A Royal Bennet (12 page)

“This is not the time or place to have this
discussion, Fanny.” Mr Gardiner hissed at his sister.
“You and Lydia will take the room Helen and I have
been using. We will take the sitting room which is
attached to Thomas’ bedchamber. Jane, I assume you
will wish to spend time with Lizzy.”

Jane was still shocked by all that had happened.
“Y…y…yes, Uncle. May I go up to her now?”

Mr Bennet nodded his head. “Of course, my dear
girl. I am certain Lizzy will be pleased to see you.” He
placed a kiss on his daughter’s forehead. “I will take
you up to see her.”

“I demand to see Elizabeth, for I insist we settle
this matter of her marriage.” Mrs Bennet made to
follow her husband.

“Elizabeth has been through an ordeal, and I will
not have you disturbing her.” Mr Bennet glared at his
wife. “You will not speak to her, enter the same room
as her, write to her, or give anyone a message to
Elizabeth from you. Do you hear me? You have given
me the perfect excuse to divorce you. Do you wish to
have your reputation destroyed? Do you wish to see
your name trampled in the mud? I will not protect
you. Whatever shame you bring down on your
shoulders is yours with which to deal. I have no
shame in the situation, as I made every attempt
prevent our marriage. It was not until you tore your
gown’s bodice and conveniently had your sister come
in the room with your father, making it appear I had
tried to take advantage of you, when I felt trapped.
Your father was pleased to be rid of you, as he told me
later. He knew what you had done, but he was more
concerned with being shod of you than worrying of
your reputation. Your father even told me that if it
would not have affected your brother’s reputation, he
would have told you that you were a fool and to
accept any consequences for your behavior.”

“My father would not have spoken in such a
manner.” Mrs Bennet said, her nose pointed upwards.
“Father loved me dearly.”

Mr Gardiner was amazed at how foolish his sister
was. “Fanny, our father may have loved you, but he
wished to have you out of our house, for he tried for
many years to make you control yourself. But you
would never behave, and you encouraged our sister to
be just as silly as you.”

Jane was sitting in a chair near the side of the
room. She knew her mother was a foolish and
irresponsible person, and the years had not improved
her behavior. Often times Jane found herself
embarrassed by her mother’s behavior. Finally, Jane
jumped up from her chair and dashed outside of the
inn. The disgrace was far too overpowering for her.

Only a few moments later, Mr Bennet stepped
outside to find his daughter. He wrapped her in his
arms, pulling her to his chest, allowing her to sob
freely. One of his hands reached up to caress her
blonde hair, as he had done when she was a child.
“Let your tears flow, my dear girl. Let all the pain flow
out on the tears. All will be well.”

Jane wept for some time before she was able to
calm. “Papa, I never knew how difficult your life has
been. You did not deserve her cruelty. And now, now
I learn of how she purposely compromised you,
forcing you into a marriage you never wished for, and
has been unfaithful to you. I cannot bear to be near
her.”

“You will not be forced to be in the same room
with her. My dear girl, allow me to take you up to the
room to see Lizzy. She will be pleased to see you.”

“Was she injured terribly? Will she recover?” Jane
pleaded with her father to tell her all would be well.

“We are watching for signs of fever, but so far she
is well enough. And, as usual, she is restless. You
know your sister, she does not take well to being
forced to remain in bed, no matter how ill she might
be.”

Jane smiled and gave a small chuckle. “Even when
she was ill as a child, she wished to be out of bed as
soon as she thought she was well.”

“And you would always make her see sense to
follow the directions of the physician. You have
always been able to soothe Lizzy and make her feel
better.”

“Let us go to my sister. I long to see her.”
~~ ** ~~

Mr and Mrs Gardiner kept Mrs Bennet and her
precious Lydia in the room they had been utilizing,
both of them attempting to persuade Mrs Bennet to
see reason. Mrs Gardiner was appalled to learn of her
sister in law’s behavior, for even though Mrs Gardiner
had little respect for her husband’s sister, she never
dreamed that the foolish woman would risk
everything by having relations with other men. It was
more than she could have imagined.

