Am I wrong, do you think, Susan, to try and win his—I will not say affections, for I doubt if he has any, unless they be for his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh—but his addresses, and his hand? I thought so at first, but if neither Jane nor Eliza will have him, then I see no reason why I should not be his third choice. He seems to have a comfortable home, Lady Catherine seems to be a sensible, if dictatorial, woman, and he has no vices. He has no virtues either, it is true, but his parsonage has two sitting rooms, so he tells me, and it seems to me that a wife might have one whilst her husband has the other. He is also fond of gardening. A man who is fond of such a pursuit will be out of doors a great deal in the summer and a sensible wife might see him very little, after all.

It might all come to nothing. He might offer for Mary if Elizabeth refuses him. But I believe he is my best hope. The next few days should prove interesting.

Yours affectionately,

Charlotte


Mr Collins to Lady Catherine de Bourgh

Longbourn, Hertfordshire,

November 27

Lady Catherine, I give thanks that I am in a position to inform you that your most estimable nephew, Mr Darcy, is in full and vigorous health, as I had the honour of meeting him last night at a private ball given by some gracious neighbours of my most revered cousins. It was an elegant entertainment, marked by the hospitality and politeness of the beneficent hosts, and one at which your nephew, if I might be permitted to say so, shone brightly. I was much struck when I learnt of his relationship to you and made so bold as to introduce myself, whereupon I was able to tell him that your ladyship and Miss Anne were exceedingly well a sennight ago. He was grateful for the knowledge and much pleased with the attention.

Of the other matter I cannot yet speak, but I am certain that before very long I will be able to introduce you to Mrs Collins, if you should be gracious enough to allow the familiarity.

Your humble servant,

William Collins


Mr Darcy to Colonel Fitzwilliam

Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire,

November 27

Dear Henry,

I spoke at length with Colonel Forster at Bingley’s ball last night, and he shares your opinion of the war. It is a pity, because if a lasting peace could be secured it would be of benefit to the country as a whole, but if the French are determined to fight on then we have no choice but to defend ourselves and our interests overseas.

Bingley was less interested in the war and more interested in his first ball, or at least, the first he has hosted. He need not have worried, for it was generally well received. He danced every dance and charmed everyone, playing the perfect host, and Caroline was an excellent hostess. She arranged the whole thing very well and was gratified when I said so.

I saw nothing of Wickham, who cried off at the last minute, but his influence was felt still, for, when I asked Miss Elizabeth Bennet to dance, it became clear that he had been blackening my character and that she believed everything he had said. I could not correct her without disgracing my sister and the dance ended in silence.

The rest of the evening was no better. The company, though well enough for a small country neighbourhood, irritated me considerably.

I will be glad to leave the country. The weather has been abominable, and as Bingley has to return to town on business for a few days, I believe I will go with him. I have found myself attracted to…well, enough of that. Suffice it to say, I would do well to remove myself from certain temptations. Bingley, too…it will be better for both of us once we are in London again.

I will write to you again from there and send you news of Georgiana. I am thinking of having a miniature painted of her. It would please me to hang it next to the miniature of myself as a boy which my father so loved, in the drawing room at Pemberley.

Darcy


Miss Lydia Bennet to Miss Eleanor Sotherton

Longbourn, Hertfordshire,

November 27

Lord! What a time we are having, not only the ball last night—I danced every dance—but now Mr Collins has proposed to Lizzy! He said he wanted a private audience with her this morning and Kitty and I were agog, as you might imagine. Mama said of course, and Lizzy said he could have nothing to say to her that anyone might not hear, and Mama insisted on her staying and talking to Mr Collins, and then Mama took Kitty out of the room and left Lizzy alone with Mr Collins, and he rambled about Lady Catherine—for you know I just happened to be passing the door and just happened to hear every word he said—and he told Lizzy he had to marry because he is a clergyman and needs to set a good example, and that Lady Catherine told him to!

I wished he had asked me. Lord! What a lark it would have been, to have a proposal before any of my sisters.

