PP AU Non-Canon General Regency

NOTE: To Guest ... in defense of Anne... She had not been seeing Lord Dawes all that long, so his true colors had NOT been showing; seeing the Bennets brought them out.

Previously:

And what he saw shocked him. He was going to have to talk to Thomas Bennet and Lady Catherine when he got back to Rosings Park. However, for now; he was going to have to do two things. One, show three women around Meadows Hall and two, send a post up to Lord Bryce.

Meadows Hall Tour

CH. 15

"I want to know where did spring go, and why is summer trying to go so fast." Jane laughingly groaned as she sat on a boulder outside one of Meadow Hall's stone buildings next to Blossom's wheelchair. Mrs. Gardiner was voluntarily helping Mrs. Hansen bring out a couple of trays of goodies.

"I am simply thrilled to be outside. I just wish I could walk and go up to the attic again."

"Why? What is up there?"

"Probably nothing," laughed Blossom. "It is when Mr. Crane first came to work the estates." She had not been told why he was actually making his departure. "I used to go up and spend time there. You know, my...safe space, so to speak. I found the oddest set of keys. I used to play with them. Did not want to share them, so I hid them. One in particular. It was not there at first; someone added it later. I found it odd; it was made out of stainless steel. I cannot recall how old I was when it first appeared there."

"Would Alexander know?"

"No. He was long grown and gone. There is a huge age difference between him and me." Blossom chuckled, told Jane where they were, and then sighed. "Guess I will not see them again, now will I."

Jane instantly stood up, knowing this would be a perfect cover to do the searching she and Alexander and discussed. "I will see if your brother, or someone will let me go get them."

Hurrying past the neglected flower beds, she moved swiftly, her heart pounding with urgency. Her steps quickened as she passed other run-down buildings. The main house loomed ahead; its grandeur faded but still imposing.

As she approached the entrance, she spotted Lord de Bourgh and Mr. Hansen deep in conversation. Catching her breath, she apologized for interrupting them. "My Lord, Mr. Hansen, pardon the intrusion, but there's something you need to know."

The earl raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "Yes, Miss Bennet? What is it?"

Jane took a deep breath. "There is a set of keys in the attic—keys that Blossom needs. Your sister used to play in the attic, and I feel strongly that those keys are crucial to her well-being, strange as that may sound to some."

Lord de Bourgh's eyes narrowed slightly, understanding what Jane really meant. "I see. Very well, Miss Bennet. Mr. Hansen, please have one of the servants show her to the attic immediately. I will go get my sister and Mrs. Gardiner back into the drawing room seeing as how it will be safer for them to be indoors at this time, rather than around the men working on the buildings."

Mr. Hansen nodded and turned to one of the few remaining servants. "Please, lead Miss Bennet to the attic."

Jane followed the servant through the dim hallways and up a narrow staircase. They finally reached a heavy wooden door at the top. The servant handed her a small, rusted key and stepped back, handing her a lantern.

Jane unlocked the door and carefully stepped into the attic, her footsteps echoing on the creaky wooden floorboards. The narrow steps groaned under her weight as she ascended, the kerosene lamp in her hand casting a warm, flickering light onto the long-forgotten piles of boxes and cobweb-draped furniture.

Dust danced in the beam of light, revealing a chaotic yet nostalgic scene of forgotten memories and neglected treasures. Thankfully, Jane only needed to move a few boxes out of the way, as Blossom's instructions had been exactly spot on.

Jane navigated the narrow path with little, if any, difficulty. She soon reached a small child's chair, its once-bright colors now faded and worn. A tattered blanket was draped over it, adding to the air of abandonment.

Right behind the chair, in the middle of a small, dusty pile of boxes, was what she sought—a ring of keys. Jane's fingers picked up the set, the cold metal cool against her skin.

With the keys in hand, Jane turned and made her way back downstairs, each step feeling like a step closer to uncovering the truth—though she had no idea what a key had to do with the book the earl had held in Rosings Park drawing room.

"How many keys are on that ring?" Alexander came around the corner just as Jane locked the attic door.

