Chapter 23 #2
“My love, regardless of the wealth that a bride brings to the marriage, it is a point of honour that a future husband makes a settlement on his wife. If only I were able to give you more.” He squeezed her hand gently to indicate that she should not interrupt though it was clear she intended to.
“Jane, your dowry is being left to make sure that our daughters will have good dowries.
The dividends we decide not to re-invest from your dowry will go into our bank account to be used as we need for our family.
Your stake in Gardiner and Associates will be yours unless and until you decide to gift any of our future children with the percentages you own.
“Our estate is not Pemberley, but it earns a clear profit in excess of eight thousand pounds a year. Even after some of Bennet Field’s lands are annexed to Longbourn, your estate will still earn over twelve thousand pounds a year.
If one were to just count our estates, we will have an income of twenty thousand pounds per annum.
In addition, we will have dividends from my investments, dividends from your dowry which is fully invested, or the dividends from your stake in the company at our disposal.
” As he talked, he noticed her relax and was glad that his betrothed was happier about the settlement.
“I do hope it consoles you that although under your control, there is nothing to stop you designating funds to be used for us as a family,” he teased her into a light laugh.
“Thank you for explaining all to me, Richard. I find it endearing that your focus is not on my money, but on my, our felicity.” She blushed as she thought about the family they may start soon.
Fanny squeezed her daughter’s hand when she could reclaim it from Richard, thanking God for delivering such a man to Jane. It was not his intention at the time and his assumptions were wholly wrong, but Darcy’s officious interference had worked out for the best.
“If there are no further objections,” Bennet waited to see if anyone would have one and was answered with silence, “then Richard and I will sign each copy.” The documents were signed and sanded, and after a pause to ensure that the ink had well and truly dried, Bennet took two copies and handed two to Richard.
After a moment’s pause, they both chuckled and each set one copy in a pile that would be delivered to London on the morrow by Bennet’s courier.
Bennet’s copy would be delivered to the chambers of Sir Randolph Norman and Richard’s copies delivered to his solicitor.
“Well, son, you have just given up your final chance to withdraw from the betrothal with no penalty,” said Bennet as he smirked at Richard while he winked at Jane.
“To your great dismay, the chance of my ever withdrawing from Jane is less than nought! You are welcome to add a penalty of a full million pounds should I withdraw now.” Richard laughed when Jane gasped at the sum.
“The promise of two million, or for that matter any amount of money, would not convince me to let you go.” He vowed to Jane.
“Two million? I might consider throwing you over for that. I could buy an island and have supplies brought in by one of the ships I partially own,” she countered saucily, his eyes belying his mock shock and concern as Bennet laughed.
“Oh, Fanny. I will dearly miss the humour of our eldest three daughters when they abandon us for greener pastures.” Bennet grinned at his wife.
“Yes, we will reside in a huge house and only two daughters to fill it. I suppose I will just have to throw house parties for the Ton once a month so we put all of Longbourn to use rather than allow the dust to gather,” Fanny said with a smile.
The look of horror on Bennet’s face made all in his study laugh.
“Thank you for reminding me our daughters get their wit from you and not I, my dear.” Thomas chuckled, grateful the Fanny he fell in love with was reemerging in the woman he had spent too many years distanced from.
With the business side of the betrothal complete, the couple went hand in hand to join the group sitting in the shade outside.
Darcy and Elizabeth sat on a bench still in full view of the others, but the distance was sufficient that they could talk privately.
It was not an exaggeration to say that only when he was with her, he felt complete.
“I missed you Elizabeth. Yes, I know it was not many days, less than a sennight, but I am a selfish being and you spoiled me in London allowing me to see you practically every day.” As Darcy spoke, his forlorn and lovesick look made Elizabeth laugh.
“The truth is that I too missed our conversations, William,” she consoled, glad to see his smile as it meant that she had eased his suffering.
