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Between bites of toast, Mrs. Bennet revealed her shopping plans to her husband. “I shall need a vast deal of money,” she informed him, “but it will be worth every penny to get our daughters settled.”

“But we do not need any new clothes,” Elizabeth said.

“And we have our allowances if we want a little something extra like new ribbons,” Jane said.

“Ribbons!” Mrs. Bennet cried. “I’m sure the Peacocks will be buying a great deal more than one or two fripperies.”

“They did have their clothes blown away,” Elizabeth said. “I suppose they must be in need of replacements.”

Mrs. Bennet glared at her most difficult daughter.

“I don’t need any fripperies,” Mary said. “But I wouldn’t mind going to Meryton with you. I want to get some new music and have a look in the bookshop.”

“Well, I need new dresses,” Lydia declared. “Plenty of them, and lots of fripperies as well so that I can look my best for Mr. Bingley. He will expect me to be well-dressed.”

“Fine feathers do have a way of engaging a gentleman’s attention,” Mr. Bennet said. “But I doubt that they will bring about the marriages which you desire, Mrs. Bennet.”

“I am confident that our daughters will get themselves engaged without any new feathers—I mean gowns. What nonsense you talk. I only want them to be wearing the latest styles.”

“I see. You wish them to keep up with the flock. I have no objection to that, and it happens that I am in a mood to indulge a little extravagance. I shall provide the funds for your shopping spree—”

“Do you hear that, girls! What a generous father you have.”

“On one condition,” Mr. Bennet continued. “The expenditure will be portioned equally among them. As close to the penny as possible. And while I heartily approve of buying books, Mary, today I want you to have your share of hats and dresses.”

“This really isn’t necessary,” Elizabeth said.

“Hush, child. We can afford it. I have recently had a windfall.”

“A windfall!” Mrs. Bennet cried excitedly. “How did this come about? And how rich are we?”

“It doesn’t amount to riches. But I have made a tidy profit from a business venture in which John Lucas persuaded me to invest. Enough for the girls to have plenty of fripperies. And you must get a few dresses for yourself as well.”

“You are very good to us,” Mrs. Bennet said in a wavering voice. His thoughtfulness toward her was quite overwhelming.

The carriage was ordered, cloaks were donned, some bills were handed over, and Mrs. Bennet nearly fainted.

Clutching her nearest daughter for support, she expressed astonishment that rascally John Lucas had become such an able man of business.

“To think that he used to be such a scamp. Always getting himself into trouble.”

“I think he’s on his way to getting himself into a fortune now,” Mr. Bennet said. “Although I understand that most of his current profits have been earmarked for adding to his sisters’ dowries.”

“That is very good of him, and so nice for them.” Mrs. Bennet found it easy to be happy for the Lucas girls since they would not be rivals for Mr. Madison, Mr. Bingley, and the colonel of the regiment.

If there could just be enough eligible officers for Charlotte and Maria as well as two for her daughters, she would be very well content.

Upon reaching Meryton, the Bennet ladies encountered further evidence of John’s generosity. The Lucases’ carriage was being loaded with parcels, and Lady Lucas, Charlotte, Maria, and Emily emerged from a shop bearing more purchases.

Emily? Was she just helping to carry packages, or had Lady Lucas decided to bring her out? Perhaps with a cunning plan of getting Mr. Bingley, Mr. Madison, and the colonel for her daughters.

Emily answered this question by rushing toward Kitty and Lydia, with whom she had long been friendly, crying, “I am to be out this winter. I will have so many dresses, and I intend to get an officer for my husband.”

“We are all having new things,” Maria said. “John has given us ever so much money. He is such a kind brother. But I don’t think I want to marry an officer. Or a very grand gentleman.”

Mrs. Bennet was happy to hear this. And she was made even happier by hearing Charlotte say to Elizabeth, “A new wardrobe isn’t giving me any grand ambitions either. But it has occurred to me that a well-dressed spinster might be the object of respect rather than scorn.”

Feeling that Lady Lucas was innocent of forming cunning plans, and that one officer for Emily was not too much to hope for, Mrs. Bennet was able to smile and greet her friend warmly.

But then she heard Elizabeth joking that there would be nothing left in the shops for them to buy. And on the heels of this comment, Mrs. Crane and her daughters emerged from a neighbouring shop, bearing the evidence that they had depleted its stock.

Mrs. Bennet soon discovered that all the shops were indeed short of goods. The vast quantities of muslins, gauzes, and silks which she had envisioned could not be had for any money.

