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Our cousin has committed to begin to save for his daughters’ futures, and he will finally (after Gardiner begged him to do so more than 20 years past) send his wife’s dowry and any profits to his brother-in-law to invest for him. I suppose late is better than never.

Other than what I need to relay in person, there is nothing more to report.

Your son and brother,

William

“Well, this is all very welcome, and based on what we knew of Cousin Bennet, wholly unexpected,” Collins stated. “When I reply, I will also give him the name of Mr Jennings as a candidate for the post of Longbourn’s steward. In the past, he has let it be known he would have no objections to moving to a different county.”

“I agree. Jennings is a very good man,” Ophelia added. “I knew how it would be! William could not be as good and intelligent a man for no reason. I am very proud of all that our son has accomplished.” She looked at her husband. “Will you write and ask if we can at long last spend Christmastide as one family as it always should have been? Do not forget to mention Mr Jennings’s name in your letter.”

“I think I will. I will write a reply to William and an epistle to our cousin. By his response, if there is one, we will see how genuine this change is,” Collins related. In order that the missives could be posted today, he went to write them without delay. “And no, love, I will not forget to mention Jennings.”

Ophelia and Clem both wrote notes to be included with the patriarch’s to William.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Word spread in the environs of Meryton that Kitty and Lydia Bennet were back in. Many in the neighbourhood approved while a few were resentful. As Longbourn was the largest estate in the area, there were some who were disappointed that the youngest two had not done anything to, at the very least, embarrass the Bennets, or even ruin themselves.

When the two youngest Bennets had been told that they would no longer be allowed to wear clothing and colours meant for those who were out, there had been hardly a peep of opposition. The same was true when they learnt how their hair would be styled until they were allowed out in society again. Their father informed them that he had written to Aunt Gardiner and was to speak to Mrs Annesley. He further related to them that a governess would be employed to teach them which caused a little token grumbling from Lydia, but nothing significant. Almost ruining herself, coupled with learning that the way she had behaved in the past made men believe she was a lightskirt, had transformed the girl into one who was willing to learn how to behave like a young lady of gentle birth was expected to comport herself.

Two days after the ball, Miss Darcy, who the two youngest Bennets had derided because she was not out, had come to call at Longbourn with her brother and cousin, the viscount. It was the first time that Kitty and Lydia had actually spoken to her. When she shared what Mr Wickham had attempted with her, and how he had tricked her into believing herself in love with him, it had outraged the two youngest Bennets. At the same time, Lydia began to feel a kinship to the slightly older girl. They were soon given leave to call her Anna and she was addressing them informally.

Darcy hoped that his sister would lose some of her shyness and learn to be more outgoing, while the three eldest Bennet sisters wanted their two younger sisters to follow Anna’s example of behaviour.

At the same time as there were many changes happening within the family, the tenants who had doubted anything would change were very pleasantly shocked by the master’s continued attention. They were further surprised when men employed by Mr Bennet began arriving to make the needed repairs to their cottages, barns, and fencing. Even more shocking was that Mr Bennet employed men to make sure all fields drained as they should.

As Bennet became used to his new way of managing his time and his estate, each day he also became more used to spending a lot of time seated in the saddle on Artimus’s back.

The tenants’ wives were not shy in sharing the changes happening for them at Longbourn to one and all. When it became known that Mr Bennet was actively involved in addressing his tenants’ needs, there was shock expressed in the area. That was nothing to the reaction to the news that Mrs Bennet was joining her three eldest daughters in calling on the tenants.

Fanny had always considered calling on the peasants, as she used to call them, far below her. Thanks to her husband never bothering to teach her what the true duties of an estate’s mistress were, she had thought she was being teased when he had suggested she should call on the tenants.

Although they knew not what had caused the changes, the Bennets’ friends in the neighbourhood could see that things were very different. One of the biggest things that Fanny’s friends noticed, aside from her calling on tenants, was that she no longer boasted, did not extoll some of her daughters’ beauty while denigrating other daughters, theirs and her own, and had ceased gossiping.

When Lady Lucas and Charlotte came to announce that Colonel Forster had offered for the eldest Lucas daughter, as expected the three eldest Bennet sisters had been beyond pleased for their friend. Fanny had added her full throated approbation and wished Charlotte a very felicitous union with a good man. The Lucas ladies enjoyed being in company with this new and pleasant Fanny Bennet. Charlotte could see how much more relaxed Jane, Eliza, and Mary were without all the vulgar effusions which used to flow like a river from Mrs Bennet’s mouth.

By the time the Bennets and their cousin attended St Hugh’s Church on Sunday, the neighbourhood was beginning to accept that the changes in the family were not transitory.

A few comments were made about the fact that Viscount Hilldale, Mr Darcy, Miss Darcy, and her companion attended the church in the Longbourn Village and sat with the Bennets rather than attend St Alfred’s in Meryton with the rest of the party from Netherfield Park. It was noted that the viscount sat next to Miss Bennet, while Mr Darcy found a seat next to Miss Elizabeth.

It was known that Mr Collins and Miss Mary were courting, so there was no surprise they were seated together.

Chapter 30

“Jane, are you willing to admit that Viscount Hilldale is interested in you?” Elizabeth asked on Sunday night.

The three eldest Bennet sisters were under the covers of Jane’s bed, with the latter in the centre between her younger sisters. Even with only one candle lit, there was no missing the way Jane blushed.

“I concede that he enjoys speaking to me,” Jane admitted.

“And how do you feel about his attentions?” Mary enquired. “You seem to welcome his company.”

“When I first met Mr Bingley, I thought he was everything that a young man should be. As you know, his inability to speak of anything but my looks, and even though he and Mrs Hurst apologised for it, the fact he would never check Miss Bingley until it was too late, did not speak well of his character,” Jane began. “When I am with Viscount Hilldale, I feel like he sees all of me, not just my outward façade. Unlike Mr Bingley did, he does not just speak of what interests him. He asks me questions to discover my interests, and then, we discuss things that we have in common. He is never afraid to learn about things I enjoy that may not be something he had considered before. In the time I have known him, even before the ball, he has mentioned my beauty twice. And neither time did he go on about my looks as if that is all I am.”

“If I did not know better, I would say that you enjoy your time with Lord Hilldale,” Elizabeth teased.

“And what of you, Miss Lizzy,” Jane jested back. “Mr Darcy speaks to you as much as the viscount does me. Not only did he offer sincere apologies to you, the rest of our family, as well as our friends and neighbours, did he not call someone we know and love the handsomest woman of his acquaintance? So I ask you the same question you asked me; do you own that Mr Darcy admires you?”