Thank you for all the reviews! I am so excited and thankful, and I'm glad you all enjoyed the last chapter. Someone raised a point with the last one that Lizzy would have been raised to be able to take over the household. I'm well aware of that, I must not have clarified that point within the story but I will do so now. What I meant was with the sudden shock of Mrs Bennet's death and Jane's exhaustion, Lizzy hadn't expected to be in charge so quickly. It's why she hesitates, but also why she knows what to do. Another person mentioned Charlotte's friendship with Lizzy, and questioned how they would have such a strong friendship for two years of knowing each other. But you must remember the society around Meryton was limited. In the book Mrs Bennet stated that she dined with "four and twenty families". Mrs Bennet was also great friends with Lady Lucas before Sir William's elevation to the knighthood. It would be no surprise to me if Charlotte had known all the Bennet girls since birth. It's highly likely that she played with both Jane and Lizzy as children, and was privy to watching them play as children. You must remember it is implied that Lady Lucas has several children besides Charlotte and Maria, therefore Jane and Lizzy would probably have several children to play with. This makes it much more reasonable for them to have such a strong friendship as they would have known each other for many years. Also as someone asked about their mourning, yes they would be in mourning for a year and a day I believe after Mrs Bennet's death. At six months they could wear half mourning clothes which consisted of pale colours, like grey, lavender etc. They wouldn't be able to attend the Assembly without scandal, but after maybe two or three months they would be able to make morning calls or attend small dinners with family and good friends. If any of this is wrong, or you have any questions please feel free to make mention of it. :)
In the days that followed Mrs Bennet's death Jane managed to rouse herself to take over the mistress duties for the household. That she was qualified to do so there was no doubt. Once her grief was exhausted she pulled on a seemly infinite patience and strength of will in order to see to the numerous tasks ahead of her. Everyday they must dine, and they must be in mourning and so Jane saw to it that food was prepared for the wake and the funeral arrangements were made. She assigned Lizzy the task of keeping Lydia in check, for though it was fear of Lizzy that restrained her, she had no such compunction with sweet, good Jane. All her vileness and hatred would spew forth at her if she were left alone in that good woman's vicinity. Thus the task fell to Lizzy. Mary was to keep Kitty away from Lydia as much as possible, though Lydia taunted Kitty and Mary, the latter girl had only to raise her hand or get out of her seat threateningly and Lydia retreated hastily. Kitty was assigned to watch over her father and insure that he got his meals and was kept in good health. Jane had sent for the Gardiners to arrive, and they were expected to arrive on the Saturday before the funeral and to stay for a se'ennight. Jane had overseen the preparation of the rooms for their arrival. As she ascended the steps to prepare her mother's finest gown for the funeral, she took note of herself in a hall mirror. Her golden hair looked washed out with the black and she seemed pale and wan like a child. Her manner was spiritless and she looked far younger than the twenty years she possessed. Shaking herself from her reverie, she continued climbing the stairs and stepped into her mother's bedroom, hesitating when she saw her father sitting besides the bed holding her mother's hand. He looked so old and forlorn that she feared for him. Slowly she crossed to the closet and pulled out the muslin gown, to take it to be cleaned and pressed. As she descended she heard noise at the front door, and saw Charlotte Lucas admitted entrance. Her dear friend was wearing a black armband and a deep grey gown, and Jane descended the steps as rapidly as her dignity would allow her to. Mrs Hill took the gown from Jane's hands and stepped aside to let the young woman condole the new mistress.
"Oh Charlotte!" Jane cried softly and immediately went into the warm embrace of her oldest friend. Charlotte held her tightly and rocked her back and forth slightly. She was worried for the whole family and Jane's brief abandonment of her self-control was more than worrying. Charlotte had known Jane Bennet since she was five, and Elizabeth since she was seven. And now at six and twenty she worried about them all like she had never done so before. The noise of the door opening and closing had drawn Mr Bennet's attention, and he appeared before her to briefly bow and offer her a greeting before he was gone to his study. Charlotte had a good deal of respect for him and was saddened to see how deeply this news had affected him, let alone Jane! Gently, she led the young lady into the parlour and seated her gently by the fireplace. Jane managed to recompose herself and rung the bell to request some tea be sent up. Charlotte leaned forward and compassionately took her hands.
