Chapter Three - Beauty and Benevolence
Mair had forgotten that the morning was to be occupied by a visit to the Lucases and then to the Longs. However, in the afternoon, Mair took a sheet of fresh paper and a pen and sat down to compose the list of items to consider when wife hunting.
Item 1 - What can be done to improve my complexion?
Item 2 - What can be done to improve my hair?
Item 3 - What can be done to improve my figure?
Item 4 - What can be done to improve my apparel?
Item 5 - My deportment - does that need to be improved?
Item 6 - My countenance - does that need to be improved?
Item 7 - Opportunities - how is one to meet suitable, wealthy single ladies?
He had got thus far when Kit interrupted him.
'What are you writing, Mair? Is it a love note to Miss Bradley?' he asked, his eyes sparkling with merriment.
'Don't be so nonsensical,' replied Mair. He quickly folded up his note and placed it in his pocket and took another sheet of paper and wrote 'Apparel' at the top before continuing, 'I was considering how to improve my wardrobe. I think perhaps a new gown and bonnet might be in order.'
'You, Mair, want a new gown and bonnet?' asked his father in surprise.
Mair rarely requested new clothing and had never showed much interest when his father forced him to purchase a new gown.
'Is this for Miss Bradley's benefit?' Kit asked mischievously.
'For my own.' Mair calmly replied.
'Oh, to be sure, a new gown might very well work wonders with Miss Bradley,' his father began.
'Tell me, Kit, what colour do you think best suits me?' Mair quickly asked. This deflected Kit and Mr. Bennet as Mair hoped it would.
'Not that horrid brown that you favour so much. Why don't you buy a pink or jonquil yellow gown? That would suit your colouring much better,' suggested Kit.
'Oh no, not yellow for Mair. That would never do.' His father said firmly. Whatever his faults of character, Mr. Bennet had a good eye for colour.
'Why don't I get the fashion plates and we can look for a suitable gown for Mair?'
Kit left the room and shortly reappeared, his arms laden. Kit loved nothing better than looking through the fashion periodicals for gentlemen.
Mr. Bennet and Kit spent a happy hour or so, looking through the periodicals and arguing with each other over the best style and colour for Mair. Mair was happy to be guided by them. In the end, it was decided by Mr. Bennet that Mair must purchase not one but several dresses.
'It is high time you had a new wardrobe, Mair. I do not want to be embarrassed by you when we go to Pemberley. We must go to Meryton, first thing tomorrow to consult with the dressmakers,' he decided.
'Papa, may I have a new dress too? I have worn all of my dresses so many times at Humberton and Pemberley that I am ashamed to come down in the evening.'
'Of course, you may,' said Mr. Bennet, smiling dotingly at him.
The next day, Mr. Bennet, Mair and Kit visited several establishments in Meryton. Mair came away with one new gown and several ordered; a new bonnet and new pelisse besides several other items.
Mr. Bennet insisted on visiting his brother for refreshments before returning home. Mair had to endure Mr. Bennet's incessant questioning of Mr. Philips about Miss Bradley's people and prospects but consoled himself that at least Miss Bradley was not present to hear such talk. He was almost tempted to walk home. It occurred to him that Elijah was a great walker and perhaps his slim figure was partly attributable to that. He decided that he too would begin to walk more and made a mental note to put it on his list.
When they arrived home, Mrs. Bennet was just coming out of her library. She raised her eyebrows to see the large quantity of packages being brought into the house.
'Who has been spending their money on worthless trinkets, this time?' she enquired.
'You'll never guess,' Kit giggled.
'If I will never guess, then you had best tell me.'
'Oh my dear, we have been spending money on Mair; new gowns, new bonnets, new pelisses, new gloves,' Mr. Bennet told his wife.
'Spare me the list of masculine apparel,' Mrs. Bennet begged. She turned to Mair. 'I must confess that I am surprised, Mair. I would have thought that I would see the sun rise in the west sooner than our philosopher deign to take an interest in clothing.'
Mair blushed. He had always wanted the esteem of his mother and had always greatly envied Elijah' position as their mother's favourite son.
'You remember, I told you about Miss Bradley who took such a particular interest in Mair?' his father asked his mother.
'Would that I could forget,' she murmured.
'Well, we have decided that Mair must be made over and improved.'
'And what do you think of this plan, Mair?' asked his mother.
Mair blushed again. He did not know what to say, as he could not deny that that was the plan.
'I see Mair has no words so I will assume that silence means consent. I was not aware that you were looking for a wife, Mair?'
'Oh, Mrs. Bennet, how can you be so foolish. Of course, every young lad is looking for a wife. Why not Mair?'
'Possibly because I thought he had more sense,' Mrs. Bennet said but this was uttered so softly that only Mair caught it.
'Do you like this Miss Bradley, Mair?' his mother asked.
'She seems a most agreeable young lady; we are told that she is most industrious, and she is a great reader and scholar. She expressed such interest when I told her of your library.'
'Indeed? Perhaps we had better have this paragon, this great reader and scholar, over to dinner and I can judge for myself as to whether she would benefit from a visit to my library.'
'Oh what a good mother you have!' exclaimed Mr. Bennet. 'Am I not always saying what a good mother you have, boys?'
Kit and Mair exchanged glances but remained silent.
'Thank you, marm,' Mair said to his mother.
His father beamed. ' I shall invite her tomorrow. Only one course, for she is only an attorney's clerk and I do not want her to be overwhelmed.'
'That, I fear, is inevitable,' Mrs. Bennet said before retiring back to the library.
