If she had an establishment in London, she would have plenty of company all year round. There are always aunts, uncles and cousins in town on business or pleasure, and she would also have the parks, the picture galleries and the museums of London to educate and entertain her. I am more often in town than in Derbyshire and she would have my company then, as she would have it every summer when she would join me at Pemberley.
Let me have your thoughts on the matter; you know how much I value your opinion. I do my best for her, but it is at times like these that I realise how little I know about raising a child—or a young lady, I should say, for Georgiana is a child no longer—and I need advice.
Your affectionate nephew,
Fitzwilliam
Miss Anne de Bourgh to Miss Georgiana Darcy
Rosings Park, Kent, March 23
Dearest Georgiana,
How good it was to see you last week. How Ullswater made me laugh! And you are grown so talented. Your watercolour of the Thames was the prettiest thing you have done, and I am not surprised your brother wants to hang it in the drawing room. I wish I could learn to paint but Mama says that I am not well enough and that the lessons would fatigue me. I am sure they would not. However, I take my sketchbook out of doors whenever I can and I think the fresh air does me good, though Mama says it is injurious to my health.
We were sorry to miss your brother but your friends the Bingleys seem pleasant people. Mr Bingley is very handsome, is he not? And so good-humoured. What a change it was to hear someone who was pleased with everyone and everything, saying that London was the finest place in creation, full of the most interesting gentlemen and the prettiest ladies. I liked his sisters less, but you know them better than I do and I must confess they were very elegant—even Mama said they were well dressed for people whose family are in trade.
Have you heard anything of Henry recently? We have not heard anything since Christmas, but as he is your guardian I thought you might have some more recent news.
Affectionately yours,
Anne
Miss Georgiana Darcy to Miss Anne de Bourgh
Darcy House, London, March 29
Dearest Anne,
Ullswater is very funny, is she not? She makes me laugh all the time, although sometimes I should not laugh, I know. She knocked my paint box flying yesterday and I had to scrub the carpet before my governess returned so that Ullswater would not be in trouble. My governess does not like dogs and looks for any excuse to criticise her. I am not allowed to take her with me when I go riding but she begs to come with me every time. I tell her she may not go, but I always relent. It is true she chases rabbits, but the sight of her lolloping along beside me makes up for any inconvenience.
My brother was sorry to miss you, too, and he was sorry not to be able to visit you for Easter, but he says we will see you in the summer. He is back in London now and he is staying with me at Darcy House. He had a letter from Colonel Fitzwilliam yesterday and everything is well, or at least it was when the letter was posted, but it is difficult for letters to get through, you know. There was a lot in the letter about the war and the price of everything, also about military manoeuvres and some of the commanders, and there was a note in it for me. My guardian told me that the weather is good, much warmer than it is here, and the food bearable, and that he has some leave coming to him in the summer so that he will join us at Pemberley. The Bingleys will be coming, too. They are very agreeable people, are they not? Miss Bingley plays duets with me and she and her sister sing with me. They remained in Yorkshire over the winter on account of a sad bereavement but they returned to London recently and they are often here. I am glad of it. Mr Bingley dances with me after dinner sometimes whilst his sister plays the piano. I am preparing myself for the future, you see. I must know how to go on when I come out.
Miss Bingley is at present trying to persuade her brother to buy an estate. He is willing, but my brother does not think he will find it easy to settle because he enjoys travelling too much and meeting new people. He is at that time of life when friendships are growing and the circle of acquaintances is always expanding.
My brother says that Mr Bingley is so easily persuadable that if one of his friends only says to him, ‘Bingley, I think you had better not buy an estate, you know,’ Mr Bingley will probably not do it.
All the same, his sisters seem determined for him to have somewhere and I think they will prevail in the end.
Your affectionate cousin,
Georgiana
APRIL
Mr Bingley to Mr Darcy
London, April 3
Upon my honour, Darcy, it is good of you to invite us to dine with you. I am looking forward to seeing you again and to asking you for some advice about buying an estate. Caroline and Louisa can only see that it would give me somewhere to invite my friends, but there is a lot of work involved in running such a place and I do not know if I would be up to the task. Your aunt thought it a good idea and recommended Surrey, but Caroline did not take to the idea. Perhaps you would be so good as to give me your opinion when we meet next week.
Your friend,
Bingley
Lady Catherine de Bourgh to Mr Darcy
Rosings Park, Kent, April 8
Dear nephew,
I hear from Georgiana that your friend Bingley did not like Surrey and that he intends to buy an estate elsewhere. It is astonishing to me that gentlemen these days are so ignorant of what is to their own advantage. Your friend Bingley is not the only one to suffer from this complaint. The rector of Hunsford, Mr Green, is similarly afflicted, and saw fit to die last week, when it was clearly in his best interests to remain alive.
Like all inconsiderate people, he died at a most inconvenient time. If he had waited until next month, I would have had more leisure to replace him. I cannot think it would have mattered to him: having lived for ninety years it would surely not have troubled him greatly to have lived for another six weeks. However, it would have made a great difference to me as my guests would, by then, have departed. But that is the problem with people today: they have no thought for others. It is a universal complaint.
It is proving difficult for me to find a replacement. As the rectory is so near to Rosings Park, it is necessary for me to have a man of sound good worth and sobriety, with a respectful manner and a becoming gratitude for the favour bestowed. He must be a man of exceptional character as well as a man of great ability; a man who understands the difference of rank but who is at the same time a gentleman. In addition to this, he must have a proper humility. I will not have him subjecting Anne to the impertinent attentions her beauty is certain to inspire, for in point of true beauty, Anne is far above the rest of her sex. I cannot prevent him from worshipping her from afar, as, indeed, what man could resist? For such a refined and elegant young woman cannot help inspiring the tenderest feelings in the male breast. But her future lies elsewhere, as well you know.
I have so far seen four candidates but they have been impossible. Mr Frampton did not play cards so he would not do, for I must have some entertainment in the evenings; Mr Redding did not show the proper deference and I cannot abide a clergyman who is above himself; Mr Waring was so overcome by Anne’s beauty that he could not remember her name and kept calling her Miss…Miss…and Mr Ingers referred to me as Mrs de Bourgh. Another gentleman, a Mr Collins, has been recommended to me. I have no great hopes of him but I will see him nonetheless.