In Want of a Wife: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by Julia Middleton

  CONTENTS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  CHAPTER ONE

  Elizabeth Bennet grinned at Jane when she heard her mama’s shriek from downstairs.

  “An eligible bachelor must have passed through town,” she told her sister. “I wonder if it’s the mysterious Mr Bingley? He took Netherfield Hall last month but has yet to take up residence there. Most ungentlemanly of him. It is as if he does not appreciate what he is doing to poor Mama’s nerves.”

  “Lizzy,” Jane chided gently. “Do not tease her so when we go downstairs, I beg you. I know she can be a little…” Jane pursed her lips as she tried to think of a kinder word than “ridiculous”. “…Excitable,” she finally settled on. “But her fears are valid. If we do not marry, what is to become of us when Father dies?” She sat in the window seat, her pale primrose gown gathered around her. With the sunlight reflecting on her golden hair, Elizabeth privately thought no other lady stood a chance once the wealthy Mr Bingley took one look at Jane’s delicate prettiness. Certainly, no gentleman of class would want Elizabeth herself, with her unruly black hair that she could never quite tame, and her desire to wander about the countryside or speak her mind at every opportunity. No, it would fall to Jane to raise their fortunes.

  “I have no fear,” she replied pertly. “You shall marry Mr Bingley, or an even wealthier man if he should bring a friend with him. And I shall live with you and be the tragic aunt who lives in your attic and emerges sometimes to frighten the children. My future is secure.”

  Jane was prevented from saying more by the sound of thunderous footsteps running up the thin wooden stairs outside. Without bothering to knock, their mother flew into the room like a whirlwind, twisting her hands in anxiety.

  “Jane. Lizzy. There you are,” she exclaimed, as if she’d spent hours searching for them. “You must come downstairs at once. You are wanted.”

  “What is it, Mama?” asked Elizabeth. “I was about to take a walk to Charlotte Lucas’ house.”

  “Oh, bother Charlotte Lucas,” Mrs Bennet cried. “What is she to us? This might concern all our futures. Come, at once. Your father has some news.”

  The girls obediently followed their mother to the library, where their father waited for them. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at Mr Bennet. He rarely allowed anyone but her into his private sanctuary, and even then, he usually sent her away again within minutes. And now, he invited the whole family there. It was most mysterious. Mr Bennet answered her look with a sheepish shrug and looked at his five daughters and wife with a sigh.

  “I have some news,” he said. “And I suppose it must be released sooner rather than later.” He picked up a letter from his desk and waved it vaguely in their direction. “I have just received word that a distant relative of mine is planning to visit us.”

  Mrs Bennet looked distraught.

  “I thought it was Mr Bingley,” she cried. “A relative is no use to us. Who is this person? Not that odious Mr Collins. I quite detest the man. To think, he will turn your own wife and children out of doors when you are dead. I cannot think how he can sleep well at night.”

  “I am afraid you will have to entertain yourself with thoughts of my death later, my love,” said Mr Bennet dryly. “The relative of whom I speak is not Mr Collins. It is another cousin from my father’s side of the family, called Susan Lacey. She has done rather well for herself, even having the good fortune of marrying a much older earl and then having him die early, leaving her a very comfortably well-off widow. She has no daughters or sons of her own.”

  “No children of her own.” Mrs Bennet’s eyes lit up. “And what does she want with us, Mr Bennet?”

  “She does not say much,” said Mr Bennet. “She wishes to come here for a visit. I have not seen her in some years, but she greatly expresses a desire to see the girls. I am not quite sure what she has in mind, but I believe whatever it is will gratify even you, Mrs Bennet.”

  “What sort of woman is she, Father?” Elizabeth asked.

  Mr Bennet leaned back in his chair and squinted at the ceiling. “From what I recall, she was rather like you, Lizzy. Always climbing trees and rambling off for hours. Her parents often had to send the neighbourhood out on searches for her, and she always came home in her own good time. It was quite a shock to everyone that a man like the earl should fall in love with her, rather than the society belles paraded in front of him. So your Mama can set her mind at ease. Perhaps you will attract an earl after all.”

