DISCLAIMER Start

This Fanfiction is not an identical copy to Pride and Prejudice. If you're looking for that, I'd suggest buying the book and enjoying words directly from Jane Austen instead of I, the Unpredictable Muse, or this site. This fanfiction is a work of art created by the Unpredictable Muse for her entertainment, posted to for the enjoyment of others for free. Any alterations the Unpredictable Muse makes to the Canon material is of her choice and will not be fully disclosed unless absolutely necessary, as it will ruin the story being told.

For those of you who are new, I have other stories that you may like to read. For those of you who do not like my work, you are under no obligation to continue reading.

Please remember I am not British and therefore will not be 100% accurate all the time on a time period I did not grow up in or in a country that I have never experienced in person.

HEA for Elizabeth B. and Fitzwilliam D. Non-canon compliant, but general world compliant.

Disclaimer End

Prologue

Once upon a time, in a 'kingdom' known as Hertfordshire, a gentleman known as Mr. Loftus Bennet inherited Longbourn estate. No longer at the mercy of his father, Mr. Bennet celebrated the annual income of 2,000 pounds by choosing to take a wife. He sought a woman he'd love for the rest of his life. Miss Sarah Tuttlehoss walked into his life, a simple lady with a simple desire to lead a happy life. Two weeks into their acquaintance, he offered his hand and she accepted. Scandal raced across Hertfordshire on the lips of jealous mothers and bitter ladies with high hopes while the economically gapped couple fell violently in love. The first four months of their marriage passed in a blink of an eye.

Begrudgingly, Meryton accepted Sarah Bennet nee Tuttlehoss as the rightful wife of Loftus Bennet, a once most eligible bachelor the property of every mother's daughter in the county. Mrs. Bennet's poor past haunted her future connections, limiting her acquaintances to her childhood acquaintances and the ladies of bold social risks.

A round of rumors hinting of the true paternity of Mrs. Bennet's unborn child slipped through Mr. Bennet's heavenly high spirits. He turned a blind eye and ear to the whispers surrounding his choice of wife and embraced the future with a loving heart and open arms.

Thirteen months later, Mr. Bennet welcomed Baby Simon into . Bennet died hours after a wet nurse rocked Simon to sleep on her breast.

A year passed.

Mr. Bennet watched his baby boy grow from helpless bundle of joy to a teetering tottering toddler always on the brink of exploring dangerously. His heart healed, and he acknowledged that he needed a mother for his baby boy. Miss Hester Gardiner marched into his life with purpose.

Her beauty turned his head and chased away his common sense. He offered marriage four weeks into their acquaintance. Hester Bennet met Simon the day after their marriage tour to London. Loving and kind whenever her husband inhabited the same room as them, she turned ugly the second the nanny left her alone with Simon. Sixteen months old, Hester smacked Simon for spilling her tea. The witness, Mrs. Long, reported the abuse to Mr. Long and Mr. Long relayed it to Mr. Bennet the following afternoon in a face to face meeting rare for the anti-social man.

Meryton and all of Hertfordshire heard not a peep from Mrs. Hester Bennet or Longbourn for three months.

Soon after Jane was conceived. Simon 'disappeared' as his half-sister entered Longbourn by storm - literally. Born in the middle of a thunderstorm, Jane Bennet inherited all the beauty Hester Bennet paraded as the key to her rise in wealth. Hopeful for a boy, Mrs. Bennet ignored Simon's existence, doted on Jane, and became pregnant with her second child a month after Jane's birth.

Mrs. Hester Bennet hired a separate wet nurse to tend to Jane. When Mrs. Hill asked why, the cold glare and threat of removal silenced the newly appointed housekeeper.

Witness to the different standards within the walls of Longbourn, Mrs. Hill doted on Simon and secretly fed him sweets before meal times. In the rare moments of peace and affection, he grew attached to the young woman fortunate enough to have a cousin who worked at Netherfield Park and became aware of the open position at Longbourn.

