Master of Longbourn Chapter 5 - Leases and Lessons, a pride and prejudice fanfic

I am curious what you will make of this chapter… 😊

~MoL~

Leases and Lessons

1809

The atmosphere at Longbourn was tense on Sunday.

Mrs Bennet could not accept that Collins had no interest in any of her daughters and kept hinting that any one of them would make a wonderful wife for him. She even wondered if he was showing such reluctance as the daughter, whose looks he admired, was one for whom he was prepared to wait until she grew up.

That comment occasioned a cry of horror from the gentleman, 'Mrs Bennet, what do you take me for? I have not the slightest interest in children.' This outcry made Mrs Bennet blush.

While Mr Bennet had missed out on his amusement when Collins had turned out to be a reasonably intelligent and sensible young man, he now delighted in his wife's futile efforts. It was obvious that no matter what he might have had in mind before his arrival, Collins had was not prepared to offer for any of his cousins.

Collins in turn grew ever more irritated by Bennet's attitude. Instead of telling his wife to desist importuning their guest, Bennet sat back and smirked. It was that smirk which decided Collins in the end.

He resolved that at the earliest opportunity on Monday morning, he would send a message to Mr Phillips to attend him at Longbourn.

~MoL~

The timing of Mr Phillips' visit could not have been better.

Immediately after breakfast, Mrs Bennet cornered her husband in his library. 'Mr Bennet, I must speak with you about a most urgent matter.'

Bennet rolled his eyes. 'Do you indeed? You could have done so in the breakfast parlour without invading the sanctity of my library.'

'But I could not speak there as Mr Collins was also present.'

'I gather that your need for privacy is not due to your natural modesty but because you wish to discuss our guest.'

Relieved that her husband seemed to grasp the topic of conversation, Mr Bennet answered simply, 'Quite.'

''What has our guest done that you need to discuss in private?'

'Nothing,' answered the lady in a huff and crossed her arms over her chest.

'If he has not done anything objectionable, what is the problem?'

'That is just it. He has done nothing.'

'Am I to understand that you are complaining about my cousin because he has not done anything objectionable?' Bennet asked with a barely suppressed smirk. He was quite certain he knew what his wife's complaint was but chose to make sport of her again.

'He wrote in his letter that he wished to extend an olive branch to our family to make up for being the heir. The only way he can do that is to marry one of our daughters. Yet he has not made an offer to any of them. He has not even shown any preference for any of them.'

'I am quite aware of that fact as he has not come to ask permission to court any of the girls.'

'But he must marry one of our girls. What is to become of us if he chooses another bride. He will surely throw us into the hedgerows to starve before you are even cold in your grave. You must do something about this,' cried Mrs Bennet, becoming ever more hysterical at her husband's laissez faire attitude.

'That is his right. What do you expect me to do about this?' Bennet asked without bothering to hide his enjoyment of the situation.

'You must make him offer for Jane. How can he possibly refuse the most beautiful girl in the country,' exclaimed the lady while fanning herself with her lace handkerchief. In her agitation her voice rose to the upper registers of her vocal range as she continued to exhort her husband to take action on their behalf.

The piercing sound at last removed Bennet's smile as his head began to throb. When the lady paused to draw breath, he interjected, 'The man is only showing remarkably good sense in not wanting to marry one of the silliest girls in England. I only wish that I had had an equal amount of sagacity.' As Mrs Bennet opened her lips to object to his insult, he shouted, 'Enough. I will not stand for being lambasted in my own library. You will kindly leave my domain,' Bennet surged out of his chair and pointed at the door.

Seeing that her husband was unreasonable as usual, Mrs Bennet turned and staggered out the door, tears streaming down her face as she muttered, 'Vexatious man. He would surely laugh at seeing us being turned out of our home.'

Bennet was not laughing as he collapsed back into his chair, massaging his throbbing temples.

~MoL~

Mrs Bennet had just retreated upstairs to take refuge in her chambers when Mr Phillips arrived.

Collins had been keeping an eye on the approach to the house, and immediately went into the foyer to greet the solicitor, who had been admitted by Mr Hill.

Once the greetings were exchanged, Phillips said, 'I prepared the contract as we discussed.' He handed Collins a copy of the document, which the young man quickly scanned.

'I see you added another clause,' Collins said as he indicated the paragraph to Phillips.

'I thought it would be useful,' Phillips said with a small smile.

'Thank you.' Collins nodded and turned to Mr Hill. 'I will take Mr Phillips to Mr Bennet, but if you could remain outside the door, I hope we will have need for you soon,' he said.

