Page 10 of The Next Mrs Bennet
J ane Bennet was brought out during the little season of 1807. Not that she needed more than one sponsor, but she was escorted to her presentation by her Grandmama Anna, her mother, Aunt Elaine, and Cousin Marie.
There was great interest in the granddaughter of a duke with a reportedly very healthy dowry. It did not take long before the men of London society understood the message: there was mutual interest between Miss Bennet and her cousin, Viscount Hilldale. Given the families involved, no men were so desperate as to attempt to insert themselves between Lord Hilldale and the lady.
At the ball, which had been hosted at Devonshire House on Piccadilly Square, Bennet had danced the first set with his daughter. Thanks to the slew of uncles and cousins, very few of her sets were open for non-family members. Andrew Fitzwilliam had claimed her supper and final sets, which Jane had been only too happy to cede to him. During their dances, they had been in their own world, a world of two, which had led to the men who had fancied they would have a chance to catch Miss Bennet’s eye, understanding she was already lost to them. Jane’s uncle Edward had the pleasure of standing up with his niece for the set before the supper dances.
Thanks to the money they had been earning from Gardiner and Associates, once the land had been purchased and the house renovated, Becca and Bennet had been adding funds to their daughters’ dowries. Even without the additional money they had begun to add, the dowries had been growing apace thanks to the high rate of dividends Gardiner earned, all of which were added back into the principal. With the additions since the duke had dowered his granddaughters, the dowries were in the area of forty thousand pounds each, a well-guarded secret.
Richard Fitzwilliam, a major now, had the pleasure of dancing the second set with Jane. He was sorry that Fitz had still not met the cousins. He was sure that Giana would have benefitted greatly from becoming re-acquainted with the Bennet sisters, whom she had not seen since she was four.
Another opportunity for the master of Pemberley to meet some of the Bennets fell by the wayside at Jane’s coming out. Even though he had been invited, he remained in Derbyshire with his sister due to his determination to stay out of London as much as he was able. With the fact that Becca and Bennet only came to Town when they had no other choice, the Bennets would not be present when Fitz attended part of the season of 1808.
He hated being hunted like a prize stag by mothers and daughters. The worst of them was a want-to-be member of the Ton , Miss Caroline Bingley. Hence, Fitzwilliam Darcy did not attend the little season.
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Even though she was the daughter of a tradesman, when she came out in 1805, Caroline Bingley demanded her brother hold a ball for her. The fact that no one would present her to take her curtsy before the Queen had not deterred her.
She had still not forgiven her sister for, against her expressed wishes, settling for Harold Hurst as a husband a few months before her coming out. He was not of the first circles, and his family owned an insignificant speck of an estate, Winsdale, in Surrey. As Louisa had never been presented to Her Majesty either, she was not able to sponsor Miss Bingley. She ignored the fact that all of her hints that one of Mr Darcy’s noble relatives present her had been ignored.
At first, Bingley had tried to refuse holding the ball, saying that there was no justification for the expense, especially with the lavish affair his sister had demanded. Like he did with most things, he gave in and allowed his sister free rein to plan her ball.
As Bingley’s leased house was not in a fashionable enough area for Caroline Bingley, and it did not have a ballroom, one had to be rented. Again, Miss Bingley ignored that all of her not-so-subtle hints about having her ball held at Darcy House had been rebuffed. She had even had Charles ask Mr Darcy directly, which had not gained her what she had desired either.
Miss Bingley tried her best to forget the fact that Charles had laid out so much money for her failed ball as she thought about her embarrassing entrance into society two years past.
Reading the papers about a ball to which she had not been invited; one of the Duke of Devonshire’s granddaughter’s coming out, Caroline Bingley tried to block her memories of her own humiliating ball. The article in the society section about the ball brought the unwanted memories to the fore. Very few had attended her own ball, and not one of the attendees was from the first circles. How she had been mocked by those she had told that her ball would be the highlight of the season.
She felt a burn of envy when she read of this Miss Bennet’s well-attended ball, patronised by more nobles than Caroline had ever seen. At least there was no mention of Mr Darcy attending. However, his Fitzwilliam family had all been in attendance. It was to be expected, seeing that the Duchess of Devonshire and the Countess of Matlock were sisters. This unknown Jane Bennet had connections Caroline Bingley could only dream of having. If only she could befriend the younger woman, then she too would move in such illustrious company.
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Over the next two years, Jane was unofficially courted by Andrew Fitzwilliam when he was not busy with his estate or obligations in London. He requested an official courtship from her in February 1809, a few months before she reached her twentieth birthday. He had not wanted to rush her; hence, he had taken his time so they could both come to know one another as one should before binding his or her life one to the other.
The fifth day of March 1809 was a very important day in the life of the Bennets, especially Henry, who had begun his studies at Cambridge, a year after his cousin William Cavendish had.
