A little more than a year had passed since the marriage of Mrs. Bennet's two most deserving daughters. Having achieved some success in the business of her life, the marriage of her daughters, she needed more fodder for its solace, visiting and news. The Bingley's had recently removed to their own estate, and were no longer at an easy distance from Longbourn, Kitty had been spending the chief of her time in Derbyshire, and Mr. Bennet, too, had decided to surprise his second daughter with a visit. Mrs. Bennet was discontented to be left alone with Mary in Longbourn, and fancying herself nervous, she decided that she would visit with her brother Gardiner in London. Accordingly, travelling post, she and Mary presented themselves at his door-step the following day.

It fell upon Mrs. Gardiner to entertain her niece and her sister, and knowing Mrs. Bennet's tastes, she took them to a warehouse where the fashions would suit her sensibilities. Delighted to find such a place, Mrs. Bennet immediately set about ordering several gowns for Mary, telling her that it was high time she found herself a husband. Mary, who abhorred ostentation, protested at her mother's taste, upon which another kindly lady, evidently a favoured patroness of the institution, came up to Mary and advised her to follow her mother's recommendation, and, with her allusions to beaus and potential husbands, was able to bring a blush to the cheeks of that wise young lady.

Her mother was delighted to make the acquaintance of a kindred spirit, and inquired as to the identity of the other, and was informed that she was Mrs. Jennings, and that she stayed in town for several months of the year. The acquaintance was well on its way to progressing to friendship, when Mrs. Jennings offered to put Mary up in her home for the remainder of the season, saying that she had advanced a similar favour to several young ladies, all of whom were now most advantageously married, and intimating that she would be likewise successful with Mary.

Mary was in no humour to accept such an offer, preferring to remain at Longbourn and philosophise over every morning visit, but her mother was quite willing to accept on her behalf. She did, however, feel inclined to point out that she hardly needed the other's help, having seen three daughters marry well. Mrs. Jennings corrected her in good humour, saying that Mrs. Bennet had yet two daughters unmarried, while she herself had not only married both of her own daughters into good homes, but had also taken a keen interest in the matrimonial proceedings of several other young ladies, who were distant connections. Mrs. Bennet stood her ground, pointing to the size of the purses of her sons-in-law, while the other was equally reluctant to yield. The owner of the warehouse was growing increasingly concerned about the damage the brewing quarrel would wreak upon his fabrics, when a gentleman appeared on the scene. The term gentleman is here perhaps loosely applied, and when Mrs. Gardiner later described the scene to her eldest nieces, she said that he was "informally attired." This brought a deep blush to Mrs. Darcy's features, and her aunt was not called upon to elaborate further. This gentleman proposed an alternative arrangement, whereby the two would make a public spectacle of their grievance with each other. The two, already experienced in such exhibitionism, found the idea instantly appealing, and a date was set, and they retreated to prepare for the engagement.

The news of this Deathmatch, as the contest came to be dubbed, travelled far and wide. The Darcys in Derbyshire heard of it and travelled to town, bringing with them Mr. Bennet and Kitty. The Bingleys in the neighbouring county also learnt of it and came into town, bringing with them the Wikhams, who had been staying with them so long, that even Bingley's good humour had been overcome, and he had proceeded so far as to talk of giving them a hint to leave. Sir John Middleton and his lady travelled up from Barton Park, in Devonshire, accompanied by their several children. Thomas Palmer, Esq., was persuaded by his wife to attend, and they came with their son from Cleveland. The news travelled also to Delaford, and two young ladies whom Mrs. Jennings counted among her proteges felt obliged to make an appearance with their husbands and show their support. Neither Mrs. Ferrars, as the parson's wife, or Mrs. Brandon, as the mistress of Delaford Park, felt entirely comfortable at appearing to condone such behaviour, but they were too good-hearted to deny their support. Mrs. Robert Ferrars, who heard of the event through the gossip circles in town, was immediately attracted to the idea and was among the first to pay for her ticket, adding the element of commercialism to an enterprise that had already acquired every other social stigma to accompany its immense popularity. It was rumoured at White's that Beau Brummel himself would be in attendance, perhaps accompanied by the Prince Regent, and that Mrs. Siddons would enhance her own histrionic style by closely observing these ladies.

Almack's Assembly Rooms had been engaged for the event, the Globe Theatre having succumbed to flames some centuries earlier, and when the day arrived, a sizeable crowd had gathered seeking entry. The peculiarly dressed gentleman had made arrangements, creating a square arena for the combatants, around which the spectators gathered. It is rumoured that the Marquess of Queensbury, when he codified the rules for the sport he patronized many years later, chose a model based on the reports of this contest, which survived in legend and song. The ladies had come in their finest attire, and although it appeared that the organizer was unsatisfied with their garb, he let it pass without comment.

Quieting the spectators with a peculiar noise-making device, he introduced each lady to the audience, adding colourful epithets to each of their names. Thus it was that the mistress of Longbourn acquired the title "Battle-Axe Bennet," while her opponent was forevermore dubbed "Jaw-Breaker Jennings." The spectators were sharply partisan, their fancies having been captured by one or the other of the combatants. They had gathered on opposite sides, and before the contest had even commenced, each side had taken up a chant on behalf of its candidate. Now a hush came over them, as the contest began.

