Prologue #3
Even had the remuneration they offered not been more than he would receive at the school, Thomas would not have objected to tutoring a female. Regardless of Lady Maria’s impertinence, or so her parents claimed she was, he would teach anyone who wanted to learn, regardless of sex.
After two more miscarriages, Fanny had begun to increase again, and in August 1787, when she felt the quickening, she had tried to feel excited; however, she remembered the first time she had been with child, which had resulted in the stillbirth.
Then too, she had felt the quickening, which was her reason for being circumspect.
The difference this time was that Fanny did not go into labour early like she had previously, and she could feel her babe moving within her belly every day.
Hence, in the early morning of the frigid winter, the fourth day of January 1788, Jane Elizabeth Bennet, who had been named for her two grandmothers, was born.
She did not have much hair on her head, but what she had was blonde.
She had the dark-blue eye colour that most newborns had.
When they had written to their families in Meryton and London to tell them of Jane’s birth, there was jubilation from the new grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
The youngest uncle, Edward Gardiner, after graduating, forewent reading the law like his father and chose to go into the import–export business instead.
Because his son had no interest in the law, Elias Gardiner decided that when he left the mortal world, the practice would go to his head clerk, Frank Phillips, who had married Hattie two years earlier.
Edward gave his father his blessing to do so and gratefully accepted the legacy his father had set aside for him.
By that stage, many in the family invested with him, as he had demonstrated that he was very adept at sorting the wheat from the chaff with regard to investments.
Bennet had invested his legacy and savings with his brother-in-law and was receiving more than double the dividends with Gardiner versus the interest he had received from the funds.
By her sixth month, Jane had begun to grow blonde ringlets, and her eye colour was the same deep blue as her mother’s. She was a very pretty little girl, but her parents were careful not to put too much weight on her superficial looks.
In early 1789, Fanny had another miscarriage. She was so downhearted she almost wanted to give up the hope that He would ever gift them with another child.
Towards the end of 1789, Fanny began to miss her monthly indisposition, and then in December, the day of Christmas Eve, she felt a babe quicken for the third time.
She was on a walk in the forest to the west of the town when it occurred.
Fanny felt at peace when she walked among the trees even though it was in winter and a relatively thick layer of snow was on the ground.
Not to mention that the trees were stark without their leaves.
She had told Thomas her suspicion after missing the second month’s courses.
Hoping this would be the same as when Janey was born and the result would be a living child, Fanny hurried back to the cottage to go tell Thomas the news.
Jane was approaching her second birthday, and Fanny was sure she would be well pleased to have a brother or sister to play with.
Janey no longer lacked hair—it had been so since she was about eight months old. Rather, she had long, golden-blonde hair just like her Mamma’s. She was a very sweet little girl whom her parents loved to distraction.
Fanny and Thomas Bennet were once again blessed when James Elias Bennet—named for his grandfathers—was born on the nineteenth of May in the year of our Lord 1790.
They wrote to their parents and siblings to announce James’s arrival.
As it was when Jane was born, the happiness expressed was effusive.
That included Henry, even though he and Penelope had not been blessed yet.
Their lack of children did not cause them to begrudge Fanny and Thomas their daughter and son.
In early February 1791, Fanny suffered another disappointment when she lost another child in a miscarriage.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
By March 1791, Janey was already three, and James would be one in the upcoming May. Fanny and Bennet were very excited because they would be joined by the Bennet and Gardiner families a week before Easter in April, and they would not depart until the Monday after James’s first birthday.
Fanny often walked the paths in the forest, and many a time, she lifted her eyes to the heavens and asked God why He had allowed her to lose so many children.
Occasionally she would walk with Jane, but when that occurred, she was far too busy with her daughter to dwell on all of her disappointments.
When she had the maudlin thoughts, Fanny would scold herself to think of the blessings she had rather than what she did not have. If she were to have another child, then God would provide the blessing for her.