Elizabeth was missing Uncle Henry terribly. The only thing which made her move to Longbourn tolerable was that the three nurses, who had taken care of her since she could remember, were there, and one of them was with her at all times. In addition, Mrs Bellamy had begun her lessons already, and Luke came with her just like he did when they had been at Netherfield Park.
She did not know Papa, and she had only briefly met the lady whom Papa told her was her mama. That lady did not seem very happy with her, but Lizzy knew not why.
Fanny was not pleased. Her husband had happened upon her when she was trying to tell Jane to keep her distance from her other, less pretty, sisters. He, who never before cared about how she raised Jane, had threatened to withhold a half year’s pin money if she ever spoke against her other daughters again. Not only that, but Thomas had ordered that Jane would join the lessons with the governess, and she would remain in the nursery. He had told Jane that it was wrong not to be friendly towards her younger sisters. Fanny had held her peace because she was not willing to forgo even one quarter’s allowance. She had wanted to move Jane out of the nursery and into a bedchamber because she was concerned that as Miss Lizzy had been raised by Uncle Henry for six years she would try and undo all of her lessons about how Uncle Henry would steal her home one day. Her husband had overruled her.
At least, Elizabeth was not alone in the nursery; Jane was there; she was nine, and Mary had been brought back from the cottages the day after Elizabeth came to Longbourn. Mary would be four soon. At first, Jane was a little distant, but something had changed, and she seemed to become friendlier each day. Mary seemed to be in awe of her. Mary wanted nothing more than to learn to play the pianoforte, and she was amazed that her next older sister could already play it. She did not say it, but Elizabeth was surprised that Jane did not play aninstrument and that she had never been taught by a governess but was to begin her lessons as of the next day.
For his part, Bennet saw it was better to, than not, abide by the terms of the agreement with Uncle Henry. In the few days since Lizzy had come to Longbourn, he had seen how right he was about the petite girl’s intelligence. In addition, she looked like a younger version of his late mother. They had played one game of chess. He had won, of course, but it had been no easy feat. She had made him work for every one of her pieces he took, and she had removed many of his warriors from the board.
His second daughter’s reading level was that of a child almost double her age, and she comprehended what she read. No, he would do nothing which would induce his uncle to take Lizzy away as agreed to in that infernal document.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Like her younger sister, Hattie Phillips was not pleased, but for very different reasons. Frank had a lock placed on the door leading from the house into his offices, and if that was not bad enough, there was another lock on the door to his office from the outside. When a few days past, some men had come to do some work at her husband’s behest; Hattie had thought nothing of it. That was until she decided to go snoop in his offices when she knew he and his clerks had vacated them for the rest of the day.
She had been angry that the door which used to give her access to the law offices was locked. She could not very well go to her husband and demand he give her a key. That would entail her admitting to searching through his papers, and Hattie did not relish that.
The next day, she went into the office at a time she knew her husband was out and demanded that the head clerk provide her with a key. He had politely, but firmly, refused. Hattie had ceased her demands when the man informed her ofthe instructions from Mr Phillips. No one was to receive a key without his permission. Hattie knew her husband’s employees well enough to know they would not gainsay Frank.
With no good cheer, she had retreated. One of her primary sources of information to gossip over had been lost to her.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Henry had been at his desk for less than ten minutes when there was a knock on the door. “Come,” he called out. The door opened, and his steward entered, his hat in hand. Henry indicated the chairs before his desk and waited for Wickham to choose one. “I know my estate is in good order; otherwise, you would have let me know about any issues.”
“That is true enough, Mr Bennet,” Wickham agreed. “The spring planting is proceeding anon, and the tenants are as happy here as I have heard from fellow stewards in the area that any of theirs are. Mr Darcy’s steward, Mr Chalmers, has been willing to answer questions whenever I had any. It is not often I have anything to ask him after almost ten years, but it is good to know he is available in case I have something to discuss with him.”
“I could see from the reports you sent while I was away for these past six years that I could not have left the estate in better hands.” Henry paused for some seconds. “Please tell me if I overstep, but how are things going with your wife and son? Has there been an improvement since the conversation we had in this office?”
