The Best Of Relations (Pride & Prejudice Variations)

Prologue

Longbourn

My Dearest Aunt Gardiner,

I pray you will not reproach me for my dreadful tardiness in answering your last letter!

We have been so busy here, some days I hardly know whether I am on my head or my heels.

I shall start first with the most exciting news: our dearest Jane is in love!

Yes, Aunt, and with a very pleasing young gentleman by the name of Mr. Bingley, who has lately let Netherfield.

We met him at the Meryton Assembly held some three weeks past, and, of course, being a young man of sense and discernment, he immediately perceived Jane to be quite the most beautiful young lady in the room and spent the whole night staring at her, when he was not dancing with her!

Their contact since then has only enhanced regard on both sides, I am pleased to say.

Mama of course imagines them married already and can talk of nothing but carriages and pin money, for Mr Bingley is quite wealthy.

We are invited to Lucas Lodge tonight, and I hope to see Jane and Mr Bingley together there.

You know Jane, she does not like to express her feelings, but she has said to me that she thinks herself in very great danger of falling in love with him.

I can only think it a good thing, for he is clearly already very much in love with her; who could not be?

He will suit her very well I think, for he is as charming and cheerful as she, though rather more gregarious in company.

The only fly in the ointment – or flies, rather – are his two extremely supercilious sisters, Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley.

They seem to think themselves very much above the company here in Meryton, which is abominably conceited of them.

You know I am not a snob, dear Aunt, but they have no call to lord it over the local gentry, wealthy though their brother may be – because their wealth derives from trade!

Mr Bingley has a friend visiting too, a Mr Darcy, even richer than himself, who also seems to think himself well above the company.

At the Assembly, he was quite shockingly rude to all, and insulted me particularly, though he did not know I overheard and I found it in myself to laugh at him.

I will recount here for you his words, Aunt, and you shall see how my vanity was pricked!

Mr Bingley was pressing Mr Darcy to dance, and pointed me out as a possible partner; Mr Darcy declared me to be “tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt him!” How Charlotte and I giggled; but I was a little hurt, I must confess.

Dear Aunt, I pray you will not think ill of me for it, but even in comparison to Jane I am not used to being so easily dismissed.

I shall have my revenge, though; I understand the Netherfield party are invited to Lucas Lodge too and I shall think up something cuttingly dismissive to say of Mr Darcy in his hearing.

And so I must conclude, for it is time for me to go and dress for the evening. I shall only end by saying I hope that you and dear Uncle are most well, and all my dear Cousins also. I faithfully promise not to leave it so long before responding when next I hear from you!

Your loving Niece,

Lizzy

Gracechurch-street

November tenth, 1811

Dearest Lizzy,

Of course you are forgiven your tardiness in response!

I did receive a letter from Jane in the interim, so I have not been totally ignorant of news, though I am glad that you have enlightened me on her true feelings.

She mentioned Mr Bingley but once in her epistle, describing him as “a pleasant new neighbour” though she waxed lyrical on the subject of his sisters, calling them new and dear friends.

I doubt not that your descriptions are more apt, because we all know that dearest Jane is a little too inclined to think the best of every body.

Safeguard her heart, Lizzy; I should not like to see her hurt.

I shall hope for the best and an invitation soon to a wedding!

We are all well here. Emily has had a slight cold but is well recovered.

She practises on the pianoforte without having to be told, and speaks incessantly of visiting at Christmas when you may give her some more lessons, if you will be so good!

I think you will be delighted; she is coming on well and developing a pretty singing voice, if you will believe her proud mama.

Thomas and Lily are also well; Thomas has been breeched now and looks a fine young gentleman.

He is coming along well with his letters and numbers.

Anna was just taking her first steps when we saw you last Spring, and now she runs everywhere!

A most energetic little girl, I think perhaps she will inherit your love of long walks.

A note on your walks, dear Lizzy: Jane mentioned that the ____shire Militia are lately encamped in Meryton.

I must caution you that there may be rough fellows among those ranks and perhaps it might not be wise for you to walk quite so much alone, off Longbourn’s acres.

