My sister Susan has succumbed to worldly lures and is now married to Mr Wainwright. She has not written to us yet, and I must hope it is because the post is slow and not because she and her husband have been slain in the mountains and eaten by wolves or banditti (eaten by the wolves and slain by the banditti, I mean; even the worst of the banditti do not, to my knowledge, eat their victims, although nothing would surprise me about the inhabitants of the Pyrenees).

Your dear friend,

Lucy


Miss Mary Bennet to Miss Lucy Sotherton

Longbourn, Hertfordshire,

September 21

Most noble Friend,

Mr Bingley has indeed returned to the neighbourhood. He called on us yesterday with his friend Mr Darcy, though, as Mama says, she does not know why Mr Darcy called, for no one wants him here. He said very little, only asked after my aunt and uncle Gardiner, though he made no enquiries after our cousin Mr Collins and his wife, Charlotte Collins. I did think at one time that Charlotte might have become a Learned Woman, since she showed no sign of frivolity and occasionally opened a book, but she was lost to us when she succumbed to the lure of Mr Collins’s masculine charms and walked along the bridal path with him as her chosen mate.

Mama believes that Mr Bingley means to make Jane an offer, and in an endeavour to hasten the courtship she remarked that when Mr Bingley has killed all his own birds he must come and kill Papa’s. But I believe it will take more than an invitation to deal out death to our wingèd friends to ensnare Mr Bingley, who is a slippery customer: as I said to Mr Shackleton, we have been down this path before. I only hope that Jane is not too disappointed when Mr Bingley disappears again.

Mary King has also returned to the neighbourhood. She was taken away by her relatives when Mr Wickham began to court her, having been alerted to his infamy by their cousin, Mark Haydock, who, as the rector of Kympton, knew something of Mr Wickham’s past. But now that Mr Wickham is married to my poor sister Lydia, Mary King is safe and so she has taken up residence here again.

Perhaps she might be persuaded to join our select circle.

Your vestal sister in humility,

Mary


Miss Elizabeth Bennet to Mrs Susan Wainwright

Longbourn, Hertfordshire,

September 22

Dear Susan,

By now you will have returned from your bridal tour. I hope it was everything you wished for, but I am glad, selfishly so, that you are back at home—that is to say, your new home—because I need someone to turn to, and only you will do.

Everything is in turmoil here. Mr Bingley has returned to the neighbourhood and I believe he is as much in love with Jane as ever. He called on us the day before yesterday, bringing Mr Darcy with him, and I think he is waiting only for his friend’s approval before proposing.

Jane, of course, says that he is just being friendly and that she expects nothing from him. She declares that, now the first meeting is over, she will never be embarrassed by his coming here again, and says that she is glad he is to dine here tomorrow, so that everyone can see that they meet only as common and indifferent acquaintances.

So common and indifferent that I believe he will propose to her before very long, even if he does not have Mr Darcy’s approval!

I hope he does, for I cannot bear to see Jane unhappy and I wish Mr Bingley would put her out of her misery sooner rather than later, for there is no denying that his company is very uncomfortable for her whilst the situation is unresolved between them. It would not be apparent to anyone who does not know her well, but I can see that she is anxious and uneasy, whatever she might say. And small wonder, when everything she longs for in life is so near and yet so far away.

Mama increased her misery by fawning over Mr Bingley in the most embarrassing manner, and increased mine by treating Mr Darcy with the scantest civility. If she only knew what she owed him, for it was he who forced Wickham to marry Lydia, and without his influence I dread to think what would have happened to Lydia. But all Mama does is to revile him, saying she hates the very sight of him; whereas I find myself longing to speak to him, so that I can thank him for his kindness.

Susan, I do not know what to think. When Mr Darcy came to Longbourn, I found myself hoping against hope that his affection was unshaken and that, despite everything, he still loved me. But he did not speak to me, not even about commonplace things; in fact he scarcely opened his mouth. I was so embarrassed I buried myself in my needlework, but I could not resist glancing at him from time to time; however, his eyes were fixed on Jane more often than on me. On seeing this, I was overwhelmed with disappointment, and then was angry with myself for feeling that way, for how could I expect him to love a woman who had rejected him, and in so vehement a fashion?

