AU Pride an Prejudice
Fan Fiction
For Clarissa's Sake
Previously
Mr. Thomas looked at the Baroness and then at her daughter. He believed the lady to have her daughter's best interest at heart. And the gentleman trusted this distant cousin spoken of was not one a man would want his daughter with but -thinking about the way the letter had been improperly written and knowing what he had to say to his old captain and why, he asked the women to leave as he wished to talk to the baron alone.
Private Talk with the Baron
Ch. 4
Mr. Bennet, as soon as it felt safe to openly converse with Baron Grey, practically slammed both hands on the end of the bed and demanded to know what it was the gentleman was not telling the baroness or his daughter, Miss Clarissa. "You send me a letter which repeated itself. That was a code only you used in our army days. And you only used it with me. If I saw a note like that, I knew I was to drop everything I was doing and risk life and limb in order to get back to your side. So, do not tell me it is nothing; I left without eating my main meal, there were no delays in getting here, I have slept but two or three hours. I also know there is no way your brothers would go along deeding property adjacent to my estate over to me and allow me to marry your daughter, their niece, without causing a ruckus for the reason you just stated."
The baron let out a long sigh; it made him both sad and happy that Thomas Bennet's sharp mind had not dulled over the years. Sad because it meant Thomas' old captain would have to confess the truth, and right back to happy because he had been right on who was the better mate for Clarissa.
"So, out with it. If I am to go along with this madness, I must have the truth even if I am not upper class and was not your superior in the military."
"You do at that." The baron then opened up to the truth of what he had hidden from his wife and - partially from his brothers - after telling Mr. Bennet to come sit by his bedside. "This is going to take more than a two, or three, worded reply."
"I am sitting." Mr. Bennet folded his arms.
"First you should know, my brothers think I owe you an enormous gambling debt I cannot pay, nor can they cover." Lord Grey might as well have become the old army captain he once was as he held up his hand - almost as if ordering his former lieutenant to keep quiet. "I did it because I slipped and began gambling again and incurred a large debt I cannot totally repay. I went and confessed this to my brothers; adding on my supposed old army debts to you which have accrued interest. I told them you were generous enough to ignore it in the past saying you could wait to collect, but things for you had now changed. I told them you had demanded I give you all that I owed. I insisted I could not pay and that you relented on the cash not being paid as long as you were allowed to marry Clarissa in the hopes you will have a son for Longbourn. I also told them instead of cash for dowry, or any cash each month after my death you were willing to settle for the two properties adjacent to your own.
"And why would you do that? Our bets never involved that kind of money. And I quit my gambling days many years ago."
"Because the real debt I owe is to Nicolas. Fortunately, my brothers like him as much as I do, I begged them to allow me to deed the lands in Meryton to you and not to fight me on giving you my daughter's hand in marriage to appease you for the old debt. I assured them you would only tell people I very well may die, and it was likely my death wish. I assured them you had not gambled since getting out of the army and that Clarissa would be safe with you. I also gave them my word you will say nothing as to any gambling problem I have, not even to your family, nor would you press our other properties into the courts. I begged them to allow it for Clarissa's sake."
"And they agreed to such a scheme without a word of protest? How remarkably obliging of them." Mr. Bennet did not bother hiding his skepticism.
"If this is any consolation, they have given me a devilish dressing-down for it. They have had to part with such a fortune as to settle my debts, transfer the estates to you, and maintain this mansion, which will be the only housing I shall retain. My other properties have been listed to them and have the conditions that will allow my sons to inherit their share, but they will not ever come back to me. You may be sure I am lucky to have a whole hide left. Thank heavens, they spared my wife and daughter from their wrath. They have been led to believe it is my medical bills that have drained my accounts." The baron sighed. "My Clarissa, I realize, will not turn nineteen for two more days, but I beg you, do not let her suffer for my faults more than the world will make her." The baron chuckled despite himself. "Sometimes, I wonder why I worry about her, that little lady would likely bid them go hang themselves, as her mother has done when her aunt learnt what we were about to do, and she knows nothing of my true debt."
Mr. Bennet went and stood near the room's hearth and leaned against it. He hashed over the musings which had already crossed his mind on the subject of remarrying. Sighing, Mr. Bennet knew he had changed for the better, but was it enough to make himself a decent enough husband? Especially to a young lady who had only known a life of far many servants than he could ever give her; he had twenty to be sure, but that was nothing compared to what her father had once had.
Morgan Grey did not say anything as he watched Mr. Bennet standing by the fireplace. The old army captain felt horrible for having allowed himself to slip in his gambling. It was a habit which he had fought so hard to control and, he thought, had conquered - until this mess with Nicolas. Now here he was down to one house and properties that were no longer under his name. His sons -he could only presume dead though he spoke as if they still lived- his wife was down multiple servants and him laying in a bed begging an old friend, an old army comrade, to marry his daughter over a pretended debt to keep her out of the hands of Nicolas; a man who would have treated his horse better than he would have any woman. Finally, Mr. Bennet turned around.
"I still think you are mad, but I cannot deny the idea of your daughter in the hands of a man who does not think highly of the fairer sex makes my stomach churn. You have my word, Lord Grey, that I will not reveal the truth about your debts no matter my decision. Surely, I may have the night to take it all in, to think truly upon it?"
"Only if you go straight to bed, willing to let my servants bring you a meal to you there and say nothing to my brothers. I dare say they would not leave without drawing you into conversation if you were to go back down." Mr. Bennet agreed. Therefore, he waited while the baron rang for a maid to show his visitor where he was to spend the night. It was only then that he left the baron alone in the room.