Chapter 1
March 1809
Eighteen-year-old Elizabeth Bennet looked forward to visiting London each year with her aunt and uncle. This year was no exception. Unlike previous years, Elizabeth was travelling on her own this year, as a new resident was expected to arrive at Netherfield, the nearest estate to the Bennets'. Mrs Bennet wanted Jane to remain in case the person leasing the estate was a young, handsome man in possession of an adequate fortune to care for the family should Mr Bennet not outlive his wife. Because Longbourn, Bennet's estate was entailed, Mrs Bennet lived in constant fear that her husband would die, leaving her and her daughters with nowhere to go and no money to sustain them.
Mr Bennet was a rather indolent estate owner, preferring books to deal with estate matters, and he chose to frequently exercise his wit upon his wife and daughters. Elizabeth was the one he had spent the most time with, as she had pestered him as a young child until he finally gave in and taught her to read, and once he had done that, he gave her freedom to read anything she liked in his library. He did spend more time with her than his other daughters and used his university education to teach Elizabeth a smattering of Latin and Greek, along with some mathematics and science. More often, however, he bought a book on the subject she wanted to learn about and left her to her own devices.
Her mother regularly protested this education, as she felt it was very unladylike and that it would only make Lizzy, as she was known within her family, unmarriageable. That education, combined with a preference to be out of doors rather than sitting demurely in the drawing room sewing, made her mother's least favourite child.
Elizabeth felt supported and loved in London with her aunt and uncle. She thought her parents loved her, but it was rarely shown, and she knew her father appreciated her for her intelligence and conversation but easily set her aside. Her mother largely ignored her, at least when she was not scolding her for some wrong she had committed – most often muddying or tearing a dress during one of her walks. However, these walks were necessary for Elizabeth – they allowed her to walk off some of her excess energy, enabling her to sit quietly in the drawing room and sew in the afternoons.
She also walked out frequently to visit the tenants on the estate. Her grandmother had encouraged her in this endeavour starting as a young girl since her mother had never taken an interest in her duties as the estate's mistress beyond the house. Of her granddaughters, only Elizabeth had taken an interest in this, although Mary had occasionally joined the two when they paid their visits. When their grandmother passed away just a couple of years ago, Elizabeth took on the role herself, and Mary continued to aid her occasionally. Jane had been uninterested in participating when their grandmother had encouraged her and continued to avoid it. Of course, Mrs Bennet praised Jane for her more 'ladylike' pursuits and belittled Elizabeth for taking an interest in 'manly' obligations. She had not cared for her mother-in-law, nor had she liked how the elder Mrs Bennet seemed to favour Elizabeth.
Mrs Bennet would have liked her second daughter even less had she known that her mother-in-law had used a portion of her jointure to invest in her namesake's future. The elder Mrs Bennet had been vastly disappointed in her son since his marriage and his lack of foresight in ensuring his wife and daughters would be provided for upon his death. Quickly seeing Elizabeth's worth and her mother's hatred for the girl, she saved money from her own funds each month to invest them with Mr Gardiner. This began not long after Lydia's birth, near Elizabeth's sixth birthday, and now, not long after her eighteenth, that fund had grown substantially. Neither Elizabeth nor any of the Bennets were aware of it, and Gardiner fully intended to surprise his niece when some young man approached her father for her hand in marriage.
Both Mr and Mrs Bennet were pleased to send their second daughter to London. Mrs Bennet wanted Elizabeth out of the way in case the residents of Netherfield included a potential suitor for Jane. In Mrs Bennet's mind, Elizabeth had already run off a few potential suitors for her most beautiful daughter, despite the fact that none had pursued Jane beyond a few dances at local assemblies. No one had seriously courted her, partly because of Mrs Bennet but also because of the lack of dowry or any real accomplishments. Jane was beautiful, but unless a man merely wanted an adornment, there was little about Miss Bennet to attract a serious suitor to look beyond the drawbacks.
While Mr Bennet did appreciate Elizabeth's company, he much preferred his own company and his books, and without Elizabeth there, no one would disturb him. Elizabeth asked too many questions and insisted on his making changes to the estate in the interest of his tenants, which required Mr Bennet to expend time and energy. Without Elizabeth at home, he would not have to do anything beyond sharing at least the evening meal with his family.
