On the Road to Ramsgate Read online

  Edward Gardiner had no notion, at the time, of what would await him when he arrived at his sister’s family home. Mrs Fanny Bennet was Mr Gardiner’s eldest sister, and she was known to be a ridiculous and silly woman. When her brother arrived unexpectedly, she knew something terrible had happened. Then she received the words she had feared to hear, her husband was dead. With his death, she knew that she would lose her home and the comfortable life she had led.

  “It is all your fault, Edward. If you had not insisted on Thomas making the journey, none of this would have happened. And Lizzy, it is her fault as well. The two of you have robbed me of my home. I will never forgive either of you.” Fanny began wailing of her lot in life, how her brother and least favorite daughter had purposely ruined any comfort she would have in her future, as she would be forced into poverty.

  Jane came to her mother’s side, guiding her up the stairs to her bedchamber. Her middle sister, Mary, followed them, staying at her mother’s side while Jane returned to speak with her uncle.

  “Where is Lizzy? Is she well?” Jane pleaded for news.

  “She has a broken leg and she is extremely heartbroken over the loss of your father. You know how dear he was to her.”

  “Poor Lizzy, all alone for so long, no one to comfort her during her time of need.” Jane reached into her pocket and withdrew a handkerchief with which to wipe her eyes. “And now, Mamma behaving so poorly, what will we do?”

  “I asked Matthew Hill to fetch your Uncle Phillips. He knows more of what your father’s will says.” Mr Gardiner replied. “The dower house is your mother’s for the remainder of her life, I am sure, though I am not certain of the condition or what will be needed to restore it.”

  “Papa stated last month that much work would be required to make it inhabitable again.” Jane said sadly. “And it will not be large enough for all of us to live there comfortably.”

  “We will cross each bridge as we come to it, Jane. Do not fret, all will be well.”

  ~~ ** ~~

  Mr Gardiner was shocked to hear the news of what awaited his sister and her daughters.

  Mr Phillips ushered his brother in law into Mr Bennet’s study. “We have a grave situation before us Edward. A very grave situation indeed.”

  “They will have the dower house, and surely there is funds for their keep.”

  “The dower house is beyond minor repairs. It has been unused for so long, the ceiling is caving in, some of the walls are crumbling. There are windows broken, which has allowed water to enter, causing more damage to some of the rooms. There is the gamekeeper cottage that Fanny and the girls could move into, but there are only two bedchambers. And their finances will be very limited. They will not be able to keep a servant, not even a cook or maid. All of this is dependent upon the heir, if he is willing to allow them to live in that cottage, and if he does not charge them rent.”

  “Do you know how to reach the heir?” Edward asked, his mind swirling with the news he had just received.

  “Just before leaving for Ramsgate, Thomas received a letter from the young man. His name is William Collins, and he is the parson at Hunsford. I believe Thomas said the man was betrothed. So if he is to start a family, the last thing he will wish is to have other relations living in his home. Especially bringing a new bride who will be the Mistress of the estate. Fanny will not allow another lady to hold the position over her, you know that as well as I.”

  “After two and twenty years of marriage, it would be difficult for her to step down to any lady, even one of her daughters.” Edward said. “If only she would accept the change in a polite manner, and be kind to the new Mistress, it would be so much the better for her and the girls. But she will treat the Collins family as interlopers. And Fanny will not be civil, as she has already ranted at me, blaming Lizzy and me for Thomas’ death.”

  “How are you and Lizzy responsible for a carriage accident?” Mr Phillips asked, shocked at Fanny Bennet’s foolishness.

  “Because we convinced Thomas to make the journey. If we had not, she feels Thomas would have remained home and would still be alive.”

  “How is Lizzy? Matthew stated that she had a broken leg.”

  Mr Gardiner nodded his head. “I did not remain in Town long enough to hear the physician’s diagnoses. I fear the travel may have caused her more harm, as she was in pain the entire journey. But she would not remain at the inn where we found her. There had been a situation with the relations of the gentleman who occupied the other carriage. From what I was informed, the man was unconscious and Lizzy was assisting in tending his injuries. The relation accused Lizzy of attempting to cause a compromise. If I had known of the man’s ill treatment of my niece before we left, I would have had words with him. But it was only after we left the inn that I learned the truth. Lizzy was nearly out of her mind with her insistence to leave.”

