Chapter Ten

Sir Jasper wondered if his brother recognised the trap their mother was setting.

Michael liked nothing more than to goad some unsuspecting fellow into a debate, and Miss Harding certainly seemed the type to refuse to let a challenge go unanswered. Mama had seized the opportunity, and invited Miss Harding " and any of her similarly-inclined friends who wished to come " to tea, before Miss Mary Bennet and her father returned to Hertfordshire. If all went well today, Mama's next step would be to make it a regular gathering, and find a way to include her sons.

Now that he was safely engaged, Sir Jasper found the antics of Matchmaking Mamas far more tolerable. The real question was whether or not Michael, John and Henry would catch onto the scheme before it was too late. Really, it was their own fault for joking about wanting an intelligent wife in front of their mother and giving her ideas.

Regrettably, Sir Jasper couldn't spend all his time in London courting his wife-to-be. There were meetings with the men who handled business matters and investments for him, and with his solicitor to have the marriage settlement drawn up. He had to visit his Club, to maintain the connections of his rank.

Sir Jasper was grateful for the inheritance that allowed him to follow his dreams of horse-breeding, and assured his family's comfort if carriages ever became a thing of the past, but he was less enthusiastic about many of the people who inhabited the same sphere. Peers looked down on him for being less than the previous holders of the title. Other newly made Knights and Baronets were often too busy competing with each other and trying to leave their roots behind to be much in the way of company.

There was much to be said for the life of a country gentlemen, and the lack of having to perform for the Ton comprised a great deal of it.

Arranging the settlement was his longest appointment, as he wished to have it signed and filed while Mr. Bennet was still in town. Part of the reason it took so long was that his Solicitor had little experience with what Sir Jasper wanted.

Most marriage settlements were set up to ensure a bride's well-being in case of being widowed young, or to safeguard an inheritance or dowry from a wasteful husband. The idea of a husband insisting that the profits of his wife's (intellectual) property remaining hers to distribute as she chose was apparently as foreign a concept as some of the more bizarre wildlife sketches being brought back from New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land [5] .

Finally, however, the solicitor had thrown up his hands and agreed, writing in vague terms that " what funds and goods she brings to the marriage are to remain the property of Catherine Prudence Bennet and her heirs and beneficiaries ".

Sir Jasper's aunt, widow of the previous Baronet, had been far from penniless upon the death of her husband three years ago, but with no children left to care for her and the estate passing to Sir Jasper, she lived in circumstances much reduced from the luxury of her younger days. She had her jointure, and a considerable stipend, to maintain her, but even if Tragedy struck Sir Jasper and all his brothers, he wanted to be sure that Kitty was taken care of.

There was nothing he could do to change the laws and social customs that restricted a woman's independence. That would require Parliament, and cases brought before the courts to create precedent. Such a problem certainly would not be solved in Sir Jasper's lifetime, if ever, but every change started somewhere, and perhaps Catherine's settlement would be the first of many to come.

Mr. and Miss Bennet were due to depart after lunch, so unless Sir Jasper wanted the papers sent to and from Meryton, he had better return home in time for Mr. Bennet to sign them.

***

He returned to the townhouse to find Mama and Mrs. Bennet holding court in the parlour, and Sir Jasper's brothers bravely hiding in his study with Mr. Bennet. Fortunately, Sir Jasper's future father-in-law seemed it amusing more than irritating.

Leaving the settlement for Mr. Bennet to look over, Sir Jasper returned to the parlour. "May I join you?"

He didn't think that he would ever tire of seeing Catherine's face light up with a smile every time she saw him. She shifted on the love-seat to make room for him. "Of course! We were discussing ways that the steam engine might be made commercially viable. Miss Harding and Miss Dupain were just telling us about the paddle-steamer boats they had seen."

Miss Dupain rose and curtsied, speaking with the barest trace of a French accent. Lord knew that England had seen enough refugees of the Great Terror, over the years. "It is not a new concept, there are accounts of the Romans using oxen to power a paddle [6] , but the manpower required to keep the paddle turning is no less than other methods. But in conjunction with a steam engine..."

She trailed off with a broad, delighted smile, mirrored on the faces of the other young ladies. The smiles faded as the hall clock and the nearby church bells rang the hour, signalling the end to morning call hours. Mama rose to her feet. "Ladies, I hope we shall see you at the same time next week."