"Jane dear, I came to give you my most sincere condolences and to ask if you needed any help? My family and I are only too willing to left any burden from your hands no matter how small and insignificant." The sincerity in her tone belied an eagerness to serve, and Jane was well aware of Charlotte's helpful and compassionate nature. Recent pride in her ability to serve as mistress of Longbourne made her consider refusing the offer, but her common sense reasserted itself.
"I thank you, Charlotte, I must confess that I would love to accept your offer. We have not yet procured enough ribbon to do up the parlour, and the mourning drapes were severely moth eaten. If you would be good enough to procure us black ribbon and some black crepe, I should be most grateful." She replied earnestly, and Charlotte nodded.
"And your bonnets? Have you all black bonnets and the trimmings to accompany them?" Jane hesitated again.
"No, I believe we do not." She said softly and Charlotte nodded as if making up her mind.
"Then I shall visit that haberdashers and procure you those items. It will not be out of my way, as I meant to visit the milliners, and they are only two doors down. I will order the drapes for Longbourne. How many windows are they needed for?" She asked, and Jane pondered this slowly, putting her mind back into the order that she had previously possessed. While they hashed out the finer details, Sarah entered bearing the tea tray and Lizzy followed behind her.
"Charlotte!" She cried and tripped forward hastily. Charlotte rose and greeted Lizzy with a smile on her face.
"Lizzy, it's good to see you. How are you faring under the circumstances?" She asked and Lizzy quietly shook her head.
"It's strange. I feel as thought Mama is still here, and yet every time I turn to find her she is lying upstairs in state. It is the oddest of feelings and I am sure I shall never get used to it." Jane nodded as if to corroborate Lizzy's statement. Charlotte smiled sympathetically and turned the discussion back to what was needed. Lizzy mentioned mourning rings and that she had all the locks of hair from Mrs Bennet. Charlotte accepted the little envelope and tucked it safely into her reticule. The rest of the visit passed pleasantly, and when she rose to take her leave, she privately resolved to be a better neighbour and a more attentive friend. Once she had left, the two sisters exchanged glances. The uncertainty they felt was most keen, and they dreaded the upcoming funeral. The only bright spot in their lives was the anticipation of the Gardiner's arrival, but that was not for another four days and each day seemed to pass with a slowness that belied the usual time. Lizzy shared a sad smile with her sister and moved to wander about the garden planning the bouquets that they would place in the church. Jane heaved a sigh and turned back to finish her tea and plan an embroidery sampler in remembrance of her mother. But even as she began to sketch out the idea, Lydia entered.
There was a crafty gleam in her eye as if she knew that Lizzy had just left and she had lain in wait for such a moment. Jane considered ringing the bell for a moment and then discarded the idea. If she were to maintain any such image as the new mistress of the household then her authority would be supercilious if she were to require Lizzy's assistance in a matter as trivial as her disgraceful sister. With a small flourish Lydia seated herself across from Jane and leaned forward. Jane looked up and caught her eye. It was almost as if Lydia were daring her to give in, to look back down. Jane called upon the backbone she had recently found within herself and sat up straighter, tilted her chin up haughtily and returned Lydia's stare with a quiet authority. They held the stare for several minutes until Lydia finally broke it by sneering at Jane and turning away and she began to speak calmly and quietly.
"Mama was right you know. You are very selfish Jane. You killed Mama with your selfishness, your jealousy and your stupidity. And all for a bit of fun. Why should I not have fun? Simply because I had more men paying attention to myself than to you. You think yourself so fine and proud with your golden locks and your blue eyes, yet you hide an ugly heart underneath your fine trappings. La, I would not be surprised if you ended up a spinster, for no man will ever wish to marry a shrew regardless of beauty, and you only have a little of that. Shrews and witches no matter how beautiful are only good for mistresses and paramours, and then like all bad things they are dropped the moment they are used. I should think that would be all you would be good for, although I doubt you would ever be truly good at anything. You are false, Jane Bennet. You are a jealous, conniving, mean-spirited disgusting old witch, and the only thing you will ever be good for is being the lowest of the low! I should not be surprised if you never loved mama at all! And now you have killed her! I loved her far more than you, you undeserving jade!" She cried out angrily. Throughout her whole speech, Jane did not move, but when Lydia shouted those damning insults at her, something ugly and deep rose within in her. She wrestled with the strong emotion for a single second and then let it consume her. Jane placed aside her needlework and looked at Lydia fiercely.
