October 8, 2014 – Last chapter in Part III. Time to see some cracks in Jane Bennet's serene façade.

Chapter 24

Jane Bennet was well enough to return to Longbourn after Sunday services. Thank heavens she had traveled to Netherfield in the Bingley carriage instead of on horseback, as she would have had Miss Bingley not offered other transport! Jane would have been forced to ride Nellie to accept the invitation and been caught in a downpour on her way to Netherfield, surely the cold would have been much worse.

Despite her poor health, Jane had enjoyed her time with the Bingleys. Miss Bingley was all that was kind and Jane took pleasure in their many conversations. Mrs. Hurst also proved to be a well-informed woman. But most treasured were the minutes when Jane was well enough to leave her room and meet with Sir John and Mr. Bingley! Her initial impressions of the latter gentleman had proven correct. He was ever so amiable! He took great pains to see to her comfort, offering to rearrange her chair in front of the fire so she would be neither too hot nor too cold. He had even touched her arm once while they conversed. The room did seem too warm at that moment but she was too embarrassed to mention her discomfort. It was just as well that she remained silent; soon she was feeling her normal self.

Mary had come twice to visit her, but neither time could her sister remain for long. The news that their sister Elizabeth had been found was the chief topic of conversation when they were alone. Both hoped that Mrs. Darcy would return with the rest of their family. Therefore, when Jane arrived at the church, she was disappointed to find her family had returned and the Darcys had not.

Mr. Bennet called his eldest for an audience in his book room.

"Are you well, Jane?"

"Yes, sir. I could possibly have returned home last night but Mr. Bingley beseeched me to remain one more night to assure him that I was fully recovered."

That statement, and Jane's attending blush, caught Mr. Bennet's attention. He merely raised his eyebrows.

"You have told my brothers and sisters the news?"

"Yes, last night after supper. Kitty and Anne knew of course. I spent much of the journey home stressing the importance of keeping such information in the family. I did the same last night. I am not worried about William and Henry's ability to be discreet. William is much like you, quiet and serious. Henry admires him enough to emulate his behavior. No, your brothers will do as I ask. My main concern is your sister Lydia. She is much too much like her mother – prone to gossip and nary a sober thought in her head."

"How then shall you assure her secrecy?"

"Ah, Jane. Sometimes one is forced to be cunning. You know how much both Lydia and your mother have pleaded for Lydia to come out this year?"

"You are not thinking of allowing it? She is much too young! None of us have come out so soon."

Mr. Bennet laughed and patted his uncharacteristically agitated daughter. "No my dear, however I would think of threatening to move her coming out back if she does not keep her tongue."

Jane looked relieved. "I should have known you hard worked out a solution."

"Do not be distressed, my dear. It has been a trying week for all of us."

Jane looked down at her hands; they were folded in her lap. "And what of my sister and brother, will they return to the neighborhood soon?" she asked quietly.

"Mr. and Mrs. Darcy traveled to Surrey yesterday to speak with her cousin. They will stop in London on their way to Hertfordshire. I believe Mr. Darcy wishes to meet with his uncle and they need to inform Miss Darcy."

"Of course, they have family to inform as well. I should have thought of that."

"They will arrive soon enough. I know you are anxious to meet you sister. She has a child. A daughter named Elizabeth."

"That is… remarkable."

"Hmm, yes. Well, we shall get to know them and they shall get to know us. For now, if anyone remarks on the family resemblance, we shall tell them that Mrs. Darcy is a cousin of your mother. I know this is not exactly the truth, but it is what has been decided for the present."

"I do not understand," Jane said, a little hurt, "why my sister does not wish to claim her rightful place."

Mr. Bennet sighed. "Jane, it is not so simple due to Elizabeth's upbringing and marriage. Anne Darcy is a very, very wealthy woman with many obligations. She is, and rightly so, concerned and confused as to what this all means. She may lose her inheritance over it. Thankfully, her husband's wealth is great, and they would not be left paupers if the worst came to pass and Rosings reverted to her cousin."

"Fortune before family?"

