For the Love of a Bennet Chapter 6

After three days at the glacial pace of ten miles per day, Lydia’s patience had long worn out, and Elizabeth’s was becoming very thin. Lydia behaved particularly sour because the regiment, traveling by carriage, wagons, and foot, would not remain in London proper, but marched around the grand city.

“Is there no end to this?” Lydia exclaimed for the hundredth time. “We have remained on the road and not stopped one moment for anywhere fun.”

“There is an end to this,” Elizabeth said quietly. “It is in Brighton.”

Lydia made an unpleasant face as a retort to her sister.

Elizabeth sighed.

She had suspected the plans would be to avoid the city proper. She had been to London with Jane many times and never once witnessed a militia regiment as large as the one commanded by Colonel Forster paraded through the streets down Piccadilly through Cheapside. Her youngest sister, however, being far less traveled, had counted mightily on the long journey to include shopping at the most fashionable shops. Thus her mood would not recover.

“I know what will remedy your predicament, my friend,” Mrs. Harriet Forster said, energetically, trying to cheer Lydia’s spirits. “When you and your sister return home, in a few months’ time, surely you could stop in London and visit your aunt and uncle.” Unfortunately, Mrs. Forster was not acquainted with the side of Lydia’s personality that suffered disappointments with tantrums and refused to pivot in perspective once her aim was set. 

Lydia continued to sniff and cry at varying intervals as she allowed herself to dwell in her sorrows.

“But it shall be too late! My whole plan was to arrive in Brighton with all the other ladies fawning over my latest bonnet or new Spencer,” Lydia said indignantly, and Elizabeth raised her eyebrow at Mrs. Forster. Closer in age to herself, Elizabeth failed to understand why Mrs. Forster found such a friend in Lydia. The two women shared easy ways at a card table, and both loved theatrics and parlor games, but their maturity levels could not be further from one another.

“Instead of finding sadness for something you were never promised, find joy in what the Lord has provided.” Elizabeth said and Lydia stuck her tongue out at her.

“You sound like Mary,” she said.

Elizabeth shrugged, and pulled out the only book she had found in her father’s library that talked of Brighton at all. Unfortunately, the tome kept referring to the town by its older name, Brighthelmstone. She almost didn’t select A Description of Brighthelmstone, and the Adjacent Country; or the new Guide for Ladies and Gentlemen Using That Place of Health and Amusement, but an old map of her father’s on the wall in his library showed the old town name on the coast, instead of Brighton. In her opinion, there was little wonder that they changed the name. Brighthelmstone was quite a mouthful!

“Suit yourself,” Elizabeth chided, washing her hands of Lydia’s dramatic behavior in such a confined space. “I am content that we did not stop in London. I shall have more pin money to peruse the shops of Brighton .”

Lydia ceased her sniffling as she was intrigued that her sister could say such a thing. After all, how could the offerings of Brighton compare to those of London? “What could Brighton boast that London cannot?”

Elizabeth smirked. Years of experience with Lydia’s fits had taught her the best way to handle them was to ignore trying to solve them. In Meryton, her youngest sister became cross over who entered the carriage first, or who had the first selection of shoe roses. There was never any use in trying to convince Lydia she was not slighted. Instead, the trick was to agree with her and make her curious about what she was missing out on.

“We live just thirty miles of good road from London at any other time. It is never any difficulty to visit our aunt and uncle, as Mrs. Forster pointed out. But Brighton? I believe this might be the only time in my life that I may have the opportunity to visit the shore.” Elizabeth did not mention that by the time they returned from London, the Gardiners were very unlikely to be home and instead, in the middle of their trip to the Lakes. 

With a yawn, Elizabeth began to read and wait for Lydia to comprehend her meaning and develop a new outlook on their predicament. 

Lydia sat up straighter in the carriage that was moving barely a few miles per hour, eager to boast of her newest idea. “So what we find and purchase in Brighton shall be exotic! London can’t have everything that other towns and villages have, especially not those on the coast. Mary King and the Long sisters won’t be able to find the same fabric and steal my designs!” Lydia laughed triumphantly.

A few moments later, Lydia earnestly asked Mrs. Forster if she had any intelligence as to the diversions they should find in Brighton.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as that particular conversational exchange had passed no less than half a dozen times since they left Hertfordshire. 

“The social life of Brighton, I am told, runs with more a rhythm than you are accustomed,” Mrs. Forster recounted, her eyes lighting up as she suddenly thought of a new connection to make about a subject so wholly exhausted by discussion. “I’m certain they are influenced by the tides, yes, sea folk are very tied to their constancy! Penelope Lennox details there is a ball every Monday, and everyone hosts card games on Wednesdays and Thursdays.”

Mrs. Forster recounted every last detail she had from the letters of Penelope and Persephone Lennox, two sisters that were the daughters of the Major General of Preston barracks.  Elizabeth could practically recite the letters from the Lennox sisters word for word, and giggled to herself when she thought of doing such a thing in her next letter to Jane, if for no other reason than as a mental exercise. 

She turned back to her book, to read about Henry VIII’s castles being removed for carriage travel.

Among the number of castles built by Henry VIII for defending the Sea coast, was that situated at some distance from the edge of the Cliff, and called the Block-house, the ruins of which were to be seen a few years ago. This castle, which was not large, was erected about the year 1539. The continual attacks of the Sea, gradually carried away the intermediate land, and at length the waters encroached to the very foundations, which they undermined; in consequence hereof, the interior tower fell down, and the ruins were to be seen under the Cliff, in the year 1761. Since that time what remained of the castle has been removed, in order to afford a more convenient passage for carriages.