Chapter 26

The house was silent, the darkness almost complete. Laying beneath a shroud was Mr. Bennet, or what remained of him. When Elizabeth first arrived at Longbourn her Mother fell upon her shoulder and cried about her departed husband, but also rejoiced in the fact she would still have a home. Elizabeth comforted her Mother as best she could, determined to never tell her just how close she had come to being thrown out regardless of her marriage to Mr. Collins. The thought rankled her as she sat in the parlor, watching over her Father's corpse. Shaking her head, she tried to focus on her task, and began reading from her book of prayers by candle light, wishing morning would arrive.

The night felt long and often her thoughts would drift. She would remember fond memories from her youth; Papa teaching her her letters, reading from Greek philosophy, instilling in her his love of learning. She would also think of Little Will, how small his hands were, how cute his toes. What would he look like when he grew older? Would he look remarkably like Mr. Darcy or would he retain some semblance of herself? And then she would think of him, and she would feel warmth from the thought.

Early in the morning she was awakened by Mrs. Hill who had come to relieve her. Casting her eyes towards the window she could see the sky just beginning to turn the rosy hue of early dawn. She thanked Hill, especially for the warm cup of coffee she had brought, and walked to the dining room to wait for the rest of the family to come down to break their fast.

Mr. Bingley, Jane and Mr. Collins came early in the morning, Mr. Collins giving a rather loquacious speech on righteous souls inheriting their mansion in Heaven, which did nothing to comfort Mrs. Bennet as she mourned her husband.

"Lizzy," Jane said as the two of them took a stroll outside, "Charles and I will not renew the lease on Netherfield. He has found a property up North, near Scarborough." Elizabeth's eyes widened at the news, and Jane continued. "He feels...we both feel it would be nice to raise our children near his family."

"Jane, are you...with child?"

Jane's smile widened, "Yes, dearest, though you mustn't tell Mama. If she were to learn of our move and that I am with child she will try to stop us."

"I won't utter word." Elizabeth promised.

"We would also like to take Kitty with us," Jane hesitated, watching for Elizabeth's reaction.

"Kitty?" She questioned. Mary was older by more than a year, it was her turn to enter society as Miss Bennet.

"Mary is too set in her ways," Jane said, "we do not think she would do well and Kitty would be a tremendous help once the baby comes. Mary and Lydia should remain here with Mama to comfort her."

Elizabeth pursed her lips, refusing to argue with her sister. She nodded her head, wondering why Jane would reveal her plan to herself first. It was entirely their Mother's decision on whether any or none of her unmarried daughters would leave for the North.

Mrs. Bennet thought it a splendid idea and even tried to add herself and Lydia to the journey, but Jane explained that she would be much more comfortable at Longbourn, walking distance to her sister, and only a days ride from London where she could visit her brother. "It is true that it is harder to make new friends as one ages," Mrs. Bennet stated.

And so two weeks after Mr. Bennet's funereal, the Bingleys shut Netherfield up for the last time and packed their trunks for their new home, Kitty excitedly waving her hand goodbye from the carriage window.

"I do not see why I could not go," Lydia pouted as they returned in doors.

"Oh, Lydia, think of it! Now that Lizzy and Jane are married, your Uncle Gardiner will let you visit him in London and think of the parties and balls you shall attend!"

Mrs. Bennet and her youngest daughter giggled as they took their tea in the parlor, planning their London escape as soon as the appropriate mourning was observed.

Two weeks had gone by in which Mr. Collins signed all the required papers that would make Longoburn legally his. The entail would break as soon as he died and Longbourn passed to his son. He had talked with Elizabeth about perhaps extending the entail beyond that but Elizabeth was adamant that it should end indefinitely and no amount of cajoling would make her see any other way.

Once the house had settled Collins returned to Hunsford to seek out a new curate, one who could take over his ecclesiastical duties while he retired to the countryside as a landed gentleman. Elizabeth make her intentions known that she would stay behind to help her Mother and sisters, and get Longbourn ready for his return.

Once he was gone she entered her Father's study as if she were entering a sacred shrine. She let her eyes roam over every object, brushing her fingers over the ledger on the desk. These were her Father's things, his most valued treasures, and she would see to it that they were preserved.

She began by packing away his little curious and object d'art and contraptions that he had collected over the years and instructed Hill that they boxes were to be packed away carefully in the attic. She then went over the books, picking those that had a special memory for her, and carried them to her new room. Mrs. Bennet retained her old bedroom, and her Father's bedroom was to be aired out and made ready for Mr. Collins on his return. The guest room which she had stayed in during Jane's wedding was to be made over for her new room for the duration of her Mother's life, and one of the other rooms could do for a guest room.

Once the study was cleared away of all of Mr. Bennet's things, she began going over the ledgers and became horrified at what she discovered. Mr. Bennet had been able to bring in nearly 2,000 pounds per anum from the estate, but the notes written in the margins allowed her a deeper insight into her Father's mind. He had not been an attentive Father, this she knew from personal experience, but these ledgers and notebooks allowed her to see he had also not been an attentive landowner.

Money that should have been used for improvements to the tenant cottages, for seed, and for implementing new farming techniques was spent instead on books and contraptions her Father studied. She had an image of her Father who fostered her love of learning and stood as barrier between her mother and herself, but she was beginning to view him in a different light and it unnerved her. She felt a sudden urge to storm the attic and toss the box of her Father's treasures out the window and stand triumphantly over their broken bits and pieces.

Elizabeth closed her eyes, took some deep breaths, then thought on the problem. After reviewing the ledgers she knew what she must do. Though she wasn't well learned in the management of a large estate, she had watched her Father over the years, and felt up to the task until she could educate herself with the newest farming methods. She took a quill and paper and began writing her goals for the next month, the next year, the next five years, and then the next ten. By then she felt confident Little Will would be able to help her take over and could put in his own suggestions.