Page 65 of Her Favourite Daughter

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It took the Younges much discussion and indecision before they decided they would agree with George Wickham’s plan. They could return to Tickhill because they had not stolen from anyone in the town or the area around it. They had begun burgling houses once they were no longer in Yorkshire.

Wickham acted as if he was both surprised and excited when the Younges told him what their decision was. He had been supremely confident they would do what he wanted.

He heard them discussing contacting some men who had expressed an interest in purchasing the house and how much more they would receive than when they purchased it before effecting the needed repairs. Thankfully, neither had asked him how much he would contribute to the expense of travelling to Tickhill and establishing themselves there. The one-time Karen had asked about the funds he had, Wickham had put on his sad face and reminded her that was the reason he needed to get his due from the Osbornes. Wickham promised Karen that before he took his share of the ransom money, she would be able to take back whatever she felt he owed the Younges.

Since he had spun that yarn for her, neither Karen nor the halfwit of a brother had asked him for coin. Having others pay for him to live was the way Wickham envisaged his life. Afterall, he deserved no less.

Within two days, the house was sold. All that was needed was for money to change hands and the new deed to be issued before the two Younges and Wickham would begin the almost two-hundred-mile journey to Tickhill.

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Sarah Lucas had been waiting for the ladies in the neighbourhood, led by Hattie Phillips, to come excoriate her and crow about Lady Frances’s elevation. For two days, no one arrived, and when she braved going into Meryton to the haberdashery, other than some of the friends she had in common with Hattie and her younger sister greeting her and speaking of banal subjects, not one of the ladies Sarah used to crow about her title to said a negative word to her. The elevation was only mentioned when she was asked if she had heard about them being made a baron and baroness. Lady Lucas could not understand why this was.

It was mid-morning on Wednesday, and as Lady Lucas exited the shop with the packet of ribbons she had needed for a dress she was making for Maria, she saw the Bennet carriage on its way to the turn-off towards Longbourn. She knew she had amends to make and was about to follow the conveyance to Longbourn when she felt a hand on her arm.

“Lady Lucas, good morning,” Hattie said pleasantly. “Fanny wrote to me and requested I let it be known that she will be ready for callers on Friday morning. She wanted me to convey that all her friends would be welcome then. And yes, that includes you.”

“Hattie, why has no one come to crow about Lady Frances’s good fortune…” Lady Lucas began to say.

“It is because to her friends she is still Fanny,” Hattie corrected.

Hearing what Hattie said almost caused Lady Lucas to cry tears of mortification, but she managed to regulate herself. Why had she not behaved as it seemed Fanny was? Why had she forced all her friends to use her title? “I deserved to be seriously admonished for the way I behaved about my husband’s knighthood. I do not understand why no one has taken me to task.”

“Go see Fanny on Friday,” Hattie suggested. “Now, Lady Lucas…”

“I am older than Fanny, but not too old to correct my errors. Please Hattie, call me Sarah like you always used to before my head swelled up with my self-importance.”

“As I was saying, Sarah, Frank will be home for his midday meal soon enough, and I want to make sure all is ready for him.” Hattie gave a quick curtsy and proceeded towards her house. She had not prevaricated to Sarah; she did need to make sure everything was in order for the midday meal. As soon as Frank returned to work, Hattie would be on her way to Longbourn.

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The convoy of coaches travelling north was rather lengthy. Aside from the armed footmen on the benches, and the ones next to each coachman, there were two dozen outriders as well. In addition to the two Osbornes, the Bennet offspring, a Lucas, the Fitzwilliams, the Darcys, and Maddie Gardiner and her four children were travelling to Kiveton Park and thereafter Hornby Castle as well. The Bingleys and Hursts were also part of the line of conveyances. They would travel as far as Kiveton Park and then continue on to Scarborough.

In the Fitzwilliam coach, travelling with her parents and brothers, Anne Fitzwilliam was in anticipation of travelling into Yorkshire as it brought her much closer to where her Harry was. His year of mourning for his father would end soon enough.

Bethany had been a little disappointed when Uncle Edward had said he could not get away until the first week of August; her frown had quickly turned into a smile when she was informed that Aunt Maddie and the four cousins would join the travellers. When the three older Gardiner children had been informed of their ultimate destination, Eddy, who was seven, wanted to reach the castle as soon as possible. He and May, who was four, did not understand why Cousin Lizzy was now to be called Cousin Bethie, but they were trying to remember to do so. Lilly, who was nine called her cousin ‘Lady Bethany’ once and was told by said lady in no uncertain terms to call her Bethie only. Since then, Lilly had done so.

It was only the first day of travel, and with the long hours of daylight, it was possible they would reach Kiveton Park in three days. Bethany was both nervous and inquisitive to see the house where she was born and from where she had been kidnapped.

Even with her instant recall, she did not have any memories of the time she had been a babe there. At least Jupiter was being led behind Lady Bethany’s coach. She could not have imagined going the many months they would be away from London without her mare. She was looking forward to arriving at one of the Osborne estates so she would be able to ride astride again.

The coach Bethany was travelling in, except for one addition, contained the same group who had been with her when they departed Longbourn for London. Mother sat next to her, Jane and Charlotte on the opposite bench. Between herself and her mother was Lilly Gardiner. She was very excited to travel with two duchesses.

As would be expected, Biggs and Johns were on the back bench of Lady Bethany’s carriage.

Chapter 25

On the third day of travel, the convoy of coaches arrived at the entrance to Kiveton Park. The plan was to remain at the former ducal seat through the Sabbath and depart for Hornby Castle on Monday morning.

At the final rest stop before reaching the estate, Jane, Charlotte, and Lilly had moved to one of the other conveyances to allow Ladies Amelia and Bethany to be alone when they reached the estate. They had volunteered to move on their own accord assuming that the return to this estate would stir up feelings for Lady Amelia she would prefer to share with only her daughter.

Bethany did not miss the emotions on her mother’s face when their carriage passed the gate posts and entered the estate’s expansive park. As Mother had told her, the previous time she had slept a night in this house was when her Francis had been with her. Bethany was able to understand why mother reacted as she did when reaching Kiveton Park due to the fact that it was this place that she had been kidnapped from as a babe and it was where Mother used to live with her beloved Francis.

As they neared the manor house, Amelia pointed to a stand of trees to the left of the coach. “That is where it happened,” Lady Amelia said quietly. “My heart almost broke when we found your empty perambulator. There was nothing we could do for the nursemaid who had conspired with the criminal, but Tom was beginning to regain his senses when we reached him. Based on the portion of the note Fanny discovered when she found you, I believe that had Tom not mortally wounded the criminal, he would have…” She could not say the words.

“Mamma has said the same, that the miscreant’s death spared my life,” Bethany responded. “Mother, that is not what happened, and although we were parted for many years, and I was robbed of the ability to know Father, we cannot live in the past. It is time to make new and good memories here. I like to say that we should always learn from the past, but only remember the past as those remembrances give us pleasure.”