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It was simple and to the point, exactly as she had come to expect.
“Yes, a thousand times yes. I desire nothing more than to marry you Sir David.”
Jane’s smiled eclipsed his own by several magnitudes.
“May I kiss you?”
A gasp, an increased blush if that was possible but a shy nod. They did not kiss for long but at the end of it both were convinced that this was not going to be a long engagement. Jane turned to see her sister striding towards them, a huge smile of her own on her face.
“Lizzie, can you believe it, ‘tis too much, by far too much. I do not deserve it. Oh! why is not everybody as happy?"
“Congratulations Jane, congratulations Sir David. You are getting the very best of women, the very best of sisters.”
He bowed in response to her words.
“I know that Miss Elizabeth. I feel that Miss Bennet is getting the worse end of this bargain, stuck with this old sea dog.”
It was self-deprecating, much appreciated nonetheless. All three knew the paltry state of the Bennet daughter’s dowries. It was just as well that Sir David was rich from prize money, one of the Golden Few.
“I will go and speak to your father presently but there are several things I wish to discuss before we return to the manor. Miss Elizabeth, please sit with your sister, you may hear my thoughts. It will save Miss Bennet from repeating them to you later.”
Stifled smiles, all three knew that Jane had few secrets from her sister.
“I am going to speak bluntly, I know no other way. I do not expect you to necessarily agree with all that I say but I think you should hear it.”
The smiles faded, the one thing they both knew was Sir David did not hold back.
“I am disappointed in the behaviour of your parents.”
They both winced, it might be true but it was still hard to hear.
“I am especially annoyed at the way your mother denigrates her middle three daughters. All five of you are different, that is hardly out of the ordinary. But she should be able to praise one without being unpleasant about the others.”
They both noticed that he made no comment about Lydia, also favoured by their mother.
“The Uptons have been generous in allowing me to reside here at Netherfield Park. I have recovered most of the strength and flexibility in my leg. But I want it to be clear that I will not be making an offer to purchase the estate from my distant cousins. I know that Mrs. Bennet has speculated about such an act. When we marry.”
Smiles and blushes all round.
“Yes, when we marry we will purchase an estate but it will be some distance from Hertfordshire. All of my ships have been based out of Portsmouth so it is likely that I will look to purchase an estate in either Hampshire or West Sussex. I would like you to be present when I view the prospective estates, it will be your home, and you will be the Mistress of the estate when I am away at sea.”
Sir David had been typically direct when explaining life as the wife of a serving naval officer. He could be at sea for literally years. It was a sacrifice and Jane knew it was coming.
“We could look at estates before we are married, provided you are chaperoned by Miss Elizabeth. But we will not be looking at estates with Mrs. Bennet. I am sorry but it is not going to happen.”
--
They had to wait, as Mrs. Bennet would not permit Elizabeth to accompany Jane. Sir David’s revenge? A very short engagement of just a month, and he threatened to shorten that further by buying a common licence. He and Jane ignored all of the wails and lamentations of Mrs. Bennet and were married in the chapel of Longbourn, to the accompanying less than sotto voce comments of the matron herself.
They found an estate in the south west corner of West Sussex, outside the small town of Itchenor. As the crow flies, it was only 10 miles east of Portsmouth although closer to 15 miles by boat. It was close, yet not too close, with the Chichester Channel conveniently nearby. It was also 100 miles by road from Longbourn.
Jane, now Lady Carruthers, fell pregnant within weeks of her marriage and before their first anniversary they were presented with a baby boy. He was christened Edward after Jane’s uncle and as it was a name used in the past by the Carruthers, Sir David had no objection. Edward David Carruthers was spoiled by his aunts.
But Sir David and Lady Carruthers kept Mrs. Bennet at a safe distance.
