Page 1 of The Bennet Heir
A t seventeen, Thomas Bennet was sure of one thing: he wanted to marry Elizabeth, the daughter of retired Naval Captain Edmund Nelson. The captain had settled at Netherfield, the neighbouring estate, after concluding his years of service.
Elizabeth, at just thirteen, was still a mere girl in his eyes, yet Thomas had little doubt she would one day be his wife. Over the next few years, Thomas could see Elizabeth only when he returned home during school vacations, watching her become even more lovely over the years.
Though their encounters were fleeting, they made a lasting impression on him. Elizabeth, for her part, was a curious and inquisitive girl, eager to engage in thoughtful conversation. More reserved than most young men his age, Thomas found her intelligence and quiet presence a refreshing change from the typical youthful exuberance he was often surrounded by at the university. When Thomas was not in school, the two would spend hours in each other’s company, exploring everything from books and music to philosophy and nature. They became fast friends, their bond strengthening with each passing visit. This friendship was viewed with pleasure by the parents of both.
However, soon after Thomas finished university, tragedy struck Longbourn. His father passed away unexpectedly, and the responsibilities of managing the family estate fell squarely on his shoulders. This demanding task, coupled with his period of mourning, kept Thomas occupied for much of the next year. During this time, he thought often of Elizabeth, seeing her occasionally in and around Meryton though the weight of his new duties kept him from visiting her. Elizabeth spent a part of that year in London for the season as well, adding to their separation.
Once his year of mourning was concluded, Thomas, now twenty-three, found himself ready to act. The estate was in order, and he was once again free to follow his heart. Determined, he set out for Netherfield to find Elizabeth, who had just turned nineteen and was out in society. He had not forgotten his earlier resolution, and after waiting for longer than he had hoped, it was finally time to act.
In 1774, he arrived at the Nelson estate with a singular purpose in mind. Elizabeth, still radiant but having matured into a fine young woman, was both surprised and moved by his proposal and confessions of love. The year spent mostly apart had done little to diminish the connection they shared, and with her heart fully in tune with his, she said yes. Their wedding took place a few months later, in a small but elegant ceremony at the chapel on the grounds of Netherfield. It was a quiet affair, since neither wanted to flaunt their relationship, but one that pleased them both. Thomas Bennet had waited years to make Elizabeth his bride, and in that moment, he knew that every trial and tribulation had been worth it.
Just shy of their second anniversary, Elizabeth gave birth to a son, whom they named Jonathan Edmund after both of his grandfathers. Over the next decade and a half, together they taught their son how to be a responsible steward of the land, aided by Elizabeth’s father, who remained nearby, until his own death. Grandpapa Nelson also taught his grandson about investments, something he excelled in after leaving the navy.
Shortly before Christmas in 1791, Elizabeth discovered she was with child once again and informed her husband of her suspicion. The couple had longed for another child and had had their hopes dashed several times through the years, but this time, Elizabeth carried the child without complications and eventually gave birth to a girl, named Elizabeth Rose, in the middle of the summer in 1792.
The couple were delighted with the addition, but Elizabeth never recovered her strength, and only a few months later, Thomas buried her in the family crypt. Jonathan was at Eton, having returned to school for the Michaelmas term, but no matter how much he begged, he was not permitted to return home as his mother grew weaker and eventually died.
When he did come home at the end of the Easter term the following year, he learned his father had remarried while he was away. Frances Gardiner Pattison Bennet was less than half his father’s age, only twenty-one to his father’s forty-two. It was clearly not a love match, for Thomas Bennet could scarcely stand to be in company with his wife and had little to say to his son on the subject of the match or how it came to be.
Jonathan did his best to befriend the young lady and her daughter, for she brought with her a three-year-old daughter named Jane, but the new Mrs. Bennet wanted little to do with either of her stepchildren. This left her mother-in-law, Mrs. Eleanor Bennet, to be responsible for the infant Elizabeth. When it became clear that Fanny Bennet had no interest in learning how to be a proper mistress of the estate, Eleanor moved herself and Elizabeth into the dower cottage on the grounds of Longbourn.
Pleased to have gained control of the household so easily, or at least it seemed so to her, the new mistress of Longbourn frequently expressed the hope that she would quickly become with child, and prayed openly for a son to become heir of the Bennet estate. When others attempted to silence her on the subject, since a second son could not replace a first son, she ignored them.
Soon, Jonathan came to despise his stepmother and avoided her whenever possible. At the end of that summer, he began his first term at Cambridge and actively sought ways to stay away from Longbourn, often visiting friends or his new uncle, who was establishing a business in London. Edward Gardiner, who was only a few years older than Jonathan, had attempted to correct his sister many times on the subject of the inheritance and to persuade her to befriend the son and heir, but it had been to no avail. On the subject of her husband’s children, Frances Bennet had nothing good to say.
