Goodly Creatures: A Pride and Prejudice Deviation (31 page)

“I am pleased you approve. Your good opinion is as important as that of my father and my aunt.”

Her friend would never know how honoured she was that the woman who had held her, comforted her and helped her through childbirth would become a part of her family. “Little John, I do have one request. Kitty just turned sixteen. Would you be willing to wait a year?”

“Of course… We have talked, and this is our wish as well. I want time to finish the house and find additional buyers for our bricks.” Little John rubbed his hands again—this time with glee. “There is much construction happening in London, we are close and have what they need. I talked to your uncle, and he suggested I spend time at his home. He thinks visiting building sites could prove rewarding, and he also advised me to explore developing customers among the
ton.
Refacing their town houses with brick is becoming quite fashionable with that set.”

Townhouses in London and their inhabitants were not what Lizzy wanted to contemplate. She looked around the brickyard and thought about all they had accomplished. John had immediately seized upon putting Thomas Trent’s plan in motion for Longbourn once he heard what the young heir of Netherfield had envisioned. At fourteen, Tom had confided in Jane that in order for his family to continue to afford to live at Netherfield, they needed to increase their revenues—even if it meant going into trade. Adjacent to both estates was an abandoned brick works. The kiln had needed some repairs, but was definitely salvageable; and their area of Hertfordshire had an abundance of clay and sand. Tom had intended to buy the business once he was of age.

Elizabeth had encouraged John Reynolds to take on the project rather than having the production of bricks become part of Longbourn’s assets. Together they devised a plan for the purchase. John denied himself the pleasures most young men found necessary and frugally saved almost all of his pay for several years. To that sum he added money contributed by his father and aunt. Elizabeth had discreetly matched that amount through her Uncle Gardiner, and in early 1809 they bought the works and became partners. Lizzy’s Uncle Phillips had been instrumental in enticing the owner, an elderly widow, to part with the brickyard and the surrounding land for what he thought was a very reasonable price. The property also included an unfinished house of fair size, and John spent almost every free moment away from his duties at Longbourn making the beautiful brick dwelling liveable. In just two short years, they had begun showing a profit. Three workers had been hired, and the house on the property was near completion.

Soon after the youthful John Reynolds had arrived in Hertfordshire, Mr Bennet’s lack of confidence had begun to lessen. He quickly embraced the young man’s vision for utilising every square inch of the estate with the goal of increasing income. Little John had further amazed Elizabeth with his ingenuity, when he even made a plan for how the brick works could increase Longbourn’s annual income.

Because Sir Gareth Hughes raised horses, John and his father were experts in that field. Bryn Mawr had bred a variety of horses… some were developed for speed to supply the increasing need for delivering dispatches quickly… others were bred for strength to pull the carts and drays the boom in trade required. Then there was the seemingly endless war with Napoleon—the cavalry was always in need of horses that combined the traits of speed and endurance. Early on, Mr Bennet had been persuaded to utilise John’s expertise, and Longbourn too began to raise horses. This created the need for oats to feed the horses. The straw left over was now being sold to the brick works.

Elizabeth smiled at the thought of Kitty and John making a life together. Her sister had become close to this man because of her interest in the brick works. She asked Longbourn’s young steward if she could be allowed to use his kiln to fire some tiles she wanted to make. She had the idea to make a decorative surround for a fireplace. Her design was inspired by the pictures in Perrault’s book of fairy tales and Elizabeth’s description of a room she had seen in Derbyshire—with those illustrations painted on the walls. John had been impressed with the tiles and believed they could be sold to customers looking for a unique decoration in a nursery. He built a smaller kiln and a workshop just for her, and soon she was spending most of her days at the brick yard.

John had watched Catherine Bennet grow into an alluring young woman. Kitty, though older than Lydia, had spent many years in her younger sister’s shadow. She had yet to completely outgrow the insecurity of her youth, but the more time she spent in John’s company—the more she projected the poise of an accomplished young lady.

Lizzy chuckled with the knowledge that John’s admiring glances had almost silenced her sister’s nervous cough. Though her artistic creativity had first brought her to John’s notice, she was certain it was Catherine’s light and pleasing figure and her unique dimple that only graced one side of her face that set her apart in his admiration. That intriguing lack of symmetry was often displayed when she giggled girlishly in his presence. Elizabeth also saw something in their eyes she had not seen since Jane and Tom. As she thought about their future happiness, an unwelcome surge of longing swept over her.

“Mary, my love, where is your sister this morning?” said Mr Bennet to his middle daughter as she entered the breakfast room. Elizabeth was the daughter who usually spent time with him at breakfast. She would go for her solitary walk at dawn and join him before the others were awake.

“John wanted to discuss something with her this morning. I think I know what it is, and you should be expecting a request for a private conference with him this morning.”

“Why would he need to talk to Lizzy first?”

“I would suppose he thinks you would reject him as a suitor for Kitty’s hand… because of his inferior connections. He needs Lizzy to give him the courage to approach you.”

