In my day, clergymen were all of them suitable. It is a sad sign of the times that not one of them today will take the trouble to be what I wish them to be.
Your aunt,
Lady Catherine
JUNE
Miss Elizabeth Bennet to Mrs Gardiner
Longbourn, Hertfordshire,
June 7
The Sothertons have left us at last and Netherfield Park is empty. We have all been cast down by their departure; all except Mary, who said that we must cherish in our bosoms the knowledge that vice, if allowed to flourish, will fell even the mightiest oak, and that we must take heed of the lesson so unwillingly taught to us by our unlucky neighbours. Papa asked her if vice would fell the mightiest elm, or if it was only the oak it could topple, which was very wrong of him, but Mary would try the patience of a saint.
We went over to my aunt Philips’s house this evening, where Mary told Mr Shackleton that vice could fell any tree taller than a sapling, no matter what its species, and the rest of us spent most of our time bemoaning the loss of our friends. Charlotte felt it as much as Jane and I. She lifted our spirits, however, by saying that Mr Sotherton would have far fewer temptations in Bath and that the family could live there more cheaply, so that they would have a better chance of restoring their fortunes and then being able to return to Meryton.
My aunt Philips said that two people have already requested a viewing, for she saw Mr Morris, the Sothertons’ man of business, in town this morning, and told us all about it. Mama made particular enquiries as to the nature of the prospective tenants but she was put out to discover that the first of them is a young man with a wife and two children and the second is a retired sea captain. She is hoping that neither of them take it, for she would like a family with five sons to come to the Park so that she can marry us all off at one fell swoop. The first son is to be the heir and he is to marry Jane. The second is to be a military man and he is to marry Lydia. The third is to be a clergyman with a handsome living and he is to marry Mary. The fourth is to be a sailor, the captain of a frigate, and he is to marry Kitty. And the youngest son is to marry me. I think my marriage was an afterthought, as I believe that Mama had forgotten about me!
Papa occasionally reminds her that no such family has taken the estate, but she is so happy in the imagining of it that for the most part he leaves her be.
She had some hopes that Jane might be about to marry last month. There was a gentleman from London who was staying with the Robinsons, but it all came to nothing. I am glad of it. Jane liked him, but when did Jane not like anyone? However, she was not downhearted when he went away, so it was nothing but a passing fancy. Mama was very upset, however, saying that Jane will soon be an old maid. Jane is one and twenty! Lydia of course believes everything Mama says, and declares that she will never be an old maid and that she will be married by the time she is sixteen. Since this puts Mama into a good humour, Papa says nothing to discourage it; indeed he remarks that if she can find a man who is silly enough to marry her he will consider himself lucky and hand her over with his blessing. This leads Mary to reflect on the seriousness of matrimony, whilst Kitty fidgets and asks for a new bonnet. So you see we all go on as usual!
I will write again when I have any news.
Your affectionate niece,
Lizzy
Mr Charles Bingley to Mrs Bingley
Pemberley, Derbyshire, June 15
Dearest Ma,
I have been to see three estates these last few weeks and Caroline has disliked them all. She is such a fine lady that upon my honour I hardly dare speak to her anymore. She finds fault with everything, saying the drawing room is not as large as the Pemberley drawing room or the view from the dining room is not as splendid as the one at Pemberley. She will never find a house like Pemberley, and so I keep telling her, but she only smiles and says there are other ways to live in a house than buying it. If she thinks Darcy will marry her, she is mistaken. He will marry Miss de Bourgh if he marries to please his family, and he will certainly not marry Caroline if he marries to please himself, upon my honour he will not.
I am trying to persuade her to return to Yorkshire but she says I will need a hostess and she cannot leave me in my hour of need. I thought she might leave me last week, for there was some talk of Darcy sending Georgiana to the coast for a few weeks and Caroline said that she had a mind to visit the coast herself. But when she learnt that Darcy did not intend to go with his sister she changed her mind.
Are you sure you do not need her for a few weeks, Ma? I am certain the little ones would like to see her. We will be returning to London in a few days’ time so send your reply to the London address.
Your loving son,
Charles
Mr Darcy to Lady Catherine de Bourgh
Darcy House, London, June 18
I sympathise with you over your difficulties in finding a new rector for Hunsford, aunt. I have had similar difficulties of my own. I had to dismiss my steward when I found he had been taking money from the estate and now I am looking about me for another one. I have had two since old Mr Wickham passed away but neither of them have been satisfactory. It has been a difficult position to fill, particularly as Mr Wickham’s stewardship was exemplary. I am running the estate myself for the time being but the sooner I find a new steward the better. The grove at the far end of the lake needs coppicing and the home farm is in need of repair, to name but two pressing matters. Do you know of anyone who might suit?
I am also looking about me for a companion for Georgiana. Her governess has left her to marry and I think that a companion would be more suitable as Georgiana is now fifteen. She will still continue with her masters so you need not fear that her studies will be neglected, but she needs a woman who can show her, by example, how to behave in company. She is too young to come out but she is starting to attend small parties I hold at Pemberley, where she can learn adult manners amongst friends.
And speaking of friends, Henry writes to me that he will be home in a few weeks on leave and he will be coming to Pemberley, where I know he will be pleased to see the improvement in Georgiana. He has promised to bring her a collection of pressed flowers from Spain, species which flourish there but are not to be met with here, and she is planning to use them to decorate a screen. She has already made the design and although I have a brother’s partiality, I think it very well done.
Henry has written to you, too, I know, but the mail being uncertain from the Continent he has asked me to say that he will call on you at Rosings in July. It is very hot in London and I am thinking of sending Georgiana to the coast following his visit, as I am persuaded it would do her good. Perhaps Anne would like to go with her? The two of them are good friends and they would be company for one another.
Your affectionate nephew,
Fitzwilliam Darcy
Lady Catherine de Bourgh to Mr Darcy
Rosings Park, Kent, June 20
You need not trouble yourself over the matter of Georgiana’s companion. I have found you one, a very respectable woman by the name of Younge. She just happened to be mentioned to me the other day by Mrs Campbell, a very genteel woman whose husband is in the diplomatic corps. Mrs Younge is lately widowed and as her husband did not leave her very well provided for she is in need of a position. Mrs Campbell gave her friend the highest references and of course Mrs Younge will be only too delighted to find herself as companion to Miss Georgiana Darcy.