The Colonel and the Heiress Chapter 4 - Growing up, a pride and prejudice fanfic

~~H~~

Growing up

1808 – 1811

Lady Edith Farrington, the Countess of Wentworth was standing at the top of the grand staircase of Wentworth Hall. She desperately clutched her young son to her breast.

'You wilfully disobeyed me yet again,' whispered the Earl menacingly as he approached her. 'I told you what would happen if you disregarded my orders.'

'Please, My Lord, do not hurt your son and heir. He is innocent,' cried the Countess.

'But you are not. You are guilty. You know what they say. The sins of the mother will be visited on the son,' the Earl said with a malicious smile as he wrested the child from her.

Lady Wentworth screamed, 'NO!' as her husband hurled their child down the staircase.

~~H~~

Edith woke up, still screaming, from the nightmare. Her heart was racing, and she was bathed in a cold sweat. She looked wildly about.

It took her some moments to recall that she was at Purvis Lodge, her husband was dead, and her son was safe.

She was grateful that there was a sitting room separating her bed chamber from her son's room. Hopefully the scream had not disturbed his sleep.

She hugged the covers to her as she tried to calm down. It had been weeks since she had this nightmare which had disturbed her sleep on many occasions, immediately after her son's birth.

For months she had been terrified that her husband would hold her son hostage for her good behaviour, resulting in the recurring nightmare.

The day of her husband's death, her nightmare had almost come true… until he missed his footing.

Edith did not know what the Earl had planned to do with the child, but she was grateful that James was now safe.

The sky started to lighten before she was able to return to sleep.

~~H~~

Life settled into a comfortable routine for Edith Farrington.

She spent part of every day with her son and enjoyed teaching him as he grew older. She had unexpected help, as Mr Bennet rediscovered his vocation and he undertook to tutor James in all the subjects a gentleman should learn.

At least that was his excuse in the early years as he romped around the nursery with his ward.

As the boy grew older, Bennet took him on outings, perched in front of him on his horse, while he rode the estate. Gradually over the years, in an effort to educate James, Bennet became more involved in managing Longbourn, as he explained the duties of a landowner.

A side-effect of his greater involvement with his estate was that it became more profitable. Instead of informing his wife about the additional funds, he at last gave in to pressure from his extended family and invested the excess with his brother Gardiner. Unbeknownst to him, his cousin matched his investments pound for pound.

In one of his more reflective moments, Bennet admitted to himself that not having a son to teach had resulted in his withdrawal to his library.

~~H~~

Elizabeth and Jane were frequent visitors, particularly when Mrs Bennet had an attack of nerves, after yet another potential suitor ran for the hills, despite her every effort at promoting Jane to the gentleman.

On rainy days, Edith encouraged Elizabeth to practice duets with her on the pianoforte. Since Elizabeth appreciated the refuge Purvis Lodge provided from the noise and bustle of Longbourn, she felt it was a small price to pay.

One day, as they were practicing, she asked, 'Cousin Edith, why are you doing this?'

'Why am I doing what?'

'You know, helping all of us. Jane comes here to relax because with her, you are undemanding company.'

'Am I so very demanding with you?'

Well… you make me practice the pianoforte.' When Edith looked like she wanted to protest, Elizabeth explained, 'yes, I know you claim that you just want to play duets with someone, but I have seen through your stratagem and know you are doing this to make me practice.'

'You could always say no,' Edith reminded her cousin.

'And risk losing my sanctuary?'

'It cannot be that much of a sanctuary if you think you have to perform,' Edith said with a sly smile.

Elizabeth groaned. 'Very well, I admit it. Practicing those duets is fun and you have helped me improve my fingering. You do not have to do that.'

'Has it ever occurred to you that as an only child, I might long for having sisters? If I wanted to live alone and without family, I could have stayed in Warwickshire.' Edith grasped Elizabeth's hands. 'I enjoy your company and I enjoy helping you and your sisters. For the first time in my life, I feel useful. I like that feeling… very much.'

'In that case, I shan't feel guilty about importuning you. Shall we try that passage again?'

~~H~~

Mary also visited, but on a more regular schedule rather than dropping in on a whim like Elizabeth.

