Page 6 of The Next Mrs Bennet
E laine Fitzwilliam, Countess of Matlock, let out an uncharacteristic squeal, which caused her sons and husband to look at her curiously.
“Such good news,” she gushed.
“What news, Mama?” Andrew, who would be nine soon, asked with his deep blue eyes wide open at seeing his mother’s reaction.
“Your cousin, Becca, is to be married,” Lady Elaine enthused. She handed the letter to her husband. “Read Anna’s letter for yourself, Reggie. Her joy is palpable in her words.”
Lord Matlock took the letter from his wife and seated himself in a comfortable wingback chair. He unfolded the paper and began to read.
30 June 1789
Netherfield Park
Hertfordshire
My dearest sister,
The best has occurred! Becca has accepted the proposals of Thomas Bennet, the man I told you about in my previous letter who is the master of the estate to the east of ours.
Before you accuse him of being a fortune hunter, until today, the day he proposed to Becca, he was unaware of who we were or the wealth my William commands. In fact, even after the disclosure, he never asked about the extent of our wealth or the amount of Becca’s dowry.
When William told him after he had been accepted by my overjoyed daughter, Thomas told my husband that he cared not if Becca had nothing, and that, whatever it was, was to remain under her control.
Of course Becca will not hear of such a thing. She has insisted that the funds from her dowry be available to be used as Thomas sees fit.
Thomas is about one and one half years older than Will, and coincidentally, they met at Cambridge. Thomas was an unbeaten chess champion, and in the year they were at the university at the same time, Will challenged him and lost once or twice. I am sure when we all meet for the wedding, Will’s aim will be to see if he can beat his future brother at chess.
As you may correctly surmise, William had Thomas investigated, and other than the fact that his estate, Longbourn, is entailed to the male line, there was nothing negative to be discovered about him.
To make sure Becca will always have a home if, heaven forfend, Thomas passes and they have no son, we are gifting them Netherfield Park on their marriage. Thomas will manage it and if He blesses them with a second son, it will go to him.
I have never seen our girl so happy. They are the perfect match for one another, and Thomas, rather than being intimidated by Becca’s intellect, relishes in it. They share a love of books among other interests in common. How many men of the Ton could you see being charmed by Becca’s abilities in Greek and Latin? Behind her back they would call her a bluestocking but still accept her, thanks to her connections and wealth.
Until now, I did not tell you that Thomas had been married—very briefly… The entrapment, her death after childbirth, and that there was no mourning for the woman was told in detail.
Becca is beyond pleased she is a mother to Jane, and William and I have accepted her as a granddaughter. As far as Becca is concerned, she is already the babe’s mama, and the ceremony will just make it legal. Connie is more than sanguine with the fact she will now be an aunt.
“It seems that we are to gain another niece and the boys, a cousin, this one younger than them,” Lord Matlock remarked before looking back at the pages in his hand.
As you know, Becca disdains London society, and thankfully for her (another area in which they are completely compatible), so does Thomas. That rules out a marriage in London; hence, we will soon be travelling to Hardwick Hall, where the wedding will be held. My next letter will give you details on the date of the wedding, but I would guess it will not be more than a month from now.
I must end this letter now as we are hosting the Bennets (my friend Beth and her son, soon to be my son) for a celebratory dinner this evening.
Yes, Sister dearest, I am beyond pleased because I see my Becca glowing with pleasure.
With all my sisterly regard,
Anna
“That is very convenient for us seeing that Hardwick Hall is only five miles to the southwest from Snowhaven,” Lord Matlock stated as he returned the letter to his wife. “Robert, Anne, and William will miss the wedding thanks to their visiting Glen Morgan Heights in Scotland.”
“I feel for Anne,” Lady Elaine said. “She so much wanted a second child, and it was another miscarriage. It is good Robert took her to his estate on the Highlands for Anne to recover and mourn her loss.”
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
A few days after the engagement, which was now common knowledge in the neighbourhood, during a visit the Devons were making to Longbourn, Becca and Bennet looked at a calendar and selected the final Wednesday in July for their wedding. It was exactly four weeks from the day they became engaged.
“Mama, Papa, and Mother, Thomas and I have decided we would like to marry on the eight and twentieth day of July. None of you object to that date, do you?” Becca enquired as Thomas stood next to her.