Mr. Bennet had never seen his eldest so… cynical. "I would not characterize Mrs. Darcy as mercenary. I understand that you are disappointed that they have not returned with us, but they have very valid reasons for not traveling to Hertfordshire straight away, as I told you."

"It is only that we have waited for so long; I supposed I thought she would be as eager to meet us as I am to meet her. I am being very silly, I know."

"You have been ill, and had too much time alone to worry. Patience child. It will all turn out well in the end. Elizabeth will soon discover what the rest of us already know, that you are to be valued and admired."

"Shall we call her Elizabeth?"

"No! Mrs. Darcy or Anne, depending on company and situation. I discussed this with her personally, though you may wish to ask her what she prefers yourself."

~~~/~~~

The twenty miles or so from Kent to London gave the earl plenty of time to think. The revelations of the day before had profoundly shocked him. That Anne was not his real niece, that she had been maliciously taken from her family, and that Lewis deBourgh was the architect of it all was beyond belief. He remembered his brother-in-law well. He was a man Harold Fitzwilliam respected and liked. He was proud to call him brother. But Lewis was also a man of integrity and secretly adopting a child did not sound like the man he knew.

Lord Perryton would talk to his wife when he returned, but he would not tell Georgiana the purpose of his errand to Kent. Fitzwilliam and Anne would be in Town in a few days and wanted to impart the news to Georgiana themselves.

Until they arrived, he had much to do. A note must be dispatched to the deBourgh's solicitor Monday morning requesting a meeting as soon as possible. Lord Perryton also needed to appoint someone to inquire after the names Mrs. Stuart had given him whom were involved in bringing Anne to Rosings. It occurred to him that they should have someone take a look at the household accounts from 1790 through 1792, at least, to confirm to whom payments were made. This was something he would need to discuss with Anne and Fitzwilliam to gain their permission. Darcy had already given him charte blache to investigate the will and the co-conspirators, but this was far enough away from the terms of their discussion that the elder man would not have felt comfortable proceeding without the consent of his nephew and niece.

Fortunately, Georgiana did not seem too curious about her uncle's quick trip to Kent. Lady Perryton was not so apathetic once she was alone with her husband. He recounted everything.

After a few well-placed gasps, hands to the bosom, and very sincere – but extremely elegant – tears, Alice Fitzwilliam was ready to hold forth.

"The poor dear! It must have come to her as a terrible shock! And none of us had any idea! What was Catherine thinking agreeing to such a scheme?"

"That, my wife, is a very good question."

"And Fitzwilliam, how did he take the news?"

"His only concern was Anne."

"Yes, they did make a love match after all. It is a good thing too, now that he knows her common origins."

"I would hardly call being born the daughter of a gentleman common."

"Yes, well in comparison to being the granddaughter of an earl, it is quite a step down."

"She still is, by adoption. Catherine has no intention of disowning her now that it is known that Anne was not her daughter by birth."

"I never inferred that Catherine would do such a thing. And she was prepared to never tell anyone that Anne was the offspring of some unmarried union. Heavens, from what you said Sir Lewis might have even thought her to be a foundling! Thankfully she does have parents who are gentry, otherwise, imagine the social consequences for Fitzwilliam, and by extension, our family."

"If Anne had been a foundling, no one would have been the wiser. It is only because she is the daughter of a gentleman that her true identity was discovered."

"I wish they had never gone to Hertfordshire. It would be best if this was never uncovered, for all of us."

"What of the Bennets?"

"What of them? Oh, I imagine they are ecstatic about finding their daughter so well situated, much better than they could have provided for her, if what you say about their situation is true."

The earl sighed, a little annoyed with his wife. "One of things I intend to find out is the circumstance of Anne's family. I grant you that it may not be a connection we would willingly encourage, but we have little choice now. They are her family. There is no doubt; the evidence is too strong to deny it. However, if there are any questions about the state of affairs of the Bennets, Anne and Fitzwilliam should know.

"When will they tell the rest of the family, our family?"

"I expect them in Town Monday or Tuesday. They will speak to Georgiana and then I believe they will return to Hertfordshire, perhaps taking Georgiana with them. I must stress that you are not to breathe a word of this to our niece until Anne and Fitzwilliam have the chance to do it themselves!"

