AN: This story is for urlsareforcreativepeople on tumblr. She made a request on the Sherlolly tag for a Sherlolly Pride and Prejudice AU. I have wanted to write a version of Pride and Prejudice for other ships in other fandoms, but haven't taken the leap because having to write in this style of English scares me. I don't know if I can pull it off without using a lot the source material and have it still sound like a Jane Austen novel. So, this first chapter uses a lot of the lines from the first chapter of Pride and Prejudice, but as I go on I will pull away from the source material more and more. Of course, at the end of the day, this is still a Pride and Prejudice type story, so it will definitely follow that same basic storyline.

I don't own Pride and Prejudice... But neither does Jane Austen since it's in the public domain.

I'm kidding ghost of Jane Austen, you are still awesome and should totally get all the love.

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Chapter 1

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

Though little is known about the actual feelings or views of any such man, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of many, that he is considered the rightful property of those families with marriageable daughters.

"My dear Mr. Lestrade," said his sister to him one day, "have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?"

Greg Lestrade replied that he had not.

"It has. I have been to town and heard all about it."

Lestrade simply continued with his correspondence.

"Do you not want to know who has taken it?" cried his sister impatiently.

Lestrade was faced away from his older sister, so he felt safe rolling his eyes heavenward. "You want to tell me, so tell me."

Mrs. Hudson continued on with exuberance.

"Why, my dear brother, you must know, Netherfield is taken by a young doctor of large fortune from London. He came on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed to take it immediately. Some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week."

"What is his name?"

"Watson."

"Is he married or single?"

"Single of course, my dear brother! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for my girls!"

"How so? How can it affect them?"

"My dear Gregory," replied his sister, "how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them."

"Is that his design in settling here?"

"Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes."

"I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Dr. Watson may like you the best of the party."

"Your intent may purport otherwise Gregory, but I certainly have had my share of beauty. I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When a woman has three grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty."

"In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of."

Mrs. Hudson pursed her lips and eyed her brother carefully. "My dear brother, you must indeed go and see Dr. Watson when he comes into the neighbourhood."

"That is certainly not my intent for diversions."

"But consider my daughters, Gregory! Only think how this will establish one of them. Sir William and Lady Donovan are determined to go, merely on that account, for their Sally. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him if you do not as my brother and head of house."

"You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Dr. Watson will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for little Molly."

"You will do no such thing. Molly is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Mary, nor half so good-humoured as Janine. But you are always giving her the preference."

"None of them have much to recommend them," he responded. "They are all silly and ignorant like other girls, but Molly has something more of quickness than her sisters."

"Gregory, how can you abuse your nieces in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves."

"You mistake me, dear sister. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these last forty years at least."

"Ah, you do not know what I suffer."

"But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood."

"It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them."

"Depend upon it, dear sister, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all."

Gregory Lestrade was so odd a mixture of sarcastic humour, quickness, and dullness, and yet the experience of six-and-forty years as siblings had been insufficient to make his sister understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of some resourcefulness, caring, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. She had been married and widowed three times previously, the results of which were three very different daughters. The business of her life was to get her daughters married.