Chapter 1

Thursday, 2nd January 1812, Longbourn

A s much as Mr Bennet took pleasure in guiding and sustaining his daughters along the path of knowledge, he harboured a deep dislike for any intrusion into their complex realm of feelings. In this particular matter, he placed his utmost trust in his sister-in-law Mrs Gardiner, rarely relying on the counsel of his wife or her sister, Mrs Phillips. This unique wisdom had been honed over recent years, for he had come to understand that Mrs Gardiner’s interventions consistently brought favourable results, while those of his wife and her sister often resulted in disaster despite their earnest intentions.

The most recent blunder on his wife’s part had occurred in November, when she had prematurely announced the engagement, and even the imminent marriage, of their eldest daughter, Jane. Sir William Lucas had informed him of this curious misconception, while the actual situation between the timid couple could not have been more different from the rumours circulating amongst their neighbours, unfortunately initiated by his wife. The extent of their interactions had consisted merely of spirited dances, stolen glances, and commonplace conversations.

Mr Bennet knew human nature well enough to guess what had happened and why Mr Bingley had left the country without a word. A modest man, likely smitten but hesitant, had been scared by the realisation that the entire community eagerly anticipated an engagement he had not yet earnestly contemplated. In that distressing situation, he had failed to see the sincerity of Jane’s feelings, yielding instead to the eager eyes and reckless chatter of Mrs Bennet and the reluctance displayed by his own family towards any relationship that could have flourished between him and Jane.

“I am grateful that you are taking Jane to London, dear sister,” Mr Bennet remarked to Mrs Gardiner as she entered his library to bid him farewell.

“Indeed, it is the least I can do. I have never seen Jane in such a melancholic state.”

“Love, my dear, can be a most formidable affliction,” Mr Bennet replied. However, Mrs Gardiner was not fooled by his usual jesting manner. During breakfast, she had observed the caring glances he had bestowed upon Jane. Mr Bennet might regard the romantic tribulations of his daughters with detached amusement, but not when it came to Jane. She was the joyful spirit of their household, yet since that fateful November, she had been shrouded in a gloom of sorrow, tears, and despair that had cast a shadow over the entire family.

“I fear that this painful occurrence may shatter Jane’s faith in gentlemen,” Mrs Gardiner said with concern. Still, Mr Bennet shook his head; he treated the matter differently, even if he was worried.

“No, my dear sister. Next to being married, a young lady must occasionally experience the stirrings of affection. It is a matter worthy of contemplation, giving her a certain distinction amongst her friends.”

“Do you believe, in Jane’s case, that it is merely a passing infatuation?”

“I believe it may take longer for Jane to recover, but there are no tragic endings to such a tale,” he replied, his humour returning even though he harboured genuine concern for his eldest daughter.

He was happy for Jane’s departure, convinced London would mend her wounded heart. Upon her return, he hoped to rediscover his beloved daughter, who had always brightened their family with her presence.

???

“You may be mistaken about the depth of Jane’s feelings,” Elizabeth remarked a few days later when she joined her father for their usual conversation. “Jane did not journey to London to forget Mr Bingley. Quite the opposite—she nurtured great hopes of meeting him. As we speak, she is most likely penning a message to Miss Bingley to announce her safe arrival in town. And her message will revolve around a single question—when do you think we could meet?”

“We must be patient, my dear.”

“Patient? Mr Bingley left the country at the end of November. Nearly six weeks have elapsed, and Jane’s grief remains unabated. In your estimation, how long does it take to recover from such an attachment?” Elizabeth asked.

“There is no set duration,” Mr Bennet quipped. “It is not influenza, and even in the case of such an ailment, it is difficult to know the precise period it takes to recover. Nevertheless, I hope that nothing untoward happens in London and that she will return to higher spirits. With the arrival of spring, we may witness a joyful Jane.”

“Spring?” Elizabeth queried in surprise. “So, you agree that Jane’s sentiments are not a mere passing fancy.”

“All I agree is that Jane had higher expectations than reality could offer, and it is your mother’s fault for encouraging her to entertain hopes beyond what the gentleman had expressed. When combined with her eagerness to experience love and her somewhat innocent nature, it led to the grief we all observed. But, as I told your aunt, my dear, young ladies should experience affection from time to time before finding a husband. It is a valuable experience when one reaches the point of choosing a spouse. ”

“Must I remind you, dear Papa, that we young ladies do not choose our husbands? It is the gentlemen who make their selections while we simply wait. It is akin to what occurs when you journey to St. Albans to negotiate a horse sale!”

“Lizzy! How can you utter such offensive words about ladies?” her father exclaimed, feigning indignation.

“You do not have to pretend you are shocked by my words, for I know you too well! Rather than indignation, I perceive admiration in your eyes for my courage in confronting reality.”

She watched as her father burst into laughter—a rare occurrence since he generally responded to their jests with a sardonic smile. But this time, Mr Bennet appeared in high spirits, thanks partly to their conversation.

“If memory serves me correctly, young lady, when Mr Collins came here, two of the Bennet ladies rejected his proposal to ‘purchase’ them.”

And it was Elizabeth’s turn to laugh. “It was a rare instance where the horse dug in his heels, refusing to follow a new master. But what can I say? I am grateful that you did not force any of us to wed that man. Such leniency is seldom encountered, even in our time. Consider Charlotte, who had no alternative but to accept Mr Collins.”

“Are you sure that Charlotte did not accept him of her own will?” Mr Bennet asked.

“What do you mean? Did not Sir William intervene in her decision?”

