Chapter 25

Thursday, 5th December 1811

The carriage proceeded on the rough road. The springs did their job admirably, and Darcy only felt an echo of the rough patches. Only, he did not notice all the good job the excellent mechanics of his vehicle were doing. Darcy looked out the window and watched his surroundings without reaction. It was not difficult to guess why. He felt utterly beaten. It had been a week since he left her, yet the pain was as fresh and great as when he turned away from her and sat in this very carriage. If he closed his eyes, it was her eyes he saw when he told her he was leaving or her look when she put her hand against the window in goodbye.

Last night, after a few evenings out that he disciplined himself to bear, he tried to make a list of ladies from the accepted first circle that could possibly fill in the position of mistress of Pemberley. That was a big mistake. He felt an immense disgust toward every innocent lady that they did not deserve. As he wrote down the names, his hand was shaking and he smudged the ink on the paper. He never smudged his writing, not since Eton. The whole exercise was a disaster. The paper ended up in the fire, and he drank himself into a stupor.

Friday, 6th December 1811

Another vehicle was on the road, too. Bingley had never waken with the sun, but it was worth it this time as Caroline was still asleep when he departed. He chuckled to himself as he imagined her face when she learnt he had already gone. He even slapped his knee in his mirth.

He went out and enjoyed an easy night with acquaintances before he arrived home with Caroline waiting for him. They had another argument, really a repeat of the previous evening. When he went to his room to escape her screeching, he was deeply disturbed by her attitude. Nothing he had told her the night before had an effect on her. It was as if something had broken in her. She would be a problem. He hoped his hints about a twenty thousand dowry would be worth it for somebody. If things came to worst, he would have to move her to the country. Maybe he should write to his aunt in Scarborough.

The Black Bull was a busy place. An inn in the middle of nowhere, on the way to the north, was always full of people heading for home in the country or going to the big city of London. The dining room in the evenings filled with tired and hungry passengers. Darcy was one of them. He did not feel like eating alone in a separate dining room, so he joined the masses. He was sitting on his own. He actually liked the food at these places. There was something about common food. It was often some kind of stew, who knew what found its way into it. It tasted hearty, and salty with a hint of sweetness. It was, to him, like coming home.

He was eating his food, but this time it did not taste as usual. He was about to complain when he realized that he had not enjoyed his food lately, even at Comtesse Clara's, which was famous for her fine table. Of course, he knew the reason as well. He did not want to consider it deeply. He was hungry, so he ate. At least the bread tasted as usual. He was about to take another bite when he looked up and saw her... His heart stopped. For a second he thought his torture was over for surely he was not going to put them through this again… when he was about to stand, he saw that it was not her, only a lady, a brunette, in the same hat as hers. He needed to support himself at the table. He shook his head. What the hell was he doing?

He needed to get to Pemberley, he decided. He always made good decisions there.

Sunday 8th December 1811

'Good morning, Mr. Bingley. Welcome back to the neighbourhood.' Sir William Lucas greeted Bingley somewhat surprised. 'Word was that you all left. I am glad to see it is not true.'

'Good morning, Sir. I am glad to be back. I was in London for business. I arrived back on Friday. It is my guests who left, not I. Any news since I left?'

'Oh, I am happy to announce that my eldest daughter has got engaged.' He was a very proud father.

'Really? Miss Lucas? And who is the lucky fellow? Do I know him?'

'It is Mr. William Collins. The guest of the Bennets. He had to go back to Kent. He will be back for the wedding soon.' Bingley was taken aback. The Mr. Collins that was after his Miss Bennet, then Miss Elizabeth? He would have to talk to Miss Bennet.

'Well, congratulations, Sir. After you.' Bingley gestured to him to precede him to go into the church. He took his hat off. As he walked to the front, he saw the Bennet family to the right. He turned and nodded to the faces he knew on his side and then turned and looked at the Bennet family on the other side, who were already looking at him. Mrs. Bennet gasped, but her husband patted her hand and she quieted quickly. He made a small bow to the lady. He received a warm welcoming smile from her. Then his eyes next found Miss Bennet. Finally. How he missed her. His heart skipped a beat. She looked at him in surprise, but soon a big smile like sunshine shined on him.

