Prologue #2
Your warning about the Militia is taken to heart, dearest Aunt.
Kitty and Lydia’s heads have been filled with nothing but officers and flirtation ever since they came here, and I must say the officers do seem to be pleasant, gentlemanly fellows, but of course the soldiers of the rank and file may be somewhat uncouth.
The weather is turning cold and we have had one or two wet days which have curtailed my walks anyway, but I shall be sure to stay only to well-travelled roads when I walk, whether alone or with my sisters, and I shall caution them to do likewise.
We are all well here at Longbourn, now that Jane is recovered and we are both home.
Mr Bingley has spoken of giving a ball at Netherfield Park so we are all atwitter.
Jane has a new gown in white and gold; she looks like an angel, of course.
I teazed her that we should make goose-feather wings to complete the picture and she blushed most fiercely.
I heard Mr Bingley describe her as an angel in company once and I have wondered if he has whispered it to her directly, to make her blush so?
Jane tells me everything usually but she has never been in love before, well I must allow her some secrets!
I am remaking my blue gown with some new ribands and that lovely piece of lace you sent me for my birthday, to trim the neckline.
I had been saving it for a special occasion and this might be such, if Mr Bingley only does as we hope.
But no more of that. I shall begin to sound like Mama on the subject.
I did of course advise her of your travel plans, dear Aunt, and we shall all be very glad to see you, though sorry you can stay no longer than a week.
Pray tell me more of this event on New Year’s Eve, and describe your special gown, or at least include your sketch with your next letter, I am all agog!
Well, I have just about crossed the page completely, and so I shall say adieu,
Your loving Niece,
Lizzy
Gracechurch-street
November twentieth, 1811
Dearest Lizzy,
I shall write this quickly because I want to send it out by return post. We are all well here and I am glad to hear that Jane is recovered.
Lizzy, I am exceedingly confused by your account of Mr Darcy.
Can there be some misunderstanding? He is the very best of men.
I have known him since his birth: he is but three years my junior.
Indeed, he is a very distant cousin of mine!
The solicitor’s business in Lambton which my father owned was begun by the present Mr Darcy’s great-grandfather as a gift to his youngest son.
My grandmother was that junior scion’s daughter, and the business has remained in our family since.
Mr Darcy – and his father – have been the most gracious masters of Pemberley estate, which I will tell you if you do not already know, is one of the greatest in the country.
The Darcy family own near half of Derbyshire, and land in a good many other counties besides, and I do not know anyone who will not call them the very finest of masters.
But in addition to that, both your Uncle and I know Mr Darcy well, personally.
He is a partner in Gardiner Imports – and having shown your last two letters to your Uncle, he informs me that he has dealt a number of times on excellent terms with Mr Bingley, too.
I must beg of you not to antagonise Mr Darcy, and if you have not already mentioned your familial connection with us, pray do not do so in any manner that might be deemed disrespectful to him.
I must go to take this to the post, I pray you are all well at Longbourn,
Your loving
Aunt Madeline
Longbourn
23rd November
Dearest Aunt,
You have only succeeded in confusing me further.
I have met another old acquaintance of Mr Darcy who has nothing good to say of him at all, indeed his words have only confirmed my initial, and lately reinforced, impressions of the man!
I speak of a Mr Wickham, the son of the late steward at Pemberley, to whom the late Mr Darcy promised a living in his will.
The current Mr Darcy refused to honour the bequest!
Shocking behaviour, and to a young man with much to recommend him, who is lowered to having to take a commission in the Militia to support himself.
Do you know Mr Wickham, also? We have lately met him and I must say I have found him quite charming.
I am afraid that your friend Mr Darcy – and distant relative, hard though it is to believe that such a man can be related to someone as good and kind as yourself – must show two faces to the world, one to those he considers to be worthy of his regard and quite another to those he does not.
But enough of that disagreeable man. I must relate to you a tale of yet another amusing gentleman.
What do you think? Our cousin Mr Collins has come to visit!
It is he, of course, upon whom Longbourn is entailed upon Papa’s passing.
He wrote Papa a letter and abides with us until the end of the month.
I cannot think him a sensible gentleman, although he is a clergyman at a parish called Hunsford in Kent.
He speaks little of the Lord’s Word, but a great deal about the words of his patroness, a Lady Catherine De Bourgh, who to me sounds like a most ghastly interfering, managing woman.
Most unfortunately, our cousin seems to think that he should present an olive-branch to make up for the regrettable circumstances that will see him inherit Longbourn one day, and he seems to think that said olive-branch should consist of his selecting a bride from among my father’s daughters.
Jane was fortunately exempt from his ghastly attentions as Mama very strongly hinted that she would be likely shortly engaged, but this has only caused him to set his sights upon me.
Oh dear, Aunt, I am caught in a most awkward situation.
I would by no means cause grief to any member of my family, but Mama is doing her very best to press Mr Collins on me and I cannot abide him.
I cannot like him, I cannot respect him, and the thought of being his wife makes me ill to my stomach.
I pray that I can divert him from asking me, and that if he should be too obtuse to take the hint, that my father will not force me to accept him.
I cannot think that Papa ever would, for he too makes it clear that he thinks Mr Collins a buffoon, but then Mama…
Well, I shall cross that bridge when I come to it, and in the meantime rely upon you, dear Aunt, perhaps you can provide me with a hint or two for encouraging unwanted suitors? I recall Uncle laughingly saying that the young men of Derbyshire all broke their hearts over you when he stole you away!
We are all well here, though the miserable weather keeps us pent indoors. I am grateful for the obligation to return your letter, dear Aunt, as it means I have an excellent excuse to avoid being in Mr Collins’ company for an hour! (Forgive me. It is never a chore to write to you).
I hope that you are all well in Gracechurch-street and look forward with ever greater anticipation to seeing you at Christmas-time.
Your loving Niece,
Lizzy