Confront No Evil （Mixed）
Happiness, for Jane Bennet, was the normal and natural state of being.
All her life, no matter what fortune threw her way, she remained almost universally happy.
Mrs Bennet demonstrated a perfect example of what a lifetime of unhappiness amounted to, and from an early age she had naturally gravitated towards a different idea.
In nearly every conceivable circumstance, she simply asked herself, ‘What would Mama do?’ and chose the opposite.
While perverse, the system had yet to fail her.
Mrs Bennet was not as unhappy as one would think, since she had made an art and sport of her misery, but the conundrum of actively seeking unhappiness just so she could enjoy it was not a system that recommended itself to Jane.
Since childhood, Jane had been an exceptionally beautiful girl, which in her limited experience was more likely to cause vexation than happiness.
She was never even certain if she was beautiful, or if her mother had simply declared it with all the éclat of a proverb so often and so loudly it was universally taken as true by the four and twenty families as a defence to avoid arguments.
Whether beautiful or not, Jane usually wished she were plainer, since beauty seemed to attract the entirely wrong type of suitors, and her mother’s habit of disparaging nearly everything about her other daughters would have been completely unbearable to someone with a flightier spirit.
Through it all, however, Jane bore it with grace and harmony.
Her mother’s constant lamentations, matchmaking, and self-induced crises had little effect on her.
All Jane’s life, the only thing that could truly make her unhappy, vexed, or angry was anybody doing anything to hurt her sister Elizabeth.
She was as fiercely protective of her sister as a badger, though Elizabeth could perfectly well take care of herself.
While she was happy for the grand adventure Lizzy was on—though thoroughly disinclined to participate in such a scheme herself—she had missed her sister dreadfully for over a year.
But now matters had changed so much that she was brimming with happiness; she was amazed she had not burnt their little cabin to the ground with the force of it.
After the unpleasant altercation on the path at Rosings, she had a secure future with a husband she loved more than life itself, and who returned the affections with equal vigour.
Equally important, she and her sister Mary had secured the future for her mother and all her sisters.
Her entire family was completely protected, with many layers built up an inch at a time.
Her sister Mary’s marriage alone would have been sufficient to save the family should the worst happen to her father.
Now Jane was married to a wealthy man, good friends with an even wealthier one, under the protection of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and as secure as a woman had any right to be.
As she prepared to leave the little bit of paradise she shared with her husband, she found even more reason to be happy because she had a letter from Lizzy.
Upon seeing the post delivered by the old couple who tended the cabin, Jane cried out in delight, sprang up, and ran in circles much to the amusement of her husband, who like any ardent man found much to approve in the movements of his lovely wife.
Jane knew not how much it affected him, nor how difficult it was for him to allow her time to read the letter, but such self-knowledge would have had no effect on her happiness anyway, so it was probably for the best. At long last, she had a letter from Lizzy. Elizabeth Bennet was back in contact.
The letter was oddly formatted, taking three pages that could have easily fit on one.
It appeared to have had quite the journey to arrive at her doorstep, having been redirected at least four times.
A scan of the letter revealed it was written in many hands, some of which were so bad as to make her husband’s penmanship seem excellent.
Even the thought of her sister’s existence on another continent, on the other side of the ocean, in the midst of war, did not worry Jane overly much, since it was difficult for her to imagine the possibility of anything bad happening to a force of nature like Elizabeth.
However, the extreme tardiness of the letter would have given her a little concern had she been willing to entertain any idea of risk.
She opened the letter, looked at the date, and gasped.
The text indicated that Lizzy was woefully out of date.
The letter had been sent well before Jane’s marriage, and apparently travelled through most of the Empire before arriving at her doorstep.
Of course, with two wars waging, she imagined she should be satisfied that the mail worked at all, let alone quickly and efficiently.
With restless anticipation, she read the oddest-looking letter she had ever seen.
~~~
My Dearest Jane,
I hope you will excuse the rather unusual style of this letter.
As I am now an American, I have assumed the mantle of inventor.
I find there are matters I wish to discuss that should be at least private, and though I fully trust my usual scribe, Mr H, and my companion, I wish to have a letter to which no one is fully privy.
As I have dozens of students under our school’s tutelage, I have extended the writing lesson, having some write a paragraph at a time for me.
I hope most will be legible, particularly this paragraph, as it is written by young Betsy Macintosh, who giggles furiously as she writes.
She faithfully promised that hers will be the absolute best paragraph in the piece, and the quality so good I shall be required to engage her as my new secretary.
We have so much momentous news it is hard to know where to begin.
A is soon to marry a very estimable man, Mr R.
You will like him tremendously should you ever meet, and I am enormously happy with her success.
He is a man of business, engaged in building a great canal over 300 miles from New York to Ohio.
I hope one day to ride the entire length, though it will be some years before it is complete, if ever.
Mr R possesses many other fine qualities, which I could detail at length, but I must be reasonable as Betsy is overdue for supper.
Much to my surprise, I have learnt that I am now wealthy.
Lady C, in a move of equal parts officiousness, sneakiness, and generosity, settled quite a large sum on me should my companion succumb to either death or matrimony.
Naturally, the latter status was preferred over the former, but I was instructed only to be her friend.
Lady C even told me I was the opposite of a governess, and I was to try to lead A into trouble.
I doubt the lady had quite so much trouble in mind, but I believe her to be happy and satisfied.
I am also released from any obligation to Miss dB, other than friendships, though I must say the bounds of friendship will keep me here for quite some time—possibly the rest of my life.
Mr and Mrs R have invited me to stay with them all my days, and while it appeals, and I will stay for a time, I believe that is not my ultimate fate.
We leave in a few weeks for the state of Ohio, about 300 miles inland.
Despite the war, we are not considered in danger here, but most believe being inland will be safer, and of course Mr and Mrs R must return to their own home.
I will go with them, and stay for the foreseeable future.
Perhaps I will be the maiden aunt to their children, or perhaps I shall eventually set up my own establishment.
Lady C granted me the great power of choice, and I must thank her profusely should I ever be in her company again.
That brings me to another subject perhaps painful to us, but important.
I did not invent this unusual writing style solely for you.
I must sheepishly confess that while having this letter crafted, I had the same students write one to Mr D, and I hope he will share it with Mr B.
I believe you know to whom I refer. I know it is frighteningly forward and shatters propriety, but my sense of justice demanded I release the man from any sense that I might be somewhere in the world thinking ill of him.
After much consideration, I decided both gentlemen committed no offence against either of us, and should be forgiven for the actions of Miss B.
My letter states my belief in clear terms, and I hope that if he harbours any lasting ill feelings from the incident, they will be laid to rest.
I know such an action is improper, but I deemed it essential since I may never have a chance to offer my apologies in person.
I had much time to reflect on those two gentlemen, and I believe that, in essentials, they are very good men.
I know you are frequently in company with Lady C at Rosings, so you will almost certainly encounter Mr D eventually.
When you do, I beg you give him a chance.
I do not know if he has suffered from the lack of our society, but if he has, I hope my letter will allow him to let the past remain where it belongs, and I believe if you could befriend him, it would be good for both of you.
I will write again upon arrival in Ohio, but do not expect another letter for some time. The mail is functional, but unreliable, so I must bid you adieu. Pray kiss little Abbie for me, and should you see Mr D or Mr B, convey my best regards.
Elizabeth
~~~
Despite the abominably long delay, and Elizabeth’s woeful ignorance of her sister’s affairs, Jane was happier than she had been in a very long time. Considering her recent spirits, that was saying a great deal.