Page 6 of Sweet on Mr Darcy

“But what about Papa?” Everyone turned to Mary, who seemed outraged. “Mama’s pin money was never five hundred a year. She took money from Longbourn without Papa’s permission. She was stealing from the estate! We cannot just expect Papa to turn it over to us. Papa, is what Mama did wrong?”

“It is hard to say, I suppose, Mary,” Mr Bennet said thoughtfully.

“Well, she was your wife and saved your funds to give to your children eventually. You must be the one to decide if she was wrong.” Mrs Gardiner said. “Although I must say, even I observed Edward attempt to speak to you about the matter in this very room, and you were the one who put him off, Thomas.”

“Madeleine is correct,” Mr Bennet said decisively. “I placed my first wife entirely in control of my household. I never questioned her spending as long as I had my books, and though she made a great deal of effort to hide the amounts from me to look like they had been spent, the fact remains that she appeared to go through hundreds of pounds more each year than she ought, and I never investigated it, which is as good as giving permission. She may not have offered it to me for books, but why should she? I had all the books I wanted already, and she was the one who had worked so hard to save while maintaining appearances so very well.”

“I cannot imagine how she did it.” Charlotte shook her head. “I must study her ledgers and household journals again much more closely now that we know where the money went. I hope that Mr Bennet and I save half as well for Lucas.”

“That is a very good point, and we must do it together when we return,” Mr Bennet agreed with her.

“What will you do about the money, Bennet?” Mr Gardiner asked pointedly. The room seemed to hold its breath collectively while they waited for Mr Bennet to announce whether he would divide the funds the way Mrs Bennet intended, or if he would use the funds himself, as he was certainly entitled to do.

“The funds will be divided among Fanny’s daughters, as is proper,” Mr Bennet announced. “Though I will enjoy the liberty of using the interest until they wed. The money was saved by her during her time as mistress here. Though the current Mrs Bennet has no proper widow’s pension, she does have her son to provide her with security, and we have time to save together to put something by for her.”

“Oh Papa, all of it? Will you not set something by for yourself?” Jane objected.

“No, Jane, I need not.” Mr Bennet was firm. “With your mother’s dowry included, you will all have nine thousand pounds and a bit more to your dowries. I cannot imagine that you will not find husbands quickly now.”

“I would like to insist that three thousand be given to Charlotte,” Elizabeth interrupted. “Forty thousand to split amongst us is enough. We do not need to split the last three thousand so awkwardly. Papa, I beg you to please agree.”

“I concur with Lizzy,” Mary said. “I would be unhappy indeed if something was not set by for Lucas’s mother. We lived under fear of poverty for years. Let history not repeat itself if we can help it. Yes, Lucas will take care of our stepmother. But that does not mean she ought not have something of her own. I could never be easy otherwise. It is a worthy idea, Lizzy.”

“I agree with Mary and Lizzy, of course.” Jane pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed her eyes. “Ought we to ask Lydia and Kitty? I am sure they will agree.”

“I am certain they will as well, but they are so young, and they do not need to be consulted over such a small sum when their fortunes have changed so drastically.” Mary shook her head.

“I intend no disrespect to my youngest daughters, but I am with Mary,” Mr Bennet announced. “It is a small sum to be split amongst five. I do not think they would object.”

He looked at his wife. “We could build a proper dower house. With the seven hundred you brought with you, we could build something comfortable and genteel indeed, and keep the three thousand, and whatever else we manage to set aside for your pension.”

Charlotte reddened. “Are you sure? I am certain my predecessor did not set aside money intended for me.”

“I am certain that even my mother would understand that the birth of your son brought each of her daughters another measure of security besides what she sought to provide,” Jane insisted. “She was a more shrewd woman than we gave her credit for, and she knew you well. I hope she would agree that your kindness and willingness to house us if we needed it would merit such a gesture.”

“Well…” Charlotte trailed off, then gave the young ladies an impish grin. “We should prepare to get you to Ramsgate and find you all husbands!”

“It seems that my wife is feeling better already,” Mr Bennet joked.

“It is a shame she hid it so long, Mr Bennet, but your late wife provided the dowries a young lady needs to marry well, and now, I shall do my part to put her daughters forward in her absence,” Charlotte declared.

“Oh dear,” Mary said to Elizabeth. “I do not like the sound of that.”

“Nor do I,” agreed Elizabeth. “We must endeavour to remind our stepmother that her purpose in Ramsgate is to get well.”

“Speak for yourselves.” Jane grinned. “I should still like to be married for love, and now that I have a proper dowry, I will take all the help my well-meaning stepmama is willing to give me.”

“Jane has been too much with Lucas,” Mary quipped to Elizabeth. “She is going mad.”

“Young ladies do that, eventually.” Mrs Gardiner reached over and patted Jane’s hand. “Now, my dear, you may meet a fine gentleman and fall in love as much as you chuse.”

Chapter Four

Wednesday 17 June 1812

The circulating library in Ramsgate was neither empty nor crowded, having just enough visitors to give it consequence. Shelves of histories, classics, novels, and travel guides beckoned to the dedicated reader. Poetry, sermons, and periodicals were displayed upon tables. Gentlemen and ladies alike sat in comfortable chairs reading newspapers.

Elizabeth Bennet was turning over in her hands a volume of essays in curiosity when she heard her sister Kitty’s voice from the other side of the bookcase.