Chapter Seven – Deaths and Disfavor, 1781
While battle raged across the water, deaths in England had their own terrible results.
The first death was Albert Gardiner, in late July. One morning he simply did not come to the breakfast table as he had for so many years as regularly as clockwork. Great was the weeping and wailing when Maggie learned that her husband was gone. This was not so much due to any love for the man, but for fear of her own future.
What happened thereafter determined many who lived and died. What nobody yet knew was that a new and deadly flu had already begun making its way across the great city.
Henry Bennet and his wife Fanny both managed to craft excuses for why they could not make the journey. They and their daughters, Jane, Mary, and Catherine remained in Cambridge-shire. In fact Fanny did have a valid excuse since she was with child once again... and quite certain that this one would be a boy.
Michael Phillips did not go. He was in the middle of a major case dealing with estate boundary lines. His wife Edith did go so that she could console her mother.
Edward Gardiner had chosen to go into trade, specifically the import and export business. He was currently a supernumerary on an East-Indiaman, a large ship plying trade between England and the Orient. He would not learn of the deaths for over a year.
Thomas and Rose Bennet did go. Little Elizabeth was left behind with her nurse because she was suffering from a summer cold. They took their son Anthony with them. He was only eighteen months old and Rose wanted to keep him close and safe.
Little five year old Elizabeth recovered from her cold within two days and was once again busy keeping her nurse and the housekeeper on their toes. She missed her parents often, but she was well cared for. At night she would drag her favorite books to Nurse Lyla for her to read, but the dear lady could never read in the deep voice of her father that she loved so much or make all of the different voices of the characters like her beautiful mother. Still, Elizabeth was content.
She did not understand what was wrong when the rider came with a letter. Nor did she understand why everyone cried and hugged her so tight. Then a man who looked somewhat like her Papa came and huffed and puffed around the place. He was not so bad, but Elizabeth didn't like him sitting in her father's chair. He was not her father.
Everything became much worse when the screaming lady came. Elizabeth was pleased at first to see all of the little girls like her to play with. But the screaming lady did not seem to like her and she kept ordering the nurse to "take that girl away!" Soon Elizabeth was made to stay in the nursery all of the time. When she tried to go into the magical place where Papa kept all of his books to read to her, the man who looked like Papa sent her away and the screaming lady spanked her and said that "orphans need to know their place!"
It took months of misery before someone finally told her what had happened. Her mama, papa, and baby brother had died of "fluenza" and she was all alone.
~oOo~
Henry Bennet sat back in his new chair in his new study and sipped his brother's port with a certain amount of satisfaction. It would have been better, of course, if he could have left Fanny and her brood of silly girls behind, but at least he had full shelves, a goodly supply or port, and a thick wooden door which locked. He was quite content.
And then someone disturbed his happy solitude by rapping quite demandingly on that door. "Go away! I am busy!"
"Open this door, Henry!" He recognized the voice as belonging to Mr. Phillips, his new solicitor and former brother-in-law. Irritated, he rose up and unlocked the door.
Mr. Phillips, a large man in height and somewhat in girth, stepped through without further invitation and then wheeled on the new Master of Longbourn, "Mr. Bennet, where is my niece and why aren't you taking proper care of her?"
"What niece? There are girls running all over this house! Pick any one or all of them," Henry waved his arm to dismiss the issue.
"I am speaking of Thomas' girl, Elizabeth."
"Dark haired girl? Doesn't talk much? Thinks that she can just walk into my private study?"
"Good God, Man! Have you even taken the time to meet your own niece?!" Phillips stepped partially out of the study and called, "Mrs. Hill, please fetch Elizabeth for me."
A minute later both men heard Fanny Bennet loudly scolding her housekeeper. Michael Phillips stepped out again, "Fanny, be still! I sent for Elizabeth. Now go... do something useful."
Fanny was screaming "You cannot tell me what to do in my own house..." but Mr. Phillips now had Elizabeth in his possession. After Mrs. Hill stepped out, he firmly closed the door.
The angry solicitor now knelt to gently address the obviously bewildered and frightened girl. She recognized his face and suddenly threw her arms around his neck, crying.
Henry Bennet grumbled and made to pick up his book, but Mr. Phillip's glare stopped his action. Then the solicitor spoke, "For a man who reads so much, you seem to skip over the important parts. When I notified you of your inheritance three months ago, I also read the addendum from Thomas. In it he explains that he took his entire ten-thousand and made it a dowry for his daughter, Elizabeth. When he died, she was placed in your care and you were given access to the quarterly returns on Elizabeth's dowry to use for her care! As the executor and as your solicitor, I know for a fact that you have already collected the returns, yet my reports inform me that Elizabeth is not being cared for, is not being properly clothed, and is not even being treated as a part of this family!"
Henry tapped his book impatiently, "See here, Phillips. Fanny is the wife in this house. Any care for the children falls upon her shoulders."
"Then that means that access to the quarterly income will now go to her, if she takes care of the child properly!"
"This is England, Sir. Her property is my property! I am within my rights to collect and use that money as I see fit."
Mr. Phillips' voice became cold and steady at that point, "Not if Elizabeth is not properly taken care of. I helped to write the will. If you take the money and do not care for the child, then you and your wife will be found guilty of theft. I will see you both transported!"
"Then you take the child," Henry demanded.
"If my poor Edith had survived, we would do exactly that. But she needs to be in a home with a mother and other children. Now, in a moment I am going to call Fanny in. Mark my words, if you do not firmly set down the proper rules about how Elizabeth is to be treated, my next stop will be with the magistrate."
Elizabeth was handed back to Mrs. Hill while Mr. Phillips and the Bennets had a very long and very loud conversation. Michael Phillips promised that he would keep a watch on them at all times and that he would know if any bruises or neglect came little Elizabeth's way. It took some time, but the threats of transportation and work-slavery finally did the trick. Elizabeth Bennet would be taken care of... if not loved.
Michael Phillips left that day with a sense of relief. The truth was that the will had not been carefully worded enough and he had no power to carry out any of the threats that he made. That was the benefit of the fact that Henry Bennet would rather read a thousand pages of philosophy in Greek rather than read one page of a legal document.
He considered remarrying just to provide a home for his niece, but his grief over Edith was too fresh.
~oOo~
When Edward Gardiner finally arrived back in England in 1782, he found his parents gone and Fanny as his only surviving sister. Both of Albert Gardiner's London partners had also perished, so all of their legal accounts had either been put on hold or moved to other solicitors. Edward's next stop was Meryton, where he found Michael Phillips quietly plying his trade and working through his grief. The man promised to help him with the London accounts which had been left to languish.
Finally, Edward went to visit Longbourn. He was already aware of Elizabeth's story, so he was not surprised to find that the girl was almost a stranger in the house. Thankfully, due to the solicitor's intervention, the girl was clean and well-dressed, though there was a marked difference between her rough wear and the pretty dresses that his other nieces were wearing.
Edward had only just turned twenty and his future was uncertain. He wanted more than anything to take the dear child away from this cold house, but it was not possible. He resolved instead to visit as often as possible and to find ways to give the child some moments of joy. He began by choosing several colorful picture books for the bright child. These were carefully handed to the nurse, who would do her best to safeguard Elizabeth's treasures.
Uncle Edward received the first smile that Elizabeth had worn for almost a year.
