Conspiracy and Conciliation
Wendy Baron
Recommended pre-reading: A Letter from Maria Lucas and A Letter from Charlotte Collins, both by Kathi (at the ROP). These two stories inspired me to write the four letters that comprise the prologue of this story, which was originally posted as a standalone story, Four Letters, long before I ever considered carrying on with it.
Prologue
Posted on Wednesday, 29 September 2004, at 10:29 p.m.
Mrs. Collins to Mrs. Darcy
Hunsford, nr. Westerham, Kent
Friday
Dear Lizzy,
Two letters from Hertfordshire reached us today. Mr. Collins' letter is from your father, and mine is from Maria. Both letters bear the same news, though presented in very different style. Your father writes economically, and Maria effusively, describing events and people and discussion as well as fact.
My joy in hearing of your engagement knows no bounds and is in every way unalloyed. The advantages of a match with a man who is handsome, rich, and well-connected are, I know, less important to you than love, and that he loves you is in no way unexpected. If you remember, I suspected something of partiality on his side last spring when you visited us and Mr. Darcy was visiting his aunt. That you love him now yourself is also apparent, for I know you would not be induced to marry without love. But Lizzy, do write soon to tell me how this change in your affections for him has come about. Your father's letter is too brief, and Maria's intelligence too far removed from the situation to give me any idea of your own thoughts on the matter.
I rejoice in your news and wish you every happiness that married life can provide.
Your devoted friend,
Charlotte Collins
Mrs. Collins to Mrs. Darcy
Hunsford nr. Westerham, Kent
Monday
Dear Lizzy,
You will wonder at receiving another letter from me so quickly, but my reason you will discern from the two enclosed letters from Miss de Bourgh.
You may be surprised to learn that Miss de Bourgh and I are on a more intimate footing than we were when you visited us in the spring. Ordinarily, I believe, Lady Catherine would not consider me an appropriate friend for Anne, but her Ladyship is under the impression that Anne enjoys being read to and that I am a better reader than Mrs. Jenkinson. Under this guise, we enjoy long conversations. Anne is a more intelligent and observant than most people credit at first acquaintance, and I feel sure you would enjoy her company as I do, Lizzy.
Anne and I have talked at length about her feelings about your impending marriage to her cousin, which are quite the opposite of her mother's. She is as delighted as any of your own relations could be, and determined to write to both you and Mr. Darcy to wish you joy. She has spent the best part of our visit today in composing the letters, with a very little assistance from me. She is not in the custom of writing letters and thus is not completely satisfied with either their form or content, but I have assured her that both you and Mr. Darcy will receive her wishes in the spirit in which they are intended. You are too kind, and he must know her too well, to see anything but good in her expressions, however inadequate or awkward she might find them.
I have kept myself as much out of Lady Catherine's way as politeness allows, but today she commanded my attentions after my visit to Anne. How fortunate that she did not come upon us while Anne was writing her letters to you! The substance of our conversation is that Lady Catherine, knowing you to be my friend and Mr. Collins' cousin, is beginning to find us at least partly culpable for Mr. Darcy's "desertion" of her daughter, for having you to visit at the same time as Mr. Darcy was at Rosings. She thinks it possible that Mr. Collins and I might have actively planned - either with you or on behalf of you - to throw you and Mr. Darcy together last spring. My gentle reminder that we had had no previous knowledge of his coming, she dismisses by saying that we had only no previous knowledge of it from her. Lady Catherine's ire is not the less expressed for being misplaced, and we have deemed it prudent to absent ourselves Hunsford until her wrath dissipates.
Mr. Collins and I are to come to Hertfordshire on Monday fortnight. We will stay at Lucas Lodge and will return after Christmas to Hunsford, unless Lady Catherine writes to hasten our return. Anne and Mrs. Jenkinson get little peace from Lady Catherine's continued complaints, and I am sorry to leave Anne, but we have both agreed it is best for all. At present, Lady Catherine has not even the possibility of pursuing charitable visits to distract her, since the villagers and tenants on the estate are, inconveniently, happy and contented, having no negotiations or disagreements requiring her intervention.
I am pleased about our hasty departure to Hertfordshire on one score, Lizzy, as it means we will be able to come to your wedding, and visit you as a bride. Lady Catherine would not pleased about that, of course, but she will not learn of it from Mr. Collins or me, and I am sure you will not tell her!
You will, I am sure, understand and sympathize with Mr. Collins' present dilemma. Much is due to Lady Catherine, of course, not simply for her rank and standing in the community, but also for her generosity toward us. And yet we cannot help but be pleased for both you and Mr. Darcy, for your own sakes. We must tread lightly where we tread at all. Our current situation has driven Mr. Collins much into his bookroom, where he reads and researches extensively, looking, I believe, for spiritual guidance. Much of what he finds on the subject of family loyalty is almost contradictory to what he finds related to loyalty to the church and to patrons, which stimulates extensive discussion, as you might imagine. You might care to warn your father, Lizzy, as I am sure Mr. Collins will make a point of visiting Mr. Bennet at Longbourn. And since it is not to be expected that joy in being married will make you and Mr. Darcy entirely insensible to the intrusions of others, we will keep our visit short to spare you much of his conversation on that subject.
I rejoice again in your news and wish you every happiness that married life can provide. Expect soon to hear these wishes from the very voice of
Your devoted friend,
Charlotte Collins
Miss de Bourgh to Mr. Darcy
Rosings, Hunsford, Kent
My dear cousin Fitzwilliam,
Be not alarmed, cousin, that this letter contain any repetition of the sentiments recently expressed to you by my honoured mother on her visit to you in London. My feelings are as different from Lady Catherine's as you could wish them to be; indeed, I am writing to express my sincere congratulations and wish you and Miss Bennet every joy in marriage.
I apologize for the furtive nature of this communication. It pains me to be secretive, but it would pain me more to see your marriage go unacknowledged by at least one member of the de Bourgh branch of the family. My friend Mrs. Collins has agreed to enclose this letter, and another to Miss Bennet, in her next to her friend. This will ensure that you both receive my good wishes and that my mother will not know of them. I cannot share my mother's view of your marriage, and feel her error strongly enough to go against her wishes in this quiet way, but I cannot invite her censure of my own actions by open disagreement. Forgive my lack of courage, if you can.
My mother has taken your defiance of her wishes very hard, as I am sure you know. Indeed, it may be your independence of action, more than your perceived desertion of me, that rankles most. However, I hope to reconcile her to your reasonable independence and make her understand ere long that I am not unhappy with your choice of wife. I have always admired and respected you, cousin, and I have loved you of course, but in a manner cousinly rather than amorous. I am sorry if this causes you pain, but so it is! Our differences of temper and understanding are significant and, on this ground, I have long been convinced that you and I would be unhappy in marriage.
I used to wonder that my mother did not notice how much more quiet I became when you and Colonel Fitzwilliam would visit, or that neither you nor I took any pains to forward our union, but I suppose it is hardly wonderful that she did not. I have come to realize that my mother sees what she chooses to see, and what she desires others to see. Is this filial disrespect, or growing wisdom?
Your marrying Miss Bennet (of whom I entirely approve and whom I hope to know better) has relieved me of the expectation of an unhappy marriage, and your marrying for love has given me to consider the possibility that such a thing may be possible for me as well. For both of these revelations, I am in your debt.
My mother has no intention of attending your wedding, in spite of your request, and I deeply regret that it will be quite out of my power to attend without her. Her anger is fearsome to behold at the moment, cousin, but I believe it will not last forever. I intend to work on her, in my quiet way, to secure you her forgiveness and welcome you and the new Mrs. Darcy back into the family. This will, I feel, be the work of some time, so you must not expect a quick result. In the meantime, you and Miss Bennet must enjoy the countless other blessings and felicitations available to you.
I must end here for I have yet to write to Miss Bennet, and Mrs Collins is waiting for me to be done. It is perhaps better if you do not write to me, but if you do, let it be under cover of a letter from your wife to Mrs. Collins. She is an excellent woman and a sympathetic conspirator.
I remain your loving cousin,
Anne deBourgh
Miss de Bourgh to Miss Bennet
Rosings, Hunsford, Kent
Dear Miss Bennet,
I have written but few letters, and I hardly know where to begin, how to continue, or when to finish such a one as this. I am sure to express myself awkwardly, but our friend (as I am privileged to call her) Mrs. Collins assures me that your kind nature will read all the kindness that is meant in these words, and will ascribe no ill-feeling where none is intended.
I have written already to my cousin, but as I am sure you will read your own letter before you see his, I must start afresh by welcoming you with all my heart to our family.
Be assured that Lady Catherine's ill-will for your usurpation of my intended position as Darcy's wife and the mistress of Pemberley is hers alone. Indeed, I have never aspired to either of those positions. You may think this odd, knowing that it has been intended since my infancy and that I had a steady diet of the expectation from my earliest memory, but it is entirely true. Much as I like, admire, and respect my cousin, I never felt anything other than cousinly regard for him nor noted anything other than cousinly regard in his manner to me.
In spite of hourly encouragement to feel most grievously insulted, I cannot help but feel happy for you both. For myself, I must confess to feeling relief that Darcy's heart is engaged elsewhere. I have long been convinced that he and I would be unhappy in marriage together, the wishes of others notwithstanding, and I am delighted he has found a marriage partner altogether more suited to him, and that he marries for love.
Knowing Darcy as I do - which is still not as well as I would wish - and having made your acquaintance last spring, I think you are well suited. Your happy nature must bring him out of himself, to his benefit, and he will give you the consequence that, even on our short acquaintance, I believe you deserve. I am sure you will be very happy together.
I apologize for such secretive communication, concealed as it is in one of my friend Mrs. Collins' to you. I am brave enough to disagree with my mother, but only if she is unaware of it!
My mother and I will not be at your wedding, to my great regret. However, I hope in time to bring my mother around to my way of thinking, to secure her forgiveness for you both for thwarting her dearest plan, and to welcome you into the family. And I hope one day to hear you call me,
Your new cousin,
Anne deBourgh
Chapter 1 - The Seed of Intent
Miss Bennet to Miss de Bourgh
Chapter 3 ~ An Interesting Proposal
Posted on Thursday, 7 October 2004, at 12:29 a.m.
Col. Fitzwilliam to Mr. Darcy
Rosings, Hunsford, Kent
March 12, 18-
Dear Darcy, Elizabeth, and Georgiana,
I am at Rosings, for my annual visit with Lady Catherine and Cousin Anne. I had not thought to visit so soon, but my regiment removes to the North at the beginning of April, and will be there for several months at least. I had, in fact, thought to leave Lady Catherine entirely alone until we knew more about her current humour, but my mother insisted that Lady Catherine and Anne would benefit from a visit, and that I should scarcely credit the change in Anne unless I were to see it for myself, so I came.
Anne is indeed quite changed since last Easter, but I know my mother has told you all about that. The day I arrived she was wearing a new gown of pink - of my mother's choosing, I am told - and looked very well in it.
If Anne is improved in appearance and health, I can only say that Lady Catherine is the reverse. She seems to have aged in the past year and her imperious expression seems to have carved deeper lines around the mouth, so that she seems constantly to be frowning.
"I suppose you are going to be disagreeable to me, as your father was," she said to me on my first day, "and abuse me for having my own opinions about Darcy's marriage."
"Indeed I am not, Aunt," I said comfortably. "I am not come to argue with you on a subject about which we cannot agree. I am quite content to leave the subject entirely un-discussed for the next fortnight, for I can see it distresses you."
"Distresses me! Indeed it does, and why should it not?" said Lady Catherine, and Anne gave me a fearful look from across the room. I only smiled, and thus deprived of a verbal combatant, she subsided for a moment.
"You are not here, then, to warn me of the dire consequences of my actions?" she said, with an odd mixture of surprise and contempt. "To make me see the error of my ways, and call me a poor mother and a worse aunt?"
"Certainly not, Aunt," I said, with some surprise of my own. "I am here to be of service to you in any way you desire, as I am every year. I will work with your steward, and review his books, and visit any tenant you think necessary. I plan also to tour the park as I always do, and visit the village, and call on our friends at the Parsonage, for my own pleasure. I am certainly not come to engage in discussion that can give none of us any pleasure."
Thus assured of my non-combatant status in her household, Lady Catherine assumed something of her usual cheerfulness, and we spent four entire days without a single mention of your names.
My mother had mentioned her high opinion of Mrs. Collins' understanding, which Anne confirmed, and the very next morning Anne and I went out in her phaeton to call at the Parsonage. Mrs. Collins is as I remember from last spring, although of course she is now more to Anne than she was then. Mr. Collins could barely contain his excitement at having Miss de Bourgh in his own parlour - he was honoured, and grateful, &c. - and it took all of ten minutes for him to be certain she was seated in a comfortable enough chair, properly positioned in relation to both the fire and the window, and to furnish her with tea and biscuit. Fortunately he was called away to attend someone in the village soon after all was settled to his satisfaction, and the three of us remaining were able to have some conversation about more than the weather and the state of the roads, which was all we dared touch on when the parson was present.
Mrs. Collins quite shares my mother's opinion that Lady Catherine's greatest difficulty is in knowing how to effect a reconciliation with you all without risking humiliation. She has never faced such a situation before and knows not how to begin. I believe that, whatever the eventual solution, it will fall to you, Darcy, to make the first overture of peace. Lady Catherine is unaccustomed to doing so and, I believe, is afraid of making a bad job of it. She has very high expectations of herself, you know. We will likely achieve reconciliation more quickly by allowing Lady C. to accept an olive branch than by expecting her to proffer one.
I found Lady Catherine more disposed to speak freely when Anne was absent, so took pains to give her opportunities. Mrs. Collins visited nearly every day, and when Anne was occupied with her, Lady Catherine and I often had long talks. I believe I can offer evidence that Lady Catherine is ready for a reconciliation, but must repeat parts of conversations to give you to understand me.
She asked me my own opinion of my new cousin, and I confessed to her that I have a high regard for the new Mrs. Darcy. I will not embarrass you, dear Elizabeth, by repeating what I said of your sense and understanding. I added that, having been present at your wedding, and at Christmas, I was fully convinced that you were each deeply in love with the other, and I predicted many years of happiness for you. You may expect to hear that Lady C. tutted and doubted, but she did not. She merely nodded and said that she had heard the same from Anne, my parents, and even Mrs. Collins (who seems now to have been forgiven for being Elizabeth's friend and having attended the wedding, which could, of itself, be seen as a harbinger of good).
She asked me if I agreed with Anne, that she and Darcy would have made an unhappy marriage. I said that it was not unknown for marriages of fortune to be happy, or for marriages for love to be unhappy, but that generally speaking I thought marriage based on mutual regard to be more likely to continue happy. I admitted I had never seen anything amorous in your regard for Anne. I had never thought about Anne's feelings on the matter, but having heard her views, I would certainly pay her the compliment of believing her to know her own heart.
Lady C. was interested to know if, during Christmas, you had shown any sign of regret for her absence and Anne's. (I gather from this that they both regretted it.) I said that we had not much discussed the situation, as there was no need for all the Bennets and Gardiners to know all, but that all the family had been sorry they were not of the party. Thus much is true, although some felt it more than others!
"Do you think Anne will ever forgive me, Fitzwilliam?" she asked one day, rather wistfully. I said that Anne would be hard-hearted indeed not to forgive her mother for having her best interest at heart, and that I was sure she was not so. (Anne had told me the previous day that she had recently come to understand that her mother had thought she was acting for her benefit, and that she could not resent such a demonstration of affection, however misguided.) Lady C. seemed relieved, and hopeful, and spoke more kindly to Anne afterward.
I believe that Lady Catherine is now persuaded that Elizabeth married you for love, and not for material gain. I believe she also acknowledges that you and Anne are better judges of your own hearts and wishes than she, and I believe that she misses you, Darcy. I also believe that her question about Anne's being disposed to forgiveness tended also towards both you and Elizabeth, so I answered her unasked question as well. I mused that the family connection could not be insignificant to either of you, and that I had a high opinion of Mrs. Darcy's sense and regard for her new family, and was sure she would not refuse to forgive where her husband had chosen to.
Is it not ironic that the person most able to effect peace in the family is the one who has made battle his occupation? I would congratulate myself on my cleverness if I did not think my timing had been a greater factor. I believe my father's strong approach, complemented by my mother's softer one, prepared the ground for me, and that having had at least a fortnight to consider all the arguments presented to her, Lady Catherine was ready to consider working toward a reconciliation.
I know I am not one of the original group of conspirators, but I have a suggestion to make to help effect the reconciliation so desired by all the family. My mother has invited Anne to spend her summer at Matlock. Lady Catherine will, of course, accompany her on her voyage north, and will stay at least a few weeks before returning to Rosings. They will need to break their journey, and I am sure will spend at least a week in London before pressing on. What I suggest is that you invite them to come to Pemberley before going on to Matlock. This will be the olive branch of which I spoke earlier, and I am quite confident of its being accepted.
There is no need to answer me; there is plenty of time before the summer. I am sure Anne does not expect to travel before June. If you think it a good plan, you may act accordingly and I am sure I shall hear the result from one or the other of you.
I must close here, for Anne and I are to go to the Parsonage again today. Although there are no pleasant young ladies visiting the Collinses this year, it has been very warm and sunny this past week, and the trees and flowers are beginning to bud and bloom. I am sure this is a phantom spring, and that we will have frost again before April, so we are keen to take advantage of the sunshine.
My best love to you all, especially the lovely ladies,
Col. J. Fitzwilliam
Miss Darcy to Col. Fitzwilliam
Pemberley, nr. Lambton, Derbyshire
7 April, 18--
Dearest Cousin James,
How fortunate we are to have a cousin with such a brilliant tactical mind! I do hope the army knows what it has in you.
Your proposal for reconciling Lady Catherine to us, without causing embarrassment or humiliation to either party, is very welcome and has been much discussed. None of us at Pemberley has been able to find any unanswerable flaw in the plan, and William writes to Lady Catherine today to invite her and my cousin to visit Pemberley on their way north to Matlock for the summer. He is losing patience with his task, and has already burned three different beginnings, each of them unsatisfactory in some way. He had planned to write to you as well, but he is so occupied with the letter to my aunt that I said I would write to you myself, so that you might know as soon as possible how your plan was received.
Elizabeth's Aunt Gardiner and her children come to us next week, while Mr. Gardiner pursues some business interests on the Continent, and they will be with us until the end of May. We are all agreed that it will be more pleasant for all parties concerned for Lady Catherine and Anne to come to us after the Gardiners have departed. The Gardiners are very good people, and we are all fond of them, but we know too much of Lady Catherine to expect her to acknowledge "such low connections" before she is entirely reconciled to seeing Lizzy as mistress of Pemberley. The Gardiners will come back to Pemberley in August, and my aunt may meet them then, if all goes well before.
William was at first reluctant to adopt your proposal, lest Lady Catherine perceive an invitation to Pemberley to be an apology or an admission of guilt or regret, or worse, that it lead her to expect one. However, Lizzy and I have quite convinced him that she is welcome to think as she chooses and that any expectation of or demand for apology or confession can certainly be addressed if and when it arises. And if she sees fit to grant her forgiveness without first receiving a request for it, we are all prepared to accept it with an appropriate degree of humility and gratitude.
We agreed with you that we might wait forever for Lady Catherine to make the first move, and William was quickly persuaded of the merit in your suggestion that he make the overture of peace, in the interest of family harmony and a quick result. I do not think he entirely shares your confidence that Lady Catherine will accept the olive branch, but he is hopeful of a good outcome, as are we all. Although Lady Catherine's society cannot truly be described as amiable, she is our Aunt and we are all willing to put up with her in the interest of healing the rift, and seeing and knowing more of Anne.
I confess I am nervous at the thought of having Lady Catherine here. I find her manner most unnerving, and am never comfortable with her, for fear that she will call me to the attention of everyone present by instructing me about my taste in music, or requiring me to demonstrate my proficiency in French or German! I am a little better since our very lively Christmas, but I have not yet learned to be comfortable with that sort of notice. Lizzy laughs a little at me and tells me I shall have to learn to be the most noticed lady in any room, once I am out. She is so kind, James; I shall always be grateful to William for giving me such a sister!
Lizzy and William send their best regards and hopes that we shall see you at Pemberley before the summer is out. We are all well, and hope that this letter finds you so.
Your loving cousin,
Georgiana Darcy
Mr. Darcy to Lady Catherine de Bourgh
(Rejected Draft 1)
Pemberley, nr. Lambton, Derbyshire
7 April , 18-
Dear Lady Catherine,
The disagreement arising in our last meeting together being still unresolved, I am anxious to heal the breach...
(Rejected Draft 2)
Pemberley, nr. Lambton, Derbyshire
7 April , 18-
Dear Lady Catherine,
Although we parted company last fall on less than cordial terms, I have no desire to continue so...
(Rejected Draft 3)
Pemberley, nr. Lambton, Derbyshire
7 April , 18-
Dear Lady Catherine,
Georgiana and Anne have not met these three years, and they should not be strangers to each other because of a disagreement between you and me...
Pemberley, nr. Lambton, Derbyshire
7 April , 18-
Dear Lady Catherine,
I understand from my Aunt Matlock that she has invited Anne to spend her summer at Matlock, and she is hopeful that the invitation will be accepted. I believe that the dates of your visit to Matlock are not yet fixed, but that Anne did not expect to travel before June, and would probably come to Matlock in late June, or early July.
