Chapter 1

Elizabeth Bennet held her breath, now was the moment of truth, would her father support her refusal or would he find cause to give into her mother's desire that she wed her cousin, Mr. William Collins, heir to their family's estate, Loungbourn. Her father was a mixture odd parts, caprice and sarcastic humor, that his wife did not understand. His wife, Elizabeth's mother, was determined that Elizabeth be sacrificed to the heir, no matter how revolting Elizabeth found the idea. Elizabeth and Mrs. Bennet had never been in accord and for the matron this was a golden opportunity to see her least favorite child finally humbled and disposed of. Mrs. Bennet was perfectly aware that it was Elizabeth who actively managed much of the estate, not Mr. Bennet and hoped that the fact that Elizabeth was trained to take care of Longbourn would cause her husband to agree to sacrifice her for the estate's sake. An accident five years ago had taken away much of his mobility, so Elizabeth had begun to assume responsiblities around the estate. Most of the neighbors and his wife assummed he was indolent and to engrossed in his bookroom to stir for neighborhood functions and estate business. The truth of the matter though was he was practically an invalid and it was a daily struggle for him to move about unaided, a condition he despised others seeing.

"Well Lizzy, after today it appears you must become a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother shall never speak to you if you do not marry Mr. Collins and I shall never speak to you if you do," Mr. Bennet said with mock gravity, his eyes twinkling.

"Thank you papa!" Elizabeth exclaimed breathlessly.

"This isn't over," Mrs. Bennet said angrily, storming out of the study, her eyes full of hatred, fury and something Mr. Bennet couldn't quite name.

Watching his wife depart, Mr. Bennet frowned. "Lizzy," he said slowly. "I am afraid it is not going to be possible for you to stay at Longbourn for the foreseeable future. After how my marriage to your mother came about and what I know of Collins' sire and suspect of the man, I do not think it would be wise. I have no wish to see you forced into a marriage you do not desire and with my damn, sorry, with my infirmary, I am to feeble to defend your virtue if necessary. Go pack your bags child."

"Surely papa," Elizabeth started to say but her father cut her off.

"No. I know a bit more of the world then you do, my dear. You have been sheltered in our small community. Unexpossed to the true evils of the world. Case in point, that rouge Mr. Wickham. You knew him exactly how long before he poured out his story of woe? Now don't get your back up, but do you really know any true good of him? Other then his charm and that he cuts a dashing figure in uniform? You are an excellent judge of character in our small hamlet where there are no strangers, but you do not know how to recognize truly objectional characters, ones that are not merely laughable. I am sending you to your Uncle Gardiner. I doubt I will ever be able to welcome you back to Longbourn again. Your mother is a vindictive woman, if not Mr. Collins it will be someone or something as bad. I love you to well to see you misused."

Elizabeth frowned, what's this she thought with dismay. Her father made it sound as if he intended to banish her from Loungbourn forever, not just until her mother got over her pique that Elizabeth refused her cousin. Tentatively Elizabeth said, "Longbourn is my home."

"I am sorry my child, but for now it is best that you make your home with your uncle," Mr. Bennet said, tears in his eyes.

…

"My dear girl," Madeline Gardiner said, stepping forward to embrace her favorite niece. "Come in. Let us get you settled."

Elizabeth nodded numbly. She was not made for melancholy and knew she would bounce back to her usual cheerful self, but for now she was still in shock over the events that had buffeted her as a leaf on the swirling wind. She allowed her aunt to lead her in the house and seat her on a small sofa with her. She was still unable to completely process and make sense of the events of the last two days, hopefully in the peace of her aunt's home she would be able to. Yesterday morning her cousin had proposed to her and she had refused, with her father's full support. Then her father had ordered her to pack her bags for London, essentially banishing her, his supposed favorite, and insisted that she share Jane's chamber last night for her own safety. Unable to sleep, a commotion in the hall had disturbed her. Curious she had softly opened Jane's door. Through the crack in Jane's door she had witnessed her cousin attempting to jiggle the knob of the locked door to her room. Her father's claim had more merit then she had credited in his bookroom, she had realized with horror. She had as quietly as she could closed and relocked Jane's door with shaking hands. Her cousin she had thought was nothing more then a bumbling fool, to realize he likely had evil intentions, as her father had suggested, was eye opening.

