Posted on Wednesday, 18 July 2001
Margaret Duncan sat waiting for her maid to finish doing her hair for the party tonight at Netherfield Hall.
She sighed as she thought, "I suppose Fanny and Phyllis Gardiner will be there Giggling and flirting and capering about."
"Why does their mother do nothing to curb their wildness she thought, their father tried to keep them in check but they stayed as far from him as possible at every gathering."
"Of course Edward Gardiner and Thomas Bennet would be there."
Fanny sighed, she would very much like to catch the fancy of Mr. Bennet and become Mistress of Longbourn, but he seemed to have eyes only for Fanny.
"If he only knew her as I do, she thought, if he could only see beyond her pretty face and merry ways he would see that she was a spoiled selfish child."
There had been a regiment of redcoats lately posted to Meryton. She knew how Fanny would react to them tonight. Perhaps Thomas would see that she was a wild unruly flirt and nothing more.
Margaret doubted it though.
"Men are fools for a pretty face and a coy smile," she said to herself, "they never look below the surface until it was too late."
Edward Gardiner was such a fine gentleman too but he was courting a young lady in London. A clergyman's daughter.
She supposed that William Lucas would be there too. He seemed bent on courting her and her father approved wholeheartedly. He was a good tempered amiable gentleman with an excellent business selling merchandise such as lace and buttons etc, along with muslin and unlike the other merchants in Meryton, fine silks from China and India.
She liked Mr. Lucas but found him somewhat of a buffoon at times.
She would much prefer Edward Gardiner if she was to destined to marry one of the merchant class. She supposed that that was her destiny since her own father was in business, selling carriages and trappings.
It would be much preferable to live in London though, she thought with a sigh, but it seemed that was not to be.
Fanny and Phyllis Gardiner ran back and forth between their rooms giggling and shouting at each other , trying to decide which dress they were to wear to the ball at Netherfield.
"Fanny, do you think that Mr. Bennet will propose tonight, Phyllis asked her sister. It is obvious that he is madly in love with you.
"I don't know, sister, Anny replied, if he does, I shall tell him I must have time to think on it."
"I shall have to see what there is to find among the redcoats there tonight"
Perhaps I shall find the younger son of a Duke and he will fall madly in love with me and ask for my hand"
"Would that not be diverting sister if I should marry a younger son, only to have his brother meet his demise within a years time."
"Can you not imagine, Phyllis, Fanny ----, Duchess, of ---- What carriages, what jewels I would have. I would wear only the finest silks and entertain ladies and gentlemen of the highest rank."
The sisters sighed and giggled at the thought.
"You had better keep Mr. Bennet in your hand until such a man appears," Phyllis cautioned. "Do not let him think you are more interested in a redcoat that him until it is an accomplished fact."
"Of course, sister, I am not that stupid," Fanny laughed.
"We had better hurry and go down, you know that father says that we will not go at all if we persist in being late again, Phyllis, Make haste, sister, make haste."
As they hurried down the stairs fanny whispered to Phyllis. "I suppose you plan to do the same with Mr. Phillips as I do Mr. Bennet, is that not true."
"Of course," Phyllis replied, it is well to have a bird in hand.
Posted on Monday, 23 July 2001
"Fanny this is your wedding day you should be beside yourself with joy," Phillis Phillips said.
"I know sister, I know," Fanny replied, "but my nerves, my nerves, I cannot control my nerves, sister."
"It is so vexing Phyllis. Margaret has married William Lucas and is with child again. What a name for her daughter, Charlotte, and you have married Mr. Phillips. Phyllis Phillips how diverting that name is, is it not sister," she giggled.
Mrs. Phippips drew herself up to her full height as she said indignantly, "I consider it a fine name. My husband is the best attorney in Herefordshire."
"Oh sister, come down out of the branches, I did not mean to insult you, it is just my nerves speaking."
"What was I speaking of, oh yes, you and Margaret are both married so I am left with my Gardiner cousins, Annabele and Agatha. They are presentable I suppose, but I would so like to have my own sister and my best friend as bridesmaids, not our twin cousins."
"It is your own doing," Fanny, Phyllis snorted, "If you had not kept Thomas Bennet dangling for these two and a half years you would have had us for bridesmaids."
