When they arrived at their destination, Andrew pulled Bennet aside.“We need to have a family meeting that includesallwho will be affected. I can tell you that my sister will not react well if we make a decision behind closed doors without including her, as it affects her more than any of us,” Andrew told his new uncle.
“Then a family meeting it will be,” Bennet resolved. He was sorry that a matter of business had called his brother Gardiner and his family back to town a few days earlier, but he expected the Gardiners to return before the funeral service the next day. Gardiner was a highly intelligent man, and Bennet would have enjoyed his and his wife’s perspectives on the way forward.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Franklin, do you realise that you could have ruined us all if Bennet had not been so benevolent?” Sir William demanded once he, his heir, and wife were in his study with the door shut.“Charlotte is well married, but do you have any idea what you would have caused for Mariah and John?”
For the first time in many years, Franklin Lucas wept openly, and his mother hugged him.“I am so sorry and ashamed of my actions,” he repeated until he calmed down.
“We are sorry that you had to endure what you did at Oxford. Why did you not tell us?” Sarah Lucas asked.
“I felt that as a man I had to find a solution on my own. I know now that I should have sought your counsel, seeing how terribly I have behaved. In my mind, I held all of the first circles responsible for the handful at Oxford who tormented me. I knew that Jane Bennet had a large dowry, and with it I would no longer be poor; I would be accepted, and when she accepted the Duke just after rejecting me, something in me snapped. It was only today, when I literally had the sense knocked into me, that I woke up to what I have been doing and planning. I am deeply ashamed of myself and horrified at my own actions.” His parents glanced at one another and neither doubted that Franklin was contrite and had seen the error of his ways.
“The mark of a true man, my son, is not that he never makes a mistake, but how he goes about fixing his mistakes and taking the responsibility for them. We will wait to hear from Longbourn regarding their decisions, and then we will help in any way that they see fit,” Sir William stated resolutely, and his wife and son agreed without reservation.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After dinner, all of the family except for the youngest members in the nursery met in Longbourn’s largest drawing room. Mr Hill was instructed that they were not to be disturbed, and after the door was closed Andrew and Bennet informed those who did not know of what Franklin Lucas had done and the confrontation at Lucas Lodge.
“What will we do, Andrew? I thought that I had more time before the world knew of my true connection to my birth family,” Elizabeth asked.
“As did we all, Sprite,” Andrew responded sympathetically.
“We do not have to decide today, and Mr Bingley’s funeral is on the morrow. If you want to think about this and what you prefer, Lizzy, we can revisit the topic after we return from Netherfield,” Bennet offered.
Elizabeth took a moment to consider the new situation.“No, Uncle Thomas, there is no need to wait. The reason I waited to reveal my true connection was to allow me time to know my birth family without the scrutiny of others, especially the Ton. It seems that young Mr Lucas has taken that decision out of our hands. I do not see another option. We need to announce the truth before the rumours take hold,” Elizabeth proposed.
“We could try and contain the news to Meryton and its environs,” Frank Phillips suggested.
“Given how much interest there is in Lizzy, I am sure that the rumours will be sold or leaked to a London gossip rag,” Jane opined the practicality, despite the distastefulness of the possibility.
“My betrothed is correct,” Perry added in support of his love,“I do not believe that we can bury this here and hope it does not spread.”
“Then we will send a notice to the Times,” Andrew resigned himself to the prospect of the Ton’s reaction.
“I have a suggestion,” Lady Rose spoke for the first time. All eyes turned to her.“Allow me to write to my cousin and have her and the family make a royal announcement. That way no one will be able to question that there is not full support of the families and make everyone aware that any who try to use the news against us would be rendered mute.”
“My mother’s plan has merit,” Perry agreed.
“What about in Meryton?” William Bennet asked,“not only did Franklin state the true connection, but he also lied about why Lizzy is not living here.”
“My Hattie will make sure that the truth is well known,” Frank Phillips waved that off as it would take but a moment to correct.
“Let us see if he was sincere,” Will had a thought.“Lucas said he was willing to tell everyone the truth, so as soon as we announce that the Bennets are in fact Lizzy’s birth family, let him tell one and all that he lied about her being forced to live as a Fitzwilliam.”
“My son has a good suggestion,” Anne Darcy agreed.
“He had better do whatever he can to fix what he broke,” Richard bit out,“or I can gospeakto him again.”
“I do not believe that will be needed, Richard,” Bennet said with a grin as he visualised Franklin Lucas prostrate on his back.“I believe that his contrition was sincere.”
“It will not only be Hattie,” Tammy Bennet stated emphatically.“The rest of us, and our friends who know the truth, and I am sure that Sarah Lucas will be very vocal as well. We will all make sure that the truth is known, so if anyone repeats the nonsense about why Lizzy is not with us, they will be looked at with all the ridicule a liar deserves.”
With the decisions made, Lady Rose sat and wrote her note to the Queen, and as soon as she finished, a Bennet courier was sent racing toward London, to Buckingham House.
“Jane’s wedding is in January and all of you are invited; why not stay and spend Christmastide with us?” Tammy suggested.“It will allow us all to get to know one another much better away from the scrutiny of the Ton in London.” After brief discussions, all three visiting families accepted the invitation with pleasure.
“Are you well with all of this, Lizzy?” Georgiana asked quietly as she sat next to her best friend and cousin.
