Chapter 1

Longbourn

15th December, 1812

Dearest Lizzy,

I am so excited for you that you believe you are already with child! Of course I will not say a word to Mamma. I think it quite likely given your symptoms; Aunt Gardiner always feels poorly at the beginning of her pregnancies.

Yes, Mr. Bingley and I are spending a substantial amount of time together. Miss Bingley and the Hursts left for Town a month after your wedding and have not returned, though Mr. Bingley mentions, on occasion, his sisters' various doings in Town.

Among other things, it appears that Colonel Fitzwilliam continues to spend a great deal of time calling on Miss Bingley. It seems a bizarre match to me, but she is, I suppose, a handsome woman with a large dowry, and the colonel is a second son.

He has also led troops against French musket fire, so I expect he could manage being married to Caroline Bingley!

Oh Lizzy, I am being cattish, and I know it. Miss Bingley has been entirely courteous to me since her return. I realize that I am reveling in the ‘new Jane', so to speak. I no longer wish to be serene and calm and instantly forgive everyone for everything. On the other hand, I should not shift to the opposite extreme and become spiteful and cynical.

You asked about Mr. Bingley. He has been working faithfully on managing Netherfield. Two of the cottages, which were in significant disrepair, have been torn down and replaced by brick cottages.

I love him, Lizzy. I still love him. He is a good man, and I believe we will do very well together. Indeed, I am confident we will be happier together after the difficulties of the last year. We have both grown up.

Lydia writes infrequently, but she seems content with her life. Mary and Kitty both are benefiting from the music and art masters Father is paying for.

Yes, we are all satisfied with our life, but we all miss you as well. Longbourn is strangely quiet without you and Lydia, and Father says at least once a week that he looks forward to journeying to Pemberley to see you ... and the library.

I must dress for dinner, dear sister.

With much love,

Jane

/

Matlock House

5th January, 1813

Anne,

Do not throw this into the fire without reading it. Do you hear me? Do you? How dare you marry that insignificant nobody! How could you treat your mother this way? I am the mistress of Rosings! You are far too sickly, and too weak, to carry such a load on your shoulders…

/

Longbourn

15th January, 1813

Lizzy!

My dear Jane is engaged at last and to Mr. Bingley! She will be mistress of Netherfield, as I always knew she would be. Oh Lizzy, to have three daughters well married! It is a dream come true!

I do hope you and Mr. Darcy will be able to come for her wedding. It is a month away on 17th February, and while I know it is winter, it is most important that you be here!

With much love,

Mrs. Fanny Bennet

/

Pemberley

20th January, 1813

Dearest Jane,

I am delighted to hear of your engagement! I entirely agree with you that you and Mr. Bingley – well, I suppose I must call him Charles now! – are very well suited.

I wish we could be there for your wedding, but I am still feeling rather ill, and the thought of riding in a carriage, no matter how well sprung, through a potential snowstorm makes me feel faint. So no, we will not be there. Perhaps you and Charles will be able to come north in the summer or autumn.

We have consulted the local doctor, a very fine man, and he thinks that our child will be born in July.

With much love,

Your Lizzy

/

Foxdale Mines

The Isle of Man

30th January, 1813

Darcy,

Dear God, man, have mercy on me, and get me out of this hellhole! I thought Marshalsea would be bad, but this, this!

I am covered in dust from morning til night, and the local workers mostly do not even speak English! And I know what you are saying, that I could just stop working, but then they would not pay me, and I would starve!

My hands are calloused and ugly, and my face is rough and windburned.

And the cold? You have no idea the bitter cold that comes off of the Irish Sea in winter!

I know we have had a few … disagreements … in the past, but I was your father's godson, and he loved me!

Please send me money so I can leave this dreadful place!

Pleadingly,

George Wickham

/

Pemberley

15th February, 1813

Wickham,

No.

Fitzwilliam Darcy

/

30th January, 1812

Matlock House

London

Darcy,

I offered my hand in marriage to Miss Caroline Bingley yesterday, and she accepted.

We have spoken of this matter at length, and I know you are willing to support my decision, but you also have some concerns about our mutual happiness. I beg you not to concern yourself.

Firstly, I like Caroline. It is not the passionate love that you have with Elizabeth, but we respect and admire one another very much. More than that, we enjoy many of the same activities, and I believe that to be important in a convivial union.

I will not say anything more except to ask for your encouragement and your blessing. I look forward to leaving the army. While I fought for our country with alacrity, I confess that the thought of returning to the battlefield is discouraging.