Miss Harding lingered a little, pressing a card into Kitty's hand. "Do think about it?"

Catherine nodded, and Miss Harding hastened after the other young ladies. Sir Jasper offered his arm, following their mothers and Miss Mary out of the parlour. "What was that about? The card she gave you, I mean."

She smiled, leaning into him slightly, "Miss Harding has a cousin who recently opened a manufacturing mill. She wondered if I would consider letting him produce my hoist."

It was a good idea on both sides. Newcomers to any industry struggled to establish themselves enough to expand, and established businesses would charge a higher cost. "If you decide to do business with him, may I suggest a trial of perhaps a year? If you find the arrangement to your satisfaction, you can renew and re-negotiate terms if either of you wish. If not, you will not be trapped."

Catherine nodded, "That is an excellent idea, thank you. I shall send Amelia a note this evening."

A h, of course; Miss Harding would have to arrange an introduction to her cousin before Catherine could speak to him. Men had rather more flexibility when discussing business together, though introductions were still considered polite. Sir Jasper changed the subject. "We should see if your father has finished reviewing the settlement. I would welcome your input, but as you are not of age, your father was required to see it first."

She did not object, and they entered the study together, while their Mamas went to see what was being done about lunch. Michael looked up in relief. "Oh, does that mean that your Bluestocking Chapter has departed?"

Sir Jasper glared at him, but Catherine injected before he could say anything. "I would hardly call us Bluestockings. None of us wish to follow Mrs. Anning [7] in becoming Scientists ourselves, nor do I think we will dedicate our lives to scholarship, but the pursuit of knowledge is no waste, and until it is safe to travel the Continent, or until there is a University for women, we must make our own opportunities."

Mr. Bennet looked at his daughter with a new kind of respect, and tapped the document he had been reading, "I must say, Sir Jasper, that my only objection is that by marrying Kitty, you will be removing my opportunity to come to know the remarkable young woman she is becoming."

Kitty laughed. "I am hardly moving to the Colonies, Papa. You will simply have to leave your study more often to visit me."

Mr. Bennet signed the settlement and stood from the desk, walking around it to embrace his daughter and kiss her on the forehead. "You have chosen a very good man. I look forward to seeing what you will do together."

Miss Bennet shifted slightly, reminding them of her presence. It was not that Sir Jasper meant to ignore his future sister, but she possessed a remarkable talent of blending into the background until she made herself known. "I admit that my own education has been... undirected, but today's gathering was very enlightening. I hope you will continue writing to me, Kitty, to tell me of your future discussions."

Catherine looked surprised at her sister's interest, but also pleased. "Of course I shall. You must let me know you have any suggestions for topics of discussion, too."

They were interrupted by a call to luncheon, and Mrs. Bennet admonishing her husband to ensure his valet had packed his trunks.

That sent all of them upstairs to wash, and then back down to seat themselves at the large table.

***

As the first course was being laid out, Mrs. Bennet turned her attention to Catherine, "Have you thought of a date for when you will marry?"

Catherine shook her head, glancing briefly at her sister. "No, other than that it should be after Mary's wedding. She deserves to have her day be about her, and we have not even read the banns yet."

Miss Mary smiled into her soup, and made no rebuttal. Perhaps she would have been happy to share a wedding day, but the Banns required at least three readings. The first reading should happen this Sunday, as long as nothing had delayed the post to Sir Jasper's home Parish. A common license could be purchased for a few pounds, but still required a delay of seven days. A special license was rarely granted outside the peerage, and even then, one required family connections or a hefty donation to the church coffers [8] , as well as explaining why the couple couldn't wait for a Common license.

Sir Jasper had been warned about Mrs. Bennet's tendency to let grand ideas get away from her, and the best ways to nip such ideas in the bud. "We could apply for a license, but the church is rather less co-operative if you cannot supply a reason for the haste. Far better to wait, and have the chance to plan a wedding breakfast worthy of Catherine, rather than a rushed affair."

His mother smiled from where she sat, and Sir Jasper fancied that she looked approving. In truth, he would have happily married Catherine whenever she wished, but she had been adamant about not upstaging her sister, and there was no need for any particular haste.

Besides, for the first time, he was enjoying the family's London visit, and cutting it short would be a dreadful shame.