The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet by Katherine Cowley

Author:Katherine Cowley [Cowley, Katherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance
ISBN: 9781953647108
Publisher: The Tule Publishing Group, LLC
Published: 2020-12-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

“A second French courier, who has to carry the Emperor’s letter bag to Paris, was attacked…by some of General Theilman’s partizans. This capture, in a military point of view, is of great consequence. We shall here confine ourselves to publishing some of the letters, in extracts.”

–The Morning Post, London, October 26, 1813

It was Mary’s first day of lessons with Mr. Withrow, and she was determined not to be intimidated. While Mr. Linton and Madame Dieupart gave her lessons in the parlor, Mr. Withrow had informed Mary that he would provide her with instruction in the library. She tried opening the door, but it was locked. She knocked firmly.

Mr. Withrow unlocked the door, and this time the comforting smell of paper and leather did not lift her spirits. With perfect manners, Withrow invited Mary to sit with him at his desk. He took the large, padded chair and she took a smaller wooden one on the other side.

Fanny followed Mary into the room and took a soft chair in the corner so she could act as their chaperone. She had a basket of bright yellow fabric with some needles and thread to occupy herself.

“At my aunt’s request,” said Mr. Withrow, “I have agreed to give you a cursory introduction to economics, politics, and mathematics.”

“It is my understanding that those subjects are not particularly suited to the feminine mind,” said Mary.

“If you are not capable of learning them, then by all means, let us halt these lessons now.”

Mary had been questioning their appropriateness, not her own mind. She wished she could say something clever and biting in response as Elizabeth would, but she could only manage, “I am sure I will be quite capable at whatever you choose to teach me.”

“We will see,” he said, passing her a piece of paper. “You have ten minutes to write an answer to each of these questions.”

Mary read the precise, small handwriting at the top of the page. “But I could spend days researching and writing a response for each one.”

“I am certain you could, Miss Bennet. But I want your thoughts, not the ideas of others, and I want them to be brief, and I want them immediately. So please begin.” He picked up a book on economics and left her to it.

Mary swallowed, wishing she was receiving drawing or French instruction instead. She reread the first question: “What is the ultimate goal in running an estate?” She thought of her father, the late nights he had spent toiling over the estate’s ledgers, and the way he had visited each of those he employed and kept himself aware of their concerns. She hoped Mr. Collins continued to do the same. She dipped her pen in the ink and wrote, “To make sure everything and everyone is functioning properly.”

Next question: “What are the benefits of charity on the recipient and the giver?” This was easier, for it was addressed by so many of the sermons and books that she read. The hard part of this question was restricting herself to only a few sentences.

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