"How dare you, Lydia Rosemary? How dare you sit here and accuse me of falseness and jealousy when by your jealousy you insisted that you attend an Assembly you were far too young for and ruin the whole night for all your sisters! Selfishness! Tis you who are selfish, Lydia, not I! You are a jealous girl, and indeed a girl you are! Full too young to be doing what you were! What were you thinking? First you act the harlot playing fast and loose with every man at the Assembly including the married and betrothed, then you have the gall and spite to accuse me of conniving! I should not want to be anything like you for a single second! How dare you have the wickedness to say that I did not love Mama! I am seven years older than you, and I have had the advantage of loving and knowing her for near a full seven years longer than you ever did! Twas I, she relied on and called for when her nerves ailed her! Twas I that she proclaimed would save us all from the hedgerows! I have never aspired to be anything great, and I certainly never shall, but I aspired to love her and care for her! Can you really be so hypocritical and stand there, insulting me the way you just have?! Accusing me of killing Mama, of having an ugly heart?! A witch! If I were ever so unlucky as to be a witch I should force you to feel every sad feeling that you have ever inspired in anyone ten times over! You are a heartless, beastly toad of a girl, and if a carriage should run you over, I would never run to your aid! I have had enough of your insults and hatred to rot my teeth out! Get out, and go to your room and don't you dare come back downstairs until you can apologise you heartless wretch! Begone!" She screamed, and Lydia shot to her feet and kicked Jane's shin soundly.
Jane gasped in pain, and then shot up to face Lydia, the ugly feeling inside her spilling out. Her hand rose of it's own volition and slapped Lydia across the cheek. The younger girl screeched and pushed Jane over. Jane stumbled back against the side of the chair and fell to the ground taking the chair with her. She rolled several times across the floor and Lydia rushed over drawing her fist back as she did. Jane shrieked and swept her foot underneath Lydia's and rolled away again, coming back up on her knees and pulling herself up. Lydia lay winded on the floor but by the wide-eyed furious expression on her face, she wasn't likely to remain there. Jane dashed around her to the fireplace and pulled the poker free before dashing back to Lydia. At this point, the younger girl was on her knees and was slowly standing, when Jane rushed forward. Quick as a cat, Lydia balled up her fist and drove it into Jane's stomach forcing an "Oof!" from her lips. She tried to kick Jane again, but Jane managed to sidestep it, and promptly backhanded Lydia causing the young girl to turn away with a scream. Instantly, Jane grabbed a handful of Lydia's hair and pulled sharply forcing another scream to issue forth from her lips. Lydia twisted violently in Jane's grasp, cursing and spitting like a cat, and then screamed again when Jane drew back the poker with her left hand and brought it sharply down on Lydia's derriere. Several more smacks issued forth, but Lydia still twisted and shouted wildly underneath the assault. Jane managed to march Lydia to the door by thrashing her soundly, uncaring of whether the poker hit the soft flesh of her thighs or the spine in her back, and wrenched the door open. She marched the still cursing Lydia down the hall by her hair and no matter how soundly Lydia cursed her or shrieked and baulked, she was always forced on by the hard iron poker smashing into her buttocks or her thighs. The noise drew Mary and Kitty from the dining room where they had been engaged in redoing some bonnets for the funeral. It also drew the servants from the kitchen and Mr Bennet from his study. That good gentleman stopped at stared at the sight of his usually peaceful eldest daughter soundly thrashing his wild youngest girl with an iron poker. Lydia saw him through her tears and tried to stop and reach for him, but was forced past him by Jane.
"Papa stop her! Papa, she's gone mad! Papa please! Please! STOP IT!" She screamed as she was forced relentlessly up the stairs. Halfway up the wild shrieking turned to sobbing, and begging as Lydia pleaded for Jane to stop. But Jane did not in fact stop, and no one moved forward to stop her. She forced Lydia up the stairs and onto her bed and gave her several more good solid thwacks.
"I TOLD YOU TO GO TO YOUR ROOM BUT YOU DIDN'T LISTEN! THE FAULT IS ALL YOURS LYDIA! NEVER ACCUSE ME OF KILLING MAMA AGAIN!" And Jane Bennet having thoroughly lost her temper slammed the windows closed and tied them together with several ribbons in knots so indistinguishable that they would later require cutting to open the window again. Lydia having sensed a chance to escape had pulled herself off the bed, but when she tried to take a step, the pain in her legs was too great and she had collapsed on the floor and was pitifully pulling herself towards the cry. She sobbed heartily as she heard Jane's footsteps come closer, and then she was ruthlessly hauled up again by her hair and almost throw onto the bed, where she received another sound thrashing. The cries that escaped her this time, were not defiant ones but pitiful ones, and she sobbed loudly wailing for help like small but loud kitten. But no one came to her aid. When Jane finally exhausted herself, she marched from the room and slammed the door loudly and then throwing the poker away like it had branded her, she marched across the hall to her mother's room and went in and wept.
