Wednesday morning - Meryton, Hertfordshire
Mr Phillip's office
On Wednesday morning Mr Marcus Phillips opened the internal door from his house to his office an hour earlier than usual. He had a few important matters to clear up today. Unfortunately for Phillips, none of those things would get done until later in the afternoon. The first thing that disrupted his day was the note that had been pushed under the street door.
Dear Uncle Marcus
By the time you read this we (Jane, Mary and I) will be gone on the Post.
The situation at Longbourn has become unbearable. Mr Collins insists upon marrying Jane but Jane should not have to sacrifice her life for our parents' inadequacies. Equally, you and Aunt Marion should not have to sacrifice your peace by housing all six of us!
Please do not worry, we are not without resources, I have improved the yields at Longbourn over the last five years and have the profits with me. The enclosed fifty pounds should help you support our mother, Kitty and Lydia. I will send more when I am able.
We plan to find a quiet place somewhere to reside until the Gardiners return. Please help Mr Collins and Mama see the benefits of a story about visiting relatives somewhere far away.
Best wishes from myself, Jane and Mary.
Your loving niece
Elizabeth
This was so unlikely, so disturbing, that Phillips sat down at his desk to read it again, and again. "The Post will be long gone, now," he thought "better go to Longbourn."
Before he could get up, there was a knock at the street door. Marcus opened it to reveal the Bennets' butler Hill, his face even more dour than usual.
"Ah" said Phillips, "come in, Hill."
"Mr Phillips, sir, we have a problem."
"We certainly do" said Phillips, waving the note. "Read this"
Hill did and handed it back. "It's worse than you think, sir."
"Worse? How can it be worse!"
"They didn't go by the post. Somehow, Mr Collins found out the young ladies had left the house."
"How would he find out that?"
"I don't wish to speculate or know." said Hill "Collins woke me and Mrs Hill and made me get out the pony cart and drive him to Meryton. We arrived at the inn just in time to see the ladies ushered into a big black travelling carriage by two well-dressed gentlemen. It left fast, for the London road. I found the landlord who informed me that the Post was late."
"Any idea whose carriage?"
"None. The landlord was out back. I don't think he saw it at all. Sir, I need you to come back to Longbourn and talk sense to Mr Collins."
"Yes, I was about to."
"Thank you. I have the cart here."
"How is Mrs Bennet?"
"Not about yet, sir"
"That's a blessing. Let's go, Hill, and attempt to avoid a scandal."
Mr Collins' Study, Longbourn
"Collins, I know you wish to pursue those who stole your betrothed and her sisters, but the problem is, we don't know who took them and where they went. So where would we start?"
Collins stared at him, goggle-eyed and didn't have an answer to that question. "I want the rest of the Bennets out of here, immediately."
Phillips continued. "I am sure you do. Rest assured, Frances, Kitty and Lydia will have a home with my wife and me. Right now, your main concern should be avoidance of scandal."
"Scandal! What do you mean?"
"You have not lived at Longbourn for very long. There have been Bennets here for hundreds of years. The current family are very popular and loved in the Meryton area."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"Mr Collins, three Bennet daughters have disappeared from under your roof and under your care. You are their cousin therefore their concerns are also yours. That is how the town will see it. If it gets out that those three were seen stepping into a strange carriage with unknown gentlemen, the resulting scandal will not only bring down the Bennets, it will bring you down as well. Tossing out the rest of the ladies won't help you. You will be shunned by all. How will you establish yourself as one of the major landholders here if that happens?"
"What can I do?"
"Help me ensure that an appropriate story is circulated if necessary. A simple story. We will say, if asked, that the eldest three are visiting distant relatives of Edward Gardiner's wife in Derbyshire. That is far enough away."
"Distant relatives in Derbyshire. Mrs Gardiner. Very well, I will do it. But how will I get my betrothed back?"
"You won't. Forget Jane Bennet, Mr Collins. She didn't want to marry you. Look around for a lady who would be pleased, happy even, to be mistress of Longbourn. If you need a tip, I can think of someone who would be perfect."
"Who?" asked Collins
"Sir William's daughter, Charlotte Lucas."
