Standard disclaimer applies. All rights belong to Jane Austen. No infringement intended.

.
Sibling Interventon
Chapter one
.
It amused him that things had come to this.
Easily entertained as he was, the country squire by the name of Benamin Bennet had rarely found
company in !ondon that was not trying to his patence.
Indeed, the young man was e"posed to two types of people on his visit to #own en route to university$
those that either pited or turned up their noses at his meager fortune and poor connectons, and those
that wanted to assist him in his appearance in Society %albeit with plans and hopes of their own&.
'(er all his fortune, though inadequate by the fashion)s standards, was not completely dismal.
In fact for any mother wantng to get rid of a daughter, Ben was a very modest catch. *ot to menton his
connectons were far from poor if it included two partcular bachelors that had yet to be metaphorically
chained with marriage.
#hese two gentlemen were considered great catches in the eyes of !ondon society for they were well+
,nown, rich, young and handsome-
.ood lord, if his mother heard of this there was no doubt she would descend upon him and his
companions with frightening alacrity.
/Something must be truly divertng for you to not pass a comment Bennet, pray enlighten us.0
Sha,ing his head from his reverie, his grey eyes 1ic,ered to his two friends.
#he 2rst of which was a blond man holding a cue as he stood on the opposite side of the billiards table,
his unassuming air easily insistng a contnuaton in the discourse Ben had forgo3en the contents of.
#he second gentleman, a dar, haired man in possession of a pair of unusual blue eyes straightened at
the head of the table as he withdrew from the shot he too,, sending a ball into the corner poc,et. 4e
too loo,ed at him, his brow raised in curiosity.
5r. Charles Bingley, the 2rst gentleman, was a young man with a ovial dispositon that matched his fair
countenance. 4e was highly favored by most of society if it were not for his roots in trade.
5r. 6it7william 8arcy, the second gentleman, was a more serious man who happened to e"ude an air of
superiority and e9ortless intensity. 4e was even more favored than Bingley, though for no other reason
than his higher monetary advantage and ttle.
Certainly it was a good idea to ,eep his mother from ,nowing about his friends too well, Ben thought,
there was no doubt 5rs. Bennet would have Bingley and 8arcy married to his sisters within the hour.
#he thought made him smile.
/6orgive me gentlemen, I fear my diversion is nothing but a memory caught up.0
/'h, a good one I hope,0 Bingley said, /it does not do well to spea, of things that only manage to str bad
memories.0
/Be assured sir.0 ' cluster of balls sca3ered as the white collided. /:ust a reminder of my mother and the
2t of nerves I will have to endure when I return home, nothing to fear.0 4e straightened with a wider
smile. #he promptng loo, from Bingley allowed him to add mischievously, /;f course the source of it will
li,ely be the e"clamaton that Cambridge did me well to 2nd her daughters suitable husbands.0
Both gentlemen chuc,led with 8arcy as,ing, /4ow many sisters do you have in the marriageable age
then Bennet, surely your mother is not as bad as you insinuate<0
/I)m afraid she is= you must ,now how the society mamas can be with only one daughter= imagine that
with 2ve, and all unmarried.0
#his admission elicited a low whistle from Bingley.
/>ou must be estng= truly she cannot be that bad.0
Ben snic,ered. /*o, no. I only e"aggerate in the same amount as she does over my sisters) virtues. ?est
assured my mother is li,e every other that feels marriage is the only way to happiness= a pity that my
sisters do not feel as she does.0
/4ow singular,0 Bingley noted aloud, /pray, how old are your sisters that they are not inclined to the
matrimonial state< 're they not yet out<0
/5y eldest sister :ane is ust one and twenty= Eli7abeth is twenty while 5ary is only eighteen. 5y other
two sisters are si"teen and fourteen respectvely.0
/Interestng, my own sister has been inclined to marriage since she started school. 's, 8arcy.0
/'s, me what< 'n a@rmaton of 5iss Bingley)s desire to enter the matrimonial state is none of my
concerns,0 stated the gentleman gruAy.
#he sudden sharpness to his speech would have been a cause for concern and might have given o9ense
if Bingley had not ,nown his humors, and Ben had not made use of two year)s worth of character study
on the older of his two friends.
8arcy)s habit of becoming o9ensive when embarrassed was well ,nown to them a(er all.
/Come now man, you are much too perceptve not to notce that Caroline has set her cap upon you.0
/I would rather forget for the sa,e of not ruining our friendship,0 he admi3ed, only to have Bingley wave
him o9.
/*othing you say about my sister will change my aBtude towards you= she is her own master as I am
mine. 'nd if we ta,e slight pleasure in her a3empts to entrap you then our friendship shall not be
terminated, is that not right Bennet<0
#he man in queston chuc,led and clapped 8arcy on the bac, in an a3empt to ease him, which he
succeeded in when 8arcy claimed, /If she were to achieve compromising me, I beg you to shoot me.
4ang any duel of honor.0
/I would never do that 8arcy. >ou may escape Caroline, but I will notC0
.
8arcy had been friends with Bingley since they began Cambridge and had become roommates in
Bingley)s 2rst year. 8arcy)s withdrawn nature was tempered by Bingley)s natural ease and modest air.
Dithin a month, the two di9erent gentlemen had somehow formed a friendship of sorts that grew as
months turned into years.
Bingley)s unconditonal friendship and never wavering trust in him provided 8arcy with the con2dence
he needed in the society he shied away from, and as the only son of an estate owner and well informed
of the various businesses his family partoo, in, 8arcy had much to o9er Bingley in lieu of their completed
educatons in e"change.
4owever, it was Bingley that encouraged 8arcy to ma,e use of the ever growing mar,et of trade, startng
with a venture with a gentleman who resided in Cheapside.
Being raised as he was, 8arcy would never have thought that he would one day willingly enter into the
stench of trade but as a modern man he found that he had to ,eep up with the changing tmes, if only to
maintain his family)s economy.
Bingley much appreciated 8arcy)s steely resolve and purpose, cultvated by being le( to an estate at a
young age. 6rom there the two set o9 fresh from Cambridge to begin their lives in their maority.
In Cheapside the gentlemen made the acquaintance of a 5r. Edward .ardiner, a man of good sense and
intelligence who assisted them in e"panding the venture which increased the fortunes of all involved.
Dhile under the tutelage of 5r. .ardiner, the men also made the acquaintance of the man)s nephew,
Benamin Bennet, a country gentleman with a small yet comfortable fortune, aged at the tme at only
si"teen. Equipped with a sharp wit, intelligence and good humor to ,eep up with the company he ,ept,
the young man was an interestng additon to 8arcy)s social circle.
#wo years later, 8arcy had come to truly cherish the companionship the two other men o9ered.
8espite being di9erent in temperament in both to him and to each other, he found that they were a
much needed camaraderie outside of both his family and his sphere, both of which had done li3le for
him in recent years.
4is father)s passing during his years in university, his underta,ing of his younger sister)s guardianship and
the running of the 8arcy estate le( the gentleman e"hausted and drained.
4is already reserved mien was increasingly withdrawing into itself and he felt acutely the need for true
companionship.
#han,s to his connecton with Bingley and Bennet, he was less inclined to brood though stll did on the
occasion where his friends and his cousin, Colonel 6it7william, were not available to hear him. Such was
the case at present$ Bennet and Bingley were already fast asleep in their respectve seats on the carriage,
leaving him to his devices.
8arcy ,new that he should rest as well.
Eisitng ?amsgate to see his sister required the energy to entertain her and his companions for the
remainder of the visit.
' sigh escaped him as he than,ed his good fortune that Bingley had sought other business ventures in
?amsgate and that Bennet agreed to oversee a few ma3ers of business his uncle had in the same area.
It was not that 8arcy had grown dependent on the two gentlemen to ,eep him company, but he was
rather nervous to see his sister again.
.eorgiana had never ,nown her mother and was wholly dependent on a father that was never there,
untl of course he died.
6inding the dead body of her father lying in bed as if he were asleep would be a trial for anyone,
especially for a girl of such a sensitve dispositon as hers.
8arcy had done what he could with her upbringing, but he could not help the feeling of inadequacy.
#he fact that he too was deprived of the familial assurance of his father and mother, made him feel
acutely his lac, of 2nesse in things relatng to tender sensibilites.
4is sister had taught him some over the years though, li3le by li3le of how to feel assured of one)s
a9ectons and give in return, and for that he doted on her and her on him. 4e supposed his love for his
sister was very odd due to such a gap in age, but he would not have it any other way.
#heir physical separaton had been hard though.
Ever since his business too, him from the haven of Femberley he was loathed to leave her and
eventually agreed to provide a companion for her, a 5rs. >ounge.
8arcy had an in,ling that .eorgina felt his recruitng a companion was his way of abandoning her, her
le3ers to him had ta,en a somber and melancholy tone and he hated the idea that he was the cause of
it.
4e was nervous of how his sister would receive him which was why he was arriving unannounced.
Ferhaps the surprise would render her unable to hide whatever had caused her sadness<
.
6urious was an understatement to what he was.
4e was sha,ing with rage, a white hot fury burning in him as he tried to thin, clearly, but all that
repeated in his mind was the mantra of that vile man)s name$ Dic,ham. Dic,ham. Dic,ham.
But he tried.
4e tried vehemently to focus on the tas, at hand$ 4is sister.
She was practcally sun, into the wingbac, chair, sobbing into her hands as she felt the humiliaton and
the shame of her actons. /I am so very sorry 6it7william-brother, please, I am sorry, I am sorry, I did not
mean to. I did not intend for thisC0
So small and fragile his sister loo,ed.
She really was ust a girl= a very dear, sweet girl who had not ,nown what she was about. 4e could not
blame her, he never could, but his anger was threatening to tear him apart and the only reason he had
not gone to dispose of the man for the cause was because Bennet was ,eeping him here.
#he younger gentleman had loc,ed the door on the both of them since the discovery of .eorgiana and
Dic,ham.
6rom behind the closed door, Bennet said through the wood, /Spea, with her, we shall deal with him.0
8arcy felt indignaton at being ordered around by a man that was very nearly ten years his unior.
4owever, before he could demand to be freed, Bennet)s words were spo,en calmly, a star, contrast to
his own state of mind, /4e does not deserve your tme or your anger= your sister needs you more than
he does.0
4is 2sts ceased their sha,ing at his sides before 8arcy a3empted a calming breath. Dal,ing towards his
sister, trying to be careful that his sudden closeness would not frighten her, but he notced her 1inch and
pull herself further against the chair as if afraid that he would stri,e her.
' wave of shame washed over him as he gently too, her hands in his and saw the redness of her face
and the pu@ness of her chee,s. 4er big blue eyes stared at him beseechingly, begging him to
understand, to forgive her. /6it7william-<0
/8earest, I am sorry that I shouted.0
She sni9ed wea,ly. />ou were right to-I did not thin,-I thought-I thought he loved me-and then-0 4e
let her tal,= the rambling seemed to cease her tears as she gave him to understand the events that led to
this.
/I remembered him from when we were li3le and he was so very nice to me a(er you le(, 5rs. >ounge
did not seem to mind-she told me he was good company to ,eep and so I never suspected-0 She gave
another sni9 before acceptng his o9ered hand,erchief. /4e said he loved me and that he wanted to
marry me-but because he did not have a stable income that you would not let him-4e wanted to go to
Scotland-0
/Dhat did you tell him<0
/I said that I could not marry without you ,nowing. >ou and ?ichard are all I have and I did not+I did not
want you not to be there-it is such an important day, I wanted you there so much-but he said no, that
you would stop us and that if I loved him, he would be enough for me-0
/8id he try to convince you any further<0
.eorgiana gave a quic, sha,e of her head. /*o, he gave in and said I could write to you to come to the
wedding in .retna .reen, and that he would send it by e"press and hope it reached you in tme-0 She
loo,ed at him with those tear 2lled eyes and as,ed, /4e was not going to was he<0
/I am afraid not-0
/I am sorry brother-0
/8id he ta,e any libertes before today .eorgina<0
/4e had not tried to, at least-Brother I was so frightened, what+what was he going to do<0
So scared, so innocent= 8arcy)s heart tore as his insu@ciency contnued to stare him in the face= his dear
sister almost ruined because he could not protect her as a guardian should. 4e le( her with that
abominable woman in the mercy of the most disguising cads.
4ow could he let this happen to her<
4e enveloped her into his arms. /8earest I am sorry, I am so sorry.0
Beyond the loc,ed door of 5iss 8arcy)s siBng room, the constable led .eorge Dic,ham and his
accomplice 5rs. >ounge away= elderly lady and young man shoutng inustce and profanites enough to
ma,e a decorated soldier blush.
Bingley, who had remained only slightly agitated with their reactons thus far, clenched his 2st untl it
turned white at the words that le( Dic,ham)s mouth, />ou thin, you can do this to me 8arcy, huh<
Dhat would your father thin,< *o one will want her now, you should ust hand her over to meC >ou
,now you only did this to yourself= you should have given me my moneyC I deserved to get my part in the
fortune, I was his favoriteC I deserved itC0
'lmost as hard as the constable tugged on the raving man did Bingley move to in1ict a hard punch to the
cad)s face.
5rs. >ounge)s incoherent words that played in the bac,ground of her accomplice were suddenly silent.
/*ow that you deserved,0 mu3ered Bingley, while Bennet restrained him.
Both men watched Dic,ham and 5rs. >ounge get led away, ignorant to Dic,ham)s howls and feeling the
sorrow of the 8arcy siblings acutely as it 2lled the hallway behind them.
.
--- Inn, Ramsgate
Dear Uncle Edward,
I am sorry to grieve you thusly, but I write this short note to inform you that your suspicions about a man
owing a large sum of money to one of your distributors in Ramsgate have been confrmed. I am thanful
that you had the foresight to procure his paper trail and send it with me for it was of great use in
apprehending him.
!ind regards,
"our nephew,
#en
.
Chapter two
.
.eorgiana was severely mort2ed.
8iscovered with a man that was not her husband, alone and in a compromising positon by none other
than her brother and his company< She made a spectacle of herself= she must seem li,e a girl with no
dignity and had not only made a fool of herself, but embarrassed her brother.
;h her brotherC 4er dear, beloved brother, how must he feel<
8isappointed, ashamed and angry= most certainly angry, she had seen his face turn white before
brea,ing into a thundercloud and she ,new that she had hurt him deeply.
But she had not meant to, she did not ,now...
Dell, perhaps in a sense she had-
's a young lady deprived of friendly companionship and the guiding hand of a mother or older sister,
.eorgiana ,new that she had dran, Dic,ham)s overly saturated words li,e honey, though ust as
poisonous as it was sweet.
She ,new that she had no con2dence and li3le to o9er other than her fortune, what was she to do with
a man who made her feel as if she were the most beautful creature in the world<
SiBng in her room, alone with the thoughts of the previous wee,s leading to this, she ,new that she was
viewing this ill+fated mista,e through rose tnted glasses.
#he young girl could not help but recount his loo,s, perhaps not of love, but something that made her
shudder. She did not want to admit the slight discomfort she felt when he would sit too near, touch her
too much or spea, of things that she was sure were not meant to be spo,en in polite company. #his
considered$ why did she wish to run away with him<
' sigh escaped her trembling lips as a tear slid down her chee,.
Because I am wea,$ because I wanted someone)s a3enton.
' ,noc, tapped against the door and rang about the silent room. Inhaling a sha,y breath, she managed,
to as,, />es, who is it<0
/It is me, dearest, may we come in<0
GDe), his two friends, she recalled as a ho3er 1ush pressed against her s,in at the memory of the two
gentlemen that had appeared in a 1ash at her brother)s shout of angry surprise.
Fulling her pelisse tghter over her shoulders, she allowed them entry.
6it7william entered 2rst followed by 5r. Bingley, a gentleman acquainted to her since her brother)s tme
in Cambridge, and another gentleman that she had recounted from her brother)s le3ers, an
acquaintance in !ondon, 5r. Bennet. 4e was taller than 5r. Bingley and a dar,er blond than he too, his
eyes were not brown but grey and his ga7e was not as sympathetc as 5r. Bingley)s was either.
#he horror she felt seemed to intensify as it was he who shut the door and loo,ed at her with a hard
ga7e, almost as hard as her own brother.
#he wooden 1oors suddenly became very interestng.
/.eorgiana I,0 6it7william began but his voice gave way and he cleared his throat.
She waited.
Das he to yell in front of his friends, or were his friends here to o9er him support in the act of castng
her o9< 'lmost immediately following that thought, she burst, /Flease do not send me awayC0
4is ga7e was confused for a fracton of a second before he came to comfort her in the way he had
before, he held her by her shoulders and forced her to loo, at him. #he same blue eyes, a trait they
shared with their mother, loo,ed at her, through her and in her. She tried to muAe the whimper that le(
her lips with her hand.
/I am sorry, you have the right to-I+I dishonored you and have been compromised-I-I almost eloped-I
am ruined-0
/>ou are no such thing.0
/But you saw-and he saw-and+and, you said he was a cad-and that he only wanted my fortune-will
he not tell, will he not ruin me<0
/*o one will listen,0 said 5r. Bennet, /no one believes the words of a man in debtors) prison.0
/4e is correct= you shall have no fear of the man for he is loc,ed away. >ou are not ruined 5iss 8arcy.0
She opened her mouth to reply and then shut it again, loo,ed between the two gentlemen and then to
her brother in as,ance$ Dhat about them<
/I have my friends) discreton on the ma3er= you have my word that no one will ,now about this.0
' thic, ball of saliva was swallowed as she wrung her hands in nervous agitaton.
5r. Bennet seemed to have notced this as he spo,e again, /5iss 8arcy, if I may, both Bingley and I have
sisters and we love them enough to do whatever is in our power to protect them. 's your brother)s
friends, we understand the calamity of such an occurrence being made public and will never spea, of
this to anyone.0
.eorgiana loo,ed between the two gentlemen again to 2nd 5r. Bingley giving her a small smile of
encouragement.
/But-will you send me away<0
'nother quiet se3led as she watched his feet shi(.
/De will both go away for a while= if you would li,e we can return to Femberley instead of 8arcy 4ouse
where you can properly recover from this ordeal.0
/I made a mista,e and you+you are rewarding me by allowing me home<0
/It was the mista,e of youth .eorgiana, I cannot fault you for being young,0 6it7william said.
/Being betrayed, I thin,, is punishment enough, would you not agree<0 5r. Bennet observed.
She gave a wary nod, before turning to her brother again. /But what if I ma,e the same mista,e when
you are gone again, or+or when I have to be out in the Season< 4ow am I to ,now that I will not ma,e a
mista,e in my choice of suitor<0
5rs. >ounge had acquainted her with as much of society life as she could in order to push .eorgiana to
accept Dic,ham)s proposal to .retna .reen. 4er companion had been 2rm in statng that the #on would
udge her severely and would throw men less than Dic,ham in her way in order to ,eep within the
sphere of society.
#he young girl)s fears had been incited and now that the mista,e had been made, she feared that it
would occur again and could not be stopped by the interventon of her brother.
6it7william did not seem to have an answer for this, but it was obvious that her words were enough to
have him contemplate. 4is brow creased and his eyes 1ashed with worry at the ideas his sister managed
to str= ideas that could very well come to being considering her dowry and lin, to the peerage.
5r. Bingley coughed politely to gain everyone)s a3enton before he spo,e, /I would not wish to overstep
8arcy, but if I may ma,e a suggeston<0
't 6it7william)s nod, he contnued, /Ferhaps if you were to engage with ladies whom you can learn from,
there may be a chance that they can lead you in the right directon. Surely you must have a female
relatve you can count on for such support<0
/!ady Catherine would be livid-0
4er brother snorted. /*o, she certainly would not do, and since 'ndrew passed I do not thin, !ady
6it7william will be equal to the tas,-0
/4ow about my sisters then<0 5r. Bennet suggested geBng everyone to turn to him in disbelief.
/Surely you cannot be serious BennetC0
/;f course I am,0 he replied with a careless shrug, /I was not going to suggest yours Bingley.0
/8id you not agree to discreton<0
/>es I did, but since you do not ,now of many ladies to assist 5iss 8arcy in her state, it was simply an
o9er as I ,now of 2ve.0
/Dill not a governess do<0 her brother as,ed the room in general.
It was obvious he was frustrated enough with the turn of events and now to ma,e the ma3er more
complicated seemed unnecessary and yet not.
/#here is a di9erence, I believe, with having someone teach and having someone that is willing to guide.
' governess is well and good, but such a person is paid to instruct and not sympathi7e. >ou may be luc,y
to 2nd one that does both, but considering the 2rst companion of 5iss 8arcy)s,0 5r. Bingley trailed with
a wince.
' sigh followed. /If I were to agree to this scheme Bennet how is my sister and I to ,now if the
informaton she were to give would be held safe<0
#he gentleman did not seem o9ended by the response and answered, /I trust my sisters with my
poc,etboo, in !ondon. Be assured, I will demand their utmost prudence should both of you agree to the
proposal.0
Seeing that her brother was at least considering the idea, .eorgiana as,ed nervously, /Dhich sister
would I write to 5r. Bennet<0
/#hat depends on which you would li,e to correspond with 5iss 8arcy. 5y sister :ane is most sensitve
and a3entve but I believe that she would try to ustfy your actons as well as Dic,ham)s.0
't her 1inch, he gave an apologetc smile and contnued, /5ary would do for she holds decorum to a
high degree, but I do not wish for you to feel worse than you already are.0
6it7william agreed with a st9 nod.
/#he two youngest would not do either, they are much too close to your age and much too silly,0 5r.
Bennet said, /I believe my sister Eli7abeth would do best considering the reason behind the
correspondence. She is considerate enough not to censor you and stubborn enough to insist that though
you made a mista,e you should not place fault too heavily on yourself.0
#heir thoughts on the ma3er and the soluton o9ered to them by the youngest gentleman in the room
accompanied the silence and eventually when 6it7william deigned to spea,, .eorgiana interrupted him
as she quietly as,ed, /If it is possible 5r. Bennet, may I write to 5iss Eli7abeth<0
6it7william murmured, /If she agrees in turn.0
.
$race-%hurch &treet, %heapside
Dear 'i((y,
I feel I must apologise for my lac of correspondence, )own has been most diver*ng and Uncle Edward is
very intent on eeping me with business since my arrival.
I now such apologies and the e+cuses that follow are not necessary since it has only been a wee since I
last saw you and our family, but you can imagine how much ,uieter it is in our uncle-s home than it is at
'ongbourn.
.ccasionally the children will wail at all hours and the debates in the drawing room of our rela*ve-s
home can get rather heated, but it is nothing compared to 'ydia and !i/y-s arguments over fashion and
mama-s desire to lord over the good fortune of our family to our neighbors, bless her and the girls.
0ow are they all1 0as mama shown 'ady 'ucas the pain*ng I purchased for the parlor, is father s*ll lying
siege in the library with those new wors I purchased1 I hope that 2ary has not mastered the pieces yet,
I hoped that they would provide her with a challenge un*l I returned. 3s for !i/y and 'ydia, I daresay
they must be bored with their new ribbons already and I apologise for my lac of foresight.
4ow that the usual pleasantries are complete sister, I fnd that I must beg you to read the ne+t in silence
and swear an oath of secrecy on what I have to disclose to you5
Recently I accompanied my friends Darcy and #ingley to Ramsgate.
Uncle Edward wished for me to handle a problem with one of his distributors in the area and because
3unt 2adeline is with child he was loathed to leave her and did not 6oin us. #ingley wished to conclude
business there as well while Darcy wished to surprise his sister with a visit.
Darcy desired us to meet his sister before we carried out our business.
Imagine our surprise on the discovery of our friend-s sister in a most compromising posi*on.
I, of course, was livid for I believe she is much the same age as !i/y. )he thought of any of my sisters in
such a state made me very angry indeed.
0owever, 2iss Darcy as I understand is a very lonely young lady. 0er mother passed when she was young
and she has no other female companions other than two aunts, both of which are ill-e,uipped for
assis*ng her at present.
2iss Darcy is not to be placed s,uarely at fault for her folly as was seduced by a cad by the name of
$eorge 7icham, who was once a childhood companion of Darcy-s as well as a former classmate of
#ingley.
I believe 7icham also has a reputa*on in %ambridge for being a gamer and there is li/le doubt in my
mind that he wished to align himself with 2iss Darcy for her fortune.
I sympathi(e with 2iss Darcy-s predicament as she has taen the blame solely on herself and believes
that her brother intends to cast her o8. I now that you will have much to say to this young lady who
lacs in both friendship and guidance, and with three younger sisters under your care, I daresay you are
in constant prac*ce. I as you, on behalf of Darcy and his sister, for your assistance.
I dislie ending things in such a somber tone for I now how much you love to laugh.
Unfortunately today-s events have shaen me as much as it shoo Darcy, and now I feel the need to
suppress the urge to return home posthaste. 7orry not, you will not fnd me asleep on the doorstep with
this le/er, but I beg you to eep an eye on our sisters as well as maintain care of yourself.
I shall be with our aunt and uncle for a wee longer before I return to %ambridge9 regarding the previous
ma/er 2iss Darcy eagerly awaits your response.
"our worried brother,
#en
.
'ongbourn 2anor, 0er:ordshire
Dear #enny,
I must admit I was startled by your tone when I frst read your note. I was worried that something befell
the $ardiners and yourself while you were with them, but even though that was not the case what you
relayed to me was 6ust as terrible.
I sincerely hope that 2iss Darcy is alright and I daresay she must feel ashamed of herself.
I suppose with what you have said of 2r. Darcy previously that he too is not e,uipped to the tas of
assis*ng his sister, and for him, I am sorry as well.
7ith four sisters I suppose I would have some understanding, but you who have fve sisters would do
much be/er do you not thin1 .f course I am only teasing you for I now the young lady does not wish to
partae in any conversa*ons concerning a witness to her folly.
I shall enclose a le/er here for 2iss Darcy if she wishes to have it. I will do my best to help if she wishes
the assistance of a woman who intends to be an old maid9 at least that is what mama insists.
.n the topic of mama5 &he is insistent that the portrait you purchased was a 'ondon rarity, a
masterpiece done by a great painter. 'ady 'ucas and 2rs. $oulding were enthralled for some *me
listening to mama-s retellings of this mystery painter though !i/y was trying desperately not to laugh
while I feared that 2ary-s eyes would roll out of her head.
