Page 34 of Heiress of Longbourn (Pride and Prejudice Variations)

Longbourn

25 th February, 1812

Dear Elizabeth,

I was sorry to hear that the area around Kympton has been struck with a measles epidemic. It is very good of you to assist our new brother by marriage in looking over the members of his parish. Of course, that should be Lydia’s task, but I understand she is substantially ill from pregnancy.

I have been spending a considerable amount of time at Netherfield enjoying the pianoforte there. It is much better than the instrument at Longbourn. Jane has also kindly paid for a music master to teach me, and I have improved, I think a great deal, in my sense of timing.

Longbourn seems strangely silent, with only Kitty and me there, along with Father and Mother, of course. Kitty and I are spending more time together, and are enjoying a strengthening in our sisterly affections.

There is a new face in our midst, a curate named Mr. Standish, who is currently overseeing the church in Meryton, while Mr. Allen recovers from a fall from a horse, which resulted in a serious fracture of his leg. Mr. Standish is the third son of a gentleman, and Mother has taken quite a fancy to him because he is very appreciative of her food. He really is a pleasant, intelligent, godly young man.

With love and respect, your sister,

Mary

***

Stillman House

Cambridgeshire

28 th February, 1812

Dear Louisa,

I am indeed having a wonderful time at Stillman House, certainly a far better time than at Netherfield Hall. The Gladstones have invited such a charming selection of guests, and it is truly a joy to interact with elegant ladies and gentlemen.

Really, our time in Hertfordshire was dreadful, surrounded as we were with individuals scarcely better than peasants. I still can hardly believe that Charles married Jane Bennet when he could have married so much higher in society.

I know that there is nothing to be done about it, of course, but it does grieve me. By the by, have you received letters from either Charles or Jane? I am rather low on money and wondered if, perhaps, Charles has softened his stance about helping us financially.

I have met an interesting man, Sir Nicholas Mowatt. He is a widower and more than a decade older than I am, but he is so very gentleman-like and a baronet as well. He has been showing me a great deal of attention.

I do wish you could be here, dear Sister, and I still do not understand why Hurst insisted that you stay in London. It is not as if much is happening in Town until the Season, which is still some weeks away.

I will be back by then, of course, and Sir Nicholas says that he intends to take part in the Season as well.

Sincerely,

Caroline

***

Kympton

8th March, 1812

Dear Jane,

I hope you and Charles are well and continue to enjoy your new marriage.

Lydia is still feeling quite ill, though seems to have a little more energy in the mornings, at any rate. The measles continues to spread, and those who are well are keeping very busy tending to the ill. Alexander is often assisting his parishioners by helping to chop wood and the like. I still drive out twice a week and deliver food and blankets and other comforts. Mr. Darcy is a most generous landowner and is ensuring that no family is going hungry. He also arranged to have another doctor come from London, an intelligent man named Mr. Comerford, and thus there are two physicians able to assist the various families. It has by now spread into both the village of Kympton and the town of Lambton, which I still have not visited, but we have been rather busy!

So far, miraculously, there have been no deaths from measles in Kympton, though Alexander presided over the funeral of an old blacksmith some weeks ago, who died of a sudden apoplexy.

Naturally there has not been much visiting given the situation with Lydia and the sickness, but the people of Kympton are pleasant and good natured and hardworking.

Well, I had best consult with Mrs. Hayward about dinners this week. Lydia is not capable of such a task, and Alexander is, I believe, visiting a family whose patriarch and four children all have fallen prey to the measles.

With much love,

Elizabeth

***

Hurst House

9 th March, 1812

Dear Caroline,

I am pleased to hear that you are enjoying your house party at Stillman House. Tell me more about Sir Nicholas, please. Is he wealthy? I presume he is master of an estate?

I am with child, which is why Hurst did not want me to leave Town. We have waited so very long for this, and we both wish to be near a doctor in case there are any complications. So far, all is well, and I am even largely over the excessive fatigue and nausea.

Regarding Charles, I wrote to him earlier today informing him that I am with child. This is my first letter to him, and I do not know whether he will respond or not. I have never seen him so determined and, yes, angry, as when we argued against his engagement to Jane. I hope we can smooth it all over because, as you said, money is apt to be a problem for both of us, or at least until you are wed to a good man and Hurst’s father dies.

Not that I wish old Mr. Hurst to die, but we are definitely struggling a trifle.

I had best lie down for my daily nap before Hurst hunts me down and orders me to bed. It really is very sweet how excited he is about our child.

With love,

Louisa

***

Longbourn

10 th March, 1812

Dear Elizabeth,

Mary has a suitor! He is a young clergyman who is serving at Meryton at the moment, while poor Mr. Allen recovers from breaking his leg. He does not earn much as a curate, of course, but he has an old aunt who is likely to pass on soon and will leave him a fortune of twenty thousand pounds. He and Mary sit together chattering about the dullest things – sermons and philosophy and the like.

In any case, they may well make a match of it.

I was sorry to hear from Jane that there is a measles epidemic near you, but am thankful you all came down with that disease when you were children; not that I was appreciative at the time. Oh, how you all cried and fussed and wailed, and I truly could not bear it. Your father hired a few extra nursemaids to tend to you until you were well again.

It seems quite odd to me that I will soon be a grandmother. Tell Lydia to rest and eat well, and the sickness will go away in a few weeks.

With love,

Your Mother

***

15 th March, 1812

Cheapside

My dear niece,

I am so sorry about the measles epidemic in Kympton – such a distressing thing! I still correspond with some friends from my youth, and Mrs. Cornwall, who still lives in Lambton, wrote to me recently telling me of the dreadful spread of the disease. Apparently, there have been two deaths from measles in Lambton, which is horrible.

At any rate, I am thankful that you and your sisters have already had the disease, especially Lydia. it would be terrible to be sick and pregnant at the same time.

You are a very good sister to oversee the parsonage and assist Mr. Wickham in caring for the people of his parish, while your sister is unable to do so.

You asked about the children. The boys had a serious cold a few weeks ago, but they have entirely recovered. The girls never caught it, which is in my view a miracle in line with the Lord God sending manna from heaven for the Israelites in the desert. The children love playing together, and I entirely expected the whole slew of them to come down with the illness!

At any rate, we are all completely healthy now and are pleased at the first nascent signs of spring, which will permit us all to spend more time out of doors.

I think it delightful that you are now well acquainted with Mr. Darcy. He is very well respected in Lambton. I toured Pemberley as a child during a Public Day, and it is a truly marvelous estate.

The children need me, so I will close.

With much love,

Madeline Gardiner

***

Netherfield Hall

17 th March

Dear Louisa,

I am very pleased to hear to learn that you are with child. That is amazing wonderful news. I hope that you feel entirely well soon.

Jane and I are well also. As of now, we have no particular plans to attend the gaieties of the Season. We are satisfied happy here in the countryside, and Netherfield requires quite a bit of work, as it has been ignored neglected these past several years.

Love,

Charles