Chapter 10

Mr. Bennet flipped through the mail Jane had brought in earlier that day. His hands stopped when he noticed a letter from his second daughter. She had left to get married almost a month ago and this was the first letter she had written. He had received a telegram when she had boarded the stagecoach, informing him that she had made it safely by train.

Taking it in his hand, he held it up and frowned when he saw it was addressed to Jane. Laying the rest of the mail on his desk, he grabbed the letter, and went to find his daughter. As he was walking to the parlor, Mr. Bennet found his wife coming out of Lydia's room.

"Is something the matter with Lydia?"

Mrs. Bennet looked up and shook her head. "I am not sure what I am going to do with that girl."

"What did she do now?" he asked and knew the answer was not going to be something he liked. Lydia was their youngest daughter at fourteen years old. She was his wife's favorite and her baby girl.

"Jane's new suitor stopped by this afternoon while Jane was out. Lydia told him that Jane was being courted by a different gentleman. The young man believed her and said he wouldn't be calling here anymore. That was the only gentleman that has shown any interest in Jane."

"I will talk to Lydia later, but right now I would like to know where Jane is. Have you seen her?"

"She is up in her room with Mary. She was pretty upset about the events and refused to see anyone but Mary."

"I will go and see her." he said and didn't mention the letter from Elizabeth. His wife was still angry that her daughter had left home to marry a stranger. She had claimed that there were plenty of gentlemen in Meeker that would marry her, but she didn't know that Elizabeth wanted something more in a husband. Someone who would actually listen to her and let her be herself.

Mr. Bennet shook his head slightly as he climbed the stairs to his eldest daughter's bedroom. Knocking softly on the door, he heard a quiet enter. Turning the knob and stepping inside, he found Jane and Mary sitting on the bed. "Mary I need to speak to your sister alone please."

Mary gave her sister a brief hug before kissing her father on the cheek. "I will come back up when Papa is done talking to you Jane." She said and closed the door behind her.

Jane wiped a tear from her cheek. She was upset about what Lydia told Patrick Mitchell, but she knew she would get over it. She didn't love him and wasn't sure if she would have accepted his proposal is he did ask.

"How are you holding up Jane?" Mr. Bennet asked and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I am fine Papa. I liked Mr. Mitchell, but I really didn't see myself settling down with him." She said and noticed the letter clutched in his hand. "What do you have there Papa?"

Her father stared down at the letter before handing it to his daughter. "It is from Elizabeth and it is addressed to you. I will leave you to read it." He placed a kiss to his daughter's cheek and left the room.

Jane studied the envelope. Elizabeth hadn't told her what town in Texas she was traveling to, but now Jane knew it was Pemberly. Seeing the name Elizabeth Darcy, Jane smiled. I wonder how Elizabeth is enjoying being married.

Opening the envelope, she unfolded the single sheet of paper, and started reading.

My dearest Janie,

I am sorry I haven't written until know, but I want to tell you that I arrived safe in Pemberly Texas. The same day I arrived, I met an older woman named Mrs. Reynolds who has been very kind to me, and introduced me to the young ladies in town after church. She and her husband live on the homestead next to ours, and they have known my husband since he was a baby.

My husband is a handsome man, but he can also be hard to talk to sometimes. We have been spending the last two weeks getting to know each other, and it has been interesting. We are also raising his two year old niece Anna. She is a happy little girl, who enjoys spending time with us, and our new puppy Scout. Scout follows her around the house and I even found him sleeping with her.

Will and I would like to invite you to come out and stay with us for a few weeks. I am not sure how Mama and Papa will take news, but I really want to see you. I am enjoying my life here, but I miss my dear sister.

Tell Mama and Papa that you will be safe while traveling. I didn't have any problems or incidence along the way. If Papa agrees, send a telegram to Pemberly. I hope to hear from you soon.

Love,

Elizabeth

Jane shook her head and smiled. Folding the letter, and putting it back in the envelope, she jumped off the bed and went to find her father. Slipping out the door, she walked past her sisters doors, and poked her head in Mary's room.

"Mary, would you like to come downstairs with me?"

Her sister looked up from her book and raised a brow. "It seems you are feeling happier Jane."