Downstairs the occupants of the house were thoroughly shocked. In the silence that followed Lydia's door slamming they all stared at each other in turn completely unable to say anything. Lizzy, pulled from the gardens by the sounds of screaming ran in through the front door and broke the spell.
"Papa, I heard screaming! What has happened?!" She cried, breathing hard and looking around wildly as if to discern what event had just taken place. Mr Bennet stared at her solemnly.
"Your sister lost her temper." And Lizzy shook her head as if unable to account screaming with a lost temper.
"Lydia?" She said confusedly, and stared at her father completely bewildered.
"No Lizzy, twas not Lydia, but Jane." Mary said slowly, as if she too could not quite reconcile sweet Jane with what had just happened. Kitty nodded vigorously.
"She just thrashed Lydia with the drawing room poker." At this stunning proclamation Lizzy's jaw dropped in the most unladylike manner and she fell back against the wall, trying to catch her breath. Mr Bennet stared at her for several seconds and then turned to the staff.
"If I hear any gossip regarding what just happened, I will dismiss you all without reference with the exception that Mr and Mrs Hill will remain. Am I understood?" He said firmly, and looked at them all. For several seconds nothing was said, than one of the kitchen girls burst forth.
"Lawks amercy Mr Bennet sir, there isn't a soul 'ere who would say a word against Miss Jane. She's all that's sweet an good in this world say an that's the very truth. I'll not breathe a word against her till my dying day I won't." She affirmed solemnly and the staff nodded. Mrs Hill looked at Mr Bennet.
"Lucy has the right of it, Mr Bennet. The staff won't speak of this to anyone, you have my word." She said firmly and Mr Bennet nodded and turned back to his girls.
"One of you should go upstairs and see to Lydia. She may very well be bleeding." All three girls looked at each other, and then Kitty stepped forward to volunteer.
"I will Papa." She said, and Lizzy shook her head.
"But Lydia hates you, Kitty. Has she not just been threatening you these past five days?" She said, and Mary nodded.
"Lizzy is right, surely you do not wish to endure her hateful tongue?" But Kitty shook her head.
"Lydia has just been beaten soundly by the sister she never thought would retaliate. She fears the both of you, but not I. If I go up to her, she is far less likely to make a fuss or react badly. And after this escapade she will see me as an ally." She replied firmly, and Mr Bennet smiled grimly at her. Mrs Hill turned and ordered the staff to return to their duties and bade Kitty to wait while she prepared some dressings and a basin of water and herbs. It took three of them, including Kitty to carry the supplies upstairs, and when they entered Lydia's room, she flinched and though she relaxed somewhat upon viewing Kitty, she was still very wary. Mrs Hill looked at Kitty for several seconds and Kitty waved a hand dismissing her. Lydia turned herself over and put her back against the headrest, defensively balling up when Kitty approached.
"I suppose you are here to gloat and to beat me too." She muttered staring at her sister with a strange mixture of fear and anger in her eyes. Kitty looked her up and down, eyeing the blotchy red skin and the obvious tear tracks and then she held out her hand, speaking softly and calmly.
"Come Lydia, let us get you out of those clothes." Lydia eyed her hand warily.
"I cannot stand." She replied and Kitty winced sympathetically.
"Then I shall undress you in bed, now can you move forward so I can get them off. I shall need to access your legs to spread the salve." Lydia still looked at her warily, but her legs and buttocks ached dreadfully and so she took Kitty's hand and scooted forward and pulled her clothes up. Kitty sat beside her on the bed, and gently loosened the gown, pulling it over Lydia's head and throwing it to the edge of the bed. She did the same with the petticoat and stays until Lydia was only in her shift and stockings. She had almost reached forward to remove those, but Lydia halted her by removing them herself, wincing as she stretched out her legs. Kitty eyed the shift, but eventually elected to leave Lydia with some dignity, and bade her turn over and to lie flat on her stomach. Lydia hesitated, but Kitty put a gentle hand on her arm and began pulling back the coverlet and sheets saying "Unless you are comfortable lying on your sore legs?", and she turned herself over, watching Kitty out of the corner of her eyes. Kitty pulled up the shift and gasped as she saw the marks left by the poker. Long, thin, angry welts covered Lydia's buttocks, thighs and lower back.
