Soon to be en route to Pemberley.

Chapter 45: London Departure

London, Cheapside, Thursday the thirteenth August. Ninth day

"Miss Bennet," said Jonas smiling at her. "I'm so happy to see that you're back at home..."

She smiled back.

"Thank you, Jonas. Especially thank you for considering me as part of the family..."

"You always were, Miss Bennet, you always were!" He winked at her. "And, you were also always a favorite of the staff..."

She frowned and looked surprised.

"I have no intention to disappear, Jonas... I hope I'll have lots of opportunities to be said favorite for a long time to come."

"We all hope so, Miss Bennet, but we saw Monsieur d'Arcy and he seemed..."

She raised her eyebrows.

"He seemed?"

Jonas made a face and for the first time in her life she saw him bite his lips.

"Not very..." he hesitated once more. His voice decreased. "Sympathetic..." whispered he.

She smothered a smile.

She could very well imagine d'Arcy in his haughty arrogant superior mood... She had seen him at Rosings when he was upset with Lady Catherine. He would be impressive and in such a mood he would be sensed as rather...

Unsympathetic...

She closed the little distance between her and Jonas.

"Don't be worried," whispered she. "There is another facet to the man. A private face he shows only to me. He's really not so terrible as he seems to outsiders. I hope he'll have the opportunity to show himself to you as he really is... But I believe he could be considered as shy..."

"He don't look like somebody who is shy, Miss Bennet..."

"It's part of his official image, Jonas. He is really much nicer than he seems."

Jonas sighed.

"We all hope so, Miss Bennet. He came and he asked to speak with your father. We all believed he asked for your hand and since he smiled while going out it was easy to conclude that your father has accepted... Since then, we were rather worried for you. We all like your father very much but we feared he was not up to the task to say 'no' to a man who doesn't seem to take 'no' for an answer easily!"

She could see that he wasn't very happy with what he had just said. Criticizing a member of the family would not be an easy thing for such an old retainer. And criticizing nice Mr. Bennet would even had been more difficult.

"And, to be frank, Miss Bennet," added he, "he doesn't seem like a man by whose side you could be happy. He's a warrior, Miss, and war is his business. We cannot imagine you and war coming easily together."

For the first time in his life he took Jane's hand in his own.

"We know he is rich and famous and probably the next Master of the British Isles, but we won't like it at all if you'd say 'yes' because you believe it is your duty. We wouldn't like you to be unhappy. You don't deserve any more unhappiness..."

She thanked him with a smile.

"I thank you, Jonas. I thank you very much, but don't worry. I won't be unhappy, I know it. All his kindness is for the people he cares for, Jonas. And he cares for me, a lot. Don't be too harsh and don't judge him on the image he shows to outsiders. He's really much kinder than that. I know he'll be the best husband I could have dreamed of..."

He looked at her with doubtful eyes.

"You're sure?"

She nodded emphatically.

"I'm very very sure, Jonas. He's what I want and I'm what he wants. No one could be better matched than us."

He sighed.

"Then, we can only wish you all the happiness in the world, Miss Bennet."

"That's not what I want, Jonas... I wouldn't like taking it all. I just want that part of happiness that belongs to each of us. And now I'm sure he is the one who will give it to me."

Jonas bowed while smiling.

"I'll accept your judgment, Miss Bennet and I'm relieved..."

He took a long breath and his face was back to its usual impassive self.

"We're just sorry that you won't stay, Miss Bennet. It seems that you'll be on the road immediately after the luncheon. Your father wants to be in Derbyshire in time for the wedding..."

Jane's smile blossomed once more.

"That's a point where I fully agree with him. I long to see my sister and I'm very satisfied that we will have a chance to get there in time to assist in the wedding..."

Her father's voice came up from just outside the house.

"We will be there Saturday, dear. For nothing in the world would I miss that ceremony."

He smiled at his daughter.

"How it could happen that Lizzie's antipathy altered into love will be a mystery till the end of my life."

"There was more than antipathy there, Papa. I knew from the beginning that Mr. Darcy was looking at her in a strange and interested manner. It's just a shame she heard him speaking with Charles about her... She can be a little vindictive if spurned..."

Mr. Bennet could only nod.

"Indeed and I can't reprimand her for it. It was a rather ungentlemanly comment on his part. I was quite upset with it myself."

Jane who knew the slight preference her father had always had for Lizzie could only smile at his face. She now knew that he never loved Lizzie better. Lizzie was just the one daughter with which he was the most comfortable.

"I'm sure he has had lots of opportunities to regret it. I suppose Lizzie's first refusal was directly linked with it. I'm happy that they got over that little misunderstanding."

Her father looked at her with surprise in his eyes.

"First refusal?"

Jane frowned before remembering that Lizzie had only confided in her about Fitzwilliam Darcy's first proposal.

"I'm expressing myself very badly, Papa. There was only one refusal. In April, in Rosings, where Mr. Darcy asked her for the first time..."

