Page 78 of The Cheapside Runners
Elizabeth kept buttering her toast and took a bite just to taunt them but ultimately thought it would not hurt to be more specific.
“This course was different, but not as different as you might think. I patterned the instruction slightly after military techniques used since Roman times… though training in today’s British Army varies widely from almost nothing to very rigorous.”
They hung on every word excitedly.
“I only have a fortnight, so everything has to be compressed. The ugly gowns on the first day serve two purposes. Who wants to guess?”
Georgiana said, “I suppose we would not be safe wearing our ordinary clothing in the areas you took us to.”
“That is correct. Your day dress costs between two and ten times what most of those people make in a year. Your clothing, demeanour, manners, speech—they all mark you as being high born, and possibly worthy of a bit of robbing. The dresses mutethat impression. Me cuffing the pickpockets on the head was another subtle sign we were not to be messed about, and of course, though you may not have seen them, there were four stout men following us the whole time. You were perfectly safe but left feeling on edge. Why?”
Mary took a guess. “To make us receptive to instruction? I remember feeling I had better pay attention or I might be lost in that place forever.”
Elizabeth laughed. “That is correct. One more reason… anybody?”
Surprisingly, it was Kitty who came up with the answer. “To make us bond together.”
“Exactly…us versus them… with Mrs Black playing the role ofthem.”
“What do they do in the army?” Jasmine asked.
“Different armies do different things. They take away all civilian clothing and make them wear uniforms. Some use funny haircuts or extremely difficult training to make them form cohesive units. For example, some make recruits hike twenty miles the first day with a heavy pack. That would be overdoing it for us, but parts of the technique work.”
Jane guessed, “So the gradual improvement of our situation… moving from the dungeon to rooms… making us help each other dress… revealing your identity.”
“All right on schedule, except for revealing my identity. I sometimes become Miss Gardiner, but most of the time I just become a less severe Mrs Black. To answer Lydia’s burning question, you have your own clothing now because it was here all along. Maids in your respective houses packed all the clothes and put them on the carriage while you ate breakfast… just as they always do.”
That led to a discussion about all the tricks, mean and otherwise, that had been used on them and the reasoninginvolved. Some were surprised to learn that Brutality Day had a purpose beyond just learning to defend themselves. It was also a way to pull them together after making all of them get outside their own heads for a while.
They all had their heads spinning, and a newfound respect for their sister who had invented the course when Kitty or Georgiana’s age.
~~~~~
After breakfast, they were to sit in the parlour for some general discussion for an hour or so, then Elizabeth planned to start speaking to them one on one for the last few days. That task would be shared by Mrs Rose, so it did not take forever.
Before the split, Lydia asked a question that had been plaguing her for a few days.
“Lizzy, do I understand that when Papa dies, presuming our deportment is good enough, you will allow us to live here with you?”
“That is correct,” she replied somewhat dubiously.
Lydia chewed on her lip in a quite uncharacteristic manner, indicating she was either nervous about asking a question or shy—either of which was unprecedented.
“What if he is not dead?”
Elizabeth’s eyebrows raised questioningly, so Lydia continued before her courage ran out (also unprecedented).
“Could some of us try to find husbands here instead of in Meryton? Mr Bingley has been the only fresh blood there in quite some time, and—”
“You need not elaborate, Lydia,” Jane replied calmly, leaving Elizabeth wondering what her sister even thought about her erstwhile former and possibly future suitor.
While Elizabeth was thinking, Jane said, “I once heard you say London had a million inhabitants. That seems a better stream to fish in than four and twenty families.”
“It is if you are not too fastidious,” Elizabeth replied.
“What does that mean?” Jane asked
“Would you marry a tradesman? A merchant? A banker? An attorney?”
