With Misses Janey and Lizzy calm again, the nursemaids returned to their table and chairs and sipped their tea. Before either could wonder why the drink was bitter, the narcotic took effect, and they both lost consciousness.
On completing the feeding for Mary, Fanny saw that Clem had done his job. She knew she needed to seem like she liked her daughters so they would not raise a ruckus. She leaned down near the girls playing on the carpet. They had been dressed in little dresses of similar style and shade, so Fanny did not need to dress them. Thankfully, they recognised her, so they showed no fear.“Mamma is going to take you for a surprise. Jane and Lizzy, do you like surprises?”
Both girls nodded enthusiastically.
Fanny made sure they had their little slippers on their feet before she collected Mary and the bag with a few spare napkins. She held her finger to her lips.“We must be very quiet or there will be no surprise.”
Again, the girls nodded and placed a finger each over their lips.
With Clem ahead of her making sure there were no servants, Fanny and her daughters made it into the carriage.
Collins handed Fanny the youngest one he had held while she helped the other two in and climbed in herself. He could not rid himself of the brat soon enough. Then, he walked away before she told the coachman the destination. He cared not where they went as long as he did not need to pay for them.
About four hours later, the first nursemaid stirred and raised the alarm. The three girls and their mother were nowhere to be found.
Chapter6
What Fanny did not know was that her brother was not in London. That same morning as she rode towards London in Clem Collins’s rented carriage with her daughters, her brother was saying his vows to his bride, and she was saying them back to him.
Gardiner could not believe that the wonderful woman who had just recited her vows had agreed to marry him. But it was a fact. After the rector bestowed the final benediction, the newly married couple and their attendants—Maddie had a very good friend from Lambton standing up with her, and Patrick Lambert was doing the duty for Gardiner—made their way to the registry. The newlywed Gardiners signed their names, with Maddie signing Lambert for the final time, followed by the maid of honour and best man witnessing the signatures.
The latter two departed the registry, closing the door behind them. Gardiner and his wife finally got to do something they had wanted to do for a long time. They had their first of many more kisses. Thanks to much of the courtship, proposal, and engagement being conducted via the post, this was their first opportunity, and neither desired to waste the time they had alone.
The wedding breakfast was at the Lamberts’ house. Many of those who had been in church for the ceremony were present. The Darcys had returned to Pemberley after the service. Gardiner appreciated that they had taken the time to witness his wedding.
Although he had become closer to Mr Darcy and Lord Matlock, he would not suppose on the connection and consider them friends. They were, like his other investors, very happy with the returns he produced.
As they made the short walk from the church to the Lamberts’ house, Gardiner could not have felt more content with his wife on his arm.
A little more than an hour later, they began their slow journey south.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
It was only when they entered the environs of London that Fanny realised she did not know where her brother lived or where his business was located.
She had the coachman take them to an inn in Cheapside, where she released him to return to Faversham. She paid for a room for a night, using the name Mrs Harding. When her daughters asked where they were, she told Jane and Lizzy this was part of their surprise. Regardless of the impending surprise, by the time they reached the room, the two older girls, who had slept part of the way in the carriage, were very restless and complaining of being tired and hungry. As she did not want to attract too much attention to herself, Fanny purchased some biscuits and milk for the older two and fed Mary. Soon all three were asleep.
She slipped out and walked around close to the inn, asking if anyone knew of a shop belonging to a Mr Gardiner.
As his emporium was quite well-known, Fanny discovered she was not far away, so she walked, following the directions she had been given, and found Gardiner Emporium. She never looked up, because had she done so, Fanny would have seen the sign proclaiming Gardiner and Associates.
On entering her brother’s shop, Fanny approached a shopgirl.“Is Edward Gardiner in?” she asked.
“Sorry, Madam, Mr Gardiner is on his wedding trip,” the girl replied.
“Do you know when he will be back?” Fanny pushed.
“My manager said that it will not be for another sennight or so. Do you want to see the manager?” she enquired.
Fanny was at a loss. Her brother was away. How selfish of him to not be in London when she needed him! She turned on her heel and stalked out of the store. She did not consider that she never gave her name, nor did she state the reason she was seeking Mr Gardiner.
The shopgirl did not think anything of the encounter since many customers did not wish to speak with the manager when Mr Gardiner was unavailable to see to their needs. As far as she was concerned, the lady was another one of those.
Thankfully, Fanny remembered how to get back to the inn where she was staying. Better still, Jane, Lizzy, and Mary were still asleep when she returned, obviously very tired.
Fanny paced back and forth trying to divine a solution to her problem. She could not return to Longbourn with her daughters. No, they were Mr Bennet’s daughters, not hers, because it was his fault they had been girls. She would not forgo her allowance to pay for the upkeep ofhisdaughters.
‘This is the fault of that useless husband of mine! If he had enabled me to bear a son and treated me the way I deserved, I would not be in this situation! What can I do? I cannot return home with the children because Clem will make me pay all costs for them. What am I to do?’Fanny thought. Just then she remembered something she had heard about London. Hyde Park was a location frequented by many of London’s residents. She was certain that if she left the children there, one of the many people who visited the park would find the girls and turn them over to a parish or the workhouse or something like that.