At the Gardiners' home, Elizabeth was tangentially aware that both her parents were pleased to have her away from home, but she was likewise aware that the Gardiners did appreciate her and enjoyed her presence. When she visited, she helped care for the children and spent time with her aunt and uncle. Her aunt taught her how to run a house and encouraged her to aid her in charitable endeavours, and her uncle taught her his business, and she assisted him with the books. She did the same at Longbourn, although her father had let her figure it out on her own and rarely appreciated her questions about matters, especially when she pointed out his calculation errors.
When Elizabeth was with the Gardiners, she felt loved and appreciated. She did not feel like she was bothering them, nor did she feel unwanted. She would always stay with her aunt and uncle if she could, but she would miss living in the country and her walks. That was one thing she did not like about staying in London, as her uncle would not allow her to wander as much as she would like and insisted that she take a footman with her when she did walk to the nearby park.
On the day she arrived, after greeting everyone, Mr and Mrs Gardiner took Elizabeth into the parlour and spoke of their plans for this visit. Elizabeth was to remain six weeks – at least through Easter – although it was possible she would be able to stay longer. Neither of her parents was anxious for her return, and the Gardiners honestly hoped they could convince her parents to allow her to stay for at least six months. Mrs Gardiner was in the early stage of her fourth pregnancy, and they would like it if Elizabeth remained at least until the child came. They would keep her as long as possible and care for her as they would their own child. Mr Bennet occasionally sent some funds for Elizabeth's keep, but it was a rare occurrence. Fortunately, Mr Gardiner's business was thriving, so the funds needed to care for Elizabeth were not missed.
Among the plans they shared was a planned outing the following morning to a modiste to obtain clothing for Elizabeth for her visit. They would visit the theatre at least twice during their stay, including one planned visit in a week with a young man who had invested in Gardiner's business. The man, a barrister who had been left a small fortune in his father's will, had invited Mr and Mrs Gardiner to share his family's box for a performance of The Tempest.
Elizabeth was excited about seeing the play, as she thoroughly enjoyed all of Shakespeare's works, particularly the comedies. She was less enthusiastic about the necessity of visiting the modiste, a chore she generally despised.
"I think you will like meeting our host for the night, Lizzy," her aunt told her. "He is an excellent young man, a second son who had chosen to become a barrister. His father left him a small fortune, which he invested with your uncle. He has dined with us several times, although this is the first time we have attended a public event with him."
"Does that matter?" Elizabeth asked.
"Mr Darcy is a barrister, but he is the second son of a rather prominent family," Mrs Gardiner explained. "His brother inherited the family's estate, Pemberley, a couple of years ago when their father died, and his mother, Lady Anne, is still a rather prominent society matron. She spends quite a bit of time in London, along with her brother, the Earl of Matlock, and his wife. Despite his status as a second son, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy is still much sought after and will likely continue to be so until his brother marries and produces an heir. For the moment, Mr Darcy is heir presumptive to a large estate. While not as sought after as Mr George Darcy, he still garners a fair bit of attention, and it is rather unusual for a man of his station to be friendly with a tradesman."
Elizabeth thought about that for a moment. "I had forgotten the dichotomy between the aristocracy and the rest of society in London. So, despite his upbringing, he will jeopardise his status by being seen in public fraternising with a tradesman and his family?" she said archly.
"He is not like you imagine, my dear, and you should be careful about your own prejudices displayed in your speech. Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy is a very good man and a friend of your uncle and me," her aunt said.
"I did not mean to be insulting, Aunt, but merely to poke fun at the follies of society," Elizabeth explained.
"Yes, your father's influence, I am certain," Mrs Gardiner replied. "I know what your father is like, Elizabeth, always laughing at the 'follies' of others. But your father takes little seriously, including his responsibilities toward his family and his estate."
Elizabeth eyed her aunt warily for a moment. "I am following my father's example, am I not? Assuming I am smarter than everyone else and looking to find fault."
