Lydia Bennet's Story by Jane Odiwe

Author:Jane Odiwe
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Published: 2014-09-22T16:00:00+00:00

Part Two

Chapter 20

LYDIA KNEW VERY WELL that the written accounts of her new life, penned in the only proper letter her mama was to receive for a month after her marriage, would be read by half the neighbourhood, and if not read, then its contents would be relayed by word of mouth or written and passed on again in missives to her sisters in their new homes: Jane at Netherfield and Lizzy at Pemberley. She was careful not to make any reference to her thoughts on her sisters’ recent marriages. She could not help but envy their good fortune. Jane had got her Mr Bingley at last, and Lizzy had surprised them all by marrying Mr Darcy, though Lydia would not have swapped her husband for that gentleman, despite all his money. She had never got to the bottom of how exactly her sister had come to fall in love with Mr Darcy, but according to Kitty, she had not been persuaded by his fortune and huge house alone. Shortly after they had arrived in Newcastle, Lizzy had acquainted Lydia by letter of the news of both sisters’ engagements, along with a detailed account of the extent of Mr Darcy’s involvement in securing Lydia’s marriage to George Wickham. Lizzy’s object had not been to set out to upset her sister, she wrote, but she could not suffer to hear Lydia abuse her fiancé any longer when, indeed, she should have been grateful to Mr Darcy for his thoughtful actions. Whilst Lydia did not want to believe the accuracy of it, her more intimate knowledge of her husband’s character had eventually led her to surmise that it must, in part, be true. Mr Wickham, it seemed, had been bought, made to marry her in an effort to save her reputation, and Mr Darcy had paid for it all. Still, on the whole, she was convinced that, though her husband might not be as enamoured of her as she was of him, his affection for her was something near enough and she would make the best of it. She would love him so much that he wouldn’t be able to resist loving her back. In a letter, therefore, she had to ensure that her family had something on which to cogitate and converse. She was determined to show them all how happy she was with her new situation, how in love she was with her husband, and how there had not been a more lively nor likeable town to live in than Newcastle, a rival for Brighton with all its diversions.

Pilgrim’s Buildings, Tuesday, October 12th

Dearest Mama,

You will be wondering why it has been so long since you have heard from me, but I am sure you understand that being a married woman makes many demands and, as such, letter writing has lamentably had to remain at the bottom of my list of impending and important duties.

Wickham and I are settled for the present in lodgings in the town, and whilst we wish

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