Chapter 22
As Mary watched her family leave, she felt a pang of loneliness and a smaller pang of guilt. Perhaps, she was wrong to be so strict with her mourning. If all the rest of her family did not mind her father’s marriage, why should she?
Without turning, she said, “Mrs. Jamison, do you think it’s possible I am wrong?”
“It is always possible for someone to be incorrect, Miss,” replied the older lady.
“However, I do not think you are necessarily wrong to mourn your late mother longer than the rest of your family does. Nor do I think their behavior is incorrect. In this case, it is much more a matter of feeling than principle, and who am I to say whether someone’s feelings are correct? ”
Mary liked this about Mrs. Jamison. In some ways, the older lady was more of a philosopher than most men she had met.
“While you may be correct that it is a matter of feeling, the feeling involved is not sadness or grief as my sisters seem to believe. The feeling is respect,” said Mary.
“Respect for my mother and for the eighteen years of guidance and oversight she gave me. While she wasn’t always the most sensible woman, she is the only mother I have ever known, and I am certain she genuinely cared for us all. ”
“Of course, Miss,” said Mrs. Jamison. “All mothers are like that. None are perfect, but they all care for their children. Now, perhaps we should go inside. The carriage is out of sight, after all.”
Mary sighed. “Perhaps you are right,” she said.
Though she could not think what she would do with herself for the time she would be alone.
Her days would be pleasant enough with study, but the evenings might be a little boring, when the available light was no longer strong enough for extensive reading.
At least she had Mrs. Jamison for company.
~~~~~
Two days later Aunt Phillips arrived for a social visit.
“My dear Mary,” said her aunt as soon as she was settled.
“You will not believe the news I just heard this morning. Netherfield has been let. It has been vacant for so long, I was beginning to think no one would ever want it. After all, what kind of gentleman who could afford to lease such a large home would wish to visit our sleepy little neighborhood?”
“Perhaps, it is a gentleman who is hoping to gain the fortune of one of the Bennet heiresses through marriage,” said Mary.
“Where did you get such cynicism, child?” cried Aunt Phillips. “It must come from your father, for my late sister certainly never thought such things.”
“Perhaps,” was Mary’s only concession. “Is there any news of what kind of gentleman has leased the place?”
“Oh, yes!” said Mrs. Phillips with renewed excitement.
“That is the most interesting part of it all. It’s a Judge!
Can you imagine? And it isn’t even a judge who is assigned to this circuit.
He has no reason to be here. Though I suppose, since it is the long vacation, he can go anywhere he likes.
But why would a judge choose to come here? It makes no sense.”
“A judge?” asked Mary. “Would it happen to be Judge Darcy, do you think?”
“Do you know, I think that is his name,” said Aunt Phillips.
“My husband told me just this morning, but I had never heard of the man, so his name went in one ear and right out the other. But I am certain it began with a D, so you are probably correct. There can’t be two judges with names that start with the same letter, can there? ”
For a moment, Mary struggled to follow her aunt’s scattered answer. Speaking with Aunt Phillips was often like speaking with Mama. They had the same scattered way of thinking which gave rise to an even more scattered way of speaking.
Mary struggled not to smile, for doing so would seem disrespectful.
Instead, she said, “You must be right. At least Judge Darcy might have a reason to visit, as he is an old friend of Papa’s that we all became acquainted with in London.
Perhaps he thought it would be pleasant to spend the autumn in a more secluded area but with a good friend nearby. ”
“Oh, that explains everything quite neatly,” said Aunt Phillips.
Mary had to disagree, but she voiced none of her objections. After all, Papa had been acquainted with Judge Darcy since before he married Mama, and the judge had never decided to visit Hertfordshire before. Why would he do so now, unless it had something to do with their inheritances?
While they had all been in London, Judge Darcy had never given any indication that he was looking for a wife or a fortune. In fact, the few conversations she had with that gentleman had been rather intellectually stimulating, and she had looked forward to their interactions.
Even so, Mary could think of no reason why a judge with nearly infinite options for how to spend his vacation would wish to spend it in this sleepy part of Hertfordshire.
The nearest titled gentleman was over ten miles away, and there was only one gentleman in the neighborhood with more wealth than Papa.
No one here had any real connections to either nobility or London society.
The landscape wasn’t particularly interesting, either.
It was the same woods, fields, and hills that could be found nearly anywhere in the English countryside.
If anything, it was even less interesting.
There were fewer forests than might be encountered elsewhere, since all land that was available had been used for farming, though there were still a few areas of wilderness that were set aside for hunting.
In short, there truly was nothing to attract Judge Darcy to Netherfield other than the wealth of the Bennet daughters.
What Mary could not determine was which daughter had caught his eye. Jane would be the obvious choice. Not only was she the most beautiful, she was also the kindest and gentlest. Such excellent manners would likely appeal to a man whose very livelihood depended on his social status.
Mary was nearly certain he would not be interested in Elizabeth. Her manners, while still excellent, were a little more exuberant and clever than Mary assumed Judge Darcy would like.
A tiny little voice in the back of her mind whispered, What if it’s you?
She did not wish to even think about it.
No gentleman of standing would choose to be saddled with a less than pretty girl who was boring as well, unless they were desperate for her money.
The gentlemen at the various balls and parties they had attended had made that abundantly clear.
And Mary was certain Judge Darcy was not desperate for wealth.
Still, when Aunt Phillips had departed and Mary was occupied with some quiet sewing, her mind couldn’t help but mull over the idea. If Judge Darcy were here to propose to her, would she accept?
He was a few years older than her own father, but that didn’t matter overly much to Mary.
She had always had a great deal of respect for the wisdom and knowledge that age inevitably brings.
She didn’t love him, but that also was no real deterrent to her.
She had never truly expected to find love, at least not in the sense one reads about in novels.
Even so, she hesitated to decide one way or the other.
Eventually, she concluded that it was a pointless exercise and chased the thoughts away.
She didn’t know for certain if Judge Darcy was coming to Hertfordshire in search of a wife.
She didn’t know if he would choose her even if he was.
In fact, she wasn’t even certain it was Judge Darcy who was leasing.
With a little bit of exasperation with herself, Mary chased it all from her mind. Then she said to Mrs. Jamison, “Would you mind if we practice some Latin verb conjugations while we work?”
“Of course not, Miss,” said the lady. “Where would you like to start?”
~~~~~
A week later, Mary’s family returned to Longbourn, saddled with half a dozen new gowns for Lady Esther and one or two new gowns for each of her sisters.
They also brought some cloth for Mary as well as a book of fashion plates, so she could have her own gowns made in Meryton when she was ready to come out of mourning.
There was a great deal of chatter about the various adventures they had searching for the perfect clothing and accessories for their new mother. Mary could see through their tales that her sisters were all very happy to have Lady Esther become their new mother.
In truth, Mary thought it was a good thing as well.
She could see how happy her father was with the Lady, and Lady Esther seemed far more animated than she had been when she first joined them as a companion.
She had also proven to be very good at gently encouraging them toward steady improvement.
Even Jane had improved her manners, and Mary hadn’t thought there was room for improvement there.
Mary’s only quibble was the timing. She honestly felt sorry for her mother to have seemingly been forgotten so quickly, and she was determined to show her the respect she deserved.
Still, whether Mary wanted it or not, whether she approved or not, her father’s wedding day arrived.
Wedding vows were said, and Lady Esther was a Lady no more.
Instead, she was Mrs. Bennet, mother to the Bennet daughters.
After which, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet set off on a wedding journey that was to take a fortnight, leaving the girls in the care of Mrs. Jamison.