Page 7 of Saving Jane
Mr Bennet took a deep breath before he could speak, “Lydia has an unexpected visitor coming in the spring. The father could be either Freddie Taylor or Tom Barstow.”
Mr Phillips dropped into a chair and after a long minute looked around the room before he asked, “And my sister?”
“She has taken to her bed. It will be two weeks or more before she comes below stairs again. Tell me what you can of the two boys–can we work on them to make one marry Lydia.”
Mr Phillips sat silent for a long moment, glanced at his nieces and said, “Brother, we should have this conversation in the library away from their ears.”
“No, I want them to hear of our entire family’s ruin first-hand.”
Phillips frowned but then said, “Sir William Lucas and his son John called on me this morning. We called on Mr Taylor just after the noon hour to force the marriage of his son Freddie to Maria Lucas. They are to marry by common license tomorrow in East Bourn and then settle with Mr Taylor at the livery stable.”
Mr Bennet sat down while Mr Phillips was speaking and buried his face in his hands.
“Barstow has only been here two seasons, and his shop is worthless. Lydia will starve,” Mr Bennet replied instantly. “I must find her a husband in another county who needs a wife and will forgive an early child.”
“That should be fairly simple if you give her to a farmer. They lose their wives in childbirth frequently and need a new one to keep house.”
“A farmer?” asked Kitty. “Lydia will not like...”
“Hush Kitty!” Jane ordered.
“How much of a bribe is necessary?” Mr Bennet asked.
Mr Phillips considered his conversations and correspondence with other attorneys for a moment. “For one hundred I can find her a farmer who will take her and the child. For two hundred, I can find a shop owner in a town who will take her. If you guarantee her share of her mother’s estate and a common license, the man will keep her too and not sell her at the hiring fair.”
“Sell her?” Elizabeth exclaimed. “What do you mean?”
Mr Phillips looked away but when Mr Bennet nodded, he explained the custom to his nieces. “In some counties to the north, farmers and workers sell their wives and children to other men. The man only needs to take his wife to the fair with a halter around her neck. Men make offers for her, and the husband sells her and any children he doesn’t want to feed through the winter.”
“Like a cow?” asked Mary offended and outraged.
“Does the church allow this?” Elizabeth exclaimed.
“Generally, these people are common law husband and wife without benefit of a church service,” her uncle explained. “Your father and the other landowners here in Hertfordshire do not allow their tenants to sell their wives in this manner and encourage all ‘marriages’ to occur in the church.”
“But many of the great landowners do not bother with such things,” Mr Bennet said. “Parliament does not debate these things because the powerful men do not care for things to change.”
Elizabeth came to Jane and the two sisters spoke quietly for a moment before the second daughter turned to her father and uncle. “Father, Jane and I have almost one hundred pounds saved from our allowances and gifts. Can we add that to Lydia’s dowry?”
“I have saved twenty pounds and will add it,” Mary said.
Kitty blushed. “I have only received an allowance for this past year, and I have not saved any money.”
“Thank you, girls, but keep your money. With this expense, there will be no allowances or pen money next year. And I shall have to sell another of my horses.”
“Father, may I say something?” Elizabeth asked. When her father nodded, she turned to Mr Phillips and said, “Uncle, write to our Uncle Gardiner. He may know of a tavern keeper in need of a wife. That situation would satisfy Lydia more.”
“We cannot be choosey,” Mr Bennet said. “She must be wed with all haste.”
“I shall write letters tonight and send them express in the morning,” Mr Phillips said.
~~}{~~
The following morning while Mr Bennet and his daughters gathered around the dining room table to break their fast, Mr Bennet was amazed at how Lydia, of all his daughters, was the least affected by the events of the previous day. Mrs Bennet remained above stairs and Jane directed the servants through their morning.
“Jane, I know you will care for your mother and see to the house. Elizabeth and Mary, I want you to take Kitty in hand and see to her improvement with sewing and manners.”
“And what shall I do Papa?” asked Lydia.
