Pride and Prejudice

AU NOT Cannon

No Common Lady

Previously

I hope father says yes, for as much as I am working on improving myself; I so do detest cooking and, even if I did not, my food is not very good though Mr. Bennet does not complain' with that Lydia took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, knocked firmly on the library door and hoped for the best.

Lydia's Confession

Ch. 3

Thomas had both his ledger and journal open when Lydia's knock came at the door. A sound that caused Mr. Bennet to jerk back; no one had knocked during his time of personal study and so forth, for well... it seemed forever. And since no one lived in his home now but Lydia and him, it had to be his youngest child. Therefore, it must be important; hence, he shut the books and told her to come in.

"Father." Lydia found herself nervously rubbing the sides of her dress with her hands. "I..." Thomas grew concerned as his daughter was clearly having trouble speaking; it had to be the package and he went to speak, only Lydia got a hold of herself and spoke first - if somewhat rapidly. "I met Aurelia Fletcher in Brighton, she needs a change of scenery and has plead with me to ask you if she can come be in our service and if it is possible to keep her spaniel, Dash, with her. Says if not there will be no fight in finding another home though she will need our help. The lady does not require cash, only a place to sleep and food to eat." Lydia finally took a breath.

"Is she in trouble?" Thomas thought maybe the change of scenery was simply a polite way of saying Miss Fletcher needed to get away from gossiping mouths.

"Oh, no..." Lydia's eyes widened. "She is very strict in what is to be done and what is to be avoided. The only thing she is... hoping... since we bonded as kin would... you might allow her name to be used inside our home; nonetheless, it would be Misses when any company was around, or if she were in public unless you say otherwise."

"So her wishing to come is not what is making you nervous?" Thomas's muscles moved and his eyebrow went up.

"No, I..." Her shoulders slumped. "I have not been forthcoming about the trip to Brighton and it is why I now hope you say yes to Mrs. Fletcher."

"Who is this Mrs. Fletcher? Other than someone you met at Brighton." Thomas asked and was informed the lady was a young widow.

"She lost a husband to consumption and an infant son to whooping cough." Lydia then remembered to pull out what was in her pocket. "Here is her letter." Mr. Bennet took the letter, read it and his daughter continued speaking. "She informed me their deaths were of close proximity." Lydia was not surprised when her father then turned back to the subject of the trip with Mrs. Forster and asked what had occurred in Brighton and what Mrs. Fletcher had to do with any of it. Lydia began talking.

"I had flirted with plenty of men during the day, including George. I was always interrupted by one lady, and it was not Mrs. Forester. Anyhow, then I turned to flirting solely with Ensign Wickham when the lady I did not know was not around. I ended up sneaking away to meet him after a party being held that evening while Mrs. Forster was busy." Lydia's shoulders remained slumped as her father bit his tongue. "Mrs. Fletcher, by then I knew her name, stepped out from around the building and stopped me. I was not going to tell her anything. However, the sweet lady has a knack for getting one to talk without anyone being aware of her doing it." Lydia could not help but give a faint smile but then twisted her mouth. "We had quite the discussion and finally Mrs. Fletcher gave me an option I did not turn down."

"And that was?" Thomas was fully invested in what the lady had done that had saved his family much heartache and shame.

"It's like this." The scene played itself out and it was as if Thomas were reading it in one of his books.

"Let us make a test." Aurelia spoke after catching Lydia sneaking out and discovering her plans. "You hide here." The lady pointed to a wall. "You watch me... if Ensign Wickham makes no move upon my actions, I am wrong, he has changed, and I let you go with him."

"If he does?" Lydia asked, not wanting to believe he would.

"You turn around, retreat to your dwelling at once and never again attempt such a senseless and rash scheme for the rest of your life."

"He made a move." Thomas counted it a good thing the ensign was nowhere around; his fist would have planted itself on the young man's jaw.

"Yes, and I was furious. I stepped out from behind the wall and told George he was nothing but a cad. He had deceived me in the most cruel and ungentlemanlike manner. I told Mr. Wickham he had no regard for my feelings or my reputation. Said George had only sought his own amusement and gratification, without any thought of the consequences. I told him he had no claim to my esteem or affection, for he had acted with the basest motives. I told him I now knew he had only pursued me to wound my sister, whom he already attempted to deceive in the past." Lydia then confessed she had said far more blistering words before turning around and fleeing the scene. "I am sure some of what came out of my mouth would have horrified you and mother. Anyhow, Mrs. Fletcher and I... we ended up talking the rest of the evening and, in spite of everything we, shockingly bonded faster than I thought possible. She was..." Lydia did not how to word how she felt without insulting her own deceased mother, so she simply finished off with. "Different from the rest."

"Was I to be feared so much? Your mother that untrustworthy?" Thomas asked quietly. "That you could not tell me, her, what that... man... had planned to do, what others might have done to you... if not for the influence of this Mrs. Fletcher of whom you now speak?"

"I loved mother." Lydia sighed. "But the truth is her nerves would have gotten the best of her, or she would have nagged you to death."

"And me?" Thomas's own shoulders now slumped.

"Oh, dear, father, do not blame yourself." Lydia jumped up and ran over to her father seeing, really seeing for the first time, just how much Mr. Bennet really did regret his past actions and how much he would have been there for her had she spoken up. "We have been working on getting better, have we not? That does not need to stop...does it? Surely, there is no harm in Mrs. Fletcher coming to live with us, to respect her wishes as to her name. We have plenty of room. You need not see her if you so desire."

Mr. Bennet smiled, hugged his daughter and told her to send a reply stating there was plenty of room for the lady and her dog. "She can stay for as long as she likes. And yes, you may call her Aurelia but only within the four walls of our home." He saw Mrs. Fletcher was owed more than he ever could repay, the least he could do for the lady was to allow her a room in the old servants' quarters.