Chapter One

Posted on Thursday, 24 January 2008

The Bennet’s of Longbourn were always called a fine family. A name given to them on the occasion of Mrs. Bennet giving birth to her first born, a son, to be named Benjamin; Mrs. Bennet’s felicity on the occasion of presenting her husband with an heir could only be matched by the ire that the occasion caused in Mr. Bennet’s cousin Mr. Collins. Yet Mr. Collins still had hopes of acquiring Longbourn with the cherished wish of an unfortunate accident involving the child. However, as if Mrs. Bennet had known of his wish, she made sure of having a secure future by presenting Mr. Bennet with his second son, James. Mr. Collins upon hearing the news, looked into a career in the clergy, with the hopes of gaining God’s favor and having Divine Intervention ‘take care of’ the two boys. God, however, seemed to have different plans for the Bennets and this was proven when Mrs. Bennet presented yet another son, Henry. The day that the news of this new obstacle in Mr. Collin’s wishes was made known to him, he made his career choice, and was determined that he would court the Lord’s favor and get rid of those Bennet sons once and for all. In his plan he had failed, but instead courted the favor of Lady Catherine, in his eyes as good as a Lord.

Mrs. Bennet however was not done, and as Mr. Collins was building shelves in his closet, she was giving birth to her fourth child, however unlike the others, the baby was a girl, to be named Jane. The most perfect creature in the eyes of her mother, who had now not only three sons, but a beautiful daughter on whom she could focus all her attention and motherly hopes of a rich husband upon. After Jane’s birth, Mrs. Bennet desired for no more children, and made that message clear to her husband by her distant behavior in regards to him, however an unfortunate incident occurred on their anniversary, on which this author shall not go into detail, but only state that it included two bottles of wine and an empty stomach.

Thus it happened that the fifth and last Bennet child was born, Elizabeth. With three sons and two daughters, all of which were agreeable and none plain, with an only slightly decrepit mother and an affectionate, if not distant, father, is it any wonder that the Bennet’s were called a fine family?

At Jane and Elizabeth’s christening, each was presented with a golden heart-shaped locket. The front was elegantly engraved with their first initial and a pattern of vines intertwined with the letter.

The years passed by, and the Bennet children grew from fine young children to fine young people, teasing and laughing with one another in a bond of the strongest love and affection. The brother’s always protective of their “baby sisters” as was their wont to call them, and this trait only increased when other young men began to take notice of their ‘attributes’.

However, all things must come to an end, and with three brothers all to be educated, it was inevitable that they leave for school and as much as the sisters hated to part from their beloved brothers, they were secretly excited for a chance to attend a ball and dance with a young man without having their big brothers there to scare the poor men half to death with their menacing glares and threatening glances. Their brothers of course, had no wish to leave their sisters alone without someone watching over them, and to be sure that nothing untoward happened to their baby sisters, they “took their leave” as they had called it when their sisters had asked, of more than one young man known to have so much as spoke with either Jane or Elizabeth.

The professions of the youngest sons had to be determined, for as their brother was to inherit Longbourn, they needed some way to support themselves; and so it was decided thusly:

James was to join the Regiment and hopefully earn his fortune that way. It suited his character well, and although Elizabeth did not wish to have her brother in any danger, she had to concede that he was well suited for this line of work.

Henry, however, was to join the clergy. It was as if he knew his birth was responsible for Mr. Collins entering the profession and he was to make up the transgression by giving more credibility to the cloth by joining himself.

With things happily settled as such, the siblings parted, with tears shed by the sisters and the attempts to hold back their own by the brothers. Exchanges of promises to write were made and finally after a dry remark from Mr. Bennet, the boys set off and the girls were left to themselves.