The journey from Rosings to Matlock is long and not often undertaken for a visit of less than several months. Matlock is but half a day's journey from Pemberley, and Elizabeth, Georgiana, and I would be honoured if you would both consider spending a few weeks with us in the beginning of June before continuing on to Matlock for the remainder of the summer.
Pemberley is much changed from the last time you visited three years ago, and you will hardly recognise the orangerie now it is a little matured. I do hope you will come.
Your nephew,
Fitzwilliam Darcy
Mr. Darcy to Lady Matlock
Pemberley, nr. Lambton, Derbyshire
7 April , 18-
My dear Aunt Matlock,
I have written today to Lady Catherine to invite her and Anne to spend a few weeks at Pemberley in the beginning of June, before they continue on to Matlock for the rest of the summer. I struggled with the writing of the letter, and rejected several beginnings as giving the wrong idea of my feelings. In the end, I made no mention at all of the disagreement between us, and if the final result sounds a bit more formal than I had hoped, I am at least satisfied that it preserves my dignity without affronting Lady Catherine's.
You may know before I do whether Lady Catherine chooses to accept our invitation, but I shall advise you in any case as soon as I hear from her.
Best love from Elizabeth and Georgiana, and
Your loving nephew,
Fitzwilliam Darcy
Chapter 4 - Anticipation
Miss de Bourgh to Mr. Darcy
Rosings, Hunsford, Kent
12th April, 18--
Dearest Darcy, Elizabeth, and Georgiana,
Mama is writing separately, but I could not resist writing to you myself, now that I may do so without resorting to secrecy.
We are to come to Pemberley! Mama says we shall leave here the last week in May, and stop in London for a week to pick up the clothes my aunt has ordered for me, and do some more shopping, before continuing on to you. We shall be with you on 2nd June, if the weather holds and the roads are good, and hope to stay at least three weeks and possibly a month if all goes well. I cannot wait! I have not seen Pemberley in three years, and I am sure it is much changed. The willow by the lake must be enormous now!
I read your letter, and I must say I think you were very wise to make no mention of the arguments and insults of six months ago; it does not good to refresh the memory of unpleasant things. Mama was, I think, a little surprised that you said nothing to the purpose, but she was not offended. I quickly pointed out to her your last sentence - "I do hope you will come," and credited it with all the feeling that could be imagined for words so simple. She doubted me at first, I think, not believing that I could be sincere in my wish to see Pemberley with someone else as its mistress, but I convinced her in the end. I behaved from the beginning as if it were a decided thing, and spoke of what we would do "when we are at Pemberley" and talked about what gift I should bring for Georgiana. I gave no hint that I considered any other possibility, and after a day or so, she said she would write to you to accept. I confess I think it was always her intent to come, whether I would or no, but she was happier accepting knowing that I truly bear you no ill-feeling at all!
So now that we are again family, I am at your service. If there is anything any of you need from London, you have only to write and tell me, and I shall be happy to procure it for you on my way North. And if there is nothing you need, you need only write to tell me you are as eager as I am to see me at Pemberley again!
In the meantime, I remain
Your loving cousin,
Anne de Bourgh
Lady Catherine de Bourgh to Mr. Darcy
Rosings, Hunsford, Kent
12 April, 18-
Dear Nephew,
Thank you for your letter of the 7th. Anne and I would be delighted to accept your invitation to visit you at Pemberley in June. We shall journey first to London where we will stay for a week before continuing on to Derbyshire, and plan to arrive on 2nd June, in the afternoon. I have written to Lady Matlock to confirm our acceptance of her invitation also, and advise that we visit Pemberley before Matlock. I will stay a fortnight at Matlock, and then return to Rosings via London, as I cannot leave my steward to run the entire estate for the whole summer.
Anne is very eager to see Pemberley again, and her cousin Georgiana, and I will also be pleased to see the familiar places again.
Your loving aunt,
Lady Catherine de Bourgh
Lady Catherine de Bourgh to Lord Matlock
Rosings, Hunsford, Kent
12 April, 18-
Dear Brother and Sister,
My dear Anne, having been in such an improved state of health all this winter, has declared a fervent wish to accept your very kind invitation to come to Matlock for the summer. I have observed her carefully, and believe she may, indeed, be well enough to travel so far. She has scarcely even had a sniffle these last four months, and seems at last to have grown up out of her tendency towards frequent indisposition.
We shall not come directly to Matlock from Kent, for it is a long journey, and I am concerned for Anne's strength. We will stay in London, therefore, for one week before continuing on. And we must stop once more before we come to you, as I expect you are already aware.
I received last week another letter of invitation, from my nephew Darcy. He has invited us to break our journey at Pemberley, and to stay for a month, and this invitation we have also accepted, as it lies in our way to Matlock. Anne has not been at Pemberley these three years, and is very eager to see how the place has changed. Of the greatest single change in that place, I shall say nothing. My objections to the match, on the basis of fortune and family connections, are unchanged. Regarding the young woman herself, however, I shall keep an open mind, until I have observed Mrs. Darcy in her new situation with my own eyes.
We shall leave Kent in the last week in May, and expect to reach Pemberley on 2nd June, where we shall stay three weeks or a month, by my nephew's desire. We may come to you, on the 23rd, or possibly a week later, on the 30th. I will write closer to the time, as to the exact date you may expect us.
With best love from your niece Anne and
Your sister,
Catherine
Mr. Darcy to Miss de Bourgh
Pemberley, nr. Lambton, Derbys.
18th April, 18-
Dear cousin Anne,
I am charged by my wife and my sister to begin by expressing their delight and happiness that you are to come to Pemberley, and their expectation that the visit shall not end before the close of a month. A month, Georgiana assures me, will scarcely be long enough to do every thing she has planned. Her every thought is for your ease and entertainment, and your enjoyment will be her best reward. If she has overlooked any thing, you have only to ask and it shall be seen to. I hope you have been taking very good care of yourself, Cousin, for you will need a good constitution to carry you through Georgiana's programme of entertainment and activity!
I am no less pleased than Georgiana, that you are to come, and I hope it will be your most pleasant visit yet. It has been many years since you have seen the place, and you will not recognize some things. The willow by the lake is, as you say, enormous now. There are many other changes since your last visit, including new stables and improvements to the path around the lake, and some I am forbidden to mention, as they are to be a surprise!
Your kind offer to procure any thing for us on your way North comes at just the right time, for Georgiana has recently expressed regret at leaving some of her favourite music in London, and was about to write to our housekeeper in London, to ask her to send it, and some other incidental items, to her here. However, she will now ask to have them delivered to your London residence, so that they may travel more safely, although perhaps less quickly, than by the post. Lizzy disclaims being in want of anything that only London can provide, but if you will agree to it, I have one or two commissions to ask of you.
When last I was in London, I took my father's watch to be repaired and neglected to collect it before coming away. If you will agree to collect them on your way, I will write to the jeweller to authorize him to release it to you.
Finally, there is an excellent bookseller in S-- Street, known for its fine collection of histories. If you could obtain any or all of the titles on the enclosed list, I should be most exceedingly obliged.
And now, dear Cousin, I must close, as my steward expects me in ten minutes and I shall certainly be late for him if I do not. I am looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks' time, and in the meantime I remain,
Your devoted cousin,
Fitzwilliam Darcy
Mrs. Darcy to Mrs. Bingley
Pemberley, nr. Lambton, Derbyshire
20th April, 18-
Dearest Jane,
What a summer we are to have at Pemberley! My Aunt Gardiner and her children arrived last week and will be with us until the end of May, and then you and Kitty and Mr. Bingley will come to us in July. I am so happy you will be here in July, for I shall have a memorable June, and shall need to see you ere long it ends! Lady Catherine and Miss Anne de Bourgh are to come to Pemberley and stay most - if not all - of the month of June.
The need for, and discussion of, a reconciliation of the de Bourghs and the Darcys has been the subject of many discussions and letters within the family over the last half year, beginning with the letters of congratulations that Miss de Bourgh wrote to Mr. Darcy and me back in December. Since then we have communicated with her in secret, through Charlotte Collins, and have had accounts from various relations who have visited Rosings or written to Lady Catherine. She is contrite, they say, and wishes to be restored to good standing in the family. I can believe that she wishes to be on good terms with Mr. Darcy and Georgiana again, but I am not so complacent about her opinion of or probable behaviour toward me, considering the last time we met.
Lady Catherine behaved appallingly on that occasion, as even you agreed when I told you. She was much the same when I saw her in Hunsford: her manner dictatorial and authoritative, and her insolence astonishing to witness. People defer to her however, possibly through habit, and probably through a combination of respect for her place in society and fear of her censure or anger. She has a very sharp tongue when she chooses! She is more involved in the lives of all those around her than can be strictly necessary, and I believe derives a great deal of pleasure from directing their behaviour. I suppose, with that sort of deference to hand, it is hardly surprising that she is as she is.
I know Lady Catherine has never rejoiced at being connected to me, and truly Jane, I cannot rejoice at being connected to Lady Catherine. She is not really amiable, and her company is tedious, as her self and her concerns must always be the first object of conversation, except as the concerns of others allow her to voice opinions and recommendations. There can be no lively discussion with Lady Catherine, for she takes offence if one presumes to express an opinion not entirely in accord with her own, so you can see we are already not disposed to be great friends. She has also insulted all of us by every possible method, and although I care little for her opinions about me, I cannot easily forgive her for speaking ill of my family, whose relations and concerns are so unconnected to hers!
Do not worry, Jane, I will not disgrace myself or any of the family by my behaviour toward her. I know what is due to her as Mr. Darcy's aunt, and I shall pay her that due. I shall not, however, forswear my own opinions simply because they do not accord with hers, pretend to feel more or less than I do, or allow her to believe I am anything but what I am. With such a month ahead of me, I believe I shall not be easy until she has left Pemberley for good and we might all be ourselves again!
Lady Catherine does not bring out the best in people, but I was able to speak civilly to her as Miss Bennet of Longbourn, and I shall be no less capable of doing so as Mrs. Darcy of Pemberley. My concerns are more for Mr. Darcy and Georgiana than for myself. I should hate to see Mr. Darcy's efforts come to nothing because his aunt will not exercise a modicum of tact by keeping her opinions to herself, when expressing them can do nobody any good. (You see I have no high expectations of her.) But perhaps I worry unnecessarily, and Lady Catherine is truly changed. She is coming to Pemberley, at least; anything else might thus be possible!
Mr. Darcy is also concerned, but his fears are mostly for me; he will not have me insulted, and is prepared to ask Lady Catherine to leave if she behaves very badly. I very much hope it will not come to that. I have no wish to see her frequently, but I should hate to be the cause of dissension in the family.
How ironic it is that my aunt Gardiner, whose connections are not high and whose husband is in trade, should be more welcome at Pemberley, than Mr. Darcy's own aunt, the daughter of an earl. Aunt Gardiner has never met Lady Catherine, of course, and knows nothing of her visit to me at Longbourn. Her absence from the wedding was vaguely explained to everyone as being due to a "slight affliction that it was hoped would be temporary", as was her absence at Christmas. I have not enlightened her; there is no need for anyone outside Mr. Darcy's family to know anything, except you, my dearest sister, for I must be able to speak of it to one person who has no share in the affair.
Oh, Jane, how I wish it were already June, and the visit were nearly over instead of more than a month distant! And how I wish you could be here a month early, for even Lady Catherine could not misbehave with so much goodness before her! I miss you so, and have never needed your goodness and patience more than I do now! Can you not persuade Charles to give up Hertfordshire and find an estate equally pleasant in Derbyshire, so that we might have the advantage of closer proximity?
Never mind; it is only April. I shall have a pleasant visit with my aunt and cousins, and we will have an entire month yet to write letters enough to talk me out of my worry and make me easy. I shall depend on hearing from you often in the months before you come to Pemberley, and I am certain I will write you at least once a week while our guests are with us! In the meantime, I remain
Your devoted sister,
Elizabeth Darcy
Chapter 5 - Advice and Resolution
Mr. Bennet to Mrs. Darcy
Longbourn, nr. Meryton, Herts.
3 May, 18-
Dearest Lizzy,
I well know my reputation as a lazy and dilatory correspondent, so hope that you will be surprised to hear from me. I have no dramatic news for you - Kitty and Mary are yet at home and have no romantic entanglements that I know of. Nor have I any great social occasions to report on, as the neighbourhood has not yet filled up with people returning from London. I write for a more unusual purpose - to offer unsolicited paternal advice and comfort!
I understand that you expect a visit from the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh next month, and that you are in some trepidation of it. You are justified, I think, given her previous behaviour towards you. Do not be uneasy, my dear; your mother and sisters know nothing more about her Ladyship, but that she is Mr. Darcy's aunt and Mr. Collins' patroness. Jane has told only me, and I expect she would not have done even thus much had I not happened to go to Netherfield the day your last letter arrived, to speak with Mr. Bingley. We returned a little early from our walk, as Mr. Bingley had the misfortune to trip over one of the young dogs and fall in a muddy puddle. He went to his chamber to change, while I had tea with Jane. She had just read your letter, and I could see she was not easy. Although she tried to laugh at herself for her fears, she could not help but unburden all to me. She also shewed me your letter, which I hope you will not mind, so that I could see for myself the degree of your distress.
Your sister's concern was primarily for your state of mind and the distress you must be feeling, and I believe I have assuaged those concerns. You must feel better, I reasoned, for having expressed in a letter those feelings that you might not express to Mr. Darcy or his sister. You must have some confidant, I said, and who better or more natural to choose than herself, who has always served that office, whose discretion may be absolutely relied upon, and whose distance from the situation must add to her objectivity?
I then took pains to point out that your sense of humour seemed to be intact, as she and I both laughed aloud when reading certain passages. I should be far more concerned, I said, if you had forgotten how to laugh at yourself and the foibles of others. You are a sensible, intelligent girl, Lizzy; I am sure that you are more than equal to the task of having Lady Catherine as a guest in your home, which is much grander than her own, and exciting her good behaviour by your own example.
I have teased Jane about the excessive kindness of her heart, and made her laugh and blush and gently protest that, "It is not so, Papa, indeed it is not". We know, of course, that it is; there was never a more optimistic or trusting creature than my eldest daughter. And so she is again, after our meeting. She is not made to be unhappy, so must have reasoned herself out of her worry ere long, but I believe our discussion may have shortened her suffering a little.
And now to address your suffering, Lizzy, for I am sure you could not purge every feeling in one letter, and your dread must deepen with every day that hastens May away. This is perfectly natural when one knows not what to expect, but I trust that you will not let it overpower your good sense. I may remind you that you and yours are not the only ones likely to be feeling so at this time; Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh may very likely feel the same. You have the advantage of them, of course, being their hostess, and it will be in your power, in the first few minutes, to set the tone of the visit by your behaviour toward them. Treat them as you would be treated, and it will not be your fault if they do not respond in kind.
Her Ladyship may appear to be criticising your every word and gesture, but I think she will be the only one prepared to find fault with you. Darcy and his sister are devoted to you, and I daresay will support you in anything. Miss de Bourgh, too, seems more likely to be determined to please and be pleased than not. And Lady Catherine, you know, will be under equal - if not greater - scrutiny, and will most likely be on her best behaviour for you all.
I have seldom written such a long letter, which you must take as evidence of my affection for you and your sister. I dare not read it over before closing, lest I see myself poorly reflected, so I will finish here, and hope my letter finds you and Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy well and that you will all continue so.
Your loving father,
Thomas Bennet
Mrs. Bingley to Mrs. Darcy
Netherfield Hall, nr. Meryton, Herts.
5 May, 18-
Dearest Lizzy,
How anxious you sounded in your last! I confess to being very worried about you immediately after reading it, and had never wished more that there were not so many miles between us! Papa happened upon me just after I had read your letter. He asked if I was unwell, in such a kind tone, that in my distress I could not help but tell him all, and even gave him your letter to read, so that he might understand it for himself.
We had a long talk, which eased my mind, and he teazed me back into good humour, which eased his, I think, and all was well again before Mr. Bingley came downstairs. Papa told me yesterday that he had written to you, so I will not repeat our conversation here, as you must already know the substance of it from him.
I re-read your letter this morning, and laughed at myself for my reaction two days ago, and I am sure you will do the same. I know you well enough Lizzy, to know that you sometimes conceal your distress with laughter and jokes. But as Papa says, you have never done so when it was just us two, so I must conclude that your humour was genuine, and any distress I perceived must have left you through your pen and that you are, if not looking forward to Lady Catherine's visit, then at least not living in dread of it!
Mr. Bingley is very well, and has been spending a good deal of time with Papa. They get along very well, it seems, and I am glad of it; it is always a pleasure to see Papa, especially when he comes without my mother and sisters and we can have a quiet talk. He has been very helpful to Mr. Bingley, too, with some of the estate business, and is encouraging him in the matter of the library at Netherfield. I think he was much impressed with the library at Pemberley and would like to have another such available to him, although the number and quality of books at Longbourn far exceeds those currently at Netherfield.
Mr. and Mrs. Hurst have gone to France for the summer and will stay with his brother a little way out of Paris. You will expect to hear that Miss Bingley is to join them, but you must prepare yourself to be surprised, for she is not. I am sure there is plenty of room for her, but she has her own schemes for the summer. In London this past winter, she met a Miss Carstairs, whose father is Lord R-. They have been much in each other's company since early January, and Caroline's few letters have been full of Miss Carstairs, whom she describes as the personification of beauty, grace, accomplishment, fashion, charm, and wit. Miss Carstairs is apparently as delighted with Caroline as Caroline is with her, and with such mutual affection, who could doubt that they must spend the summer together as well as the winter?
Miss Carstairs returns to Rotherhugh Hall, Lord R-'s country house in Sussex, for the summer, and Caroline is to join her there. Sir William Lucas knows something of him, having met him at St. James's, and I understand his Lordship is a widower, his wife having died when his daughter was sixteen - I believe she is now about one and twenty. And he is still quite young himself, being not yet fifty. Charles laughingly predicts that he will soon have a brother-in-law old enough nearly to be his father, but I am sure he is only jesting. Sir William's information was that his Lordship had no intention of marrying again, having already heirs enough for his estate, and I believe Caroline would prefer the son to the father. There is a son, apparently, but we have heard only that he was at Cambridge and his name might be either Henry or Edward. Charles cannot remember any such name from his time there, so he must be either older or younger. We shall, however, have plenty of opportunity to discover all these details, as both Caroline and Miss Carstairs will come to us next week for a stay of indeterminate but brief length - probably only a fortnight, but possibly as long as a month, as Caroline said in her last letter. It will all depend on Lord R--, and when he plans to return to Sussex. He is currently in Manchester, visiting an old friend, enjoying himself a great deal, and has no fixed plans for his return to Sussex.
Kitty and Mary are both well; I saw them yesterday when they visited with Mama. I believe they are both improving, now that they are the only two remaining at home. Kitty was always better without Lydia's influence, and she has quite got over her infatuation with officers. She and Mary are much thrown into each other's company, and it seems to be doing them both good. Kitty reads more and buys fewer bonnets, and has even tried to learn to play the piano, and Mary spends less time in reading serious books and more time shopping in Meryton with Kitty. Mary has changed how she does her hair, or perhaps I should say Sarah has changed how she does Mary's hair. It is softer about her face now, and even my father has commented that she looks almost pretty when she is not so serious. Kitty is quite happy in anticipation of another visit to Pemberley, and getting to know her new sister better. Mary would have liked to come as well, but Mama insists that she cannot do without at least one daughter at home for the entire month, so Mary is content with the promise of visiting at another time.
I have little else to tell you, Lizzy, for we have been rather quiet here since Christmas. Mama comes to visit nearly every day, with or without one of my sisters, but I can tell you nothing of those visits that you cannot imagine. All our friends and neighbours are unchanged, except that I think they miss your lively society, and I am always asked to convey their best wishes to you whenever your name is mentioned.
I must go and speak to Cook about the menus and to Mrs. Davidson about the rooms for my sister and her friend. Pray write again when you can, and in the meantime I remain
Your loving sister,
Jane Bingley
Mr. Collins to Mr. Bennet
Hunsford, nr. Westerham, Kent
6 May, 18-
My dear Sir,
It is my duty and very great pleasure to advise you and your charming wife and daughters of the very recent, blessed addition to our family. My dearest Charlotte was safely delivered of a daughter yesterday morning. She is to be called Margaret Catherine, after her maternal grandmother and my patroness, to which great lady, and her daughter Miss Anne de Bourgh, she was presented this very morning. Lady Catherine was most pleased and honoured by the name - she is indeed the personification of all that is affable and condescending - if a little surprised at our giving the child the name of one grandmother, but omitting to use the other. I have long been of the opinion that I should never give my mother's name - Agatha - to any daughter of mine. I have always thought it unpleasing to the ear, and it is particularly objectionable in combination with Margaret. Catherine is a much lovelier name, with so much more of nobility and grace in it, that I could not have conceived of any more preferable. It is a distinguished name, and very well suited for the daughter of a gentleman (with which, I am sure, you will agree) and a clergyman. This explanation seemed to satisfy and answer all of Lady Catherine's concerns on the subject.
My dear Charlotte is tolerably well, considering the event, and we have hopes that she may be allowed to leave her room in the next day or so. The midwife has insisted that Mrs. Collins be allowed to rest as much as possible, in order to recover her strength, and there can be no need to hasten the new mother's return to her normal level of activity and usefulness as long our household is enlarged by the presence of my mother-in-law and my sister Maria. Mrs. Collins is to sleep whenever Margaret Catherine should sleep, for she is awake every two hours at least, and there is no rest for any of us when the babe is awake.
