Page 54 of Her Favourite Daughter

Being introduced to the Dowager Duchess of Leeds went a long way towards forcing Lady Lucas to behave acceptably. It did not hurt that the Earls and Countesses of Matlock and Holderness were present as well. Any time Lady Lucas attempted to ask an intrusive question, a quelling look from one of the nobles caused her to desist.

It was the first, but certainly not the last time that day, that Fanny was asked to recount how she discovered Lady Bethany in the woods of Lincolnshire.

After the Lucases, there was a steady stream of callers from the neighbourhood. No matter what Elizabeth had requested, none of them treated her like they had when they knew her simply as Miss Elizabeth, second daughter of Fanny and Thomas Bennet. Seeing the reactions to her now that she had a title was eye-opening. She was, after all, a girl who had grown up in their midst, and she still felt like she was the same person. It was a stark reminder for Elizabeth about how much her life had changed. Until today, she had attempted to think of the coming changes as something in the distant future.

It was obvious to Elizabeth that the future was now.

Chapter 20

All the residents of Longbourn and Netherfield Park, with the addition of Charlotte Lucas, departed the area around Meryton on the second Friday of July, ten days before some of them would have to appear at St James’s Palace.

That day and part of the next, after being inundated by callers who wanted to greet the duchess, were more than enough to convince everyone that it was desirable to make for Town sooner rather than later. Lady Amelia had received a response from Mrs Ronson, Leeds House’s housekeeper, saying how thrilled she was that the house would have residents once again; and better yet, that the new duchess was coming home. Then she had discussed the situation with Bethie, and together they would speak to the Ronsons—the butler was Mr Ronson—and decide how many additional positions needed to be filled in the house. Hence, by the time they departed on Friday morning, she was confident that the house would be prepared for them when they arrived.

Amelia had also sent a note to Osborne House and instructed that maids and footmen be sent to Leeds House. Since Francis’s passing, because Leeds House had not been occupied, only a small group of staff and servants had been kept on at the mansion.

Until Bethie reached her majority, Amelia would remain the mistress of the houses and estates. However, she felt it was imperative that her daughter be intimately involved in any and all decisions which would affect the properties which would be fully hers in less than five years.

So it was, just as the sun rose, the convoy of coaches departed from Longbourn. Amelia was very happy that Bethie, Jane, Mary, and Charlotte Lucas were in the Leeds coach with her. She smiled when she remembered how Tom had misunderstood his position when John Biggs, Brian Johns, and four of their men had joined the Leeds Household. When he understood that rather than losing his position, he was being made the head of Amelia’s personal guard, Tom had relaxed and thanked her sincerely.

Biggs and Johns were riding on the back bench of the Leeds conveyance, while the four men who had come with them were being used as outriders for now. Tom was seated beside the coachman on the driver’s bench. The two big men had been given leave to employ as many more men as they felt were needed.

The Fitzwilliams and Darcys would first proceed to their houses, located in Grosvenor Square across the green from one another, and then would join those at Leeds House for dinner on the morrow. Kitty was in the Darcy coach, as she had been invited to reside at Darcy House as Giana’s guest. Fanny and Thomas had agreed to this arrangement, especially as Mrs Taylor had spoken to Mrs Annesley, and she had provided the Darcy governess with the lessons Kitty would need, thus making sure her charge would complete what she needed to while at Darcy House.

James Bennet, usually hopelessly outnumbered by females when he was home from school, was satisfied to be in a carriage with Hilldale, Fitzwilliam, and Conyers. At school, he was surrounded by males, but this was a rare occurrence when he was on a term break. He was six years younger than Conyers, the youngest of his three companions in the conveyance, but they had many common interests, such as estate management—all were owners of or heirs to estates—horses and chess. Thus, the difference in age was inconsequential. It did not hurt that James’s intelligence was on par with his father’s.

One thing all the males in the coach agreed on was that none of them enjoyed playing chess against Bethie or, in James’s case, Lizzy. She was all but impossible to beat. It was not only her flawless memory, but when she played the game, it seemed like she was always ten moves ahead of her opponent. Hilldale and Darcy had, like both of their fathers and Bennet, been chess champions at Cambridge, yet none of them were able to best her. The closest any of them had come of late was Conyers playing her to a draw in a game a few days past.

Fanny and Bennet were in the larger Bennet carriage with Penelope, Ophelia, and Collins. It was no surprise to anyone that William Collins was in the Bingley equipage with the Bingleys and Hursts. That left the Fitzwilliam parents and Beth Bennet in the former’s travel coach.

Bringing up the rear were carriages carrying personal servants and governesses.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

The convoy stopped in Grosvenor Square first. Beth Bennet and James boarded two of the coaches proceeding to St James’s Square.

“That mansion is my house?” Elizabeth gasped as the enormous house came into view. When she had seen Darcy and Fitzwilliam Houses during the stop in Grosvenor Square, Elizabeth had imagined her house would be about the same size as those two. It was not; it looked larger than the two mentioned houses combined.

“Yes, Bethie, that is Leeds House,” Lady Amelia confirmed. “Never forget it is only a house, a large one, but a house nonetheless.”

“Oh my,” Jane managed. “I am sure I will get lost never to be found in there.”

“Take heart, Jane,” Charlotte said with a smile. “We will make sure Eliza is with us when we venture out of our bedchambers, as she will always remember how to navigate the house.”

“Now I see what I am to you,” Elizabeth teased. “Just someone to save you from getting lost.”

“Bethie, dear, I would like to suggest something,” Lady Amelia stated. “You being called Elizabeth in all its forms, and Bethany or Bethie by me and others, may very well confuse the staff and servants. The Ronsons are aware of why it is so, but not all the servants will know the whole of it.” She looked at the three Bennets and Charlotte in the coach. “For the nonce, it may be better if you are addressed as Bethie or Bethany, with or without the honorific.”

“That would not be too difficult,” Jane responded.

“If that is not what you want, I will address the servants and explain why they will hear the same person addressed with disparate names,” Lady Amelia offered.

“Although I would not want to cause confusion, Mother, if we may address the servants, I would prefer that. Those who have called me by Elizabeth or Lizzy for so many years should continue to do so.

“Then, that is what we will do,” Lady Amelia decided. She could see that Bethie was not ready to consider making changes to the name she had heard for the past almost sixteen years. “You will stand with me when I do so, will you not? That way I will be able to introduce you to those who work in your house.”

No sooner had the coaches come to a halt in the long semicircular drive than Biggs had the door open. The footman, Tom, climbed down from the box and helped Lady Amelia out. Biggs took his place and handed out Miss Lizzy, Miss Bennet, Miss Lucas, and Miss Mary.

By the time Mary was handed out, the rest of the party from the other carriages had joined them.