Page 30

“Do you think it was wise to antagonise Mrs. Bennet so soon?”

Elizabeth shrugged.

“It was out of my mouth before I could stop myself. I did not adamantly state I was not attending the Assembly, I merely quietly raised the possibility. Surely you can see that Mrs. Bennet’s reaction was not appropriate, it was not normal at all.”

“Assemblies are incredibly important to her. She fixates on them for days, weeks even, in advance.”

“Is there a reason for this?”

“Husbands for all her daughters. It is her constant worry, her constant refrain, and even thinking about what will happen to us when Papa passes away, well that induces her ‘nerves’.”

It was at that moment that Elizabeth realised her uncle knew his sister and brother-in-law very well. Four years earlier it was the memory of Mrs. Bennet’s Christmas refrain that spurred Elizabeth into moving to London and helping her Uncle Gardiner raise his family. And yet here at Longbourn nothing had changed. Elizabeth had known this, deep down, but had tried not to think of it. The two adult Bennets had not changed their behaviour. Mr. Bennet was going to live the life of an indolent gentleman until the day he died. And Mrs. Bennet expected her brother and daughters to rescue her. There had been no effort made by her father to raise the family’s income to allow more of a surplus to be saved, and equally no effort made by her mother to economise and save some of their current income. There were no additional funds for their dowries, other than her mother’s original £5,000.

And it sickened Elizabeth to think this way of her parents, but she could not avoid the truth of it. And then her second moment of clarity struck. Most painfully and most personally. She was back under the control of her parents, at least notionally, and they would not hesitate to sacrifice her for the benefit of them, although it would be framed as helping the family. And all this despite helping Mr. Gardiner for the last four years. At least he still held her guardianship. Elizabeth refocused on Mary.

“I will work to hold my tongue and not create any additional drama. Come, we should prepare for the Assembly.”

Sadly, that second sentence flew in the face of the first.

“Lizzie! Lizzie! What is this I hear that you have your own maid.”

Elizabeth reckoned it had taken less than a minute for Lydia to storm off, tattle to their mother, and for Mrs. Bennet to storm into her bed chamber. Elizabeth calmly stared at her mother.

“Claire has been my maid for more than three years. I was the mistress of Uncle Gardiner’s home, of course I would have a maid. Uncle Gardiner generously agreed to pay her, and Robert the footman, until I reach my majority.”

Elizabeth turned back to continue getting ready.

“This will not stand. Claire will come with me and attend to Jane. She is the eldest and Claire can prepare her to look her finest for the Assembly.”

Mrs. Bennet started to turn away as if the matter was closed.

“No Mama, that is not what will happen. Claire is an employee of Uncle Gardiner and she works for me.”

Rather than get into a shouting match Elizabeth again returned to the vanity.

“Well I never. We will see what your father has to say about this.”

Nothing. Of course Mr. Bennet said, and did, nothing. Mrs. Bennet huffed and puffed but eventually had to desist so that she could prepare herself. Elizabeth stopped Claire from leaving her room and bade her sit for a moment.

“When we are done here ask Robert to get Uncle’s coach ready. Mary and I will travel to Meryton in it this evening. This will also allow you and Robert to be there and to observe. Be honest with the other servants, explain who you are, why you are there, and that you will be part of the community for the next nine months.”

“Of course Miss Elizabeth. May I ask why?”

“I can give you no reasonable answer other than some sort of feminine intuition. The two of you have escorted me, protected me, for years. You are very good at observing the surroundings.”

“You expect trouble, you think yourself in danger?”

Elizabeth shook her head.

“Oh no, nothing like that. I want two people with no past history to watch the evening. You have seen it already here at the Manor. I am the second daughter who is expected to do what she is told. There is absolutely no acknowledgement that I have been the mistress of a house for four years. This was the worst day to arrive and we have to survive the evening and this weekend.”

There was a lot more to say but there was not time.

--

That Saturday afternoon Elizabeth stopped thinking about the day before and refocused her attention back to Claire in front of her.

“Thinking about yesterday and this morning?”