Mary slowly began to recover. Mrs. Annesley, Mr. Hadden, and Elizabeth, along with several maids, all took shifts in caring for her. Elizabeth was loath to leave her sister at all, but could sometimes be persuaded to do so when Mrs. Annesley was with Mary. Mary liked Mrs. Annesley very well. Elizabeth had not known it before, but Mary had not only become friends with Miss Darcy, but Mrs. Annesley as well. Mrs. Annesley had been married to a clergyman before she was widowed, and Mary was rather fond of discussing scripture and philosophy. She found a willing interlocutor in Mrs. Annesley, for it was not often that the clergyman's widow got to debate the existence of evil or which parts of the scripture were meant to be taken as literal or poetic.

For Elizabeth, the day held slightly more interest as well, for she could felt far more comfortable leaving her sister now that she was mending. Much of the morning was spent in company with the gentlemen, which made Elizabeth uneasy as she remembered the Colonel's words of praise. She supposed that they might have been speaking of Mary, but few had ever described Mary as lively. Elizabeth thought it a shame that Colonel Fitzwilliam could not marry where he wished, for she found him very agreeable. She would not say he was handsome, but his manners made him more so. She did not think herself as silly as her younger sisters. No, she would not fall for a man who had as much as said he could never offer for her. Still, it was pleasant to know that she was handsome enough that a gentleman might admire her.

In the evening Elizabeth joined their party in the drawing-room. Mr. Darcy was writing, and Miss Bingley, seated near him, was watching the progress of his letter and repeatedly calling off his attention by messages to his sister. Mr. Hurst, Mr. Bingley, Mrs. Hurst, and Colonel Fitzwilliam played at whist. Elizabeth took up some needlework near Miss Darcy and was sufficiently amused in attending to what passed between Darcy and his companion. The perpetual commendations of the lady, either on his handwriting, or on the evenness of his lines, or on the length of his letter, with the perfect unconcern with which her praises were received, formed a curious dialogue, and was exactly in union with her opinion of each.

"How delighted your cousin will be to receive such a letter!"

He made no answer.

"You write uncommonly fast."

"You are mistaken. I write rather slowly."

"How many letters you must have occasion to write in the course of a year! Letters of business, too! How odious I should think them!"

"It is fortunate, then, that they fall to my lot instead of yours."

"I am afraid you do not like your pen. Let me mend it for you. I mend pens remarkably well."

"Thank you—but I always mend my own."

"How can you contrive to write so even?"

He was silent.

"Do you always write such charming long letters to her, Mr. Darcy?"

"They are generally long; but whether always charming it is not for me to determine."

"It is a rule with me, that a person who can write a long letter with ease, cannot write ill."

"That will not do for a compliment to Darcy, Caroline," cried her brother, "because he does not write with ease. He studies too much for words of four syllables. Do not you, Darcy?"

"My style of writing is very different from yours."

"Oh!" cried Miss Bingley, "Charles writes in the most careless way imaginable. He leaves out half his words, and blots the rest."

"My ideas flow so rapidly that I have not time to express them— by which means my letters sometimes convey no ideas at all to my correspondents."

"It would be well if that were the case, for then one might at least see that an idea was in the making," said Colonel Fitzwilliam. He turned to Elizabeth and Miss Darcy and said conspiratorially, "I view Mr. Bingley's letters more as proof of life than a means of conveying ideas." Miss Darcy giggled and agreed, for she had seen some of the letters that Mr. Bingley had sent to her brother and her cousins.

"You should have your valet or a footman write your letters for you," said Elizabeth, "If they are letters with material a servant might read. Should they be personal or confidential business, I fear there is no hope."

"He has more than once asked me to write a letter of business for him," said Darcy with a smile.

"And he has had me write to Miss Bingley. Do you remember, Brother?" asked Miss Darcy.

"I do," said Darcy with a smile, "For you were but eleven, yet your hand was better than his."

"Now you are being cruel in your teasing," said Elizabeth, "His hand must surely be better than a child's."

"It is not, I admit it," said Mr. Bingley.

A maid then entered, asking for Elizabeth to follow her back to her sister, for Mary had asked for her. Mary, upon Elizabeth's entrance, was quite red of face and coughing. Mr. Hadden and Mrs. Annesley were attending her, but she desired the comfort of her elder sister. Elizabeth held Mary's hand while Mr. Hadden applied a salve of herbs to Mary's mouth. Mary had to keep her mouth open, trying not to cough or swallow, so the salve might treat the affected area. It was most painful and the application of the salve made Mary wish to vomit. After several minutes, Mary was allowed to close her mouth, before following the regular regimen with the tea and vinegar. Mr. Hadden then gave her a dose of sleeping draught, for he thought the pain must be preventing her from sleeping deeply and therefore stalling her recovery. When Mary was asleep, Elizabeth took it upon herself to retire as well after acquainting the others of her sister's condition.