“Oh my, do I seem that fierce?”

Mary chuckled at her father. “No, Papa, there was a time when you would throw witty barbs at those you thought ridiculous, but you have changed, and are much more judicious with your sarcasm. Even then you would never have attacked someone because of their place in society. Though I am certain there are some in the neighbourhood who will gossip and think she is marrying beneath her.”

“Well they do not know John Reynolds as we do. Given enough time, I think the young man could end up the richest man in Hertfordshire. He is a great deal like your Uncle Gardiner. He has such vision, and I am very pleased that one of my daughters will share it.”

Mr Bennet had a thoughtful look on his face for several minutes while he ate his breakfast. He seemed to have made some decision and turned to Mary and said, “I have some correspondence I need to have read before Mr Reynolds arrives.”

Mary noticed the letter was from someone she did not know. She began to read the letter to her father.

Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent
14th September
Dear Sir,

I have long been aware of the disagreement between yourself and my late honoured father; and it has always given me great uneasiness. I had the misfortune to lose him several years back. He had explained to me the source of the disagreement, and I must admit it seemed somewhat trivial, and not without some jealousy on his part. I have frequently wished to heal the breach; but for some time I was kept back by my own doubts about my ability to truly grasp my father’s disapproval. I did not want to seem disrespectful to his memory, and questioned whether my filial obligation precluded me being on good terms with any one, with whom it had always pleased him to be at variance.

My mind, however is now made up on the subject, for having received ordination last year, I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her Ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England.

“
Papa, did you know our cousin was a clergyman?”

“I did not, and I am surprised, because his father was not particularly pious. He was, however, very unyielding. I wonder if a propensity for sternness like his father was his son’s reason for choosing his profession.”

Mary looked at her father with exasperation. “Oh, Papa, Christianity is as much about love as it is about disapproval!”

“You are right, my most devout daughter. I am letting my prejudices once again get in the way of making a proper judgment of this young man’s character.

Mary resumed reading the letter.

As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach of my influence. I flatter myself that my present overtures of goodwill are highly correct, and that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive branch.

Another concern is being the means of injuring your amiable daughters, and I beg leave to apologise for it. I assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends. We will talk more of this hereafter. If you should have no objection to receive me into your house, I propose waiting on you and your family, Monday, September 30th, by four o’clock, and shall probably trespass on your hospitality till the Saturday se’nnight following, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day.

I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend, William Collins

“
Mary, what do you think of this young man’s letter?”

Mr Bennet noticed that the look on Mary’s face was the one she had when she was doing sums. After a moment, she said, “His language is quite pretentious and he is overly complimentary to his patroness… I would even use the word obsequious. I find he expresses himself with both servility and self-importance. However, that is form. I find the content of his letter to be full of Christian charity. He feels it important to honour his father, even though he thinks he might have been wrong. The idea of the olive branch perhaps is not wholly new, yet I think it is well expressed. I believe he truly would like to make amends, and he seems to have compassion with regard the welfare of your daughters and your wife. All in all, he seems to be an admirable young man with a style deficiency.”

Mr Bennet laughed at his daughter and asked, “What do you think he wants to talk more of about injuring my amiable daughters?”

“I think he means to marry one of us in order to make the entail less onerous.”

“Would you, who has done extensive reading of sermons, like to be a clergyman’s wife and help your husband write his?”

“Yes, Papa, I believe I might.”

“Then you should make an effort to seek the company of this young man when he arrives. You would make an excellent partner—and would be very adept at helping him moderate his pretentious prose.”

“Oh, Papa, I know I could offer a great deal of assistance with his sermons, but that is not what young men seek in a wife. He would not be interested in me. Jane is much more beautiful.”

“It is true Jane is exceptionally handsome, but she guards her heart ferociously. Young men want to know they are admired and sought after.” He stroked his chin and smiled at his daughter mischievously. “I know, I was once a young man, and your mother was an expert at encouraging me in my affections.”

“Yes, but Mama was very beautiful. I am quite plain compared to her or Jane.”

“Mary, you are far from plain. The whole county talks of the beauty of
all
my daughters. You are intelligent, and you have developed a keen sense of humour.” He smiled as he said this, and Mary shook her head and laughed—certain her father was patting himself on the back for that triumph. “If he is at all pleasing to you, talk to him. Lydia is very young, and only enamoured of men in scarlet coats. Kitty is spoken for, and Lizzy has no intention of marrying. None of them will be your rival, and I doubt Jane will make any effort to encourage this young man. You have an open field. Go to it, dearest one.”

“Oh, Papa, I love you. I do not know what tragedy befell Elizabeth, and I wake each morning praying for the return of the joyful Lizzy—but I am so pleased you and I had that year together. You made me a better person.”

Her father hugged her and said, “My year with you, Lizzy’s mysterious metamorphosis and John’s vision have all contributed to making me better able to see both the value and the needs of my family.”