1780-

Elizabeth Bennet watched from her bedroom window as her family gave their goodbyes to her brother James. Mrs. Bennet was in hysterics, complaining of her nerves and calling herself ill used as she saw her middle son ready himself to be called abroad to the colonies and fight in the war that had begun five years prior. She could see her father attempt to calm his wife, although it was not working, and she could see her sister with tears streaming down her face, embracing him, but could also imagine she is telling him everything will turn out right, but Elizabeth could not be so optimistic. Her brothers had their hands on his shoulders lending him their silent support. She knew that she should be down there with them, wishing him a safe journey and a swift return home, but she could not support it. James was her dearest brother; they had been closer than she had been to the others. All the Bennet children were close of course, but James had been more of a comfort to her, perhaps because he was most alike her in temperament and character that he understood her better. Sometimes it was like they could read each other’s thoughts, but in this point, they had been in a complete discord. She watched him as he kissed Jane on the cheek and shook hands with his brothers, but she would not follow her impulse and run down to him. Elizabeth was startled when he turned her gaze up at her window and their eyes locked, she felt hot tears sliding down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away and fiddled with the locket around her neck. She observed him entering the carriage, and with a heavy heart did she see the carriage pull out of Longbourn’s gates, when she could not see the carriage as it turned a corner, she felt the regret deeply that she did not say goodbye. But he was gone, and there was nothing she could do. She sat down in her chair, willing to stop her tears, but they would not keep from rolling down her face. She tried to convince herself that it would be foolish to go after him, but her heart would not listen and before she knew what she was doing, Elizabeth jumped out of her chair, rushed out from her room, down the stairs, and sprinted out the door past her family, ignoring their calls and disappeared around the corner after her brother’s carriage. When she collided with someone, whom it was she knew not for her tears blurred her vision. She cried out her apologies, but that she must follow the carriage. She was swaying back and forth, when a pair of strong hands held her shoulders so that she might be steadied.

“What took you so long Lizzy?” came the familiar laugh of her brother.

“James!” Elizabeth cried before throwing her arms around her brother, holding on for dear life. “I thought you had gone! I would never have-“ she whispered in her distress.

“Shhh I would never have left without saying goodbye to you.” He said stroking her hair. She continued to cry in her brother’s arms and he held her tight.

“Please don’t go James…”

“Oh Lizzy, you know that I must, but do not fret little one, I will be well, it will all be well.”

“I cannot help but think the worst, I do not know what I would do if anything happened to you.” She sobbed.

“Nothing will, you will not allow it.” He smiled trying to comfort his youngest sister.

She let out a small laugh into his jacket and reciprocating his attempt at levity replied, “No I would not, and you had better tell those rebels that if anything happens to my big brother than they shall have to deal with Elizabeth Bennet!”

“That’s my little one, now,” he said pulling her from him and wiping the tears from her face, “let me see your beautiful smile.”

Elizabeth instead stuck her tongue out at him and he was satisfied. “Close enough.” He smiled. “Now I must leave you now Lizzy,” he kissed her forehead. “But you must promise to write me.”

“Of course!” she paused and the two stood for a moment in silence. Elizabeth was playing with her locket and this caused James to laugh.

“Lizzy, you must not worry so, and when I come home, we shall have to break you of that habit of yours! You always play with that necklace when you are worried.”

She did not answer him, but remained rooted to her spot, contemplating, when his movement startled her as he gave her a kiss on the cheek and began to move towards the carriage that was a few yards ahead of them.

“Wait!” she cried. He turned to her a puzzled expression on his face.

“Lizzy, I must go I cannot-“

“I know, but I would like you to have this.” Elizabeth unfastened the clasp of her necklace, and handed her locket to her brother. “Promise me that you will return James.”

“Lizzy I cannot keep this, it is yours. It is a tradition for-” James was touched, but it would not be right to keep it.

“It is my choice on what to do with it James, but I am not giving it to you for you to keep. I want you to promise me that you will wear this, or at the very least keep it on you always, and that you will not forget about your sister waiting for your return home, and I want you to promise me that you will return it to me when you return.” James, like Elizabeth, was not one prone to tears, but his sister’s speech, and the locket she was entrusting him with, made even him allow the few tears that escaped his eyes. The promise he well understood, she would not allow him to leave unless he promised to come home alive.

“I promise.” He answered solemnly, and he took the necklace, squeezed her hand, and then he was gone. Elizabeth stood and watched the carriage carrying her brother drive him out of sight, until she knew not when.

Long after she could not see the carriage, Elizabeth remained, unmoving and holding back her tears. She should not cry anymore. She was startled when she felt a pair of hands softly grip her shoulders; she looked up to see Benjamin, and to her side was Jane and Henry. They gave her a reassuring smile, and Elizabeth turned her gaze back towards the horizon where she had last caught sight of the carriage. ‘All will be well’ she thought, before turning into the house with her brothers and Jane.