"Charlotte Lucas" echoed Collins "I will think about it."
"Very good" said Phillips "I would ask one favour of you."
"What is that?"
"Don't be too hard on Frances. Give her a bit of time to get used to the idea of leaving Longbourn. She is the one who has lost the most. She will be even more difficult than usual, hysterical even, when she realises the elder three are gone. Use some of that compassion you men of the cloth have. I assure you, the Bennets will all be gone within a week. Treating them well will be good for your standing in the local area."
"Very well, I will."
"Thank you, Mr Collins. I will not tell her about the mysterious black carriage, just that the girls went on the post." Phillips got up. "Now I will attempt to calm said lady."
"Good luck with that" was Collins' parting comment
Sitting room, Longbourn
"You know very well that it is a matter of choice, isn't it? Jane can choose to marry Collins, or she can choose not to."
"Jane must marry him. It is the only way we can stay here!"
"It is the only way you can stay here. What if Jane would rather leave Longbourn than marry Mr Collins?"
"She would hate to leave Longbourn!"
"Would she, Frances? Are you sure?"
Frances gazed at him.
He continued. "This is the crisis we face this morning. Jane has left, on the post, along with Lizzy and Mary
"I don't believe you!"
"Read this, then." He handed over the note.
"Gone?"
"Yes, gone."
"You must get them back. Now!"
"How, Frances?"
"Follow them, bring them back, make Jane marry Mr Collins!"
"I assume they went to London. They will be there by now. Your brother is not there. Where would I start looking? Tell me that, Frances!"
She looked at him stupidly as, just like Collins, she didn't know the answer to that question.
"I don't want to leave Longbourn."
"I know, but you will have a home with Marion and me, you and Kitty and Lydia."
"It won't be the same" her voice rising toward hysteria.
"No, it won't, but it is your only option. You must listen to me now, Frances. This is very important. We will say that Jane, Elizabeth and Mary are visiting Mrs Gardiner's relatives in Derbyshire. That way there will be no scandal. There must be no gossip about your daughters, do you understand?"
"Yes, but it is just so unfair!"
"True, but we have no choice. What will you tell Lady Lucas and your other friends?"
"The girls are staying with Madeleine's relatives in Derbyshire."
"Very good. I will leave you now."
Phillips was aware of Mrs Hill, hovering in the doorway. He nodded to her and she entered the room, a cup in hand.
"Just a small drink, Mrs Bennet."
Frances drank obediently, then burst into tears.
"Jane has left me, and Lizzy and Mary."
Phillips left Frances in the capable hands of Mrs Hill. He needed to speak to the landlord of the Meryton Inn.
Meryton Inn, public bar
Phillips was in luck. The landlord was working behind the bar today. Phillips ordered a drink and was able to have a chat.
"I believe the Post was very late, today."
"Yes, over two hours late."
"Did you happen to notice the arrival of a big black travelling carriage?"
"I think one stopped briefly but it was leaving by the time I noticed it. There was a dark blue carriage in for a wheel repair."
"Dark blue. Whose carriage was that?"
"The repair was billed to a Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy of Darcy House, London."
"Did this Mr Darcy go back to London?"
"It wasn't Mr Darcy. His sister, I think, and another two ladies. Funny, they came in from London and one of their men said they were heading for a place called Fairleigh, but when the wheel was fixed, they headed back to London."
"Three ladies."
"Yes, it was a busy morning for ladies. There were six in the waiting room at one stage, but I don't know what happened to the other three."
"How could three ladies disappear?" Phillips laughed.
"They were for the post. They were in the waiting room with the Darcy ladies but when the post came, they weren't around."
"Maybe they left with the Darcy ladies?"
"I didn't see them board the carriage."
"Probably gave up waiting for the Post then and went home."
"I suppose so."
Back in his office, an exhausted Mr Phillips reviewed his difficult morning.
He decided to write to a solicitor friend in London asking for details about the Darcy family. It was unlikely to help, but he had no other ideas.
After writing his letter, he got up and locked the external door before heading inside for lunch and a serious talk with his wife.