I have newfound appreciation for all that fathers go through on the birth of their children and, if asked, should advise every man of my acquaintance to quit his house immediately the midwife arrives and not return until summoned. A capable midwife leaves nothing, anyway, for the expectant father to do, and the disruption of routine, the noise and activity, do away with all that is calm and restful. You, as father of five daughters, will understand whereof I speak, I am sure.
I have several more letters to dispatch with our happy news, so will end with my very best regards to your lady and daughters, and with thanks and appreciation for your congratulations and good wishes to,
Your obdt. servant, friend, and well-wisher,
William Collins
Mrs. Darcy to Mrs. Bingley
Pemberley, nr. Lambton, Derbys.
10 May, 18-
Dearest Jane,
Forgive me, dear sister for causing you so much anxiety with my last letter. I am newly reminded that you are entirely too kind-hearted for your own good, and I shall therefore cease to write letters to you when I am agitated. I shall ask Miss de Bourgh to bring me a thick notebook from London, that I may use as a diary, and into this I shall pour all the agitation of spirits, anxiety, and other intense feelings of my daily life, so that when it comes time to write to my dearest sister, I shall be able to recount events, repeat conversations, and express opinions without exciting alarm in your breast. Thus much I would happily do for you, Jane!
Perhaps I should be pleased with myself, however, for your anxiety on my behalf resulted in an almost unprecedented event. My father has written to me, to offer his own sage counsel on the matter of Lady Catherine's impending visit. Believe me when I tell you, Jane, that I do not live in dread of seeing Lady Catherine's barouche box coming up the drive. I am looking forward to seeing Miss de Bourgh again, and to knowing if Lady Catherine is indeed as different now as is generally claimed by those who have seen her. If she is, we shall all have an enjoyable three weeks, and if she is not, I have the relative comfort of knowing that she cannot be worse than she was. I do not think even Lady Catherine would speak to Mrs. Darcy, in the way she once spoke to Miss Bennet. And if she does, I shall not quail or cower, for my courage always rises, with every effort to intimidate me! Her Ladyship shall not injure me, Jane; I will not give her that satisfaction. As Papa said, very wisely, in his recent letter, I shall treat her as I would have her treat me, and if she does not respond in kind, it will not be my fault!
Enough of Lady Catherine - she receives entirely too much attention for one who is neither present nor even expected for another fortnight. I have not forgotten that you too will have visitors by now, as Miss Bingley and her friend Miss Carstairs were to come to Netherfield. Pray tell me all about Miss Carstairs, whose father is a widowed Peer, still young and handsome in himself, and having no intentions to marry again. Is she the paragon that Caroline described? Is she truly the most charming, witty, accomplished, graceful woman you ever saw, wrapped up in a fashionable dress and topped with a beautiful face? Or is she in fact as flawed as the rest of us, and simply a pleasant lady, with sense and lively conversation? I confess myself surprised at the seeming suddenness of her intimacy with Miss Bingley, but then I have never been in London for the Season, so perhaps I do not fully understand the way of things there.
I wish you could see Pemberley just now, Jane; it is so beautiful. The trees are all in bud and bloom, and there are fresh shades of green at every turn. There are a few flowers, and the promise of plenty more soon to come; in a month, Georgiana tells me, we will be surrounded by colour, and there will be fresh flowers in every occupied room. The estate is full of other evidences of spring, as well. There are birds in every tree and shrub, either singing or building nests. The other morning, as I wrote my letters, I saw a doe and her fawn a little distance away on the lawn, and there are at least a dozen baby bunnies to be seen along my favourite path. The sun is a little higher in the sky every day, and a little warmer, and all the servants assure me that the summer will be delightful and warm. I do hope it will be, for I should so much like you to see Pemberley at its best, and I believe I like it best in the summer, for it was a sunny summer day when I first saw it last year.
My aunt and cousins have enjoyed their visit, as we have enjoyed having them stay. My uncle is expected here next week, to stay for a fortnight, before taking his family back with him to London. Mr. Darcy has been making sure the fishing rods and tackle are in good repair in time for my uncle's visit for, as he says, circumstances prevented their fishing together last summer, and who is more likely to be in need of the quiet and calm of an afternoon's fishing than a man who has just spent six weeks negotiating with the French?
My aunt delights in Pemberley nearly as much as I do, and would be quite happy to stay for six months at a time, should my uncle's business allow him to accompany her. It does not, however, so she must content herself with several shorter stays, this year at least! The children and Georgiana always enjoy each other, as she is nearly as good to them as you have used to be, Jane: every bit as patient, and very good at devising games for their entertainment, whether indoors or out.
I do miss you, Jane, for no one else understands me as well as you, and no one else can so easily make me laugh at myself. If I could have one wish, it would be that you and Mr. Bingley lived closer to Pemberley. But while you are so far away in Hertfordshire, I will content myself with looking forward to seeing you in July, and counting on hearing from you very often before then.
Pray give our best - from Georgiana, William, and me - to Mr. Bingley and Miss Bingley, and to everyone at Longbourn. I will write again when I have more news to impart.
With dearest love from
Your devoted sister,
Elizabeth Darcy
Mrs. Collins to Mrs. Darcy
Hunsford, nr. Westerham, Kent
15th May, 18-
Dearest Lizzy,
I think it possible that my news may come as no surprise to you, and I beg you would not think ill of me for not writing to tell you before now, that Margaret Catherine Collins - our daughter - entered this world on 5th May. I would have written before, but I should not have been allowed to in the first few days afterward, for the midwife insisted that I keep my bed and recover my strength. Even now, I sleep nearly as much as Meg (as I call her) does. I was allowed to leave my bed when Meg was three days old, and to come downstairs the following day. Could you have imagined that I, who have been always active and useful, should submit to such strictures, or even more wonderfully, that I submit to them so gratefully? Though I have brothers and sisters enough not to be unfamiliar with the care and feeding of infants, I do not believe that even the encouragement and frankness of the midwife prepared me for the rigours of birth, or the complete disruption of the household that can be wrought by one tiny blessed soul.
The midwife strongly recommended taking on additional help, or having a relative or friend to come to Hunsford, to help for the first month or two. She was most insistent on this score, for the narrowness of my hips gave her some concern for my recovery after the babe should be born. Lady Catherine, hearing of this, gave the suggestion her personal endorsement, and particularly suggested that my mother and Maria be invited to Hunsford. Mama, I think, would have come anyway - she would not wish to be absent for the birth of her first grandchild - but she cannot be away from Lucas Lodge for long. Now the baby is safely delivered and is well and healthy, Mama is satisfied, and she returns to Lucas Lodge next week. Maria will remain for another month or two, and her assistance is as welcome to me as her company - Meg loves her aunt, and is as happy in her arms as in mine, as long as she is not hungry.
In spite of the midwife's concerns, Meg was not difficult to bring into the world, though she was in no hurry. I fear Mr. Collins found the unusual activity and the disruption of the household rather distressing. He closeted himself in his book room, which is the room furthest from my chamber, until his usual time, and then went to his bed, where the servant found him after all the excitement was over.
Having heard my cries of pain and effort during the birth, Mr. Collins now imagines me ill or injured. He is very solicitous of my health and becomes agitated if he imagines I do too much, encouraged, I think, by the midwife, who has brought more than four hundred babes into the world, by her own admission, and has alarmed him with tales of what has befallen those who ignore her advice and proceed in well-meaning ignorance. I shall enjoy his indulgence while I can, for it will cease soon enough. Maria will be gone sooner than I would like, and there will be no additional assistance after that, until another female friend or relative comes to visit. In the meantime, however, I do as he wishes, if it suits me, and if it does not, I drop gentle hints that a certain level of activity must be expected, if the new mother is ever to manage the household as she did before.
Little Meg's name was a subject of great discussion for some time before the birth. I wished to name a daughter after her grandmothers. To Margaret, Mr. Collins made no objection, but to his own mother's name, Agatha, he was most strenuously opposed. He could not, he said, be entirely happy naming a daughter anything but Catherine, in honour of his patroness, and suggested Catherine Margaret. Although I have no objection to the name, I deemed this too great a mark of deference, and eventually persuaded him that a grandmother is more entitled to the first honour of a namesake than a lady patroness, and on Margaret Catherine we at last agreed. A boy would have been William, of course, which would make him the fourth in the family, after his grandfather, uncle, and father, so I am very glad to have a little girl who has only two Ladies ahead of her!
Though she is now ten days old, there is still some disagreement about exactly whose features are most seen in Meg's countenance, so I shall tell you, most disinterestedly, that she has dark eyes and a little dark hair, and is fair-skinned like her mother, except for her cheeks, which are becomingly rosy. She does little more than eat and sleep, so I have nothing to report of her character except that she hardly cries at all and is, in the estimation of all who know her, a very good baby.
Mr. Collins is a proud father, very fond of his "little Margaret", and so happy to speak of her to anyone that I fear his parishioners will begin to find him tiresome on the subject before she is a month old. He is among them more now than ever, taking care to learn and be of use in all their concerns, in the place of Lady Catherine, who will leave us soon to join you at Pemberley. When he is not among the parishioners, he is mostly in his garden, which is providing us with plenty to eat this year - more even than we enjoyed last year, for our spring has been drier. And when he is in the house, he is usually in his book room, or gazing affectionately at his new daughter, and observing how good God has been to us.
And now I must have done, Lizzy, for it is nearly time for Meg to wake up, and even so short a letter has taken more of my energy than I could have imagined when I took up my pen. Very best regards to you and Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy, from Mr. Collins, Miss Margaret Catherine Collins, and
Your devoted friend,
Charlotte Collins
Mrs. Gardiner to Mrs. Bingley
20th May, 18-
Pemberley, nr. Lambton, Derbys.
Dear Jane,
It is nearly two months now since we saw you for dinner at Longbourn, when we journeyed up to Pemberley in early April, and I hope you will forgive my not writing to you before now. I know that Lizzy has written you quite often, and has told you all of our news, so my silence has at least not deprived you of any essential communications!
I have always been fond of Mr. Darcy, as you know, but every visit to Pemberley increases my affection for him. He is besotted with your sister, and is kind to her, solicitous of her comfort, respectful of her opinions, and appreciative of her talents. Their mutual affection is obvious to everyone, and such good will cannot but affect everyone within its reach. The servants all think highly of the master and his sister, and are kindly disposed to the new Mrs. Darcy; I believe the housekeeper, whom we met last summer, is particularly fond of Lizzy.
The children and I have had a very pleasant visit, and are sorry it is to end soon - we shall be in London in less than a fortnight! I believe the children would happily stay at Pemberley as long as Lizzy and Mr. Darcy would let them, for they have found as willing a playmate in Georgiana as they had in you, last summer! She is a lovely young woman, good-natured and full of spirits, although perhaps a trifle reserved in company, as you saw yourself, at Christmas. She is young, though, and she will no doubt soon grow out of that as her confidence blooms. Are you surprised that I call her by her given name, Jane? I did not, at first, of course - she was "Miss Darcy" at Christmas, you will remember - but on this visit she particularly asked me to call her Georgiana, for (as she says) am I not now her aunt, as well as Elizabeth's? And does not that entitle me to call her by her given name? Some might think this stretches family connection too far, but I was delighted to be thus claimed, and could make no objection; indeed, in my turn, I asked Georgiana to call me Aunt, if she liked, and I have been her Aunt Gardiner ever since.
Georgiana also suggested that I call her brother "William", as she does ("Fitzwilliam" having proved too much for her childish tongue, and being, in any case, too formal for everyday use), and I said that I certainly would, if he wished it, but I would not presume on his friendship by addressing him in so familiar a manner without express invitation. A less sensible person might have introduced the subject at the very next opportunity, in order to carry her point, but Georgiana Darcy is none such. She never mentioned the subject again, to me or to anyone else, although I did at first think she might have, for the subject arose again about a week later, when we had a picnic at the lake. Georgiana and the children were exploring a little copse of trees, leaving Lizzy and Mr. Darcy and me to ourselves for a moment, and Mr. Darcy said, "I notice my sister calls you 'aunt', Mrs. Gardiner. This you do not mind?" So I explained how it had come about that Georgiana and I had claimed each other as aunt and niece. Mr. Darcy was pleased at the notion, I think, for he believes Georgiana is in great need of female companionship and society, and I am nearer her age by twenty years or so than either of her other aunts. He then asked if he might call me "aunt" as well, which made Lizzy and me laugh. "You may if you wish, certainly," I told him, "but you shall make me feel very old every time you do. A Mrs. Gardiner may be any age, you know, but an Aunt Gardiner must have some claim of seniority, and I am scarcely three or four years your senior."
"More like a sister, or a cousin, perhaps," Lizzy agreed. "Ah! Perhaps you could use each other's given names, as cousins do."
"A fine idea, Lizzy," I said, and Mr. Darcy agreed, and so we have been Madeleine and William ever since. Apparently only the aunt who was not at Pemberley at Christmas calls him "Fitzwilliam"; she was born a Fitzwilliam, and apparently takes a great deal of pride in the name. But to everyone else, he is either Darcy or William.
Your uncle returned safely from France a few days ago, and I am delighted to have him back, though it means our visit at Pemberley is drawing to a close. I would happily remain in the country all this summer, stopping with one or other of my favourite nieces all the time, but staying away from London would mean staying away from Mr. Gardiner, and that I certainly could not do! We will have two days in Hertfordshire on our way back to London, and I am anxious to see as much of you and Mr. Bingley as is possible in that time, for I am sure there is more to be said than can be told in letters.
As sorry as we are to be returning to London, I believe Lizzy and William and Georgiana are equally sorry to see us go. I know that his aunt and cousin (the ones who were absent at Christmas) are stopping at Pemberley for a few weeks before continuing on to Matlock for the rest of the summer, and although nothing specific has been said, I get the impression that all is not as it should be between the Darcys and the de Bourghs. Has there been some sort of disagreement between aunt and nephew or niece, do you know, Jane? Has Lizzy ever met this aunt, Lady Catherine? I understand she lives in Kent; perhaps the two families have not met in several years, and are uncertain what to expect in meeting again. In any case, if the mood at Pemberley continues thus, the aunt and cousin seem likely to regret coming! I chided Lizzy about this today, and she laughed and assured me she would be every inch the welcoming hostess by the time her new aunt and cousin arrived, and if she was at all downcast it was only because we were so soon to leave her. I was flattered, but not fooled. I am sure you must know something of this business, Jane; perhaps you can help me to understand it.
When we met him last summer, Mr. Darcy invited your uncle to fish with him at Pemberley, but your letters called us back to Hertfordshire before the invitation could be fulfilled. Today, however, they are gone to the lake, and I expect there will be fish for supper tonight or dinner tomorrow. Your uncle enjoys Pemberley quite as much as any of us, and would like to be able to spend more time here, if his business would allow him. His new manager is competent and clever, and your uncle has great hopes for his future. He values Mr. Grey highly, pays him well, and encourages him to learn all he can, and I understand he has hopes of offering him a partnership within a year to two. For the moment, however, Mr. Grey would rather have Mr. Gardiner around than not, and I believe he will be very grateful to have your uncle back after an absence of two months.
I shall close here, for we shall see each other in a week or so, and it would not do to write away every interesting topic of conversation! I hope this letter finds you as well as it does us, and that you are looking forward to soon seeing your uncle, cousins and
Your loving aunt,
Madeleine Gardiner
Mrs. Darcy to Mrs. Bingley
Pemberley, Derbys.
27th May, 18-
Dearest Jane,
I am sure you will forgive me the shortness of this letter, since I have already promised to write at least once a week during June. I shall ask my aunt to carry this to you on her journey back to London.
I discover that my powers of dissembling, while sufficient for my mother and younger sisters, are ineffective against the powers of observation of those who truly know me. My aunt, I think, is not in the least fooled by my protestations that any despondency she may see in me is the result of the Gardiners leaving us. It is true that I will miss her - indeed I believe we all shall, for we have had such a lovely spring together - but she knows I am too much in love and too newly married to be unhappy to be at Pemberley with only my husband and my new sister for company. I am sure she suspects something of the nature of the disagreement between Lady Catherine and Mr. Darcy, but she has not attempted to force a confidence from any of us. I am glad, for I should never wish to lie to her.
I would tell her everything, at once, if I thought it would benefit either of us, but of course it would not. It might be an interesting pastime for an entire afternoon, but recounting my history with Lady Catherine would only bring my fears and worries to the forefront, and that could only sharpen her concern. I would rather say nothing of Lady Catherine at present - in fact, I would rather not think of her at all! But I give you leave, Jane, to tell our aunt anything, should she ask you.
I would beg you not to worry about me. Truly, I am not low. I am very eager to see Miss de Bourgh again. We understand that she is much altered since last spring, and we are all interested to see for ourselves the changes that Colonel Fitzwilliam, Lady Matlock, and Miss de Bourgh herself have described to us. She has been a regular and most entertaining correspondent, and is as eager to see us again as we are to see her. Indeed, the hope and expectation of the pleasant society of Miss de Bourgh mitigates our fears and uncertainty of how her mother might behave.
Her Ladyship's carriage will be coming up our drive in a week, just as my uncle's arrives in London, if I understand the Gardiners' plans correctly, and I am sure I shall have letters from both my favourite sister and my favourite aunt shortly thereafter. I shall, of course, keep my promise of weekly updates on all our comings and goings and concerns, and in the meantime I hope that this letter finds all of you at Netherfield well.
I had a letter from Charlotte about a fortnight ago, containing news that I am sure has been communicated to you by another source by now. I am very happy for her, Jane, and wish her and Mr. Collins great joy of their daughter. I wonder when you or I might be in a similar situation, but I have no news to impart yet, so will not mention it again.
With best love from William and Georgiana and
Your loving sister,
Elizabeth Darcy
Chapter 6 ~ The First Week of June
Posted on Thursday, 14 October 2004, at 12:08 a.m.
Aunt Gardiner to Lizzy
Gracechurch Street, Cheapside, London
29th May 18-
My dearest Lizzy,
Your uncle and I and your cousins arrived back in Gracechurch Street yesterday, after a comfortably brief journey from Hertfordshire. Our time there was unfortunately limited, but we did spend a little time with Jane and Bingley, and I am pleased to be able to report that they were in the best of health when we left them. Marriage seems to agree with them, and your uncle and I agree that they look quite as happy in their state as do you and Mr. Darcy.
May I thank you and Mr. Darcy yet again for giving us the pleasure of being at Pemberley in the spring? The children are still full of the place, and all of you, and have begun to ask when we will all be together again. Will the Darcys come to London soon, they beg to know, and I promised them that I should ask you that very question at my first opportunity. What does William say about London, Lizzy? Shall you come this winter?
You will soon be expecting William's aunt, I know, and I do hope you will write to tell how you find her, now that Jane has given me to understand the situation between you all - by your permission, I gather. I have never known you to be uncomfortable meeting strangers, Lizzy, so I suspected that there was something else making you uneasy in our last days at Pemberley. I would have liked to hear the tale in your own words, of course, but I do understand your preferring not to invite such agitation of feeling immediately before facing a situation so rife with uncertainty.
You and Mr. Darcy are intelligent and sensible people, and we must hope that Lady Catherine is equally so. We must also hope that the wish for a reconciliation can be found on both sides of the argument, and that all parties are willing to be amenable. I offer no advice in this matter except to observe that, that which we most wish to find in others, we are most likely to discover. Look for the best in Lady Catherine, Lizzy, and that is what she will show you, for you will bring it out in her.
You have always been a good correspondent, Lizzy, and I hope you will write to me sometimes this summer and tell me how you all get on. Your uncle and cousins send their best, as does
Your devoted aunt,
M. Gardiner
Mrs. Bingley to Mrs. Darcy
Netherfield Hall, nr. Meryton, Herts.
1st June, 18-
Dearest Lizzy,
My aunt and uncle departed for London a few days ago, and my mother has had a letter to advise that they have arrived home in safety, being blessed with good weather and excellent roads, despite all the dire predictions of our mother, who is lately given to forecasts of gloom when she fancies herself unwell or ill-used. While her young nephews and nieces are underfoot, she finds their energy trying and wishes them elsewhere, but as soon as they are gone, she misses them most acutely, and insists that there was no reason to take them back to Town now that summer is truly here.
I do not believe it is the young Gardiners that Mama truly misses, however. She speaks often of Lydia and Wickham, and her desire to see the North, and wonders aloud at the distance between Pemberley and Newcastle. She cannot discuss such a thing before Papa, of course; he has not yet forgiven Mr. Wickham for being so bad, nor Lydia for being so foolish. The mere mention of Newcastle drives him into his study. I believe Mama's thoughts run greatly on another summer, for it is not a year ago that Lydia went to Brighton and you went to Derbyshire, and all our lives changed completely in almost an instant, or so it seems now.
I believe Mama thinks about Lydia a great deal more often than Lydia thinks of Mama, or any of us. Even Kitty has not had a letter from her for over a month, and Mama has not had a letter since New Year. Not that Lydia's letters give any news of importance, except to those interested in the number and frequency of balls and parties she attends, the number of dances danced, and the particulars of her partners. I have tried to encourage Mama to believe that no news is good news - for were they in truly straitened circumstances, Lydia would not hesitate to ask for help from every one of her relations - but Mama will not be convinced, and blames Papa for refusing to take her to Newcastle to see them in their new place and witness for herself their marital felicity. I think Papa is wise in his refusal, but I cannot say so to Mama, for she would only count me with Papa among those determined to divide her from Lydia forever.
