Gentlemen and Gentlewomen

A Pride and Prejudice Fanfiction by Mara Eva

A/N:  I don't even want to know how long it's been since I've given y'all a chapter.  Please be merciful with me—I've got a lot on my mind.  I go to a really really tough school—boarding—and I spend most of my time studying and the like (school newspaper, flute, heritage panel, drama, etc) It's amazing that I have time now (which I really don't but if I don't take a break, I might kill myself with this work).  I don't know how long until the next chapter, it really depends how boring my classes are.  But thank you for all the reviews.  Also, someone broke into my room at school and deleted everything off my computer (including this story), and the only document (out of many) that I was able to recover was this one.  Responses to reviews below!

Chapter 3- Mistress of Pemberley

With smiles illuminating the faces of the newly married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy descended from the carriage, welcomed by a couple score of servants.  Mr. Darcy assisted his wife from the carriage as the servants removed their luggage.  A Mrs. Reynolds, as she introduced herself, assisted Lizzy with removing her bonnet and cloak in the entrance hall.  On Fitzwilliam's arm Lizzy ascended the steps to the second floor where all the living chambers were.  In her own bedchamber, Lizzy directed the servants as to how she wished her luggage to be unpacked.  Then she went down with Fitzwilliam to meet all the servants, and begin her duties as the mistress of Pemberley.

There were close to sixty servants in the house, and Lizzy quickly realized that it would be weeks before she could know them all.  Afterwards, she sat down at her desk in  a small room adjoining the library.  It was called "The Mistress's Room" because it was there every morning that the late Mrs. Darcy wrote her letter.  It would be there where Lizzy would write hers as well.  This afternoon, Lizzy wrote to her sister, Mrs. Bingley

Dearest Jane,

It has been but a couple of days since we parted in town, and yet I miss you already.  Our journey was not as uneventful as I had hoped, yet no serious damage was done.  While in Warwick, a wheel broke on the carriage, and we were quite a few miles from any town.  None of the servants could ride bareback on the unsaddled horses either.  The coachman was left to walk some miles to the nearest town to get help.  About an hour and a half after he left, according to Mr. Darcy's watch, a carriage drove up and offered to get help, for which we were very thankful.  We told the kind stranger that our servant had set off for town to fetch help, and requested that if the stranger should come across him, to direct him back to our carriage.  The stranger sped off directly, but in the opposite direction of the servant!  We had no chance to give him the direction that the servant had gone.  So perhaps two hours later, a Cartwright pulled up from the north.  As he was replacing the wheel, a second Cartwright came with the servant.  It was quite an odd situation.  Within no time at all we continued our journey until we arrived late this afternoon.  How shall either of us know the names of so many servants!  I must have at least five chambermaids myself.

            Christmas is not far away.  You must come to Pemberley and visit us then and stay for the winter.  I know that I miss you already, dear sister, and I will never be able to be parted from you for long.  Our Aunt and Uncle Gardiner are to come for the holiday as well, and Mr. Darcy shall have no rest until he seconds all the invitations and includes Miss Darcy as well.  Indeed I shall have no doubt that Mr. Bingley will receive a letter himself very soon.

Until then, Your loving sister,

Elizabeth Darcy

Lizzy signed the letter and folded it. She reached for the seal but quickly realized that she had none, so she rose and entered the adjoining library where Darcy was writing his own letter.  She leaned over his shoulder to take a look.  Fitzwilliam turned his head and smiled.  Lizzy smiled back and the two kissed.

            "Colonel Fitzwilliam?" she asked.  "Be sure to invite him for Christmas."

            "Indeed I shall" he replied.  "So it seems that we should have quite a party this winter"

            "Oh no!" Lizzy was quick to repudiate.  "I want but a small party.  I am not quite ready to be invaded.  No I shall not want such a party until after the new year."

            "If you so desire," Fitzwilliam consented.   "I, for one, am not sure that I wish to be invaded even by our friends so soon."

            He kissed his wife again.  "Invite whom you will, and I shall second the invitation.  Presently they heard a knock on the door.  Mrs. Reynolds entered, holding a tray with a letter upon it.  Darcy took the letter and  opened it.  Lizzy read the letter over her husband's shoulder then straightened herself.

            "An invitation" Darcy confirmed, "for a ball at one of the neighboring residences.  I am not well acquainted with them, but I shall call on them directly if you decide that we shall accept."

            "I wonder that we received an invitation!"

            "'Tis odd indeed, but the late resident had no family and left his estate to an old friend from London.  I have met the man a couple of times, and he seems quite amiable.  I've no doubt that he knew few people to invite in the area—I wonder that he is having a ball at all."

            "I see no reason for us to refuse the invitation" Lizzy remarked, "and I am most anxious to become acquainted with the neighbors"

            "Then it is settled" Darcy decided.  "I shall call on them tomorrow, and return in time for lunch."

            Lizzy then remembered her request: "Have you any seal?  As of yet I have none"

            "And no ring! Yes of course, here is a stick," he handed her the wax, "and my ring.  Keep it with you, and when I have need of it, I will request it from you."

            Lizzy headed to the door, but at the frame turned around.  "Send Christmas invitations to Mr. and Mrs. Gardner and to dear Jane and Bingley"

            "And Georgiana?"

            "That goes without saying."

A/N:  to my readers

Alysa7:  Did that fix it?  I could have sworn that it looked perfect when I first posted it…Tell me if it is not changed.  It did the same thing to the second chapter, and I have no idea how!  I will try to fix it, but I dunno what I'll be able to do.  I shall also take your suggestion of a beta reader.

TN: It's hard to offend me (but that doesn't make it an open market J !).  Character development has always been one of my major problems.  Besides, reality has yet to hit our dear Elizabeth Lizzy Bennett Darcy

Princess of Dandelion: I hope that will work!  And have I ever left a note saying how much I love your stories?  (sometimes I forget to).

Vixenne Victorienne:  Thank you for those sites you sent me, they were of great use.  The only problem was that I only bookmarked one of them and then when my room was broken into, all my email was deleted so I don't have them anymore.  If you ever get the time, please send them to me again.

To everyone: It seems that I have messed up once again.  I also would like a beta reader.  If you could email me at mara_eva@hotmail.com that would be wonderful! I'm not afraid of constructive criticism, so don't be afraid to give it!

Thank you for the reviews, they mean a lot to me (even if I did not respond directly).  Continue to do so!