“For about a year, it was better, or so it looked. That was until I discovered that Johanna was filling my George’s head with all of her covetous beliefs and was teaching him to be grasping like she is,” Wickham revealed. “I began to educate George myself, and I believe over the years since I began I have erased the harm she did. To punish me when I began to supervise my son’s education, I am afraid my wife lashed out ina most inappropriate manner.”
It was easy to see this was a difficult subject for Wickham to discuss. “Wickham, you have no obligation to tell me if you do not choose to,” Henry stated. He had a good idea what Mrs Wickham had done.
“There is much talk in the area about Johanna’s behaviour and dishonourable actions, so I would rather you hear it from me. She began to offer herself to any man, regardless of station,” Wickham related with his head down. “As many men are incapable of refusing the offers she made them, she was bedded by many, from servants to labourers, to men travelling through who were guests for a night at the Rose and Crown Inn in Lambton. If I could afford it, I would divorce her, but that is not needed now.”
Henry looked at his steward quizzically.
“I suppose I could blame myself for not checking her behaviour. Johanna was away from the house most days, and I did not have the energy to educate George and look after the estate, while trying to rein in my wife. I chose the first two. Thanks to her lying with so many men, she has contracted the French disease, a rather virulent strain of the sickness. Mr Harrison, who cares for the residents of Lambton, Snowhaven, and Pemberley, has seen her a few times and does not think she will live much longer. Her mind is already gone. She no longer recognises me or George,” Wickham reported as dispassionately as he was able. “According to the doctor, it will not be long before Johanna is no longer alive.”
“Even though her end has been brought about by her own behaviour, I am saddened by it,” Henry reacted. “How old is George now?”
“He was recently eleven. I enrolled him at the boy’s school in Lambton when he was eight. Although I have not explained what made Johanna sick, he knows that she is ill and will not recover.” Wickham stared off into space. “Forthe last five years since I separated George from his mother’s pernicious influence, he has been a much better boy. Being at school five days a week has kept him from the worst of it. Under her tutelage, I am afraid he would have become as envious, covetous, and grasping as she was. I give thanks to God that my son is not like that.”
“You did not have a gentleman’s education, did you?”
“No, Mr Bennet, I did not. My late father was the third son of a third son of a minor country squire. My late grandfather went into trade because his father could only afford to send his heir to attain a gentleman’s education. My father did well enough in his trade that I was able to study and eventually read the law. Had it not been for Johanna’s spendthrift ways and my not checking her, I would have remained as a clerk and eventually become a solicitor. I am not sorry I came to work for you, and now without my wife attempting to spend us into the poorhouse, I will be able to save for George’s future.”
“You are not aware of this fact, but the new schools near Lambton, like the boys’ school your son attends, are funded by me. I will let them know that I will pay for his education. I only ask that you do not tell him. If there is any of his mother left in him, I do not want him to take it as a sign that he can get more and more from me,” Henry offered.
“That is most generous, Sir, but especially without Johanna’s spending, I am well able to afford to pay for George’s schooling.”
“I am not doing this because you asked, or I feel you are unable to do so yourself. This way you will be able to save as much as possible for your son’s future, and who knows, mayhap you will eventually remarry,” Henry insisted.
“In that case, Mr Bennet, all I can do is sincerely thank you,” Wickham said as he bowed his head gratefully.
“Without mentioning my involvement, I wouldappreciate it if you made sure all of my tenants know that the schools are there, and none will be turned away because of their inability to pay. I am sure that some of them have not sent their children to the boys’ or girls’ school because they feel like it would be accepting charity if they ask for a reduction in the cost of tuition. They need to understand that the schools are designed to accept all regardless of their financial position. You can tell them the truth; the schools are supported by donations from local landowners.”
Lucas Wickham had an idea that Mr Bennet was wealthy. It seemed he had underestimated his employer’s fortune if he was able to fund the new schools in Lambton. He did not ask, as it was not his place to do so.
