Page 44 of Elizabeth is not a Bennet
Netherfield Park
6th June, 1812
Lizzy!
Or, as my dear mother has said many a time in the last two days, ‘Mrs. Darcy’. How well it sounds!
I am so happy for you; not merely because Mr. Darcy is handsome and rich and clever, though those are obviously wonderful attributes, but because Father says you and he are happy together. I am not surprised. I do believe he fell in love with you the moment he laid eyes on you, and you did not take long to reciprocate with similar feelings.
Charles and I spent much of the last two days at Longbourn talking at great length about your journey north with Father. I am relieved that it all went well and that you were able to meet your brother, Harold.
I understand you are with child, as am I! Our little ones will be born within a few weeks of one another if God blesses us both with healthy pregnancies.
You know it is not in my disposition to worry or be anxious, and I knew that Father would make certain that you were safe, but now that I know you are safely married to a respectable, honorable gentleman, I am far more at ease about you. I suppose I was worrying, though I did not realize it.
Charles and I are deliriously happy, by the way. We suit one another very well. Moreover, his sisters are no longer here. They are in London staying in the Hursts’ house, which does not grieve me a jot!
Love,
Jane
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Pemberley
8 th June, 1812
Dear Jane,
I am thrilled that you are with child! We are so blessed.
Are you tired? I was sick for weeks and then had a boost of energy, which fortunately coincided with the trip to Scotland and then Northumberland, and now I am tired again. Well, more tired. I was still taking frequent naps while on our journey north. Naps! Me! I remember that even at the age of three, I was most indignant about the very concept of naps. I thought life was meant for living, not sleeping.
And now I have turned into my dear Aunt Gardiner and greatly appreciate my afternoon naps!
I know this is regrettably short, but I have a great many letters to write; as much as I enjoyed our extended honeymoon here at Pemberley, with only my uncle aware of our marriage, I am now eager to tell all my friends about my wonderful good fortune in winning Fitzwilliam. I am delighted that you and Charles are so happy together. We both have much to be thankful for.
All my love,
Elizabeth
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Pemberley
9 th June, 1812
Dear Charlotte ,
I am married and have been for six months!
And oh, so happy, so very very happy!
You may not be so happy, though; well, I know you will be, for me, because you have always been an excellent and kind friend. But … let me explain.
Last December, I married Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley, whom your patroness long insisted was to marry her daughter, Miss de Bourgh. Fitzwilliam was very direct with Lady Catherine last autumn. He told her that he that he would not marry his Cousin Anne, but based on my admittedly limited knowledge of the lady, I doubt that your patroness will accept our marriage calmly, and I hope that she does not make your life difficult until her wrath subsides.
The situation regarding my inheritance has been resolved as well, and I met my stepmother and half-brother last month. My stepmother is currently living in the Midlands of Scotland, and Harold is living at Greymere, his estate in Northumberland, which is where I was born.
I hope someday that we will meet again, dear Charlotte, but for now you are settled in Kent and we are in Derbyshire, so I will enjoy our exchanged letters until we have the opportunity .
With affection,
Elizabeth Darcy
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Pemberley
8 th June, 1812
Dear Lady Catherine,
I have the honor of informing you that I am married to the former Miss Elizabeth Stowe, now Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy.
Our nuptials were last December, but we delayed informing anyone of our marriage because of the continued danger posed by Elizabeth’s stepmother, who was behind the assassination attempt on Elizabeth’s life. We have dealt with the woman, and thus, the danger is over.
I told you many months ago that I would not marry Anne, so I hope that you will accept this letter with restraint and calm. I daresay that is too much to hope for, though, so I will inform you that I sent a letter to Lord Matlock two days ago by express, so he is well aware of my marriage. Moreover, the notices will have appeared in the London papers by the time you read this.
Sincerely,
Fitzwilliam Darcy
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Greymere
13 th June, 1812
Darcy,
Your new steward, Mr. Martin, appeared a few days ago. I truly am astonished you found such a man; several inches over six feet with arms like a blacksmith! He is not the sort of man one wishes to cross, and I promise you that I am appropriately motivated to be on my best behavior with him.
He is already turning Greymere upside down, but I mean that in the best possible of ways. He is obviously an intelligent young man, and he keeps a gimlet eye on all the doings, including on Harold Stowe and myself .
I do not mind, of course, your lack of trust in me. To be honest, I do not entirely trust myself. I am thankful that the local rector of the parish is a fine man, a real believer in God, and is kind enough to talk to me about spiritual matters. I am a great sinner, without a doubt, and the more I think about my past…
Well, the message of Christianity is a comfort to me, that we are all sinners, and saved by what Christ has done on our behalf.