Mr Gardiner nodded. "It is a dangerous habit, Lizzy," her uncle said. "You are smarter than the rest of your sisters, and your father has encouraged you to follow his lead. He belittles your mother, sisters, and even yourself on occasion, but it is likely only you are aware of it." He watched as she dropped her head in discomfort. "Lizzy, your tendency to look at others to find fault and mock is not a good trait. It makes you cynical and dismissive and could hinder your ability to see the good in both people and situations. Instead of fostering understanding and empathy, it could distance you from forming genuine connections with others and prevent you from appreciating the positive aspects of life. Be mindful of this, my dear, and your aunt and I will attempt to guide you while you are with us. If your parents allow us, we would like you to stay with us through your aunt's confinement and remain after the baby is born."
"If my parents will allow it, I would love to stay as long as you let me," Elizabeth replied. "I have much to learn that I do not think I will learn at Longbourn. I will miss the country, though, and a summer in London might be a bit of a trial."
"We have already considered that and had planned a trip to the seaside for July and August," Uncle Gardiner said, a broad grin covering his face.
Elizabeth smiled back. "The seashore would be lovely, Uncle; thank you so much for the opportunity to travel with you."
"I will inform your father that we need your assistance longer than we originally planned," he replied. "I doubt he will object too strongly."
The conversation shifted to more general things as the Gardiners spoke about additional plans they had made for the first weeks of her visit. In addition to the theatre, there would be trips to museums and lectures and dinners with friends.
Elizabeth and her aunt visited the modiste the following morning and ordered several dresses for Elizabeth's stay. Elizabeth protested the amount her aunt ordered, but Mrs Gardiner ignored the protests and ordered Elizabeth five evening gowns, two ball gowns, morning dresses, day dresses, walking dresses, and everything else required for her stay in London. Elizabeth had never purchased so many gowns at once and was delighted with the beautiful fabrics selected for her from her uncle's stock.
While she usually dreaded visiting the dressmaker in Meryton, it was made somewhat better in the company of her aunt, who did not try to press her to add unnecessary frills to her dresses. Elizabeth preferred comfort over fashion, and every trip to the dressmaker with her mother was a battle that left both parties dissatisfied. The process of being measured and pinned was the part she despised, and fittings were an additional trial that she dreaded.
While she still despised the process, she was pleased with the dress they planned for the theatre and relished the idea of wearing it. It was a lovely rose-coloured silk, and they had selected just a few ribbons and touches of lace to embellish it, but not so much that it was dripping with them. They would have to return within three days for a fitting to have it done within the week.
"Thank you, Aunt Maddie," Elizabeth said as they left the modiste. "You know how much I hate visiting the dressmaker, but I look forward to wearing these dresses."
"You will be lovely in them all, my dear, but the dress for the theatre should be very flattering," her aunt replied, leading her charge toward additional stores to obtain gloves, slippers, and other accoutrements she would need during the next few months. Their shopping trip lasted several more hours, although they did take a break for some tea and pastries.
The next few days also included shopping trips where they obtained a few more items for Elizabeth's wardrobe, including ordering a pair of walking boots. Elizabeth also insisted on a trip to a bookstore, where she searched for some newer books for her to read while she was in London. Her uncle had a decent library, but she had read much of what it contained, and she enjoyed searching second-hand booksellers for rare treasures. She did find a few old favourites, but nothing special. It was not a wasted trip, as she did make a few purchases for her cousins and even found a book to send back to Mary.
Finally, the day of the trip to the theatre arrived. After bathing in scented water, a maid helped Elizabeth arrange her hair in a very becoming way and finally helped her into her new gown. Her aunt knocked on her door. "Lizzy, you are beautiful, and that dress is charming on you," she cried. "Now, come downstairs and meet our host for the evening. Your gloves and cape are already by the door."
"Yes, Aunt," Elizabeth replied as she exited the room and made her way downstairs behind her aunt.
As his wife's footsteps were heard on the stairs, Mr Gardiner exited his study, bringing their guest along with them. Mrs Gardiner greeted the gentleman before stepping out of the way, allowing him his first chance to see the lovely lady behind them.
Immediately, he felt tongue-tied. The girl standing in front of him was a beauty. She was grinning at whatever her aunt had said on that final step, and when she looked up at him, he was struck by her sparkling green eyes and was lost.