"Oh Lydia!" She gasped and reached out to gently touch one. Lydia drew in a sharp breath, and Kitty quickly retracted her hand. She drew the small table close to the bed and with it the bowl of water and creams and cloths. Dipping a linen cloth in the water, she squeezed it out and placed the cool cloth over Lydia. Lydia drew in another sharp breath and Kitty began to remove it, but stopped when Lydia begged her "Oh no leave it there, please.". She quickly wet the other cloths and placed them over the welts, and then bade Lydia to rise on her arms. Gently, she removed the pins from Lydia's hair, setting the curls and ringlets loose. Removing the soft brush from the dresser, she slowly worked her way through the tangles in Lydia's hair until it was smooth and tangle free. Then she gently began to twist the hair into a plait. Lydia lay silently as she worked, and shuddered several times as one is wont to do after crying heavily. Finally she spoke.
"I have never seen Jane so angry." She said softly and Kitty smiled.
"Nor I, Lydia. What must you have said to make her so?" Lydia sighed.
"I called her a shrew and said she was jealous. I also told her that she was false, mean-spirited and a witch." Kitty gasped.
"How could you? You know that is not true! But Lydia, I cannot see that driving Jane to be so angry. You must have said something truly terrible to have caused her to react so cruelly?" Lydia was silent for several seconds.
"I may have told her that she was only good for being a man's mistress and that no one would ever marry her." Kitty stopped in shock.
"Lydia! Wha-"
"That is not all, Kitty. I-, I may have also accused her of never loving Mama, and I said that she as good as killed Mama." Kitty thumped her shoulder lightly, and placed herself so that she could look at Lydia.
"You thoughtless, heartless girl! Why would you ever say that? How could you hate her that much?" Lydia stared at her and hung her head.
"I wanted to hurt her Kitty. I've always been jealous of her. She's always been Mama's favourite. Mama always went on about her saving us all from the hedgerows. So I thought if I acted like Mama, then maybe she would love me more. Only it never worked." Kitty shook her head at her foolish younger sister and tied off the ribbon on her plait. Gesturing for Lydia to lay back down, she removed the cloths from her skin and looked at the welts. They were still red and raw but far less angry than they had been earlier. She gently wiped them down with a dry cloth and began to smear arnica and comfrey paste onto Lydia's skin. As she worked she spoke softly to her sister.
"Lydi, Jane was always going to be Mama's favourite. Jane is sweet and kind and beautiful, and modestly talented at everything. She is also the eldest. I have never been either Mama or Papa's favourite daughter. Papa loves Lizzy for her wit and cleverness. And Mama always loved Jane the most. We have always been thrown to the back and left to fend for ourselves. I have spent years being jealous of you and angry at you whenever you stole my bonnets or gowns that I had made up in order to gain Mama's attention. You remember that neither Papa nor Mama ever came to my defence. Mary and I have spent years being in the shadow of, Jane and Lizzy. But yet, you have never seen me act so disgracefully as you did to Jane. Mayhap you should consider that, Lydia. Even with all the ideas that we came up, none of our intentions were ever to hurt each other. Mary never broke her promise and neither have I. Don't you forget all those times. We swore a vow to each other, and the only one who has broken it was you." And Kitty washed her hands in the bowl and dried them. Leaning over she pulled down the shift, and covered Lydia up with the coverlet. She looked down at her younger sister who was deep in thought. With a small smile on her face she leaned over and placed a kiss on Lydia's forehead before turning and exiting the room. Lydia was left to contemplate her actions and the consequences they had until she fell asleep. Meanwhile the news of Mrs Bennet's death spread through Meryton like fire, and one widow began plotting with a devious smile.
Well I hope you all enjoyed this, and are pleased with this chapter. I did this one in between dealing with my little baby girl and terrible plot ideas. If any of you are horrified, it was not entirely uncommon in those days for both wives and children to be beaten severely by parents and short of attempted murder, no one could actually do anything. I do realise that Jane may be OOC, but I hated that she is either always portrayed as an absolute angel or a demon with the guise of an angel. I think with all the pressure and the grief and self-doubt and (poorly placed) guilt that she would have snapped under Lydia's vindictive speech. That's it for next time. Hasta la vista :)