Chapter Ninety-Seven
Well, you have certainly come to the right place for advice on how to avoid an unhappy marriage, Mary,” Mrs. Bennet’s tone was humorous.
Mary lifted her head. “I did not intend to offend you, Mama,” she said, in a small voice.
“Not at all,” Mrs. Bennet replied. “What I did wrong was to not discuss the matter with my husband. I should have said ‘Well, Thomas, I am no scholar! If it is your intention that I should discuss such matters with you, you will first have to teach me enough to hold my own in conversation!’”
“What if he had agreed to teach you?” Mary asked.
“Then I would have sat down and learned the best I could for perhaps one hour a day. For I had my own concerns in running the house, balancing the accounts, managing the servants and so on.”
“Ah. So a negotiation as to how much time you would commit to it might be required.”
“Quite right. In a better world, the husband would also spend an hour a day learning whatever it is that interests his wife, but that is not the world we live in, child.”
Mary nodded vigorously. “And what about our different hours?”
“Again, talk about it. I would say it is your right to get up when you wish and go to sleep when you wish, but make certain he understands that you are in no way trying to avoid him by retiring early. You have the habits of a lifetime, and it would be difficult indeed to change them now.”
“And if he insists that I change to suit him?”
Mrs. Bennet laughed. “Then suggest a compromise. You try it his way for a week and he must then try it your way for a week. I think once he understands how difficult it is to break such habits, he will then allow you to slumber as you please, as long as you make time to – well, I believe you understand me.”
Mary blushed. “I do, yes. That is excellent advice, Mama.”
“Of course, once the children come, a good deal of this goes out the window. The children will become your primary concern.”
***
Mary returned home full of good, wifely intentions, only to learn that Mr. Rochester had gone out for the day.