Even though she was not the most educated woman in the world, Thomas fell in love with her, and she with him. Unlike many others, Fanny was open to being taught. It helped that she had a reasonably quick wit and caught onto things rather fast. Also, it was not her fault she had grown up without a mother to superintend her education.
Even though her father was in trade, James and Beth—Elizabeth Rose—Bennet accepted their second son’s choice ofbride when he told them he planned to offer for Fanny. They were happy one of their sons was interested in marrying.
Thomas and Fanny did not have many expenses, which enabled them to marry on a curate’s wages. It did not hurt that Thomas had been gifted with a legacy of ten thousand pounds by his father when he graduated. In addition, Fanny came to the wedding with a dowry equal to the amount of Thomas’s legacy, so the combined amount gave them eight hundred pounds per annum from the four percents. That amount added to Thomas’s five and seventy pounds he earned each year as a curate, allowed them to live well and save money too. It also helped that they lived at Longbourn.
Six months after his marriage, Thomas Bennet received a letter from the vicar of the St John the Baptist’s Church in Dronfield. He was to retire in six months and as he was allowed to appoint his successor, he had written to his good friend, the professor who ran the school of divinity at Cambridge, for recommendations. Professor MacGonagall wrote to his friend and highly recommended he speak to Thomas Bennet.
On receiving a letter from Mr Bamber, and suspecting Fanny could be in the family way, Thomas Bennet travelled north on his own to meet with the vicar and spend some weeks in the parish.
Mr Bamber and his patron were greatly impressed by Thomas and offered him the living, which he accepted conditionally, explaining he needed to canvass his wife’s opinion first. Within days of arriving back at Longbourn, a letter was posted accepting the position. A month later, just after Fanny felt the quickening confirming she was indeed with child, Thomas and Fanny Bennet departed for Dronfield, Derbyshire, in a rented carriage. To make sure Fanny was not over-exerted, the three-day journey was traversed in five days.
This is what led to Thomas, Fanny, and Jane Beth Bennet—born in January 1788 and named for Fanny’s late mother and her Grandmama Beth—living at the parsonage attached tothe church of St John the Baptist in Dronfield.
Fanny made a very good clergyman’s wife, and she was universally loved in the parish.
Even those who never thought any man could step into the large shoes left by Mr Bamber, who had served at the church for more than four decades, were quickly convinced that the former vicar and the patron had chosen very well. Thomas Bennet’s sermons were always written by himself, were educational, and delivered the message of that week’s scripture without hitting the congregants over the head with fire and brimstone.
The church was as full as it had been under the predecessor, and the Bennets were very popular in the neighbourhood.
By the time Jane was two, it was clear she was becoming a beauty, much like her mother. Fanny did not like people judging herself by her outside appearance; she did not want that for Jane either.
Even though Fanny was not raised to be a gentlelady, she had learnt as much as she could from Mother Beth at Longbourn, so she was determined that Jane would be raised like a gently born lady should be. Fanny would not have her daughter be an empty vessel who had nothing but her looks. Jane would be educated and have all of the accomplishments she needed.
Fanny and Thomas agreed they would employ a governess for Jane before she turned five.
The highlight of Jane’s second birthday was that Grandpapa James, Grandmama Beth, and Uncle Henry made the journey—braving the much harsher winters in the north—to celebrate Jane’s second birthday on the second day of January 1790.
The Longbourn Bennets remained at the parsonage for a fortnight before making the return journey to Hertfordshire.Thankfully the weather had moderated a little and made the trip somewhat more pleasant.
Life for the three Bennets in Dronfield continued very pleasantly, their popularity only growing apace. The one major disappointment Fanny had had was a miscarriage in May 1791. Other than that, the family was as happy as could be. All of that changed in January 1794, about a fortnight after Jane’s sixth birthday, when a black-edged letter was received at the parsonage in Hattie Phillips’s hand—she had married her father’s head clerk, Frank Phillips, some five years past.
Bennet and Fanny had opened it with trepidation, suspecting it was Fanny’s father who had been called home to God. They sat in Thomas’s study while the governess, Miss Rhonda Weasley, a lady from Wales, was working on sums with Jane.
With Thomas there for support, Fanny took a deep breath, smoothed out the paper, and began to read the missive.
14 January 1794
Phillips Cottage
Meryton
Fanny, I am sure you think this is about our father. Although he is not as healthy as I would like, he is alive and well.
Thomas, I do not know how to tell you this delicately, so I will say it directly. As sorry as I am to tell you this, your father and older brother are no longer living.
They went to Hertford for some shopping and other estate business, and the only inn they could find rooms at was the Hog’s Head Inn. That night, when they had already retired, some unsavoury characters took to fighting in the taproom. Candles were knocked over, and before anyone did anything about them,they had caught the fabric of the curtains on fire. Within minutes the whole structure was ablaze.
Your family members were two of twelve who lost their lives at the inn that night.
I am writing on behalf of your mother, who has been sedated to help her with the shock of losing her husband and eldest son. She will not be easy until you, Fanny, and Jane are at her side.
I urge you to leave as soon as may be.
With my deepest sympathy,
Hattie
After crying with his wife over the loss of his father and brother, the new master of Longbourn made for his patron’s house.
