A/N
I would really like to thank all the readers who have taken out their time to read my story and especially those who have left such encouraging words as reviews. I had thought to finish the prologue in two parts. Unfortunately, the story just keeps growing and I would need one more part to finish it. From now on I would try to post one chapter each weekend unless the muse doesn't strike :-). Thank you once again for all your kind words. I would be grateful if readers point out any mistake/error they notice. Take good care of yourselves !
Prologue (Part 2)
Harriet was so deep in her thoughts that she remained unaware of Elizabeth's approach till she was almost upon her. At the sound of a twig being broken she looked up with startled eyes. Her red rimmed eyes were full of tears. "Lizzy", she nodded slightly to acknowledge Elizabeth, dabbing ineffectually with her handkerchief to stem the tears. "How come you are here?"
Elizabeth sat down next to her. "Mary and I were coming back from Meryton when we saw you sitting here", at the mention of Meryton, Harriet paled a little. "Ah.. you looked as if you could do with a friend" continued Elizabeth ruefully. Harriet looked at her silently for a moment, then sighed deeply, "I guess you would come to know soon enough, if not already," She began. When Elizabeth cleared her throat, she stopped and looked at her enquiringly. "Er..I saw your aunt leaving very hurriedly from Mrs. Bates' not this hour past. I cannot be sure, but it appeared as if she was upset by something Mrs. Goulding said ", Elizabeth said hesitantly.
Harriet's lips tightened, "I have often felt that the Meryton post office would be better served if they employed Mrs. Goulding and Mrs. Phillips in the stead of their post boys," she coloured and looked at Elizabeth guiltily, " I beg your pardon, Lizzy, I am upset and.."
"Think nothing of it. I should not be saying this as she is my aunt after all, but I happen to agree with you", Elizabeth interrupted her with a droll look.
They exchanged amused smiles, but soon Harriet turned serious again. "I, er.. I don't know what to say. Did you…did Mrs. Goulding…. say something to you…about … us? ", she asked. Elizabeth hesitated, "Not to me, No. She stopped speaking as soon as she saw me, but when I entered Mrs. Bates' shop, she was telling Lady Lucas about Mr. Goulding having witnessed a girl in comprising position with Mr. Sandhurst. I did not hear the girl's name, nor of her uncle, who it seems was with Mr. Goulding at the time. But I think both Mrs Bates and Lady Lucas are aware of the girl's identity", Elizabeth grimaced apologetically.
"As would all the four and twenty families in Meryton be, before the nightfall," said Harriet with no small amount of bitterness. Though Harriet had still not said anything openly, Elizabeth was now almost certain that her hunch about Julia was right on the mark. She squeezed Harriet's hand gently and said, "You know, you can share anything with me, and it would not go any further, that is if you feel like it of course."
"I might as well unburden myself as Mrs. Goulding will be sure to see to it that the story is known far and wide. In fact it would almost be a relief as I do need a friend," sighed Harriet. "You know Lizzy, it is most ironic that Julia should be observed on the day when there was nothing amorous or really clandestine in her meeting with Mr. Sandhurst, except of course, the impropriety of being alone with him in our uncle's study, " she pulled a face.
When Elizabeth arced a brow at her enquiringly, she shrugged. "Let me start at the beginning. As you are aware, Mr. Sandhurst started as an intern with your Uncle Phillips about eight months ago. Since then he has constantly been in our company at assemblies, card parties, dinner parties and the such. I don't know when he started singling out Julia, really I did not see any sign of it. I am also at a loss to figure out how she managed to meet him in secret as our aunt has been very strict with us. As far as I know, Julia has only ever been out in the company of the family or her friends Maria and Lydia. But somehow she has been meeting him in secret for these two months past. She … she .. she was even stupid enough to supposedly prove her love for him some time ago," she whispered as Elizabeth's widened in horror, "Yes," she nodded unhappily, "It all came out yesterday, when our aunt forced Julia to tell the truth after Mr. Goulding and our Uncle discovered them in each other's arms in the study, or so at least Mrs. Goulding would say." She continued with a wry quirk to her lips, "as I said it is ironic because in actuality Julia was shaking him using his lapels and he was trying to fend her off. For two months she kept meeting him in secret with none being the wiser and the day she was berating him for the scoundrel that he is, she is discovered, and her life is changed irrevocably."
She sat in silence for a while, her sadness apparent. When she looked up and saw Elizabeth sitting with a bemused expression, she shook her head. "Let me finish the pathetic tale. Yesterday Mr. Sandhurst came to our home to take his leave of us. He said he would be leaving for London tomorrow as his internship was over and he was to start his new employment there very soon. As he had no immediate plan of returning to Meryton, he came to bid us farewell. You can imagine my sister's shock and pain on hearing this, she of course was not aware of his plans. Mr. Goulding soon knocked on the door, though we didn't know it at the time. My uncle went to ascertain who it was. In the guise of showing him to the door, Julia managed to inveigle Mr. Sandhurst in the study little knowing that uncle would be accompanying Mr. Goulding there and that she would soon be discovered. Rest I think you can imagine." She squared her shoulders and continued determinedly, "In the ensuing confusion Mr. Sandhurst managed to slip away. By the time my aunt was able to draw out the facts from a weeping and hysterical Julia, almost three hours had gone by. It seems the reprobate never even proposed marriage as it was not in his scheme of things. They only talked about their undying love and there was some vague reference to how lovely life will be in London in future." Elizabeth was shocked to see a disgusted sneer on the face of her ever serene friend.
