The wives of the tenants were quick to forgive her earlier neglect when on her first visit Mrs Bennet explained, ‘I have only recently learnt that I have it in my power to improve conditions on the estate. Now that I know this, I am determined to do so.’
Since Mrs Bennet liked few things better than to talk to other women, she called it exchanging information rather than gossip, it did not take long for her to become familiar with all the families.
When Mrs Porter mentioned that the roof of the cottage had been leaking for weeks and Mr Bennet had not done anything about it, she bearded the dragon in his den.
‘Mr Bennet, it has come to my attention that the landlord, yourself, is responsible for maintaining the cottages of the tenants, yet you have not seen fit to do so.’
‘And why should I do so?’ came the indolent reply.
‘Because if a roof leaks, like in Mr Porter’s cottage, there is a good chance that the tenants will become ill. If they are ill, they cannot work. If they cannot work, there will not be a harvest. If there is no harvest, they cannot pay the rent. If they cannot pay the rent, you will not be able to afford to buy books and port.’
‘You say nothing about dresses for yourself or our daughters.’
‘I know that you care nothing for me or our daughters, but you do care about your own comfort. Although you might also notice if we cannot afford food, which is a serious possibility if you ignore the wellbeing of the estate.’
‘Why have you suddenly become interested in such things?’
‘Because I have recently learnt that such details are in the purview of the mistress of an estate, something you neglected to tell me when we first married.’
‘I expected you to know such things. When you did not bother to fulfill your duties, I saw no reason why I should make up for your laziness.’
Mrs Bennet gave him a disgusted look. ‘How dare you excuse your own laziness by hiding behind my lack of knowledge. I did not fulfill my duties out of ignorance. You do not have that excuse.’ She shook herhead in frustration but managed to keep her temper. ‘You think of yourself as intelligent. Yet it never occurred to you that as the daughter of a solicitor I had no experience in the running of an estate. I needed information and you withheld it. Did it amuse you to keep me ignorant? Did it make you feel superior?’
Bennet had the grace to colour as his wife hit the nail upon the head. He had thought her stupidity amusing. Every time she embarrassed herself had been cause for his entertainment. It had never occurred to him that his wife simply lacked knowledge.
Mrs Bennet seemed to almost be reading his mind when she added a final question. ‘Or were you too stupid to discern the difference between stupidity and ignorance?’
Having his shortcomings pointed out to him in such a ruthless manner made Bennet see red. ‘How dare you speak to me in such a way. I am still the master of this house.’
‘Then act like one,’ his wife shot back and stormed out of the library.
~T~
Dinner that night in the Bennet household was icily civil. Neither Mr Bennet nor his wife commented on their argument in any way.
This atmosphere remained for the next week until Mrs Bennet made her weekly visit to the tenants where Mrs Porter greeted her enthusiastically. ‘Oh, Mrs Bennet, how can I ever thank you. It is wonderfully snug in our home now that the roof has been fixed.’
‘The roof his been fixed?’ Mrs Bennet repeated in disbelief.
‘Indeed, it has, and Mr Bennet said that I have you to thank for it.’ Mrs Porter noted the bewildered expression on the mistress’s face and asked, ‘Did you not know about this?’
Mrs Bennet covered her ignorance by saying, ‘I just did not realise that it would be done this quickly.’
‘It was completed two days ago and my youngest’s sniffles are all gone.’
As there was nothing wrong at the Porter’s place anymore, Mrs Bennet cut short her visit and hurried home.
She rushed into her husband’s library and exclaimed, ‘Thank you, Mr Bennet. And I am sorry about my outburst the other day. I did not think that you would listen to me.’
‘I simply do my part, once I know what is needed.’ Bennet shrugged carelessly but felt strangely… good.
~T~
After that incident, Mrs Bennet and her daughters discussed their visits to the tenants over dinner.
While the ladies made no specific requests to Mr Bennet about the tenants, the majority of issues were generally taken care of within a few days.
Over the years, as the girls got older, Mrs Bennet started to take all the girls in turn on her weekly visits when they were not otherwise engaged in their lessons with Mrs Taylor.
