At least he had not seen the buffoon for the short time he had been home.
Annoyed that this was his second call and sure his wife and daughters were within, Bennet was very short with the groom who took his horse, as he was with the butler who admitted him to the house this time.
The butler led Mr Bennet to the sitting room where the seven Taylors sat.
Taylor stood as soon as Bennet entered. “You were told that none of your kin are here; are you impugning my honour and calling me a liar?” He barked.
Bennet was knocked back. He was the one who was supposed to be the aggrieved party and put his cousin at a disadvantage, but here the man was doing that to him. Had the world gone insane?
“I-I never c-called you a liar,” Bennet managed as he began to sweat a little.
“Did or did not Mr Mercury inform you that other thanwe seven, no others are here? Nor have any others been here at any time today. For that matter, no one else has been anywhere on my property. Your coming here to seek them out, notwithstanding what you were told earlier, it seems to me to count as you calling me a fabulist.” Taylor reasoned.
He knew his next response may be the difference between being called out or not. “Cousin, I do not doubt your word; it is only for my own peace of mind I make this request,” Bennet said in the most conciliatory tone he could muster. “If you refuse, I will leave and accept your word.” Bennet was not sincere at all, but he did not think his cousin had enough intelligence to see past his apology to the truth.
Taylor knew exactly what Bennet was about, but per the plan, it was time to allow the poltroon to think his cock-and-bull story had been believed. “Mercury will accompany you. You may walk through the house, Bennet. I want you to be at peace and know Fanny and the girls are not here.” Taylor paused. “Have you mislaid them somehow?”
“Ehrm, no, I misunderstood where they said they would be this morning,” Bennet prevaricated.
The Taylors all nodded their supposed understanding. It was everything they could do to school their features and hide their mirth until Mercury led Bennet from the room. When the door was closed, only their hands covering the mouths of the three youngest Taylors stopped giggling and guffaws from being loosed.
As he was shown from room to room, every space in the house, including the attics, Bennet’s frustration and anger built. Not only were his wayward wife and daughters not in the house, but there was no sign they had been present.
In the end, Bennet stormed from the house and mounted his horse. He pushed Odysseus towards Meryton. He tied his horse to a wooden beam outside his brother-in-law’s law offices, flipped a penny to a boy so the lad would keep aneye on the gelding and stalked into the office.
“May I assist you, Mr Bennet?” The law clerk asked.
“I am here to see Phillips,” Bennet barked.
“Mr Phillips is not to be disturbed for another hour. I can leave a note to tell him you called, if you would like to tell me what you need,” the clerk proposed.
“Did my brother leave a document to be sent to me?” Bennet demanded.
“I am afraid not. Certainly nothing that I am aware of, and I scribe all legal documents for my employer,” the clerk responded.
“Inform him that I am here; he will see family,” Bennet insisted. Bennet ignored the fact that he had never treated Phillips like family before at any time. He needed the man’s attention, so it was convenient to remind Phillips of their familial bond at this time.
The law clerk inclined his head. He approached his employer’s door and knocked. When bade to do so, he entered. In no time the man stepped out and pulled the door closed behind him.
Bennet could not help smirking; he was certain Phillips would see him and more likely than not had berated the clerk for delaying him.
“My apologies, Mr Bennet, but Mr Phillips says he may not be disturbed. If you either wait or come back in another hour, he will be happy to see you. He said he will have ten minutes to spare you then,” the clerk articulated.
Was the world upside down? How could it be that not only had his wife and daughters vanished without a trace as if into thin air? If that was not enough, now Phillips, a mere solicitor, had the temerity to make him, a landed gentleman, wait. Nothing was occurring the way he had planned it. Even worse, once he did see Phillips, Bennet would have to return to Longbourn and the bumbling fool who would demand to seehisintended. What was he to tell him this time?
With no good cheer, Bennet threw himself into one of the armchairs for those waiting to see Phillips.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Why was I made to wait?” Bennet demanded peevishly when he entered Phillips’s office.
“Did you have an appointment to see me?” Phillips shot back.
As he did not, Bennet had no answer. “Even so, I am family; you should have accommodated me.”
“It seems you only remember we are related by marriage when it is convenient for you,” Phillips barked. “I was working on a time-sensitive matter. As my client has paid for my time, I was obligated to do what he asked before I saw you, who, as you know, had not an appointment. My time is limited; what may I do for you?” He, of course, did not mention the work he was doing was creating a contract for Henry Bennet, one the man sitting across the desk from him would soon sign.
“Have you created the document I need to play my joke on Fanny?” Bennet questioned as he fought to maintain his equanimity.
