WARNING This story contains a number of adult themes and has an alcohol assisted seduction in Part 1: Chapter 6.

Please do not read this story if that is in any way unsettling for you, or at very minimum, read down to the warning in the Chapter and then skip straight to Chapter 7, which starts at the morning afterwards.

Authors Note: There are many P&P stories, by any number of authors, that have made me laugh, cry, or just yell at Elizabeth, Darcy or both - the sum total of these are what inspired me to have a go myself. However, I feel I've been a bit remiss in not mentioning one specific Fan Fiction that directly inspired the plot of this story - so I've decided to correct this.

So to Beth AM and your published work Goodly Creatures as a paperback or Kindle book - go look it up - I strongly recommend buying it - (but many will remember it as as "Brave New World of Toil and Trouble" on DWG - that is how I read it a number of years ago) my heartfelt thanks for your idea. I was inspired it, then took her initial idea and put my own spin on it, this story would not exist without her wonderful story first. Please note: There is a warning on her fiction for a reason, as is mine. (Additional note for those that seem overly picky about copyright issues - BethAM has given her explicit permission for me to publish this story that was inspired by hers - if at any stage she withdraws this permission, I will be taking it down.)

To all the other authors, in reality too many to mention, you've showed me the highest quality of writing can be produced by an 'amateur' from the shear joy of doing it - I continue to enjoy reading your work, even as I write my own. Thank you.

And in many ways, to the readers, in particular those that leave reviews - knowing that I've got people wanting to read the next chapter certainly spurs me on.

Thank you.

Stephen

FLAG: Fanfiction Book Maker

If you would prefer to read my story in an ebook format, which you might find easier to read, or allow you to read it offline, use the online site I use:

flagfic . com

FLAG is an online tool for downloading fanfiction in an ebook form. It will fetch stories from any of a number of popular fanfiction websites (including this one), compile the story into a file suitable for reading on an ebook reader, and allow you to download this file.

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Part 1, The Ingénue: Chapter 1

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1806 Longbourn, Hertfordshire. Estate of Thomas Bennet

"Great news Mrs Bennet, I have received a positive reply from your brother, Mr Gardiner, so will be leaving soon."

Silence and stares of incomprehension met Mr Bennet's opening gambit. His aim to disrupt the usual lively discussion around the morning table achieved.

Mrs Bennet recovered fastest. "I am to be an aunt again!" a happy Mrs Bennet replied, "I wonder when she's due..."

"Why did you write to Uncle, papa?" interrupted Elizabeth, realising that Mr Bennet must have initiated the correspondence to get a reply.

"I asked him to engage an Attorney recommended by your Uncle Phillips, to see what can be done about the entail". Mr. Bennet's property was an estate of two thousand a year, which, unfortunately for his daughters, was entailed, in default of male heirs, on a distant relation.

"Oh, how wonderful if it was ended, as I am sure Mr Collins will turn us all out of the house as soon as you are gone. Why your father could, in good conscience, entail away an estate from your own daughters, I cannot understand; and to your odious cousin, Mr. Collins! Why should he have it more than our girls? If he can be easy with an estate that is not lawfully his own, he must surely be completely unfeeling. I should be ashamed of having one that was only entailed on me!"

Mrs. Bennet often railed against the injustice of the entail, and her views were always articulated with a great deal of passion and sentiment. Thankfully, Mr. Bennet's follow up to his opening sally, was enough to stop her increasingly shrill comments.

"Ending it is the idea, so I will have to go to London in three weeks time, maybe for two or three months".

"What a fine thing for our girls!"

"How so? How can it affect them?"

"You must take us to London with you, Jane can have a season, and I suppose Elizabeth as well."

"Must I?"

"Of course you must, how else will they meet eligible gentlemen, there are precious few here. Sir Lucas and his wife went with Charlotte last season."

"And see how well that turned out."

