Beginning, Section II
Jump to new as of April 6, 2000
Jump to new as of April 8, 2000
Jump to new as of April 10, 2000
Chapter Fourteen
Edward Gardiner was a very sensible man and so he saw signs that Thomas was feeling rather miserable, not only because of the death of his brother, but because of his wife and her newest complaint: her poor nerves. Edward decided to have a talk with him and apologize; apologize for not having warned him of Frances' true character.
"You do not look very well, Thomas," he said casually about a week after their arrival. Thomas rubbed his temples.
"I feel exhausted," he said and Edward noted the deep circles under his eyes.
"What is troubling you, my friend?" Thomas glanced towards the room where his wife was now sleeping. "Ah, I understand."
"She is complaining about her nerves now, constantly. Every little noise makes her head and 'nerves' ache. She never acted this way before but there were other things..." Edward made a sign for him to go on. "Tell me Edward, did she ever match-make when she lived with you?"
"No, she was a flirt." Thomas looked crushed.
"She is entirely different than I thought she was," he said.
"I'm sorry for not telling you of her habits." Edward said.
"There is no need to apologize. Perhaps she just means Iris well. Perhaps her 'nerves' will go away. After all...childbearing is very hard." Thomas said, visibly cheering up.
Edward did not say that it was most likely that Frances was never going to forget about her aching nerves. He didn't want to have Thomas be so very disappointed in his wife. So he left Thomas and went to pace about in the study. Things were really very gloomy that day in Longbourn.
Over the next year, things changed at Longbourn. Frances stayed the same as she had become after Jane's birth, constantly complaining of 'nerves' and worrying over Jane's health. Thomas was very different than he had been when they had first married; quiet, thoughtful and would also have been very gloomy if not for two joyous things happening in his life.
One of the first things was the marriages of Janet and Margaret. Janet, as you all know, married Robert (almost immediately after they came out of mourning for William half a year after his death). Margaret married Matthew only a few months after Janet's marriage. It was actually rather surprising for everyone that they married so soon. (Frances was the only one not completely taken by surprise).
The other joyous thing in Thomas's life was Jane. She was already showing signs of being very sweet, even at such a young age. Everyone adored her but no one loved her more than her father. She was very attached to him and they would spend hours together playing with his great books with beautiful pictures in them. He would tell her stories and she would listen. Jane couldn't speak much yet but she seemed to understand most of the things people told her.
Frances was constantly worrying about her. Jane hadn't much hair at all and what she did have was so blonde that you could barely see it. Why has she not more hair? she was always asking, fretting over the health of her baby. Perhaps you can see why Jane enjoyed the company of her father so very much. It was indeed very interesting for everyone in the family to watch because it was usually the other way around in families; the daughter usually always stayed with the mother.
Things had changed at Longbourn, however, that most people didn't notice. Iris was constantly taking walks into town and helping Dr. Gilbert with some of his patients. No one really seemed to take notice of this, however, as Iris had always had a great compassion for people. Why should she not visit the sick? Mr. Bennet was also constantly feeling tired. He spent long hours reading and resting in the quiet of his room with his wife as his only companion. They seemed to be preparing for something together that no one else took notice of.
A year and a few months after Jane's birth, Frances was found to be with child again. Elizabeth Rose Bennet was born in May. Elizabeth immediately showed signs after her birth of looking the exact opposite of Jane. She already had darker hair only a few weeks after she was born and her eyes soon turned from hazel to beautiful brown...contrary to Jane's blue eyes. Frances now began to stop worrying about her daughter Jane's health and saw what a beautiful child she had turned into now that she finally had some hair!
Of course she cared for Elizabeth, but Jane obviously had everything: good looks and the sweetest temper. Little Lizzy was rather a fussy baby. Her mother was now often with Jane, combing his shiny blonde hair and dressing her up like a little doll. Thomas, as soon as he realized that he couldn't have Jane all to himself like before, took Lizzy into his own hands since her mother tended to take care of Jane more than her youngest daughter.
When Lizzy stopping being a fussy baby and turned eight months old, she began to talk. By the time she was a year old, Thomas could talk to her and she understood what he was saying and could even say something back to him. Dear Lizzy wasn't a genius but she understood what he wanted her to. She loved her father's stories more than anything in the world and loved to sit in his arms and sleep, or talk to him as best as she could, (which was really pretty well, no lisp), as he read by the fire. At a very early age, Thomas and Lizzy developed a very close relationship and Thomas found the companion he had been longing for.
"Tell me, Lizzy, how old are you again?" Iris asked her little niece.
"Three!" Lizzy held up three fingers.
"And how old is Jane?" Iris asked and Jane came up to them.
