“That is not all. From now on, your excursions and allowance will depend upon your diligence to your daily tasks.” Five pairs of eyes widened. “If you complete them satisfactorily and give your masters no trouble, you will be granted privileges. If you do not,” he looked at his youngest two daughters steadily, “you will take your meals above stairs and not be permitted in company.”

At this, Lydia, the youngest and silliest Bennet daughter, loudly erupted. She complained of how harsh this all sounded and wondered when they would walk to Meryton or visit their friends if they were busy studying all the time. She appealed to her mother who looked at her husband for a moment before calmly telling Lydia that she supported her husband’s edicts. Lydia gaped at her father until he told her that her unladylike and childish display had just earned her an afternoon in her room and a meal above stairs.

Lydia stared at her family incredulously, looking to her sisters for support, but their eyes were trained steadily to the floor. Finally, Lydia balled her fists at her side and stomped her way upstairs, loudly slamming the door to her room.

“That will earn her breakfast in her room as well,” Mr. Bennet said calmly. “Now, here are each of your schedules.” He passed out a paper with a calendar of sorts on it to each of his daughters, who in turn continued to stare at him strangely.

“Music lessons every day!” commented Mary and Kitty, though only one sounded pleased by the prospect.

“Yes. As you can see, your practice times are there as well. You will each spend one hour with the master and another in practice each day, though more would certainly not hurt you.” He looked at Elizabeth significantly. She gave him a sheepish look. “I’ve ordered the pianoforte in the back sitting room tuned and it shall be used to practice while the music room shall be used for lessons. Any questions?”

Mary timidly spoke up. “What do you mean by ‘non-religious texts’?”

“I mean that your reading time should be spent reading something other than doctrine and Fordyce. Now,” he looked at each of his daughters authoritatively, “you know what needs doing. Get to it.”

He turned back to his desk and sat down, his initiative used up for the day. He remained upright, watching them carefully, though, not wanting them to see his weakness. He told himself it would only be difficult in the beginning. Once they had a rhythm going, everything would move along smoothly.

Longbourn was a very noisy house that morning, Mary pounding away on the pianoforte in one room, Elizabeth tinkling half-heartedly in another, Jane huffing quietly as she attempted to draw a bowl with appropriate shadowing and Kitty repeating her French tutor with a very bad accent, though it must be said that she made up for it with enthusiasm.