Page 6 of Great Uncle Henry (Pride & Prejudice Vagary)

Henry could only hope that as Jane got older she would begin to think for herself.

At three, it was far too early to judge the girl’s character.

She was an extremely serene and biddable girl, which did not portend well for the future.

If Jane did not grow out from under her mother’s shadow, Henry hoped the next child, son or daughter, would not have the same character.

After three days of travel, made far more pleasant by the retreat of winter as spring took over, Henry arrived at the Red Lion Inn in Meryton on the second day of March.

The next morning, he met with Sir Hugh Morris, the owner of Netherfield Park.

Henry was aware the man wanted to sell based on information he had learnt from Gardiner, who had heard about the baronet’s situation from Phillips.

The latter was a good solicitor, but Henry would not trust him with confidential information because his wife, Hattie, was the biggest gossip in the area.

She was only rivalled by her sister Fanny.

It was known that she was not averse to searching through Phillips’s papers to find tittle-tattle to share.

After meeting with Sir Hugh and looking over the estate, Henry took some time to think.

He made a decision and a day or so later, Henry decided to purchase the property.

Sir Hugh vowed not to mention Henry’s name to anyone except his own solicitor from Hertford.

Sir Hugh would receive the funds from Henry’s man of business.

When the sale was complete, Gardiner would approach Phillips and request he act as the agent to lease the estate out on behalf of a client of his who would remain anonymous.

That way, Henry would have no direct dealings with Phillips, and there would be no danger of Hattie Phillips seeing his name.

With his business transacted, Henry headed to Longbourn the morning of the seventh of March, the day after the Sabbath. He felt it was sad that he was so close to his family in physical distance, but yet so far emotionally.

When he arrived at the house, it was in an uproar. There was caterwauling emanating from upstairs. Henry could hear Fanny screeching. “Take that wilful dark thing away from me. How dare it be born a girl? I told it to be a son! I do not want to see this wilful disobedient child.”

Henry made for the study, where he found his nephew trying to cover his ears to block out the screaming from upstairs.

“Thomas, it sounds like Armageddon in this house. Please tell me that my niece does not truly believe that she is able to predetermine the sex of her babe? Based on what I heard when I arrived, you have a new daughter, so I convey my congratulations.”

“What am I to do? Fanny refuses to feed her and wants nothing to do with the girl. She has my late mother’s colouring, so I will name her Elizabeth Rose,” Bennet replied.

“What are you to do?” Henry barked. He saw how his nephew quailed.

He decided he could use his nephew’s desire to avoid conflict.

“You lay down the law and make sure your wife understands that what she is saying is blasphemous. She is questioning His will. Would you like me to let that be known? You get her to feed her daughter and stop her from braying like a donkey.” Henry made an instant decision.

“I heard that Netherfield Park will be available to lease soon. I will take it for a year or two, and Elizabeth will be cared for there by nurses and a wet nurse paid for by me. When she is two or three she will return, and you will make sure Fanny will never harm her. Do not test me in this, Nephew. If you do, you will not enjoy the consequences.” He stared his nephew down.

It was not long before Thomas looked away.

“I did not realise you had money to throw away like this,” Bennet responded sarcastically. He was fully aware his uncle had been right, but he hated being told what he should do. He knew he would comply; there was something in his uncle’s bearing which told him to not test him.

“I told you when we met that I went to India to make my fortune and found it. Do not worry about my finances; unlike some, I never spend more than I should,” Henry bit back.

“While you are correcting your wife on the fact a babe has no choice what sex it will be, I strongly suggest you tell her the truth of the entail. If you do not, I will! Not telling her for your own entertainment is nothing short of cruelty. Little wonder she is so shrill.”

‘ I had not thought anyone would notice I have been cruel to Fanny. ’ Bennet said to himself silently.

As much as he did not want to admit it, relishing in her hysteria over the entail was nothing short of a form of torture which had been obvious enough to be noticed.

