Page 177 of The Governess of My Heart
Mrs. Lewis took it from him, read it, and frowned as she completed the letter.
“This was written in April; I am certain that is when she wrote to you about her being with child.”
“Pardon me, did you post them by yourself?” Darcy asked.
“I did. When Fanny brought me the letters, I would post them. But I remember the first letter she brought to me was sent through an express rider. Fanny insisted on the same, and she took care of it. That was the letter Sarah had written to you disclosing her pregnancy. Good heavens! She must have replaced that with one of her own.”
“Was Fanny aware that Sarah was wed?” Mr. Gardiner asked.
“She was. As I said, Sarah had no one to support her at home, and she trusted Fanny and revealed everything to her.”
“She fooled all of us, and she betrayed her own sister. I cannot believe it. But why?” Mr. Gardiner cried out of rage.
“I have seen them grow together. Fanny was always jealous of Sarah, and from what I could see, she was in love with Thomas Bennet, whereas he wanted to marry only Sarah. Maybe once she became aware of Lord Anderson’s status and wealth, Fanny would have done all this out of jealousy. It shocked me when she married Mr. Bennet, as he never favored her. I am not certain what happened for them to marry each other.”
She looked at Lord Anderson.
“I do not have the right to say this after playing such a vital part in this betrayal, but you should have never believed those letters, Lord Anderson. You knew her heart and love for you; how would she ever marry someone else when she was married to you?” Mrs. Lewis asked.
Lord Anderson stared at the wall, unable to reply.
“What did you do with the money? Did Fanny take it?” Mr. Gardiner asked.
“She did; she promised to use it for Sarah’s welfare once the baby was born. I left town before she delivered the baby as no one was willing to give me employment here. Mr. Gardiner made certain of it, but I do not blame him. Unknowingly, I ruined the life of a beautiful soul. Had I not taken her away from home, allowed them to get married, and not sent those letters withoutreading them, none of this would have happened. I trusted Fanny blindly; I did not once doubt her,” she said with tears.
“After I returned, my father and I questioned Sarah almost every day, forcing her to give up the name of the man who ruined her, and she did not disclose it,” Mr. Gardiner said with guilt.
He slammed the coffee table and stood in rage.
“Not a word. Fanny didn’t utter a word about anything. She acted as if she knew nothing. She fooled us, and I will not spare her,” he cried.
Darcy looked at Elizabeth, who still held Mrs. Lewis’s hand.
“Do not be hard on yourself; you did not willfully harm or deceive her like others,” Elizabeth said to Mrs. Lewis, unable to see the old woman’s distress.
“Before I left, I pleaded with her to allow me to reveal the truth to her father. But she wouldn’t; she trusted Fanny without doubt. I think that is why she must have shared everything about her marriage and love. Her father never understood her; he wanted her to marry Mr. Bennet and help with his debts. Once we returned from Scotland, I even told Sarah that if she mentioned Lord Anderson’s status, her father would readily accept their marriage. But she did not want to, “he must accept my husband for his character and not for his wealth,” she said. Those were her words, and as far as I know, she never once doubted her future with him.”
Elizabeth tried hard to control her tears; she did not want to cry in the presence of Lord Anderson.
“We have the proof now, Mr. Gardiner, and I don’t think we need to wait any longer to confront the Bennets. My cousin Richard has also given me some important information regarding Mr. Bennet’s business and dealings in town. I am certain the couple used the money Lord Anderson sent, and we can prove everything. We must leave for Hertfordshire immediately,” Darcy cried, and Mr. Gardiner agreed.
“What is the use?” Elizabeth asked with remorse. “Whatever punishment they would get now can never bring my mother back, nor can it wipe away the pain and suffering she was subjected to.”
“They must pay for what they have done. We may not have the original letters Sarah wrote, but we can prove everything through Mrs. Lewis, and I will see to it that they confess to their crimes,” Mr. Gardiner said.
Elizabeth looked at Lord Anderson, and he was silent; she could not determine his feelings. But she had no desire to challenge or point out his fault again while the truth was out in the open.
According to Elizabeth, everything was over, and as much as she wanted Mrs. Bennet to pay for what she had done, she felt a sense of helplessness, understanding that it was too late to make things right, as the world had betrayed her mother when she needed it the most.
Lord Anderson expected Elizabeth to direct her anger towards him once Mrs. Lewis revealed the truth. But to his surprise, she did not even bother to look at him, which hurt even more.
She does not want to look at me, and I cannot blame her. I stand here as the sole reason for Sarah’s misery and death. How did I ever have the heart to doubt her love for me? If she died after childbirth, it was because of me; I broke her heart and trust.
Mrs. Gardiner, who was a silent witness to the discussion, finally asked Mrs. Lewis to rest.
Elizabeth felt overwhelmed and left the room, much to Darcy’s distress.
The men decided to travel to Hertfordshire the same day, and Darcy still wanted to confirm Elizabeth’s sentiments on thematter. He found her in the company of her cousins, and Darcy could see that she had been crying.