  “I believe if anyone should attract an earl, it is me,” Lydia exclaimed with a giggle. “I am the youngest and the liveliest, and I dare say, the prettiest. And when I do, I shall look after you all. Find husbands for you, that sort of thing. You may kiss my hand in gratitude, Kitty.”

  The two youngest Bennet girls collapsed into gales of laughter until silenced by a look from their father.

  “She will be here very soon,” he relied, still quelling them with a stare. “She has always been rather impulsive, and it seems she has not lost that trait.”

  “What do you mean she will be here soon, Mr Bennet?” Mrs Bennet demanded. Her hands twisted the hem of her apron.

  “I mean very soon,” Mr Bennet repeated. “As in she plans to arrive by eleven o’clock tomorrow morning. I trust we will be prepared to receive her?”

  In response, his wife shrieked in outrage. “Tomorrow morning? That is no time at all. These fashionable people believe everyone can organise around them. Tomorrow. Where shall she sleep? I must speak with Hill and find out what meat we can get from the market. How could she have written to you on such short notice?”

  Elizabeth hung back as the rest of the family followed Mrs Bennet from the room, full of excited girlish chatter about their new guest. She waited until they closed the door, then turned to her father. He had picked up a book and was already lost in its pages, a usual sign that everyone was dismissed.

  “Father,” she said, clearly.

  “Yes, dear?” he responded, vaguely.

  “What do you believe Lady Lacey’s intentions are? I know you must have some suspicion.”

  Mr Bennet sighed and put the book down. “It is only a guess of course, Lizzy. But I believe she is looking to take one of you under her wing. She is a lively, energetic woman and always needs a project of some sort to keep her occupied. It would not surprise me if she wished to sponsor one of you.”

  From out in the hallway, they heard Lydia’s whooping high pitch of laughter. Mr Bennet winced and returned to his book. “Pray God Lydia is not the favoured one,” he muttered.

  CHAPTER TWO

  The rest of the day was spent in a whirlwind of activity. Jane was moved into Elizabeth’s bed chamber to allow the guest of honour have the room with the best view. Hill and Lucy had their work cut out for them to air it out, provide new sheets and freshly cut flowers, and ensure it was fit for a lady of standing.

  “She is not royalty, Mama,” said Elizabeth as she watched Hill drag the carpets out into the garden to beat them. They had only been done a few days before. “Shall we roll out a red carpet for her also?”

  “She is a countess,” said Mrs Bennet, empathising every word. “W
e must show her the best treatment because who knows what she might do for us. It would be wise to have her favour after your father is dead. And as for you.” She shot her second daughter an impatient look. “You must be on your best behaviour. I will not have you offending her with your pert opinions. And wear the lavender gown. It is your best.” She eyed Elizabeth as if tackling an impossible task. “Do not attempt to go walking in it,” she scolded. “I do not know why you don’t make more of yourself, Lizzy. You’ll never be as beautiful as Jane, but you could be quite pretty if you tried, you know.”

  “I shall wear the lavender gown, and a tiara, and elbow length gloves.” Elizabeth’s face was solemn, but her eyes sparkled with mischief. “And I shall have a red carpet rolled out. Only the best must do for the Countess.”

  She quickly left the room with a laugh before her mother could have another one of her explosions. She did not care to admit it, but she was more excited about their guest than she pretended. She had heard her father make some references to a childhood cousin, but as they had never met the lady, Elizabeth’s curiosity about her had never been satisfied. She knew her father and the Countess kept as frequent a correspondence as Mr Bennet’s lapse habits would allow. Elizabeth was filled with impatience to see her, and to know what it was she wanted with them.

