Page 23 of May I Have the Pleasure
Fitzwilliam Darcy’s rule-of-six turned out to be handier than anyone suspected, and at least some of the family kept it up with almost superstitious zeal.
Whilst proposals were made and accepted within six minutes to six anxious people, Elizabeth and Darcy decided to take his advice and took their time. Their wedding was set six weeks hence, to everyone’s satisfaction. After all, Bingley and Jane took six weeks to court properly, and fair was fair.
In an effort to keep Mrs Bennet from having six different apoplexies, Jane and Mr Bingley picked a fortnight earlier, thus giving them another month of courtship to acquire trousseaus and annoy Miss Bingley.
That left Mary and Mr Collins to wed a fortnight after the proposals, to everyone’s satisfaction. That, naturally, gave Lady Catherine time to attend the ceremony and try to browbeat her perspective new niece with six arguments the grand lady considered irrefutable.
These plans suited everyone except Mrs Bennet, until she was educated in the supreme benefits of having two wealthy sons joining the family—not to mention one of whom could always be counted on for sensible advice, even if he was inconveniently located in the wilds of the north.
Lydia and Kitty were also brought into the fold regarding the supreme benefits of being sisters of prominent families andsingle. Despite Lydia’s oft-repeated threat to be the first married, she finally came to her senses enough toproperlyenjoy her youth.
She was eventually caught by a man quicker than the rest, six years to the day after her elder sisters accepted their proposals, six months to the day after Kitty’s wedding.
By then, Darcy could happily (tediously, some might say) claim that six couples had been married due to his matchmaking efforts in Meryton, starting with theintroduction of Miss Charlotte Lucas to Colonel Fitzwilliam at his wedding, and finishing with the famous Belinda-muttonhead incident.
The happy couples enjoyed many years of the joys and sorrows of life. Most of their children swapped houses whenever the mood struck them, such that none of the parents could accurately keep a census of current residents with any reliability.
In short, life gave them all that they could have hoped for after the silence of their initial acquaintance.
Only Darcy and Elizabeth carried the superstition to its natural conclusion with six children.
~~ Finis ~~
Letters From Cheapside
[Epistolary]
After Elizabeth Bennet is thrown out of Longbourn by her mother over her refusal of Mr. Collins, she returns to Cheapside with her aunt and uncle, then begins a long correspondence with her sisters. How long will it go on? How long will she be banished from her childhood home? What other mysteries await?
This is an epistolary story, told entirely in the form of letters, starting a month after the defection of the Bingley party after the Netherfieldball.
Cheapside
8 January 1812
Gracechurch Street
My Dearest Jane,
As expected, things are quiet here on Gracechurch Street after the pandemonium of the Christmas at Longbourn. Our company is reduced to simply Aunt Gardiner’s four children and me. I must confess I do not make as much noise as I once did, and my cousins are considerably less boisterous than our sisters, so things are indeed peaceful.
Once again, I apologise for taking your turn in town, but we both know it was necessary. My suggestion of chasing after Mr Bingley was obviously silly, as it does not suit your nature in the least, not to mention reeking slightly of desperation. Of course, our mother’s rampage over my refusal of Mr Collins makes that a moot point. I must once again apologise for making you bear the brunt of her ire while I hide in town, but you know full well it is unavoidable. The past month thoroughly tested my fortitude, and I truly believe she would have banished me forever in another week. I would not be surprised if she yet did.
Has she finally settled down to fewer than four screaming fits per hour? I dearly hope so, as I also hope removing the fuel from the fire might allow it to eventually die down. To you alone, I will confess my guilty secret. I am very happy to be separated from her by a four-hour carriage ride, but my conscience would not allow it if I did not truly believe things would be easier in Longbourn without my presence. I hate to complain, but if I hear the termsill-used, starve in the hedgerows,orduty,one more time, I shall not be responsible for my actions, particularly if the militia are still sniffing around with their swords. I truly was desperate to exit the house, and I am resolved not to return until Mother learns to be civil—which by all accounts will be some time, if ever.
I know you disapprove, but I have written to Miss Bingley to see if I can determine what happened to the Netherfield party. That lady is such that, were we stuck under the same umbrella I would not trust her to accurately report the weather a foot away, but she is the only connexion we have, so I will do what I can, little though I expect.
Elijah has fashioned a kite that actually flies, and we have been taking it to the park with Uncle Gardiner at every opportunity. Our uncle has also given permission for me to take him out alone for more of the same.
Emily is working diligently on her letters, and we have begun simple lessons on the pianoforte. Her needlework is coming along nicely (if you squint hard enough and look at it from far enough away).
Peter is obsessed with Robinson Crusoe, and neither Elijah’s nor my encouragements are sufficient to get him to do any actual adventuring. His enthusiasm abounds for the written page, but not with the experience.
Robert is, of course, almost ready to go to school, and he mostly ignores his cousin with the advanced age of twenty. He is a charming boy though, and it will be interesting to see the man he becomes in a few years. Uncle is planning to send him to Harrow and then Oxford. He seems like he will do well.
So, as you can see, all is well here at Gracechurch Street. I look forward to news of our family.
Your London sister,
