Author's Note: Another chapter for you.
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Chapter 29
Nearly all the residents of Netherfield Park were early risers, so when everyone had gathered for breakfast, Richard told the story of their midnight visitor.
Fitzwilliam was astonished. "What did she intend to do?" he asked incredulously.
"She claimed she wanted to see Elizabeth," Richard replied. "I think she was out to compromise someone. She was searching bed chambers, and had she found you or George alone, she would have attempted to take advantage. While she could not force you to marry her, she likely thought she could come between you and Elizabeth."
Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth looked at each other and grinned, as Jane would definitely not have found Fitzwilliam alone. Depending on the time of her arrival at the door, she may have found them sleeping or engaged in other nocturnal activities, either of which would result in an awkward scene. Richard noticed the exchanged glances and discreetly kicked Fitzwilliam under the table, which caused both him and his wife to blush deeply.
"Well, it is fortunate that a servant heard her opening and closing doors and alerted you and some other servants to the intruder," George said, having also noted the exchange. Momentarily, he felt a pang of desire to experience what his brother had found. However, his uncle had written that he had found a titled heiress willing to marry him, although she wanted to see if he could convince the Regent to award the earldom to the Darcys sooner rather than waiting until after the marriage. George supposed that was because she could still withdraw from the engagement if his petition were denied, something she could not do if they were already married.
"Shall we all escort Miss Bennet to Netherfield?" George asked the group. "Perhaps bring a few maids to begin packing and send the lot to Scotland. After last night, I am tempted to put her on the same boat as George Wickham."
Richard nodded his agreement. "It is tempting, but a woman aboard a ship like that would not fare well. I am not willing to condemn a woman, any woman, to that life."
"Nonetheless, we need to ensure that Miss Bennet will not be able to return to England. Since it is unlikely we will return to Hertfordshire, I sincerely doubt she could find either Pemberley or Oakridge. She will not have the funds she would need to hire a carriage," George replied.
"Richard, does the Earl still own that hunting lodge in the Outer Hebrides? Or was it the Orkney Islands?" Fitzwilliam asked.
"I had forgotten about his lodge there. It is near Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands. It is not overly fancy but surely sufficient for the Bennet family. Perhaps we can find a boat in London to take them north; it would make the journey easier in many ways," Richard replied.
"Who will accompany them?" Fitzwilliam asked. "How can we be certain they will arrive?"
"My men will accompany them," Richard replied. "We can hire a few to accompany them all the way there and then ensure they arrive at the lodge safely. They can also arrange for a servant or two and make arrangements for their funds to be distributed as appropriate."
"The female contingent will not be happy about such a remote location. Bennet will not mind as long as he still has access to some books," George stated.
"But it will make it nearly impossible for them to leave. We can circulate the story that they are there for their health, which might dissuade the local residents from trying to reach them, especially if they believe they are unbalanced. If our men hire and we arrange to pay the servants, we can have them send us updates in case of any changes," Fitzwilliam replied. "Richard, do you have any men who would want to live in Scotland? Perhaps a married man whose wife would be willing to be a housekeeper and cook for the family."
Richard seemed to consider this. "I will ask, but I am not certain. It would be good to know that whoever is in the house is someone we can trust. After Miss Bennet's escapade last night, I am even less inclined to trust her. I wonder what her parents will think of her actions."
That question was answered when the entire Darcy and Fitzwilliam families arrived at Longbourn. The house was in an uproar—Jane was missing, Mr Hill had notified Mr Bennet that he and his wife would leave for another position in a month, and Kitty and Lydia were excited about their upcoming visit to Pemberley. Jane's absence did not seem to bother the two youngest girls, given her recent behaviour, and they even wondered if she had run away with that Wickham character who had been hanging around Longbourn.
"La, what a good joke," Lydia chortled at the breakfast table to Kitty when Mrs Hill came in with the news.
Not long after, their guests arrived, bringing Jane with them. When Mrs Hill saw Jane in the party, she could not hide her surprise, and she glared at the girl darkly, wondering what mischief she had been up to. "Miss Bennet, there you are? I must let Mr Hill know you have been found and to stop searching for you. There was quite an uproar when the family realised you were not in your room and nowhere to be found," she scolded.