"Oh... Thank God, I was just fearing she had done it twice..."

"You knew about the Rosings refusal?"

"Mr. Darcy wrote of it in what I could –were I an optimist- consider as his written demand to me." He sighed. "But since I consider myself as a realist let's say he informed me of his wish to propose to my daughter a second time..."

Jane laughed at the mortified look on her father's face.

"I suppose that the war took the decision out of his hands. Being violently in love, he could not wait for you to answer. Uncle Gardiner, I'm sure, was a perfect proxy."

"That he was, dear. That he was... He informed me that he has witnessed more than one untoward behavior on the part of that gentleman. And he seems to have had a willing accomplice in your sister."

Jane winked at her father.

"Don't you play the surprised father. You know as well as I do that, once her mind is set on something, nothing has ever been able to stop Lizzie. And once their apparent dislike for each other was out of the way there was not the least chance that they would not cross a few boundaries..."

Her father's eyes sparkled.

"Would you be speaking out of experience, my dear Jane?"

He received the expected result as Jane's face reddened in the most colorful shades of crimson.

"Miss Bennet?"

Jane turned around to find herself in front of a well armed and dangerous looking gentleman.

His Irish accent gave away his probable identity.

"Wouldn't you be Mr. Kennedy?"

He nodded and smiled.

"That's me, Miss Bennet and I'm, with a few of my friends, charged to escort you back to the North where your sister's wedding will take place."

Jane curtsied. He was the man who had escorted her mother and sister to Pemberley and his uncle and Charles Bingley to London. And all with efficiency and speed. An honorable man and so a man she could greet like a gentleman.

"I'm glad you could stay with us. It seems that everybody in the family trusts you, a good sign..."

Her smile infected him since his lips went up on the sides.

"I'm not alone and he asked that we let nothing happen. We like to be of service when he asks..."

Jane nodded.

"I heard about your –and his– story. I'm sorry for what my countrymen did to yours. It was a sin before God and a crime before mankind and nothing will ever be able to justify such a behavior. We have lost our soul in doing it and it appears that God was prompt in retaliating. And I don't say that just to win your good graces..."

"I have no doubt on that point... You wouldn't have supported the Irish Women League if you'd agreed with your Government's position..."

Jane frowned. She had indeed sent money and supplies to the Irish Women League. How could he...

"The league's given us the list of members. We were careful not to damage our friends' possessions or to bring harm to their households. We Irishmen are a vindictive bunch but we don't leave a proven friend without support when in need. All the contributors to the League will be protected and their possessions guaranteed. We know what it means to be without friends. Our friends will never be alone..."

Jane was no innocent lamb in questions of politics. She had had access to all of her father's newspapers and more than once she had been the first to read the latest political essay her father had bought. She knew what this recently revealed information signified. Since this Irish freedom fighter had access to the member list of the league it was quite clear that the league was not only a charity.

It was more than probable that her money and the money of quite a great number of English ladies had not been used only to feed orphans and to clothe poor people.

"Does that mean what I fear it means?"

Kennedy took a deep breath and made no effort to hide his feelings, half satisfaction, half guilt.

"We had no choice, Miss. Nobody would have helped us without the money to launch the deals. But most went to the kids, I swear..."

Jane could only shrug.

Of course he would swear. Even if he was probably did not know half of what had happened behind the scene of the league.

She shook her head.

Why could there be no honesty in human relations?

She knew the answers: politics and greed and ambition.

But desperate people take desperate measures, and stealing food out of kids' mouthes was probably the least they were ready to perform to get their freedom back.

And that thought brought her back to her own situation.

Now her English countrymen were in the same situation as the Irishmen. Invaded and occupied and if she could judge human nature soon to be exploited and enslaved.

What felonies and treasons would she accept to perform to help her own people?

Were they still her people?

Where would she stand as d'Arcy wife? What would it be to be the wife of the chief tyrant?

Would she be able to play a role in the drama which was being written in Great Britain at this very moment?

And what would be her role in this classical tragedy...

She asked herself the only important question. In front of all these questions, of all these uncertainties, was she still determined to become his wife?

She could still choose the safe way into the future. Become Jane Bingley. She was sure he would accept with joy her coming back. And she even liked him enough to look at their future life together with anticipation.

She shook her head.

It would be a lie. More, it would be a lie born out of cowardice.

Her decision was not an easy one but she could not accept living a lie for the rest of her existence.

She knew Shakespeare's tragedies by heart and even if his female characters were not always the most glorious characters of the plays, she would find a role where she could combine her love as a woman and her duty as an English Lady.

And dying in act one was not the role she fancied.

"So you will be those charged to protect me?"

He nodded.

"Yes, Miss. We will be everywhere around you. But you'll need more than us looking at you from a distance." He looked up and pointed toward a shadowy recess near one of the doors going to the servants' quarters. "That's were she will have a role to play..."