"Quite a few, actually, but look..." She held up one key that stood out. "This one is made out of stainless steel. The rest are beginning to rust. Could we perhaps make a copy of it and let your sister keep the original? I would hate to take away the one thing from her childhood that kept her time occupied."

Alexander examined the key thoughtfully. "Stainless steel, you say? It does stand out. Yes, we can certainly make a copy. Blossom should keep the original. Come, let me show you more of the house. Your aunt wishes to see it too, Blossom will love having these items back."

Once Blossom had the keys, minus the stainless steel one-with a promise it would be returned once he had a copy-Alexander lead Jane and Mrs. Gardiner through the dim hallways, his voice rich with memories and stories of his childhood home as Blossom had opted to stay put where she was at. The grandeur of Meadow Hall, though faded, still held a certain charm that spoke of its former glory.

They stepped into the drawing room first. The sunlight filtered through the dusty windows, casting a warm glow on the worn furniture and faded tapestries. "This was where my mother used to host her tea parties," Alexander said, a nostalgic smile playing on his lips. "I would hide upstairs with my books though I always kept my door slightly ajar so I could still hear my mother's laughter. I never told her; nonetheless, I think she knew."

"She probably did." Mrs. Gardiner smiled wide. "I always did."

Jane could almost hear the echoes of those long-gone days, the room seemed to whisper its secrets to her.

Next, they walked to the grand library. Rows of books lined the shelves, their spines worn and faded. Alexander paused to pull out a volume, its leather cover cracked with age. "My father used to spend hours here, engrossed in his books. He insisted knowledge was the key to a better future, told me a man could not be saved in ignorance."

The smell of old paper and ink filled the air almost as if it were still in exitance though the room itself had not been used in years; Mr. Hansens used the smaller study next to it. And yet, it was still a comforting scent that spoke of countless hours spent lost in stories and studies. Jane ran her fingers over the spines of a books left behind, feeling a connection to the past.

As Lord de Bourgh moved through the house, with his guests he shared more memories. The dining hall, with its grand table and elegant China, felt as if it still held a sense of formality and grace.

"I can almost see women in silk dresses dancing across this ballroom with their dresses rustling across the floor." Mrs. Gardiner smiled fondly recalling her own youth.

"Surprisingly, my mother held only a few balls. She preferred things in her home to be quiet, all our celebrations were kept to family only."

They finally reached the nursery, a room filled with toys and trinkets that had once belonged to Alexander and his siblings. A rocking horse stood in the corner, its paint chipped and faded. "I remember teaching Blossom to walk in this very room," Alexander said, his voice softening. "She would follow me around, her little legs wobbling with determination, mostly by hanging onto my own leg. Finally, little sister got brave enough to let go."

Jane's face shone bright, "You must have been a wonderful older brother."

Alexander chuckled. "I did my best. She was a handful, but I loved every moment I was able to snatch."

Their tour led them outside, to the neglected gardens. Overgrown hedges and wilted flowers painted a picture of what had once been a beautiful landscape. "This used to be a paradise," Alexander said, the tip of his fingers touching the pathetic floral arrangement of nature. "We would spend hours playing here, exploring every available space any siblings could possibly find, young as Blossom was."

Jane looked around, envisioning the garden at the height of its 'golden age'. "It must have been wonderful."

"It was," Alexander agreed. "And it will be again. With time and effort, I will make more effort to get here; even if it means selling one of my other properties to do so."

They returned to the main house, where Alexander paused at the bottom of the grand staircase. "Thank you for getting those keys for my sister, Jane," he said sincerely. "And this stainless steel one." Looking at the key in his hand. "I do not know how it fits into the bigger picture, but if it was put there at the beginning of Crane's time; it has to be connected somehow."

Jane nodded. "I hope you are right. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For allowing a copy to be made. The look on Blossom's face when we told her she would be keeping the original key was so worth it, I was half afraid your sister would ask questions."

"Honest, I really do not think it bothers her not to know. She just seemed thrilled to have her treasure back."