Alias Thomas Bennet Read Online Free PDF Page B

She spoke to him in dismissive or taunting tones and was fierce in her arguments, endeavouring to demonstrate that her intelligence and knowledge were equal to challenging his. Darcy observed Elizabeth in her home as well as at several social occasions in the neighbourhood and had come to admire her unique beauty, wit and vivacity.
    Bingley’s attention was fixed on Miss Jane Bennet. Not only did he consider her the most beautiful girl in the county, he also admired her quiet and calm demeanour. He learned that Mr. Bennet actively involved Jane in the management of the estate, making use of her aptitude for solving disputes and skill in adjudication. Just turned two-and-twenty, Jane had a good grasp of the financial and legal issues required of a gentleman farmer and often accompanied her father as he toured the estate. What Bingley did not know was that she had already turned down one very attractive offer of courtship, with both of her parents’ support, because her affection was not engaged.
    Elizabeth was, without a doubt, the most intelligent of the girls. Many young men were not inclined to court her as they were intimidated by her intellect. She was unconventional and adventurous, a trait shared with her lively youngest sister, Lydia. However, she also had strong beliefs in compassion, loyalty and propriety that tempered her daring and kept her from reckless escapades. Mr. Bennet shared his interest in the newest discoveries with Elizabeth, and they read the latest scientific pamphlets, including The New System of Chemical Philosophy.
    The middle girl, Mary, was also intelligent and, like Jane, reserved and calm. Although quieter in social settings, Mary Bennet was clearly the most accomplished musically, playing several instruments. She was dedicated to her own improvement by practice and extensive reading. Mary’s intellectual companion, Henry Lucas, the second son of the Bennets’ nearest neighbour, attended Cambridge. Due to their mutual interest in religion and philosophy, they studied together when he was home from university. It was expected they would become betrothed once Henry graduated and obtained a situation to train as a barrister.
    The two youngest girls, Catherine and Lydia, were not yet out in society, having completed only sixteen and fifteen years respectively. Catherine was creative and studied with an art master. She was frequently at her mother’s side offering advice on remaking gowns and bonnets, and her sketches were said to rival the fashion plates of the latest magazines from London. Easily influenced by others, Catherine pursued the interests of all her sisters and, since they were closest in age, had a preference for spending most of her time with Lydia.
    Lydia was robust and handsome. She had a love of performing and a gift for memorization, word games, and languages. She enjoyed creating rebuses and charades for her sisters to solve, and she was considered the most entertaining when reciting poetry and acting in plays in the drawing room of Longbourn in the evenings. This talent was reserved for family since she was not yet out. Her vivacity made her a favourite with the young girls in Meryton, and though her imagination and impulsiveness sometimes led her into trouble, her exuberance was charming enough to excuse her. She was sometimes too outgoing, boisterous, and impetuous, and her sisters often had to admonish her for her forwardness. She and Elizabeth tamed their energy together with a daily walk in the countryside of a duration that would exhaust many others.
    ***
    Mr. Bennet called his wife to his study to discuss a letter he received from the cousin who currently stood to inherit Longbourn. He watched Mrs. Bennet’s expression become more incredulous as she read the missive.
    “Fanny, what is this disagreement he refers to, and what is its basis?”
    “The long-standing disagreement was between old Mr. Bennet and old Mr. Collins. I do not recall ever knowing its source, but