Jane scowled at the housekeeper, but there was nothing she could say. Major Fitzwilliam quietly asked to be shown into the parlour and for Mr and Mrs Bennet to join them. With a curtsey, she rushed to do as she was bid.
The Darcy family and Richard settled themselves around the room. Jane was encouraged to sit in an armchair, and Richard sat on one side and George on the other. Both moved the chairs slightly away from Jane's, as they were there to keep watch on her, not to show any interest in her. Lady Anne sat next to her eldest son, again in a way so she could watch the young lady and continued to examine her closely. She saw the way her eyes followed Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam and wondered what exactly the look in her eyes represented.
Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam had been inseparable since breakfast. Even before the night of the assembly, the couple were rarely apart, but now, there was an added sense of closeness between them. Lady Anne had wanted to speak to Elizabeth about her concerns regarding her momentary illness the other night, but she felt that Elizabeth had already drawn her own conclusions. If the young couple had indeed discussed those suspicions, it could explain their heightened closeness. Moreover, the recent attempt on Elizabeth's life would naturally bring them even closer together.
Regardless of that, Lady Anne watched Jane's reaction to their closeness. They seated themselves on a settee and were seated rather closer than propriety would allow. While a casual observer might not have noticed, to Lady Anne—and likely to Jane as well—it was apparent they were holding hands underneath Elizabeth's skirt. Lady Anne was pleased to see her son so obviously in love with his wife, but Jane, well, Lady Anne was not certain what the look on her face meant.
Mr Bennet entered the room a moment later, and Mrs Bennet came in looking harried a few minutes later. "My darling Jane," the matron cried when she entered, "where have you been? We were so worried about you. I was certain you had gone to marry that nice Mr Wickham, but Mr Bennet said it was impossible. Though"—she stopped and noticed the other in the room and looked at her daughter sitting in between two gentlemen—"perhaps you have other news. Do you have an attachment to one of these gentlemen?"
Jane opened her mouth to speak but was immediately stopped. "Stop now," Richard barked. "Whatever you are thinking of saying, I suggest you not even attempt it. No one in this room would ever marry you, and you can make whatever claim you like, but neither your father nor mother could force my cousin or me to marry a girl like you. Even if you were a lady, I would certainly not fold in these circumstances, and I dare say my cousin would act in the same way."
"What is this?" Mrs Bennet cried. "My daughter is a gentlewoman and should be treated with the respect due to her."
"She has done nothing to deserve my respect, madam," Richard retorted. "Do you know where your daughter was last night? Because she was not in her bed. She sneaked into Netherfield late at night, and had anyone discovered her, she would have been ruined. This is the second time her actions have nearly ruined your family, Mr Bennet, and you have done absolutely nothing to censor her. She still believes she is deserving of the best. She was peeking into bedchambers at Netherfield, and only locked doors prevented her from attempting to seduce one of the three bachelors or one married man in residence. What do you think she would have done had she made her way into an occupied room, sir? What will you do?"
Mr Bennet sat there in shock and could not say a word.
Richard sighed in exasperation. "Mr Bennet, yesterday I suggested that you accompany your wife and daughter to Scotland. I no longer think it is optional—you most certainly should accompany your wife and daughter. Perhaps with fewer … distractions, you would find a way to pay more attention to what your family is doing. With some time and attention, you might be able to persuade them to be more reasonable in their expectations, but if not, at least you will be aware of what they are doing.
"You should all begin packing—we have asked Mrs Hill to bring down trunks for the three of you. You will travel as soon as arrangements can be made for a boat to transport you to Kirkwall, in the Orkney Islands in Scotland. Take your warmest things. I do not know for certain, but I would estimate that each of you can take no more than two trunks. I suggest you think carefully about what you pack. Mr Bennet, as far as I am concerned, the books are the property of the estate. My cousin has already sent a letter to Mr Collins, asking him to come here to begin the process of transferring the ownership to him. If he can arrive before you depart, perhaps he would be willing to allow you to take a few, but you will not be able to keep many."
Richard continued to explain details about their travel, although many details had yet to be arranged, and for what they could expect once they arrived at their new home. Lady Anne and Elizabeth both watched the women's reactions to this news. Mrs Bennet looked aghast, while Jane merely looked resigned to it. They were both clearly unhappy, but Elizabeth continued to wonder exactly what they were thinking.