Henry arrived at Longbourn on the third day of March, a fortnight before the Easter term break, and two days before he and Lizzy turned eighteen. As much as they teased one another, the twins were happiest when in each other’s company. Lizzy had cried the day her brother had begun at Eton, but she had eventually adjusted to the new reality.
Due to the fact the twins’ eighteenth birthday fell on a Sunday, on Monday morning, the sixth day of March in the year of our Lord 1809, the steps needed to break the entail were initiated. Phillips had all of the papers prepared. All it took were signatures from Bennet and his heir apparent.
“The documents will be sent to a barrister, who will present them to the court of Chancery. Within a fortnight we will receive the court’s approval, along with a new deed of ownership, and the entail will be no more,” Phillips explained as he returned the three signed copies to his folio.
“Thomas, I think we should wait for the official word from the court before you write to William Collins,” Becca suggested.
About a year previously, they had received a letter full of bitterness and rancour announcing the death of Clem Collins. The son had not told how his father had died.
“Given the grasping nature of the Collinses, I cannot but agree with you my love,” Bennet responded.
“How does Mrs Phillips?” Becca asked as she changed the subject.
“Charlotte is very well, thank you, Mrs Bennet. She is a little uncomfortable as she increases, but she only has about two months to go,” Phillips replied. “She greatly appreciates the calls from her Bennet friends. Miss Bennet seems to be sanguine with her suitor travelling on his long voyage to the east.”
Andrew Fitzwilliam had been sent to India to oversee some of the Fitzwilliam holdings, and he would more than likely be gone for upwards of a year, and possibly two. It was the reason he had not proposed to Jane; he felt it would have been selfish. They had made solemn vows they would wait for one another.
“Janey is a very sensible girl, and she knows that wailing and gnashing her teeth will not bring Andrew back to her any sooner. We have permitted them to write to one another, even though they are not engaged yet, but with letters taking many months, above a half a year, it is a long wait from one letter to the next,” Becca related.
Soon after, Phillips made his way back to his office and sent a copy of the signed and witnessed documents to the barrister in London.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As Phillips predicted, the new deed naming Thomas Bennet the owner, and not the lifetime tenant, of Longbourn arrived a few days short of a fortnight from the signing. Thankfully, there were several official copies of the decision.
Bennet wrote the letter he needed to notify the remaining Collins that he would never be in line to inherit Longbourn.
The reply was received about ten days after Easter. Bennet had Hill request that the mistress join him. “I received this from Mr Collins.” Bennet held up the missive. “It just arrived. I thought you would enjoy some of his pearls of wisdom, such as they are.”
“Thank you, Thomas. Lizzy is not the only one who enjoys laughing at the ridiculous.”
Bennet came around his desk, and the couple, whose love still grew each and every day, sat on the settee under the windows. With Becca’s head resting on his shoulder, Bennet broke the seal and held the letter so they could both read it.
10 April 1809
12 Sparrow Lane
Petersford, Worcestershire
Mr Bennet,
What kind of man are you to steal my birthright from me without conscience?
I received the scurrilous decision from the court when I arrived home for the Easter break. I would not allow myself to reply until after the holiday. Let us not pretend that you do not know you cheated me out of what should rightfully be mine. More than that, a property which should have belonged to a Collins all along!
How dare you institute a new entail stating that only those of your body may inherit the estate, male or female? That you would allow a delicate female to inherit the estate, demonstrates your unfitness to administer my rightful property. It is widely known that females do not have the mental power close to that of a male, and therefore are unable to be landowners.
If I had the money to challenge this unjust miscarriage of justice, I would do so. My misfortune is that I live on a small stipend while I am studying at a seminary in Kent. As a future clergyman, once I take my orders, I will beg the Archbishop of Canterbury to intercede on my behalf and have you evicted from my property.
I take no leave of you; I send neither you nor your family any compliments. I am most seriously displeased.
William Collins
“Is being delusional in the makeup of all Collinses?” Becca asked as she shook her head. “Do you think he has the capacity to understand everything if you told him how and why the entail was instituted?”
“No, Becca, my darling wife, I do not think he would understand it. The Collinses have proved over and over again that there are none so blind as those who will not see,” Bennet mused. “This Mr Collins seems no better than his sire, although I know not if he is a bully like the late Clem Collins.”
“He complains about the new entail, but all it did was fix a glaring error that was made in the original one,” Becca asserted.
“You are correct, my dearest,” Bennet agreed. “It was indeed a miscalculation by my great-grandfather that descendants of the banished man who caused the entail, were not specifically excluded from the line of succession. With the new one, that has been set to rights.”
“Thomas, I can see now that replying to the drivel in his letter would be like casting pearls before the swine, so I am in agreement with you. There is nothing to be gained by responding to him. Come, my love, let us return to more pleasant thoughts and the drawing room.”
