July – September 1812

The Maxwells were a middle-aged happy couple with an only daughter who was married, and lived near Newcastle. Given the great distance from Ramsgate to Newcastle, they saw their daughter very few times a year.

Mr. Maxwell was a sensible and intelligent man, and Mrs. Maxwell was a nice and kind-hearted woman, and despite the years she was still a beautiful woman. The couple have been married for more than twenty-five years and they were still in love. Given the tragic past of the Bennet sisters, as soon as the two pretty sisters arrived to Ramsgate, Mrs. Maxwell adopted them as her nieces.

The cottage was less than a mile from the Maxwell house. It had two floors, two main bedrooms on the upper floor and a very small one for the servants and a small garden. Elizabeth with the help of a servant of Mrs. Maxwell, planted various vegetables and potatoes in the orchand; there were also two apple trees, two orange trees and two lemon trees. Lizzy also bought four chickens, a rooster, a dairy cow, and a pig.

Since Mrs. Maxwell was sociable and enjoyed Lizzy and Jane's company very much, she invited them to her house at least twice a week for tea, and as she was fond of music, she would often ask Lizzy to play the piano. About two months after they met, Mrs. Maxwell decided it was time her pretty tenants treated her less formally...

"Mrs. Maxwell, I wanted to thank you for the ham and cheese you sent us two days ago. Both were tasty." Elizabeth told her with a smile.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Victoria. We have known each other for more than two months now and I don't want you to be so formal with me." She looked at Jane carefully, and then at Elizabeth, "I'm so glad you come to visit me so often, my life is much more entertaining since you came to Ramsgate." She sighed, "You know, I miss my daughter so much. Mr. Fowler is an exceptional gentleman, but he lives so far away..." she shook her head, "I know my poor Caroline did not want to leave 'The Lindens', but she had no choice but to go with her husband. But in her last letter, Caroline told me that in the first week of September they will be here for a month."

"I'm glad Mrs…, sorry, Victoria that in a few days your daughter will be here."

"Yes, I told her so much about you that she is eager to meet you. I know you will be good friends. I hope you will come to the welcome dinner that I am organizing in Caroline's honor."

Jane and Lizzy nodded.

"…I'm looking forward to the end of your mourning. I already told you that Mr. Stuart has asked me more than once about you, Elizabeth. He is such a charming man… Don't you like Mr. Stuart?"

"He's a nice gentleman, but at least until the year of mourning is over, I have no interest in getting married." She responded cordially, although in her opinion, Mr. Stuart to was similar to Mr. Collins.

"Well, I suppose Mr. Stuart can wait a few months." She looked at Jane, "Have you met Mr. Harrington?"

Jane shook her head, besides Mrs. Maxwell and Mr. Stuart - who was the parish priest - they knew very few people.

"You have to meet him! He is an exceptional gentleman and he is also so handsome." She sighed dramatically, "His life was so tragic in the last few years. He was married about five years ago to Miss Taylor. I have rarely seen a couple so much in love, but about three years ago she died giving birth, and unfortunately the child only lived a few hours. Mr. Harrington was devastated and has rarely gone to parties and social gatherings ever since."

"Poor Mr. Harrington!" exclaimed Jane quietly.

Mrs. Maxwell shook her head, "Yes, it was quite a tragedy; but I already told him many times that he should marry again. A man should not be alone, he needs a woman to take care of him. However, women can be alone and we manage very well without men…"

PPP

In the first week of September, the Fowlers arrived to "The Lindens", and Mrs. Maxwell hosted a large dinner party. She invited several of the leading neighbors in the surrounding area; among them Mr. Stuart and the famous Mr. Harrington. Although they had only been in mourning for five months, Lizzy and Jane, at Mrs. Maxwell's insistence, attended the dinner. For that occasion, they decided to dress in gray gowns instead of black.

Mrs. Maxwell arranged the cards on the table so that Mr. Harrington sat next to Jane, and Elizabeth next to Mr. Stuart. Unfortunately, Mr. Stuart did not realize that Elizabeth had no interest in him.

Mr. Harrington was about thirty-five years; he was tall, with blond hair and dark blue eyes. He wasn't particularly handsome, but he wasn't ugly either. He had the appearance of being a serious gentleman, but he was very kind to everyone. He had heard about the Misses Bennet and the tragedy they had suffered a few months ago, and was intrigued to meet them. He was very impressed with both, Miss Elizabeth was certainly a lively young lady, very pretty, charming and intelligent; on the other hand, Miss Jane Bennet was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, she was sweet, sensitive, and had a very fragile aspect that inadvertently aroused feelings of protection in him...