by Jane Austen
As for Lydia and Wickham, they lived a restless peripatetic life, moving from place to place in search of a cheaper kennel.
Miss Bingley, upon learning of Darcy’s marriage, hissed and spat and was so ill-tempered that even her sister Louisa found her company insupportable. But, as she wished to retain the right to ramble the hills and halls of Pemberley, she took herself in paw and appeared at that great house disguised as an amicable cat.
Pemberley was now Georgiana’s home and she and Elizabeth grew to love each other even as well as Darcy hoped they would. Georgiana was occasionally alarmed at seeing how Elizabeth sported with Mr. Darcy, often tempting him to join her in a game of toss the mouse.
Lady Cat was extremely indignant at the marriage of Darcy. She eventually overcame her resistance to visiting Pemberley, however, and was seen sniffing about the woods, probably to ascertain the degree of pollution they had received from the presence of Elizabeth and the visits of her aunt and uncle from the city.
At Christmastime, the Darcys and the Gardiners could be seen curled up by the fireside, talking of the past and all that had happened—of purr and petulance, pride and prejudice, and the perfect happiness and harmony of the family party now gathered together at Pemberley.
Lady Catherine was extremely indignant on the marriage of her nephew; and as she gave way to all the genuine frankness of her character, in her reply to the letter which announced its arrangement, she sent him language so very abusive, especially of Elizabeth, that for some time all intercourse was at an end. But at length, by Elizabeth’s persuasion, he was prevailed on to overlook the offence, and seek a reconciliation; and, after a little farther resistance on the part of his aunt, her resentment gave way, either to her affection for him, or her curiosity to see how his wife conducted herself; and she condescended to wait on them at Pemberley, in spite of that pollution which its woods had received, not merely from the presence of such a mistress, but the visits of her uncle and aunt from the city.
With the Gardiners, they were always on the most intimate terms. Darcy, as well as Elizabeth, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude towards the persons who, by bringing her into Derbyshire, had been the means of uniting them.
Photo © Kathryn Hathaway
The authors in another era.
PAMELA JANE has published twenty-seven children’s books with Houghton Mifflin, Simon & Schuster, Penguin-Putnam, Harper, and others. Pamela’s upcoming book, Little Elfie One, illustrated by New York Times best-selling illustrator, Jane Manning, will be out in 2014 (Harper). She conducts writing workshops nationally and internationally and has been interviewed for web and print media, radio, and TV. For more information visit www.pamelajane.com. Pamela also contributes to the popular blog, womensmemoirs.com. Like Jane Austen, Pamela is a desperate walker and, unlike Jane, a very bad piano player. Join the fun at prideandprejudicean-dkitties.com; upload your favorite cat photos and Austen quotes.
DEBORAH GUYOL, a lawyer, is co-author of The Complete Guide to Contract Lawyering. She edits a legal publication, teaches creative writing, and conducts writing workshops (www.letsgowrite.com). Her photography studies were with Larry Sultan, Judy Dater, and Ellen Brooks, and her photographs have appeared in print and web publications. She has loved the novels of Jane Austen since she was a teenager and believes she has finally committed Pride and Prejudice to memory. Her current cats, Dexter and Dudley, do not share her literary and artistic interests.
WITH SPECIAL THANKS to:
Mittens, for making us laugh, and Annelise Bell for laughing with us.
John Bell, for staying behind in Florence to take care of Mittens when he got sick. (We know that was hard, John!)
Dudley and Dexter, despite the fact that they declined abundant opportunities to model for this book.
Kathryn Hathaway for her outstanding graphic design skills, and for hanging in there through dozens of long nights and many more drafts.
Sally Keehn for her outstanding photographs of authentic Regency settings.
Our intrepid agent, James McGinniss, for accomplishing the impossible.
Our editor, Marianna Dworak, for her wisdom, patience, and support.
Edward and Pheruze Pell, for their friendship and support through many incarnations of the manuscript.
Karen Karbo, for believing in our project from the start.
George Arrick, the best teacher and friend a girl ever had.
Writing friends—Pat Brisson, Deborah Heiligman, Sally Keehn, Joyce McDonald, Pamela Swallow, Kay Winters, and Elvira Woodruff, for friendship, support, and laughter.
Oregon Women Lawyers and its amazing listserve, the source of many of our kitty models.
JASNA’s Oregon and Southwest Washington chapter, helping to keep Jane’s flame burning.
And each other, because neither one of us could have created this book alone. Thanks for the friendship, imagination, persistence, and steadfast devotion to “follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies.”
Extra big thank-yous to all the beautiful and beloved cats we photographed, as well as their generous and patient owners. You’re all superstars!
Cats
Their obedient servants
Jake
Connie and Doug McDowell
Abby, Toby
Kathy Foldes
Thadeus
Pierre Robert
Cleo, Zima
George and Carolyn Vogt
Charger
Faye and Brian Meyer
Louie, Nala
Stu, Lori, Kate, and Anna Kesilman
Spooky
Tamara and Tony Solometo
Tabatha
Tess and Peter LaMontagne
Tessie
Anne and Steve Cooney
Samson, Mica
Denise Gour and Jim Neidhardt
Linus, Lucy
Nancy Palmer
Herman, Federico
Colleen Strohm
Oppenheimer, Leroy Brown
Laura Wood
Seamus O’Leary
Chris Fletcher and Mitch Finnegan
Aubrey, Io, Lindoro
Jeff and Jessie King
Pace Kittehmanz
Carla and Mike Drain
Francis
Anna Beaty
Captain, Lieutenant
Charlotte Rains Dixon
Rocky
LeeAnn Kriegh
Substance P, Little Lord Fauntleroy
Sarah Hickerson
Cleo, Dante
Amy, Patrick and Mackenzie Angel
Sam
Julie Entrekin
Percy, Kita
Gillian Bunker
Remy, Fat Cat
Rebecca Cambreleng
Angel
Nichole Tyska
Oscar
Ellen Theodorson
Diego, Emma, Ocho
Kim Upham
Georgie, Hook
Alana Iturbide
Mr. H, Rigby, Clovis, Rounder
Leah Koss and Drew Feldon
Mac
Tasha Lyn Cosimo and Matt
Mitchell
Ashley
Beth and Steve Ferrarmi
Lira, Austen
Tenley and Michael Cronan
Lexi, Earl
Devon Newman
Zoey, Cooper
Kim Fujinaga
Winter
Channa Newell
Pixie
Maggie Biondi
Tab
George and Pam Coffer
Mae West
Angela Sanders
Doodle Bug
Kathyn Vaughan
Kermit, Professor Pickles
Kim Pickett
Alfie
Melissa Walton and Trevor Hendricks
Peaches, Dasher, Dusty,
Heidi, Desi, Angel,
Cottontail, Miley
Vonnie Alto
e and Prejudice and Kitties