;apa was as you e+pected him upon being gi<ed the boos you men*oned. )he sa*res have ept him
much entertained these last few nights and he rather en6oyed the poetry meant for 2ary =she is
e+tremely displeased>.
'ydia, of course, too this opportunity to run o8 again while papa-s guard was down, and ?ane and I
found ourselves policing her. 2ama believes we must leave 'ydia alone for she is s*ll young but that was
before she spo/ed !i/y si@ng on the roof. ?ane, at least, did what she was told but only because she had
to get 0ill with the smelling salts.
2ary has not mastered the pieces yet, but she is determined that they will be con,uered by the ne+t
3ssembly. !i/y did not get a chance to get bored with the ribbons for 'ydia too them all for the horse.
I adore the boos of sonnets you le<. I admit it was rather sly of you to leave them in the drawing room
for papa never found them and as of yet, nows nothing of their e+istence.
?ane wishes me to convey her pleasure at the music bo+ you purchased for her for she adores it to
distrac*on. 7hen mama insists that you fnd her a husband, he must not only be the most amiable
gentleman on earth but he must also feel passionately about music, anything less will not doA
I will close with that along with the wish that you send our love to our aunt and uncle.
7ith regards to your wish to return home5 never fear, you have taught us how to avoid persistent
admirers though we would not mind to having you at 'ongbourn more o<en.
"our loving sister,
'i((y
.
Chapter three
.
6it7william 8arcy was a man that valued preparaton, but nothing in his life had ever prepared him for
what occurred in ?amsgate.
#he words before him disappeared as visions painted red 1ashed before his eyes.
If only he had not hired 5rs. >ounge. She was surely ust as charming and li,able as Dic,ham was and
even more devious in her schemes.
8arcy would not degrade the educaton his father had a9orded his ill+deserving childhood friend, but
Dic,ham was not smart enough to thin, of .eorgiana, surely not at 2rst.
4e had no doubt in his mind that Dic,ham would turn to marrying mercenary, but the thought of his
sister as a possible target had not occurred to him. It was sel2sh he ,new, but he was too concerned
about avoiding the traps of the society mamas to fret much about the possibility of his sister geBng
married.
She was not even out yetC #he thought of her geBng married was preposterous, she was only a childC
;f course Dic,ham had not cared and 8arcy had not even considered= a foolish mista,e.
If he had not e9ectvely led his dear sister into the clutches of 5rs. >ounge perhaps this whole thing
could have been avoided.
Ferhaps if he had thought about it more, perhaps he could have fort2ed himself and pressed on with
raising his sister on his own, companion be damnedC
But a(er dealing with the unfortunate event of .eorgiana)s leaving girlhood, 8arcy)s inadequacy was too
obvious for his pride and his sense of decency to bear, he remembered all too clearly a partcular
morning in :anuary$
.eorgiana had ,ic,ed his door in that morning, tears strea,ing down her chee,s and hands clutching the
blood soa,ed sheets fearfully before she declared, /6it7william, I am dyingC0
#heir cousin ?ichard had even blushed and immediately both men ,new that their guidance would be
for naught without some sort of female aid.
!ady 6it7william had served well, as did 5rs. ?eynolds and 5rs. .rey, his house,eepers from Femberley
and 8arcy 4ouse.
Hnfortunately with the death of her oldest, !ady 6it7william was to be le( to mourn while the
house,eepers %though seen as surrogate mothers to the 8arcy children& was requested by .eorgiana not
to be informed of any intmate details.
.eorgiana had pride stll, and had no desire to be stared pityingly at= her self+worth too fragile to even
handle sympathy, but that le( li3le opton for support and that is what led him to this moment$
'n"iously 8arcy watched his sister as she stared at the envelope in her hands.
Bennet had given it to him before he departed for Cambridge almost a fortnight ago, and for a fortnight
8arcy had contemplated giving it to her.
But he hesitated.
Dhat did he ,now of this sister of Bennet<
4e ,new that the younger gentleman loved all 2ve of his siblings and spo,e fondly of them, everything
from their achievements to their follies. 4e tried to recall anything partcular about the sister who had
wri3en to his, the young woman)s name repeatng in his head li,e a mantra$ 5iss Eli7abeth Bennet.
But nothing came to mind.
' blan, overtoo, him, and when some light began to shed on the name, it was gone in a whisper of wind
with .eorgiana)s agitated hu9. She stood hastly and dropped the le3er onto the table.
/.eorgiana<0
She paced. /Dhat if-no-but perhaps-no-but surely she must-no.0
/Dhat are you mumbling about dearest<0
#urning on her heel to meet his ga7e I one of tormented confusion and hope mi"ed in equal portons.
/Brother, what happens if she is un,ind< Dhat if she tells someone< Dhat if-what if-0
/4ow are you to ,now if you have not read it<0
Collapsing again on her chair, she stared at the white envelope.
/8earest, if it will ma,e you feel be3er, you can read it aloud<0
/*o-no-I-0
8arcy was aware that he had coddled his sister, never encouraging her to create relatonships with
others for he was not a social creature himself. But it was too late to pretend that he would always be
there to protect her.
It was pure chance and surely by the grace of .od that he was able to intervene in tme and indeed, who
is to say that it could not happen again<
If he wanted his sister to grow up and be a strong woman of character, she had to shed her insecurity
and do things on her own, and that meant trustng her when she could not trust herself.
/I understand, but no ma3er what that le3er contains I want you to write bac,.0 .eorgiana loo,ed at
him as he rose from his seat. /If her manner in address discomforts you, you need only inform her that
her assistance is no longer needed and I shall send it through my solicitor in !ondon. If not, then you
need only try and ma,e a friend. #hat is all I as, of you.0
She watched him leave their refuge in the library of Femberley and slowly she opened the envelope,
pulled out the parchment and began to read.
.
Eli7abeth Bennet hu9ed as she stal,ed through the woods towards home.
It was a(er the family had bro,en fast together that her mother insisted on visitng !ady !ucas to share
the news, demanding that her daughters occupy their tme while she was gone. 4er father, having been
distracted by his Gbusiness) %read$ new wor,s to enoy&, retred to the library intent on remaining
undisturbed for the ne"t few hours.
Dith both parental 2gures out of sight, her sisters had gone to see, their own amusements which le(
them all distracted, ust as their mother wanted.
Eli7abeth could not help but thin, that their mother was incredibly sly.
/!i77y, lord you move faster than Fuc,, slow down will you<0 !ydia moaned a few paces behind her,
pulling a brown stallion by his lead.
/>ou ,now that I will not,0 her older sister retorted, /should you not be moving faster than I< >ou have a
horse do you not<0
/>es, but I have ust e"ercised him and that was trouble enough, surely you remember how la7y he is.0
#he horse nic,ered in agreement, his mu77le pressing against Eli7abeth)s shoulder, probably e"pectng to
be o9ered the apple hidden in the poc,et of her dress.
/De cannot a9ord to waste tme !ydia, 5ama planned thisC She wanted :ane alone with himC0
/I ,now that. Dhy did you thin, I got you< I do not ,now how to send him away politely and :ane
certainly will not.0
/'nd what of 4ill, surely he did not get past her<0 #heir house,eeper was instructed to curb any
inappropriate behavior in the home that she was charged with, and if 4ill was anything less than an
obedient wor,er, she was ust plain scary.
/8o not worry, 4ill was siBng with them last tme I saw. I hope that one of the maids were able to call
Ji3y, wherever she may be, or even 5ary. Dhere is that plain girl< ;h yes, now I remember. 5ama
insisted that 5ary oin her. I did not understand because she would normally ma,e me or :ane a3end
her, but now that 5ary is not siBng by the pianoforte and her noise cannot disturb the conversaton in
the drawing room-0
/>es, our mother has proved more manipulatve than we gave her credit for.0
/I suppose all mothers with daughters must learn,0 the younger girl pondered, /do you thin, we shall
ever be li,e that<0
/!et us hope we do not have to stoop to such things. *ow ma,e haste, let us be o9 to assist our dear
sister from that man)s clutches, surely :ane will be unable to u3er anything edgewise with the man. #oo
many words for a gentleman and yet li3le sense to be had.0
!ydia could not resist the giggle that le( her lips. /I am sure there is no man li,e him.0
/!et us hope so. ;ne odious man in all of England is bad enough, but two would be a curse upon
humanity. Blessed are the plainer girls for we would not have to withstand his over7ealous a3entons.0
.
/So you see 5iss Bennet, it is truly a marvelous thing it is to be the one to view this most beautful
scenery for surely there is nothing quite li,e it. #hough my home in 8over e"periences something much
more beautful every day, the sun shines against the picturesque pond that is nestled in the wood but
can be seen from my bedroom window, I believe there are many 2sh there. Fray, your father loves 2shing
does he not< But of course, all gentlemen do. I am sure if he were to as, he would be allowed such a
privilege any tme he wished. 'nd if 2shing does try on his patence, as I am sure is impossible with 2ve
daughters and a mother such as yours, I believe my estate is home to many pheasants and birds we may
hunt, if of course he prefers that endeavor over 2shing which I 2nd more superior in any case. 8o you
not thin, 5iss Bennet<0
/>es sir,0 :ane Bennet murmured though was hardly heard as the man contnued his monologue. She
tried not to roll her eyes, but with the way he was carrying on it was almost as if he wanted to court her
father rather than her.
*ot that she would want that.
*o, if 5r. Stewart wished to court her father, than she was sure they would both be happy together. 5r.
Bennet would get his dose of human oddites and :ames Stewart would be able to tal, untl his tongue
dried up to his heart)s content.
*ormally she would school such thoughts for 5r. Stewart was a perfectly nice gentleman, but she would
not have it for her family to be insulted thuslyC /-if 2shing does try on his patence, as I am sure is
impossible with 2ve daughters and a mother such as yours-0 .ood griefC
;f course the man notced none of the inner con1ict in the serene e"pression of 4erKordshire)s beloved
:ane Bennet, as he contnued to spea, endlessly of something and nothing all at once.
Luite a good thing then, Ji3y thought in mild amusement as she watched her eldest sister)s hands
clench and unclench around her embroidery.
#hough a gentle soul her sister was, she was no one)s fool.
#han,fully :ane was spared another unheard reply and Ji3y forfeited her observatons as the doors of
the parlor were opened, admiBng her two sisters, !ydia and Eli7abeth.
/5r. Stewart, how nice of you to call on us,0 !ydia shrilled, bouncing into the room in her usual ubilant
fashion. /Fray, I apologise that I did not hear of your arrival sooner, I fear my sisters are quite droll these
daysC0
/;h there is no need to apologise, indeed 5iss Bennet is most curious and in possession of such an
interestng personality that I enoy any conversaton she is willing to spare for me. I now understand why
she is the county)s gem for there is no one that matches her in either beauty or grace. Such a rose your
dear sister is that I 2nd myself blessed to have found her,0 he claimed in a 1ourish as he stood to bow at
both sisters. 's he straightened, he gave :ane a win,.
SiBng beside her sister, Ji3y tried not to laugh. ;h lord. 4e loo,ed li,e something 1ew into his eye.
/5iss Eli7abeth, my you loo, very becoming today, good weather I believe<0
She smiled. />es, sir of course, but I was not one to believe that weather played a role in one)s beauty.0
5r. Stewart)s wide smile dimmed slightly.
/;h no, I was merely wondering, considering you are always out for wal,s-yes, I do not believe it is
quite the thing for ladies as delicate as 5iss Bennet, or as withdrawn as 5iss 5ary and 5iss Catherine or
in possession of a short span of a3enton li,e 5iss !ydia, it was merely an observaton you understand, I
meant no disrespect.0
'nd yet you did with each sister you named, Eli7abeth thought with a slight smir,. ?eally= where did their
mother 2nd this man<
/;h none at all sir= it is an interestng thing to bring up though. .ood weather ma,es for a good mood,
whether inclined to the outdoors or not while bad weather ma,es for a sour mood for surely it is the
hand of .od that commands such things. I 2nd that an interestng inspecton and I bow to your powers
of observaton,0 she said sweetly, /'(er all, everything in this life is sown by the hand of .od, chosen and
decided upon due course and if such bad weather is to be brought by his 'lmighty hand, who are we to
be happy in the midst of such gloom< G#is not right, you agree<0
6lustered due to her portrayal of him as a man of godly principals and prowess that the Bennet family
was acclaimed for, 5r. Stewart bowed again in than,s.
/I much appreciate your understanding which I believe is due largely to your father)s educaton. It is a
shame you are not a man 5iss Eli7abeth, for surely I would say you are one of the quic,est I have ever
met. But for now, though I would wish to debate with you upon this further, proving a lady wrong is not
gentlemanly and for that I withdraw.0
#urning to the room again, he bowed.
/'dieu 5iss Bennet and company, may your day be as bright and beautful as the spot of colour upon
5iss Bennet)s chee,. 'dieuC0 4e bowed once more and departed, not waitng a minute longer to hear
anything else.
Dhen the front door shut and !ongbourn 5anor was le( in silence, the sisters e"changed glances before
a 2t of giggles bro,e out.
/I see that !i77y has been reading with 5ary again, than,fully she did not quote 6ordyce or I would have
embarrassed us all,0 !ydia claimed.
/*ot with that performance,0 Ji3y disagreed, /I have never seen such overplayed 7eal towards an
acquaintance we do not enoy entertaining, in my life.0
/>ou should be than,ing me, if I had not run o9 to get !i77y, you and :ane would have to listen to more
of that man)s nonsense.0
/*ot nonsense,0 :ane said, /it was actually quite ,ind of him to thin, so well for papa= 2shing and
huntng for nothing but the as,ing, not many men are that generous.0
/>es, all papa needs is some good sense and then we shall never get him bac,.0
Eli7abeth hummed in agreement, /Indeed Ji3y, and remember :ane, it is not generosity that spurs him
for he has it in his head that you shall marry him.0
/!aC >ou cannot marry himC0 !ydia declared, scandali7ed, /Even though you are fast becoming an old
maid it would not do for you to marry such a manC0
/8o not fear !ydia, I have entreated our brother to 2nd our dear sister the most amiable and intelligent
gentleman he can 2nd,0 Eli7abeth soothed, /and should our dear Benny fail, :ane will have to ma,e do
with papa)s amusing human oddity.0
.
"ou must thin us ,uite cruel to say such things and must thin us ,uite shocing indeed, but what I have
learnt is that if you are not willing to see the follies of others you shall always thin them above you
instead of being on e,ual ground.
&ociety of any ind loos for our faults in order to e+pose us, control us and brea us. If you do not laugh
at them for trying, you ris maing yourself unhappy being unable to please them and truly the only
person you need to please is yourself.
I now in the beginning of this le/er that I stated I would not antagoni(e you with an apology for what
you endured, but seeing as you might fnd me e+tremely improper and may wish not to write to me
further, I shall5
I shall apologise that you are young, I shall apologise for you maing a foolish mistae and I shall
apologise that you have su8ered as a conse,uence to it. Unfortunately things lie this happen and what
is done is done, all you can do is hold the lesson you have learnt from this e+perience and remind yourself
that you are not the only one who maes mistaes.
3s I now that you will be scandali(ed by what I have told you of a gentleman that is not bad, but insults
the family in which he wishes to be aligned to, and that I have told you that you are not to be thrown into
hell for a mistae you unnowingly made, I shall end on that note and bid you, in the words of 2r.
&tewart5 3dieuA
Bor all you have been through, and what you may encounter in the future, $od #less.
"our shocing correspondent,
E. #
.
Chapter four
.
'ambton
Dear 2iss #ennet,
I apologise for the lateness of this reply.
I admit that I do not ,uite now how to go about this correspondence considering the reason for its
circumstances9 I also hope that the re,uest for your assistance is not a hindrance to yourself9 I do not
wish to be an inconvenience.
"our le/er did not shoc me9 I was surprised but not shoced.
2rs. " %it is crossed over so hard that there is a slight impression on the page& 2y companion told me
that for a lady to feel shoced she must feel o8ense towards herself and you did not o8end me, though I
admit that no one has ever told me such a thing before. I believe it is because they deem it improper, but
your story lightened my mood, does that mae me very bad1
;erhaps considering what I have done I may be, I am not proud of myself for hur*ng my brother and
embarrassing myself in front of his company.
"ou must understand, my brother is very ind and is the person I feel most close to in the world. I do not
wish to upset him or in6ure him in any way and yet my ac*onsC %her writng trails as if she is lost in
thought& I apologise once more9 it seems I ramble ,uite a bit. I have not wri/en to anyone outside of my
family before9 pray forgive me for the uselessness of this le/er.
I only wish to than you for o8ering your help, but if it troubles you, I will not be too o8ended and I will
release you from this proposal should you wish it.
2y apologies and thans, as well as the returned sen*ment to you and your family, $od #less
$. D
.
#he post arrived that morning with a le3er delivered to Eli7abeth two wee,s a(er she had wri3en to the
young girl. #he content of the envelope was a short note 2lled with apologies and a confused mess of
thoughts= she read in silence before tuc,ing the page into the folds of her dress.
It was obvious 5iss 8arcy did not ,now what to do and that she was incredibly embarrassed by the
reason for their communicaton. It was also clear that the young girl was painfully shy and with li3le
e"perience interactng with anyone outside her family, she had no idea how to behave around others.
She must be lonely, Eli7abeth thought with a frown.
*o wonder she contnuously apologises for everything. Bad enough that she was almost entrapped by a
cad, but to have her lose faith in her own udgment< She was ust a girl, confused and insecure= what
occurred must be crippling to 5iss 8arcy)s self esteem.
'nd then she receives my dreadfully improper, ill+mannered le3erC She thought.
' sigh passed her lips before she could stop it and almost immediately she was arrested by the worried
ga7e of :ane. Eli7abeth made a move to sha,e her head to dismiss her sibling)s concern, but Ji3y had
voiced it not a moment later, /!i77y, is something troubling you, was the le3er not good<0
/Is it from 'unt 5adeline, is the babe born<0 !ydia as,ed eagerly.
/*o, not bad news I assure you,0 Eli7abeth answered, /I was simply musing.0
/Indeed<0 5ary prompted, raising a brow as she loo,ed up from her reading. />ou are not of a
dispositon to muse melancholy !i77y.0
/I must agree, what thoughts do you muse dear daughter of mine, that has brought about such a sigh<0
#heir father oined in, folding his papers and leaning against his chair to properly see the e"pressions of
his children as they gathered around the brea,fast table. /Come now, family is nothing if we hide secrets
amongst ourselves.0
/Surely I am allowed to ,eep my thoughts my own<0
/But of course my dear,0 5r. Bennet claimed, /however, such sad contemplatons are be3er to be aired
so that they may be properly inected with the good humor of your intelligent father.0 4e wiggled his
brows at her, geBng the assembled to giggle.
#han,fully Eli7abeth was saved from brea,ing con2dence when her mother arrived at the brea,fast table
from the ,itchen loo,ing put out.
4er mother)s e"cessive pout was easily pic,ed up by her father who decided to o9er his wife with a way
to vent whatever was troubling her with a simple, /.ood morning madam.0
/Dhat is so good about it<0 she demanded in a sul,y hu9.
'nd so the discourse began.
#hough Eli7abeth would have been annoyed that she or any other of her siblings would be so easily cast
aside by their father if he were to 2nd entertainment elsewhere, she found that the scene she had
parta,en in earlier was e"actly what young 5iss 8arcy must be missing.
8etermined, she e"cused herself from the brea,fast table, leaving behind three sisters who loo,ed torn
between hearing their mother)s evenKul woes and going a(er a sister that was famed for her
unpredictability.
!ydia had already chosen the amusements of her mother)s early morning news over the mystery her
sister presented while 5ary and Ji3y watched their eldest sister trail Eli7abeth with her eyes. :ane, who
,new Eli7abeth the best, recogni7ed the squaring of her sister)s shoulders and the de2ant rise of her
chin.
:ane shoo, her head slightly and 1ashed her younger sisters a smile of reassurance.
.
'ongbourn 2anor, 0er:ordshire
Dear 2iss Darcy,
I fnd that I should be the one to apologise and I shall not argue with you on that score. It was rather
foolish of me to be so very forward9 I believe it is a habit of mine when I write le/ers for if I am
embarrassed by what I have wri/en, you shall not now of it and I shall appear more confdent than I
actually am.
I do not feel uncomfortable at being ased assistance, rather I feel out of my element in this
circumstance.
)he only advantage in my ac,uaintance is that I am rather observant and that I am surrounded by many
interes*ng people.
"ou see 2iss Darcy, I am a singular young lady who lies to setch the characters of those I meet and
those I see every day.
I believe that since we have go/en o8 on a rather rocy start =purely my fault I assure you>9 I shall
properly introduce myself and leave my bad manners out of reach of our correspondence.
2y name is Eli(abeth #ennet, my family and close friends call me 'i((y.
I am the second oldest of si+ children9 my mother calls me the Dwild- one of her daughters for I dearly love
to traipse around the estate and can disappear for hours on my rambles that e+tend to the wilderness of
my home county.
I am the closest to my older sister ?ane, my brother #en and my father. I believe mama says that I am
certainly his daughter for I much prefer my father-s library to the drawing room entertaining guests.
I lie the company and the society of others, as I have already told you9 I love to setch the characters of
those around me but I fnd that people are constantly changing whereas boos always remain the same.
&etching characters can be very interes*ng but can also turn you ,uite cynical which is why I balance it
out with the wors of &haespeare, a variety of sonnets, adventurous tales of e+o*c places along with
the occasional Bordyce =a favorite of my sister 2ary>.
;erhaps we shall start our correspondence properly this *me if you wish to, I do wish to lighten your
mood considering what has occurred and if you let me, I would be glad to communicate properly without
shocing you or upse@ng you.
;lease tell me anything you wish for as I promised my brother, you have my silence on all and everything
you may wish to communicate to me.
&incerely,
E. #
.
5usic danced freely through the halls of Femberley, 2lling the grand house with the melody of 5o7art.
8arcy had le( his study door aar, allowing the rela"ing tunes of his sister)s music to soothe his agitated
mind.
4aving been removed from 8arcy 4ouse without announcement, le3ers had to be sent to associates
with his apologies as he cited personal ma3ers as a reason for his disappearance from town. #hat had
been three wee,s ago and he was stll declining invitatons to dinners and balls.
4is disappearance from his !ondon home was not publically ,nown and though it ir,ed him that he was
stll dealing with such frivolous things, he found that it was the perfect distracton from what occurred a
month past.
4e ,new that his duty was to ensure that all business %social and 2nancial& was completed accordingly,
but his duty was also to his sister and he had failed her.
#he guilt weighed on him, but was pushed aside brie1y as he buried himself with unnecessary wor,.
4is steward would enoy a few wee,s of repose, though that would not stop the painful ache in his chest
as he was stuc, in the dead of night staring at the canopy of his bed.
8arcy had not slept since ?amsgate and he was truly e"hausted, however, no amount of wor, or even
meditaton over the events that transpired could grant him the Sand man)s slumber.
't least .eorgiana was improving.
#he le3ers from 5iss Eli7abeth Bennet arrived steadily to Femberley for the past two wee,s and it
seemed that his sister was being li(ed ever so slowly from the pit of despair she was in.
She smiled ust yesterday at something amusing 5rs. ?eynolds had said.
4e could not deny that such improvements to her countenance were few and far between and as such it
was hard to ,now whether his sister was truly geBng be3er or only geBng be3er at hiding it from him.
#he siblings had spo,en li3le despite having the whole of Femberley to themselves, but 8arcy could not
face his sister without the shame of his mista,e.
It frustrated the sta9 as they watched the siblings wal, on eggshells, none of them had any idea what
had caused their master and his sister)s return sooner than usual, but it was obvious that something had
changed and no amount of wor,, music or good scenery would alter their behavior.
8arcy)s steward, 5r. Dil,ins peered from the ledger he was adustng as a clear ,noc, was heard and the
music came to a halt, the voice of a maid carrying into the study, /' le3er for you 5iss 8arcy.0
Even though the music had stopped, 5r. 8arcy)s shoulders had rela"ed slightly and the deep furrow in
his brow was barely a crease.
.
'ambton, Derbyshire
Dear 2iss #ennet,
I am glad you wrote bac and s*ll wish to write to me, it is rather lonely here with 6ust me and my
brother, though I suppose it is be/er than what I imagined considering what I have doneC%her
handwritng trails as if lost in thought&
%4er handwritng ne"t seems hurried& &ince you have been so ind to introduce yourself to me, I feel that
I should do so as well. 0aving wri/en ,uite useless le/ers to you in the past few wees in e+change for
your lively correspondence, I feel that it is only fair and as you said in your previous, E#e/er late than not
at allF.
2y name is $eorgiana Darcy %the G8) slants slightly, indicatng her hesitaton&, I am to be si+teen in a few
wees and live with my brother in the county of Derbyshire.
2y brother and my elder cousin %ol. Bit(william share guardianship over me for as long as I can
remember. I do not now my mother for she passed when I was very young and my esteemed father
succumbed to a heart a/ac when I was ten years of age.
I do not travel much, only ever to 'ondon for my 2asters, to !ent to visit my aunt and cousin, and
recently to Ramsgate %the word G?amsgate) is clipped and tny compared to the rest of the sentence&.
I am a rather plain girl compared to you 2iss #ennet, I do not thin I am ,uic enough to study one-s
character, pray is this pas*me amusing1 7hat do you fnd so interes*ng about it1 0ow did you learn of
it1
Borgive me, it seems I as too much, you need not share your secrets with me 2iss #ennet for it is to be
other way around am I correct1 %4er handwritng suddenly gets larger& .h dear that was rather
imper*nent, I apologise 2iss #ennet.
%#here were light impressions against the page as she stopped to thin, of what to say ne"t&
2y brother believes me to be very accomplished, I play the pianoforte and sing very well, he and %ol.
Bit(william always say, but I do en6oy losing myself to the melodies. 2y favorite is #ach and I adore
playing 2o(art for it is my brother-s favorite and it maes me happy to ease him especially of late %the
writng trails, again lost in thought&, do you play 2iss #ennet1
2y brother has spared nothing to my educa*on, my 2asters include all the ladylie things such as
language, dancing and drawing. I en6oy learning new languages and I lie dancing though I have not
made use of it very much as I am not yet out, I prefer drawing on some days, but the feeling is not
always las*ng and I fear that I have many uncompleted wors.