"You know very well sister it is no one's fault but your own. You kept Mr. Bennet at arms length all this time waiting for Captain Marcus to ask for your hand."
"What folly, sister, to almost lose the man who had already asked you, while you waited for the third son of the Earl of Lester. How could you think he would marry a country girl from Meryton. You had to know that he would never ask for the hand of a girl unless his family gave their approval first, and they would never accept you, Fanny."
"But, he said he loved me madly," Fanny wailed, "Mama was certain that he was going to propose too, Phyllis. She kept telling me that no lady of his position was as beautiful as I and he was so bedazzled that he would make his family accept me."
"Mama can be very foolish, Fanny, I told you not to pay her any heed."
"I thought that you had lost your chance with Thomas Bennet too sister. he seemed to be paying that new Long girl great attention at the last three balls before you accepted him."
"I knew I had no worries about her," Fanny said indignantly, "What a pale freckled thing she is, he would never consider her for a wife."
"Enough of this tittle tattle, Fanny, it is time to go to the church. Let us be off before Mama's nerves began to take their toll."
"Margaret thinks she is so above us nice she has married a rich shopkeeper but you Fanny are to become the Mistress of Longbourn, one of the finest estates in Herefordshire," Phyllis smirked. "I know that she would have preferred to be where you are now but she knew that it was useless so she married Mr. Lucas."
"I have heard it said that he has political ambitions," Fanny said reflectively, "do you suppose he will someday go to London."
Phyllis laughed, "William Lucas, in parliament, what nonsense you talk, Fanny."
Ten years later:
"How are you feeling Fanny dear, what misfortune, another daughter,. Lydia, after our dear Aunt Maxwell. Do you think she will leave the girl some money for her dowry," Phyllis Phillips said as she came into her sister's chamber.
"Well, this is the last one, I can promise you that, her sister cried as she settled into her pillows. Five daughters are quite enough I can assure you. We have given up on ever having a son, so that business is finished for me."
"I know, dear, I know, five daughters to marry off. How will you ever find suitable husbands for them, especially with the estate entailed away from a daughter."
"Oh, sister, how can your be so cruel to me, especially after my long ordeal," Fanny wailed, "have you no compassion. Oh, where is my smelling salts, I feel faint."
"Do not distress yourself, Fanny, Phyllis, said, I am sorry, I should not have brought up the entail."
"Ohhhhhhhhhh, sister, never speak that word in my presence again," Fanny wailed even louder.
So loud in fact that the housekeeper, Mrs. Hill stuck her head in the door to see if her mistress was in need of her.
"Hill, Hill, you anticipate me, please, I am in need of a cup of hot tea," Mrs. Bennet said with a sigh as she fell back into her pillows.
"Mrs. Hill, Is Mama quite well," eight-year-old Jane, asked as the housekeeper came out of her mother's room. "I thought she sounded quite distressed, I hope the baby is well."
"Oh, dear Miss Jane, such a sweet child you are," Mrs. Hill smiled at the beautiful young girl before her with the worried look on her face.
"Of course your mother is well as is your new sister. Such a large baby but a healthy one. Your mother is just a little disappointed that she did not bear a son to inherit Longbourn."
"I told you all is well, Jane, six year old Lizzie said, it is just Mama's nerves, you know how they are"
"Go to your sisters, girls, Mrs. Hill told them, I am sure Mrs. Bakewell could use your help with Catherine and Mary, be off with you now."
Posted on Friday, 24 August 2001
"Well, Fanny it seems that the Count DeLasalte is taking quite an interest in your Lizzie. He spent most of his time with her last evening, dancing only with her and Jane. He did dance one dance with Charlotte Lucas too as I recall," Mrs. Phillips said as she sat sipping her tea and watching the Bennet girls as they did their embroidery across the room.
"Yes indeed, sister, the count has paid Lizzie particular attention these past two years, whenever they come here for the shooting."
"I know that he likes her a great deal, and I am sure that he would never have danced with Charlotte if Lizzie had not urged him to do so.'
Those Lucas' are such a pushy lot, especially since he became "Sir William" What a joke, what did he ever do to attain a knighthood. Mr. Bennet is certainly much more deserving of such an honor than William Lucas."
