Gold and Good Sense

When Mr. Bennet’s long lost brother, Collin, suddenly returns to England after more than two decades in America, he brings with him quite the surprise: a fortune made from the discovery of gold on his land in North Carolina. Unfortunately, Collin Bennet does not long survive after he arrives home, and his fortune goes to his nieces.
Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, and their daughters, Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia, each respond to their new situation in interesting and unique ways. The story gradually reveals how a sudden and unexpected windfall changes the lives of each member of the Bennet family.

Most of the story is told from the point of view of Thomas Bennet and Elizabeth, but Mary and Kitty each take center stage for a short time. There is plenty of Elizabeth’s typical good humor as well as a bit of drama, a bit of sadness, a bit of romance, and quite a bit of growing up.

Author’s note: The gold rush in North Carolina that sets the stage for this story is an actual historical event, but it is not well-known, because it didn’t follow the pattern of most other gold rushes. It was slow and gradual, mostly carried out by the limited means of the farmers in Cabarrus County. Of course, this author has adjusted the timeline by a few years as well as stretched the truth of it somewhat, but it was based on a real historical event.