Prelude to Pemberley: Georgiana reads Darcy’s letters from Netherfield

Welcome to our Pride & Prejudice prequel! P&P: Prelude to Pemberley tells the story of the time leading up to the events of Pride & Prejudice, including what Darcy and Elizabeth were doing and thinking, Georgiana Darcy’s story, the events of Ramsgate, how Mr. Bingley came to lease Netherfield, and much more! Join us on our journey as the Austen Variations authors post the events of 1811 in real time on the date they happened – 214 years in the future.

Georgiana reads Darcy’s letters from Netherfield

November 19, 1811

Georgiana slowly lowered her brother’s letter to the table, her eyes drifting to the window.

“Mrs. Annesley?” she asked her companion.

“Hmm?”

“Do gentlemen . . . like to be challenged?”

Mrs. Annesley lowered her embroidery and looked up. “Challenged? Do you mean in sport? Most gentlemen do like a challenge, although not all. I believe that is why they enjoy fencing, racing, boxing, and even shooting in groups when they have others to compare themselves to.”

That was not exactly what Georgiana had been contemplating, but it was an interesting idea. She knew some men were indolent, that was true, but it did seem like gentlemen were always competing against each other. If it wasn’t sport, it was in what they owned or political power or membership to some club.

But were women truly any different? They might not fence or compete in horse races, but they were always fighting for social position.

She shook her head. “I meant, do they like to be challenged by a woman? Do they like debate and disagreement?”

“Oh.” The older woman looked consideringly at Georgiana, and Georgiana fought the urge to shrink back. She had been trying to take to heart her brother’s encouragement and to stop thinking about her own almost-ruination and her mistakes, but it was still hard when someone looked her appraisingly in the eye. “Well, no. Some gentlemen do, to be sure, but many prefer their challenges to come from other gentlemen. From a woman, they expect amiability and deference.”

Georgiana’s eyes flicked to the letter again.  “We debated whether pride is a strength or a weakness. Miss Bennet appears under the impression that pride and vanity are somehow synonymous, but we had a lively discussion over character weaknesses that has left me wondering at the end whether she might have been teasing the entire time. I do believe that young woman delights in professing opinions that are not her own.”

It was not particularly unusual that he had mentioned a young woman in a letter. He did often mention Miss Bingley, although then it was usually in the context of, “Miss Bingley sends her compliments on your table design and wishes you to know that it is far better than Miss Grantley’s,” or, “Miss Bingley insisted that we all play at cards this evening.” Miss Bingley would never contradict William or have a “lively discussion” with him about character.

It was a wonder that Miss Bingley had not realised that debating with William would, at the very least, prolong their conversation.

From his letter, William did not seem displeased with Miss Bennet’s arguments. In fact, he spoke more about her than he had about any other young lady she could recollect. In fact . . . had he not written another letter about her? Something about her eyes?

Standing abruptly, Georgiana crossed to her desk and untied the stack of letters her brother had sent to her during his time at Netherfield, shuffling until she found the letter she thought she remembered.

Skimming it quickly, she found the line. “Miss Elizabeth is not as pretty as her sister, aside from her bright, intelligent eyes, but her conversation with Miss Lucas was lively enough.” He went on to speak about some conversation with Sir William Lucas about dancing . . . wait. He spoke of her again. “I felt compelled to accept her hand, but thankfully Miss Elizabeth declined to dance with me.”

Well. Was that not odd? William rarely felt compelled to dance with anyone. Oh, he danced here and there, with his hostess and her daughters at various balls and assemblies, sometimes with young ladies Lady Matlock suggested. But he never allowed anyone to choose his partners for him, not even the Master of Ceremonies.

And Miss Elizabeth Bennet had declined to dance with him! That was twice that she had challenged him, and he did not seem to think the worst of her for it. He had even spoken of her bright, intelligent eyes.

“Do you think my brother likes to be challenged?” she asked Mrs. Annesley.

She hadn’t realized Mrs. Annesley’s eyebrows could go up that far.

“Now that is an interesting question,” the older woman said slowly. “May I ask what brought that on?”

Silently, Georgiana handed her the two letters and waited as Mrs. Annesley perused them.

“Your brother has spent many years being chased by young women of the ton who value him for his wealth and position,” Mrs. Annesley said at last.

“I believe they find him handsome as well,” Georgiana added, shuddering as she remembered some of the things her old classmates at school would say about him.

“Even men tend to defer to him. It can be a powerful feeling, being respected and looked up to. But it also leaves one without much challenge and can make for dull conversation. It may be that your brother values real conversation and depth and that he enjoys the company of those willing to provide it, and that he likes being forced to defend his positions.”

“In other words,” Georgiana said slowly, “he is tired of deference and wishes to meet someone on a more equal footing.”

“Exactly.”

“But this young woman is hardly his equal. From what he has said about her, she has four sisters, no brothers, and an estate entailed away to a distant cousin. Her family has no presence in town, she has connections in trade, and she has no fortune!”

A churning in her stomach nudged Georgiana to her feet, pacing to the window. How did she know so much about Miss Elizabeth Bennet? He had written about her far more than Georgiana had originally realised. What if he was falling in love with her?

She was as terrible a prospect as Mr. Wickham. Could he not see that?

“That may be true,” Mrs. Annesley said, “but she also does not put herself forward. Do you notice everything your brother has said about her? He notices her, but I do not believe she is the one putting herself in his path.”

“What about when she stayed at Netherfield? Surely that was putting herself in his path.”

“It may be. But I believe that it was her sister who put herself in the way of Mr. Bingley, and Miss Elizabeth only came to nurse her. You will notice that she spent very little time downstairs, from what you brother writes. Only enough to do her duty to her hostess. And even your brother’s observations of her are largely just that—his observations of her while she is speaking to others. Their debates are lively, but occasional. I do not think she is a fortune hunter, and your brother makes no mention of her mother or anyone else trying to push her towards him—notable, given that he does mention Mrs. Bennet’s encouragement of her eldest daughter’s pursuit of Mr. Bingley.”

As the anxiety in her stomach lessened, Georgiana sat down again. “Then you think that he might fall in love with her?”

“It is difficult to say. As you pointed out, she does not have fortune or connections. Your brother may desire those things in a wife. A man can admire a woman without choosing to marry her.”

“Then . . . we wait and see what comes of it?”

Mrs. Annesley smiled as she took up her embroidery. “We wait and see.”

Read all the scenes in Prelude to Pemberley here!