Finally, realizing Fanny was not capable of
understanding her own foolishness, Mr Gardiner
made a decision. “Fanny, I will speak with Mr Bennet
later, but I believe he will no longer be willing to live
in the same house as you. As I am the head of the
Gardiner family, it will be up to me to determine
where you will reside. We have a cousin in Sussex,
she lives alone on a small property, and I received
word from her not long ago of how she wished for
someone to keep her company. You and Lydia will be
sent to live there, and your pin money will be given to
our cousin for your keep.”

“I will not move to Sussex.” Fanny’s face distorted
with fury. “I am the Mistress of Longbourn, and I will
not be discarded by my husband. I will not be forced
from my home.”

“You will do as I say, or I will support Thomas if he
wishes to divorce you. I will make certain you do as
you are told, or you will be left with nothing. If
Thomas divorces you, you will be forced to find
employment to support yourself. Is that what you
wish? You will receive no pin money, no support
from Thomas or myself.”

Mrs Bennet’s eyes grew round. “You would
abandon your sister? I helped Mother raise you. How
could you abandon me?”

“You leave me no alternative. My family will not
suffer for your foolishness. I will not take food from
my wife and children, just because you cannot behave
yourself.”

“This is not to be borne. I am being treated so
very ill by all of you. Oh, my nerves. All of this
treatment is due to
his daughter
. If it were not for
her,
none of this would be happening. She should not have
been born, let alone be raised by me. I never wished
for her to be with us.”

Lydia’s eyes grew wide. She had heard her
mother hint at one of the children not being hers, but
Lydia had never really given it another thought. With
Jane and Elizabeth being twins, it could not be them of
whom she was speaking. And Lydia was certain that
she was her mother’s child. But here was her mother
speaking of it again.

“Mamma, what are you saying?”

 

“Fanny, you know you are to keep quiet.” Mrs
Gardiner hissed through her teeth.

“What is the point in keeping the secret? I despise
that girl, and everything she represents. She is not my
child, why should I care any longer who knows?” Mrs
Bennet turned from her brother and his wife, looking
directly at her beloved daughter. “Elizabeth is your
half-sister. Your father share the bed of some tramp,
and, when the tramp died, your father forced me to
pretend the mongrel child was mine. She was born a
few days before Jane.”

“This is outrageous.” Shouted Mr Gardiner.
“Thomas is within his rights to through you to the
curb immediately. For you to speak so, after all you
have done, is unforgiveable. You will be leaving here
immediately, and for our cousin’s home. I will see
that your belongings are sent to you after Thomas and
the girls return home.”

“I will not leave my mother.” Lydia declared. “I do
not wish to live with my father and sisters, especially
now, learning Elizabeth is the natural child of some
whore.”

Mrs Gardiner reached out her hand, smacking
Lydia across the face. “Elizabeth’s mother was not a
whore. If you must know the truth, Elizabeth’s
mother was a relation of Princess Caroline. The
woman was your father’s true love, and she should
have been his wife. They anticipated their vows, but
planned to marry. It was your mother who caused the
problems, and it was your mother who acted the part
of a whore, forcing herself upon your father in a way
which would force a marriage.”

“Elizabeth is of royal blood?” Mrs Bennet asked.
“Then she should have an inheritance, a large dowry
and such. I am certain it would be enough to take care
of my girls. Why did Mr Bennet not inform me of this?
Of course, she should reward me for being good to her
all these years. She can introduce Lydia and Jane to
fine men for them to marry. It is her duty as their
sister to assist them in finding proper matches for
them.”

“Fanny, this is ludicrous. You dislike the girl,
despise her tremendously, do everything you can to
bring her pain, and then expect her to instantly do
what you see as her duty by finding rich men to
marry, all because you learned she is of royal blood.
Now you wish to see what you can claim for yourself
because of her heritage.” Mr Gardiner was furious, his
face turning a brilliant shade of red. His wife moved
to calm him, as she feared for his health.

