“What a surprise,” Bennet said, not bothering to characterize their visit as something pleasant. He loved all his relatives, but these two in particular tried his patience. Was that because Aunt Judith seemed to have escaped the family affliction while Great-Aunt Esther didn’t come from the afflicted line? “Did I miss a letter from you that said you were coming?”
“I didn’t bother to write,” Aunt Judith said, not mincing words, but then she never did. “As soon as I heard the rumor, I readied myself to travel.”
“I insisted on coming along,” Great-Aunt Esther said. At seventy-four, she was still quite spry. “It’s been an age since I was in London.”
Aunt Judith cast her a beleaguered look. “We’re not staying long.” She returned her attention to Bennet. “I told her not to come, that this was a critical errand, but not one that would allow for socializing or sightseeing.”
Great-Aunt Esther smiled at Bennet, her cheeks dimpling as lines fanned out from her blue eyes. “I’m certain Glastonbury will insist on squiring us about town for a few days at least.”
“And where would we go?” Aunt Judith asked. “I suspect he has no invitations. If the rumor is true.” She looked at him expectantly, as if Bennet should know what she was talking about.
Of course he did.
“Is that why you’ve come?” he asked, provoking her to be explicit, which shouldn’t be difficult for her. He lowered himself into a chair closer to Great-Aunt Esther than to Aunt Judith. Hopefully, the latter wouldn’t see it was some sort of preference, but she very well might.
“Yes, that’s why I’ve come,” Aunt Judith replied. “As someone whose livelihood depends on you, I was horrified to hear that you are practically destitute. I am just glad that rumors tend to be exaggerated. Still, how bad is it?” She leaned forward slightly, blinking and cocking her head so that she reminded him of a bird.
“Practically destitute isn’t far off, actually,” he said somewhat cheerfully. What was the point in being gloomy about it? “Father left things in quite a mess, I’m afraid.”
Aunt Judith’s nostrils flared, and she jerked back. “I can’t say I’m surprised. Your father was a mess at everything. I should have expected that he would have died poorly too.”
As angry and frustrated as Bennet often felt toward his father, he reminded himself that those emotions were directed at the unfortunate situation. His father could no more help his shortcomings than he could stop them from driving him down a regrettable and disastrous path. The best thing he’d ever done was marry Bennet’s mother—or so he always said. Since she’d died giving birth to Bennet, there was no way Bennet could know for himself.
“There is nothing to be done about that now,” Bennet said, pressing his lips together before he added anything else that would be unhelpful. “I’m doing my best to rectify matters.”
“You’re on the hunt for an heiress,” Great-Aunt Esther said. “That was the other part of the rumor. Perhaps Judith and I can help you on that front. Though, I daresay, we’ll need to visit a modiste.”
Judith snapped her head toward her aunt. “Don’t be daft! There’s no money for that. We are not here to gad about Society.”
Great-Aunt Esther sent her niece a sullen look. “We could still help,” she muttered.
Bennet didn’t want her to feel bad. “If you have advice for me, I will gladly take it, Great-Aunt Esther.”
This mollified her, and she smiled again, revealing her dimples once more. “You’ve always been such a good boy. And now you take care of everyone. What a trial it must be.”
“It’s his duty,” Aunt Judith interrupted. She speared Bennet with a dark stare. “That is why I’ve come. Assuming the rumor was true—and how I hoped it wasn’t—you do need advice, though not about whom to marry. There’s a simple solution. You must stop paying those exorbitant fees for that hospital in Lancashire.”
Bennet rested his elbow on the arm of the chair and gritted his teeth. It was all he could do to keep from massaging his forehead in agitation. “That is neither simple nor a solution. Aunt Agatha is precisely where she needs to be, and I won’t discuss her care with you. I’m well aware of what you think.”
Aunt Judith pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing in disdain. “You’re being foolish. The poor thing is barely aware of her surroundings. I know you love her—we all do; she’s my sister for heaven’s sake—but it’s not an unkindness to save money so the rest of us don’t suffer.”
“Do you know what would be a simple solution?” Bennet asked. “You both could move to Aberforth Place. There’s plenty of room.” He couldn’t decide which aunt looked more appalled.
Great-Aunt Esther spoke first. “You can’t ask that of us. Bless you, my boy, for taking care of them, but you can’t ask me to live with the crazy people.”
Bennet nearly growled. He detested when she used that word. “They are eccentric.”
Aunt Judith rolled her eyes. “Cousin Frances sometimes doesn’t know what day it is. Is she still making her clothing out of old draperies and bedclothes?”
“Yes, and it’s quite economical, I don’t mind saying.” He smiled blandly and enjoyed their exchanged look of discomfort.
Aunt Judith clasped her hands in her lap. “If you insist on leaving things as they are, then I suppose we must help you find a wealthy wife.”
Bennet looked to his aunt. “Since you don’t care for moving to Aberforth Place, another solution would be for you to marry a wealthy husband.”
“You know why I have never married,” Aunt Judith said tightly.
The same reason he hadn’t and didn’t want to. Neither of them wished to pass the family condition on to another generation. “You are past your childbearing years, I should think.”
She blew out a breath and glanced toward Great-Aunt Esther as if she expected support.
Great-Aunt Esther shrugged. “He makes a valid point, although I imagine it would be difficult to find a husband at your age. I never could.”
“You couldn’t even during your Seasons,” Aunt Judith retorted.
Bennet ignored their bickering. “My point is, unless you’re willing to contribute to improving the financial situation we find ourselves in, I would kindly ask you to keep your opinions and counsel to yourselves. Unless and until I ask for them.” He tried to sound pleasant while chastising them.
The two women exchanged another look, but Bennet couldn’t be sure what they were communicating.
“Whom are you courting?” Great-Aunt Esther asked. “Or thinking of courting?”
“No one at the moment,” he said truthfully. He didn’t want to mention Mrs. Merryfield, probably because if he did, they’d make it their mission to ensure the match happened. While he should want that, he just…didn’t. “While I appreciate you wanting to help, it isn’t necessary. I’m sorry you came all this way for something that could have been accomplished with a letter.”
Great-Aunt Esther flicked a glance at her niece. “Judith was sure she could convince you to cut corners with Agatha. I also wondered if you could send Frances away too, then you’d have another cottage on the estate to let.” At his answering glower, she lowered her gaze to her lap.