"I have noticed, Fanny that there is quite a friendship grown between Charlotte and Lizzie."
"Yes, sister, I would have Lizzie become better friends with Lady Mary Barton but she says Lady Barton is a snob and a bore."
"If only the girl would listen to me she could find herself a rich husband among the Earls acquaintances. But will she listen to me, of course she does not. She says she prefers Charlotte because she can have an intelligent conversation with her and Mary Barton is a silly, stupid girl."
"An intelligent conversation. Do you believe that sister. I try to tell her that men do not like women to show too much intelligence but she just brushes aside whatever I say."
"It would seem that the count prefers such a woman though Fanny so do not discourage her too much."
"I know Phyliss, she is 17 and well old enough to be wed but she scoffs at the idea of marriage to Count Andre DeLasalte. She said to me that she would not spoil a wonderful friendship with marriage."
"Have you ever heard such nonsense sister.
"She declares that only the very deepest love will induce her into marriage and she does not love Count DeLaSalte in that manner."
"What does she mean, in that manner,"
"I tell you sister, it is most vexing,"
"That such a man would want to marry her is most flattering. He has a large estate in France, which he will reclaim after Bonaparte is disposed of."
"He also has a great fortune that he was able to bring out of France when he came to England. Is that not enough for any young woman to wish to marry him."
"If he does ask her, I shall insist that she accept."
"I wonder if he did ask for her hand your husband would send her away as he did before."
"I can promise you that will never happen again, sister. I will not stand for it."
"To think that my Lizzie could be a countess and even a duchess but her father would not allow it."
"Even now my heart palpitates at the remembrance of those days. He sent my tow girls away and would not tell even me where they were."
We thought they had gone to town, you remember, but it was to the far north that he sent them and for six months."
"I tell you Phyliss, my heart was broken the entire time, and his mother was a great part of it. she would do anything she could to vex me. I am sure it was she how convinced Mr. Bennet to take such action."
""She did what she thought was best, I am sure."
"You must not speak ill of the dead, sister."
"I do believe it was for the best Fanny, Mrs. Phillis whispered, you must recall how enraged his grace became when he found Jane and Lizzie gone. He made such dire threats that his father, the Duke, sent him away to the West Indies for three years."
"I do fear he might have been quite cruel as a husband, Fanny."
"But she could have had a title, sister, and my other girls could have been exposed to men of quality instead of these country boys".
"I am sure that all would have been well if she had been a good girl and did as he commanded."
"It is all to late now though. He is back and married to his cousin, Fanny. so it is best forgot."
"How your Lydia is grown, I swear dear, she becomes more like you everyday."
"Yes, is she not charming, sister, Mrs. Bennet beamed. Already the young men swarm around her. She will be the most beautiful of all my girls I am quite convinced."
"Kitty is very pretty too, but I have little hope for Mary. I fear she will always be plain. I do wish she had a little of Lydia's liveliness, but she seems only interested in books and reading."
"Jane is the real beauty of the family now though. Such a sweet girl Fanny, always so kind to everyone."
"I quite agree Fanny, all of your girls except Mary are going to be the beauties of Herefordshire. Kitty could show a little more of a mind of her own though, sister. It seems that she but follows Lydia's lead."
Elizabeth leaned closer to Jane and said softly, "I do believe Mama is even now planning a marriage between me and Andre, but I fear she will be disappointed, again.
"I think he would be better off with you Jane, You would make a beautiful elegant countess and your sweet nature is much better suited to his."
Jane giggled, "Oh Lizzie, how you do talk."
Posted on Sunday, 7 October 2001
Pemberley 1838
"Ohh, sister, my nerves, my nerves, that girl shall be the death of me," Elizabeth wailed with a laugh.
"Oh, Lizzie, Jane joined in the laughter, how you do sound like Mama. But you really should not make sport of our Mother, Lizzie."
"I am not making sport of Mama, Jane, I merely mean to show that I know now what she had to go through with five daughters to marry off."
What has Elizabeth done now, Jane asked.
"Is she in love again perhaps?"
"Indeed, she is quite sure this time and I fear that she is right."
"First it was Malcombe Crawford. So handsome in his scarlet regimentals with all the gold braid and those highly polished boots with they golden tassels; to say nothing of his mountain of debts."
