Dear Mr. Darcy: A Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

by Amanda Grange

  I do not see why he does not go to Lucas Lodge instead of plaguing us here at Longbourn. I hate having visitors in the house while my health is so indifferent, and lovers are of all people the most disagreeable, especially lovers who do nothing but talk all day long and never let one get away. Though if Mr Bingley were here it would be quite different, and do not go thinking I am meaning him. But ah! sister, there again I have been cruelly used, for Mr Bingley has been away a week and we have not heard a line from him. There is a report abroad that he does not mean to return to Meryton, but I never fail to contradict it as a scandalous falsehood.

  Jane bears it like a saint, but if he does not come back she will think herself very ill used and most likely go into a decline and die. And then Mr Bingley will be sorry, I am sure, but of what use will it be to us then?

  But here is Charlotte Lucas at the door, come to cast her eye over Longbourn, I make no doubt, and to anticipate the hour of possession. That I should live to see Charlotte Lucas take my place as the mistress of Longbourn! I have told Mr Bennet he must outlive Mr Collins and he has promised to do his best, but oh! sister, when he dies, what will become of us? We will be turned out of the house before Mr Bennet is cold in his grave, and if my brother does not take us in, I do not know what we will do!

  I cannot bear to think of the Collinses having this estate. If not for the entail, I should not mind it, but no one takes pity on me. How can anyone have the conscience to entail an estate away from their own daughters? I cannot understand, and all for the sake of Mr Collins, too. Why should he have it more than anybody else? He has done nothing to earn it, except be Mr Bennet’s cousin, and I am sure anyone would be Mr Bennet’s cousin if they knew there were such rich rewards to be had.

  Do say you will come to us at Christmas, sister, and my brother must come too, we need you here. Your own children can manage without you if there is not room in the carriage for all of them. I have still not given up hope of Mr Bingley returning to Netherfield for Christmas, and I am sure he would be very welcome here, even if it meant we had to tolerate Mr Darcy.

  Your poor sister,

  Janet

  Mr Darcy to Mr Philip Darcy

  Darcy House, London,

  December 6

  Philip, I am once more in London and likely to be here for some time, so pray send all letters to Darcy House. Bingley is here as well and has at present no intention of returning to Netherfield. His sisters and brother-in-law are with him, and I have invited them to spend Christmas with Georgiana and myself. I have some thought of Bingley marrying Georgiana when she is old enough. He is just the sort of man I would like to see her with. He is honest, reliable, trustworthy, friendly, good-natured and good-humoured. I think he would be a good match for her. There is some disparity in fortune, it is true, but fortune is not everything and I want to see her happy. I believe such a match would suit him, too. He has always liked Georgiana, and he was much struck by the change in her when he dined here last night. She has grown considerably these last few months and is becoming a very lovely young woman. But such thoughts are for the future. It is enough that he will be spending some time with her over the next few weeks and renewing his friendship with her.

  Tell me, Philip, as we are talking of matches, are you any nearer to finding a woman to take to wife? I have never heard you talk of anyone in particular, but perhaps you have never found anyone you were particularly attracted to. Unless…have you ever found yourself attracted to someone unsuitable? A woman whose standing was so far beneath your own that it would be a degradation to marry her because her family were, let us say, country gentry, with uncles engaged in the professions or in trade? Whose mother talked of nothing but marrying her daughters off, and whose father failed to correct the behaviour of either his wife or his children, allowing them to grow up wild and unrestrained? Did you ever find that, despite all these disadvantages, such a woman attracted you, against your will, and that a pair of fine eyes caught your attention and would give you no peace? Or that an impertinent manner, instead of revolting you, attracted you? Or that her lack of respect for your standing served to make you more interested, and not less?

  Did you ever think it necessary to remove yourself from the company of such a woman, lest your interest should become ungovernable and your behaviour should give rise to expectations? And did a part of you feel that, if such expectations should arise, it would be no bad thing? That your feelings would actually like it if you were obliged to offer for her, though your character revolted against the idea? Did you find it difficult to be rational where she was concerned? Did you, in short, feel in the grip of something out of your control? Let me know if anything similar has ever happened to you.

