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Visitors to Longbourn with Christmas Presents!

Lydia Bennet's Online Diary.
At this time of the year I always read Pride and Prejudice and I thought it would be fun to see what Lydia is thinking about all the goings on at Longbourn. Lydia's online diary starts just before Mr Bingley arrives and finishes where my novel, Lydia Bennet's Story, begins.

Wednesday, December 23rd, 1801

At last Mr Collins left us on Saturday and in his stead my Aunt and Uncle Gardiner have arrived from London today. When my mother stopped talking and mithering my aunt long enough for her to catch her breath, she was able to sit down and give us all our Christmas presents. I have a beautiful amethyst cross on a gold chain, which came in a box lined with green velvet and tied with a scarlet ribbon. Mama received a pair of cameo earrings, papa, a court calendar bound in Morocco, Jane, a gold locket, Lizzy, a topaz cross on a gold chain, Kitty, a cut coral necklace and Mary, a gold twisted ring and some music. We were all delighted.

I am very fond of my aunt but I must add that she does tend to favour Jane and Lizzy rather too much for my liking - they are often to be found closeted away somewhere having secret conversations of their own which Kitty, Mary and I are excluded from. She is always a most generous and affable aunt but I have sometimes caught her watching me, wearing an expression of plain disapproval. I am a little wary in her company and indeed I find that mama with whom I can usually do no wrong is constantly finding fault or reprimanding me when her brother and sister are in attendance, as if she sees me anew through their critical eyes.

Lydia Bennet