My dears, here we are again! The Muse has been very cooperative lately, so here is another chapter for you to (hopefully) enjoy. Thank you ever so much to every single person out there enjoying my work. You make all the effort worth it!


Chapter Twenty-One


Edward Gardiner sensed that something was amiss with Lord Rowarth from the moment the viscount stepped through his door.

His greeting had been cheerful, his address to Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth respectful; his gaze and voice as he spoke to Jane were adoring—no one who saw the two in company could have a doubt of the young man's feelings being genuine.

Yet he had an air about him that bespoke of his attention being—at least partially—elsewhere. Gardiner wondered about that as he said his goodbyes to his children, wife, and nieces. In only a few minutes the two men were out in the viscount's chaise and on their way north to Hertfordshire.

After about five minutes passed in silence, Gardiner ventured to say, "If the roads are in good shape, we ought to reach Longbourn shortly after midday."

Lord Rowarth nodded, but his gaze remained on the passing city streets.

"Sir," Gardiner ventured, "may I inquire as to what troubles you? You seem rather distracted this morning."

Rowarth sighed. "Forgive me, Mr. Gardiner. We had a family dinner at my father's house last night, and it did not go as well as one would wish. My Aunt Catherine and my mother argued—in front of the Duke of Lansbury, no less! I can hardly believe it of either of them, as much as they venerate those of higher rank."

"If it was a family dinner, why was the duke in attendance?"

Lord Rowarth scoffed. "My aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, invited him. As it so happens, her purpose in coming to London was less about celebrating my sisters' debut and more about promoting the fact that her daughter is now engaged to the duke."

He shook his head. "The man is the same age as my father—fit enough, I suppose, and Anne says she has not been pressed into the match. So, there is that. But after berating my parents for not ensuring my brother Theodore was there to give her due deference—he had a prior engagement which could not be canceled—Lady Catherine was supercilious in making her announcement, and she gloried in knocking my mother down a peg, or at least trying to. The countess was understandably outraged at Catherine making it all about her and Anne. Their arguing made the evening very unpleasant."

"I see," said Gardiner slowly. "Given this new insight into the dynamics of your family, my lord—"

"Just Philip, please," said the viscount with a wave of his hand. "It's rather nice, sometimes, to put all that title business aside. It is one of the reasons I so enjoyed those few months as a stockboy at your warehouse."

Gardiner nodded. "If you wish… But as I was saying, given this new insight into your family, I wonder now if introducing Jane to your mother at a ball meant to celebrate your sisters is the wisest course of action."

"Probably no wiser than our going to meet Jane's father when there's every chance his wife might discover my true identity and discern the true purpose of our journey thither," Philip retorted. "Besides which, sir, they are only to be introduced. Unlike my overbearing aunt, who believes she must be first in all things, I have no intention of usurping my sisters' moment to shine."

A chuckle escaped Gardiner. "True enough, young man," said he, finding amusement in referring to him as such when the other gentleman was only six years his junior— "As to that…"

He recited all the various scenarios which Elizabeth had suggested they might follow. Philip listened attentively, then shook his head.

"My soon-to-be sister is very clever," said he with a chuckle, "but I agree with Jane—I should not like to have to lie to the lady. I suggest we stick to our original plan if we encounter Mrs. Bennet and merely say that I am an associate. My name, according to you and your wife and nieces, will mean next to nothing to her. Using my title will be entirely unnecessary."

"Very well," said Mr. Gardiner with a nod.

Silence fell, then after a moment Philip said, "What do you think Mr. Bennet will say when Mrs. Bennet asks after the purpose of our meeting, should we miss her and she learn of it later?"

Gardiner was unable to suppress the snort that escaped him. "My brother is a good man but has not quite the same scruples regarding honesty as we have," he replied. "He may say what Elizabeth suggested—that I came to ask if he could repay the funds I spent for them to make over their gowns for the ball—or he may tease my sister with a form of the truth, and tell her that you are a stockman in my employ and came to speak to him about marrying one of his daughters."

"And what, do you imagine, Mrs. Bennet will say to that?"

