An Intelligent Wife

What if Mrs. Bennet was not only intelligent, but loved to read and learn as much as her husband? How might that change her and impact their family?

Longbourn, 1811

The Bennets sat down to their Sunday dinner. Mr. Bennet delivered the blessing as always and then everyone began to serve themselves and pass the dishes. As usual Mr. Bennet asked, "And what did you each think about the parson's sermon today?"

In keeping with his early years as an officer in His Majesty's Army, the lowest ranking, or in this case the youngest, went first. Lydia twisted her mouth and then said, "Mama has made me read the 'love chapter' every time I do something unkind or insensitive, so I will not pretend that it is my favorite. I do not think that some of the ladies appreciated it when Reverend Parkhurst pointed out how gossip often violates many of these categories."

Thomas chuckled and several of the females at the table, including Mrs. Bennet, covered their mouths to quell their laughter. "I would imagine they did not. People are often much more enthusiastic about Bible verses when they point out the faults of others, not themselves. And what did you think, Kitty?"

"I think that of all of qualities of love, my greatest weakness is patience. It is too easy for me to get annoyed when the same people keep doing the same things even when they know it is wrong."

"I think that may be true for all of us. The secret to patience is to realize that God loves them... and all of us... despite our shortcomings. If you think that it is hard for you, imagine being all-knowing. Mary?"

"I appreciated how he suggested that we make a chart for ourselves, much like Benjamin Franklin's thirteen virtues. I do not think that Mr. Goulding appreciated that though. He lost both of his brother's in the war with the colonies."

"Which comes back to 'Love keeps no record of wrongs.' Forgiveness is perhaps the hardest requirement. We might say we have forgiven, but until we can forget, or at least stop repeatedly bringing up past wrongs, we have not truly forgiven," Elizabeth said. She grimaced, "And that is the quality of love which I need to work on the most. Sorry for interjecting, Mary."

"You did not. I was finished. Though I will extract penance by asking you to help me make a virtue chart as Reverend Parkhurst suggested. You are better at that sort of thing."

Mr. Bennet took back the conversation by agreeing, "Actually, I think we could all benefit from such charts. Why do we not all start one and then talk about what we learned about it after the first thirteen weeks? Jane, do you have anything to add?"

"I think that the virtue of love that I struggle with the most is envy. I would like to be as intelligent as Lizzie, or as musical as Mary, as artistic as Kitty, or as lively as Lydia. People look at me and only see my face. I would like them to see something more."

Elizabeth and Kitty, who sat on either side of Jane, hugged her. It was Lydia who said, "We all see how big your heart is, Jane. You are just as beautiful inside as you are outside."

Mrs. Bennet softly added, "There will be a man who sees that side of you, Jane. You do not need to be in a hurry. Your Papa and I made certain that there was enough money set aside for each of you so that you can wait to marry a man you truly care for... or never marry at all if you choose. When that man finds you, he will know he has found a true treasure."

Mr. Bennet raised his glass and said, "Hear! Hear! And the same can be said for each of you. Your mother and I are proud of each of you. My Love, have you any more to add?"

"I appreciated that Mr. Parkhurst carried on to speak on the aspects of childish thinking verses adult thinking and behavior. I am in no hurry for any of you to grow up and flee the nest, but I take great pleasure when I see how you mature both in mind and body. Now, Mr. Bennet, I have other news."

"And what is that, My Dear?"

"It seems that Netherfield is let at last. The whole community is agog. A man named Mr. Bingley leased the property last week then went back to London to collect a party of family and guests. There is wild speculation concerning the numbers, of course. I am more concerned about whether Mr. Bingley is a good man. He intended to return on Michaelmas and I hope that you will pay him a visit to decide if we should allow him to meet our daughters."

"As you wish, Mrs. Bennet. Let us hope that he and his party provide a beneficial addition to our tiny corner of the world."

~oOo~

(flashback) Meryton,

"I cannot marry you, Thomas, though I love you dearly."

"Why, Fanny? Surely you cannot doubt my feelings for you? Is there something else?"