I also adore horses, it is a family trait I thin for my brother is an avid rider and I am told that so were my
mother and father. 2y brother taught me how to ride when I was nine, when he returned from
%ambridge for a holiday, %her hand writng wavers& a few months a<er he le<, our father was bedridden.
2y brother was home for all of two days before he passed.
7e s*ll ride though, my brother and me, we always do when he comes home, and we do so en6oy it. It
was once a habit that we had to ride in the brea of dawn to see the sun rise and to ride in the a<ernoon
6ust as the sun sets.
.h my, I fear I have rambled long enough.
I had not even reali(ed that I have reached the end of the page. I apologise for the length 2iss #ennet.
%#he words ne"t are rushed&
)han you again for con*nuing to write to me.
&incerely,
$. D
.
'ongbourn 2anor, 0er:ordshire
Dear 2iss Darcy,
)here is no need to apologise, there is no such thing as a long le/er I should say. I ,uite en6oy the
correspondence for it provides a distrac*on from my sisters and their silliness and my mama and her
nerves.
It is not that I thin ill of my sisters or my mama, but you see, they are always over(ealous when balls are
to be held.
)he society in 0er:ordshire is rather limited, but such a ,uaint county as ours can en6oy the familiarity of
its people so no one really taes much no*ce to my mama-s loud ravings of her daughters- virtues, or
how wild my two youngest sisters act on occasion that they feel e+tra playful.
I do not tae much no*ce of mama anymore myself, she is forever trying to get me and my sisters
married because she believes that that is the only way to true happiness for a lady. 0owever, I fnd
happiness in many things and all do not depend on pin money or a husband-s annuity.
2y character setching, I suppose is something of an e+ample.
"ou see my father is ,uite observant himself and as a scholar he en6oys wrestling with di8erent ideas. 0e
has taught me to see people-s ac*ons and address as a way to decide whether one has good character or
not for these spea much louder than what usually recommends a person in our society.
)ae my sister ?ane, she is the loveliest creature in all of 0er:ordshire, everyone says so.
&he is fair, ind, diploma*c and all that is good. It may be because she is my favorite sister, but I fnd that
no one rivals her beauty and goodness. 0er address is polite and her ac*ons are always ladylie, her
guiding hand has taught me to reign in my wild behavior if only to avoid embarrassing her which I want
never to do. I lie to thin that because of her angelic ,uali*es and universal indness to others that that
is why the people of 0er:ordshire adore her so.
7e once had a neighbor, a 2iss 'ucas, she is not pre@er than ?ane by half as my mama lies to say, but
she is perfectly amiable and friendly. &he does not have a fortune or a *tle and she admits to drawing,
playing and singing terribly, but none of that changes the fact that 2iss 'ucas is a person of unassuming
nature and intelligence.
3s for me, a self-portrait I fnd unfair to both the person being setched and the person viewing the
portrait. I do not now how people in 0er:ordshire view me and whether I am in a posi*ve light as my
sister, but I do not really care to now.
.dd it might seem9 what people thin of me is none of my business.
I only use character setching as a form of amusement and a way to fgure out how to con*nue discourse
with someone I am not very well ac,uainted with, to lessen the strain that a conversa*on between us
might bring.
Brom what you have told me, you are an avid lover of music and you adore your brother greatly, from
the style of your le/ers I am to understand that you are ,uite shy. In polite conversa*on, I would as
about your favorite composers =#ach for yourself and 2o(art for your brother> and what pieces you
en6oy playing and what you thin of pieces that I now of, I imagine such a conversa*on with you would
carry as a conversa*on with my sister 2ary.
I fear that I shall overstep in a moment 2iss Darcy, and as you if you do so en6oy spending *me with
your brother1
I can see that you thin the world of him and that he adores you enough to teach you himself how to ride
and to fnd pleasure in the things you do for him. I now that considering what has happened, you may
feel shame at being near him but it would appear to me that you are in need of companionship and
surely your brother will be willing to o8er it if you ased.
#e well 2iss D, and have faith in your brother-s sense of forgiveness
&incerely,
E. #
.
'ambton, Derbyshire
Dear 2iss #ennet,
%4er handwritng is sha,y& I fnd that I am in need of your counsel for that is the problem that is most
constant in my heart. )hough I am ashamed of what has happened due to my foolishness, I fnd that I do
not par*cularly care if I did not marry a man of fortune or *tle, but rather how my brother will be
a8ected.
0e is the one I am closest to in the world.
3s you do not wish to embarrass your sister, I would not want to embarrass him. It grieves me how much
I have pained him with my imprudence, but I do not now how to amend it.
7e do not tal of what has happened and though he does not treat me coldly, it is hard to discern my
brother-s thoughts. 0e is a private man and not one prone to show much emo*on in any case, in my
company he is all politeness but eeps me at such a distanceC
I want to do the things we used to before Ramsgate, I want to ride with him and spea to him of the
silliest nonsense I can thin of and have him read to me lie he did when I was a child, but he is always in
his study claiming not to be disturbed and when I do try and suggest something, his severe mien
discourages me so.
Do not misunderstand9 his bearing is something I am used to for he has many responsibili*es and he is
s*ll young.
I fear that all the du*es placed upon him by our father-s death has led him to become too serious and
reserved. 0e was ge@ng be/er in the years preceding his ac,uaintance with 2r. #ingley and your
brother, but my stupidity has caused it to reverse their e8orts and I wish to amend it.
;lease help me 2iss #ennet, I want to f+ things with him but I do not now how.
$. D
.
8arcy handed the reins of his stead to the stable+hand and removed his gloves as he made his way into
the house. 4is usual ride to chec, on any disputes with the tenants as well as his e"aminaton of a few
houses that were damaged in a storm was unevenKul, but at least provided him more room to thin,.
Inwardly he sco9ed. I have thought enough and it leads me nowhere.
.eorgiana)s improvement had slowly declined and only seemed to worsen upon the discovery that he
was searching for a new companion for her.
4is actons, aimed to give her some semblance of independence from his company, did not bode well
with her for it seemed that she had misunderstood and too, it that her new companion was a sign of his
desire to e"tend the distance between them.
4e had no idea how to act around her for she would not meet his ga7e and he did not ,now the words to
e"plain himself to her.
/5r. 8arcy sir,0 a footman greeted him ust as he was about to ascend the stairs to the library in an
a3empt to bury himself in the most pitful tragedies he could 2nd.
/>es<0
#he footman bowed and o9ered him the envelope and with 8arcy)s nod, the man departed.
4e assumed the le3er was from a business associate and was rather surprised to 2nd the delicate script
of a woman)s hand, the words$ 'ongbourn, 0er:ordshire wri3en as the return address.
.
Chapter 2ve
.
'ongbourn 2anor, 0er:ordshire
Dear 2r. Darcy,
I apologise for this breech in propriety, but I beg of you to read this missive to its comple*on as what I
have to convey is most important.
Rest assured9 I have forwarded this to my brother in %ambridge to send to your home so the chance of
this communica*on misdirec*ng would not occur. 2iss Darcy has told me stories of your fear of
entrapment and I do not wish to worry you.
3s we are unac,uainted and now nothing of the other besides the connec*on of our siblings9 I feel that I
should cau*on you about my habit to overstep =which I am sure you are aware of by now>, however, I
feel that it is be/er to violate the boundaries of decorum for the sae of my new friend-s emo*onal state.
I do not wish to alarm you as I desire your trust and understanding on this ma/er.
3s you now I have been e+changing correspondence with your sister these past three months, and I fnd
that she is a girl confused, neglected and wholly without the self-assurance of a young lady of si+teen.
2iss Darcy is s*ll a child and she has done wrong by entering a most dangerous situa*on with a
,ues*onable young man. &he has not granted me the par*culars, but it is obvious that she is deeply
ashamed and hurt about what has happened.
.n her part, she believes that she has nothing to o8er a possible suitor and due to her insecurity she is
unwilling to see sense.
I have found her to be a brilliant girl who is ,uic in mind, willing to learn, een of music and reading, in
possession of a sweet, 6ovial disposi*on and a8ec*onate heart especially towards her brother. I do not
doubt that you love her as much as she loves you.
"ou, as the closest person to her heart9 is someone of great importance to your sister and she holds you
in the highest esteem. 4ot one le/er goes una/ended that does not men*on your good ,uali*es. &he
cares for you deeply and only wishes to mae you proud and not embarrass you.
I hope at this point I have succeeded in maing you guilty.
I would pray for your forgiveness of my audacity, but it is fair trade for what you have let the poor girl
endure.
I do not spea of your choice in companion or your lac of mobility towards the ,ues*onable gentleman,
despite nowing both his habits and his opportunis*c nature. I spea of the way you have shut your
sister out.
&he has su8ered due to her own folly which she feels eenly even when she writes of happier topics, and
though she has been recovering somewhat, at least from our communica*on, I fnd that her
improvement is impeded by your ac*on to distance yourself from her.
I shall not claim to now your disposi*on, to claim understanding simply through the biased perspec*ve
of a beloved rela*ve would be foolish, but I do not thin you are a man to cast your family aside thusly.
"ou may have your own reasons for eeping your sister away and looing for a new companion for her,
however, I do not thin it is a suitable e+cuse to allow your sister to believe she has been abandoned by
you.
)hough you may claim otherwise, 2iss Darcy has wri/en to me her feelings on the ma/er and this may
be the reason for her own withdrawal of you. I now that I have no place advising you on a course of
ac*on regarding your sister, but I cannot stand by and let her wither in silence due to a
miscommunica*on.
Re,uest a song from 2o(art or apply for her presence for a morning or a<ernoon ride as she tells me you
used to do ,uite o<en before the incident, or simply spea to her, but I beg of you not to eep her away.
7hen siblings dri<, the distance cannot easily be amended or forgo/en so I humbly as for your
ac,uiesce on the ma/er.
I warn you that it may be a 0erculean tas, but according to 2iss Darcy, you are not one to bow to
defeat so easily.
)here, I thin I have taen up enough of your *me and rang up ,uite a bill with this missive9 I shall close
the same way I did with 2iss Darcy in my frst le/er to her5
Bor all you have been through, and what you may encounter in the future, $od #less
Baithfully,
E. #
It was twilight when the four Bennet girls and their mother ascended the carriage, the sound of the
coach pulling away from their ancestral home heard from 5r. Bennet)s study.
In the very same room, !ydia pressed her face against the glass.
/Surely papa, you are the cruelest of all fathers.0
5r. Bennet lowered his boo, slightly to reveal his quir,ing brows. /5y dear girl, they are ust going to an
'ssembly not leaving for the Contnent.0
/But why must I be e"cluded from merriment< 5ary will not have as much fun as I would if I were
allowed to goC0 she wailed, turning from the window to give her father a big pout in an a3empt to mirror
her mother.
/Come now !ydia, a social gathering is not the only place you are allowed to have your fun. Hpon my
word, Sir Dilliam claims that I am a most singular gentleman for allowing you girls such freedom. *ot
many fathers are willing to educate his daughters as I have you and your sisters.0
/'nd I am grateful papa.0 She too, the seat across his des,. /But if you always insist on loc,ing me up
here all the tme however am I supposed to 2nd a man I can love<0
/8o you not love me then dearest<0
!ydia made a face at him and the two shared a silent loo, which ended in the young girl giggling. /Fapa
you ,now I do, but I am spea,ing of marriage.0
/>ou listen to your mother far too o(en, you are young !ydia and I will enoy having your company
before your young man comes along to steal you away.0
/8o no fret for though :ane is the ewel of 4erKordshire she is not yet wed so whatever are the chances
that I will<0 #hough her words were said in est, the way she slumped against the wingbac, chair showed
how much it hurt for her to admit it.
Dith a sigh 5r. Bennet shut his boo,, reaching across the des, to hold her hands.
/>ou, li,e all my other children, are the handsomest people in all of England.0
!ydia frowned in disbelief only to have her father contnue, /If no man calls for :ane it is only because her
goodness intmidates them, if no man calls for Ji3y it is only because her giving nature ma,es it hard to
see where her a9ectons lie, if no man calls for 5ary it is because her accomplishments can be matched
by no one and if no man calls for !i77y it is because her quic,ness leaves many far behind.0
/'nd what of me and Ben<0
/Dell Ben is his own man and he is not to be fooled by common beautes. #hough he may pretend to be
entrapped upon further study I 2nd that he only does this to send your mother into nerves. Bless him.0
/'nd what of me= am I to be forgo3en<0 she demanded geBng 5r. Bennet to chuc,le and pat her hands.
/>ou my dear girl,0 he began, /are too young.0
/>ou really are cruel papa.0
/'h, but that depends how you see it my dear for while you lament your inability to a3end the 'ssembly,
your sisters are under siege by the community)s gentlemen,0 he declared with a win,. /#hose young men
may 2ght for my daughters) a3entons but ,now that no one in this neighborhood is good enough for my
children.0
#he youngest Bennet child watched her father pic, up his boo, and begin to read again, the implicatons
of his words causing another giggle to burst from her lips.
/5ama will not be pleased to discover how you instruct 4ill not to allow young men here at !ongbourn=
it ma,es perfect sense why no one other than the !ucases call.0
/>es, but Gts a pity that your mother is ust as good at her schemes as I am. I believe our :ane might have
to cleverly escape a marriage proposal by my favorite young man.0
/Dill he a3empt it tonight<0
/I believe so. I have already sent a le3er to your brother to arrive home posthaste to challenge 5r.
Stewart to a duel should I be underestmatng my daughters) intelligence.0
.
/Dhat on earth is he about<0
/I do not ,now :ane, stay near,0 Eli7abeth whispered as they too, a turn about the room, their arms
hoo,ed together and their bodies bumping with how close they wal,ed.
#he 'ssembly had ust begun already 2lling with the noise of conversaton and the giggles of young
ladies and their mothers as marriageable young men greeted them.
/I am disturbed !i77y,0 her sister murmured, /he has said the strangest things and I am worried.0
/Dhat has he said now< 8id he go on about how well+informed mama was about the types of colours to
use in his home or did he compliment her tastes in white soups<0
/*o, it is much more serious-0
/*ow sister do not leave me in such suspense,0 Eli7abeth returned, careful to scan her immediate area of
any ears that may eavesdrop on their dialogue. /Fray, what did he say<0
/4e told me how well I loo,ed,0 she whispered, her tone caught between confusion and terror.
/'nd that worries you dearest< Surely you are not serious= you always loo, well.0
/>es, but he loo,ed at me so very oddly and it made me e"tremely uncomfortable, and as Sir Dilliam
greeted us 5r. Stewart informed me that his sister who has gone to Italy, has gi(ed him with the so(est
most lu"urious bed clothes. I do not understand what he is aboutC0
/.oodness that sounds most inappropriateC 4as he as,ed you for the 2rst set<0
/>es, but than,fully Ji3y decided to intervene and state that we must listen to 5ary)s 2rst song and so I
did not answer him,0 :ane said geBng Eli7abeth to sha,e her head.
/;h :ane I am so sorry that I was so distracted, had I notced I would have ,ept him away myself.0
4er sister notced much sooner than the rest of her family that Eli7abeth was not her usual self these
past few wee,s. #hough it worried :ane greatly that something troubled her most beloved sister, she
,new that Eli7abeth would sooner deny it than spea, of it before she was ready to.
/It is of no consequence, but I do not feel very secure in his presence. Dould it trouble you to ,eep my
company no ma3er what 5ama insists<0
Eli7abeth chuc,led. /8o I ever do as 5ama insists<0 't the stll worried loo, of her eldest sister, she
tghtened her hold on :ane. /8o not worry sweetng, I shall ,eep you safe and we shall inform Ji3y and
5ary of our scheme as well, for it shall ta,e all of us to ,eep 5ama at bay.0
6rom the other side of the 'ssembly room, their mother shrilled, /:ane dearest, 5r. Stewart wishes to
secure his set with youC0
/'t tmes such as this I wish that Fapa had insisted that all his daughters stay at home,0 Eli7abeth
mu3ered.
/It is unfortunate that we are of age and are close to becoming old maids,0 her sister lamented with a
sigh as both of them moved through the crowd towards their table. /Dhy could we not be as quic, as
Charlo3e to immediately apply for a post as a governess as she did at eighteen<0
/Because you are far too beautful and I am far too impudent, it is helpful at least that we believe in the
unpopular noton of marrying for love. If 5r. Stewart o9ers for you, graciously denying him would hurt
5ama far less than it would hurt you.0
/'nd what of 5ama<0
/8o not fear= you are under the protecton of Eli7abeth Bennet a(er all.0 Catching the eye of her other
sister siBng behind the pianoforte, Eli7abeth could not restrain the sly smile as she added,
/'ccompanied by 5ary Bennet)s e"cellent accomplishments.0
.
8arcy was in the most serene mood he had ever been in many wee,s, all than,s to the une"pected %and
improper& le3er sent to him by 5iss Eli7abeth Bennet.
/Brother would you li,e me to play your favorite<0 .eorgiana as,ed= turning slightly on the piano bench
to give him a cheerful smile, a smile he ,new was no longer a faMade of contentment.
4e smiled in return. /If you would be so ,ind, though it ma3ers not what you play for music can never be
awful when played by my wonderful sister.0
' delighted blush coloured her chee,s and she turned towards the ivory ,eys once more, the melody
washing over him li,e a healing balm for all the silent, torturous days and nights he spent believing his
sister blamed him for what happened to her.
's he sat in the se3ee in the music room of Femberley, he could not help but than, the young woman
he had never met.
Dhen 5iss Bennet)s le3er arrived to him, he had been confused, indignant and surprised all at once.
Dhat would Bennet)s older sister want to write to him for< Surely she ,new how unseemly it was to
e"change correspondence with an unmarried gentleman, thin, of the scandalC
But of course Bennet)s sister was no idiot.
In the 2rst note she had penned to him and which he read almost constantly to the point of being able to
recite it, he found a decidedly intelligent, opinionated and e"tremely stubborn woman.
5iss Bennet had e"plained in the note that .eorgiana)s improvement would not only depend on her
ability to forgive herself, but also the e9ort he put into assuring her that she was not to blame.
4is poor sister had thought that she was the one at fault and that she was the cause of the distance he
put between themC
8arcy declared the absurdity of such a thought for it was obvious that he was the one who erred.
She read his mind in this and e"plained that because .eorgiana adored him so much, she could never
thin, that he was to blame for anything.
'(er this e"planaton the le3er came to an end with the conclusion that if 8arcy wished to help his
sister, he could not shut her out no ma3er what his 2rst instnct is. She bid him good luc, in a tas, most
gentlemen would not ta,e up and signed as she did her 2rst le3er to .eorgiana$ /6or all you have been
through= and what you may Nencounter in the future, .od Bless.0
It did not escape his notce ether that with 5iss Bennet)s frustraton towards him, she did indeed leave
quite a bill for postage and le( a lot for 8arcy to meditate on.
4e had tried to stretch a hand towards his sister as 5iss Bennet suggested, but it seemed .eorgiana)s
own isolaton caused her to come up with e"cuses to avoid him.
In frustraton he breeched decorum and wrote 5iss Bennet bac,, all but pleading her assistance with as
much dignity as his pride would allow, slipping his note with a le3er .eorgiana was to send to
4erKordshire.
5iss Bennet consented and o9ered her counsel, playing invisible mediator between the two 8arcy
siblings and being informed by both partes on the development of the improving relatonship.
4e had much to than, her for, but a part of him was disappointed that her le3ers would no longer reach
him for the breech in propriety was far too ris,y to contnue the correspondence.
It was only a wee, since their communicaton came to an end and with the increasingly improved spirits
of his sister as well as the security 8arcy once again felt as her guardian, the 5aster of Femberley could
not help but wonder if he would ever meet the young woman who repaired his life so quic,ly.
.
5r. Stewart was most seriously displeased.
#onight was to be the night he secured the hand of the lovely, graceful and sweet :ane Bennet.
4e had planned to entrap her with the passion of a man violently in love and intended to spend the rest
of the evening romancing her untl she would beg him to declare himself, for anything less would brea,
her heart.
#he gentleman had the consent of the mother, a woman he would allow only the most minimal of visits
once his business in 4erKordshire was completed and the marriage to 5iss Bennet was achieved.
4e even had the approval of the father and the second sister, both of which were appraised in 5eryton
as the most intelligent and well+read individuals the county had to o9er. ' poor sight, for even the
,nighted Sir Dilliam believed that an old fool and his favorite daughter were the most intelligent.
Dell no ma3er. #hey thought he was a man of godly principals and e"cellent breeding, what did he have
to complain about<
't the moment= almost everything really-
#o say things were not going to plan was a gross understatement.
Dhenever he tried to claim a dance with 5iss Bennet, her sisters would demand to be stood up instead
and due to her desire to uphold family obligatons, 5iss Bennet would then abandon him to her sisters)
amusements.
Dhen he 2nally got to secure a set with her and claim it too, 5ary Bennet would play a lively reel and
the whole room would be between him and the future 5rs. :ames Stewart.
By the tme the night was at its completon he had e"changed less than one word in ten to his
prospectve bride since her arrival and was le( to watch her carriage pull away into the blan,et of dus,
towards home as the cloc, struc, midnight.
If he was disappointed, 5rs. Bennet was livid and she made sure her daughters, the footman and the
horses ,new it$
/Dhat do you mean by your games girls, must you ruin your sister)s future happiness thusly<0 5rs.
Bennet began almost as soon as the carriage door was shut and they were a9orded what available
privacy a closed coach could provide.
/.oodness Ji3y, !i77y, have you no consideraton for 5r. Stewart< >ou saw very well that he wanted to
dance with your sister and yet you demanded his a3enton in any caseC 6or shame, I ,now that he is a
handsome gentleman with his eight thousand a year but really girls, he is much closer to declaring
himself to :aneC0
/5ama we do not want to marry him,0 Eli7abeth stated, /we simply wished to dance and since there
were so few gentlemen and so many ladies, I for one wanted to have a full card.0
/5ethin,s the same 5ama= we must set a good e"ample for !ydia a(er all,0 Ji3y contnued, /how is she
to thin, that balls and assemblies are any way entertaining if she thin,s no one will dance with her<0
/;f course someone will dance with my !ydia, she is a delighKul girlC But ust because you wish to ma,e
yourself a good study for your youngest sister you must remember that your eldest requires happiness
too, and your behavior has put it in eopardyC0
/5ama it is not so terrible,0 :ane soothed, /as long as my sisters and myself enoy the night)s actvites I
am content.0
/;h tosh my :ane, you are too good indeedC0
/5ama what did you thin, of 5ary)s performance, I thin, she managed it quite well considering she only
mastered the piece yesterday,0 Eli7abeth said, congratulatng her sister with the a3enton she was owed.
/>es she played marvelously, why !ady !ucas was ust telling me that Charlo3e has herself a new
employer and the girl to which she is to act as companion to is an e"cellent musician, she plays for hours
and ever so beautfully, or so Charlo3e claims in her le3ers,0 5rs. Bennet stated, /Dhy with the way
!ady !ucas carries on, you would thin, it was her own daughter that has such talentC0
.
#he sound of the carriage coming to a halt roused !ydia from the se3ee in her father)s study, puBng her
embroidery aside she scrambled to the window and pressed her face against the glass.
/Fapa they have returnedC0
/So it would seem,0 5r. Bennet said without loo,ing up from his boo,. /8o not shout my dear, Gts late
and we would not wish to disturb the servants).0
/5ama is bound to do it soon enough,0 !ydia pointed out as she gathered her s,irts in one hand and
reached for her father)s arm. /Come papa, let us away and a3end to them, I want to hear the newsC0
Sha,ing his head with a chuc,le he set his boo, aside.
/Be assured !ydia you might get all that you wish, for what remains of today and the remainder of
tomorrow and the wee,s to come untl a new gentleman arrives with more than 2ve thousand a year to
o9er as his annuity. Dith this I hope your silliness will be indulged.0
/Dell if you allow me out li,e the rest of my sisters you need not indulge me and I would simply 2nd my
own amusements,0 she remar,ed petulantly.
/>es, but it amuses me so to handpic, which oddites are e"posed to you so that you ,now which to
ha7ard away from and which to simply laugh at. If you really are my daughter than you shall appreciate
my insighKulness in this.0
!ydia could not help but sha,e her head.
/If it pleases you papa, but do not get carried away with your own cleverness for you may accidently
permit 5r. Stewart to wed :ane and then you will not be nearly as clever by half.0
.
Chapter si"
.
Benamin Bennet, only son of the Bennet family and heir of !ongbourn was a decidedly intelligent young
man of eighteen= with his fair hair, his 2ne features and his grey eyes, Ben, as he was more fondly called,
was a combinaton of boyish handsomeness and good sense. #he la3er of which was solely due to his
father and his favorite sister)s e9orts.
4is mother)s frantc nerves were stll cause for great silliness especially where his sisters were concerned.
'll 2ve, she determined, must be wed. Certainly the only true happiness a lady can obtain is in the safety
and protecton of her husband and his annuity.
4e could hear her fanatcal ravings about pin money and ewels, 2ne carriages and the so(est of sil,s= all
of which 5rs. Bennet deemed necessites for surely her daughters were not reputed beautes for
nothingC
Dith their good humor, vitality and une"plained sweetness= it was a wonder his father had not had to
,eep his gun close by as each sister was released into society.
#he elder 5iss Bennet, the sensible, angelic :ane was 4erKordshire)s crown ewel. #ruly, the angels
themselves must be using her as their e"ample for nowhere was natural human goodness found so
easily. She was too ,ind to tri1e with anyone, but her powers of diplomacy were well honed to such a
degree that it was almost manipulaton. 4owever, her habit to wear her heart on her sleeve made it
di@cult to discover the young woman)s true thoughts.
#he second 5iss Bennet, the wi3y, dar, haired belle Eli7abeth was well+learned and intelligent= the most
informed and modern lady of all of England. 4umor was her game, one that she played avidly with her
father and himself as they enoyed viewing the follies of others in a light so re2ned that the stupid would
thin, they sprouted compliments. 4er quic, mind was no match for anyone and her quic, temper had
her blowing ,isses one minute and spiBng 2re the ne"t.
#he third, his older twin 5ary was the family)s musician and 5eryton)s most accomplished. *o one for
miles could play as well as she, and even if such a person were to be found, they would be arrested by
her surprisingly large vocal range, peculiar for a girl who said very li3le. 4er mien, however, was so
severe that her admirers could only watch from afar.