She forgot him before her first season was over though when she found out he was courting three other girls as ardently as he was her."
"Then it was Sir James Harriston. He went on his way after his father inquired of Mr. Darcy about the size of her dowry."
"It seemed that the Earl too had a mountain of debts and was looking for a girl of good fortune for his son to marry."
"Mr. Darcy told him that it would depend on the suitor. If he was a young man of sense and stability, with no gaming habits or debts it would be substantial; but if he turned out to be another of those young aristocrats looking for a wife to pay off his debts and save his family honor it would be about one thousand pounds and a hundred pounds per annum."
"That was all it took to send the future Earl looking in other fields."
"Now it is Sir Geoffrey Fields, 7th Earl of Westock."
"But Lizzie, he is a very sensible young man, not given to gaming and with a fine estate and large income of his own."
"Yes Jane, and very handsome too."
"Mr. Darcy becomes very quiet and stiff when his name is mentioned. He is in politics, and you know how my husband feels about that."
"But Lizzie, he will not refuse him if he does ask for her hand, do you think."
"No, but he will not be happy about it."
"I need only remind him of Mr. Crawford though, and his resemblance to another soldier we knew so very long ago; who married our sister,"
"I should not complain about Elizabeth I know Jane, but when she was eighteen and thought herself so much in love with a redcoat, acting so silly over him. I could naught but think of Lydia."
"I know Lizzie."
Do you think that Lydia and Wickham's abandoning their children on our parent's doorstep contributed to our mother's early death. The thought that her favorite child could just leave her two children at Longbourn and run away was too much for her to bear."
"Do you ever wonder where they went, Lizzie, and if they are still alive,"
"I try not to think of them at all, Jane. What they did was unforgivable. It turned out to be the best thing for Thomas and Catherine though. Father and Maddie did a wonderful job of raising them. Our Father learned from his mistakes in our upbringing and raised then under far stricter rules than we had."
"Our brothers have benefited from Lydia's disgraceful actions too, Jane. They have been brought up with wonderful code of honor."
"It was sad that Mama died, Jane, but I must admit Father's marriage to Madalaine has proved to be a very happy one and she gave him two fine sons."
"Poor Mr. Collins though, Lizzie, his heart was broken that he would never become Master Of Longbourn. He has spent his entire career at Rosings Park. First with Lady Catherine, then Lady Anne."
"Yes it was a hardship for Charlotte too, Jane. He became very bitter and unpleasant to live with."
"It was so kind of Lady Anne to leave Rosings Park to our George on her death. It was a shame she never married. She did so love children and became a second mother to our second son."
"It was so kind of you to make Charlotte the housekeeper after Mr. Collins death. I am sure she was at wits end wondering what would happen to her after her husband and Lady Anne died."
"She was Lady Anne's companion for two years after Mr. Collins' demise, you must remember Jane. It seemed only natural to make her housekeeper. I know she will keep Rosings Park in good condition until the day George moves in."
"We have been blessed indeed, Lizzie. Both of us with such wonderful loving husbands and you must admit our children are all very well raised."
"Your William promises to be as fine a Master Of Pemberley as his father; and his Mary is such a dear girl."
"I know you have no complaints about your daughter in law and certainly not your grandson, Will."
"Jane Anne to has done very well. As Lady Whitworth she has made a place for herself in society and her husband adores her."
"I know Jane, we have been truly blessed. I do wonder about the three we have left here at Pemberley."
"As the Master Of Rosings Park, George already had predatory mamas hot on his heels. Putting their daughters in his path at every opportunity. At seventeen it will be very easy to turn his head. I shall have to watch him carefully."
"You are very fortunate yourself, sister. Your Darcy is a wonderful young man and takes his position as the future master of Briarwood very seriously."
"I dearly love his Belle., and those twins, what delightful children."
"Lizzie is really a beauty, Jane, you will have to watch her carefully. Every young buck in society will be in pursuit of her."
The sisters ceased their chatter as their husbands entered the room followed by Mrs. Longworthy with the tea tray.
This story is to show that though we complain about our parents we eventually have to face the same problems as they did. We can only hope we learn from their mistakes and our own.