Pride and Prejudice 00 General Regency AU

Best Laid Plans Go Awry

Previously:

The preacher spoke a few more words and the ceremony was over. Hayden sent a rider ahead with a message to his father and sister of the handfasting marriage He then led Charlotte to his carriage and helped her couple then headed back towards Coldstream and to the Morningside Estates.

Shocking News

Ch. 12

The second banns for Mr. Thomas and Anne had been read and Lady Catherine had come to terms with the fact her daughter would soon be a Bennet. However, that was mostly because Anne had played no games had told her it was either the London or the dower house... Rosings Park would not be an option.

Piles and Piles of linen were being stacked by servants in the rooms of Rosings Park. Lydia and Miss Kitty were being made to practice at the pianoforte. Made was not the right word as to it being against their will; more like they were being made to stick to their choice of claiming they wanted to learn.

"One, two, three, four." Miss Annie-May, hired by their soon-to-be mother, was walking between the girls as they sat practicing two very basic music pieces. "Start at the beginning and quit your grumbling, Miss Lydia Bennet, no one forced you into these lessons, but you will keep your commitment."

Lydia bit her tongue. She had started these confounded lessons thanks to Miss Anne being within earshot of her offhanded remark about wanting lessons, and being willing to do it until she was seventeen. And, unfortunately- in Lydia's young mind- Miss Anne and also heard the young Miss Bennet claiming she wished could have the same advantages as Miss Anne had growing up. Of course, she did not stop to think of all the free time it would cost.

Anne peeked in on Lydia playing and bit back a grin. The soon to be Mrs. Bennet may not have been as stuck up as her mother but in one way she was a mirror image in that was she was very strict on usage of time. And, knowing of the young lady's fascination -even as young as she was- with men in uniform, was bound and determined not to send her to places like Brighton until she was at least eighteen years old, and even then she would be chaperoned with a person of Elizabeth's personality, not Mrs. Forester's. Turning her eyes to Kitty, Annie-May smiled. That one was settling down nicely ever since Lydia's own reins were now being handled bye Miss Anne and her new governess.

Elizabeth and Jane were busy elsewhere. And seldom, if ever, needed a heavy hand to get their assignments done.

"We need to talk." Lady Catherine walked up to Anne.

"About what?" Anne half expected to hear her mother gripe about her upcoming marriage, to her surprise she did not. However, what came out of mouth caused Anne to think dealing with the old version of Lady Catherine would have been easier to handle.

"No one knows where Miss Charlotte is at, not even the Smiths."

"What?" Anne hurried to get away from the door so the Bennet girls would not hear, especially Miss Elizabeth, who had just entered the room through another door. "But she left that night with Lady Smith."

"Yes, and she went with her to Dumfries, but did not return with her. And..." Lady Catherine's hands twisted. "Yes, one of my friends saw them together at the party, but they left before Lady Smith so they could not tell me anything. And the Johnstones, who could have given us information; he was killed in freakish accident and his wife has taken to her bed and is refusing to talk to anybody, Will not even take so much as a letter. Orders all correspondences to be burned even if they are from locals."

"Surely, Lady Smith told them where she went."

"She could not." Lady Catherine, at this point was practically beside herself. "Poor woman, as soon as she got home, got as far as to say to her butler "Please tell Miss Anne that Miss Charlotte..." Anne's mother caught her breath and then finished with a sob. "She dropped dead before being able to finish delivering her message. No warning, she just dropped to the ground. How am I to tell the Lucas's; Their daughter is in Scotland, but I know not where, or with whom?"

"How am I to face them? I was the one who took her to London."

"It is neither one of your faults."

Miss Anne and Lady Catherine snapped their heads around and were horrified to see Elizabeth standing behind them. They had not heard her come out. She was standing straight and tall.

"My friend has always had her own mind. If she did not make the return trip with Lady Smith, it would have been of her own accord. And with good cause. I will tell the Lucas' myself."

Miss Anne thanked Elizabeth for the offer but said she really should. After all, she and Charlotte were of the same age. And it had been she who had told Miss Lucas where to go if she did not accept Mr. Collins's offer of marriage.

""Miss Anne, I appreciate your willingness to take on the responsibility. However, I insist on being the bearer of such news. Charlotte is my dearest friend, and I feel bound by loyalty to that friendship." Elizabeth instantly realizing how rude it sounded to say she insisted to a lady who would soon be her mother hurried to rectify her error. "Please, I beg of you to allow me to be the one to share this news with her parents. Besides, it was you who guided her on what to do if she opted to turn down Mr. Collins's proposal. I think they would take this news less harsh coming from me."

"You may be right at that, Miss Bennet." Anne looked so distraught, as did her mother, that Elizabeth hugged them both and assured them both she would not waste time -with Anne's permission in bearing the news to Sir William.

"Of course, go now. Mother, will you go with her? Stay in the carriage unless she needs you?"

Therefore, within a couple of days Elizabeth stood in the Lucas' parlor, informing the Lucas' -as gently as she could - what Lady Catherine had been told. Lady Lucas burst into tears as did Sir William.

"*I spoke in haste, now I repent in leisure." Tears flowed down Lady Lucas' face.

"I am no better." Sir William bemoaned the fact his daughter, to them was lost. But he looked at Elizabeth as if grasping for straws. "Does not one person have a hint of where she went?"

"I am sure it is no secret to many; Charlotte has a big heart and I cannot imagine her running up to hide in any hills" And without knowing about Hayden, or his promise, Elizabeth smile. 'I am sure Charlotte is bound to be seen in London sooner or later."

"I hope you are correct." Lady Lucas wiped her tears. "The one thing I have learned from this horrid mess is what damage I have done in the past with my own mouth. I am bound and determined not to be such a gossip after this." And, surprisingly, to Elizabeth and those around Lady Lucas, Charlotte's mother's mouth might as well have materialized into a steel bear trap.

*A saying I often heard growing up