Misses Elizabeth Darcy

Pemberley

Derbyshire

18th of December 1812

My dear Jane,

Or should I say Misses Bingley? Oh, sometimes I still cannot believe how grown up your name now sounds! And then I look around and see myself, Mistress of Pemberley, and I almost start laughing out loud, how far away we are from the girls we used to be just a few month back.

I was so happy hearing from you last time, especially that the Hursts returned to their townhouse in London and took our new sister Caroline with them. I dare say that it is high time, that you and that husband of yours get the time to enjoy your new wedded bliss in some privacy (or as much privacy one can get with our Mama near).

Please come and visit us, if you cannot stand it any longer in Hertfordshire, or better yet sooner, because I miss my favourite sister dearly.

But I dont want to whine, as this is to be a happy letter. I am sitting in the small drawing room (much more cozy then the grand one), and from my place at the window i can overlook the frozen pound, which sparkles just magically under the morning light. Georgiana is practicing a new sonate on her pianoforte, Fitzwilliam is out looking after the tenants and will come back shortly. He is the most attentive landlord! And a terrible wonderful husband of course. Enough gushing now!

In the meantime i can get all my correspondence done, which i neglected rather unfaithfully over the last few days (Did Mama already did a fit about her unthankful daughter away?). But it has been stressful here with the new snow and the passing of our parson in Lambton.

I was so happy hearing about dear Charlottes baby. What joy it must be for her and how happy she sounds in her letters! I was dearly surprised in finding the little babe christened Emily, as I would have thought our Cousin Mister Collins much more pious with the name of his first child, but its such a sweet gesture of them, honouring Lady Lucas in such a way. But she will chatter for many weeks about nothing else, which is not sweet at all, but very distressing, as it will vex our Mamas nerves very much, which will in turn vex all her children and poor Papa, till one of us manages to create a bigger sensation then little Emily Collins.

My new sister worries me a bit. Georgiana is a very sweet girl and nothing but nice to me, very well read for her age and she masters the pianoforte better then I ever could, but still she worries me, which sounds rather silly, when I write it down.

But she seems rather lonely here, even when there are her brother and me and her companion Misses Annesley (who is nothing but respectable and kind) with her. Maybe some friends her age would do her good, but there is nobody suitable here and we dont plan to go for London anytime soon and if it were for my husband, we would stay here in Pemberley for eternity (which starts sounding appealing to even me).
Maybe Kitty could visit us a bit, as she is nearer to Georgiana in age then Mary is? I still have to talk it over with Fitzwilliam, so please dont mention anything to Mama yet, but i could imagine taking Kitty in for a few weeks or even month in the new year. And maybe she would like a change of scenery? It would undoubtly do her good, what do you think?

Now Fitzwilliam came back home and we want to take a walk before lunch. Arent I the luckiest woman alive, to not only have beautiful grounds to walk, but a wonderful husband to walk with?

With love to you and Charles,

Your sister,

Elizabeth Darcy

P.S.: Fitzwilliam just mused how he misses his best friend. I think a visit is really due, my dearest Jane. Now I have to run and fetch my shawl. Love, ED