Page 29 of Miss Gardiner
“Now, what was in the envelope from Mr Darcy?” Aunt Madeline asked.
“I had forgotten,” Mr Gardiner admitted as he pulled the envelope from his coat pocket. “Mr Darcy paid me a commission based on total sales of over seven thousand pounds. And he provided a cash bonus to the workmen for the care they took with his floors and walls.”
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The next morning, just as the sun rose above the horizon, the Gardiner carriage left Gracechurch Street. Elizabeth Bennet would return to Meryton with one of the chambermaids as chaperone, and the Gardiner footman seated with the coachman to ensure her safety. She would reach Longbourn in just over three hours.
During the journey, Elizabeth stared out the window as the city fell behind and small farms appeared. There were a few wooded glens but the landscape near London was filled with farms and small villages. The roads were dry and generally open but for a few herds of sheep and cattle headed toward slaughterhouses in the metropolis.
“Miss, would you mind if I napped?” the maid asked before they were very far into the trip.
“I do not mind, Alice. I shall wake you when we arrive in Meryton.”
The carriage passed through Meryton without any problem, and Elizabeth glanced at once familiar street and shoppes. She noticed Uncle Phillips’ law office with the living space above where Aunt Phillips welcomed officers, neighbourhood ladies, and gentlemen for cards, tea and gossip.
The small village was left behind in mere moments as the carriage continued without pause. Along the last two miles to Longbourn, Elizabeth noted Sir William and Lady Lucas walking along the road from her father’s manor house. They did not recognize the carriage, so the couple did not bow or call greetings, and Elizabeth’s eyes sought the first hints of Longbourn’s roof among the trees.
Finally, the carriage pulled into the drive to her childhood home, and she looked for familiar figures pouring from the front door to greet her.
The footman dropped from the box at the front of the carriage, opened the door and provided a hand as Miss Elizabeth stepped down onto the gravel. In the wilderness area on the west side of the house, she caught glimpses of the gardener with his pruning hook. There were the noises of roosters, guinea fowl and cattle behind the house but there were no voices from inside the house.
“Shall I pull your trunk from the carriage, miss?
“Let me find my family first,” she replied. “Keep Alice…keep the carriage here.”
As Elizabeth approached the door, Mrs Hill, the housekeeper from her childhood, opened the door and caught the young woman in a tight hug.
“Oh, Miss Elizabeth, you have come home to a sad house,” Hill told her.
“What has happened, Hill?”
Before the housekeeper could explain, Mrs Bennet’s voice called from above stairs, “Hill! Where are you Hill? I need you!”
“Go on,” Elizabeth urged the housekeeper who turned and climbed the stairs.
The door to the parlour opened and Lydia emerged. The youngest sister, now fifteen, frowned when she saw the visitor. “Well Elizabeth, you certainly picked the worst day to visit. We have had nothing but yelling and tears today.”
Remembering that Lydia enjoyed gossip as well as embarrassing others, Elizabeth asked, “You know all, and I know nothing. I should be in your debt if you tell me what occurred.”
“Sew me a gown?” Lydia asked.
“Your mending…”
Lydia grinned and replied, “This morning, Mamma took Jane to her room after we broke our fast. In just a few minutes, Mamma screamed, ‘We are ruined!’ She flew down the stairs and shortly there was yelling and shouting in Papa’s library. Finally, Mamma went upstairs and brought Jane down to Papa’s office.”
In a whisper, Lydia continued, “Mary kept telling me and Kitty to go to our rooms, but I stayed outside the door and heard everything. Jane and Mr Bingley anticipated their wedding vows and Jane is with child.
“What?” Elizabeth asked in shock.
Lydia’s face was bright as she related the gossip saying, “Jane is going to have Mr Bingley’s babe in summer. They did not wait for the parson to marry them and now he is gone. Mammawailed about being ruined and dying in the hedgerows so long and so loud that Papa yelled for Mamma to be silent.
“But how…Mr Bingley promised to marry her,” Elizabeth said.
“Papa called Jane a foolish girl to believe Mr Bingley.”
“God’s teeth. Where is Jane now?”
“Papa banished her from the house.” Lydia announced simply as if it were a small matter.
