First Impressions: A Modern Pride and Prejudice Adaptation

Chapter 1

"But, really," said Mrs. Bennet rather loudly, placing her teacup back into the saucer with a loud clink. "I think that any young man with such an income should really be searching for a wife. What a waste of all that money if not spent on children and a wife."

Mrs. Lucas nodded in agreement, reaching up one hand to touch the brim of her wide hat. One of the false chrysanthemums tucked into the wide band drooped sadly, its little floppy leaves reaching towards her shoulder.

Ever since she had strong armed her husband into taking a 23 And Me genetics test—and discovering he, and therefore their five daughters—were 88% English and Scottish, she had instituted biweekly afternoon tea in the smaller of the two sitting rooms of The Longbourn Inn. It didn't matter if half the time the only people who showed up were her friends, or her sister.

Mrs. Lucas was the closest neighbor to the inn and more a friend of convenience, but their children had grown close over the years. "More tea, Eugenia?" Mrs. Lucas asked, picking up the pot and pouring into her cup.

On the opposite side of the room Elizabeth Bennet, the second eldest, crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. Still staring at the women laughing over their tea and gossip, Liz said, "They're already plotting which of the summer crowd they're going to set us up with," recognizing the sound of approaching footsteps.

Jane smiled gently at her sister's shoulder.

"If Mom was single, she'd probably go out with one of them herself. She just wants to be a cougar so bad."

"Lizzie," Jane chided. "That's not a very nice thing to say about Mom."

Liz raised her eyebrows. "That doesn't make it not true."

The sitting room was directly down the hallway from the side entrance of the hotel, mostly used by regulars, staff, and the Bennet family, so when the sister heard it slam, it was easy to guess who was coming.

Lydia and Catherine clattered down the hallway, their heels tapping on the tiles, looking flushed and excited. There was a pair of binoculars around Lydia's neck and her long, honey blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail that laced through the back of her baseball cap. Her eyeliner was slightly smudged. She snapped a piece of bubble gum and grinned.

"Where have you been all day? Spying on the neighbors?" Liz poked at the binoculars. "If you're not careful, you're going to get a restraining order for real this time."

"That was one time!" Lydia stuck her tongue out. When Lydia was fourteen, she had almost been arrested sneaking in to see her boyfriend, despite his parents refusing the relationship and eventually barring her from the house. "And no, just some specific neighbors. Mom asked us to do some recon on the new renters 'round the lake. That big house at the end of Netherfield Drive has been empty for two seasons, did you know that? They were asking way too much for summer price—but someone rented it out this summer! So, the new family's got to be rich."

"Maybe they dropped the asking price?" Jane suggested.

Lydia tossed her ponytail over her shoulder. "As if."

Cat grinned wide, damp with sweat from sitting in a car all afternoon, with small tendrils of loose hair sticking to her forehead; she looked a little wild. "They looked rich."

Jane sighed loudly. "Cat, you can't tell that just from looking at people. Making assumptions is rude."

Lydia snickered. "Tell that to the Tesla in their driveway." She pushed past her sisters into the sitting room, waving her phone in the air. "Mom! We're back!"