Page 82 of The Mistress of All & Torn

“But you may take us, anyway! We will not bother you at all, I promise you! You will barely hear or see us!” Kitty begged.

“We may stay with Harriet for two nights if you prefer,” Lydia offered.

“Absolutely not! If I decide to take you, you will be chaperoned by Jane and Charles. I shall not have you wandering around a full camp of officers alone. I shall speak to Papa.”

“Oh, Papa will do anything you want! Please, please, Lizzy!”

Such requests were repeated countless times, with support from their mother. Again and again until, during dinner, Mr. Bennet lost his patience.

“Lizzy, I would not oppose it if you took them to Brighton for two days. At least I would have some peace. That is—if it would not be too much trouble for you.”

“Very well,” Elizabeth accepted, to general cheers and thanks. “But I am uncertain of my plans yet. I might first stop at the girls’ school in Surrey for a few days and only then go on to Brighton. My main interest is in the orphanage, not in Brighton’s amusements.”

“I am going to write to Harriet right away!” Lydia stopped listening to Elizabeth and ran from the room in excitement, followed by Kitty, ignoring even Mrs. Bennet, who called them back to the dinner table.

Two days later, to the general surprise of everyone, Colonel Forster wrote to Mr. Bennet. In his wife’s name, the colonel invited Lydia and Kitty to Brighton for a week, to attend a ball hosted by Mrs. Forster in three days' time. The girls would be under his protection until Lady Barrington retrieved them.

The letter aroused such an insupportable burst of joy that Mr. Bennet could not bear the commotion and locked himself in his chamber. The two girls and Mrs. Bennet’s nagging went on for an entire day before Elizabeth was eventually convinced. Although it was mostly Jane’s sensible arguments that tipped her opinion.

“Lizzy darling, this is their only opportunity for amusement this year. They will stay in the colonel’s house for not more than a week. Nothing can happen in such a short time.”

“Jane, we must understand that, due to my position, they might be the victims of fortune hunters, who could easily use their naivety for personal gain.”

“I understand that. But let us write to the colonel and warn him to watch them closely. As I said, it is only a week.”

“Lizzy, I know you have good reason to be doubtful and cautious, but now I see no basis to fear the worst,” Mr. Bennet said, making Elizabeth regret that her own fears might affect her sisters’ lives.

And so it happened that, eventually, Lydia and Kitty left Longbourn in Bingley’s carriage, with Mr. Bennet’s old servant, John, and two others to guard them.

Two more letters arrived from London—one from Darcy to Bingley and one from Mr. Gardiner to Mr. Bennet. Elizabeth waited eagerly to hear some news about Darcy and her impatience was rewarded. Bingley was excited to hear his friend's business would be concluded soon and Mr. Gardiner mentioned he had met the gentleman twice. It was little, but enough. She had no right to either enquire or to expect more.

Chapter 25

At the end of the week, Mr. Hoskins arrived and was hosted at Netherfield for two days, until the gentleman, Elizabeth, Cece and the Bingleys began their journey. To everyone’s surprise, Mary expressed her desire to join them, and Elizabeth gladly agreed. Therefore, the party of six departed early in the morning for the girls’ school in Surrey, to be followed by a stop in Kent and then finally, Brighton.

“Lizzy, I am so happy you took me with you,” Mary said.

“So am I, my dear. I confess I am a little bit nervous. I know the two schools were most important to Lady Sedgewick. I look forward to visiting them.”

“They will be surprised to see us, since your ladyship made no announcement,” Mr. Hoskins said.

“I would imagine as much. But I wish to avoid any preparations or deceptions. I want to see exactly how things happen on a regular school day. I know neither of you have been there for some years.”

“Lady Sedgewick last visited Old Oak School three years ago, and she never requested that we go since. But we do keep up a regular correspondence with Mr. Mullen, the manager and treasurer of the school. Of the establishment, I mean—as it is a school and an orphanage.”

“I know Mr. Mullen is a clergyman and a distant relative of Lady Sedgewick. I imagine he also serves in a parish in the neighborhood?”

“Indeed, ma’am.”

“But Mr. Hoskins, does Mr. Mullen possess the skills and knowledge to manage a school and its particular costs efficiently?”

The solicitor frowned. “I never questioned his competence, ma’am. Lady Sedgewick never complained about him.”

“So he is the one responsible for all the expenses: the food, the clothes for the girls, the payments for the teachers? Everything? Am I correct?”

“Yes, Lady Barrington.”

“From our examinations of the books we concluded that Mr. Mullen’s management is not very efficient. I would rather say the opposite. So we must evaluate the situation carefully and make changes for the benefit of the school, if necessary.”