CHAPTER 23:

Tom:

When Jane had come to talk to me about wanting her sister to live here, I had already decided in my own mind that I would tell her that her sister would be welcome to stay on with us after we had married if they wished and if they were able to make arrangements for their mother's living accommodations. Because Jane had started off by stating how her family would be leaving her at the start of the new year, I had assumed correctly that she had wished to ask that of me. I would do whatever I could to make sure that Jane was happy here. I have no doubt that our love would be enough, but sometimes things outside of love and marriage are needed just as much and I know how important Cassandra is to Jane.

I regretted that Sarah happened to enter the room just at the moment that she had, but I told myself that Jane and myself would have plenty of time for such moments. Jane seemed to think so as well as she kindly assured my sister about her intrusion.

"What is it you wish to speak to me about Sarah?"

"A letter has come for you from my Aunt Anne Lefroy." She said as she handed me an envelope.

Puzzled as to what my Aunt Anne would be writing me about as I rarely hear from them personally, I took the envelope, opened it, took out the letter and read it...what I read infuriated me!

"This is an outrage!" I exploded.

"Tom! What is it?" Sarah sounded frightened.

"Apparently...my Aunt Anne has found out about my engagement to Jane and forbids it!" I was furious!

"What?" Sarah exclaimed in her shock.

I was so blinded with rage at my aunt's letter that I immediately crumpled it into a ball and threw it forcefully into the fireplace where it caught on fire almost instantly.

"I'm sorry Tom..." Sarah tried to console me.

"Who does she think she is? What does she think gives her the right to interfere in MY life and tell me what I can and can't do with it!" I continued to rant.

Sarah came over to me and embraced me which did help to calm me down somewhat. Anyway, it didn't matter. Anne Lefroy could "talk" all she wanted, but she had NO hold over me and my life and what I chose to do with it whatsoever.

"What I can't figure out is..." I said to Sarah in a composed voice. "...how Anne found out about our engagement. Surely the letter hasn't reached Jane's mother yet...had it? Or...if it had, it would have only just reached there...and being that she is staying at James's place, she wouldn't have gone out of her way to visit Anne and George to tell them of the news...would she have?" I pondered all of this.

"I do not know Tom. That is a wonder." Was Sarah's reply. "Are you going to tell Jane?" She now asked me.

I shook my head. "There is no need to upset her with it. Our aunt can talk all she wants to but this wedding and marriage IS going ahead as planned whether she likes it or not. There is nothing she can do to prevent it." I smiled down at Sarah who returned it.

"I'm glad." she said.

At that moment, Cassandra knocked and entered the room, out of breath. "Forgive me Tom...Sarah..." She bowed quickly and we returned it. But instantly, I was alerted to her behaviour. Something had happened...

"What is it?" I went over to her. "It is Jane? Has something happened to Jane?"

"Yes...I'm afraid so Tom."

I felt my heart drop at her words. "What happened? Tell me quickly!"

"Jane overheard you talking about the letter you received from your Aunt Anne Lefroy. She is very upset. She believes your relationship is over Tom and is in fact packing right now to leave Ireland as soon as possible."

"WHAT?" I gasped in shock. "No! She can't!" I could not and would not let this happen. I fairly flew out of my office, towards the stairs which I ascended quickly taking two of them at a time and didn't stop until I had reached Jane and Cassandra's room. The door was shut and as much as I didn't want to waste time in knocking, I did so out of respect. I thought she was taking too long in allowing me to enter and I was just about to do so uninvited, but just as my hand was on the handle to turn it, I heard her say come in.

She obviously had not been expecting me, as she looked very surprised at seeing me and took a step backward. Then, very quickly, she turned her back on me and continued to do what Cassandra had said she was doing...packing up their clothes.

