Chapter 53 The Tenant Visits
The following Sunday, Mary waited until most of the congregation had left the church before approaching Mr. Fernside, the rector. She took Lydia’s arm.
“I wish to speak with the rector. Will you come with me?”
The two sisters reached Mr. Fernside and waited until he was free.
“Sir, I have been thinking about the poorer families in the parish. I should like to be of some practical use, but I do not know where help is most needed.”
“Miss Mary, there are always those who would benefit from a little assistance. Mrs. Turner has been poorly and finds it difficult to cook for herself, and the Webbs have seven children and very little to spare after the rent is paid.”
“Thank you, sir. I will start with visits to those families. Perhaps we can assist them in some way.”
Lydia asked, “Are there many families like the Webbs?”
“More than you might suppose, Miss Lydia.”
“Mr. Fernside, would you provide me with the names of the other families you have in mind?” Mary asked. “We should like to help where we can over the summer.”
“I shall have a list for you by the end of the week.”
“Thank you, sir.”
* * *
Mr. Fernside's list arrived the following morning, and Mary began her visits that week.
She and Lydia took provisions to the Webbs and a hearty beef stew to Mrs. Turner, while Jane saw that whatever could reasonably be spared from the Longbourn kitchen was made available for Mary’s charitable work.
When Mary encountered an injury requiring more than ordinary care, she brought the matter to Elizabeth, who made the necessary visit herself.
Late one morning, they stopped at a cottage occupied by one of their father's tenants and his family. Mrs. Dawson welcomed them inside, where three of her daughters were helping with the younger children.
While Mary spoke with their mother, Lydia's attention settled on the eldest girl. Her gown was plainly meant for a smaller child. The hem had been let down until there was almost nothing left to turn, and the sleeves ended well above her wrists. Her younger sister's gown was scarcely better.
Lydia looked more closely. “Have you no other gown?”
“This is my Sunday one as well, miss.”
The girl was fourteen, only a year younger than Lydia.
Lydia ran her eye over the gown again, taking in the narrow shoulders and shortened sleeves.
On returning to Longbourn, she went directly upstairs and opened her wardrobe.
Gowns crowded the space. Lydia drew out one after another until several lay across her bed. Some had been worn only a handful of times. She picked up a sprigged muslin, considered its width and length, then spread it flat across the counterpane.
She found Mary downstairs.
“How many daughters did Mrs. Dawson say she had?”
“Five. The younger two are still children.”
“I have gowns I do not wear.” Lydia unfolded the sprigged muslin across the table. “The eldest is shorter than I am and much thinner, so there is plenty of cloth. I can cut this down and make it fit her.”
Mary looked at the muslin spread across the table. “I think she would be very pleased with it.”
“I have others.”
Lydia went upstairs and returned with two more gowns over her arm. She laid them beside the first and began examining the skirts.
“I do not need all of these. Mamma bought me far too many. If I do the cutting, Jane and I can set the sleeves and collars, and there will be plenty for the rest of you to do.”
Elizabeth ran her hand over the sprigged muslin. “You will need the girls' measurements.”
“I shall take them when Mary goes again.”
Lydia gathered the gowns together, then looked toward the stairs.
“Mamma had more gowns than any of us.”
The room fell silent.
“Do you think Papa would mind if I used some of them? Not the ones we particularly remember her wearing, but there are so many. I could cut them down for the younger girls.”
Mr. Bennet entered from the study and found his daughters gathered around the table.
Lydia looked at him. “Mrs. Dawson has five daughters, Papa, and the eldest has only one gown that fits her badly. I am giving her two of mine. I should like to use some of Mamma's gowns for the younger girls, if you do not object.”
Mr. Bennet looked at the gowns on the table before answering.
“I do not object.”
That evening, Lydia began taking apart the gowns she had chosen. Jane helped with the more difficult sewing, while Elizabeth and Mary took whatever work Lydia gave them.
Two days later, Lydia returned to the Dawson cottage with Mary and measured the girls. She came home with the measurements and spread her work across the table in Mamma’s favorite parlor, where her sewing basket still stood beside the window.
As Mary continued her visits, Lydia accompanied her. She became skilled at taking accurate measurements and matching them to gowns that could be altered to fit.
Lydia set aside the gowns that had been among her mother’s favorites and brought down those the sisters felt could be spared. Before long, lengths of muslin, cotton, and wool shared the parlor table with sewing baskets and folded garments.
The charitable work had begun.
* * *
Several days later, Mary and Lydia called at Lucas Lodge. Charlotte had heard something of their work from Elizabeth, and the subject arose soon after they were settled in the drawing room.
“I have five gowns I can give you,” Charlotte said. “They are perfectly serviceable, but I have more than I require.”
Maria Lucas said, “I have three that I have set aside for your charity work.”
The two Bennet sisters appeared pleased. Marcy said, “Thank you. There are several girls we have measured for whom we have nothing suitable.”
