Chapter 8
In her usual manner, which nobody could ever fully fathom, Mrs Bennet discovered nearly two hours before dinner that Uncle Thomas had visited Netherfield.
She tried in vain to learn more from Elizabeth, but her daughter knew perfectly well how to keep a secret.
For the mistress of Longbourn, two hours without knowing what was taking place beneath her own roof was a species of torture.
She liked to be informed of everything happening in her household and in Meryton as well.
At last, when they were all reunited around the dinner table, it was impossible not to feel that the meal itself mattered very little that evening.
Thomas smiled as he observed Elizabeth, admiring not only her beauty but also her character.
With every passing day, he valued her more.
From Mrs Bennet’s restlessness, he understood at once that she knew nothing of what had happened at Netherfield.
Only his nephew remained perfectly calm and impassive.
Surrounded by his books, Mr Bennet lived peacefully apart from the countless little agitations of family life.
For a while, they ate in silence, Thomas Bennet enjoying a certain theatrical effect.
“My dears,” he said at last, and immediately everybody laid down their cutlery, “I think it is time you learned more of my life and of our common future.
As I told you from the beginning, about two years ago, I decided to make one final change in my life: to exchange adventures in distant countries for a pleasant existence amongst my family in England.
“You know that we were four siblings, three brothers and a sister, and that there is a distant branch of the family from which Mr Collins descends. Our eldest brother, Robert, lived here at Longbourn until his death seven-and-twenty years ago. He died without male issue, and I inherited Longbourn. But as I was already in India and intended to continue on to Africa, I returned only to renounce the estate in favour of your grandfather, who was but a year younger than myself.”
He was speaking principally to his nieces, who listened with delight. Uncle Thomas was a born storyteller and possessed an endless supply of extraordinary tales.
“Our Mary has even made a comprehensive genealogical tree of the family, where all our relations may be found.”
Mary blushed with pleasure. Rarely were her labours so valued, and praise from Uncle Thomas made it doubly gratifying.
She had spent several days working with her father and uncle, perhaps the happiest days of her life.
Since then, Uncle Thomas had occasionally invited her to walk with him, and his stories of India and Africa interested her infinitely more than any book she had ever read.
“Now, I am the only surviving brother, though the family itself is rather extensive. There are Robert’s two daughters, then your father and Mr Collins with his siblings, one brother and three sisters.
“Whilst still in Africa, I decided to write to all my nieces and nephews with the same question: would they receive me into their homes and allow me to live amongst their families?”
A considerable silence settled over the table. The story held them all, each remembering the evening when Mr Bennet had first told them of the letter.
“And?” Lydia asked impatiently.
Nobody reproved her, for they were all equally eager.
“Of course, I received your father’s answer informing me that his family was both willing and happy to welcome me.
But what pleased me most was the manner in which each of you invited me in your own way.
Afterwards, I received two refusals, one from Mr Collins and one from Robert’s daughters, whilst another letter came from Newcastle upon Tyne, where Robert’s eldest daughter invited me to live with her and her widowed daughter.
The rest did not trouble themselves to answer at all. ”
“But you came to us,” Lydia said, her delight so sincere that Thomas smiled at once.
“Yes. I shall visit my niece in Newcastle, but I prefer living here, especially as I intend to spend a good deal of time in London.”
“You will always be welcome at the Gardiners’,” Mr Bennet observed, but his uncle shook his head.
“A kind and hospitable family, certainly, but as you shall soon discover, I have no need of lodgings in London. I already possess a house there.”
They exchanged astonished glances. They had all imagined Longbourn to be his only refuge.
“Well, my dears, I have not been entirely frank with you, nor with my other relations. But neither have I lied. I never claimed to be poor. You merely assumed that I required a home because I could not afford one.”
“And you can?”
Again, Lydia spoke with her usual irreverence, and this time her father rebuked her.
“Be quiet, Lydia, and allow your uncle to tell his story as he pleases.”