“Indeed! I am suggesting that he did not need to exert the power he possesses within his family. ”

“Do you insinuate that Charlotte accepted Mr Collins’s proposal because she genuinely wanted to?” Elizabeth asked, pondering a possibility that had not even crossed her mind. “From first hearing of their betrothment, I assumed Sir William forced her to marry Mr Collins. However, if you are right, how did Charlotte reconcile her aspirations for a marriage of love with her acceptance of someone like our cousin?”

“Did Charlotte hold a genuine desire to find love, or was it more a reflection of what she heard in our household?” Mr Bennet asked.

“Is it not every woman’s aspiration?” Elizabeth asked her father, puzzled.

“I doubt that, my dear. Such aspirations are reserved for young ladies like you or Jane, who read tales of love and adventures and possess the liberty to voice their sentiments. However, I assure you that most women simply wish to marry, and they ultimately do so if the gentleman in question meets certain conditions, irrespective of their affection for him.”

“Conditions? Such as?”

“Social standing, wealth, family background, occupation…or if the lady has reached a certain age, any suitor will do!”

“Oh, how unkind of you to say such a thing,” Elizabeth murmured, though she reluctantly admitted that Charlotte might indeed fall into that last category. “It implies never experiencing that feeling called love,” she mused.

“Jane has fallen in love for the first time. Do you believe she is any happier for it? ”

“Today, you seem exceptionally sardonic, Papa.”

“Let us say that circumstances have prompted such a response from me. As I mentioned, I agree that each young lady should encounter love at some point in her life. It is an experience that contributes to the wisdom a lady requires—understanding the nature of love and contemplating whether love should be the sole basis for marriage, particularly when it leads to disillusionment and sorrow.”

“Oh!” Elizabeth exclaimed, surprised.

“When will it be your turn to experience love and suffering?” Mr Bennet suddenly asked, causing Elizabeth to regard him with deep suspicion. She was beginning to see why her father did not view Jane’s situation to be as dire as the rest of the family did.

“You cannot bear to be outdone by Jane for long. Now it is your turn. There are plenty of officers in Meryton to disappoint all the young ladies in the vicinity. Let Wickham be your suitor. He is a charming fellow and could reject you in a respectable manner.”

“Thank you, sir, but I prefer a less agreeable gentleman. We cannot all hope for Jane’s ‘good fortune’.”

“True,” Mr Bennet conceded with a smile, “but it is a consolation to think that whatever may befall you in that regard, you have an affectionate mother who will make the most of it.”

“Poor Mama. The most tragic aspect of this affair is that she fails to recognise her significant role in intimidating Mr Bingley and his family.”

“Yes, and that demonstrates that we should not anticipate any change in her behaviour in the future. But, after all, such is my life with five daughters to marry off. I cannot deny that I encouraged you to seek love, yet I never uttered a word about coupling love with marriage.”

“Papa!” Elizabeth exclaimed vehemently. “So, the liberty you and Mama granted us to find love came from your conviction that love would ultimately disappoint us, leading us to seek a husband based on those other ‘conditions’ you enumerated.”

“No, my dear! You must not suspect me of such deceit. I merely wish for you to endure the least amount of heartache and find a husband better suited to your character than to your heart.”

“And what, pray, might that mean?”

“It means that it is all well and good to reject a proposal from Mr Collins or any man of his ilk, but it also means that you should not search for love but search for a man . There exists a vast distinction between the two endeavours.”

“I am not entirely clear on the distinction,” Elizabeth responded, although she grasped her father’s words well.

“I shall not bother explaining something you already comprehend, my dear.”

“But everything you have said today contradicts the freedom you and Mama gave us to follow our hearts.”

“My dear, perhaps your mother used the term ‘love’ on a few occasions, but you are all too aware that her primary concern lies in seeing you ‘well’ married rather than in love with your future spouse.”

“I had hoped, at the very least, that you championed the cause of love,” she murmured.

“I would prefer to see you content with your choice. Not in the first weeks of matrimony, but after ten or twenty years, as in my experience.”

“Are you content?”

“I am a man—I possess other concerns beyond the pursuit of contentment, which was a notion seldom used in my time. Yet, speaking earnestly, Lizzy, I appreciate that you and Jane did not consider Mr Collins as a husband and that you correctly discerned Mr Wickham’s true nature as a gambler and a philanderer, and I am genuinely pleased that Jane fell in love with a sincere gentleman like Mr Bingley—”

“Papa, how can you say that he is sincere?”

“Because, my dear, he is honest, and his departure without a word may be attributed to a minor oversight or his inability to confront Jane due to his genuine feelings for her.”

“Then why did he leave?”

“Because he is gentle and kind, and he put his sisters’ wishes above all else. It is no secret that his family did not hold our family in high regard, and your mother’s behaviour did not help in improving our image. In this particular instance, I believe they were two hearts entwined by love yet surrounded by gossip and adversity.”

“So Jane must fight for him.”

“Perhaps, but Jane is not well-versed in the art of fighting, unlike you! I am convinced that if such a situation arose, you would fight for the man you wished to marry. But…”

She glanced at her father, who rarely hesitated to express his thoughts .

“Yes, Papa.”

“Just reflect on what I am telling you. Do not allow your heart alone to dictate your future. You require a strong partner, not a young gentleman like Mr Bingley, who would be a suitable match for Jane but not for you. Please, do not fall in love but rather pursue love.”

“And what, pray, is the distinction between the two?”

“As the word ‘fall’ implies, one might tumble and suffer an injury. Falling is a singular action, whereas pursuing signifies a journey towards understanding and appreciating someone.”

“Well, I do not intend to pursue anyone for a while!” Elizabeth jested. “I am fully aware that the officers around us are not worthy of being pursued …and I doubt that when I travel in March to visit Charlotte that I shall find any gentleman who will be interested in that rather particular kind of interest.”