  “And she must be devastated with the loss of her beloved father. They were always so close.”

  “Thomas always doted on Lizzy. She was dear to him, as Lydia is to Fanny.”

  Mr Phillips sighed. “Well, for now, the situation will have to wait for Mr Collins to inform us of his intentions. If he is kind, and Fanny can hold her tongue, all may turn out well.”

  “We can also pray for a snow storm in the desert.” Mr Gardiner said, knowing his sister well.

  ~~ ** ~~

  The memories from the previous year continued to flood Mr Gardiner’s mind. Mr Collins arrived at Longbourn a week after Thomas Bennet was laid to rest in the family plot, near the graves of his parents.

  Having decided to marry his fiancé before taking his inheritance, Mr Collins brought with him his bride, her widowed mother, and two younger sisters. This news caused Fanny Bennet even more frustrations. She could not speak of the Collins family with civility, which caused Mr Collins to become frustrated and unwilling to be kind to the Bennets. He allowed them to live in the gamekeeper’s cottage, though he insisted on rent being paid. This cut the already strained budget for Mrs Bennet and her daughters, leaving them nearly penniless. With no servants, the Bennet sisters had to learn to do the cooking and cleaning.

  Mrs Bennet refused to have any further contact with her brother and her second born daughter. This did not keep her from venting her anger towards them, as she told everyone who would listen of her hardship. Mrs Phillips, Fanny’s younger sister, grew tired of hearing the complaints, as Mrs Bennet was a frequent visitor at the Phillips home in Meryton. And, as the Bennets no longer had a carriage of their own, and Mr Collins was not inclined to be generous to them, Mrs Bennet would plead with her sister for the use of the Phillips’ carriage to take her home, usually after taking dinner at their home.

  “You have no notion of how horrible it is to have to endure all the suffering I now bear. To have been the Mistress of the estate and now reduced to paying rent for a rundown shack and have no servants, it tears at my heart to be forced to live in such a way.” Fanny fluttered her handkerchief as she spoke. “It is because Edward and Lizzy were so insistent that Thomas make the journey, they have ruined my life and the lives of my daughters for their foolishness. Thomas did not wish to make the journey, he always spoke of how he disliked making long trips in the carriage. But Lizzy had to have her holiday, and Edward accommodated her whims. The two of them should be made to pay for their misdeed, but there is no possible way for me to punish them.”

  “Fanny, you had best make your piece with our brother. He would be willing to assist you, if you would allow him to do so.”

  “Blood money. Any assistance from Edward would be blood money. I will not allow him to have such control over my life. But my poor girls, they are suffering terribly. Poor Jane, if this continues, her bloom will fade before she is able to capture a husband. She was born so beautiful that she would be able to catch a wealthy husband. And then she would be able to put her sisters in the path of other wealthy gentlemen. But I fear it will not happen soon enough.”

  “Jane could go to Town to liv
e with our brother.” Mrs Phillips declared. She knew that their brother would gladly welcome their eldest niece into his home.”

  “And allow him to take my dear Jane from me? He has taken my husband and home from me, I will not stand by and watch him take anything else from me.”

  Mrs Phillips decided to change the subject. “Did you hear that Netherfield Park was let at last? By a young man of five thousand per annum.”

  Mrs Bennet’s ears perked with the intelligence. “Please Sister, tell me more.”

  After hearing all her sister had heard of the young man, Mrs Bennet smiled, reminding her sister of a cat ready to pounce on a mouse. “This is wonderful news, and the perfect solution for my girls.”

  “How so?” Mrs Phillips frowned.

  “A young man of fortune must be in want of a wife. And my daughters are the most beautiful in the neighborhood. I will rely upon your good husband to make the introductions for us.” Mrs Bennet’s mind was distracted with determining the best way to put her daughters in the path of Mr Charles Bingley. “And as we have no proper way of entertaining him at our cottage, we will need to invite him to dine at your home, Sister.”

