by Kate Speck
Chapter 8
July 1809
“It is wonderful to finally meet you at last, Miss Elizabeth!” Mr. John Knightley cheerfully commented after introductions were made at Netherfield. “I have heard much about you from Darcy during our travels and I nearly expected to find a swashbuckling pirate with an eyepatch and a sword instead.” The group gleefully laughed.
Lizzy replied, “I assure you, if it had not been for my sister,” she tapped Jane’s hand, “you would have found me on my tree with my compass and spyglass to fight off my imaginary enemies. She had to remind me of the time so I could look presentable for Will’s dear friends. I am deeply sorry to hear of your father’s passing, Mr. Knightley.” She turned to his wife, “I have heard you have been close neighbours with each other for years. How wonderful that you know your husband’s character well, Mrs. Knightley.”
“Isabella, please, Miss Elizabeth.” The genteel lady smiled. “I am comforted in knowing him for a long time, and it is satisfying to know that he will not regret his choice of a wife after having travelled to the corners of this country to meet various people and see his options.” She laughed. “And now that we are happily married, we look forward to starting our lives together in London while he finishes his studies. He will be a barrister in two or three years with his connections and has already been popular with the members of the Inn of Courts.”
“How wonderful!” Lizzy responded, “I would love to see a court proceeding and help those in need. There is so much work to be done. And please call me ‘Lizzy,’ Isabella.”
Jane asked, “And please call me Jane. Have you found a townhouse to your liking in London, Mrs. Knightley?”
“Isabella, Jane.” Mrs. Knightley smiled. “Yes, we have found one to lease near Grosvenor Square and it is being readied this month. If we like it enough, we hope to purchase it after the Ramsgate cottage is sold. When we return from the seaside, we will be able to reside there instead of staying with Mr. Knightley’s uncle in town. He is a kind man but quite eccentric.”
“That is very sensible.” Lizzy spoke, “It is far better to live independently for a while than to reside with a relative who might not understand you in the beginning of your marriage.”
Mr. Knightley responded, “I agree with you, Miss Elizabeth. Although I love my brother, it felt as if we were taking a holiday there during the first weeks of our marriage and then my father-in-law was constantly needing Isabella’s attendance. We are looking forward to departing tomorrow to Ramsgate and will have our delayed wedding trip of sorts. We are pleased that you will all join us, as we will have good company to enjoy the seaside together.”
“I was there with the Darcys three autumns ago, while Will was travelling with you, of course, and I loved sitting on the beach and listening to the waves all day. Georgie will have Miss Carter for company again and Jane will have Isabella, while I drift off to my own world of wishing for a life of a sailor or a pirate.” Lizzy beamed. “I disappeared for hours last time and Mr. Darcy and Mrs. Anne had to form a search party to look for me. I had never seen Mrs. Anne so upset but she forgave me once she realised that I was only down the street with a kind, elderly man and his wife, who was regaling me with his stories as a yeoman on a naval ship. She made me promise to never do it again and I had to notify her wherever I went for the next fortnight, even if only to retire to my rooms!”
Everyone laughed and William continued, “I rarely heard a cross word from my own mother but she told me that she had let out a few expletives when Lizzy disappeared in Ramsgate. I had warned her that Lizzy caused my grey hairs but she had not experienced it herself.” He looked at her fondly, “But I would not change her for the world.”
Lizzy tenderly returned the smile while the others spoke. Soon, Lizzy and Jane returned home and Mr. and Mrs. Knightley were shown to their rooms to rest before dinner.
~*~
John Knightley spoke with William as they were fishing in the pond the next morning while Isabella was sitting indoors with Mr. Darcy and Lady Anne. “Lizzy is an extraordinary girl, Darcy. I see why you love her.”
William nodded, “That she is, Knightley. That is why I wish for her to see the Ramsgate house. I know I will not be able to change her mind, although I hope for a miracle that I will be able to marry her someday, but I want to provide her security and she will always have a place to go if she should need a home for herself. If she likes the place, I plan on giving it to her. I hope to have her stay with me always but the cottage will belong to her.”
