His sisters, Louisa and Caroline, are very different. I suggested they join us as they were staying with Charles and would have to pass close by on their journey home, but they are far more conscious of their position. However, they are company for Georgiana. They are well educated, accomplished and very kind to her. They sing with her and play duets with her and go out riding with her, and so I tolerate their attempts to win my attention—or rather, to win my hand and my house. They will try to win your hand and your house, too, or should I say your father’s house? But you are used to such assaults and well able to defend yourself and so I will say no more.

Yours,

Darcy


Colonel Fitzwilliam to Mr Darcy

Fitzwilliam House, London,

August 12

My duty is done. I found Maud’s brother-in-law to be a promising young man and I have helped him to a commission, and now I am free to join you. I am already looking forward to it. The army offers many things, but an excess of well-bred female company is not one of them. I have had little company in London whilst on leave, either. Town is empty in the summer and everyone is on their estates. I am sure I will enjoy talking to your houseguests, even Louisa and Caroline! They may set their caps at me if they please, but I will give them fair warning that an earl’s son has expensive tastes and that, if he is not the heir, as is my own sad case, he must take an heiress to wife.

By the bye, I saw George Wickham in town yesterday. At first I was not sure it was he, but he saw me and recognised me. I would as soon have walked on but he hailed me and so we exchanged a few words—a very few, for he was roaring drunk, though it was the middle of the afternoon. He was with some very unsavoury people, a man—I can hardly call him a gentleman—Matthew Parker, and two women. One of the women was hanging around George’s neck and the other was bestowing her ample attentions on Parker. I could not understand more than one word in three, for his speech was slurred and he kept forgetting what he was saying, but I think he was trying to ask me for money. I am very sorry for it. I remember him when we were boys. He was likeable enough then. Perhaps he used his charm too freely to get his own way, but nothing worse.

With all his advantages of person, and all the material advantages your father gave him, I thought he would do better for himself. I thought—or at least I hoped—he would take after his father, who was a good man. I liked Mr Wickham very much, as you did, but I fear that George will come to a bad end.

Yours,

Henry


Mr Darcy to Colonel Fitzwilliam

Pemberley, Derbyshire, August 14

Henry, it will do you no good to tell Caroline you are in need of an heiress as she has twenty thousand pounds. You must think of another excuse, unless you take a liking to her, in which case your problems are solved. I am sure she would like nothing better than to marry the son of an earl. Poor Charles is embarrassed at her antics, but she is young yet, and she has time to change. Once she is used to mixing in superior company, she will no doubt find it less exciting and behave herself accordingly. Let us hope so, for Charles’s sake as well as our own.

I am sorry to hear about George Wickham, but not surprised. I watched him sink at university and although I tried to help him, it was impossible. He was always in the wrong company and spent much of his time drunk, and if not drunk, then not entirely sober. He spent more than his allowance and railed against fate for not providing him with more. Since leaving university he has sunk still further. I have seen him occasionally in town, drunk and in very low company.

To begin with, I gave him money, but despite his protestations that he would use it to furnish himself with a career, he abandoned everything he attempted.

I have done more for him than I was inclined to do, because of the love my father bore him, but to no avail. Once he runs through the money he has had from me, what then?

I would be obliged if you would not mention his shortcomings to Georgiana. She still remembers him fondly, as he was kind to her when he was a boy living on the estate. I do not want to spoil her memories of him, for she has precious few happy memories of that time. Her childhood was too often overshadowed by death.

You will be pleased to find her much grown, and very accomplished. She plays very well, and sings with a true sweetness of voice. Her painting is progressing and some of her work is now hanging in the parlour. She is working on a portrait of Ullswater at the moment and it is very promising. I have told her I will hang it in the library when it is finished, although I do not know when that will be: Ullswater has a dislike of sitting still, and is constantly hampering Georgiana’s best efforts by bounding off after rabbits.

Mrs Reynolds has had your room ready for weeks and you may come as soon as you please. You know you are always welcome here at any time.

