Author's Note: This is a variation of the Spanish version '¿Orgullo o Dignidad?' I posted some months ago.
PPP
For nearly 200 years the Bennet family had lived in Longbourn. In 1758, George Bennet married Clara Rochester, who brought a dowry of £5,000 to the marriage. They were blessed with two sons, Thomas, born in 1760, and, two years later, John.
The brothers had different temperaments, but they had a good relationship. Thomas was not very social and did not like physical activities, while John enjoyed society and was very active. The only similarity they had was a love of books. They both received a very good gentleman's education and attended Cambridge University. John chose the clergy as his profession, and by chance, had been appointed to fill a vacancy in Derbyshire shortly after being ordained in 1786.
A month before John left for Derbyshire there was an assembly at Meryton. Although Thomas did not want to go, his brother convinced him to accompany him. At that fateful assembly, Thomas met Fanny Gardiner.
Fanny Gardiner was the youngest daughter of Meryton's solicitor. Her mother had died a few years ago, and her father paid little attention to her as he was focused on raising his only son. She had recently turned 16 and was the prettiest girl in Meryton. Unfortunately, she was a hollow, uneducated young woman who liked to flirt with young men. Her older sister was being courted by her father's apprentice, and she went with them to the assembly that night.
When Thomas saw her, he was captivated by her unparalleled beauty; Miss Gardiner was undoubtedly the most beautiful young woman he had ever seen. He danced with her, and she smiled at him all the time.
Fanny later danced with John Bennet, and also flirted with him, since John was more handsome than Thomas. Unlike Thomas, John found her to be one of the most vulgar young women he had ever met.
Given the lack of attention John paid her during the sets they danced, the rest of the night Fanny concentrated on smiling and flirting solely with Thomas Bennet.
Perhaps the problem that such an uneven couple was formed was Thomas's lack of experience with the female sex, perhaps it was that Fanny didn't understand half of what Thomas was saying and she just smiled coquettishly, perhaps it was the dress Fanny was wearing accentuated her beautiful figure, or simply her beauty, the truth is Thomas was enthralled that night.
During that same week, Thomas asked Mr. Gardiner's permission to court Fanny. When his parents and John found out they tried to talk him out of such a bad choice. Before returning to Derbyshire, John had a serious conversation with Thomas to try to persuade him to end the courtship, unfortunately, the conversation was overheard by Fanny and her sister.
In the following weeks, Fanny, who wanted to marry Thomas Bennet, began to be bolder in her displays of affection, but without actually consummating the union. Within a month and a half of meeting her, despite his parents' objections, Thomas proposed to her and she accepted.
A couple of months later, Thomas married Fanny Gardiner. Before their first year of marriage was over, Thomas realized he had made a serious mistake; his wife was ignorant and ill-educated. Mrs. Bennet at first tried to guide her, but Fanny, who knew Thomas's parents - as well as his brother - tried to dissuade him from marrying her, ignored her advice.
In 1789, Jane Bennet was born. She was the eldest of Thomas and Fanny Bennet's four daughters. Some months later, Thomas's parents died in a carriage accident. In their will, they left Longbourn to Thomas Bennet and the money from Clara Bennet's dowry to John.
Since Fanny was a very irrational woman, she was angry when she found out her father-in-law's money was bequeathed to John and nothing to her daughter Jane. Despite Thomas's best efforts, Fanny and John argued and said things impossible to forget. Following that incident, the relationship between Fanny and John was destroyed.
When John went to his bank in London, he discovered that the account now in his name had over £12,000. Although he could live on the interest of that money, he loved his profession, so he decided to invest the money in the four percent and continue living in the parsonage on his salary.
In 1790, John married Maria Thompson. Maria was the only daughter of a gentleman who had an estate similar in size to Longbourn and she had a dowry of £10,000, she had only one brother two years older than her.
In 1791, John and Maria Bennet had their first and only daughter, whom they named Elizabeth. In 1792, Mary Bennet was born, in 1793 Kitty Bennet, and in 1795 Lydia Bennet.
In 1792, unfortunately, Maria's only brother died in a carriage accident. The family was devastated, but since the estate was not entailed, Maria was the heir of Sandstone. At the request of Mr. Thompson, John Bennet changed his name to John Thompson and changed his daughter's name to Elizabeth Thompson.