Many congratulations on the Darcy heir on the way.

God bless,

Richard Fitzwilliam

/

8th February, 1813

Pemberley

Richard,

You have long been a sensible man, Cousin, and thus if you believe you will be happy with Caroline Bingley, I believe you will, and that is news worth celebrating.

We all rejoice that you are not returning to battle. The war news seems cautiously hopeful; perhaps we will finally be rid of the Corsican Tyrant after his disastrous retreat from Moscow!

You have done your duty for God and King and Country, and I look forward to seeing you and your wife here at Pemberley one of these months.

Thank you for your congratulations regarding the child. Elizabeth is feeling somewhat better now, which is a relief.

God bless you,

Fitzwilliam Darcy

/

25th February, 1813

Netherfield

Dearest Lizzy,

I have now been married a full week, and it has been wonderful. I appreciate your advice some months ago that I should speak to Aunt Gardiner about the wedding night. I had the unfortunate experience of speaking with Mamma too, as she had ample time to plan the wedding breakfast and thus found the time to talk to me regarding matters of intimacy. She was most intimidating.

Aunt Gardiner was far more reassuring, and she was correct.

At any rate, we are happy.

We are also discussing, quietly, whether to renew the lease on Netherfield Hall. As much as I love my family, I think that Charles and I would be happier a greater distance from Longbourn. Mother is still Mother, though she is less anxious now that three of us are well settled with good men.

Charles intends to write to your husband and ask him if there are estates in Derbyshire. It would be wonderful to live closer to you. As much as I rejoice in the happenings of the last year, I miss you.

With much love,

Your Jane

/

Pemberley

15th March, 1813

Dear Anne,

It is very kind of you to offer to host me in London for part of the season, but I have decided not to leave Pemberley this year. I have always loved my home very much, but the entire mansion seems more alive now that my brother is married to Elizabeth. I know that you met Lizzy back in Kent a year ago, but I wonder if she was able to truly express her personality and character with Lady Catherine looming over her.

Knowing Elizabeth, she was polite, while also being arch and even a trifle saucy on occasion. My brother was already in love with her, but their interactions during that time only cemented his regard.

Elizabeth is wonderful, and I can only hope that one day I will find a man to marry who is in love with me, as Fitzwilliam is in love with Elizabeth. She has quickly charmed the servants, and our housekeeper adores and admires her.

Not that she is perfect. She has told me more than once that she is indeed not perfect. Truly, it is good to remember that none of us are perfect this side of Heaven.

I do regret that I have not yet met Mr. Buckley. I am overjoyed for you that you, too, are happy in your marriage and that you are overseeing the estate far better than your mother ever did.

I am certain we will meet in time. Indeed, if you would care to come and visit, we would be delighted to have you! All the same, I know that you feel committed to Rosings and the myriad issues still needing to be addressed, so I expect that a long trip to Pemberley is likely not in your plans for the near future.

With many blessings,

Georgiana Darcy

/

1st September, 1813

Charles and Jane,

Elizabeth was safely delivered of male twins on 26th August. We have named them Joshua and Luke.

She had a rather hard delivery, and I was extremely anxious for her, but she is recovering quickly. We have hired a wet nurse to assist.

God's blessings on you all,

Fitzwilliam Darcy

P.S. I do not care to leave Elizabeth and the boys for long, so would you kindly send a message with our news to Longbourn and the Hardings?

/

28th September, 1813

Dear Lizzy,

Oh, how exciting that you had twins! I daresay you were very large at the end, as you are not nearly as tall as I am!

I am also increasing, and as you already know, so is Jane! Christopher is very excited and also tends to hover over me a great deal. It is a blessing that I was able to attend the first month of the Season before feeling sick.

It is very uncomfortable being pregnant! But I am looking forward to the baby. I am glad that we can afford some servants. While I intend to help with the baby, I do not think I am adequate to do what so many of our tenant wives' do – they cook, they clean, they wash clothing, and care for many children. It seems an overwhelming task.

You asked if I am happy. I am. Sir Christopher is a wonderful husband for me. He has also gently showed me how spoiled I was in the past. I was living in my own little world where food appeared on the table, and I was given pretty dresses and plenty of jewelry and was permitted to flirt without a thought of its effect on my reputation.

I am very grateful to Fitzwilliam and you for helping me find my husband.

I visit the tenants' wives at least once a week, and often twice. It feels good to actually do something worthwhile.

Love,

Lydia