“I have never known anyone so generous, Darcy.” Mr. Knightley chuckled. “You were always benevolent with me and all of your closest friends, but I know Lizzy means the world to you and she seems to care for you very much. She is not yet seventeen and might change her mind later. Be patient, my friend. She loves you. She looks at you the way my Isabella looks at me and that is not the love between friends but something more. Be patient.”
“Thank you,” William smiled. “She is the most obstinate girl I know but she is worth the wait. Let us return now. I have caught one fish and you, four. You are clearly the winner.”
The gentlemen gathered their gear and returned to Netherfield, from where they would depart for Ramsgate later that morning in two carriages, one with only the Knightleys for privacy and the other, with two Darcys and two Bennets, along with Miss Carter.
~*~
“It is a comfortable house, much bigger than I had expected. You call it a cottage but it is nearly as large as Longbourn and it will be delightful for a peaceful holiday during the summer!” Lizzy proclaimed after their tour with the housekeeper. “I believe I could live here for the rest of my life, looking at the sea and listening to the waves every day.” They sat in the drawing room for refreshments.
Georgiana laughed, “That’s what you say about every place you go, Lizzy! You said the same about Pemberley, Darcy House, and even Rosings Park. I think you said you could live in your tree all your life, also!”
Lizzy giggled, “I did say that, did I not? Oh, Georgie, I say it because I mean it. I am happy wherever I can find some peace and quiet and good friends are near. My only regret is that I suffer from a terrible ailment that cannot be cured.”
“Oh, whatever is the matter, Lizzy?” Isabella Knightley inquired. “I did not know that you were ill!”
Jane and Georgiana laughed while Lizzy responded with a sly smile, “Only seasickness, Isabella. The one thing that a sailor cannot suffer, my body rejects life on a boat. Did you know that Lord Nelson suffered greatly from seasickness as well? He was constantly emptying the contents of his stomach when aboard a ship.”
After the laughter calmed, William spoke firmly to his friend, “Please promise me that you will not sneak off on your own, Lizzy. Whether in the early morning or the middle of the night, will you alert me if you wish to step out?” He gave her a look of pleading.
Lizzy nodded her agreement, “Of course, Will. I will be responsible since we have Georgiana with us and I must set a good example,” she looked at the elder governess, “otherwise Miss Carter might make me write lines again!” She laughed. “I would like a walk now, though, if you do not mind. I would like to see the elderly couple again. They were very kind and gave me cakes and punch when I stayed with them for an hour.”
“I will walk with you, Lizzy. The ladies can rest before dinner and we can see how much has changed since I was here last.” William stood to head out of doors with his favourite. He bore a large grin on his face as she held his arm and looked up adoringly at him.
~*~
“Good afternoon,” Lizzy nodded after knocking. “I am looking for Mr. and Mrs. Jameson. Are they in?”
The woman answered as she rocked the crying babe in her arms, “Jameson... Jameson... You are?”
William answered, “Mr. Darcy and Miss B...”
“DANIEL?! DANIEL! MR. AND MRS. DARCY ARE HERE ABOUT JAMESON?” She yelled at someone in the back of the small home. She turned back, “Please p
ardon me. My husband will arrive shortly.” She rushed to return to whatever task she was doing.
An unkempt man arrived to the door, “Uh, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy? You are looking for the Jamesons?” William nodded without correcting their names. “They are gone. That was the name of the couple that lived here before us but I think the old man died and his wife went to live with her son somewhere... Portsmouth, I think. Someplace far.”
Lizzy asked, “How long have you lived here, sir?”
The man answered, “Nearly three years.”
“Thank you,” William nodded and handed him a coin, “Our apologies for disturbing you while you are busy.” He turned and walked to Lizzy who was already several steps away in the street. “Are you well?” He pulled out his handkerchief after seeing her tears fall.
“Oh, he was such a nice man, Will. It sounds as if he passed away a little after I met him. How precious life is; one never knows when the day is one’s last.” Lizzy wiped her face.
William wrapped his arm around her and rubbed her back. “I am sorry, Lizzy.”