  Darcy

  Mr Philip Darcy to Mr Darcy

  Wiltshire, December 8

  Darcy, I was surprised by your last letter and took up my pen to reply to you straightaway. I never thought you would be the man to succumb to the charms of someone unsuitable. You are the last person I would ever expect to lose your sense of your own importance and become beguiled by someone as low as your object of desire seems to be. She is wholly unworthy of your hand, however, as you know yourself, and as she is from the gentry you cannot even assuage your desires by offering her carte blanche; therefore, I advise you to put her out of your mind. Occupy yourself with business, take plenty of exercise, ride hard, make time for fencing every day, go to your club when you do not have company at home, never leave yourself with a moment to think of her. If you do all this, then by and by the attraction will fade. There is a great deal to be said for ‘out of sight, out of mind’ and you were wise to take yourself out of her way. And after Christmas, come to Wiltshire. I am having a large party of friends here in the New Year. You will be amongst your own kind and they will soon drive this woman from your mind.

  But before you banish her from your thoughts entirely, answer me this: who is she? I am curious to know just what woman has won your reluctant admiration, for I have never heard you speak so of a woman before. She must be something out of the common way to make such an impression on you.

  PD

  Mr Darcy to Mr Philip Darcy

  Darcy House, London,

  December 10

  Philip, you misunderstand me. It is not I who was bewitched by someone beneath my station, it was my friend Bingley. He became enamoured of a local girl when we were staying in Hertfordshire. Her father was a gentleman but her mother was a silly, vulgar woman who was always trying to make a match, and her younger sisters spent their lives running after officers. However, we rescued him from the situation and all is well, for when he came to town on business, his sisters and I followed him and persuaded him to remain.

  I have just been to Howards and Gibbs to have my mother’s pearls restrung for Georgiana; I mean to give them to her for Christmas. I am debating whether or not to have some further items of family jewellery remodelled for her. She is still a little young for them, but as I am having the pearls restrung, I think it would be easier to have it all done together. She will look very well in them, for she has my mother’s colouring.

  I thank you for your invitation to Wiltshire but I am engaged to go to Cumbria in the New Year to see my aunt and uncle there. Maud has just had a child and I am to be the godfather.

  Darcy

  Mrs Bingley to Miss Caroline Bingley

  Yorkshire, December 12

  Now, Caroline, what’s all this I hear from your brother about this angel of his? Tell me all about it. I’ve had some of it from Charles, he sent me a letter, but such a letter! I thought, ‘What’s wrong with Charles?’ It wasn’t in his usual cheerful style; it was full of misery and gloom. He met her at that fancy house, he said, and never a prettier nor more agreeable girl lived, but somehow or other she didn’t take to him? I’d like to see the girl silly enough not to take to my Charles. Any girl would be lucky to get him, and that’s not just a mother talking. Now, what’s the tale, Caroline? Has this Mr Darcy persuaded him th
e girl doesn’t like him? Shall I come down to London and sort things out? Or shall I go to Hertfordshire and see this girl for myself? I will in a trice if you think it will help, only Ned’s not well and the little ’un has colic. I can’t bear to think of your brother unhappy. A nice, pretty girl is just what he needs.

  Your Ma

  Miss Caroline Bingley to Mrs Bingley

  London, December 16

  Greetings and felicitations, my dearest Mama.

  There is no need for you to come to London or Hertfordshire; indeed, I beg you will not leave my brothers and sisters if they have need of you, for you must not neglect them on any account. It is true that Charles became enamoured of a sweet girl in Hertfordshire, but it was nothing more than a passing fancy on her part. I am persuaded that it was nothing really but a passing fancy on his part, either, and now that he has settled in London he will soon forget all about her, particularly as he has Miss Darcy to entertain him. She is just the sort of nice, pretty girl you would like for Charles. She is unaffected and sweet, and I am persuaded that her family would like the match as well as his. There is no need for you to meet her just yet, Mama, she is still young and nothing is fixed, but do not worry about Charles, he has already recovered from his infatuation with Miss Bennet.