Your cousin,

Darcy


Miss Louisa Bingley to Mrs Bingley

Pemberley, Derbyshire, August 14

Dear Ma,

Pemberley is the most elegant house in all of England, and Mr Darcy and his sister are the most agreeable people, except for his pride and his aloofness and his air of looking down on everyone all the time. Caroline says that shows his quality. She is fast becoming as superior as he is. Not that it does her any good, for I can perceive no special regard when he looks at her, though Caroline is sure he is about to propose at any minute.

His sister is charming. She is a great deal younger than he, being about fourteen years old, but already very accomplished. She sings and plays extremely well, and Caroline practises assiduously every morning so that she shall not seem inferior.

We are to have another visitor soon. Mr Darcy’s cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam will be here in the next few days. He was meant to be here sooner but he was delayed on business and this has given us an excuse to remain, for Caroline said how much she was looking forward to meeting him, and so Mr Darcy could hardly hurry us out of the house before he arrived. Of course, she has no interest in him, only in Mr Darcy. It is a pity, for I am sure a military man would suit Caroline. It would solve everything if she should take a fancy to him, and he to her; then I can marry Mr Darcy and live at Pemberley. I do not despair of it.

There is the dinner gong. I must go. Write and let me know if you have seen anything of Mr Hurst. Has he noticed my absence?

Your loving daughter,

Louisa


Miss Caroline Bingley to Mrs Bingley

Pemberley, Derbyshire,

August 16

Greetings and felicitations, dearest Mama.

What a week we are having! I hardly have time to tell you about any of it, but I had to let you know that Colonel Fitzwilliam has arrived. We have all been awaiting him with anticipation, and now at last he is here. He is tall and well built, and best of all he is the son of an earl, though a younger son and not very handsome. However, if his three elder brothers were to die, he would be Lord Fitzwilliam, and if I were to marry him, I would then be Lady Fitzwilliam. But as it is, a military man with no fortune and no title…perhaps he will do for Louisa. She says she prefers Mr Hurst, but if he has not come up to scratch yet, then perhaps he never will.

I hope we may meet some of Mr Darcy’s other relatives whilst we are here. Georgiana speaks of them often and she thinks that her aunt Lady Catherine de Bourgh may join us.

There is a portrait of Lady Catherine hanging in the gallery—Ma, you must tell Pa we need a gallery when he buys an estate, and he must have someone paint my portrait—and she looks very commanding. She is the sister of Mr Darcy’s mother. She has a daughter, Miss Anne de Bourgh, and I am sure that Anne and I would be great friends. I hope she comes to Pemberley, for then I might be invited to Rosings Park, which is said to be very fine. I have told Mr Darcy how agreeable Anne looks and I have dropped several hints about my desire to see Kent, which made Charles look uncomfortable. He took me to task, but I am sure Mr Darcy thought nothing odd about it. He seemed pleased that I liked the look of his relations.

The other ladies here make me laugh with their blatant attempts to win his favour, but I am persuaded he is not taken in by their flattery.

Your dutiful daughter,

Caroline


Miss Louisa Bingley to Mrs Bingley

Pemberley, Derbyshire,

August 17

Ma, you must tell Caroline not to be so superior, because she is making herself ridiculous. She was admiring the portraits in the hall yesterday, trying to pretend to be knowledgeable about art, and then she went on to admire the miniatures by the fireplace, saying that the dark boy was very handsome and pretending to be surprised when Mr Darcy said it was a picture of him. Then she said that the fair boy next to him was handsome, too, thinking it to be a relative, and no doubt thinking she might meet him and marry him one day, only to find that it was a painting of Mr Darcy’s late steward’s son, who has turned out very wild. I saw Colonel Fitzwilliam laughing at her, but when I told her about it later she said that I had completely misunderstood the matter and that he had been laughing with her because she had expressed her sorrow at George Wickham’s unsatisfactory nature and had said, ‘How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have an ungrateful child.’ Now, don’t worry, Mama, it has nothing to do with serpents, there are no snakes here, it is just something out of Shakespeare and Caroline wanted to show the Colonel that she had been to a seminary. But I am still sure that he was laughing at her and not smiling admiringly as she said.