He stood up just in time to see the fury in his brother-in-law’s face and before he could duck, Gardiner threw his right hand forward, his hand in a fist and planted a facer.
The force of the punch threw Bennet back colliding into a bookcase. He then crumpled to the floor as blood began to flow from his mouth, books raining down on his head. Gardiner was not a violent man, so why had he struck him in that manner? His answer was quick in coming.
“You selfish bastard! You are so far beyond contemptuous.HOW COULD YOU SELL YOUR DAUGHTERto a man old enough to be your father?” Gardiner spat out as he stood over Bennet ready to hit him again if needs be. “Maddie and I wanted to adopt Lizzy, but you wanted her herewith you regardless of how much she suffered from my sister’s mistreatment. You are not a man; you are a weak shell of one. What have you to say for yourself you nodcock!”
Bennet removed his handkerchief from his pocket and while still seated on the floor wiped away the blood still trickling from his mouth. He was sure there were two or three loose teeth from the force of the blow Gardiner had delivered. His head ached from where some of the falling books had struck him.
“Lizzy was sacrificed for the good of the family…” Bennet got no further because Gardiner reached down, grabbed him by his lapels and lifted him.
It caused Bennet to cower as he suspected Gardiner was about to deliver another punch, or more than one.
“For your good, not the good of the family! Had you pulled your head from your arse after you married Fanny, and yes, I know she entrapped you, you would have given over her portion for me to invest for you and sent me some of your profits each year.
“But no, you have not the backbone to stand up to my sister and you allow her to spend you into oblivion, not to mention your extravagance on books and port! Now because you would not bestir yourself to take the trouble to plan ahead, you sell Lizzy to this horrendous man. Did you even check as to why he is seeking his next duchess here and not in London?”
“N-No,” a much frightened Bennet managed.
In disgust, Gardiner released Bennet with a little push causing the man to fall back into his chair behind the desk. “You know not that not one member of theTonwill allow their daughters to marry him because both of his first two wives have been killed in suspicious circumstances. There was no one who would bear witness against him being he is a duke, but it isan open secret in Town.” Gardiner related what had caused the Duke’s late son to die.
By now Bennet’s pallor was decidedly grey. “How was I to know?”
“If you had taken the trouble to leave the confines of your study you would have been able to discover all with ease. It would have taken a letter to me, or even having Philips investigate. But no, I am sure you were reading a book you have read ten times before and wereunableto leave yourvastly important workto do something to protect your daughter.”
As Gardiner had struck at the truth of the matter, Bennet would not look him in the eye. He rather dabbed his mouth, which had all but ceased bleeding than try and defend that which he knew was indefensible.
“It is too late now; the marriage settlements are already signed. Besides that, the other four will eventually receive dowries of five and twenty thousand pounds each,” Bennet explained churlishly.
“You disgust me, Bennet. It would not have been too late if you had acted as an even halfway decent parent. When we leave here today, Jane and Lizzy will accompany us and thereafter, besides seeing our other nieces, all connection between us is broken. From my sister, I expected this sort of thing, but not you. I always thought Lizzy was your favourite. Evidently that all changed when you were presented with a way to break the entail with no effort to yourself!” He paused as he thought about leaving any children at Longbourn. “One thing, you will sign a document giving me guardianship over the remaining girls for as long as I see fit. Not even the younger ones should remain under your care.”
“I cannot,” Bennet began to reply and blanched as Gardiner seemed to get ready to strike him again. “Speak to Philips…” Bennet related the reasons to Gardiner.
“In that case, you will sign and permit me to keep the girls in the meantime. I willNOTleave my nieces here at your and my sister’s mercy. Who knows which one you will sell next if you need more books and port? Also, you will give me control of their dowries when the initial amount is paid.” Gardiner noticed the look on Bennet’s face and that he was about to object.
“You planned to use the interest for yourself, did you not? Not only will you not, but you will pay me forty pounds per month for their upkeep. You and my sister will not profit from what you have allowed!”
With a defeated look, Bennet wrote out his permission, agreed to the monthly sum to be paid for the girls’ upkeep, and signed the document.
With that in hand, Gardiner turned and marched out of Bennet’s study.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Sister,” Fanny exclaimed when Madeline Gardiner entered the drawing room. “Have you come to congratulate me that my most undeserving daughter is to be a duchess?”
“Congratulate you for selling Lizzy for your comfort. You and your grasping, mercenary ways disgust me,” Madeline averred with asperity.
In the hall outside, Jane and Elizabeth heard the words from within. Jane squeezed Lizzy’s hand.
When Jane had woken this morning, she had found the spot in the bed where Lizzy would normally be cold. Before Lizzy went for a ramble, she always woke Jane and told her what direction she was headed, and she had not done so this day.
As much as Jane would have sympathised with her, she did not believe Lizzy would have run away without telling her goodbye.
Jane had looked and found Lizzy’s clothing for that day still where it had been left before they went to bed and nothing else was missing from either her closet or dresser. Jane was at a loss as to where her beloved sister was when she noticed the curtains had a rather distinct bulge.
On opening them, it had revealed Lizzy curled up as tightly as she was able and asleep on the cushions of the window seat. As gently as she could, Jane had woken her younger sister.
Lizzy had explained she had not been able to fall asleep and came to sit and look out over the park to commit as much of it to memory as she was able. She did not remember lying down, but based on where Jane had discovered her, she had obviously done so.
Due to the fact Lizzy refused to sit at the same table with—as she now called them—Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Jane had asked Sarah to have two trays delivered to their chamber. If anyone asked, she was to say Miss Bennet was indisposed and Miss Lizzy was keeping her company.
