Disclaimer: Jane Austen owns all original content and characters of Pride and Prejudice.

Chapter 1: To Meryton We Go

January 3rd, 1792

11:15 am

"Mr. Bennet! Make haste, make haste!"

Mr. Thomas Bennet had married Francesca Gardiner some fifteen years prior because of her beauty and the, at one time, charming of lightness of her manner, which he deemed perfect in relation to his own slightly withdrawn personality. His maternal uncle, the Earl Maverick, had warned him against the match but Mr. Bennet could not help but fall into infatuation with the trader's middle child.

In the years since, the Bennet family had been gifted with five daughters, the younger three being fair silly, but no sons, which were needed in order to keep his family's estate within the Bennet line. Every once in a while, Mr. Bennet could not help but recall his uncle's advice and wish he had listened. These times mostly fell subsequent to being plagued by Francesca Bennet's lack of propriety, silliness of mind and frequent bouts of nervous flutters that began shortly following his favorite child's, Elizabeth, birth twelve and a half years before. For a time Mr. Bennet had looked upon his wife's faults with comfort and concern, but he could do so no longer. The responsibilities of not only running the estate but also looking after the household matters - which would rightfully fall under the Mistress's duties - had begun to take its toll. He had just turned one and forty three weeks before but his hair had already taken on prominently white hue; his eyes which once sparkled with good humor and mirth - much like Elizabeth's- had taken on dark circles beneath them. He now looked at his wife's behavior with either indifference, dry humor, weariness or, on a few occasions, when his temper was particularly ill, disdain.

Personally, Mr. Bennet felt it too late to beget an heir, his wife being in her thirties and the previous births were far from easy, so they no longer tried. Without an heir it would fall on his two eldest daughters to make prudent matches to ensure that their mother and younger sisters did not fall into disparity, as it was too late save truly respectable amounts for each their dowries. Mr. Bennet's only wish is that Elizabeth, if not his other daughters, would be able to marry for love. Mr. Bennet knew full-well that while his Lizzie was less than effeminate in her pursuits, she was a true romantic and would not be happy with anything less than love and respect for her partner and would no doubt expect the same in return.

"What is it this time Mrs. Bennet?" Mr. Bennet sighed as his wife whisked through his usually private library, closing the large tomb he had been using to teach Elizabeth Latin. Mr. Bennet's good humor returned slightly as he watched Elizabeth roll her eyes at her mother's sputtering.

"Lydia and Kitty have just returned from Lucas Lodge with great news," Mrs. Bennet related with a happy bounce to her step. "The Meryton New Year Fair has begun early this year, in fact it is to begin at noon today! According to Sir William, who graciously brought the girls home, the tradesmen will even have a few horses that you might be interested in."

Mr. Bennet blinked, stunned. It was the first time in over a year that his wife had spoken a word of actual sense. Mr. Bennet was filled with hope for this new year, and perhaps a peaceful household, which had been his new year's wish. "Well if that be the case," Mr. Bennet jumped up with the first smile he had shown anyone but Elizabeth in years, "have Mrs. Hill get the girls into proper attire: we are all going to the fair! As a gift for you all, I will provide a certain amount of money so that you may choose a few trinkets - any thing over that amount will need to be bought with your own pin-money however."

"Oh Mr. Bennet!" Mrs. Bennet cried out shrilly. "How good you are to us! Girls! Girls! Come here; we need to get you dressed! We are all going out!"

An hour later the Bennet girls were finally ready - Lydia having been whinny, Kitty, irritable, and Mary stuck in her books - the family set off in their carriage towards Meryton.

"Papa," Lydia whined, her voice obnoxiously high. "I am so hungry...why did we need to leave so early for this dumb fair anyways...it is not like there will be anything fun to do."

"Language Lydia," Mr. Bennet chided. While not adverse to silliness in a six year old, it was only to be expected really, Mr. Bennet refused to allow his children to be so improper as to curse. "As for your hunger," Mr. Bennet bent forward and pulled an apple for himself, Elizabeth - whom he caught eyeing the red fruit - and another for Lydia out of the small basket his housekeeper had provided, brimming with light snacks for the afternoon. "Have an apple...be sure to thank Mrs. Hill when we return home, understand?"

"Yes father," Lydia said taking a large, unladylike bite out of her fruit.

"Thank you." Instead of eating hers, Elizabeth put the apple into the large side pocket of her overcoat for later.

At a ten minutes to one, the Bennet carriage pulled to a stop. "We are here sir," Mr. Hill said after opening the door for Mr. Bennet. "The traders decided to open up stalls at Layner's Field because of last year's complaints." Layner's Field was a large meadow about half-a-mile outside of Meryton that, during the winter, was usually completely empty but for snow.

