I do wish your papa would mend his fortunes and you would come back to Netherfield, but not before Mr Bingley has married Jane.
Love and kisses,
Kitty
Miss Charlotte Lucas to Miss Susan Sotherton
Lucas Lodge, Hertfordshire,
November 27
Dear Susan,
You are no doubt longing to hear all about the ball, and so here I am at my writing desk before breakfast. It was an interesting affair, and made a change in our daily routine. I was lucky and danced several dances, though Elizabeth was the focus of attention throughout the evening. I am not surprised. She was in looks, and attracted the admiration not only of her cousin but also of Mr Darcy. She did not see it, thinking that he asked her to dance only to mock her in some way, but that would have been out of character for him and I am surprised she did not realise it, she who is a great studier of character. He is proud and arrogant, yes, and I could well imagine him avoiding anyone he felt to be beneath him, but he does not have a propensity to mockery. I advised her to make herself agreeable to him, and cautioned her not to let her fancy for Mr Wickham make her appear unpleasant to Mr Darcy, who is a man of ten times Wickham’s consequence. But Elizabeth has no interest in a man’s consequence, and I believe she would rather marry a man she liked with a thousand a year than a man she did not particularly like with ten thousand a year. I cannot understand it. Happiness in marriage is very much a matter of chance, and those who start it in love very often fall out of love, whereas those who start it without love frequently end up the happier for it.
Jane was still the object of Mr Bingley’s affections, a fact my mama privately resented, not because she wishes Jane ill—though she would be happier if Mr Bingley had fallen in love with me—but because Mrs Bennet would talk of nothing else. She drove Mama almost to tears by enumerating the virtues of the match, crowing about Mr Bingley’s face, fortune, manner and address, and hoping that Mama might soon be equally fortunate in having a daughter wed.
She thought there was no chance of it, but I believe she might be mistaken, for Mr Collins has come to Meryton with the express wish of finding a wife. His first object was Jane, until he found she was likely to be soon engaged, and then Elizabeth became the object of his attentions. But Elizabeth has given him no encouragement—quite the reverse, in fact. She makes no secret of her irritation with him and last night she was grateful to me for drawing his attention to myself. She saw in it nothing but an act of kindness to herself. Such is the difference between twenty and twenty-seven!
Am I wrong, do you think, Susan, to try and win his—I will not say affections, for I doubt if he has any, unless they be for his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh—but his addresses, and his hand? I thought so at first, but if neither Jane nor Eliza will have him, then I see no reason why I should not be his third choice. He seems to have a comfortable home, Lady Catherine seems to be a sensible, if dictatorial, woman, and he has no vices. He has no virtues either, it is true, but his parsonage has two sitting rooms, so he tells me, and it seems to me that a wife might have one whilst her husband has the other. He is also fond of gardening. A man who is fond of such a pursuit will be out of doors a great deal in the summer and a sensible wife might see him very little, after all.
It might all come to nothing. He might offer for Mary if Elizabeth refuses him. But I believe he is my best hope. The next few days should prove interesting.
Yours affectionately,
Charlotte
Mr Collins to Lady Catherine de Bourgh
Longbourn, Hertfordshire,
November 27
Lady Catherine, I give thanks that I am in a position to inform you that your most estimable nephew, Mr Darcy, is in full and vigorous health, as I had the honour of meeting him last night at a private ball given by some gracious neighbours of my most revered cousins. It was an elegant entertainment, marked by the hospitality and politeness of the beneficent hosts, and one at which your nephew, if I might be permitted to say so, shone brightly. I was much struck when I learnt of his relationship to you and made so bold as to introduce myself, whereupon I was able to tell him that your ladyship and Miss Anne were exceedingly well a sennight ago. He was grateful for the knowledge and much pleased with the attention.
Of the other matter I cannot yet speak, but I am certain that before very long I will be able to introduce you to Mrs Collins, if you should be gracious enough to allow the familiarity.
Your humble servant,
William Collins
Mr Darcy to Colonel Fitzwilliam
Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire,
November 27
Dear Henry,
I spoke at length with Colonel Forster at Bingley’s ball last night, and he shares your opinion of the war. It is a pity, because if a lasting peace could be secured it would be of benefit to the country as a whole, but if the French are determined to fight on then we have no choice but to defend ourselves and our interests overseas.
Bingley was less interested in the war and more interested in his first ball, or at least, the first he has hosted. He need not have worried, for it was generally well received. He danced every dance and charmed everyone, playing the perfect host, and Caroline was an excellent hostess. She arranged the whole thing very well and was gratified when I said so.
I saw nothing of Wickham, who cried off at the last minute, but his influence was felt still, for, when I asked Miss Elizabeth Bennet to dance, it became clear that he had been blackening my character and that she believed everything he had said. I could not correct her without disgracing my sister and the dance ended in silence.
The rest of the evening was no better. The company, though well enough for a small country neighbourhood, irritated me considerably.
I will be glad to leave the country. The weather has been abominable, and as Bingley has to return to town on business for a few days, I believe I will go with him. I have found myself attracted to…well, enough of that. Suffice it to say, I would do well to remove myself from certain temptations. Bingley, too…it will be better for both of us once we are in London again.
I will write to you again from there and send you news of Georgiana. I am thinking of having a miniature painted of her. It would please me to hang it next to the miniature of myself as a boy which my father so loved, in the drawing room at Pemberley.
Darcy
Miss Lydia Bennet to Miss Eleanor Sotherton
Longbourn, Hertfordshire,
November 27
Lord! What a time we are having, not only the ball last night—I danced every dance—but now Mr Collins has proposed to Lizzy! He said he wanted a private audience with her this morning and Kitty and I were agog, as you might imagine. Mama said of course, and Lizzy said he could have nothing to say to her that anyone might not hear, and Mama insisted on her staying and talking to Mr Collins, and then Mama took Kitty out of the room and left Lizzy alone with Mr Collins, and he rambled about Lady Catherine—for you know I just happened to be passing the door and just happened to hear every word he said—and he told Lizzy he had to marry because he is a clergyman and needs to set a good example, and that Lady Catherine told him to!