Bennet felt shame that his uncle had seen through him.

He did not know if she would understand the nuances of the entail, but he would make the attempt.

“I will take my leave,” Henry stated as he stood. “As soon as I have a lease, I will notify you. It should not be more than a fortnight. In the meanwhile, you need to find a healthy wet nurse and two or three who will serve as nursemaids.”

As much as Bennet did not like to bestir himself from his study, he knew he needed to do what his uncle had demanded of him.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

“I will not feed that wilful, disobedient girl,” Fanny insisted.

“Each time you say that, I will dock you one quarter’s allowance.

If you continue to spout the nonsense that Lizzy had a choice in the sex she was born, not only will I take at least a year’s complete pin money, but I will let it be known that you are questioning the will of God,” Bennet said firmly.

Before she repeated what she was about to say, Fanny closed her mouth with a clack.

Deep down she knew it was God who determined the sex of a babe, but she was so concerned about the entail that she had to blame someone, and she could not blame the Lord.

If it was told she was questioning Him, she would be shunned by everyone, even Hattie.

“Bring the girl to me,” Fanny decided. “You called her Lizzy?”

“Yes, I do, not Beth like my mother was called. I named her what I did because she has my late mother’s colouring.

She is hungry; Mrs Hill has only managed to feed her a little with a piece of flannel dripping milk into her mouth.

After all, she was born a little before midnight on Saturday.

She needs proper sustenance,” Bennet stated.

He went out into the hall and told the nearest maid to have Miss Lizzy brought to her mother.

Mrs Hill looked greatly relieved when she handed the babe to her mother, and the mite was placed at the breast. As soon as she latched, her crying from hunger ceased, and she sucked hungrily.

“She eats far more than my Jane did,” Fanny remarked.

“That is because Jane did not go more than a day after her birth without you feeding her,” Bennet shot back.

Fanny looked away; she knew what Thomas said was nothing but the truth.

After little Lizzy took food from her mother’s breasts, and she was sated, she was handed to the housekeeper, who returned the satisfied mite to the nursery.

“Now, Fanny, I need to explain about the entail. Until Uncle Henry made me read the documents. I believed that my cousin, Collins, would have the estate if I pass…” Bennet explained what the entail actually said.

“But your uncle can still throw me into the hedgerows when you pass away,” Fanny lamented.

“You do remember that he is at least a quarter century my senior, do you not? Also, for the next few years, he will be leasing Netherfield Park…” Bennet explained what his uncle intended to do. He couched it in terms that made it sound like it was being done to make Fanny’s life easier.

She liked the sound of only having to feed her second daughter until a wet nurse was employed.

She did not see how it was fair that Miss Lizzy would live at Netherfield Park for a few years, but there were too many advantages for Fanny to complain about her daughter living in the best house in the area.

The manor house was larger and newer than Longbourn’s even though the estate was a little smaller; hence, she said nothing negative about the arrangement.

She did wonder how her husband’s uncle could afford to do all that had been mentioned.

Thinking about this chased thoughts of the entail from Fanny’s consciousness.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

“If Bennet knew your true position, and the power you could wield, he would have an apoplexy. But I agree with you. He is so indolent that he would want you to fund his life, and Fanny would want to spend as much as possible on lace and fripperies. I am sad to say it, but my younger sister is a very selfish creature, as is her husband,” Gardiner stated as he shook his head.

“Your precaution as far as Phillips goes is warranted. I know not why he does not lock his office to ensure that Hattie is unable to rifle through his papers.”

“The deed will be issued in a few days. As soon as it is, I want you to have Phillips create a lease for me. The Bennets are aware I will rent the estate, so there will be nothing unknown for your sister-in-law to spread about the town,” Henry instructed.

The two men discussed their mutual business before Henry made his way to his house. He only intended to remain in Town for a fortnight and had no intention of partaking of the season.