James visited his sisters at Netherfield the next day. He found Mary much improved, although Mr. Hadden said the illness was not yet gone. He did not recommend that Mary be removed from Netherfield yet, for Mrs. Annesley had proven a capable nurse. Elizabeth thought she and Mary might do well on their own at Longbourn, but as none of the gentlemen were willing to argue against the advice of the doctor they were to remain. Mary later admitted to Elizabeth that she did not feel equal to a carriage ride, so Elizabeth supposed the doctor to be correct.

As Mrs. Annesley had the care of Mary well in hand, Elizabeth went to stroll in the gardens with Miss Darcy. It was a very pleasant sort of day, with no sign of rain in the few clouds in the sky. They began to speak of the upcoming Yuletide season and its many diversions. Miss Darcy related that they often spent the holidays in town, for Lord and Lady Matlock were nearly always there at that time and they were the closest relations they had.

"When will you be departing then, Miss Darcy?" asked Elizabeth, "For I shall certainly miss your company."

"Brother says that Mr. Bingley means to depart at the end of the month. As soon as the last repairs to the tenants' homes are complete, he shall go. Perhaps less than a fortnight."

"Pray, do visit again if you or your brother are again in Hertfordshire. I should dearly love to keep your acquaintance," said Elizabeth.

"I should as well. Brother has already told me that I may write to you if you should agree."

"I would like that above anything, Miss Darcy," agreed Elizabeth. A plan was then made. Miss Darcy, although supposing that they would be remaining at Darcy House, was not entirely certain. As soon as she returned to London, she would send the first letter, relating to the Misses Bennet where they would direct their letters. Elizabeth was glad, for she so cherished her friendship with the Darcys. She hoped perhaps that they might be in company soon again, perhaps whenever Elizabeth might go to stay with her aunt and uncle.


The next day was much the same, except that Mary was considered well enough to come downstairs for a little while after dinner. As soon as the ladies made for the drawing room after dinner, Elizabeth ran up to her sister, and seeing her well guarded from cold, attended her into the drawing-room, where she was welcomed by her friends with many professions of pleasure; and Elizabeth had never seen the sisters so agreeable as they were during the hour which passed before the gentlemen appeared. Even Miss Darcy, who had known them some two years or more, was surprised by their manner. Their powers of conversation were quite considerable. They could describe an entertainment with accuracy, relate an anecdote with humour, and laugh at their acquaintance with spirit.

But when the gentlemen entered, Miss Bingley's eyes were instantly turned toward Darcy, and she had something to say to him before he had advanced many steps. He addressed himself to Miss Mary, with a polite congratulation; Mr. Hurst also made her a slight bow, and said he was "very glad;" Mr. Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam were rather warmer in their concern, each offering a way to make Mary more comfortable.

When tea was over, Mr. Hurst reminded his sister-in-law of the card-table—but in vain. She had obtained private intelligence that Mr. Darcy did not wish for cards; and Mr. Hurst soon found even his open petition rejected. She assured him that no one intended to play, and the silence of the whole party on the subject seemed to justify her. Mr. Hurst had therefore nothing to do, but to stretch himself on one of the sofas and go to sleep. Darcy took up a book; Miss Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam did the same. Miss Darcy conversed with Mary, often asking her cousin or her brother to build up the fire or if Mary might desire to move to the other side of the fireplace so she might be further from the door. Mrs. Hurst played with her many bracelets, occasionally attending to the conversation of Miss Darcy and Miss Mary. Elizabeth and Mrs. Annesley sat at their work. Each was busily working on gifts for the upcoming season. Mrs. Annesley proved very useful to Elizabeth, for she assisted the younger woman with a particularly difficult stitch that was necessary for the design Elizabeth had chosen.

"Are those for your new sister?" asked Mrs. Annesley.

"They are. I thought perhaps I would make some so they would match those that I made for my brother last year," said Elizabeth of the handkerchiefs she was stitching.

"You sew very well," complimented Mrs. Annesley.

"Not nearly so well as my next two sisters," said Elizabeth, "Mary must certainly show you the masterpiece she made two years ago. It is framed on our bedroom wall. One would think it a painting unless they looked closely."

"What does it depict?" asked Mrs. Annesley.

"A particular spot on our estate where I like to sit and read. It is at the crest of a hill facing east. It is shaded, but trees do not obstruct the sunrise. James had a bench built so I might sit there comfortably."

"That sounds quite lovely," said Miss Darcy, "both the place and the embroidery."

"It is. Mary was ever so kind to make it for me."

"I am certain that is so," said Mrs. Annesley, "Very kind. What a wonderful sister you have."