"I'm stupid, Thomas! I am not intelligent like Mariah Perkins, or clever like your sister Beth, or wise like your mother was! You read so many books and understand so many things! I know that you like my appearance, just as I like yours and admire your mind. But what happens when you want intelligent conversation, or clever repartee, or wisdom? Thomas, I cannot bear the idea of you becoming disappointed in me; of you losing interest and regretting our marriage. It would break my heart!"

Thomas was silent for severl minutes, but he never released his gentle hold on Fanny Gardiner's hands. Finally he said, "Would you be willing to engage in an experiment with me, Fanny?"

"What manner of experiment, Thomas?" Fanny asked suspiciously.

"Before my mother died, she and my father would sit to dinner every night and speak on their day. They would talk about many things and that took place, but they would also both read the same books or articles so that they could speak on these things. May I continue to court you and spend a portion of each visit trying to do the same?"

"But why? My answers will only show how much I do not know!"

"It is not about what you know or do not know, it is about thinking and then expressing your thoughts. Will you try this with me? I love you and want to marry you, but I also want you to be happy with yourself. Please give us a chance?"

"Very well, Thomas, I will try."

She did try and, under the gentle and patient guidance of a good man, Fanny's world began to open. She never made any claim to being her husband's intellectual equal in any way, but she soon surpassed him in wisdom.

Thomas Bennet was able to meet his bride at the altar six months after their first agreement. He had tended towards bookishness and indolence, but Fanny had made it quite clear that the father of her children had better be a man of diligence and industry. Like her, he found that he quite liked the man he became once he applied himself.

(end flashback)

~oOo~

Meryton Assembly, 1811

"She is tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me..."

Fanny Bennet had always had gifted hearing. She could hear when her children were up to something from any place in the house. Mary had once teased that it bordered on supernatural. At the moment Fanny heard those words, her first thought was not to chastise the arrogant man who voiced them, but to reach her daughter before it was too late. Though she did not hear the rest of Mr. Darcy's tripe at a cognitive level, she knew the moment he was finished speaking because Elizabeth stood, smirked, and walked past the man.

Fanny intercepted Elizabeth on her way towards her friend Charlotte, "Wait one, Lizzy. That might be a mistake."

"I'm sorry, Mama, but what can you mean?"

"You were on your way to tell your amusing anecdote to Charlotte, who just happens to be standing close enough to the matron table for any or all of them to hear. If you do that, it will spread like a grass fire throughout Meryton by luncheon tomorrw."

"What should it matter, Mama? The ridiculous words were said in public. I would not be spreading tales. I found the whole conversation quite amusing and think Charlotte will feel the same."

"Did you truly...?"

"Did I think Charlotte will find it all amusing? Of course I do."

"That was not what I meant and you know it, my darling daughter. I see the smile on your face but I also see the hurt in your eyes. You have fixed your gaze on the man quite regularly throughout the night."

Elizabeth looked down, then met her mother's eyes, "I cannot lie to you, Mama. It is rather hurtful to be adjudged 'tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt', or to be an unworthy dance partner because I was 'slighted by other men'."

"I heard the first, but not the second."

"Are you slipping, Mama?"

"Don't be disrespectful of your elders, child. I came over as soon as I hear the first because I anticipated your response."

"To talk with my friend? Why would that be bad. We speak of everything."

"To talk of it in public before you resolve the matter in your head in private is not wise. All I ask is that, for tonight, you and I retain the information to ourselves. Tomorrow, in the fresh light of morning, we will talk. Fair?"

Elizabeth sighed, "Fair. My mother always knows best... even if her hearing is slipping."

"You are my smallest daughter, dear Lizzie. I can still turn you over my knee."

~oOo~

"Good morning, my child."

Elizabeth, usually a morning person, growled into her hot tea.

"Ah, I see that a good night's sleep has effectively cooled your temper."

"Does it need to be cooled? Should it be cooled? It seems obvious to me that Mr. Darcy is no gentleman. Should we not warn our neighbors?"

"May I tell you what I saw last night?"

"Will anything I say stop you?"

"My, you are in a fine mood this morning. Just as Mr. Darcy was last night. You see, dear, I looked past his tall, dark, handsome, and rude facade last nigh an observed other details. The first was that Mr. Darcy was not the one who made their party late. His very first act upon entering the room was to glance at his pocketwatch in irritation. If I had my guess, our Mr. Darcy is a punctual man who prefers to be on time or early for all appointments. For such a man that is annoying enough. My father was the same.

