Notes: Mrs. Phillips believes Jane is the heiress.
PPP
After changing into a fresh gown and carefully fixing her curly hair into a neat bun, Elizabeth made her way down to the dining room for breakfast.
Over more than a year, Mr. Bennet had been meeting with Elizabeth two or three times a week to prepare her for the day when she would inherit Longbourn. Initially, Elizabeth was attentive and listened closely as her father shared his experience, but as time went on, she began to take a more active role in the discussions. Her father encouraged her to share her opinions and propose solutions to the challenges they discussed.
Thomas was immensely pleased with his daughter's progress. He could see that she was growing into a competent young woman who would make a fine heir to the estate. He did not doubt that he had made the right choice in selecting Elizabeth as his successor.
Jane had grown accustomed to seeing her father spend time with Elizabeth. They would engage in activities such as practising Latin, playing chess, or debating various books and ideas. Even when they were children, Elizabeth would spend many hours with her father. On those days, Jane would go to visit her Aunt Phillips in Meryton.
However, that morning, Jane was quite surprised when he heard her father told Mary, "Lizzy told me yesterday that you would like to join us to learn more about the administration of Longbourn. Is that true, Mary?"
Mary nodded and smiled shyly, "Yes, Papa. I want to assist you and Lizzy with the administration of Longbourn."
Jane looked at her father and spoke up, "Father, I too would like to be more involved in the administration of Longbourn."
Thomas looked at her and shook his head, responding, "No, Jane. You can go and visit your Aunt Phillips like you do every Tuesday. There is no need for you to get involved in the administration of Longbourn."
After an awkward silence, Jane insisted, "Father, I can send a note to my aunt and stay here this morning." She looked him in the eye and added, "As your eldest daughter, I should be best prepared to assume my responsibilities the day you are gone."
Everyone in the room turned to look at him with varying degrees of curiosity. His wife and Elizabeth, in particular, looked at him with disapproval. He shook his head again and responded, "You are mistaken; being the eldest doesn't mean anything." He let out a sigh and added with some annoyance, "After breakfast, join me in my bookroom. We need to have a serious talk."
Jane nodded, her eyes filling with tears. She knew that her father did not love her, and it hurt her deeply that he treated her so differently from her other sisters. Her Aunt Phillips had told her that as the eldest daughter, she was the heiress of Longbourn, and that her Uncle Phillips was never going to allow anyone to usurp her right as the firstborn. Her father clearly had a different idea, and Jane was left confused and hurt.
Mrs. Phillips was unaware that Thomas and his father had worked tirelessly to break the entailment of Longbourn. They finished the legal process a few days before Mr. Bennet Sr. passed away and Thomas inherited Lonbourn. They had taken the necessary measures to ensure the estate was inherited by whomever Thomas wanted.
To ensure that the important documents would not be misplaced or stolen, Thomas and his father had taken additional precautions. They had made a copy of the documents and locked them away in Longbourn's secret safe. Only Thomas and his wife knew the combination, and few people knew about the documents.
As the conversation ended, everyone in the room went back to their breakfast. However, the mood was tense, and there was an air of unease. Jane tried to hold back her tears, but it was quite difficult. Elizabeth squeezed Jane's hand, trying to give her support.
A few minutes later, Mr. Hill informed Thomas that there was an emergency that needed his immediate attention. Thomas had to leave without getting a chance to speak with Jane.
After breakfast, despite Elizabeth and Mrs. Bennet's concerns about the threatening weather, and the horses were in the farm, Jane decided to walk alone to Meryton to visit her aunt. Unfortunately, a strong storm broke out, and Jane got drenched on the way and had to stay at her aunt and uncle's house for three days.
Her aunt was upset with Mrs. Bennet because she had allowed her beloved niece to walk instead of lending her the carriage.