Chapter 4
Like Jones had predicted, and as he had seen in his father, a few days before Lizzy’s birthday, Bennet seemed to improve; his colour was better, and he felt like he had more stamina.
Because of that, when as he had promised he would, Gardiner arrived the Friday before Lizzy’s birthday, Bennet looked about as well as he always had, which enabled Gardiner to relax significantly.
Jane, who was two in August past, remembered her Unca Edwawd, and was very happy to see him.
Lizzy came running into the drawing room, her little legs pumping and giggling at the top of her voice while Nurse tried to rein her in.
Lizzy stopped before the man she did not know, but he looked friendly and Janey liked him, so that was enough for the toddler. “Up!” she demanded as she stood before Gardiner with her little arms up.
Trying hard not to laugh, Gardiner indulged his middle niece. While he held her, she used her hands to explore his face, pushing and prodding here and there. “I am your Uncle Edward,” Gardiner told the mite.
“I Wizzy,” she responded. Now that she had had her fun, she demanded, “Dun.”
Understanding she meant down, Gardiner obliged his niece.
“They are both delightful. Will I meet my newest niece soon?” Gardiner enquired.
“Your sister is feeding Mary now. Once Mary is sated, if she remains awake after Nurse changes her, she will bring Mary down for you to meet. She reached the one-month mark one day previously, and she is growing nicely. In character she seems to be more like Janey than Lizzy. She is a very calm babe,” Bennet related.
The second nurse brought Mary down once she was ready.
When Gardiner held her, making sure to support her head, he was enchanted by this niece as well.
She seemed to stare back at him with big blue eyes, already with long, delicate eyelashes, but hardly squirmed and did not cry.
She too was blonde, and the little hair she had was short and a lighter shade than Jane’s.
Her little eyebrows were the same colour as her hair.
She had a big yawn, and her eyes began to close.
Gardiner gently handed Mary back to her nursemaid.
After a nod from Bennet, the other nursemaid led the two older sisters out of the drawing room and up to the nursery.
“Your sister keeps to her chamber,” Bennet revealed after the girls were gone.
“Her contrived nervous attacks were bad enough after Lizzy was born. Now she claims the shuddering, palpitations, and flutterings are so bad that she cannot leave her bedchamber. Since Mary was born, she has not even seen Mrs Lucas or any of the other few ladies to whom she is close.”
“Fanny has always been a hypochondriac. She imagines all sorts of aches and pains, not to mention maladies, like her imagined nervous attacks, which are not real.” Gardiner shook his head.
“That you have been forced to have her as your wife these almost four years saddens me. Although I am not sorry for the birth of my nieces.”
“On that we agree. As much as I want a son, I am very happy with my daughters, notwithstanding your sister’s claims that I can have no use for female children.
” Bennet looked off into the distance, at nothing in particular.
‘If only I would be granted life to see them grow and mature into girls, young women, and then ladies. I will have to watch over them from heaven,’ he thought.
He decided not to spoil Lizzy’s birthday with talk of his impending end.
He had written to Gardiner about his state, and he had made all of the plans he could to see that his girls would have the best life they could.
‘Perhaps Bennet is worried about his health for no reason,’ Gardiner thought as he looked at his friend, investor, and brother-in-law. ‘He looks as well as I have seen him. No matter, if I am needed, I am ready to take the girls and protect them.’
The two men discussed the health and growth of Bennet’s investments. Gardiner reported that he was gaining more investors from high society, and the more word spread of his returns, the more applicants to invest with him he had.
Not long after purchasing the books, Mr Darcy had returned with his brother-in-law, Lord Matlock.
Once they had seen the returns Gardiner produced, they both invested modest sums—for them—of twenty thousand pounds each.
As they watched their funds grow at close to ten per cent calculated on an annual basis, they told others, and so it went.
Although Gardiner would not mention the names of his investors to anyone outside of the business, there was nothing to bar his investors from telling others.