But that is not the best of it. The best of it is that Lizzy would not have him! And he would not believe her, and said it was only delicacy on her part that kept her from accepting, and she kept telling him she would not have him over and over again, and he kept saying he wasn’t discouraged but he was certain of leading her to the altar when she’d refused him a few more times. It is even better than the ball!

And then of course Mr Collins told Mama that Lizzy refused him because she was a delicate female and Mama said she would never speak to Lizzy again if she did not marry Mr Collins, and then Papa said that he would never speak to Lizzy again if she did marry Mr Collins, and the whole house was in an uproar!

If it was me, I would much rather never speak to Papa again, for he is always saying how silly we are, but Mama understands what it is like to be young and thinks we are very clever.

Oh, Lord! Here is Charlotte coming down the drive. I hope you are having half as much fun in Bath as we are having here.

Lydia


Miss Charlotte Lucas to Miss Susan Sotherton

Lucas Lodge, Hertfordshire,

November 28

My dear Susan,

You will be surprised, perhaps, to have another letter so soon, but I am sure you will like to know that Mr Collins proposed to Elizabeth and that she refused him. Mrs Bennet was very doleful when I arrived at the house, and wanting sympathy for having such an unnatural daughter. Elizabeth bore her mother’s reproaches well but she escaped from the room as soon as she could, and I do not blame her.

Mr Collins was equally affronted. He told me at least seven times that he did not resent Elizabeth’s behaviour and as many more times that he had meant well throughout the whole business and that if his manner had been at fault he must beg leave to apologise, but I listened to it all patiently.

At length I managed to lead him away from the topic by asking him some trifling questions about Rosings Park, Lady Catherine and his parsonage. He reluctantly let go of his complaints and overcame much of his stiffness as he talked about the cost of the chimney piece, the condescension of his esteemed patroness and the improvements he had made to his humble dwelling.

He was gratified at finding a ready listener and I hoped he might offer for me before I left Longbourn. Alas, he did not, but I think I am not deceiving myself when I say that I believe an offer will be forthcoming. There is no better salve for a rejection than an acceptance. You may be sure I will write to you as soon as I have any news.

Your good friend,

Charlotte


Miss Caroline Bingley to Miss Jane Bennet

Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire,

November 28

My dear Friend,

When my brother left us yesterday, he imagined that the business which took him to London might be concluded in three or four days; but as we are certain it cannot be so, and at the same time convinced that when Charles gets to town he will be in no hurry to leave it again, we have determined on following him thither, that he may not be obliged to spend his vacant hours in a comfortless hotel. Many of my acquaintances are already there for the winter; I wish that I could hear that you, my dearest friend, had any intention of making one in the crowd, but of that I despair. I sincerely hope your Christmas in Hertfordshire may abound in the gaieties which that season generally brings, and that your beaux will be so numerous as to prevent your feeling the loss of the three of whom we shall deprive you. We mean to leave at once and we intend to dine in Grosvenor Street, where Mr Hurst has a house.

I do not pretend to regret anything I shall leave in Hertfordshire, except your society, my dearest friend; but we will hope, at some future period, to enjoy many returns of the delightful intercourse we have known, and in the meanwhile may lessen the pain of separation by very frequent and most unreserved correspondence. I depend on you for that.

Mr Darcy is impatient to see his sister; and, to confess the truth, we are scarcely less eager to meet her again. I really do not think Georgiana Darcy has her equal for beauty, elegance, and accomplishments; and the affection she inspires in Louisa and myself is heightened into something still more interesting, from the hope we dare to entertain of her being hereafter our sister. I do not know whether I ever before mentioned to you my feelings on this subject, but I will not leave the country without confiding them, and I trust you will not esteem them unreasonable. My brother admires her greatly already; he will have frequent opportunity now of seeing her on the most intimate footing; her relations all wish the connection as much as his own; and a sister’s partiality is not misleading me, I think, when I call Charles most capable of engaging any woman’s heart. With all these circumstances to favour an attachment, and nothing to prevent it, am I wrong, my dearest Jane, in indulging the hope of an event which will secure the happiness of so many?