“No, I like Lydia. I appreciate her questions. Well, my dear,” he continued, turning to the youngest Bennet daughter, “I can indeed afford a house and, as your sister Elizabeth can inform you, with Mr Phillips’s legal assistance, I have purchased Netherfield Park.”
This time, the silence became so profound that Thomas burst into laughter. “This is good news, dear family, no tragedy has befallen us, so pray smile! My nephew, Mr Edward Bennet, your husband and father, is now the owner of Netherfield Park.”
For several moments, nobody seemed capable of understanding him. The meaning of his words simply would not settle in their minds, and again Thomas’s laughter broke through the heavy silence surrounding the table.
“You cannot do such a thing,” Mr Bennet said at last, his face full of concern as he looked at his uncle.
“And who precisely shall prevent me from disposing of my own money as I choose?”
Again, silence overtook them all.
“Miss Lydia,” Thomas said affectionately, “have you nothing to say now?”
Lydia blushed, though excitement already shone in her eyes. Of them all, she alone appeared to have fully accepted the news.
“So Papa truly is the owner?” she asked.
“Yes, Miss Lydia, he is. And all of you are his heiresses.”
“And we may move to Netherfield whenever we please?”
“Lydia,” Mr Bennet cried, “stay out of this conversation. We have had more than enough of your impertinent questions.”
“Let her speak,” Thomas replied good-humouredly. “Of all of you, she alone has properly understood what I have been saying.”
“I understand perfectly well, Uncle Thomas,” Mr Bennet answered. “But I do not know how to explain that we cannot possibly accept such a gift.”
“It is already too late, Nephew. The contract is agreed and written. Tomorrow morning, all you need to do is accompany me to your brother-in-law’s office and sign it. Netherfield is my gift to the family.”
“My God, this is not a gift! A gift is a crate of books. Even Mrs Bennet’s necklace was excessive, but this…” Mr Bennet almost cried, overcome at last by powerful emotion. “But how…?” Curiosity and excitement had finally gained the better of him.
“As I told Elizabeth this afternoon, I never claimed to be poor. You assumed it. What I required was a family and genuine affection, and that is exactly what I found at Longbourn. This wonderful atmosphere, noisy but wonderful,” he spoke with a smile.
“You welcomed me and even built an apartment for me, though the expense could have been devoted entirely to yourselves.
What I found here surpassed every expectation I possessed.
“When searching for heirs to my fortune, I wished to divide it amongst good-hearted people. Yet apart from yourselves and Mrs Hendrick in Scotland, the others were strangers to me, unwilling either to help me or even to show benevolence towards an elderly uncle. Mr Collins answered that he had nowhere suitable to receive me.”
“That is not entirely true,” Elizabeth murmured. “The parsonage is a spacious house with several guest rooms.”
“I know. A few months ago, one of my men visited all my surviving relations.”
The question already visible upon Mr Bennet’s face was answered by Mrs Bennet, who suddenly remembered a traveller whom she had once invited inside for a glass of water.
“A very pleasant gentleman,” she said. “We showed him the road towards London, and he thanked us repeatedly.”
“Well, Rupert Haskett even travelled as far as Scotland, and his judgement proved most valuable. Interestingly enough, a month before I sent my letters, he had already predicted which relations would answer favourably.”
“But he met me!” Mrs Bennet exclaimed, blushing, since she alone had opposed Uncle Thomas’s arrival, an attitude she had regretted long before this evening.
“Yes, he met both you and the young ladies, and your amiability charmed him.”
Mrs Bennet said nothing further. She had no wish for Uncle Thomas to discover how firmly she had once opposed his coming.
“As I possess no direct heirs, you and Mrs Hendrick are to inherit my fortune. But why should you wait until my death? I wish you to benefit now, whilst the young ladies are still young and require proper dowries if they are to marry well. That is my intention. The entail and Mr Collins shall threaten your family no longer. You now possess a fine estate here and a house in London besides.”
“I trust at least that the London house still belongs to you,” Mr Bennet said, some portion of his humour at last restored.
