Part II
1790 - 1811
On a beautiful spring day in the year 1790, Thomas Bennet and Elizabeth Carey were united in holy matrimony in a religious ceremony held at Longbourn Chapel. The couple was overjoyed to finally be together, and they looked forward to a bright and happy future filled with love.
At the time of their wedding, Jane was just a year old, and rumours about her birth had slowly started to die down.
The couple was thrilled when, eleven months after their wedding, their second daughter, Elizabeth Bennet, was born. The arrival of their baby girl brought them immense joy and happiness. Two years later, Mary Bennet was born, followed by Catherine Bennet. Each new arrival brought them even more love and happiness. Sadly, two years after Catherine's birth, the couple had to endure the heart-wrenching loss of their youngest daughter, Lydia Bennet.
Among all of his daughters, Thomas clearly favoured Elizabeth, who was often referred to as Lizzy. She was a mirror image of his beloved wife, whom he deeply adored. Despite his wife's pleas, Thomas never managed to feel any real affection for Jane. The problem was not with Jane, but with her physical resemblance to her mother.
On the other hand, Elizabeth tried her best not to show any favouritism between Jane and her own daughters. Jane had always called her, Mama, even though she was aware that her biological mother had passed away soon after her birth. Meanwhile, Mrs. Bennet, Thomas' mother, favourite granddaughter was Mary, because she was a serious and studious girl, just like her son.
From a very young age, Jane spent plenty of time at the Phillipses' house, as her godparents were unable to have children of their own. Her aunt spoiled her much more than her Mama and grandmother. Her Mama was usually busy with household chores and looking after her younger sisters. Jane often felt that her grandmother did not love her as much as her other siblings.
When Jane turned 7, Mrs. Bennet Senior began teaching her to read and write. Lizzy, who enjoyed spending time with her older sister and grandmother, also joined the lessons.
Over the years, Mrs. Bennet and Elizabeth made sure that the girls, including Jane, received a good education. Although Jane was not as intellectually curious as Lizzy and Mary, and preferred to spend her time at the Phillips home rather than Longbourn, she still was able to learn to play the piano and speak French. Among the four sisters, Jane was the one who had the most well-kept garden with beautiful roses.
In the winter of 1800, a tragedy struck the Bennet family as Mrs. Bennet passed away. Her will revealed that she had bequeathed her son with 10,000 pounds. However, she had divided the remaining 10,000 pounds among her three biological granddaughters, explicitly leaving out Jane from her will.
This news caused quite a stir in the family, and Mrs. Phillips demanded that Thomas rectify the situation immediately. However, Thomas refused, which led to a heated argument between the two. Unfortunately, several servants overheard the argument, and rumours started to spread again that Jane was not Thomas Bennet's biological daughter.
As a result, the relationship between the Phillipses and the Bennets – including Elizabeth – deteriorated further. However, Jane was allowed to continue to visit the Phillipses, especially her aunt, and the relationship between them grew even closer. Jane began to feel that her Aunt Phillips was the person who understood and loved her most in the world.
When Jane turned 15, she went to London for the first time to stay with her Uncle Gardiner and his wife. She spent two months in the big city and returned to Longbourn delighted by the attention she had received from several gentlemen. One of them even wrote her some poems praising her 'unparalleled beauty'.
When Jane turned 18, she made her debut in Meryton society. Jane was a beautiful young woman with fair skin and blue eyes. Her Aunt Phillips often boasted that Jane would inherit Longbourn when her father passed away. This made Jane a highly sought-after match among the eligible bachelors of the neighbourhood.
However, Jane was not easily impressed by the gentlemen in Meryton. She was a romantic at heart and often daydreamed about finding true love. Moreover, she found that there were only a few suitable bachelors in and around Meryton, most of whom were either too old, too dull, or too poor to be considered.
Little did Jane know that everything was about to change in October 1811 when Netherfield Park was finally let out after being vacant for many years. This event would prove to be a turning point in Jane's life, as it would bring her into contact with a gentleman who would capture her heart in ways, she had never imagined possible.