#he forth sister, the aptly nic,named Ji3y was of an adventurous nature that ,ept their family
entertained with her e"uberance and easily given familial a9ecton. #he only 1aw their mother saw was
Ji3y)s habit of climbing high places and refusing to come down, an inclinaton that was the prime cause
of their mother)s nerves since girlhood.
#he youngest of the Bennet children at barely 2(een, !ydia was an enthusiastc horsewoman. 4er
pension for snea,ing out at daybrea, to ride her brother)s stallion, Fuc,, had go3en her more than a few
lectures by both parents$ 6rom her mother, the claim that no man would marry such an unrestrained girl
and from her father, the desire that she choose a less costly form of entertainment to occupy her tme
for surely the girl spent more money on ribbons for her horse than ribbons for herself.
Dith :ane)s mas, of serenity, Eli7abeth)s unpredictability and quic, tongue, 5ary)s severity, Ji3y)s
liveliness as well as !ydia)s love of freedom and horses, their mother mourned that her daughters may all
become spinsters.
*ot that it ma3ered much to his father, himself or his sisters.
Dith his birth, the enttlement on the estate became null and his strong consttuton ensured that there
would be no hedgerows for his mother and sisters in the unfortunate event of his father)s death. >et stll
his mother would su9er from a 2t of nerves at any sign of either his or his father)s health failing$
/;h 5r. Bennet, surely when you die we shall die too,0 she declared, /stric,en into poverty and wholly
reliant on the ,indness of my brother .ardinerC >ou must allow us to go to !ondon= the girls must have a
proper Season however will we 2nd suitable husbands for them otherwise<0
/*ow I hardly thin, that necessary my dear. I am sure your son would not turn you or your daughters
away,0 his father responded in a bored tone.
/#here is always a possibility,0 5rs. Bennet would insist, /Ben may marry some society 5iss and insist
that he brea, all tes with usC Dhy, without your presence, he might very well consent. 's a young man,
he would give up his beloved family for the wiles of an arKul womanC #hat is it, it is decidedC >ou are not
to e"pire untl your daughters are married, do you hear me 5r. Bennet<0
/Be comforted madam,0 his father would say, paBng her hand, /I may surpass you.0
Ben could not help but chuc,le. #he dynamics of his family were rather curious and through his tme at
school he had seen nothing a,in to it, ma,ing it more obvious how fortunate he was.
#he carriage ostled as it travelled through the village and from the screen of his window, he could see
the loo,s of the residents as the carriage rolled by, the dust raising and se3ling in the air as the horses
contnued forth. #he townspeople)s astonished ga7es and unembarrassed pointng at the 2ne carriage
did not go unnotced by the occupants within the vehicle as the murmurings of their arrival began.
*o one ,new that it was ust Benamin Bennet returning from Cambridge, no one suspected that it
would be he who was inside the lavish coach with an unfamiliar crest. But of course he had not e"pected
them to.
#he Bennet family was the only gentry in 5eryton and most li,ely the most well o9, but their economy
was not high enough to a9ord such a carriage as this.
Ben could practcally hear his mother)s ravings over the e"pensive transport, her loud 1u3ers of going
distracted at the mere thought of it, and then her nerves. ;h her nervesC
/8arcy old man, I sincerely hope you decide to stay in the carriage when we arrive.0
#he older gentleman smir,ed. /Is that a warning Bennet<0
/'ye, you ,now how mothers can be and with 2ve unmarried sisters, mine will prove to be too much of a
trial for even you to bear.0 6anny Bennet, bless her, was a woman of mean understanding and a bundle
of nerve, and li,e all mothers with daughters, she only desired what was best for them.
;n Ben)s other side, Bingley chortled. /.ive 8arcy more credit, the fact that he has de1ected Caroline)s
a3entons is enough of a testament. 'ccording to your cousin 6it7william, that alone would ma,e you
much more equipped to handle *apoleon.0
/Say what you will,0 8arcy began, /but handling matchma,ing mamas for your maority years enables
pro2ciency at avoiding unfavorable meetngs.0
/>es, I fear that such a pro2ciency can ma,e it trying to ensnare a wife, fear not, our amiable
companionship will ensure that you do not become a hermit for I hardly thin, 5iss 8arcy would
approve,0 Ben said causing the laughs to increase as Bingley added, /'s neither would my sister.0
/I would never allow it.0
/'re you sure< >ou seem most inclined to run away from any maiden that goes near you.0
/>our humor is ill appreciated Bennet.0
/#hen why do you wish to smile so<0
/Bingley, you are incorrigible.0
/#hat I am afraid is my doing, though to be fair my sister has taught me ust as well.0
Bingley chuc,led and clapped a hand against his thigh. /I cannot wait to meet the young ladies that have
so made you Bennet, upon hearing your renditons of your home I am eager to see if your descripton of
them is 2Bng.0
/>es 2ve sisters, I imagine it a trial,0 the other agreed if not a bit reluctantly.
/I should say the same of you Bingley. 4ow you came about turning into such an agreeable gentleman
with your siblings is a wonder.0
/*ow give Bingley some credit,0 8arcy said moc,ingly, /who do you thin, helped him learn tolerance<0
/'nd patence,0 Ben added too elicitng an amused head sha,e from the other gentleman.
/5y sisters have made me mindful of the mercenary, though I wish I had not learnt from my own family.0
Bingley gave 8arcy an apologetc smile which the older man waved o9 with a slight smir,.
/I told you, I have acquired a pro2ciency at avoiding being compromised though I imagine I will be in for
more practce once you se3le the estate.0
/It is unfortunate that you require a mistress to handle your household, even more unfortunate that
5iss Bingley had to hear of 8arcy)s presence in the scheme,0 Ben remar,ed.
/I apologise, but there is nothing for it,0 the man said with a sigh, /I need to occupy as much of my tme
with learning the business of an estate if I am to succeed in my father)s wish of becoming landed gentry,
being occupied by too many things is not something I can a9ord to do as you both ,now, I am in the
habit of spreading myself too thin.0
/Dorry not old man, with the 5aster of Femberly at the helm you should be well on your way to being
richer than he.0
#he usually ovial man could only muster a slight smile. /I do not doubt 8arcy)s ability to assist, but
rather I feel indebted considering I too, him away from his sister. I ,now you would not have come if you
felt less inclined to the tas,, but I 2nd it unfair that I have only Caroline)s bothersome companionship to
o9er you for the remainder of it.0
/Come now Bingley, it would seem that you are trying the game of a match+ma,ing mama,0 8arcy said
with a sha,e of his head. /It is of no consequence I assure you= .eorgiana all but forced me out the door
when I told her of your plan. I thin, she believes me idle at Femberly these last few months.0
Stll, Bingley did not loo, convinced. Ben would not blame him.
'(er the events of the summer, both gentlemen were worried about the state of their friend, such a
huge failing on his part would sha,e even the strongest con2dence and 8arcy believed he was nothing
without his silent self+assurance.
Bingley had stayed in !ondon and when he grew tred of the society, he le( to Bath on the demands of
his sister, and so had no occasion to chec, up on the conditon of the 8arcy siblings other than a few
le3ers of very vague detail.
Ben ,new li3le more.
#hough he directed a few le3ers between Eli7abeth and 8arcy, he had no intenton to read them and
indeed, only required the ,nowledge that nothing improper was being e"changed, though he laughed at
the mere thought of it.
!ater, when he e"pressed a wish to ,now the state of the 8arcy siblings from his sister, Eli7abeth had
been her usual unpredictable self and declared that it was of no consequence$ /Be assured Benny, 5r.
8arcy and 5iss 8arcy are perfectly at ease now0 and wrote nothing more on the ma3er.
/I guarantee you gentlemen, you need not worry yourselves. I have 5rs. .rey and 5rs. ?eynolds for
that,0 8arcy declared, /*one of this regre3able silence. If it pleases you, I thin, of this only as sociable
consultaton for a friend, a venture given blessing by my sister.0
/So 5iss 8arcy has ordained it to be so< #hen surely it is lawC !et business be doneC0
Ben chuc,led. /6or it to be so Bingley, you would have to give up your secret. Dhere is this estate you
have been so decided on when our good friend 5r. +++ brought it to your a3enton<0
Bingley straightened, pu@ng his chest out proudly as if he had already purchased it and declared,
/*ether2eld.0
.
#wo miles short of that destnaton, nestled neatly into the 1owing landscape of the county of
4erKordshire in the library of !ongbourn 5anor, the Bennet sisters were assembled.
EIt is universally acnowledged that a man of good fortune must be in want of a wife,F began Ben)s le3er
to his family, /0owever li/le nown the feeling and views of such a man may be on his frst entering the
neighborhood, this truth is so well f+ed into the minds of the surrounding families that he is considered
as the righ:ul property of someone or other of their daughters.F
Ji3y grinned. /It is as if mama had stood over him as he wroteC0
/4e has learnt well has he not<0 !ydia as,ed chee,ily before yelping as the needle accidently pierced her
2nger.
:ane shoo, her head at her youngest sister and too, the embroidery from her hands. /!ydia,0 said she in
a gentle chiding fashion.
/>ou ,now that I do not li,e these pursuits,0 the youngest Bennet complained only to be silenced by her
sister)s stern ga7e. !ydia sighed. /I shall try again, but only to please you for it only frustrates me.0
5ary shoo, her head with a quiet chuc,le before contnuing to read the missive of their brother$
/3s it was, I always thought that this was an e+aggera*on, however, I accompanied my good friends 2r.
#ingley and 2r. Darcy to a ball hosted by 2r. #ingley-s older, unmarried sister, in a way to bid her brother
farewell as he leaves )own to se/le an estate.
)hanfully a man of li/le fortune compared to my two friends, I was easily overlooed in the crowd, but
had a smashing *me nonetheless. I danced with some ravishing young ladies who happened to want
nothing to do with me once they found out I was merely a country s,uib, oh well, c-est la vie. )hough
2iss #ingley is not a favorite of mine, she is an e+cellent hostess and it seemed that the ball lasted well
into the early hours of the morning, having dran with the gentlemen a<er dinner, I cannot be en*rely
sure.0
/;h heaven)s, he could not have dran, that much did he, he cannot possibly have been in his cups<0
:ane as,ed herself aloud, ta,ing the le3er from 5ary)s hand only to 1ush as she read the contents.
/)ell my dear sister ?ane that no, I had not dran that much, but 2r. 0urst, 2r. #ingley-s brother-in-law
did, and I was le< with the tas of eeping the gentleman company as he sobered up. 0onestly ?ane, do
you thin so li/le of me10
Chortling with mirth along with her other sisters, Ji3y declared, /;h goodness, he is as much of a tease
as !i77yC0
/'ye, I taught him well,0 Eli7abeth replied win,ing at her sister, elicitng laughs from assembled.
Clearing her throat, :ane too, the le3er from where 5ary le( o9$ /7hile 2r. 0urst sobered up alone in
the study of 2r. #ingley-s townhouse, I returned to the ball to fnd my friend, 2r. Darcy surrounded by a
horde of women.0
/5y word, is it possible that our brother is close friends with a cad<0
/)ell my dear sister 2ary that no, he is not a cad.0
It was 5ary)s turn to 1ush this tme to which Eli7abeth pa3ed her arm. /Come now 5ary, you are far
smarter than that. ;f all the le3ers we have received with 5r. 8arcy named, he always seems to be
running around the ball rooms trying to escape the mamas of !ondon society, hardly a thing for a cad to
do.0 'nd she had it on a reliable source that agreed with such informaton, if .eorgie was to be trusted.
/)hese women were in fact society mothers trying to convince my friend to secure a set with their
respec*ve daughters. )he awward sight of 2r. Darcy trying and failing to get out of their clutches
amused me to no end. I thin I may have been laughing aloud though because he turned and glared
rather fearsomely at me.
)o mae amends, I proceeded into the crowd of hellion mothers and dragged him out to have a few pints
of gin and tal about poli*cs.
0owever, my victory was short lived =I had not even the opportunity to lord it over anyone yet> when
#ingley himself had to rain upon my success with a well-meaning demand to tae a set with a young
lady.
.f course Darcy being the good friend that he was, agreed =though reluctantly> and assented to tae a
set with the young miss. )hey made ,uite the fne couple or so the matrons of the room declared. 2iss
#ingley was not pleased with the sen*ment and Daccidently- fell over the couple as they danced. 0ad I
men*oned before that I believe that 2iss #ingley has set her cap upon Darcy1 0eaven deliver him.0
't that point, :ane was upset. /;h surely it was ust an accident on 5iss Bingley)s part, and truly nothing
to do with her partality to 5r. 8arcy,0 she cried in defense.
#a,ing the tas, of 2nishing the communicaton, Eli7abeth answered in her brother)s stead, /3s I now
that ?ane will be distressed, I will apologise, but only for her sae.0
?olling her eyes good naturedly at her younger brother)s teasing, :ane bumped her shoulder o,ingly
with Eli7abeth)s as she 2nished the note$
E7hen Darcy managed to recover from the embarrassment of falling over during a set, and taing the
young woman with him, he re*red to my side by the window and ept his silence un*l the Gush upon his
chees receded.
I ased how his set went despite the vengeance of gravity and he had actually smiled and said, EI am
glad that 2iss #ingley decided to forcibly cut in.F I found that the young woman, a 2iss 3shgrove, was a
rather dull partner going on and on about lace and the fnesse of the many dresses that were adorned on
the a/ending women of the )on.
0owever, that was not to say that Darcy wanted 2iss #ingley to cut in once more and embarrass not
only him but his partner too, and he decided to mae himself scarce for the rest of the evening. I am sure
that he most liely re*red to the study to eep 2r. 0urst-s company, but whether he did or not, I cannot
say.
3s I write this, I prepare to leave oHcially for my brea from %ambridge9 I will be e+changing 'ondon for
wherever #ingley has in mind this *me around. I promised my friend that I would =along with Darcy>
assist him in fnding an estate to lease so as to prac*ce being an estate owner. I men*oned you, my dear
sister Eli(abeth, to #ingley and told him that if he ever needed help, you would be glad to assist as you
have already taen the reigns of our father-s estate under your care.
7orry not, I had not really told him that, but I did say that I new a various number of people to assist
us. "ou, father and Uncle Edward were to name a few =actually all>, and he was delighted with the
prospect of learning how to manage an estate from anyone who can.
I write to you hoping that my father, mother and sisters are safe and healthy as I had le< them in the
beginning of the summer when I last visited, and hope that I will get the chance to see you again soon
once this business of #ingley-s is complete, and hopefully that will be before %ambridge is due again.
0oping for your good health and the maintenance of your good sense,
"our loving brother and son,
#enny0
/;h but there is nothing to e"cuse the lateness of the correspondence,0 5ary pointed out once the
le3er was folded and placed neatly on the writng des, where Ji3y had chosen to sit.
/#he date is two wee,s before, most li,ely it was misdirected due to his travelling,0 :ane answered
geBng !ydia to sigh wisKully.
/;h to travel, would that not be e"citng< I wonder if his friends have been to the Contnent< I have
always wondered about it, what is it they call it again<0 !oo,ing thoughKul, the name suddenly came to
her and her bright grey eyes spar,led in delight as Ji3y sighed, /#he *ew DorldC0
5ary shoo, her head. /Come now Catherine, there is no use in being wisKul. #here is stll much to
discover here that you do not ,now about.0
/;h, but surely the Contnent is more e"citngC ?ed coats or not, I would go in a heartbeatC0 !ydia chimed
in agreement.
/But what of the balls my dear sisters, and the severe lac, of lace, oh but surely you could never,0
Eli7abeth teased geBng Ji3y to claim, /I have read about cowboys, and I thin, their hats are much
preBer than oursC0
/So hang the red coats, hang the lace< ;h honestly, does our sisters) wanderlust drive so deep<0
/But of course, there has to be more than ballrooms and embroidery.0
:ane shoo, her head. /*ow hush you two, 2nish with your tas,s and you may declare what you wish.
Fapa has only allowed you, !ydia, to the 5eryton 'ssembly if such is complete and mama will be most
unhappy if it is not.0
/But I do not li,e it= cannot you or Ji3y do it< Ji3y is much be3er at ma,ing and mending things than I,
and you are far more patent than I would wish to beC0
/Hnfortunately our sister spea,s truth,0 Ji3y said with a dramatc sigh, /)ts unfortunate that papa
wishes me to write an essay on 6ordyce, much a tas, preferred to 5ary than I or I would willingly
consent to e"change such chores.0
/I could write an essay for you if you would ust e"plain the topic to me,0 !ydia tried to bargain only to
have 5ary ts, in disagreement.
/>ou are much too young to understand the wor,s of such a re2ned mind !ydia, pray, ,eep to your
simple tas,s and be done with it. 8o not ta" yourself any further.0 #he younger Bennet)s pout turned into
a scowl as 5ary e"cused herself from the room. /It is already past noon and I have not practced yet, I
fear my instrument is calling.0
/#hen answer it, for I do not wish to hear you,0 !ydia said with a sni9.
5ary choose to ignore her ,issed :ane, Ji3y and Eli7abeth before she departed. Ji3y remained as she
was at the writng table, her brow furrowed in concentraton as she tried to thin, of the right words to
address the topic her father had given her.
's per the younger sisters) tas,s, :ane and Eli7abeth stayed in the library of their ancestral home
ensuring that the youngest were not le( idle. :ane occupied herself with her own embroidery, her
e9ortless wor,manship causing !ydia to become more frustrated with the cra( while Eli7abeth sat
beside Ji3y on the large writng table, a3ending to a few of the ledgers her father had le( for her to sort
through.
8ue to the changing in the season, the ledgers needed to be ,ept in constant watch in order to ,eep a
tght rein on the family economy, and with their father gone to a3end business in 5eryton and their
mother occupied with visitng tenants, all that was le( to do was wor,.
#he sisters) occupancy was only disrupted by the sound of horse hoofs and a carriage coming to a halt
outside some forty+2ve minutes later.
!ydia umped at the chance of reprieve and rushed to the window to see the cause of the noise, pressing
her face against the glass she gasped at the sight of the magni2cent carriage.
/;h no, Gts not 5r. Stewart again is it<0 Ji3y as,ed, puBng her papers aside to stand.
/*ot a chance.0
Eli7abeth came up beside her sister by the window, pulling the curtain slightly to widen the gap they
were able to see. Shoc,ed was she when she saw the familiar crest that matched that of the seal of her
le3ers from !ambton.
/Dhat on earth<0
.
#wo wee,s prior-
.
'ambton, Derbyshire
Dear 'i((y,
=4er writng is 1owing and neat, but large showing her e"citement& It is a strange day indeed 'i((y, I fnd
that even though my brother is to leave soon to a/end to 2r. #ingley, I am not upset.
I am saddened of course, do not misunderstand, but I am not pained at his departure. 0e has been
home for many months, only ever going to 'ondon on rare occasions of business and I am sure he is
happy to be out and about again.
I do not mean to say that he has been longing to leave, for surely he would have, even despite your few
fran le/ers to him on the occasion we =my brother and I that is> have misunderstood each other. I do not
wish for you to scare him o8, he is my brother a<er all and you are my best friend, it would not do if you
dislied one another for it would grieve me so.
I am happy for my brother because he has been home for so long, I fear he has go/en bored of my
company, though that is not the case so please withhold wri*ng him a stern le/er regarding his in-
apprecia*on.
3h yes, I apologise, I seem to be rambling again, at least I have caught it early now. 2y governess 2iss
'ucas is very helpful in eeping my mind in one place. &he is a very prac*cal lady but also very ind, she is
not so very old and she has told me that she has not had the pleasure of marriage. I believe she is much
lie you, though she prefers me to eep my imper*nence to the family for she fears it might startle
possible suitors and cause my brother to worry about her inGuence.
Do not fear9 he does not need to now that is your doing.
.h my, I hope you caught me teasing there 'i((y for I do not want to land you in any trouble with my
brother.
&peaing of, my brother is leaving for various coun*es, I believe he is assis*ng 2r. #ingley se/le on an
estate along with the help of your brother. I do not now when I am to write to him for he is unsure
himself how long they shall stay before 2r. #ingley decides on one. I am hopeful that my brother writes
to me soon, I dearly wish to hear of the new places he has been to.
;ray 'i((y, have you or your brother traveled anywhere1
E+cited, sad but all a Gu/er for unsure reasons,
"our confusing correspondent,
$eorgie
.
Chapter seven
.
Feering through the glass at his side of the carriage, a window on the second 1oor caught his a3enton.
6our women stared down at him from their perch, confusion evident in their e"pressions and curiosity
shaping their mouths as they spo,e soundlessly to each other.
#hey probably had no idea that he was loo,ing at them= the distance and di9ering lattudes were too
great and even if that were not ta,en into account, the re1ecton of the sun might otherwise shield him
from them.
But even if they could not see him, they could see his carriage.
Dhy had he not agreed to the scheme of using Bingley)s coach instead of his own<
/8arcy is something the ma3er<0
/'ye, you loo, a li3le green-0
4e cleared his throat. /#is nothing, I assure you.0 4e fumbled with his gloves.
In front of him, the other two gentlemen e"changed a loo,. /8arcy if you would prefer, you need not
meet my family if you do not wish to. 5y father will su@ce once I have recovered him from his study,0
Bennet began.
/De would not force you to sociali7e 8arce.0
4ow u3erly unmanly must he appear< /I am not a child= I do not need to be coddled.0
/#hen why do you loo, so an"ious<0
/I am not.0
/'re you sure old man<0
/'bsolutely, now if you two are 2nished dawdling I believe we must return Bennet to his family,0 he
claimed as a footman opened the door to the coach and he alighted from it 2rst, not allowing his two
friends to respond.
's he stood in the swaying vegetaton of the front garden) 8arcy)s face mas,ed into ice as he observed
his surroundings= !ongbourn 5anor, was a quaint, well+maintained house, one of the largest he had seen
in this county. Eines scaled the walls as 1owers stll bloomed in the slowly changing autumn landscape.
#he paved path to the house was neat and free of any lur,ing weeds, but gently blan,eted by a few
fallen, 2re painted leaves.
/Dell gentlemen, welcome to !ongbourn,0 Bennet said with a dramatc wave of the hand. /It is nothing
to Femberley, but home nevertheless.0 Searching through the second 1oor windows with his eyes, a grin
bro,e out as he laughingly added, /#hough it is nothing without my sisters.0
8arcy could have sworn that though they were stll a good distance from the house, he could hear
various squeals of, /Benny)s homeC0 and the sounds of fooKalls echoing as Bennet)s sisters hurried down
the stairs to meet them.
8iscretely he released a calming breath through his nose and steeled himself for the onslaught of human
contact. Ferhaps .eorgiana was right= hiding away at Femberley did have its disadvantages.
.
/Dho do you thin, those gentlemen were<0 Ji3y as,ed as the sisters quic,ly removed their occupatons
to their proper places, smoothed out their s,irts and began a troupe out the study, down the hallway
and towards the stairs.
/Could it be that 5r. Bingley and 5r. 8arcy he writes so much of<0 !ydia wondered aloud.
/De cannot ,now untl we are introduced, Gts a pity that our brother did not spea, to us before their
arrival else we would be be3er prepared,0 :ane answered with a thoughKul frown. She was not inclined
to surprises, much li,e their mother, the eldest 5iss Bennet preferred things to be orderly and planned
well enough that li3le could go wrong that she had not foreseen.
/It does not ma,e much of a di9erence you must admit= how could we prepare for such a meetng in any
case<0 Eli7abeth as,ed. /De ,now li3le of either gentleman from our brother)s le3ers for you ,now how
much Benny loves to tease 5ama with the lac, of proper informaton.0
/>es, but did not Ben menton that 5r. Bingley is most ovial and agreeable<0
/Das he not the gentleman that had insisted an amiable air among his party when they a3ended to his
townhouse at least a fortnight ago<0
/'h yes, I believe he is,0 :ane recalled. /4opefully he does not thin, us too ill+prepared for guests.0
/De have read the same le3ers have we not<0 Ji3y as,ed with a chuc,le, /I do not believe Iat least from
our brother)s le3ers I that 5r. Bingley is the type to be displeased with anything.0
/But what of the other gentleman, we only ,now that he is not a cad and has the habit of a3emptng
escape from society mothers.0
/5ama,0 Eli7abeth gasped in remembrance. /Dhere is she<0
/Dhat does it ma3er where she is<0 the youngest Bennet as,ed in confusion, bumping into :ane when
she suddenly came to a stop.
/I apologise !ydia, but I thin, I must send you.0
/Send me< Dherever to<0
/>ou must distract 5ama, !ydia,0 :ane instructed, already changing directon to the servant)s stairs and
gesturing her down the steps.
/But why must I<0
/5r. 8arcy does not li,e match+ma,ing mamas, ours is not much di9erent,0 Eli7abeth said with a
grimace. Considering his fear of entrapment we would impede upon his comfort with mama)s presence,
and as I have already promised .eorgie that I would not agitate him with my chee,, I believe I should
maintain that oath and restrain mama from his company as o(en as I am able.
/;h, but what must I tell mama<0
/4ave you not always savored the opportunity to impress upon her the idea that you shall marry
whoever you wish<0
/'h yes indeed Ji3y, now remind me again dearest, am I to be in love with #om, the woodcu3er)s
stu3ering son or 6redric,, the boot ma,er)s vulgar younger brother<0
.
Ben had not realised how homesic, he was untl the door was opened and he was greeted by 4ill, the
house,eeper of !ongbourn and surrogate mother to himself and his sisters.
4e remembered how o(en he used to hide away from her when he was young, fearing that she would
ta,e him from his amusements and deliver him to his mother.
's the heir to the family estate and also the sole savior from the hedgerows, his mother fre3ed over him
constantly and would deny him from enoying the amusements most boys were enttled to. #han,fully
4ill proved to be on his side in the ma3er and assisted him, where possible, to escape the clutches of his
over7ealous, over nervous mama.
4ill had also enoyed spoiling him and his sisters as o(en as she was able, having no children of her own
and being inclined towards grandmotherly behavior. She provided ust as many treats as she had
submi3ed reprimands and punishment to the Gwild) children of !ongbourn. Dithout her, the Bennet
children)s discipline would be naught for their father only agreed to educate them further on the
conditon of their good behavior, something uncommon for rowdy children of varying ages.