And so I determined to treat him like any other guest. I summoned the courage to ask about his sister, but once he had told me that she was well, he lapsed into silence again, and at length both he and Mr Bingley went away.

Why, if he wished to see me, did he not speak to me? And why, if he did not wish to speak to me, did he come?

Did you ever have such moments with Mr Wainwright? Did you ever feel so painfully embarrassed that you wished never to see him again, whilst hoping with all your heart that you would?

Tell me, Susan, what do you think he is about? For I cannot live with this uncertainty.

Your dear friend,

Lizzy


Mr Darcy to Colonel Fitzwilliam

Darcy House, London,

September 25

Henry, I am sorry it has taken me so long to reply to your last but I have been in Hertfordshire, making amends for the wrong I did Charles in deceiving him about Miss Bennet. As soon as I told him that I suspected she had feelings for him, and that she had been in London earlier in the year without his knowledge, he returned to Netherfield Park at once. He paid a call at Longbourn straightaway, where he was warmly welcomed by Mrs Bennet. She is as vulgar as ever, but I believe he would tolerate ten such Mrs Bennets for the chance of marrying his beloved Jane; as I would gladly tolerate a hundred Mrs Bennets if I thought that Elizabeth might marry me.

I had hoped, when I went to Longbourn, that I would find Elizabeth welcoming; that the warmth of our meetings in Derbyshire would be continued in Hertfordshire; but instead I found her ill at ease in my company.

Henry, I do not know what to think. I was sure we were coming to know each other in Derbyshire, and that she was starting to forgive me for my former rudeness. I could see that she was surprised by my courtesy to her aunt and uncle, but nevertheless pleased by it, and I felt sure that she looked more kindly on me, realising I had changed. If not for her wretched sister eloping with Wickham, I am certain we would have come to an understanding. But the mood was broken when she was forced to return home—forced to it by the elopement of her sister, whom I could have protected if I had only made Wickham’s character known.

And now I do not know if I have any hope of ever winning her affections, or if I have disgusted her too much for her to forgive me.

I fear the latter. If she had given me any encouragement, any hope when I visited her in Hertfordshire…but there was none. She scarcely looked at me, let alone spoke to me, and I can see no reason to return.

I fear my chance of winning her has gone forever.

Darcy


Lady Lucas to Mrs Charlotte Collins

Lucas Lodge, Hertfordshire,

September 29

Dearest Charlotte,

We all hope you are taking care of yourself and not working too hard; also, make sure you eat well. You must look after yourself. Your father talks of nothing but the happy event and is looking forward to introducing his grandchild at St. James’s.

Meryton is full of news, though none so good as your own. The Bennets are insufferable because Jane Bennet is engaged to Mr Bingley. Mrs Bennet can talk of nothing else, and grows very tiresome, for you know what a gossip she is. It is ‘Jane and Mr Bingley this,’ ‘My future son-in-law, Mr Bingley, that’ and ‘My daughter, who will be Mrs Bingley.’

She was less pleased to play hostess to Mr Darcy, who accompanied his friend, although no one knows why he went. It is not as though he can have anything to take him to Longbourn. Poor Elizabeth! She had to entertain him whilst her sister sat with Mr Bingley, though he has now gone back to town on business, but everyone says he plans to return and Mrs Bennet is quite put out. ‘What does he come here for?’ she asks. ‘I quite detest him.’ But as the friend of Mr Bingley she has to tolerate him.

You have been lucky in your choice of husband, Charlotte, but I do hope he is not plaguing you too much. Remember to encourage his hobbies. I have always encouraged your father to take up outside employment of one kind or another. I cannot be doing with him under my feet all day long. Press upon Mr Collins the advantages of gardening. A man can never be too much in the garden.

Your loving

Mother


Mrs Charlotte Collins to Mrs Susan Wainwright

Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent,

September 30