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Charlotte, recognizing Eliza’s hand, opened the note from Longbourn.
10 November 1810
Gardiner House, 23 Gracechurch Street, London
My dearest friend and sister, Charlotte,
The direction isnotin error. I have been banished from Longbourn for the high crime of refusing to marry that lecherous, stinking, bumbling parson who is to inherit the estate one day.
It was Jane and Mrs. Bennet, who are no longer my family, who demanded Mr. Bennet expel me. I can hear you now, my friend, asking why I did not come to Lucas Lodge. As much as I know I would have been welcomed, I felt I needed some distance from my former family. You and your family would have had no peace if I had sought refuge with you.
I will be happy with Aunt Maddie and Uncle Edward. My family do not know, but I have money saved with my uncle. I refuse to be a burden so I will seek a position as a governess or a companion.
My promise is that I will write soon and often.
You are my best friend in the world, Charlotte, my sister of the heart.
Elizabeth (No longer Bennet; mayhap soon Gardiner)
Charlotte handed the missive to her mother and Lady Lucas and Maria sat and read it. After they were done, Charlotte explained the truth about Jane Bennet. As Mr. Bennet predicted, by the end of the day his family name was mud in and around Meryton.
Chapter 13
The Gardiner’s butler delivered the express on a silver salver just after they had eaten dinner. “Edward, it is from Lizzy; please tell me all is well,” Madeline Gardiner said with concern.
“Lizzy will arrive on the post on the morrow; she is to live with us permanently,” Gardiner told his wife as he handed her the missive. “The situation must have been bad, to induce Lizzy to travel on the Sabbath.”
“Edward, I know she is your sister, but how could she treat her own flesh and blood in such a manner?” Madeline asked with worry.
“I have no answer, my love,” Gardiner replied. “It seems Lizzy also now sees Jane for who she really is.”
“It is well we did not tell Lizzy before; it may well have damaged our relationship with her. That poor girl. It seems Bennet capitulated to Fanny’s whims yet again,” Madeline stated disgustedly.
“You know he has no strength of character and gives in to all of Fanny’s insane desires for the sake of peace. Do you see that Lizzy wants to seek a position?” Gardiner pointed out.
“We will not allow her to do so, will we?” Madeline verified.
“Of course not. Lizzy has no need to work; she is wealthy in her own right,” Gardiner confirmed.
“Why did you never tell her just how much her money had grown or that you added five pounds for every pound she invested?” Madeline enquired.
“It was for her own protection. If she had let slip she had over five and thirty thousand pounds now, even though it is in my name, can you imagine the ruckus my sister would have raised trying to get her hands on Lizzy’s money?” Gardiner explained.
“What is her annual income on such an amount?” his wife asked.
“In the beginning, I used a much more aggressive investment strategy, which almost always paid off. Currently, I only risk about twenty percent in the more chancy investments and the rest is in more conservative instruments now. Blended, her rate of return is between ten and twelve percent, so her income is between three and four thousand pounds per annum,” Gardiner revealed to his wife.
“No wonder you hid the true amount. My goodness, Edward, Lizzy is a wealthy woman,” Madeline realised. “The children will be excited Lizzy will be living with us. Shedoestell the best stories.”
The Gardiners had four children. Lilly was eleven. She was followed by Edward Junior, or Eddy, who was nine; Peter, who was six; and the baby, May, who was three. When the Gardiners said goodnight to the three older children, who were still awake, they were excited that Lizzy was coming to live with them.
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The Monday after she excised her wilful daughter from the family, Fanny Bennet prepared to visit Meryton. After all of the upheaval on Saturday, the family had not attended church that sabbath. She chose to forget what Elizabeth had revealed about Jane’s wanton behaviour and asked Jane if she would like to join her. Jane, knowing full well their reception would not be a friendly one, chose to remain at home but did not tell her mother why.
What Fanny did not know was, as she was on her way to her sister Hattie, her two youngest girls were returning home in tears. First, Lydia—who had decided to give Mr. Wickham her virtue—had been told the man was in the brig. Evidently, he owed a very large amount of money and his colonel wanted to make sure he would not flee. In addition, she found he was reputed to have trifled with, among others, the blacksmith’s daughters, promising marriage, just as he had promised her.