But I did not start this letter to tell you of Mama, Lizzy. In your last you gave me leave to apprise Aunt Gardiner of the situation with Mr. Darcy's aunt, and this I have done. You were quite right to think you had not fooled her, Lizzy; she was not at all deceived. Shortly before she left Pemberley, our aunt wrote to me, expressing her concern and curiosity, and a hope that, knowing how close you and I have always been, I would be able to give her some understanding of the matter. How relieved I was to receive your letter so soon after, giving me permission to do just that!
I have told our aunt as much as is necessary to help her understand the situation you are now in. She knows of Lady Catherine's visit to you at Longbourn and her insulting behaviour on that occasion, and her absence from your wedding is now satisfactorily explained. I believe our aunt plans to write to you soon herself, perhaps with advice or encouragement, but to me she said only that she was sure that you and Georgiana and Mr. Darcy, between you, would be able to turn the tide of Lady Catherine's malice, for if Lady Catherine has any true affection for Mr. Darcy and Georgiana, she must wish to heal the breach. And if she will only take the trouble to get to know you properly, and see you for yourself and not in terms of connections or fortune, she must come to love you as her nephew and niece (and daughter) already do.
You asked in your last about Miss Carstairs, and I shall tell you what I know of her. You know that she and Miss Bingley became friends during the winter in London, and have been virtually inseparable since last January, I understand. They were to go from London to Rotherhugh Hall in Sussex, and the reason for their coming to Hertfordshire instead has not been fully explained. They certainly had the means to go to Sussex as easily as to Hertfordshire, for they arrived at Netherfield in the largest barouche I have ever seen, in or out of London. I have an idea that their hasty departure from London might have been related to unwelcome attentions from a gentleman in Town, but of more than that I cannot be certain - I do not even know to which of the ladies his attentions were directed.
Miss Carstairs is pretty, but not, as you teasingly suggest, the most charming, witty, accomplished, graceful woman I ever saw, wrapped up in a fashionable dress and topped with a beautiful face. She is very fashionably dressed, and I believe it was their common interest in fashion that drew her and Caroline together initially. As to accomplishments, she plays the pianoforte well, and sings a little. She also claims to draw, but I have not seen her use paper other than to write a letter to her brother, which she does at least every week. His name, we now know, is Henry, and he was at Cambridge a few years before Charles. He seems not to have particularly distinguished himself, for Charles does not remember hearing him spoken of. Mr. Carstairs is currently staying at the country estate of a friend in Somerset, and I believe his sister writes to him to urge him to return to his own home in Sussex, and to bring some friends, to provide herself and her friend with some additional company. Caroline met Mr. Carstairs in London as well, and deems him intelligent and attractive, but disclaims any romantic interest in him, which surprised me. He is, after all, destined to be Sir Henry in time, and has much to recommend him if he is also intelligent and attractive. Charles, however, persists in his belief that his sister's interest lies in the current baronet, not the future one.
The ladies have not yet fixed the date for their departure to Sussex, but expect to leave Netherfield within the next fortnight or two. I will be somewhat glad to have them gone, I confess, for it is difficult, when Caroline is present, to speak of Pemberley and the Darcys with complete ease. I could hardly avoid it the other day, when Miss Carstairs inquired, in response to Charles making mention of our intention to go away in July, as to our exact plans. I explained that we were to visit you at Pemberley. "Pemberley!" she cried. "Is that not the seat of the Darcys? Are you talking of the Pemberley in Derbyshire?" I agreed that we were. "Why, Caroline Bingley," she continued, "you never told me you had any acquaintance with the Darcys! That Mr. Darcy is powerfully handsome, don't you think? I'm sure every woman in London between fifteen and fifty fancied Mr. Darcy, with his handsome face and even handsomer fortune! Goodness me, now that I think of it, I believe I did hear once that he had married. But I never saw him in London, so never gave it another thought. And he married your sister, Mrs. Bingley! Tell me, was it a love match? I suppose it must have been, for Mr. Darcy could easily have had his choice of wife twenty times over if it had only been a question of fortune. Well, well! Think of that! Mr. Darcy, married! Many a hopeful lady will break her heart when she hears that news! Well, I wish him very well, I dare say. I only met him twice, I think, and can't remember ever dancing with him, but he is highly regarded, and the lady who caught him in the end should count herself very lucky! And if he has found a woman he can truly love, I think Mr. Darcy must count himself very lucky as well!"
I chanced to glance at Caroline while her friend spoke, and I truly felt sorry for her, Lizzy. She seemed to me to be in agony, for she lost all expression, except about the eyes, and I have seldom seen eyes so sad. She had the air of a woman bitterly disappointed, and that she had made no mention of any of you to her "intimate friend" gives me to think that she has not yet forgiven you or Mr. Darcy for her disappointment. I believe she will, eventually, but until she has found someone else to love and admire, it is perhaps as well that there is some distance between you.
You will be expecting Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh soon, I know, and will be very busy, but I know you will not forget your promise to write to me at least once a week to tell me how you all fare together. I share our aunt's confidence that you and Georgiana and Darcy can together charm Lady Catherine out of unpleasantness and re-establish a valued family connection, and I look forward to hearing how you progress.
Our best love to everyone at Pemberley from everyone at Netherfield, especially from
Your loving sister,
Jane Bingley
Mrs. Darcy to Mrs. Bingley
Pemberley, Derbys.
4th June, 18-
Dearest Jane,
I promised you a letter each week in June, and here is the first.
Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh arrived a few days ago, and the visit so far has gone well. Lady Catherine's letter of acceptance predicted their arriving in the afternoon, and they were punctual to the moment - their carriage stopped at the front door on the stroke of four o'clock. The tension that had been building in me all that week seemed suddenly to heighten as the three of us went out to meet our guests, and I am sure my smile looked as fixed as it felt. Mr. Darcy assures me he had no suspicion, however, and if I could deceive him, I must certainly have deceived everyone else.
Our cousin Anne was out of the carriage almost before the footman could hand her out, and she and Georgiana flew into each other's arms, trading compliment for compliment and finishing each other's sentences. I must say that Anne looks every bit as well, and as different, as we have heard her described. Her skin is rosier, and she is even a little tanned, and she was wearing a new dress in a particularly flattering shade of pink. She looked very well indeed, and her excitement was infectious. She kissed William and me, declared that we looked very well and happy together, and she was delighted to see it so. And how wonderful Pemberley looked, and was it not lucky the day was so bright and sunny, for the place always looked its best on a sunny summer day...
Into this chatter, stepped Lady Catherine down from the carriage. I wish you had met her, Jane, so you would have some idea how she carries herself, and how she speaks. She is the daughter of an Earl, and has a high idea of her own consequence. She is haughty and I have described her manner as dictatorial. In this first meeting, however, she was none of those things.
"We are very pleased to see you at Pemberley again, Lady Catherine," said William, kissing her on the cheek, and I do believe the old dragon smiled; I am not certain I do not prefer her unsmiling, to own the truth. She then took his arm, and they led us into the house for tea.
Conversation over tea was polite and unremarkable, much as might be found in any room where strangers meet for the first time. Anne and Georgiana had much to say (most of which I did not hear, from observing her Ladyship so closely while trying to appear not to), but neither Lady Catherine nor I seemed inclined to talk more than good manners required. We spoke few words directly to each other, and she and William spoke only of the journey up from London and the state of the roads. As beginnings go, I deemed it hopeful. Anne was obviously delighted to be here, and Lady Catherine seemed content to let others lead the way, at least for the moment. Her relative silence I attributed to a wish not to say the wrong thing, and I hoped she would see mine in the same light. We have neither of us won the other over, but neither have we offended afresh or reopened old wounds.
When the scones were all eaten and the tea gone cold, Georgiana and I showed the ladies to their rooms. Do you remember the room you stayed in at Christmas, Jane? You would not recognize it now, for we have done it over new, and it is much prettier. The dark rug has been replaced with a lighter green one, and the walls are pale yellow. The bed is the same, but the coverlet is now embroidered with several hundred tiny flowers in spring-like colours; the result of many afternoons' and evenings' work. My fingers used to ache to see it, but it looks very well in that room, so I am pleased to have done it.
The room next to that, which was unoccupied at Christmas, has also been done over. This used to be called the Blue Room, and had not been used for many years - William could not remember its last occupant. The blue paper on the walls was very old and had begun to peel. There was dust on everything, and some of the furniture was broken; the room was in a terrible state. Georgiana and I made it a project, and it is now being called the Chinese Room, though the only Chinese things in it are a vase and a rug. With its enormous bed, lovely view, and substantial old wardrobe, it seems quite fitting for the most noble of guests, and this is where we have installed Lady Catherine.
My new cousin, Anne, bless her, seems determined to please and be pleased by everyone and everything at Pemberley. I am sure I never heard her talk so much as she has in these past days. There is no silence she is not willing to fill with some remark or other. She has her mother's gift for carrying conversation. I mean this most kindly, however! (It has just occurred to me that my meaning may be misconstrued!) The quality of Anne's conversation is quite different from what I have before had of Lady Catherine's. Anne speaks to praise, to thank, to express joy and gratitude and pleasure, and when she does ask a question, she asks from simple curiosity. She is never impertinent in her inquiries or her comments, and would never knowingly offend.
That first evening at dinner, Anne enthused for five minutes together about her room, from the colour of the walls to the view from the windows, to the quantity of writing paper found in the desk. She praised the embroidery on the coverlet and asked if I would be able to teach her how to do such a thing. I promised that I would, if she really wished it, although as you know I do not have the finest hand for that sort of thing. "You have a much finer hand for it than I do, Lizzy, so you must be the teacher and I shall be your pupil! And perhaps I shall embroider my own coverlet for my room at Rosings, this summer!"
"I hope you found your room comfortable, Aunt," said Georgiana, as the footmen served the roast. Lady Catherine had said almost nothing during the soup, and seemed somewhat surprised to be thus addressed, but she replied in the affirmative. "Yes, it is indeed very comfortable, Georgiana, and has a very pleasant view to the woods. I believe it is not the same room I have stayed in before; previously I had a view of the lake. Is that room gone out of use, now?"
"No, indeed, Aunt, for it was in use at Christmas, and again from April to May," said Georgiana, "while Lizzy saw to redecorating the rooms you and Anne occupy now." Lady Catherine's eyebrows rose, and I held my breath a moment while she gave me a penetrating look.
"Lizzy!" said Anne admiringly (filling another awkward silence), "You did not say you had new decorated our rooms - I thought only the coverlet was your handiwork, and that it was in that room because it suited it so well!"
"And indeed it is my only handiwork, cousin," I protested, "for we had men to do the painting and mending, and women to do the scrubbing and polishing. I had only to choose the paint and the furnishings and decide on their placement. Many women may do as much almost every day of their lives."
"But I am sure I never told you that yellow is almost my favourite colour, cousin," Anne continued, "and that I prefer it above all things for a cosy bedroom. And I am sure you never saw upstairs at Rosings, so you could not have seen for yourself that Mama's room is the exact shade of green you chose for her room here!" I looked at Lady Catherine, blushing furiously, and agreed that indeed I had no idea of the colours in any but the few downstairs rooms I had seen at Rosings.
"The carpet in my room at Rosings," said Lady Catherine slowly, "is the twin to the one in your room here, Mrs. Darcy. They were a gift from my mother; she gave one each to my sister and me when we married. You could not have known that, of course. It is peculiar, though, that the walls of both rooms match the green of it, rather than the red or the blue or any of the other colours..."
I did not know what to think, Jane. Would she be angry with me, or think I had done it on purpose, to try to please her? I was just about to agree with her - it was most peculiar indeed! - when she spoke again.
"I was rather taken aback, at first, to see the same colour walls here as at home, and to have the same carpet, and to face the woods, as my windows do at home. But it was very pleasant, to come into a room that seemed so familiar; it is very welcoming."
"I am gratified that it pleases you, Lady Catherine," I said, still not sure if she was truly pleased.
"You could not have contrived it any better, Mrs. Darcy," she said, "had you known every detail of my own room." And here we exchanged the ghost of a tentative smile, and took the first step towards amity.
Thinking over this exchange, Jane, I wondered if Lady Catherine was pleased to find my taste in decorating guest bedrooms so similar to her taste in her own home. I thought she must be finding fault with me; perhaps concerned for her nephew's purse, thinking that furnishing such a guest room might mean my own rooms were ten times more elegant (which, as you know, they are not, for they have remained unchanged for many years, and are so comfortable that I see no need to change them just yet). Or perhaps Lady Catherine saw our efforts - my efforts, as they were now known to be - to provide her a comfortable room as nothing more than a conscious demonstration of the size of my husband's purse. However, whatever ideas she may have entertained, she expressed no doubts or concerns, which I take to mean that she was flattered by the attention rather than concerned for the state of Mr. Darcy's finances.
You would have been amused, as I was, to hear her calling me "Mrs. Darcy". She seemed to be trying it out, seeing if the name felt natural on her tongue when applied to someone other than her own sister (or daughter, perhaps). Whether she is used to the sound of it and the look of me together, I cannot tell you, for in spite of our minuscule progress, she is still very formal with me, and still calls me "Mrs. Darcy" (with no appreciable difference in her tone of voice today that on that first evening), although she calls Mr. Darcy "Fitzwilliam". (He detests the name, you know; he told me so very soon after we became engaged. He wishes she would call him William, as the rest of us do - although he does not like it much better - but it was her own name once, and she is rather peculiarly proud of it and all who carry it.) Everyone else in the house, it seems, is known by their Christian name, except Mrs. Darcy and Lady Catherine - she cannot bring herself to call me Elizabeth, and I cannot bring myself to address her as Aunt, for I have dearer aunts of my own than she will ever be, and after all, I call Lady Matlock by her title and not "Aunt", as her niece and nephew do.
Who would have thought so much paper could be filled with details of only the first few days of a visit? Very little has happened, and yet there is so much to say, so much to wonder at, so much to think about. Our activities for the rest of the week are all planned. Tomorrow the Comptons, the Eltringhams, and Lord and Lady Westcomb dine with us. Lady Catherine knows Mrs. Eltringham, I understand, so I shall be relieved of the duty of entertaining Lady Catherine on one more occasion. Does that sound dreadful, Jane? Truly, I am not unwilling to converse with her Ladyship, I am only afraid of unwittingly offending her and reducing all our progress thus far to nothing. She will be here for three more weeks; there is plenty of time for us to find our way to mutual amiability.
I must end here, for we are having a picnic at the lake again today. It seems that there is nothing Anne likes more than a picnic by the lake. She is easily fatigued, in spite of her improved health, so always takes the phaeton and does her walking beside the lake while she waits for us. Anne cannot say enough about the phaeton; the gift of it pleases her immensely. I confess I thought it a very good idea from a practical point of view, and had no idea of it inspiring such a degree of delight in Anne; however, I am myself delighted to see her pleasure in it every time she uses it.
I hope this letter finds you and Charles and everyone at Longbourn well, and hope to hear from you very soon. And I have not forgotten that you will have Miss Bingley and Miss Carstairs with you now - or have they already left? You must give them our best, Jane, and tell me everything when you next write to
Your loving sister,
Elizabeth Darcy
Miss de Bourgh to Mrs. Collins
Pemberley, Derbys.
5th June, 18-
Dear Charlotte,
Mama and I had a very pleasant week in London. We did some shopping, visited some of Mama's friends, went for walks and carriage rides in Hyde Park, and generally had a very enjoyable time. Mama was afraid that the city would not agree with me, but she need not have worried. The city is, to be sure, dirtier and noisier than the country, but the weather was perfectly pleasant (which I understand is not always the case), and there is so much more to see in London than at Rosings and in Hunsford! I am sure I should never tire of being in London, as long as there are parks and museums and shops there! How exciting it must be during the Season! I think I must persuade Mama that it is time for me to be presented at Court.
You will think I am getting ahead of myself, but this is not all my own idea; in fact, it did not occur to me until one of Mama's friends, Lady Dartington, mentioned it. Her Ladyship seemed to think it a decided thing, that Mama and I would be in Town next winter, and that I would be presented, and attend balls and parties, and that Madame LeBeauf would be given the commission for my presentation gown, and so on. That was a week ago, and I have had a great deal of time to think, and I believe it is high time I was presented. I am, after all, several years late in my début, and must be more seen and more known, if I am ever to find a husband who considers me attractive for reasons other than my fortune.
But my début season will not be foremost in your mind, for you will see by the top of this letter that we have now been at Pemberley for three whole days. You will want to know how we were received, and how everyone has behaved.
I have been in agitated spirits about our visit to Pemberley for some time - indeed, it is many weeks since I have spared a thought for much else! And in my excitement, I defied my well-known reputation, and nearly talked Mama and Pritchard to death in the last five or six miles! I will confess to being a little nervous, as you might well imagine. How would Mama behave to Elizabeth? How would Elizabeth behave to Mama? And how would Darcy and Georgiana then behave? How should I behave? Thoughts of this nature had occupied me for a large portion of the journey, and my sudden talkativeness must have been a burst of nervous excitement. How else can I explain such an uncharacteristic outburst?
I am happy to say that I wasted both time and energy worrying about that first encounter, and am resolved to never worry about such things again. You know your friend well enough to imagine how warmly we were received. All my cousins came to meet the carriage, and I was welcomed with kisses and declarations of delight. I was pronounced much improved in looks, and my new pink dress was declared very becoming. Every face was smiling; it was as perfect a welcome as could be hoped for.
William embraced Mama and kissed her cheek, and said, "We are very pleased to see you at Pemberley again, Aunt." Elizabeth and Georgiana echoed this sentiment and dropped a little curtsy, and then we all went into the house - Mama on Darcy's arm - where tea was waiting, and most welcome it was, after many long hours being jogged about on hard, dry roads!
Georgiana and I seemed to do most of the talking during tea. Mama said almost nothing, and Elizabeth and William very little, but Georgiana and I talked a mile a minute, about everything and nothing at all. When they did speak, William and Elizabeth inquired after our journey, and Mama remarked on the changes at Pemberley - how much taller some of the trees are, and the fine-looking new stables. Conversation was, I suppose, somewhat stilted, to begin with, but it became easier, and before I realized it, half an hour had passed, and Elizabeth was remarking that we must be travel-weary and wanting to rest and change our clothes. I had not thought of it until that very moment, but I was glad of her offer to show us to our rooms, and accordingly she and Georgiana took us upstairs.
My chamber is next door to Mama's, and it faces the woods, across a wide expanse of lawn. I have stayed in this room before, but it has been new done over, and looks entirely different. The walls now are a very pale yellow, which gives the impression of sunshine, even when the morning sun is not shining in at the windows. The bed is all done in snowy white linens, except that the coverlet is embroidered with hundreds of yellow, pink, blue, and lavender flowers. There is a large, comfortable chair next to one window, perhaps for the reading of letters, and a small writing desk under the other - that is where I am writing this letter. The whole room is warm, friendly, comfortable, and welcoming. I am so glad I have come here, Charlotte. I cannot remember when I last enjoyed myself so much.
My cousins reminded me of my stated intention to take up walking when the weather was warmer and, accordingly, we all walked out together the following morning, after breakfast. It having been determined over breakfast that I have not done a great deal of walking at Rosings, our first walk was to be reasonably short, in order not to tire me out, so we walked in the direction of the stables, which are new built since last I was here. They are much larger now, and some distance closer to the carriage house, which must make the servants' lives easier, and possibly the horses', as well.
We went into the carriage house also, and what do you think awaited us there, Charlotte? Something else entirely new, and for the benefit and pleasure of Miss Anne de Bourgh - a new little phaeton, with matched ponies to pull it! (The ponies were in the stables, of course.) It is perfectly lovely, with seats of dark red leather, and shiny black paint trimmed with gold leaf - I can hardly believe William would do such a thing for me, but he did. It was Elizabeth, he said, who suggested it, for I am no horsewoman, and should I tire of walking, I must not be prevented from enjoyment out of doors. A phaeton, which is small enough that a lady may drive it, yet large enough to accommodate one or two passengers, would be just the thing, Elizabeth thought, especially as I am used to drive one, at home. The ponies were hitched, and the stable lad said he thought they were anxious for some exercise, so Georgiana proposed a drive to the lake. William and Elizabeth would walk, they said, and Mama would go with them, so Georgiana and I drove off together.
"I am so glad you like it, Anne," said Georgiana, sounding a little relieved. I laughed and asked her how one could not like such a gift? To have one's comfort and convenience so solicitously considered was delightful. Were there any more surprises awaiting me, I wondered? Georgiana looked mischievous and said that perhaps there were, but I would have to wait to find them out.
The phaeton drives exquisitely, the ponies are very obedient, and the drive to the lake was very pleasant. The rest of the party was some time in arriving, as they were on foot, so Georgiana and I had a very pleasant talk. She is nearly seven years my junior, you know, but we are very alike in some ways. We are neither of us out yet, and have never spent a Season in Town. We are both rather shy and lacking in confidence. We both, apparently, wish to marry for love (though this is not as new a wish for her as it is for me), and prefer fair men to dark ones, blue eyes to brown, and tall men to short. Georgiana is now seventeen - she will be eighteen in October. Perhaps it is time she was out, and presented at court. Mrs. Darcy should also be presented. I shall have to suggest it, I think.
The first few days of our visit have gone very well, Charlotte. Mama and I have been made most welcome, and been treated with the most flattering solicitude. I am having a lovely time, and have every expectation that we will stay the entire month of June before continuing on to Matlock for the rest of the summer.
