“Oh, what a good joke! No one will guess tomorrow I’ll be Mrs. Lydia Wickham. I, the youngest sister, first to be married. Mama will be so happy!”  Lydia Bennet turns to the lit candle on the nightstand and blows out the flame. With her room completely dark, she is positive no one in the ...

The fire is roaring, but I hardly feel the heat as my body shivers. My skin is hot yet refuses to sweat, indicating a fever has set in. Doctor Jones is being fetched at Mr. Bingley’s insistence, but this gives me little comfort. I am in a stranger’s bed, in a borrowed nightgown, and being ...

I am lying on the bedcovers, my white dressing gown glowing in the moonlight spilling from the open window. A slight breeze swirls the curtains and a chill runs down my spine. My chest rises and falls as if I had just run across the lawn of Longbourn. A few moments of silence pass when ...

The carriage comes to a stop along the busy road, and I can see crowds of people through the window. I lift the curtain as I gaze at the front entrance of the Royal Menagerie. Young parties and families blend together to enter as one. The attendant lowers the steps to the carriage, snapping me ...

Gentle breathing fills the room, with Jane already falling asleep a few hours ago. I, on the other hand am so restless that sleeping feels like an impossibility. My mind whirls with thoughts of Mr. Darcy, of all people. It’s been several weeks since our encounter, yet the image of him is fresh. Part of ...

I sit on the divan next to the picture window and stare down the front gravel drive. I’m not quite sure why I continue to do this every day. Each morning, mama voices her concern over our situation and how the entailment is no issue if I secure an engagement with him. Every time I ...