Fear for Mrs. Bennet and a hatred for angelic Jane seeded underneath Loftus Bennet's nose. Too busy building and fixing cottages on the estate, he trusted his second wife understood her place under his roof and would not lay another hand on his son. His naivety ignored the emotional and mental abuse she inflicted on the young boy without restraint. Not all stood against Simon Bennet, a child who never knew his true mother. When the Gardiners visited, Simon played with Edward Gardiner, Hester's elder brother. Years later, the same uncle would help pay for his time at

Raised by two different standards, Mrs. Bennet spared the rod with Jane only. Simon learned to fear and hate his stepmother. His hatred for Jane seeded from the favoritism Mrs. Bennet boasted of despite the open disapproval of her acquaintances in Meryton and extended family located in London.

"She is the most handsome girl child I have laid eyes upon, Mrs. Bennet." Lady Lucas complimented upon first seeing Jane two months after Jane's birth. "No gentleman in all of England will be able to resist her beauty and charms."

"When wealth is lacking and charms are all a lady has to recommend oneself, beauty is a desirable asset." Miss Long declared.

Mrs. Bennet wasn't satisfied. On the off chance Mr. Loftus Bennet's first born died – likely of a childhood illness or cold – she needed a son to inherit Longbourn. Blooded family protected mothers from forceful eviction from their marriage homes. Blooded family protected widows.

And so she treated her stepson with a coolness born of paranoia he may betray her when Mr. Loftus Bennet perished and joined his family in the heavens.

Two years later, he held his second sister in his arms a brief moment before his father announced Little Lizzy looked just like him. Simon snuck into Little Lizzy's nursery a week later while the wet nurse slept and reached his little hand in the bassette. Swaddled in a warm blanket handmade by Mrs. Hill, her chest rose and fell evenly. His finger fit perfectly in her curled tiny hand. From that moment forward, Simon understood in his young heart that no adult heart ever could. You can't hate the baby for being born. You can only be the best big brother a little sister needed.

Meryton loved Elizabeth Bennet. Unlike Jane, her personality burst into the world in flashes of boldness unpleasurable to polite society. She laughed too loud, played too rough, and preferred mud and sticks to pretty dresses and dolls. Jane's delicate choices framed the elder sister as the more desirable choice – though both promised to become beautiful ladies fit for any man to admire.

When Mary, Catherine, and Lydia were born, Simon hovered near them and showed them how to find trouble - trouble he was always blamed for regardless of who initiated the search for it. By the age of boarding school, he accepted Mrs. Hester Bennet could never love him.

Boarding school rescued Simon's confidence and reminded him that good hearted people lived in the world. Absent fathers were almost every young boy's complaint at the boarding school. Meeting John Brooks, a boy whose father worked on the docks in a harbor city and sent money home to his wife, commiserated with Simon. The two soon became best of friends, inseparable except under extreme measures beyond their control.

Mrs. Bennet turned wholly evil once the midwife informed Mr. Bennet if she bore another child the birth would kill her and the child. Mr. Bennet, pleased with one son and five daughters, accepted the fact that only one son would continue the bloodline.

Mrs. Bennet declared war on Simon for one day usurping her position of power in the house.

Returning home early after exceeding academic expectations in studies, Simon set his sights on university. He decided on becoming an architect after studying the Greek and roman structures in school.

His first day home as a graduate of schooling begrudged to him by an absent father and bitter stepmother unveiled the horror his sisters lived in. A suitor called upon Jane, now a young lady 'out' and paraded at public assemblies like a rare breed of dog hoarded by the wealthy. Elizabeth no longer resisted pretty dresses and neatly arranged hair and contained her enthusiasm and love of the world to a tolerable level energy for the polite society of Meryton's influential class. Mary's shyness and piety protected her from her mother's schemes, while Kitty and Lydia ran amuck with no censure or visible concern from his father and stepmother.

