Jane Austen Bedtime Stories

We've made it through another novel, and we're back in your feed to announce what's coming next! We're so grateful for your continued support as we made our way through Persuasion, and we're thrilled to announce that our next bedtime stories novel will be: Sense and Sensibility! We're taking this Monday off to prepare (even Bedtime Stories needs a rest!), and will be back n...

Longbourn is aflutter with the arrival of an express from London - Lydia has been found at last! She and Wickham are not yet married, but soon will be, as long as Mr. Bennet agrees to the terms of the agreement that Mr. Gardiner has secured. The cost to the Bennets is much less than they were expecting, leading them to suspect that their dear uncle has paid more money to Wickham than they can ever...

Anne and Captain Wentworth have declared their love for each other, and who can be in doubt of what followed? The two are to be married, and the friends and family around them all react to the news in their own characteristic ways. But all that matters to Anne is that she is happy at last; warm, content, and secure in her new role as a sailor's wife. As Anne Elliot and Captain Frederick Wentwo...

Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner are both in London, doing their best to uncover where Lydia and Wickham may be hiding. No one knows of any of Wickham's friends or relations - all they have been able to uncover is lots and lots of gambling debts. A letter from Mr. Collins offers nothing more than his unhelpful opinions, and eventually Mr. Bennet makes his way home, leaving the Gardiners to continue...

Such a letter as Captain Wentworth's is not soon to be recovered from. But Anne is trying her best, and with a little effort, she finds herself walking together with Captain Wentworth as he escorts her back to Camden Place. At last, eight years of resentments, misunderstandings, and broken hearts are cleared away, and the two lovers are finally free to declare their true feelings to one anothe...

Elizabeth and the Gardiners make their way back to Longbourn, where they are quickly brought into the Bennet family fold and learn how everyone's been holding up since learning of Lydia's flight from Brighton. Jane has been holding down the fort, while Mrs. Bennet has confined herself to her room and is convinced that Mr. Bennet and Mr. Wickham will fight in a duel. Meanwhile, Kitty is sub...

It's a new morning and Anne is with the Musgroves, this time in the company of Mrs. Croft, Captain Harville, and Captain Wentworth. While Anne and Captain Harville have a lively conversation about whether men or women are more constant in love, Captain Wentworth is occupied with intensely writing a letter in the corner of the room. As the two men depart, Anne is amazed to find that the letter Capt...

There's only been one thing missing from Elizabeth's time in Derbyshire, and that's a letter from Jane, but luckily she's just received two. Unfortunately for her, the letters bear calamitous news - Lydia has run away from Brighton...with Mr. Wickham. What's worse, Mr. Darcy happened to call at the exact time that Elizabeth got the news, and is now privy to the whole scandalous...

Anne joins Charles and Mary in going to meet the Musgroves, happy to feel the familial warmth from them that she so sorely misses at home. Their hotel is full of hustle and bustle, with guests coming and going, including Captain Wentworth. Anne's wish of conversing with him is cut short by Mary spotting Mrs. Clay and Mr. Elliot together outside, which puzzles Anne, as Mr. Elliot was supposed t...

After the visit from Georgiana, Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner do the polite thing and return the favor with a visit to Pemberley. There, Elizabeth is reacquainted with Miss Bingley, whose jealousy is on full display. But Elizabeth holds her own against Miss Bingley's jibes, and in the process, endears herself even more to Mr. Darcy. It's unfortunate for Miss Bingley, but jealous people aren&...

Anne is still reeling from learning the truth about Mr. Elliot, and is relieved to find that she's missed his visit, and that he has left town for two days. His departure will give her time to confer with Lady Russell about what she's learned. But before she can call on Lady Russell, the Elliots receive a call from some unexpected visitors: Charles and Mary Musgrove are in Bath. Anne is genuinely...

When Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth met at Pemberley, he was adamant about wanting her to meet his sister, but Elizabeth didn't realize that meant they would call immediately after her arrival. She's flattered, and soon realizes that contrary to what she's heard, Georgiana isn't proud, she's just shy. The Darcys are accompanied by Mr. Bingley, who is as warm and delightful as ever, and, as Elizabeth is r...

Anne's visit with Mrs. Smith continues, and so do Mrs. Smith's revelations about the truth of Mr. Elliot's character. The Smiths were acquainted with Mr. Elliot long before this current moment in Bath, and that means that Mrs. Smith knows much more than Anne realized. Behind Mr. Elliot's friendliness, there is calculation, cunning, and trickery, with a bit of being a spendthrift to boot. Anne knew...

