Collins had screamed at Jane, telling her if she ever contravened any of Lady Catherine’s advice, he would punish her severely, just like he would have enjoyed doing to her former sister. That was the first time Jane saw the vicious side to her husband; she had been truly scared.
She had written to her mother to tell her how things were and in a very short, curt letter in reply to hers, Jane received no sympathy in return. Her mother told her to obey her husband. It seemed now that Jane had secured her future, her mother had no more time to expend on her.
To keep herself busy, she threw herself into visiting parishioners, trying to help where she could in the parish. Jane found a great deal of mistrust there because people were accustomed to her husband sharing everything they told him in confidence with Lady Catherine, who then would scold them for some perceived wrong.
Jane knew she would have to earn their trust. As she truly started to wake up to the terrible person she had become, she acknowledged she had much for which to atone—and atonement would require deeds, not words. Being tied to a man like Mr. Collins was but a part of her penance.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Fanny Bennet finally decided if her brother would not answer her letters, she would take the carriage and journey to Gracechurch Street and would drag her wilful daughter back if needs be.
She needed her life to change. She had been convinced things would blow over in only a few days. That had not happened. No matter how many times she made the attempt, none of her former friends would receive her. If she tried to approach any of them on the High Street in Meryton, they cut her, even her sister Hattie did the same.
Bennet’s study door was not thick enough to shut out the wailing, crying, and gnashing of teeth at the terrible daughter who had cursed them. It was then he started to come to terms that going along with his wife had bought him nothing.
Between Mary banging away on the out of tune pianoforte, his youngest two banging on his door telling him to fix things for them, and his wife bursting in multiple times a day to demand the same of him, he was at his wits’ end.
When his wife barged into his study, demanding he accompany her to London to make Miss Lizzy come home and fix their reputation in the community, he refused point-blank. He told her she was welcome to go if she chose, but he would not go on a fool’s errand. None of her normal stratagems worked and Bennet stood firm for almost the first time in their five and twenty-year marriage.
In the end, Fanny left without him, taking her remaining three daughters with her. She arrived at 23 Gracechurch Street just as a very large and expensive looking coach was pulling away.
Bennet had sent an express to Gardiner, warning him of the problem on her way to him. Gardiner read the missive; appreciative he had not consigned it to the fire unread.
One of the Matlock coaches picked up Elizabeth; she would stay with Tiffany and Giana for a few days. Gardiner was not worried about fending off his sister, but neither he nor his wife wanted to subject Lizzy to her vitriol. Charlotte and Maria Lucas had arrived the previous day and had accompanied Lizzy to Matlock House.
“Move aside! I am here to see my brother and bring my disobedient daughter home,” Fanny screeched at the butler as her three daughters stood behind her watching, Lydia and Kitty giggling.
The butler had been told to allow Mrs. Bennet entrance to avoid the spectacle she might cause on the Gardiners’ doorstep. Fanny marched into the drawing room, followed by the three Bennet sisters. “Where is that daughter of mine who has caused us so much trouble?” Fanny demanded without greeting her brother and sister-in-law.
“Of whom do you speak, Mrs. Bennet? Were you under the impression Jane was here with us? Has she run away from that man already?” Gardiner asked, knowing full well who she meant.
“What is this nonsense you speak of about Jane, Brother? I am talking about Miss Elizabeth Bennet. There is none but she who caused the problems we now live with,” Fanny asserted. “My poor Lydia and her sisters can have no fun because they are no longer received anywhere.”
“These misfortunes sound heavy indeed, but we have no Elizabeth Bennet as part of our household,” Gardiner informed his sister.
“Good, you threw the hoyden out! Where is she? I need to bring her home to fix what I, I mean, what she has caused,” Fanny shot back.
“Unlike you,Mrs. Bennet, we have notbanishedanyone from our house. We love our children and do not mistreat them as you have,” Gardiner thundered.
Fanny was taken aback that her normally mild-mannered brother was so voluble. Her three daughters started to get the idea their mother would not carry her point.
“Wehadan Elizabeth Bennet here, but now we only have an ElizabethGardiner.” Madeline stated pointedly.
It took Fanny a moment to understand what the Gardiners were saying. “How dare you change that ungrateful child’s family name!” Fanny screeched.
“As she is our daughter, and requested it, we did so with the full weight of the law behind us.” Gardiner saw his sister was about to interject. “Close your mouth and listen to me,Mrs.Bennet. You are the worst parent I have ever encountered. Look at what you turned Jane into! Then, when it was convenient, you helped force her into a marriage with that man, even though she deserved it in a way. And why? All for your own selfish needs.
“Bennet sent a legally binding document relinquishingallparental rights to Lizzy. As he is your husband, you no longer have parental rights to her either. The day after she arrived, I filed the papers with the court and she is now a Gardiner, and Maddie and I are herlegalparents.” Gardiner looked at his sister with disgust.
“If you wish to challenge me, do so in court, although I doubt you could find anyone willing to represent you, as you have no standing. It will not be my brother Phillips because he and Hattie have already broken with you. I hope you have a few thousand pounds for the fight.
“All that is left is to tell you is that you will never be admitted into this house, or any property we own, again. I cannot believe you were born of the same parents as Hattie and me. You are the most selfish creature in the world. Leave my house now and take your silly daughters with you before I have you arrested for trespassing,” Gardiner ordered.
Fanny Bennet was of mean understanding, but she understood her brother now reviled her and she would never be able to bring Miss Lizzy home. None of the four Bennets said a word as the Bennet carriage pulled away. His wife’s state of shock, much to Bennet’s delight, was of a few days’ duration.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Tiffany and Giana, it is my pleasure to introduce my best friend and sister of my heart, Miss Charlotte Lucas and her sister Miss Maria. Charlotte and Maria, my extremely good friends Lady Tiffany Fitzwilliam and Miss Georgiana Darcy,” Elizabeth made the introductions after their arrival at Matlock House.
