Page 1 of Miss Gardiner
Chapter 1.Elizabeth’s Shillings and Gowns
When she was eight years, Elizabeth Bennet listened with great interest to a conversation between Papa, Uncle Gardiner and Uncle Phillips. The family gathered at Longbourn for Christmas and Mr Edward Gardiner stayed for a week to celebrate the holiday and introduce the Bennets and Phillips to his new wife, Madeline.
“My largest investment is in a merchant ship named Morning Star that just returned from India loaded with calicos, indigo, and raw cotton. My profits are triple my investment,” Uncle Gardiner reported when the men discussed the past year.
“Yes, but the ship was gone for almost two years,” Uncle Phillips said.
“And there was no guarantee that it would even return,” Mr Bennet added. “Meanwhile, I have children to feed.”
“Trade does include some risks,” Uncle Gardiner admitted. “But look at the rewards.”
Lizzy thought carefully about everything the men said and tried to ask questions, but Papa patted her head and told her he would let her read some adventure about pirates and treasure later. Undeterred, the child went to Mamma who refused to discuss money and business with her curious daughter.
In the end, Lizzy asked Aunt Madeline, Uncle Edward’s new wife. They sat in the parlour while Aunt Madeline watched Kitty and Lydia play with dolls on the rug before the fireplace. Normally, the Bennet children were confined to the nursery when visitors called, but during this family visit, the five girls roamed about the house.
“Auntie, what is trade?” Elizabeth asked her new relative.
The daughter of merchants in the town of Lambton, Madeline Barnes grew up working in the shop and listening to her father and his visitors discuss trade matters every night. When Edward Gardiner appeared as one of the factors purchasing the Darcy wool every year, ‘Maddie’ found him interesting and handsome. The man found the young woman just as interesting and after a year of conversations, Mr Gardiner approached Mr Barnes about marrying the shopkeeper’s daughter. The day they married; they left Derbyshire for London where Madeline found a new world awaited her.
Turning her attention to her new niece, the young wife explained, “Well, Lizzy, trade is where gentlemen exchange goods for gold or for other goods. Something like corn for cloth or wine.”
“And Uncle Edward trades corn for cloth?” the girl asked.
“Yes, that is one of the things that your uncle uses in trade, but many times, he uses coins… pounds and letters of credit.”
“And does he have more money then?”
Madeline smiled as she replied, “Yes, your Uncle Edward has proven to be good with making money.”
“Good,” Lizzy replied. “I want to make money too.”
“Oh, Lizzy!” scolded Mrs Bennet entering the room and listening to her daughter’s declaration. “First it was books and then pretending to play with your father’s chess set. Next, you will want to be an apprentice in London…”
“Mrs Bennet, she is a very smart child,” Madeline told her new sister-in-law.
“She’s too intelligent for a girl,” Mrs Bennet replied.
Surprised by the other woman’s statement, Mrs Gardiner asked, “What do you mean?”
“Men will not marry a smart girl,” stated Mrs Bennet. “They will pass over Lizzy for Jane, Mary, Kitty or Lydia. Mark my words.”
Once Mrs Bennet had left the room, carrying Lydia to the nursery, Mrs Gardiner spoke to Elizabeth.
“Lizzy, there is nothing wrong with a girl being smart,” she assured her niece.
The little girl nodded and sighed, “Mamma does not like me to be smart. Papa laughs at Mamma when she fusses about me reading and doing sums.”
The woman watched at the child who asked in all seriousness, “Can I give Uncle Gardiner my money for trade?”
“What do you want to purchase?”
Shaking her head, Elizabeth said, “I want to buy the Morning Star and make money.”
++++
“Edward.”
“Yes, my dear,” the man replied as he settled back in the narrow bed provided in his sister’s house.