Even accompanied by your sisters, if you should come across a group of men in drink in some isolated spot, it might not go well for you.

I seek not to frighten you, dearest Niece, but you must know that there is wickedness in this world.

And despite what Mr Bingley’s friend said of you, you and all of your sisters are more than handsome enough to tempt any man!

That was very rude of Mr Darcy to speak so: obviously it cannot be the Mr Darcy I know, a very fine gentleman who owns the estate of Pemberley in Derbyshire.

Pemberley is but five miles from Lambton where I grew up – I am sure I have told you about it many times – and though Mr Darcy is I suppose of an age to be friends with Jane’s Mr Bingley, and certainly does not balk at friends in trade (he dines with us quite often when he is in Town) I cannot imagine him ever being so rude to any young lady.

Repine not upon the words of an uncivilised fool, dearest Lizzy.

You are beautiful, and I have seen for myself how the young men flock about you at dances!

And try not to be directly rude to anyone, though I confess I shall have a few quiet chuckles when you tell me what set-down you thought up to deliver in Mr Darcy’s hearing at the Lucas party!

Anna will be awakening from her nap shortly and wanting me, so I shall finish by saying that I hope that all are well at Longbourn and that your Uncle and I look forward very much to seeing you all at Christmas-time.

If you would be so kind as to let your Mother know that we expect to travel to you on Monday twenty-third and stay for one week; we are invited to a very grand party at an important acquaintance’s home on New Year’s Eve and your Uncle and I would rather not miss it.

I have ordered a very glamorous new dress for the occasion, and though I would not want to crush it bringing it with me, I shall endeavour to sketch it for you.

All my love as always,

Your loving

Aunt Madeline

Longbourn

Sunday November 17th

Dearest Aunt,

I have just to-day returned to Longbourn and received your letter.

Yes, I have been away, though I gave no notice of it in my last missive.

Be not alarmed by what I am about to relate, for all is well now, but Jane was taken very ill when dining with Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley at Netherfield last Tuesday, and I have been there nursing her back to health.

She is now very much recovered from a nasty cold and is quite herself again, and I must tell you that I think Mr Bingley to be more in love with her than ever!

I do not doubt that we shall find him upon Longbourn’s doorstep in a day or so inquiring for her health.

I am very glad that Emily too has recovered from her cold: I hope that no-one else caught it, most especially you, dear Aunt, well do I know how you will not put yourself first even when you are unwell!

I beg that if you do by some mischance become ill, send for myself, or Jane, at once; we will gladly come and take as much burden as we may from your shoulders, that you may recover as quickly as may be!

And pray tell Emily that I look forward very much to hearing her play and sing, soon I am sure she will be far beyond any improvement a lesson from myself may offer.

How I wish Christmas-time would hurry, so that we shall see you all again!

Kiss Thomas, Lily and Anna for me too, that is if Thomas does not think himself too big for kisses now, of course.

Dearest Aunt, there is one part of your letter that puzzles me exceedingly.

The Mr Darcy with whom you are acquainted must be the very same that is at Netherfield with Mr Bingley; there cannot possibly be two estates named Pemberley in Derbyshire owned by a Mr Darcy, surely!

Yet I find him far too proud to associate with any body in Hertfordshire; he looks at me only to find fault and criticise every thing I say.

Perhaps he has spent too much time with Miss Bingley, who is most determined to find favour in his eyes.

Every word out of Miss Bingley’s mouth shows that she thinks herself far above our company and cannot wait to be away from here.

She would separate her brother from Jane if she could, but I do not think that he will listen.

Perhaps I shall teaze Mr Darcy further by claiming you and my Uncle as a mutual acquaintance; do you think that he will confess it in front of Miss Bingley?

She knows that we have relatives in Cheapside and is most condescending about it!

I will admit that Mr Darcy seems a very intelligent man. Every time I am in his company we end up sparring verbally and he does hold up his end of the argument. He accused me though of espousing opinions not my own deliberately to create dissent, just imagine!