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.
Monday, January 18th, 1802
Having despaired at Kitty’s apparent lack of interest in my welfare, I am now cheered by the presence of her company at my bedside, all be it in short bursts before she rushes off to some engagement or other. It transpires that she has been spending much time in the company of my Aunt Philips and dear friend Emma Nicholson in Meryton, and I think has been enjoying the fact that I have not been there to eclipse all her efforts at engaging the officers with her charm and beauty.
She has much in the way of delicious gossip to impart and it is now clear why Lizzy did not speak particularly warmly of dear George Wickham or have much to say of him at all when we were talking yesterday. Kitty says it is heard all over Meryton, that he has been taking much interest in a local girl called Mary King. He has been seen with her about the town, has taken to dancing with her almost exclusively at the assemblies, calls on her frequently and though has not publicly snubbed our Lizzy, his attentions to her, which formerly appeared to be on the brink of intimacy have now almost ceased. It is true that he does not seem to have called here much at all, but so ill have I been, that if Prince George himself had called, I would not have been aware of his attendance.
Most dreadful of all in its clarity, is why Wickham has transplanted his affections with such impetuous urgency. Mary King, who until lately was exceedingly poor and plain beyond description, (that is not altered anyhow) is now rich! She has been left an inheritance of ten thousand pounds and one can quite easily see how this love has blossomed. It does not go without saying that he has a fine teacher in Captain Carter, who used me very ill. To say the truth, I have not given Capt. C a moment’s thought, I am quite recovered from any feelings that I formerly expressed for him and I cannot believe that I ever thought I was in love with him. That said, I cannot forgive George Wickham for dealing the same trick to my sister and however composed she looks, Kitty and I believe he has quite broke her heart. We are determined to ignore him for a week at least, so that he will know how unimpressed we are by his behaviour.
Lydia Bennet
Rupert Friend as Mr Wickham