“We will go to London,” Elizabeth said, making Kitty and Lydia applaud.
“You may all do as you please. I have agreed to move to Netherfield, but London must wait,” Mr Bennet said, and nobody protested, delighted that he had finally decided to leave Longbourn.
“And I shall remain at home with Papa,” Mary murmured.
“You will do no such thing, young lady!” Uncle Thomas declared. “I have plans for you in London, and I am certain your father will follow us soon enough.”
Seeing Mr Bennet shake his head, Thomas continued cheerfully, “You are all witnesses that he refuses to accompany his family! But if I tell him that his case of books represents only a fraction of those he will discover in London, what do you suppose his answer will be?”
“He will come!” Lydia cried, earning one of Mrs Bennet’s warning looks.
“Of course he will. But we shall allow him to decide when.”
“And where do you intend to stay in London?” Bingley asked, somewhat anxiously. He would gladly have invited them to his own house, but it was impossible to extend such an invitation without consulting his sisters and Mr Hurst. They had parted on less than agreeable terms after he informed them of his intention to marry Miss Bennet if she still wished to have him. For once, his sisters had not dared openly oppose him; Charles no longer appeared easy to influence.
“We have a house in London,” Thomas answered, and both Bingley and Darcy looked at him. Bingley seemed relieved, whilst Darcy’s curiosity visibly increased.
Thomas hesitated only a moment before smiling. “We are all family around this table. Or nearly family,” he added jokingly, glancing towards Elizabeth.
Elizabeth blushed beneath his gaze and already resolved to scold her impatient uncle later. She wished for time, not for Uncle Thomas to push Darcy nearer before she fully understood her own feelings. Jane had possessed months to discover the extent of her attachment; Elizabeth wished for the same liberty. Yet she had the uncomfortable impression that her uncle understood perfectly well what passed through her mind, for he nodded towards her reassuringly before addressing the two gentlemen again.
“I purchased a house in London some months ago. The Duchess of Beauford’s residence and several smaller properties were for sale, and her ladyship preferred my offer.”
“No!” Bingley exclaimed, incapable of concealing his astonishment. “It is more a palace than a house.”
“Well, it is certainly a beautiful residence, and we have undertaken considerable work there to accommodate the family. You and Jane are invited to choose your apartment.”
“Thank you, sir! Though I intend to purchase a London house for us,” Bingley answered. Before their eyes, the anxious gentleman from earlier that day had become a composed future husband, already thinking of his household and responsibilities. The Bennets observed the change with admiration.
“But until we find something suitable, we gladly accept your generous offer,” he added.
“And Netherfield shall always remain here whenever you wish to escape the noise of London,” Mr Bennet said, for the first time with the feeling that the place truly belonged to his family. He still longed for Longbourn, but with the girls marrying, a larger house suddenly seemed necessary for future gatherings.
∞∞∞
Every afternoon, the two Bennet gentlemen enjoyed a glass of brandy and a cigar together in the peace of the library.
“Tomorrow evening I shall sleep here,” Mr Bennet declared. “It is becoming too difficult for Mrs Bennet to manage two houses.”
“Of course,” Thomas replied, though he observed with satisfaction that his nephew was already beginning to enjoy life in the large house where each member of the family might occasionally escape into solitude.
“This library is wonderfully situated, almost isolated from the rest of the house,” Mr Bennet observed with much pleasure.
“Yes. And the half-covered terrace is perfect for reading or writing letters. It is indeed a splendid estate,” Thomas answered. “But I must discuss another matter with you.”
Mr Bennet looked almost alarmed.
“My dear nephew,” Thomas exclaimed laughingly, “you look at me as though I intended to send you to prison!”
“I am sorry, but you have already done so much for us that I shall never be able to repay you.”
“Nonsense! I assure you, I receive from each of you something more precious in return. If kindness and affection could be turned into money, I should still remain indebted to this family. Money alone has very little value. Assuring my great-nieces a comfortable future is merely my contribution. Each of them shall receive a dowry of fifteen thousand pounds upon marriage, and naturally, you are my heirs.”
Mr Bennet sat motionless in his armchair. The brandy helped him preserve his composure beneath the shock of such generosity.
“I scarcely know what to say beyond thanking you. Protest would clearly be useless.”
“Entirely useless,” Thomas agreed. “And now we must tell Mr Bingley.”