"From the way she preened when making her entrance, I would surmise that Miss Caroline Bingley was the one who made the all late. She is probably among those who subscribe to the foolish notion of being 'fashionably late'."

Elizabeth actually looked amused as she jested, "And yet she still arrived wearing burnt orange and three-foot tall peacock feathers? She was more pleased with herself than with her surroundings as well. She and Mr. Darcy are well-matched."

"Hold that thought. The second detail I observed was that, while Miss Bingley wished to project an attachment between herself and Mr. Darcy, it only existed in her own mind. He moved away from her as soon as possible and stayed away, excepting that single obligatory set, for the rest of the evening."

"Charlotte and I noticed that as well. You have me curious. Please go on." Elizabeth made an inverted V with her elbows so that she could rest her chin on her hands and blink in wide-eyed wonder.

"Difficult child. I should have given you back years ago. Now behave and listen. The next thing I discovered was that, beneath all of his projected haughtiness, Mr. Darcy was skittish, perhaps even shy."

Elizabeth scoffed, not able to let that pass, "Mama, I now know where our dear Jane gets her desire to see only the good in every person. How, pray-tell, did you arrive at that conclusion."

"Because your father used to be much the same. He still is, in fact. I will grant you that hay fever from the harvest made it uncomfortable for him to attend last night, but it was also no hardship on your father's part to remain at home. He despises large crowds and tends to tense up when in a gathering. Make that a large crowd of strangers and he still becomes taciturn and uncommunicative to this day. Why do you suppose that he dislikes London so much. The press of a ballroom is pure torture for men like Mr. Darcy and your father."

Elizabeth was focused more on this information about her dear father than Darcy when she asked, "Truly? I never knew..."

"That is because your father has avoided large crowds since well before your birth. It is better now that his is a patron and not expected to participate, but when he was young, single, sought after, and expected to dance, it was torture indeed."

"And you think that Mr. Darcy is the same?"

"If you look past his aristocratic good looks, you will see the rest. But let me provide two more details and then you may take your walk in peace."

"I shall listen with rapt attention, oh wise mother."

"And don't you forget it. The next detail I noticed was his reaction to both Jane and Kitty."

"Jane and Kitty? That is an odd and disparate pairing. Why them?"

"Kitty is not so different from Jane. It is mainly their position by birth and resultant expectations that makes their behaviors somewhat different. But that is neither here nor there to our discussion this morning. Please tell me what is similar about those two sisters in particular."

Elizabeth pondered, than stated, "They are of a similar height and build, both blond haired and blue-eyed. Though Kitty is unaware of it, she is well on her way to being as beautiful as our Jane."

"You know that I mean no disparagement to you, Mary, and Lydia when I say that they are two of the prettiest girls in England. You are all quite above the common, but men's reactions to them are rather predictable. Except that is not how Mr. Darcy reacted to them."

"How did he react?"

"He winced every time he saw them and therefore attempted to position himself in such a way that neither of them were often in his field of vision."

"But what can he mean by it?"

"Someone he knows also bears similar features, Lizzy. Someone perhaps dear to him? That I do not know, but one thing is certain: whoever it is represents pain for Mr. Darcy."

Elizabeth was silent for a long time, then she poured herself another cup of tea, though it must assuredly be tepid by this point. "You have always impressed me with your insights, Mama. We, none of us, have ever been able to sneak anything past you. So I accept your hypothesis. But you said two more details. What is the last?"

"Mr. Darcy did not arrive in that fated spot by accident. He only moved there after you were done dancing with John Lucas and took your seat. His eyes had been on you until that point and then he moved to where he was near you. Then he snuck glances in your direction several times as if he was attempting to work up the courage to speak."

Elizabeth had to snort at that, "Mama, that is a stretch, even for you. I know that you believe that every man looks at your beloved daughters with desire, but this is too much." Elizabeth looked at her mother in amusement, but the older woman did not crack a smile. She just looked back at her daughter with one raised eyebrow... a trait that only Elizabeth could duplicate. "Truly? But if your supposition is true, then why would he utter such a vile insult?"

