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“Edward wants you to do what?”

“It is a suggestion rather than a demand but he wishes for a Steward to be hired for Longbourn. With no daughters residing here, he thinks it will be necessary for the maintenance of the estate.”

“How does he know? He has never lived on an estate.”

“If I had to guess then I suspect the hand of Lizzie. And before you get in a tizzy, she has a point. Our daughters have managed the tenants for close to a decade.”

The intended rant died on Mrs. Bennet’s lips. With no children at home, the demands of the tenants would fall upon the mistress of the estate. She had no wish to spend all her dealing with them. She nodded her head in agreement.

“Do you think we should just send them off one at a time? Once Lizzie is married then send Mary, and so on.”

“I think that is why she prompted Gardiner to suggest a Steward. It is going to be a significant change for the three of them and they wish to stay together.”

He looked at his wife.

“We are agreed? Our daughters to London, under the guardianship of Gardiner. I will hire a Steward for the estate given that we will not have the expense of them. It will also ensure that we comply with the entail for Collins.”

He waited for his wife’s response.

“I am in agreement. In the unlikely event of an advantageous match with a gentleman then the marriage can be here out of the Longbourn Chapel. Alternatively, if the marriage is to a tradesman then it can be from Gracechurch Street.