Edith allocated two afternoons each week for Mary to spend time with her.

Having a teacher who played well, not only with feeling but also technically, convinced Mary to take advice from her cousin. Over time her playing improved.

That was not the only improvement.

'Mary, why do you insist on wearing those drab colours and such an unflattering hair style? Does it not hurt to pull your hair into such a tight bun?' Edith asked one day early in their acquaintance.

'Vanity is a sin and Reverend Fordyce warns young ladies to be modest to guard their virtue.'

'It has nothing to do with the fact that Mrs Bennet keeps calling you plain, hmm?'

Mary blushed and stammered, 'why should I bother trying to impress someone with my looks, only to fail.'

'That is an understandable, although cowardly, attitude. And you are working with a faulty premise.'

Mary was torn between being confused and being offended for being called a coward, since she believed herself to be strong and defiant by proving her point. Confusion won out. 'What is the faulty premise of which you speak?'

'You assume that your mother is correct, but she is wrong,' Edith said with an impish smile. 'Do you agree that Lizzy is pretty?'

'Yes, she is almost as beautiful as Jane, even though Mama disagrees with my opinion.'

'If you bothered to look closely, you would find that your features are very similar to Elizabeth. But unlike you, she wears colours which suit her complexion, and her softer hairstyle is much more flattering.'

Edith grinned at the disbelieving frown. 'The other difference is that Lizzy smiles while you frown at everyone as well as sermonising. If you tried smiling once in a while, you might be surprised at the difference it makes… and it will not break your face.'

'You think that I am pretty?' Mary whispered on the verge of tears.

Edith embraced Mary. 'Oh, my dear cousin, I think you very pretty indeed and I shall prove it to you. Come with me.'

She led Mary to her dressing room and rummaged through the back of her wardrobe until she found what she was looking for. She held up the peach-coloured dress to Mary. 'Yes, that colour will suit you. Admittedly, the style is a little out of date, but my current dresses would be too small on you. I wore this while I was expecting, and it should fit you well enough to make a point.'

Mary had no choice but to change into the dress and then sit at the vanity table, while her cousin restyled her hair into a looser bun, with a few tendrils of hair framing her face.

When Edith was done, she led Mary to a full-length mirror.

'Take a look and I dare you to tell me that the young lady whom you see is plain.'

Mary stared at her reflection for a long speechless minute. She pointed at the mirror and said in a whisper, 'except for the colouring, that could be Lizzy.'

Edith took on a pious expression. 'I shall prove my forbearance and exquisite manners and not say I told you so.'

Her reward was a fierce embrace and a wet shoulder.

~~H~~

The only family members resistant to change were Mrs Bennet and Lydia.

Mrs Bennet refused to countenance the idea that a young woman could educate her in the ways of a gentlewoman. After all, she had been Mistress of Longbourn for two decades.

Lydia had no time for her cousin since Edith wanted her to work on improving herself, while Mrs Bennet kept telling her daughter that she was perfect as a pretty and lively girl. In this case Mrs Bennet won.

Kitty on the other hand started to visit. Like Mary, she too had been overlooked by both her parents. That her older and very beautiful cousin wanted to spend time with her was a revelation.

Unlike Mary, Kitty had no talent for the pianoforte, and her other artistic endeavours were substandard no matter how hard she tried.

It was almost by accident that Kitty discovered a hidden talent.

James had caught the sniffles and was kept in bed. Edith was getting quite worn down looking after her son, since the nurse needed to rest to allow her to nurse the child at night.

When Kitty arrived for her weekly lesson, and saw the state of her cousin, she offered to keep the boy amused while Edith had at least a brief nap.

When Edith returned to James' room, she found him happily listening to the story Kitty was telling him. When exhaustion eventually sent the boy to sleep, Edith could not help but comment, 'that was a wonderful story you told. Where did you find it? It certainly did the trick and relaxed him enough to go to sleep.'

Kitty blushed as she answered, 'oh, that. It was just something I made up.'

'You made up that story? When did you do that?'

'Just now… when I was telling it.'

'You made up this whole story on the spur of the moment? Have you done so before?'

'Yes. Why? What is so special about it that you keep asking?'

'Do you not know that you have a wonderful talent for storytelling? Have you ever considered writing down your stories?'