  The next morning, Elizabeth and her family filed outside to greet the visitor. The girls wore their best dresses after poor Hill and Lucy spent most of the night cleaning and pressing them. The house gleamed and sparkled as if it were not the home of five lively young ladies. Careless needlework was put away in boxes, leaving only the finest on display. Jane’s old watercolours had been dusted off and hung on the parlour walls, and even Elizabeth’s books had been artfully displayed to show her refinement and taste. Elizabeth had been amused to discover her more unworthy reads such as The Mysteries of Udolpho and The Romance of the Forest had been carefully placed out of sight. Mrs Bennet was determined to portray her daughters as prodigies who would make any benefactor proud.

  The only room that had not been attacked with a duster and brush was Mr Bennet’s library after he threatened to hang anyone who so much as touched one of his books. It was of little consequence to Mrs Bennet. Surely a grand lady, a countess no less, would have little interest in visiting Mr Bennet’s dark, cosy library. But then again, if she was a relative of his, she might share some of his oddness and peculiarities of taste. Mrs Bennet could only cross her fingers and hope that this would not prove to be the case.

  “She is here, Mama,” Lydia yelled, bouncing on her toes in excitement. Jane gave her a quiet reprimand which Lydia scarcely acknowledged. “Perhaps she is coming to take me away to live in her fine castle and make me her heiress,” she continued.

  “For heaven’s sake, keep your voice down,” Elizabeth snapped. The carriage rolled in front of them, its freshly-painted coat of arms gleaming in the morning light. Mr Bennet stepped forward with a broad grin as the door swung open, and without waiting to be handed out, a tall woman of middle years jumped down and greeted Mr Bennet with a hug.

  “It is good to see you again, Percivel,” she said, pushing him back to beam at him.

  “And you, Susan. It has been far too long.”

  He turned around to lead her to his family, and the girls had the first glimpse of their new visitor. She was a tall woman and although of middle years, her hair still gleamed black, with little traces of grey. Her face was smooth and unlined apart from a few wrinkles around the eyes when she smiled, which she did frequently, with none of the aloof iciness they might have expected of someone so grand. Her gown, though of fine quality, was designed to allow her to move freely. She radiated energy and good humour, and Elizabeth thought she was a relative she could learn to like very much.

  “Well,” she declared. “So, these are all your girls, Percy. I should congratulate you on your fine collection of daughters. You might have been more generous and lent one to me from time to time. It is quite a bore to make morning calls and listen to doting mamas wax lyrical about their accomplished angels. It would have been most useful for me to have a young lady to boast about, and pretend is more accomplished than she is.”

  “I was sparing you, Susan, trust me,” said Mr Bennet. He winked at Elizabeth. “Lizzy has some wit, I own, but they are all silly and ignorant like other girls.”

  “I seem to recall besting you quite a number of times, Percy,” Lady Lacey retorted. “Less of the silly and ignorant if you please, unless you’d like your daughters to learn what happened to you and the rooster at the Campbells.”

  Mr Bennet flamed bright red and coughed to clear his throat. “Yes, well…enough of that,” he said uncomfortably. Lydia gave a loud giggle and even Jane was hard pressed not to smile. He introduced his wife and the girls until Lady Lacey knew them all by name. Her eyes lingered for a moment longer on Jane and Elizabeth, but she greeted them all with enthusiasm.

  “We are so happy to welcome you to our home, Countess,” exclaimed Mrs Bennet. She curtseyed up and down as if she were being pulled on a string. “Won’t you come inside? You must be most tired from your journey.”

  “Tired? Nonsense. It is only some miles from London. But I would like to come inside, unless Percy has some trees for me to climb, or a rooster he’d like me to take care of?” She turned a blandly innocent face to Mr Bennet.

  “Yes, I think we should go into the house,” he said quickly. It was the fastest Elizabeth had ever seen him agree with his wife. She smiled as they followed their guest into the house. No matter what she had come here for, it looked like Lady Lacey would prove quite an amusing addition to their home.