We do not think only of ourselves and our own pleasures while at Pemberley, however. Mrs. Darcy has requested reports of you and Mr. Collins, and has happily listened to all the details and information it is in my power to can supply related to Miss Margaret Catherine, who I see by a glance at the beginning of this letter, is today a full month old. Does little Meg continue in good health? I am sure she does, or I should certainly have heard news of you by now. I have given our mutual friend every detail that I can recall of Meg's countenance and character, and regret that we were so briefly acquainted before I came to Derbyshire to enjoy myself. Does she look as much like her good mother as ever? And does she yet sleep more than two hours together?
I must close here, for we are to have a picnic this afternoon, and I must send this letter today, lest I forget. Even among the fresh enjoyments and surprises of life at Pemberley, your sympathetic ear and wise counsel cannot but be missed, so if an opportunity should present itself, and you are not too tired, I hope you will write to
Your devoted friend,
Anne de Bourgh
Lady Catherine to Lady Dartington
Pemberley, Derbys.
June 6, 18-
Dearest Margaret,
I am at Pemberley with Anne, visiting my nephew who is recently married. Last evening we had a large party of friends and neighbours to dinner, and among them were the Eltringhams. Mrs. E. was Miss Alice Forrester, whom you will remember from past Seasons. She asked after you particularly, and was pleased to hear a good report of you, for I told her of our having seen you in Town on our way North. Mrs. E. asked to be remembered to you, and desired me to express to you her kindest regards.
When we saw you in London, you spoke of Anne coming to Town for the Season this year. I confess I thought little of the idea at the time; indeed, it has been many years since I considered the possibility of Anne being presented at Court. I thought Anne had received your suggestion with equal disinterest, but she has since disabused me of that notion. Mrs. Eltringham spoke of the idea in much the same way as you did, and I have come to consider the proposal with a greater degree of seriousness and certainty. Anne is so much more hale than she has ever been, and has more energy and enjoyment in society, that I believe it might be time for her to be presented at Court and to know the enjoyments of her first Season in London.
My niece Georgiana Darcy will soon be eighteen, and should be presented as soon as may be, now that she is of age, and her elder brother has married. As my niece has no living parents, her brother's wife might reasonably be looked to for guidance and assistance in the matter of a debut; however, she has never herself been presented - I am told that her father disliked London and would never take his family there - so can have no experience to draw on.
The direction of my thoughts will be clear to you by now - I am considering suggesting to my nephew that it is time his sister was presented and was officially out, and that I be allowed the honour of making such arrangements are necessary, in the absence of more qualified female relations. If this suggestion is agreeable to him, I will suggest that Mrs. Darcy should also be presented and that, if acceptable to her, I will undertake for her what I have already undertaken for the other two young ladies.
You will think I take too much upon myself, Margaret, and you would be right. And you would be right to be suspicious of what comes next, as well, for I must have assistance in such an undertaking, and I know no one so capable as you, who have seen three daughters of your own successfully married and settled, as well as dozens of daughters and nieces and cousins of your numerous acquaintance.
It is one thing to launch one young lady a year, or every other year, however, and another thing entirely to launch three simultaneously; you must give it your careful consideration and advise me if you believe it too grand an undertaking, either for our selves or for the three young ladies. I will say nothing to my present company until I receive your reply on this matter, so I beg you would send an early reply to
Your devoted friend,
Catherine de Bourgh
Mrs. Bingley to Mrs. Darcy
Netherfield Hall, nr. Meryton, Herts.
7th June, 18-
Dearest Lizzy,
I am very pleased to hear that your present company has exceeded your expectations, and am confident that true cordiality between you and Mr. Darcy's aunt will soon be firmly established. You will laugh at me, I know, for my view, but I believe it must be what all the parties most wish, and I know that you are clever and sensible enough to achieve what you most wish, Lizzy.
I shall be most curious to see the new décor in the two bedrooms you describe, and especially to see the carpet that you (most unwittingly) made the instrument of peace between you and Lady Catherine. She seems a most formidable woman, Lizzy, and I confess I am not sorry that I shall not meet her, on this occasion at least.
We continue to be comfortable at Netherfield, though not so quiet of late. Mama and Kitty still visit nearly every day, and Kitty spends much of her time here with Miss Bingley and Miss Carstairs. Those ladies have now named the date of their departure for Sussex - they will go next Tuesday. Kitty will miss their society, I think. They have been very kind to her, and have filled her head with tales of their acquaintance and engagements in Town last winter. The neighbours who have been in London or Bath are slowly returning, so between the visits received and returned, dinners, and evening parties, much of the conversation of late has concerned the delights of Town (or Bath, where Miss Carstairs has frequently visited) during the winter. Poor Kitty has not had much else to think of some times, but fortunately, however, we have had plenty of good weather to keep us entertained out of doors as well as in.
As pleasant as is the weather, and the enlargement of society in the neighbourhood, I cannot but be anxious to see you, my dearest sister, and the next month cannot pass too quickly. Kitty must benefit by it - indeed, she is much improved since her visit at Christmas - and I know she is anxious to meet Georgiana again. And while we are with you, you must promise to take me out in your new phaeton and ponies, for a picnic by the lake. In the meantime, know that we think of you all very often, and send all our best to all of you.
Your loving sister,
Jane Bingley
Lady Dartington to Lady Catherine
Mayfair, London
June 8, 18--
Dearest Catherine,
I confess myself a little surprised at the contents of your last letter - did you really disregard my suggestion about Anne's début season at first? I am surprised at you. Since you have fallen in with my way of thinking, however, I shall forgive you and provide you with such information as I can.
You must go to Lady Cowper's ball, and of course attend the Assembly Rooms on Fridays. Mrs. Thornhill's parties are still the highlight of the early season - all the newly presented young ladies will attend, and your three must of course be there for their share of the attention. Madame LeBeauf will be happy for the commission for all the gowns you should think necessary, but for morning dresses, pelisses, gloves, shoes and other items, I recommend Mrs. Barlow, Mrs. Cleveland, and Miss Sharp.
Your idea concerning your two nieces is, I think, an excellent one. What may be arranged for one lady may as easily be arranged for three, without any inconvenience.
Your charges must, of course, have their subscriptions to Almack's; no London season would be complete otherwise. Lady Jersey, whom I must have mentioned to you, is the current Lady Patroness, and a dear friend. It was she who approved my own daughters for their subscriptions, several years ago, and I think I can prevail upon her for your daughter and nieces, if I might be allowed to guide them in some of the finer points of dress and deportment, in preparation for their interview.
I am delighted that you and Anne will be in Town this season, Catherine. I believe I shall undertake to have an evening party myself, in Anne's honour, almost as soon as you can be in town. I should dearly love to be the first to sponsor Anne in her début. Be sure to advise me which dances your young ladies are learning, and I will instruct the orchestra accordingly.
Do keep me apprised of all your plans, and bring the three ladies to visit me when you are all next in London. In the meantime, I shall sound out my other acquaintance and see what else can be arranged to their great advantage.
Your devoted friend,
Margaret Dartington
Chapter 7 - The Second Week of June
Mrs. Darcy to Mrs. Bingley
Pemberley, Derbys.
June 10, 18-
Dearest Jane,
How glad I am that I promised to write every week about what we are doing, for I have news that cannot wait to be told. All is happiness and excitement at Pemberley, and you will be delighted when you hear the reason. Miss de Bourgh is to be in London for her début Season this winter, and along with her Miss Darcy and me! And who do you think is the author of this wondrous idea, Jane? None other than Lady Catherine herself!
Georgiana will have her eighteenth birthday soon, and it is time she entered society, as befits a young lady of her fortune and social standing. Miss de Bourgh is some years older, of course, but has little more confidence and no more experience than her younger cousin, and I think they will afford each other excellent company and encouragement through the events that, I am sure, raise no little fear in their minds!
Neither Mr. Darcy nor I has any idea how one goes about presenting young ladies at Court, or preparing them for their début. And as I am one of those to be presented, it is to be supposed that I need as much guidance as either my sister or my cousin. Such a task usually falls to a young lady's mother, but Georgiana has no mother, and mine can be of no assistance. However, into this gap has stepped Lady Catherine, who has most kindly offered to oversee the arrangements for Georgiana and me, as well as those of her own daughter. I was somewhat surprised to find myself included in Lady Catherine's plans, but she was most insistent - and here there was a little of her old self to be found. Upon discovering that I have never been presented, she immediately proposed adding me to the party of young ladies to be so honoured. I did not know what to say, and neither it seems did Mr. Darcy, for into our astonished (and, I confess, somewhat doubtful) silence, Lady Catherine continued, "A new Mrs. Darcy must be presented, of course," she said, "it does not admit of a doubt. All of London will be wild to see you - there will be no escaping it - therefore you must be shown off to best advantage."
You will see what Lady Catherine is about immediately, of course, Jane; her offer to launch me in society, to publicly countenance me as her niece, is by way of apology for past affronts. As methods of effecting reconciliation go, it is exceedingly practical; it demonstrates her forgiveness of Darcy and me, and allows us to demonstrate our forgiveness of her, to put ourselves in her hands in this matter. In the family, and in all society, my acceptance and welcome to the family will be clear, and forgiveness on all sides understood to be absolute.
This generous offer we accepted with alacrity, which I believe pleased her Ladyship immensely, and she has already written to her most influential friends in Town to advise of her plans and solicit the most current advice about which invitations must be accepted and which may be declined, the best warehouses and dressmakers to be found, and the latest fashions.
I do not think I have ever seen Lady Catherine so contented, Jane. I have told you she likes to be of use, and in the present situation, there is no one who can be more useful, for she has friends and acquaintances without number, it seems, who will be eager to help. Her expectations for Anne have completely changed in the space of what seems but an hour; Miss de Bourgh is no longer a languid invalid, doomed to unhappy spinsterhood, but the greatest potential surprise of the London Season. And although she does not yet have a daughter to marry, she has three young ladies to launch into Society, and may in time have both a daughter and a niece to see married!
Mr. Darcy, mindful of his duties as regards the ladies of his family, has undertaken to employ a dancing-master for his sister and his cousin. I shall be included in the lessons, I am sure, for there may be some steps or dances that are peculiar to London. The challenge may be to find partners for practice, but we shall think of something. There are footmen aplenty to press into service if need be!
Mr. Darcy, as you know, avoided London society as much as he was able before we were married, but now declares himself eager for the start of the Season, and delights in the knowledge that he will be safe at the endless balls and parties, because the lady on his arm will be more admired and sought-after than he. Unless Mr. Bingley is given to similar declarations about your beauty and charms, Jane, I think Mr. Darcy must be the best husband in the world. This should not surprise anyone, of course; he was already the best landlord, the best master, and the best brother. He only wanted a wife to complete the picture of his perfection!
And now, in spite of my promise to write regularly, I hope you will not be impatient if it is a little more than a week until the next letter should come, for there is so much to do and see to, to say nothing of the dancing lessons! I do not know when I will next have the chance to write, but write I certainly shall!
My best love to all of you,
Your loving sister,
Elizabeth Darcy
Mr. Darcy to Colonel Fitzwilliam
Pemberley, Derbys.
June 11, 18-
Dear Fitzwilliam,
I know you will congratulate yourself on your cleverness when I tell you that Lady Catherine and Elizabeth and I have come to an understanding, and that there is harmony between the Darcys and the de Bourghs once again. But you cannot take all the credit for this achievement; at least some of it is due to Elizabeth, whose talent for putting people at their ease has never been put to better use, and some of it is due to Lady Catherine, who came to Pemberley with a mind much more receptive than I expected. After some initial reserve and caution on the part of both ladies, my wife and my aunt have come to a mutual understanding and respect (I will not call it regard, but that may yet come).
With a speed and determination that we have come to know of Lady Catherine, it has been decided that not only will our cousin Anne be soon presented at court, but she is also to have a Season in Town, with all the balls, parties, dinners, and visits attendant on such a scheme. As Georgiana will soon be eighteen, it has been decided that it was high time she was presented and had her début season as well. Apparently she should have been "out" last season, but I have been allowed to use my marriage as an excuse for keeping her home for an extra year. Indeed, I cannot but think that Georgiana would not have done well in Town last year, so soon after the incident at Ramsgate.
And since Elizabeth has never been presented at court, she too has been swept up into the family group of ladies to be presented. Lady Catherine has generously undertaken the task of preparing both the ladies, and the Ton, for the sensation that will be the début of her daughter and two nieces.
A dancing master comes to the house nearly every day, and there is almost always someone playing at the piano so that the others can dance. I have often been press-ganged into being a partner for one or the other, and I understand that some of the less fortunate footmen have also had extra duties. You will think that this is excessively early for the ladies to be learning how to dance, until I tell you that the need is more urgent than you may imagine, for it has been deemed appropriate, beneficial, and quite delightful for the entire party to attend the dance at the Assembly Rooms in Lambton next week. The ladies will have the opportunity to put into practice what they have learned, and to dance with their neighbours and acquaintance, before they turn all of London on its ear, as Lady Catherine confidently predicts will occur. This scheme of dancing seems to have affected the sensibilities of all the ladies in my house, and to have communicated itself to me, for only yesterday I found myself suggesting a midsummer ball at Pemberley. You may imagine the delight this suggestion created, and accordingly, we have chosen a date of the last Thursday of this month.
Please say you will come to the ball, Fitzwilliam. I am sure you would not like to miss your cousins' unofficial entry into society, and as a man who enjoys dancing and the company of ladies, you are certain to be very well entertained. I find I am even looking forward to it myself, for the pleasure of dancing with my wife. Even London may be enjoyable, for I am certain to be less interesting and less attractive than the lady on my arm!
Pray write as soon as you can so that we may prepare a room for you.
Your cousin,
F. Darcy
Miss de Bourgh to Mrs. Collins
Pemberley, Derbys.
June 13, 18-
Dear Charlotte,
It is now certain that I shall have my début in London this winter! The notion planted in our minds by Lady Dartington when we passed through London has taken root and grown almost faster than I can believe! Not only am I to be presented, but my cousin Georgiana, and Mrs. Darcy, too! Mama is overseeing every aspect of our coming out, and has great plans, I believe. Oh, Charlotte, can you believe it? I am almost too excited to think of anything else!
I am learning to dance, Charlotte, for almost the first time in my life. (I do not regard standing atop my father's feet at the age of five as truly dancing.) My cousin Darcy has engaged a dancing-master to teach Georgiana and me what every young society lady needs to know in order not to step on her partner's feet, turn the wrong way, or trip over the hem of her gown. I am very glad that Georgiana is almost as ignorant as I about the subject, or I should certainly feel the stupidest creature in the world. The dancing master, Mr. Whitcomb, is too well-mannered to remark on my quite remarkable lack of aptitude for the entertainment, but I believe I amuse him with my forlorn attempts to reproduce the graceful movements that he and Lizzy find so easy. You will be surprised to hear that Lizzy is part of our lessons, since you know that she dances very well, but she plays for us, and helps Mr. Whitcomb teach us - she is nearly as good a partner as Mr. Whitcomb! And of course, on the days when Mr. Whitcomb does not come, Lizzy is both our teacher and our partner.
Between you and me, I think I will dance brilliantly, as long as I have my cousin Darcy, or his wife, as my partner. With anyone else, my chances of acquitting myself well are not so high. It is not that I cannot hear the music or feel the rhythm - I can do both very well, and I should have been a true proficient, if I had ever learnt! But when the music starts, I become aware of my hands and feet and have to think very hard what to do with them. Mr. Whitcomb and Lizzy both assure me that practice is the only cure for this affliction, and that is why we practice even when Mr. Whitcomb does not come. We so outnumber the men that, when Mr. Whitcomb is not here, and Mr. Darcy is not available, two or three footmen are pressed into service. Fortunately, the ones who serve seem to know their left from their right, and if I am any judge, have been to a few dances themselves!
You will think me sillier than your silliest sisters, Charlotte, to be so excited at learning to dance. But that is only part of the excitement. Mama has written to some of her friends in London, and information flows in almost daily, with details of whose parties must be attended and which must be avoided, who should be given the commissioning of a début gown, how many gowns are needed for a full season's subscription at Almack's, what colour pelisse will be fashionable this season, and on and on. It seems early to be thinking of these things now, with winter half a year away, but with three ladies to be completely outfitted, an early start is recommended. Our measurements can be taken here, and sent to London, but by September or October there will be fittings to attend, and matching slippers to order... I am almost exhausted just thinking about all that remains to be done! What a very good thing for all of us that Mama is a capable planner!
Lizzy is calling me this moment, Charlotte; it is time to practice not tripping on my hem for another half an hour, and then we are to take another picnic to the lake. Do write to me and tell me how everyone at Hunsford is, and when you hear a piano, think of
Your badly coordinated friend,
Anne de Bourgh
Miss Darcy to Lord and Lady Matlock
Pemberley, Derbys.
June 14, 18-
Dearest Aunt and Uncle Matlock,
You have not had a letter from Pemberley for several weeks, for which I must apologize, on everyone's behalf, and then tell you that I have been deputed to communicate to you all that has occurred here recently.
Lady Catherine and my cousin Anne have come to Pemberley, and we have been so merry together in the last fortnight that I can scarcely believe that my aunt ever refused to attend my brother's wedding, or behaved with anything other than perfect cordiality towards my sister. I witnessed none of this, of course, but I have been told how it was by those who cannot be doubted. Every trouble has been taken to ensure that Lady Catherine and Anne were made welcome, from the arrangement of bedchambers to the dinners and evening parties both given and attended in their honour, to the food on the table. Lizzy saw to all of this, which I know will not surprise you. She is very good.
Our reward for all this conscientious preparation is that it appears to Lady Catherine to be the natural arrangement of the household, and she feels entirely at home, and after the first day or so, there is now no awkwardness or ceremony. My aunt still observes everything and everybody closely, and makes occasional remarks that mortify me by bringing me to the attention of everyone present, but even this is less frequent, and less discomfiting, because of the great plan afoot at Pemberley.
My brother and sister are to give a ball, at the end of this month, and my cousin Anne and I are to be the guests of honour. It has been decided, in discussion between my brother, sister, and aunt, that Anne and Lizzy and I will be presented at court this Season, and this ball is by way of preparation. My brother has engaged a dancing master for us, and we practice daily. I believe Anne would practice all day, every day, if we did not make her stop. She has a terror of falling over in the dance, and is determined to be at least as graceful as Lizzy before she takes her first step with a real partner. I do not think she is so very bad, truly. She is a much better dancer than she allows herself credit for.
The ball is to be held on the last Thursday of this month, when the moon will be full. Please say that you will come; it would mean so much to all of us to have you there.
Your loving niece,
Georgiana Darcy
Mrs. Bingley to Mrs. Darcy
Netherfield, nr. Meryton, Herts.
June 14, 18-
Dearest Lizzy,
Your last contained surprises and excitement such as I had hoped, but not expected, to hear, given your uneasiness in the weeks before Mr. Darcy's aunt and cousin arrived. I am delighted to know that you will be in London this winter, for it means that we shall be able to see each other often. I told Mr. Bingley of the plans described in your letter, and he immediately suggested that we at Netherfield repair to London for the winter as well. As I am your elder sister, and quite as recently married to a man of suitable (if slightly smaller) fortune, it is declared to be appropriate for me to be presented, as my husband and both his sisters have been. My mother is in raptures with the idea, and even my father declares it a right thing, especially as I have a husband to present me, which he says must be preferable to a mere father!
Kitty is to come with us to London, and will also be presented. We shall be a large family party at court, shall we not? Mary was asked, but declined, preferring to remain quietly at home where she can be mistress of her own time and activity. She does not care to dance, as you know, and would have little enjoyment in the parties, dinners, plays, and assemblies to which she would be invited as a member of the family party. Mama would love to come to London above all things, but Papa insists that he will not. Kitty and I have promised her long and frequent letters, and with that she must be satisfied, or find her way to London without him. They will not be alone in the country, for I know the Lucases and the Longs have no plans for a visit to Town this winter.
The improvement in the weather and the enlargement of the neighbourhood has given Mama more to do and think on than our sister in Newcastle, and she is more attentive to Kitty, now that there is the excitement of London to look forward to. Papa resists all her suggestions that they all come to London in January, and though she continues to make her wishes known, she seems to be content that Kitty will be thrown into the path of other rich men, and her nerves do not plague her as much as they might if she had still five unmarried daughters, rather than only two.
Miss Bingley and Miss Carstairs left us yesterday, and their departure could not have been more ill-timed for poor Kitty, who has never had greater need of their knowledge about town, its fashions, and its fashionable people. I can answer but few of her questions, in spite of having spent several months in Town last winter. Kitty was a little afraid, at first, that Miss Bingley would ridicule her ignorance, but Caroline knows what it due to Kitty as my (and now her) sister, and seemed to be pleased to be appealed to for her superior knowledge. The three of them were able to spend some of yesterday morning discussing fashions and dressmakers, and the ladies and gentlemen of the ton, so I hope Kitty has found the answers to her questions.
Caroline and Miss Carstairs will meet with Mr. Carstairs in London, and go on together from there to Rotherhugh Hall. I do not expect to hear from her often; her sister is her preferred confidante, not her brother. She will let us know where she is and how long she will stay and where she will go from there, but very little else, I imagine. Kitty will miss Caroline, I think, for there is no one else at Netherfield - indeed, in the entire neighbourhood - with more current information about London, which is nearly all Kitty thinks of these days, though she does spare a thought now and then for her sisters at Pemberley!
Now that our sister and her friend are gone to Sussex, things will be very quiet at Netherfield, at least until the bustle of activity that heralds a journey to Derbyshire. I am so looking forward to seeing all of you again, and to hearing about Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh and the Pemberley ball, and the arrangements for the London Season! You shall have so much to tell me, Lizzy, and I cannot wait to hear it all!