"I pine for the day I am not ordered to be amiable to any gentleman with respectable annual income." Lizzy complained to Simon a week before his uncle helped raise the funds for Simon to start his advanced education. "Mama is the reason no gentleman will marry us. What inducement is 1,000 pounds after her death? We will be spinsters!"

He laughed at her sudden concern and thought it unbefitting to dwell on such negative thoughts for her own beauty.

Before he departed for London first, then to Oxford, his stepmother remarked upon his high marks from his boarding school with pointed skepticism.

"On the contrary, were it not for you, Mrs. Bennet, I would not have strived for excellence." He announced in the rare presence of his father. "I should thank you for my improved relationship with Uncle Gardiner. His generosity and prudent spending, along with father's small contribution, will greatly aide this family in the future."

Her face twisted into disgust. "A purchased performance will not buy excellent marks at Oxford, Simon."

He smirked and bowed his head to her. "How have you stumbled upon the conclusion they were purchased? We can ask my father-"

She shot him a dirty look and walked away. Simon ended the confrontation as soon as it showed promise and mournfully

"With all due respect, Mrs. Bennet, I'd have more respect for you than to throw you to the cold." Simon replied in kind, loathing the woman with every part of his being. His father cocked his head at him and he bowed to the man who promised to pay for university and then reneged.

Shortly after Simon departed for London, Mr. Robinson, a man of moderate income and promising future, approached Mrs. Bennet with an offer of marriage to Jane. For his own amusement, Mr. Bennet permit the courtship. Jane received his attentions mutely, as she received most male appreciation, and wrote to Simon of the violation of social standards and expectations. Simon wrote his Uncle Gardiner to report the alarming curious event. Further report from Jane and Elizabeth confirmed Mr. Robinson offered to the 15 year old lady. Mr. Bennet recovered his sanity and ordered the end of the courtship, relieving Jane of the questionable Mr. Robinson.

Years passed, and Simon continued his education at Oxford with the charity of Uncle Phillips, Uncle Gardiner, and the small contributions from his father supported him to another early graduation and return to Hertfordshire.

Mr. Robinson returned, a man settled in his career and wealthier by hundreds of pounds in annual income, at the same time Simon assumed the role of assisting his father at Longbourn. The two met at a public assembly by coincidence.

Jane walked into view while Simon inquired as to his good fortunes.

"As a man of lower birth, I trust you understand my position, Mr. Bennet. Law is the only true path a gentleman such as I can elevate myself." He boasted, sloshing his punch onto his hand. "I entered the profession after your sister's refusal. Miss Bennet stole my heart with her good breeding and immeasurable beauty and turned me away without the slightest regard my wellbeing and the scandal of being refused."

Simon shook his head, aware of the eyes on him the half drunk Mr. Robinson.

"Miss Bennet!" He stumbled across the dance floor, evaded Sir William Lucas, and spilled half the punch down Jane's blossom colored gown.

Throwing himself in between Jane and the man of legal harassment, he pressed the drunk back by his shoulder. "I thought you were a gentleman, Mr. Robinson, not an honorless drunk."

Elizabeth pulled Jane out of the firing range.

"You have no right to intervene, Simon."

"We were classmates, Mr. Robinson, not confidantes." Simon stepped back slowly. "What would the Parson say to this?"

Mr. Robinson tossed the rest of the punch in Simon's face. "Bennets are all the same - greedy and heartless w-"

The rest of the sentence was never finished. Simon broke his hand in the punch that knocked out Mr. Robinson. The ballroom fell silent, it seemed, and for a brief second in time, Meryton didn't know how to respond. The next week, Simon departed for London to work with his Uncle Gardiner, Jane and Elizabeth hid at Longbourn, and Mrs. Bennet called upon the Robinsons to beg their forgiveness for Simon's thoughtless actions.

Simon never expected a man of exception wealth to enter Hertfordshire, especially while he stayed in London until the scandal of the Public Assembly passed into short term memory of its residents.