The "guests" on their way to London.

Chapter 31: Night whispers

From Kent to London, seventh day

They were riding through the dark countryside and Richard Fitzwilliam was, even he didn't show it, more than anxious to be back in English controlled country.

Even if, right now, nobody was probably able to show him the border between French and English occupied land.

He sensed an unknown presence at his side.

"Mr. Bennet..."

"General..."

There were a few minutes silence which made Fitzwilliam nervous. He couldn't help but ask the first question.

"You were army?"

"Horse guards. Twenty five years back..."

"Thought it, you mount like one of us..."

"Meaning a peacock in a saddle?"

That pushed Fitzwilliam over the line. He laughed.

"Indeed, that part also!"

They laughed discreetly together.

"Why did you quit?"

That brought another laugh.

"Strange how the same circumstances bring out the same topics... What gave you the hint?"

"You're younger than a few generals of my acquaintance. If you hadn't quit, you would probably be in the same circle..."

"Not quite," answered Mr. Bennet. "Not enough money nor nobility in the Bennet branch of the Gentry. I had no chance from the beginning to ever even consider being one day the stuff of a general." He smiled. "Others had better chances. And if you're speaking about Wolcott and Bryan, these two I knew. They were captains when I was a lieutenant. And I did believe they should never have exceeded the rank of lieutenant... Since they got their following ranks with speed and without making a din, I could only conclude that to become a general one must be dumb like a stone. So, to get over that disillusion, I concluded that I was way too intelligent to ever be granted a rank over colonel."

He chuckled.

"You owe your present rank to d'Arcy, isn't it so? He pushed you in the right direction?"

Fitzwilliam glanced at his "guest".

"How could you know such a thing..."

"Lydia spoke of how you were captured. And I heard the story of your fantastic rescue of our finest generals. When I heard the names of said finest generals, I knew he gave us them back. And since you climbed from colonel to general in the very near past, some conclusions sprang into my mind... Am I wrong?"

Fitzwilliam couldn't deny.

"I have no proof but I'm myself very suspicious. Anneley, Wolcott and Bryan, the three "fine" generals have done more to paralyze our side that twenty of his armies."

"That's the way very clever strategists think. Winning without ever going into battle! That's a tactic he seems to use very well..."

"You seem to admire him..."

"Why shouldn't I? He has the good taste to find my eldest daughter worthy of his courting. Even should he be vanquished during this campaign -which I seriously doubt- he's still a very powerful and wealthy man. If my daughter wants him, I'll gladly surrender to her wishes..."

He looked at his neighbour and smiled.

"Why should I be scandalized? He never tried anything to convince her to act unseemly and, for what I know, he always acted in the best gentlemanly manner with her."

He exhaled soundly.

"All commanders in chief cannot say the same thing... Not even in the army of His Majesty. I was stationed in our American colonies during the insurrection. My direct commander has never been too worried about the willingness of the young girls he was "inviting" in his quarters... And at that time, they were still subjects of the same Majesty than him..."

He went back to the subject at hand.

"He was the new master of the Land and nobody could have saved my daughter's virtue if he had decided to act like a rogue. He didn't and from what my daughter's told me, he did everything in his power to show his respect and his good manners."

He nodded.

"So yes, I can only admire a man who, with absolute power at his disposition, is still able to act like a decent creature..."

"He is invading our country and deporting the members of the Gentry and the Clergy..."

"That I do know, General. And I believe that last part of his strategy is a smart move. It wouldn't have been if the Gentry and most of the Clergy would have had the support of the people. But as it seems not to be the case, removing the political and religious leaders from the equation gives him the advantage to force said people to search new leaders. And those leaders will soon know that their positions will only stand while the old leaders are out of the Land..."

He turned toward Richard Fitzwilliam.

"What side are these leaders going to support? What do you think, general?"

"They cannot choose the outsiders against their own British leaders..."

"Can they not?" Mr. Bennet shook his head. "I'd like to have your certainty, general. For my part, I doubt it very much that they feel themselves ready to stand by those who where nothing but people who took a part of what they produced to live better then themselves..."

"That's not universally true. A lot of Land owners are respectful and human people."

"Yes, and so am I, general. But with the correct argumentation, even I would pass for a lazy selfish person exploiting the work of my tenants. If somebody malicious looks at what I do the whole year long, he could very well conclude that I do nothing but spend the money my tenants have trouble gathering for me."

"But they use your land..."