"Complaints?" Elizabeth asked as she hopped down beside her father then turned to assist Jane out as well before stepping aside. "What type of complaints?"

"Well Ms. Elizabeth," Mr. Hill knelled in front of his usual charge - of all the Bennet girls he was closest to Elizabeth due to her adventurous outdoor wanderings and his often being sent by Mrs. Bennet to fetch her. "During last year's fair, some of the merchants lost many a customer because people could not maneuver through the crowds. The traders argued they were only in Meryton for a seven-day and felt that their wares took precedence. After several...debates the traders agreed to set up in the empty field. It is better for the animal traders anyhow, as they now have a larger space."

"I see," Elizabeth said with a nod as Mr. Bennet assisted his wife - the last passenger - out of the carriage. "It must have been difficult for them as their arguments each appear to have their own merit. It is good that they came to an agreement that worked well for both sides."

"Indeed, Ms. Elizabeth," Mr. Hill agreed before turning to his waiting Master. It was with pleasure that Mr. Bennet had watched the man of three and twenty converse on equal footing with Elizabeth, although Mrs. Bennet appeared annoyed at her daughter's sensibility.

"Well ladies here is what I wish for today," Mr. Bennet addressed his family, who, for once, fell silent to listen. "Mrs. Bennet, Lydia, Kitty, and Jane I ask that you stay together and not wonder off from your group - I know that the four of you will no doubt be interested in most of the same items, if not all. Mary, Elizabeth, you will be with me. Jane," Mr. Bennet pulled out the smaller of two pouches from inside his coat and gave it to his eldest. "I leave you with 20 pounds to split equally between you, your mother, and your sisters. Now," Mr. Bennet raised his voice over his wife's and younger daughters, "if I find that the money was split unequally because any of you asked Jane for more, twice the additional sum will be taken out of your allowance for the year and given to Jane for her own use...am I understood?" Kitty and Lydia nod, chastened while Mrs. Bennet acts put out. "Good. We will meet here in," Mr. Bennet looks at his watch, estimating the amount of time he would spend looking at books with his literary minded daughters, as well as the artisans and other traders wares. "Two hours for a late snack. Do we have an accord?" The ladies nodded then turned to walk quickly towards the stalls filled with frippery, Jane scrambling to keep up.

Mr. Bennet shook his head while Elizabeth and Mary sighed in resignation; there was no doubt in their minds who the youngest two Bennets took after, although all three has hopes that Kitty would grow out of her need to follow their mother's and Lydia's improper behavior.

"Well girls," Mr. Bennet offered a hand to each, "shall we be off? I would like to see if Mr. Rowel has any new books to offer." Each took the offered hand happily, and the threesome wondered off, not noticing the individual watching them from the shadow of the trees, radiating a bloodthirsty ambiance.

"'eh sir," one of the man's hired thugs called from behind him, pulling at the cravat the surrounded his neck. "Now, why do I gotta wear this noose-thing again? Not like I'm a hotty-totty 'ike the rest of 'em."

"Because you need to look like a passing gentleman, Hitchford, though not so ostentatious as to be remembered," the man said, pinching his nose. "Now do you and your counterpart remember the plan?"

"Yep sir," the thug grinned stupidly, showing his missing front teeth. "When no one is a lookin' set this," he points to the fuel-soaked kerchief tucked neatly into his front pocket, "alight then toss it onto the 'ay in the 'orses stall. That oughta get 'em riled up enough ta stampede. That's when Doug nudges your man inta the street where 'e'll be trampled. Then you inherit and we get our cut. We do get our cut right?"

"Of course you do," the man concurred even while plotting his accomplices deaths. "Off you go then," he continued, watching the brainless lug wander off to find his target. 'Finally,' he thought, his thin lips sliding into a ferocious smirk. 'I will get what rightfully is mine!'

Mr. Bennet, Elizabeth, and Mary left the bookseller's stall, each with one or two tombs in their arms.

"Well, my Lizzie, Mary, what did you buy?" Mr. Bennet asked, curious.

Elizabeth shrugged, "A book about crop-rotation I found somewhat interesting and another in Greek as it is the next language I would like to learn...I was actually hoping you could help me with that Papa. It is obvious you understand the language, given the number of books in your library that are written in Greek."

"That I do my dear, and would be happy to teach you," Mr. Bennet nodded, joyful that he would be able to share his wide breadth of knowledge with someone. "And you Mary?"

