As soon as the front door closed, Fanny rounded on her second daughter. On the way home she had convinced herself the wilful disobliging girl had done something which would cause the Duke not to shower Jane with his attention.
Fanny grabbed Elizabeth by the arms. “Tell me what you said to the Duke!” Fanny screeched her mouth only inches from her daughter’s face showering Elizabeth with spittle. “I do not believe you said nothing…”
“MAMA!” Jane yelled.
If her mother had not been digging her nails into her arms, the look of shock at Jane’s shouting would have been comical. Thankfully, her mother released Elizabeth’s arms and turned towards Jane with a dumbfounded look.
“Jane what has your sister done to upset you so…” Fanny began and then closed her mouth in surprise with the strident response from her beautiful Jane.
“Lizzy told you the truth about why the Duke departed, I was dancing close to her in the line and I heard him say he was tired,” Jane asserted firmly. “It is you and your treatment of my most beloved sister which has disturbed my equanimity, not Lizzy.”
Elizabeth was overjoyed, not only that Jane was standing up for her, but she was standing up at all and not trying to lookfor some positive reason for their mother’s cruel treatment of herself.
“B-but Jane…” Fanny tried again.
“Mother, do you really believe Lizzy could have chosen whether she was a boy or a girl?” Jane demanded. “Is it not time to leave that behind us now? My sister has been blamed for that over which she had no control for sixteen years, it is enough.”
She was sure this outburst was somehow caused by her wilful second daughter, but now was not the time to upset Jane. Fanny was certain the Duke would be calling to see Jane on the morrow, after all, it was Jane who he had danced a complete set with.
Her eldest, most beautiful daughter would be a duchess, oh what joy would flow from that. If only Lyddie was older. With her liveliness, the same as both Fanny’s late mother and she herself had, she was sure Lydia would have turned the Duke’s head. There was nothing for it, at only ten it was not possible so all her hopes would rest on Jane.
Bennet stood inside his study with his door cracked. When he heard Jane yell he was about to join his wife and two eldest daughters to see what the ruckus was all about.
That Fanny was once again blaming Elizabeth for something she did not do was a normal occurrence. He felt guilt regarding the fact it was serene, normally docile Jane who had finally said what he had wanted to say to Fanny for years. The feeling of culpability passed as soon as it had appeared.
Peace in the home was paramount and he was well aware of the living hell his life would become if he ever tried to check his wife’s excesses, either in spending or—especially—with regard to her irrational treatment of Lizzy.
He did what he could to protect his second daughter. She was welcome to join him in his study anytime she chose to. After all, she was one of the only ones in many years who had been able to best him at chess. In addition, she was able to debate many subjects with him and cause him to stretch his intellect. Lizzy was not only a beautiful girl, but she had an overabundance of intelligence.
He watched as his daughters were waved away. Seeing his wife was headed to his study, Bennet pulled the door closed and was seated behind his desk before the harpy marched in. He waited patiently while his wife walked circles on the carpet as she tried to marshal her thoughts, such as they were.
“Once Jane is married to the Duke…” Fanny began and stopped when her husband raised his hand.
“No one has come to ask for Jane’s hand, duke or otherwise,” Bennet interjected. “Of what do you speak?”
Looking at her husband as if he was a simpleton not to know, Fanny related the events of the assembly and the fact the Duke danced with none other than herself, Jane, and part of a dance with Lizzy before she caused the man to leave the ball.
“He has not been yet, but I am sure he will, as soon as the morrow,” Fanny asserted.
“Jane is only eighteen years old, how old is the Duke?”
“I was married at barely seventeen, Jane is older than I was, besides, she will be nineteen in October.” Fanny did not answer the question.
“Excuse me if I do not like your way of catching a husband,” Bennet responded sardonically. “I asked about his age.”
“Hang his age! He is fabulously wealthy and when he is married to Jane I…we will never have to be concerned about the future after you go to your eternal reward.”
“So he is an old man. I will not force Jane to marry where she is not inclined. Besides, this is all theory. There is nothing which says he will offer for Jane, or any other woman in the area. What if the gossip regarding his seeking a wife is wrong?”
“Gossip is never…” Fanny did not miss her husband’s raised eyebrows at the statement she began to make. She had to admit tittle-tattle was more often in error than having the right of it. “I am sure it will be as I say.”
With the last said, Fanny turned around, leaving the door open, made for the stairs, and headed for her bedchamber.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Jane, I have never been more proud of you nor more thankful either,” Elizabeth hugged her sister once their shared chamber door was closed.
“What you said at the assembly may have taken hold,” Jane admitted shyly. “I love you far too much to stand back any longer and allow Mama to hurt you.”
