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“If you equate material comfort to happiness then she will be very happy. The Warburtons have made significant efforts to become English. The old German name is gone, the grandfather is dead, when the son passes on then all the family will be English, and born in England. Now at the same time they will be known as German immigrants. But then so is the Royal family, and both the wives of the King and the Prince of Wales.
“The heir married money but no pedigree. The third son, Geoffrey was married this day to our sister, some small amount of pedigree but no money. I got the sense from observing the second son that he will not marry. He appears to be a confirmed bachelor. There is the one daughter who is as yet unmarried and it looks like the family is hoping for at least a baronet as the bridegroom. That will complete the marriages of this generation. It will then fall to the children, as yet unborn, to marry even better in their generation. It is calculated but appears to be successful for all that.”
“That is fascinating, but you have not really answered my question. She is clearly going to live a comfortable life, but will she be happy.”
“What is it that Charlotte always responds when we talk to her about romance? She wants nothing to do with romance, and she claims she is not romantic. She wants a comfortable home; a gentleman of character; and a good situation in life, that is all.”
“You are right Lizzie. She says that happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.”
“Well remembered Mary, she does say that. If you believe her assertions then there is no point in my guessing as to whether Jane will be happy. When you look at the three things she wants for herself, it is obvious that Jane has matched Charlotte’s criteria. All I do know is that Jane has told me for many years, it must be close to a decade when I stop and think on it, that she wanted to ‘marry for the deepest love’. Whatever else you believe I am sure that she has not done that.
“I do not think the Warburtons believe in romantic love. It is family and increasing their standing in society, together with being successful in business.”
“I asked my question but you thought about additional parts. The impact on us, and whether we would be happy. And you said this would take even longer than this first part. Is it that bad?”
“Yes.”
Mary flinched at the uncompromising tone.
“Jane was the person that kept things calm, or as calm as possible, and if words did escalate she was the one with the cool head who soothed wounded feelings. You would agree, or am I overstating it?”
Mary did not need more than a second or two to realise that Elizabeth was completely correct.
“You are right, go on.”
“Let me list all this and then we can discuss them. Everything to do with Mama, it was Jane that calmed her down, especially when she was suffering with her ‘nerves’. You have heard Mama, she says it right to our face that she suffers in silence when we know she does no such thing. In addition, Jane dealt with the fights between Lydia and Kitty, especially being kind to Kitty and stopping her tears. Mama had a partiality for Jane which she did not exploit. And Mama has an equal partiality for Lydia who does exploit it, as we saw just 20 minutes ago. She is always telling you and I off, a daily occurrence; you for reading the Rev Fordyce and practicing the piano all the time, me for, well everything when I think on it. The only person not impacted by her leaving is Papa. And after today I wish that he displayed a little more sadness that Jane was gone. So there you go, how is that for a list to be getting on with?”
“She was the calming influence, on us all.”
Elizabeth nodded.
“There is no one who can do that role. What about you?”
“Be serious Mary. Jane stopped me from responding harshly to the words of Mama, I am more likely to make things worse rather than better, I mean I just slapped Lydia in the face this evening. If Lydia continues to be unkind to Kitty then I am likely to take Kitty’s side. If I slap Lydia every time she is unkind then maybe she will learn. Although I doubt it.”
“What if our parents tell you to stop, to behave like a lady?”
“Right now my response will be I can behave like a lady, I am perfectly capable of behaving impeccably. My follow up will be to ask the same of Lydia. I will behave like a lady as long as she does. I know that she will fail ten times a day. I think that was my biggest revelation today, our parents have practiced selective parenting for too long.
“And just so you know, I do not exempt myself from this. I have been happy to be Papa’s favourite for too long. He needs to allow you and Kitty to spend time in his study with him, even if it is only to read quietly at first.”
“Wow Lizzie, Jane has been gone for less than 12 hours and yet you paint Longbourn as about to go through a revolution.”
“We will not overthrow our rightful king unlike the Americans or the French. But yes, things have to change, and with Jane no longer here, I think we will all be shocked at how quickly it all falls apart.”
Elizabeth stood up and pulled her sister up as well.
“Now that we have solved the problems of the world, or at least listed them, let us get you moved.”
“Moved?”
“Jane’s chamber is only a fraction bigger than mine, and so I have no need to move into her room. You on the other hand have had the smallest chamber. Let us move all your belongings into your new room. We do not have to worry about the bedding as Jane’s old bed is larger than your current one. If Lydia wants her own room then your old bedroom, the smallest chamber, seems best.”
Mary knew it would cause a fight in the morning but given everything that Elizabeth had outlined, if it was not this then it would be something else. She just hoped it was not repeated slaps of Lydia. But the two of them quickly but quietly moved all of her clothes and other belongings from her current chamber to Jane’s old room.
“It is a lovely view, better than the one from my old room. And I have always loved sitting on this window bench.”
“It is nice, but cold in the late Autumn and Winter. Even the early Spring can be chilly. It is nice to look at all year but only nice to sit at for six months of that year.”
“You sound like you talk from experience?”
“It was a great place to sit and talk with Jane, rather than sitting on her bed. But they were short talks during the colder months of the year.”
Mary bit her lip and looked at her sister.
“Will I be able to stay here? What if Mama demands that the room get given to Lydia?”
“I will stand up for you and tell Mama no. That is why we have moved you in here now. If it was empty then it is almost certain that Lydia would get the room, but with your belongings here it will be much more difficult. And your old room is sitting empty. If she is that desperate to have her own room then it is available without any fuss.”
The one thing they both knew was that there was going to be a lot of fuss in the morning.