It was getting to the point that Gardiner would have to think about employing a manager and some other men, finally making the name of his main company accurate, as he would have associates.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
With Lizzy’s birthday falling on the Sabbath, the little celebration was held on the Saturday, one day before the actual date. As all she was interested in was having fun, Lizzy would not have known or cared what date her birthday was marked.
It was the first time Lizzy had eaten cake and other sweet confections.
It was soon discovered that she had a sweet tooth.
The nurse who was watching the two older Miss Bennets had to work hard to make sure that Miss Lizzy did not consume too much sugar, as she was well aware how hard it would be to calm the little miss down.
After the birthday celebration, Phillips revealed his engagement and the date of his wedding, which would be from Beech Hill in Devonshire.
He related that the Morrises had departed Netherfield Park the day after the notice of the uncle’s impending death was received, and since their departure a black-edged letter had arrived.
As he would be the agent for leasing the estate, all personal post for the Morrises was sent to him.
Then, it was Gardiner’s turn to inform the other two men that he too was engaged, and he was waiting to hear from his lady and her father. He believed he would marry from Lambton the week before Easter.
If Fanny thought that her self-imposed exile at mealtimes would be looked on with regret by her husband or brother, she was wrong. Neither man repined her absence. Other than once when Gardiner knocked on his sister’s door, and she refused him entry, he had not attempted to see his sister.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Gardiner departed on Monday as planned. Seeing that he was to depart with the light in the morning, Gardiner kissed and hugged his two eldest nieces farewell the previous evening.
After farewelling Gardiner, Bennet sat sipping coffee in his study.
He was aware there could be temporary improvements in his condition, but he felt better than he had for some time.
He took rides around the estate again and became more involved with the tenants as he had before his health began to worsen.
On the final Friday of the month, Hill placed an epistle from Gardiner on the master’s desk before he returned from a ride.
Bennet entered his study after changing out of his riding attire and found the missive from Gardiner waiting for him. He rang for coffee, and after a few sips, broke the seal and smoothed out the paper.
23 February 1792
23 Gracechurch Street
London
Bennet:
The date of my wedding to the wonderful Maddie Lambert is decided.
I intend to depart London on the 27th of March to arrive in Lambton on the Thursday of that week. I should have mentioned that we settled on Thursday the 5th day of April of this year.
Although it is during Lent, the rector of the All Saint’s Church in Lambton has agreed to marry us. He understands that with my businesses I have not much free time, and it does not hurt that one of my newer investors is his patron. No, I did not appeal to the patron to intercede.
Please let me know if your health is such that I can safely be away.
After the wedding, we will be with the Lamberts for Easter, and then the Monday after the holy day, Maddie and I will take a wedding trip of a sennight to 10 days, making our way back to London slowly and seeing places of interest along the way.
I ask about your health because in one of your letters you had mentioned that you thought the end was near.
The man I saw earlier this month did not look ill.
I will wait for you to advise me. If you feel that you need me to remain, then I will see what can be done, as I could not in good conscience leave the girls at Fanny’s mercy or, heaven forfend, under the power of the brute of a cousin of yours.
Regards,
Gardiner
Bennet appreciated Gardiner’s sentiments, but the way he felt now, he wanted to write immediately so his brother-in-law would be able to proceed with his plans with a clear conscience.
He pulled a sheet from the pile of paper, dipped his quill in the inkwell, allowed the drops to drip onto the blotter, and began to write.
24 February 1792
Longbourn
Gardiner,
When I wrote to you of my health, I thought that the end was indeed near, but as you saw me when you were last here, I am vastly improved.
As much as I do not want to raise my expectations, it could be the miracle I have been begging Him for.
I cannot remember the last time I felt in such good health.
All I can do is lift prayers of thanksgiving because if this is a temporary change or the gift I have prayed for, I am thankful for His Grace.
Go! Marry the woman who is your match. The girls and I will be here when you return.
I am not sure who will return home first, you or Phillips. He leaves for Devonshire a fortnight before you depart London, and I have not an idea how long their wedding trip will be.
While Phillips is away, I am able to contact his head clerk, or if it is needed, I will send Crawley a message.