"Indeed, they live on the land I own. And because I'm the owner, it seems that I get a better share than them who work all day long to make the land fruitful. Do you really believe that all of my tenants would be deaf to arguments that point up my laziness compared to their workload? Especially if I'm no longer there to bring up counter arguments?"

"I cannot believe it. We are treating our tenants very well..."

"Are we really, general? Are we all treating our tenants so very well? What about our Irish tenants? What about our Scottish tenants? What about Count Fairfax's tenants?"

"He is not the best figure head to show off..."

"That's why d'Arcy will use his tenants first. They will jump on the occasion to make their master pay his greed and his malevolence. And with them he'll have the example he needs. No, general, in this game, d'Arcy is onto a sure thing if he plays the right cards."

"You speak as if this invasion would only be a game..."

"If he acts wisely, it will appear so. A game between two groups of rulers who, in the eyes of the poor people are quite the same. The people won't feel the same threat as the Gentry. They will see themselves as bystanders looking at a duel between rich and idle landowners. They will just look at the match and hope that the winner will give them more from the pie..."

"And they already know what the old landowners were ready to part with..."

"Exactly my point general! If he acts wisely and is able to hold back his troops and let the poor in peace, he'll win their heart in less than a year."

"But troops are rarely easy to be held. There will be exactions..."

"I haven't heard of any, general. And they are here for more than a week... You were in Kent, have you seen the roads? Were there thousands of refugees fleeing North?"

"I must concede, there were none on the roads we followed..."

"And what do you conclude?"

"There were no exactions..."

"Exactly... People flee with their meager possessions when they are scared. That they do no flee shows us that they are not scared..."

"They could be dead..."

That draw out a laugh.

"Nice try, but you'll have to find some better arguments to make people believe that. You know as well as I that there are always survivors and survivors talk... Always..."

"We could mount a fraud with false witnesses who tell lies on what is happening behind the front."

"That you could but if one of your "agent provocateur" gets ever caught and tells the truth, nothing will save the image of the Crown..."

Fitzwilliam could only nod. He couldn't and he wouldn't do it.

He sighed. And decided to change the subject.

"So what was your rank?"

"Major. To the day when I was pushed out... I was probably already very near to the best rank I could get..."

"You never had regrets?"

"Every day till the birth of Jane. Afterwards, I was quite satisfied with my new job as a father. That stopped a few years later and then I was just unsatisfied and nothing else. It seems this present crisis has given me new reasons to be alive and happy about it..."

"How do you see our future?"

Mr. Bennet looked at the general.

"You really want an answer to that one?"

Fitzwilliam shook his head. No he didn't want an answer to this one.

He new that, if d'Arcy wasn't a fool and didn't fall into the trap the Prince would lay, they would be beaten.

And even if d'Arcy fell into their hands. What would stop Duroc? Or Murat? Or Lannes? They were already here and they wouldn't quit because d'Arcy was a prisoner.

And he is not yet a prisoner!

"What are you going to do with Jane?"

Fitzwilliam sighed once more. He had feared that precise question.

What are we going to do with her?

He had no idea. He knew that the Prince of Wales had lots of flaws. Using an innocent young woman as bait was only one of them. He would do much worse if he believed it would stop d'Arcy.

But since it probably wouldn't, he would stay on the safer side of princely behavior.

"I have no idea," confessed he. "She will probably have to stay at the Palace where we will organize a trap..."

"What if he does not like the idea?"

"He'll probably have some bad reactions..."

"Lots of people could have to pay the bill."

"Do you really believe I do not know the risks? I know that we are out manned, out gunned and out maneuvered. If he decides to hold a real big bad grudge we all will have to pay. But that's not my decision to make. I'm a sworn officer of the Crown and while our King is no more sane, it's the Crown Prince who gets the saying. And I'll obey. Whatever he commands..."

Mr. Bennet looked at the young general.

"Whatever he commands?"

"He won't ask me or anyone to kill her. He is the most sane man I know. He has lots of flaws but he knows were his limits are. And in this case, if he doesn't get d'Arcy he won't try anything against your daughter. She is Probably the only thing between d'Arcy's wrath and himself. He will be cautious, I'm sure..."

"Give me your word that you won't harm her..."

"I'm not the only officer in his service..."

"You I know and you I can ask. Give me your word..."

Fitzwilliam sighed.

"You'll have it. I won't harm her, even if I'm ordered to... On my honor!"

Mr. Bennet nodded. He wouldn't get more. For everything else he would have to have trust in d'Arcy. Hopefully he would be able to protect her against her own government...

