A Royal Bennet (19 page)
Authors: Melanie Schertz
Margaret burst into peals of laughter. “I have to
applaud her goal, though she does not stand a chance.
She has no notion as to what the ladies of the first
circle can be like. They would eat her for lunch
without a second thought.”
Elizabeth smiled. “She has always thought herself
above our family. Only last night, Miss Bingley was
appalled at my aunt, Mrs Gardiner, being here when
she is the wife of a tradesman.”
“I may be married to a tradesman, but I have far
better manners than the likes of Miss Bingley.” Mrs
Gardiner stated with a smile. “I wonder what she
would say if she knew my father had been a
tradesman in Lambton, which is the village near here.
My father knew both Mr Darcy and his father.”
Margaret spent the following two days mainly
with Elizabeth, telling her niece stories of Constance
and their childhood. Elizabeth relished these stories,
enjoying each and every one of them. But it was when
she saw the paintings of her mother that made
Constance a real person to her.
Tears streamed as Elizabeth reached out her
fingers, lightly brushing the paint on the canvas. For
the first time in her life, Elizabeth felt a connection to
her mother. It was at that moment that Elizabeth
knew that she had always felt no bond with Fanny, as
if a part of her had always known the truth of their
relationship. “My mother was beautiful. And, from all
that Papa and you have told me, she was kind and
caring.” Elizabeth stated to her aunt. “I wish I could
have had some time with her.”
“We have all wished you would have had time
with her, Lizzy. It broke my heart to hold you in my
arms, knowing Constance would never be able to do
so. She loved you dearly. Every day, she sang to you,
while you were inside her. She would rub her hands
over her belly and hum, or sing, saying you could hear
her. And every day, she would read to you. She was
of the opinion that you were going to be born with a
book in your hands, reading from the first moment of
life.”
Elizabeth smiled at such an image of her mother.
Seeing the paintings, Elizabeth was better able to
imagine her mother reading a book, curled up on a
sofa, with her feet pulled up so her dress hem covered
them. She could picture her mother playing the
pianoforte, singing. And Elizabeth could almost feel
the touch of her mother’s fingers caressing her belly,
where Elizabeth was growing inside.
Margaret had encouraged her brother to write
down his memories of their sister, and he had sent the
pages to her just the year before. Their cousin,
Princess Augusta, had also written down memories of
Constance, and she had sent them to Margaret to
present to Elizabeth one day. Seeing the look on
Elizabeth’s face when she read the treasured pages,
Margaret was grateful she had thought to have her
relations write the memories down.
Caroline Bingley was determined to find a way of
sending Elizabeth Bennet from Pemberley. Now that
the country chit was being accepted as a member of
royalty, Mr Darcy would find it easier to accept the
nobody from Hertfordshire as someone he could align
with himself.
Charles had insisted he would take Caroline to
Town and leave her there alone, if she did not behave
herself. Louisa was attempting to behave as Charles
and Hurst demanded, but she was seething with fury
at the treatment. Louisa knew the benefits of her
sister marrying the likes of Fitzwilliam Darcy, but she
did not wish to cause her own husband to take out his
anger for her disobeying his orders.
So Louisa made it clear to Caroline that she would
only help her sister in secret. But what could she do?
Cause a compromise? Send information to Town
which would discredit Elizabeth Bennet? Caroline
had to determine some way of eliminating her rival.
She was certain that, once Elizabeth was out of the
way, Darcy would ask for Caroline’s hand. Then she
would be Mistress of Pemberley. The first thing she
would do was to improve the decorations of both the
houses, at Pemberley and Darcy House in London.
The second was to find a good boarding school to
send Georgiana, giving Caroline more privacy with
her husband. She was determined to become with
child within the first months of her marriage, giving
Darcy an heir within the first year of their marriage.
Then their marriage would be secure.
At least that is what Caroline Bingley had
convinced herself. She was fully delusional in her
beliefs.
