Boarding School Mayhem

A New Arrival

Hello! Welcome to my very first Pride & Prejudice fanfic. I hope you like it and leave me a review, I love hearing people's opinions on this stuff! Also, there's a link to the audiobook on my profile.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pride & Prejudice.

A New Arrival

It is a truth universally acknowledged that any smart, young man attending Pemberley Academy for the first time must be in want of a talented dance partner. Naturally, Rosing's Park School for girls maintained a steady supply. Mrs. Bennet, on the parents' committee for the third year in a row, first learnt the news and, either by a miraculous bout of amnesia or sheer determination, kept it to herself. Thus, none of the other mothers on the committee knew that Netherfield Park had now been let at last.

That is, except Lady Lucas, who had deigned to tell her all about it the previous afternoon! Such a lovely secret, one that had escaped the clutches of evil (the other mothers) now lived and breathed in Mrs Bennet. Lizzie's smiling eyes watched her mother all in a flurry to tell it. From where she was seated, she could see: Mrs Bennet was both nervous and grateful. However, on the corners of her suspicions, she wondered: how could such news present itself through a woman rather than through her own psychic knowing? The arrogance! She would not be played the fool unless... unless such a possibility was in fact impossible. She brushed the errant thought away as if shooing away a nosy maid or three.

"Girls! Girls! Girls!" Mrs Bennet broke her ruminating, (which she does both rarely and often, in her own way - it's hard to imagine her deep in thought, more like frolicking about) -

"Mother! Lydia took my saxophone and refuses to tell me where she hid it."

"Mother! Mary keeps telling vicious lies about me and things I certainly haven't done."

"Mother. Here, I made you a tea," said Jane in a calming voice, encouraging her mother to take a seat with her gentle, swan-like embrace as she lightly held her mother's frazzled form to stop her from combusting. Lizzie giggled at the scene, comfortably wedged into the window seat, mug in hand, observing the raindrops meandering down the thick glass and disappearing into the sill. Jane looked up at her and shook her head in playful reproach - their mother and sisters could be quite the handful.

"Ah, Mr Bennet!" The girls' father entered the room. "At last." Memories of Lady Lucas and the secret knowledge of a handsome Mr Bingley at once circled Mrs Bennet's imagination like a hawk. Nothing could stop her fluttering thoughts about how to tell Mr Bennet, and how pleased he will be, and what a shock it is when he's not. You see, Mr Bennet appeared to be in no mood for his wife's chatter - this was any onlooker's guess. For he had a secret of his own.

"My dear Mr Bennet, have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?"

Mr Bennet replied that he had not.

"Would you believe, Lady Lucas told me everything?"

Mr Bennet made no answer.

"For heaven's sake, are you not least bit interested to know who has taken it?"

"You wish to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."

"Oh, Mr Bennet! If you so insist -"

" - I didn't - " At this admission, Lizzie smothered a giggle. Mr Bennet winked.

" - A Charles Bingley! His mother is world-renowned neonatal surgeon, Cecelia Bingley. Their family owns a decent amount from her services and I am told their property portfolio is nothing to be scoffed at. He is said to have been so happy with Netherfield Park that he insisted upon him and his sisters taking up residence immediately!"

"Is he single?" Lydia enquired. Kitty smacked her.

"Ow!"

"But, yes! How very astute of you to ask, Lydia." Lizzie rolled her eyes. "How you remind me of myself when I was young... Like you I was so overlooked in preference of others," Mrs Bennett glanced sideways at Lizzie who appeared outwardly incredulous, if only to maintain her father's innocence; not so much from a place of heralding justice as to keep the peace.

"Overlooked? You mean, incredibly silly? Properly inclined to lose her ribbons before cracking open a book at some well-meaning point in her life?"

"Mr Bennet, I am shocked! How you abuse us! Lizzie is not better than the rest of us." Mildred, the Bennet house cat, meowed, as she had been bearing silent witness to the debriefing. Jane picked her up and nuzzled her. "But back to the story! I am delighted to report that Charles Bingley has, in fact, remained unattached for the last three years - isn't it wonderful, Mr Bennet?

"How so? How can it be wonderful for us?

"Oh Mr Bennet, how you vex me. Why, I plan to have him partnered with one of them for the upcoming interschool ball! If all goes to plan, they will stay together throughout the year and become engaged in the Summer! With no pesky former flame to interfere. How perfect!"

"Well, I'm glad you've got your hands full." Mr Bennett made to get up. "Time for some tea."