“My Papa is of late too busy to debate the merits of the works of Cowper, Blake, or Byron. No one other than you will debate philosophy with me!” she added teasing, thinking much different words than she allowed herself to speak.
‘I miss you for other reasons, too. I missed seeing you each day as well, William, but I am not ready to make such an admission to you yet. We are close, and perhaps I am being stubborn, but no matter how I say that the past is the past, there is still something holding me back from allowing myself to fully love this man.’
Darcy too had thoughts he did not offer.
‘It is good that she misses those things, but how I wish she would say that she missed me, the person. Patience man, we have come so far from the open disdain she viewed you with. Patience, patience, patience. That has to be my watchword now,’ Darcy instructed himself.
“Will you and Mrs Collins be journeying to Dovedale with the Gardiners after the wedding, or have plans changed?” he asked as cheerfully as he could.
“Yes, our plans are still fixed as such. We will be with them until we all hie to Rosings Park for Anne and Ashby’s wedding,” she informed him. “We will be traversing the country back and forth, and I will enjoy seeing the varying topographies.”
“Did you know that Pemberley is just five miles to the other side of Lambton? Dovedale is less than three miles west of Lambton while Pemberley is to the north-east. The two estates are the primary support for the economy of both Lambton and Kympton. I have the living of Kympton to gift and Dovedale has Lambton’s.
Is it not ironic? Did not Lady Gardiner’s father hold the Lambton living when she was a girl?
” He smiled at the thought of how Lady Madeline Gardiner’s life had come full circle.
“Your assertion is correct, William. Will you and Georgie be at Pemberley?” she asked with a thread of hope in her voice she could not conceal.
“Yes, Georgie and Tiffany will be with me.” His eyes stayed pinned on hers, praying she would give him an opening.
“From the whispering that I have heard, I understand that Georgie wants my two youngest sisters and Miss Jacobson to join her at Pemberley until you all go to Anne’s wedding,” Elizabeth stated with feigned calmness and he smiled.
She had indeed opened the door to allow him to invite her and her friend to visit her sisters and his at Pemberley.
“Georgie has asked and I agreed before she had even finished her request. She is so happy in their company, in the company of all of our friends, that I knew she would feel lonely without them. I do not want my sister to return to her somewhat lonely existence,” he stated.
As he spoke his eyes were on hers so she would read that he too did not want to return to his mostly lonely existence and be without her for so long.
“She is to ask your parents herself. I have already informed them of my approval, but I want to encourage her to be more outgoing and assertive. Being around your family has helped her in that endeavour more than anything else ever has.” He offered a small smile she knew he reserved for her alone.
‘And I cannot wait to make you Georgie’s sister my dearest loveliest Elizabeth,’ he added to himself.
“It has been good for all of them, William. Possibly Kitty above all,” she reminded him that the best of relationships was to the positive and welcome advantage on both sides.
“Would you and Mrs Collins accept an invitation to stay at Pemberley for a week or two while you are in the area?” He held his breath as he offered the invitation she had hinted she would welcome, were he to extend it.
“Before you question the propriety, there will be five girls, four companions, Mrs Collins, and all of Pemberley’s servants.
The invitation includes the Gardiners, so if they accept; even without them, you will have more chaperones than you would know what to do with.
” He waited with great anticipation as she considered his invitation.
“Thank you, William, conditional on my parents, Aunt and Uncle Gardiner, and Charlotte’s agreement, I think that I would enjoy seeing Pemberley,” she answered as she returned his smile.
After Georgie issued her invitation to the girls in which she included Loretta who had to decline due to family commitments, Kitty, Lydia, and Helen were bubbling with anticipation.
As soon as Georgie plucked up the courage to go talk to the Bennet parents, they would have an answer.
She took a steadying breath and inquired where she might find Lord and Lady Longbourn.
“Enter,” Bennet responded when he heard a timid knock on the study door as he and his wife were reviewing documents together. The door opened and he heard the swish of skirts and tentative steps, knowing before he looked up that Georgiana had finally gotten the courage up to approach them.