“Had I known of her lineage before, I would have
been nicer to her. Of course she will be able to repay
every kindness I have ever shown her. And Jane and
Lydia are her sisters, of course she will wish to do
what she can for them.” Mrs Bennet folded her arms
across her chest in an act which resembled a petulant
child. “I allowed Elizabeth to think of me as her
mother, made certain that she was fed and had
clothes, and kept her true birth secret from the
neighborhood. I deserve some compensation for such
generosity. I know others who would have refused to
have her in their home, had the situation been theirs
to bear.”

Mrs Gardiner stood between her husband and his
sister, glaring angrily at the latter. “You are
ridiculous, and do not deserve such kindness from the
girl you treated so cruelly. I agree with my husband’s
decision that you be taken to Sussex to live. Or,
perhaps we can find you employment somewhere, in
one of the poorest sections of London. There are
probably places, right here in Liverpool, where you
can find employment as a shop clerk. You would not
be able to afford to live the same sort of life as before,
but you could put a roof over your head and food on
the table.”

Having finished her words, Mrs Gardiner took
hold of her husband’s hand and tugged him towards
the door of the room. Once out of the room, Mrs
Gardiner led her husband to the nearby sitting room.
There, they were able to embrace and release all the
tension which had built inside them.

~~ ** ~~

For nearly two hours, Mr Bennet explained to his
beloved daughter of her heritage, of her mother, and
of the deep love he held for Constance. Many tears
were shed between both father and daughter. In the
end, Elizabeth was able to realize the truth as to why
Mrs Bennet had always disliked her. Mr Bennet left
his daughter momentarily, returning with Jane at his
side. Jane was then informed as to the truth of her
birth, and that the sisters were half-sisters, rather
than twins. Of course, Jane cared not at all. To her,
Elizabeth would always be her dearest sister and
closest friend.

Mr Bennet decided to leave the sisters to speak as
he dealt with his wife and youngest daughter. He
found Mr and Mrs Gardiner, who informed him of
Fanny’s behavior and what they suggested should be
done with her. Learning of Mrs Bennet’s decision that
she should be repaid for her “kindness” to Elizabeth
caused Mr Bennet to become repulsed. Never would
he have called his wife’s behavior to be a kindness.
He agreed with the Gardiners decision. They would
make Mrs Bennet realize that she had two choices,
either she went to live with her cousin in Sussex, and
receive her allowance, or she would face her husband
refusing to give her an allowance or provide her a
home. He would never allow her to live at Longbourn
again, nor would he tolerate her behavior again.

Taking a deep breath, Mr Bennet opened the door
to the room in which his wife would be staying the
night. Mr and Mrs Gardiner followed behind him,
showing their support to his decision.

“Fanny, I will not mince words with you. You have
two options for your future, as you will never be
permitted to live at Longbourn again. The first choice
is that you move to Sussex, to live with your cousin. I
would send your allowance to your cousin, to cover
the cost of your living there. The other choice is that
you find employment and housing for yourself
somewhere, such as here at Liverpool. If you choose
the second option, I will give you ten pounds and no
more. Afterwards, you will receive nothing from me
again.”

“How can you be so cruel to me, Mr Bennet? I
have taken your bastard child as my own for all these
years, and now you toss me to the side, as if I were
rubbish. It is not fair. You owe me so much for taking
in your daughter, as I gave her everything my own
daughters have had.”

“Everything but affection. The most important
thing, which Lizzy always craved, was to be loved.
And all you could give her was your hatred. No more,
Mrs Bennet. Lizzy knows the truth now, and I care
not what others think. Jane has also accepted the
truth, as Jane has always loved her sister. You will not
be reimbursed for your cruelty to Elizabeth. And you
most certainly will not be reimbursed for your cruelty
for separating me from my dearest love, the woman
who should have been my wife. As far as I am
concerned, you no longer are a part of my life.” Mr
Bennet turned his head towards his youngest
daughter. “And you will not be left to your mother’s
foolishness. It is time you were taken in hand and
taught how to be a decent person.”