Page 47 of The Fire at Longbourn (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

Pemberley

My dear Jane,

I received your letter this morning, and while today is quite busy since we have guests for dinner, I could not help but take a few moments to write.

Praise the Lord for the gift of new life!

I am so happy for you and Charles! But Jane, you have been very sly, have you not?

You gave no hint of such a thing in your previous letters.

I would tease you more except that I admit that I did exactly the same thing!

Yes, I am expecting a babe as well. And like you, I was hesitant to send word until I was quite certain.

I felt the baby quicken yesterday, and our local doctor estimates that I will deliver in January, so within a few weeks of your child.

I am a little sad that we will be far apart when we have our babies, but thankfully both of our husbands can easily pay for an express, and I promise that within hours of giving birth, we will send a letter to you.

I depend on you to do the same thing for me.

The last month has been a busy one for the farmers and tenants. The harvests have been good, which is a great relief for my dear husband, who is very attentive to the needs of those who depend on the land.

I am delighted to hear that Lydia is settling so nicely at Netherfield, and that she is a comfort and help to you.

I must dress for dinner soon, but I wished to send you a quick note so that it can go out in the next post.

With much love,

Your Lizzy

/

Netherfield

August 15 th , 1812

Dear Lizzy,

I write to you from Netherfield, where, as you probably know, I have been living for two months now.

Jane was rather ill these past two months because of the baby.

I hope you were not as sick as she was! She is doing better now, thankfully, but she still insists that I stay here, and I confess that I prefer Netherfield to Longbourn.

I will soon be an aunt twice over, which is quite exciting!

Mamma is so very pleased; she is, of course, hoping that you will both have sons, but she has said many a time that it does not matter overly much, since Pemberley is not entailed away from the female line, and Charles’s fortune can be handed down as he sees fit.

For my part, I would love to dote on two pretty nieces, but it is in God’s hands, not ours.

We are doing very well, even Mary, whose arm finally seems entirely healed.

Mamma bullied Father into paying for a music master so that she can improve her performing, though money is still in rather short supply after all the repairs.

Father has also been spending many hours visiting the tenants and fixing fences and the like.

I am not certain why; he never did it before.

We have all changed quite a bit since the fire.

I have started visiting Miss King on occasion. Her grandfather died in January, and she just emerged from mourning. She is actually a pleasant girl, and we both enjoy working on dresses and bonnets together.

Mamma does struggle with having a smaller home; she feels it diminishes her position. But when I think of how much we could have lost last year, well, I can only thank God it was no worse.

I must finish and speak with Cook about dinner. Jane has been allowing me to plan meals at least twice a week, which will be a great help if I ever get married. Not that I intend to do so in the next few years; I am only sixteen, after all.

Again, many congratulations on your baby!

Your sister,

Lydia

/

August 18 th , 1812

Dear Lizzy,

Oh, what wonderful news that you are carrying the heir to Pemberley. Oh, my dear daughter, I am so proud of you!

Naturally you wish for a son, but there is every likelihood that you will have a daughter.

After all, my mother only birthed one son, and I birthed only daughters.

I do urge you not to be anxious about the matter.

Thankfully, the Darcys are not foolish enough to have entailed the estate away from the female line!

The last repairs have been completed on Longbourn, or as much as your father is willing to spend at any rate.

He is insistent that we save for the future of the other girls, not that it seems necessary given how well you and Jane married.

I always feel ashamed when Lady Lucas visits; she deliberately makes a point of talking about how small the dining room is now!

The only thing that brings me some peace is that one day Charlotte Collins will reign as mistress here, and she will have to suffer as I do.

But I do not mean to complain too much. Truly, we are fortunate.

I must speak to Hill about a dinner party.

In haste,

Your loving mother

/

August 20 th , 1812

Hunsford

My dear Eliza,

Yes, I find Kent very pleasant indeed. It is hot now, of course, but the parsonage is well built, and when I open the windows, we enjoy a pleasant breeze throughout.

Lady Catherine is a most attentive neighbor, and we are grateful for her patronage. Mr. Collins visits her almost daily, and the lady is always pleased to provide guidance regarding sermons and the like.

I am very happy here, Lizzy. It is wonderful having my own husband, my own home, my own chickens and soon, yes, my own child. Like you and Jane, I am expecting a little one, also in January. Mr. Collins is ecstatic that he will soon be a father.

One of our men is riding to town, and I must finish this letter and give it to him. Mr. Collins ignores that I am writing you regularly, but it would not do for Lady Catherine to see it since she is still outraged at your marriage to Mr. Darcy.

I, of course, am delighted for you.

With much love,

Charlotte Collins

/

Netherfield

September 3 rd , 1812

Dear Caroline,

I asked Charles about your returning to Netherfield, and he said ‘no’.

Nor can I blame him, Sister. It is truly appalling that you tried to compromise Mr. Darcy!

Furthermore, Jane, who is with child, hardly needs you swanning around the house causing trouble, which I know you would.

You have never even bothered to apologize for your horrific behavior to me or Charles; every time you write, you try to justify your actions, which is outrageous.

You have a large dowry and are a handsome woman.

My advice is in line with our Aunt Cynthia’s; marry one of the men pursuing you in Bath.

No, none of them are of the nobility, but you say several of them are gentlemen, if rather impoverished ones.

She also tells me you have at least one wealthy, handsome merchant’s son interested in you, and given that our father was a man of trade, he might well be a good choice.

If all those options are unpalatable, you might find yourself living the life of a single woman.

There are certainly worse things, and best of all, you can choose what you prefer to do.

I am expecting a child in March. Hurst is overjoyed.

For all that I am still upset with you, I do hope and pray that you find peace and joy, Sister.

With love,

Louisa

/

Longbourn

September 4 th , 1812

Dear Lizzy,

The harvests are mostly in and are good this year, which is a source of great cheer to our tenantry.

The Home Farm did quite well too. You likely remember the Petersons?

Old Peterson died a few months ago, and none of his sons wish to continue farming.

I have decided to incorporate that land into the Home Farm so that next season we can grow more wheat.

There are new agricultural methods available which should produce greater yields, and if my own experiments work out for the good, I can advise the tenants to alter their own methods.

I suspect that all this is a surprise given that for many years I hid in my library and read my books, quite indifferent to the farming techniques of our people.

But the library is but dust in the air now, and the books with it, and …

I do not know exactly why, but the near loss of my wife and daughters has awoken me from my slumbers.

Having said all that, the harvests are in, and Pemberley beckons.

Your mother and I, along with Kitty and Mary, will be traveling north in exactly three weeks.

Lydia will stay with Jane, which I think is for the best, since Mrs. Bennet still occasionally scolds her for her role in burning down the east wing.

Without a doubt, my youngest child has matured a great deal, and Jane tells me that Lydia has been genuinely very helpful at Netherfield – I am proud of her.

I look forward to seeing the library at Pemberley. I look forward even more to seeing you, my dearest Lizzy.

Affectionately,

Thomas Bennet