P&P FF NON-Canon AU GENERAL REGENCY

"The Captain's Concession: A Bennet's Destiny"

Note: Before any accusations come my way about what the captain is suggesting... I have considered the era he is in. And the Emil is - within the bounds he knows - doing the best he is can to keep a scandal off the Bennet name. So, even if you (the reader) do not agree with it (or think it is not 'believable'), give the gentleman a break; he is considering the family and Miss Kitty's ability to marry after he and her sister wed; if Mary says yes.

EDIT: I have only recently found out Stonehaven is a real town in Scotland. I have changed it to Rockhaven (from my search i cannot find a Rockhaven-i hope there is not one, i will go through and try to edit the other name out).

Previously:

Emil was cognizant of the options available to the Bennets, acutely aware of those he himself had considered, and now, following the conversation with his uncle, felt an even greater urgency to engage in a personal dialogue with Mr. Bennet.

Two Meetings

CH 8.

Peace and quiet ruled outside Longbourn as the trees rustled in the early morning hours. A cool breeze, heralding the day's warmth, whispered through the branches as spring had given way to full-fledged summer. Inside, the silence was even more profound than what lay outside. No servant dared speak, though they knew not the details—all understood half the staff had been dismissed—and a meeting that day between Mr. Bennet and a gentleman named Emil Pedersen would determine their own fate. None wished to work for Mr. Collins.

None of the Bennets found themselves able to eat much. However, the girls, to be polite to the cook, managed to eat a couple of eggs, a biscuit, and a glass of milk before asking to be excused. Their parents permitted them to leave without a fuss, and they themselves soon pushed away their plates.

"I am sorry, Mrs. Hill," Mrs. Bennet stood up. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with the food; I simply cannot bring myself to eat this morning. I will be outside, working in the garden." "And I shall be out front if you need me," Mr. Bennet added. Thomas exited the room, leaving the staff to have their own meeting without interruption.

Mrs. Hill, the housekeeper, stood at the head, clapped her hands, and captured everyone's attention. She addressed the small group as their anxious faces were clearly visible. "Times are difficult right now, and they may yet become even more challenging," she began, her voice steady, concealing her own concern, knowing the younger help need not see just how deep it ran. "We have remained silent about the struggles of Longbourn out of respect for Mr. Bennet. And we have served the Bennet family to the best of our ability, but we must confront the possibility that Mr. Bennet's efforts—honest as they are—may not suffice to preserve our positions at Longbourn. It is no secret none of us wish to work for Mr. Collins should Mr. Bennet be forced out. We must consider having plans should that occur."

Robert, the coachman, who had been with the family the longest, cleared his throat. "We have devoted our best years to this house," he sighed, "It is not merely employment we stand to lose but our home and family. I have heard talk of opportunities in trade or with the militia. It may not be what we are all accustomed to, but it is honest work, without Mr. Collins around." Nods of reluctant acceptance followed his words, as the reality of seeking new livelihoods settled in.

Diana, the youngest maid, spoke up with uncertainty in her voice. "What of those like me? We have nowhere else to go. Some of us have no family to return to."

Mrs. Hill reached out and placed a gentle hand on the young girl's shoulder. "You stick with us," she assured her. "If need be, I will help you find a new place. Robert is correct; this place is more than a workplace; it is our community. I will not let it break so easily."

"None of us will," another, older servant, smiled Diana's way and then suggested they get to work. "This place is still the Bennets'. Let us give them our best."

Mr. Bennet may not have been aware of the staff's private meeting, but he was fully aware that Kitty had been watching him from her window. He surmised that Mary was either reading or working on a project. Thomas began to turn back to his own tasks when the sound of wheels crunching on loose gravel caught his ears. Therefore, he stood up. As much as it would have been grand to say it was a surprise to see the black carriage turn onto Longbourn's graveled road, it was not. Mr. Hale could be seen walking up from behind; the one in the carriage had to be none other than Captain Emil Pedersen.

Emil was indeed the gentleman who emerged from the carriage. His attire, his bearing, his stride, and even the weathered look of his skin suggested a man well-accustomed to life at sea. His gaze alone was enough to affirm his capability to command. Yet, since Mr. Bennet had never before encountered this gentleman, Thomas had no way of knowing that just the previous day, the man had worn a beard or that he had ever allowed his hair to grow long.

Emil did not hide the fact he was a Scotsman. He saw no need to hide his dialect as there were no lives in danger. And if the Bennets could not handle him being Scottish than they had bigger problems then he did.

"Want to have our discussion out here, or shall we go inside?" Emil asked.

"I would rather we head to my library. Is your uncle coming too? I thought things had changed after our last run-in."

"Yes, that's changed. But, if it's fine with you, were hopin'—only if you're good with it—that he could talk to your butler. He's lookin' for some references for a butler he wants to hire. Heard your butler's name mentioned as a solid reference."

"Alright then, Mr. Hales," Mr. Bennet said to Emil's uncle, "come on in, and I will point you to Mr. Hill's office."

Once Mr. Hales was sorted with Mr. Hill, Mr. Bennet led Emil into his library and shut the door. Mr. Bennet sat down, ready for the chat.

"The money I put into the business from your loan was more than I have ever borrowed before. This past year's been rough on the farm, hit us hard. I could sell every book here and still not cover what I owe you."