“You must let us help with the sewing,” Charlotte said. “If you will cut the gowns, Maria and I can undertake some of the simpler work. I confess my strength lies more in the kitchen than with a needle, but I can manage straight seams if you will set the sleeves and collars.”
Mary said, “There is more work than we anticipated. We have stopped visiting new families until we can meet the needs we have already identified.”
The drawing-room door opened, and Alexander Lucas entered.
After the introductions, Charlotte explained what the Bennet sisters had been doing among the poorer families. Alexander’s attention settled on Mary.
“You have undertaken a considerable task, Miss Mary.”
“Yes, sir, but it has been satisfying to be of some use.”
Charlotte folded another gown. “There is a family among Papa’s tenants who may benefit from this. The Marshalls have five daughters, and the younger ones make do with whatever their elder sisters have outgrown.”
“We will call on them,” Mary said.
“Miss Mary, I should like to help. Would you allow me to take you there tomorrow morning? My gig will be quicker than walking, though I am afraid there is room for only one passenger.”
“Thank you, Mr. Lucas. I should be very pleased to accompany you.”
* * *
When Alexander arrived at Longbourn the following morning, Mary was waiting.
He stepped down and offered his hand.
“Good morning, Miss Mary.”
“Good morning, Mr. Lucas.”
She placed her hand in his and climbed into the gig. He settled beside her, took up the reins, and they set off toward the Marshall cottage.
For the first few minutes, they were both silent.
“I confess I was curious when Charlotte told me about your visits,” Alexander said. “I had not known anyone who made a practice of calling upon families in need.”
“I began only recently. I wished to be useful.”
Mary looked across the fields. “I had always believed I understood the lives of the people around us. I have discovered that knowing their names and knowing how they live are quite different things.”
“I know many of my father's tenants by name. I am not certain I know enough about how they live.”
“I am ashamed to admit that it has been much the same for me with the Longbourn tenants.”
When they reached the Marshall cottage, Alexander secured the horse and handed Mary down. Mrs. Marshall welcomed them inside, where the five girls ranged in age from a child of six to a young woman nearly Mary's age.
Mary explained that Lydia was altering gowns for girls who needed them and had sent her to take the necessary measurements.
“You mean to make them for my girls?”
“If you will permit us, ma’am.”
Mrs. Marshall called her eldest daughter forward.
Lydia had sent paper, pencil, pins, and a length of tape with precise instructions. Mary went inside a bedchamber with the girls while Alexander stepped out to wait.
The eldest boy, a solemn child of ten, soon came around the side of the cottage to see who had arrived. He and Alexander moved farther into the yard, where the boy told him of his adventures in the woods along the creek.
When Mary had finished, she joined Alexander outside, and they began the drive back to Longbourn.
“There are several more families on Mr. Fernside’s list,” she said.
Alexander glanced at her. “I have a gig.”
Mary laughed.
When they reached Longbourn, Alexander walked her to the door.
“I shall see you again soon, Miss Mary.”
“I hope so, Mr. Lucas.”
* * *
Mary entered the house and was removing her bonnet when the Bennet sisters joined her. “Mr. Lucas has offered to take me to some of the other families.”
Lydia gave her sister a knowing look.
Mary made a little twirl in the center of the room. “I believe he likes me.”
Jane smiled at her younger sister as she began picking out a seam. “He is a very fine man, Mary. I hope you are right.”
Over the following weeks, the work spread beyond Longbourn. Charlotte and Maria sent their gowns and helped with the sewing; Lady Lucas helped with hems, and other women in the neighborhood began donating laundered clothing to be remade.
Alexander volunteered two hours each morning to drive Mary to families on the Lucas estate and elsewhere in the parish, and his gig soon became a familiar sight at Longbourn.
He always came to the house before time, and listened with genuine interest as she told him where they were going and what each family needed.
Before long, Mary listened for the sound of his gig coming up the drive, and would hurry to the front entrance for her bonnet and gloves.
Barely used dresses that had once filled the wardrobes of their Meryton neighbors began appearing in cottages with shortened skirts, altered bodices, and sleeves fitted to their new owners.
One afternoon, Bingley and Darcy called at Longbourn and found the sisters together in the drawing room, all with needle in hand.
“We have heard something of what you have been doing,” Bingley said. “Darcy and I should like to help. There must be things you cannot supply from the household stores.”
“Cloth,” Mary said. “And food in some cases. There are medicines that must be purchased as well.”
“Then allow us to provide what is needed,” Darcy said.
Lydia said, “We could use wool before winter, and knitting yarn, sir.”
“And shoes,” Jane added. “Several of the children need them.”
“Then you shall have whatever is needed,” Bingley said.
The pleasure in Jane’s expression brought an answering warmth to his face.
Darcy was watching Elizabeth. “You will let us know what else is required?”
“Yes, sir.” Elizabeth held his gaze, then gestured to the chair beside her. “Will you join me, Mr. Darcy?”