Chapter 7 #2
“As far as funds for possible dowries go, the truth was that I did not consider that at the time. It was when we were betrothed but had not yet been joined in Holy matrimony. When Edward asked me, although I knew that he was a good business man, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that Gardiner and Associates would grow to be the juggernaut that it did with a value that rivals and even exceeds the East India Company.” He was relieved he had made the right decision, but she was right, he had not known.
“Do not forget too that he is your brother. The idea of strengthening ties with him was as important to me as it was winning you.” He kissed her forehead as she considered his words.
“How much is Gardiner and Associates worth Thomas?” she waited, hoping that she was truly free of fear and worry about their futures.
“Last time I checked it was a little more than five and twenty million pounds.” He smiled gently.
“What is our actual annual income Thomas?” she arched a brow as she asked him. Bennet took a breath. He knew that his wife may become angry at his answer, but he knew that he must give it, nonetheless.
“Not counting the two estates that belong to Jane and Lizzy, we earn close to one hundred thousand pounds a year from Gardiner and Associates,” he admitted.
His wife said nothing. She stood up and made two turns about the room and sat down, a little farther from her husband this time.
She gave herself a moment to collect herself and school her features, and then turned to her husband.
“With that kind of income, just how much do you…no, we have in the bank Mr Bennet?” she waited.
“Before I answer, and I will, so bear with me just a bit, Fanny. A little more than half of our annual income is used to purchase land and goes back into investments. That said, we have a little over seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds in the bank between liquid money, gold, and jewels.” He held his breath.
“I can hardly fathom numbers like you have mentioned Thomas. We have gold and jewels?” She asked with an incredulous look on her countenance. “Just how wealthy are our girls, and why did you only share the truth with Jane and Lizzy?”
“Let me answer the last part of your question first. I was worried that our youngest and silliest daughters would not be able to keep the secret, and that the knowledge would make Lydia especially more brash and flirtatious. You know that Kitty would have followed her like she always does.” He frowned, “Lizzy and Jane took Mary into their confidence two to three years ago which is why she changed so much at the time.”
“Do you not see Thomas, that if you had taken responsibility for your family and not hidden yourself away from your youngest daughters, had bothered to educate them as you did the older three that they would be very different now? I am willing to concede that I pushed our girls out far too early, but I was scared Thomas. I was so fearful for the future. I would have been able to shift for myself, but the thought of five daughters, penniless and evicted from the only home that they have ever known drove me to distraction. Now, what about the girl’s wealth? ” she demanded.
Before he continued, Bennet thought about what she said.
‘Fanny is right. So much would have been different if I had acted better. Had I exerted myself like I did with Jane and Lizzy, how much might all of my girls have done? Look at the change in Mary since her sisters disclosed our true position to her and took her in hand. That should have been me that helped her improve herself!’ He felt the well-deserved shame at his inaction, ‘There is nothing I can do to change the past, but I will make sure that I address all of my faults from this day forward.’ Making this promise to himself, he answered his wife’s question with the honesty and contriteness it deserved.
“Each of our girls has a dowry of two hundred and fifty thousand pounds as I told you. In addition, each one owns a five percent share in the company. At the value of the company today, that means that each five percent share is worth about one and one quarter million pounds. In addition, for the last four years, Jane has owned Bennington Fields, which she renamed Bennet Fields, and Lizzy has the once named Netherfield Park that she recently named Bennet Park. I have added much land to each estate so they each yield about twenty thousand pounds per annum, which is invested at the girl’s behest.
“Now that the entail on Longbourn has been broken, the additional land that we have which is not part of the girls’ estates, as well as some that was added to their estates, will devolve to Longbourn.
When we are done with all of the improvements, Longbourn’s income will exceed the other two estates.
’” He offered all and more than she had expected.
“May I redecorate Longbourn?” She waited.
“Fanny, you may do whatever you please. Your pin money will now be almost limitless. How would you feel about adding some wings onto the house while we refurbish it and enlarge the park as well? If we need to, we can live at one of the girl’s estates until the work is done, so we will not need to be inconvenienced during construction,” he suggested, hoping it would help her forgive him.
Not that the money involved would, but the offer that she could do as she pleased with more square feet than she currently had.
Fanny smiled as she thought of something that tickled her fancy.
“I am sure that Miss Bingley would be mortified if she knew that Lizzy was her landlady and that her oft boasted about dowry of twenty thousand pounds is a pittance to our girls,.” She sighed and turned to her husband and looked him in the eye, “I never have to worry about an insecure future again, do I Thomas? Our girls need only marry if they want to.” She held her breath.
“Yes, Fanny you are correct on all counts. I am so sorry and ashamed that I did not tell you years ago. You know that I still love you, but I have to admit that I did not show you the respect due to you as my wife. Never again, never again.” He sealed his oath with a kiss.
“You told me that we have a house in Town? Where is it, and can we go see it?” she was beginning to get excited at the prospect.
“It is called Bennet House and it is on Grosvenor Square in Mayfair, very close to Hyde Park, not ten minutes from Edward and Maddie’s home.
I have asked Jane and Lizzy to have the butler and housekeeper open it and add all the servants needed to run the house.
As soon as we go there, you will be able to make sure everything is to your liking and you may add or subtract to the servants as you see fit,” Bennet revealed.
His wife had a dreamy look as he surmised that she could imagine herself taking the Ton by storm.
“We have a very able housekeeper, Mrs Kerry O’Grady, and the butler is a Mr Humphrey Thatcher.
Both served the previous owner and our daughters have confirmed that both are well worth keeping on.
Lizzy told me that the housekeeper told her that the chef that used to serve there is not happy with his situation and had enquired if we needed his services.
The girls hired him back as well as the lady that used to bake for the house. ” He offered all he knew.
“You know Thomas, yes you should have told me long ago, however I believe that I can get used to this, when can we go to Town?” she challenged.
“I think that we should leave in a fortnight. It will give the senior staff time to employ the needed servants and bring the house up to a state that it is ready to inhabit as it has been unoccupied and empty for almost two years. Also, we can decide on the school for our youngest daughters, perhaps a separate school for each, and we can start to plan for the expansion of Longbourn’s manor house.
If we wish to pursue expansion, we can find a builder and have him begin.
You have no idea how fast work is done when money is no object,” he smiled indulgently.
Although it would take Fanny Bennet some time to fully forgive her husband, she had made a start, a big start.
He had broken her trust and it would take a while to rebuild it.
She owned to herself that he had made good on his promises thus far; she could see only honesty and openness in his countenance, and he had spoken to her with respect.
She had detected none of the sportive and sarcastic irreverence or the caustic disdain that had marked their relationship up to this point.
Yes, it was a good place to start again, and for the first time in many years since she had married the man that she truly loved, Fanny Bennet fully accepted that their future would be much better.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Louisa Hurst felt like she was living a nightmare.
Her sister had ignored the facts again and after being told that she would not be allowed entrance to any home that Mr Darcy owned, she had persisted, trying to push her way into Darcy House, only to have the door shut in her face as she sat on the top step screeching for the amusement of the watching residents of the square.
Why did she always defer to her younger sister?
Why had she tied herself to Caroline in such a way so that with no doubt any disgrace that was visited on the harridan would be visited on her, and their family.