Next few chapters: London (Elizabeth, Mary, Darcy and Georgiana)

January - February 1812 - Sandstone (Jane & Mr. Bennet)

The two or three weeks that Thomas originally intended to stay at Sandstone ended up being two months. Although Mr. Shaw was an honest and neat man and wrote down everything in the accounting books of the estate, he had never reviewed them until now. It was clear the income had dropped from £2,500 to £1,800 in five years. There were many repairs to be made and money was lacking. Regrettably, he would have to pay back £1,000 of the £1,800 he had 'saved' over the years for his daughters' dowries.

To assess the damage to the tenants' houses, he went to visit them one by one. Jane – perhaps out of boredom – accompanied him and on the first day, she met the clergyman's youngest daughter who was the same age as her.

Miss Johnson was very nice and pretty; she was engaged to a priest who lived about thirty miles from Sandstone. Despite the lack of resources since Ms. Thompson's death, she continued with some of the charities. In a few days, they became friends; Miss Johnson began to invite Jane to visit the poorer tenants, and also, noticing that Jane liked children, invited her to the orphanage.

In the second week, she met Mr. Elliot who came to talk to Mr. Bennet about some problems in a drainage on the edge of both estates and to invite them to dinner. At dinner, she met the youngest son, Mr. Robert Elliot who was the vicar of Kympton. He was very impressed by Jane's beauty and also because she was a sweet young woman. They talked that night about the differences between Hertfordshire and Derbyshire and other trivial matters.

A few days later she met Mr. Elliot at the orphanage, and they had a conversation that gave her much to think about the shortcomings of her parents…

"… You have a lot of patience with small children."

Jane smiled, "I like children, maybe it's because I'm the eldest. I have three younger sisters and my cousin, Johnny, lives with us."

Robert nodded, "However, I have met women who have younger siblings and even children and have no patience with them. Several women leave their children exclusively in the care of governesses."

"I never had a governess. My mother personally took care of our education."

"It must be hard to teach four daughters." He paused, he looked at the piano, "Once a week Miss Thompson teaches the older girls how to play the piano. Perhaps you could help her."

Jane blushed: "I never learned to play the piano."

Mr. Elliot looked at her strangely since it was rare for a gentleman's daughter not to know how to play the piano, but seeing Jane's blushing face he joked, "I didn't learn to play the piano either... But back to the topic, we were talking about, in my opinion, it is important that parents take care of their children's future and that children also feel they are important to their parents. My father personally took care of teaching my brother and even me the ins and outs of running an estate. He also helped me choose a profession since I was hesitating between studying law or being a clergyman."

Jane sighed, "In my case is different since gentlewomen don't have a profession."

Mr. Elliot agreed, "But the role of women in society is still important, even if it is unpaid. For example, my mother visits the tenants and helps my father…"

After that day, she met Mr. Elliot five more times.

Toward the end of February, Mr. Bennet had severe chest pain and difficulty and shortness of breath, but about an hour later he felt fine and paid no attention to it, and a few days later he returned with Jane to Longbourn.

Definitely, the two months Jane lived in Sandstone were the most interesting of her life, and she would have liked to stay there. She promised to write to Miss Johnson and come back for her wedding in three months. Mr. Elliot seemed sad that she was leaving so soon. She wished she had more time to get to know him better, because although he wasn't as handsome or rich as Mr. Bingley; but he was intelligent, and she felt he cared what she thought. Until now all the gentlemen who had been interested in her, had only been interested in her beauty and none of them tried to know what she thought and really know her better...

On the way back to Longbourn, Thomas felt bad again, he had severe pains in his chest and body, but he associated it with the tiredness of the last months. In order not to worry his daughter, he chose not to say anything to her. He was looking forward to reaching Longbourn so he could rest properly. In addition, he had to devise a plan to economize and be able to make the investments and repairs required in Sandstone so that it would return to what it was some years ago...