Author's Notes: It is I believe, rather important that I state this fact. This story, although a novel length piece of work, will most likely have irregular updates. Pretense and Peculiarity is not a member of the Another Sister collection, but is it's own seperate piece of work, that will be more close (God willing) toportraying Austen's work withmuch more acurately. This sequel to Pride and Prejudice will follow what Austen herself dictated for the future of her beloved character's. I will attempt my best with this tale, to do my favorite author proud.
I have by no means of the imagination abandoned of forgotton about Another Sister as a matter of fact, I will probably be upsating that story, alony with various others in the up-coming fortnight. In the mean time however, please, allow yourself to enjoy Pretense and Peculiarity.
One
The Darcys of Pemberley Hall had always been a private family, socializing with a privileged few in the nearby villages of Lambton and Kempton, staying mostly away from their home, traveling abroad. The old Mr. Darcy had been known by all as the best sort of man; even his enemies had reluctantly claimed that the deceased gentleman had always been affable to the poor and those who were below most gentlemen's notice. The son of the kind man, and now the master of Pemberley Hall, was less well thought of.
"I dare say." Remarked a baffled old matron to her daughter one fine April morning, "That Mr. Darcy has quite a bit of nerve in penning me this letter; quite a bit of nerve indeed!"
"Why is that Mama?" her daughter asked curiously.
"If it had been old Mr. Darcy my pet, we would not be receiving news of the young Mr. Darcy's nuptials now. We would have been invited to the wedding! Celebratory ball indeed. I am in no rush to meet Derbyshire's newest huffy."
"Why Mama!" exclaimed the girl her morning's embroidery all but forgotten, "A ball at Pemberley? Oh Mama, why, we must go…Even if the Darcy's have slighted us in the past."
"Heaven's no child! I absolutely forbid it! If Mr. Darcy doesn't want the Goading family around, I have no plans on going to Pemberley, simply to get underfoot."
"But Mama!---" exclaimed she.
"No. And that is the final answer Marianne! Now go on upstairs and change out of your morning dress. I want to call on Mrs. Locke this afternoon and find out if she was invited to this little gathering at Pemberley."
The Goading family was not the only one who had been slighted by the inhabitants of Pemberley Hall since the death of Mr. Darcy. The young Mr. Darcy had been rather reclusive after the death of his father, normal for a young man mourning the death of not one but two most beloved parents. This was expected by all, and for the first two years after the elder had passed away, the neighbors in the country side accepted the antisocialism of Mr. Darcy with benevolence. As more time went by the neighbors began to grow irritated by the young man's attitude. Who was he to slight them? They who had been nothing but affable and kind to the gentleman in regards to his father's most unfortunate death?
He did not have the graciousness to pull together some little sort of group of friends for a picnic on his grounds, nor to pay some of his father's oldest and dearest friends an afternoon social call. What should the good inhabitants of Lambton and the surrounding countryside care for the likes of him even if he was so very rich?
Perhaps it was his grief over the loss of his father, or his natural shyness, that made Mr. Darcy so reclusive with his neighbors. Perhaps being surrounded by such dear friends of his father was such a reminder of the death that it was too painful a task to undertake. Or perhaps he thought himself above the company of those not as wealthy or noble as he, and therefore wanted nothing to do with the people who thought that they should be closest to the young man. The pride of the people was shot, and in return for the wounds, soon spread were the rumors of the Darcy family's, pride, arrogance, conceit and disdain towards those lower to themselves.
Georgiana Darcy, sent away to school in Ramsgate and later to London, was little censured. The poor girl had yet to come out, and therefore it was not her fault that she had not called on the old family friends. No, this crime lay with the gentleman alone, and if he believed that one invitation to an all day picnic and evening ball would make up for this infraction with the persons of the area (when it was not even the proper season for balls at that!) he was to be sorely mistaken.
However, when the day came for the infamous picnic at Pemberly Hall, carriages lined the drive and circle, every single one of invited persons in their best finery arriving with punctuality pleasant smiles gracing all of their features. Eager they were to meet the new mistress of Pemberley, and laugh at the hated young man's misfortunes, for they were sure that he must have married some plain heiress with thirty of forty thousand Lb that would give him little pleasure in the marriage state. There were those that would wish the gentleman well, and sincerely hoped that marriage would bring him great felicity. However, in cases such as these, grudges are easily held, especially by elderly matrons who felt as though Mr. Darcy's reclusive disposition was a personal insult to their own family, and in particular, their own daughter.
Author's Notes: And so ends chapter one, which although was rather short, sets the mood and leads way for the plot to unfold, which I assure you isn't going to be as dull or repetive as it may appear.
My first is is a beggar's word of choice,
the only manner he chooses to voice.
My second is what all thespians dread,
should it be bad, they'll have your head!
My riddle in a tribuate to Jane, who wrote some very trickey ones when she was much youger than I! And in case you have not figured out what the answer is, I'll tell you:
My first is please, My second is review!
So please review!