Mr. Bingley and his party have left Netherfield. Jane has gone to London with the Gardiners, but Mr. Bennet is determined to observe his New Year’s customs as usual. They all hope for a propitious first footer. December 31, 1811. “Hurry along now, hurry along.” Papa ushered Kitty and Lydia ahead of him as he trudged down the stairs and into the parlor, exactly the same as he had done last year and the year … Continue reading →
An invitation from Bingley to attend the pantomime might not go entirely as expected. December 30, 1811 Darcy laid his newspaper aside. Miss Bingley should not have worried, her little dinner party hardly garnered any notice at all. A few brief words of Sir Andrew’s and Lady Elizabeth’s attendance and little more. Would she be gratified at the mention of her event, or offended that it garnered no more notice that a few brief sentences? … Continue reading →
Kitty experiences Boxing Day charity with the Gardiners. The sounds of hungry children rising drove Kitty from her bed. After brief ablutions, she made her way to the morning room, work bag in hand. Her letter to Lydia balanced on top of the chemisette. Aunt and the children already circled the table. Margaret labored over a picture book whilst Alice carefully sewed something—a doll’s dress perhaps? The boys marched tin soldiers across the plains of … Continue reading →
Mrs. Bennet sets quite the table for her Christmas feast. Later that night, Elizabeth paced the very clean drawing room, waiting for their guests to arrive. Fresh evergreen and holly filled the room with the season’s fragrances, tied with cheery red bows. It should have been a very pleasing scene, but the tension in the room threatened to suffocate her. “Why do you not take a seat, Lizzy?” Aunt Gardiner asked. “I should surely run … Continue reading →
The new Darcy family gathers around the yule log to celebrate the season. Elizabeth sat in the upstairs sitting room, reading. Now things were returned to normal, a few minutes on her own proved pleasant, not isolating. Earlier that day, Darcy and Fitzwilliam had taken the children and Georgiana to cut decorations for the house. Evergreen boughs and Christmas roses adorned the mantle and filled vases on the tables throughout the house, the fruits of … Continue reading →