“For the present, yes, though only because I purchased it a year ago when my plans were still uncertain. But now my plans are fixed. We shall go to London.”
Such an explosion of joy followed that even Mr Bennet smiled.
“I once told you that I left England because a certain young lady preferred a duke to me. Well, life is curious and occasionally offers unexpected rewards. About two years ago, that same lady, now the Duchess of Beauford, sought me out in despair. Her husband, the duke, was dying, and upon his death, she was to inherit nothing but his debts. Distraught and hopeless, she appealed to me for help. It was a curious turn of fate when the woman one had loved proved, after all, not to have been happy. Before I could answer, the duke died, and the creditors descended upon her immediately. The same Mr Haskett resolved matters satisfactorily for all concerned. I became the owner of the London house and an estate near Luton, under the sole condition that I provide for the widow during her lifetime. She remains in her house still and retains her place in society, as she remains a respected lady.”
They were following his words with amazement, still unable to grasp the changes his presence brought. Prepared to take care of an elder, instead, they had found themselves in a fairy tale.
“She shall act as your chaperone, my dear great-nieces. That is my plan. In the duchess’s house, which is in truth also your inheritance, you shall enter the highest circles of London society and be presented under her protection as my heiresses.
London is always eager to welcome wealthy people.
Those from the peerage often possess enormous estates and yet very little ready money because they do not know how to manage their fortunes. ”
Whenever Thomas paused, silence settled again over the table. The change before them was too immense, too inconceivable, for immediate reaction.
For Mr Bennet, it was an immense relief.
For years, he had lived with the knowledge that if he died, his family would remain unprotected, and his wife had shared the same fear.
Now they would possess security at last. Yet he understood that Netherfield Park represented far more than mere shelter.
He wished at that moment to rest his head upon his uncle’s shoulder and thank him with all his heart.
Mrs Bennet, meanwhile, had already gone a step further in her imagination. She saw improved dowries and brighter futures for her daughters.
“Thank you,” she said at last, the first amongst them to recover herself. “Thank you, Uncle Thomas.”
“No, my dear, it is I who thank you for becoming my family. I am delighted to share my fortune with you, for without your affection it would possess no meaning.”
“Dear Uncle, you could still marry. Many ladies would gladly become your wife. I—”
Thomas interrupted her with a gentle touch on her hand.
“No, my dear. Pray abandon these kind intentions. Not many years ago, I had a wife and two sons, but they are dead, and I do not wish to relive that particular chapter of my life.”
“I did not know. I am sorry—”
Thomas stroked her hand gently, again.
“This is the one subject I do not wish to discuss, and the search for a wife ends tonight as well. But we shall have plenty of time for all our other plans.”
Then he retired to his apartment, leaving the Bennets in utter confusion.
“Do you think we shall move to Netherfield Park?” Jane asked suddenly.
“My God,” exclaimed Mr Bennet, “this is a blessed moment for the family, but I confess I hesitate to change and dearly love my little old library. Still, I shall impose nothing upon any of you.”
His voice seemed hesitant yet; in truth, he was already making plans, considering renting Longbourn and securing an additional source of income, which might become unexpectedly necessary if they were to live in a house as large as Netherfield.
He was not pleased at the prospect of leaving his old home, but the idea of a larger library tempted him as well.
“What do you think, Mrs Bennet?”
Mrs Bennet was already perfectly certain they would move. Plans crowded her imagination, though she tried not to display her delight too openly. Balls at Netherfield immediately presented themselves to her mind, along with the image of her friends received in that elegant parlour.
“And each of us shall finally have a room of her own!” Lydia cried to Kitty, who looked far less pleased by that particular prospect.
She enjoyed sharing her room with Lydia.
Even Jane and Elizabeth felt some sadness at the thought, though they also liked the idea of possessing a little private space.
“I shall come to your room constantly,” Jane promised her sister with a smile.
And so they discussed all those little matters, though none of it yet seemed entirely real. It felt more like a delightful game which daylight would surely dissolve.