A grin lifted the corners of his lips as Gardiner said, "Given the content of Elizabeth's last letter to her, it is very likely to be something along the lines of 'Absolutely not. Jane is not a great beauty for nothing, surely she will meet some very rich gentleman at the ball on Friday—and Elizabeth may do just as well.'"

Philip laughed. "How close she will come to the truth and not even know it," said he. A sigh followed and he looked out the sideglass again, then added, "I do wish I could just tell her the truth. I so dislike keeping my joy under restraint—I do not know if you can imagine how much it drains me."

He looked back to Mr. Gardiner and said, "I am not in the least ashamed of Jane and her origins. I have known them from the beginning and my heart desired her all the same—and as you well know, even eight years' passage could not dismiss her. But for the sake of peace in my family, more specifically between my mother and myself, I simply cannot yet announce our attachment. My sisters deserve their moment to shine in society, and they will never be as bright as when they debut. I regret that the need to appease one family means the other must be all but deceived."

Mr. Gardiner, too, released a sigh as he inclined his head in understanding. "Perhaps sometime after the ball, then?"

"I will discuss the matter with my father. I can make him see that while Jane and I respect my sisters' right to be the center of attention in our family, it is unfair to the both of us that we must hide our love from the world. We have waited eight long years to be together, is that not long enough?"

"Perhaps that should be the basis of your argument, my lord—I mean, Philip," Mr. Gardiner replied.

He then ventured to ask Philip what provisions he intended to make for Jane and their children in the marriage settlements. "I do not know that Mr. Bennet will take the bother of asking on this occasion, but in case the matter should occur to him, it is best to be prepared."

The viscount nodded. "Agreed," he replied. "I have actually given the matter some thought and have discussed it with Jane in our letters."

Philip went on to detail all the plans he had made with Jane, and on each part, Gardiner gave his full approval. Should anything happen to the viscount after their marriage, his niece and her children would most assuredly be well provided for.

The viscount's carriage trundled up the gravel drive to Longbourn's front door shortly before midday. Hill, the long-serving housekeeper, had opened the door before both men were on the ground.

"Mrs. Hill," Gardiner greeted the older lady warmly as he approached. "Good day to you. Are your master and mistress at home?"

"My master be in his book room, sir," the housekeeper replied. "And my mistress be in Meryton calling on Mrs. Phillips with Miss Mary, Miss Kitty, and Miss Lydia."

Gardiner suppressed a sigh of relief as he spared a glance at Philip—they might just avoid a scene with Jane the elder after all. "Will you please inform Mr. Bennet that his brother Gardiner and associate would like to speak with him."

"Of course, sir. Do come in," Hill replied.

She stepped to the side so they could enter, and after closing the door, led them the few feet across the wide entry hall to Mr. Bennet's domain, the Longbourn library. They were quickly announced, and the housekeeper departed; Bennet was, naturally, surprised to see him.

"Edward, this is a rather surprising visit," said he as he stood; his visitors moved to stand before his desk. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

He then frowned. "There's nothing wrong with Jane and Elizabeth?"

Gardiner shook his head. "No, Thomas, not at all. Your daughters are very well, and I suspect very busy with the alterations to the gowns they mean to wear to a ball this Friday."

Mr. Bennet scoffed. "I have heard something of it. Elizabeth mentioned something about meeting a nobleman's relations and being invited rather last minute to this soirée."

He then flicked his gaze to the young man standing beside Gardiner, his eyebrows rising in unspoken question. Gardiner cleared his throat and said,

"Brother, may I present to you Philip, Viscount Rowarth. Lord Rowarth, my brother by marriage, Mr. Thomas Bennet"

Surprise immediately lit up Bennet's countenance, though he did remember to bow. "Well now, I am intrigued. Is this the nobleman whose relations my daughters made the acquaintance of?"

Philip nodded. "Indeed, sir. Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth were first introduced to my cousin Georgiana Darcy, as her companion is a cousin of Mrs. Gardiner. Through her, they were introduced to Georgiana's brother, Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley."

Mr. Bennet nodded slowly. "I see. And how, may I ask, did Jane and Elizabeth make your acquaintance?"

"Miss Elizabeth and I met the same day she was introduced to Darcy. Miss Bennet, however…" Philip paused and glanced at Gardiner, who nodded his encouragement. Swallowing, he continued, "Miss Bennet I met and fell in love with eight years ago."

