PP NON-CANON GENERAL REGENCY

An Unexpected Win

NOTE: Waylen Warrington is brought over from my last story only this time there is NO children of his from a previous marriage, just one of their own.

A Friend's Invitation

Ch. 1

Dark skies full of cumulonimbus clouds were seen outside Longbourn's windows as heavy rain fell in torrents onto the ground. Trees swayed back and forth, some as easily as hot air balloons tethered to the ground.

"Would be nice if those crazy things would quit spitting at me. Amazing I even got inside without being knocked to the ground. I am pretty sure Mr. Collins ordered things to go against me simply because I refuse to invite him to dinner." Thomas shut the back door behind him as he took off his coat and hung it up, along with his hat.

Mr. Hill laughed. "I doubt Mr. Collins has that kind of say over the weather, despite what that...man...thinks."

Thomas chuckled and walked into the dining room and sat down to the smell of muffins cooking and tea boiling. The dining room was filled with wooden furnishings. The table had been built large enough to accommodate the Bennet family's many gatherings, was now set with simple and yet elegant dishware. An old, but polished, sideboard stood against one wall, holding an assortment of everyday and special occasion items. The room was also filled with the comforting scents of home-cooked meals.

'It seems odd to be sitting at the table by myself' Thomas mused to himself as he thought of how different the scene was compared to three years ago.

"Five daughters and five weddings, all in one year. Can you believe it? How can we have been so blessed?"

"How indeed?" Thomas grinned. "I think my pocketbook is the most delighted as my daughters are marrying men who have either insisted on helping out with the cost they are not expected to pay, or simply seen no need to have a fancy wedding as they have been married before."

It was true. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Alexander de Bourgh were men of wealth more than willing to pitch in. So, Elizabeth and Jane's father had not had to come up with much with them. And when it came to Kitty and Lydia, both James Hurst and Waylen Warrington were men who had been married before; neither had seen a need for a big wedding and were willing to go with the quieter weddings their wives had asked for. It had only been Mary that the Bennets had paid any amount of money on. And, even then, it had not been much.

"I will not cost you much, Papa, but I so would like a new dress along with new shoes from London."

"From London? You are the last daughter I expected to hear such a request coming from."

"It will be my wedding day, surely, it is worth a splurge?"

Thomas had agreed with Mary and a dress had been bought. Larissa had fallen ill shortly after all her daughters were wed and passed away shortly afterward. They had, despite what most of their neighbors thought, made peace with each other long before her death and had been rowing in the same boat. If not, Lydia, or Kitty, would have run off with George Wickham, he just knew it. However, at this point, that was a moot issue. Mr. Bennet started to think on another subject one of his neighbors had started bringing up only to have his housekeeper appear in the dining room.

Mrs. Hill set down the food. It smelled delicious and Mr. Bennet thanked her for cooking his meal.

"You are most welcome." She then pointed to a pile of mail. "A post came for you while you were out doing your chores, before this sudden storm rose up."

"Poor messenger. I hope he found cover." Thomas said Grace and figured he would look at the mail later; he had been up for three hours and his breakfast took precedence over any piece of correspondence. That might not have been the case, only Mrs. Hill had not said anything was urgent.

Thomas focused on his meal and wrapped it up with saving his dried fruit for last. Once those were gone, the gentleman stood up, picked up his mail, and went into the parlor. The parlor at Longbourn , he thought, was just as inviting as it had been the last few years of Larissa's life... with its well-worn, yet comfortable furniture that had seen many years of use. An old, stuffed armchair with a basic striped pattern seemed to be most visitors' favorite. A small fireplace added much needed head to Longbourn's parlor. It often crackled with a comforting fire in the colder months. Shelves lined with books and small trinkets, collected over the years, added to the room's charm.

Mr. Bennet then sat down in his favorite old, but still comfortable, stuffed-white, flowered chair and opened the letter. He was surprised to see the top piece of mail was from Paul Kingsley, an old friend of his. He had not seen Paul since Mary was little and Mr. Kingsley's own daughters were running around the Kingsley's estate barely seven years old. Part of Paul's read as follows.

My Dear Thomas,

I know this must come as a surprise to you for I have not talked to you in years. However, I am finally free of a horrible marriage - one I never confessed to you of having- for she passed away last year. And, from what I heard, although you ended up with a fairly decent one, your Larissa has too passed over. So, I thought, perhaps a visit might be in order?

You do not have to worry about young children disturbing your visit. My own children are all married and one living up in Carlisle, and one in Bath. I do have one son nearby. He, however, is out to sea. And when he is home, that boy still hugs the shoreline. So, it is not likely we will see him. My widowed sister, Jennifer, lives in the mansion with me. However, her boys are not at home as Benjamin, thirteen, entered the navy this year and Bradley, fourteen, is a drummer in the army.

Jennifer has, of her own accord, puts herself into the working class by insisting working for her keep. It caused problems at first. However, thankfully, she has won the staff over and they now adore my sister. I keep telling her, with a thousand acres, I have plenty of money to support her. However, that lady refuses to take a dime she has not earned. Personally, it is a good thing her late husband is no longer in the picture or I would lay no so gentle hands on him. He had plenty of money and gambled it away just before the rat died.

Thomas continued reading the letter and, while it appeared to read as normal as any letter, the latter half of Paul's correspondence- including the mention of sitting down for a friendly game of Whist -no strings attached- had an undercurrent of something more needing to be said but of which was not being spoken and that was not putting Mr. Bennet at ease. Nonetheless, a calm feeling settled over him , as if telling Thomas to accept the invitation; that it was alright to go.