“Nonsense, nonsense!” Mrs Bennet exclaimed. “Who should he remember, if not his own charming niece? And now Lizzy has an inheritance to rival the best families in the country!” Mrs Bennet continued, clapping her hands together as she hopped about. “You shall be the most sought-after young lady in Hertfordshire.”
“I would not say that, Mama. After all, Uncle Alfie was never truly rich,” Elizabeth argued. She remembered his house had been large, but not overly ostentatious. She supposed he had spent more of his energy and time making the gardens as beautiful as possible. It was where she had spent most of their time during their visit, and it seemed Uncle Alfie had had the same sentiment. She had often seen him reading out of doors, or walking along the winding pathways.
Her mother huffed. “That may have been true when we met him, but it seems he has done very well in the Exchange since then.” Her mother referred to the letter. “It says here that Frederick will receive the bulk of the estate and the wealth, but a special legacy has been set aside for his favourite niece.”Hermother beamed up at her and flung the letter back at her father’s chest. Mr Bennet took it, smoothing it out to read it again.
Elizabeth frowned. She could not be entirely at ease that her uncle had put in his last will and testament that she was the favourite. Of course, he had never met the three youngest of her sisters, but what of the slight to Jane? She was superior in beauty, manners, and temperament — in every way that mattered.
Elizabeth looked at her father. It seemed for a moment that the entire room was holding its breath. Her father read for a moment, then met her gaze. “It does not say an exact amount, only that the inheritance will be held in trust for Elizabeth until she marries, or turns twenty-five. But though the amount is not named, it does say there is a small estate on the seaside and funds in the Exchange sufficient to provide a handsome dowry or allow Elizabeth to live comfortably all her days.”
The room was silent for several seconds before the outburst of celebration was begun by her mother. “Oh, happy day! I thought it would never happen! Now I need not fear failing to find you all suitable husbands, for Lizzy will have more than enough to help the rest of you find suitors.”
“Mama, my situation has not changed that much, surely —”
“Mark my words, once the news gets out there will be a line of suitors at that door!” her mother went on, ignoring Elizabeth. Mrs Bennet went on without a pause, speaking of ordering a whole new wardrobe for Elizabeth, and of course, her Lizzy would be so generous as to buy them all dresses and a new suit of clothes for her father, once she was married and settled with her inheritance.Lydia loudly added her pleas for a new pairof dancing slippers, while Kitty mournfully supposed that she would probably be forgotten while everyone else had new things.
Amid the hubbub generated by her mother and younger sisters, her father came around from the other side of the desk and hugged Elizabeth. “I am only glad that you will be provided for,” he whispered into her hair, then planted a peck on her forehead. “I can think of no one more deserving than yourself.”
“I do not think I am anything particularly special,” she said with a small smile.
“And that is why you deserve it,” he told her with a wink. He turned and left her to her mother’s care, shooing them all out of his study.
“Elizabeth, my dearest daughter,” Mrs Bennet gushed on. “You will marry well now, I have not a doubt of it, and help your sisters to do likewise.”
The house was in an uproar for the next little while, as her mother called for a bowl of punch to be given to the servants. A special tea was ordered and served in the parlour. When callers came later that afternoon, her mother announced the joyous news to them all. Elizabeth winced to see herself made the centre of attention in such a way. She had never considered herself shy — would have laughed at the very idea of it. But to be held up as a heroine simply because her uncle had been more generous to her than she deserved…
Rather than be allowed to take her walk about the property or read in peace, she was forced to sit in the stuffy parlour and listen to her mother go on about how they were all saved, now that she had an inheritance to look forward to. All of Jane’s delicate hints could not stop their mother from boasting. The crowning touch was Mrs Bennet’s proud declaration before all their callers that “I mean to see her married well before she istwenty-five, so that we may lay our hands on the money as soon as possible.”
With her embarrassment complete, Elizabeth was finally able to leave the parlour when the last of their visitors had gone. Jane followed her up to the room they shared on the third floor. Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief when the door was closed and the quiet settled around them. “I have never been so exhausted in all my life.”
Jane cast her a concerned look. “You are not falling ill, are you, Lizzy?”
“No. Not in any physical way, that is. However, it makes my stomach turn to think of Mama telling all those ladies that I am an heiress now. Did you see the way they looked at me?”
“I did not notice anything particularly menacing,” Jane said and settled on the edge of the bed. She patted the mattress beside her, and Elizabeth sat down with a huff.
“It was not that they were menacing, nor even jealous. But they did look at me differently. I’ve always known where I stood with our neighbours. I am afraid this is going to change everything. That people will see me differently — treat me differently. Oh, no, I do not like it at all!”
Jane put an arm around her and gently rubbed her shoulder. “You only need a little while to get used to the idea, and to get over the shock, I daresay.”
Elizabeth frowned. “I suppose you are right. I do not understand any of this. Why would Uncle Alfie leave the legacy to me specifically, instead of all of us? Or to you? You are the eldest. It should have gone to you, not I.”
Jane clicked her tongue. “Nonsense. Uncle Alfred was very fond of you, and that makes me like him all the more. He had very good taste,” she said with a smile.
Elizabeth chuckled at her sister’s kindness. “Now you are the one talking nonsense. You are the one who is perfect in every way, and the ‘beauty of the county’, as Mama would say. There is no logical reason he should have chosen me.” Guilt washed over her. She loved her sisters dearly, and she would help them as much as she could. Yet it felt strange to think that men would flock to Longbourn, as her mother had suggested. “Perhaps all of this will blow over without anything coming of it. I should like to marry for love rather than convenience, no matter what our mother says about receiving the inheritance as soon as possible. And I cannot help but feel that I do not deserve this legacy.”
“You need not feel any guilt at this fortuitous turn of events, Lizzy. After all, it will give you the freedom to marry as you wish, as you have said. And it will help the rest of us to be raised in the eyes in the eyes of society,” Jane argued. She brushed a hand over Elizabeth’s brunette waves in a motherly gesture. “All will be well, you’ll see.”
Jane was very nearly an angel, Elizabeth mused, as her sister got up and sat down at the vanity. She smoothed her hands over her light blonde hair, undoing the neat bun she had made of it that morning. Her good sense and sweet disposition would make her the perfect wife someday. She had no lack of suitors, but none of them had proposed marriage to her, no doubt on account of her small dowry. Each of the five girls would have their equal share in the five thousand pounds that Mrs Bennet had brought to her marriage — and likely nothing more.
When the word got around that Elizabeth was in line to receive a handsome fortune, would things change for her — not to mention Jane? Perhaps it would be a blessing after all, forthey would be freed from the threat of homelessness, and the accompanying pressure to marry as early as they could.
“Well, now that our family’s fortunes have improved, perhaps you will soon find the man you wish to marry,” Elizabeth remarked, pushing herself off the bed and joining her sister at the vanity.
Jane rolled her eyes heavenward and gave a tight-lipped smile. “I am not the one being given a fortune, Lizzy. You are.”
“Still. If the inheritance changes anything, I should like to think it can help you in finding a superior man.” Elizabeth’s face fell, and the joviality ebbed out of her voice. “I do so want to see you settled and safe, Jane. But I shall miss you terribly when you marry.”
Jane turned around and took her hands, tenderly pressing them between hers. “Dearest Lizzy, I shall be lost without you.”
