The next day…

Mr. Bennet sought concurrence with his decision to dispense with the services of Mrs. Longden from his daughter, Elizabeth, the only other person at Longbourn with any sense, Jane's sense seemingly having evaporated upon Mr. Bingley retaking residence at Netherfield. He related to her the law, the facts, and the costs as per her uncle Phillips' review of the same. She would have liked to argue the law and the facts - she would have made quite the barrister – but had to defer to the expertise of her uncle, who after all was learned in the law. As for the cost, with all the aplomb of someone with ten thousand in her betrothed's purse, she waved it away as a mere bagatelle. There would be no further costs to Mr. Bennet, Mr. Darcy would take care of everything relating to the education of Mary, Kitty, and Lydia from hereon.

And so, it was agreed between the two that Mrs. Longden would go, and the sooner, the better.

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Mrs. Longden was called to attend on Mr. Bennet in his bookroom. She left Miss Mary in the care of Herr Schmold, working her way through some sonata by Beethoven; Miss Kitty in the dining room working on a still life, M. La Framboise, semi-supervising / semi-snoozing in the corner; and Miss Lydia in the garden reading Pilgrim's Progress, aloud, to an unappreciative audience of a willow warbler and two magpies.

Mr. Bennet was seated with Miss Elizabeth standing behind him. He did not offer Mrs. Longden a seat.

Without preliminary words Mr. Bennet said "I no longer require your services or those of your associates. This ten-pound note is to compensate you for your services." He pushed a banknote across his desk.

Mrs. Longden did not pick it up. She said "No. I require seventy-five pounds for me; twenty-five pounds for each master."

"That was for a full year; you have not yet been here for four full weeks."

"Our contract is a full year. The masters and I are ready, willing, and able to fulfill it."

Mr. Bennet winced to hear those words, words on which his brother Phillips had placed great emphasis in his dissertation on the law of contracts and breaches thereof. Mr. Phillips had also gone over the progression of negotiations required to settle the consequences of such breaches, culminating in the proverbial 'splitting the difference.' Mr. Bennet could not be bothered to so exert himself. He huffed and took his cheque book out of his desk drawer. He scratched out three cheques, showed them to his daughter, and at her nod, slide them across the desk, taking care to retrieve the ten-pound note.

Mrs. Longden picked up the cheques, and finding them to be in order, started to turn away.

Mr. Bennet called out "I want you gone from Longbourn by noon. And do not expect any letter of reference." Miss Elizabeth leaned down and whispered something in his ear. He sighed and said "I understand that you have a great deal of luggage; you may send Tom, the stableboy, by horse to Meryton to fetch a wagon. Of course, the hire of same will be at your own expense."

Mrs. Longden was turning the doorknob to exit the bookroom when she found that Mr. Bennet was not finished with her.

"Mrs. Longden, you should know that Mr. and Mrs. Darcy will see that my younger daughters will be educated and brought out properly."

Mrs. Longden gave Mr. Bennet and Miss Elizabeth her brightest, smarmiest smile and said "That's nice" and then she left the bookroom.

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Mrs. Longden found Herr Schmold and Miss Mary working out the fingering of the sonata they had been working on for the last few days.

"Herr Schmold, we have been dismissed. Please give Miss Mary an idea of what she should be working on until the end of September. Then pack your things. I am arranging for transportation. We will be gone from here by noon."

Miss Mary, recovered from the shock of the news, started to protest, but Mrs. Longden interrupted her. "Mr. Darcy will be taking over your education. You have seen what a good job he has done with Miss Darcy, I am sure he will do the same for you. Now listen carefully to what Herr Schmold is going to tell you."

Mrs. Longden than found M. La Framboise and Miss Kitty and told them much the same.

When she entered the garden Mrs. Longden did not hear any recitation. She found Miss Lydia hidden in a little nook, sitting on a bench, Pilgrim's Progress abandoned beside her. She was petting Moggie, who was purring her appreciation.

"How far did you get?" Mrs. Longden gestured at the book.

"I was almost atop the Hill of Difficulty."

"Why did you stop?"

"Moggie was stalking the little warbler which set the magpies squawking so I picked her up to save it and then I decided to take a little break." Miss Lydia dumped the cat onto the ground, earning a feline harumph, and picked up the book. "I'll get started again."

Mrs. Longden shook her head. Focus Miss Lydia. Focus. She wished Mr. Darcy well in educating Miss Lydia. She hoped he could do it without beating the joie de vivre out of her. "You need not bother; finish it at your leisure. I know you will make it to the Celestial City eventually."

Miss Lydia tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Mrs. Longden sighed. "I am no longer in charge of your education. Your father has dismissed me. Mr. Darcy will be taking over your education. You have seen what a good job he has done with Miss Darcy …"

"Her? He can't turn me into her. I wouldn't fit!"

Mrs. Longden laughed. "No, you would not. 'To thine own self be true'. But do take the opportunity to learn. I foresee a bright future for you, if you do." Mrs. Longden patted Miss Lydia on the cheek. "Take care, child. Now, if you will excuse me, I must go pack."

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Heedless of grass stains on her pinafore Lydia laid down on the lawn and stared at the sky. She did not cry although the temptation was there. She felt as if she was laying in that horrendous puddle again, only this time it was her father who had pushed her into it.

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Mrs. Longden did not send Tom, the stableboy, to Meryton to fetch a wagon. Instead, she sent him with a note to Netherfield.

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A/N: Short summer break coming up.