Chapter One

As they walked back from Meryton on a bright autumn day, Lydia and Kitty discussed what to do with the rest of the afternoon. They had sucked all the small pleasures that Meryton offered when their Aunt Philips was not at home. They didn't notice the old woman in a ragged shawl and stained dress hobbling towards them along the muddy country lane until she drew near and spoke to them.

'Good afternoon, young ladies.'

Kitty only nodded but Lydia replied, 'Good afternoon.'

'Pretty young ladies like yourself shouldn't be out of their own. And Halloween will be here before long. You'd best hurry home.' She stepped nearer and pushed her wrinkled face closer to theirs. 'Twas Halloween forty years ago that two young ladies from around here were taken by the gypsies and never were seen again. You keep away from Netherfield Hall.'

Kitty let out a frightened gasp. She thought the old woman was threatening them, but Lydia's face contorted. The old woman's breath was none too fresh.

'Your breath smells. And that's just an old wives' tale,' she said boldly, 'Good day to you.'

She strode on and Kitty scrambled after her.

The old woman gazing after them, shook her head sadly, 'They can't say I didn't warn them,' she murmured.

It was, of course, Lydia's idea to trespass at Netherfield Hall. She took the old woman's warning as a challenge. Lydia stopped and looked at the rear of the mansion as they took a short cut through the grounds on their way back from Meryton. It had a desolate air as it had been empty for well over two years now. The dirty windows did not glitter in the autumn sunshine. Weeds grew ferociously around about.

'Why don't we have a look?' she suggested to Kitty.

'Why would we want to go and look at the outside?' asked Kitty. 'We can see it well enough from here.'

'Don't be so stupid. Let's see if we can get inside and explore.'

Kitty hesitated. 'But the old woman said not to go near Netherfield Hall.'

'You're not taking any notice of that old besom, are you? I bet she said that because she's paid to keep people away. Come on,' Lydia urged. 'It'll be fun. And besides, what else have we got to do today?'

The dismal prospect of a dull afternoon at home decided Kitty.

They left the track, pushed through the trees, and made their way up through the gardens, showing the effect of no regular maintenance, bushes overgrown and crowded by weeds. Once they were at the back of the hall, Lydia began trying the doors.

'It's locked,' said Kitty. 'We won't be able to get in. This was a stupid idea.'

'Let me try one more.' Lydia tried the handle of another door and it turned. She grinned triumphantly at Kitty.

'Told you!'

They stepped over the cill and heard their boots clumping on the hard stone floor. They were in the kitchen and gazed at the cooking range, the empty shelves, and the huge deal table with interest. They never went into the kitchen at Hill was very firm about that.

'Come on,' Lydia said. 'Let's explore. I wonder if they have left anything behind?'

Lydia's family nickname was 'Magpie.'

'You can't take anything,' warned Kitty. 'Papa was so angry when Mrs Paynter called and asked for the money for the bottles of perfume.'

She did not like to remember the angry scene where their father had summoned Lydia and herself to his study after he had paid off the apothecary's wife. He had terrified her.

Lydia tossed her head, her yellow curls flying about her face. 'I forgot to pay for them, that's all.'

Kitty could have argued that someone who had simply forgotten to pay, would have put a bottle in her reticule not her dress pocket but knew from long experience she was unlikely to win an argument with Lydia.

Their boots had already left a trail of muddy footprints on the floor.

'Oh no! We need to get rid of those or people will know we've been here,' said Kitty. 'Let's take off our boots.'

Lydia pouted but did as she said for once. Kitty looked about and found on the deal table a cloth, which surprisingly still felt damp. She unlaced her own boots and held them in one hand by the she took the cloth, bent down and wiped away the footprints.

They walked out of the kitchen, swinging their boots by the laces, and through the narrow corridor to the main part of the house.

#

The dining room looked strange with the table and chairs covered with cream linen sheets. They moved on to the ballroom. The furniture was equally swathed in linen but the wooden floor gleamed. Lydia twirled round and grabbed Kitty's hand. They skipped about and performed the first steps of the quadrille, their boots bumping against them. Then they collapsed against each other, giggling.

'Let's look in the bedrooms.'

As they were halfway up the main staircase, the front door began to creak open. They darted up the rest of the stairs to the landing, where they crouched down.

