“On the morrow,” Darcy averred.
“In that case, I will plan a celebratory dinner for the morrow,” Lady Anne decided.
“I suppose this means Lydia will get to see the castle,” William stated in an attempt to ease the tension in the room.
In that moment, Elizabeth’s and William’s eyes locked as each was starting to consider what this news may portend for a shared future.
“Yes, she most certainly will,” Elizabeth agreed. Seeing the looks from those who knew not to what they were referring, Elizabeth elucidated.
“If, as I believe it will be, it is confirmed, how long will you mourn him?” Lady Matlock questioned.
“Not one single day,” Elizabeth replied firmly. “When I was presented, Her Majesty and I had a conversation.”
“We were present,” Lady Anne shared. “We always wondered what the Queen said to you, but never felt it was our place to enquire once we met you.”
Elizabeth related a condensed version of the conversation. “I intend to request a royal decree stating due to his crimes, no mourning is required. There is one more thing I intend to ask. I will share that if and when Her Majesty grants my request.”
“He will not be buried in consecrated ground,” Hubert Barrington, the barrister informed everyone. “When his past and intended crimes come to light, I am sure the Archbishop, with the royals’ encouragement, will excommunicate him.”
“I always thought he would go to hell when he died, now I am certain,” Elizabeth reported.
“Lizzy, shall we wait until the morrow, before I share what you authorised me to do?” Philips verified.
“That seems best, Uncle Frank,” Elizabeth responded.
She smiled as she noted the look on Aunt Hattie’s face. Elizabeth was sure she would do everything in her power—unsuccessfully—to learn about the clauses before the rest of the party.
“Will you share the news of the Duke’s demise with everyone else?” Maddie asked.
“I see no reason why not. I will be sure to tell them we are waiting for the papers to be completely sure,” Elizabeth averred.
“And Jane?” Gardiner added.
There was no doubt in her mind what her uncle was referring to. “As soon as I see it in the papers, I will have a long, private conversation with Janey,” Elizabeth decided.
Chapter 27
Mr. Reynolds had never seen such anticipation for the London papers as he had when he delivered them to the large breakfast parlour that Wednesday morning.
At that time of the morning, it was usually the master, Master William, and sometimes Her Grace who would be breaking their fasts. This morning, however, the whole of the party resident at the estate were present, and not one of them had food in front of them.
As he always did, the butler was about to laythe Times of Londonin front of the master to read. “Please hand the broadsheets to Her Grace,” Darcy instructed.
The butler carried out his master’s instruction without question, laying the folded paper face down in front of the Duchess.
“Mr. Reynolds, please remove the two footmen and close the door on the way out. I will ring when they may return and the doors be opened again,” Lady Anne instructed. The butler bowed to the mistress, and then led his two footmen out of the breakfast parlour before pulling the doors closed behind him.
Elizabeth looked at the folded newspaper in front of her. She so much wanted to see if what the letter told was the truth, while at the same time, she was fearful her hopes of freedom would be dashed.
‘Come now Lizzy,’ she told herself silently, ‘are you not the one who tells how your courage rises when faced with adversity?’ Elizabeth took a deep breath. She stood so she would be able to see the whole of the page, picked up the folded sheets, unfolded them, and then turned them over to display the first page.
As soon as she saw the headline on the front page her face lit up with joy as she smiled with the warmth of the rising sun. The clear signal to everyone in the parlour was that which she had hoped for had been confirmed.
There was no thought of society’s mores that one did not revel in the death of another. Elizabeth was rather sure hers was not the first, nor would it be the last merriment expressed athisdemise. If there had been even the smallest measure of goodness in her late husband, it would have been different. There was not and Elizabeth was as certain as she could be his eternal soul was now discovering how hot the fires of hell were.
After her thoughts, Elizabeth lifted her eyes to the heavens to say a prayer of thanks for her deliverance out of bondage. She added thanks for her Easter prayers being granted.
With her thanks to God on high completed, she placed the unfolded edition of the newspaper back on the table allowing everyone to see the large, bold headline which went from one side of the page to the other.
