Page 88 of Regrets

Georgiana

She understood that she could never tell Anne what had actually happened out there in the woods. No one must ever know that Lydia had murdered a man in order to save Georgiana.

Chapter Seventy-Seven

The Gardiners were delighted to see Mr. Bennet and Mr. Philips.

“Lord above, Thomas, you really think you can bring an end to this terrible entail?!” Mr. Gardiner exclaimed, once everyone was seated in the drawing room.

“It seems very likely, Edward, from what I understand of the law.”

“This will be a great blessing to your family, Thomas. Who will become your heir, then?”

“Perhaps Jane,” Mr. Bennet said.

“Or perhaps Mary,” Mrs. Gardiner interjected, gently.

To her surprise, Mr. Bennet shook his head. “No, not Mary.”

***

The Matlocks were not nearly as pleased to see Lady Catherine and Mr. Collins.

The Earl wasted no time in pulling Lady Catherine aside and explaining that Darcy had already asked him to speak to the judges of the Court of Chancery regarding this case on behalf of Mr. Bennet. “It will look quite odd that I am hosting the opposing party in my own home!” he said, aggrieved.

Lady Catherine shrugged. “I cannot imagine that anyone will notice or care,” she said. “And, in any case, I have nowhere else to stay. I could hardly ask Darcy, as he is advising Mr. Bennet, and you know that my own townhouse is rented out.”

Lady Eleanor waved her husband away and took her sister by marriage and the quivering parson to their rooms.

Chapter Seventy-Eight

Mr. Bennet and Mr. Philips traveled to Mr. Stanley’s office at ten in the morning. The three men shook hands warmly. “Mr. Darcy is doubtless paying you well,” Mr. Bennet said, humorously. “But I would not rest easy if I did not add my own gratitude.”

Mr. Stanley reddened. “I am glad I could help see justice done. I understand that the entail has done a good deal of harm to your family.”

“It has, indeed, and if we are successful today, it will be a day to celebrate for the rest of my life,” Mr. Bennet said, sincerely. “Will we not need a barrister to appear before the judge?”

“Not in this case, no. We are not taking legal action against anyone, merely clearing up a question of title,” Mr. Stanley explained. “Our hearing will be conducted by Judge Jarndyce, which is very good for us; he is quite strict when it comes to inheritance. May I see the documents you have brought?”

Mr. Bennet laid them out, one by one, and Mr. Stanley nodded over each of them. “Very good; this establishes your own legitimacy. Now we go to question that of Mr. Collins. Give me a moment, please.”

Mr. Stanley left the room and returned with an old gentleman who leaned heavily on a cane. “This is Mr. Jeffries; he was the rector of Atherton until his retirement some ten years ago.”

Mr. Bennet thanked Mr. Jeffries for being willing to come forward on this matter, and the man simply said, “It is my duty to do what is right.”

It was a short walk to Lincoln Inn’s Old Hall, where the hearing would be held, but Mr. Stanley hailed a hackney for Mr. Jeffries, not wanting the older gentleman to have to walk.

The Hall was a very large room, with a raised dais where the judge would doubtless sit, and two large tables just in front of it. Behind the tables were several rows of pews, as if it were a church. The building was made of grey stone, and the ceiling was a series of arches; there were a number of stained glass windows on the east side. All in all, it was quite inspiring and doubtless designed to impress anyone who entered with the might and majesty of British law.

Mr. Bennet saw Mr. Collins standing under one of the stained glass windows, accompanied by a regal-looking older lady. Mr. Collins turned when he saw Mr. Bennet and threw him a quick hate-filled glance. Mr. Bennet merely smiled at him.

The judge entered the room, followed by a short, round man who was evidently a clerk, as he was carrying a good many papers, and sat himself to the side at a desk equipped with ink and quills. Everyone rose, respectfully. The judge was an older gentleman, though not as old as Mr. Jeffries, and quite a bit heavier. He wore black robes and a very fine white wig. He bade them all sit at the tables, and started by addressing Mr. Stanley. “Mr. Stanley, you have brought this matter before the court. Please state your argument, but succinctly, sir, succinctly.”

“Yes, Your Honour,” Mr. Stanley said, respectfully. “The Longbourn estate, currently owned by Mr. Thomas Bennet, was entailed to heirs male for three generations, beginning with his grandfather’s heir. Mr. Bennet here is the second generation, and had he a son, that son would have been the third generation. But he has produced no male heir, and it has been long believed that Mr. William Collins was the heir presumptive.”

He paused to take a long breath. “An investigation into Mr. Collins’ background revealed uncertainty about his parentage, specifically, that his own father, Mr. George Collins, was not in fact an heir of the body to Joshua Collins.”

“Please explain the relationships, Mr. Stanley,” the judge said, looking puzzled.