Although Jonathan seldom returned home, he maintained a frequent correspondence with his father, grandmother, and Elizabeth’s nurse until she grew old enough to write letters herself. Occasionally, Thomas Bennet travelled to visit his son in Cambridge and later in London, but Jonathan’s visits to Longbourn were brief and infrequent. Often, Thomas brought his daughter Elizabeth along to see her brother, and the two were as close as a brother and sister so separated by age could be. The Gardiners became steadfast friends to the Bennets, perhaps in part due to the harsh treatment Edward’s sister inflicted on the children from her husband’s first marriage.
However, early in 1808, everything changed when Thomas Bennet succumbed to a sudden illness. During their marriage, Mrs. Bennet had given birth three more times, but each child was a daughter, not the son she had hoped for. With no male child to challenge the position of her stepson, she was left with no choice upon her husband’s death but to accept the provisions made by her stepson.
Although Frances Bennet had made no effort to befriend her husband’s son, Jonathan still fulfilled his duty to support her as his father’s widow. However, he refused to indulge her extravagant spending as his father had done. In the months that followed, their frequent arguments often ended with the lady swooning dramatically when Jonathan stood firm against her demands. These were ignored for the dramatics they were and did nothing to persuade the new master to do as the lady wished.
Shortly after his year of mourning ended, Jonathan attended a village assembly where he reconnected with Charlotte Lucas, the oldest daughter of a neighbour, Sir William Lucas. Less than two months later, the two married, sparking a new wave of conflict at Longbourn. The widow was unwilling to relinquish her role as mistress of the estate, but the new master was equally determined that his wife would assume her rightful place. While Mrs. Bennet protested loudly and persistently, Jonathan’s resolve did not waver. Frustrated, Frances ultimately chose to move into her brother’s home in Meryton.
Mr. Philips, the local solicitor, was far from pleased to have his wife’s sister as a permanent houseguest in their small home. Along with her came her twenty-year-old daughter from her first marriage, Jane Pattison, a good-natured young woman, and her ten-year-old daughter, Lydia. Unlike Jane, Lydia had little interest in following Jonathan Bennet’s rules and loudly protested until she was allowed to accompany her mother. Frances did not invite her other daughters—thirteen-year-old Mary and eleven-year-old Kitty—telling them she had neither the means to support them nor any use for them.
However, shortly after the move was made, Mr. Philips met with the master of Longbourn to negotiate the terms of the widow Bennet’s financial support. They agreed that Longbourn would provide her with basic housing and a few servants, but it would not cover the fripperies and indulgences. Before long, Frances Bennet was settled in a modest house adjacent to the Philips’ residence with her two favoured daughters, and her allowance was to be handled through her brother. Though this arrangement was far from ideal for Mr. Philips, it was still preferable to having his sister living under his own roof.
Frances Bennet could scarcely forgive her stepson for forcing her to leave Longbourn, conveniently ignoring that the decision to leave had ultimately been her own. Equally bitter was her resentment towards the former Charlotte Lucas for assuming her position as mistress of the grandest estate in the area. She did not hesitate to share her grievances with the rest of Meryton though most dismissed her complaints as simple jealousy. Nevertheless, a few residents continued to listen and tolerate her lamentations, even commiserating with her a little.
The daughters she had left behind at Longbourn, Mary and Kitty, were forgotten by their mother. With her limited funds, Mrs. Bennet prioritised the needs of her eldest daughter, Jane, from her first marriage, and her youngest, Lydia, who most resembled her in her youth. Mary and Kitty reminded her too much of the Bennets and held little value to her beyond their connection to the family name. Her stepchildren, particularly Elizabeth—her husband’s favourite and the daughter of his beloved first wife—were the focus of her resentment, and Frances rarely missed an opportunity to disparage them.
Despite their mother’s neglect, Mary and Kitty were neither troubled nor unhappy. They thrived under their half-brother Jonathan’s care, receiving a proper education with the help of a governess. They had always shared a warm relationship with their older half-sister, Elizabeth, and found in Charlotte a nurturing presence that met their emotional needs.
Grandmama Bennet, a distant figure during their mother’s time at Longbourn, was now an active part of their lives. She had long guided Elizabeth in the duties of an estate mistress, stepping in where Elizabeth’s stepmother had shown no interest. Instead, Elizabeth had assisted her grandmother in overseeing estate matters, a responsibility that naturally transitioned to Charlotte after her marriage to Jonathan.