Page 63 of Great Uncle Henry (Pride & Prejudice Vagary)
F elicity stepped back and allowed Fanny to be the mistress of Netherfield Park once they had moved in and the men who had been resident moved to the dower house.
As she neared the age of nine and seventy, it was as much for herself as wanting Fanny to feel like she was of use that had caused Felicity to make the decision.
Henry, of course, understood why Fee did what she did. He was more than six years her junior, and yet his aches and pains combined with his slowing down more and more gave him the insight he needed to see that Fee’s decision was a very prudent one.
Without the spectre of Thomas Bennet and his desire to manipulate those around him for his own selfish desires, life for the Bennet and Taylor families was far better.
Said former master of Longbourn was already on board a ship which would carry him to New South Wales.
His berth was a hammock with the crew, which was a little better than being on the prisoner decks.
It had not taken Bennet long to discover that his stomach did not agree with travel on the sea.
As he had since he had been removed from Longbourn, he cursed those who had forced him to leave England.
His thoughts of his own culpability in what was happening to him had been chased out of his consciousness.
He placated himself by thinking about how those from the former colonies would fail at Longbourn.
The direct opposite of what Thomas Bennet desired had occurred at the estate where he had once been master.
Henry and Debby Taylor had taken over Longbourn seamlessly.
The tenants were more than sanguine with the changes and did not miss Mr Bennet at all.
The three tenant farmers who had been part of Purvis Lodge could not say enough about what a good master Mr Taylor, assisted by his family, was and how problems were addressed immediately and not only when there was no longer a choice.
The Taylor children did not complain that the chambers were larger than what they had been used to at Purvis Lodge. They were all thankful that Longbourn would be theirs for generations to come as their father and Roger had broken the entail the day after the estate became theirs.
The Hills and the servants were more than happy to serve those who treated them with respect and kindness and never tried to make sport of them. The former master had always thought the servants would not realise he was mocking them, but they did, and they despised him for it.
Longbourn was always the largest estate in the area before, but now with the addition of the former Purvis Lodge, it was more than one third larger than it had been.
Per Elizabeth’s suggestion, Mr Jones was approached about converting the additional house on Longbourn’s expanded land into a clinic and hospital.
He jumped at the chance but stated that due to lack of ready funds it would take some time to do what he needed to make it utilitarian for the purposes he planned, and to employ all of those who would be needed.
He was aware that a benefactor subsidised him, but he knew not who.
One could have blown him over with a weak wind when Mr Jones was told by Phillips that the same donor would provide all of the funds he needed.
Without the restriction of the lack of money, work began within days of Mr Jones being handed the management of the house.
When the idea that a second doctor would allow the service to a wider area was raised to Phillips, the benefactor—Henry Bennet—through the solicitor let it be known that he would provide the funds to accomplish that aim .
It was universally agreed upon that the neighbourhood was far better off for the removal of Thomas Bennet and the dishonourable dead man.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
It had not come easily, but Lydia Bennet had learnt some very hard lessons at the Dark Hollow School for Girls.
By the time her punishment of working as a servant in the very early mornings while wearing a dress of sackcloth was over, she had finally realised that it was her own choices which drove the consequences she received.
Many a night had passed when Lydia cried herself to sleep with the realisation that she had left her mother no other choice than to send her to such a school.
It finally dawned on the youngest Bennet that Mama had sent her here out of love, not to punish her.
Her entire family, other than her father, all wanted her to improve her behaviour so she would have a better life.
That epiphany led to Lydia making an effort in all of her classes and not just doing what she thought was expected of her to avoid punishment.
The changes had been noted by the headmistress, teachers, and staff at the school, which led to full privileges being bestowed on Lydia, which included being allowed to write and receive letters.
As hard as it was for her, Lydia sat down one day in mid-October to write a mea culpa filled missive.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Fanny sat in the family drawing room at Netherfield Park, a long awaited letter in her hand.
She was aware that in order to be allowed to write letters her youngest would have had to have earned that privilege.
Given the profanity laced vitriol, the day Lydia had been taken to the school, she could only hope it would not be in the same vein.
As she looked around the room, she saw her four daughters, Uncle Henry, Aunt Felicity, Andrew, William, Roger, and Anna all seated in various positions.
When her Aunt, Uncle, and Anne had made for London, Anna had requested to remain behind, something which had been granted.
Fanny cleared her throat which had the effect of everyone turning to look in her direction.
“I have the first letter from Lydia since she was sent to the school. I admit I am nervous to read it given the manner of our parting, would one of you girls do the honours?” she requested.
All four of the Bennet sisters spoke at once.
They stilled when Jane stood. “I am the eldest, so I will be the one to read it. I will do so silently first to make certain there is nothing offensive or which will pain Mama within.” Jane took the epistle from her mother and sat next to Andrew once again.
She broke the seal, smoothed the pages out and read silently without comment. Her face was inscrutable so as much as those watching her, or in Uncle Henry’s case, listening, nothing regarding the contents or tone of the letter was discovered.
Jane gave a small smile. “Now you can all hear Lyddie’s words.”
Elizabeth was heartened by the fact that Jane had used the pet name they used to call Lydia some years back before she became too unmanageable.
After giving her mother a reassuring look, Jane began to read.
17 October 1811
Dark Hollow School for Girls
Wiltshire
Mama, Jane, Lizzy, Mary, and Kitty,
When I arrived at this school, I had nothing but vitriol to spew about all of you, especially Mama for sending me hither.
It took 2 attempts to escape and the attendant punishment for me to wake up to the fact that I, and I alone, was responsible for my being sent to this school. My behaviour then was atrocious and was that of a spoilt toddler rather than a young lady of almost 15 years.
Mama, when you began to change, much to our father’s chagrin, I saw it as a betrayal rather than what it was.
I am now attempting to do the same for myself.
You were improving yourself and becoming a better mother to all of us.
All I could see was that I was no longer getting my own way, no matter what.
At last, I see it was not hate which drove you to act, but love. You loved me enough to want to do whatever you could to try to make me better.
By now. Fanny was sobbing. She had hated sending Lydia away, but had seen it as a last resort, and now her baby was getting better and understood her motives.
The relief which flooded through her body washed away her doubts about what she had done.
Fanny wiped the tears away and nodded to Jane to continue as she had stopped reading while Fanny recovered her equanimity.
As harsh as the words were which Aunt Felicity, Uncle Henry, and Cousins Henry, Debby, and Roger said to me when we first met them, I see now that they were nothing but the truth.
I was but a spoilt child on the path to ruination, and I cared not that my ruin would have meant that my sisters would have to partake in it.
Now I can see that I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice and principle.
As a young child I was not taught what was right, due to my demanding such, I was allowed to ignore my education, and I was not taught to correct my temper.
I was not given good principles, and led to believe that I could do whatever I wanted.
Yes, I was spoilt by Mama, who allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and uncaring.
I believed I could have whatever of my sisters’ property I desired, even though it was only because they had it and I did not.
I thought meanly of all the rest of the world; that everyone should bow down to my desires.
Hence, when I was slapped and spanked, and then told that for some reason I was not allowed to touch any property belonging to Lizzy or take anything belonging to my other sisters, it was a great shock to me, but as Mama still supported me and our father never demanded I change, I learnt nothing other than to keep out of Lizzy’s chamber and not to take my sisters’ things.