1. Chapter 1 (1/2)

it is a truth

universally acknowledged that a large business on a college campus

must be in want of an intern

"mr. bennett!" mrs.

angela bennett shouted shrilly after her husband, thomas bennett, as

he scurried toward his study. her three present daughters all cringed

upon hearing her as they all knew that their mother only ever

referred to their father as 'mr. bennett' when she was especially

upset, which was never good for them. "how can you be so cruel to

your daughters? bingley inc. is one of the most prestigious

businesses in the country and they are going to have a representative

at hertfordshire

college for the next few months. you're

a distinguished professor at the college and can meet him and

introduce us. surely you see the significance of this to your

daughters."

"my dear angela, i

fear that i do not have your extraordinary gift of foresight and so

do not in fact know why this is of any significance to any of our

daughters." he gave up on escaping from his persistent wife and

turned away from his study to head for the kitchen where he found two

of his daughters pouring over books and his third daughter pouring

him a much appreciated cup of coffee. "thank you, my darling

lizzie. now, angela, please explain to me your belief in the

significance of this to our daughters."

"all five of them are

currently attending hertfordshire

college, as all girls their age should be

attending college if they want anything out of life," it was at

this moment that elizabeth, who was standing behind mrs. bennett,

imitated her mother's posture and began to mouth along to what she

was saying with perfect accuracy. "why, in this day and age, what

is a girl without a good degree? a girl without a well paying job or

the ability to take care of herself, that's what she is. if i,

myself, had not dropped out of college to work your father's way

through law school i would have gotten a master's, at least."

"mama, what does

bingley inc. have to do with us?" the youngest of the daughters

present had apparently given up hope on studying and was now looking

upon her mother with bland curiosity as she questioned her mother.

"mary, dear, don't

interrupt me, please. now, as i was saying, surely you see that he

may hire one of them." she raised her chin very decidedly and with

a practiced air ignored the snort that sounded from behind her.

"oh, mama, i'm sure

that there are much more qualified people than us who are applying

for work with them."

"nonsense, jane. who

could possibly be better than my girls?"

"how about a business

major?" mrs. bennett once more chose to ignore her daughter, who

had begun to laugh out right at this point.

"lizzie, don't

patronized mama."

"but jane you're

studying to be a nurse, i'm going to be a public defendant, and

mary is studying world religions. what would an import company want

with any of us?"

"jane is going to be

a doctor, you are going to be a corporate attorney, and

i haven't decided on mary yet, but it will be something that will

pay very well."

"mama, i've told

you, i want to be a nurse."

"how do you expect to

keep a good home on a nurse's salary? no, no, my dear, i know best,

you'll be a doctor."

"mama, she's

already in nursing school! she doesn't want to be a doctor."

"nonsense,

elizabeth."

"now, now, lizzie

that is enough. angela, if you really insist-"

"i most certainly

insist!"

"you needn't worry.

i've already met with the representative. he is a very nice young

man, his name is charles bingley. we shall all be meeting him

properly at his reception dinner at the lucas ballroom on campus."

"charles bingley? the

charles bingley?"

"who, if i may ask,

is 'the charles bingley'?"

"no, darling, it's

not the father, it's the son."

"that is even better!

he's only a few years older than our girls, all of you can get to

know him, make a good impression, and he'll be sure to put in a

good word for all of you with his father!"

"mama, mama, mama!"

"what mary, what is

it?"

"who is charles

bingley?"

"yes, mama, who is

he? frankly, i would settle for knowing who either one is at this

point?"

"lizzie…"

"sorry, papa, i've

had a lot of coffee today."

"charles bingley the

first is the founder, chairman of the board, and ceo of bingley inc.

his son, who stands to inherit all his father's shares as his

sisters made it very clear they were only interested in a cash

inheritance, is charles bingley the second; 25, recent graduate of

harvard by yale, and considered to be an up incoming star in the

business world."

"mama, have you been

memorizing forbes again?"

"oh, lizzie." mr.

bennett sighed very seriously but as soon as his wife's back was

turned he tossed a wink at his daughter. before mrs. bennett could

begin lecturing her most headstrong daughter the front door slammed

open and two voices were heard shouting.

"hello, is anyone

home? i've got amazing news!"

"you mean 'we've

got amazing news' lydia."

"oh, kitty, shush."

just then the two youngest of the bennett girls found their way into

the kitchen. "what are all of you doing in here? never mind that,

we've got amazing news!"

"we never would have