Lizzy lay her head on his chest, “I know life goes on. Everyone lives and dies and there is a time for everything. I will be fine.”
“Yes, life is precious.” William released her and stood upright. “To cheer you up, I plan on taking you on the waters tomorrow. We will not sail on it since I do not wish for you to become ill, but we will be allowed to tour on one of the larger fishing ships and the captain has agreed to allow you to test the ropes and show us how the fishing nets work. How does that sound?”
Lizzy softly smiled as her spirits arose, “How do you know everything I love, Will? You are so considerate.”
“I know you, Lizzy, better than anyone else knows you.” William gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. “I want to give you every happiness.”
Lizzy was touched and kissed his palm. “Thank you, Will. You are the best.”
William gathered her on his arm again to stroll the street when he saw someone he recognised. He stopped his steps abruptly and exclaimed, “Good heavens, what in the world is SHE doing here?!”
“She seems to be heading into that house, Will. Do you know who lives there?” Lizzy asked him. “She is supposed to be a hundred miles from here.”
William scowled, “I will find out how she left her home. Lady Catherine was to be confined to Brighton but somehow, she is here and visiting an old acquaintance. Father will not be happy when he hears about this. I will have a man follow her and discover what she is up to.” He led her expeditiously back to the cottage. “If it is the same person in that house as before, Lady Catherine is meeting with a widow and her scoundrel of a son, who is vain and mercenary. He attended Oxford but I heard about him when he visited Cambridge and he is charming and can easily fool a woman into believing that he is desperately in love with her. He attempted to swindle a friend’s sister who had a large dowry but she was kept safe when my friend began to spread rumours that her dowry had been lost to gambling and he quickly abandoned her.”
“Such a rake! What could Lady Catherine be doing with that family?” Lizzy asked. “Surely Anne is safe at Matlock and no one can tempt her away with Mrs. Jenkinson’s care!”
William shook his head, “Mrs. Jenkinson is fully capable of protecting her but Robert and his wife are planning on a trip to Bath next month. If Lady Catherine has enough funds to hire a fool to spy on Anne, and if she is planning on using John Thorpe to attract Anne’s affections, my cousin will easily fall for his charms. Thorpe is known for his good looks and can entice a lady easily to his will; Anne will wish to marry him and he will gain her dowry.”
Lizzy let out a deep breath. “This is when I am infinitely glad that I have no dowry and no beauty to tempt a man. I would not wish to be pursued on false pretences by a man who does not truly love me.” She looked up and saw William’s darkened face. “I am sorry, Will. I did not mean to say...”
“Is it truly that difficult for you to believe that I find you beyond tempting, Lizzy?” William sighed as he looked into her eyes, “I will not ask you again but if you ever change your mind, I would marry you in a heartbeat. You are the handsomest lady of my acquaintance, Lizzy, and the best woman I know. Do not forget that.”
Lizzy squeezed his arm, “I will never doubt it again. I know you to be an honest man and I thank you for your compliments. I could not imagine life without you, Will.”
William raised her hand and kissed it. “Now, I need to write to my father and we must discover what Lady Catherine is planning. John Thorpe’s father was her solicitor for a few years in Kent and she was friendly with Mrs. Thorpe. That woman was always overindulgent with her obnoxious son and daughters and never saw any wrong in them. John’s younger sister, Isabella Thorpe, is worse than John himself, I have heard, and I am glad I have never met her and will never acknowledge her.” They walked into the cottage. “Please let your sister and the Knightleys know what has happened and I will write my letters.” He stopped her for a moment, “Oh, Lizzy? Do you like the house? Shall I purchase it?”
Lizzy grinned, “I like it very much, Will. It will be a perfect home for you and your family when you holiday here. I will be the doting aunt who will teach your children to climb trees and play hide-and-seek. I will leave your wife to teach your daughters how to sew and play the pianoforte. My playing is improved since Miss Carter has insisted on hearing me practice daily, but it is not capital by any means.”
