I recently took part in the Ghost Hunt Exchange held on tumblr, and wrote this piece as a present for Furiouskitten who requested a Regency AU. It was a very fun experience, I got some encouraging feedback, thus I decided to share it here.

Please note that I am perfectly aware that the characters' names are not consistent at all neither with the Regency period nor the country this story takes place in. But well, who cares? Call that the wonders of AU fanfiction!

This story is shamelessly inspired by the inimitable and wonderful Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Any similarity is not coincidental at all.

I also beg forgiveness for the totally unoriginal title. I unfortunately suck at it.

Lastly, a huge thanks to Tiffo the chicken flea who edited the chapters. Quotation marks are evil.

And as usual, Ghost Hunt isn't mine.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.

The good people of the county of Merryton were blessed with such an arrival, a wonder in the form of a wealthy, young, possibly handsome and above all singlegentleman.

Who had fallen prey to the gossip of every woman in the vicinity.

" …and I have heard that he rented the Netherfield estate on a whim!" said one of the aforementioned daughters.

"Mrs Hurst saw him riding his horse from her window, and said that he was remarkably handsome" happily provided another.

"We should consider such information with caution", wisely objected Masako Hara. "Mrs Hurst was obviously too far to see his features, and her vision is quite altered".

"But she said his riding was the most elegant", indignantly replied the unreliable source with an outraged pout.

"That may be true", proposed Mai Taniyama in a placating manner while serving tea diligently to the hosts. "He must be a well-bred gentleman after all."

"And whatever his face," wittily remarked Ayako Matsuzaki, "his wealth already makes him the most beautiful gentleman around!"

A concert of repressed laughter filled the morning room where young ladies were discussing this most recent and hot topic. The mothers, reunited in another corner of the place, rightfully glared at them for such improper behaviour, and then eagerly returned to the previous matter, already assessing the total income of the newcomer, the chances their daughters had to charm the man and silently scheming to be the first to be introduced while politely smiling to their peers.

Lady Hara, the hostess of this charming reunion, was sure her darling offspring would be the chosen one. Masako's perfect porcelaine white skin, delicate features and enthralling somber eyes made her the most beautiful marriageable girl in the county by far. Moreover she was poised and graced with a nice figure and elegant manners. What gentleman wouldn't fall for the owner of such remarkable assets? If her daughter were the first to meet him, no doubt she would be able to leave an unforgettable impression on the man! The Lady reminded herself to convince her dull husband to go visit their new neighbour as soon as good manners allowed it.

She scanned the faces of the other girls in the morning room by habit. She already knew by heart the good points and the defaults of any of them, and how much of a threat they could be.

Ayako Matsuzaki, for instance, was tall and possessed a very well-shaped body and a pretty face. But being twenty five she was the oldest, her youth and freshness slowly but surely drawing to an end. Her notoriously sharp tongue and arrogant behavior had also discouraged more than one suitor. She came from a renowned and wealthy family, though. That had to be put on her credit, and could give her an advantage if the man was seeking connections.

The other girls were as plain as day, they wouldn't be an hindrance to her plans to marry her daughter well. And Mai…The poor Mai Taniyama wasn't half as handsome as Masako. She wasn't totally plain either, her huge cinnamon eyes had been praised by the other sex on a regular basis. She was sweet and kind, though spectacularly clumsy on occasion. But her wild manners and spirit, added to her small dowry and lack of social connections, didn't make her a worthy opponent to her dear child.

Mai definitely wouldn't be a problem. If anything, Lady Hara was glad Lord Hara had taken the young orphan under his wing after her parent's tragic death. Unlike her husband and daughter, she wasn't particularly fond of the girl, but she had to admit she was well-bred enough to be good company for Masako, being the same age. Furthermore, the latter's beauty seemed to shine even more when placed next to the more common-looking orphan. Her presence would be beneficial on that matter.

Lady Hara smiled contentedly, sure of her daughter's future good fortune. Masako was twenty, a ripe age for marriage. Everything would go smoothly according to her will, unless…

She caught Lady Matsuzaki, Ayako's mother, scrutinizing the girls with a feverish gleam in her eyes, and surely similar thoughts. When their gazes met, they smiled coldly to each other, ready for the battle.

War was silently declared.