;f course with so much owed to the old house,eeper, Ben felt that introductons would be necessary,
/Bingley, 8arcy this is 5rs. 4ill, !ongbourn)s 5rs. ?eynolds +0
/Benamin Bennet, what on earth are you doing here<0
Ben 1inched. #hat was not the tone of voice that snuc, him sweets a(er supper.
/#here was no le3er to say we should prepare for your arrival, goodness once your mother 2nds out
everything will be in a t77yC0 She was already wringing her hands together and upon catching sight of
the magni2cent carriage through the door, her an"iety grew. /4eavens, do you realise how much of an
uproar you shall cause, not only here, but in the neighborhood too<0
#hough Bingley was obviously surprised by the outburst of the old house,eeper, 8arcy was not. In fact, it
was a great comfort to the formidable gentleman who had been raised by a similar woman. Seeing
someone that was not him get scolded by a 5rs. ?eynolds actually brought him a sense of amusement.
Hnfortunately for him it was not to last, however, it was a great relief to Ben when his sisters descended
the staircase and ended 4ill)s freBng.
.
#o say 8arcy was severely out of his element at this present moment would not be a gross untruth.
Dhilst the greetngs between siblings had ta,en place, Bingley was smiling li,e his usual friendly self,
elicitng even friendlier faces amongst the arrival of young women assembled.
Dith all the openly given a9ectons coupled with the welcoming smiles of Bennet)s sisters= not a man
prone to witnessing open fondness between relatons, it was no surprise that 8arcy felt somewhat
uncomfortable.
#han,fully decorum stated that the company moved out of the foyer of !ongbourn 5anor and into the
parlor where the 1ow of music was being played with e"uberant abandon. It was almost li,e he was bac,
at Femberley, entering a di9erent version of the music room to 2nd a dar, haired sister instead of a
blonde one.
/5ary, loo, who is hereC0 ' girl, the youngest of the three that had descended, declared e"citedly as she
entered the parlor arm and arm with her brother.
#he music lagged as the girl loo,ed over her shoulder and ust as suddenly as she notced the un,nown
guests standing in the parlor of her home, she abruptly rose and fumbled a curtsey from behind the
piano bench. She was a mousy girl this G5ary), there was a st9ness to her manner that lac,ed the gentle
grace her sisters had e"hibited earlier, though to be fair, she was caught entrely by surprise.
Chee,s stained an embarrassingly bright red that pee,ed from even the edges of her ears, eyes
downcast and her hands clenched tghtly in front of her to prevent her slight sha,ing from being notced.
8arcy ,new such a stance quite well.
It was something .eorgiana had done almost constantly before 5iss Bennet)s le3ers had ta,en into
e9ect. Instantly he pited the poor thing.
/'h now that we are in the proper room for introductons, may I present my lovely sisters to you both<0
4e only gave a solemn nod of agreement while Bingley appeared more enthusiastc simply because he
loved sociali7ing, and also because Bennet had failed to menton how uncommonly pre3y his sisters
were.
#he youngest was a dar, haired brune3e, far shorter than the rest of her sisters and much less inclined
to propriety as she happily hung o9 her brother)s arm and giggled. /#his is 5iss Catherine Bennet.0 She
bobbed a curtsey and giggled a li3le again.
#he sister behind the piano was also a brune3e, but much lighter though her height was almost the
same to 5iss Catherine which led 8arcy to assume that they were probably close in age. /#his is 5iss
5ary Bennet.0 She also proved to hold etque3e to a higher standard as a muscle under her eye
twitched slightly at her younger sister)s antcs before she dropped a somewhat clumsy curtsey.
#hough Bingley did not seem to notce for his a3enton was on another 5iss Bennet, a classical beauty,
something 8arcy had not e"pected to 2nd in a seemingly bac,water county. She seemed to be perfectly
well+mannered and serene. 4er air was somewhat aloof, but her smile was nothing if not sincere. /#his is
5iss Bennet.0 'h, the eldest then. But where does that leave the last sister<
8arcy)s ga7e fell to the remaining sister without a name.
She was as dar, haired as 5iss Catherine, but unli,e her, her eyes were a dar, brown much the same as
5iss 5ary, though hers spar,led amber and green as the light from the window she stood by played
along her lashes. She seemed more open with her emotons than the eldest 5iss Bennet for an arch
smile tugged at her lips and set her ga7e dancing in amusement. /'nd this is 5iss Eli7abeth Bennet.0
4e almost cho,ed on his own spit. *ot a gentlemanly thing to admit, but unfortunately 8arcy was a
terrible liar.
4e was now not only overwhelmed with the sheer number of people he was con2ned with for the
remainder of this visit, but now he was also face to face with the mysterious young woman he had to
than, for repairing the damage done to his beloved sister. 4e had, of course, suspected that he would
meet her eventually, but he assumed that since one sister was missing, he might be fortunate enough to
hold o9 such an introducton.
/#hese two gentlemen are 5r. 8arcy and 5r. Bingley.0
/)#is a pleasure to meet such charming young ladies,0 Bingley said with a bow which 8arcy e"ecuted as
well while he murmured sentments of that nature that hardly had a chance to process in his brain.
/!i,ewise sir,0 5iss Bennet answered on behalf of the rest of her sisters. /I believe you are traveling to
se3le an estate 5r. Bingley, pray are you only to pass by before you contnue on such a ourney<0
/>es, I believe we would li,e to ,eep our brother untl 5ichaelmas if possible,0 5iss Eli7abeth said
elicitng a nod of agreement from 5iss Catherine and a sage comment by 5iss 5ary, /#raditons cannot
be ignored thusly a(er all and our brother)s presence will be no more demanded than it would be
required.0
Bingley chuc,led. /Dell actually 5iss Bennet, I am to lease an estate called *ether2eld, should the
property be to my li,ing, and then you need not worry about Bennet being absent for such an important
occasion.0
/;h you are to lease *ether2eld< 4ow wonderful, the grounds are simply beautful.0
/4ave you visited there o(en 5iss Eli7abeth<0
She gave a sheepish sort of smile. /I am afraid so 5r. Bingley. If you are to lease *ether2eld I suggest you
repair the fence bordering our lands.0
.
#wo days prior-
.
'ambton, Derbyshire
Dear 'i((y,
%4er writng is neat and wri3en in her usual careful way, a sign that she is content& I am glad you lied
the setch I have done of the view in my window9 rough setches seem to be the only thing I am able to
complete before I grow bored of the occupa*on.
2y brother thins it is very amusing because I can spend hours on the pianoforte and yet cannot sit for
more than a ,uarter of an hour to fnish a setch. It is simply not e+ci*ng enough I could argue, but
unfortunately my brother is ,uite profcient in things that re,uire the utmost pa*ence. 2iss 'ucas is
a/emp*ng to assist my lac of such an important virtue by amusing me with stories of her home as I
draw whatever ob6ect she instructs me to.
It is ,uite odd 'i((y9 did you not say you were from 0er:ordshire1 2y companion has spoen of a 'i((y
and a manor called 'ongbourn, am I to understand it is one and the same1 %4er writng suddenly goes
quite large in her e"citement& .h if it were true, I could draw a portrait of you based on her descrip*on, I
am sure I can gather enough pa*ence to complete such a tas, hopefully then my brother would not
tease meA
%4er writng goes small again& 2y brother has wri/en to me sparsely since his departure from home and
it worries me. 2iss 'ucas has told me that it is most liely due to the traveling they are partaing in, I am
sure you would agree with the logic, but I have no idea if he is well.
2y brother is a very constant correspondent, you see, much lie you9 he never fails to pen something
down to let me now that all is well and that he will be returning this date or this date.
I suppose our e+tended period together since the event in Ramsgate %?amsgate is wri3en with a slight
scribble showing her desire to forget about the incident& has made me ,uite dependent on his presence
and now that he is no longer here and not wri*ng to me %4er writng trails& C I thin I shall laugh at
myself now for I feel rather silly admi@ng such a foolish thing.
)he le/er my brother did manage to send, told me that he was to depart to a county a day-s travel away
from 'ondon. Did you not say that 0er:ordshire was at such a distance1
If you should be so lucy to spea to him, and he so lucy to meet you, I cau*on you that droll topics of
the weather and the appearance of the roads will only discomfort him and no doubt, frustrate you. .h
my, I hope my brother does not become too startled by you and if he does, pray apologise for me for not
warning him sooner. %4er writng goes large again& 0ow I envy you both for mee*ng the otherA
2iss 'ucas has shaen her head at me with a loo of bemusement9 I thin my odd moods are rather
disconcer*ng for which I apologise, as well as the length of this missive. I now that you said there is no
such thing as a long le/er, but unfortunately 2iss 'ucas has uninten*onally instructed me on how
postage is calculated and now I fear that I shall leave you ,uite a bill.
2y apologies for the long winding le/er and my peculiar temper,
$eorgie
.
Fresently-
.
Some 2(een minutes later, 8arcy found himself in an inevitable positon.
's per his habit, he wandered towards a window to view the sprawling, tumbling lawn of !ongbourn. #o
his surprise, none of Bennet)s sisters had a3empted to a3ach themselves to him in any way. *o sultry
smiles, 1irtatous eye 1u3ering or saturated, insincere compliments were heard or directed towards him.
4e was relieved to thin, he would not be harassed as he had been since escaping Femberley.
6or the past two wee,s, every county the three gentlemen had entered garnered the same a3enton$
Everyone would be in awe of the marvelous carriage and pay the owner quite a bit of concentraton= but
then the meetng with various occupants of the area would deem Bingley an e"ceptonally friendly
gentleman, Bennet a very intelligent young man and 8arcy a stale piece of bread in a bowl of perfectly
ripe permanganates and apples. Hnfortunately the townspeople would then discover how much richer
8arcy was compared to his companions and suddenly no one partcularly cared for the two more
amiable gentlemen.
8arcy was quite glad that the cycle would not contnue in Bennet)s home county.
#hrough the re1ecton of the glass, 5iss Eli7abeth moved to stand some distance beside him. 4e hu9ed
out a slight breath through the nose. Ferhaps he celebrated a bit too soon.
/5r. 8arcy.0
4e turned slightly and bowed his head in ac,nowledgement. /5iss Eli7abeth.0
Standing almost side by side to stare out separate windows, there was silence between them.
's per his usual behavior, 8arcy tried to ignore the presence of the young woman beside him, but he
caught their re1ectons in the glass and could not ignore how tny she was compared to him. Indeed, she
was barely at his shoulder and loo,ed incredibly fragile in contrast to his large, imposing form at her side.
She did not feel the need to ma,e small tal, and he was not pro2cient in such things to a3empt it,
however, the pause eventually stretched too long for her and she o9ered, /5iss 8arcy has told me how
much it has rained in the *orth, I hope the weather did not prove too much of a hassle with your
travels.0
/*ot at all, we have been fortunate enough to choose routes that avoided such problems.0
/;h then you have traveled o(en<0
/'s much as may be needed.0
/It is good that someone is e"perienced with the actvity, I cannot rely on my brother)s descripton for he
enoys drawing us caricatures and I do not wish to disappoint 5iss 8arcy should his claims prove too
e"travagant to be plausible,0 she mused with a smile.
/Dhere has Bennet e"plored that his word cannot be trusted< I do not believe him to be too creatve in
such a tas, as drawing.0 8arcy had seen such a3empts on the occasion of Bennet)s boredom where the
young man would end up scribbling badly drawn obects on pieces of spare parchment.
5iss Eli7abeth chuc,led. /#han,fully he has been to nowhere but !ondon and Cambridgeshire so he
cannot properly fool us= sadly I have traveled even less than he so I fear I shall disappoint 5iss 8arcy
with my ne"t communicaton.0 #urning her head slightly to smile at him, she as,ed, /Dhere have your
roads ta,en you 5r. 8arcy<0
/Earious countes and abroad madam,0 he answered= a bit unse3led by her smile.
She nodded in understanding, eerily una9ected by his short reply.
/4ave you stopped at 5eryton sir<0
/I have not had the pleasure, your brother was adamant on arriving here as soon as we were able.0
/'h I see, well since he has denied you the opportunity I will have to instruct him to show you the post
o@ce when ne"t you are to venture out.0 #heir eyes met and she 1ashed him the same smile. /5iss
8arcy eagerly awaits your ne"t epistle. I daresay she will be quite proud of me for not shoc,ing you so.0
4er ga7e returned to the window, her smile stll in place as her 2ne eyes re1ected the glow of the sun.
/#hough I must admit I am rather befuddled at her delivering such a warning upon me, I do not thin, I
am shoc,ing.0
8arcy would disagree.
.
's twilight se3led in the county, Ben was 2nally given a reprieve from his mother)s interrogaton and
ventured into :ane and Eli7abeth)s room where his sisters were ,nown to congregate a(er supper.
:ane was leaning against the headboard, spea,ing quietly to Eli7abeth who had her head on her eldest
sister)s shoulder. Ji3y was seated in the middle of the shared bed of his two older sisters, braiding
5ary)s hair who was studying the new piece of music he managed to procure for her, seated beside Ji3y
near the edge of the bed was !ydia who was tal,ing animatedly about the events she witnessed with the
tenants while distractng their mother.
/'h I see now who I am to than, for ,eeping 5ama.0
!ydia leaned over to see past 5ary and said with a grin, /'ye, did you tell her who arrived yet<0
/*o,0 he answered as he entered, closing the door behind him before ta,ing a seat behind the vanity ust
across from the bed.
/#hen what was your interview with our mother about<0
/I am returned from Cambridge and she is quite determined to ,now if I have found a new 5rs.
Bennet.0
#he two younger sisters giggled, but it was Eli7abeth who as,ed in amusement, /4as 2nding us husbands
escaped her mind<0
/6or the moment, I thin, my sudden homecoming has ta,en her by surprise. ?est assured, mama will
return to herself once the gossip begins about *ether2eld.0
/5r. Bingley is to let *ether2eld<0 !ydia as,ed e"citedly before she e"claimed, /;h surely he shall host a
ball, brother, you must insist upon it for *ether2eld has the greatest ballroom in the entre countyC0
/Indeed, a fact that will appease 5iss Bingley greatly when she hears her brother has se3led the estate.0
/Se3led already<0 5ary questoned, /5r. 5orris is usually quite a di@cult man to negotate with.0
/>es, !i77y tried to get him to repair the fences because Fuc, li,es to wander out of the estate, and 5r.
5orris would not yield to either !i77y or :ane,0 !ydia stated with a displeased scowl, /and yet he stll 2nds
it reasonable to complain when Fuc, lands up on the *ether2eld property.0
/#hat is why I retrieved papa a(er we le( the house so that he may be present during the discussion of
the lease contract,0 Ben e"plained, />ou ,now how easily 5r. 5orris yields when father is involved.0
/Ferhaps it is because 5r. 5orris stll fears papa a(er he tried to compromise one of the maids last
year,0 5ary mused elicitng a nod of agreement from Ji3y.
/>es, papa was u3erly frighKul. I do not thin, I have seen him so angry before, and only for a maid.0
/I thin, father acted quite appropriately,0 Ben cried, /why, that could have easily been any one of you.
#he only di9erence being that the maid had no one to defend her name while you do. *o doubt 5r.
5orris had no intenton of marrying her either and he would probably not lose sleep over sullying her
name.0
:ane ga7ed at him with a thoughKul eye before catching the matching e"pression of resolve in her sister
Eli7abeth as she came to stand by their brother)s side, a hand placed comfortngly upon his shoulder.
/Dhy that is a rather dreadful thing to say,0 5ary mu3ered, /though true it might be, such did not occur.
Dhat has happened Benny that you have turned so serious<0
/It is of no consequence I assure you, I am ust tred from the ourney.0
/#hen we insist that you regain your strength for if the society of 5eryton has seen our new neighbors
than I fear you shall need all the energy you can spare,0 Eli7abeth claimed, paBng his shoulder.
/*o, do not send him away yet,0 Ji3y pleaded, /he must be present when we gossip about his two
friends for his understanding of them will ma,e the actvity even more funC0
/*ow I do not ,now how I feel about that,0 Ben said with a chuc,le. /But pray, what did you thin, of
them<0
:ane spo,e 2rst, /5r. Bingley I thin, is as amiable as you have described.0
/>es and e"tremely a3entve to dear :ane,0 Eli7abeth added, sending her sister a win,. #he eldest
Bennet)s 1ush grew ho3er as 5ary adoined, />es, he appeared not to pay the rest of us any a3enton at
all. Even !ydia)s entrance was greatly ignored when she came to warn us that 5ama was to come.0
/I thin, he is much more 2Bng for :ane than 5r. Stewart,0 Ji3y claimed though !ydia)s eyes rolled.
/3ny man is be3er than 5r. Stewart. But I do agree, though he did not pay me much a3enton a(er our
introducton, at least he was polite enough to try and start a conversaton with me before being
distracted by :ane)s beauty unli,e that frighKully tall gentleman.0
/'h, you must e"cuse 8arcy= he is not the type to enoy social gatherings of any ,ind.0
/Stll, he appears ust as severe as 5ary does. 4e has the e"pression of someone in mourning or one that
has lost his shillings to a drain,0 !ydia remar,ed with a hu9. /I do not li,e him.0
/>ou udge far too quic,ly dearest,0 :ane soothed, /not everyone is as buoyant as you are in company.0
/'t least he does not sprout nonsense li,e 5r. Stewart,0 Eli7abeth added, /he may have been silent for
most of the visit, but at least what he had to say was worth hearing.0
/De would not ,now !i77y, only you spo,e to him,0 5ary pointed out elicitng a curious loo, from :ane, a
sly smile from !ydia, quir,ing brows from Ji3y and a combinaton of a raised brow and a smir, from Ben.
/;h, and what was the contents of this discourse, as your brother I must be dutfully informed to ensure
that possible suitors are righKully instructed on their behavior towards my sisters.0
#he sisters laughed at the hint of their mother)s tone in Ben)s voice while Eli7abeth)s eyes twin,led at the
inside o,e of 5r. 8arcy)s fear of entrapment.
/Be assured dear brother= we only spo,e of the drollest of topics.0
.
Chapter eight
.
/5y dear 5r. Bennet,0 said his lady, /have you heard *ether2eld Far, is to be let at last<0
4is brows quir,ed in amusement from over the boo, he was pursuing, which dealt with important
ma3ers of estate business and the importance of maintaining one)s economy %something he
recommended his wife read should she ever tre of her novels&, the playful 1ic,ering of light dancing in
his grey eyes matching that of his two favorite children.
/5rs. !ong has ust been here, and she told me all about it,0 5rs. Bennet contnued, unperturbed by the
silence that 2lled her husband)s study, her e"citement brimming as she bounced upon the chair across
her husband)s des,. /8o you not want to ,now who has ta,en it<0
/>ou want to tell me, and I have no obecton to hearing it,0 he answered, his amusement veiled only by
the boo, he raised higher to shield his face.
Ben fa,ed a cough while Eli7abeth pressed a hand against her lips and tried very hard to focus on the
numbers of the ledger they were reviewing in an a3empt to ignore their mother)s enthusiasm over their
new neighbor.
/Dhy my dear, you must ,now, 5rs. !ong says that *ether2eld is ta,en by a young man of large fortune
from the north of England.0
/Is that so my dear<0
/Dhy yes indeed 5r. Bennet,0 she said eagerly.
/Dhat is this young man)s name<0
/4is name is Bingley I believe, a 2ne nameC 5rs. !ong has said that the gentleman is very amiable and
very handsome, a 2ne thing for our girlsC0
'h and here was the moment 5r. Bennet had been waitng for$ /4ow so, how can it a9ect them<0
#o say the Bennet matriarch was forcibly ripped o9 her proverbial Cloud *ine would be 2Bng for the
lady was immediately overwhelmed with angry energy, /*ow my dear 5r. Bennet, how can you tease
me so< 8o you not reali7e how wonderful this is< Such a man of his caliber would surely ma,e a 2Bng
husband for our girlsC0
/5y dear you hardly ,now the man, what caliber do you spea, of other than his fortune< 'nd what is
this Gour girls)< 're you hoping that this Bingley fellow is a polygamist< Surely you ,now I shall never
consent to my daughters becoming incubi.0
She hu9ed. /Certainly not, we have raised ladies not-0
Suddenly feeling the raised brows of her two children behind her, she contnued in haste, /5r. Bingley)s
fortune is not to be laughed at my dear husband, do you ,now that his carriage was seen in 5eryton,
the 2nest carriage anyone had ever beheldC Indeed, it made 5r. Stewart)s appear rather cheaply in
comparisonC0
/Dhy, I do not wish to hear this nonsense about my favorite young man,0 5r. Bennet cried moc,ingly in
his defense to the annoyance of Eli7abeth as her brother lost his composure entrely and almost fell out
of his chair.
/It grieves me to tell you such things my dear, but it is the truth and I am nothing if not honest,0 his wife
declared. /*ow even though you seem quite ta,en with the idea of our :ane)s imminent a3achment to
5r. Stewart %both Bennet children snorted albeit less discretely&, would it not be more agreeable to ,eep
her for the richer man< Certainly :ane is not so pre3y for a mere eight thousand pounds<0
/5ay I remind you that our daughters) happiness does not rely on annuity but on mutual a9ecton< De
do not sell our children to the highest bidders.0
/>es, but there is happiness in security is there not<0
/I cannot deny such logic, what shall you have me do then<0
!oo,ing victorious, 5rs. Bennet commanded, />ou shall see him.0
/Dho shall I see<0
/5r. Bingley.0 She gave him an e"asperated loo,. />ou shall introduce yourself and welcome him to the
neighborhood. Consider your daughters sir, only thin, what an establishment it would be.0
/6or one of them,0 5r. Bennet emphasi7ed elicitng another hu9 from his lady.
/#hen you shall see him<0
FuBng his long forgo3en boo, aside, he answered, /I believe your ways have 2nally a9ected mine my
dear wife, I have already met this young man you wish to wed our daughters %though he may only have
one if he is luc,y&.0
/Dhat is this that you spea, of< Dhen did you meet him<0
/Dhy ust yesterday,0 he answered coolly, /your son decided to interrupt a perfectly good game of
bac,gammon between 5r. Fhilips and I, and that is when I met 5r. Bingley.0
/'nd what does Benamin Bennet have to do with any of this<0 their mother demanded.
6rom across the small table, Eli7abeth noted the slight twitch under her brother)s eye at the use of his
full name, and with an arch smile she ,new that they thought the same thing$ Benny was in serious
trouble with their 5ama.
#he siblings shared thought was con2rmed when 5r. Bennet declared in the same cool nonchalance,
/Dhy, he and 5r. Bingley are long acquainted, I believe they met through your brother .ardiner.0
'nd it appeared as though their father had also sentenced Hncle Edward to e"perience the wrath of one
5rs. 6anny Bennet as well.
.
Eli7abeth was not inclined to stay within doors once their mother began her schemes, hopefully 5rs.
Bennet would be far too occupied with beratng Ben from withholding such valuable ,nowledge to be
able to do anything soon.
4aving been loc,ed indoors assistng both her brother and her father with a few ma3ers of the estate,
she was desirous for the solitude of her rambles.
#he dead leaves crushed quietly underneath the boots she wore on her wal,s, 4ill had insisted upon it
a(er one too many 2ts of her mother)s nerves about torn sil, shoes= the sound was an odd
accompaniment to the far away beatng of a bird)s wings.
She breathed in the mus,y scent of earth twined in the crisp air, her eyes lightening at the sight of the
s,y with all its oranges, reds and pin,s sca3ered with deliberaton across a light blue painted canvas. She
beamed at all that met her eye for in this wood and at this moment, there was nothing more beautful
than witnessing the grandeur of .od)s wor,.
Dal,ing onto a path she had many a tmes traveled, she loo,ed up at the sun through the canopy of
branches overhead, the interplay of light and shadow entcing her to a whimsical dance as the leaves
rustled o9 their twigs and twirled around her. Dho was she deny such a set<
'nd so with abandon, vigor and the delight of enoying her own silliness, she twirled and danced in the
gentle rain of falling leaves and mus,y air.
Such was the state that 8arcy had spo3ed her.
4e was not one to spy, such an actvity was undigni2ed and not something a gentleman would do, but he
had seen a 1ash of colour and movement on his morning ride and his horse was a rather curious and
stubborn animal.
#hat morning 8arcy had wo,en with a sense of urgency. !eave the house before Bingley)s guests arrive.
'rrive they did. Hnfortunately they did so the night before while he embraced oblivion and slept through
the rac,et they caused.
5iss Bingley had greeted him in the brea,fast room that morning and refused to allow him leave of any
sorts without ma,ing some move to accompany him. 4e could not even 2nish brea,fast with her
constant demand for a3enton.
4e would not be rude to his friend)s sister who was also his hostess which le( him with only one choice$
escape.
Dith a handful of bread rolls that he unceremoniously stu9ed into the poc,ets of his coat, he 1ed. 4is
valet would surely gi( him with odd loo,s later, but 8arcy would prefer his manservant)s confusion over
5iss Bingley)s a3entveness.
#hough Bingley had a very meager collecton of boo,s, *ether2eld)s large shelves served their purpose
as he quic,ly lost her within the library before stowing away to the stables.
4is horse was determined to ignore him, however, 8arcy refused to be caught and urged the beast out
the stall, out of the stables and anywhere but *ether2eld and so his horse had led him here.
'chilles was the horse)s name, stepped upon a bro,en twig that lay in its path, the sound sha3ering the
silence of nature and the giggles of the sprite before him.
In surprise, 5iss Eli7abeth turned and 8arcy fought the urge to curse.
4ow unfortunate for them both.
.
*ether2eld Far, was in a 1urry of actvity, the servants running up and down the hallways and in and out
of bedchambers as they prepared the house for use by its new master. In various rooms of the estate,
silverware was being polished, bedding changed and rooms aired of dust.
#he e@ciency of the servants was lagged by e"hauston brought on from the previous night with the
arrival of their rather pic,y and fashionable new mistress, 5iss Caroline Bingley.
/*o, no, this will not doC #his room is completely out of date= they all need to be rearrangedC0 declared
she, waving her hand about dramatcally as she gestured, /*ew furniture= new coloursC 4ow drab this
room loo,s, how ill indeed, do you not agree !ouisa<0
!ouisa 4urst nee Bingley nodded earnestly and stuc, her nose higher in the air.
