Chapter 12
As was his habit on arriving home from the offices in the warehouse, after greeting his wife and two children—which now included greeting Maddie’s belly, as she was with child again—Edward Gardiner made for his office in the house to see if there was any correspondence which needed his urgent attention.
He had been in the office for less than a half hour when, missive in hand, he entered the drawing room where his beautiful and enceinte wife was sitting and darning some of his socks.
“Was there nothing which required your attention from the epistles on your desk?” Maddie enquired.
“There were one or two, but there was also this letter from Bennet.” He lifted the missive. “Even though he has been building dowries for the girls, I never expected to see him do this. Here, Maddie, take and read it for yourself so you will know I am not funning you.” He handed his wife the pages.
Maddie unfolded the paper and began to read.
5 September 1804
Longbourn
Maddie and Gardiner,
I trust that this epistle finds both of you, as well as Lilly and Eddy, in fine fettle.
Before going further, I will admit that some uncomfortable questions the younger Mr Hurst asked me the other day made me reconsider some of my ways. We had accepted an invitation to tea for Jane, Lizzy, and me. The truth is his insight made me feel shame and moved me to make some changes.
Part of what I am adjusting to led me to write this letter. As such, you may want to be seated before you read the following.
In the past, you have heard me articulate how I would not interfere when it came to how Fanny saw fit to educate our youngest two daughters, thanks to all the arguments caused by my taking the lead in teaching Jane, Lizzy, and Mary.
I stuck to this course of action even in the face of you both telling me I was erring.
Over the last few days (especially since the younger Hurst spoke to me) I have paid much more pointed attention to Catherine (as you know I never address her as Kitty) and Lydia and the way they behave.
Granted they are only 10 and 8, respectively, but that does not mitigate the trepidation I feel about the future for them after taking note of their behaviour and lack of any meaningful education.
Lydia especially is overindulged by Fanny, and as such, she behaves like a brash hoyden and thinks she can do what she will whenever she wants.
Unfortunately, even though she is more than two years Lydia’s senior, Catherine follows anywhere Lydia leads.
The three older girls opined this is because it is only when Catherine emulates her younger sister that she gains attention from Fanny.
Spurred by the questions young Hurst asked me, and combined with what I have observed, I have come to see that your advice to me in this area was completely correct.
If I do not step in now when they are young enough to change, they will be unmanageable in a few short years—especially as far as Lydia is concerned.
I can see ruin in her future if no changes are made to her behaviour.
This leads me to my request to you two. I would like to employ a governess and possibly a companion for the two older girls. Mary will still benefit from a governess’s lessons, but at 15 and 13, Jane and Lizzy are beyond that stage.
If Lizzy were a normal girl of 13, I would have had her take lessons from a governess.
However, I feel that when confronted by one who has far more knowledge than herself, such a lady would not be happy.
Hence my idea about a companion for the older two.
This will not replace the masters who come in to work with the older three.
My hope is the governess will discover where Catherine and Lydia excel, and they too will have lessons from masters at some point.
As you have many more connections than I do, my request to you (mainly Maddie, I wager) is for you to forward me the names of several candidates for the roles I have mentioned. I will assess the information and send you names of those I would like to interview.
It is time for me to eat humble pie and admit that placating Fanny and not educating her was not in my daughters’ best interests. Thankfully, I believe, I have woken up before it is too late.
On a different subject, I assume you are aware that besides the younger Hurst I mentioned, his wife, along with their new son, as well as his parents, are all residents at Netherfield Park.
We have seen them once or twice, and the tale that they are leasing the estate in the short term has been accepted without question.
As they have no single men of marriageable age in their household, it will be interesting to see how Fanny behaves around them when we all meet in public.
Do not worry. I will check her and not allow her to make a cake of herself for my own entertainment.
Until I hear from you, yours,
Thomas Bennet
“This is as welcome as it is unexpected. In the years I have known him, I have not seen Thomas admit he is wrong very often, if ever,” Maddie stated once she had handed the epistle back to Edward.
