The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

Author:Janice Hadlow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Chapter 50

As Mary and Mrs. Gardiner stepped out of the front door, Mary had a thousand questions; but her aunt was adamant she would not answer them until they reached the park. With some effort on Mary’s part, they spoke of other things as they walked up Gracechurch Street, and into the maze of streets beyond; and it was only when they were seated on a small bench in an enclosed green space beneath some very fine trees that Mrs. Gardiner was ready to explain.

“I must tell you that I have been in correspondence with Lizzy since you first arrived to stay with us.”

Mary kicked at the gravel of the path with the toe of her boot.

“About me?”

“Yes. She was concerned when she heard you’d left Longbourn so suddenly. It was not what you had planned. She thought perhaps something had happened there to upset you.”

Mrs. Gardiner paused expectantly, but Mary stared fixedly at two pigeons contending for a crust of stale bread. She could not bear to discuss with anyone, even her aunt, what had driven her to leave her old home.

“Anyway,” went on Mrs. Gardiner, seeing that Mary was not to be drawn out, “she wanted to know how you did, and I was happy to tell her I thought you were settling down very well.”

“That was kind of her.”

“Indeed. But her letters were so frequent that I began to wonder whether there was something more to them than merely solicitude. It struck me there was perhaps the faintest hint of guilt about them. As if she thought she had done you some wrong and wished to be assured you were not suffering for it.”

Mary leapt up from the bench, alarming the pigeons. They flew off in a flutter of wings, leaving the crust on the ground.

“These are not matters I find easy to discuss.”

“I have no wish to pry,” replied Mrs. Gardiner mildly. “Come, do sit down. I shan’t press you to say more.”

Mary seemed not to have heard her. Preoccupied, she walked over to the patch of ground the pigeons had abandoned.

“It is true Lizzy once caused me a great deal of pain. It was some time ago, before our father died. It affected me very deeply, but I did not imagine she had thought much of it since.”

“I think we can safely say that she does think of it,” replied Mrs. Gardiner. “Indeed, it explains a great deal.”

Again, she indicated the empty place beside her; and this time Mary sat down.

“Lizzy often asked me if there was anything she could do to make your situation with us any easier. When she posed the question for the third time I told her the truth—that you were in need of outfits suitable for London, and that I suspected you would not accept them from our hands. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear she has generously offered to pay for them herself.”

Mary again fixed her eyes on the ground.

“I cannot take her money.”

“Then let me attempt to protect you from your own good intentions,” urged Mrs.

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