Page 15 of Regrets

Bingley,

I did promise to help you, and never let it be said that I reneged on a promise! I will come to London mid-September and we may speak about how I might best assist you then.

Darcy

Having sanded and sealed that message, Mr. Darcy settled down to enjoy Georgiana’s latest letter, which had arrived that morning.

Dear Brother,

We are all quite well here at Rosings Park!

Mr. Collins came again today, and tried to report to Aunt Catherine about some of the parishioners. But Aunt Catherine saw that I was listening and told him again that he need not report to her. He seems very upset at not being allowed to do so; he goes on and on about the great honour of being “her ladyship’s eyes and ears!” What a nasty little man he is! I am glad our clergymen are not like him.

Anne and I walked together for three-quarters of an hour yesterday, and she did not seem a bit tired when we returned! She ate a good amount for her luncheon and took one of her little brown pills, which I must say appear to be doing her a world of good.

That said, though, I very much wish we had a little phaeton and a pony so that we might drive about the park. I think it would be very good for Anne to be able to - well, to escape Rosings Park when she needs to do so. I know there is no point in bringing this idea to Aunt Catherine, as she is certain to quash it at once. And you were quite right, by the way; there are no riding horses here. I hope Daffodil is quite well.

I miss you and look forward to seeing you again!

Your loving sister,

Georgiana

Mr. Darcy knew that Georgiana rarely requested anything for herself, so her idea about the phaeton and the pony was rather a surprise; but it would be just the thing to get the two girls out into the fresh air more often, particularly since Georgiana was not riding. He set quill to paper and wrote out a letter to the ever-efficient Mr. Stanley.

Chapter Fourteen

Such a good thing for the neighbourhood!” Mrs. Bennet cried. “And for our girls, of course!”

Elizabeth Bennet and her elder sister, Jane, traded glances.

Mr. Bennet merely scowled at his wife and returned to his morning paper.

Mrs. Bennet turned her attention to Jane. “Your new blue muslin gown with the blue stripes will be just the thing for the next assembly, Jane. He is certain to fall in love with you at once.”

“Do we know anything about him, Mama?” Jane asked. “Just because he has leased Netherfield Park does not mean that he is eligible.”

Kitty finished her bite of toast in time to add, “He might be married, Mama.”

“Or a hundred years old, like Papa!” Lydia added, clapping her hands together with glee.

Mr. Bennet lowered his paper and stared at his youngest daughter over his glasses. “Is that how old you think I am, Lydia?” His tone was mild, but his daughters knew that to be often deceptive.

“Of course not, Papa,” Lydia said, quickly. “I was just funning.”

“Hmph.” With that, Mr. Bennet returned to his paper.

Mrs. Bennet said, “None of that is the case. He is young and single, and I know this because my brother Philips handled the lease, and gave me quite a description of the man. He is everything perfect for Jane, I am convinced of it! Mr. Bennet, you must visit him the moment he arrives!”

“I shall do nothing of the sort,” Mr. Bennet replied from behind his paper.

Mrs. Bennet began to scold him, but Elizabeth and Jane merely shrugged. Mr. Bennet was certain to visit the newcomer when he eventually arrived. It was only August, and the new tenant of Netherfield Park was not due to arrive until shortly before Michaelmas.

Mr. Bennet had not always performed his duties as head of the household, but Elizabeth had unwittingly taught him a lesson he had never forgotten.

Elizabeth had been twelve years old when she heard her mother lament that they were all destined to live in the hedgerows after Mr. Bennet’s passing. Upon enquiring why that was to be their fate, Elizabeth was told by her mother that the family would have to leave Longbourn, and then live on four percent of four thousand pounds per year.

Elizabeth understood percents quite well and she had worked out that four percent of four thousand pounds was one hundred and sixty pounds every year. She then decided to learn how much things cost and see how they would manage on that amount. She had spent a good deal of time with Cook, who seemed quite knowledgeable about prices, and had done a number of sums in her copybook before running to her mother to tell her that she had figured it out. There, in her neat handwriting, was a list of household supplies: meat, sugar, flour, vegetables, candles, lead, coal, and so on. Next to each item, she had listed the annual cost of that item.