The only way he was able to play chess now was either against himself or via the post. His some-time partner via the post was an old professor of Bennet’s at Cambridge who was retired now and one who had evidently not heard about his local ostracization who would occasionally send a move by letter.
The best thing about the whole situation, besides the peace and quiet in his home, was the fact his wife had all but given up entering his study. At some point, Fanny had got it through her thick skull that no matter how many times she burst into his study to berate him, nothing would change. For the first fortnight after Gardiner took his daughters, it had been daily,sometimes more than once per day. A month later it had become every two or three days, then weekly, monthly, and eventually, as the futility of her actions sunk in, it became very rare; it had already been more than three months.
Financially there were less household expenses than there had been before Lizzy’s wedding.
On the one hand, he paid forty pounds per month for his daughters’ upkeep in London, but that was juxtaposed against no allowances for the girls, his wife not entertaining, and almost never buying new clothing.
Mrs. Hill made the orders for food and other goods needed from Meryton, and given how much more sensible than his wife she was, there was no extravagance there. The savings on their living expenses meant more books, port, and spirits. Bennet knew his spending on the latter three far outstripped the household savings, but it was not an issue as they gave him pleasure.
As much as he did not want to acknowledge it, the earnings from his estate had fallen precipitously. He had begun to use some of the principal from Fanny’s settlement to make up what he needed. He intended to repay it all once things improved. He would make an effort to increase the estate’s income only once the entail was broken.
When he looked at it objectively, Bennet decided his life was actually better than it had been before the Duke came into their lives.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Elizabeth still felt she was in a gilded prison, but at least with the painting Kate had made of the family which her uncle had sent her brightened her mood each time she looked at it. It was framed and occupied a place of honour on the wall oppositeher bed. That way, it was the first thing she looked at when she got up in the morning, and the final thing she saw before the last candle was extinguished at night.
Over the months she had been the mistress of Falconwood, the staff and servants, including to a certain extent Mr. Wickham, had become fiercely loyal and protective of Her Grace.
After a few short weeks in residence, none of them were surprised she knew their names and a little about each of them. Several who worked for the Duke had been employed on other estates with different families. None of the servants, including those who had experienced working for others, had ever worked for a better mistress.
For Elizabeth’s part, her interactions with the staff and servants, and soon enough the tenants, brightened her day.
After she raised a tenant issue the first time with her husband, he told her to speak to his steward. He did not believe in getting involved with his tenants, so Elizabeth had gone to Mr. Hampstead directly from that day on. For his part, the steward was more than pleased the Duchess was taking her duty to the tenants so seriously.
As much as Elizabeth had wanted to maintain a friendship with Lady Morag McIntire, the old man had forbidden it. It seemed he was still perturbed he had lost his leverage over the Earl of Colbath.
Elizabeth Chamberlain thought God had been playing a cruel trick on her. She had been shackled tohimfor more than seven months and her courses had come each month like clockwork, as they had from the time she had first experienced them.
“Please Lord, allow me to become with child and give me a son,” Elizabeth beseeched in prayer as she lay in her bed one night after her husband had come to importune her again. “If You allow me to fall with child, then that man will no longer visit me. As long as it is a son, I will be safe from him.”
At least her courses were due to begin in a day or two. That would—even though it would mean she was not with child—give her a week’s respite fromhisdisgusting attentions.
As she did every night, Elizabeth ended her prayer asking God and Jesus to watch over her sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends, and keep them safe. The warm bath Loretta had made sure was ready for her mistress, as she did every time her husband told her he would come to her in the evening—had been relaxing which helped Elizabeth slip away allowing sleep to claim her.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The next morning she was up early, as was her wont. It was a much colder winter than Elizabeth could remember. There had been much snow which had begun shortly before Christmas and since had fallen a few times. That fact did not stop Elizabeth from exercising as long as there was no precipitation.
On waking to a cup of hot chocolate her maid delivered, Elizabeth had hoped it was not snowing or raining. Loretta had confirmed there was neither.
Warmly dressed in a thick wool riding habit, fur muffs over her ears, a fur-lined jacket and hood and wool-lined gloves, Elizabeth made her way to the stables—with Mr. Wickham, John, and Brian in tow—to greetJamil. As she always did when she rode, she offered her mare an apple and carrot, both were munched gratefully which led to the horse nuzzling her mistress.
While the Duchess’s horse was saddled, Wickham mounted the gelding he rode when at Falconwood, and by the time she was in her side-saddle, he, Biggs, and Johns were waiting with a groom, ready to escort Her Grace.
She was not sure when it had occurred, but Elizabeth no longer thought Mr. Wickham quite the most contemptable man who worked for her husband. He had begun to give her more space when they rode or walked and based on the lack of anger directed at her by her husband, Elizabeth was sure Mr. Wickham reported very little of what she said to his master.
It was not that she liked or trusted her husband’s guard dog, but she no longer openly disdained him.
She had grown very close to her two guards, John Biggs and Brian Johns which was why she addressed them as John and Brian when not inhiscompany. Elizabeth felt they were there to protect her, not spy on her for her vile husband.
This particular morning, they rode north into the part of the estate which was in Hertfordshire. The first ride they had made to the northern border of the estate, Mr. Wickham had informed Her Grace they were less than five miles from Meryton at that point.
Although she did not want to chance it, Elizabeth could not but imagine meeting her Aunt and Uncle Philips and Charlotte at the border of the estate. As much as she enjoyed Charlotte’s letters, it was nothing to being able to see her again.
She did not want to strain the fragile détente with Mr. Wickham so it was something she thought about but never articulated.
All too soon she guided her mare towards the stables. It was time to break her fast.