Devon looked at his wife, who nodded. “For our part, we have no issue with the date you and Bennet have chosen,” he stated.
“The same is true for me,” Beth agreed. “I know you two were speaking of the possibility of Janey travelling with us when we go north. My recommendation is that she remain here with Nurse, our staff, and servants. She will not be three months of age yet, and I feel it is too early for such a long carriage ride for her.”
“I agree with Beth,” Mrs Devon revealed.
Becca and Bennet looked at one another and, as they were already able to do, communicated silently. “We will yield to our mothers’ wise counsel,” Bennet announced. “It will be hard to be away from her for some weeks, but at her age, I am sure she will never know whether or not she was in Derbyshire with us.”
“There will be many opportunities for her to travel when she is older,” Beth pointed out. “Anna, when will you, William, and your girls depart for the north? Or have you convinced Becca to go to London to purchase more clothing?”
“No, Mama has not managed to sway me on that, Mother,” Becca huffed. “I have more clothing than I will ever wear as it is. In future, if and when I need to add more garments, I will. Do not forget that other than an occasional visit to see you,” she said looking at her parents and Connie, “it will be very rare for Thomas and me to come to Town.”
“And besides, we will always stop on our way to and from London,” Devon promised, “and I trust you will spend summers with us at one of the estates. We will see each other enough that your coming to London is not imperative.”
“You will attend my coming-out ball, will you not?” Connie worried.
“Unless I am with child and close to my lying in, Thomas and I will be there to welcome you into society,” Becca vowed. It had the desired effect, and Connie lit up with pleasure.
“Devon, did you send the announcement of our engagement to the papers?” Bennet enquired.
“I did, and it states that Becca is engaged, but does not give many details about you. That will preserve your anonymity for now, as well as ours in the local area,” Devon reported.
“When will you make for Derbyshire, and when should we join you?” Beth asked.
“We will depart within the sennight, and you and Thomas are welcome at any time,” Mrs Devon responded after a nod from her husband. She turned to her soon-to-be son, “For obvious reasons you will not be residing at Hardwick Hall with your betrothed in residence. I will arrange with my sister for you to be hosted at Snowhaven, as it is only about five miles distant.”
“I understand; I would not have expected anything less,” Bennet accepted. “If Mother agrees, we will follow you about a sennight after you depart Netherfield Park. Devon and Becca, if you would like to join me in the study, Phillips delivered the final draft of the settlement with all of the clauses we discussed.”
That Thomas wanted to include her when they looked over the settlement only reinforced for Becca that she had found the perfect man for herself.
So agreed, the engaged couple began to count the days until they married.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bennet missed Becca from the time she departed the area with her family until he and his mother alighted from the Bennet carriage at Hardwick Hall. They were met by the Cavendishes, which included their son and his wife.
The engaged couple’s first inclination was to fall into one another’s arms, but the six family members looking on, not to mention the footmen unloading the carriage of Beth’s trunks, killed the intention but not the longing to hold and kiss the other.
Lady Georgiana approached. “Welcome. Beth and Thomas. The Fitzwilliams are within, and they will escort you to Snowhaven later,” she greeted after Bennet kissed her cheek. Then she offered her arm to Beth. “Come, my friend, I want you to meet my sister. I know you two will get along famously.” The two matrons headed up the stone steps and into the house; everyone followed, except the Marquess, who placed his hand on Bennet’s arm.
“Imagine my surprise when I discovered Becca was to marry one of the few men I was unable to beat in chess at Cambridge. I trust you will allow your new brother a chance to redeem his honour,” the Marquess stated with a grin. “Unless you object, I will address you as Bennet, and with my father also named William, please use Hartington for me.”
“I have no opposition to those forms of address, and it will be my pleasure to beat you across the chess board…again,” Bennet replied.
Hartington led his brother-in-law to be to the lady waiting on the top step. “Bennet, this is my wife, Marie, Marie, our future brother, Thomas Bennet of Longbourn in Hertfordshire,” he introduced.
“It is good to meet you, Mr Bennet,” Lady Marie stated as she returned Bennet’s bow with a curtsy.
“Please call me Thomas, my Lady,” Bennet allowed.
“And I am Marie, no title needed,” the lady granted.