/.oodness where does our brother 2nd his help, who on earth choose such plain furniture< It is a very
good thing we accompanied him Caroline, heaven ,nows Charles will be able to handle running his own
house without our good taste.0
/Beggin) your pardon 5iss.0
/Dhat is it<0
/I apologise 5iss, but there is a gentleman to see you.0
Caroline)s mood seemed to brighten.
/*ow Caroline,0 the elder began in warning, very much aware of her sister)s desire to be married as
soon as may be, /I hardly thin, it ma3ers if there is a gentleman of sorts here, indeed I doubt this
bac,water place can have any gentlemen worthy of your a3enton.0
/!ouisa, do not tal, to me as if I were a child. I ,now full well the lac, of prospects in the country, but the
Ggentlemen) here will at least provide some amusement for the tme being, at least untl our brother
regains his senses and returns to !ondon with us. Dhy already 5r. 8arcy has been actng out of sorts for
he disappeared during our most engaging conversaton in the library,0 she sni9ed.
/I agree= it must be that ghastly 5r. Bennet. 4ow such a gentleman of low breeding ever got onto the
notce of someone of 5r. 8arcy)s ran, is unheard ofC0
/Erm-5iss<0
/4onestly girl, do you not learn manners< Dhen two ladies of breeding are spea,ing, what you have to
say ma3ers naught.0
/5anners of some sort are a common sense, tact, however, is something you have to have the decency
to gain,0 a di9erence voice claimed from the door behind them.
#hey turned to ac,nowledge his entrance though the servant girl hastly bobbed a curtsey and departed.
/'h 5r. Bennet, how-nice it is to say you again,0 !ouisa greeted as she smiled falsely at the country
squid her brother befriended, and curtseying in greetng. 4er acton copied by her sister though stAy
with neither having the decency to blush over their words possibly heard by the man they had ust
spo,en of.
/I would not give you the bene2t 5r. Bennet,0 Caroline claimed, crossing her arms and glaring at the so+
called gentleman, /tact is not to be wasted on the inferior.0
/>ou may assume what you wish, as long as I am not a target to you or any other fortune hunters I am
content. Besides, I much prefer your blatant hate 5iss Bingley= it is surely more becoming then that
plume in your hair. Dhere in heaven)s name did you 2nd such a thing, did it belong to the pheasant
Bingley shot yesterday<0 Ben as,ed coolly, inwardly snic,ering at the angry 1ush of colour on 5iss
Bingley)s chee,s, her 2ngers twitching in the uncton where her elbow folded.
/Luite a hypocrite you are 5r. Bennet, what has happened to having the decency to gain tact<0 !ouisa
sni9ed in derision.
/;h, tact I have, in abundance I assure you,0 he said with a shrug, /but whether I wish to ma,e use of it
is my business and not yours, is it not<0
5iss Bingley sco9ed. /Is there something you wanted 5r. Bennet<0
/It is not necessarily what I want 5iss Bingley, it is simply civility. 5y family wishes to e"tend an
invitaton to you and the 4ursts to dine with us. >our brother has already agreed, though he cannot say
whether the rest of his company wishes to parta,e in our merriment.0
Jnowing the reserved nature of her brother)s other guest, Caroline responded, /I am sure my brother
would simply adore the opportunity to sociali7e with the society here, but I have much to do to ensure
*ether2eld is tolerable for use, some tastes are more re2ned and need to be catered for, you
understand.0
#he young man did not argue or a3empt to persuade, he simply bowed and departed leaving civility as it
always was, barely there but at least in e"istence. Ben was not to be fooled by 5iss Bingley)s e"cuses,
and he ,new almost immediately what ideas the woman)s mind was churning.
Inwardly he shuddered.
Foor 8arcy.
.
It was most curious indeed when not one minute ago Eli7abeth was gaily twirling li,e a foolish thing in
the middle of the wood and then the ne"t she was bac,ed into a tree, arrested by two pairs of eyes.
#he 2rst, a pair of hauntngly blue eyes, the eyes of her brother)s friend and her young correspondent)s
brother= and the second, a pair of endless depths of pure blac,.
4er breath was harsh and shallow, her chest heaving painfully as she tried to calm her horribly thumping
heart.
/I apologise for the intrusion 5iss Eli7abeth,0 5r. 8arcy said, his voice belying no response towards her
apparent lac, of composure either because he was completely unfa7ed by her obvious fear or
completely indi9erent to it. 4e was in fact, neither.
She was mort2ed and terri2ed all at once.
#hat great beast of a creature stared unmoving at her while its rider loo,ed on with ust as much
unwavering resolve. Being caught in such a state of discom2ture did not suit her at all, though she
di9ered with her mother and :ane in this, being caught o9 guard was not much a favorite of hers either.
*o words were e"changed following his greetng before she grew once again in con2dence, if only to
u3er, />ou wish to scare me sir, what do you mean by coming about me in such a way<0
#he gentleman !ydia had claimed to disli,e upon a less than 2ve minute meetng, was indeed, frighKully
tall, imposing and everything that was intmidaton. 4is habit of being o9ensive when embarrassed could
not be forgo3en and so he stated coldly, /I do not understand your meaning.0
/I did not hear you arrive sir,0 she e"plained, her courage rising as she focused more on the rider than
the creature he was mounted upon, /untl you were quite too near for me to pretend I was being
appropriate.0
/If you dance in the wood, it is no business of mine.0
She had the decency to blush. /#hen upon my word, what reason would you have to be here<0
4er accusatory tone made him st9en, his eyes narrowing. /I startled you 5iss Eli7abeth= I would not
simply leave without ma,ing sure you were well or at least greet you as civility demands.0
/I would be quite well if you le( me sir, civility or not.0
8arcy would have chosen to be angry with her and did so if only to end this pointless argument, but
when his horse had begun to stomp restlessly he noted the way 5iss Eli7abeth instantly cringed and how
automatc her movement was to be near the safety of the tree.
/Be calm 'chilles.0
#he horse raised its legs in irritaton, but for once the stubborn stallion consented with a toss of its head
before releasing a slight hu9 in annoyance.
.lancing at the young woman he happened upon, 8arcy hoped she would be restored of her
composure. Hnfortunately he found her siBng at the foot of the tree, hiding her face in her hands as the
sounds of muAed sobs made its way into his hearing.
It hit him almost as painfully as it had the many nights he spend siBng outside of .eorgiana)s door,
unable to ma,e her nightmares stop.
8arcy made her cry.
#he haste with which he dismounted from 'chilles and went to her was almost as fast as it too, for him
to reali7e that 5iss Eli7abeth was not crying heart wrenching tears, but that of frustrated, angry tears.
/5iss Eli7abeth I must apologise, I did not ,now you were afraid of horses,0 he found himself stumbling
over words in an a3empt at an apology= he was never good at those.
/I am not afraid of horses,0 she mumbled de2antly, /I am not +0
'chilles nic,ered bac, as if contnuing the argument his rider had abandoned. 8arcy glared at his mount
before ,neeling beside the young woman, unsure of what to do.
#his situaton was a prime e"ample of circumstances he aimed to avoid at all costs, the only tme he had
ever dealt with an upset female of any ,ind was his sister and the only tme that was successful was
when .eorgiana was 2ve and only wanted the coo,ie she was denied before going to bed. 8arcy
doubted coo,ies would 2" this, but siBng beside her li,e a quiet, idiotc tree was not going to ma,e
things be3er.
4e sighed and o9ered her his hand,erchief which she ac,nowledged with neither a sha,e nor a nod of
her head.
/5iss Eli7abeth, if you would indulge me.0
She glanced at him slightly, her glistening, red tainted eyes meetng his for a brief second before she
sni9ed and accepted the piece of cloth from his hand. Before she used it to wipe away the tear stains
upon her chee,s, she mumbled, /Breadcrumbs<0
;h. >es. 4is brea,fast.
6lushing in embarrassment, 8arcy dusted the hand,erchief clean, e9ectvely ruining the neat press of
the material as he aw,wardly handed it bac, to her. /I apologise 5iss Eli7abeth.0
' so( sni9 answered him before she spo,e again, />ou apologise an awful lot 5r. 8arcy= I am startng to
see where .eorgiana gets it from.0
.
/5y dear :ane is a reputed beauty in 4erKordshire,0 5rs. Bennet claimed as she prepared to serve her
two guests tea. /Dhy, at ust 2(een I was sure my :ane was to be married, but sadly the gentleman did
not claim her,0 she lamented with a disappointed sigh. /4owever, he did write her some lovely lines,
quite a gentleman he was.0
/I am sure he was indeed madam, your daughter deserves the very best.0
:ane)s pin, chee,s too, a more rosy hue at the compliment and smile of the ovial friend of her younger
brother. 5r. Bingley)s grin only brightened when the young woman smiled bac, shyly.
/>es, I am glad you agree 5r. Bingley, I believe my :ane only deserves the best,0 5rs. Bennet echoed, her
lower lip twitching slightly at the severe e"pression on the other gentleman)s face.
's soon as she had procured the correct informaton from her son, 5rs. Bennet had determined that no,
:ane would not go to 5r. Stewart or to their new neighbor 5r. Bingley, the reputed beauty of
4erefordshire would go to the gentleman that suited her best.
5r. 8arcy was certainly more handsome than his friend, his dar, loc,s, his de2ned and noble features,
his uncommonly blue eyes, his impressive height and his fortune of ten thousand a year was certainly
more entcing than 5r. Bingley)s mere 2ve thousand. Dhy, 5r. Bingley was not even richer than 5r.
Stewart, the easily smiling gentleman would do be3er with one of her other girls, Ji3y or !ydia perhaps<
But 5r. 8arcy would certainly ma,e an absolutely perfect match for her beautful, serene, gentle :ane.
If only he could show some interestC
/5r. 8arcy, how are you and 5r. Bingley 2nding 4erKordshire<0
/It is tolerable madam.0
#he matron felt her eye twitch.
Bingley tried not to laugh at the di9ering emotons felt by his companion and his host. 4e was not blind
to 5rs. Bennet)s a3empt to draw interest towards her daughter, not that he found it a partcular
problem on his part, however, it amused him more so the reacton of his friend.
8arcy had shown the same amount of interest in this visit as he had on many others with Bingley as a
bystander as well as a well+meaning conversatonalist who would either a3empt to draw his friend out,
or shield him entrely.
4owever, there was one thing di9erent with this visit or rather, what occurred before their arrival to
their friend)s estate.
Hnli,e other occasions where Bingley observed his formidable friend staring impassively at the other
side of the carriage either meditatng or a3emptng not to throw himself out of the moving vehicle,
Bingley had seen 8arcy pacing the length of the 2replace in the library of *ether2eld.
It was li,e the many tmes 8arcy was agitated and even though Bingley had placed it on the fault of his
sister %Bingley had chosen to sleep in for a reason&, he discovered it was something else entrely when his
friend suddenly whirled on him and stated, /I am not a child.0
Dith their obviously di9ering heights and builds, Bingley had no doubt about that.
#hough it was not a completely life altering thing to witness or be privy to by any means, he ,new there
was a signi2cance to what occurred while he was indisposed and he was determined to 2nd out.
Dhen the door to the parlor opened and admi3ed the remaining Bennet girls and their brother, Bingley
noted the slight st9ening of his friend beside him and could not help but wonder which of the Bennets
had caused it.
.
'ongbourn 2anor, 0er:ordshire
Dear $eorgiana,
It appears I have failed you my dear friend, I have managed to shoc your brother today upon coming
across him in the wood. Do not fear, nothing inappropriate came about, his horse was there to eep me
on my best behaviorCI can see that you are confused and so I shall e+plain what has occurred5
.<en, my brother and I assist our father on du*es of the estate while my sisters partae in charity
towards our tenants. &ince it is autumn, it is impera*ve that the estate-s dealings are ept in control in
order to maintain our economy and as such I could not tae my usual dawn stroll un*l near midmorning.
3s it happens, autumn is a par*cularly beau*ful season in 0er:ordshire and I was en6oying the good
weather and my good fortune at the chance to s*ll have my amusements despite my du*es at home and
I was ac*ng lie a child. I was twirling and dancing amongst the falling leaves, ,uite lie a foolish idiot I
imagine, though I did not care one whit un*l your brother happened upon me.
I remember you saying that he en6oyed his morning ride. It is either he has taen a late ride or he rides
for a ,uite a long *me for he came upon me 6ust as the sun reached its (enith.
.n any normal occasion of intrusion I would laugh at myself, mae my e+cuses and depart to toil in my
own mor*fca*on, however, I was halted by the grand horse your brother rode upon.
I do not thin I have told you this, but I am not such a lover of horseGesh as you are.
I can handle my brother-s stallions 6ust fne for ;uc is a rather la(y horse and .beron is nothing but a
troublemaer, but your brother-s charge was absolutely fearsome. 4ow you now me not to be afraid of
anything, and %harlo/e shall vouch for me should you re,uire evidence, and so I fear I was rather rude to
your brother today.
7ell, perhaps not rude per sayCI merely teased him a<er he shared his bread roll with me in an a/empt
at an apology, I believe I told him that he looed lie a child trying to pacify a silly girl, which was ,uite
unnecessary because I was ac*ng perfectly childish and I would not have thought him ill if he were to
leave me as I was. I am afraid I owe your brother an apology and though I do not lie admi@ng that I am
wrong, I cannot leave it be as my conscious will not have it.
0aving already made your brother endure my immaturity, I fnd that today he has su8ered enough by my
hand and will liely su8er further when he and 2r. #ingley arrive to 'ongbourn for supper and I shall
apologise to him then and a/empt to eep my chee to myself.
Bor now $eorgie, I must bid you adieu for I imagine that I shall have to protect your brother and 2r.
#ingley from the scheming clutches of my mama, her sea*ng arrangements and her habit of over
planning.
I shall now leave you in suspense un*l my ne+t,
'i((y
.
Chapter nine
.
/It is tolerable madam.0
#he pair could already see their mother)s eye twitch.
Ben tried not to laugh at the stunted silence that followed through the door of the drawing room and
was nudged by his sister as a snort managed to escape him. Eli7abeth gave him an amused eye roll as she
leaned away from the door they once had their ears pressed against.
't the sign of her retreat, he whispered, /If you would be so ,ind as to save our sister from mama)s
schemes, I am sure she will be forever in your debt, and if you could 2nd it in your heart to save my
friends as well, I am sure father will not obect.0
/De should not be here Ben= 5ama)s nerves are in shambles as it is.0
/'nd whose fault is that<0
She chuc,led.
Dhen it came to their beloved mother)s nerves, no one aggravated them more than her second
daughter. Dhich was why prior to the arrival of the two gentlemen beyond the door of the drawing
room, 5rs. Bennet was found wringing her hands in an"iety and rantng loudly about how troublesome
the girl was$
/Dhy, !ydia was on good behavior todayC She was not running rampant in the wood on that horse of her
brother)sC Ji3y was being e"tra restrained today, she had not been on the roof or hiding in the apple
trees as she normally wasC 5ary was not pounding away on her instrument, playing tune a(er tune, she
was contentng herself with her sermonsC Dhy could not Eli7abeth do the same<0
#hough her second daughter)s rambles were well+,nown by the inhabitants of !ongbourn and
throughout 5eryton= with important guests e"pected to arrive, 5rs. Bennet was sure that her wild
daughter would at least heed the chance of a most opportune marriage for her favorite sister.
5r. Bennet had of course hid in his study, closing the library o9 in his a3empt to protect himself as soon
as his wife made it ,nown that she was on the verge of having a 2t$
/5y dear I have too much estate business to ta,e care of, I 2nd that I cannot spare the tme to indulge
you at present.0
/But my dear 5r. Bennet, you must retrieve that wayward child of yours immediatelyC Dhatever will 5r.
8arcy and 5r. Bingley thin, about having a daughter missing<0
/8id we not agree madam,0 said he as he contnued to wal, bris,ly down the hallway towards his
sanctuary, /that unless these gentlemen are polygamists that I will not consent to you pairing all my
daughters with them<0
/>es, yes,0 she said dismissively, /be assured, they will be a wife and no less, but thin, of how rude it will
appear to have !i77y absentC0
/#hey will thin, nothing of it, why I would thin, you would relish the chance to have all the a3enton on
the daughter you intend to wed. 8o you not thin, it be3er that !i77y is not here to give the gentlemen a
sound whipping with her quic, mind<0
/'long with the quic, mouth it is a3ached to,0 she decried, but was cut o9 from verbali7ing anything
further as the door to the library shut.
6rom behind it, her husband responded, /If it suits you my dear, !i77y got it from you.0
*eedless to say, the gentleman was nowhere to found to o9er his daughter respite once she returned
from her a(ernoon traipsing.
/Dhat are you two children doing<0
/;hC0 Both umped at the voice, and turned to see their father standing behind them, his arms crossed,
his brow quir,ed and an amused twin,le in his gray eyes.
/Fapa, what are you doing here<0
/4ave you forgo3en my dear that though your brother inherits !ongbourn, I am stll its master<0
/;f course not father,0 Ben replied, /she was only curious because you had not come to save her from
mama)s nerves when !i77y returned to us.0
/'h yes, from the gentlemen)s arrival I gather< Dell, that stll does not e"plain why you are huddled
against the door li,e that. 8o you care to e"plain before I punish you for eavesdropping<0
Ben rubbed the bac, of his nec, and smiled sheepishly. /5ama would not let us meet with Bingley and
8arcy.0
/Is that so<0
/>es sir,0 both replied in unison.
/'nd why is that<0
/She is showing o9 our sister.0
/*ot that Bingley seems to mind but I am sure our mother is geBng quite annoyed with 8arcy,0 Ben
added with a laugh as if he e"pected it from the start which Eli7abeth was inclined to believe as well.
/'nd how did your mother manage to herd you out of the room without her scheming being found out
by those gentlemen<0
She answered, /It was a tas, 5ama did not have to do= she informed the gentlemen that we were not in
doors at present.0
/'nd where are your sisters<0
/!ydia is in the stables tending to Fuc,= 5ary is reading her sermons in the garden and Ji3y is visitng the
!ucas),0 she answered countng her three remaining sisters o9 her 2ngers.
/Dith Ji3y at the !ucas), mama does not want to alert the competton so to spea,,0 Ben said, /and she
does not want us to distract her while she secures :ane a husband.0
/4ow long has your mother been a3emptng the scheme<0
/' quarter of an hour,0 Eli7abeth replied, /I fear that they have su9ered enough, shall we not retrieve
them<0
/!et us collect your sisters 2rst, at least then if your mother chooses to be angry, you can all be punished
for allowing :ane to end up in such a positon. 'nd to thin,, you were all so against this a3empt when my
favorite gentleman was involved.0
.
Dhile 5r. Bennet, his favorite daughter and his heir assembled the remaining members of their family,
within the drawing room the family matron was at her wits end.
/5y :ane has always been called the loveliest woman in 5eryton, even 4erKordshire to be sureC #he
gem of the neighborhood, neigh, the gem of the entre county,0 5rs. Bennet proclaimed receiving an
understanding nod from the ever a3entve 5r. Bingley who was seated across from :ane while the man
seated beside the young woman was as blan, as ever.
Seeing as this stll did not garner any response from the desired gentleman, 5rs. Bennet contnued with
more gusto, /:ane has always been favored by children, li,ed by everyone who meets her. 'lways so
serene and gentle, my :ane is so well suited to any man.0
'lready very uncomfortable with the contents of the conversaton and now even more so that whatever
subtlety her mother had was at its end, :ane o9ered, /5other, surely these gentlemen would rather
hear of something of import<0
't the sight of relief, 5r. 8arcy spo,e for the 2rst tme in almost a full ten minutes, /I believe it would be
in Bingley)s best interest to be advised on his introducton to the neighborhood.0
/;f course, of course 5r. 8arcy, how very insighKul you areC0 5rs. Bennet praised in the same ubilant
fashion as her youngest daughter as if her hope was revived by his longer than usual response.
4e resisted the urge to 1inch while Bingley a3empted not to laugh at his friend)s obvious displeasure.
/I believe Sir Dilliam will do quite well. >es, he will get you acquainted with everyone in the
neighborhood= indeed he is certainly well versed in conversaton and so very amiableC0 #he lady)s
statement was said to Bingley, however, she could not stop the pointed words that le( her mouth as
they were directed precisely at 8arcy who did not even blin, at the slight, but had immediately decided
to ,eep his silence for the remainder of the visit.
/I than, you for the informaton madam= I would very much li,e to ma,e a good impression on the
neighborhood,0 Bingley than,ed her, only heightening 5rs. Bennet)s e"citement as she tried to cover up
her sharp reply with more compliments to both gentlemen, in partcular 8arcy.
?eprieve was than,fully on its way as the doors to the drawing room were opened, admiBng the rest of
the Bennet family.
.
Before 5rs. Bennet could a3empt to hold the two gentlemen longer in the drawing room where she
could properly direct their %5r. 8arcy)s& focus on :ane, her dear son had insisted that a short tour around
the estate was necessary. '(er all, the two gentlemen were to stay untl supper and as it was stll an
hour to the meal Ben claimed that some form of e"ercise would increase their appette to properly enoy
the meal his mother planned.
It was too late to thin, of any e"cuses against the scheme and so the group consistng of :ane, 5r. 8arcy,
Eli7abeth, Ben, 5r. Bingley and 5ary le( the drawing room.
!ydia and Ji3y had declared that they were in need of their mother)s good taste on the dresses they
were to wear to the 5eryton 'ssembly and so even though 5rs. Bennet could not place :ane upon a
pedestal for 5r. 8arcy)s approval, she could at least concentrate on her two youngest daughters$
/;h my Ji3y, how well you loo, in such a gown, but I am sure we can do much be3er, can we not<0 't
Ji3y)s obedient nod, 5rs. Bennet now turned to her youngest. /*ow my dearest !ydia, do you not thin,
that this gown is be3er suited, or possibly this one< ;h my, my dear girl, you are far too beautful indeed
for you loo, well in them allC Come, try this one, I am sure it will ensure you will loo, your bestC0
If the sisters grimaced, she chose not to notce.
.
!ongbourn 5anor was certainly e"tensive for a small estate. #he house was by no means grand, but it
was lived in and spacious. Hnli,e *ether2eld with its impersonal furnishings and ?osings) gaudy
grandeur, !ongbourn was all that a home should loo, li,e. In a way, it was li,e a smaller, yet fuller
Femberley.
/'nd this is the library,0 5iss Bennet said as they entered the room.
It was not as big as *ether2eld)s, but its shelves were over1owing with tomes and novels. 's he entered
the aisle down the middle, he could see the spines of the boo,s were slightly bent showing how o(en
they were read.
#hrough the mus, of the novels that lined the shelves, 8arcy detected a light hint of rosewater.
/;ur father is a great reader,0 5iss Eli7abeth murmured as if to avoid rousing him from the peace she
saw in his face. #he harsh angles of his visage seemed so(er now that he was not scowling or frowning.
/Indeed.0
/'ll of these,0 said she, trailing her 2ngers along the spines reverently, /have been in our family for a long
tme. I thin, it is hereditary to have such a love for boo,s.0
/5y family is much the same, it is li,ely that your suspicion is true,0 8arcy u3ered his voice ust as so( as
hers.
/I hope not,0 Bingley said as he wal,ed past, /I am afraid my library is quite pitful especially compared to
Femberley)s.0
/I am sure that is not true,0 5iss Bennet assured smiling ,indly as she followed a(er him.
/' library suits the needs of its master,0 5iss 5ary said in her usual somber way, /an equipped library
may be a necessity for some while simply an entertainment for others. #hough I have observed that the
more boo,s a person reads= the more learned a person tends to be.0
' thoughKul crease in his brow appeared and once she notced, 5iss Eli7abeth spo,e, /8o you not thin,
that rings true sir<0
/*ot at all 5iss Eli7abeth for you can read any number of boo,s you desire, but it is nothing if you do not
understand it.0
/Dell, I cannot challenge such logic, but pray= do not the types of boo,s you read ma3er as well<0
/;f course, but we cannot account for taste,0 he answered as they wal,ed side by side down the aisle, a
ttle of a boo, a few feet ahead caught his eye and gave him pause. /#a,e this for e"ample, you would
not read the wor, of Sha,espeare)s tragedies because you were not inclined to it and yet I would.0
/8oes it suit your nature to assume such things sir<0
/Beg your pardon<0
She chuc,led. /I was only as,ing if you always generali7e in this way, my father read the tragedies to me
o(en as a child. Indeed I only found out that Sha,espeare wrote things beyond that when I was ten and
could search the library without my father)s assistance.0
/5ost ladies of my acquaintance prefer not to read such things.0 's far as he ,new about the
preferences in ladies) literature it did not include !ady 5acbeth and her demands to be Gunse"ed) by
nefarious creatures. /#hey prefer the sonnets,0 he 2nished 1atly.
#he laugh that came forth from her confused him, but it did not appear that she was laughing at him.
#hough as usual, his need to be unpleasant when embarrassed resurfaced$ /8o you enoy laughing at
others 5iss Eli7abeth<0
8espite his sharp words, she only shoo, her head with a smile, the way her eyes danced distractng him
momentarily from his annoyed aw,wardness.
/I dearly love to laugh 5r. 8arcy= however, if you thin, that I 2nd humor in your discomfort you are
mista,en.0
4e gave her a blan, stare and stll her eyes twin,led in amusement. /It is only that I have never really
thought of the di9ering tastes of men and women when it came to literature, only that those enoy one
boo, over the other, I had not reali7ed there was a stereotype untl we have spo,en. 8o you mean to say
that you do not enoy Sha,espeare)s sonnets simply because you are a gentleman<0
/#hose I have read are of love,0 answered he, /and as I understand, poetry is the food of love.0
/'h, well I would agree, however, the gentleman that wrote my sister the lines my mother spo,e of put
me o9 the idea completely.0
/Is that so<0
/Certainly,0 she answered with a grin, /one poor sonnet will ,ill love stone dead.0 #urning to contnue
down the aisle, she mused, /I wonder who 2rst discovered the power of poetry in driving away love<0
/Ferhaps you shall blame Sha,espeare<0
/*o, I would never do that. I do not care to have a great writer rolling in his grave over my disli,e of
poetry, even his. It would not be polite.0
/>es, but considering your habit to eavesdrop on conversatons, I would have thought it was of no
consequence.0
8espite his unreadable e"pression, she laughed and if she saw a slight upward pull upon his lips, she said
nothing.
.
