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This seemed all too plausible to Elizabeth. She could even imagine Mrs. Bennet’s voice saying the phrase.

“Now we come to the point where income is converted to total wealth. The safest investment is to lend money to the Government, into what is called their Consolidated Funds. This is shortened to Consols. There are several different issues of these Consols, and the price does vary. But the most common issue is the 4% issue. For every £1,000 you lend the Government, you receive £40 a year of interest. It is this multiplier of 25 times that is used to calculate the total wealth of a person. Using Bingley’s £5,000 a year, whether it is true or not, it implies that he is worth £125,000. Because it would need that amount in the Consols to generate interest income of £5,000.

“This is the quick and easy method of calculating wealth. In reality, each gentleman’s wealth will be made up of several different sources of income. Land and investments are the two main sources. And it is unlikely that all of the investment will be in the Consols. They are safe but low paying. Private investments will pay two, three, even five times that amount. But the higher the return, the higher the risk. Investing in the Levant convoy is all well and good, you may make a 12% return but if the ship is sunk or captured then all is lost.

“Now all this conjecture and speculation is talked over and refined until the point a marriage settlement is to be negotiated. Then cold hard facts have to be considered. Our settlement was the easiest possible. There will be no children and everything goes to you. The mechanisms of the Trust took up much more time and legalese than the core issue. But this is a rarity. Normally there are discussions about income, how much is to be settled upon the wife, use of the dower house for the rest of her lifetime, dowry amounts to be settled on each of the daughters. Now there are templates that the lawyers use to cover all the ‘normal’ requirements but it is an important contract. By far the most important contract that any woman will ever be part of.”

“Is this common knowledge?”

“How do you mean?”

“I am well read and had many discussions with my father yet this is all a mystery to me.”

“I see. Well I am sorry to say this, but it appears to be another indicator of the indolence of your father. Most children of gentlemen will know the basics. Not all the detail, there are too many variables, but the importance of the marriage settlement.”

Elizabeth sighed. Given her last five years at Longbourn, what he said was clearly true.

“I think I understand all this. But we have been side-tracked, we were talking of your income.”

“No, it was an important point for you to realise. Most gentlemen try to talk up their income. Even when they do not bandy the amounts around, it is human nature to be proud of who you are, what you have achieved, and most importantly, demonstrate these achievements with cold hard cash. I am the exact opposite of that norm. I am rumoured to be a £3,000 a year man. Not insignificant but not prey in the marriage mart the way Darcy and even Bingley are. This income combined with my age keeps the majority of women at arm’s length. The one exception is widows aged 40 years and older. They do see me as a tolerable potential groom. And my age is a bonus, they won’t have to put up with me for many years.”

“It sounds so cold.”

Peter Napier took her hand.

“Elizabeth, it is not cold in the slightest. You knew that you were facing a cold future. And in the true sense of the word. No coal, insufficient food, a bleak future. When compared to that, for most woman, nearly all women, marrying an old rogue like me is a very pleasant prospect.”

He saw her face.

“Stop that. I do not apply that to you. I proposed marriage to you, not the other way round. And I had to convince you to accept my suit. You did nothing to try and attract my attention. Well nothing other than randomly walk down Harley Street.”

“I have read of ‘gold-diggers’ and fortune hunters. Will I be perceived as one?”

“Oh yes, without a doubt.”

“Try not to sound so happy about it!”

“Again, it comes back to the busybodies. They have nothing better to do than judge. And remember they are going to be judging you on my rumoured income not my actual income. Only you and Lawrence will know the truth.”

Elizabeth had become aware Peter had mentioned no amounts. She could see the teasing smile.

“You are going to make me ask, aren’t you? Terrible man, here we are on our wedding day and this is how you treat your new wife.”

His smile widened and he kissed her hand.

“I am pleasantly surprised at how wonderful it is to hear you talk of our wedding day.”

Elizabeth had started to learn his different looks. The roguish smile was going to make her blush. She was reddening before he even said anything.

“We will have to talk of our wedding night shortly.”

There it was, her face bloomed through red into scarlet. She heard him laugh and received another kiss on the hand.

“I should say I am sorry but I really am an old rogue.”

Despite her embarrassment Elizabeth had to chuckle at his unrepentant words.

“It is strange Peter. But I like that you are an old rogue. I do not know why. Perhaps it is your consistency that appeals. You have never pretended to be anything else. And I know that you take perverse joy in making me blush. Now behave, it is not yet the noon hour, you cannot have a wedding night in the morning.”