"I understand what you're sayin'," Emil replied calmly. "And I've been wrestlin' with the idea of doing just what you're mentioned, throwin' you into debtor's prison. But when I looked into the matter - and I mean thoroughly, I found out one of the loudest voices pushin' for that had sneakil' dumped a big chunk of their own debt onto your tab."

"I appreciate you clearing that up; still, I owe you." Mr. Bennet sighed. "And I would be lying if I said I could pay you back now."

"That's the truth," Emil went on, his words echoing Mr. Bennet and Mary's thoughts. "When I wrote that letter after comin' back from sea, learning about the debt, I thought all five of your girls were still here. And the oldest was about twenty-two, almost twenty-three."

"That has changed. My two eldest are married now. They will be busy with their own gardens soon."

"Congrats," Emil said with a grin, then confessed he'd laughed when he heard one married a Darcy. "Sorry, I just can't stand Lad' Catherine."

"We are on the same page there," Mr. Bennet said, wondering if this would change Emil's plans. He asked about Emil's age, curious.

"Sorry to ask again, Mr. Bennet. Because I didn't want my crew ta start mutin', I've got to say, I stopped talkin' about that business years ago. But if it makes ye feel any better, I'm younger than most seasoned captains. Now, regardin' how your news affects my decision, can I be bold enough to ask… how old is yer eldest daughter livin' at home now?"

"Mary is nineteen," Mr. Bennet replied, resisting the temptation to bend the truth.

"I am indeed seekin' a wife. And she's not too youn'. But, should yer daughter be lackin' in wit, unable to fathom a book that's put afore her, is the sort that needs her man by her side ever' night, and a lassie that would crumple underneath duress, then nae, I've not an interest. I'm in need o' a woman with de mettle ta stand her own ground. And that soul does not run in terror when things get rough. Brave enough ta grasp ee helm and steer e ship when I'm called awa' ta duties elsewhere."

Mr. Bennet replied honestly, "Mary has a sharp mind, she understood your letter without me saying one word, whereas I had to explain the letter to her mother more than once. As to being able to stand on her own? Last year I would have said she was the quietest one of the lot, kept to her books and not the one you are lookin' for." He shook his head. "But now...I have no words to describe the change. Some would say what I could tell you is not believable, it is too farfetched, but what I what I would be telling you now is the truth, she stands her ground better than I had imagined possible."

"Mr. Bennet…" Emil rose, his hat in hand. "I'm not a man ta impose myself upon any woman, and I'm prepared—if yer daughter is utterly opposed ta marr'in' me, a stranger—ta consider an alternative ta keep ye free from debtor's prison. However…" He set his hat atop his head. "I am, as said, in truth seekin' a wife, and sir…" Emil's voice carried the command of a captain addressing his crew, more from instinct than intent, "I have duties that beckon me, ones I've but newly discovered this morn afore comin' here. The leisure I believed I had when penning that letter has escaped me. I must depart no later than de morrow's noon."

"You would want Mary to leave with you that soon?" Mr. Bennet was appalled.

"No, she is more than welcome ta follow me, but she'd need ta leave within three weeks. And definitel', yer daughter will need a family member or a trusted friend ta chaperone her ta de Scottish border. I've got friends she can stay with. I'd like her ta sta' with them for a full twenty-one days, just so there's no doubt she's a citizen of my mother's country when we tie de knot. De weddin' will be low-key, out of de spotlight, ta keep de busybodies out and make it a family affair. I'll take care of all de legal stuff. Yer daughter should keep in touch with you durin' that time, so nobody gets de wrong idea that your family's been torn apart."

"What about the announcement?"

"Personall', for the sake o' yer family's good name—an' tae sidestep any scandal, or at de very least lessen de chance o' one… I know de way ta make it seem as though it were a love match that came aboutt in short order. We can also ensure that folk know we have your blessin' and that naught is being done in e shadows. As I've just shared with you, I do have commitments I've only recentl' been made aware o', ones I cannot delay. I'd only have the time to visit London long enough to ensure all debts are wiped clean from your name before I head to Scotland."

"And if she says no?"

"If she declines, I'll put forth de only other feasible option I can presently afford to offer, one that'll keep you clear of debtor's prison, but that I'll not disclose till I return for her answer post luncheon."

"I will talk to her right now," Mr. Bennet stood up. "Oh, captain, there is something you need to be told about Mary."

"What is that?"

"She has been blessed, or cursed, depending on your point of view, with the gift of sight. However, my daughter will not always tell you what she sees. Nevertheless, I would not ignore her if she warns you against doing something." Mr. Bennet asked the captain though of that bit news.

"I've seen and heard enough strange stuff over the years ta not laugh off what you've just told me." Emil turned to leave, then let out a big sigh and turned back to Mr. Bennet. "Ta be totall' upfront with ye and yer daughter, ye should know that yer family might not see Miss Mary again if she leaves with me. And after the first twenty-one days, her letters might stop comin', or at least, they'll be pretty rare."

"Why?"

"You see, I might have grown up on the border of England and Scotland, and hung out with quite a few Lowland Scottish sailors, but I've been called up ta de Highlands of Scotland. And while I'll come back down ta get Mary, I don't see myself settling in Rockhaven. Plus, if I ever come back to England, it would be ta catch a ship at Bristol. But as things stand, I'd need Mary ta stay with my mom and sister in Scotland." With that, the captain left Mr. Bennet's library, leaving Thomas feeling like he'd turned into thick tar, barely able to move.