Jane turned around to see a young woman moving toward her.

"She's Maureen O'Sullivan and she will be you new maid," said Kennedy. "He gave her strict orders never to leave you alone with anybody else than him and family. And if strangers are nearby, she will stay and look at them..."

He bowed.

"I'll let you alone, you have a lot to speak about..."

Jane stared at the red haired woman.

She was, in her Irish and cheeky way, quite beautiful.

And the little smile on her lips spoke of insolence, not respect.

"If you don't like what he asked you to do, it would be better to quit and let him find somebody else."

The red head shook her head.

"There's nobody else. I'm the only one he had the time to teach his Asian defense techniques. But don't be afraid, I don't need to like you to do my job to the best of my abilities. I'm not here to be your best friend, I'm here to take the bullet meant for you..."

Her eyes lost all trace of sympathy.

"It's even better for our realationship that I don't like you. I like him and from the way he speaks of you, I know he would be quite upset if something were to happen to you. I'll do it for him..."

Jane felt the message intertwined in Maureen's words.

"What is he to you?"

"No need to be jealous, Miss Bennet. We parted a few months ago. We have had our share of common pleasure but it was more and more becoming only sexual. He likes his women in love with him. He's not interested in just being laid... He finally understood that I have never really loved him..."

Jane moved toward her. Maureen didn't react.

"How can you..."

"Because it's the truth," replied Maureen without blinking. "He got me out of jail and out of the bed of a snail of a British officer. That alone would have been sufficient. But since he is probably the most handsome gentleman I ever met, it was even less difficult than I thought. I had very little to do to get his attention..."

She smiled a rather unhappy smile.

"It was even easier than I thought. He hadn't been with a woman for eighteen months. He eagerly responded to my affection..."

Jane was feeling the heat of jealousy engulfing her.

How could he? What was he thinking to toss at her his old mistress? Was he out of his mind?

And then it dawned on her.

Of course he would do it that way. Just to let her know that he had not been a saint while awaiting her and, in accordance with his wish to let her choose another, to offer her one last opportunity to change her mind . To let her jealousy take hold of her and destroy the feelings she had for him.

But that would not be enough to change her mind.

Yes, she was jealous of Maureen. Jealous of her having had what she could, as for yet, only imagine. Jealous of her having been a woman in his arms.

Jealous, jealous and even more jealous than she thought possible...

But her jealousy would not govern her. She would not let that petty and unworthy feeling destroy what she wanted for a life.

He would pay! And dearly.

She would rip out his eyes and bite him to draw blood but she would not surrender at just his first attack.

She took a deep breath and her smile came back.

"Well, since we are condemned to be together for quite a long time, let's not waste it. What can you teach me about him?"

Maureen was struck by surprise. She would have bet all her wages for the next six months that d'Arcy's new ninny would try to attack her...

And she was very ready to defend herself against this wisp of a woman . But that, that serene smile took her by surprise.

"What's the matter," said Jane. "You believed I would attack you? I'm not that silly, my dear Miss O'Sullivan. He charged you with my protection so he does probably believe you're able to perform that task. What I know is that I, I'm not..."

A smile came on Jane's lips.

"Not yet... But since he taught you and since he deems you capable of protecting me, we can probably surmise that you could teach me what you learned from him, couldn't we?"

Maureen could only nod silently.

"Well, then we'll have to find periods in our time table where you can teach me what I need to know to protect myself."

"I'm not sure that's what he wants..."

"I'm sure that's not what he wants, but then, does it matter? You seem to have the desire to hurt me. And I have just the same desire. What better excuse than a training bout?"

Maureen's smile came back.

"You'll suffer..."

"What better motivation to progress than the perspective to make you suffer in time?"

Maureen held out her hand.

"You've got a deal, Miss Ninny..."

"For that you're going to pay, you know it, don't you?"

"I'm looking forward to it..."

"Please meet my new Maid, Miss Maureen O'Sullivan..."

Her father frowned.

"Parentage with Mr. Kennedy perhaps?"

"Not family, Mr. Bennet. But much closer, we shared the cells of the same British Jail. It gave us a lot of shared memories."

"She's here to protect me," cut in Jane before the conversation could become even more bitter. "She will be with me whenever there's a potential danger. He and family, Miss O'Sullian, can be considered as not being potential enemies."

Mr. Bennet took a deep breath.

He should have thought of that. Of course as his future wife she would need a body guard. The world was so full of angry people that there was always a potential killer lurking somewhere.

"Well, than, welcome to the family, Miss O'Sullivan. Let's hope your job will be a safe and calm one."

She shook her head.

"I would like you to be right but I really fear it won't be so safe... I'll do what I can to protect her but it would help if you could begin to take a certain numbers of precautions... Elementary precautions..."

"Such as?"

"Being armed, to begin with... And..."

The list was quite long and it delayed their departure from London a little more than half an hour.

Next chapter: London Crowd