Elizabeth her explicit attention as soon as the illustrious party had left.
Elizabeth did not mind the wait. She might have been miffed had not the girl had the decency to show her mortification when the modiste offered her privileges at Elizabeth's expense. The Lady aunt took it for granted but the nieces reddened cheeks and her newfound fascination with the floor spoke very well of her sensibilities. Elizabeth felt it necessary to be generous to end the girl's obvious embarrassment. Having lived with her mother for twenty odd year's, embarrassing relations was not foreign to Elizabeth. She always felt exceedingly grateful to her neighbours who let certain insults and preposterous exclamations float past them without any notice.
It was Elizabeth who gained the most in the end. Two new day gowns, an evening gown, a ball gown, a new cloak, a pelisse, stays, stockings and slippers were added to her wardrobe. Aunt Madeline even bought her a new fan to match her white ball gown.
Having spent an entire morning at Madame Celeste, Madeline Gardiner was worn out but could manage a trip to Gunther's for ice cream. She proclaimed herself revived by the lemon and honey ice before they headed home to Gracechurch Street.
Still, she opted to rest before dinner which Elizabeth utilised by taking her two eldest cousins to the nearby park. After hours of poking and prodding upon her person, keeping still if she did not want to add red bloodstains to her new white evening and ball gowns. She needed the exercise.
Elizabeth did not own a white gown, it was not particularly practical but her aunt had insisted that maidens should wear white to accentuate their innocence. To avoid another coughing fit, Elizabeth acquiesced.
She was daydreaming about how her gowns would look like when they were finished. Her silk evening gown should be ready in a week. It was a simple gown with short sleeves, just like Elizabeth preferred but the white silk shimmered with silver which made the fabric look exquisite. It was the compromise to get Elizabeth to agree to a much more elaborate ball gown. A white masterpiece shot with gold and roses embroidered across the skirt. The ball gown would be finished much later with so much embroidery to be done.
The Gardiners residents fell into a pattern of Elizabeth entertaining her aunt in the morning and evenings whilst playing with her young cousins in the afternoon.
Their dinner engagement was on Tuesday so Monday, they went to Madame Celeste to collect her gowns.
Elizabeth was particularly pleased with her light greenish-grey pelisse. Her old brown one was a poor fit, Jane had broader shoulders than Elizabeth had. It hung like a sack on her. Her new one fit like a glow had lovely embroidery in the same colour as the fabric and came with a monstrous hat. Elizabeth had politely declined the ostentatious headwear and bought a straw braided bonnet with straw trimmings on the brim and ribbons on the high crown.
She was set for a night out in high society...