Chapter 9 #2
When Thomas Bennet arrived at Longbourn in 1791, he had discovered notes of his late father’s that he was investigating the purchase of a Tullian drill.
After consulting Mr Mason, the new master of Longbourn had purchased two of the seed drills.
They had been so effective in saving on wasted seed and increased yields that two more had been acquired.
The Gouldings’ estate, Haye Park, had one, but other than that, none of the other local estates had made the investment.
When Fanny and Elizabeth returned to look towards the east, they looked down with affection on Longbourn’s manor. Then the two turned and looked a little to the west of Longbourn between it and Meryton at the newly named Lucas Lodge.
Towards the end of the previous summer, when Mr William Lucas had been the mayor of Meryton, the King and Queen of England, along with their travelling retinue, had made an unscheduled stop in the market town.
As the mayor, Mr Lucas had felt it his duty to deliver a speech welcoming Their Majesties to Meryton.
It had been light on substance but heavy on flattery to the monarchs, leading to George III knighting Mr Lucas on the spot.
Once he and his wife were Sir William and Lady Lucas, the former decided that a knight should not be in trade.
Hence, he sold his three businesses and purchased the small estate next to Longbourn, which he promptly renamed Lucas Lodge.
Becoming titled had caused the Lucas parents to demand that all of their friends address them with their titles.
Although the four adult Bennets had opined that selling his businesses and trading a higher income for a lower one was somewhat impulsive, none of them said anything to either Sir William or Lady Lucas, as it was not their business.
“Mamma, will our Collins cousins come visit us this summer?” Elizabeth asked as they began the walk down the hill. John was ahead of them again.
“I think so. I am a letter in arrears with our Cousin Ophelia. When I write back, I will issue a formal invitation,” Fanny responded. “Do you realise that Cousin William is in his second year at Oxford already? He is doing well from what I hear.”
“When they visited last summer after William’s first year, he told us that he intends to go into the church like his father.
I think he will make a good clergyman.” Elizabeth paused as she went through her memories of conversations with the Collinses.
“Cousin Clem mentioned during his visit in 1795, the year the scarlet fever ravaged the area where they live, that his former patron and his wife no longer own the estate to which his living is attached. Did he ever tell you or Papa why the estate does not belong to them?”
“No indeed, all Cousins Clem and Ophilia told us was that they were not at liberty to discuss the change in ownership with us. Your father and I respected their wishes,” Fanny replied.
“I will not ask them, but you know how I love to solve puzzles,” Elizabeth returned.
“Yes, Lizzy, I am very much aware of your desire to rise to any challenge that something unknown represents. As this involves something we have been told is confidential, it would not do for you to breach our cousins’ wishes,” Fanny pointed out as they reached the base of the hill.
Biggs stood aside and allowed the mistress and Miss Lizzy to walk past him before taking up his station behind them.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Lord William Darcy, Viscount Conyers, and his cousin, Richard Fitzwilliam, who was as close as a brother, were in the last month of their final year of studies at Cambridge.
They were seated in the sitting room of the suite they shared, battling one another over a chess board.
“I would have enjoyed serving in the army if it were not for the fact that Rosings Park, Fitzwilliam House, and the fortune will be my property without any restrictions on my next birthday when I reach my majority,” Fitzwilliam mused.
“I am not unaware of my good fortune, even if it came at the expense of Bethie being kidnapped.”
“Your good fortune did nothing to cause Lady Bethany’s fate.
That was the evil of our late and former aunt and uncle.
Thanks to your father and the late Duke of Leeds making the request of His Majesty, the estate and all of the de Bourgh holdings were given to you rather than going to the Crown.
Either way, the late Mr and Mrs de Bourgh would have lost their property,” Conyers stated.
“I for one, and I believe my parents, Giana, your parents, your brother, and sister all feel the same. It is a good thing given the clouds of war that the Corsican tyrant unleashed on the continent when he forced the king to declare war in May. The Treaty of Amiens[8] ended up being meaningless.”
“I agree with you. That is why I would have enjoyed the army. Going into battle against the French to give Boney a bloody nose would have been glorious. I have known since the end of 1791 that would not be my destiny,” Fitzwilliam acknowledged.
He remembered something. “Could you believe how bold as brass the steward’s son was claiming that his late mother told him that Uncle Robert promised to send him to study for a gentleman’s education?
Also, what was he thinking trying to pay attention to Giana?
I am very pleased that your father sent him away with a flea in his ear.
What a man of eighteen has to do around a girl of eight, I know not. ”
“Father left George Wickham in no doubt about what would happen if he approached the area around the house, and especially Lady Georgiana. Mother detests Wicky. She has ever since the late Mrs Wickham attempted to manipulate Father into becoming Wicky’s godfather,” Conyers mused.