There is no other news to report from Netherfield, Longbourn, or Meryton, so I will close here, with my best love to all of you, from
Your loving sister
Jane Bingley
Miss Catherine Bennet to Miss Darcy
Longbourn, nr. Meryton
June 14, 18-
Dear Georgiana,
I think Lizzy will already have a letter from Jane, but however, I hope you have not seen it, so that I may be the one to surprise you with the most exciting news. Jane and Mr. Bingley have invited me to come to London with them this winter, and spend the season at their house in Town! Jane and I are to be presented, and Mr. Bingley is to present us. Jane has told me that you and Lizzy and Miss de Bourgh are also to be presented, and will be in Town all winter. What a merry party we shall all be, shall we not? My sister Lydia would be wild with envy if she knew, but however I shall not tell her, though it would be vastly gratifying to be able to gloat over her, as she did to me when she went to Brighton last summer. You will say this is a petty sentiment, and unworthy of me, as my sister Jane has said, and you would be entirely right. If I mention anything of London to Lydia, I will save mention of it until I am back at Longbourn next spring, so there can be no danger of her getting to London herself and spoiling our enjoyment there!
Jane invited Mary to come to London, but Mary prefers to stay at home with her books and her piano to attending parties and plays and dances. I shall never understand my sister Mary.
Mama is wild to come to London, but Papa will not go, for as he says, we cannot leave Mary at home alone, and she would be miserable if forced to go to London. I will write to Mama often of all that we are doing, and the people we meet and places we go. I do not think that satisfies her, but she has said nothing more about it, and puts her energies into cajoling money out of Papa for new clothes for me.
I am so excited, Georgiana, that I can hardly sit still for ten minutes together, and am only tolerably still when I can speak to Jane, or Miss Bingley and her friend Miss Carstairs, about how it will be in London. I have a thousand questions about what to expect, and what I will need, and a hundred other things, and Jane was unable to satisfy my curiosity, so I appealed to Miss Bingley (I know she is my sister now, but I cannot quite bring myself to call her Caroline, although she calls me Catherine) and Miss Carstairs, and they were vastly happy to give me the benefit of their knowledge of fashion, and the names and connections of some of the people I am most likely to meet while in London. I now know which are the best warehouses, best salons, and which shops I must visit while in London. And as Miss Bingley says, she will be in London this winter, and will happily guide me; I have only to ask. Miss Bingley is quite a changed creature since the first time I saw her, and Lizzy would hardly know her now. She is kind and gracious and friendly, and if she thinks herself above her company, she is clever enough not to let it show.
Jane has told me that Mr. Darcy has hired a dancing-master for you and Miss de Bourgh. He is a very kind brother, is he not? Have you learnt many dances, and are you proficient? I hope that there will be assemblies later in the summer, when I am with you at Pemberley, for there is nothing I enjoy better than a dance. How does Miss de Bourgh do? Is she excited about the Pemberley Ball? Oh, how I wish I could be there to see you open your first ball! But since I cannot, will you write to me often and tell me what you are doing, so that I can imagine myself there with you? And when we are together at Pemberley in July, we will go off by ourselves one afternoon and you shall give me a complete description of the ball, from beginning to end!
Give my love to Lizzy and Mr. Darcy, and of course to yourself, from
Your other new sister,
Kitty Bennet
Colonel Fitzwilliam to Mr. Darcy
Newcastle
16th June, 18-
Dear Darcy,
I congratulate you, cousin, for establishing harmony between the inmates of Pemberley and Rosings again. I knew it must be possible, for all the parties involved wished it, but little did I suspect when I proposed inviting Lady Catherine to Pemberley that the quarrel would be so quickly resolved, and such a state of amity established.
I shall certainly see you at the Pemberley Ball; I must be present to admire both my cousins at their first ball. And while I am there, you must tell me how it came to be that Lady Catherine has so completely reversed her opinion of Lizzy that she is now undertaking to have her presented at court with her own daughter and niece, and further, oversee and ensure the success of her first Season in London! I shall take careful note, in order to be able to teach a thing or two to our brightest military strategists.
Please tell the ladies that I hope they will all honour me with a dance at the ball, and perhaps they would be so kind as not to all save the same two dances for me! Give all the ladies a kiss from
Your cousin,
Col. J. Fitzwilliam
Chapter 8 - The Third Week of June
Miss de Bourgh to Mrs. Collins
Pemberley, Derbys.
June 17, 18-
Dear Charlotte,
I can scarcely believe that Mama and I have been at Pemberley scarcely more than two weeks now, for so much has happened in our time here! There is always something to do to prepare for the Ball - dancing lessons and practice, shopping for new gowns (all of us must have new gowns for the ball, Mama insisted) and shoe-roses, invitations to make and send or deliver in person (I attend my cousins on some of these visits, and more of one of them later), and so much more! Yet there is also time for quieter pursuits, so that we do not exhaust ourselves.
I have taken up music, Charlotte, and am told that I play beautifully. From this you may understand nothing more than that my teachers are my cousins, Georgiana and Lizzy, who are very kind and encouraging, and that I have learned how to do several simple scales. I am not at all adept yet, but I have overcome my initial timidity, and can now finger the keys with sufficient authority to elicit sound (I will not yet call it music) from the instrument. When I am in London for the Season, I will have a piano master, so that I can continue my studies, and perhaps in another ten years I will be competent enough to play for a small party of very kind-hearted friends and family.
Lizzy has offered to teach me how to embroider, and Georgiana to teach me how to draw, and I may learn one day, but for now dancing and music are enough to occupy me. Lizzy says that I must learn to use a needle, so that I can monogram a handkerchief for my beloved, whenever I should happen to meet him. You will recognize her gentle teasing in this remark when I tell you that there is a Mr. Travers in the neighbourhood, who is the eldest son of a very respectable gentleman whose estate is not five miles from Pemberley. He is, I believe, about five and twenty, and has been at Oxford these last several years, pursuing an education commensurate with (as he says) the expectation of a lifetime of gentlemanly leisure and management of the estate that will pass to him on the death of his father, who is very healthy, and who he hopes will live a very long time yet.
Mr. Travers is a serious man, but not without humour, and in that way he reminds me of my cousin Darcy. Mr. Travers was very kind to me, and distinguished me with the greater part of his conversation when we visited his family to issue the invitation to the Pemberley Ball. Lizzy claims to see romantic interest in this, but I see only good manners; I was, after all, the eldest unmarried woman in the room, and the only one he had not met before. He spoke to Georgiana, too, and to Lizzy. I am sure that Lizzy is mistaken; he is polite and friendly, but he can feel nothing beyond that, after only one morning visit and an invitation to a ball!
We ventured into Lambton yesterday, to see about gowns for the Assembly next week and the Pemberley Ball, and were very successful in our quest. I will be in blue for the assembly, and in pink for the ball. I am told that I look my very best in pink, and the gown will be very becoming as I take the floor to open the ball. (Do not ask me about my partner, for I do not know him yet. Lizzy gives it for Mr. Travers, Georgiana for Colonel Fitzwilliam, if he is able to come, but I am persuaded that George, the young footman, may yet be the man, as no others have presented themselves, and he is by far the ablest dancer, apart from Mr. Whitcomb.)
But the piano calls to me; it is time to practice more scales so that I can master them completely and be ready to move on to chords and arpeggios. I am so happy to have you to write to, Charlotte; I should not write half so much if I could tell only a diary about my happiness in being at Pemberley, and the excitement that awaits around every corner! You are very patient and understanding with
Your excited friend,
Anne de Bourgh
Mrs. Darcy to Mrs. Bingley
Pemberley, Derbys.
18 June 18-
Dearest Jane,
I do hope London is prepared, for according to my sister Kitty's recent letter to Georgiana, there has never been a greater sensation than the one to be expected this winter, when all society will be talking of Miss Catherine Bennet, her sisters Mrs. Bingley and Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Darcy's sister Miss Darcy and their cousin Miss de Bourgh - five ladies, all connected - who are to be presented at court! There is such a degree of excitement in her letter that I pity my father: should she speak of such things in his hearing, he will despair of her ever learning to be sensible!
But I must be serious for a moment, Jane, and tell you that I shall be very happy to be able to see you often in London, and I must commend Mr. Bingley for his excellent suggestion of having both you and Kitty presented at court. Perhaps we will create a sensation, after all, with so much beauty, liveliness of manner, and fortune, variously, to recommend us.
What do you know, Jane, of this new and growing affection between Kitty and Miss Bingley? Kitty writes rapturously of her newfound intimacy with her new sister, and says she is quite different from what she was two years ago when we first saw all her party, at the assembly in Meryton. Is her interest in Kitty genuine, do you think? I can see no reason why her apparent kindness to Kitty should have malicious intent, though I remember that others have been deceived by her in the past. But I am willing to believe the best of her, if only because you would have me do so; however you must guide me. I have not seen Miss Bingley since our wedding day, and have no idea of how six months has altered either her mind or her manner.
But I promised to tell you of our activities, and so I turn to those subjects. Georgiana and Anne are fast becoming capital dancers, through the excellent instruction of Mr. Whitcomb and their tireless capacity for practice. Anne has overcome her fear of tripping on her hem, and now worries only about stepping upon her partner's foot, or turning the wrong way. She has never made either mistake in practice yet, so I am confident of her abilities in a real dance, where there are more than four couples, and none of them maids or footmen!
We have all been very busy preparing for the ball, for apart from ensuring that all our ladies can dance adequately, there is the matter of inviting all the friends and neighbours. Some invitations may be written out and sent with a servant, but others must be issued personally, and we have made several visits this week to this purpose. The visit to the Traverses, who have known Mr. Darcy since he was a child, and were very fond of his parents, was particularly rewarding. Nothing could keep them from a ball at Pemberley, they said, for there had not been any there for far too long, and they were especially eager to see Georgiana, now grown up, at her first ball. She looks like her mother, you see, and Mrs. Travers spoke long and with glowing affection of her late friend, the last Mrs. Darcy. While Mrs. Travers was thus occupied with Georgiana, her son Mr. James Travers engaged Miss de Bourgh in conversation. I was sat too far away to hear of what they spoke, but I was near enough to see the expression on her face, and on his, and unless I am very much mistaken, Mr. Travers will be at the Pemberley Ball, and will very likely engage Miss de Bourgh for at least the first two dances. Their conversation must have been very pleasant, for they both smiled throughout, and laughed once or twice. Anne does not admit the idea that Mr. Travers could feel any interest in her, on the basis of a single conversation, and will only say that he is a kind, polite, and pleasant man who is rather too handsome to be interested in her. In some aspects, you see, she has not changed; she is still rather too apt to underestimate her own attractions.
I think even Anne must have revised her opinion of Mr. Travers last evening, however, for he was among our guests for supper, and he was as attentive to her as a large party would allow. He sat next to her at supper, and spoke very little to the lady on his other side, who happened to be me. I was not offended, however, for I had plenty of lively conversation with Mr. Fairbrother on my other side. When the gentlemen rejoined us in the drawing room, Mr. Travers positioned himself as near Miss de Bourgh as he could without betraying his interest to all present. Inevitably, the talk turned to the coming ball, and dancing and dances were thoroughly discussed. Dancing masters and dancing practices were mentioned, quite naturally, and I am not sure exactly how or when it happened, but Mr. Travers learned of the shortage of partners for practice, and after everyone had gone home, Georgiana told me that Mr. Travers had offered himself as a suitable partner for dancing practice, and is expected this afternoon for that very purpose! Everyone but Anne sees Mr. Travers' interest in her; she is so used to not being seen that she does not recognize the symptoms, though they are plain enough to everyone else.
The gowns for the Pemberley Ball have been bought, and only just in time, I believe. I shall be in yellow, Georgiana in blue, and Anne in a lovely pink. I can still scarcely credit the change in Anne since last spring, and I am sure when you meet her you will not be able to reconcile her with my description of her when I met her at Hunsford.
The time nears for our dancing practice, and there will just be time for a cup of tea if I close this letter here, and send you the love of Georgiana, Mr. Darcy, and
Your devoted sister,
Elizabeth Darcy
Miss Darcy to Miss Catherine Bennet
Pemberley, Derbys.
18th June, 18-
Dear Kitty,
How different London will be for me this winter, from previous years! I had always been a little afraid of coming out, and being much in company, but with three sisters and a cousin for support and encouragement, I think I shall never be afraid of anything, while one of you is with me!
Be assured that I had the news from you before Lizzy confirmed it from Jane's letter. Both your letters arrived on the same day, but I was down to breakfast first and had read your letter twice before the seal on Jane's letter was broken. You may imagine the exclamations of delight and the discussions that then ensued! My brother is pleased that he is to be with his friend this winter, I think. Pleasant as a small family party would be, a large family party is certain to be moreso. And I will be able to introduce you to my cousin Anne, whom I think you will like very well.
In the past, Anne suffered from a delicate constitution, and was somewhat sickly. As a result, she has lived all her life in the country at Rosings, and has been little in company. She is fully seven years my senior, but knows even less than I do about many things, as a result of her secluded existence. The last year, however, has wrought a dramatic improvement in her health, and she is now as vigorous as you or I. She loves to be out of doors, and we often go for walks around Pemberley together. From never having danced before, she has recently learned to love the entertainment, and does it much better than she will give herself credit for. She is also learning to play the piano, which she laughingly calls "a necessary accomplishment" for a young lady who can neither draw, paint, speak French, net a purse, cover a screen, embroider a cushion nor trim a bonnet. She has also discovered an interest in poetry and plays, and hopes to attend at least one reading and have one night at the theatre while we are in London.
I have never seen my cousin so happy, nor looking so well as she does this summer. She used to be pale and thin, but is now a little tanned from being so much out of doors, and she smiles and laughs a great deal more than I ever remember. Part of this is, of course, due to the improvement in her health, and I think the rest is due to the attentions of a certain gentleman who lives near to us. Mr. James Travers is about five-and-twenty, quite tall, fair, and handsome, and he has been very attentive to her since being introduced when we called upon him and his parents to invite them to the Pemberley ball. He is very clever, I understand from his mother, who tells me he finished at the top of his class at Oxford. He is a reading sort of man, and it is his interest in poetry and drama that has initiated Anne's interest in the same things. He learned of our dancing lessons, and offered himself up as a partner for our daily practices. He claims that he is out of practice with dancing and in need of reminding how things are done, but I think his real purpose is to spend more time with Anne before she goes to Matlock in a fortnight or so.
I am so pleased for her, Kitty. He is so kind, and she is so happy, that I cannot help speculate that they might very soon be in love, if they are not already, and that he will propose. Anne protests at the nature of this speculation, and accuses me of being too precipitate. But I recognize the symptoms of love in a man - I have my brother and Mr. Bingley to set me the example - and I refuse to be persuaded that I have misread them in Mr. Travers. I believe I see similar symptoms in Anne, and she readily admits that she enjoys his company and conversation, but declares that she feels nothing more. For my part, and Lizzy agrees with me, I think she may simply have failed to recognize the signs and symptoms, from never having experienced them before.
My aunt, Lady Catherine, sees what Mr. Travers is about, I believe, and does not object to him. Indeed, how could she? His family is ancient and well connected, and he will come into substantial land and fortune on the death of his father. His family is well known in Derbyshire, and his parents were great friends of my parents, so his character cannot be doubted. He has probably been told, by now, of Anne's connections and fortune, but his manner towards her has not changed - he was polite and attentive and even a little flirtatious, from almost the moment they were introduced, and he can have had little idea of her existence before that time, let alone anything else about her.
I told you a little about my aunt, and the disagreement subsisting between her and my brother, at Christmas, so I must now tell you all that has happened since then. Lady Catherine objected strenuously to my brother marrying your sister. She was, as you know, quite unforgivably rude to your sister, and when William wrote to advise her that he had proposed in spite of all her injunctions, she threatened to throw them off entirely, and influence the rest of the family to do the same. The main reason for her objections was, of course, that she wanted him to marry my cousin Anne; it was something that she had planned since Anne was a baby. Lady Catherine is accustomed to having her own way in all things, and her anger at seeing this most precious plan thwarted was remarkable to behold, I understand. It has taken six months and the persuasion of half a dozen people to make my aunt reasonable on this subject. She was at first a little stiff and formal with Lizzy, but with this scheme for London, she is now truly treating her as a niece. And you know enough of Lizzy's sense to suppose that she bears Lady Catherine no grudge for her past behaviour. We have all been of the opinion that my aunt would be more likely to grant forgiveness than to seek it, but in this we have underestimated her. She reserved her judgment, I believe, until she could see for herself their happiness and suitability for each other, and although she has never said aloud that she was in the wrong, or apologized for any thing, we understand her undertaking to launch Lizzy in Society to be by way of apology for past wrongs.
I do wish that you and the Bingleys could be here in time for the ball at Pemberley, but I know that plans cannot always be changed, regardless of the pleasure such changes might afford, at such short notice. We must be content in the knowledge that there is certain to be at least one assembly while you are here! I so look forward to seeing you again, dear Kitty; we had such fun together at Christmas, and you know there is a great deal more to do at Pemberley in the summer than in the winter!
I will write again if there is time between the ball and the date of your coming hither, and tell you all we have been doing. In the meantime, I would be happy to hear more of your life at Longbourn.
With love from your "new sister",
Georgiana Darcy
Mrs. Darcy to Mrs. Gardiner
Pemberley, Derbys.
18th June, 18-
My dearest Aunt,
You will forgive me, I hope, for not retailing the story of my history with Lady Catherine de Bourgh myself before you left Pemberley, and leaving the telling of it to Jane. I thank you for your understanding in your last letter, and your helpful suggestions and words of encouragement, and assure you that I have taken them very much to heart. Indeed, how could I ignore such sage advice, when I received much the same counsel from both my father and Jane?
Now that you have been thoroughly shocked by the story of my history with Lady Catherine, you must prepare to be even further shocked by what I must now relate.
Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh arrived at Pemberley on 2nd June, and over the course of the past fortnight or so, a great deal of progress has been made. The awkwardness and formality of the earliest moments was somewhat allayed by the easy chatter of Anne and Georgiana, and somewhat by an astonishing revelation about the Chinese Room, that Georgiana and I did up new while you were with us. We have, as planned, installed Lady Catherine in there, and if she was somewhat surprised to have a different room than she is used to occupying, she was utterly astonished to discover that her new room is decorated very similarly to her own room at Rosings, which none of us at Pemberley have ever seen. The Chinese carpet you so admired, we now know, is one of a pair - Lady Catherine and Lady Anne were each given one on the occasion of their marriage, and Lady Catherine's warms the floor of her own chamber at Rosings. And there are further similarities: both rooms are done in green walls and draperies, and both face to the woods. Is it not a remarkable coincidence? I cannot be certain whose astonishment was greater at becoming aware of it - Lady Catherine's or mine!
You may imagine the weighty silence that ensued, and the thoughts and feelings that came upon me. Was she angry? Insulted? Pleased? Horrified? Would she think I was mocking her? Or perhaps demonstrating my power over my husband's purse?
She smiled, however, and complimented my taste and even went so far as to intimate that the room itself made her feel very welcome, and I could not have done better if I had contrived it specifically for that purpose! What relief was then felt! Mr. Darcy and I had a long laugh about it later, when we were alone, and deemed it a fair beginning, that rather exceeded our expectations.
Mr. Darcy, Georgiana and I have long been of your opinion, that Lady Catherine's wish for reconciliation must be at least part of her reason for coming to Pemberley. Were she determined to continue to cut us, she could do so much more conveniently from Kent or London; there would be no need to come into our neighbourhood. And thus, to make it up with Lady Catherine has long been the object of the visit for all the Darcys. To avoid any possibility of old wounds being reopened, Mr. Darcy and I pretend that we have never been insulted by her, and she conducts herself similarly, by pretending that she has never insulted us. We are all harmony and pleasantness here, and although I am more than a little surprised to see Lady Catherine so changed towards me, I am also relieved. I was prepared for the worst, and am delighted to find all my poor expectations of her disappointed. There have been no words of apology spoken on either side, but nor have there been any of offense.
I wrote that I had something shocking to relate to you, and indeed I do, and it relates to Lady Catherine, as you might reasonably expect. Lady Catherine's daughter Anne, who has lived a very secluded life in the country, is to be presented at Court this winter. And Georgiana, who will soon be eighteen and is thus eminently marriageable, is to be presented as well. As the nearest female relative of both these ladies with any experience in the business, Lady Catherine has undertaken to oversee their débuts herself, with the able assistance of some of her innumerable, connected acquaintance in town. You will find nothing very remarkable in this, I am sure, but you may be as surprised as I was to find that Lady Catherine's plans do not stop there; I am to be presented as well, and Lady Catherine has kindly included me in all her plans for the other two ladies. Lady Catherine sends or receives letters nearly every day to and from her friends in London, and already plans are being made for subscriptions to Almack's and an evening party given by Lady Dartington. We are to have new gowns and shoes, gloves and ornaments, and will have to be in London for at least a fortnight in September or October, for fittings and further final arrangements.
There are so many arrangements and decisions to make, and so much to consider, that I can scarcely comprehend of it all. It is more than I would confidently undertake, to launch one young lady in Society, and I have great respect for Lady Catherine's abilities, that she would take it upon herself for three of us. I have jested in the past that Lady Catherine loves nothing so well as to be of use, and I do believe she is happiest when working toward an objective, but I believe (and Mr. Darcy agrees with me) that there is more than one purpose in her present activity. Lady Catherine is a woman of action, and her enthusiasm for the scheme for the Season, for dancing lessons and new gowns, her insistence that I be presented, and presented properly, speak more clearly than mere words could do. All is forgiven, and we start afresh. It is what we have all wanted, from the beginning, and I can scarcely credit how quickly harmony has been achieved.