It's summer, and Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle Gardiner have set off on their long-awaited trip. They're enjoying a visit to Derbyshire, and have decided to include a visit to Pemberley - having been assured, of course, that Mr. Darcy is nowhere near his home. While there, Elizabeth is astonished at how different the accounts of Mr. Darcy seem, compared to his behavior in Hertfordshire. But the...

After reconnecting with Captain Wentworth at the concert, Anne is on cloud nine. But things are about to turn in a very different direction, thanks to some revelations from Anne's old friend Mrs. Smith. You see, Mrs. Smith has heard through the grapevine that Anne and Mr. Elliot are getting close - but once she realizes that Anne has no intention of marrying Mr. Elliot, Mrs. Smith is compelled...

Elizabeth is back at Longbourn, but peace remains elusive, as Kitty and Lydia are desperate to follow the departing Meryton regiment to Brighton. Luckily for Lydia (and unluckily for Kitty), she receives an invitation as the particular friend of the colonel's wife. Elizabeth knows how badly this could end, and tries her best to convince their father not to permit Lydia to go, to no avail. At l...

It’s concert night, and it seems like all of Bath is there to see and be seen. But there’s just one person’s whose presence matters to Anne: Captain Wentworth. They meet before the concert begins, and Anne immediately senses a change that can only mean one thing. But before their connection can grow deeper once more, Mr. Elliot inserts himself into the conversation with unfortunate results. As Ann...

After a quick stay at the Gardiners, Elizabeth, Jane, and Maria Lucas are on their way back to Hertfordshire. They're met along the way by Kitty and Lydia, who "treat" them to a lunch that's paid for by their older sisters, and then, at long last, they are back at home. For Elizabeth, this means she finally has the chance to unload the burden of her secrets and share the news of...

Captain Wentworth is in Bath. There's plenty of things going on around Anne, but this is the only thing that matters, and the only one that she can think about. After running into Captain Wentworth at a shop, Anne's mind is full of thoughts of him - When will she see him in Bath? How has he changed since Uppercross and Louisa Musgrove? How will Lady Russell react when she sees him again? W...

After six eventful weeks, Elizabeth's time in Kent is coming to an end - but not without a final visit to Rosings. Lady Catherine's conversation is a good distraction for Elizabeth, whose mind is still full of her letter. At last, after a parting speech from Mr. Collins, the time finally comes to depart for London to meet the Gardiners and Jane. While Maria has much to tell, Elizabeth has...

Anne has been in Bath for a month, and is missing news from her family and friends at Uppercross. Luckily, a letter has arrived from Mary with big news: Louisa Musgrove and Captain Benwick are engaged! Anne can scarcely believe it. Moreover, the letter arrives with compliments from Admiral and Mrs. Croft. That's right, the Crofts are in Bath, and that means that Captain Wentworth is soon to follow...

What a letter! Elizabeth has never read something that has shaken her quite as much as this. Everything she thought she knew for certain about Mr. Bingley and Jane, Mr. Wickham, and even her own family has come into question upon reading Mr. Darcy's perspective. In our latest Friday Favorites, Elizabeth is sparked to question her own prejudices and shift her perspective - let her story help yo...

While Sir Walter and Elizabeth are spending their time with Lady Dalrymple, Anne is reacquainting herself with an old school friend, Mrs. Smith. Mrs. Smith's fortunes may have turned for the worse, but she still has an impressive fortitude of spirit. Meanwhile Lady Russell is hoping for Anne to focus her attentions in another direction and form an engagement with Mr. Elliot. Though Anne briefl...

It's the morning after Mr. Darcy's proposal, and Elizabeth knows that the only thing that will calm her unsettled mind is a walk. But despite her best efforts, she encounters Mr. Darcy yet again, and this time, he has a thick envelope with a letter he absolutely must give her. It's time for Elizabeth to hear Mr. Darcy's perspective on Bingley and Jane's relationship, and to lea...

Anne continues to acquaint herself with the ins and outs of daily life and society in Bath, which involves relations both old and new. When the Dowager Viscountess Dalrymple, a distant cousin, arrives in Bath, Anne for once wishes her father and sister had more pride, as they bend over backwards to make her acquaintance. At least she seemingly has a like-minded friend in Mr. Elliot, although Anne...