Bennet breathed a little easier. He had avoided another beating.
Chapter 9
“Lizzy, how is it you did not write to us about all of this before? Your uncle and I would have come to attempt to put a stop to this madness before it was too late,” Madeline wondered.
It was just aunt and niece sitting in the former’s private sitting room. The rest of the Bennet sisters were with their cousins, the governess, and nursemaids at the park opposite the Gardiners’ house. It was a nice spring day, perfect for a walk and feeding the ducks in the park. Madeline had requested Lizzy remain at the house in order to speak to her.
“But I did, several times,” Elizabeth protested. “You never received one letter from either myself or Jane did you?”
Madeline shook her head. “If you wrote them then someone…” Madeline began to say.
“Removed them from the post before they were taken into Meryton,” Elizabeth completed. “I am sure it was Mr. or Mrs. Bennet! I should have thought to take a letter to the Red Lion Inn myself.”
“Did you not tell me the Duke had rented the entire inn for his stay?” Madeline verified. Elizabeth confirmed with a nod of her head. “Do you not think the Duke would have had his men be on the lookout for letters from Longbourn?”
“I thought myself so intelligent and I did not think of that either,” Elizabeth berated herself. “I should have taken the post coach to Hatfield to send a letter.”
“Dearest niece, why would you have suspected your parents to be so duplicitous?” Madeline questioned. “You hold no blame here, the only thing I am not reconciled to is why my niece who never changes her mind and will do nothing she does not want to has agreed to marry this man.”
“If I tell you, I need you to swear you will tell no one, especially not Jane,” Elizabeth insisted.
“You know I have no secrets from Uncle Edward,” Madeline reminded her niece.
“I am sanguine with your telling Uncle, but not another living soul.” Madeline agreed.
Elizabeth told her aunt what the Duke had used as a threat if she refused to marry him. She made sure her aunt was completely aware she did not resent Jane in any way as it had been her own choice to do what she did. Jane would never have asked it of her and would have sacrificed herself for the family which Elizabeth could not allow her to do.
“So I did in fact choose to marry for the deepest love, my love for my dearest sister and best friend in the world.”
“My dear girl, never have I been party to hearing about such a brave and selfless act of protection.” Madeline pulled her now crying niece into as warm a hug as she was capable of giving. “It was you who insisted some additional terms were added to the settlement, was it not? Uncle Frank mentioned something, without going into the details, to Uncle Edward.”
“It was,” Elizabeth confirmed with a watery smile.
Madeline decided to change the subject without asking Lizzy about the terms. “You have heard Uncle Edward and mespeak about how the Duke treated his previous wives, have you not?”
“Yes, I am aware I am about to be shackled to the worst kind of man. If it had been my free choice he would be the very last man in the world I would ever be prevailed upon to marry.”
“If I were to guess, he will do nothing to hurt you until you deliver an heir. If he does not do this anyway, you must have him send you to his estate in Derbyshire, Castlemere, while you are increasing. From there, after you deliver your babe, if we have to, we can assist you as I know many people in the area. You have heard me speak of Lambton where I grew up, have you not?”
“Many times,” Elizabeth agreed.
“My brother, Adam, is the rector there, he took over after my father passed some four years ago. He and his wife Eve,” Maddie smiled when she noted Lizzy’s reaction to Adam and Eve, “do not look at me so, it was by chance he fell in love with Evangaline, she has always been called Eve.” Elizabeth giggled. It was a sound Madeline had not thought she would hear again. “As I was saying before you made sport of my brother and his wife’s names, Adam has many connections in Derbyshire, thusly through him, so do I. If and when we need to help you, he will know on whom we can rely. Thankfully, your husband-to-be is not at all liked anywhere in the country.”
For the first time since the nightmare began, Elizabeth saw a sliver of hope. She threw her arms around her aunt and held onto her for many minutes.
‘I cannot tell Edward about what was done with Jane and Lizzy’s letters yet,’ Madeline thought as she rubbed Lizzy’s back. ‘He would hie to Longbourn and pummel Bennet again, not that he does not deserve it, but I would rather not have Edward be arrested.’
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“What do you mean my fiancée is no longer at Longbourn? I will have the father killed if he let her escape!” the Duke thundered when Wickham returned with the ring to make his report.
“Your Grace, we know where she is, she did not escape, she is merely staying with an uncle and aunt, in fact, here in London,” Wickham explained quickly in order to avoid being the next person the Duke permanently removed from this world.
“Why did you not say that to begin with? Sometimes I wonder if you are worth the trouble,” the Duke drawled.
Wickham knew it would accomplish nothing were he to point out he had been telling the Duke all when the man had interrupted him. He had been working for His Grace long enough to know one did not gain anything by pointing out the master’s errors.
“Well then take the ring to her,” the Duke stated dismissively.
