It is a truth universally acknowledged that an heiress in possession of a large fortune draws suitors quicker than sugar draws ants, no matter the physical appearance of said heiress; what is a wart or a hairy mole on the nose compared to a hundred thousand pounds?

Elizabeth Bennet was one such heiress. However, nature had the good graces to bless her with a passably pretty face and alabaster complexion. That morning, her hair, of a rather mousy brown colour (or if one were to be poetical, of a cinnamon colour with hints of butterscotch, but really it was just plain brown) was arranged in its usual fashion, a simple bun with bits of curls draping over the back of her neck as was in fashion during her mother's youth. Her attire was simple: a plain sky blue muslin dress trimmed with lace around the edges. Presently, she lay reclined on a sofa-yawning through a novel she had already read twice- in one of the many drawing rooms in Egdon hall. Why is life so dull? thought young Elizabeth. Why couldn't Egdon hall be raided by pirates? Why couldn't prince charming hurry up and come already? Where was her fairy godmother?

And as usual she answered those questions swimming round her mind with a heavy sigh. It was just another dull morning.

Egdon hall was situated in Homerstott, a quiet country town where the days were long and the nights, remarkably short. The inhabitants of the hall consisted of Elizabeth, her aunt, Lady Bennet and Charleston, the thoroughly indulged Yorkshire terrier. When not lying on a silk covered cushion, the pampered pooch was found either perched on his mistress's lap or in the chicken coop chasing after a stream of clucking hens.

Lady Bennet's niece was born an orphan, and since she herself was unmarried and without children, Elizabeth was taken under her wing and spoiled by her doting aunt. Ponies, dollies, castles, chocolates, bonbons, et cetera, were thrown at the child's feet. However, instead of being found rambunctious and capricious like other young girls of her rank, little Lizzie was unnaturally shy. This was first discovered by her aunt when a cousin of Lady Bennet's brought her children over to play with Elizabeth, who was then eleven. Instead of being delighted at finding children of her own age to play with, little Lizzie stole her timid face behind a curtain and ran back up to her room.

At tea when hunger finally made her surrender and come out of hiding, Lady Bennet forced her niece to sit down with her cousins for awhile.

"No!" the little girl shouted in terror. "Lizzie, they're your cousins and after supper, you can show little Diana your doll house, you-"

"But they're different…they won't like me, they won't-"

"Of course they'll love you! What made you get such an idea as that child?"

The little girl looked down at her feet and fumbled with her ribbons, not knowing how to explain her reasoning. Taking this as a positive sign, Lady Bennet clasped the child by the arm dragged her unwilling niece out into the garden.

Later that week, after the Tidburys' departure, Lady Bennet found her niece picking at a mushroom in the garden.

"See. You finally made friends with Diana."

Lizzie continued picking harder at the mushroom.

"She's such an angel of a child! Looks just like her mother…"

The mushroom was uprooted and lay at the child's feet.

"I've got their address so you can write to her."

Lizzie turned around to face her aunt.

"But I don't like her." She couldn't have said it plainer.

"Lizzie! What a thing to say! I've never seen a more charming good-natured little girl."

"She broke Beatrice's head off. And Ralph* says he hates her too."

Her aunt sighed and took her by the arm.

"I'm sure it was an accident. Come inside now or else you'll catch cold."

Though six years had done much to Elizabeth's physical appearance, her temperament remained quite unchanged. She still was quite timid except when she was in the company of her aunt or close friends.

And now, as I have done my duty and explained a brief history of our diffident heroine, let the story begin. However, if her history was not clear, I have written down a very summarized version of it below:

1803- Elizabeth Bennet was born

1803- Margeret Bennet (Elizabeth's mother) passed away

1803- Lady Bennet (Late 's sister, an heiress) 'adopts' Elizabeth

*Ralph – A stuffed teddy bear