That finally arrived in the vicinity of London.

Even Edward Bennet who was an excellent rider was exhausted. Mary and Lydia could only hold in saddle thanks to the help of two Horse Guards who were holding them.

He was now at her side to comfort and encourage them.

Fitzwilliam took advantage of the father's pledge to see to the last daughter.

Jane, the best rider of his daughters was still able to ride but soon even she would need the help of somebody.

The general came along side.

"We are arriving at Camberwell. Within the hour we will be at our destination," said Fitzwilliam. "Do you believe, you'll be able to resist another hour?"

"I'll do it, general," said she. "You won't be late for my incarceration."

He shook his head.

"It won't be an incarceration, Miss Bennet. I can't deny that the Prince wants t use you to lure d'Arcy to London but as much as I can swear, you'll get the best treatment possible. You'll be restricted to the Palace but within it's walls you'll be free to come and go as you wish..."

She smiled.

"I will be a guest of honor?"

"The guest of guests..."

"And only because he is courting me?"

"Yes," said he. "And it is is nothing but normal. Because, at this precise moment, he is the most important man of Great Britain. Even the King is less important. You probably know that he holds the future of this island in his hands."

"I know but I fear the future of this island is already decided. We have, if I understood well the reports of our military situation, already lost this war..."

Fitzwilliam made a face.

"Nothing's so dramatically decided. We could still limit the extension of the invasion."

"With what troops, general? I've seen his troops, they don't look as if they had been harassed or fought against. They were just exhausted because they were eating ground like nobody could have foreseen... He prepared this invasion with great care and he surprised you. Do you really believe he will be foolish enough to come and fall into your trap..."

Fitzwilliam found the force to smile back.

"I would come, without a doubt, I would. And from what I have heard of him, he will too. But that doesn't mean that he will fall into our trap. I wouldn't bet a shilling on our success."

She looked at him surprise fighting exhaustion.

"You seem to think a lot of him..."

"Why shouldn't I? He just did what all the general officers of the British army and all the Crown counselors swear was impossible. He put seventy thousand men ashore without loosing more than a handful of his and now he is overrunning us. He's beating the crap out of what remains of my troops. I don't like him but I'm not stupid enough not to see what such a success means. We are against one hell of a man and I really have no idea what to do to stop him!"

He shook his head.

"What I resent the most is the fact that he could have been with us and not against us."

Jane frowned at him.

"How so?"

"He came to Great Britain twenty five years ago and he applied for Oxford and Cambridge. And they refused him because he was two months late... I really think that we should shoot the deans of Cambridge and Oxford..."

She shook her head.

"He would never have found his place here... He's much too independent. He would have been very unhappy."

"You really think so?"

"I'm sure. He has such an unruly trait in him that he would have clashed with all the authorities. He needed to go somewhere else to learn patience and self control."

"And did he found such a place?"

"He did. I've never seen a more controlled man. At first, his eyes were the only way through which he choose to convey his true feelings. For the rest he could very well have been made of stone... He warmed up and became more human only while carrying me..."

"Lucky man..."

Her smile came back and her eyes thanked him for his compliment.

"And his eyes are always so full of life and love that I could feel my skin shiver each time he looked at me..."

"You share his feelings?"

"I have feelings for him, there can be no doubt on that matter. But do I share what he feels? I don't know. I really don't know. I never felt what I feel now. And I'm not sure I like what I'm feeling."

Fitzwilliam could only nod in understanding.

He could very well understand d'Arcy's feelings.

Indeed she was Elizabeth's sister. Not as lively and not so quick at repartee but with something else. She looked at people and things with a real understanding and what looked very well like wisdom.

One could lose oneself in those eyes and that peculiar shy smile.

Yes, indeed, quite an interesting young Lady.

And remembering her sister Elizabeth did nothing to soothe him.

How could it be that Hertfortshire could be home to such interesting women and it staying a secret?

What about the other sisters?

He had seen Lydia and her reaction to Wickham.

Too reckless and too young. In a few years, perhaps, when age had given her a few ugly lessons...

The other sister was interesting but way too...

Serious would be the kind word to use.

Boring could be the little more unkind one but it was not necessarily false.

Shame the eldest sisters were already besieged by such uncommon suitors.

But there was somewhere in Derbyshire a last sister.

If he got the possibility he would have to get a look of her.

If she was more like the two eldest ones, he would strike.

Hopefully, this time, he would be the first!

Next chapter : London Palace