Dearest Cousin Jane (22 page)

November 1813

’T
is a fine inscription Henry, and fitting that she should lie beside her mother and dear little Hastings.’

‘Thank you for coming with me. I have not been here since the funeral.’

‘Well, you have been busy disposing of poor Eliza’s things and of course moving to Henrietta Street.’

‘Yes, I know you and Cassandra thought I did that too quickly, but I found it impossible to be in Sloane Street without her. The house was like a tomb—her presence there had been so all embracing—like the beautiful enchantress that she was.’

‘We all understood, and that house was too big for a widower—anyway living over the bank is much more convenient for you, is it not?’

‘I am as happy as I can be there and glad it is not too small for visitors, especially you, Jane. You will often be with me I hope—in fact, I am sure Mr Egerton will insist upon it when
Mansfield Park
is out. You will be so much in demand.’

‘I do not think we can be sure of that. He accepts it only on commission again, remember. He is clearly not as confident of
MP
as he was of
P&P
.’

‘My dear, you have no need to worry—your reputation is now assured and you tell me you are already planning another.’

‘Yes, since no one finds my Fanny Price very attractive, I shall next time create a heroine whom no one will much like but me!’

‘Oh Jane, how you lift my spirits! What is she to be called?’

‘I have almost decided upon Emma. Come Henry, the wind grows chill. Give me your arm and let us leave dear Eliza here with her loved ones and return home.’

August 1815

S
o, I am to be a clergyman after all—I wonder what dear Eliza would say? I am advanced in years to be a curate to be sure, but it is comforting to be near my mother and sisters and a pleasant cottage and fifty guineas a year are welcome when you have endured bankruptcy. I think Eliza would approve, though she would understand, too, that such an income does not provide adequately for a wife. She was always of a practical disposition and knew that a widower has a duty to remarry—she assured me of that on her deathbed.

There is to be an evening party at the Great House tomorrow. Edward and some of his family are in residence and everyone wishes to celebrate the great victory at Waterloo and the war finally being over after so many years. I hope that Jane may be persuaded to read from
Emma
—such a delightful story and such an honour that the prince regent himself asked for it to be dedicated to him.

The rector’s niece Miss Jackson is to be invited. She has an income of ten thousand pounds a year I believe, perhaps I may…

H
enry did marry Miss Jackson, who made him a loyal wife, but did not do so until 1820 when he took over the Steventon parish on the death of his brother James and moved back into the parsonage where he had been brought up.

Jane herself died, at the age of only forty-one, in July 1817, and it was Henry who oversaw the publication of her last novel,
Persuasion,
and of
Catherine
, which had eventually been bought back from Crosby’s and called
Northanger Abbey
. Though Jane left Cassandra all rights to her work, Henry described himself as joint owner and negotiated a good deal with a new publisher, John Murray. Ever with an eye to making money, though never very good at it, he tried to supply more biographical material about the authoress, but could find little to say.

‘My dear sister’s life was not one of events. Indeed the farthest thing from her expectations or wishes was to be exhibited as a public character under any circumstances.’

I
warmly acknowledge all the encouragement and assistance I have received from Ruth Rendell, and I am indebted to all the wonderful biographers of Jane Austen.

A
s Henry Austen said when he wrote a biographical note to the first edition of
Northanger Abbey
and
Persuasion,
published together after Jane’s untimely death, ‘my sister’s life was not one of events.’

That is very clear to anyone who knows her story. She lived the modest life of the daughter of a clergyman, in a small village in the English countryside, never married, travelled very little, and she herself defined her work as being done with a fine brush on a two-inch square of ivory. Yet from that limited experience she wrote six almost perfect novels that are world famous, constantly analysed, always at the top of any favourite novel list, and that provide endless material not only for academic study but for popular film and television adaptation.

Her first cousin Eliza, by contrast, led a most eventful life. Born in India, quite possibly the illegitimate daughter of the great Warren Hastings, who stood trial for treason, she frequented the French court of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette before the Revolution, married a French Comte who was executed in the Reign of Terror, escaped capture herself by the mob on two occasions, mixed with the cream of London society, was a brilliant hostess, and eventually married Jane’s favourite brother before dying of breast cancer before she was fifty.

I have always been fascinated by the close and loving bond between Jane and this scandalous cousin and the more I know of this
relationship, the more convinced I have become that Eliza exerted great influence on Jane’s writing. That she encouraged her to write, at a time when literary composition was far from a respectable activity for a young woman, is clear but I am certain, too, that she provided a model—though Jane herself would always deny this—for some of Jane’s more assertive characters—especially where flirting was concerned! Where else would Jane have met a woman like Mary Crawford or Lady Susan?

There is no definitive biography of Eliza, though she is mentioned extensively in every one of the wonderful biographies of Jane, but we do have many of her letters, especially those carefully preserved by her and Jane’s waspish cousin Philly Walter. Her character leapt out at me from these letters. It was easy to imagine how fascinating she would seem to a young girl fourteen years her junior as she arrived at the parsonage in fine carriages, with servants, in fine silks and linens and laden down with presents for the whole family. She always brought books for Jane and encouraged her writing from a very early age.

From my previous book,
Cassandra and Jane,
I had grown used to imagining conversations between Jane and her sister. I was able to extend this to Eliza and also able to imagine letters passing between members of the family to add to the real ones. Eliza was sure to cause a stir wherever she went!

One criticism that is often levelled at Jane Austen is that she did not mention the wars that were raging in Europe all the time she was writing. She may not have made much direct mention of what was occurring, but there are many clues in her novels and she had two sailor brothers who were actively involved. Through this story of Eliza, I have tried to give a flavour of history beyond the immediate family. All dates are accurate and I have tried to be as faithful to reality as possible.

I find Eliza enchanting, and I hope others will, too.

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