Page 78 of Her Favourite Daughter

On the return from Ireland, William and Giana had remained with them while his parents made for Pemberley. Aunt Elaine and Uncle Reggie had been with them when the estates in Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire had been inspected.

For the remaining estates in Suffolk, Devonshire, and Cornwall, Mamma and Papa had accompanied Bethie, her mother, William, and Giana.

Now the whole of the extended family was in London except for James, as the Easter term break only began on the second to final Thursday of March. Other than those with their own homes in London, the rest of the extended family—including the Bennets who did not use Bennet House in Portman Square for this occasion—resided at Leeds House. Bethany’s eighteenth birthday was to be celebrated on the first Saturday of March, which was one day before the actual date. With the fifth of the month being the Sabbath, Amelia had suggested Saturday—if Giana was willing to share her day. Bethie and Giana had agreed without any reservations.

For Bethany, having her cousins, old and new, at her birthday celebration was an added bonus. Charlotte had presented Richard with a son two days before Christmas past. Caroline and William Collins had been blessed with a daughter three weeks before the heir to Rosings Park had been born. Jane was with child and had told Bethany that the midwife and accoucheur agreed that she would be taken to bed in May or June of the current year. Richard had been rather smug that he and Charlotte had a child before Jane and Andrew.

The first-time grandparents—Fitzwilliam, Lucas, and Collins—were besotted with their respective grandchild. The Fitzwilliams were also in anticipation of their second grandchild once Jane birthed her first child. While the Bennet parents waited with bubbling excitement to welcome their first grandchild, Beth Bennet would soon be a great-grandmamma, something she had never expected to be before she was called home to join her James in God’s Kingdom. Penelope was no less excited seeing that Jane had requested she be a surrogate grandmamma to her children, something Penelope had accepted with alacrity.

A large group had ridden out the morning of the day they were to celebrate Bethany reaching the age of eighteen. Most of those who had ridden joined the rest of the residents of Leeds House to break their fasts. Bethany was seated next to Cousin William Darcy, and she could not but notice that William, like most of those at the table, seemed to know a secret she did not. She was about to ask what they were about when she froze.

“I am told that my much younger sister is celebrating a special birthday today and is making her curtsy before the Queen on Thursday upcoming,” James drawled.

“JAMES!” Bethany called out as she jumped up, sending her chair flying backward. A fleetfooted footman caught it before it struck the wall or fell. “I thought you would not be here for almost another three weeks.” Bethany ran to her brother, who had opened his arms to hug her.

“You did not think I would miss this birthday, or you making a cake of yourself before the queen, did you?” James queried. “I arrived at Bennet House yester-evening and came to surprise you this morning. It is my intention to attend your ball.”

“If you are invited,” Bethany shot back playfully. As much as she had not wanted to wear the dress she used to call a ‘hooped monstrosity’, she had been practising for more than six weeks in said hooped dress and was rather proficient by now. She was careful not to disparage the dress in any public setting in case word reached Her Majesty again, and this time she was not as amused as she had been in ’07. “I am well pleased you are here, Brother.” She turned a playful gimlet eye on those grinning and smiling while seated around the table. “Shame on you for not telling me,” she teased.

“Bethie, I hope you yet have a set available for me,” James enquired.

“The one after supper is open,” Bethany agreed. The Prince of Wales would begin the ball as her partner. After five minutes, Papa would take over from his Highness and complete the set. Uncles Reggie, Robert, Edward, and Frank were next. Then William Darcy had the supper set. The one after supper had been the only open set she had, because after James came William Collins, Richard, and Andrew. She could not help but feel pleasure that William Darcy had requested her final set, something she had granted without delay. It was refreshing to no longer have to have dance partners gain permission from Papa, Uncle Reggie, or Uncle Robert. Bethany was not unhappy that each of her sets was taken for her coming-out ball.

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

On the Thursday of her presentation to Her Majesty, Bethany was called first, as she was the only duchess present who was one in her own right. Wearing the Leeds coronet, she walked into the presentation hall with Mamma on her left and Mother on her right. They all stopped at the place Bethany had been taught to stop, and she and her mothers gave the Queen the deep curtsies required by royal protocol.

“My my, Your Grace, we think you look very elegant in the hooped…dress we prescribe for our drawing rooms,” Queen Charlotte teased with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “You are a diamond of the first waters.”

“Your Majesty is too kind,” Bethany stated once she and her mothers stood up again. She kept her features schooled during the reference to her gown.

“Are you learning all about your duties and holdings?” the Queen asked.

“I am, Your Majesty. Mother has been teaching me with the assistance of many others. My Papa and trustees escorted me to each of the estates which allowed me to learn about each one. I am reminded of the truism in the Gospel of Luke 12:48: For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required. Or in this case, of her much is expected. There are many who depend on me, and I will do my best to make sure they are not disappointed in me. My responsibilities are far less than those of Your Majesty’s. They are more than enough for me.”

“We forgot about your memory. We will invite you and others in your family to tea soon.” The Queen looked to the two mothers. “Ladies Amelia and Frances, you should be very proud of this young woman.”

“That we are, Your Majesty,” Lady Amelia responded as she saw Fanny nod her agreement.

Her Majesty inclined her head, signalling to those before her that the interview was over. After another curtsy, the three backed out of the presentation chamber. When they reached the antechamber, Bethany breathed a rather loud sigh of relief. “As soon as I reach the house, I will be out of this thing and never wear it again,” she stated.

Soon enough, the three, along with all of those who had come to support Bethany were on their way back to Leeds House.

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

The coming-out ball was the night of the day Bethany made her curtsy before the queen. Invitations to the ball were at a premium as no invitations were issued to any who was not in some way connected to the Osbornes or Bennets.

Many men had seen Lady Bethany Osborne as the answer to their self-induced financial problems. However, they had given up any thoughts of trying to force the issue when the Crown had made it known that any attempt to entrap the suo jure Duchess of Leeds would be treated as an act of treason. As if that was not enough, it became known that no compromise would be gratified, and further, when she did marry, her husband would have no authority over the Leeds fortune or properties. The final issue was the men who guarded Lady Bethany. They were huge, and the reports were that they and their men had cat-like reflexes and were excellent with all kinds of weapons.

One man, by the name of Willoughby, believed he could charm the young duchess and attempted to bluster his way into the ball. He had failed and been lifted by his collars by one of the huge guards, like he weighed nothing, who then rather unceremoniously, tossed him into the street like so much rubbish.

As the debutante, Bethany did not join the receiving line—made up of Mother, Mamma, Papa, Aunts Elaine and Anne, and Uncles Reggie and Robert. Rather, she waited above the cavernous ballroom with Mary, Giana, Petunia, Maria, and Kitty. The younger ladies were permitted to watch the opening of the ball and the first few sets before they were to be shepherded by a governess and two companions to a private sitting room. The girls had exclaimed over Bethie’s ensemble. The gown was an exclusive creation by Madam Chambourg; she wore some of the Leeds emerald jewellery, and her outfit was completed with an emerald-encrusted tiara.

Like Mamma, Mother, her aunts, and older sister had done once Bethany was dressed, when she arrived on the landing, the girls waiting with her for Papa to come collect her and escort her down the stairs to the ballroom, had gushed over the beauty and elegance of Bethany’s person and outfit this night.

Once the receiving line duties were completed, those who had welcomed the guests joined those in the ballroom, except for Meryton, who climbed the stairs from the ballroom to where he knew his second daughter awaited him.

“My Lizzy, you look like a princess!” Meryton exclaimed as he reached his daughter.