It did not surprise Eli7abeth to discover the seatng arrangements for supper.
She was always seated close to her mother if only to ,eep a close eye on her %and to pinch her should
she say something she should not& and most li,ely 5rs. Bennet placed 5r. Bingley in between her and
!ydia in order to ensure that one of them would get his a3enton.
#he fact that 5rs. Bennet placed :ane and 5r. 8arcy beside each other was also no shoc,. 5rs. Bennet
was already planning to order :ane)s wedding clothes as far as she was concerned.
It only worried Eli7abeth that 5r. 8arcy was seated right beside her mother.
4ow am I to ,eep mama at bay< She found herself thin,ing.
#a,ing in a discrete breath through the nose in preparaton for the colossal tas, at hand, Eli7abeth found
herself being watched very closely by the man seated across from her as a small bowl of freshly ba,ed
bread was set in front of them.
' mischievous twin,le shone in her eye and 5r. 8arcy seemed to notce, at least by the way he shi(ed
uncomfortably in his chair and the way his colour heightened at her request for the bread rolls. /If you
would be so ,ind sir, our coo,)s bread rolls give me great comfort.0
6rom 5r. 8arcy)s side, :ane)s brow arched and at the slight twitch of Eli7abeth)s mouth, :ane gave a small
nod and began the dinner conversaton, /;ur coo, ma,es the best bread. I 2nd that it is best to start a
meal with one before beginning such a hearty feast as this, pray, I beg you to try some.0
#hough not aimed at any one in partcular, 5r. Bingley agreed, /;f course 5iss Bennet, we shall trust
your udgment though I am o(en told that startng a meal with many glasses of water is preferable.0
/It is 5r. Bingley, it is simply be3er for one)s health. #hat is what I have read at least, having so many
children I must be informed of such things you ,now, however, my :ane is not wrong either,0 5rs. Bennet
said a(er draining her own glass of water.
/If I am not wrong, it is only because you taught me well mama, will you not share some more of your
wisdom with us<0
/Dhy of course my dear, I would be delighted,0 her mother answered.
If there was one topic that their mother was not ill+informed in it was on the ma3er of one)s health.
4aving feared for many years that 5r. Bennet would not survive long enough for her to give birth to a
son, and then freBng over the heir not reaching adulthood, the Bennet matron was well versed in many
ways of healing.
5r. Bennet had quipped that if his wife had an in,ling of ambiton to become a physician, 5rs. Bennet
would leave him to pursue it.
Dith many things of import to communicate, 5rs. Bennet was not able to give her full a3enton to the
rich gentleman beside her, however, that is not to say that she had completely forgo3en the tas, she had
at hand$ puBng her daughters in the best light she could.
/E"ercise is good for one)s consttuton, than,fully all my children have a love for the outdoors= Benamin
has taught all his sisters to ride,0 5rs. Bennet informed, and as she glanced at 5r. 8arcy who was
focusing very hard on his meal, she added, /all my girls stri,e a rather magni2cent 2gure on horsebac,,
but my :ane is certainly the most graceful.0
!ydia hu9ed, but managed not to pout at the o,ing ab to her rib from her brother and the slight eye roll
of her father before 5r. Bennet declared in moc, disappointment, />es, I would have done so, but
unfortunately I am a rather terrible seat.0
/#hat is unfortunate sir,0 5r. Bingley commented, /I ,now from 8arcy that ma3ers of the estate
sometmes require you to visit tenants and such, does it a9ect you<0
/;h not at all, I am not a great rider, but when needed I am tolerable, however, I do much prefer to
wal,.0
5rs. Bennet hummed in agreement, />es, I suppose that is where !i77y gets it from. She is always
traipsing up and down everywhere. Dhy sometmes I cannot even 2nd her for she leaves too quic,ly and
returns too late.0 Sending her a disapproving loo,, she contnued, /But it is well that !i77y does not ride,
her 2rst fall was rather terrible indeed. #he horse buc,led and went quite berser,, if she had not rolled
over a(er she had fallen, that creature may have very well ,illed herC0
Hnnotced by her, 8arcy had 2nally loo,ed up from his meal. 6irst to loo, incredulous at the casual way
5rs. Bennet had imparted such a thing and then to loo, to the young woman across him.
5iss Eli7abeth seemed to free7e in the midst of cuBng a piece of meat, the colour from her chee,s rising
in embarrassment.
6eeling eyes on her, she loo,ed up to meet his ga7e and gave him a wan smile and a slight shrug.
In the silence following her mother)s declaraton, 5iss Eli7abeth said, /I suppose that was my 2rst
punishment for being such a wild child, I wanted to brea, a stallion in on my 2rst ride so of course it did
not end well. Ferhaps if I had been less stubborn I might be ust as good a rider as the rest of my siblings,
and if I had the commitment to pursue such a hobby I might be ust as good as !ydia and Ben.0
5iss Catherine sighed dramatcally. /I do not have the dedicaton !ydia has to ride so well, Fuc, is a
rather la7y horse and it ta,es too long to even e"ercise him. *o, I much prefer the views while the sun is
stll out, I do not wish to wait untl dus, for the horse to ta,e me anywhere.0
/Dhat views do you enoy 5iss Catherine<0 Bingley as,ed elicitng an embarrassed 1ush as she smiled
sheepishly at her plate.
/Ben, did you not say that 5r. Bingley and 5r. 8arcy are avid riders< 4ave you told them of the many
trails the county has to o9er<0 5iss Bennet interected to redirect the focus o9 her self+conscious
sibling.
/*o I am afraid not, I than, you for reminding me :ane, it quite crossed my mind for usually they are
always showing me such places,0 Bennet claimed with a sha,e of his head, /Fardon me my friends for my
lac, of insight in the ma3er, I must show you around 4erKordshire, the best trails are usually un,nown
to anyone but the locals.0
/>es, you must ride with us some day, we shall reveal all the secrets that the woods of 4erKordshire
have to you if you would oin us,0 5iss !ydia declared receiving an approving nod from her mother.
/I 2nd,0 8arcy heard himself say, /that the best secrets are discovered unintentonally.0
/!i,e what 5r. 8arcy<0 5iss Catherine as,ed.
4e resisted the urge to loo, directly at 5iss Eli7abeth as he answered, /Dhy, li,e dancing sprites.0
.
Supper with the Bennets was one of the most casual a9airs 8arcy had ever parta,en in.
It was not as uncomfortable as he thought it would be even a(er his rather whimsical statement, in fact
the youngest Bennet girls seemed to 2nd this e"tremely divertng and mused that perhaps they should
a3empt to 2nd the dancing sprites on the morrow.
5rs. Bennet, however, was not amused by their idea.
Dhen supper concluded, instead of diverging from the ladies, the entre party simply separated
regardless of gender and was informed by the lady of the house that co9ee and tea would be in the
drawing room in half an hour.
5rs. Bennet wished for her eldest daughter)s presence in the drawing room and Bingley, having found
that he enoyed 5iss Bennet)s company, oined them.
5r. Bennet lamented the lac, of gentlemanly company to a3end him in his study and instead oined his
wife and daughter in the drawing room. 8arcy suspected that the older gentleman adoined if only to
protect Bingley from 5rs. Bennet.
5iss 5ary and 5iss Catherine e"cused themselves to the library where 5iss 5ary was on the search for
a partcular piece of wor, by 6ordyce and 5iss Catherine wanted to loo, for a boo, on sprites while the
remaining members of the party concluded to the stables.
/#his is Fuc,,0 5iss !ydia introduced as she stepped atop a fallen barrel and rested her folded arms atop
the stall. /4e is rather lethargic, but I adore him.0
/I am glad you are ta,ing such good care of him,0 Bennet said, reaching into the stall to o9er the stallion
a carrot.
Feering past the two siblings, 8arcy saw the horse standing proudly, his tail swishing behind him as he
shoo, his chestnut mane. 's 5iss Eli7abeth stood at the door of the stall, the creature moved forward to
nudge her shoulder and whine quietly.
She rolled her eyes good naturedly. /I thin, Fuc, is rather ungrateful, you have already given him a carrot
and there he is pleading for more.0
/Dell perhaps you should not carry food with him around,0 5iss !ydia said, /he ,nows you too wellC0
Fuc, whined again, nudging 5iss Eli7abeth)s shoulder once more before she scolded, /Come now Fuc,,
Ben)s other horse is not so greedy= do you hear ;beron being so di@cult<0
/*o, but that is li,ely because he would rather ta,e than as, permission,0 Bennet said laughingly as the
horse in the ne"t stall managed to stc, his head far enough out of his con2nement to snatch the apple
from 5iss Eli7abeth)s poc,et.
5iss !ydia burst in a 2t of giggles. /See, my Fuc, is more polite than ;beron isC0
Seeing as his treat was gone, Fuc, hu9ed and turned away in indignaton while ;beron, the dus,y brown
horse in the stall beside his, seemed to snic,er.
/;h do not whine so Fuc,,0 5iss !ydia cooed, /I shall get you your own, and it shall be much bigger and
shiner then ;beron)sC0 :umping o9 the barrel, she tugged Bennet by his arm towards the open doors of
the stable. /Come Benny, you must get one for meC0
/Dhy must I<0
/8o not whine BenC I can very well do it myself, but mama will throw a 2t if she 2nds me climbing treesC
GIt is bad enough Ji3y does it,) she will say.0
?eleasing an annoyed sigh Bennet assented and turning to his older sister and 8arcy, he said, />ou will
have to e"cuse me at this tme= my sister is too much li,e my mother$ when she demands something it is
to be done before her nerves are too seriously agitated.0
/Ben,0 5iss !ydia whined, /It was your horse who too, Fuc,)s appleC0
/#hen why is it not my horse that is retrieving another one<0
/I cannot very well as, a horse to fetch an apple without e"pectng him to eat itC0
#he argument between the two siblings dri(ed out of the stables leaving 8arcy with 5iss Eli7abeth who
loo,ed between the two horses in mild annoyance.
/4onestly, had it occurred to your riders that perhaps that apple was for me<0
In reply, both horses snorted as if the idea was preposterous. She rolled her eyes while 8arcy swallowed
his chuc,le.
/It seems 5iss Eli7abeth that you really are not afraid of horses.0
She umped as if forgeBng he was there, however, 5iss Eli7abeth notched her chin higher. /I believe I
already told you that 5r. 8arcy= is it possible you have come to believe me now<0
4e shoo, his head at her. /I was merely agreeing with you 5iss Eli7abeth, you cannot have e"pected me
to believe you earlier when you loo,ed at my horse as if e"pectng him to eat you.0
/>our horse is fearsome sir,0 she stated 1atly, /these two are nothing but troublema,ers.0
/Dell I cannot argue with you in that.0
#he young woman chuc,led and a pause 2lled the air. It was the 2rst tme since arriving to !ongbourn
that there was silence and usually it would be a great reprieve for the somber gentleman, but at this
moment he felt oddly confused by it. Dhen he ventured to say something, she too opened her mouth as
well and they tumbled aw,wardly in their a3empt to say something.
/>ou 2rst,0 said she with a laugh.
/I insist.0
Daitng a moment for her giggles to subside, she obliged him, /I only wished to tell you that I am sorry
for my behavior earlier in the wood.0 She stared into the eyes of Fuc, and therefore did not notce his
eyes on her. /I felt mort2ed that someone happened upon me, though it is my fault for actng so foolish.
>our horse, however, is indeed frighKul and I was quite surprised by your presence as it was, having that
great beast only worsened it I admit.0
/I should not have scared you in any case,0 said he, /'chilles is a rather curious animal and he would
rather ignore me than allow me to guide him, if I had ,nown +0
/Jnown what sir<0 she interrupted, turning to loo, at him now, /#hat I would react so to your horse< 8o
not worry= my behavior was not your fault.0
/But the fault of my horse<0 he added, elicitng a chuc,le from the young woman.
/Dell yes, but I should not have acted so rudely to you,0 said she ust an arch smile touched her lips,
/especially since you were so ,ind to share your brea,fast with me.0
Hpon notcing the sudden 1ush of colour on his chee,s, 5iss Eli7abeth laughed and reached into her
poc,et, o9ering him a bread roll.
/G#is only fair.0
.
Chapter ten
.
/Supper tonight was rather interestng, do you not agree !i77y<0
/'s interestng as any supper with 5ama involved, though I admit their presence made it tolerable.0
/Simply tolerable dearest, why, your actons during their visit have said otherwise,0 :ane teased. />ou
seemed rather preoccupied by 5r. 8arcy.0
/'nd you had not with his friend<0 retorted she as she se3led atop the counterpane and undid her hair
from the neat braid.
#hough her sister blushed, it was followed by a nonchalant shrug. /It has been a great relief to 2nally
have an e"change of good sense with a gentleman. >ou cannot blame me for indulging a(er mama has
constantly set me with 5r. Stewart.0
/>es, I suppose with a gentleman li,e 5r. Stewart, you cannot be blamed at all. But when is the revered
:ane Bennet to be blamed for anything, but her subtle manipulaton< I must say you did a fantastc ob
,eeping mama from 5r. 8arcy.0
/Dell Benny did say he was not a very social creature and no ma3er how much !ydia disli,es him, no one
deserves to have mama set her cap upon them for our sa,e.0
Eli7abeth only shoo, her head and laughed.
'(er her brother and youngest sister returned to the stable with a shiny apple in hand for Fuc,, 5r.
8arcy had once again ,ept to the silence he was already ,nown for and !ydia, having been disposed to
disli,e him from the outset, determined it must be because of her dirty sleeves and the mud that
gathered a li3le at the hem of her peBcoats.
's their company of four was summoned to the drawing room for tea, co9ee and some musical
performance of sorts, !ydia grumbled her indignaton over the tall gentleman)s sudden silence on her
reappearance$
/4e must thin, very ill of me indeed if he is so animated when I leave, and yet so serious when I arriveC
4e is li,e 5ary, always loo,ing for something to disapprove ofC0
;f course Eli7abeth had tried to dissuade this tal, especially with the gentleman in queston behind
them, /*ow !ydia, I hardly thin, that is the case. I am sure he had not even notced that your sleeves
were dirty or your peBcoat has caught some mud.0
/4e did notceC0 the young girl proclaimed, /Dhy would he suddenly ,eep silent otherwise<0
Eli7abeth had not the answer, but than,fully was saved the meaningful loo, of her sister when they
reached the drawing room.
6or the remainder of the visit, 5r. 8arcy li,ely hearing the earlier discourse, ,ept to himself and
remained at the window to stare into the dar,ening landscape outside, much as he did on his 2rst visit.
But whether he too, to this occupaton in order to escape her mother)s notce or there was truly
something divertng outside, Eli7abeth could not say.
!ydia scornfully declared in a loud whisper that 5r. 8arcy had acted cordially enough and had grown
tred of their Gcountry manners) to indulge them further.
#heir father, hearing the statement, raised a brow and said nothing but his pursed lips were an indicaton
of his withholding a wi3y comment. 4e incited enough of his wife)s nerves ust that a(ernoon and he
was not inclined to be shrie,ed at once their guests departed.
Ji3y, however, proved she really was his daughter when she responded to !ydia, /Ferhaps he is simply
loo,ing for sprites.0 #urning to Eli7abeth, who had sat her side, she as,ed, /4ave you seen the sprites
!i77y< >ou must have for you wal, o(en= perhaps 5r. 8arcy is having trouble 2nding them. >ou must help
him for he is loo,ing rather grave without themC0
Seeming to recall Ji3y)s words from earlier in the evening, :ane gave a grin. /'h, Ji3y made an e"cellent
point$ 4ave you seen the sprites !i77y<0
#his queston was answered with a shrug and a win, before the sisters giggled.
/I fear you have ,ept silent about a great many things dearest, will you not tell me<0
!ying side by side atop the counterpane of their shared bed, she appeared to be contemplatng. /I do not
,now :ane-I ,now you abhor secrecy of any ,ind and I have no mind to tell you half truths-0
/I understand !i77y,0 she said with a smile, /but I have an in,ling that 5r. 8arcy favors you for he spea,s
to no one outside of Benny, 5r. Bingley and yourself. Dill you tell me all there is before I am to wish you
oy<0
Eli7abeth laughed. /#hen I shall never tell you :ane for you will never have to wish me oy. 5r. 8arcy does
not favor me at allC0
/'h, but you have been actng strangely since his arrival.0
/I am always actng strange, in fact, I am strange,0 she declared, /wherever else does Ji3y get it from<0
/Ferhaps from me dearest, I am not as plain as I ma,e myself to be you ,now. 't least one of us must not
upset mama)s nerves,0 :ane said seriously elicitng another laugh from her sister which caused a smile to
brea, through the facade.
/It is a pity you have chosen to be the responsible one sweetng, perhaps if you were as strange and
boisterous as Ji3y, !ydia and I, 5r. Stewart would not favor you as you say 5r. 8arcy favors me.0
Even though her sister)s words were said in est, there was something in her tone that :ane heard. It was
that li3le something that she had o(en caught when any gentlemen came upon their bac,water county
and met the acquaintances of the reputed beautes of 4erKordshire.
It was public ,nowledge that :ane was the preBest of the girls with Eli7abeth deemed Gpre3y enough) in
comparison. 8espite brushing such comments o9, :ane ,new that it was a chip in her armor.
/I shall ma,e a deal with you !i77y,0 began she, /even though mama has decided I shall set my cap upon
5r. 8arcy, I am assured that he shall as, you for a set at the assembly. Dhen he does, we shall ,now for
sure that he favors you.0
/'nd where is the challenge in this, what do you get from it<0
/Dhy, the happiness of my favorite sister of courseC0
/But +0
#he loo, :ane sent to her younger sister applied for obedience. /Dhen he as,s you to dance, you shall
say yes,0 she instructed.
/>es :ane.0
/'nd you shall charm him and ma,e him smile and you shall allow me to wish you happinessC0
/But what if he does not as, me to dance :ane<0
/#hen he is a fool and simply the tall, prideful idiot that !ydia claims him to be.0
.
;emberley, Derbyshire
Dearest 7illiam,
0ow I envy you brotherA 0ow lucy you are to meet 'i((yA I wish I was so lucy as to be with you for to
meet her would me mae me the happiest creature in all of EnglandA
Did you now that she is friends with my companion 2iss 'ucas1 &he has told me all the stories of 'i((y
and her sisters, as well as all the trouble 2iss 'ucas has go/en into because of 'i((y-s playfulness. .h,
please spea to her o<en for I cannot be there myself and I wish to now so much more about herA
#oth 'i((y and 2iss 'ucas have spoen highly of 0er:ordshire, is it as beau*ful as they say1
)he weather here is terribly chilly and as you and 2rs. Reynolds have told 2iss 'ucas about the illnesses
that are rampant during the changing seasons in the 4orth, she has limited my access to the garden and
made me drin lemon tea o<en. It is a shame because I dearly wish to see the trees as they are star*ng
to lose their leaves and all their beau*ful colours are truly enchan*ng, though it is sad to see the empty
branchesC
)hough the weather is poor, 2rs. Reynolds and 2iss 'ucas are eeping me occupied and entertained by
teaching me some things about being a hostess9 they allow me to prac*ce by serving tea to them and
mee*ng some of the visitors that come to the estate. I was very nervous about it at frst, but 'i((y has
told me that to master an occupa*on one must fre,uently prac*ce.
I hope that all is well with 2r. #ingley and his sisters, and I hope that you are en6oying your stay with him
as well.
;lease do say hello to 'i((y for me, and tell her that I shall send her another setch with my ne+t le/er.
7rite to me soon brother, I really do miss you,
$eorgie
.
8arcy hated balls, assemblies and any other large gathering.
#he man of eight and twenty was not comfortable around people at all despite the sphere he was born
into. 4e supposed that it was the disadvantage of residing in the remote haven of Femberley without the
company of anyone outside of his family. ;f course, his decision in that could not be faulted.
Dith his increasing eligibility due to many successful business ventures, his lin, to the peerage, his
favorable connectons and his rather a3ractve appearance 8arcy had everything needed to draw a
desirable woman. Hnfortunately he was in possession of a quiet dispositon and his habit of being
o9ensive when embarrassed turned 8arcy into someone Bennet had o,ed would be the last man any
woman would want to marry.
;f course 8arcy could not indulge in such a thought, a(er all, if it were true, he would not be constantly
chased around by hopeful mother+in+laws and their insipid daughters.
It was a great relief to him then upon meetng the Bennet girls that none of them seemed to be seriously
inclined towards him. Dell, at least inclined to marry him.
5rs. Bennet seemed willing and able to became mother+in+law to Gthe last man any woman would want
to marry) and the youngest 5iss Bennet seemed incline to hate him.
's much as the last amused him and confused him, 8arcy stll had this current predicament at hand.
#he fact that everyone was currently staring at him-
4e ,new that new neighbors tended to a3ract the most a3enton, especially if the new neighbors
happened to be rich and unmarried. 8iscretely he released a breath through the nose.
Someone echoed in the stll silence of the assembly hall, /#en thousand a year.0
It was going to be a long night.
.
5r. Bingley did not seem unruAed by the contnued silence= he simply smiled and loo,ed to his party,
/Shall we<0
'lmost immediately, the musicians shoo, their heads, releasing themselves of the brief trance they were
in at the sight of the 2nely dressed ladies and gentlemen of the *ether2eld party. 'bruptly the music
began anew.
'll around the room, the a3ending seemed to be dissectng the new arrivals.
#he new neighbor, 5r. Bingley was medium in height compared to his male companions with curly gold
hair and fair s,in with eyes li,e amber= he was dressed in an immaculate green coat and neatly done
cravat be2Bng of a gentleman of 2ve thousand pounds.
' portly man that appeared to have a sort of hunch was ne"t under the line of inspecton, 5r. Bingley)s
brother+in+law, the gossipers whispered, ust as rich, but being married was overloo,ed though mainly
because of the gentleman being e"amined a(er him.
5r. 8arcy was a tall and regal loo,ing man compared to the grinning, unassuming 5r. Bingley, and
loo,ed to be intelligent and serious compared to the bored and possibly drun, 5r. 4urst. Dith eyes li,e
ice and hair li,e ony" the gentleman loo,ed to have the air of someone with ten thousand pounds.
's for ladies of the party, their beautful dresses were awed and ooh+ed at by the a3ending female
populaton of 5eryton.
5rs. 4urst was dressed 2nely in a pin, gown ma,ing her loo, years younger if it were not for the heavy
layer of powder she had on her face while her sister, 5iss Bingley was dressed in a deep orange gown
with an intricate headdress made of various coloured feathers.
/Dhat ,ind of bird crashed into her hair<0 !ydia as,ed aloud elicitng scandali7ed gasps from those who
heard her.
4er siblings, however, merely coughed to cover their laughter while 5r. Bennet chuc,led into his cup.
5rs. Bennet was too concerned about gossiping with !ady !ucas to care or hear what her youngest had
said$
/>es, that is them !ady !ucas, indeed, those are the gentlemen I have told you of. #hey dined with us ust
two nights past. #hey seemed quite ta,en with :ane, the both of them, but of course, I had not e"pected
anything less,0 5rs. Bennet claimed casually, her comment elicitng various snorts and eye rolls from her
children and a loo, of annoyance from 5r. Stewart.
Hnli,e the rest of the community, having new neighbors did not sit well with the gentleman of eight
thousand a year.
?egardless of the fact that he was situated in 4erKordshire for almost half a twel(h month, 5r. Stewart
had monopoli7ed the a3enton he had received from the people of 5eryton, partcularly the female
company, and ust as quic,ly as he had 5iss Bennet)s a3entons in his grasp, he was being cast aside.
4e cleared his throat. /5iss Bennet, if you would be so ,ind as to +0
/'nd these are the Bennets along with my own family, the !ucases,0 Sir Dilliam interrupted as he arrived
with the new neighbors.
/#his is my wife !ady !ucas and my daughter 5aria,0 Sir Dilliam began, /I am proud to introduce you to
our new neighbors, 5r. Bingley, 5iss Bingley, 5r. and 5rs. 4urst and 5r. 8arcy.0 Introductons made,
gentlemen bowed and ladies curtseyed, Sir Dilliam moved on to the party sharing a table with his family
and the other gentleman standing with them. /#his is 5r. and 5rs. Bennet, their 2ve daughters and their
son, and this young man is 5r. Stewart.0
4aving been as demure and generally unresponsive to the other introductons 5iss Bingley had raised a
brow at the menton of the name, having overheard a conversaton a(er the evening without 5r. 8arcy)s
company$
/She is an angel 8arcyC0 Charles proclaimed in the study of *ether2eld.
/'s you have o(en said of many ladies Bingley.0
/Dell you would agree if you had paid a3enton to her,0 retorted Charles, /but it seems you were far too
entrapped by her sister. #hough I must commend you 8arcy, you managed not to scare her o9 with your
lac,ing social s,ills.0
#o Caroline)s horror, 5r. 8arcy did not deny the claim and her brother contnued in amusement, /*ow I
2nd it no surprise that Bennet would hide his sisters from us, they are very beautful indeed.0
!oo,ing at the young ladies assembled before her, Caroline found that she had nothing to fear.
#here was only one young lady that seemed to resemble any ,ind of beauty she was used to, a classical
belle in the form of the eldest 5iss Bennet, but she was immediately eliminated as a possible threat
when it was obvious her brother had a shine for her$
/It is wonderful to see you here 5r. Bingley,0 5iss Bennet greeted before adding quic,ly at her mother)s
none too subtle nudge to her arm, /as it is to see you 5r. 8arcy.0
5r. Bingley notced this and smiled. /5ay I have the pleasure of introducing my sister, Caroline Bingley
and !ouisa 4urst, and my brother+in+law, 'ndrew 4urst.0
'll the ladies of the !ongbourn party curtseyed and Ben and his father bowed, with 5rs. Bennet gushing,
/It is an honor to meet your acquaintance, any family of 5r. Bingely)s will be well received here I am
sure.0
/I than, you for the compliment 5rs. Bennet,0 5r. Bingley replied, smiling graciously as he turned
slightly to spea, to :ane, /I was wondering if you are not occupied 5iss Bennet, if I could have the 2rst
set<0
/*oC0
Everyone turned to loo, at 5r. Stewart in both confusion and surprise.
Clearing his throat again, he said, /5iss Bennet has ,indly o9ered me her hand for the 2rst set.0 'nd
without waitng for a response from anyone, 5r. Stewart all but pulled 5iss Bennet to her feet and was
ready to drag her o9 before Bingley could intervene= than,fully Bingley was nothing if not persistent.
