Page 80 of Resilience

“How is Lydia?” Darcy and the rest of the household had finally begun to refer to Elizabeth’s youngest sister informally, for she could not bear to be called by her late husband’s name constantly at home.

“Relieved that she is completely safe from his ever returning to claim her, guilty and grieving over her child, still,” Elizabeth murmured as she took a seat by the fireplace and Darcy sat close beside her. “She is nervous to be home. Our old friends will visit and expect the old Lydia, and she knows how changed she is. She is not equal to pretending for them. It was hard enough for her to do it by letter to Kitty and Mama before we took her from Newcastle.”

“At least she is physically recovered.” Darcy took Elizabeth’s hand in his. “If we had brought her home two months ago, they would never have recognised her.”

Lydia was drastically altered when they found her, and the loss of her child had only deepened the shadows under her eyes. But Elizabeth would not allow her sister to waste away. She pestered Lydia daily to eat well, sit in the sun, and take exercise as often as possible with her or Georgiana. Lydia was still painfully thin, but that could be easily attributed to her recent losses. Thankfully, her face had regained a bit of its fullness, and her colour was much improved, even if the poor girl looked morbidly depressing in black.

“You worry too much,” Darcy said in a low voice. “Tomorrow is soon enough to worry over your mother and your sister. Tonight, let us take a tray in our room. Let everyone take trays in their rooms. We have had a long journey. We will call upon Longbourn tomorrow morning.”

Mrs Bennet was seated in the drawing room the next morning when they were announced by Mrs Hill. Elizabeth’s mother did not rise as they entered. Her expression was a mixture of fear and resentment.

Elizabeth and her sisters curtsied to their mother as their husbands bowed.

“Mama,” Elizabeth greeted her as she rose, but her mother’s gaze did not soften.

“Well,” Mrs Bennet spoke at last, her gaze sweeping over them with displeasure. “I see you have come, despite my not having sent for you. That is typical of you, Lizzy, always deciding for yourself. Always pushing in.”

Elizabeth was calm. “We thought it would be best for your daughters to be nearby.”

“Your father is much improved, not that it is your business. It is your fault he fell ill. You refused to return to Longbourn when he asked for your help,” Mrs Bennet snapped. “Now he is overworked.”

“Mama, my father left Derbyshire months ago. Doing so without me has hardly caused him harm,” Elizabeth argued. “Besides, you always told me that my only priority in life was to be married and to marry well if I could. I became engaged the very same day my father departed, so I believed I was doing your bidding.”

Mrs Bennet’s gaze wandered around the room until it landed upon Lydia. “And you, young miss, you have a great deal to answer for.”

Elizabeth felt both of her sisters stiffen. Indeed, everyone in the room instantly became guarded, for everyone was protective of Lydia.

“To run off the way that you did,” Mrs Bennet scolded. “Then to have the audacity to rid yourself of your husband in less than a year! Do you know how embarrassed I have been? A daughter married and widowed before she has even learnt her duties. Disgraceful, miss!”

“Mama,” Elizabeth warned her mother. “Lieutenant Wickham died of typhus on his way to battle. Lydia is hardly responsible.”

Her mother ignored her. “And now you turn up on my doorstep, no doubt expecting to be kept. Let me be perfectly clear, Mrs Wickham. I have enough burdens without supporting a girl who disobliged her mother by finding a husband and failing to keep him.”

Lydia had not precisely expected to be welcomed by the mother whom Elizabeth informed her had gleefully sent Mary and Kitty away into arranged marriages just on Jane’s demand. She had, however, once been her mother’s favourite. As she realised she could not even expect affection from her previously doting parent, her face drained of what little colour she had gained in recent weeks.

“Of course, I have no desire to burden you, Mama.” Lydia dropped her eyes back to the floor.

“Lizzy would wish to hide you here during your mourning, but I will not keep you. Not after your behavior drove away your eldest sister and her dear husband! They will not take a chance at becoming responsible for you, and so I must do without my eldest daughter’s support when I need it most!”

“Jane demanded that you marry us all off so she would not be burdened with us, and we have all married, just as she bid,” Elizabeth interrupted furiously. “Lydia has been gone for months, and even in her widowed state, it is openly known that I have taken responsibility for her. Your daughter left Meryton the moment my father became ill because she did not want to become responsible for you.”

“I beg everyone’s pardon, but I am becoming impatient at this subject of conversation,” Mary spoke up. “My husband and I, indeed everyone here, have traveled to Meryton in haste because my father is ill. You say that Papa is much improved, Mrs Bennet, but you do not say how. Would you please be more explicit about the reason we all came?”

Mrs Bennet glared at her third daughter. “That would be your concern, Mary Bennet. Your father has improved. You should not plan to inherit on this visit.”

“That is not fair,” Elizabeth disagreed. “You wished for Mary to marry Papa’s heir. Indeed, you danced about this very room when you learnt of it. You can hardly object to her position now. Mr Bennet is still her father.”

Mrs Bennet clamped her mouth shut and glared at them, refusing to give them the information they sought.

“It is enough to know today that my father-in-law has improved,” Mr Collins said, looking at Darcy in an effort to dispel the resentment in the room. “We shall return tomorrow, and perhaps he might be well enough for one of us to visit him.”

“Indeed,” Darcy agreed with Collins. “Mrs Bennet, we rejoice in hearing that Mr Bennet’s health is improving. If you require anything for his comfort, whether it is fruit or medicine from town, or to send for my physician, please call for us. We will trouble you no further today.”

Mrs Bennet rose and rang for Mrs Hill, waving a hand at them in disregard. “See that you do not.”

Later that day, Elizabeth looked out the window to see Lydia in the garden at Netherfield, sitting alone on a bench, staring thoughtfully at the view of Hertfordshire the vantage afforded. A flash of colour appeared. Of course. Lydia’s best friend, Maria Lucas would turn up as soon as it was known that she was here.

Elizabeth left the parlour and the house by the front door, hoping to distract Maria with her own greeting if Lydia needed her. The young ladies sat upon the bench side by side, facing away from her as she approached.