Finally, Richard was done, and Mrs Bennet immediately began. "Lizzy, how can you allow your new family to treat us this way?"
"I do not know why you should be surprised, madam," Elizabeth replied, drawing on her husband's strength. "My entire life, you told me how worthless I am, and I have yet to hear you apologise for that. Your only reaction to my sister's attempt to poison me was to comment that it was unsuccessful, and I sincerely doubt you said anything at all to Jane about it. You are lucky my family is not vengeful. Would you prefer Jane tired and hanged for her part? It is not too late? Frankly, madam, my sister is being punished far less than she deserves."
"You could stop this if you wished," she tried again.
"I could not and would not have intervened, Jane's actions are a direct result of the lessons you've imparted," Elizabeth retorted. "You raised her to believe in her superiority over not only me but also our other sisters, instilling in her the belief that she could have anything she desired. However, she is now confronted with the reality that such a notion is far from the truth. As for me, once I leave Hertfordshire, I shall consider myself an orphan. My sole concern will be to safeguard my sisters from your misguided influence and my father's indifference. I am determined to secure them the education they should have, and eventually, they will find suitable matches. I will do all I can to support them in their endeavours."
Mrs Bennet opened her mouth to protest again, but she was cut off by her husband. "Mrs Bennet, that is enough from you," he said tiredly. "The decision has been made, and there is nothing we can do to reserve it now. The three of us will be in forced proximity for the rest of our lives with only ourselves for company, so it is best we learn to live with each other now. Let us allow our daughter and her family to depart as we prepare for our journey."
As Mr. Bennet spoke, the men in the room observed him closely. His words lacked conviction and held a tone of resignation. It left them wondering whether this stemmed from being compelled to abandon his beloved books or from the prospect of living in such close proximity to his wife and eldest daughter.
"Mr Bennet," Richard said as the rest stood, "if I might have a moment of your time, there is one additional thing I would like to say to you." The two stepped into the bookroom and had a short conversation. The rest of the party was still preparing to depart, and Elizabeth was farewelling the housekeeper. Mrs and Miss Bennet had already gone above stairs.
Kitty and Lydia ran boisterously down the stairs just as Mr Bennet and Richard finished their conversation. They rushed to hug their sister. "Lizzy, I am so happy to see you again, and we are so pleased at the prospect of travelling to Pemberley with you," Kitty cried.
Elizabeth hugged her sisters back. "Well, I will be going as far as Oakridge with you, but then you will continue on with Georgiana. Have you already spoken to Papa?"
"What does Papa care?" Lydia laughed. "He will be pleased to have fewer people and more quiet in the house so he can read his books."
"So you do not know that Papa has decided to take our mother and sister to Scotland for their health? And that Mr Collins will take over the estate?" Elizabeth asked.
"Oh, was that what Mama was crying about? What a good joke?" Lydia laughed again. "It serves Jane right—she has become very bitter now that no one in town will speak to her. Perhaps she will behave better in Scotland. Oh, what a long journey they will have."
Elizabeth shook her head at her silly sister. "I do hope, Lydia, that you will be sure to listen to Georgiana's governess and will learn to conduct yourself more properly. I will see you often, I am sure, but you will need to write to me about your progress."
"La, Lizzy, I do not like to write letters. Kitty can write your, or perhaps Georgiana will, but I do not care to apply myself in that way," Lydia protested.
"You must learn," Elizabeth told her, sighing at her sister's lack of care about her education. "I have heard from Mary recently, and she is learning a lot from our aunt. She has a music master and a drawing master, although she does not care for that, and has language tutors coming to help her and our cousins with their languages. There is still much you need to learn, girls, before you will be ready, and Lady Anne will not allow you out into society as early as our mother did, and certainly not without accomplishments. You must remember that. Perhaps, Lady Anne, it would be better to remove them from Longbourn sooner rather than waiting until after the wedding."
Lady Anne nodded, as she, too, was concerned about what the girls might hear while still at Longbourn. "I will speak to Mr Livesay and see what we can arrange. Perhaps they can come this afternoon?" she suggested.
Lydia and Kitty were pleased at that idea, and Mr Bennet, who stood in the hall, merely waved his hand. It seemed he no longer cared what happened to his girls.