Darcy opened his eyes as his valet was drawing the curtains. It was a clear, sunny Sunday morning. Just knowing he was home gave him a smile. He jumped up from bed. It was early yet. His valet was ready to dress him. He usually dressed much more relaxed when at his estate. Often he would tie his own cravat. He hated the fancy styles his valet made him ware when in town.

The previous evening was as pleasant as it could get. He hugged his sister as if he never wanted to let go. He had left her with relatives after the incident. He tried to be there for her, but he felt so much shame for letting her down that he did not know how to reach out to her. His aunt, Lady Matlock, told him to leave for a while, and let her heal on her own. He went to London and then to Netherfield. Yesterday evening was the first time the siblings saw each other for quite some time. Georgiana stood at the top of the stairs like a young lady, but it took a look and she started skipping down the stairs and was in his arms in a few seconds. Her companion called out to her in vain. It was a teary, happy reunion. Her sister hung on to him. One of her hands was almost always touching him during the evening. He did not mind; he kept squeezing her hand as well. They had been faithful correspondents, but it was not nearly enough. It was good to be home. It was good to be together again. Darcy needed his sister's unconditional love to calm his own turbulent mind and ease his heavy heart.

He consciously tried not to think of Miss Elizabeth. He needed this time to just be. He would make a decision this way or another before he left Pemberley again.

Mr. Bennet looked around the dinner table at his family. He felt a strange contentment in his heart. Maybe he was relearning how to be a father and a husband.

He received his brother-in-law's answer about his inquires. He actually looked forward to telling his family. When two of the younger girls wanted to be excused, he told them to stay as he had some things to share. That made all the women at the table curious.

'You have all grown so quickly. I can remember when you were crawling here under the table. Now, here you are, beautiful grown young women.' He looked at all of them in turn. They blushed at their father's praise. It was not often he said something like that.

'Father, what is this all about?' Jane was brave enough to ask.

'As Elizabeth and you, Jane, are now in an age when you might marry if the right young man comes along, I thought we should discuss your portions. I want you, Mary and you girls as well,' He turned to Kitty and Lydia. 'to know what I can give you if you get married. It does not mean that you should spread it to the whole of Meryton though. Be clever about it.'

'Father, what are you talking about?' Elizabeth asked. 'I thought we had a thousand each after mother's demise.

'Yes, Mr. Bennet, what are you talking about?'

'I have discussed the issue with your Uncle Gardiner and we have come to the following. Your mother had brought 4,000 pounds into the marriage. This money was invested securely with a bank, and it started earning money every year. I have never touched it.' He turned to his wife at the other end of the table, 'I wish I could claim credit for this, but it was your father. He made me promise not to touch it until the time came for any daughter of mine to marry.'

'My father? I did not know. I always thought of my dowry as 4,000 pounds. You never corrected me, Husband.'

'I know.' He chuckled.

'So how much money is there?'

'About thirteen thousand.' There were gasps from all directions.

'You are not joking with us, Mr. Bennet, are you?' He shook his head. 'Oh, my husband, the Lord has been good to us after all. Oh, I cannot believe it. 13,000 pounds! I shall go distracted!'

'Very good, my darling, please calm yourself. Now let us see what this all means. I asked your uncle to calculate what is possible for you all and at the same time leave enough money to your mother when I am gone.'

'Oh, Mr. Bennet!'

'I know, I know, but we have to talk about it.'

'Father is this true? Are we rich?' Kitty asked.

'No, Kitty, not rich, but you will have some dowry. All right. Do you want to know what your uncle says?' All his ladies talked at once. They all laughed at their father's expression.

'Let me see. We will take that Jane and Elizabeth are to be the first to marry.'

