“You are welcome, my dear. If your future husband has a problem taking your name, you have four or five big brothers that will remind him you are worth it,” Bennet chuckled as he winked at Tim who grinned as his Papa nodded.
“Big brothers? Who needs big brothers? I have Mary, Jane, Lizzy and Mother Bennet in my corner,” she scoffed, making all her favourite men laugh together.
“Your Lordship, you have my deepest gratitude and respect. Any man who could withstand six young ladies and a wife with such fortitude is a man who has far more mettle than the average one encounters,” Tim acknowledged and Helen laughed delightedly.
“Oh, you have no idea, brother, but you will in time when you meet our sisters,” she informed her brother, smiling sweetly at him and refocusing on Mr Jacobson now that he had mostly collected himself.
Tim promised his father that he would use part of his funds to fulfil an unrealised dream of his to expand the estate and add a horse breeding programme. Mr Jacobson knew that when he was taken, he could meet his wife again with the knowledge that their children would be taken care of in such ways as had been beyond their wildest dreams. The three planned to leave him to rest as his energy waned, but he requested Bennet stay for a moment.
“Lord Longbourn…” he started, chuckling when Bennet arched a brow which unfortunately turned to a wheezing cough that the Earl neither panicked because of nor frowned. He just waited as he would hope one day would be done for him, if necessary.
“Bennet, not Lord anything, we do share children after all,” the Earl said.
“Bennet, there are no words to express how much I appreciate how you have supported…” his words were stayed when Bennet held up a hand.
“I know that is not the reason that you asked us to be Helen’s guardians, you did it for the love of your daughter knowing that she loved my Lydia as a sister. Now, with Helen, I have six daughters that are each a unique pleasure when they walk into the room. Your gift is beyond any I could pay you for. What I did for our children was no more than they deserve as our son and daughter. As you have spent little time with my wife, I will give you the opportunity to tell her you are unwilling to allow it. I dare you.” He arched a brow in challenge.
“I think I know when to concede a battle, sir,” Mr Jacobson chuckled then sobered. “I have asked Helen to allow Tim to walk her down the aisle should she choose to marry,” he informed Bennet and locked eyes with him, daring the Earl to gainsay him.
“As the man who has loved her longest, it is only his right,” Bennet smiled sadly.
“Damn it, man! Are you always so unflappable?” Jacobson asked.
“I would have been surprised had younotrequired Tim to be the one that walked her down the aisle to her future husband. I am more stoic in disposition, although I do enjoy sporting with my son and sons to be. You have met Lizzy and Lydia, and they are the two who are most playful. My Kitty is following Georgiana’s path of quiet strength that will allow a man to go as far as he wants in the wrong direction as she ignores him. Mary and Jane are the hardest to read, but anyone who ever crosses them will do so at their peril. Living in a house with so many females of disparate temperaments, one learns to remain calm.” The Earl and Jacobson laughed quietly.
“And our Helen?” Jacobson asked quietly.
“Helen has chosen a path as unique as she is. She is the perfect blend of Lydia and Kitty. After the loss of her mother she regrets becoming so angry as to have it interfere at home, so she is inclined to over-correct. We are working to help her keep her fire, but learn how to turn it into strengths, as she learned with you. All of our family will mourn losing you, my new sons with arm bands and the ladies are intending to wear half-mourning when possible for at least a month. None of us will push Helen, but we do have some weddings she will be part of,” Bennet offered gently.
“I would not want her to miss her sisters’ and cousins’ weddings,” Jacobson said sadly.
“Get some rest. Helen will soon be up to scold me should I not allow you.” Bennet stated with a chuckle and left Jacobson’s bedchamber.
Mr Jacobson exhaled in relief. For the remainder of his short life he would at least not have concern for his children’s futures. Even before the Earl and Countess had arrived, he had seen how their daughters and cousins treated Helen as a full member of the family, and it had extended to Tim as soon as they met him, likely before.
As his father fell into the most restful sleep that he had experienced since before his beloved wife passed, Tim was meeting with the Earl in his father’s, soon to be his, study. When Tim used his title to address him, the Earl requested that he call him Bennet. He and Bennet had a similar conversation to the one he had with Darcy. When Tim told the Earl what he had been told on their ride, his soon to be son-in-law rose even further in Bennet’s estimation. He was glad Tim had heard from one who had the unfortunate experience of losing both of his parents too early and could empathise with the young Jacobson. Tim was already considered family, just as Helen was; Richard too had called him brother as he was married to Helen’s sister.
Helen’s goodbye with her father was very long and emotional while she repeatedly told her Papa how much she loved him and would never forget him. Both knew that there would not be another time where she would see him in the mortal world. She had thanked him for his strength to send her to the school where she had been able to grow into the woman that she was today.
She had lived in the moment with her father, not dwelling on the dreadful time to come when God called her Papa home. She was able to do so thanks to gaining much wisdom from conversations with Georgiana. One question she had asked Georgie was what she wished she would say to her parents if God had granted her another chance.
Georgiana had responded simply, “I would have told them that I love them and always will.” Miss Darcy, in a display of maturity far beyond her tender years, told Helen that the key was to enjoy every moment that they had with their loved ones and not give into the grief before the event took place. She pointed out how fortunate Helen was to have the support of a large and loving family around her.
After a tearful farewell with her dearest brother who hugged her as tightly as she did him, Helen entered the lead Bennet carriage in which would only be Lord and Lady Longbourn and her sister Lydia. She cried on Mother Bennet’s shoulder while Lydia held her hand tightly and rubbed her back. The rest of the ladies said their farewells to Tim. Finally, Bennet, his son, and soon to be son reiterated their charge to contact any or all of them as often as he liked. They then joined their women in their various vehicles. The carriages slowly rolled out of Janet’s Well’s gate and turned toward Ashbury once they reached the road.
Soon enough Helen had ceased crying and dried her eyes. She took a deep breath and then asked the question now burning in her chest due to her father’s admitting that he had not expected such acceptance of his children from virtual strangers.
“Why are you being so good to Tim and me? You did not need to accept guardianship for us. I do not believe that I have the words to describe the gratitude that I feel to all of you. You have never made me feel like an interloper, but rather as a full and true member of your family.” She searched one face and then another. As Fanny patted her hand on one side and Lydia had wrapped her arm around Helen’s other, the sadness in Lydia’s expression told her father how to start his explanation.
“How could we not accept you with the truth that Lydia had already chosen you as a sister of her heart, as you had her,” Bennet stated with clarity.
Helen allowed that his statement was nothing but the truth.
“Even before your father approached me about guardianship, I had planned to ask him if he would permit you to join Lydia at Greenlake this upcoming term. You befriended our daughter without reservation, you had no hidden agenda, and no expectation of anything in return. At the time, Lydia had known we were wealthy in our own right for but a week and had nothing yet to claim as her own to give. When your father made his request of us, there was no decision needed, the only real concern was how to help you accept us as your guardians.
“Even were your father not sick, you would have been spending most of your time with us and would be having your first season with your sister and your new friends, permission for which we had hoped to request of your father. Instead, he had a far larger request, but with the same essential meaning. As an added bonus, I also get another son to tease when we have family gatherings,” Bennet smiled kindly.
A watery giggle escaped with a sob as Helen considered the truth about the fact that she would have spent as much time with Lydia as had been allowed.