  Mrs Phillips groaned silently. “Sir William Lucas informed my husband that Mr Bingley will be attending our assembly tomorrow night.”

  “Of course we must attend, though we will have to walk, having no carriage to transport us. And then my dear Jane will not be at her best. Oh, my, it is important to have Mr Bingley meet Jane when she is at her best.”

  “Fanny, you are in mourning for your husband. It would not be proper to attend the assembly only two months after Thomas’ death.”

  “There are more important matters than our mourning for Thomas. Having husbands for my daughters is my priority now, and that is all there is to be said. Now, I will just have to find a way to make the long walk to the assembly, so that we meet Mr Bingley.”

  Rolling her eyes at the blatant begging of the use of their carriage, Mrs Phillips finally agreed to send her carriage to transport the Bennets to the assembly. To her way of thinking, if Jane or one of the other sisters were to marry well, Fanny’s situation would improve, and she would no longer be such a burden on the Phillips.

  ~~ ** ~~

  Fortunately, Jane fell in love with and was loved by Charles Bingley. Though she did not come with a dowry of any consequence, as she and her sisters would have fifty pounds each as their portion after their mother’s death, Bingley did not care. His wealth came from trade, so marrying a gentleman’s daughter, even an impoverished gentleman’s daughter, was a step up for him in society.

  The couple became engaged, though they both insisted on waiting for their full mourning at six months to be over, out of respect for Mr Bennet. This frustrated Mrs Bennet further, for she could not tolerate her living conditions and felt that the marriage should happen sooner so that their family could move with Jane to Netherfield.

  The news that Mrs Bennet and the youngest three daughters planned to move to Netherfield was not a pleasant prospect for Mr Bingley. Though he was a kind and caring man, with much the same temperament of his betrothed, Mrs Bennet could grate on his nerves. And her parenting skills with regards to her youngest daughters left much to be desired. Kitty and Lydia Bennet were amongst the silliest young ladies in all of England, and were left to run wild most of the time, forcing their sisters Mary and Jane to do all the work at the cottage. Having them living at Netherfield was not what Bingley would prefer, though he would not allow his betrothed’s family to suffer in poverty.

  Charles Bingley also had two sisters of his own. His eldest sister, Louisa, was married to Mr Gilbert Hurst. Hurst was usually intoxicated, due to his dislike of the younger sister, Miss Caroline Bingley. Caroline Bingley was a fortune hunter, preferring to leave their family history in trade far behind and rise in society to the upper circles. Her behavior was difficult to tolerate and had alienated the Bingleys from many of their family’s friends.

  So combining the two families at Netherfield was enough to cause even the amiable Bingley and Jane to fret.

  ~~ ** ~~

  After the carriage accident, Mrs Bennet had demanded her daughters to cut all contact with Elizabeth and the Gardiner family. This was difficult for Jane, as she dearly loved her sister. Fortunately, it was discovered that Bingley and Mr Gardiner had had business dealings together. Through Bingley, Jane was able to contact her sister and their relations in Town.

  When it came time for the wedding, Mrs Bennet refused to allow Jane to invite the Gardiners to attend, and was adamant that Lizzy would not be allowed to stand up with Jane. This had always been a dream of the two eldest sisters, that they would bear witness for each other at their weddings. Jane was deeply grieved by her mother’s decision, but decided to obey her mother out of respect.

  Fortunately, Jane and Bingley stayed in Town at the townhouse of his dearest friend, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy. Darcy was at his estate in Derbyshire and had offered the use of Darcy House to the newlyweds to have a bit of a honeymoon. While in Town, Jane was finally able to see her beloved sister and the Gardiners frequently.

  The changes Jane found in her sister were tremendous.

  Elizabeth had gone through a change due to the accident. Her leg did not heal properly, which left her with a limp and she suffered pain every day. She had always been an avid walker, taking long walks in nature surrounding her father’s estate. It had been an ongoing tease when Elizabeth could not be found in the house. But now, she was unable to take pleasure in nature.

