Pride and Prejudice Down Under
Disclaimer – The story is JANE AUSTENS, not Sheyana's, see the difference? Good!
A/N – I'm currently looking for a beta – As you may be able to tell, this chapter wasn't beta'd…If you can do the job, drop me a line either in the review or in an email.
Chapter 1
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife. – Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
Elizabeth Bennet cringed as her mother emitted a loud shriek,
"George, George, guess what! Charles Bingley is coming to Brisbane!"
"Who is Charles Bingley, and why should I care?" her father barely looked up from his paper and her mother stopped flicking through her Womans Weekly with an exasperated sigh.
"Charles Bingley is one of the richest young men in the world; he inherited billions from his dead parents. They made it on the stock market I believe, as well as in business. And he's coming to Brisbane!"
"I still do not see how this affects us?" Elizabeth grinned, good old father, deliberately leading mother on, of course he knew why Fanny Bennet was so excited, there was only one reason she ever got this excited.
"Why he will date one of our girls I'm sure!" Fanny Bennet was nearly screaming in her attempt to make her husband understand. "You must make sure we attend the same parties as him, to give our little darlings the best opportunity. Surely someone at work can help you out!"
Elizabeth turned to Jane, her older sister, with a smile. "Well Jane, it looks like you're taken care of now, and I'll be left at home with the others." When she spoke of 'the others' Elizabeth was referring to their three younger sisters, Mary, Kitty and Lydia, aged 19, 18, and 17 respectively.
"What do you mean Lizzy?" Jane asked, "How am I taken care of?"
"My dear Jane, how can you not see? If mother has her way, Charles Bingley will fall madly in love with you – for you are the prettiest of us all – and will marry you before the end of the year. I am sure of it!" Lizzy spoke with a huge grin on her face.
"Lizzy, you…you idiot! You're talking rubbish!"
"Now Jane, it is not rubbish, and you know it!"
At this point their three younger sisters entered the room and had the situation explained to the by their excited mother. Lydia, being her usual vapid self, giggled foolishly.
"I shouldn't wonder if he chooses me, though I am the youngest!"
Kitty, not to be outdone added her five cents. "Or me, after all, we do have the most style."
Lizzy grimaced, oh yes; it must be confessed that her two youngest sisters always wore the latest fashions, it was just a pity that the current fashions did not quite suit Lydia's chubby body and dyed-blonde hair, or Kitty's scrawny build and dyed-black hair.
As for their other sister, Mary, she, poor girl didn't have a chance in the world. Mary was very firmly stuck about ten years in the past and wore thick-rimmed black glasses that were far too large for her tiny face. She was constantly reading 'improving' books and practicing the piano, which she played very badly indeed.
While Lizzy thought, Fanny was chattering away happily with her two youngest children, discussing Charles Bingley, and what they would wear to the upcoming extravaganza dance night at their usual club.
"You must look extra-good my girls because Charles Bingley will almost certainly be there. You shall have money for new outfits."
George Bennet groaned, "No they shall not! Last time they were given money for new outfits they spent 200 each on new clothes, shoes and handbags which were absolutely disgusting and utterly inappropriate."
Fanny turned to her husband with and exasperated sigh. "Don't talk such rubbish George, of course they shall have new outfits, the dears, the last ones were so cute – and they were designer labels too!"
"They shall not! Lizzy and Jane may, if they wish it, I haven't paid for new things for them in a long time. Well girls, how much do you need?"
Through their mother's protests, the two elder girls assured their father that they didn't need anything new, and he should keep his money for more important things. As fanny's voice rose louder and louder, Lizzy stood and pulled Jane up from the couch they were sitting on and they walked out of the living room together, heading for the room they had shared for the past 15 years.
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Once they reached the room, Lizzy turned to Jane.
"Well Jane, what shall we wear? I think perhaps you should go in your green silk halter ad black pleated skirt. As for me, I wouldn't have a clue!" Lizzy sorted through her cupboard restlessly.
"Hmm," Jane quickly dove through the clothes and pulled out a set, "Here you go." Lizzy looked down at what Jane had chosen, a blood-red off the shoulder top and a black knee-length flared skirt.
"Wear that with your Doc Martens, I'll do your hair." Lizzy looked at Jane gratefully.
"Thanks Jane, what would I do without you?" Jane smile deprecatingly,
"Now stop worrying about that, it's not till Saturday, you have other stuff to think about…Uni starts in a week – remember?"
Lizzy groaned. She was studying 4th year Law at the University of Queensland, and wasn't particularly looking forward to going back to the grind. "Don't remind me!"
Jane was working as a teacher now, and didn't have to worry about studying anymore, it wasn't fair!
Jane laughed, "It's not a piece of cake teaching 8 year olds maths you know!"
Lizzy grinned, "How 'bout we swap then? You study law for a day, and I'll teach your eight year olds."
"No way, I'd get back the next day to find the poor little things so demoralized! And plus, I don't know a thing about law."
Lizzy grinned in triumph, that ball wasn't looking so bad after all!
Sorry 'bout the short chappie, the next one will be longer – I promise! But the next one won't run up until…you review!
I need a new title – suggestions anyone?
NEXT CHAPTER – the dance!