"Charlotte is a dear, but you must own she is very plain. Lady Lucas herself has often said so, and envied me Jane's beauty. I do not like to boast of my own child, but to be sure, Jane—one does not often see anybody better looking. It is what everybody says. I do not trust my own partiality."

Mr Bennet had resolved to avoid taking Mrs Bennet to London, wanting to avoid the raptures, histrionics and constant prattling about all manner of ladies finery. He had no reservations about his two daughter's accompanying him, and was sure they would rather staying with the Gardeners as a holiday, as they had done before, rather than partake of the season with their mother.

"But how will that help them, I have arranged to stay with the Gardener's, and they certainly do not have room for all of us."

"But we will not need to stay with my brother. You will engage a house for all of us."

"How do you think I can afford such a cost?"

"Well I know how to practice economy, and I have some of my portion still available, so even if you do not wish to afford it, I can."

Mr Bennet, being thwarted at his first attempt to dissuade Mrs Bennet from her course of action, switched tactics. ""Even if we did, a London season is not the place for girls as young as ours, there are too many dangers, they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but I suppose Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters."

"Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own daughters in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves."

"You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves." He said as he got up and moved from the table.

"They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these last fifteen years at least." This statement was punctuated with the sound of the door closing firmly behind him.

His resolve was sorely tested first by Mrs Bennet's continual sniping and wailing, but he was ultimately unmoved by her. The girls, other than Jane, joined their mother to trying to persuade him, seeing the endless possibilities for adventure and socialisation. Given Mr Bennet's fears for their safety, this was generally counterproductive.

He retreated into his library, avoiding his family except at meal times, and sometime not even then. For the first time, Elizabeth found herself unwelcome in what she had considered to be as much her space as her father's. After two weeks he was still adamantly against the girls having a season, even at the sight of Elizabeth's obvious disappointment at his continued rejection of the scheme.

Shortly before the original departure date when Jane, who had stayed out of the discussions, as was her way, in a quiet moment knocked on his door and asked to speak to him.

"What is it child?" He said, looking up from his desk.

Jane approached tentatively, eyes glistening.

"Please Papa, would you please consider Mama's suggestion. I would like the chance to meet someone."

"Someone nice".

This request, from his most selfless daughter, was the first time Mr Bennet resolve wavered. While still trying to compose a reply that would let Jane down gently, she added;

"Maybe if it was just Mama, Elizabeth and I? I have spoken with Aunt Phillips and Lady Lucas. Aunt Phillips is happy to have Mary, and ... and Lady Lucas says she is willing have Kitty and Lydia. I will ensure that Mama spends the entire time out with us, or at least me, so you will get as much peace as you need to concentrate on overturning the entail, for all our sakes."

His intended answer of no died unspoken.

His silence un-nerved her. "Please Papa".

She looked almost in tears,

"Please..."

Mr Bennet was caught, Jane often pleaded with him on behalf her sisters, but not since she was a small child had she begged for something for herself.

Mr Bennet stood and came round the desk to embrace his daughter.

"Yes, yes, we... that is your mother, Lizzy and you will go to London"

"Oh, thank you", Jane said into his chest.

Mr Bennet kissed her lightly on the top of her head. "There, there dear, go inform your mother we will be leaving as soon as I can arrange a house." Eyes glistening, although this time with happiness, Jane could only nod her head as she was released. With a final shy smile to her father Jane shakily walked out. Mr Bennet followed as far as the door and listened. Within a minute Mrs Bennet's loud exclamations of joy echoed through the house. As the good news spread and the noise level slowly climbed, Mr Bennet closed the door on the commotion and returned to his desk.

Over the next few weeks each member of the household carried on as usual for them:

Mr Bennet, an odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice. He enjoyed the many opportunities for sarcastic comments, usually at his wife's expense, that the disruption his change of decision had caused. His only actual positive action was to write to his brother-in-law to engage a suitable house, leaving the entire thing to his discretion. This lackadaisical attitude to his family's welfare had become his habit. It had started when the complications during the birth of his last child, who was a born another daughter, prevented Mrs Bennet from conceiving again, preventing him having an heir to keep the estate in the family. Initially it was just with his estate, entailed on someone else, but with time this attitude pervaded everything he did. Only in his interactions with Elizabeth, who was treated as almost a de-facto son, did he seem to care.