Gardiner watched his brother stare at Philip and blink several times before suddenly dropping heavily back into his chair. "Young man, I believe there is some explanation required."

He gestured silently to the two visitors' chairs before the desk, and at last Gardiner and Philip lowered themselves into them.

"Explain to me, Lord Rowarth, how you met and fell in love with my daughter eight years ago, but I am just now hearing of it."

Philip cleared his throat. "Well, Mr. Bennet, it started with something my father said to me…"

The viscount went on to explain the impetus for his seeking employment at Gardiner's warehouse and how an innocent midday visit from the new mother, Mrs. Gardiner, and her young niece had led to a three-month acquaintance he'd not then allowed himself to admit meant more to him than friendship.

"I'll not do you the discourtesy of denying that I struggled with the differences in our stations, because I did. I thought I had overcome those struggles and put all thoughts of Jane behind me."

Gardiner watched him sigh and clasp his hands together as he looked to his feet. "I was wrong," Philip went on. "Meeting her again after all this time reminded me of all I'd felt for her and showed me that I'd only denied my love because I thought I could never have her."

"And now?" Mr. Bennet pressed.

Philip looked up again. "And now I have accepted that Jane is my everything," he said. "She loves me as I love her, and though he does wish that I had chosen someone from a more connected family, my father has given us his blessing."

Bennet's eyebrows winged up again, his eyes flicking back and forth between Gardiner and the viscount. "Has he really? The Earl of—wait, who is your father?"

"The Earl of Disley, sir."

"The Earl of Disley has truly sanctioned a marriage between his heir and the daughter of a lowly country squire who can give her no dowry?"

Gardiner was hard-pressed not to laugh when his companion looked at Bennet and deadpanned, "It was either he support my choice of bride or I would not marry at all."

Bennet snorted. "And your mother?" he asked

Philip smiled. "My mother is less sanguine about the match. A condition of her conceding to it is that I wait until after the Season ends to announce my betrothal, as my twin sisters debut this year. Mamma also believes it will give her time to change my mind, though I have stated in no uncertain terms that if nearly eight years was insufficient to dismiss Jane from my heart, the passage of a few months certainly would not."

For a moment, Gardiner wondered if Philip would share the secret fear he'd confessed to him in the carriage, that the countess would resort to a compromise in order to get her way. It was, the younger man said, the reason why he planned to take great care during the ball not to say or do anything which might interfere with his intention to marry Jane. He would dance with other girls as his mother would insist and Jane had encouraged, but he would converse no more than was necessary, and it was his intention to escort each partner directly back to their chaperones.

"And if any of them are directed by their parents or my mother to try any tricks, I will loudly declare my true intentions," he'd added. "Let the ruin they bring upon themselves be their punishment."

However, Philip did not bring the matter up; truthfully, Gardiner thought it for the best.

"Allow me to guess—you are also required to treat my daughter as merely another acquaintance if you should meet her on the street," Bennet said then.

Philip sighed. "Essentially. However, I feel quite certain that when I dance with Jane at the ball—I have already secured two sets with her—the gossips of London will do my work for me. Their speculation as to how intimate is our acquaintance will be in our favor. I do not intend to deny that I think very highly of Jane, should anyone ask."

"I notice you consistently refer to her by her Christian name," Bennet observed.

The viscount smiled. "Pray forgive me, sir, but that is who she is to me. Miss Bennet is the girl I knew eight years ago, and Jane is the woman she has become. Her beauty, grace, and gentle heart have all grown more than I could ever have expected—indeed, she has surpassed every dream I ever had of her."

Mr. Bennet regarded him in stony silence for a full minute before casting his gaze to his brother by marriage. "As Jane is at present residing under your roof, Edward," he began, "you will know better her disposition. Tell me honestly… How does she bear the restriction of secrecy that has been placed upon her?"

Gardiner smiled. "Remarkably well, due in no small part, I daresay, to my having authorized the two of them to correspond. Lord Rowarth's valet brings Jane a letter each morning after breakfast and returns to his master with her reply."

Bennet looked again to Philip. "And you trust this man?"