After expressing their deep and abiding love for each other with their lips, the master and mistress of Longbourn made their way to where their family was sitting.
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Elizabeth had her coming out in the little season of 1809. Like Jane before her, she chose to forego a full season. Unlike Jane though, she was rather vocal in her opposition to wearing, as she called it, the hooped monstrosity , which Queen Charlotte demanded all ladies being presented to her were to wear. Also like her older sister, Elizabeth practiced at Devonshire House until she was able to approach the imaginary queen, curtsy, and back out without any tripping or other errors.
The same ladies who accompanied Jane to St James were with Elizabeth, with one addition, Aunt Connie. Her son, Ian, had been sick, so she had not been able to attend Jane’s presentation or coming out ball.
Jane, as one who had already been presented, was also one of the party. For her, it was a good distraction from missing Andrew. Since he had departed England, there had been one letter. It had arrived four months after his departure—posted from the Cape of Good Hope—and by now Jane knew it word for word, especially his declarations of love.
Even though she was untitled, as the granddaughter of a duke, Elizabeth did not have to wait long to be ushered into the presentation hall. She approached Her Majesty’s throne perfectly and dropped into a low curtsy. As she had been instructed, Elizabeth waited for a signal to rise. Rather than it coming from her mother, she heard the Queen’s voice.
“Rise Miss Bennet. We think we remember you.” The Sovereign turned to Lady Rebecca. “Is this lady before us the girl who amused us so in Meryton when we were there with the King?”
Becca curtsied to the Queen. “Aye, Your Majesty, she is the very same one.”
“My, my. How you look so much like your grandmother, aunt, and mother,” the Queen remarked. “If it were not for your darker hair and those magnificent emerald-green eyes of yours, you would look just like them. We think you are very pretty.”
“I am very privileged to look like the three ladies you mentioned, Your Majesty,” Elizabeth curtsied as she replied. “And I thank you for your compliments.”
The Queen beckoned Lizzy to her and kissed her cheek. With one more curtsy, Elizabeth backed out of the hall. Her Majesty’s approval of Miss Elizabeth Bennet was not lost on any of the courtiers present.
“Do you know how rare it is for the Queen to kiss a debutante’s cheek?” Lady Georgiana remarked once they were in the coach on the way back to Devonshire House. “She has marked you as this season’s diamond.”
“It is a compliment to be sure, but not even that will tempt me to return for the full season,” Elizabeth insisted. Those with her knew not to try changing her mind.
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The ball was most enjoyable. Lizzy danced the first with her papa, the next with Grandpapa, then Uncle Reggie, Will, Connie’s Harry, and then Uncle Edward. The next set was with Henry, who had surprised her by attending the ball, which delighted her. She had Richard as a partner for the supper set.
“Mary turned sixteen recently, did she not?” Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam asked Lizzy after he had made plates for each of them.
“Yes, that is correct; she looks rather good, does she not?” Elizabeth responded with an arched eyebrow. “In two years, it will be her turn to come out. It is hard to fathom how my little sisters and brother are growing up so fast. Tommy began at Eton this year!”
“And who would have thought that little Lizzy would be eighteen already?” Richard teased, making a play of words on his cousin’s petite size.
“Do not think you can redirect me so easily. I did not miss the way your eyebrows shot up when you saw Mary at the family dinner last night. With your time on the Peninsula, you have not seen her for some years.” Elizabeth got serious. “We were all very worried when you were injured at the Battle of Rolica last year. I know how worried Aunt Elaine and Uncle Reggie were until they saw it was not too serious.”
“As I was bayonetted in my posterior, my pride was hurt more than anything else,” Richard jested. He knew he had been very lucky because it had been a glancing blow. Had his batman not shot the French soldier who had crept up behind him, Richard was well aware he would no longer be in the mortal world. He thanked God every day that the enemy soldier had been out of shot.
“Like your parents and many others in the family, I will be much happier when you resign from the army,” Elizabeth stated.
Richard did not respond to the last.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Caroline Bingley had already reached her majority and was no closer to inducing Mr Darcy to offer for her. Hence, when she sat in her brother’s house, thanks to another coming-out ball at Devonshire House to which she had not been invited, she was not well pleased to read about the presentation and ball of another Bennet sister. If that was not bad enough, this one had been designated the Queen’s diamond for the season.
Who were these Bennets that were not seen in society and yet had stellar connections and were admired by Her Majesty? So far, Caroline had not been able to meet Miss Bennet, who she still believed would be her entrée into the circle she desired to inhabit.
At least according to the papers, Mr Darcy was not in London, and Viscount Hilldale had been absent, still out of the country. It seemed that Miss Bennet was waiting for Lord Hilldale to return.
Sadly Miss Bingley’s unrealistic desires clouded her judgement, or she might have sought someone who was available, who was reasonably rich and connected.