Mrs Bennet, a woman of mean understanding, little knowledge, and uncertain temper, this was one step towards the fulfilment of the business of her life which was to get her daughters married. That very afternoon she set off to praise, to all and sundry, her husband's good nature and generosity, completely forgetting that only a day ago she had been bemoaning the opposite. Her nervous disposition was not helped by Mr Bennet's sardonic utterances, that often led her to believe he had changed his mind yet again, before Jane or Elizabeth were able to reassure her, their father did not actually mean what he had just said. When it came to the preparation and organisation needed for the trip, she was generally ineffective. However, she was blessed with an extremely competent housekeeper in Mrs Hill, who more or less arranged everything for her.

Jane, the eldest at 17 was a sweet, sensible girl that had almost fully reached womanhood. Acknowledged as the beauty of the family, and indeed the whole neighbourhood, she suffered from a surfeit of attention which, rather than feeding her vanity, made her feel uncomfortable. Her gentle and caring nature and inability to think bad of people meant she responded politely but passively, hoping her gallants would just leave her alone. With no suitable local suitors Jane hoped that she could find love and romance in London. Knowing her father's reluctance to visit Town, she realised this was most likely her only chance for a London Season. This she kept to herself, so no one had any idea of her desires and the excitement building in her breast as she calmly assisted Hill with the day to day duties her mother, in a state of constant over-excitement, neglected. Jane spent the time helping her mother and sisters pack or as a mediator when the youngest sisters squabbled over clothing, bonnets and ribbons.

Elizabeth, the next eldest at 15, was a lively, intelligent girl, still growing into womanhood. Pretty rather than beautiful, particularly in comparison with Jane, her wit and extraverted nature meant she was popular and had many friends. The child most like her father in intelligence and temperament, Elizabeth was treated almost like a son, so given much greater latitude in what she was allowed to do than usual for a well-bred young lady. Considered a bit of a hoyden, still she never stepped over the line into impropriety. Elizabeth could always pick when her father was teasing his wife, so the role of blunting his sarcastic comments most often fell to her. When not needed to deal with her mother, she spent her time while assisting with preparations excitedly thinking about all the various attractions in London she had read about that she intended to see.

Mary, at 13, was neither particularly pretty, intelligent nor lively and was often overlooked. She had recently set herself the goal to learn to play the pianoforte, so she would have at least something to recommend her. As Mrs Phillips was coming to Longbourn to mind the place while the Bennet's were in London, she did not have to do anything. While she did venture to occasionally be useful to Jane and Elizabeth, she used her piano practice to avoid assisting, or even being with, her two younger sisters.

Lydia and Kitty, 10 and 11 respectively, were still young girls. Although the youngest, Lydia was the obvious leader, and where Lydia went, Kitty followed. Lydia was the daughter closest in nature to Mrs Bennet, and was expected to grow into the beauty her mother had once been. Spoilt and childish, she used her mother preference over her sisters as a weapon, most often at Kitty or Mary's expense. Kitty, though older, was shorter than Lydia, and was often assumed to be the younger, and in many ways lived up to that expectation. Both were equally excitable as their mother, and even though they were only going to the Lucas's in the nearby town of Meryton, they caused the greatest amount of work, constantly changing what they would pack and arguing over clothes, "borrowing" their sister's items unasked and generally making a nuisance of themselves.

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As with any author I love to read your reviews.

To help me improve my writing, could you consider answering the following if you post a review :
- What parts did you most enjoy?
- Were there any parts you didn't like, or think out of place?
- Were there any parts you thought "what was that about"?
- Do the various characters seem to be as you imagine them to be from P&P?

Plus one to answer now:
- There is a young unmarried mother in this story - could you have guess at who it will be?