Chapter 25
“Welcome home Lizzy,” her father said. Elizabeth had remained but two days in London. Her father having instructed her not to tally. Elizabeth wondered if mayhap there was some news in relation to the entail. She was not long left waiting to find out. For that very evening once dinner had finished their father took the unusual step of joining his family in the drawing room.
He sat quietly for some time, a slight smile on his face. His hands joined on his laps. Looking around him at his family. Elizabeth caught his eye and she saw a twinkle there which indicated he was to have some fun. It look some minutes before the youngest, Lydia, quieted, finally realising that her father had something in particular to tell them.
“Well my dears,” he said, pausing to give each of his girls and his lady wife a look of fondness. It was a look Elizabeth was familiar with. And Jane had occasionally received. But it had rarely been bestowed on his wife in recent times. Or any of his three younger daughters. And each one smiled back on receipt of it.
“This last August,” he began, “as you all know. We played host to the Prince Regent, and his wife.” He paused, letting everyone take time to understand the topic of the conversation. “Once the Prince Regent had recovered his health, he spoke with me. He wished to reward us all for our kindness,” he halted again as their mother gasped and reached out andclutched his hand. He gave her another fond smile and continued. “There are a number of elements to the gift he has bestowed on our family.”
He looked first to his wife, whose hand was still held in his own. “The entail,” he said, and she lifted one hand from his to cover her mouth. “The entail is broken,” he said and Mrs Bennet jumped to her feet and threw herself at him for a hug.
“We are saved,” she said, then repeated, “we are saved”. Elizabeth knew that the entail and the fear of what would become of them all on their father’s dead, had weighed heavily on their mother.
Their mother then hugged each of her girls. And each of the girls hugged her father. And they each hugged each other. It all this it took some time before the party settled down again.
“Additionally,” he said, “Dowries have been awarded to each of our girls.”
“Dowries, Mr Bennet,” their mother repeated, picking up a fan from the side table and starting to vigorously fan herself. “What a fine thing for our girls.”
They all smiled, dowries, no matter the size would make a big difference in the likelihood of them making good matches.
“Ten thousand pounds each,” Mr Bennet said, and then continued as the exclamations of shock filled the room, “for the Kitty and Lydia.” Before Elizabeth or his other two sisters could react he went on to say. “And twenty thousand each for Jane, Elizabeth and Mary.” He looked to Kitty and Lydia. Both of which looked a little uncertain. “Firstly, you two are still full young. Secondly, you will have more time to take advantage of the other gifts bestowed on us from the crown.”
“Other gifts?” Mrs Bennet intoned, waving her fan even more strenuously.
“And thirdly, you were merely required to give up your rooms while the royal party stayed her. Jane, Elizabeth and Mary were required to help manage the royal party’s stay.”
This explanation seemed to satisfy the youngest girls. Especially as the sum of ten thousand pounds was such an enormous amount they could not even fully comprehend it. Only to know that it was dowry double that of their mother’s on marrying their father.
“What fine matches our girls will make,” Mrs Bennet said.
Her father raised a hand in the air, halting her speech. “Yes the monies are awarded as dowries. But the funds are set up in such a particular way that none of you need marry at all. Should that be your wish.
“Not marry at all?” Mrs Bennet asked, such an idea never having entered her head. Mr Bennet merely nodded. But a thoughtful look came over her face.
Elizabeth herself was poleaxed and she could see her sisters felt the same. Freedom, that was what their father was telling them. They were free to marry if the fancy took them or not if they wished.
Mr Bennet remained silent for a little while. And Elizabeth though mayhap it was to give them all, especially their mother time to absorb everything he had said. Elizabeth was therefore most gratified by the next words which her mother uttered.
“But what of Charlotte?” she asked.
And her husband gave her a radiant smile. One which Elizabeth was sure was also present on her own face.
“Mr Collins, even now is in the process of being informed that the entail is broken.”
“Oh no,” Jane said, reaching out for Elizabeth’s hand. Mary was the only one who seemed to have noticed that she had not been dismayed at her friend being disinherited.
“Be easy,” he told his wife and daughters, throwing a conspiratorial grin Elizabeth’s way. “The Prince Regent during his stay informed me that he would be breaking the entail. Wherein, I expressed concern that the Collins heir had long had expectations of receiving Longbourn on my death. We agreed that I would invite Mr Collins to visit us. Which I did,” he said and they all nodded in acknowledgement. Elizabeth had wondered why at the time. But as she had previously been informed this was not news to her.
“I undertook to exam Mr Collins and consider if he would make a good master of Longbourn. Having met him. I think you will all agree that he would not. He may be a silly man,” he said and shook his head. “But he did have the sense to choose a sensible wife. And he is not a bad man. For this reason, the crown has undertaken to compensate him for the loss of Longbourn.”
“Oh that is well,” Jane said, her face filling with relief.
“That is good,” Mrs Bennet agreed and the others all seemed to concur.
“It does not seem to have been such a surprise to you Lizzy?” Mary was to ask her later. And Elizabeth owned that her father had told Charlotte in her presence before her marriage. With the strict instructions to keep it for everyone. Even her family. Mary had been satisfied with this as she was a dutiful daughter.
Elizabeth and all her family had been very pleased with their father’s news of Longbourn and the dowries. So much so that for some time they discussed what this all meant for their future. Quite forgetting that their father had mentioned other gifts?