It was Mrs. Bennet who opened the proceedings, saying, do not wonder that you should stoop to such measures, Mrs. Jennings, for your life has evidently given you little pleasure. I have a daughter married to a gentleman of ten thousand a year, and very likely more."

"That is all very well, but my daughter married a man who was elevated to the knighthood. And I have no unmarried daughters to look out for. You had much better allow me to find your Mary a husband."

"Do you think I do not know how ill you used the Dashwood girls? They are not married to the husbands you chose for them, and thank heaven for that."

"I said right from the start that the Colonel would marry Miss Marianne."

That nameless military man shifted a little uncomfortably in his seat; his wife coloured and looked away. Remembering her pronouncements on flannel waistcoats.

"Aye, until that Willoughby appeared. Then you favoured that blackguard."

"Miss Marianne was not taken in by him. Your daughter Lydia is married to a scoundrel ten times worse."

"Wikham is no scoundrel; he is a respectable military man, like your Colonel. It is simply that the announcement was put in badly in the papers."

"How did Wikham acquire his commission? How much of his ten thousand a year did your other son-in-law have to shell out?"

It was Mr. Darcy's turn to squirm uncomfortably. His wife took his hand and squeezed it in commiseration. Mrs. Bennet, however, had come so far from detesting Elizabeth's husband that she was extremely angered on his behalf, and on behalf of her other less deserving son-in-law. She reached for the other gown, damaging it substantially. Her husband, who had been enjoying the spectacle to this point, now felt that it had progressed too far. Accordingly, he yelled out loud.

"No more lace, Mrs. Bennet!"

His wife was too excited to pay him any heed. Mr. Bennet's outburst charged the entire audience and the chants on either side were taken up once again. Mrs. Bennet managed to remove a great deal of the lace trimming on Mrs. Jennings' gown, but that lady had pulled the feathers out of her opponent's newly trimmed hat. Mrs. Bennet, incensed, tried to strangle s. Jennings with the length of lace, while Mrs. Jennings tried to jab at her eyes with the feathers she had removed. Mrs. Darcy, regarding the spectacle with horror, g nced at her husband to see how he was enduring it. To her great surprise, he had been entirely carried away by the momentum of the situation, and was loudly chanting on his mother-in-law's behalf. The particular chant he had taken up has survived through the years, and can be heard even today on the football stadiums of his nation.

In the meanwhile, the combat had come to something of a stalemate. Mrs. Jennings was holding her opponent at arm's length with the feathers, but the other was looking for any opening which would allow her to launch another attack with the lace. In the meanwhile, they exchanged words instead.

"If Mr. Darcy secured Wikham's commission, he could well afford it. Your sons-in-law are nothing to him."

"But how welcome are you in his home? I did not spend the better part of a year criticizing my sons-in-law."

"Yes, and now you live on their charity for much of the year."

"I have my own portion. It is you who will be dependent on the charity of your sons-in-law. Your connections will turn you from your home."

"At least I do not open up my home to reprobates. Do you think I do not know that you allowed the Misses Steele to stay with you?"

The entire audience, with the exception of two individuals, had been focusing entirely on the exchange between the two principals. One of the exceptions was Miss Mary Bennet, who, ever since their first meeting, had been extremely intrigued by the peculiarly attired individual who had organized this event. Nowhere in her studies had she found any description of such clothing or such a manner of speaking. Her desire to increase her wealth of knowledge naturally drew her to him, but she was beginning to admit to herself that her interest ran deeper than academic curiosity.

The other exception was the gentleman, who, for his part, was intent upon repelling her advances, which in their own way were as violent as her mother's assault within the ring. Finally, however, she managed to corner him right by the ringside, and appalled at what would happen, the gentleman screamed out loud.

Everyone's attention now turned to them. Mrs. Bennet, who immediately grapsed the situation, rejoiced for her daughter. She had observed how much money the gentleman had charged for admission into this event, and with a quick mental calculation she realized that this would be a profitable alliance for her daughter, and was determined to help her.

Seeing that the gentleman was looking to make an escape, she tied a knot in the length of lace with which she had been trying to strangle her opponent, turning it into a lasso, which she used with an aim perfected with much practice to secure a husband for her daughter. Mrs. Jennings, an avid matchmaker, would not allow such an opportunity to pass her by either. She went up to the happy couple, as a triumphant Mary held tightly on to the length of lace which confined the gentleman she loved, and teased them about the impending nuptials, the prospect of which the gentleman regarded with unmitigated horror, tickling the prospective bridegroom with the feathers she was still holding on to. Mrs. Bennet was of course delighted to see another of her daughters about to be married, and her preparations commenced immediately.

Mrs. Jennings had many recommendations to make, and the Deathmatch was abandoned as the two ladies avidly swapped stories of their daughters' weddings. They subsequently became the best of friends, and were always to be seen together by the ringside at the various Deathmatches which Mrs. Bennet's newest son-in-law continued to organize, and make his fortune on.