“Until dinner.” The Colonel gave a rakish salute and then made his way out of the study.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“We need to speak with Papa,” Jane stated as the two eldest Bennet sisters crossed the park, heading for the front door.
“As long as he does not treat it like some big joke and does nothing,” Elizabeth averred bitterly. “You know Papa will not bestir himself from his study unless he is forced.”
Jane was taken aback. Could this be why Lizzy had seemed different? Had the blinders regarding their father finally come off? “Let us hope we are able to convince Papa of the seriousness and repercussions if he does not step in and act. It will not only be Lydia who will be ruined, but all of us.”
“I have an idea, Janey, which I will only action if we see our father will not act. Let us hope it will not be so.” Elizabeth added silently. ‘Even though I have no confidence he will take this seriously.’
With barely a knock Elizabeth pushed the study door open, followed closely by Jane, who closed the door behind them. Bennet looked up annoyed at being disturbed. If Lizzy was coming to entertain him, or play chess, she would not be with Jane. “What can I do for the two of you?” he asked with an edge of asperity in his voice.
“Papa this morning, Jane, Charlotte, and I went for a walk to Oakham Mount,” Elizabeth began. Between her and Jane, they told all, except for any part which referenced Miss Darcy.
Rather than look outraged their father looked amused. “So what do you expect me to do? I doubt there is anything to it. Men talk to impress other men, so why bother me with this nonsense?” Bennet enquired.
“PAPA!” both sisters chorused.
“What can you do? You can verify the fact easily by asking if Lydia has received a secret proposal of marriage, if she is to meet Mr Wickham this evening, or if Mr Denny did attempt to take liberties with Kitty. Our reputations, the whole family’s reputation is at stake here,” Elizabeth insisted.
“Really Lizzy, I thought you would see the amusement in this. I am sure this is nothing but men boasting having made up a story out of whole cloth,” Bennet replied disinterestedly, even while his conscience was telling him it was finally time to act on behalf of his family.
“What of the story Mr Wickham told Lizzy?” Jane demanded. Bennet had never experienced anger from Jane, his eyebrows rose without his urging. “If as you say the man was only boasting, why would he admit to dissembling to Lizzy?”
Bennet had no answer to what Jane pointed out, so heignored it. “You have wasted enough of my time, please desist and go do whatever you do every day.”
“Papa, if it does not involve you leaving your bookroom, may we do what we feel we need to in order toprotectour family?” Elizabeth shot at her father. The scales were fully off her eyes regarding the man before her. He was selfish to such an extent; he cared not what occurred with his family. He did not seem to realise how much it would impact his peaceful existence if Lydia was in fact ruined.
“Do what you will, just do not trouble me,” Bennet waved dismissively.
“In that case, before we leave, please sign this page, near the bottom.” Elizabeth pulled a blank sheet of paper from the pile on her father’s desk. He nodded so she handed him the page. His daughters watched as he signed where Elizabeth indicated. By the time the door was closed, their father was concentrating on the page he was reading and did not pay them any further heed.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Jane and Elizabeth found their mother and three younger sisters in the drawing room. The former was snoring lightly having fallen asleep in her favourite chair. Mary was reading, but not the book of sermons written by one who neither understood, nor liked the female sex. Kitty and Lydia were pulling apart some bonnets so they would be able to make them over.
Jane gently shook her mother awake. “Jane dear is all well?” Fanny asked as she was woken, albeit gently.
“We are about to see,” Elizabeth stated. Jane nodded to her younger sister. “Lydia, did Mr Wickham propose to you, tell you to keep it secret, and did you agree to meet him unchaperoned at the old hunting cabin at five o’clock?”
“How would you know that…” Lydia clapped her hand over her mouth as she realised she had just admitted that what Lizzy said was the truth.
At first, that Lydia had been proposed to made Fanny well pleased, but as soon as she heard about the planned assignation, she knew there was something very wrong. “Lydia Adelaide Bennet, you tell me the truth now, did you agree to meet a man at the cabin this evening? Not only meet him but meet him alone?”
“But Mama I was only doing what you taught me to do,” Lydia stated as she stood and stamped her foot. “I want to be the first one married among all of my sisters! Lizzy and Jane are only jealous!”
“This is why we tried to tell you fifteen is too early to come out, Mama,” Jane shook her head. She turned to her youngest sister whose eyes were blazing with defiance. “Lydia I am engaged to be married. My fiancé did not ask me to keep it secret, rather he spoke to Papa, nor did he ask me to meet him unchaperoned at an out of the way cabin. Charles is also not a profligate and seducer of young girls. Pray tell, about what do I have to be jealous?”
“At least Kitty had the good sense to reject Mr Denny’s advances,” Elizabeth stated.
“It did not feel right,” Kitty stated with a soft voice.
Fanny was reeling. Had she really taught her daughters, at least the two youngest, to behave in such a way which would lead to their ruin? Surely not! Then she remembered it was herself who had romanticised officers which led to Lydia’s obsession with them. And she did tell them it was acceptable to flirt. Fanny put her head in her hands feeling mortified that she had been such a bad example for her youngest two.
Mary, who had remained silent up until now, could not remain so any longer. “Lydia you spoilt, stupid child!” Mary spat out. “Do you not realise that loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; that one false step involves her in endless ruin; that her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful; andthat she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the undeserving of the other sex? And if that is not enough, if you go and ruin yourself, we all partake in your ruin!”
“What Mary said is absolutely true. If you followed through with your planned assignation, Mr Bingley could break his engagement—a real one mind you—with Jane and suffer no penalties as it would not be breach of promise,” Elizabeth added. “Do you know he has no intention to marry you? That vile man’s only interest was to ruin you, and the rest of us by extension as repayment for my not spreading far and wide the pack of lies he told me at the card party.”