Bennet followed the Marquess and Marchioness to a drawing room. As soon as he entered, there was no missing who Mother Anna’s sister was. Had Bennet not known Becca’s mother for close to two months and had not recognised the dress she was wearing as the one she wore when they were met, he would not have been able to tell the sisters apart. He guessed the older man was the sister’s husband, the Earl, and the two young boys their children.
His conjecture was proved correct when he and his mother were introduced to the four Fitzwilliams just before the two boys left to go play in the park.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After dinner, that evening, Bennet joined the Fitzwilliams in their coach for the short ride to their estate. He could not but grin when he thought of the private interlude he and Becca had enjoyed as they walked in the park and had been hidden from view thanks to the very wide trunk of an ancient oak tree. The hugs and kisses they had both desired when Bennet arrived were liberally bestowed during the brief privacy they had enjoyed.
He had been invited to call the Countess, Aunt Elaine, and the Earl, Uncle, or Matlock. Even though the two were much younger than himself, Bennet liked his new cousins, Andy and Rich, as they were called among the family, very well. The older one could not stop speaking about his new pony he had just been gifted, and the younger one had asked Bennet to play with him and his toy soldiers.
There had not been time to play chess, but the men would hold a tournament on the morrow once they were all at Hardwick Hall. Bennet knew Devonshire and his son enjoyed playing. He discovered that Matlock was just as keen. The latter had mentioned that one of the best players he knew, his brother-in-law Darcy, was away from Derbyshire with his family for an undetermined period of time. Becca had seen his questioning look, and when they could speak quietly, she explained that her Aunt Anne had suffered three or four miscarriages since the birth of her son.
Thanks to the lateness of the setting sun in July, when they arrived at Snowhaven, Bennet was able to see that the manor house had a castle at its centre, with new wings built on either side of it.
“The first Earl of Matlock was gifted the castle more than two hundred years past,” Lord Matlock explained. “Over the years there have been modifications. The newer wings you see were added in the last twenty years, while the original castle was preserved and strengthened. If you like getting lost in a maze, there is a rather large one behind the house.”
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
That night, when the Earl and Countess were in bed just before they fell asleep, Lady Elaine turned to her much loved spouse. “Thomas is Becca’s ideal match,” she opined.
“It would not have hurt if he were wealthier and higher in society,” Lord Matlock responded.
“Reggie, you can be a snob and Catherine-like at times,” Lady Elaine insisted. “They were destined to be together, and besides, you know that those things are not important to Anna and William. If they do not give weight to those superficial things, then what can it be to you?”
“You are correct, my Love,” Lord Matlock owned. “That is a proper setdown indeed to be told that I am ‘ Catherine -like’, I will keep my pride of position under good regulation like our brother does. Once I do that, I am able to see how well Becca and Bennet will do together.”
“I knew you could not be so intelligent for nothing,” Lady Elaine said softly as she began to drift off. She kissed her husband and was asleep within a minute.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The wedding was a small affair, which fit the marrying couple perfectly well. Aside from members of the three families, only some staff and servants attended the ceremony.
His new brother, against whom he had won twice and lost once in chess, stood up for him, while Connie had the supreme pleasure of being Becca’s maid of honour. The service went as expected, as had been prescribed in The Book of Common Prayer since it was authorised in 1549, fifteen years after Henry VIII made himself and his heirs the head of the Church of England thanks to the Act of Supremacy.
The newly married Mr and Mrs Bennet took quite a while to sign the register, but no one commented on their swollen lips when they exited the registry. The wedding breakfast, a very lavish meal for a small group, was held at Hardwick Hall.
After an hour, Becca went to change into travel attire, and after farewelling their extended family, the newlywed Bennets departed for the Cavendishs’ house in the lake district, where they would spend three weeks. Waiting for them was a new, large, and comfortable coach and four, another present from the Duke and Duchess. Rather than complaining that it was too much, Bennet accepted the gift and thanked his parents-in-law graciously.
Beth was the last one to hug her son and daughter after she kissed each one on the cheek. She then stood with her new friends—she had become almost as close with Elaine as she felt to Anna—and everyone waved until the conveyance was out of sight.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
In London, when the notice of the wedding of Lady Rebecca Cavendish to a ‘T Bennet’ was published, there was much gnashing of teeth of those who had thought to claim her massive dowry for themselves. They were the same men who had held out hope that the engagement notice had been an error.
The second announcement told them how wrong they had been.