"I am Mary. I received a letter from Elizabeth."

Mary set her book on the nightstand and went to stand out in the hall with her sister. "How is she doing? Is she enjoying being married?"

"In her letter, she says that she is happy. She also invited me to stay with them for a few weeks. Now I have to only get Mama and Papa to agree to it. Do you think they will?"

Her sister grabbed her arm and dragged her down the stairs. "I am sure they will. Let's go downstairs and find them."

Jane chuckled at her sister and followed her down to the parlor. They stepped in to the room and found their mother knitting while their father was reading the paper. Mary went and sat down, while Jane found a chair next to her mother.

"Can I talk to you for a minute Papa?" Jane asked.

Mr. Bennet made to rise but sat back down when Jane raised a hand. "Mama needs to hear this too."

"Go ahead Jane."

Jane tucked a stray blonde curl behind her ear and raised the letter. "This letter is from Elizabeth; she informs me that she is happy and enjoys being married to her husband. She and her husband have also invited me to come out and visit for a few weeks. Can I go?"

Mrs. Bennet set down her knitting and shook her head. "I am not allowing another daughter to travel out west. I might never see Elizabeth again. I don't want the same thing to happen to you."

She laid a hand on her mother's arm. "I am only going to be gone for a few weeks Mama. I will be coming back."

Mr. Bennet saw the sadness in his daughter's eyes. "I think it would be good for Jane to visit her sister. They were best friends growing up and I can see that Jane is missing Elizabeth."

Jane smiled at her father, but her mother sharply turned to glare at him. "I am not losing another daughter to the frontier. You are not going."

"Mama I need some time away from here. Visiting Elizabeth will help me heal from what Lydia did. Please Mama?"

Mrs. Bennet looked in to her oldest daughter's blue eyes and sighed. She laid a hand on her cheek. "You can go to visit Elizabeth, but please write to us when you get there or send a telegram. I want to make sure you made it safely there."

Jane jumped out of her chair and threw her arms around her mother. Placing a kiss on her cheek, she said, "Thank you Mama. I will start packing when I return from the telegraph office. I need to send a telegram to Elizabeth saying when I will be there."

Mr. Bennet stood and placed a kiss on her cheek. "I will be in my study when you get back. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask."

Jane watched him walk out of the room and made her way to the door. Turning back she addressed her sister. "Would you like to come to telegraph office with me Mary?"

Her sister nodded and followed her out of the room. They grabbed their bonnets and walked out the door. Jane linked arms with her seventeen year old sister as they made their way along the boardwalk.

"Are you scared about traveling alone Jane?"

"I must admit that I am a little afraid, but I will be fine. I am more scared about leaving you alone with Kate and Lydia. They have a habit of being silly and I don't want to leave you alone with them."

"I will be fine Jane. I can spend my afternoons with Carrie Stevens. We have started working on two new dresses for the church dance next month." She said as they came to the telegraph office. Jane opened the door and they stepped inside. She quickly wrote up a telegraph to send to Pemberly and handed him the money to pay for it.

"Would you like to wait for a reply Miss Bennet?"

"Could you send a messenger to the house with the reply when it comes in?"

He nodded his head and said that could be arranged. Jane thanked him and they stepped back out in to the sunlight. She linked arms with her sister as they headed back to the house. "Are you sure you don't want to spend time with Carrie because of her brother Jake?" she asked and raised a brow at her sister.

Mary blushed at the mention of the gentleman's name. Jake Stevens was the new doctor in town. He had taken over for Doc Wells a few months ago and every girl in town was after Jake. "I don't know what you are talking about Jane. I enjoy spending time with Carrie."

"He would make you a fine husband Mary. You just have to give it time."

Her sister sighed and hoped that it would come true. She had loved him since they were children, but wasn't sure how he felt. Jane I hope you are right.

Jane ushered her sister in to the house. She untied her bonnet and laid it on the table. Climbing the stairs to her room, she opened the door, and sat on the bed. I wish I could find a man who would love me and I could fall in love with, but I don't think I will ever find him.

Pulling her trunk out of the closet, she started going through her clothes to take with. She thought she would never find a man that would love her, but she didn't know how wrong she was.