Elizabeth had left her rooms to practice on the
pianoforte in the music room. Seeing this as her
opportunity to search Elizabeth’s rooms for some
information she could use to ruin the country nobody,
Caroline made her way into the bedchamber. As she
began rummaging through the drawers, Caroline
heard a low, menacing growl from behind her.
Turning around, she spied the dog she had seen at
Elizabeth’s side the day the Bingleys’ party arrived.
“What are you doing in here?” Caroline could not
hide her distaste for the animal. “You belong outside,
with the other mutts.”
Sadie moved towards Caroline, her fur standing on
end and bearing her teeth. Her growl was low, but it
was clear she did not approve of this woman in
Elizabeth’s rooms.
“Go away, you mangy animal. You do not belong
in such a fine house. You should be outside, in the
barn. Now go. Or I will inform Mr Darcy and he will
have you removed. Perhaps he will go so far as to
have you put down. Who knows what sort of diseases
you carry?”
Sadie slowly moved to circle the person she
deemed dangerous. The dog was devoted to
Elizabeth, and would protect the young lady, even if it
meant her death.
Finally realizing that the dog meant business,
Caroline Bingley made the wisest decision in her
life…she moved slowly and cautiously to the door and
removed herself from her nemesis’ rooms.
said as she encountered him downstairs.
Frustrated, for he wished to be in the music room
and Caroline was preventing him, Darcy turned his
attention to her. “What is it Miss Bingley?”
“There is a scraggly mutt roaming the house. It
growled at me, and approached me as if it was
planning to attack. It is a miracle I was able to escape
being injured by that beast.”
A frown was on Darcy’s brow. He was certain that
the dog was Sadie, and that the dog was inside
Elizabeth’s rooms. He wondered how the dog had
managed to leave the bedchamber, as she normally
waited for Elizabeth in the room. Other than going for
walks in the park or being at Elizabeth’s side, Sadie
was rarely seen elsewhere.
is secured.”
“Oh, well, I, um…I happened to be near Miss Eliza’s
rooms and was able to contain the dog inside there.
Perhaps you should have it put down, as its behavior
made it appear that it might be rabid.”
Darcy was not fooled. It was obvious to him that
Caroline had entered Elizabeth’s chambers and Sadie
was protecting the rooms for her “mistress”. “I will
see to the dog, though there is no need to have the dog
put down. She is loyal to Miss Elizabeth, and was
most likely protecting the area near her quarters.”
“But…but I could have been injured, or even killed,
by that animal.” Caroline attempted to garner some
sympathy.
is a gentle dog.”
nature so drastically.”
“Miss Bingley, I suggest you go to your rooms and
rest. Your sister might require your company later.”
Darcy said as he headed towards the music room.
When Elizabeth, Darcy and Georgiana entered
Elizabeth’s bedchamber, they found Sadie laying on
the rug before the fireplace. She saw who had entered
and ran to Elizabeth, nudging her hand to pet the dog.
“Well, Sadie, I have to thank you for keeping Miss
Bingley from disturbing my rooms too much. What a
good girl you are.” Elizabeth said as she knelt down
and wrapped an arm about the dog. “I will speak to
Cook about a bone for you to chew on, since you were
denied chewing on one of Miss Bingley’s.”
Darcy chuckled. “Good girl, Sadie. You did a great
job.” He reached his hand over and scratched Sadie
behind the ears. “And to think, Miss Bingley declared
Sadie to be rabid and in need of being put down.”
Georgiana gasped. “We must keep Sadie away
from her, or Miss Bingley might take it in her mind to
carry out such a plan.”
“Do not fret, Georgiana.” Elizabeth stated. “Sadie
is safe with me, and the staff here all know her. I
cannot imagine Miss Bingley being much of a
marksman with firearms.”
“Indeed, not.” Darcy responded. “She cannot stand
the sight of blood either. When Charles fell a few
years ago, and cut his forehead, Miss Bingley fainted
from the sight of all the blood running down his face.”
