“Perfect, my Uncle Philips will have the papers drawn up. As soon as the bill of sale is signed by both of us, you will have your money,” Elizabeth stated happily.
“What of Mrs. Bennet who is still, for now at least, at Longbourn?” Ophelia enquired.
“Uncle Philips will go and see Mrs. Bennet and explain her options for her future to her,” Elizabeth stated without emotion.
She had a plan for Longbourn which did not include Fanny Bennet remaining at the estate.
Chapter 32
Fanny Bennet sniffed with disdain as her traitorous sister’s husband entered the small parlour at Longbourn.
At first, she had refused to meet with Frank Philips but had changed her mind with alacrity when Mrs. Collins told her if she refused to do what was being asked of her, Fanny would be evicted from the house that very day.
“Mrs. Bennet, you have not been informed of this fact yet, but Her Grace is purchasing Longbourn from Mr. Collins and as such will be the new owner in a matter of days,” Philips stated in a very businesslike tone. “You must comprehend Her Grace will not allow you to remain here once the estate is hers.”
“That ungrateful, disobedient, wilful girl,” Fanny wailed. “She is to throw me into the hedgerows!”
“Before you put on a performance which would be appreciated in any theatre in London, as much as you deserve it, Her Grace does not desire to see you turned out into the street with nothing to your name,” Philips informed the avaricious woman.
“My Lydia or Jane must have convinced Miss Lizzy to do her duty to me,” Fanny squealed. She thought this was to be her last day living in comfort, however, she now believed that surely Miss Lizzy would place her at one of her estates, or better yet one of the houses in London or Bath.
“This was the Duchess’s decision alone. You had better pay attention, Mrs. Bennet,” Philips admonished. “You have two choices and two choices only. One, you will have a small cottage in Lerwick, which is on the largest of the Shetland Islands and your five thousand pounds will be restored to you. Two, you will leave this house on the morrow with the remainder of your dowry and be left to shift for yourself.”
All visions of her living in luxury came crashing down around her head. She knew she had no choice. “Where is this Lerwick?” she asked defeatedly.
“Lerwick is on one of the almost one hundred islands which make up the Shetland Islands. It happens to be the largest island in the chain. Where you will be living is approximately one hundred miles off the northeast coast of Scotland,” Philips explained.
“That uppity girl is sending me to purgatory!” Fanny screeched.
“As I said, you have a choice. What will it be?” Philips insisted dispassionately.
Fanny began to cry crocodile tears. She seemed to forget her put on tears had never affected her sister’s husband before. Even had she remembered, it would have not stopped her trying it now.
“Surely you do not desire to see me sent to the other side of the world?” Fanny leaned forward suggestively making sure her bosom was on full display. Fanny looked at Philips fetchingly, batting her eyelids, so there was no doubt of what she was offering him.
“You disgust me!” Philips barked out at the woman with undisguised asperity. “If it were not for Her Grace’s insistence you not be turned out into your belovedhedgerowswithout achoice, I would have you ejected from this house this very day! Your sister, who I love dearly, has something you will never have—character.” Philips paused as he reined in his anger. “Now choose! There are no other options than the two I enumerated.”
Fanny shrank back at her brother-in-law’s fury. How was it he did not fall for her feminine wiles? Seeing the implacable resentment in his eyes, she came to the realisation she in fact had no choice but to accept the banishment. Without her full dowry, she would have no way to live or eat.
“The first option is what I choose,” Fanny Bennet stated almost softly.
Yes, none of her former friends would see her, but she had still remained at Longbourn, in the neighbourhood she had grown up in. It was only at that moment Fanny had her first, albeit fleeting, doubts regarding the way she had treated her second daughter.
“In that case, be ready to depart at first light on the morrow. You will be transported to Aberdeen in Scotland. From there you will board a ship which will convey you to Lerwick.” Philips drew a breath. “The principal of five thousand pounds will be invested with Mr. Gardiner. What is left after your rent is paid from the interest on that sum will be handed to you each quarter. Do not even think you can return to the mainland. You will be watched and if you attempt such, the money Her Grace has added will be withdrawn and you will be left to shift for yourself with very little money. Do you understand Mrs. Bennet?”
Miss Lizzy had always been too clever and now the girl had thought of a way to well and truly imprison her in this far-flung place. Fanny nodded her head.
Philips departed and left Fanny to begin her packing. She was about to call for Hill when she remembered the newmistress of the estate demanded Fanny request any assistance she wanted from a Longbourn servant from Mrs. Collins first.
As much as she hated having to humble herself before the interloper, Fanny knew she needed help, so she went to seek out Mrs. Collins.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Up until the carriage pulled away from the house she had lived in since her marriage, Fanny Bennet had been expecting a reprieve of some sort. None had come and other than the servants who had loaded her worldly possessions onto the conveyance, not a single person had come to see her off.
As the equipage turned out of the estate’s gateposts, Fanny looked back longingly. She knew she would never see this place again.
During the drive through Meryton Fanny kept herself pushed back against the squabs. She did not want her last memory of the town to be the disdainful looks she would receive, if she was seen, from any of those who were already up and about.