"Circumstances are not what you wished for, but we are pleased to have you here with us. I am glad my brother Bennet finally decided to act," her uncle, Edward Gardiner said. "I have cautioned him repeatedly that I thought my sister bore you ill will. I am glad he finally is seeing reason." In the express Benent had sent to Gardiner yesterday he had disclosed the full details of what had transpired by that time, including his suspicion about what Collins may try to attempt at night as long as he resided under the same roof as Elizabeth and how he believed Mrs. Bennet would encourage him. He had requested that Gardiner enlighten Elizabeth about her mother's relationship to her since he did not have the stomach to further distress Elizabeth. A second note sent along with Elizabeth to his brother-in-law, confirmed that Bennet's suspicious had been correct, but luckily thwarted.

"Mama is not overly fond of me, but," Elizabeth started to say.

"No Elizabeth, this has gone on to long," Gardiner said firmly. "It is time you learn the truth. Your mother has been an unnatural mother to you your whole life. Your father has always denied it. I caught my sister attempting to overdose you with landuman when you were sick at 8 years old. She claimed she must have mismeasured the dose. When you were three, Mrs. Hill found her hovering over your bed with a pillow. She claimed that she was adjusting your bedding, though she had never shown an interest previously in ensuring your comfort while you slept or anything about you. There have been other instances, all explained away, but the explanations never felt quite right. There has never been anything, just a feeling. I have learned to trust my instincts and they have been telling me for years that my sister is unwell and wished you ill. Even if she did not put Mr. Collins up to attempting to sneak into your room and compromise you, she would have reacted in some otherway for revenge on you for your father taking your side. It is her way with you, though I do not understand it."

"My mother," Elizabeth said in horror.

"Is unnatural," Gardiner said interrupting her. "I have heard whispers of other mothers having an illness f the mind after giving birth that causes them to act in unnatural ways, though I do not understand it. You have nothing to blame yourself for over her actions. Do not view this as a banishment from your home. Your father loves you, but it was time he see his wife for what she really is and put your safety above his selfish desire to have your company, as we have been urging him for years."

"We love you and are proud to welcome you into our home," Madeline said firmly. "You are as dear to me as if you were mine. One of my friends has been greatly looking forward to making your acquaintance. Lady Matlock has absolutely insisted that I send her a note the next time you came to town whether she was in London then or not. I will write her immediately, since for once I believe your visit overlaps with when she is town finally. You will see just how welcome you are with us. We will support you and work through this. You are not alone my love," she said giving her niece's hands a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you, Aunt Maddy, Uncle Eddy," Elizabeth said softly. "It is a bit much to take in. My father explained the circumstances of his marriage to me and a bit more about Mr. Collins Sr and his deeds, though he deemed them largely inappropriate for a maiden's ears. To discover just how he married more intimately into the family by forcing himself on papa's cousin, his own distant cousin through papa, was shocking. He was a visitor to his Bennet cousins at the same time she was. I am glad papa had me sleep in Jane's room for protection last night. I would not wish to gain a husband how papa's maternal cousin Sophia did."

"Today my dear, you rest. Tomorrow will be soon enough to talk things over if that is your wish," Madeline Gardiner said softly.

"Thank you," Elizabeth whispered. She had never understood why her father would have chosen her mother as his wife. After he explained how she had engineered a successful compromise, she better understood their relationship. Her father mocked and belittled his wife because he truly disdained her. He had not been infatuated with youth and beauty as she had always assumed. He had been trapped and placed in a untenable situation and after the scandal his cousin Collins had caused, his family refused to allow another scandal to occur, forcing him to offer for the woman that had compromised him against his wishes.

...

"You must be Lizzy," an elegantly dressed woman said as she entered the sitting room at the Gardiner's residence after the maid announced her later that day."Maddy has told me so much about you. I feel as if I have known you for so long. I am Lady Matlock, but I insist on you calling me Susan in private."

"Susie," Madeline said affectionatly greeting her friend. "I did not expect you to show up on my doorstep so quickly after receiving my note."

"After all I have heard about Lizzy? I ordered the coach as soon as I read your note. I have been desirous of this meeting for almost five years, but Lizzy and I keep missing each other in town. I was not about to let this opportunity pass me by. It is Providence," Lady Matlock declared. "And I intend to stay for dinner Maddy. I hope you do not mind."