Chapter 31

Letter from Miss Caroline Bingley to Mrs. Louisa Hurst

May 5th, 1812

Dear Louisa,

You simply must leave the country for London and convince Mr. Hurst to ask me to join you there. Aunt Cynthia is most disagreeable, and Bath a social desert! The only unmarried men here are widowers, fortune hunters, and merchants. I absolutely must go to Town for the Season. I understand that the former Anne de Bourgh is now married, and Mr. Darcy may well decide that this is the year to offer for me. If not, there are many other highborn gentlemen who would appreciate me, my accomplishments, and my fortune.

I am depending on you, Louisa. You simply must rescue me from our aunt and her annoying little pug dog!

Your desperate sister,

Caroline

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Letter from Mr. Hurst to Miss Caroline Bingley

May 11th, 1812

Dear Caroline,

I took the liberty of intercepting your letter to Louisa, reading it, and burning it. We will not be returning to London this year. Louisa's pregnancy has been somewhat complicated and I will not risk her or the child by sojourning in London with its noise, smells, and activity. Nor does she need to be upset by your attempt to pressure her into what is not best for our family.

Your brother,

Hurst

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Letter from Miss Lydia Bennet to Miss Kitty Bennet

May 12th, 1812

Dear Kitty,

Mamma and Father are being completely horrid to me. They have hired a Mrs. Wright as a companion for me, though she is more like a jailer. She is an entirely unsympathetic widow and at least thirty years old. I am not allowed to leave the house at all unless she or Father escorts me. I am a prisoner here, Kitty, and all because of you! If you had kept silent, I would be Mrs. Wickham now, the first Bennet girl to be married! Now my life is ruined!

Kitty, you must ask Lord Chartham to send you home. If you are here, Mrs. Wright will not be focused on me so much. It is the least you can do after your betrayal!

I am depending on you, Kitty!

Lydia

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Letter from Miss Elizabeth Bennet to Mr. Bennet

May 18th, 1812

Dear Father,

I have enclosed a letter from me to Lydia. She wrote a letter to Kitty which Kitty handed to me unopened as she was afraid that Lydia would abuse her. She was correct as Lydia was quite vitriolic, and I decided that Kitty would not benefit from reading it.

Both Kitty and Mary have settled in at Rockhill very well. Mary is learning how to play the pianoforte from the Earl himself, and Kitty has struck up a strong friendship with Miss Gardiner and Lady Rebekah. With Jane now happily married, I find myself spending much more time with my next younger sisters. I am aware that I have not been the best of companions to them, and seek to improve our sisterly affections.

I thank you for giving Mr. Darcy permission to court me. He is a very fine man, Father, and I hope – but I do not wish to get ahead of myself. For now, we are spending many hours together, growing in our understanding of one another's characters. We are quite dissimilar but, I believe, complementary. He is a very intelligent man, quiet, even taciturn, but with a fine mind and great knowledge of the world. He says, and I believe, that my liveliness is a blessing to him. Indeed, the poor man does not laugh enough with all the pressures in his life.

His sister is also charming; she is sixteen years of age, tall and blonde, and very unlike Lydia in that she is shy and retiring. She is also a fine musician and we have been blessed with delightful concerts in the evenings.

I am glad to hear that your leg is feeling better. Do not overtax yourself.

With much love,

Elizabeth

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Letter from Miss Elizabeth Bennet to Miss Lydia Bennet

Dear Lyddy,

I am sorry that you are not enjoying your new companion, Mrs. Wright, but I hope that you will give her a chance. I understand that she is a very accomplished woman with a reputation for being a clever and interesting companion.

Kitty is very happy here and will not be returning to Longbourn in the near future. Our new cousins are now good friends, and we have all enjoyed helping them adjust to life in England. The estate itself is abuzz with the activity of workers now as the main house, plus many of the workers' homes, need repairs. It is quite exciting to be in the middle of it all.

My dear Lydia, I do love you, but you must accept the truth that your planned elopement came close to destroying us all. Mr. Wickham is not a good man and he would have ruined you, and us with you. Jane is now married to Mr. Bingley and we are related by marriage to the Earl of Chartham. We all have new opportunities now, my dear sister, to move in circles which were previously closed to us. You are a beautiful girl with a lively personality, and if you learn to adhere to the tenets of our society, you might well find a handsome, kind, and wealthy husband. Indeed, it is possible that in time, you might be able to have a Season in London.