“It is indeed. Fanny will not be pleased, but this will be for the good of our nieces,” Gardiner opined.
“In that case, I will begin to seek candidates as soon as may be. The board of the charity Lady Matlock chairs is meeting in the afternoon on the morrow. I am sure her Ladyship or others on the board will have suggestions for me,” Maddie stated.
“If they do not know candidates themselves, they will know those who do.”
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bennet called his wife into the study on Friday morning, two days after he had posted the letter to Gardiner.
“What is it, Mr Bennet? I am about to away and call on Hattie,” Fanny huffed when she entered her husband’s study.
“We need to speak, Mrs Bennet. Please take a seat in one of the chairs before my desk.” Bennet indicated the two chairs. He saw his wife was about to object so he arched an eyebrow in warning.
Fanny sniffed and seated herself. She stared at her husband insolently, waiting for him to speak.
“There is a mistake I made which I will correct forthwith…” Bennet began.
“You are going to allow Jane out now as I desire,” Fanny interjected excitedly as she flapped her lace square at speed. “What a good father you are! I knew how it would be…” She stopped speaking on seeing her husband’s angry glare.
“No, Mrs Bennet, that is most definitely not it! Have you forgotten the cost to you for raising that issue again?” Bennet saw the look of fear in his wife’s eyes.
“Relax, I will not deduct more of your allowance at this time. I understand you mentioned the subject because you thought that is what I was referencing. My suggestion is that you allow me to speak and complete what I intend to say before you jump to conclusions.”
Feeling relief that she was not about to lose more pin money, Fanny relaxed and nodded her agreement to remain quiet for now.
“Mrs Bennet, I will not beat around the bush. As of today, you are no longer responsible for the education of any of our daughters, especially not the youngest two.” He held up his hand, seeing his wife was about to squawk.
“You agreed to wait until I have said what I needed to say, did you not? If you do not honour your word, I will begin removing your allowance one quarter at a time.”
As hard as it was for her, Fanny closed her mouth and sat in the chair uncomfortably with a pinched look on her countenance.
“My reasons for taking this step are the following…” Bennet laid out his observations and the deficiencies he noted in Catherine’s and Lydia’s behaviour, especially the latter’s.
He informed his wife a governess would be joining them as soon as a suitable one was found.
“Interfere with her, try to undermine her, or secretly attempt to teach the girls how to catch a man, and losing your allowance will be the least of your problems. Do anything in that vein, and you will have no contact with the girls.” He paused. “Now, you may speak.”
“The flutterings, palpitations, and shuddering! Oh I will be overset by my nerves. How can you be so cruel to me?” Fanny let her head loll back and placed the back of one hand against her forehead to attempt to elicit sympathy from her husband.
She peeked at him through one eye and was disappointed to see he was unmoved.
“Mrs Bennet, it has been a long time since I have been moved by your so-called attacks of nerves. If you have something to say, do so; if not, leave my study.”
“How you delight in vexing me!” Fanny shrieked.
The attack of nerves was forgotten as quickly as it had been deployed.
“If you turn my Lydia into a bluestocking like you are doing to Jane, Lizzy, and Mary, she will be unmarriageable like they are. Even with Jane’s beauty, as soon as a man knows she is better in maths than him, he will abandon her! ” she wailed.
“There are many men who want an intelligent wife! I was one of them, but I allowed you to pull the wool over my eyes. Your aim is to see our daughters well disposed of in marriage, is it not?”
“Of course it is. It is the only way to save us from the hedgerows when you go to your final reward.” Fanny huffed at her husband’s lack of understanding.
“If I allow you to continue teaching Lydia, and by extension, Catherine, all the wrongheaded things that you are, when she is out and Lydia ruins herself, her sisters will partake in her ruin. Then none of them will ever marry anyone of worth!” He meant character but Bennet knew his wife would think he meant wealth.
“How would my Lyddie get ruined? Men are attracted to beautiful, lively girls. As she ages, she will become irresistible to men.”