Mr Gardiner arrived at Longbourn, bringing with
him his children. The Darcys were pleased to
welcome the children, as were the Bennets. Mr
Bingley found it pleasing, as the children were thrilled
with Colonel Fitzwilliam and begged the seasoned
officer for stories. This gave Bingley more time with
Jane, time he desperately needed in order to convince
the young lady of his heart’s desire.
Margaret and her children prepared to return
home the week after the Gardiner family arrived,
though they enjoyed the young ones very much. With
her two youngest nearing adulthood, Margaret missed
having small children in her home.
The only people at Pemberley who did not enjoy
the Gardiner children were Miss Bingley and Mrs
Hurst. The sound of the children laughing and playing
was grating on Caroline’s nerves, and she constantly
spoke of her displeasure with them. “How long are
we to endure the noise of these children?” She asked
nearly daily. “They are making such a mess in your
home, Mr Darcy. I am certain they will break some
precious family heirloom or some expensive piece of
furniture. It would be better if they were kept in the
nursery, with servants to watch over them.”
“The children are not causing any problems, Miss
Bingley. Even Mrs Reynolds told me how much
enjoyment the staff is having with the sound of the
children in the house.” Georgiana stated in defense.
“My dear girl, you cannot understand how
inappropriate it is for children to behave so. It is
obvious that they are the children of someone in
trade, for someone of our society would never allow
their children to behave in such a manner.” Caroline
stuck her nose up as she attempted to be superior.
“Our parents enjoyed having Georgiana and
myself, along with our cousins, free to be where we
wished in the house. Our mother was not fond of
keeping children locked away in the nursery.” Mr
Darcy had stated in a cold voice. “And, when I am
fortunate enough to become a parent, I will follow
their example.”
Caroline realized too late that she should have
kept her comments to herself. She had no escape
from her harsh words, and they made her appear
heartless and cruel. She was aggravated that she was
unable to convince Darcy and Georgiana that the
Bennets and Gardiners were inappropriate with
whom to socialize.
The following morning, Elizabeth and Sadie went
for their usual early morning walk. It did not come as
a surprise that Darcy soon joined them, as he had
been out for his customary morning ride on his
favorite horse.
“You have chosen a different path today, Lady
Elizabeth.” Darcy stated as he dismounted his horse.
He had come to call her by her title shortly after Lady
Margaret had arrived. Elizabeth found it humorous to
hear herself referred to in such a manner.
“Sadie and I decided the view from this prospect
to be breathtaking this morning. How could we not
come here?”
“It is one of my favorite places to take in the
sunrise, as the sun brings everything alive in its light.
But I should warn you, there are two areas over there,
near the bottom of the mountain, where you should
refrain from wandering. There are some
underground caverns and there have been sink holes
in the area. We lost a horse and rider in the area two
years ago, as they fell to their deaths.”
“How dreadful. My aunt commented on a location
near Lambton where her cousin fell from the dirt
giving away under her feet as she was picking berries.
Fortunately, her cousin did not fall far and only
sustained minor injuries.”
“I remember the girl falling. It was when I was a
young lad, perhaps nine. The girl was several years
older than me. My father sent some food to her family
after the incident. Father stated it was a miracle she
was not injured worse. I had no notion that the girl
was related to your aunt. Mrs Gardiner is cousin to
Emmy Barnard, nee Jolston. Interesting. Mrs Barnard
was the cousin of Mrs Reynolds’ late husband. If
memory serves me correctly, Mrs Barnard and her
son moved to Yorkshire to live, after her husband
died.”
Elizabeth was amazed with Darcy’s memory,
especially since the Jolston and the Barnard families
did not work for Pemberley. “Do you remember
everyone who has lived in this area?” She teased.
“Most. I am the master of this estate, and
therefore, I am responsible to all those who live and
work here. Many of my servants and tenants have
family in the nearby villages. So I am familiar with
most of the families in Lambton, Kympton, and a few
other nearby villages.” Darcy smiled.
Seeing the dimple shining on his cheeks, Elizabeth
was caught dumbstruck. Determined to move into a
safer conversation, she inquired of the dangerous
areas at Pemberley.