But we do not wait for London in the winter for all our pleasures. Mr. Darcy is giving a ball at Pemberley next week, and all the principal families of the neighbourhood are invited. We sent round our invitations last week, and have received only acceptances thus far; we are already expecting to have at least twenty or thirty couples dancing at one time, and we receive more cards every day. Anne and Georgiana are to open the ball, of course, though it is not yet clear who will be standing opposite them when the orchestra begins to play.
There is much to be done before the ball that falls to the lot of the lady of the house, and I have spent a good deal of my time in consultation with Mrs. Reynolds and the cook, when I am not playing country dances for Anne and Georgiana. There is the matter of the white soup, and the menu for the dinner. There is also the matter of fresh flowers - which are fortunately plentiful at this time of year - for the tables. I must also plan the seating for supper. The table of precedence simplifies this task somewhat, but with so many people of similar rank and station, Mrs. Reynolds' superior knowledge of the neighbours and their relationships and concerns has been truly invaluable. I must not, I now know, seat Miss Postlethwaite and Mrs. Watson within two of each other, and Mr. Burnaby prefers to sit at the opposite end of the table from his wife, who talks a great deal. Mrs. Halifax must sit higher than Mr. Stanley, as she is the daughter of a baronet, and he merely a gentleman with significant lands. In addition to all this, I have been several times to Lambton to buy and have a new gown fitted, and replace a pair of dancing slippers that had got worn out with constant practice, and do the same for my sister and my cousin. There has been the orchestra to arrange, but in that task I have had the able assistance of our dancing master, Mr. Whitcomb.
We are all to go to the assembly in Lambton on Saturday, so that Georgiana and Anne might dance with gentlemen other than Mr. Whitcomb, Mr. Travers, Mr. Darcy, and various footmen before they are expected to open the ball at Pemberley. My sister and cousin are nearly as giddy at the prospect as Lydia ever was about a dance, though I think they are less inclined than Lydia to flirt idly with every man in the room.
Colonel Fitzwilliam is expected on Monday, and he will stay for the ball; indeed, he said he would not for the world miss seeing his two loveliest cousins at their first dance. I wish I could see the Colonel married and settled, so that we might see him more often, and I often spend idle moments wondering who, among my female acquaintance, might make him a good wife. I have thought of Kitty, who might like him for his red coat alone, but I do not think they would do well together. Mary would not suit him at all, of course. I must consider the matter further.
Georgiana and Anne are calling me; it is time for another dancing practice and I promised to play for them as soon as I had done with my letter. I hope it finds you all well, and that you will be pleased to hear such a happy account from
Your devoted niece,
Elizabeth Darcy
Lady Catherine to Lady Dartington
Pemberley, Derbys.
19th June, 19-
Dear Margaret,
I cannot adequately thank you for your recent assistance with regard to the upcoming season in London. There is so much to be done, and I could never have begun to think of everything that must be arranged and considered were I left entirely to my own resources. I spend so little time in London that I am quite out of touch, and am thoroughly indebted to you for your willingness to share your intimate knowledge of the workings of London society. I have every confidence in your abilities to arrange things expertly, but I must confess to some anxiety lest you resent my leaving every thing in your hands while I take my ease in the country for another fortnight or so. Be assured, I shall be with you as soon as possible after delivering Anne to her Aunt and Uncle at Matlock, and will be happy to relieve you of those duties that you feel may more properly fall to a mother than to a kind and interested friend.
Your solicitous interest in Anne's progress and prospects will be rewarded when you learn how well and happy she has been since coming to Pemberley. She truly delights in the company of her cousins, and they have many happy pursuits together. My nephew has hired a dancing-master, to teach Anne and Georgiana to dance, and I believe they perform creditably. Mrs. Darcy has long known how to dance, and knows nearly as much about dancing as the dancing master, though perhaps a little less about teaching dancing to young ladies much given to giggling and teasing each other.
My niece Georgiana has an excellent talent at the piano, and Mrs. Darcy also plays rather well, and they have begun to teach Anne the art and appreciation of music. She has not yet progressed much beyond learning the scales and the proper fingering, but her enjoyment at the instrument is such that I have written to my housekeeper at Rosings to arrange for the piano to be tuned, and I shall see about a music-master when Anne returns from Matlock. Anne has also developed an interest in reading, especially poetry, and the Library at Pemberley provides an ample source of her preferred type of book. Anne was never a great reader before coming to Pemberley, and although Mr. and Mrs. Darcy are fond of reading and often have a book near to hand, I think I must credit her newfound fascination to the influence of a neighbouring gentleman, a Mr. James Travers, whom we have recently met and who has taken quite an interest in Anne. Indeed, Anne often mentions that she has read a particular poem at Mr. Travers' recommendation, or that her opinion of one work or other differs or accords completely with his, and she has a list of recommended authors that the library at Pemberley does not provide, that she is determined to acquire when we return to London.
Mr. Travers' parents were great friends of my late sister and brother-in-law, and the young gentleman has known my nephew all his life, though a slight difference in their ages has precluded their being often in each other's company since their earliest years. Darcy remembers Mr. Travers as a serious-thinking boy, not without humour, but never given to the excess of spirits that marked the character of a mutual boyhood friend, and he seems to have grown up into the same sort of man. He has intelligent and pleasant conversation, and he and Anne smile and laugh a great deal when they are speaking together. He is five and twenty, I believe, and will come into a large fortune and some very handsome property on the death of his father. In the meantime, he helps his father run his estate, and is learning all that a young gentleman with such expectations must learn.
I have a curiosity to know whether his interest in Anne is as genuine as it seems, how he lives and what he is like when he is not at his parents' home, being polite to young ladies of the neighbourhood, and of course whether he is worthy of my daughter. There are few resources of that kind available to me here, however, so I must make one more request of you. Would you be so kind as to sound out your acquaintance about him? I understand he has recently returned from Oxford, he has a house in Sloane Street, and he belongs to White's. His father's name is Edward, and his mother was a Miss Annabel Hamilton.
I am certain I can rely on both your connections and your discretion in this, Margaret. I like the man myself, but wish to be certain that he is what he seems before his attachment to Anne proceeds any further. Please send word as soon as you can, and if you discover anything to give me caution, pray send word express.
Your devoted friend,
Catherine de Bourgh
Chapter 9 ~ The Fourth Week of June
Posted on Thursday, 21 October 2004, at 11:24 p.m.
Miss Darcy to Miss Catherine Bennet
Pemberley, Derbys.
26th June, 18-
Dear Kitty,
How I wish you could have been one of our party on Saturday, at the assembly at Lambton. I am sure I should not have been nearly so nervous if you had been nearby to make me laugh at myself. You would have talked Anne and me out of our anxiety, I think, and told us that every gentleman in the place was looking admiringly in our direction as we came in. I was so discomfited - you know how I hate to be the focus of attention - that I could scarcely lift my eyes from the floor to speak to the Master of Ceremonies, and it was several minutes before I could look anyone in the eye. I do not know why I was suddenly so uncomfortable, but I am pleased to report that it did not last very long. Mr. Travers was dancing when we arrived, but he came over immediately the dance ended and flattered us both quite shamelessly, but it was Anne who he engaged for the next two dances. I am so happy for her, Kitty; I only wish she realized how much he likes her, instead of crediting his gallant behaviour to politeness and a long-standing family friendship. He never met her before this year, and I do not believe he looks upon her as a mere friend, at all!
Though there are no gentlemen so interested in me, I danced a great deal on Saturday, and am told I acquitted myself well. I even danced once with Mr. Travers, though I take no particular compliment from his invitation, since he talked mostly of Anne throughout. He danced with her twice, which seems a marked attention to Lizzy and me, for he danced only once with his other partners. Anne dismisses this as simple kindness, as he could see that she had no other partner for their second dance together.
I am almost sorry that the ball is to be so soon, for it means that Anne will leave us to go to my aunt and uncle at Matlock for a month. Perhaps she will visit when you are here, or we may visit her there, for it is no great distance from Pemberley.
But the ball is very soon - only three days away - and we continue to practice our dancing in preparation. There are a great many people expected, I understand, and Lizzy tells me that I shall be in great demand as a partner. I do not find that prospect nearly as frightening now, as I did a week ago. I love to dance, and I think I shall never have enough of it.
There will hardly be any need for me to write to you after the ball, for you will be here very shortly afterward and will hear about it from all of us. I do look forward to seeing you, Kitty - we shall have so much fun this summer! Be sure to pack your dancing slippers when you come to visit
Your "new" sister,
Georgiana Darcy
Lady Dartington to Lady Catherine
Mayfair, London
26th June, 18-
Dearest Catherine,
I hope this letter will relieve your anxieties about your nephew's young neighbour, Mr. Travers, both by its content and by its method of delivery - penny post and not express!
I have mentioned the young gentleman's name in every quarter, and every report speaks well of his character, his fortune, and his person. Mr. Chartwell (the son of a good friend), who knew him at Oxford, called him a crashing bore, but I believe this is because he did not enjoy cockfighting and does not gamble. However, if all other reports of him are to be believed, he is temperate, religious, liberal-minded, generous, intelligent, and pleasant company. He treats his servants well, attends church regularly, drinks only moderately, and never smokes. He behaves well at his club and at parties, and is called an excellent dancer. He speaks respectfully of his father and fondly of his mother, and seems to be in no hurry to inherit. He has never been engaged, nor even rumoured to be in love with any of the young ladies with whom he dances and converses. He is, by all accounts I have had of him (which are, of course, second and third hand, filtered through the mothers and sisters of those who have actually met him), a paragon, and it is not quite clear exactly why he has not yet married, when he could have his choice of a hundred young ladies. Perhaps this year, if your suspicions are correct, he will make a choice.
The Season looks very promising, from early indications. I realize it is very early yet to be thinking of the Season, but there is much to be done if one is planning a debut, and it is never a mistake to make an early start, to be assured of not being disappointed in some arrangement or other. It is no trouble, however, so you must cease to thank me in every note you write. Indeed, you know me well enough to believe I would not undertake it if I found it troublesome. I have been a good deal more social of late than I have since my own daughters had their own first seasons, and am enjoying myself greatly. I had two at-homes last week, and one the week before, to say nothing of the morning visits I have paid on days when I go out. Through all this visiting I have learned that several more of our old circle have daughters who will come out this winter. There are at least three, and there may yet be more, for it is still six months before the Season will properly start! The plan for an evening party at my home is becoming more certain every day. Perhaps there will be more than one party, if time and other obligations allow.
I assure you that there is nothing to be done that is more appropriately done by a mother than by an interested friend, so I beg you to mention it no more and continue in the country as long as you desire; London will call you to it soon enough.
I am delighted to hear that Anne is learning about music and poetry and dancing. Every young lady should have some subject to converse about, and it may be to her advantage that she does not know a great deal about any of them just yet; some gentlemen prefer to teach their wives their opinions, rather than find their minds fully formed.
I look forward to seeing you when you pass through London on your return to Kent, and hope you will pass on my best regards to Anne, and your dear nieces and nephew, from
Your devoted friend,
Margaret Dartington
Epilogue - July
Mrs. Darcy to Mrs. Bingley
Pemberley, Derbys.
1st July, 18-
Dearest Jane,
The much-dreaded visit from Lady Catherine is now ended, and she and her daughter are gone to Matlock, where Anne will stay for another month while her mother returns to Kent. Now that it has come off so well, I regret having a moment's uncertainty about it, but really I suppose I cannot really blame myself. We heard from many quarters that Lady Catherine had been made to see the error of her ways where Mr. Darcy and I were concerned, of course, and I believe we all wanted it to be true, but it does not do to trust implicitly in the word of others - as one brother-in-law has taught us. I had to see it for myself to believe it.
Lest you believe that Lady Catherine behaved in any way the cowed and defeated party, be assured that, even if she felt herself so, she rallied tolerably during the course of her visit to Pemberley, and her last words to me (which, in fairness, were said not without affection) were to the effect that Georgiana and I must stay with her and Anne in London when we go in September, for Mr. Darcy is not able to accompany us, and we will be there such a short time that it will not be worth it to open up the London house. And lest you believe that lengthy exposure to my husband's aunt has changed me, be assured that I thanked her for her invitation and promised to consider it if the event brought only Georgiana and me to London, but that I had two sisters who might also be in town, whose accommodation must also be considered, and it might be necessary to open up the London house whether Mr. Darcy could be there or no, and perhaps she would prefer to stay with us rather than open up her own house. In the end we agreed that anything might happen between now and September, and there was no need to make firm plans at this early stage.
They left yesterday for Matlock in cheerful spirits, except that I think Anne might be a bit sorry to leave behind a certain gentleman of the neighbourhood who has taken a great deal of interest in her. She claims not to believe that his interest is romantic, or even particularly friendly, but merely polite and neighbourly. If Mr. Darcy had looked at me as Mr. Travers looks at Anne, I should have been married a year earlier!
The ball was a great success, but you will have to wait to hear about it when you come to us next week, for it would take a great many sides of paper, and I would not have you pay to read a story that will be far more entertainingly told over tea.
My real reason for writing so soon before you come is to remind you to be sure to bring your dancing slippers with you. Kitty and Georgiana are almost certain to want nearly constant practice at dancing, and I understand that there will be at least one assembly while you are here. There may also be another ball, as one of our more enthusiastic neighbours declared his intention to hold one before the summer was gone. Do remind Kitty, if you would, please. Georgiana may already have thought to mention it, I know.
Your loving sister,
Elizabeth Darcy
Lady Catherine to Lady Dartington
Matlock, 3rd July, 18-
Dear Margaret,
Anne and I are now comfortably settled at my brother's house, having left Pemberley two days ago. Our visit there was of the pleasantest kind, and I flatter myself that my nephew and nieces were sorry to see us go, and would certainly have pressed us to stay longer were we not expected at Matlock. No country house is in want of company in the summer, however, and the Darcys are expecting two of Mrs. Darcy's sisters, one of whom is married to my nephew's great friend, before the end of the week. The other sister is, I understand, named Catherine and is a favourite with my niece Georgiana. Both these young ladies will also be presented at court this winter, so there is every indication that this year's will be a very busy and very merry Season. I do hope your salon will be of sufficient size to accommodate the increasing croud of young ladies connected with one or other of us.
I have frequently stayed at Pemberley, when my sister was its mistress, and the place is filled with memories for me still, as the new Mrs. Darcy has seen fit to leave the principal rooms as they are for the moment, and my sister's hand and taste can still be seen and felt every where. The only rooms to have undergone any change since my last visit are the two bedrooms that Anne and I occupied, and they demonstrate an excellent taste. Anne and I were made to feel as welcome at Pemberley as we ever were, and even moreso, in Anne's case. My nephew surprised my daughter with a new phaeton and matched ponies for her exclusive use while at Pemberley, that she might be spared the exertion of excessive walking which her cousins so enjoy but which might be injurious to her health. Mrs. Darcy and Miss Darcy also undertook to teach her to embroider (for which she disclaims any talent) and the piano (which she greatly enjoys). When the scheme for the presentation of the ladies at court was formed, my nephew immediately arranged for the finest dancing master in the neighbourhood to provide private lessons as frequently as the ladies desired. In our quiet family circle in Kent, Anne has had few opportunities for entertainment, and in the last month, her view of the world has grown to include the delights of music and dancing, visiting, needlework, and the appreciation of poetry, among other pleasures. She has told me that she has never before spent a happier month together than when she was at Pemberley in June, and was never sorrier to leave a place in her life.
I cannot say what my expectations were of our visit, or what were Anne's, but the planning and execution of a midsummer ball far exceeded anything either of us might have imagined. I am most prodigiously proud of my nephew, and his wife and sister, for thinking of it, and for bringing it off so creditably. Their arrangements I have frequently heard highly praised, as were the excellence of the music and the dancing. They acquitted themselves very well, and I am sorry that my dear sister and brother did not live to see the event.
There seems to be genuine affection between my niece and her new sister, I am very happy for her. To have never known her mother, and to have also lost her father while still very young, is very difficult for any one. She is a good girl, however, and has been fortunate in having excellent guardians in my two nephews, to see that she was properly educated, and provided with female company. I am sure that the lady who used to live with her was a very good sort of woman, but a sister will be more to Georgiana's benefit. I hope that having a pleasant companion in Mrs. Darcy will help her to grow out of her shyness a little.
I understand that Mrs. Darcy is a great favourite in the neighbourhood, or so I have heard from those who visited or were visited while I was at Pemberley. She is widely credited with bringing the liveliness that has been wanting since the death of the last Mr. Darcy, some five years ago, back to the household and the neighbourhood. She visits and is visited by everyone of note in the area, and I understand has some connections in the area herself, through an aunt or uncle of her father's, I believe.
The affection between Mr. and Mrs. Darcy is obvious to all who see them, and I am pleased to find them so. I had my doubts about the match at first - the lady is not well-connected, and has very little fortune, and doubt is natural in these cases - but they smile at each other constantly, so all doubts about her intent have been done away. Mutual affection is necessary to the success of a marriage, and if they continue as they began, I have no doubt of seeing them still happy in fifty years' time.
Thank you for pursuing your inquiries about Mr. Travers on my behalf; your reassuring report of him is of great comfort. I believe that Anne has become a little attached to him - he was excessively attentive to her at the ball - and was sorry to leave the neighbourhood while he remained in it, but I understand from his mother that he spends a large part of every winter in London, so I have no doubt but that we shall see him frequently.
In rereading the above paragraph, I recall that in your last you asked me to cease to thank you for every favour, and I shall endeavour to satisfy you on this matter henceforth. I will be in London on Monday fortnight, and shall come to see you as soon as possible, so that I may take on something of the responsibility for my daughter's debut, at least for the few days that I am in London. I have been from home for many weeks already and must return to Kent before the next quarter day; my steward is capable but I have never left him to manage the estate without me for so long before, and I am anxious to be assured that all is as I left it six weeks ago.
Anne and I will be in London again in early September, whither her cousins will accompany her from Derbyshire, for purposes of shopping for new clothes and, with your assistance, to apply for their subscriptions to Almack's. I understand that the ladies intend to spend at least three weeks in Town at that time, and I expect that much more may be done then, and in person, than can be accomplished so early and from such a distance.
I will stop here, and wait until we are together to discuss what is best talked of over tea.
Your devoted friend,
Catherine de Bourgh
Miss de Bourgh to Mrs. Collins
Matlock, Derbys.
4th July, 18-
Dear Charlotte,
Forgive me for not having written sooner, but there was so much to do in the last days before the Pemberley ball, and then so many good-byes to make, and packing to do, that I have scarce sat down for ten minutes together in the last week.
I am sure you will want to know about the ball. It went very well, and I had a very pleasant time. I danced often, with several gentlemen, and never stepped on my partner's foot. And now, having concluded, I will start from the beginning, as Lizzy assures me that you will be interested in every detail I can recall.
Pemberley is a very large house, much larger and older than Rosings, and grander. The salon where we danced is long enough to hold twenty couple comfortably, and thirty at a squeeze, which was sometimes necessary, as every single invitation that was sent was accepted! Fortunately the salon also has a large minstrel's gallery, so we did not have to give up any dancing room to the musicians. I have never seen so many candles lit at one time, nor so many people in one place, in all my life, and were I not so excited to be there, I might have been very shy of so many strangers (or, at least, very new acquaintances, for I had met many of them when we took round the invitations).
Mr. Travers attended, and was very attentive; before I had been in the room two minutes, he asked for the first two dances, if I had not already promised them elsewhere. I had been hoping he would ask me to dance, but I never imagined he would wish to be my partner to open the ball! I was immensely flattered and, of course, accepted immediately. Georgiana, who was standing beside me, was nearly more excited than I by his invitation, and she hugged me very tightly when Mr. Travers continued into the salon. She did not yet have a partner for the opening dances, but she claimed not to care if she had to dance with the footman, as long as I was dancing with Mr. Travers.
A minute or two later, my cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam appeared by my side and asked for the honour of dancing with me to open the ball! I was delighted, and in my astonishment forgot that I was already engaged to Mr. Travers! As I was about to accept him, Georgiana said teasingly, "you are too late, cousin; Anne already has a partner for the first two." He seemed a little shocked and wanted to know who had preceded him, and I did wonder if he was planning to run poor Mr. Travers through with his sword, but he seemed to change his mind about that, and said that he would be satisfied to dance the second two - or any two I still had free - with me, so we agreed on the second two, as that would give me the opportunity to introduce them. He then gallantly requested Georgiana's hand for the first two, if she had no objection to dancing with an old man, and a cousin at that. I believe she was afraid that no gentleman would ask her to dance at all, so she was very happy to accept. He is a very good dancer, and they looked very well together, I thought.
I do not know the names of all the different dances we performed, but we certainly had all the ones the dancing-master instructed us in. I can tell you that I danced the first two with Mr. Travers, the second two with my cousin the colonel, and the next with my cousin Darcy. The fourth was a dance we had not learned, so Georgiana and I were able to have some refreshment, and while we watched the dancers and drank our punch, I believe that every man without a partner came over to solicit the hand of one or the other of us, so that from then until the supper, we did not sit down once! You will wonder how I managed this, but you must remember that I have been very constantly active since coming to Pemberley, and dancing for two hours together is now no effort at all. I was happy to stop for supper, however, as there is nothing like dancing for working up the appetite!
