Page 3 of Pride, Prejudice and Prudence

“How so, Papa?” she enquired.

“Well, the books that your uncle is taking are ones I am not overly fond of,” he said. “Many of them, as you know, have been banished to the attic. Hidden in such a place where they can give no value to anyone. And my study is near to bursting its seams, so they cannot have a place there. But books can also be turned into money,” he said, a self-effacing smile on his face. “That being so, your uncle is taking these books to town for me to sell, and he will invest the proceeds for the benefit of our family.”

Elizabeth was happy with this explanation, for indeed, there was no point in books taking up space in the attic. And she had no interest in reading anything her father did not think worth the space in his study. That the books might be worth a great deal of money was not at that time within her understanding. So, when her father said her uncle would invest the proceeds, she thought nothing further of it.

Chapter 5

“Your mother and I have been discussing some changes to our household and the management of it,” their father told them the evening after the Gardiners’ departure.

Elizabeth was curious; their parents had never discussed such weighty matters with them before. Her father might have alluded to financial or household expenses to Elizabeth, but they were normally in the form of complaints about their mother exceeding her allowance. Elizabeth was aware by this means that their mother spent more than she ought on finery, particularly for Jane, and especially in the run-up to her short-lived coming out. She was therefore surprised he was openly discussing such matters with his older daughters, never mind young girls such as eleven-year-old Kitty and nine-year-old Lydia.

“None of my girls are silly,” her father told them. He had never called any of her sisters silly, but he had singled her out as intelligent, and in truth, Elizabeth had interpreted this as meaning that her other sisters were less so.

“I believe that you all, even you, Lydia, at your young age, are capable of learning,” he said. And he spoke in such a serious tone that none of them dared speak in response, not even Elizabeth. “Your mother, henceforth, will be in charge of the budget for your clothing and entertainment,” he said, and Elizabeth nearly moaned. What could her father be thinking to give her mother such financial control? He knew as well, or rather better than anyone, that her mother could not be trusted to remain within a budget.

“I believe that she is fully capable of managing the necessary outlays on behalf of you girls, without any management by me. That being said, she will also have primary control over your pin money.”

“Pin money,” Lydia repeated in a dreamy voice, her eyes also held a glazed look, as if she were lost in a fantasy. Lydia, being only nine, had not yet ever received such a mythic substance.

“Yes, Lydia,” her father acknowledged. “Pin money, from now on, you will each be given pin money.”

Lydia gasped and whispered, “ribbons” to herself, but her whisper had been heard by her father.

“Yes, you may indeed choose to spend your pin money on ribbons, but be warned, her father cautioned. That once you have received your allotted amount, no further monies will be given to you until the next allowance period.”

Lydia did not look overly concerned at this, but her father went on to explain the impact of this new money management system.

“Once your money is spent, neither your mama nor I will give you any more. Nor will any clothing or entertainment be purchased on your behalf until the next allowance period.”

Lydia did not look pleased with this explanation, but as her father had proclaimed, none of his girls were silly, not even Lydia at her young age. She proved this by showing she had completely grasped the import of what he had told them.

“So, I may spend my pin money as I wish, but if, after I have spent it, there is a fair in the village or such, I will not be given more to attend?” she asked.

“Yes,” her father confirmed.

“Not even if all my sisters are attending?” she asked, looking for a loophole.

“Not even then, my dear,” Mr Bennet confirmed.

This was not the only change that their father announced that evening. He also confirmed that it was time for them all to work on their accomplishments.

“You are,” he said, “some of you, now young women, and ladies of your class are expected to have accomplishments. That being the case, your allotment of pin money is entirely dependent on you each working to obtain such accomplishments.” This edict was greeted by silence. Elizabeth and Mary both play the piano, with admittedly meagre success. That being so, Elizabeth was unsure whether this would count as an accomplishment. They did work at it, but without a master to teach them, they were finding their way as best they could.

“What...” Kitty began, and they all turned to look at her. Kitty was rarely the one to speak out, and indeed, even when she tried, she was often drowned out by her younger, louder sister. “What if I wish to learn to draw?” she asked.

“Well then, you shall draw,” her father said. Elizabeth had not thought her father so obtuse. How was Kitty to learn to draw, and how were she and Mary to learn to play the piano?

“But how, Papa?” Kitty asked, giving voice to the question circulating in Elizabeth’s own head.

“How?” Mr Bennet repeated as if as a question, but Elizabeth knew it was merely the prelude to an answer.

“I shall get you all a governess,” he announced, and looking at Kitty, he said, “and I shall ensure she has the skill to teach you to draw, Kitty,” he assured her. Kitty smiled at this, and Elizabeth thought she saw something of her father in Kitty’s expression. She had her father’s dark eyes and her mother’s light hair, being the true intersection of both her parents in appearance, and different from both in personality.

Mary opened her mouth as if to speak but closed it again without a word escaping. But her father had seen the motion, and he knew what Mary was interested in; that being so, he added, “and who can teach any of you others to play the pianoforte with skill.”

“Well, girls, what funds do you have remaining to you after your day in Meryton without fiscal oversight?” their father asked, as they sat down to dinner the next evening. Mary looked embarrassed, and Lydia angry; Kitty seemed completely indifferent to the question, and Jane serene, so it was left to Elizabeth to answer.

“Jane, Kitty, and I all spent some of our allowance, and of my two other sisters, I will merely say that one of them spent the whole of it and one of them none.