"Jane..." I said gently, stepping into the room. No reply from Jane and she didn't stop her packing. "Jane..." I spoke a little more loudly this time as I continued to advance towards her. Still no change. "Jane, stop it. Stop this right now." I was nearly upon her as I spoke these words, but she kept on, as if she couldn't hear me at all. Quickly, I wrapped my arms around her waist pinning her arms to her sides in order to stop her. "Stop...stop Jane. Please...stop now." I spoke gently but firmly into her hair.

"Let me go Tom..." She spoke in a surprisingly harsh but low voice. I realized that the harshness wasn't meant for me personally though.

'No. No Jane. I will not let you go. After you did your reading after the recital in London, I vowed that I would not let you go this time and I meant it."

I felt her body relax somewhat in my arms. I loosened my grip on her but not much. However I needn't have worried for she did not even try to escape from my hold of her. Instead she said in a whisper. "It's no use Tom...it is as I have feared. Your family does not approve of you marrying me...we may as well face it...it was never meant to be...you and me."

I turned Jane around so that she faced me. I lifted her chin with my fingers so that she would have to look at me. I saw the way they shone with unshed tears. But I also noticed that they were a bit red...obviously from an earlier weeping. My heart ached for her. Gently placing my hands on either side of her face, I spoke softly but firmly. "I know you heard what my Aunt Anne wrote Jane but she has no right to tell me how to run my life. She has no hold over me whatsoever like my uncle did before. She can say all she wants to, but it won't and doesn't change a thing, Jane."

I could see that she was struggling with a battle within herself.

"I promise you that Jane. NOTHING has changed. Our marriage WILL happen." I silently pleaded with her to believe my words.

"I...I thought..." Jane gulped. "I thought she was my friend!" she finally managed to get out.

I looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"I've been thinking about things while packing Tom...and some things started to fall into place."

"Like what?"

"Like how she never mentioned to my family that Mary had died...that you had a law practice in London...and...Tom! Henry, Eliza and myself have been to London several times over the years regarding my books! Your Aunt Anne knew about our London trips but never told us about you being there!"

I took in what Jane was trying to tell me.

"Don't you see Tom? If Henry had known about your practice in London, I'm sure he would have tried to get a hold of you whenever we were there! But...we knew nothing of it!"

Now it was starting to dawn on me too..."And my aunt never told me of your visits to London either..." I said slowly.

Jane and I looked at each other at the same moment with realization. "She's been keeping us apart all of these years...and on purpose!" I said vehemently. "Why...if I hadn't spotted you three going into the recital that day..." The very thought sent a cold chill through my heart. If I hadn't spotted them...we might very well NOT even be here together, right now, right this minute...my hands when automatically to my mouth with the realization of this.

"We may never have met up again...we might still be living our lives as we had been..." Jane put into words my own thoughts. "And I thought that she was being "kind"...being the friend I thought she was by NOT talking about you to me because she knew how painful our break up was..." Jane sat down on the bed as she spoke these last words. I sat down beside her. "She was more than happy to keep anything from me about you...EXCEPT...your marriage to Mary...and your success as a lawyer..."

I put my arms around Jane in comfort and gently kissed her cheek. "It is as I have said Jane, there is nothing she can do to keep me from marrying you. And I very much want to."

Jane didn't reply but I could hear sounds that she indicated that she had become a bit weepy at my words. I was still livid with my aunt however. "My aunt seems to have forgotten that my own background was not one of wealth..." I reminded Jane. "And you know...Anne really has no right to talk herself when she wasn't all that wealthy before she married my uncle George. And I think it's high time that someone put her back in her place."

"Oh no, Tom!" Jane looked up at me with a horrified expression on her face. "Please don't! I'm sure it will just make things worse for us!"

But I was determined. "Jane, Anne deserves to have the truth thrown right back in her face. I somehow doubt that my uncle George knows anything about her keeping us apart. I believe she did this all of her own accord. I am going to write her a personal letter and REMIND her of just where she herself came from BEFORE she married into the Lefroy family. As I have already said, she has NO hold over me. I am an adult with my own family and am free to do as I please."

