Chapter 47 "Trying this to Fanny, Mary..."
“This is too unfair to Fanny, Mary and Susan. Anyway, I have complete control over the money I was given, so I’ll just take some of that money and give it to my sisters.”
William generously took £2,100 from his earnings and distributed it to his three sisters, leaving him with only £1,400, just £700 more than his younger siblings. The distribution was much fairer now.
Mary was no longer short of money and was about to refuse, but thinking of Fanny and Susan's situation, she chose to accept instead, thinking of making up for William's situation elsewhere.
For Mrs. Price, her husband's death reduced many expenses. With only her, Charles, and two maids left in the house, the annual living expenses of £140 (that money, because it could not be used at will, always had an annual interest rate of 4%) were barely enough. As for the money her eldest son and daughters took out, they could reinvest it.
Even so, William reassured Mrs. Price that he intended to pay her mother's wages for the two servants, and that Mrs. Price could contact him if she needed more money.
Hearing this, Richard couldn't help but step forward: "William, you've already given enough. As for Mother, don't worry, I will give her a subsidy of 150 pounds every year from now on."
Based on the sales volume of sewing machines, Richard estimated that the company's net profit could reach more than £16,000 a year. Even if the market for high-end sewing machines became saturated in a year or two, the annual profit would still be at least £8,000 or £9,000, making him one of the wealthiest among his siblings.
His past opinions about his father, Mr. Price, had made him reluctant to spend too much money out of his own pocket, and now he certainly wouldn't stand by and watch his mother continue living the life she used to.
Similarly, Mary offered to subsidize her mother with 150 pounds a year, which greatly surprised Mrs. Price, who had never imagined her daughter was so wealthy. It was then that she finally learned that Mary had actually invented the sewing machine from Richard's company.
Mrs. Price's simple-mindedness led her to believe that the company definitely belonged to Richard, and that Mary had only received a slightly higher share of the profits compared to others. Therefore, she was unwilling to take so much money from her daughter.
"My dear Mary, my sweetheart, you should save the money Richard gave you for your dowry. Now you and your sisters won't have to worry about anything!"
Mary persisted in persuading Mrs. Price before she finally agreed to accept the money. Now Mrs. Price no longer had to worry about her older children, and her younger sons would have their older brothers to help look after them.
After many years, with the help of her children, Mrs. Price finally lived a wealthy and comfortable life. She had lived this kind of life for the first twenty years of her life, and after enduring more than twenty years of hardship, she was finally able to return to this good life.
Mrs. Price seemed like a different person. She had never been loud, and now she looked more and more like her sister, Mrs. Bertram. She had also become kind and understanding towards the servants. She and Charles continued to live in their eldest son William's house, where she had familiar surroundings and friends.
Now that her annual disposable income has reached four hundred and forty pounds, Mrs. Price has decided to hire a full-time cook again. Lily, the maid, who had intended to quit her job after marrying a clerk from the nearby grocer, has decided to continue serving the Price family.
With Mrs. Price settled in, and nothing else to worry about in Portsmouth, William decided to go with Edmund and Susan to Mansfield to visit Fanny and Frances. John's holiday wasn't long, and he needed to hurry back to London to join them. Mary and Richard planned to stay in Portsmouth for another week with Mrs. Price.
During Mary's absence, Anne and her stepmother, Mrs. Maxwell, spent their holiday in Brighton.
It started off very pleasantly; they met some of the general's wife's friends and experienced the unique charm of the seaside town. Anne met several ladies who also loved sports, and they organized a women's cricket match. She wrote to Mary several times to invite her to come, simply wanting to share this joy with her good friend.
But in mid-to-late June, a man who displeased her appeared in Brighton. Matthew McDonald, a distant relative of General Maxwell, also came to Brighton. Upon arriving, he learned that the General's wife and daughter were also there and immediately felt obligated to accompany them.
This polite gentleman made every effort to show his concern for Mrs. and Miss Maxwell, following them wherever they went. His intention to pursue her was quite obvious, but Anne, being new to social circles, didn't talk to him much.
Anne was particularly worried that if things continued this way, her friends in Brighton would assume that the General's wife had already tacitly accepted that Mr. McDonald was pursuing her.
Some of her new friends have started teasing her about this man, unanimously praising him for his generosity, refined manners, and good manners.
Although this gentleman did not inherit any land from his ancestors, it is said that a relative on his mother's side left him a sum of money, the exact amount of which is uncertain, but rumors say it is at least forty or fifty thousand pounds, while some say it is about seventy or eighty thousand pounds. This is enough for a handsome young man like Mr. McDonald to become the darling of all the ladies in the social world.