  The pain of losing her father had weighed heavily on Elizabeth as well. Added on top of the pain was the way her mother had behaved, blaming Elizabeth for Mr Bennet’s death and refusing to allow any contact between Elizabeth and her sisters. Not having her dearest friend and sister to comfort her, Elizabeth suffered from melancholy for many months.

  The melancholy took away the joy of life which had nearly radiated from Elizabeth. Before the accident, Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled with mischief and happiness. Now they were nearly lifeless orbs.

  Being able to spend time with Jane, Elizabeth’s melancholy lifted slightly, but returned to its former level after the newlyweds returned to Netherfield. With their mother and younger sisters living at Netherfield, it would be difficult for Jane to write or receive letters between her and Lizzy. It would often be weeks between correspondences, leaving Elizabeth feeling isolated and alone.

  Finally, Mr Gardiner decided that something had to be done to improve Elizabeth’s state of mind. Knowing how well educated she was, and that she was proficient in several languages, Mr Gardiner asked her to join him at his warehouse to interpret any letters he received and assist with his paperwork. Elizabeth had wished for a way to make herself useful, so she gladly accepted his offer of work. It was fortunate that the Gardiner home was only half a block from the warehouse, allowing Elizabeth to walk there.

  ~~~~~~~ ** ~~~~~~~

  Chapter 5

  “Lizzy, your aunt sent something for you to eat. She says you have not been eating properly, so please, take the time to do so. We worry about your health.”

  Elizabeth was saddened to know she was causing her loved ones further fears. She had felt guilty for all that they had been through for her, including the breech in the family. In her mind, it was all her fault that her father had died, not the Gardiners.

  “Forgive me Uncle, I have not felt up to eating of late. I will try to do better.”

  “Lizzy, my dear girl, you do not have to do better for me. You must do so for yourself. Do you believe your father would wish to see you in such a manner? He loved you, as we do. I know it has been a full year now, and that you still struggle with the loss. But it is time to move forward. Thomas Bennet would not have approved of wallowing in self-pity. It is time you show the world that you are just as strong as he was.”

  Elizabeth nodded her head before returning her gaze to the papers on her desk. “Charles sent you a letter of introduction for his friend to com
e see you. The gentleman wishes to invest and Charles told him that investing with you would be the wisest decision.” She handed her uncle the letter. “The man’s name sounds familiar, though I cannot place it.”

  “I have never heard of him, but that does not matter. I will send a message to him asking for a meeting to be arranged.” Mr Gardiner leaned over and placed a kiss on his niece’s hair. “And Benjamin told me that you promised to read to him when you are home tonight. I was to remind you for him.”

  A soft chuckle escaped from Elizabeth. “He has already reminded me three times since I made the promise last night.”

  “He is persistent, and knows what he wants. When I am old and grey, I believe he will be more than capable to take over the business.”

  “Indeed. Why, he might even be able to take over next year, after he turns seven.” Elizabeth teased. “He has even decided that he will marry Miss Alice Frost when he turns eight. Benjamin insisted on waiting until then to marry.”

  “That is my son for you. At least he has good taste in young ladies.” Mr Gardiner stated as he laughed.

  ~~ ** ~~

  Fitzwilliam Darcy arrived at Gardiner’s Imports at the appointed time for his meeting. He was not sure about doing business with someone who was located in Cheapside, but he knew his friend would not put him in danger. He exited his carriage and entered the warehouse, looking all about.

  “Scues me Sir, might I be of service?” A young man asked.

  “I have a meeting with Mr Gardiner. My name is Mr Darcy.”

  “Mr Gardiner is talkin’ to the foreman, but you can go to his office. Up them there stairs, and the first door on the right. I will let him know you be there.”

  Darcy walked to the staircase, and began to climb them. From the stairs, Darcy was able to see further into the warehouse. It was clean, orderly, and well stocked, from what he could see. Turning his attention back towards the office, he soon had his hand on the doorknob and was entering the room. He was not prepared to find anyone in the room, let alone a young lady.