"Tom...I don't know if this is a good idea. Perhaps it would be better if we just ignored her."

"Not this time Jane. She went too far. I will write her that personal letter and that will be the end of it. As I said, I doubt that my uncle George is even aware of any of this and as such, she certainly cannot and will not bring this up to him. Or anyone. Of that I have complete confidence."

Jane looked at me, but didn't reply. "It's going to be alright Jane, I promise you." I vowed. "And now...please put away your clothes, Miss Austen as you are not going anywhere. Not without me anyway." I told her with a gentle smile. I was delighted to see her smile back at me.

"What is puzzling me is how she found out about our engagement so quickly!" I now wondered out loud to Jane.

"I think I may know." Jane surprised me with her reply. I looked at her while she explained what had happened when they were back home in Chawton and how her mother had been angry that they wanted to leave her alone for Christmas but that Henry had taken her aside and explained that I had planned to propose to Jane.

"Henry swore her not to tell anyone, and I confess that I was quite amazed at her turnabout in regards to us coming here for Christmas that day. I know my brother can be very persuasive when it comes to my mother, but I had to admit that I wasn't expecting such a quick turn around. Henry only told me about this after you had proposed to me." Jane finished off her explanation. "I haven't a doubt in my mind that my mother couldn't wait to let Anne know about our upcoming engagement, after having put up with years of her flaunting your marriage to Mary and your successes in our faces. I'm sorry Tom, it's all my mother's fault."

Now it was all starting to make sense. "Nonsense Jane. At least not entirely. My aunt was also to blame. She could have kept quiet about my life, but now I believe that she intentionally threw myself and Mary and my career in your faces. Perhaps your mother could have waited to tell Anne the news, but in all honesty, I can't really say that I blame her either."

"I'm not so sure my mother deserves your kindness and understanding, Tom." Jane smiled at me, but I could tell she was grateful.

"Of course she does, Jane. After all, she is obviously very happy about our marriage. I can't fault her for that." We both gave a small laugh at this.

"And now, I am off to write that letter and you have some...'unpacking' to do, I believe." I leaned in to give her a quick kiss before standing up and leaving the room to write that letter that my aunt deserved.

Jane:

It was a shock to see Tom standing at my bedroom door instead of Henry and I knew straight away that Cassandra was responsible for his being there. I should be angry at her but I was in such a state of hurt confusion over Anne Lefroy and her letter that what Cassandra had done was nothing in comparison. Taken by surprise, I was at a loss for words and found myself turning my back on him to quickly resume my packing up task.

I did hear Tom call my name not once but several times...I did hear him tell me to stop what I was doing, but the more he tried to tell me to stop, the more I was determined to carry on. After all, what was the use of it all...it was happening all over again, just like it had 17 1/2 years ago. The sooner I could be out and away from Tom, the sooner I could get over my pain and begin healing...again...at least, I hoped I would heal this time. I didn't know what I would do about Anne Lefroy once I returned home though. I definitely never wanted to lay eyes on her ever again...

It was here when I felt Tom's arms encircle my body making it impossible for me to continue on with my task.

"Let me go Tom..." I said surprised at the rather savage sound in my own voice. It wasn't against Tom...it was because I was hurting so much inside...I hoped he knew that it wasn't him my harshness was directed at.

But Tom continued to hold fast. "'No. No Jane. I will not let you go. After you did your reading after the recital in London, I vowed that I would not let you go this time and I meant it."

At these words I relaxed my body, giving into him. But I could only whisper that it was useless...that this wasn't meant to be, him and I...

At my words he turned me around to face him. He gently lifted my chin up so that I had no choice but to look into his blue eyes as he assured me that his Aunt's letter meant nothing...that she could do nothing to prevent us from marrying. That she had no hold over him. I wanted so much to believe him, but I was also so afraid to. It was too coincidental that this should happen to us AGAIN...