With much love,

Elizabeth

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Letter from Mr. Richard Fitzwilliam to Mr. Darcy

May 20th, 1812

Darcy,

Many thanks for helping us interview the prospective stewards a few days ago. Anne and I have decided on hiring Mr. Stone as the new steward of Rosings. We appreciate your advice.

Anne also enjoyed seeing Georgiana; your sister looks very well, which is a joy to see after last summer's difficult experience.

Lady Catherine is now permanently confined to her quarters. She has grown increasingly irrational as the weeks have gone by. It is a pity, but far better to keep her contained than to allow her to roam the mansion and perhaps harm herself. Dr. Andrews is an accomplished physician and seems up to date in his understanding of how to care for patients with problems like these. We will, of course, treat her well.

Anne had chosen to use a local midwife of great experience for the upcoming birth. I confess to considerable unease as our child's arrival comes closer by the week, but I must trust in God's goodness. I would appreciate your prayers as well, as it is difficult not to worry.

With regards,

Richard

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Letter from Miss Georgiana Darcy to Mrs. Anne Fitzwilliam

May 20th, 1812

Dear Cousin Anne,

It was wonderful seeing you at Rosings a few days ago. How well you look! I am so happy that you and Richard are married and have a precious little one on the way. I can hardly wait to meet my new cousin!

You asked about life at Rockhill Hall and whether it is a pleasant place to stay. The answer is yes, though it is somewhat like an unending picnic these days. There is major work being done in the house, and occasionally I arrive for a meal to discover that the tables have been moved to another room while workmen toil away in the former dining room. However, every one of the Earl's family is kind and welcoming, and it is fascinating to hear of their years in India. We eat many dishes from India, and I like them far more than Fitzwilliam does, though my dear brother always puts on a good face.

Miss Bennet is indeed a delight, Anne. I do hope – but I must wait on my brother and Miss Bennet to come to their own decision in that matter.

Lord Chartham is teaching Miss Mary Bennet and me on the pianoforte. I will allow you a pause to read that again, as I am quite certain it sounds completely absurd. He is an earl, not a music master! But his stepfather, Mr. Gardiner, was a music master in his youth and the Earl is an incredibly gifted player. I know that I am a good player but he is extraordinary.

I have had music masters who were better players than teachers, but Chartham is gifted at both. Miss Mary is not as advanced as I am, but both of us are improving under the Earl's tutelage.

Take care of yourself, dear cousin.

With much love,

Georgiana Darcy

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Letter from Mr. Darcy to Mr. Richard Fitzwilliam,

May 24th, 1812

Richard,

I am pleased that Mr. Stone is your choice; I thought him the best of the candidates for Rosings. The other prime contender, Mr. Wallace, has been hired at Rockhill. I believe Wallace will thrive in the rather chaotic environment here, as he is younger and more flexible in his views. Mr. Stone has more experience and will, I believe, do an excellent job of nudging Rosings onto a better path. Lady Catherine was a reasonably competent overseer for many years but less so of late. I know we are but in agreement that there are many areas that need attention.

I am grieved at the news that Lady Catherine continues to deteriorate mentally, but am thankful that you and Anne are keeping her safe. I will, of course, pray for Anne and the babe, and for peace for all of you during this season.

Reluctantly, I must travel to Pemberley soon as I need to be on hand for some matters pertaining to the estate. I may bring Georgiana with me, or I may leave her here at Rockhill. She is very happy here.

Regards,

Darcy

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Letter from Mrs. Jane Bingley to Miss Elizabeth Bennet

May 27th, 1812

Dear Lizzy,

... we are indeed ecstatically happy together. Being married to a good man who loves, respects, and protects me is a true blessing from our Lord. We have attended a few small parties but no, we are not particularly active socially yet. We find one another to be more than adequate company!

I am delighted to hear that Mary and Kitty are settled so cheerfully at Rockhill. Our aunt Sophia wrote to say that her children have benefited from their companionship as well, so it has been a positive experience for all.

Your loving sister,

Jane

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Author Note: My husband and I are on a mini getaway to a cabin about an hour from home. It's so quiet and peaceful ... and perfect for writing! We also got about 6 inches of snow overnight. It's very beautiful. Enjoy two chapters again today. :-)