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It is a truth universally acknowledged that a lady of a certain age must be in want of a large fan.

However little others may understand her sufferings, they are made well aware of them by the frequent wielding of that accessory, the oddness of her behaviour, and her many complaints of being overheated.

“This room is dreadfully hot,” Mrs. Bennet said on a cool morning at the beginning of September. “Open a window, Kitty.”

“But it is freezing in here,” Kitty protested. “What we really need is to get a fire going.”

“It is much too early to be thinking of fires. I daresay we may go another month before having any need of one.”

“In another month I shall have frozen to death,” Lydia grumbled as Kitty reluctantly got up and went to open a window.

“Adversity is good for the soul,” Mary said. “Enduring that which we find uncomfortable builds character.”

“My soul is frozen too. How can that be good for it?”

“Take my shawl. It is thicker than yours,” Jane said, pulling the garment from her shoulders and holding it out to her youngest sister, who seized this offering and placed it over her own shawl.

Mrs. Bennet observed this in astonishment. “I do not know how you can be cold,” she said, vigorously flapping the largest fan the shops in Meryton had been able to provide.

“I do not know how—” Lydia began to say.

“This tea can be so delicious,” Jane cried in an unusually loud voice.

“It is astounding that someone thought of pouring boiling water over dry leaves,” Elizabeth said. “And that the result was a success. It could have been quite the opposite, which would have been a great pity. Imagine drinking just the hot water without the tasty leaf flavour.”

Mrs. Bennet frowned at her second daughter. Lizzy had her father’s odd humour. Having such a fanciful husband was bad enough, but why must he influence one of their children to be just like him? It was not going to be easy to get her a husband.

The gentleman who caused his wife so much irritation came into the room a few minutes later, but on this morning, she was not displeased to see him.

“My dear Mr. Bennet,” she eagerly exclaimed.

“Did you happen to hear anything interesting while you were out? Perhaps about Netherfield Park? I have heard that someone came to view the property the other day. I do hope he takes it. If Netherfield is let at last, that will be a fine thing for our daughters.”

“How so, my dear?”

“Is it not obvious?”

“Not to me.”

Exasperating man! How could he fail to grasp the point? “I am thinking of him marrying one of them.”

“A fine ambition, to be sure, but has it occurred to you that the new tenant of Netherfield, if there is one, might already be a married man?”

“That isn’t likely. Mrs. Long said that he came to see the place on his own.”

“The absence of a wife does not preclude the existence of one.”

“You are always expecting the worst.”

“We do not know that the new tenant being already married is a bad thing. He might be extremely disagreeable, in which case our daughters will be relieved that he is off the market.”

“That is ridiculous. Wealthy young men have no reason for being disagreeable. But speaking of knowing him, when he arrives, you must visit him at once.”

This was a simple enough thing to promise, but instead Mr. Bennet subjected his poor wife to more of the whimsy which she found so objectionable.

He did not understand what she suffered.

She told him so, but he only indulged himself in more absurdities.

It was no wonder that her nerves were on edge.

Never had there been a wife more ill-used.

Nor a mother. “Which one of you closed the window?” Mrs. Bennet cried as another surge of heat swept over her.

***

“Tasty leaf flavour?” Jane queried with a smile.

“Stupid, I know.” Elizabeth shook her head ruefully. “I was just trying to help keep Lydia from getting on Mama’s nerves. But I only ended up irritating her myself.”

“Not as much as Papa. I do wish he would not vex her so much.”

“So do I, but I also understand his exasperation. Her obsession with getting us married tries my patience a great deal. Not a day goes by without her either lamenting the lack of marital prospects in the neighbourhood or rejoicing at the sudden appearance of a potential husband.”

“It is trying,” Jane agreed. “But she just wants us to be securely settled.”

“So much so that a single gentleman only needs to come within ten miles for her to be certain of having a daughter married at last. And even though he invariably disappoints, she is no less eager when the next prospect comes along.”

“And even more determined to make a match between him and one of us.” Jane sighed.

Elizabeth nodded her agreement. “If an eligible man does take Netherfield, we shall have much to endure.”