Mary blushed deeply at all the attention she was receiving. It was well that Miss Bingley was about, for she could not help but draw attention back to herself by flattering Georgiana's, and also her own, accomplishments.

"It is amazing to me," said Bingley, "how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they all are."

"All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?"

"Yes, all of them, I think. They all embroider, paint tables, cover screens, and net purses. I scarcely know anyone who cannot do all this, and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished."

"Your list of the common extent of accomplishments," said Darcy, "has too much truth. The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse or covering a screen. But I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general. I cannot boast of knowing more than half-a-dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished."

"Nor I, I am sure," said Miss Bingley.

"Then," observed Elizabeth, "you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman."

"Yes, I do comprehend a great deal in it."

"Oh! certainly," cried his faithful assistant, "no one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved."

"I did not know you draw, Miss Bingley" said Miss Darcy, "You must show me some of your work. I would so love to see it. You have been to many places I have not."

Miss Bingley was not able to answer, for she did not draw well. Colonel Fitzwilliam knew this to be the case and therefore agreed with his cousin that he too would like to see her drawings. Miss Bingley was finally saved from answering by Elizabeth.

"I daresay that this list is well enough if one has no responsibilities and may therefore be sent to school. I fear my sister and I cannot meet your definition, for we have been far too busy seeing to tenants and helping my mother with the duties in the home."

"I daresay you have been served better by such an education," praised Colonel Fitzwilliam, "For seeing to tenants is far more useful than drawing. Having a well-adorned home may be pleasant, but without well-cared for tenants, one would lose the income to keep such a home."

Elizabeth blushed, wondering what the Colonel could mean by such statements. She had been now often complimented by him. She did not think herself in love with him and knew he must marry to please an earl and countess. Yet, it was flattering to hear such praise of herself.

"It is a pity that your family cannot afford to hire a steward so you may have more time to be educated," said Mrs. Hurst.

"I had all the education I needed and much that I desired in addition," said Elizabeth, "Pray, do not think that my father and brother neglected us because we were not sent off to school."

"Indeed, for you play the pianoforte very well," said Miss Darcy, hoping to end the tension in the room, "Might you play for us?"

Elizabeth did so, selecting several lively songs to play. Soon Georgiana, Mrs. Hurst, and Miss Bingley also played for the company, and the evening was spent in much enjoyment until Mary declared herself tired. Elizabeth escorted her sister to her room and remained with her for the remainder of the evening.


Rosings Park, near Westerham, Kent

17th November

Dear Cousin Fitz,

Do not worry for I have done as you said and burned the last letter. I shall ask my Mr. B when he returns. I have received a letter from him. His ship is currently docked somewhere in Africa receiving repairs. They captured a French ship there and his men will be glad for the prize money, but it has delayed his return. His letter says he hopes to be with me by Christmas. I do hope it is so!

Uncle Frank and Aunt Elinor now know of my plans and have been sworn to secrecy. They will come to stay with me for some weeks before the wedding and perhaps a while after so we can ensure that my mother is well settled in the dower house. Andy has also offered his assistance, but said perhaps Rich might need to lend him a sword. Mr. B has said he wishes his relations in trade in London to attend the wedding. His father is too ill to travel, but his aunt and uncle and their children might wish to attend. I daresay Uncle Frank will dislike the reminder that Mr. B has relations in trade by their being there, but he has accepted that a Navy man might be needed in order to command my mother. Mrs. J has taken me to the dressmaker in Westerham to get my gown made. London is too far and the one in Huntsford is loyal to my mother. I do so adore it.

I did so enjoy the trip to the Downs. Mrs. J would not let me walk so very much, saying that I am not strong enough. We took a pony cart all about. It was so very lovely. I have never seen such beauty. I know you and I are both of the opinion that nature is best left alone while mother prefers nature be nearly removed from her gardens. I hope that when I am mistress of Rosings in all respects that I might restore some of the natural beauty to the grounds. I believe I may need to replace the gardener to do so, for he seems to enjoy the straight lines.

I have enclosed some of Mrs. J's drawings of the Downs. I do hope you like them. I had wished to describe the Downs to you in this letter, but after having been, I know that I could not do it justice.

By the Bye, her name is Miss Bennet? You are not so very clever, Cousin. You know my Mr. B and now I know that you have a Miss Bennet. Where does the E originate? Perhaps her first name. Miss Evelyn Bennet? Miss Emily Bennet? Miss Edwina Bennet? Have I guessed it or shall I send more guesses in the next letter? She is staying in the same house as you! I know you, dearest Cousin. You have never had a fancy for anyone. Well, perhaps Hennie's governess. Do you remember that? Anyhow, no fancies since you were fifteen years of age. Tell me now. Are you yet betrothed? Shall we have a double wedding? My mother always did hope to see us wed on the same day. I do believe her meaning may have been different, however.

With cousinly affection,

Anne.