"Do you remember Alonzo?"

"Farmer Beechum's Spanish mule? Of course. Who could not?"

"Alonzo was loved and adored by all of you children except Lydia, because she was still too young to be allowed near him before he died. He was a kind old creature, but he had one very troublesome trait. He would work all day, pulling loads that made horses appear weak. He would allow any of you to sit upon him or feed him without ever offering harm. You could pull him all day long, but if you pushed him, no matter who you were, you ran the very serious risk of a good solid kick. To have someone push on his vulnerable flanks was to make the gentle beast into a fighter."

"I remember Beechum flying across the yard and into the manure pile. But what has that to do with Mr. Darcy? Compare the two and Mr. Darcy suffers by comparison."

"Very amusing. When a man is already tense, already feeling threatened, that is not the time to try and push him to do something. His first reaction will almost always be reactive."

"I understand that. When my sisters cajoled me to get back up on a horse after what happened with Phoebe, I got rather abusive towards... oh... and you think that is what happened last evening? But why would he not attack Mr. Bingley instead of insulting me?"

"From what I can tell, Mr. Bingley might be described as... socially slow perhaps. He is intelligent enough, but anyone who truly observed his friend should have known that it was not a good time to push. If Mr. Darcy had insulted him, he would have had to become quite blunt to get through the man's shell. But Mr. Darcy's mind was already on you, so his word reflected his focus."

"Oh... so what is it that you wish me to do now?"

"All that I ask is that you not spread a tale which will harm Mr. Darcy's character to the neighborhood... and then observe. If I am right, it would not surprise me at all if Mr. Darcy should continue to place himself near you in social settings. Allow him this liberty and be gentle with the poor man's skittish heart."

Elizabeth went for her walk that morning with a much lighter spirit. Over the following weeks her mother's predictions came true. Elizabeth, for her part, did nothing to spook the man though she also did not push herself forward or push him away. She argued with him, debated with him, and at Lucas Lodge she even danced with him. There were moments where his reticence was a source of pain for Elizabeth, but her wise, intelligent mother only counseled, "He is a man from a noble family with high expectations. He cannot easily ignore the fact that his family expects him to make a prestigious match. Just remember this: had he ever found another like you in his own circle, he would be married by now."

"And if he never tries to deepen our friendship?"

"Then it will be his loss. Be careful of your heart, Lizzie, but also do not close it to him if you think that he is a man you could share your life with."

~oOo~

It was a terrible day for the two eldest Bennet sisters when the Netherfield Party suddenly left. Jane received a letter from Miss Bingley that was quite alarming, but both her mother and Elizabeth counseled patience.

A week later two young men rode up the drive at Longbourn. With the Bingley sisters removed to London, Darcy and Bingley began courting their respective favorite Bennet daughter in earnest. And despite the many obstacles thrown in their way, both young ladies married their man in a double ceremony in February.

It is not the purpose of this tale to elucidate the various trials and travails of Mrs. Bennet's two eldest daughters, except to say that both couples held Mrs. Bennet up as an ideal and worthy matriarch. She was, and would forever be "Mother Bennet" to the husbands of her daughters.

Patience, intelligence, and wisdom eventually saw all of her daughters well married.

And when that terrible day came and Mr. Bennet breathed his last, Fanny found welcome in each of her daughter's homes.

AN: I hope that you enjoyed my story.

In response to MoonFire1, I am glad that your life is such that you have not encountered any or many "caricatures" or "sociopaths." Sadly, due to my career choices and... unfortunately, family connections, I have encountered such extreme characters in real life many times. Caricatures exist because people recognize those exaggerated traits in real life. Sometimes they are more real-to-life than most of us would wish to admit.

I have actually had to alter some of my stories due to the off-chance that people I know or have worked with might read them and recognize themselves in the narrative. I do apologize if it seems that I often tend towards the extreme. It has been a struggle for me not to allow cynicism to rule my mind. Still, after reading your review I recalled that I was only a few paragraphs shy of completing this tale, so I hope that it is more palatable.

Please understand, this is not an attack. It is simply my truth. I cherished the day I counseled my last person, but the stories will stay with me until my own end.