'What if one of us gets to be first?'

'That will not happen, Lydia. If you try, you will not see any dowry at all.' Lydia started to whine loud. Her mother was the one to tell her to leave the table if she could not behave. That surprised everyone.

'Go on, Mr. Bennet.' She nodded to her husband.

'As I said, Jane and Elizabeth may marry as soon as next year and will get five hundred and a thousand pounds each. Then, for three consecutive years will receive five hundred pounds each year. That is three thousand pounds. Further, you will receive a hundred pounds a year from Longbourn's income until my death. Your uncle also wrote to me that they have invested money for the two of you and that is now two thousand pounds for you both. That was very generous of them.'

'What are you saying? My brother? Oh, my, bless his name. Oh, girls, is this true?' They nodded in tears.

'Why are we not getting any?' Lydia pouted again.

'Quiet, child. Mind your own business. Be happy for your sisters. Good Lord, that is 5,000 pounds for you, two.' She beamed.

Elizabeth and Jane were relieved that they did not have to keep the secret anymore. Also, they hardly could believe what their father said. 3,000 pounds? It sounded incredible.

'Father, Lydia is right, maybe we should leave some of it for them.'

'That is very nice of you to say, you see, Lydia? But there is no need for that. When it will be Mary's turn, two years after next year, she will get a thousand pounds and for four years she will receive five hundred pounds. Also, she will receive the same hundred pounds from Longbourn's income until my death.'

'Thank you, Father.' Mary was truly surprised that she would get the same as her elder sisters.

'Oh, Mr. Bennet. Mary, do you hear this?' Mrs. Bennet waved her handkerchief.

'What about Kitty and me?' Demanded Lydia.

'Lydia, watch your tone. Kitty, you can marry from the year 1815. You get the same as your sisters. You, Lydia, can marry from the year 1817. You will receive the same.'

'That is not fair. Why should I wait that long?'

'Lydia, you are fifteen years old. Another six years means that you will be one and twenty. Perfectly mature to know your mind. You cannot marry before that without my consent anyway, but if you did, you would not get a penny. If you follow your sisters on the other hand, you will get a nice dowry. I do not want another word, Lydia.' Mr. Bennet saw that she was going to protest.

'The year restriction is also there so that I do not have to pay you all at once as that would not let me pay you as much and the younger ones would have to wait longer. Five hundred of the money comes from a separate account. I am not cut out for doing clever business deals. On the other hand, I had learnt from my father to make sure one has always some backup in case something happens. For this reason, since we got married, I have been putting a small amount of money away for when it is needed. We needed to use some of the money three times when the harvest was not good and when we needed a new carriage. You did not feel its effects because I could supplement our income.'

'Oh, Mr. Bennet. You are the best of husbands.'

'Why did you not tell us, Father?'

'Why would I tell you? It was not your business, child. It is my business to make sure you do not go without. Until now, marrying was not in the air, was it?'

'All this time. Father, I thought you… did not care.' Elizabeth exclaimed. Her father looked at her strangely. He took his glasses off and cleaned them with the tablecloth.

'Maybe you should have had more faith in me, Lizzy.'

'But you knew we were spending some of our money on building a dowry.' Jane interrupted.

'There is nothing wrong with taking responsibility for your own futures. I thought it was the loveliest thing, buying little bits of things. That is why I increased your portions, to encourage it.' Elizabeth and Jane just gaped at their father as if they had seen him for the first time; then, they looked at each other. They felt the worst of daughters. Mr. Bennet turned to his wife.

'My dear, at my death, the amount on the savings account will join your dowry account. After we have paid our daughters' dowries, you will be able to draw five hundred pounds per annum. That, together with the two hundred from Mr. Collins, will give you enough to live on comfortably.' Mrs. Bennet's mouth trembled. She stood up and went to her husband. She hugged him.

'Thank you.' She simply said and left the room.

'Girls, that was the news. I hope it brings you some peace.' He stood and followed his wife.

…

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