First of a double chapter update. Chapter four is a short one so uploading two today. Stay safe.

Chapter Four

As Elizabeth did most times she wrote to her Aunt Madeline Gardiner, she included a second letter to be passed on to her cousin Lady Helena Fitzwilliam. Lizzy was unable to correspond directly with her cousin due to Mr Bennet having cut the relationship to her maternal family after the carriage accident that killed her mother and brother. Elizabeth had never gotten the details, her father refused to talk about how they died and her mother's family (despite going against some of his other wishes) did not believe they should tell her things they knew her father didn't want the girls to know. All she had been able to work out for herself, was that she and Jane were also present but survived; and her father blamed her mother's family for all of it.

Any letters they exchanged, therefore, naturally took longer to reach one another and be responded to. With this in mind, Elizabeth knew a response to the letter she had just finished would take some time in getting to her, but she could not resist the urge to tell her dear cousin of all that had happened since their return from town a fortnight before.

After sanding the letter, Lizzy read over it one more time before sealing it and folding it inside the missive for her aunt.

Longbourn

October 2nd 1811

My dear Helena,

I hope you are well since we parted, and that you have now fully recovered from the cold that so afflicted you.

Jane and I have settled back into live at Longbourn quite as we always do – with shouting, dramatic antics and thievery. It was both generous and wise of your dear mother to gift us with two cuts of fabric each for new dresses. You may tell her she was correct, Mrs Bennet took one from each of us to use for new gowns for Mary and Lydia and Papa has not roused himself to intervene. I do hate how that woman ignores Kitty so. Mayhap I should take her to the modiste myself and treat her without letting on to Mrs Bennet. I am not entirely certain how I shall accomplish such a task but with saving my allowance for two months and the money I brought home from town, I believe I can manage it without asking Papa for help.

You will be entertained, I am sure, to hear that the dramatic antics to which I referred earlier pertain to the letting of Netherfield Park; the neighbouring estate to Longbourn and the largest estate in the area. A young, amiable (read 'handsome and single') gentleman has taken the lease and moved in with a party of friends just five days ago.

You may in fact be acquainted with the gentleman yourself, as one of his guests is none other than your own cousin, Mr Darcy. The amiable friend is a Mr Bingley, and although his sisters and your cousin leave something to be desired, Mr Bingley has been gracious and courteous to all his neighbours.

I must admit to you that I am rather relived that my Aunt Rebecca thought it unwise to introduce us around town as your relatives until we come of age; I cannot say I look forward to meeting the young men of your circle if they are all like your cousin! You must forgive me for my harsh judgement of Mr Darcy, I know he is family to you and therefore you are obliged to care for him despite his failings, but I struggle to find anything charitable to say about the man at all. He is tall, we can count that in his favour I suppose.

My opinion is not ill founded I assure you, but I shall recount the first night of our meeting and you may judge for yourself. As happens each year, our local town of Meryton hosted an assembly on the eve before Michaelmas (there were a few sore heads in church the following morning) and the party from Netherfield were eagerly anticipated by all the matrons of the area – for a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife! They arrived during the second set, not scandalously late but as it limited the number of dances available for him to ask Mary to stand up with him Mrs Bennet was ruffled all the same.

Mr Bingley was polite to all he was introduced to, and I cannot fault his taste in dance partners for he asked our dear Jane twice. He rarely stood to the side when he could be dancing, and at an assembly where gentleman were scarce, he was a welcome addition. Although Mrs Bennet was rather irritable once we returned home for he only danced once with Mary. She was almost throwing my reluctant sister at the poor gentleman all evening, in her bid to catch a wealthy husband for her daughter. Heaven help us when Kitty and Lydia are old enough to be out.

Your esteemed cousin, however, barely deigned to nod in response to introductions and danced only two dances – and those were with Mr Bingley's sisters. It was widely remarked on by the local populous that he was proud and thought himself above the evening's entertainment. Now I do not doubt that he is used to much finer balls and soirees than can be found in our modest neighbourhood, but I shall not allow that to excuse the insult I overheard from his own lips.

Mr Bingley had come to his friend during the break in a set he was dancing with Jane to encourage him to participate, even going so far as to point me out as a potential partner. Mr Darcy - within my hearing remember - told him that I was 'tolerable' at best, but that he could not be tempted to dance and would not give consequence to young ladies slighted by other men! How abominable!

He also cut rather deep with a remark on Mrs Bennet's treatment of me. I refuse, however, to allow that woman's actions, or the gentleman's opinions of them, to have a lasting impact on my remembrance of the assembly.

So prey, do not think me too affected by his ill treatment of me, I had plenty of dance partners over the course of the evening and I also found a way to make my displeasure in his manners known to him later on. I then swiftly resolved to think no more of it. Do not fret, I was not obvious in my condemnation and I doubt others in the vicinity understood it, but from what you have told me in the past of your cousin, I believe him to be intelligent enough to have caught my meaning.

Now Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley; are you at all acquainted with those ladies? From the way they were speaking they are the most intimate of acquaintances with both Mr and Miss Darcy, so you must have spent time with them. Do tell me your opinion of them, for I am unable to decide if they are deliberately trying to give offence or if their manners simple do not translate well to country life. I am inclined to believe the former as their self-proclaimed superior education should have provided them with universally acceptable manners.

Have you many engagements scheduled before you return north in November? In addition to some dinner parties, we are to attend a small evening party at our neighbours the Lucas's next week. I have told you many times of how dear their eldest daughter Charlotte is to me, and I am certain I shall spend the evening in conversation with her as I try to avoid Mrs Bennet and the spotlight she will be trying to shine on Mary. I adore my sister, but she is not built for exhibiting.

Give my best wishes to your honoured family,

Your loving cousin,

Elizabeth