Since Mr. McDonald promptly sent General Maxwell's wife back to her hotel after he sprained his ankle in Brighton, she gradually began to speak well of him.
General Maxwell amassed at least £100,000 through the war, and Anne, as his heir, had no worries about money. However, finding a suitable marriage for an heir was not easy, and the general's wife, as his stepmother, had always been wise in not to casually comment on her stepdaughter's marriage.
Now, even the General's wife has been won over by Mr. McDonald, and Anne finds it hard to find fault with the man. She eagerly anticipates meeting Mary, hoping her good friend will give her some advice. Could it be, as others say, that she harbors a prejudice against McDonald?
But instead of her dear friend arriving in late July, Anne received the unfortunate news from Mr. Price. Poor Mary! Now Anne could no longer stay in Brighton.
In mid-August, she couldn't wait to write a letter to Mary asking when she would return to the city and asking her to detour to Brighton to go back with her. Upon receiving the letter, Mary and Richard went to Brighton to meet Anne.
Portsmouth is only forty-nine miles from Brighton, but the two coastal cities have vastly different atmospheres and character. Portsmouth is like a young sailor setting sail, full of hope and passion; Brighton is like a young woman attending a ball, charming and full of allure.
Brighton is not far from London, and is located right next to the English Channel, across which lies France. In the 18th century, doctors claimed that bathing in the seawater here had many health benefits, thus attracting many nobles and wealthy people to come here to escape the summer heat.
By the 19th century, this place had become a popular tourist destination for Londoners. Even the Regent frequently came here to treat his gout, and the now-famous Royal Dome is currently under construction.
Mary was immediately drawn to the beautiful white houses along the waterfront when she arrived. Against the backdrop of the azure sky and the blue sea, Brighton looked like a painting.
Upon arriving at the hotel where her friend was staying, General Maxwell's wife and Anne met Mary and Richard and naturally inquired about the unfortunate news. They offered their condolences to the two poor young men.
Just then, a young man of about twenty-five or twenty-six years old walked into the room. He was surprised to see Mary and quickly took off his hat to greet this beautiful stranger.
The handsome man who just came in is Mr. McDonald. He is as good-looking as Mary's brother Richard, and when he makes a witty remark, he is somewhat like Mr. Crawford. He is especially similar to the natural flattery he shows to the general's wife.
He came to ask when the ladies planned to leave for London this week, because he also had some business to attend to in the city, but he could accompany them.
“Mr. McDonald, if you’re in a hurry, go ahead and attend to your business. Mr. Price and my goddaughter will accompany us back,” the general’s wife said.
“I’m not in a hurry about that matter. I can’t rest easy unless I personally escort you, Mrs. General, and Miss Maxwell back to your residence. I can’t entrust this matter to anyone else.”
As he said this, the gentleman glanced at Richard. “Mr. Price, it’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s just that any young man who has ever been fortunate enough to receive General Maxwell’s kindness would feel obligated to personally escort his benefactor’s wife and daughters back safely, and also to visit his home and listen to the general’s wise teachings.”
Mr. McDonald was such a smooth talker, it was no wonder the General's wife liked him. Finally, they decided to leave together this Thursday, as the General's wife remembered she needed to get back early to properly prepare for Anne's first ball.
In private, Anne naturally inquired about the details of the funeral from her good friend. When she learned that William had not been able to return before Mr. Price's burial, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh my God, how heartbroken he must be!"
Mary looked at Anne suspiciously: "There was nothing we could do. William was on official business at the time, and we had been waiting for him for three or four days. We just couldn't wait any longer."
“I understand. He’s in Mansfield now, right? I hope your sister’s children can ease his grief.” Anne added involuntarily, “Oh, Mary, how are you feeling?”
Mary couldn't help but have her suspicions. Anne mentioned William far too often. To say that she was only concerned about her best friend's brother seemed far-fetched. Anne's concern for her was only mentioned in the last sentence.
If Anne wanted to be with William, no matter how much she favored her brother, she couldn't bring herself to say that the two were a perfect match in every way.
In appearance, William was second to none; in character, Mary had complete faith in her brother; only in matters of wealth, which were most valued by the world, did William fall far short of Mr. Macdonald.
As a self-made young man, William, though young and capable, is still only a naval lieutenant. Even including his share of the profits from the sewing machine company and his inheritance, his annual income is no more than nine hundred pounds. Anne, on the other hand, not to mention the inheritance she will receive, already has a dowry of fifty thousand pounds.
It would be better to convince Mary that her godfather is now extremely pleased with William and will happily marry his daughter to him than to convince her that William will immediately become a naval captain.
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