'Very well, sir,' Hill agreed without raising an eyebrow.

Collins knocked on the library door and without bothering to wait for an invitation, he and Phillips entered the room.

'What do you want?' Bennet snarled at the intruders, in no mood to deal with his cousin or his brother.

'I wanted to speak to you about the estate,' Collins said mildly.

Bennet gave them a baleful look. 'If you had any consideration for my nerves, you would take Longbourn now rather than wait until it and the women drive me into an early grave.' Bennet grimaced as an injudicious shake of the head caused his headache to send fiery needles into his brain. He groaned, 'If I had but the value of Fanny's jointure, I could live in comfort at Oxford without having to deal with her shrill voice ever again.'

'Are you saying that if you had an income of two hundred pounds a year, you would be willing to desert your family and your estate?' Phillips asked in pretended exasperation.

'If someone made me an offer like that, I would be in my carriage heading for Oxford in an instant,' Bennet replied absentmindedly as he placed his elbows on his desk and rested his aching head in his hands.

Phillips and Collins exchanged startled glances and nods.

They had expected to spend time working up to the proposal and then taking more time to convince Bennet to accept it. It was quite confronting being presented with the perfect opening.

While Phillips extracted the four copies of the contract which he had prepared from the document case he carried, Collins quietly went to the door and ushered in Mr Hill.

'You truly would sign over Longbourn and guardianship of your wife and daughters for two hundred pounds a year?' Phillips asked again.

'Indeed, I would,' Bennet confirmed. 'But who would be fool enough to take on this burden?'

'I would,' Collins said quietly.

Bennet raised his head in surprise and groaned as the sudden movement hurt his head again. He slumped back in his chair and gave his cousin a calculating look.

Despite his headache Bennet weighed up the pros and cons of the offer. He would have to pay for accommodation, but he would not have to bother with the duties of estate management, giving him more time to read. While his funds for port and books would be limited, he would not have to endure the noise of his family. But then again, if he was situated in Oxford, access to the Bodleian library meant he could save money on books, leaving plenty of funds for port.

He was just about to negotiate for a larger stipend, when a clatter of feet on the stairs and female shrieks of 'Give me back my ribbon,' could be heard even through the stout oak door of the study.

The stabbing pain decided Bennet. 'Very well. For two hundred pound per annum, this is all yours… including the headache,' he grated.

On each of the four copies of the contract Phillips filled in the amount, which he had left blank as he had expected that they would have to negotiate an amount acceptable to all. Two hundred had been the preferred amount Collins had suggested, although he had been prepared to go as high as three hundred.

Once done, Phillips placed all copies of the document in front of Bennet and handed him a pen. 'If you sign there, you can be on your way to Oxford this very day.'

Bennet took the pen as they heard another shriek but could not make out the words. Without further hesitation, Bennet signed all the copies where Phillips indicated. He did not even bother to read the document other than to note the words, two hundred pounds (£200) per annum.

Once Bennet's signature was affixed to the documents, Collins also signed, and their signatures were witnessed by Mr Hill and Mr Phillips.

Once Bennet and Collins each took a copy of the contract, while Phillips retained two copies, Bennet suddenly felt lighter. He looked around the room. 'About my books…'

Phillips nodded and recommended, 'I suggest that you only take essentials with you today. While you arrange for permanent accommodation in Oxford, I will have all your personal belongings packed up. As soon as you provide me with an address, I will have everything sent to you.'

Suddenly full of energy, Bennet bounded out of his chair. 'Hill, have my trunks packed and the carriage readied,' he ordered. Before leaving the room, he turned back to Collins and with a jaunty wave said, 'I wish you luck. You will need it.'

~MoL~

An hour later, Mr Bennet had the servants assemble in the drawing room, after sending for his family.

Once everyone had gathered, he strode into the parlour where he was met with confused expressions. The Bennet ladies were seated in a group, while the servants, except for the coachman, stood in another group by the cold fireplace. Collins was standing by himself near the window.

Bennet relished what he was certain was the last time he would ever see this assembly of people again.

'Mr Bennet, what is the meaning of this. Why have you gathered us all like this?' queried Mrs Bennet, feeling quite put out.

'I thought that it would save time if I informed all of you at once of my plans,' Bennet replied with a lazy smile. 'I have come to take my leave of you. I will remove to a place of peace and quiet, where I will be surrounded by men of learning rather than women of ignorance. I wash my hands of all of you. From now on you will be the problem of my cousin, Mr William Collins. As of today, he is the new master of Longbourn.'

