Page 12 of The Governess of My Heart
She loved Elizabeth with all her heart and knew nothing would change her relationship with her sister.
I cannot let this happen. I cannot let that man ruin her. No matter what they say, she is my sister.
Mary thought with resolve and wiped her tears away.
Mr. Bennet and his wife retired that night without the slightest idea that none of their plans would work the next day.
Chapter 6
Elizabeth sat in her room, unable to fathom everything that had happened in the past hour. Her mind was in turmoil, and she knew her parents still hid something from her.
No, they are not my parents!They never were.
She looked at Jane, who slept peacefully on the bed.
Maybe Jane knows the truth. That must be the reason for her ill will towards me. All these years, they hid the truth from me, and it was never done for my welfare. They want me to marry that man to help their financial needs.
She did not know what to do or where to seek refuge. All she ever knew was in Hertfordshire, as her father had never allowed her to visit her aunt and uncle in town.
The Gardiners had visited Longbourn during Christmas, but she could never accompany her mother and sisters to see them in London and never understood why her father denied her permission.
What if I write to Aunt Madeliene?
She knew they were away on business and finally understood that Mr. Bennet’s words were true. She had no place to go.
Just then, she heard the door open and half feared it was her father, but it was Mary.
“Mary!” she cried and threw herself into Mary’s arms.
“Lizzy, please do not cry. Lizzy, listen to me.”
“Mary…you do not…you do not know what happened. I am not…” Elizabeth said in between sobs.
“I do know. I know what Mamma and Papa told you.”
Elizabeth stared at her sister in shock. Mary quickly pulled Elizabeth outside and left the room. They hurried towards a small storeroom on the same floor and shut the door.
“No matter what they tell me, you will always be my sister. I don’t know what to say, Lizzy. But they are not revealing the entire truth,” Mary cried.
“My mother is dead, they say, and I do not know who my father is. As much as I don’t want to believe them, it must be the truth, as they would not wish this misery upon their own daughter. All these years, I have lived in this house with people who detested me with all their might.”
“I understand how you feel. I cannot believe Mamma and Papa chose to hide the truth for so long. All the while, I could not understand why Mamma treated you so. But we do not have time to discuss all this, Lizzy. There is another pressing matter of concern.”
She quickly revealed about the compromise her mother and father had planned.
Elizabeth stared at her sister in dismay. Her lingering doubts about the story her parents had shared were gone, as she knew they would never plan something so evil against their own blood.
“They are heartless, and I am ashamed to call them my parents. I heard every gruesome detail about Mamma’s schemes for tomorrow, and he never said anything against it. I am disgusted with them, Lizzy; I would rather work as a maid than live in Longbourn this way.”
“I am certain Mr. Collins will not think twice to act accordingly, but he won’t succeed. I will confront them right away,” she said, standing, and Mary stopped her.
“It won’t be of any use. You cannot always be careful; they can easily orchestrate this act. Your reputation will be ruined if the servants become aware of such details. Mamma can convince the world that you were compromised, even if something like that never happened. You will have to marry that hateful man then.”
“I will not. I would rather die. How am I to escape this? I know they hate me; they hate me so much that they want to trade my life for their well-being.”
Mary looked at her with dismay.
“Leave this place,” she said without emotion.
