Prologue
Mr. Bennet sat back in his chair with a deep sigh. He had gone through the numbers again and again, hoping to find errors in his calculations, but to no avail. Poor weather conditions were part of the problem; the loss of two of his tenant families was another part. And, of course, his own lack of control over the family spending habits had contributed as well.
The fact was that Longbourn was operating at a loss, and a significant one at that. There were no savings to get the estate through the winter, and he could not possibly go to Henry Gardiner for a loan yet again. Gardiner had already loaned Mr. Bennet money twice, and those loans had yet to be repaid. In addition, the Gardiners had hosted Jane for the past month and planned to do so until Christmas. And, of course, the man had his own family to feed.
There was only one thing to do.
Chapter One
There was a letter from Jane at Elizabeth’s place at the breakfast table. Smiling in anticipation, she tore it open.
Dearest Lizzy,
Aunt Madeleine bought me the most beautiful blue dress in the world! I am to wear it to a dinner next week at the home of Lord and Lady Stanford! Evidently, Lord Stanford invests a good deal of money with Uncle Gardiner, and thus the Gardiners are frequent guests in their home, despite being of a lower social class.
Their eldest son, the Honourable Michael Stanford, is home from his travels abroad, and will be at the dinner. Aunt Madeleine told me that the Stanfords are eager for their eldest son to marry and set up his nursery. I do not know why, but I have a very good feeling about this!
You know we always swore to marry for love, not money, and I certainly would not marry a man I did not care for, regardless of his consequence in the world, but it could happen that one could fall in love with the eldest son of a baron, could it not?
But donottell Mama about this! You know she will immediately come to London to advise me on lowering my bodice!
I will write again after the dinner!
All my love,
Jane
It was impossible for Elizabeth to imagine this Honourable doing anything other than falling in love with Jane at first sight! She smiled at the idea.
She looked up upon hearing her father’s voice. “Lizzy, may I see you in my study after breakfast?”
“Of course, Papa.”
“Take your time.” Mr. Bennet thought there was no need to rush into a conversation that he was dreading.
But Elizabeth was as prompt as ever, and it was not half an hour before he heard her familiar tap on the study door.
“Come in, Lizzy.”
She perched on her usual chair, her hair twirled up on top of her head, her dark eyes sparkling withjoie de vivre. “I had a letter from Jane this morning; she is so enjoying her time in London!”
“I am glad she has been able to go,” Mr. Bennet replied.
But his tone was mechanical, and Elizabeth knew at once that something was amiss. “What is wrong, Papa?”
“What is wrong is that I have been a fool!” Mr. Bennet rose from his chair and paced about the room in agitation.
“Papa! Please, tell me!”
“There is no more money, Lizzy; that is the plain truth of it.”
Elizabeth was shocked. She drew her legs up under her skirts and hugged herself tightly. “No more money?” she whispered. “But why?“
“The weather. No savings. Accounts in arrears. The Johnsons and Laffertys gone, leaving the largest tenant farms empty. Your mother…” There was no need to elaborate on Mrs. Bennet’s extravagant dinner parties and the money spent on gowns for five daughters. Then he added, “We need three thousand pounds to clear our debts.” He dropped back down in his chair, dropped his arms onto the desk and buried his head in them.
“Three thousand pounds!” Elizabeth was horrified at the amount. She scrambled to think of a solution. “What of Uncle Henry?”
Mr. Bennet muttered into his arms. “He has already made two loans to me that I have not repaid. I cannot ask more of him.”
