The End
Appendix:
Dramatis Personae
Mr. Bennet (Mr. Garrison) — A gentleman farmer and the father of five daughters. Because of an entail placed on the estate, Longbourn will be inherited by his closest male relative, the Rev. William Collins. Elizabeth, his second oldest daughter, is his favorite.
Mrs. Bennet (Mrs. Garrison) — Acutely aware that her husband’s death will mean that the family will have to vacate Longbourn, Mrs. Bennet becomes obsessed with marrying her daughters off to the first eligible bachelor. A silly woman, her interference proves embarrassing at best, and in the case of her daughter, Jane, and the eligible and wealthy Mr. Bingley, nearly fatal.
Jane Bennet (Jane Garrison Bingham) — The eldest Bennet daughter and the prettiest. A kind, sweet creature, she is agreeable in every situation and sees good in everyone. This results in her misjudging Charles Bingley’s sisters, who are determined to keep her away from their brother, Charles. She is viewed as the family’s savior because she is the one most likely to make an advantageous marriage.
Elizabeth Bennet (Elizabeth Garrison Lacey) — An attractive, intelligent, and witty young woman. Despite her precarious situation because of the entail, “Lizzy” is determined not to marry unless she falls in love. Offended by Mr. Darcy’s rude behavior when he first comes to Meryton, she refuses his offer of marriage when he tells her he has had to put aside his own objections to marrying her because of her inferior position in society. However, when she later meets Darcy at Pemberley, his estate in Derbyshire, she recognizes he has changed and is now a man worthy of her love.
Mary Bennet (Mary Garrison) — The middle daughter, a sanctimonious scold, who thinks she is morally superior to everyone around her.
Kitty Bennet (Celia Stanton Garrison) — An empty-headed girl of seventeen, who follows her younger sister, Lydia, in her pursuit of a good time, which includes flirting with the officers quartered near Meryton.
Lydia Bennet (Lucy Garrison Waggoner Edwards) — The black sheep of the family. This sixteen-year-old flirt runs away with the cad, Mr. Wickham. This action has the potential to harm the marriage prospects of her four sisters because no respectable man would want to have anything to do with the Bennet family. Lydia is rescued by Mr. Darcy, who arranges for her marriage and purchases an army commission for Wickham.
Henry Bennet[1] (Henry Garrison) — The Bennets’ only son, who died when he was twelve. Without a male heir, the Bennet estate will be entailed away to the benefit of Mr. Collins because it cannot be inherited by a female.
Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst (Caroline Bingham Upton and Louisa Bingham Ashurst) — Charles’s conniving sisters, who attempt to sabotage Jane and Charles’s romance. Caroline wants to get her brother back to London as quickly as possible because she has noticed that his friend, Mr. Darcy, is attracted to Elizabeth Bennet, and she wants Darcy for herself.
Charles Bingley (Charles Bingham) — Darcy’s friend, whose family made their fortune in trade. Although he holds an inferior position in society to Darcy, his amiability wins him many friends and the love of Jane Bennet. He is convinced by his sisters and friend that Jane is not in love with him.
George Bingham[2] — Charles’s eldest brother and the head of the large Bingham family. His success in business is the source of the family’s wealth. As a result, he exerts a strong influence on all of his siblings. Richard and James Bingham are also Charles’s older brothers.
Mr. William Collins (William Chatterton) — Described as one of literature’s greatest bores, he is to inherit the Bennet estate upon Mr. Bennet’s death. Supremely obnoxious, he goes to Longbourn with the intention of marrying one of the Bennet daughters. After he is told that Jane will shortly be engaged, he turns his attention to Lizzy, who finds him to be ridiculous. Over the objections of her hysterical mother, she refuses his offer of marriage. He quickly recovers and proposes to Lizzy’s closest friend, Charlotte Lucas.
Fitzwilliam Darcy (William Lacey) — Born to privilege and status, this wealthy son of the landed gentry offends Elizabeth when they first meet at an assembly in Meryton because he believes himself to be superior to everyone there. It is only when Lizzy rejects his offer of marriage that he takes a long hard look at his actions and realizes he did not behave like a gentleman. A chastened Darcy renews his attentions to Lizzy, resolves Lydia and Wickham’s problem, and informs his friend, Charles Bingley, that he was wrong about Jane Bennet and that they should marry. Lizzy recognizes the changes in Mr. Darcy and accepts his second proposal.
Georgiana Darcy (Georgiana Lacey) — The much younger sister of Mr. Darcy, who becomes the target of George Wickham in his effort to secure her fortune, but Darcy was able to prevent an elopement.
Anne de Bourgh (Anne Desmet) — The sickly daughter of Lady Catherine, who is supposed to marry Mr. Darcy because it was the wish of both their mothers.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh (Lady Sylvia Desmet) — Mr. Darcy’s overbearing aristocratic aunt, who interferes in everyone’s affairs. When she learns her nephew is possibly engaged to Elizabeth Bennet, she hops in her carriage and heads for Longbourn with the intention of preventing such an ill-advised proposal.
Col. Fitzwilliam (Col. Alexander Devereaux) — Mr. Darcy’s cousin and the younger son of an earl. Elizabeth is mildly attracted to him, but because he must marry a woman of fortune, nothing can come of it.
Charlotte Lucas (Charlotte Ledger) — Lizzy’s best friend and a sensible, plain-looking girl who knows she must marry or become a burden to her family. When Lizzy rejects Mr. Collins, he proposes to Charlotte, who recognizes that he is not the most intelligent man in England but one who will be able to provide her with a good home.
George Wickham (George Waggoner) — The son of Old Mr. Darcy’s steward, he takes advantage of the old man’s affections to secure enough money to purchase a living in the military, the church, or the law, and immediately squanders it. He attempts to elope with Georgiana, Darcy’s much younger sister, because of her fortune. Darcy thought he was rid of Wickham after he had paid him off, but he shows up in Meryton and has a flirtation with Lizzy. When the militia removes to Brighton, he seduces Lydia Bennet, who is visiting with his colonel’s wife.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my aunts, Patricia Lydon, Miriam Rothbauer, and Ann Snyder, as well as Dr. Joseph Lydon, the sage of Minooka, who provided numerous stories that are included in this book. I am also indebted to all of the World War II airmen of the 8th Air Force, who published their memoirs on the Internet, and to all of those who participated in Britain’s World War II Oral History Project. You have done history and me a great service.
About the Author
Mary Lydon Simonsen has combined her love of history and the novels of Jane Austen in her first novel, which explores universal truths about love and conflict that cross generations and oceans.
The author lives in Peoria and Flagstaff, Arizona.