~~~/~~~

The note the earl had prepared was delivered to the deBourgh Solicitors first thing Monday morning. Within a half hour, a response was sent back to Lord Perryton. Mr. Simmons would be free to see him the rest of the day at his lordship's leisure.

Lord Perryton presented his card an hour later to a clerk and was quickly ushered in to see Mr. Simmons.

"Milord, how may I be of service? Your note mentioned you are here as a representative of Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy?"

The earl handed the man a sealed letter from the just-mentioned gentleman. Mr. Simmons read the missive with a raised brow.

"If you will excuse me, I will have the papers brought in immediately."

When he returned, Lord Perryton was eager to read the documents. The other man waited patiently ready to answer any questions.

"Are you familiar with the terms?" The earl asked.

"Vaguely. I was still old Mr. Hedges clerk when the will was re-drawn. Within a few months Mr. Hedges had decided to retire and I was asked to take over for him. My apprenticeship was nearly over and Mr. Hedges, and his partner at the time, Mr. Randolph felt I was competent enough to step into the position."

"Do you remember anything unusual?"

"No sir. I believe Mrs. Darcy had been born a few months before and Sir Lewis wished to formalize her as his heir. There is nothing unusual about that."

"But the way he referred to his daughter, by her christening and not her birth. Did that not raise any suspicions?"

Mr. Simmons took a deep breath and released it. He leaned slightly forward in his chair.

"Lord Perryton, when I began this profession it did not take me long to understand that it was as much my job to protect my client's property as it was to protect their privacy. Everyone has something they wish to hide from general knowledge. I would hazard a guess that even you, milord, have your secrets. I was instructed by my employer to write the document in a certain way and I knew enough not to question those directions."

The earl frowned. "Mr. Hedges was the one who spoke with Sir Lewis?"

"Yes, sir."

"Is Mr. Hedges still living? Maybe I could speak to him."

"You do remember that it has been twenty years since he retired? However, he still lives. Though you must not get your hopes up. He is very frail and his mind is gone. Even if, by some miracle, he could answer you, there is no way of knowing if what he says is true or just a twisted bit of fantasy. He cannot be taken as a credible witness to anything other than the ravages of old age."

The earl understood the warning he had been given, but he was determined to follow every clue. He obtained the address of the retired solicitor and spent the remainder of the interview asking questions about Sir Lewis' will and the other documents pertaining to the ownership of Sir Lewis' estate. There was one point of interest to his lordship.

"The final will was not significantly different from the previous one. Other than naming Anne deBourgh as his heir, and providing for the birth of additional children, the other conditions remained the same. If Miss deBourgh had not come into her inheritance, the estate would have been disbursed as provided in earlier versions with Rosings Park eventually going to Arthur deBourgh. Lady Catherine would have been very well provided for with what Sir Lewis left to her from the remainder of the estate. Even with Miss deBourgh inheriting the bulk of it, Lady Catherine was generously provided for, considering the meager dowry she brought into the marriage."

"Lady Catherine would have received more had it not been for Anne?"