Bennet chuckled at the stunned and horrified expressions of his ladies.

'But what are we to do without you?' gasped Mrs Bennet.

'I expect you will do what you have done for all these years. Flutter, have the vapours, enthuse about lace and fill the house with constant meaningless babble. I doubt you will even notice I am gone.'

'We certainly won't notice,' muttered cook quietly.

'But, papa, what about me?' Elizabeth whispered with a pleading look in her eyes as she extended a tentative hand in his direction. 'Who will teach me?'

Bennet shrugged indifferently. 'Perhaps you can convince your cousin to waste his time on a girl who cannot make use of her education. I will return to where my teaching will be useful. Educating young men who can benefit from what I can impart to them.' He waved a dismissive hand. 'But time's awasting. My carriage awaits. Farewell,' he said to his audience.

With a final nod and a jaunty wave, he turned and quit the room.

~MoL~

Bennet had gone, leaving the occupants of the room in shocked silence.

Collins broke the quiet when he stepped forward and addressed the servants. 'You have no need to worry, you all still have a job. Carry on as usual and I will speak to each of you over the next few days.'

He turned to Mrs Hill. 'I believe the ladies could all use some restorative. Please send in some tea and brandy.'

'At once, sir,' the housekeeper said and curtsied before attending to her duties.

Collins took a seat in a chair and watched as the women sat quietly, still trying to grasp what had occurred.

The shock was just starting to wear off when a maid brought the tea tray and Mrs Hill carried in a tray with a decanter of brandy and glasses.

Jane automatically poured tea for everyone while Collins served each of them a tot of brandy. The size varied according to age.

Mrs Bennet took her glass with two hands, as they were shaking, and downed the fiery liquid in one large gulp. She started to cough, but slowly the colour, which had drained from her face, returned.

She turned her worried gaze onto Collins. 'What happens to us now?' she asked. Despite her best efforts, her voice quavered.

'You will continue to live here. After all, this is your home.'

Mrs Bennet's expression turned hopeful. 'You truly mean this. You are not throwing us out into the hedgerows?'

'Certainly, I mean this. Although there will be some changes since I expect all you ladies to become familiar with the duties of the mistress of an estate. But, as I said, this is your home and until I marry, you Mrs Bennet will hopefully act as the mistress of Longbourn,' Collins reassured the matron.

Mrs Bennet started to laugh hysterically. 'For years I have been terrified of Mr Bennet dying and leaving us to the mercy of his heir. I tolerated his slights and mocking, hoping that I could remain strong long enough to see all my girls safely married to men who are nothing like him.' She dabbed futilely at the tears which streamed down her face. 'And now I discover that I worried for nothing.'

Since Mrs Bennet's lace handkerchief was unequal to the task, Collins passed her his own much larger linen handkerchief.

'You will never need to fear starving in the hedgerows, but to this end we will need to discuss finances in the next few days. I am afraid that Mr Bennet has shamefully neglected his duties as the master and Longbourn is not as profitable as it once was… but could be again.'

The Bennet sisters had listened quietly during this exchange, mostly relieved that despite their father's departure, they still had a home. They had been concerned since Mrs Bennet had been crying about being thrown into the hedgerows for as long as most of them could remember.

The only exception was Elizabeth. Hearing Collins remark in a derogatory manner about Mr Bennet, she flared up. 'How dare you criticise my father. What would you know about managing an estate.'

'I know enough that I can tell that Longbourn used to make an income of over three thousand pounds per year. Under Mr Bennet's negligent stewardship that amount has dwindled to two thousand pounds… in a good year.'

Elizabeth looked daggers at Collins, as she contradicted him. 'Longbourn has only ever made about two thousand.'

Phillips, who had returned from an errand and had stayed quietly in the background waiting for a chance to discuss the future of Longbourn with Collins, in his turn contradicted his niece. 'Lizzy, you do not remember this as it was about the time when you were still in the nursery, but Longbourn did indeed make in excess of three thousand a year. But after Lydia was born and there was no chance for an heir, your father lost what little interest he had in the estate. He let too many things slide and now the estate makes barely enough to cover all your expenses… as you well know.'

Having helped her father with the books whenever he allowed it, Elizabeth was aware of their financial position, but she did not give up so easily. 'And you think that as a parson you are better qualified to manage an estate,' she sneered.

'I was not always a parson. As it happens, I did learn how to administer an estate,' Collins replied as his mind turned back to that time.

~MoL~