  Your dutiful daughter,

  Caroline

  Miss Caroline Bingley to Miss Jane Bennet

  London, December 16

  My dear Friend,

  As I suspected, Charles is now settled in London for the winter, and we expect to remain here with him, to keep him company whilst he is in town. We will be celebrating the season with Mr Darcy and his sister. Georgiana Darcy grows more beautiful every day, and the bond of friendship between her and Charles is deepening into something more before our eyes. We are all very happy for it. They are well suited, and I am sure you will join with me in wishing them every happiness when the accomplishment of all our wishes should come to pass.

  Mr Darcy and Charles are seldom apart. It is good for Charles to have an older, steadier friend who can advise him in the ways of the world, but I believe the friendship is not all in Charles’s favour: Mr Darcy asked his opinion only the other day on some new furniture he is buying, and Charles was able to give his approval of Mr Darcy’s choice.

  Charles is very sorry that he did not have time to pay his respects to his friends in Hertfordshire before he left, but he has asked me to repair the omission and I do it gladly, telling you how much he enjoyed his stay in Hertfordshire and the delightful, friendly company he found there.

  Write to me soon, my dearest friend, and tell me how you go on in Hertfordshire.

  Yours ever,

  Caroline

  Mr Wickham to Mrs Younge

  Meryton, Hertfordshire,

  December 18

  Dear Belle,

  Luck has favoured me. Darcy has left the neighbourhood! His friend became attached to one of the local girls and so Darcy whisked him back to London.

  It has been a relief to me, for it means that I can now stay here for as long as I want. Moreover, I can say of Darcy whatever I want, without fear of contradiction. His pride, his arrogance and his overbearing attitude have already given the people of Meryton a dislike of him, and it is child’s play for me to fan that dislike into disgust. Whilst speaking always in sorrow and not in anger I have let it be known that he ruined my chances in life. I was forced to whisper this before, but I now proclaim it in the open. The result is that Darcy is universally despised, and everyone feels how clever they were to dislike him, even before the full weight of his iniquities was known. In this way I have protected myself, for if he should happen to return to the neighbourhood, my friends will be so numerous and his so few that nothing he says will be believed. Indeed, the people of Meryton are happy to condemn him as the worst of men.

  I have taken the opportunity to paint Miss Darcy as proud and disagreeable, too, so that if any rumour of my conduct there is abroad, it will look as though I am an innocent victim of a slander.

  My standing as an officer allows me to live on credit but I cannot live on credit forever and so I must look about me for an heiress. I like Miss Elizabeth Bennet very much, in fact if she had a fortune I would be happy to marry her, but discreet enquiries have led me to understand that she has nothing but a thousand pounds, and that would be gone in a month. I am presently keeping my eyes and ears open, and hope to hear something of an heiress soon. Let me know if you hear of anything.

  In the meantime, I hope all goes well with you. I wish you a wealthy husband and I wish myself a wealthy wife, and let neither of us end up in the position of Charlotte Lucas, being forced to marry a Mr Collins!

  Love and what you will,

  George

  Miss Charlotte Lucas to Miss Susan Sotherton

  Lucas Lodge, Hertfordshire,

  December 20

  Dear Susan,

  I am just returned from London, where Mama and I have been shopping for my wedding finery. We have bought white silk for the dress, which is to be trimmed with lace, and a short veil. Mama has promised to help me make the gown so that it will be ready in time. We do not yet have a date, but Mr Collins wishes to be married sooner rather than later and I believe the ceremony will be early in the New Year. I am particularly pleased with my shoes, which are of a silk so similar to the fabric I have bought for the dress as to be almost identical.

