PP AU Non-Canon General Regency

Ties That Bind

Previously:

Elizabeth, sensing her father's gaze, looked over and smiled. She walked over to him and gently took his arm. "Come, Papa, let us walk home together.

"You go on ahead with Fitzwilliam and the others. I am going to talk to Parson Linn."

Morgan Halls

Ch. 3

Mr. Bennet may have been talking to his parson, but over in Hastings, Mrs. Brianna Morgan was too focused on getting things shut down at Morgan Halls for the holidays to worry about any parson. She had just finished securing the final 'locks' to secure false walls that would keep any harsh weather from entering any extra space her home could have in the winter. This space was very much needed.

Morgan Halls was a three-story home, five if you counted the attic and the basement. Its off-white stone structure was built in a very non-standard English manner, as Jay Morgan had not been a typical Englishman before his death. His neighbors all preferred designs of elements where symmetry, elegant facades, large windows, and porticos reigned supreme. Mr. Morgan, on the other hand, had designed his home to have open spaces on every floor, each alternating its enclosed and open areas depending on the floor.

Brianna had married Jay when she was only fifteen. And in the years that followed Brianna's marriage, Jay had ended up allowing her to use the home as an academy for anyone willing to send their girls to her-mainly due to the same fighting spirit. Her work with the academy had lasted from the time she was nineteen until shortly after Tamara joined their family. Jay had then fallen ill and passed away shortly thereafter. Now, with Christmas around the corner and other events, she was closing the doors to of Lakeside Academy due her late husband's will finally being read. It had taken longer than it normally would have, for reasons she cared not to think about.

The dining room was a space of functionality. The room, rectangular in shape, featured a large window that allowed ample natural light to flood in, offering a charming view of the garden outside. This window, with its deep sill, once served as a perch for the family's cat but was now a resting place for fresh flowers in a simple yet elegant vase.

A long, polished mahogany table stood directly against the large window, its surface gleaming in the morning sunlight. The table was adorned with a delicate lace runner, adding a touch of refinement to the sturdy piece of furniture. Surrounding the table were high-backed chairs, each upholstered in rich, dark green fabric that complemented the deep wood tones of the table and the room's moldings.

Against one wall, a tall, intricately carved sideboard displayed a collection of fine China and silverware, ready for any occasion that required a more formal setting. Above the sideboard hung a large gilt-framed mirror, reflecting both the light from the window and the warmth of the room's decor, making the space feel even more inviting.

The walls were covered in subtle, striped wallpaper in soft tones, giving the room a tranquil yet quite comfortable atmosphere. Heavy drapes framed the large window, their rich fabric matching the upholstery on the chairs, which could be drawn in the evening to create a cozy atmosphere.

On the opposite side of the room from the sideboard stood a small, elegant fireplace, its mantel adorned with a few family portraits and a pair of brass candlesticks. The hearth was kept tidy, with neatly stacked logs and a fire screen that featured an intricate needlepoint design.

Above the dining table hung a modest chandelier, its crystal droplets catching the light and adding a subtle sparkle to the room. The overall effect was one of understated luxury, a space designed for both comfort and formality, where family meals and important discussions alike could take place.

It was after dinner that Mrs. Brianna Morgan and her brother, Hans Fairfield, sat near the window, the light casting a warm glow on their features as they talked. Brianna sighed, tucking a stray strand of her auburn hair behind her ear, the morning light highlighting the determination in her eyes.

"I quit helping out with the neighbor's orphanage as you asked. And the academy doors are now closed. " Brianna sighed. "I do not like it. However, while I am very capable of taking care of myself and my girls, I have agreed to go by Jay's dying wishes, though he has been gone almost as long as Tamara has been alive. I will loudly state he was not very realistic when it came to our daughters. They need their dowries... small as theirs may be... to stay in place. I cannot believe he would revoke them in his will."

"I do not think he meant for..." Hans started to say more, but both girls came into the room.

Marianne and Tamara were both biting their lips, but Tamara was only doing it because she was mimicking her sister. At not quite two years old, she had no idea what was going on. Her older sister knew if the school closed, well, it concerned Marianne that some of her friends would no longer be around.

"You are my daughters; you are not going anywhere."

"But father's will, he did not leave as much as he said he was going to, and our dowries..."

It was the truth, and it had always been a sore spot between Jay and Brianna. He had insisted his provisions were enough. On his deathbed, he remained vague about what he had left them, often expressing disappointment over not having sons to carry on his legacy, as if he did not already have sons from his first marriage to do that. When Tamara came along, he was particularly unhappy with that 'situation'. Brianna knew what he had intended to do, did not like it and would have fought against it, but the man was dying so that was one war that had not needed to be fought.

"You do not need to leave," Brianna remarked when Marianne slipped and said something that did not need to be said. "I will find ways to get your dowries."

Once the girls left, she turned back to Hans. "You were saying?"

"I do not believe he meant for you to continue running, or helping, with either one. The money he left you should suffice, not to mention this estate brings in plenty of cash."

"Suffice? Please, Hans, be realistic. We both know that is not the case." And they would have spoken of the really mattered to Hana, except the man's wife was in the next room, and that woman could not keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it. "I really want to keep my doors open. Have I grown disqualified?"

"No, but without a husband, people may not even send students your way. And why even mess with it? You have this estate."

"Honestly, Hans, Jay was as useful as a chocolate teapot when it came to making money. A street performer's monkey could have made more coins than him!." She sat down at the table and dropped her satirical tone as to her late husband. "I have had a fight on my hands on getting other estate owners to take me serious. There has only been one to do help out, and I really should say it is the butler that is helping me out for I have never even met the owner. And Hans, you know as well as I do that Jay and I did not marry for love. He pretended to care, but once we were wed, it was clear he married me for this land. He built me this house to amuse me, though I dare say he designed it in such a peculiar way out of spite for my strong-minded nature, despite my willingness to submit. It was not my fault he could not admit, even after we married, that he wanted a more submissive wife. I knew the difference, and I still gave him what he asked for—unless it would put us into danger, but it was never enough for him."

"Your point?"

"Please, you are my brother. You and your wife agreed to help me. You said, if I could prove I was capable, your support would continue. Have I not proven that? The estate manager you hired is good; he knows what he is doing, but even he admits it is not going to happen overnight, and that the past two years has shown improvements; he does have hopes for it."

Hans sighed, and when he did not answer, his wife did for him. "Brianna is right, Hans. Her school has been quite successful. However, with John gone, perhaps our sister could consider scaling down. That way, she can still do what she wants, we can keep our commitment, and the girls are still taken care of."

"Hans, all I am simply asking for is your verbal support if you cannot see your way to help me financially. If people ask you about my ability, vouch for me. Let them know I can handle things. Surely, as a brother, you can give me that much."

Hans, knowing the real talk would need to be had later, agreed to do as she was asking. "I honestly do not know what people will think. I will think on it; I will find a way for you to make money other than what little he left you."