'Welcome to Netherfield Hall, Miss Bingley, Mr Bingley,and Mr Darcy,' came the plummy voice of Mr Morris, the fat middle-aged agent for the house. 'I trust you will find it to your satisfaction.'

'That remains to be seen,' said a cold female voice.

'I'm sure a tour of the premises will show you how suitable it is.'

Kitty and Lydia looked at each other in horror. Mr Morris was going to take the visitors over the entire house? How were they to escape if they were cut off from the ground floor? Then Lydia pointed at the stairs and began to tiptoe up them. Kitty followed her. The next flight of stairs led to the narrow corridors of the servants' sleeping quarters and attic.

'They'll never look in the attic,' Lydia said, pushing open the doors until she found a room filled with broken furniture and storage chests. Kitty followed her in.

#

'Lord, look at this gown,' Lydia exclaimed, holding the sea green dress up to her. The colour suited her fair hair and fresh complexion, but it was of a cut last fashionable many decades ago.

'I know,' giggled Kitty. 'How unspeakably dowdy. Did our grandmothers really wear such things?'

She pulled out a dusky pink gown from the chest that they had flung open. The two girls, both dressed in fashionably simple, low cut muslin dresses looked in amazement at the elaborate styles.

'Let's try them on,' Lydia suggested.

They pulled their dresses over their heads and dropped them on the dusty attic floor. They needed each other's help with the gowns they had selected, they seemed far more complicated to fasten. At length, they looked at each other in the gowns. Their laughter stopped.

'What a pity, there isn't a mirror.' Kitty sighed.

Lydia looked at her for a moment then her face lit up and she dashed out of the attic and pattered along the passageway, down the narrow bare stairs and along the corridor before pushing open a door. Kitty wanted to scream at her to stop but was too frightened of being heard. She stood irresolutely then scampered after her sister.

They were in a large bedroom overlooking the drive. There was a large object draped in a linen cloth in a corner by the wooden panelling. Lydia tugged at the cover which slid off. They gazed, wide-eyed at their reflections of two old-fashioned young ladies that the cheval mirror revealed and giggled. Then they heard a noise. They stopped laughing and stared, wide eyed at each other.

'What was that?' Kitty asked.

Lydia put her finger to her lips and then walked as quietly as she could to the door. Opening it a crack, she listened.

Footsteps as people began to ascend the stairs. Three sets of footsteps.

'I am sure you will be delighted with the bedrooms,' came the rich, fruity voice of Mr Morris.

'I hope so,' said Miss Bingley. Her tone indicated it was unlikely.

'So far, I am delighted with everything you have shown us, Mr Morris,' said a pleasant-sounding male voice.

Kitty squeaked behind Lydia. Turning, Lydia shook her by the shoulders. 'Keep quiet,' she whispered.

The girls listened as the footsteps and voices grew closer.

'What shall we do?' wailed Kitty. '

Although Lydia was the younger, Kitty never took the lead.

Lydia bit her lip. 'We need to hide.'

She pulled her sister behind the cheval mirror.

The bedroom door opened, and a handsome, fair-haired young man began to enter. Kitty clutched Lydia so tightly that her sister fell against her, and Kitty stumbled back against the panelling. To her consternation she felt herself falling into darkness. Lydia tumbled after her and the panel clicked shut again.

It was dark and cold in the secret passage. Kitty's eyes filled with tears. They could hear the murmur of voices beyond the passage but could not make out the words.

'We're trapped,' whispered Kitty, her voice full of fear.

Lydia picked herself up and pulled her sister to her feet.

'Nonsense. It's a secret passage. I'm sure there must be a way out. Isn't this exciting?'

That was not how Kitty would have described it but she obediently followed Lydia as they groped their way along the passage. Lydia stumbled and let out a curse that would have shocked their elder sisters.

'Stairs. Going up.'

Up the wooden steps they went and suddenly saw a rectangle outlined in light. They pushed through and found themselves once more in the attic.

Lydia took one look at Kitty and burst out laughing. 'Lord! You're covered in cobwebs; you look such a fright!'

'You're no better,' retorted Kitty, which was true.

Lydia was so festooned with cobwebs about her head, her blonde hair appeared grey. Her antique dress was filthy.

'Let's get out of these gowns,' urged Kitty, trying not to whine. 'I want to go home.'

'Well, we can't, not until they leave,' Lydia pointed out.