“You play beautifully and listening to you sing brings me great pleasure, Lizzy. You are more accomplished in the areas that actually matter and I will be more than happy to bring you here anytime you wish. We still have the boat tour tomorrow and a concert next week, and I have heard there is to be a lecture on navigation and stargazing in a few days. Would you like to attend with me? It is to be held at night-time so the guests can look through the telescopes and study astronomy.”
Lizzy beamed brightly and nodded. “It would be wonderful, Will. Go; I will let the others know about Lady Catherine. I am most eager to be here with you this time. Everything is certainly more adventurous when I am with you, Will.”
Chapter 9
“What the devil are you doing in Ramsgate, Fitzwilliam?!” Lady Catherine bellowed. “You are...” she glared at the petite lady on her nephew’s arm, “you are that chit that was in his rooms at Rosings. I knew you were attempting to entrap my nephew and it seems you have succeeded.”
William stood inches from his aunt’s face and growled, “Do not dare besmirch Miss Bennet’s good name and virtue, Lady Catherine. I know what you are up to and I find it hard to forgive you for all the trouble you have caused my family.”
“I do not know of what you are speaking!” Lady Catherine huffed. “I am here on a much-deserved holiday after I had been imprisoned in Brighton and am only visiting a friend. I have the right to come and go as I please. My brother might have banished me and cut my funds but I can go wherever I wish!”
“But you are not at liberty to offend my friends and I know you are up to something.” William retorted. “Since when have you been such a good friend to the wife of a solicitor? You, who looked down on my father for not being titled, suddenly pronounce such a relationship with Mrs. Thorpe? I have written to my father and I will be watching you.” He turned and departed with Lizzy on his arm.
Lizzy laughed while they walked away from the sour woman, “You did not give me a chance to greet her, Will! I know she had much more to say to me.”
William relaxed and smiled, “I will not allow one word of insult to flow from her mouth, Lizzy. I did not think she would come to an art gallery but it appears I was wrong. Now that she knows we are here, we will have to act swiftly. We will need to approach Thorpe and carry out our plans as discussed. Father thought it perfect in his letter yesterday and fully approves.” He looked lovingly at the woman on his arm, “Are you ready to try your luck in acting? The world will be your stage and John Thorpe, your spectator.”
“I
am ready, sir!” Lizzy answered. “I will play my part while you play yours, and Jane and the Knightleys are fully prepared as well. Georgiana only wishes she could participate but I promised to entertain her with the full details after we complete our task. John Thorpe will wish he never met us!”
They smiled in amusement and returned to the cottage to alert their friends of their roles to play.
~*~
“Miss! You dropped your handkerchief.” The handsome man came rushing towards the two ladies gracefully strolling the street. “You dropped this lovely piece of cloth.”
“Oh, thank you, kind sir!” Lizzy exclaimed. “This is my favourite handkerchief, as my dearest sister here had embroidered such a beautiful pattern for me. Please allow me to introduce myself and my sister to thank you properly, Mr....?”
“I am John Thorpe. It is a pleasure.” He gawked at the pretty woman with the shining eyes, then leered at the tall, fair blonde. “Such a pleasure to meet two beautiful ladies.”
Lizzy giggled charmingly, “I am Miss Elizabeth and this is my sister, Miss Bennet. We are visiting from out of town. Are you from near here, Mr. Thorpe?”
Thorpe proudly answered, “I have this summer house here for my use,” he pointed to the small home, “and I am here with my mother. My sisters are with their governess in Fullerton in our modest home there but I am quite happy to bring my mother so she can enjoy the seaside for a few weeks.”
“I am happy to hear it, sir!” Lizzy replied. “We have recently inherited a large bequest from our uncle and are here in Ramsgate to purchase a home for holiday use. Do you know that house over there?” She pointed to Mr. Knightley’s home. “We are considering it and I wonder if you can be of assistant to us. Do you know this area well? I wonder if you know if it is a sound house. The solicitor does not seem to be forthcoming with us, being only women after all, and since you have been so gentlemanly in assisting us, I wonder if we can trouble you to inspect the cottage with us. We could be close neighbours if all goes well.” She fluttered her lashes alluringly.