“We’ve nearly been cleaned out,” one shopkeeper said. “Such a crowd this morning.”

“Mrs. Peacock just bought the last of my silk,” another one said. “And Mrs. Partridge took most of the muslin.”

“Show me the rest. Quick!” Mrs. Bennet cried as the shop door opened. But, finding nothing satisfactory among Mrs. Partridge’s leftovers, she left them to the perusal of two other mothers who were waiting impatiently behind her.

To add insult to injury, Mrs. Peacock smiled gloatingly when they passed her on the pavement.

“Lovely morning, isn’t it,” she called out.

“We were up nice and early, and it seemed like an excellent day for some shopping.” Her daughters could not be seen to smile, but only because they were loaded up to their noses with parcels.

At another shop, Lydia discovered that a bonnet which she had been coveting only the previous morning had been purchased by Miss Crane, and her sister had bought the one which Kitty had admired.

Surveying the remaining selection disconsolately, the Bennets found nothing worth having.

Gloves and slippers were also in short supply.

There was even a drastic depletion of the music which Mary had wanted.

“How can sheets of music be in such demand?” Mrs. Bennet cried in astonishment. “It is not as though one can wear them.”

“I understand that the young ladies are wanting to impress some visiting gentlemen with their talents,” the shopkeeper explained.

“Talents! What good are they for getting husbands?”

The last straw was discovering that even if the materials could be had, the only seamstress with the skills to make fancy ball gowns was booked up for weeks.

“It is all because I cannot sleep at night,” Mrs. Bennet cried in despair. “We should have been up with the birds to get first pick.” Out came the fan.

“Why don’t we just go to Hertford?” Lydia suggested.

Mrs. Bennet stopped abruptly in mid fanning. “That is a splendid idea. We shall go there straightaway before anyone else thinks of it.”

In a quiet voice, she instructed the coachman to drive in the direction of Longbourn and then take a roundabout route to the Hertford Road.

All the way there, she kept looking behind to see if other carriages were following.

And in between she fretted that every lady in Hertford had suddenly taken it into her head to have a new wardrobe that morning. So much torment for her poor nerves.

Fortunately for her nerves, the streets of Hertford were not crowded with ladies, and the shops were not devoid of goods.

There was plenty of selection and quite a lot of bargains, which pleased Jane and Elizabeth.

Mrs. Bennet thought they needn’t be so particular when money wasn’t even an object. She had no intention of scrimping.

However, with her elder daughters drawing her attention to the best deals, she soon discovered that this was a way for the money to go very far indeed.

It took some time for them to spend the last penny.

On the way home, crammed into the carriage alongside a multitude of parcels and boxes, she could only think that it had been a very satisfying morning indeed.

Upon returning home she looked into her husband's study. “My dear Mr. Bennet, we have had such a splendid day. There were such excellent bargains. We have so many things to show you.”

Accompanying his family into the parlour, Mr. Bennet allowed himself to be shown some of the finery which he had funded.

“And the rest is with the dressmaker,” she said.

“We have commissioned ever so many gowns, and she has promised to start work immediately. A real French lady, not like Miss Broome, calling herself Madame when everyone knows she’s never put a foot outside Meryton.

I’m not saying that her work isn’t excellent, but our new modiste truly understands fashion.

And we have some sketches of elegant hairstyles for Sarah to practice.

I bet Mrs. Peacock and Mrs. Crane didn’t think of that.

Our girls are going to stand out. Not that they didn’t already, but now they will even more.

I am having a few dresses made for myself, just as you said, and I bought a new fan. ”

Unfurling this acquisition, Mrs. Bennet almost poked Kitty in the eye.

Oblivious to this near disaster, she happily declared, “Much bigger than the one I got in Meryton. Everything in Hertford is better. We must always shop there.” Then, with a sigh of contentment, she leaned back in her chair, stretched out her weary legs, and promptly fell asleep.

“Your mother has discovered a remarkable enthusiasm for bargains,” Mr. Bennet said, smiling at Jane and Elizabeth. “I’m pleased that your shopping trip was such a success. And a real French dressmaker instead of another sham madame. Quite a day indeed.”

Elizabeth had been wary of an unfamiliar seamstress, but the woman did not disappoint. The dresses were completed and delivered in excellent time, and their quality was outstanding. Regardless of her place of birth, there was no doubt as to her skills.

After the gowns had been safely stored away, Mrs. Bennet declared, “We are ready. All we need now is for the gentlemen to arrive.”