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Once Papa is ensconced at Gracechurch Street, we should be able to lure him out occasionally as long as he is assured that there will be no discussion of lace or sleeve lengths.

I look forward to meeting Mr. Holmes again—he was very kind to me when I visited Derwent House in April.

I shall do my best to fulfill Mrs. Wilkins’ desire for more entertaining after we are married.

Shall five nights a week be acceptable, do you think?

I hope she understands that we ourselves must go out to attend events occasionally?

But of course we would make it up by hosting several entertainments on one of the other days—perhaps a garden party in the afternoon followed by a grand ball and supper at night?

But seriously, my dearest husband-to-be, it is neither the society nor the gowns that I look forward to—I just want you … and forgive me for being so forward but I don’t believe I wish to share you with anyone for some time, regardless of Mrs. Wilkins’ wishes.

I have difficulty falling asleep for hope of hearing your pebbles on my window, my love, though I would much prefer to see your person on my doorstep where I may jump into your arms without fear of breaking my neck!

All my love,

Elizabeth

…………………………………….

Derwent House, London

My dearest Elizabeth,

Your letter is but a day old and already it is creased like parchment from another century. The house seems silent and empty for I have dreamed of you here so often that it seems wrong when I waken and find you are not.

I went for a ride in Hyde Park this morning (need I mention that your phantom rode at my side?).

I went early in the hope of solitude and met Michael Trevor out with the same intention.

I suppose I should more properly call him Viscount Hampden, but I knew him at school before he gained the title.

Do you remember him? I introduced you that evening we attended the opera with the Gardiners and you made quite an impression, it seems. He sends his best wishes on our engagement and made a suggestion for our wedding trip that I should like to discuss with you.

Along with his title, Trevor inherited a seaside cottage on Botany Bay near Broadstairs in Kent and he has offered us the use of it.

Should you like that? It is quite isolated and has beaches, cliffs, and woods to keep even you, my dearest dryad, content for a few weeks.

There is a village two or three miles away where we could go if we desire shops or other entertainments and Trevor informed me they usually hold public assemblies on the first Saturday of every month.

Would you do me the honor of dancing with me for the first set?

Perhaps all the sets, for the rest of our lives?

But I am getting ahead of myself. I did receive a note from Bingley, though I’m glad to have your confirmation that it announced his engagement to your sister—his scrawl was even worse than usual.

I heartily approve of your idea for a double wedding and there is no couple with whom I would like more to share our celebration than your sister and my friend.

It seems only appropriate given that we all met on the same evening.

I am disturbed to hear that Miss Bennet is so distressed at the thought of my family’s condescension though in hindsight I understand it is well deserved.

Many of the older generation in my circle hold fast to their prejudices and I fear that some of the younger generation (sadly, myself included) often accepts their attitudes without considering the principles involved.

I realize now just how hypocritical I had become; I considered myself a liberal master and had no qualms over befriending individuals not of my station (such as Bingley), but then I would make such sweeping statements on the inferiority of tradesmen and lesser gentry that I cringe to recall.

I must thank you again for taking me to task. The lesson was hard at first but it disturbs me to think of what I would have become, had you not shown a light on my attitudes and forced me to face my hypocrisy. I still have to fight my old habits but I believe I am improving, thanks to you.

Georgiana and I shall be taking Anne to call on the Gardiners this afternoon.

I sent a note to your uncle so that they have some understanding of the situation.

I know that your aunt has no particular desire to reconnect with her father’s relations (and I certainly respect her reasons) but I truly believe that she and her family would be very good for Anne.

Georgiana and I are so quiet (which is, I suppose, why we both look forward to having you join our little family) and I cannot help but believe that the gentle amiability of your aunt and uncle and the joyful antics of their children will have a positive effect on my poor cousin.

Please forgive the disjointed nature of this letter, my love.

The announcement of our engagement was published in today’s newspapers (see the enclosed clippings—I admit I sent a footman out to buy extra copies).

As a result, there has been a steady stream of callers all day.

Apparently my parents had far more ‘dear friends’ than I ever knew and they all seem determined to visit today in order to ferret out whatever nuggets of gossip they can find.

Poor Georgiana was quite overwhelmed when she and Mrs. Annesley went for a walk in the park and people approached her even though she is not yet out.

I finally put an end to the callers—Holmes is telling them all that we are not at home though I have little doubt that there is a small mountain of cards accumulating.

Would it be so bad to hide away in Derbyshire for the rest of our lives and never bother with London Society again? I would happily bear the title of eccentric to do so... though I admit that I am looking forward to showing off my new bride to a select few.

Dear Lord, Miss Bingley just paid us a visit.

Alone—not a brother or sister or even a maid in sight—and she barged right into my study without being announced and began screeching—forgive me but there is no other word to describe her voice.

Apparently the society page with our announcement came to her notice just as the Hursts were telling her of Charles’ note regarding his own engagement.

Let us simply say that she is not at all pleased by the state of affairs and leave it at that, shall we? Holmes and a footman actually had to lay hands on her person in order to remove her from the house. We have now taken the knocker down and locked the front door.

Georgiana, Anne, and I will be departing for Gracechurch Street in a few minutes, my love. I have many fond memories of that house; it is where I first learned to hope again that I might win your heart.

All my love,

Fitzwilliam

…………………………………….

Longbourn’s House of Madness, Hertfordshire

Dearest Fitzwilliam,

Please sit down, my love, for I must inform you of a great calamity that has befallen us here at Longbourn.

My mother fears that you shall forsake me should you learn of it.

I, however, have more confidence in your fortitude and believe that you will be there when I reach the altar.

I have several freckles on my nose, you see.

I have attempted to tell Mama that they have always been there but she is insistent that they have just appeared this morning as a result of my walking in the sun without a bonnet.

All manner of treatments have been attempted, from vigorous washing with soap (hoping that they were only dirt, I suppose?), to lemon juice (I fear Papa will have to make due with milk in his tea for the next month), to some foul paste whose origins I shudder to guess at but which turned my nose quite red until the skin peeled off, leaving my freckles even more prominent, to my mother’s great distress.

Shall you be able to stand up beside a speckled bride?

I’ve noticed that you and Georgiana both have distressingly clear complexions.

A certain Lady in Kent would no doubt attribute this difference as a reflection of our divergent ancestry.

Why is it that freckles on boys are regarded as adorable and on men give character, while on a female they are to be avoided at all costs?

I suppose that the only solution is to pray that our daughters have your complexion while our sons may have mine.

All the fuss has had one benefit; Mama decided that it would not do to expose her red-nosed daughter to the general society of Meryton and so today I have been spared from the endless rounds of calls that she deems necessary to celebrate our engagements.

Poor Jane has gone to accompany our mother on her own but I am endeavoring to not feel very guilty, for just as my engagement was the joy of Mama’s life last week, so now is Jane’s.

Ah, yes... Jane’s engagement to Mr. Bingley has been announced to all and sundry.

They both glow with such contentment that I truly believe their feet may float up off the floor soon.

Papa summed it all up rather well when he announced his approval: “You are each of you so complying that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy that every servant will cheat you; and so generous that you will always exceed your income.”

Charles is growing daily in my esteem. Though I should not underestimate him after he managed to sort out so many of our own misunderstandings in that one brief conversation last April, he has recently displayed a level of cunning I would not previously have guessed.

Cunning is not quite the right word as it has connotations of an ill intent and I am convinced that Charles is quite the opposite.

He truly wishes everyone to be happy and is generally willing to apply whatever machinations necessary to make it so.