It was here that bared my heart about Anne Lefroy to Tom...and where I had drawn some conclusions about her...oddly, I found by opening up to Tom that I was actually calming down and my head was clearing somewhat. It was appalling what we had discovered about her between the two of us. I couldn't believe that I had trusted this woman and for all of these years. But Tom was still there...by my side...comforting me and reassuring me over and over that no matter what Anne did...we were still going to be married. That he still wanted to marry me. The more we talked it out, the better I was starting to feel towards everything.

I admit that I was concerned when Tom vowed that he was going to "throw the truth" right back in his aunt's face. I felt that it could lead to nothing good especially for us, but Tom was determined to set his aunt straight. I had to trust him. I had no choice. Then he disclosed to me that his aunt had also not come from a very wealthy background. Another thing about Anne I had never known. But then why would she admit that to me...especially now that I realized what kind of a person she really was. Of course she would never let on that she too had come from a poorer family.

By the time we had finished sorting everything out, I was feeling much better. I couldn't help but smile when Tom told me that I had some unpacking to do as I wasn't going anywhere...without him. I didn't want to go anywhere...and I certainly didn't want to go anywhere without him.

And even though my mother can cause me grief at times, I was truly grateful how kind and understanding Tom was in regards to her because she really wasn't completely innocent in this herself.

Tom gave me a quick kiss before he left the room leaving me to "unpack" our belongings. I sat on the bed for only a few moments after he had left, smiling at his retreating form. There was no doubt in my mind that I was a very lucky woman to have Tom. Indeed.

Tom:

Back in my office, I did not delay and intentionally used stationary from my law office with my name at the top of it in hopes to show my aunt that this letter should be taken very seriously by her.

Dear Anne:

(I decided right then and there that I would not even honour Anne by addressing her as my aunt, I was still so very angry with her. In fact, I was very tempted to address her as "Mrs. Lefroy" but I didn't even want to honour her by addressing her with a surname we both shared).

I refuse to thank you for your letter concerning my engagement and marriage to Miss Jane Austen as I feel you have over-stepped your boundary by forbidding us to marry. I do not understand what makes you believe that you have the right to interfere in my life and tell me what I can and cannot do. If I were your son, then there would be no question of your interference. But as I am only your nephew, perhaps you care to explain it to me because after all you are a "Lefroy" by marriage only, not by blood. And even as a "Lefroy" by marriage, you do not deem it necessary to stay in touch with me at any other time, so why the sudden interest in me and my life now?

I am an adult who has already been married and with a family of my own. And as you apparently like to keep pointing out to others, I am a successful lawyer so I am sure then that I am quite capable of making my own decisions regarding my own life.

My sisters and my children have all taken a genuine liking to Miss Austen and I feel that as she is to become a part of MY immediate family that they should be the ones whom I should take into consideration with this marriage and no one else.

I would also like to remind you of something that perhaps you have forgotten yourself during the years of marriage to my uncle George...Jane is not the only one to have come from a humble background...I did as well myself...and you also came from a somewhat of a humble background before you married my uncle George. And because of that fact, again I cannot understand why you feel you need to try and interfere with my marriage to Miss Austen, who in my own opinion, should no longer even be considered "humble" as she can claim to be a famous authoress.

As a lawyer, I advise you to not abuse Mrs. George Austen in any way in retaliation for this letter as she is not the one at fault and any abuse on your part will only reflect negatively upon yourself.

Thomas Lefroy

I also decided that I would end my letter very stiffly and formally to show my aunt that I meant business. I read and re-read my letter to my aunt and completely satisfied with it, I folded it and put it into an envelope which I now addressed, sealed it shut and sought out Berkley to take care of it immediately.

According to the book "Cassandra and Jane", Jane believed that Mrs. Anne Lefroy did play a part in keeping herself and Tom apart which is why I decided to bring it into this story.