"When the sad story finally came out, my uncle hurried to Mr. Sandhurst's lodgings to make him do right by Julia. But the coward had already fled to London. Oh Lizzy, it was painful to look my poor dejected uncle in the face when he came back, " Harriet's eyes filled again, "He neither has the physical strength nor the finances to force Mr. Sandhurst to take the honourable course. We also want to keep things as quiet as possible as the full extent of Julia's folly is not known to anyone. Uncle has since decided to send her to our Aunt in Scotland. She will stay there until the talk in the neighbourhood dies down and it becomes clear.. wh … whether there are to be any repercussions of…. of her foolish mistake." Both friends sat quietly for a while after Harriet completed her story. Then Elizabeth took Harriet's hand in both of hers and said, "I am more sorry than I can say for your pain and worry. How is Julia holding on? "
"She has been crying since yesterday. When my aunt came back from visit to Meryton and told us about the gossip, my uncle decided to start their travel to Scotland tomorrow morning itself. Julia has been inconsolable since then. Our aunt's place in Scotland is somewhat primitive and difficult and she herself is not as warm or kind as our Aunt Long. Understandably Julia is feeling alone and scared and we don't even know how long her exile will be. I have been trying to console her as best as I can, but the talk of all the gossip in Meryton disturbed me so much that I had to come out here to collect myself. I would be no good to her otherwise. I.. I should be getting back to her," She trailed off, not making any move to get up.
After a minute or two she again burst out, "Lizzy I feel so wretched, I feel as if I failed Julia! Though my aunt and uncle have been kindness itself but since I was ten and our parents died in the carriage accident, I have always believed myself to be Julia's protector. And I was found wanting when the time came. I failed in my duty as an elder sister. I should have known what was going on. I should I have…," Harriet broke down. Elizabeth put her arms round her, murmuring soothingly, feeling helpless. She didn't understand how best to console her friend. When Harriet quieted down somewhat she again promised her discretion and shared her resolve to stand firmly by her. Harriet nodded gratefully and stood up, "I really must be going, " she said. Elizabeth also stood up her hurriedly, Harriet gave her a quick hug and left. Elizabeth stood there watching her walk away. She felt uncomfortable, worried, and vaguely dissatisfied. After some time she slowly started on her way back to Longbourn.
Longbourn, the same night
Everyone at Longbourn had retired for the night. Elizabeth Bennet was sitting in front of the mirror in her room , combing her hair. She was suffering from a raging headache that had not abated despite having consumed two cups of Mrs. Hill's usually effective herbal tea. It was no wonder that she was suffering a headache, the day had progressed from bad to worse post her meeting with Harriet.
While coming back, she had noticed Lydia and John Lucas on the path between Lucas Lodge and Longbourn. Lydia had appropriated John's hat and was running away with it, followed closely by him. As Elizabeth had watched in some disbelief, he had soon caught up with Lydia and started jostling with her to retrieve his hat. They had sprung apart when Elizabeth had sharply called Lydia's name. While John Lucas had looked flustered, Lydia had continued giggling. Before Elizabeth could say anything else, she saw Maria Lucas and Kitty catching up with them. Coming at the back of Harriet's disclosure Lydia's inappropriate and forward behaviour had really upset Elizabeth and her disapproval was obvious to all. The Bennets and Lucases had soon parted ways. Elizabeth had wanted to remonstrate with Lydia, but she did not consider it appropriate to do so in front of Kitty, so she held her peace. By the time they reached home, Mary's prediction had come true.
Sure enough Aunt Phillips had come calling, literally twitching with the tale of Julia's scandalous compromise in which she was naturally discovered locked in a passionate embrace with Mr. Sandhurst, who had since decamped from Meryton. Though Elizabeth was aware how misleading gossip could be, she was still shocked at the blatant exaggeration and misinformation. Unfortunately, she could not do much to correct the misinformation, as not only she had promised Harriet her silence but like most gossip there was an element of truth in it. After all, Julia had been discovered alone in the study with that man.
When the story had been discussed threadbare with many exclamations from Mrs Bennet about how she was always aware that Julia was a wild girl who was never really fit to be friends with her darling daughter and how Lydia was now not to be friends with her any longer, Mrs Phillips had finally left, most likely to spread the gossip further.
Since then Elizabeth had been feeling more and more wretched and her head had started aching. All her sisters had been subdued since then, but Elizabeth had noticed that Lydia had appeared really upset with their aunt's story. Ever since Harriet had mentioned that Julia only ever went out either with friends or family, Elizabeth had been mulling over how she had been able to meet Mr. Sandhurst secretly so often and her reflections had filled her with unease. It appeared that a long and frank talk was due with Lydia. In addition some of what Harriet had said about the responsibility of a sister had given rise to a vague feeling of dissatisfaction and she felt an urgent need of some reflection about herself and her own behaviour. She also needed to discuss today's events with Jane, at least as much as she could with a clear conscience. Her headache however decided her course of action, she desperately needed to sleep before she could manage a talk with her sisters or even reflect on her own behaviour.
