“Ask what you will, and if I am able, I will answer,” Elizabeth allowed.
“Before you were kidnapped, you were called Ellie by your family members?” Charlotte verified.
Elizabeth nodded.
“And because of your belief that you had been abandoned, which you now realise was wrong, you did not want to be called Ellie. Hence, when the men you now know are your cousins called out the name Ellie, it led to you fainting. Do I have the right of it?” Charlotte enquired.
“You do,” Elizabeth confirmed.
“In the dreams you have had, which you thought were fantasies but that you now know were real, you never saw the face of the man who drugged you and carried you away from your home?” Charlotte queried.
“That is accurate,” Elizabeth agreed.
“Besides the fact that you, your birth mother, and your aunt all look very much alike, down to the colour of your eyes, what makes it certain is that they all have the same birthmark as you have on the left of your back? Further, it was your aunt who added your initials in red to the nightgown you were wearing when you were found,” Charlotte checked.
Elizabeth nodded. “There is no doubt; I am Elizabeth Elaine Wendell.”
“Does this mean you will be leaving the neighbourhood soon?” Charlotte worried.
“I do want to see where I was born at some point, but I will never cut my ties to the Bennets and everyone I have known here for most of my life. You will soon meet my Wendell parents and see for yourself that they are not attempting to separate me from the Bennets. They have already promised Mama and Papa they will not do that. Hearing that relieved much of Grandmama Beth’s concerns. You know how close we have always been,” Elizabeth reported. “Where I will live is not something we have canvassed as yet. There is still so much of which to speak before we get to that. You must know that no matter where I am, the bond between us will not be broken.”
The final statement earned Elizabeth a hug from Charlotte.
“Do I understand that your older Wendell brother was calling on Jane before either realised you were his sister?” Charlotte verified.
“Indeed,” Elizabeth confirmed. “In speaking to David and Father, it seems that there were a few times over the years when they almost discovered me. One was when I was twelve visiting the Gardiners at Gracechurch Street—he is one of Uncle Edward’s investors. Father saw me from behind, but he did not know I was a foundling, and Uncle Edward was not aware that the Wendells’ daughter had been stolen away at the time Mama, Papa, and Janie discovered me.”
“I know that your kidnapping must have occasioned your birth family much sadness, but I can never regret that you came here, and I met you. We would have never been friends otherwise. It does sound selfish, does it not? I do not mean it to be,” Charlotte clarified.
“What you are saying is clear to me, and I would have disliked not having you as my friend as well,” Elizabeth replied. She gave one of Charlotte’s arms a reassuring squeeze.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Inside the house, Sir William and Lady Lucas had lost the power of speech. It was not only the discovery of Lizzy’s birth family after all of these years, but they were awed by meeting a peer of the realm and his countess.
Since his elevation to his knighthood by the King some ten years past, Sir William Lucas had been very impressed with his new station and was used to being the only titled person in Meryton. He had just been introduced to the Earl and Countess of Matlock and been informed that the Viscount and Viscountess of Hilldale were in the park with the rest of the younger people. Lastly, he was introduced to the earl’s sister, Lady Catherine. Compared to them, he was nothing. He had met other knights at his investiture at St James Palace, but other than the royals at the ceremony, never anyone of higher rank than himself.
As he and Lady Lucas began to relax, they could see that although Lady Catherine was a little more aloof than her brother and sister-in-law, the three titled people did not stand on ceremony and allowed the Bennets to address them by their familiar names. Thanks to Lizzy binding the two families together, it stood to reason it should be so.
“Lady Lucas, we will send formal invitations in another sennight or so, but there will be an engagement ball held at Netherfield Park where we will make a formal announcement about Ellie. That is the name we have always called Lizzy,” Cilla shared. “She has taken to being addressed by both names in stride.”
“Engagement?” Lady Lucas asked, her eyebrows knitted together in question. Fanny and her guests spoke about how they discovered one another but nothing of a betrothal.
“I did not realise we omitted that news,” Beth—who was seated next to the two ladies—interjected. “Janie met Lizzy’s brother, David Wendell, in London, and they were courting before Janie met Cilla and Elaine. Upon meeting the two ladies,Jane promptly fainted when she saw Lizzy’s face and eyes staring back at Maddie and Edward. Coincidentally, it was the same night as the assembly.”
“My goodness! Mrs Wendell, it seems that your Ellie was to be discovered one way or another, and in this case, in two different locations and unbelievably at practically the same time.” Lady Lucas shook her head.
“Ellie has told me how kind you and your family have been to her over the years. I owe you all a debt of gratitude which can never be properly repaid. Please call me Cilla like all my family and friends do,” she stated.
“I am Sarah, and it was our pleasure, Cilla. Your Ellie, our Lizzy, is very easy to love,” Lady Lucas responded.
Cilla had to fight the urge to cry as she was once again reminded of all of the years she had missed with Ellie. At the same time, she had no doubt that if Ellie could not have been with her birth family, she had been raised by the next best thing. Her daughter had been surrounded by love and acceptance. More importantly, she had friends who wanted nothing more than to give and receive friendship.
Sir William was a little self-important; however, not nearly as bad as Catherine used to be, but he was a genial man in whom Cilla saw no harm. Sarah Lucas seemed to be a very good sort, and she knew that Sarah had been friends with Fanny since before either married their husbands.
Hattie Phillips entered the drawing room just then and went to sit next to her sister. “Frank has some documents for Thomas to sign regarding the girls’ dowries,” Hattie explained.
Fanny nodded. Thomas had told her what was being done with regards to the dowries, thanks to Lizzy having a massive dowry from her birth family.
