An Unconventional Education by Sydney Salier Copyright © 2020

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I wondered what might have happened if Mrs Bennet really did not like her three middle daughters and Mr Bennet is too ill to intervene.

What if a new neighbour decided to interfere? Someone significantly more broadminded.

How might the story change?

I hope you enjoy.

I appreciate reviews and constructive criticism.

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Prologue

Mrs Stephanie Mortimer had finished her morning's business and now the lady relaxed in her favourite parlour, overlooking the garden, with a cup of tea and reminisced.

She was the youngest daughter of Viscount Middlebrook. In her second season she had met, and fallen in love with, The Right Honourable Mr Gerald Mortimer, despite the fact that he was a widower three decades her senior, and had two grown-up sons both several years older than herself.

After an initial hesitation on his part, due to his disbelief that she could care for a contemporary of her father, they had married and been blissfully happy for twenty years.

Mr Mortimer's sons, after getting over the shock of their father's choice of bride, delighted in calling her Mother, when they discovered that the marriage was a love-match on both sides.

The couple's only disappointment was the fact that they remained childless, but it gave them the opportunity to focus on each other, a situation they both enjoyed.

Mr Mortimer, as a doting husband, indulged his wife by encouraging her to learn whatever she was interested in. This included estate management, so that Mrs Mortimer could look after her own interests when her husband inevitably predeceased her. This would allow Mrs Mortimer to successfully manage the small estate in Hertfordshire which her mother bequeathed to her.

He also ensured that she was very well provided. There were investments which would provide a very comfortable income indeed for his wife.

The family townhouse was to go to the oldest son, along with the main estate while the younger son inherited the smaller family estate.

Therefore, Mr Mortimer bought a townhouse in a very fashionable area for her, which she decorated according to her own taste, and where they stayed while in town.

When in society, the couple, while of enough consequence to have access to the first circles, were not interested in jockeying for position, like they observed others to engage in. As a result, and the fact that Mr Mortimer was exceedingly wealthy, they were well respected by others with the same attitude, which, in many of those cases, was because their friends' position was unassailable.

Mr and Mrs Mortimer, between themselves, delighted in poking fun at the obvious machinations of society matrons while trying to find suitable husbands for their daughters.

~~~oo00oo~~~

But twelve years ago, their time ran out. After a short illness Gerald Mortimer, beloved husband of Stephanie, died.

When she found herself bereft of her husband's company, the company of London society lost its appeal. She therefore decided to spend her mourning period at Brook Hall, her estate on the outskirts of Meryton in Hertfordshire.

She kept in sporadic contact with her stepsons and their families, who proudly informed her of the progress of her grandchildren. They even visited on the odd occasion.

After the initial period when she was too grief stricken to pay much attention to anything, she started to come out of her self-imposed seclusion and became acquainted with her neighbours.

She took a particular interest in one family. Or, to be more precise, the daughters of one family.

Although in town children were often sequestered in the nursery and only allowed to spend brief visits with their parents, in a country town the children were much more visible.

Mr and Mrs Bennet had been blessed with five daughters, but no son. Mrs Bennet felt that lack severely since their estate was entailed to the male line. Being a silly and frivolous woman of mean understanding, she did not appreciate the gift her daughters were.

Mrs Mortimer, who was childless and but a scant decade older than Mrs Bennet, could not comprehend the woman's attitude. At least Mrs Bennet had five beautiful healthy girls.

Admittedly, Mrs Bennet doted on the oldest and the youngest girls, who at the time were eleven and four years of age respectively, she dismissed the others as inconsequential because they were not pretty enough for her liking. Her favourites were both blond and blue-eyed like herself, while the others took after their father in colouring.

It appeared that Mr Bennet did nothing to check his wife's behaviour and attitude. He also had a reputation of being an indolent master of his estate. Since Mr Bennet but rarely left his book-room, it was some months before Mrs Mortimer had a chance to meet the man and judge for herself.

As an outsider she had a clearer view of the man than his neighbours, who were used to seeing him. To her it was obvious that Mr Bennet was unwell, even though he was trying to hide his condition.

It explained his indolence and his inability to restrain his wife in her more outrageous manner, and her callous disregard of her middle three daughters.

Mrs Bennet seemed to have particular ill feelings towards her second daughter, while the two younger ones were largely ignored by her. Based on their appearance, dresses which were more appropriate for servants rather than the daughters of a gentleman, as well as hair that was inexpertly braided, it seemed that Mrs Bennet tried to disassociate them from herself.

Jane and Lydia on the other hand, always had the prettiest dresses, looked well cared for, and were always being petted by their mother. Mrs Bennet seemed intent on spoiling them in any way she could.

Mrs Mortimer noticed that the oldest girl tried her best to shield her younger sisters, particularly Elizabeth, the second oldest.

Jane seemed uncomfortable with the attention she received, while Lydia was the worst behaved child Mrs Mortimer had ever had the misfortune to see. At the age of four, Lydia Bennet had perfected the art of the tantrum and used it mercilessly to get her own way.

