The Aunt (Pride and Prejudice)

Chapter 1

Baroness Eleanor Beatrice Campbell entered the small town of Meryton in her luxurious carriage after more than twenty years spent far away. At first glance, everything seemed unchanged. It was as though time itself had stood still in the town where she had grown up and spent half her life.

Eleanor was born and raised at Longbourn. Her father was Eustace Thomas Bennet, and her mother was Beatrice Bennet. She was the younger of two children, and her elder brother was Thomas Bennet.

Her father's estate was entailed in the male line, which led her parents to desire a son who might perpetuate the family legacy.

Thus, when Thomas was born, both were delighted, for his birth ensured that the estate would remain in the family for another generation.

Yet the health of children was often fragile, and so they longed for a second son as well.

They needed a spare in case anything should happen to young Thomas.

Unfortunately, their second child was a daughter, and after the birth of little Ella, they were blessed with no more children.

Consequently, Eustace and Beatrice devoted particular attention to their son and heir, determined to safeguard his future.

If Thomas were lost, Longbourn would pass to a distant cousin.

Such constant indulgence rendered Thomas spoiled and irresponsible.

He never needed to exert himself to obtain anything; from birth, he had known that the estate would one day be his.

Eustace Bennet was a good landlord, diligent and hardworking. His son, however, showed no interest in anything connected with the estate or its management. He cared only for subjects that happened to capture his curiosity, particularly history and philosophy.

His sister Eleanor, by contrast, was raised very differently.

She had numerous duties to fulfil and little leisure to amuse herself or spend time with friends.

As a result, she became independent from an early age.

Mrs Bennet trained her carefully in the management of a household, and Eleanor, being naturally responsible, took great pleasure in assisting her mother.

Thomas frequently feigned illness whenever his father asked him to accompany him on his inspections of the estate.

Consequently, Eleanor was obliged to perform many of her brother's duties and gradually acquired the knowledge he ought to have gained himself.

Fond of numbers, she assisted her father with Longbourn's accounts.

By the time Thomas went up to Oxford, Eleanor was practically managing everything.

Her brother returned home only during the holidays and grew increasingly reluctant to learn anything about the business of the estate.

Longbourn produced an annual income of three thousand pounds chiefly from rents and farming.

The Bennets were frugal and had accumulated a respectable sum in savings, including a dowry of eight thousand pounds for Eleanor.

Thomas, however, was very unlike his parents.

He never restrained his spending. At Oxford, he lavished money on books, clothes, horses, and every conceivable comfort.

He indulged in no serious vices, but he was far too self-centred to concern himself with his family's future.

Returning to reality, Lady Campbell instructed her coachman to drive a mile beyond Meryton. She wished to see Longbourn, the home of her youth and the place where she had spent some of the most important years of her life.

From a distance, she observed that little had changed. The estate appeared somewhat dilapidated, which did not surprise her. She imagined that her brother must now be in charge, and knowing his negligence, she could hardly be astonished to find the place in such a state of decay.

Their mother had died when Eleanor was fifteen and Thomas eighteen.

When Eleanor left Hertfordshire, her father was still alive, though in poor health.

He remained at the head of Longbourn, reluctant to entrust the estate to his son.

Mr Bennet knew that Thomas was unprepared and would likely prove a negligent master.

By that time, Thomas had married Frances Gardiner.

They already had a little daughter, Jane, and another child on the way.

Eleanor had never understood why her brother had chosen Fanny.

It was evident that they had little in common.

She was undeniably beautiful, but that was the only quality Thomas seemed to value in her, and beauty alone could never sustain a marriage that ought to be based on love and companionship.

Eleanor could still recall the disappointed expressions of her father, her brother, and even Fanny herself when the first child of the marriage proved to be a girl.

She remembered how fervently they all prayed that the second child would be a son.

The entail had been a considerable burden to her parents, both diligent and hardworking people.

She did not even wish to imagine the effect it must have had upon such a superficial and rather nervous woman as Fanny, married to a lazy husband who thought only of himself.

It was still very early, and the family was most likely asleep. Heavy rain had fallen the previous day, and Eleanor had spent the night at an inn outside Meryton. After gazing once more upon what had once been her home, she re-entered the carriage and continued towards her destination.

◆◆◆

Fitzwilliam Darcy was serious, intelligent, and wealthy.

He descended from a noble family on his mother’s side and a family of prosperous landowners on his father’s.

Unfortunately, he had been obliged to assume possession of his inheritance at the age of one-and-twenty, thereby becoming one of the wealthiest men in England at a very young age.

He was also handsome; his countenance reflected his aristocratic lineage, and his dark blue eyes concealed a complex personality.

Tall and well-built, he possessed the physique of an active gentleman who practised fencing and was an accomplished horseman.

All these qualities made him an excellent marriage prospect, and matchmaking mothers dreamed that their daughters might one day become Mrs Darcy.

Unfortunately for them, Mr Darcy understood perfectly how the ton operated, and very few people truly knew him.

He was respected for his social standing and his sharp intelligence.

His confidence in his own worth led him to hold a high opinion of himself.

Reserved and somewhat haughty in company, he found little pleasure in the constant attention he received.

Consequently, he cultivated a disdainful and aloof manner in order to keep most people at a distance.

Those who knew him well accepted these proud airs, understanding that he behaved very differently with his family and close friends. Many others believed that a gentleman of such wealth and distinction had every right to act as he pleased—and, in many respects, Mr Darcy did exactly that.

That morning, he had gone out riding. He enjoyed the exercise because it allowed him time to think and organise his plans for the day.

Unfortunately, Miss Jane Bennet had fallen ill the previous afternoon after being caught in the rain and was now recovering at Netherfield.

Mr Darcy acknowledged that she was beautiful, as were many ladies he had encountered over the years.

Yet, in his opinion, there was nothing particularly remarkable about her.

Miss Elizabeth Bennet, however, was another matter.

She was likewise pretty, but she possessed qualities rarely found in a young lady. Although he admitted she was attractive, her vulgar family and lack of connections made it impossible that she could ever secure the notice of a man of his standing, however much she might wish it.

Mr Darcy recalled how frequently Elizabeth challenged him and looked at him with defiance.

At Lucas Lodge, she had even sung for him and refused his invitation to dance, despite having approached him with what seemed a clear intention of doing so.

He was even forced to admit that, had her circumstances been different, he might have considered her.

Although he knew that these innocent flirtations between them were far from compromising, he recognised that he ought to be more circumspect. Miss Bingley had caught him in a moment of weakness and now knew of his admiration for Elizabeth’s fine eyes.

Yet Mr Darcy was not the sort of gentleman to waste his time upon a country miss or to encourage expectations he could never fulfil.

‘It is time to forget these foolish reflections and have breakfast. I hope I arrive before Miss Bingley awakens. I have no wish to endure her endless flattery. Come, let us go home,’ he said to his horse, and they galloped back to Netherfield.

◆◆◆

While travelling in her carriage towards her destination, Lady Campbell reflected upon the time, twenty years earlier, when she had embarked for Canada as a companion to a widow journeying to be reunited with her son.

Lady Margaret had not seen her beloved son for many years, and that good woman had enabled Eleanor to flee England, leaving behind both the painful memories of her past and the family who had failed her when she needed them most.

The dowager countess had two sons: Robert Campbell, Earl of Westcliff, and his younger brother, Daniel Campbell.

Lady Margaret's husband had not been a good man. He had been aggressive, immoral, and a dreadful husband and father. At his death, the earldom was practically bankrupt. Yet, with Daniel's financial assistance, Robert succeeded in preserving part of the family's legacy.