"Yes."

~~~/~~~

The Darcys arrived at their London townhouse late Monday evening. It was fairly obvious to Fitzwilliam that all the traveling exhausted both his wife and his daughter and that a good night's sleep was imperative. The call to Alton House, and the meeting with Georgiana, could wait till the morrow.

Georgiana Darcy was the next person who needed to be informed. In many ways, this was the one conversation Anne dreaded most. She wondered how the young girl, finally recovering her spirits from the Ramsgate debacle, would take the revelation. Would Georgiana look at her differently? Would being sisters be enough now that they were no longer cousins by birth? Anne hoped it would be, for she had loved Georgiana for many years, and the thought that she would think less of Anne was a possibility too painful for contemplation.

Georgiana showed her confusion and delight over seeing her brother and sister, hugging Anne and giving Fitzwilliam a kiss on the check.

"I thought you were in Hertfordshire!"

"We were, but then something called us away," her brother answered. Before they sat, he addressed Georgiana's companion. "Mrs. Annesley, we need to speak to my sister alone. Would you please excuse us?"

"Certainly, sir. Miss Darcy, I will be in my room if you have need of me."

Once the door clicked shut, the three remaining in the room took their seats. Georgiana looked back and forth at her brother and his wife, whilst they kept glancing at each other and looking at her.

Unable to wait any longer, Georgiana asked, "Will you not tell me what it the matter? Why are you here? What has happened?"

Anne looked to her husband and he gave an almost imperceptible nod. She turned her attention to the girl sitting across from then.

"Georgiana, I hardly know where to begin… When we were just in Hertfordshire we met someone unexpected."

"Of course you would meet new people, why would it be unexpected?"

"I am not expressing myself well. Yes, we knew only the Bingley party when we arrived and anticipated forming new acquaintances in the neighborhood. We just had no idea there would be family of mine there."

"Oh! You have de Bourgh relations there." Georgiana brightened, that was not so dreadful.

"No, not de Bourghs, Bennets."

"I am sorry, I did not know you had family named Bennet. Are they cousins of your father?"

"No… Mr. Bennet is my father. Georgiana, I was adopted. I met my real parents, and my siblings."

"It cannot be!" the girl cried. "There must be a mistake."

"No dearest, there is no mistake." Fitzwilliam interjected. "I saw them with my own eyes Anne was born Elizabeth Bennet."

"But… but how…?"

Very gently, Anne and Fitzwilliam told the stunned girl all they had learned over the past week. Both women shed a few tears as the story unfolded. At some point, all three of them ended up sitting on the same couch with Georgiana in the center.

"We need to return there in the morning." Darcy explained when he was done.

"May I come with you?"

"I hardly…"

"Fitzwilliam," Anne interrupted, "I think Georgiana should come if she wishes."

"But her studies?" he protested.

"They can wait." Anne squeezed Georgiana's hand. "I would feel better if my sister was by my side."

"I am not your only sister now." Both elder Darcys could hear the uncertainly in her voice.

"I may have other sisters but I doubt I will ever be able to love them as I love you. We grew up together, and have shared too many things for me to love you any less." Anne leaned forward to look at her husband. "Please, indulge me and write to Bingley?"

"Very well," Darcy was an expert in indulging his wife, "but we will not be able to travel until Thursday."

"I could use the rest, and I know Elizabeth could as well. Her poor nurse – being dragged about the country on some wild chase."

"Where else have you been?" Georgiana asked, intrigued by the return of some of Anne's normal playful banter.

Anne told her sister of the journey into Surrey and the good news of the birth of her cousin Arthur's heir. Darcy excused himself to speak to his uncle.

Lord Perryton recounted his meeting with Mr. Simmons. Darcy agreed on the wisdom of searching through the accounts to verify Lady Catherine and Mrs. Stuart's version of the events of 1791.

A note was dispatched in the care of the Darcy currier to Netherfield. A reply was received late that night. Georgiana was more than welcome.

Wednesday was spent shopping for small gifts for Anne's new siblings while little Elizabeth remained at the Darcy residence resting and reviving her good temper.

On Thursday morning was time for Elizabeth Bennet, known now as Anne Darcy, to return to the home and to the family that before the Tuesday of the week previous, she never knew were hers to have lost.

~~~/~~~

End of Part 3

Part 4 is the final section of the story and 12 chapters long plus and epilogue. It deals with how Anne and her two families finally reconcile themselves to each other and Anne's true parentage. It will be bumpy all around, but I'm a sucker for happy endings and they will find peace with it all. Darcy will be his wife's rock. All he really wants is for her to be happy and he will support her as best he can as she works her way through it all. And she's not the only Bennet daughter who will be under fire. Both Mary and Jane have some growing to do as well. They are all three at that wonderful age where they are figuring out who they really are.

Again, for those of you who have stuck with this, thank you. I think you will really enjoy the final installments of this tale. There is a return to some of the lightness from earlier as Anne and her family emerge from the emotional morass her rediscovery sunk them into as they learn to live life after their unexpected reunion. Plus Sir John is such a dear man!