Page 63 of Her Favourite Daughter

“My goodness!” Lady Amelia exclaimed. “We were so intent on speaking that we did not see we were back at Leeds House.”

Bethany nodded to John who was closest to the door, and he opened it. The step had been extended just after they arrived at the house. The other coaches were empty, as everyone riding with them was already inside the mansion.

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

Bethany explained the decision regarding her name and why, except in private with no servants or others near them, she was to be called Bethany or Bethie. Those who had attended the ceremony at the palace all understood. Charlotte and Mary were still at Darcy House, so they would be informed when they returned to Leeds House.

It did not take long before James accepted the invitation to travel north with his sisters. As his father would be at Hornby Castle as well, he was not concerned about arriving at Cambridge after the date he needed to be at the university. His father would make sure he arrived before the date he had to be there. When Lizzy, or Bethie as they called her, begged them to join her as well, Beth and Penelope Bennet agreed to do so.

Charlotte and Mary had heard about the Bennets’ elevation from the Darcys when they returned to Darcy House. They too understood the need to address Elizabeth as Bethany when not in private. She did not say anything to the new baron and baroness, but Charlotte would have liked to be at Lucas Lodge when her father read that his friend was a peer, and there would be another Sir William in the neighbourhood.

It was decided that as long as the patents were ready by then, the Bennet parents would depart for Longbourn on Wednesday, and those travelling north would leave the same day.

The Collinses would travel to Hunsford, and the Bingleys, once they collected the Hursts from Hurst House, would make for Scarborough to prepare for Caroline’s wedding. The Collinses would depart for the north from Hunsford on the second Monday in August.

Chapter 24

“They ain’t employing any more in London now ‘cause the ‘ouse’old be leavin’ any day,” Clay Younge reported.

“I was told the same when I applied to the housekeeper. She informed me that the Osbornes and others are departing the house and will be at the main ducal estate for an indeterminate period of time,” Karen Younge added.

He did not want to admit it to the Younges, but Wickham berated himself for not remembering that the gentry and nobles very rarely remained in Town at this time of the year. The question now was what was he to do with this information? Also, he had planned on gaining his fortune sooner rather than later. What if they were away from Leeds House for a year or more? That was unacceptable; he had to think of something. It was then he remembered something Karen had revealed to him one night when they had been in her bed.

“Karen, did you not tell me that you hail from Yorkshire? Also, I seem to remember you saying that the estate your mother was murdered at was in Yorkshire as well. What did you say the name of the estate was?” As Wickham said the last he realised that if Karen caught it she would know he lied about confronting the late duke at his estate; if he had been there, he would have known the name. He held his breath to see if she called him on prevaricating to her. Thankfully, she seemed to miss that fact.

“Yes, we do. We used to live in Tickhill which is a market town in the West Riding of Yorkshire, about ten miles northeast of Kiveton Park, the main estate of the Duke of Leeds, the one where our mother was murdered,” Karen replied. Thinking about her mother’s end ensured she did not consider George’s not knowing the name of the estate he had supposedly been to. “Why do you ask?”

“I am sure that Kiveton Park will need additional servants with the child duchess returning. Perhaps, they will require a companion for her. I think that rather than wait until they decide to return to London, we should strike while the iron is hot,” Wickham suggested. “Remember, according to the notice in the papers this morning the girl met with the king and has just had everything heaped on her. That means she will be ripe to be led. In my experience, security is far more relaxed at an estate. Hence, it will be even easier than in London to get her away from her minders.” Wickham paused to allow his words to sink in. “Surely, you do not want to wait even longer to avenge your mother’s murder?”

“Karen, ‘ow would we live in Tickhill? We don’ ‘ave a ‘ouse there no more,” Clay Younge wondered.

“Clay is correct. We have not lived in Tickhill for many years, and what if the senior staff at Kiveton Hall check and discover we just returned to the area? It would look suspicious and land us in gaol,” Karen Younge agreed.

Wickham fought the urge to groan. He hoped they would end up being arrested, but only once he made off with his duchess. Being in Yorkshire had another advantage, it was much closer to Gretna Green. Rather than five days or more from London it was no more than two days given the long July daylight hours. “You remember I told you already that as long as they are impressed by your characters, the toffs will not care to check anything.” He knew he did not answer the question Karen had asked, so Wickham hoped she would not realise that.

“I suppose you do know their ways better than we do,” Karen Younge owned. “We will need funds to travel…” She stopped as she remembered the boarding house. “We cannot leave; we need to manage our house.”

“Sell it!” Wickham exclaimed. “With your share of the ransom, you will be able to buy ten such houses.”

“With such a sum, we will all be able to leave England and be away from the reach of the Crown,” Karen Younge speculated. “The house belongs to both Clay and me. We need time to speak, and then we will inform you of our decision.”

Wickham could see his paramour counting the pounds, and he knew that he would get his way. “I know you will make a good decision.” He left them to it. Things would work out just like he planned them. His mother had told him many times that he could not be so charming and intelligent for no reason.

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

Mr Frank Phillips was one of the men in Meryton who received The Times of London on a daily basis. He and Hattie were seated at the table in their dining parlour enjoying the midday meal. Unless he had an appointment at the same time, Phillips endeavoured to have all meals in his home, which was next to his offices.

As there was a client who had needed to meet early that morning, he had not had time to read the newspaper when he had broken his fast. Now, after greeting his wife, he sat down with the paper. First he took a bite of the sandwich of cold mutton, alongside the one with ham still waiting on the plate for him to enjoy. Hattie had lovingly prepared both sandwiches for him. As he was chewing, Phillips unfolded the broadsheet. His attention was arrested when on the first page he saw the notice of elevations His Majesty had recently awarded.

“Hattie, you will not believe who the newest baron and baroness are,” Phillips said after he blew out a deep breath. Bennet had been worried he may be punished by the king. It seemed that he had incorrectly guessed the reason he had been summoned to St James’s Palace.

“Would that not be something if we were acquainted with a lord and lady. Lady Lucas would never be able to boast about Sir William’s elevation again,” Hattie responded excitedly.

“My dear wife, not only do you know them, you are a sister to the baroness,” Phillips teased.

“Sister?... FANNY?” Hattie almost screamed her sister’s name. “How can that be? Were not she and Thomas concerned that His Majesty meant to censure them for not discovering who Lizzy’s birthparents were?”

“They were wrong,” Phillips averred. “Here, read it for yourself.” He handed the newspaper to his wife.