Page 31 of The Mistress of All & Torn

“But I do not wish them to be here!” Lady Augusta cried.

“We will keep our distance. We do not wish for any more fights,” Mr. Gardiner agreed, trying to calm the high tempers.

As a gesture of goodwill, with a last glance at the coffin, Elizabeth left the chapel and, with growing emotion, she walked towards the grave. The hole was dark and deep and she stared into it, absently.

Her family and friends surrounded her but she barely saw them. She noticed Darcy slightly behind her, and a sense of safety warmed her.

Eventually, the service ended. The coffin was lowered into the hole and covered. Elizabeth did not speak, did not move, and hardly breathed. Every thought in her mind screamed that she might have been there, in his place. She had escaped from such a fate only by God’s mercy. And Sarah’s dangerous plan.

When the Barrington party walked towards the house, Elizabeth and her family followed them. In the house, with several servants present, no other word was said until they entered the library. There, the door was closed and Lady Augusta, flanked by Mr. St. Claire and Mr. Lambert and with her solicitor—Mr. Wood—near her, shouted at the strangers.

“You should not be here! You have no right to disturb me!”

“I beg your pardon, madam, but the trustees, as well as Lady Sedgewick’s solicitor and executor informed my niece that she had every right to be here,” Mr. Gardiner declared.

“Yes, but decency and common sense would tell you otherwise,” St. Claire intervened arrogantly. “Since Lord Barrington died in circumstances that involved his wife and all of you, you should have at least saved his mother from more grief and left her to mourn her son.”

“Excuse me?” Darcy intervened harshly. “If I remember correctly, Lord Barrington died in circumstances that also involved his mother and all of you! Furthermore, if any of you had possessed even a trace of decency and censured Lord Barrington’s behaviour instead of encouraging his defectuous inclinations, he would still be alive. Do not dare put the blame on others!” he thundered.

“You have no right to speak of my son in such a manner! You barely knew him at all!” Lady Augusta yelled.

“Madam, the whole town knew your son and his evil inclinations and deprivations. No honourable family would connect themselves with him! That is why he chose to marry a gentlewoman with no connections in London! And this is how he deceived the Countess of Sedgewick! I am sorry to hurt you further, but do not take me for a fool, or believe me ignorant on this subject!”

“And what is your interest in this matter, Mr. Darcy? You cannot claim to be connected to this family!” the lady continued.

“Only by friendship and honour! I would have never allowed anyone to marry your son, if I had the time to intervene! This is precisely why you insisted on such a hasty marriage, Lady Augusta!”

“Oh, shut your mouth! The Bennets gained more than they could hope for from this marriage! They have their future secured and Elizabeth has more jewels and pin money than she ever imagined. Everything that happened was her fault! If she had minded her own business and not bothered my son, she would have nothing to complain about!”

“Nothing to complain about? Mind my own business?” Elizabeth finally spoke. “Is this not enough reason to complain for you?” she asked with repressed bitterness, stepping out in front of the group. She removed her veil, exposing her face, swollen and bruised with a cut on her left temple, to their curious gazes. Then she took off the scarf, revealing her arms and neck with their dark traces of the aggression she had suffered.

“Should I take off my dress too, Lady Augusta? To show you more evidence of your son’s depravity? Have you not seen the maids—even more badly hurt and abused in ways I cannot even speak of? Were you blind to Sarah’s wounds that almost took her life? I took her with me, but we are not even certain she will survive. Yes, madam, if I had chosen to remain oblivious to your son’s deceptions and depravations, let him abuse those under his roof and purposefully steal Lady Sedgewick’s fortune, ignoring her will and the law’s requirements—if I had chosen to be like him, I would have had a comfortable life. He would have likely not hurt me, if I accepted him hurting others. I would have benefited from my pin money, if I accepted him stealing from those in need! Just as you—madam—and you all, his so-called friends, have done for so many years!”

Her accusations, her spiteful tone, her angry countenance, and the proof of her ordeal written on her body left the others speechless for a long time.

“Gentlemen, let us settle this horrifying situation once and for all,” Elizabeth continued. I wish to know how this situation will be resolved. What are my duties and responsibilities, and what means do I have to accomplish them? My late husband denied me everything! He forbade me to keep my word and my promises, he even took the ring that Lady Sedgewick left me as a gift. He stole it from me—as the lowest thief—and most likely paid his debts with it! I wish to know my responsibilities and also my rights!”

“My son was not a thief! As your husband, he had the right to decide upon any of your assets! And Lady Sedgewick was his aunt, not yours! Anything she left you, was in fact his legacy!” Lady Augusta cried.

Elizabeth’s response came sharply and was coldly accusatory, as she replaced her veil and scarf.

“He was the lowest and worst sort of thief, madam, as he stole not for need but for pleasure. Gentlemen—I am listening!”

The trustees and the executor looked at each other, momentarily puzzled. The whole exchange troubled them, as such scenes were rarely seen among people who needed their services.

Eventually, Mr. Reeves—the eldest of them—spoke.

“Three days ago, when we were summoned by Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bingley to join them in their quest for Lady Barrington, we were puzzled and doubtful. The notion that Lord Barrington—one of the most prominent members of the ton—would abuse and entrap his wife was unbelievable. Since we were responsible for Lady Sedgewick's will, we eventually agreed, with the expectation of having all the allegations rejected. However, we were wrong. We witnessed Lord Barrington’s refusal to allow us into the house. He threatened us with a gun, endangering our lives, and then we took part in the accident that led to him losing his life. To this day and hour, we cannot be certain how the tragedy occured, but it was certainly a sorrowful happenstance.”

“They are to be blamed! If they had not barged into my son’s house…”

“We are to be blamed, madam? For freeing a young woman kept away from her family? Not all of you, for allowing this dreadful situation?” Darcy interjected harshly.

“Please, let us not begin another argument. As you all know, our main responsibility lies in executing Lady Sedgewick’s will and protecting her assets. This is why, together with my distinguished colleagues, we have spent the time ever since, examining all the papers regarding this inheritance, to be certain we apply the law and the regulations accurately,” Mr. Reeves concluded.

“And what was your conclusion?” Mr. Lambert asked impatiently.

“Our conclusion is that the one who inherits the assets and has the power to decide over everything—except for selling the properties—is Lord Barrington’s closest relative, even if she is a woman!”