Remember the Past... - Chapter One

Read the Prologue here:

On a lazy autumn afternoon, not long before luncheon, the relative peace of Longbourn was shattered by Mama's return from seeing off Mrs Long and Aunt Phillips, who had been visiting. "Oh, my dear girls, have you heard? Netherfield Park is let at last!"

Even if Lydia had not heard the news from three different sources already - Uncle Phillips's hall boy, who was sweet on Longbourn's scullery maid; the stableboy at the Inn, who was walking out with Maggie, the ladies' maid shared by the five Bennet sisters; and the Netherfield Land Agent's Spinster sister, Miss Morris, who lived near the border of the two estates and had been something of a mentor when Lydia and her sisters first received their abilities - she would have suspected it.

Netherfield was stirring, as it had done occasionally over the years before settling again when Lydia walked the boundary with Lizzy, dancing joy and peace and rest while Lizzy radiated confidence and her most hostile stare in the direction of the estate. Even the stud bull had decided to settle until they were out of sight again, which Lydia found rather gratifying.

Hopefully this time the inhabitants would be either good-natured or strong-willed enough that the Dark Estate could not manifest it's malevolence through them. Unlike last time, when Sir Whoever-he-had-been lasted barely a week before succumbing so swiftly that the Bennet sisters had abruptly gained powers the very same day! Lydia was firmly of the opinion that if a man was so weak-willed as to fall prey that quickly, he lost all right to look down on those without a title.

Unfortunately, Society and her family had yet to see the wisdom or rightness of her opinion, but that was a common occurrence.

It was not that her sisters meant to be dismissive, Lydia was sure. For all their differences, the five of them shared a strong bond. But each of them had their biases, and Lydia was not an exception. She had never felt so alive, done nothing so worthwhile, as that battle ten years ago, and there was a part of her that hoped to be so useful again.

The magic that thrummed in every step when she danced had never truly faded, but she had felt it growing stronger, like when she and Kitty were practicing their steps, and the maid and footman started humming and tapping their feet. Kitty had no real opinion, unwilling to commit for or against Lydia's argument, but Mary firmly disagreed. "Netherfield has never awoken without a family in residence, and sometimes not even then. We should be glad that Evil tends toward social snobbery, but it is too early to concern ourselves."

"We defeated the Darkness not ten years ago, Lyddie," was Lizzy's opinion, "and soundly enough that I would not expect him back so soon."

Jane, of course, was inclined to look for the best in others, "We do not know that the Darkness will find a host among our new neighbours. You should not think so meanly of them before you meet them."

Perhaps it was wishful thinking on their part, or perhaps it was the fact that they had not seen what Lydia had.

The Bennet sisters divided the tenant visits between them, Mama having less of a constitution for the task. Jane took the tenants nearest Longbourn, as she was more often called upon when Mama needed something. Lizzy, with her fondness for rambles and utter fearlessness, visited the Gamekeeper and Groundskeeper's families, and those poorest tenants who lived in the charcol-burner's huts and worked on the home farm. Mary taught the children too young to attend the Parish School their letters and numbers, and basic prayers if their parents could not read. Kitty and Lydia split the rest between them, with Lydia taking those tenants near the border of Longbourn and Netherfield.

Lydia had yet to witness any warning signs that couldn't also be explained away as her own imagination or coincidence, but the stories the tenants told her, increasingly dire the closer they dwelled to Netherfield, were clear. Shadows unattached to any object, otherworldly lights and noises in the night, cows and goats giving sour milk... it all pointed to Netherfield stirring, which only occurred when the Park was inhabited, or about to be.

Whatever Lydia's sisters might have thought or hoped, Lydia saw no harm in the caution of keeping an eye and ear out for signs that the Darkness might return.

Much like one did not court a red nose the week before a ball or assembly by going walking in the early morning mist or under an overcast sky - unless one were Lizzy, whom even trifling colds feared to accost - Lydia was of the opinion that those whose schoolroom years were almost sacrificed to the fight against Evil would be more cautious, for fear that her marriageable years might follow the same path. How horrid it should be, to have to sit out dances for fear that she might be summoned to battle in the minutes between sets, or be unable to commit to Dinner invitations! Even as the foremost family of Longbourn, some things could not be overlooked, and the reciprocity of invitations was one of them.

Old Mrs Black, who squatted in the old Hermitage and occasionally dispensed rambling prophecies, had been sixteen when Netherfield woke and she gained powers to battle it. She and her twin, then the Morris sisters had spent so long battling the dark forces back into the underworld that they were considered well and truly on the shelf by the time the estate settled, and only Mr Black, the third of their trio, would consider marrying one of them.

Thank heaven that Lydia's partners in magic and opposing the forces of darkness were her own sisters, and not random strangers that might lead to rumours of ruin!

Belatedly, Lydia realised that Mama had finished speaking, and was awaiting their responses. She pasted a smile that she did not feel onto her face, and bounced in her seat, "I care not how great or little their fortunes are, as long as they host a ball while they are here!"

Lizzy cast an amused look in her direction, "I daresay you shall care about their fortunes, for a man of little means should be too prudent to bear the expense of a ball. You may have to settle for a card party."

There were times that Lizzy had a little too much of Papa's wit. Lydia pulled a face at her being Mama's back, while Kitty coughed to hide her amusement at the banter. "Oh, do not tease, Lizzy! He must be able to afford a ball, or he could not have leased Netherfield!"

Mama beamed, "Quite so, my dears! We shall go to the modiste tomorrow, for you must look your best when you are introduced to them!"

Mary and Kitty exchanged glances, which Lydia interpreted as planning to cover the new dresses in subtle embroidery, protections worked into every stitch. Mary opened a book whose cover proclaimed Fordyce's Sermons, though a peek at the pages showed them to be covered in runic arrays. Kitty produced her sketch book, a rough sketch of a floral scroll that concealed many of those same runes in the leaves and petals.

Lydia's smile was more genuine this time. "Oh, that is lovely! Will you help me embroider it later?"

Papa pinched the bridge of his nose and departed swiftly to his bookroom, having very little patience for talk of dresses and embroidery. Lydia had waited and watched for almost ten years; she could be patient a little longer, especially if Duty and Destiny threatened to disrupt her social life by pounding on the metaphorical door.

Really, had Higher Powers no sense of propriety and decorum?

I have an outline for how this story will go, but I also have several other projects in the works, so I can't promise anything in terms of regular updates.

Read the next chapter here...