~~~oo00oo~~~

When in the country, Mrs Mortimer loved to go riding early in the morning. Over the months she had been at Brook Hall, she had explored the estate and the surrounding area.

One particular spot she enjoyed was Oakham Mount, which was shared by three estates, Brook Hall, Netherfield Park and Longbourn.

Since this morning it had rained, she delayed her ride until the afternoon. When she reached the top of Oakham Mount, she spied the curled-up form of a weeping child. Mrs Mortimer dismounted and tied her horse to a shrub. She quietly called out, so as not to startle the girl, 'Elizabeth.'

Lizzy immediately sat up, and, keeping her back to Mrs Mortimer, wiped her face on her sleeve, before turning to face the intruder.

Before Elizabeth could say anything, Mrs Mortimer sat down next to her, and asked quietly, 'I heard you cry. Can I help?' While holding out her arms.

The sympathy in the voice and face of this gentle lady, whom she had seen around the village, was too much for the battered spirit of Elizabeth. The tears started to flow again and she trembled.

Mrs Mortimer gathered the girl into a gentle embrace and held her while she cried.

'Why does Mama hate me so? I cannot help it that I am not a boy,' Lizzy sobbed. 'But when I show her that I am as good as any boy, by climbing trees and winning footraces, she calls me a hoyden.'

'I think your mother is a particular kind of woman, and she expects all girls to be just like her, particularly her own daughters. She cannot understand that some girls are different. Not worse, just different.'

'You also think that I am different,' accused Lizzy.

'I think that you are different from your mother. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. I used to know a girl who was very much like you.'

'You did? Did her mother hate her too?'

'Yes, I did, but no, I was lucky. My mother was more understanding. She told me that while society thinks that girls should not behave like boys, while at home and in private, she saw no reason why I should not have fun.'

Lizzy, to her credit and despite her distress, immediately noticed about whom Mrs Mortimer was speaking. 'You did all those things too?'

'Yes, I did, but only where other people could not see me. Although my brothers and our friends knew.'

'But why did your mother think it was acceptable while mine tells me it is wrong?'

'My mother and yours are also very different people. As I said, I was lucky.'

'And I am not. It is not fair. She made me a girl. I did not ask to be a girl. But she hates me for it.'

'I think your mother is frightened. I am told that your estate is entailed to the male line.'

Lizzy looked frustrated. 'Mama always carries on about a tail and how, because of that, we will end up living in the hedgerows. But she does not explain.'

'It is not a tail, like a horse's tail. The term is entail, and it means that girls cannot inherit the estate. When your father dies eventually, none of you sisters can inherit. Longbourn will then go to your father's nearest male relative. Your mother is frightened that when that happens, she and you and your sisters will lose your home.'

'Oh.' Elizabeth tears stopped and she looked thoughtful. 'I can understand that that would frighten her, but why does she have to take it out on me? It is still not my fault that I am a girl.'

'I am afraid I do not have an answer for you. But you are absolutely correct. It is not your fault.'

The two talked a while longer until Elizabeth had calmed down enough to return home.

After having watched this situation for months, Mrs Mortimer had enough. She decided to take action.

~~~oo00oo~~~