The supper was pronounced (by those who spoke within my hearing) to be excellent, and the white soup superior to any the neighbourhood had tasted in many years. I understand, from hearing the neighbours talk, that my Aunt and Uncle, in their youth, held balls twice a year at Pemberley, and they are fondly remembered as the stuff of legend. I can easily believe it, for I can quite honestly say that that evening was the most enjoyable of my life. Mama did not dance, and said she had no wish to - "dancing is for the young" - and spent the most of the evening talking to the mothers and fathers of the young men and ladies who did the dancing.
I must not forget to tell you that Mr. Travers asked me for another dance after supper, which made twice that I danced with him. This looks like particular attention, according to Georgiana and Lizzy, but I danced twice with Colonel Fitzwilliam also, so perhaps it is not particular at all! I believe Georgiana had a greater variety of partners than I - she did not dance more than once with any one - but she says archly that nobody asked for a second dance with her, as they did with me.
I must close now, for I have still to write a letter of thanks to my cousins at Pemberley for their kindness in inviting Mama and me to stay, and for entertaining us so excellently.
I shall, of course, remember more about the ball directly I seal this letter, but it will not be many weeks before I am back at Rosings, and I will tell you everything I have forgotten to mention then. In the meantime, give Mr. Collins our best regards, give darling Meg a kiss from me, and if there happen to be any clouds in the sky above Kent, look to the highest one to see, dancing upon it,
Your elated friend,
Anne de Bourgh
Lady Catherine to Mr. Darcy
Rosings, Kent
18th July, 18-
Dear Nephew,
I beg you will forgive me for being so long in sending my own letter of thanks to you. You will long ago have received a long letter of fulsome thanks from Anne, for the invitation to Pemberley, and for your every kindness to her during her stay there, carefully enumerated from the first day to the last. I have some idea what she said in her letter, for she asked me to read it, in case she should have omitted any particular.
Our visit to Pemberley was very pleasant, and will long be remembered as our most enjoyable since the death many years ago of your dear mother. We were made to feel very welcome, from the moment of arriving to that of departing, and were very well entertained in the intervening weeks.
As obliged as I am to for your kind reception and treatment of myself, however, I am yet more obliged for the kindness you all showed to Anne. She has had few opportunities for such entertainments as she has now experienced, and her view of the world has grown immeasurably in a single month. She has told me that she has never before spent a happier month together than when she was at Pemberley in June, and I know this to be due to your influence, and that of your wife, and sister. We are both looking forward to seeing you all again, in London in September. Your proposal of all the ladies coming to Town together at the end of Anne's month at Matlock is practicality itself, and only yourself will be wanting from the company to complete the family party. Estates do not run themselves, however, and we shall have to satisfy ourselves that the winter will find us all together again, with a season of enjoyment before us.
With best love to you all,
Your devoted aunt,
Lady Catherine de Bourgh
Mrs. Collins to Mrs. Darcy
Hunsford, nr. Westerham, Kent
19th July, 18-
Dearest Lizzy,
I have had several letters from Anne during her stay at Pemberley, so I know how you have spent your time together, and I am glad to know that Lady Catherine's visit has passed more pleasantly than even Anne's optimistic nature would have expected. I would, however, enjoy hearing of it from your own point of view, whenever you should have a moment to write to me.
Lady Catherine returned to Rosings three days ago, and came to see us this morning. Some of her visit was spent in discussion of parish affairs with Mr. Collins, but she did take tea and spoke a little of her visit with you all. She mentioned that Mr. Darcy's sister is very fond of you, and that you are a favourite in the neighbourhood (you always were so at home, so this was not unexpected news to me), and that you had acquitted yourself well as the mistress of Pemberley, and particularly as the hostess of a rather grand ball, which Anne has described to me in some detail. It sounds even grander than the last ball we attended together, at Netherfield, and I admit to a slight pang at not seeing you thus in your new milieu. I understand, however, that you were in fine looks, danced brilliantly, and were witty and vivacious, and since I could expect nothing less, I am satisfied with my second-hand view of your success.
Lady Catherine seems to have forgiven you and Mr. Darcy for marrying against her wishes. Though she mentioned nothing of her previous grievances or opinions, either to reiterate them or to rescind them, and she said nothing of forgiveness in particular, I detected nothing in either her language nor her manner of speaking to indicate that she found her visit otherwise than pleasant, or that her feelings toward you all were otherwise than cordial and affectionate.
I have also heard of your plans for the winter, when Miss de Bourgh, Miss Darcy, and Mrs. Darcy will be presented at court, and of all that the past weeks have added to the scheme. Lady Catherine has several friends whose daughters will also be coming out, and she mentioned that Mr. Bingley plans to have his wife presented, along with her younger sister, as well. With so many young women, all connected, being presented together, you are certain to cause a sensation in London, I think!
We have had a rather pleasant summer, for though we always live quietly, and Lady Catherine's removal to the north might be said to have deprived us of a welcome source of company and entertainment, we have been compensated by the arrival of our dear daughter, who eats hungrily, cries lustily, and is delightful, if sometimes demanding, company. Maria was with us from May to August, and I believe she found us a little duller than last year, for although she was always intimidated by her Ladyship, she greatly enjoyed the company of Colonel Fitzwilliam, and there was no chance of her meeting him again with his aunt from home. A niece whose age can be counted in days and weeks, however charming she might be, is but poor compensation for a colonel who is both charming and unmarried.
You are very kind, Lizzy, and your sister Miss Darcy equally so; I thank you both very much for the gift of baby clothes that you sent with Lady Catherine. As you will discover when your time comes, there is nothing so necessary as plenty of linen and clothes for a new baby, if one does not wish to be washing every day. I believe I recognize your hand in the needlework on the best gown, and I shall promise to make one of equal quality for your first child. Am I to start work on this at any imminent date?
I hear Meg in her cradle, beginning to call for her tea, so I must leave off here, with a hasty reference to my dearest love and best wishes to all of you, from
Your devoted friend,
Charlotte Collins
Mr. Collins to Mr. Darcy
Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent
19th July, 18-
Dear Mr. Darcy,
The disagreement lately subsisting between yourself and my honoured Patroness, always gave me much uneasiness, and I have frequently wished to offer all assistance in my power to help heal the breach. My familial connection with your wife, however, has been considered as an impediment to my ability to help in any way; in spite of my position as a clergyman, it has been suggested that my earnest desire to ensure a reconciliation between your two noble houses might be perceived as serving my own interests rather than those of yourselves or Lady Catherine. On the subject of this unfortunate estrangement, I have therefore been uniformly silent.
Now, however, I find myself called upon, by our relationship, my position as a clergyman, and my connection to your aunt, the Rt. Hon. Lady Catherine de Bourgh, to congratulate you on having re-established the blessing of peace in your family. Her Ladyship returned to Rosings this week, and I have seen her several times, and find her as affable and full of condescension as I have ever known her. As Our heavenly Father willingly forgives us anything and asks only for our repentance in return, your humility in begging Lady Catherine's pardon, and her graciousness in the granting of it, are truly models of Christian behaviour, and must bode well for continued familial harmony.
Now that your union has been sanctioned both by God and by your nearest relations, there can be no doubt that you and Mrs. Darcy will find felicity in marriage, as many have done before you. I take the opportunity, now, of wishing upon you the very greatest of blessings and one of the purposes for which marriage was ordained; I speak, of course, of the blessing of children. Mrs. Collins and myself have been very greatly blessed in this regard, by the birth of our daughter, Margaret Catherine, nearly three months ago. Lady Catherine herself approved the choice of names, which I consider are suitable for the daughter of a clergyman, and will do well for a lady at all stages of her life, from infancy to old age. All the household, nay, the village, doats upon her. I have often heard her called beautiful, sweet, charming, and placid, by the people of the parish, and indeed she has an excellent temperament, much like the ladies for whom she is named.
I shall enclose this short letter in one, which my wife has written to her friend, your good lady, by which means I shall spare you a little unnecessary expense in postage. Not, it is understood, that such caution is necessary for a man of your fortune and standing; however, with the well-being of so many in your care, you will not like to spend money unnecessarily.
I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and sister, your well-wisher and friend,
William Collins
Mrs. Darcy to Mrs. Collins
Pemberley, nr. Lambton, Derbys.
28th July, 18-
Dearest Charlotte,
Your most recent letter has reminded me that I have been a most remiss correspondent now that I am a married woman with a household to run. I feel a little less guilty, however, from knowing that you have had a regular correspondent in my cousin. You have asked for my own account of our month with the ladies from Rosings, and from my knowledge of you, I deduce that you are as much the level headed one as ever, and wish to know every side of each story before forming your own opinion. I have given Jane a steady diet of the story since she and Mr. Bingley arrived a few days ago, so it is no trouble to repeat myself.
You may imagine the trepidation with which Mr. Darcy and I looked forward to receiving Lady Catherine at Pemberley. We expected, and believed we were prepared for, the worst of unpleasantness, and Mr. Darcy was resolved not to tolerate any insult to me. Our first meeting was polite, however, with Lady Catherine speaking mostly to Mr. Darcy, and Anne and Georgiana willingly filling any silences.
It is, of course, the province of every newly married woman to change her new home to suit her own tastes, but Pemberley is already so much to my taste that, in the principal rooms at least, I can see no need for change. The expectation of frequent and numerous visitors, however, made an inspection of the guest rooms necessary, and we discovered that several of them were in want of attention. While my Aunt Gardiner was here in the spring, she and Georgiana and I made two of the guest rooms over, for Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh's visit. Lady Catherine's room has a very pleasant aspect over the woods, and required only a thorough cleaning and the addition of a few welcoming touches, such as new wall paper, and a carpet that we took from another room, to make it very comfortable indeed.
On that first evening, at supper, Georgiana inquired after her aunt's and cousin's satisfaction with their rooms, and - possibly in an effort to purchase praise for me - gave them to understand that I had done the rooms over specially. Lady Catherine looked surprised and a little confused, and told me that the carpet I had chosen for the room had been a gift to her sister, Lady Anne, from her parents on her marriage to Mr. Darcy. There were, in fact, two carpets - the other was given to Lady Catherine on her marriage to Sir Lewis de Bourgh. And most coincidentally, it was the carpet in her bedroom at Rosings! And the similarities between the rooms did not stop there - both rooms also face the woods, and have green walls.
Can you imagine my perturbation and confusion, Charlotte? I knew not what Lady Catherine would think of my having somehow copied her own style of decorating, and in such a private space as a bedroom. Did she think it had done it on purpose to earn her praise? Did she think I had done it to demonstrate that a penniless and unconnected country nobody could equal or excel her self-confessed superior taste? Was she angry? Flattered? Oh, it was such a moment of uncertainty, as I would hope never to again experience, Charlotte. I believe we were all holding our breath until Lady Catherine should speak!
But she was not angry, not at all. If she believed that I had done it on purpose, she chose to interpret my efforts as a wish to ensure her comfort and feeling of welcome, entirely devoid of mischievous intent. She said that I could not have made her more comfortable had I deliberately copied her own room at Rosings, which seems to indicate that she did not suspect me of having stolen unobserved upstairs in that house, or of collusion with her daughter on the subject. She smiled at me, and I at her, and I think we each had slightly more cordial feelings towards each other. We had at least discovered that we were not in danger of being uncivil to each other. The prospect of spending the next four weeks in Lady Catherine's company ceased to be a cause for tension and formality and I began to imagine that she might feel the same.
The scheme of Anne having a season in Town was soon mentioned; an idea that was formed during a morning-visit in London, as I understand. I am not sure what put the thought in her head, but Lady Catherine soon mentioned to Mr. Darcy that Georgiana was of an age to be presented at court, and should have been "out" the previous year, had there not been other, higher priorities in her life. She referred, I suppose, to our marriage, but not by tone or glance did she express any opinion of it. Mr. Darcy owned that he had known that Georgiana should have been presented last year, but being so newly married, and disliking London so much himself, he had been disinclined to subject either his bride or his sister to the rigours of a London season, particularly as he has no personal knowledge of how one goes about presenting a young lady at court, or making any of the other arrangements for a debut season. Lady Catherine then very kindly offered to superintend Georgiana's presentation and other arrangements, in the absence of her mother, looking to me to see if I objected in any way, which of course I did not, for I have no more idea how to go about it than Mr. Darcy does! Conversation then revealed that I have also never been presented at court, and Lady Catherine then displayed an astonishing generosity of spirit by insisting that a Mrs. Darcy should be presented if a Miss Darcy was, and that she would be quite happy to make all the necessary arrangements for us if we would let her undertake it on our behalf. I do not know who was more astonished by this offer, me or Mr. Darcy! We accepted her very kind offer of assistance, of course.
I am in regular correspondence with my sister Jane, and she was the first to hear of the offer, and our acceptance of it. Her next letter to me revealed that Mr. Bingley had declared it a most satisfactory arrangement, and asked Jane if she would like to spend the coming winter in London. How could Jane demur, when to agree would reunite her with (as she says) her favourite sister, and allow for frequent visits with our aunt and uncle Gardiner? Time and chance have added Kitty to the scheme, and it now appears that there will be a large party of ladies, all related or connected, presented to the court of St. James within the next five or six months!
Lady Catherine has a very extensive acquaintance, and one of her oldest friends, a Lady Dartington, has been acting as her agent in London. This Lady is acquainted with the Lady Patronesses of Almack's, and is arranging for subscriptions for all of us, in addition to planning at least one evening party at her home, in honour of Miss de Bourgh, to which we are all invited.
Talk of dancing at Almack's soon raised the concerns of Georgiana and Miss de Bourgh, whose experience in the pleasure was minimal to non-existent. Mr. Darcy, excellent brother that he is, immediately arranged for a dancing-master for the young ladies, that they might have the opportunity to practice in private before being required to perform in public! We practiced endlessly, it seems - though you know I never tire of dancing - and I was often required to make up a sufficient number of couples, or to play for them while they had their lessons or practiced their steps without partners. Mr. Darcy was sometimes pressed into service as a partner (for his dancing is of the superior kind, as your father so kindly told him one memorable night at Netherfield), and soon learned to avoid the music-room. Generally, however, we made do with Mr. Whitcomb the dancing-master, and one or two of the footmen, who I think have learned as much as the young ladies.
Not long after the dancing master was engaged, we had a party of neighbours to dinner. You know what dinner-conversation is like, Charlotte, and after-dinner conversation. The talk leapt from winters in London to presentations, to Mr. Darcy's late parents, to dancing lessons, and thus to balls. While Mrs. Darcy lived, there were two balls held at Pemberley every year. The last Pemberley ball was held the summer after Miss Darcy was born, when Mr. Darcy was still too young to have any part of the proceedings. The neighbours, however, remember a great deal from those happy days, and, for about a quarter of an hour, none of the Pemberley inhabitants were required to speak, as the reminiscences flowed. Conversation changed thereafter, as it does in diverse company, and nothing more was said while our guests were with us.
Later, however, Mr. Darcy raised the subject with me, to ask my opinion. I am not so long married to have forgotten the pleasures of dancing at a ball, so gave the scheme my full and enthusiastic endorsement. He discussed the matter with the housekeeper the next morning, and by suppertime had engaged the services of a small orchestra, and begun work on a list of guests. He announced his intention to his aunt, cousin, and sister, with the coffee - to the astonishment and gratification of all, for I am sure they all understood the ball to be given in their particular honour! Indeed, it was done for Anne and Georgiana, to give them an opportunity of dancing in a proper environment, with actual partners, and to proper musical accompaniment, before having to prove themselves competent before all the critical eyes of the London Ton.
It was very soon discovered that, less than one week before the ball, there was to be an assembly in Lambton, a village less than five miles from Pemberley. With the household now firmly in the grip of a fever for dancing, it was most natural that the party should attend, and accordingly, we did. Anne and Georgiana acquitted themselves admirably in the dance, and had an opportunity of discovering beforehand who would be worth dancing with a few days hence at Pemberley.
All the principal families of the neighbourhood were invited to Pemberley, and every invitation was accepted. Have you heard from Anne about Mr. Travers? I do not doubt that you have. Mr. James Travers is about five and twenty, rather handsome, and very pleasant company. His family has been in Derbyshire even longer than the Darcys, and his parents were great friends of the late Mr. and Mrs. Darcy. They have known Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy all their lives, and are held in high regard at Pemberley. We visit, and are visited, often. Their invitation to the ball must, of course, be delivered in person, and accordingly theirs was the first visit we made. Mr. James Travers had recently returned home from Oxford, and was very pleased to meet his neighbours again; and, if my powers of observation serve, he was particularly taken with our friend Miss de Bourgh. After exchanging the usual civilities expected among neighbours who have not met for some time, and being introduced to a new neighbour in me, Mr. Travers' attention could scarcely be drawn from Anne, or hers for him, for the remainder of the visit.
When Lady Catherine remarked on the particularity of the gentleman's attentions, Anne protested that, after an acquaintance of ten minutes' duration, his attentions (which she would scarcely allow merited the description) could indicate nothing greater than excellent manners on his part. If you had been by, Charlotte, you might well have counselled her to show more affection, even than she feels, in order to secure him as soon as may be. Such advice would have been premature, however; I believe that no thoughts of a romantic nature had crossed Miss de Bourgh's mind at that time, though she did say she found him pleasant, well-mannered, and an entertaining and intelligent conversationalist. Books and reading have always been a pleasure of Anne's, as you know; even when she has not been well enough to read herself, she always enjoyed being read to. Mr. James Travers, having just finished his four years at Oxford, might also be called a great reader, and it was a discussion of books - particularly of poetry - that gave the impression of immediate attraction and even preference to the rest of us.
Such an explanation, did I not know her to be almost completely without guile, and did she not give it without so much as a blush or a downward glance, I might be tempted to laugh at. But I find I must give it credence, because it is Anne. She has lived such a narrow life, and has such a limited acquaintance even among her own neighbours, that it seems likely she has never before met a young man (apart from her cousin) who might make a suitable husband. It seems equally likely that, in spite of the change in her expectations, and the improvement of her health, her thinking on the subject of husbands has not principally changed. She has not, even now, been much in society, and in some ways she is as naďve - and almost as shy - as her cousin Miss Darcy.
Perhaps I underestimate Miss de Bourgh, however. It is entirely possible that she has duped me entirely and, far from scarcely giving marriage a moment's thought, it is the primary thought of almost every moment. She is intelligent, and a thinking sort (many a frail body has sheltered a strong mind, you know), and she may well have worked out to the last detail the sort of gentleman who meets her requirements for a husband, and is waiting until this winter in London, where there will be many more gentleman to be met, and talked to, and danced with, to see if he can be found there. Or she may have decided, as more than one woman of fortune has done before her, never to marry. She has no need of a husband to increase her fortune, since she is to inherit Rosings and significant other property (as Mr. Collins obligingly informed us when he first came to Hertfordshire), and I should think her unlikely to make a match unequal as to fortune; Lady Catherine might have been eventually reconciled to such folly in her nephew, but she would, I think, exert every possible effort to prevent her daughter from following suit.
I have not yet told you anything of our ball, or even of the assembly the week before, because I think you might already have had a more informative account of it from another. In the event that Miss de Bourgh is over-economical with details pertaining to herself, however, I shall tell you that she danced twice with Mr. Travers at the Assembly, and only once with any of her other partners. Mr. Travers, it must be noted, danced twice with at least two other young ladies that I know of that evening, which I thought particular at the time. His mother, however, gave me to understand that he had been acquainted with the young ladies all their lives, and had often danced with them at evening-parties and the like in his younger years. From this I understood that I should see either no particularity in his dancing twice with Miss de Bourgh, or a great deal of it indeed.
Our cousin the Colonel was able to leave his regiment for a few days to join us for the ball at Pemberley, and he was very welcome, as young men who are fond of dancing always are on such occasions. He was Georgiana's partner in the dance to open the ball, and Mr. Travers partnered Anne for those first two. Georgian told me later that the colonel had some idea of dancing with Anne for the first two, but was too late by a minute with his request.
The hostess of a ball has much to do, and cannot spend her evening dancing. I did have dances enough to satisfy my enjoyment in the exercise, and I know that both Anne and Georgiana scarcely sat down the entire evening, and were seldom separated, even in the dance, much to their pleasure. They giggled and reviewed and discussed their evening until the very moment that the de Bourgh barouche departed for Matlock, and have most likely by now exchanged letters about it, too.
I am very pleased that Anne and Georgiana will have each other to rely on in the coming Season in London - they are rather alike and will probably experience many of the same sensations, and it will no doubt be of great comfort to them to know that they are not alone in their concerns or delights. They will be of more support and comfort to each other - from being in the same situation - than a married sister or cousin could afford them.
I have a great curiosity to meet your daughter, Charlotte. She will be too young, yet, to give any idea of the girl or woman she is to become, but I would still like to see her with my own eyes and decide for myself if there is any likeness to either of you in her countenance or character. I rather hope she takes after you, in both looks and character, for a daughter could do worse than to be like a mother such as you.
You were quite correct in thinking you recognized my style of work on one of the gowns that Georgiana and I sent by way of Lady Catherine. My poor hand must stand out in sharp relief, next to my sister's fine work! I thank you for your offer of a return of the favour, and assure you that, as far as I know, there is no urgency to the task just yet.
I must end here, or you will be paying excess postage for a letter of little substance. Our kindest regards to you all, and especially little Margaret, from all of us, and especially
Your devoted friend,
Elizabeth Darcy
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