  After Lady Lacey had been introduced to all their works of arts and exclaimed over them, and refused Mary’s offer of playing the pianoforte for the twelfth time in a row, she turned to the rest of the family.

  “Now,” she said. “I know I have been most remiss in my attentions to you all. The eldest Miss Bennet is almost three and twenty and yet I have never taken the time to visit you. It is unpardonable of me, especially when your father has been such a good friend to me. And lately, my own dear husband has died and I find myself at quite a loose end. I have no daughters of my own and no-one to occupy my time. So I have taken a notion in my head that I should like to choose one of your five fine girls to take with me to Bath. She would have a fine time and I could make all the necessary introductions. With any luck, we might even find her a husband before the season is out. What do you say, Percy? May I steal a daughter?”

  At the word “husband”, Mrs Bennet gasped. “Of course you may,” she cried. “It is our dearest wish that our girls make fine marriages, and there is little we can do for them in such a small village of Meryton, although I, of course, do what I can. However, it is not pleasant to go to parties and make calls at my time of life, although I would do anything for my girls. How kind of you. Is she not girls? Thank her!”

  Elizabeth and Jane exchanged embarrassed looks. Would that their mother would learn to behave properly in public. It would spare them many a blush. Although Elizabeth was quite certain Jane would be the sensible choice, she longed to go herself. But whether it was herself or Jane, she did not want Lady Lacey to have a bad impression of them from their mother’s effusions.

  “That is very kind of you,” she spoke up. “But are you sure you would like to take so much trouble for people you hardly know? Remember, you are only to stay here one night, and that is hardly enough time to decide if we are worth your investment.”

  Mrs Bennet hissed at Elizabeth in horror, but Lady Lacey sat back in her chair and gave Elizabeth an appraising look.

  “I remember you spoke often of this one, Percy,” she said. “She reminds me somewhat of you. And of myself. I would be interested to see how she would do in Bath society. If a girl does not have wealth on her side, she must have wits. But of course, I cannot neglect the eldest Miss Bennet.” She fixed Jane with a penetrating stare. “She is a rare pretty girl,” she said approvingly
. “And I do not know if a lack of fortune would come between her and finding a suitable husband. One look at that face and a suitor could forgive much. Men are such fools for looks.” She shot Mr Bennet a sly smile. Mr Bennet had fallen into the same honeyed trap so many men did. He had met a woman of rare beauty and married her quickly, without learning more of her character. And for almost a quarter of a century, he had been plagued and embarrassed by his wife’s lack of sense and intelligence. He knew all too well the price a man would pay if he put looks above all else. But fortunately in Jane’s case, a man would not suffer. She had sense and kindness and although not as quick as Elizabeth, could still hold an intelligent conversation.

  To everyone’s surprise, Mrs Bennet looked stricken. “Oh no, Jane would never do,” she declared. “No, no. Jane must stay here.”

  Mr Bennet looked at his wife in bewilderment and she leaned towards him. “Would you have her miss the chance to meet Mr Bingley? You know she is our best chance to catch him. Lady Lucas will try to throw one of her girls at him, and she might succeed too if Jane is not there to captivate him with her beauty. No.” She sat back in the chair, arms folded decisively. “Lizzy must be the one to go to Bath. That way, our two eldest girls are in best positions to attract a husband.”

  Mr Bennet changed an amused glance with Elizabeth. “I am afraid the army has lost something in you, my dear,” he said. “If Wellington knew I had a strategic genius under my roof, he would steal you away from me.”

  Mrs Bennet tried to look unconcerned, but she visibly preened. “Oh, I don’t pretend to be something all that clever,” she declared. “But where my girls are concerned, I always think ahead. Their futures are my utmost priority.”

  “A commendable attitude, Madam,” said Lady Lacey. Her lips twitched in amusement. “Well, then. Is it quite settled that I shall bring Miss Elizabeth to Bath with me?”