  We are now busy cutting and stitching. As well as my wedding gown, I am having three new gowns to take away with me: two evening gowns, such as I might wear at Rosings Park, and one for everyday wear. My sisters are all helping, and I think we will have them finished in time.

  You ask about a wedding tour. We are not to have one, but are to go straightaway to Kent; indeed, we will be leaving from the church door. Mr Collins has already been away from his duties for weeks, and cannot expect Lady Catherine to allow him more time away. I am looking forward to meeting her. Although she seems to like her own way, as many great people do, she sounds to have a great deal of common sense, and I think we could have a far worse neighbour.

  Warm wishes,

  Charlotte

  Miss Jane Bennet to Miss Susan Sotherton

  Longbourn, Hertfordshire,

  December 23, four o’clock

  Dear Susan,

  I have not written to you for some time and I should have done. I have no excuse to make except low spirits. They are recovering, however, greatly helped by my aunt Gardiner, who arrived today bearing presents, and bringing us news of all the latest London fashions.

  She spent much of the day listening to my mother, which was a great relief to me, since Mama talks of Mr Bingley constantly and bemoans the fact that he has left us and has no plans to return. I wish she did not talk of it so relentlessly; she can have no idea how much she wounds me when she talks of it, but I will not repine. It cannot last long. He will soon be forgot; indeed, he must be, for it is clear that he means to return to Netherfield no more. His sister, you must know, put me on my guard, telling me that he is destined for Miss Darcy. Elizabeth would have me believe that it is his sister’s wish only, but I must believe that it is his wish also, or else why would he not return?

  With his sister Caroline I am still in communication, and I am glad of it. I would be sorry to lose her friendship. Lizzy is not of the same opinion—she thinks that Caroline simply uses me—but I am sure that Caroline is incapable of using or deceiving anyone.

  Mr Bingley may live in my mind as the most amiable man of my acquaintance, but that is all. I have nothing either to hope or fear, and nothing to reproach him with. Thank God! I have not that pain. A little time is all I need to recover, and my aunt’s company is of great help in that direction. It is of great help to Elizabeth, too: Mama has still not forgiven Lizzy for refusing Mr Collins and will not let the matter rest. She bemoans the fact to my aunt, saying that Lady Lucas will have a daughter married before her, and that the estate is as much entailed as it ever was.

 
; I must go. Mama has invited some of the officers to dinner and I hear their horses outside. Mr Wickham is one of them, and if all goes well, I believe he will soon propose to Elizabeth. He is certainly very warm in his regard and I know she likes him immensely. I will write more after dinner.

  Eleven o’clock

  My dear aunt has invited me to stay with her in London. Nothing would give me greater pleasure, or more relief, for a sojourn away from home is just what I need. I hope that, as Caroline does not live in the same house as her brother, I might occasionally spend a morning with her, without the risk of seeing him.

  I must go.

  Truly yours,

  Jane

  Miss Susan Sotherton to Miss Jane Bennet

  Bath, December 24

  My dear Jane,

  I envy you your visit to London, and your chance to visit the parks and the museums, and of course the shops! I am more sorry than I can say about Mr Bingley, but he must be very stupid to leave so good and lovely a woman as you, Jane, and I will console myself with the fact that you do not deserve a stupid husband.

  I have some good news of my own to report. I think I am not precipitate in saying that, although our removal to Bath has had little effect on my father, it appears to have had a beneficial effect on my brother. He used to be courted wherever he went, and so he had no incentive to curb his taste for spending unwisely and drinking to excess. Now, however, instead of pursuing him, the mamas look at him coldly and draw their daughters out of his path. It has shaken him. He is beginning to realise that he is no longer Frederick Sotherton of Netherfield Park—a prime catch—but Frederick Sotherton of nowhere in particular, with nothing to inherit but a mountain of debt.

  At first he sneered at those who treated him differently; then he laughed at them; but lately he has started to drink less, take more care over choosing those with whom he associates and conduct himself in a more agreeable manner.