Mr. Stowe is still quite timid about giving orders here at Greymere, but he is improving in his ability to speak his mind. I do pity him such a difficult mother. My own mother, as you probably remember, was a spendthrift, and my father suffered accordingly, but she genuinely loved us both, and I am grateful for that.
Sincerely,
George Wickham
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Greymere
14 th June, 181 2
Dear Sister Elizabeth,
Thank you for your letter and your concern for my well-being. I am still shaken at my mother’s manipulative cruelty and am thankful for your kindness toward me.
Greymere is a hotbed of activity thanks to the infusion of money from Mr. Darcy. Wickham and the new steward, Mr. Martin, and I meet every day to discuss what needs next to be done to meet the needs of the tenantry – it is a long list, and each item progresses at a different rate, so it feels quite complicated. We have arranged to sell many of the articles in the mansion to raise some needed cash. Our biggest project, draining one of the flooded fields, has begun.
I am, I realize, rather happy along with being anxious. That is a strange confluence of feelings, but for the first time in my life, my actions genuinely matter. For my entire life, I wandered around Greymere more or less at loose ends, as my mother made all the decisions, not only about the estate, but about my life. Now I have a purpose when I rise every morning. I have even been learning how to repair fencing. My mother would be horrified, but I am committed to bringing Greymere back into solvency.
My best wishes to your continued health and happiness, dear sister .
Sincerely,
Harold Stowe
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Rosings
16 th June, 1812
Fitzwilliam Darcy,
How dare you wed a no account woman from the middle of nowhere, an orphan of no importance! I am outraged and horrified and disgusted. Indeed, only my respect for the names of the Matlocks and the Darcys and the de Bourghs will stay my tongue!
It seems obvious to me what really happened given that your wife is already with child!
I will not spread scandal across the ton, so my lips are sealed.
But I wish to make it completely plain that, while you may be permitted to enter the hallowed halls of Rosings one day, your wife never will!
With outrage ,
Catherine de Bourgh
P.S. Anne has cried herself to sleep for a full week and even cries at the very mention of you after hearing this dreadful news!
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London
16th June, 1812
Dear Louisa,
My dear sister, I do hope you are keeping up your spirits. It is a good thing, of course, that old Mr. Hurst has finally passed on and that your husband is now master of the estate, but his death is truly inconvenient. You must be dying of boredom there in Yorkshire.
I am most grateful to dear Emily. If she had not invited me to stay with her family, I would have been stuck either up in Yorkshire with you or, worse yet, with Charles and Jane. Not that Jane is an unpleasant young woman, but the society around Netherfield is dreadful!
And now, for my wonderful news, dear sister. I am engaged to be married to Sir Elias Quinn! I told you in my last letter that he was paying a great deal of attention to me, calling on me frequently. Yesterday he popped the question, and of course I accepted!
Charles rode to London three days ago to talk to me; apparently Quinn has something of a reputation for gambling, and he wished for me to be certain of my choice – as if he could discourage me! It is a sign of how far Charles has fallen when he thinks that gaming is a problem for a baronet! He has an estate in Somerset, and while I have not seen it, I understand it is remarkable.
Lady Quinn! How well it sounds!
We will wed soon, and given that you are in mourning and far away, I am afraid you will miss my wedding. Charles has, at least, agreed to give me away.
With much love,
Caroline
P.S. Oh, by the way, you may have heard the wedding announcement about Darcy. He has married Elizabeth Stowe, she of the flaming red hair and fine eyes. I do not mind in the least; I never really thought he would be a good husband for me. He is far too intellectual and dull. She is welcome to him.
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Rosings
17th June, 1812
Darcy!
I obtained the news of your marriage from Mrs. Collins before my mother received her letter about your wedding last December. No slight to you, dear Cousin, but every time my mother brought your marriage up, my eyes became a bit watery – yes, I am that relieved the threat of our marriage has passed! I mention this in case my mother tells you of my ‘ceaseless crying’, as she puts it.
I am so happy for you and your wife! I have known for many years that you and I would not suit in the least, and while I have never met Mrs. Darcy, I understand from Mrs. Collins that your lady is bright, exuberant, intelligent, clever, and full of vitality. I believe you have chosen very, very well, Cousin!
With love and, yes, relief,
Anne de Bourgh
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Pemberley
15th August, 1812
Mr. Bennet and family,
I have the honor of informing you that yesterday Elizabeth was delivered of a healthy baby girl, whom we have named Annabelle Darcy. Mother and baby are doing well.
God bless,
Fitzwilliam Darcy
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Netherfield Hall
18th August, 1812
Elizabeth and Darcy,
Jane birthed a healthy baby boy two days ago, whom we have named Joshua after my father. He is red and squashed he is handsome and apparently large for a baby, though he seems tiny small to me.
Jane is doing well .
I am over the moon with joy and excitement and relief and .
In haste,
Charles Bingley