Chapter 2
“Perhaps I can assist?” said the lady who had accompanied Mrs Fitzherbert. She had entered the kitchen from the house unobserved, mere moments earlier. She was of an age with Mrs Bennet. Appearing to take in the scene and approached the housekeeper and the three young ladies. They were unsure of this lady’s position in the royal household, but the quality of her dress marked her as a member of the royal party, and not their staff. Therefore they all curtsied politely. The lady gave them a gentle smile and curtsied in return to the three ladies. Hill taking a step back from the group.
“I am Mrs Cavendish,” she introduced herself. “I am the widow of General Cavendish, and companion to Mrs Fitzherbert”. Jane, Lizzy and Mary curtsied again at the introduction.
“I am Miss Bennet, Jane,” Jane said. “And these are my sisters, “Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Miss Mary Bennet,” she said completing the introduction.
“Now that necessity is completed, perhaps you can introduce your housekeeper, and we can start to get organised?” she asked, her eyes darting in Hill’s direction.
Having done as Mrs Cavendish requested, they led her from the kitchen, Hill was about to join them when the bell rang. She looked at the bell, and then to Jane. Jane looked to Elizabeth. “Answer the bell Hill,” she instructed, “we will bring Mrs Cavendish to the back parlour and take note of the makeupof the visitors’ party. When you have completed whatever tasks are required please meet us there,” she said.
Hill joined them in the back parlour some twenty minutes later. The housemaid, Sally, taking up the rear, carrying a tray laden with tea and scones. She set the service down on an old walnut table close enough to the settee on which Jane and Elizabeth sat for Jane to reach. And with a bob, she backed out of the room, her cheeks blooming.
“Mrs Bennet had called me to bring tea into the drawing room,” she explained. “And once I finished I thought you might all like some too.”
“Well done Hill,” Mrs Cavendish praised, as Jane reached to serve the tea.
“I will share our plan with Hill,” Lizzy explained, jumping to her feet.
“I will assist,” Mary intoned, standing up likewise. Mrs Cavendish nodded, and Jane gave her sisters her usual gentle smile. She was happy to remain alone in Mrs Cavendish’s company. That lady having put them all at their ease.
Once outside the parlour, Hill let out of loud exhale and Lizzy patted her shoulder. “How is Mama doing?” she asked.
“Ah, you know Mrs Bennet, she is all in a tizzy when there is not much wrong. But when others are in need she is at her strongest and best.”
Lizzy nodded acknowledging that this was so. It was the great mystery of Mrs Bennet’s nature. “Well, let us get the household set then,” she said, looking down at the list. “Where are the staff of the royal household?” she asked.
“They are in the back kitchen, except for the Prince Regent’s valet who is in the master’s chamber with the Prince Regent. And Mrs Fitzherbert’s lady’s maid is readying your Mama’s room for her,” she informed them.
“Good,” Elizabeth replied. “Sally go get Mina; she can be the go between from Hill to the rest of the staff”. Sally nodded and darted to do as instructed. “Hill,” she continued, “Mama is to have Jane’s room, and Papa is to have my room”. Hill nodded her understanding and Lizzy heard a sigh of relief from her. They all knew that it would have been a great imposition on her parents to share a bed chamber. “Mrs Cavendish is to take Mary’s room,” she said. “She tried to refuse, but we were most adamant and in the end she agreed to the arrangement,” Elizabeth confirmed.
“But what of you girls?” Hill asked, her brow furrowed.
“You may not have heard. But Papa has sent Kitty and Lydia to my Uncle Phillips,” Elizabeth saw Hill’s shoulders lower on these words. Sure that some of the tension Hill was feeling was released on knowing this. Hill was their housekeeper and therefore a member of the staff. But in truth, she had been with the family since before any of them were born. And in some ways she was family. They all knew that Kitty and particularly Lydia were in no way acceptable as company for royalty.
“That being the case,” Elizabeth continued, “Jane, Mary and I will be taking Kitty and Lydia’s room.”
Hill opened her mouth to disagree but closed it again when Elizabeth raised a hand.
“It will be a little close, but we will make do”.
“Now, let me see,” she said, as Sally returned with Mina in tow. “We will not impose on the royal household staff to clear out and re-arrange the family belongings,” Lizzy instructed. “They will have sufficient work in setting up the rooms once emptied”. She paused to allow Hill to start issuing instructions. Elizabeth heard Hill instruct Sally and Mina to get Margaret and John and they went running.
“Mr Montgomery will take the first guest room,” she continued. “Now as for the staff,” she paused, looking at Hill for a moment.
“I can move out of my room,” Hill offered, but Elizabeth was shaking her head before she had completed this suggestion.
“No Hill,” she said, “that will not be necessary. We will not have you discommoded. “The Prince’s valet will need to take the second guest room and,” she paused, seeing Sally return with the staff. “John will have to make up the back parlour as a bed chamber for the ladies maids to both Mrs Fitzherbert and Mrs Cavendish”.
Elizabeth turned to John and instructed, “get Smithy and take the cart immediately to my Uncle Phillips house and get two small beds from his attic rooms”. John nodded and was about to bound away when Elizabeth called. “And inform my Uncle that you will return with Kitty and Lydia’s belongings.”
“John,” Elizabeth called.
“Yes Miss,” he replied.
“My father has instructed that no word is to leave this house as to who exactly our guests are,” she said looking him directly in the eye.
“Aye Miss,” he acknowledged, nodding vigorously and galloped off.
“The other female members of the royal household will need to be accommodated in the nursery,” Lizzy explained. “And John, Pete and Smithy will need to make arrangements for the royal footmen,” she said before continuing with her instructions.
“Hill, if you could work on moving Jane’s possession to my room. We trust your judgement on what she will need. Any unnecessary items will have to be relocated to the attic storage,” she said to Hill. “Sally, could you start on emptyingmy room,” she said, and the maid nodded. “And Margaret if you could help Mary with her possessions. Mina and I will go and select what Kitty and Lydia will need.”
