Hi Guys

Welcome to my new story

Golden Cage

Yes as you know I do so love to try new things with the beloved chars of Pride and Pred, well all I can say for this story is,

Hold on to your Bonnets!

This was the product of a sleepless night chocolate and a desire to write something wholly orginial.

Now on to the usual, I own nothing recognizable,

I do not as of yet have a beta for this story so if any of my wonderful reviewers would like to volunteer I would welcome the help, until then

Any and all errors you might find are entirely my own doing and as apparently this site took the spell check feature out of the doc manager it still holds true.

Now with the formalities concluded I bring you

Chapter 1. Diminished Returns

Skydancinghobbit

"Where people wish to attach [others to them], they should always be ignorant. To come with a well-informed mind is to come with an inability of administering to the vanity of others which a sensible person would always wish to avoid. A woman especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can.

Hands that had seen one to many winters reached up to rub tired eyes. The spluttering of the tallow candles on a desk before him marked the time as surely as any craftsman piece yet the occupant of the chair didn't stir, Mr. Bennet had been pouring over his account books most of evening and well into these early hours. Meticulously tracking the household expenses as every sensible land owner should.

Yet he had not done so since taking the estate nigh on 30 years beforehand,

There had been originally no need, as a young man deluded by his status as a newly made country gentlemen and possessing no turn for economy. He had only to choose a good well off wife and his future would be secure. Yet vanity had won out in the end, he had chosen a very pretty girl with a comfortable fortune. The daughter of a wealthy tradesman who was as accomplished as he could wish knowing well how to sing, dance play an instrument and the like but, as with many young ladies of her day had not been taught to think seriously on any topic of merit. Left to choose and follow his own principles on which to model his household both man and wife had trusted blindly that the estate would always provide all that they would ever need.

Year in and year out it had been so, but spending freely what had come freely they had saved nothing, children came in due course and both pinned their hopes on that one male heir that would secure their future good. Four daughters preceded that one fated son. Who as God willed, had lived only long enough to be blessed by the church rector before he had slipped away taking with him a father's last hope. It was a full two weeks before he left the comfort of the book room. Bathing his misery in more port that he ought, leaving the care of his wife and remaining young children to his good sister in laws who had come them on hearing of the sad tidings.

Fanny had been sure following year she was carrying a male child but on presenting him with a final daughter had sunk into such a severe depression that her life was feared for, yet while she would recover the episode would change her personality ever-after. Gone was the sweet natured charitable women with something good to say to all and sundry as she passed and had always helped the neighborhood poor without thought to her own gain or loss. In her place was a flighty fidgeting creature who could contribute little to nothing to the evening conversation beyond the price of a new bonnet or the latest social gossip.

His daughters had been neglected in consequence and as the result of a long conference, had been taken home by the Gardiners for a proper education with the promise they were to be returned home for holidays and family gatherings. A Private boarding school was their father's only gift they remembered growing up beyond the stories their uncle told them, It was small wonder then even the eldest occasionally called her uncle, papa.

Mrs. Bennet's brother morned the loss of his beloved childhood friend though her life had been spared from her despair the women she had become was not the Fanny he remembered. Yet in caring for her girls filled the void in their own life as the Gardiers had been unable to have children of their own, yet with capital and affection aplenty they lacked for nothing. It was, overall an elegant arrangement.

Now what of Mrs. Bennet?

Her husband had indulged her badly the neighbors had whispered. Allowing the frequent trips to the shops that had helped ease her sorrows or ill moods as they came yet it did not seem to fill the void in her heart and as the weeks had turned into months her bloom faded, her hair beginning to gray long before its time. Her companion Miss Heartwrite was hired shortly after the girls left home and to do her justice took the care of her Mistress very seriously indeed even raising her spirits to the degree that she was minded to meet her children whenever they came home.

Mr. Bennet yearned for the women he married but had learned to accept the women she had become, as indeed in time had all their circle of friends. Everyone knew well not to mention the youngest daughter, for poor Fanny did not even recollect baring her.

Ten years had passed in this solitary fashion and now Mr Bennet was faced with another challenge.

His daughter had grown now and just returned home from their school, for an extended visit, almost strangers to his eyes now, for they had left him at just 6 or 7 and come back ten years older...what was a father to do? to his credit he rallied and rose to the occasion, accepted each as they were, finding in each an individual merit that raised his spirits even in this fragile first meeting.

Jane was a beautiful creature, with flowing golden hair that reminded him strongly of wheat in summer. Elizabeth was dark haired as her mother had been before her possessing a lively wit and pleasing conversation. Mary was serious minded and had inherited her fathers love of books Catherine was gifted with music, filling the house all day long with the blessing of her songs while her sister played or engaged in lively cheerful conversation that began to dispel the silence that had lingered like the long weeks of winter in the large house, just waiting for life and warmth to come again.

What of that youngest girl?

Lydia had sadly passed the winter before schools end taken by a sudden illness. He had been told she had been a very pretty lively girl, it was a pity he would never know her.

So now they had now come full circle. Reaping the benefits of their choices, a small comfort to the aging master who had so recently discovered his estate was running to rack and ruin around him just as his children returned home Yet one night of good stewardship was not going to redeem his family.

The ledgers after all could not lie,

The former steward, Robert Wickham had died only a year or two back and his son while a good man had not the capacity his sire had for the business and the estate had suffered for it. The crops had failed for several seasons now as a result and their situation while bad was not yet dire. Sir Lucas had done a good deed by supporting the family by way of a loan but even that charity could not last in defiantly. It went against his grain to fire the young man but with so newly reformed a family they could take no chances. Young Wickham had been sent on his way only days before.

The staff had all been soundly questioned, Mrs. Hill only have learned of the crisis that very evening just hours after her Master. She promised to faithfully go over their stores and see what was to be done. His brother had been called for as a last resort, the ink on the parchment scarcely dry on the express before it was sealed and sent off to London. With the last of the capital of the loan in hand, Mr. Bennet looked ahead and prayed for salvation for his family. Yet as he rose and took the candle to head for bed there was a glimmer of hope on the horizon.

A rumor of a new neighbor...who possessed a good fortune and must after all be in want of a wife.

So ends Chapter 1- dodges thrown objects-

What say you brave readers worth the read? I know its a rather dark beginning but things do get better from here I promise.

Whomever grants this story its 5th review shall have Chapter 2's dedication

Stay tuned therefore for Chapter 2 Strangers Among Family

Skydancinghobbit

P.S. Please take a moment to look over my other stories they need love too you know