Love Happens - a pride and prejudice fanfiction

CHAPTER 1: NETHERFIELD PARK IS BOUGHT AT LAST

"Mr. Darcy, do you know that Netherfield Park is being bought at last?" Lady Anne Darcy asked her husband excitedly.

"Are you sure, my dear?" Mr. Darcy enquired, smiling at his wife's enthusiasm.

"Of course I am sure, George. I heard it from Mrs. Reynolds just now. According to her, the family is called the Bennets and they have four daughters. Imagine that! And the elder one is of our William's age. So good for him!"

"You intend on marrying him off, do you, Anne?" her husband asked jestingly.

"For God's sake George, do not tease me so. I just meant that our seven year old boy will have someone to play with. So that means-"

"I know, I know what it means. I have to go and visit our new neighbours when they arrive" he sighed.

"Good. So apparently they are arriving in a week, so be ready, okay?"

"Yes yes dear. I will. Happy?"

"Oh yes, very." And giggling, Mrs. Darcy embraced her husband lovingly.

The next Saturday announced the arrival of the Bennets.

Mr. Darcy had heard all about them from one of his friends. They were rooted from Hertfordshire, which was a very scenic and beautiful place. The Bennets were supposedly not that rich, but had received a pretty good sum as an inheritance from Mr. Bennet's deceased aunt. They were known to be very proper, though some reports mentioned Mrs. Bennet being a bit, ahem, energetic. About the Misses Bennet, it was not much heard of, other than being a jolly lot.

Mr. Darcy was quite eager to meet them. Derbyshire was a quiet country. Therefore new neighbours meant either good friends or some new people to ridicule at.

So Sunday morning, after church, Mr. Darcy made it the first priority to go and introduce him and his family to the new faces.

"Good morning, sir. May I assume that you are the Mr. Bennet who bought Netherfield?" he said cheerfully.

"Of course, you may assume so, good sir, for I am Mr. Thomas Bennet. But forgive me, I am not good in assuming, so it is truly upto you to introduce you to me." Mr. Bennet said laughingly.

Mr. Darcy liked the man at once. He seemed to be a humorous person and about his own age, or in short,good friend material.

"Oh yes, Mr. Bennet. One cannot expect to be as famous as yourself. I am Mr. George Darcy of Pemberly."he answered.

"Pemberly! And you say I am famous? Mr. Darcy, the whole country knows you!" Thomas exclaimed. And then said pointing to his dumbstruck wife, "Well, well where are my manners? This is my wife Mrs. Fanny Bennet and my children are home."

For all the news of Mrs. Bennet being talkative, she seemed to have lost her power of speech. She just bowed and then turned to her husband.

"Dear, I think we should be going now. Kitty must have brought down the house with her wails by now!"

"Oh yes. Well, Mr. Darcy, we have to get going. We will call on you later today, if it is fine by you. I would love to meet your family, and of course, seeing the best county in the country has its own benefits!"He said, grinning ear to ear.

" Oh do come, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet. My wife is excited to meet you. Have a nice day."

Saying so, he returned their bow and turned to his own carriage with only one thought, life will be interesting.