"Fordyce's Sermons," Mary replied quietly.

"Ah yes," Mr. Bennet acknowledged. "Just remember Mary, the words in that tomb you carry are only a single man's views of the way a lady should act. Some things are to be agreed with, others taken with a grain of salt. Do you understand Mary?" Mr. Bennet asked gently. Mary was not by any means the most intelligent of girls but Mr. Bennet held hope that she may, like Elizabeth, lean towards intellectual interests that he may assist her with. May hap she, unlike Elizabeth, would hold some interest in philosophy, a subject of which Elizabeth gave up long ago but he was terribly fond of.

"Yes, Papa," Mary acquitted.

"Right, well, both of you still have a fair share of money to use," Mr. Bennet said, adding up the sum of Elizabeth's books to just over a pound, and Mary's less than that. "Where else would you like to go?"

"I would like to see what Mrs. Gibbs has this year," Mary announced shyly. "Jane is fond of her pottery and I am sure we could find a piece she would like for her birthday."

"That is very sweet of you Mary," Mr. Bennet nodded proudly, thinking that perhaps his third daughter had more merit than he has previously accounted for. "I imagine you are like minded Lizzie? A gift for Jane?"

"Yes, and if something else catches my eye," Elizabeth secretly gestured towards Mary, in a way only Mr. Bennet would see, "I will buy that as well. I have been saving my pin money for an occasion such as this."

"In that case, to Mrs. Gibbs we go!"

Their time was nearly up when Elizabeth and Mary finished their shopping. Elizabeth had bought a charming silver necklace with a small emerald pendant for Jane, who would turn fifteen on the twenty-first of the month, as well as a petite beautifully carved jewelry box with a lock and key for Mary, whose tenth birthday was on February fifth. Elizabeth figured that even if Mary did not like frippery like their mother and sisters, that she could keep her monthly pin-money or trinkets inside the box so Lydia would not be able to abscond with them as she had in the past.

Mary, like she said she would, picked out a beautiful, petite horse sculpture made by Mrs. Gibbs. Regarding his daughter's awe and wonder at the artful pieces, Mr. Bennet wondered if his middle child held interest in the arts. Then and there he resolved to pick up the book on the subject, recommended to him by Mrs. Gibbs when he asked, as well as some charcoal and a sketch pad for her approaching birthday.

After each gift was wrapped and promised to be delivered to their carriage, Mr. Bennet and the girls maneuvered through the thickening crowd, to their previous decided meeting spot near the village.

"There you are!" Mrs. Bennet cried out. "Oh do you have no appreciation for my poor nerves? It is so unlike the three of you not to be prompt; I had thought you gone, kidnapped, or worse, dead. Oh how you make me suffer!"

"Yes, yes Fanny, dear," Mr. Bennet patted his wife's head indulgently, acknowledging that this time, he was in the wrong and would therefore not make sport at her senseless worries. "We are sorry. It took longer than I had imagined to move through the horde. Now shall we get a bite to eat before making our way over to the animals? You were correct earlier when you stated my wish to purchase a new horse or two; we also need a younger tom for the barn...I am afraid Jane's Mr. Tuddles is far too old to be chasing mice."

"Oh Papa, can we get a kitten or two?" Lydia pleads, Kitty joining her. "I so long for a kitten."

"We will see," Mr. Bennet said. 'Perhaps the added responsibility of caring for a young animal will in turn make the two of them more sensible. It is worth a shot, I suppose, and worse comes to worse, either Mary, Elizabeth, Jane or I will end up with the furry companion.'

"Perhaps we should head to the animals now," Mary said. For the first time in her life she had been intently listened to by her father and older sister and still felt comfortable enough to voice her opinions. "That way we can avoid loosing the better animals to someone else."

"Better idea," Mrs. Bennet voiced, "The girls and I will move to my sister's home for conversation and later, once you arrive, tea. Meanwhile, you take Lizzie to find your animals."

"I suppose..." Mr. Bennet replied thinking about how much similar it would be to find, bargain and purchase his objectives - including Mary's birthday present - without Mrs. Bennet's tittering in his ear. "I agree with one amendment: would anyone else like to join Elizabeth and I on our venture?"

"I would like to Papa," Kitty spoke up from behind Lydia.

"As would I," Mary added with a nod.

"Alright then," Mr. Bennet said, tabling his plan to purchase Mary's gift, putting it off until later. "Let us see if Mr. Hill would like to join us, shall we?"

Note:

So what do you think? I want to start off long before the Bingley's arrive in Hertfordshire. I promise that this will all make sense by chapter 3. please review :)