Karen had volunteered the horse for his use, just like Wickham knew she would.
Chapter 14
December 1804 – May 1808
Almost six months after May Gardiner joined her older sister and brother in February 1805 and became the third child born to Maddie and Edward Gardiner, the Bennets were shocked by a new addition to their family.
After Lydia’s birth, due to her exceptionally large size and the extensive damage done to her mother during her birth, the midwife had opined that Fanny Bennet would never carry another child. Hence, a little more than four months after Fanny and Thomas Bennet resumed marital relations, it was a great surprise when—after missing several months’ courses and suffering through two months of sickness in the morning—Fanny felt the quickening.
The midwife had been summoned, and after a cursory examination, she opined that it was impossible and that Mrs Bennet was imagining the symptoms of being with child. Bennet did not accept her opinion so he summoned Mr Jones—the physician and apothecary in one person—to examine his wife. Once he had examined Mrs Bennet thoroughly, Jones told the Bennet parents that all the signs pointed to Mrs Bennet being with child, but he recommended she be taken to London to see an accoucheur; he recommended Sir Frederick Gillingham.
Bennet accepted Mr Jones’s recommendation and sent an express to Sir Frederick with a note enclosed from Mr Jones explaining his findings. Within a few days, a reply was received saying that Sir Frederick would see Mrs Bennet as soon as she was able to come to London.
In early March, on the first Wednesday, and the day after Elizabeth’s fourteenth birthday, the Bennet carriage departed Longbourn with four Bennets within. Jane, who was sixteen, joined Elizabeth and her parents. The three youngest Bennets remained at home under the careful supervision of Mrs Annesley and Miss Firth, not to mention the Hills and the footmen.
The Bennets arrived at Gracechurch Street in the early afternoon. Bennet had been procrastinating coming to London to speak to Gardiner about his growing investments, so his wife’s needing to see the accoucheur had been a good reason to meet with Gardiner as well.
Jane and Lizzy had accompanied them because Gardiner needed help to find errors in a ledger or two. They would have helped with pleasure, but the incentive of seeing their new cousin had been great for the girls.
The next day, Fanny and Bennet left their daughters with Maddie and her children. They arrived at Sir Frederick’s home at the indicated time, and while Bennet waited in a drawing room, Fanny was shown into an examination chamber. Less than an hour later, Bennet was summoned to join his wife and Sir Frederick in the study.
“Mr and Mrs Bennet, Mr Jones was indeed correct, and your midwife was not. Mrs Bennet is most definitely with child,” Sir Frederick announced.
“But how can this be when there was damage due to my Lydia’s size?” Fanny asked. “The midwife was so certain that there was no possible way for me to become with child again. That is why we did not … that is, until rather recently.”
“I did see some scarring from when the daughter you refer to was delivered. Because you did not have relations again since then, everything was given more than enough time to heal, which it has. There is nothing I saw when I examined Mrs Bennet that would preclude her from being able to deliver this child safely,” Sir Frederick explained. “Mrs Bennet, am I correct that you are not yet eight and thirty?”
“Yes, you are, Sir Frederick; I will reach that age in November of this year,” Fanny confirmed.
“I have delivered babes for ladies who have been slightly older than forty, so I see no reason that, by the Grace of God, you will not be able to birth the babe you are carrying. If you want me to attend you for the birth, however, you will need to come to Town. I have too many patients to leave, even if I am only four hours away, as I understand your estate is,” Sir Frederick related.
“We understand,” Bennet averred. “As the time comes closer, we will make a decision about coming to London or remaining in Hertfordshire. Of one thing I am certain: we will not be using the same midwife again. She was so sure she had been correct in 1796, when Lydia was born, that she refused to consider anything else.”
On the way out, Bennet deposited the envelope with Sir Frederick’s gratuity in a bowl for that purpose.
Back at Gracechurch Street, there had been much joy that Mr Jones had the right of it. Fanny refused to speculate about the sex of the newest Bennet because she had been wrong every time before.
The next day, while Fanny was with Maddie at the Gardiners’ home, Bennet was meeting with Gardiner while Janeand Lizzy sat in the office. It did not take Jane long to discover the discrepancies, all errors in addition, while Elizabeth read some of the newer ledgers to memorise them. Jane had just notated the errors and made the corrections to the totals when she noticed Mr Harold Hurst enter, accompanied by three men neither she nor Lizzy had met.
“Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, well met. Are you correcting the ledgers, Miss Bennet?” Harold enquired. The three men who did not know her saw the beauty blush. One man in particular was fascinated. “There is no chess set here, is there, Miss Elizabeth? I do not feel like receiving a drubbing at chess today.”
Darcy snorted derisively, sure Hurst was humouring the girl. He stopped in his tracks when the young lady speared him with a look of anger and disdain.
Based on Harry’s descriptions, the Fitzwilliam brothers had a good idea who the young ladies were. Hilldale decided to step in before William put his boot in his mouth again. “Harry, will you introduce the young ladies to us?” he requested.
“Certainly. Hilldale, Fitzwilliam, and Darcy, I present to you Miss Jane Bennet and Miss Elizabeth of Longbourn in Hertfordshire, Gardiner’s nieces. Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth, Lord Andrew Fitzwilliam, Viscount Hilldale, Captain the Honourable Richard Fitzwilliam, and Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire.” Harold paused and looked pointedly at Darcy. “Anyone who wishes to remain a client here will not insult Gardiner’s family.”
“I did not mean to offend,” Darcy claimed. “I have just never met a little girl who can beat Hurst the way he claimed.” ‘I suppose she can when he is in his cups,’ Darcy thought.
“Just because you have not met one does not mean she does not exist,” Elizabeth shot back. “Do you think yourself a good player?”
“I do,” Darcy replied haughtily.
“Fredericks, the chessboard, please,” Elizabeth requested of one of the clerks. The board was placed in front of her. “You may play white, Mr Darcy; I need no more advantages.”
‘Let me teach this child a lesson,’ Darcy told himself silently. He sat across the desk from the very pretty child with fascinating green eyes and made his first move.
Halfway through the match, when Darcy had already lost most of his principal pieces, the door to Gardiner’s office opened. Bennet looked at the board and saw Lizzy was toying with the man. He arched an eyebrow to tell his daughter he knew what she was about.