"Jane is five!" Lizzy said and held up five fingers.
"Happy birthday, Lizzy." Jane said and pushed a present into sister's hands. Elizabeth unwrapped a very pretty little handbag and squealed. She immediately ran over to her proud father and showed him her new possession.
Mr. Bennet would later show her some interesting things to fill it. He watched as she received numerous gifts from other relatives and little friends. She squealed and was extremely surprised as her Uncle Robert swooped her up into his arms and swung her around the room. He caught her every time he did that. The first time he had she was terrified and made him put her down. She wouldn't let him hold her for the rest of the day ... she had to make absolutely sure he wouldn't catch her by surprise again. As he behaved himself the next time he visited, Lizzy had no problem with Robert swinging her around a little. That was Thomas's Lizzy, always making sure what she did was alright before doing it.
Later on that evening Lizzy received a gift from her father as they sat together in the library as usual every evening. She excitedly tore it open to find a beautiful book of fairy-tale stories with beautiful pictures for her to look at until she could read the stories themselves. This was her favorite gift of all she had received besides, perhaps, Jane's. She flung her arms around her father and whispered: "I love you Papa!"
"I love you too, my dearest Lizzy," he answered back and then commenced reading the new book to her. Frances, who had been watching this scene, went up to her room, feeling very left out.
Chapter Fifteen
Mr. Bennet died when Lizzy had just turned four and Catherine, called Kitty, was born. It was a very big mess. Frances was having to take care of a tiny baby, little Jane and Lizzy had to attend a funeral, and the word 'entail' came up suddenly and constantly.
William had died five years earlier. Mr. Bennet had now ended his days quietly after a long life. Thomas and Frances had been married for a while now and yet had produced no heir. The house was entailed away entirely from the female line. If Thomas and Frances could not produce an heir, the estate would be entailed away to a Mr. Collins, (a rather distant cousin).
Frances was in a state of nerves that shocked everyone still left in the household -- Mrs. Bennet, Iris, Thomas and even his two eldest daughters. Lizzy was constantly taking 'walks' outside with her sister, Jane, and Thomas had found them hiding in a tree several times whenever their mother needed them. Mary was only a year old and could not really escape from anyone, yet Frances paid her no mind. She had many other things to worry about.
If anyone so much as mentioned Mr. Collins' name in front her she went into a state of hysteria.
"Such an odious man, Thomas! To think that he will get this house!" She shuddered visibly.
"Mr. Collins is respectable...and do not worry, my dear. We will have a son."
"Oh but if we don't we shall be turned out of the house the moment you die!"
"I do not plan on departing this earth any time soon, Mrs. Bennet," he said. Frances sat back in her chair, completely shocked. He had never called her that before!
"Oh, Mr. Bennet, how can you be so foolish! You will die someday and then what will happen to us unless one of the girls marry well?"
"Let us hope for better things, my dear. Perhaps we must hope that I might out-live you?" He got up from his seat and left a fretting Mrs. Bennet behind him, mumbling:
"Oh what is to become of us all?"
Elizabeth took hold of her father's hand as his eyes filled with tears. "And then, Lizzy, I gave up. I made no effort to try to love my wife. She was the silliest person I had ever encountered. I felt that I could do nothing but laugh at her ridiculous worries and that is exactly what I did. I am heartily ashamed of myself Lizzy," he said.
"What happened then?"
"Oh, you know the rest of the story. Iris married David, of course, and I have rarely seen a happier couple, besides you and Mr. Darcy, or Jane and Bingley, I suppose. I am so very happy that you've made the right decisions in life, my dear!" he said, his tears dying up. "I'm sorry that your mother rather disliked you in her lifetime. It is my fault for loving you so. After Lydia was born she became her pet and spoilt her something awful. But I did not really care. She could have my three youngest daughters, but I would not let her spoil you and Jane. I am so glad that at least you two have turned out well."
"Because you taught us so well." Thomas' face beamed happiness.
"There is one thing in which I haven't failed," he said. Elizabeth rose.
"I am going to get us more tea and change out of these clothes. My goodness, look at the time! We have been talking for such a long time."
"Indeed, go ahead my love."
"Papa?" Elizabeth turned as she was opening the door. "You really did love her once though, didn't you?"
"Yes, Lizzy, I suppose I did. A very long time ago."
"That's what I needed to know. I love you, Papa. Thank you for telling me the story."
"And I love you, Lizzy."
She closed the door behind her and found her sister, Mary, whom by now was beginning to worry as Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth had been talking for quite a while.
Mr. Bennet closed his eyes and very quickly fell asleep as it was very late in the night. He smiled as he dreamt of a very beautiful woman...with the voice of an angel.
The End.