"With my life," the viscount replied without hesitation. "John Oliver has been with me since I was thirteen years old—he is the only valet I've had need to employ."

"And your age now, might I inquire?"

"I am four-and-thirty, sir. I shall turn five-and-thirty come September."

"Hmm… Jane will be three-and-twenty in August," Mr. Bennet mused. "A dozen years is not a very great difference."

"Indeed, sir," said Philip with a nod. "I have not yet formally asked Jane to be my wife, but we have each of us declared our love for the other and it is already understood that we shall one day marry. As I am here before you declaring my intentions, I should like to take the opportunity of asking for your blessing."

Though his eyebrows rose yet again, Mr. Bennet was otherwise silent. Mr. Gardiner watched him slowly raise a hand to his chin, where he stroked the skin thoughtfully.

"What is your yearly income?" he asked after a moment. "And how do you intend to provide for my daughter and her children should you predecease her?"

Philip glanced at Mr. Gardiner, then looked back to Mr. Bennet and cleared his throat. "The first Fitzwilliam to hold the titles Earl of Disley and Viscount Rowarth set up a fund from which widows receive an annuity of a quarter of her husband's income. She receives an additional one hundred pounds for each year of the marriage, and a further fifty pounds per annum for each child she has borne. The Rowarth estate brings in a clear twelve thousand per annum, and Disley Court—my father's residence—brings in sixteen thousand. So, should I pass before Jane after our marriage, she would receive no less than three thousand pounds a year for the rest of her life. If we are elevated to Earl and Countess of Disley at the time, the base amount would be four thousand. I will also see to it that Jane has access to the nearly seventy thousand pounds I shall receive from my father on the event of my marriage, should she ever have need of it."

Mr. Bennet's eyes widened, then he nodded slowly. "Quite impressive, my lord. Quite impressive. Edward, have you seen them together?"

Gardiner smiled. "If you mean to ask me whether Jane is as besotted as His Lordship claims, the answer is yes. They have not been in company together often, as you may have surmised, but when they are she has little mind for anyone but him."

"Really? That almost does not sound like Jane," Mr. Bennet mused.

"You have never seen Jane in love before, Thomas," Mr. Gardiner said with a chuckle. "When I have witnessed her reading his letters, when she and Lizzy and Marjorie speak of him, there is an expression in her eyes I daresay I could not accurately describe. She really does love him, brother, and though no doubt it pains her to have to wait to marry him—especially to have to keep this secret even from her own mother and sisters—your daughter has been remarkably kindhearted about allowing Lady Cecilia and Lady Olivia to have their due."

"I love Jane, Mr. Bennet," said Philip again. "Were I not bound by the promise I made to my parents to let my sisters have their day, I'd have married her already."

Again Mr. Bennet regarded him for a long, silent moment, then he said, "I shall expect a preliminary copy of the marriage articles as drafted by your solicitor by the end of the week, to be reviewed by me and mine—and do not worry, Edward, I will ensure that Arthur says nothing to Agnes or Jane. The articles should specify what you told me of Jane's portion as a widow, and you might also include something about the amount of dowry to be given to any daughters you may sire."

Philip blinked. "Then… then we have your blessing, sir?"

Mr. Bennet chuckled. "You are a viscount, sir—the sort of man to whom I can hardly deny anything. But I see also that you are serious about marrying my daughter, and I especially like that you wish to do so in spite of the opposition from your mother and the expectations of the lofty society in which you move. I know from your own words that you can certainly provide for Jane financially, so I will grant you my full and hearty blessing if you make me but one more promise."

"Anything, Mr. Bennet."

Mr. Bennet sighed softly. "My Jane has one of the gentlest hearts in all the world. Do not let that lofty society I spoke of tear her down for having been born beneath you—guard her from their scorn and ridicule and help her to rise above their unworthy opinions."

Philip nodded solemnly. "I will," said he. "And further, I shall promise you to have words with anyone who suggests she is not worthy of the distinction of rank I give her along with my name."

"I should expect no less," Bennet replied, then he waved his hand at them dismissively. "Be off with you now, before my wife returns—though if you should pass any young men calling for my younger daughters, do send them in. I am quite at my leisure!"