Page 11 of Mr. Darcy and the Mysterious "Miss B"
Elizabeth reached out to her sister, but Lydia stepped back.
“No. I shall find Aunt Phillips on my own. Perhaps it is you who ought to be concerned about being seen unaccompanied. Oh, see? There is Mr Bingley. Perhaps you can make an accusation of him as well,” Lydia hissed and walked away.
Elizabeth closed her eyes. She owed Mr Darcy an apology—a sincere one. Her behaviour had been inexcusable.
***
The journey back to Longbourn had been a silent one. She had found Lydia and Aunt Phillips eventually, but Lydia had refused to speak to her. Their aunt had issued a stern rebuke over the running away but beyond that, they had all walked in silence.
Once at home, Lydia had removed to her chamber while Elizabeth was left to her own devices, unsure what to do next. Between Lydia’s upset and her unjust attack upon Mr Darcy, she did not know what to do.
All that changed, however, when a knock sounded and Hill appeared at her door. “Miss Elizabeth,” the housekeeper said, “Mr Morton has arrived with his nephew. Your mother wishes you to come down to the drawing room.”
The words shook Elizabeth to her core. She had known Uncle Morton was expected, but James? Why was he here?
In the drawing room, Uncle Morton sat in Papa’s chair whilst James Morton stood by the window with his usual air of smug superiority. Mrs Bennet sat on the sofa, her hands twisted in her lap, Jane beside her.
“Elizabeth, my dear,” Uncle Morton said, rising to greet her with an embrace. “I am sorry to disturb your afternoon.”
“Do not, Uncle. We were expecting you. And James,” she said with a nod before sitting beside Jane. Why did her mother want them here? Once she was seated, she looked up at her uncle but the way he sat with his shoulder stiff and his lips pinched told her this was not his usual visit to see if they were well. In the pit of her stomach, she already knew.
In addition to his grave expression, he did not usually bring James with him. This was about the estate’s finances, was not it? It had to be.
“Morris,” her mother said, using their uncle’s Christian name. “Do tell me, what is the matter? You look concerned.”
“Well, as you know, Mr Peterson and I have been documenting Longbourn’s financial situation since poor Thomas’s death,” he began. “I had hoped to find a way to manage the debts whilst allowing you to remain in your home, but I am afraid the situation is far worse than any of us knew.”
A lump formed in Elizabeth’s throat. Mr Peterson, the steward, had indicated as much and with his help, they had reduced spending but she had not truly appreciated how bad things where.
Mrs Bennet went white. “How much worse?”
“The debts total three thousand pounds,” Uncle Morton said. “Thomas had been borrowing against the estate for years, and the interest has compounded. Several creditors are demanding payment.”
Elizabeth gripped the arms of her chair. Three thousand pounds was an astronomical sum—more money than they could ever hope to raise in such a short time.
“I’ve used what funds I have to keep the most pressing creditors at bay,” Uncle Morton continued, “however, I am afraid we are running out of options. We may have to sell.”
“Sell?” Jane exclaimed. “But Longbourn is entailed.”
“It is but there is a way. I shall not bore you with legalities but –”
“You would break the entailment by paying off James and then sell it?” Elizabeth asked. James smiled at her.
“Thomas always said you were the clever one.”
The complement felt like Spanish coin.
The room went quiet except for the ticking of the mantel clock. Mrs Bennet began to weep whilst Jane reached over to take her hand. Mary and Kitty stared at their uncle in shock.
“Sell Longbourn?” Elizabeth managed to say. “But this is our home. We have lived here our entire lives.”
“I know, my dear,” Uncle Morton said, pain in his voice. “If there were any other way…”
“There might be another option,” James Morton interrupted, stepping forward with a smile that did not reach his eyes.
All eyes turned to him as he moved to stand behind his uncle’s chair. “I’ve done well for myself in recent years,” he said with pride. “My investments in shipping have proven profitable. I have the funds necessary to secure Longbourn for the family.”
Elizabeth studied James’s face, noting the calculating gleam in his eyes. There would be conditions to his offer—there always were with James.
