While Phillips is away, I am able to contact his head clerk, or if it is needed, I will send Crawley a message.
I expect you to bring the paragon you are marrying to Longbourn to meet me and her nieces as soon as you are able once you return.
You have my best wishes for your future felicity.
Bennet
He sanded the ink, and once it was dry, he folded the epistle and sealed it. After writing the direction, Bennet rang for Hill.“Have a groom convey this to the Red Lion Inn to be included in today’s post,” he instructed.
Hill took the missive, bowed and left to carry out the master’s orders.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
All throughout the month of March, Bennet felt like he had when he had written to Gardiner.
Hence, when Phillips came to see him two days before his departure for Devonshire, Bennet wished him well on his way and that he would enjoy his life with his new wife.
As the day of Gardiner’s departure from London drew near, Bennet began to feel a little worse. Wanting to believe the improvement was permanent, he did not send an express to Gardiner to ask him to change his plans. On Tuesday morning, the day Gardiner departed for Lambton, Bennet woke up at four in the morning with a searing pain in his chest, and he had great difficulty breathing. What was happening caused him to lose consciousness. The next time he woke, it was to Jones shaking him awake.
Hill had come into the master’s chambers when he had not found Mr Bennet in his study ready for coffee at seven as had been his wont. He questioned some of the servants, and none of them had seen the master.
A maid had not been needed to build up his fire because it was an unseasonably warm March, and the master had refused a fire in his chambers for about a sennight. As such, no one had a reason to enter the master suite. As Mr Hill doubled as both a valet and the butler, he did not need permission to enter. When he had finally gone into the master’s chamber, he found Mr Bennet barely alive. A groom had been sent to summon Mr Jones.
It was how Jones had come to be present as he tried to wake Bennet. It took an effort, but Bennet’s eyes flitted open.
“What…wrong?” Bennet managed between weak, crackling breaths.
“Bennet, my friend, as much as it pains me to say this, I think you are close to the end. I will try to make you as comfortable as possible, but I believe it will be a day or two, or even hours,” Jones stated sadly.
He needed to contact Phillips and Gardiner, but even in the fog he felt in his head, Bennet remembered he had not requested directions from either man. In his hubris, he had believed that he would be well at least until after the two returned from their wedding trips. He knew that Morris’s inherited estate was in Devonshire, but he knew not or could not remember the name of said estate. In his confusion Bennet never considered that the senior staff at Netherfield Park would know how to contact Phillips via the Morrises.
As Bennet was in pain, Jones administered a measure of laudanum. It was in this state that Bennet passed the day on Tuesday. When he woke on Wednesday morning, he could tell that it was not long before he would be taken home to God.
“Mrs…Bennet,” he managed. He shook his head when Jones offered him more of the narcotic.
Hill understood and made his way one floor up to Mrs Bennet’s chamber.
Fanny had heard noises, but it meant nothing to her. She remained in her chamber, feeding Mary when she needed to be fed and eating all of her meals off trays. She had not seen her husband since Mary’s birth, and he had not come to her chamber to demand they begin his marital rights again, so she was as happy as she could be in her gaol, which is what she believed was her situation.
She heard a knock on the door.“Who is it?” she called out.
“Hill, Mrs Bennet. It is urgent I speak to you. The master is very ill,” Hill stated through the closed door. He heard the crash of falling crockery, and then the door was ripped open.
“Is my husband about to die and leave me and the daughters he gave me to starve in the hedgerows?” Fanny shrieked.
“The master wants to see you. Please dress and come to his chamber.” Hill turned and left the sputtering woman in the doorway. He planned to station a footman on the first-floor landing to direct Mrs Bennet when she descended thestairs, as she had never seen the master’s chambers before and knew not where they were.
It was just as well Hill did what he did because Mrs Bennet was so flustered she knew not where she was going. The footman directed her to the master’s chambers.
When Fanny saw how large the room was, she felt her anger bubble up, but as soon as she saw how pallid her husband was, the way he was breathing with great difficulty, she forgot her pique as the concern for her future rose up again. How dare her husband threaten her future security? It was not fair.
“Listen…take care…girls… Gardiner,” was all Bennet could manage before a spasm took over and wracked his broken body with pain.
“What is happening? Is my useless husband about to die? He could not even give me a son!” Fanny screeched. She looked around the chamber wildly. Why was this happening to her?
“Mrs Bennet, Mr Bennet is gravely ill. He will not last much longer. You must be ready for his passing,” Jones stated.
Fanny ran out of the chamber. She needed to think. How was she to save herself? Then, she remembered that the heir was unmarried, and he needed a son. As she was sure that the reason she was not able to bear a son lay dying in the chamber upstairs, she was confident that with another man all she would have was sons.