'No. Is that not hard work?'

'Do you think it would be harder than practicing the pianoforte when you have no particular talent for it?'

'No-o-o,' Kitty replied thoughtfully. 'But Papa always says that I am just a silly girl.'

'It is only silly if you do not develop that talent.' Edith smiled. 'Most parents and nurses struggle to tell stories to their children. I am one of those. I have to read stories from a book to entertain James. Perhaps if you write your stories, I could read those to him when you are not around.'

Kitty beamed at her cousin for the praise. 'I would love to do that.'

From then on, she spent much of her time at Purvis Lodge busily engaged in writing children's stories. Both Edith and James were delighted.

~~H~~

Charlotte too became a close friend to Edith. Jane had been correct in thinking that being of similar age, the two would find it easy to talk to each other, particularly about subjects which the Bennet sisters were too young to understand.

One day when Charlotte was feeling particularly melancholy, she was visiting with Edith.

'Sometimes I despair of ever finding a home of my own. I dread the idea of being a spinster and a burden on my family.'

'You are a lovely, intelligent woman. I am certain there must be a man who would appreciate having such a sensible wife.'

'But most men prefer pretty over sensible.'

'If they are that shallow, they do not deserve you,' Edith stoutly defended her friend against herself.

'Perhaps they do not deserve me, but if I could find a respectable man who is not vicious, to provide a home for me, I would grasp the opportunity with both hands.'

'Do you not wish to marry for affection and respect like my cousins do?'

'I am not romantic and have a more practical turn of mind. Love is all well and good, but a sound roof over my head is much more important. And I have seen it often enough that love can make people blind to the faults in their partner until it is too late.'

Although Charlotte had made that last comment quite casually, she was shocked to see the colour drain from Edith's face. 'What is wrong? What did I say to upset you?' she cried.

Edith briefly closed her eyes and shook her head as if to dispel an unpleasant vision. 'It is nothing. You simply reminded me of something.'

'It is not nothing. For a moment you looked as if you had seen a ghost.'

The concern her friend showed made Edith suddenly feel the need to unburden herself. 'You reminded me of my husband.'

'I know that you never speak of him. I wondered if you found his loss too painful to even mention his name.'

'I do not wish to burden anyone with my memories.'

'Are those memories so very bad?'

'Yes, they are.'

'I would be honoured if you trust me enough to share those memories. They do say that a burden shared is a burden halved.'

'My memories might make you decide that you never wish to marry.'

'It is not your husband's loss which you grieve, but his life,' Charlotte stated rather than asked. When Edith nodded, Charlotte took her hand and said simply, 'tell me.'

Slowly, haltingly Edith recounted some of her life as the Countess of Wentworth. How her husband had become jealous and controlling. 'He only ever hit me once in a drunken rage. After that he was careful to remain sober. Instead, he found ways to ensure my absolute obedience by punishing everyone I cared for, for even the slightest infraction of his rules. I once smiled at a footman when thanking him for fetching me a glass of water. My husband fired him immediately without a reference.'

'Is that why you have no interest in remarrying?' Charlotte asked when Edith had finished speaking.

'Indeed. I could not tolerate again having to ask for permission to even breathe.'

'Surely you exaggerate!' cried Charlotte.

Edith smiled in a somewhat shamefaced fashion. 'Perhaps just a little. But that is what it felt like.'

Charlotte grinned to lighten the mood. 'Perhaps when James is grown up, I shall become your companion and we can console each other.'

Edith tilted her head and a slow smile spread over her features. 'That seems like an excellent suggestion. Although perhaps we can shorten the timeframe.'

~~H~~

Edith followed the routine she established for eleven months of the year. The only time it varied was at the end of summer when she went away for a month.

She refused to tell anyone where she was going, only saying that she had some business to attend.

When she returned after the first trip, she was accompanied by a new footman. Unlike many footmen, he was not handsome, since a scar on his cheek disfigured his face and he was middle aged. Yet, despite his age, he was trim and moved with the grace of a big cat.

The staff were discouraged from questioning the reason Edith spent an hour each morning locked in the library with him. All either of them would say when discreetly questioned was 'lessons.'

~~H~~