/#hen if I may claim your second 5iss Bennet<0
#he loo, of surprise mingled with the sadness from not being able to accept his o9er, completely
dissipated as 5iss Bennet smiled at him. /I would be honored sir.0
'round them, the music commenced for the 2rst set and it rather suddenly dawned on Bingley that he
was without a partner and stll standing before the oint table of the two most prominent families in the
area with nothing to say. Bolloc,s.
Bennet, seeing his friend)s predicament, o9ered, /If you would Bingley, I believe my sister !i77y is
unoccupied at this moment.0
/;f course,0 Bingley immediately brightened, /that is, if you do not mind 5iss Eli7abeth<0
/*o, indeed, I would be delighted.0
5iss Bingley supposed this G5iss Eli7abeth) droll loo,ing as she was, was not ugly, though nothing to the
eldest 5iss Bennet. 4owever, she had already turned her nose up at this family and at the thinly veiled
loo,s of boredom from her sister and brother+in+law= she ,new she was not the only one.
.lancing at 5r. 8arcy, she had e"pected him to loo, ust as severe as he always did and found that it was
ust di9erent in this instance$ #he tall gentleman loo,ed ust as he did on most social occasions, however,
there was an underlying tone of irritaton in the way his aw seemed to be clenched and the way his eyes
narrowed slightly.
Dhat on earth<
/;h my, I adore this songC0 ;ne of the other Bennet girls claimed as she tugged on the hand of a bored
loo,ing brune3e. /Come 5ary, you must dance with meC0
#he girl sighed. /5ust I Ji3y<0
/>es you mustC0
' defeated sigh le( her before they departed, soon followed by 5rs. 4urst who had grown tred of
smiling and insisted her husband dance with her, leaving the group as quic,ly as possible to avoid being
dragged into another introducton to anymore savage families.
#he matrons of the Bennet and !ucas family wandered o9 to share news with the rest of the mothers in
a3endance, with an e"citement that went beyond 5rs. Bennet)s usual limits$ /5y !i77y is dancing with
5r. BingleyC0 leaving their remaining, partner+less children to themselves.
4owever, it was not for long as Sir. Dilliam declared to the table, /I must insist that you all dance, it will
do no good for you to simply sit here. Come, dance, danceC0
Intent on ensuring everyone was with a partner, Sir Dilliam grabbed the ne"t gentleman that wal,ed by
and o9ered him up to 5iss Bingley who did not refuse$ #he best way to bait a possible husband is to
ma,e him believe that other optons are available, and so with an e"aggerated 1u3er of her lashes, she
consented and was ta,en to oin the rest of the dancing couples.
!ydia watched with a longing sigh before ushering 5aria into conversaton in an a3empt to ,eep her
friend from Sir Dilliam)s notce.
But even though they were out of earshot, he would not be dissuaded as he turned his a3enton to the
most eligible gentleman in the county and said, /5r. 8arcy, I believe my daughter 5aria is quite without
a partner.0
#he gentleman merely nodded in reply.
/Dill you not dance sir<0
/I am afraid I cannot sir, I do not li,e dancing.0
4is response surprised the older gentleman, but only caused a so( chuc,le from the senior 5r. Bennet.
4owever, his youngest daughter did not 2nd amusement in this as she immediately turned upon the
horri2c admi3ance. /4ow can you detest dancing 5r. 8arcy<0
/I do not detest it 5iss !ydia, I merely do not enoy it.0
She hu9ed and turned to her father. /Surely that is not fair. 4e is allowed to dance but does not, and I
am not allowed to dance but wish to.0
's was 5r. Bennet)s rule, !ydia was to sit out the 2rst set of the evening as well as the dinner set unless
she was standing with one of her sisters. 8espite 5rs. Bennet)s a3empt to eliminate the rule entrely,
5r. Bennet was 2rm on having at least two of the prominent sets out of bounds for !ydia was neither old
enough nor mature enough to parta,e in them.
5r. Bennet)s eyes glinted in amusement. /I am sorry you feel that way !ydia, but if 5r. 8arcy will
entertain you then I will allow you to dance the 2rst set with him, but only the 2rst set.0
#he audacityC 5r. 8arcy thought, but was not able to properly compose himself to anger when the
young girl brightened and turned to him with a pleading loo,. /Flease sir, I promise I will not trod on
your toes, I really am I good dancer, please sirC0
8arcy wanted to groan.
5iss !ydia, in both age and somewhat in appearance in regards to her blonde hair, reminded him of
.eorgiana, and the gentleman adored his sister too much to deny her much of anything especially
considering the past summer.
/Come along 5iss !ydia.0
#he girl cheered as she bounced o9 her chair, practcally dragging him towards the 1oor of dancing
people.
't the obvious e"citement of her youngest sister, Ben shoo, his head in bemusement. /6ather, was that
such a good idea<0
/But of course, who puts more people at ease then !i77y<0 4e as,ed his son, the twin,le in his eyes
never fading as 5r. 8arcy reluctantly too, his stance across from his youngest child.
/Dell, !ydia,0 Ben replied, /but are you sure you want her to dance with 8arcy< 4ave you not heard her
go on about how she detests him so<0
/!ydia is li,e her mother, she udges far too quic,ly. Besides, she also cares too much for dancing to
worry about who she is dancing with.0
/'nd what of 8arcy<0
/4e had his chance to refuse her, and he did not. If he regrets the decision it was his to ma,e.0
/5ust you 2nd amusement in such a way father<0
/But of course Ben, that is the only reason I a3end these gatherings.0
.
It was nearing the half hour mar, and Eli7abeth could not have been happier.
's good a dance partner 5r. Bingley was, his a3enton was elsewhere, partcularly with her sister :ane.
*ot that Eli7abeth felt insulted by it, the only reason she agreed to dance with the man was to save face.
Besides she loved dancing and it was very luc,y for her to get a dance partner so soon. Dith so few
gentlemen present it would be understandable if she were to miss the 2rst set and the rest of the sets
following.
But she was not concerned about that. It was the fact that her sister !ydia was currently dancing with 5r.
8arcy.
Eli7abeth ,new all about the 2rst and dinner set rule that !ydia had to ,eep in accordance with her
a3ending social events.
But ust as she was aware of the rule placed on her sister, she was also aware of !ydia)s disli,e of the
man.
It was a wonder that she agreed to ta,e a set with him, the girl of 2(een could not even stand him for
2ve minutes and somehow she managed to last almost half an hour= though Eli7abeth would not put it
past her youngest sister to tolerate the arrangement if only to indulge in more Ggrown up) entertainment.
She supposed that it was also at !ydia)s advantage that her partner was as handsome as he was.
#han,fully the colour that rose to her chee,s could be a3ributed to simple e"erton.
5eetng :ane)s eye from across the room, and then having her coc, a brow teasingly, however, made her
self+conscious about her thoughts on the man.
Eli7abeth was not one to 1a3er vanity upon anyone, but 5r. 8arcy was certainly an e"cepton.
.
/5r. 8arcy you are quite a 2ne dancer,0 !ydia commented in surprise.
She was certain that the despicable gentleman, his stony silence and his disapproving stare would not be
much fun. In fact, !ydia was certain of itC
/It would be scandalous otherwise I presume<0
's she twirled, !ydia could see the envious glares of her neighbors and friends and could not stop the
wic,ed smile from gracing her features. /But of course sir, if dancing was not your forte, conversaton
would come ne"t and I have a feeling you would be less inclined to that then you would be to dancing.0
/Indeed, conversaton is not a favorite of mine.0
/;h< But you are from !ondon are you not 5r. 8arcy< Certainly you have many things to spea, of<0
/*one of which are e"actly appropriate for an assembly 5iss !ydia.0
She felt herself poutng. /Is it because I am young sir<0
/;f course not, it is simply improper.0
/!aC0 she sco9ed, /Improper conversaton is certainly more fun would you not agree<0
/Hnfortunately I do not 5iss Bennet.0
/Dhy not sir<0
/Serious topics are not to dwell in ovial environments,0 answered he, /it is not favorable.0
/Dell I suppose sir, but would you not tell me what you at least spea, of< 8o you spea, of lace, or
ribbons<0
4is blue eyes 1ashed brie1y in amusement. /*o, I am afraid not 5iss !ydia. >ou can loo, a fool if you so
wish, but if you open your mouth and spea, of things you do not understand then you shall prove
yourself a fool.0
/Is that why gentlemen do not spea, of lace<0
/I am afraid so= a gentleman does not loo, a gentleman if he spea,s of lace that is why we spea, of
huntng and horses.0
/4orses,0 !ydia repeated before a wide smile overcame her, /?eally sir<0
.
's the dance contnued, Eli7abeth saw various seated young ladies pinch their chee,s and bite their lips
before they sat up straighter when 5r. 8arcy happened to loo, their way, and could not help the laugh
that le( her lips.
/Fardon 5iss Eli7abeth<0 5r. Bingley suddenly said, whipping his head in her directon a(er staring at
her sister longer than he intended, a blush on his chee,s from his lac, of manners.
#he young lady smiled. /It is nothing 5r. Bingley, I assure you= please contnue.0
Stll red from embarrassment, he almost slapped himself in the face. 4ow rude could he possibly be, 2rst
he ignores his partner and then he gets caught with his a3enton elsewhere<
/Fray, forgive me 5iss Eli7abeth +0
/It is nothing sir,0 she interected, /I understand. 5y sister is quite beautful is she not<0
/If I were to say otherwise, would you not be displeased<0
;h, so he was not simply a love+sic, dog then, Eli7abeth thought with another laugh as she remembered
the conversaton 5rs. Bennet had with 5ary$
/5r. Bingley seems li,e a very amiable gentleman.0
/Indeed, he has the appearance of it.0
/'ppearance,0 5rs. Bennet had cried, /whatever do you spea, of 5ary<0
#he girl shrugged. /4e seems to be too caught in the beauty of my sister to reveal any of his virtues.
'miable though you say he is, I li,en him to the many love+sic, dogs that :ane must call suitors.0
/>es I suppose you are right,0 Eli7abeth assented in the present.
/#hen for that correctly given answer, may I as, for your forgiveness in my ina3enton as well as the
reason for your laughter earlier<0
/;h my sir, that is but two things to as,C Surely for one answer you would have to answer a queston
yourselfC0
4e loo,ed thoughKul before grinning. />es, I believe that is fair.0
/I thin, so as well,0 Eli7abeth claimed, /you have my forgiveness sir.0
/'nd the answer to my last queston<0
/5m,0 she hummed as they separated again before answering as they reunited, /I see all the ladies that
have not been fortunate as I have to be in possession of a partner preparing themselves for the ne"t
set.0
.lancing around as they danced, 5r. Bingley turned to say, />es, as 8arcy says they are castng their
nets.0 4is blush returned as he reali7ed his words too late, but Eli7abeth simply laughed.
/8oes your friend see a ballroom as a huntng ground<0
/6or a man such as he= you cannot blame him,0 he answered with a hint of defensiveness.
/>es, I can imagine. #hough my brother is not nearly as wealthy as you and 5r. 8arcy, before he le( for
Cambridge, almost all the young ladies in 5eryton vied for his a3enton.0 She caught sight of Ben
indulging the ladies unfortunate enough not to have a partner with lively conversaton, giggles abound
as her brother smiled charmingly at them. She added with a smile, /#han,fully he enoys the a3enton.0
/Hnfortunately the same cannot be said for 8arcy,0 Bingley said as he too loo,ed in Bennet)s directon.
/In fact, 8arcy is ,nown to run around the ballrooms trying to escape them. It is a wonder indeed that
5iss !ydia managed to e"tract a set from him.0
/Is the feat so great<0
5r. Bingley laughed. />es, I imagine it is the same as catching sprites. 8arcy will not dance with anyone if
he does not ,now them well.0
/)#is a pity then,0 she said with a laugh, /I imagine there are many young ladies here that would be
than,ful for a partner.0
/8o not worry 5iss Eli7abeth= I am sure 8arcy will be pleased to indulge you.0 4ardly ,eeping himself
from chuc,ling, he added, /'s Bennet told me, the way to a man)s heart is through his stomach.0
.
Chapter eleven
.
#he liveliness of the dance distracted !ydia o(en and her train of thought would completely leave her
with nothing to say. Hncomfortable with the silence, she grasped for ma3ers of conversaton$ /Sir, is it
nice to live in !ondon<0
/#hat is a ma3er of opinion 5iss !ydia.0
/Dell then, I as, for yours.0
/I do not prefer it to my home in 8erbyshire.0
/But do you not 2nd !ondon more divertng with their stores and dresses<0
/*ow 5iss !ydia, have I not already told you that I ,now nothing of lace or ribbons<0
She pouted slightly, but blushed more for the remar,. />ou almost sounded li,e my sister !i77y. She
reminds me of the same whenever I spea, of !ondon.0
4e was silent to this, but than,fully she had more to say$ /!i77y does not favor !ondon either, she will
only contend to go if she is visitng my 'unt and Hncle .ardiner. She says the society in !ondon is vicious
and vapid, and she 2nds no enoyment in the company of people who loo, down on others simply for
how they maintain their economies. 5y Hncle .ardiner is in trade you see, and though he has a good
standard of living, most of the society in !ondon shuns him.0
#here was a slight wince in his visage. /It is regre3able.0
/>es, but Hncle .ardiner does not let it bother him for he has a good life and he and his wife have
traveled more than most people. 4e has been to India and he has even gone to the 'mericas.0 #he pair
parted and then reunited. !ydia brightened again. /4ave you been to the 'mericas 5r. 8arcy<0
/I have not been fortunate enough.0
/;h, well that is too bad-0
'nother silence.
/Hncle .ardiner has told us about India, we have not been to !ondon lately so he has not been able to
describe the 'mericas yet so my sisters and I do not ,now what it is li,e. 5y sister Ji3y draws sir, and
with our uncle)s descriptons she draws the places he has been. It is li,e we have been there too when
we see her pictures.0
/#hat is quite impressive 5iss !ydia. 4ave you and your sisters ta,en 5asters<0
/*o sir, we have not.0
#he many tmes her wish had been granted to visit her uncle in !ondon had been quite upseBng for the
young girl. 't 2rst she did not understand why people would loo, down on her even though she was in
her best 2nery, but Eli7abeth and :ane e"plained on her return that !ondon society could be a cruel place
especially if you had li3le fortune.
5r. 8arcy saw the tensing of her shoulders and cleared his throat. /I only as, 5iss !ydia for it seems your
sisters are rather accomplished. 8id you not say that your sister 5ary was e"cellent on the pianoforte
and that your sister Catherine is an e"cellent artst< Surely you have had instructon of sorts<0
:ust as quic,ly, her mood lightened again. /*o sir, we read. ;ur papa ,nows many basics, but that is as
far as his teaching goes.0
/'nd you have taught yourselves<0
/>es sir, my sisters enoy the challenge, I however do not,0 she said the last part quietly as if she were
ashamed of it.
/8oes nothing hold your interest 5iss !ydia<0
/I do not suppose so-nothing but my horse.0
4er sudden melancholy was disheartening to 8arcy who was feeling quite proud of himself for
maintaining conversaton with a stranger. 4e tried once more to ease her, />ou are young 5iss !ydia, you
will 2nd something worth your tme eventually fear not. 'nd being a young, well+informed horsewoman
is certainly an accomplishment, one that I at least, thin, highly of.0
She smiled. /I than, you 5r. 8arcy. >ou are very ,ind.0
.
/But of course he would favor my !ydia= she is a lovely girl indeedC0
/8id you not say 5rs. Bennet, that he favored :ane<0
/Dell gentlemen are allowed to change their minds are they not<0
/>es I suppose they are,0 !ady !ucas said thoughKully before another dancing pair caught her eye. /;hC
It seems your !i77y has also entrapped our new neighbor. 6ive thousand a year is very manageable do
you not thin,<0
/*othing to 5r. 8arcy)s to be sure, but very comfortable,0 5rs. !ong agreed.
/I would not be too hopeful= !i77y is a rather pic,y child. If she were to approve of a gentleman, he would
li,ely 2nd her too spirited for a wife.0
/4er brother and father are rather fond of that trait, and I daresay the other gentlemen do not 2nd her
any less appealing despite having grown up with her wild ways.0
/>es, but my friend you must understand. #he other gentlemen here are country gentlemen= gentlemen
li,e 5r. Stewart, 5r. 8arcy and 5r. Bingley are ones of fashion. #hey must thin, of their positon in life.
5arrying a country maiden is enough of a problem in their high circles, but marrying one that is li,e !i77y
will prove too much of a trial for any man to bear. Dhy, I fear that !i77y shall be a spinster if she does not
reign herself in more li,e her other sistersC0
/Certainly :ane does not have such a problem for she and 5r. Stewart loo, so well together.0
/' match made in 4eaven I should say,0 5rs. .oulding declared with an approving nod. /Dhen are we to
wish them oy<0
/Soon, we hope.0
/4e has been here for quite a tme and he has not declared himself yet, that is most irregular.0
/Especially for such a ewel as your daughter 5rs. Bennet, why, with the length of your acquaintance and
his obvious preference to :ane, it is a wonder they are not yet engagedC0 !ady !ucas added.
/But they are courtngC0
/'s I understand, he has not as,ed permission from your husband,0 5rs. .oulding reminded reluctantly.
#he 2rst set concluded, Ji3y and 5ary wal,ed past the table of conversing mothers. /Dell if 5r. Stewart
should as, for her hand, I have no doubt in my mind that 5r. Bennet would agreeC0 8espite the utmost
con2dence in her husband)s good sense in the union between 5r. Stewart and :ane, the loo, on her
younger daughters) faces thoroughly disputed it.
.
/Insupportable girl,0 5ary mumbled under her breath as she too, the empty seat beside her brother at
their family)s table where !ydia and Eli7abeth were gathered.
/Someone loo,s li,e she is enoying herself,0 Ben claimed with raised brows.
/Dhatever is the ma3er 5ary<0
She mumbled again.
/;h for goodness) sa,e, did that horrible 5iss :enson say something again<0 !ydia demanded, already
ma,ing a move to stand followed closely by her brother who loo,ed ust as irritated.
5iss :enson, a young lady of the same age as 5ary, was a girl the Bennet children had grown up with.
She was as sweet as any child her age was, but upon her return from boarding school 5iss Emily :enson
became a /high horsed chit0 as !ydia li,ed to say.
5iss :enson lorded over the neighborhood ladies that her chances of marriage were much higher
because of her substantal inheritance %upon her grandfather)s death& and she sni9ed at the Gcountry
accomplishments) of her childhood friends. 4er favorite target was 5ary, the only person to have bested
her on the instrument despite not having anywhere near the same educaton.
/*ow ust a moment,0 Eli7abeth interected, /#ell us what happened, 5ary.0
/She is being horrible that is all.0
/But you are normally not this upset with her, what did that heathen do<0
/!ydia,0 Eli7abeth began warningly to which the girl rolled her eyes and gestured at 5ary to spea,, but
she had nothing to say.
#heir brother hu9ed. /If you will not tell us, I shall ma,e her tell me then.0
/Dell then, you must withhold your anger untl this set is complete, she is dancing,0 !ydia said, gesturing
at the crowd where, beside 5iss Bingley stood 5iss :enson.
/Dho has as,ed her<0
/5r. 'brams.0
5ary sni9ed, and her siblings turned to loo, at her slowly.
#hough 5ary did not 1a3er herself with the fantasy of marriage o(en, she li,ed to thin, she had as
much a chance as the rest of her sisters.
She ,new her disadvantages lay in her somber air and her plain loo,s, and so she had planned rather
masterfully to appear at her best for this assembly. Simply requestng the help of !ydia in preparaton
had her loo,ing well %as those who notced bothered to comment& and agreeing to stand with Ji3y also
proved to dispel some of her serious nature.
#hese subtle changes, she had hoped, would get her the a3enton of someone that night whether it was
ust someone who as,ed her to dance or to have someone to ta,e a romantc interest in her, she could
not say, but she had hoped it would be her favorite 5r. 'brams, the boo,shop owner)s son.
:ust that night he had requested a set. But ust as he was e"pected to collect her for their dance, she saw
him on the 1oor with someone else. By all appearance, it seemed he had completely forgo3en about
her.
#hough she li,ed to thin, that she was good at hiding it, her brother and sisters ,new all too well$ her
self+con2dence was fragile.
/;h 5ary-0
/8earest, I am so sorry.0
/#hat girl, honestly,0 Stooping down to give her sister a 2erce hug, !ydia claimed, /#he last ball you had
to save :ane from 5r. Stewart, and now at this one we must deal with that hoyden. >ou were wrong in
saying assemblies were a bore 5ary, I 2nd that they are rather divertng if you ,now what you are
doing.0
Ben suddenly loo,ed cheerful. /I smell a plan coming along.0
/;nly if you promise to help.0
/I have a feeling I should be doing something to stop this,0 Eli7abeth said with a groan.
/'nd will you<0
/;nly if you ma,e sure that this plan of yours will not implicate any of us.0
/>ou have taught us well !i77y, I daresay geBng caught is the last thing we need to worry about.0
.
8arcy was feeling quite accomplished.
4e had danced three sets which was a record for him in such un,nown territory. 4owever, the last two
dances were mandatory since his partners were Bingely)s sisters, but stll, he accomplished the tas, with
less strain than he normally would have.
#here was a chance that his earlier set with 5iss !ydia had ta"ed him enough that he was simply too
tred to hear any of the usual nonsense the ladies of *ether2eld sprouted whenever in his company.
5iss !ydia)s e"uberance was not a surprise considering her age, but he was not used to being so e"posed
to such liveliness, especially since .eorgiana, being only a year older= was never so buoyant.
Datching the youngest Bennet converse animatedly with her three sisters, 5iss Catherine= 5iss 5ary
and 5iss Eli7abeth, and seeing the e"pression of pure, innocent happiness upon her face made 8arcy
wonder if .eorgiana would ever be blessed with such carefree abandon.
It would come eventually, he remembered 5iss Eli7abeth writng to him, it shall tae *me and pa*ence
and a lot of uncondi*onal love, but your sister will fnd happiness so long as she is allowed to mae her
choices and now that no ma/er what, you support her.
#he advice certainly did wonders for 5iss Eli7abeth)s own dispositon for everyone within the assembly
greeted her with a sense of familiarity that was not only one of mutual respect but also of genuine
approval.
She did not seem desperate to be removed from the marriage mart unli,e some people-
6rom the corner of his peripheral vision, the eyes of the ladies of 5eryton watched him li,e a wounded
deer.
#han,fully his severe mien and the dar,ness of his chosen hiding place ,ept anyone from trying their
luc,.
's usual, Bennet neither notced nor cared for his obvious desire to be le( alone.
/I see even in the most bac,water of countes you stll feel the need to play hide+and+go+see, in the
ballrooms,0 he said, /' rather uvenile past tme, do you not agree<0
/>ou would do the same if you were being constantly pursued.0
/Ferhaps, but who is to say I would not enoy the a3enton<0
/I am startng to thin, you li,e fooling with the a9ectons of young ladies.0
/*ot a chance,0 Bennet replied with a grin, /if my mother ever gets wind of any imaginary favorites of
mine, I shall never hear the end of it.0 #he young man made a face as he mimic,ed in a high voice, /G'
new 5rs. Bennet< Dhy Benamin how could you< >ou saved our family from the hedgerows only to cast
us aside for the 2rst pre3y thing to catch your eyeC 6or shame Benamin Bennet, for shameC)0
8arcy chuc,led. />ou cannot fault your mother for esteeming you so much.0
/*o, I can only su9er for years to come.0
Standing side by side observing the assembly room, a comfortable silence se3led between them.
Hnli,e Bingley where he always found one thing or other to say, Bennet did not bother with such tas,s
and simply enoyed the silences as they came. 8arcy appreciated that of the younger gentleman though
it proved to have its downsides.
Dhen Bennet chose to be silent it was normally due to the thoughts that occupied him, and when
Bennet thought deeply it was certainly a problem.
/>ou are beginning to worry me Bennet.0
/Is that so<0
/>ou are thin,ing,0 he pointed out, /that is never a good thing.0
/*ow I am o9endedC0
/;9ended, you< #he thought is preposterous.0
/4ow you wound me 8arce,0 Bennet claimed with a laugh. /I admit I am indeed thin,ing.0
/'nd it worries me greatly.0
/Come now, my thoughts are not so wic,ed.0
/>our schemes are much worse than any the society mamas can concoct. I have the right to believe the
worst.0
/Eery well, I concede to my genius over that of the society mothers, but in their defense, I have had a
university educaton, 2ve sisters, a nervous mama and a father who 2nds amusement in too many
things.0
/#hen shall I plan my escape or am I e"pected to pretend I ,now nothing of the havoc you intend to
cause<0
/Dhat I require of you sir, is a set with one of my sisters.0
/I beg your pardon<0
.
#he supper bell rang and the a3endance of the assembly abandoned the ballroom for the supper room.
4aving sat together for the supper set, the four out of the 2ve Bennet girls sat together again at the
table with their brother and 5r. 8arcy oining them.
#he people of 5eryton praised Sir Dilliam)s ability to host such an e"cellent gathering. 4owever, not
everyone felt the same.
5iss Bingley had much to say about how the assembly was conducted. #hose siBng near her agreed
almost immediately that though she was fashionable, she was not ,ind. 5rs. 4urst was not helping
herself either.
5r. 4urst had no complaints and as he was seen as a well+mannered man of few words, he had already
found a companion in 5r. Bennet despite 5rs. Bennet)s supposedly so( spo,en disapproval, /4e loo,s
to be in his cups 5r. Bennet, you cannot be serious.0
/:ust because he is demure does not mean he is in his cups.0
/But he loo,s terribly disagreeable.0
/>es, well so does that 8arcy fellow, ust as, your daughters.0
/But he has nothing to recommend himC0
/;f course he does, if he can remain perfectly at ease with you calling him a drun,ard, I may learn
something from him.0
5ary mu3ered, /It is a pity our mother has no idea of the importance of an indoor voice.0
/*o, I daresay she is much too used to shoutng since she has had children,0 Ji3y said, /papa told me
once that mama was a quiet woman before :ane was born.0
/I am surprised he did not say !i77y,0 !ydia commented.
/:ane may loo, perfectly calm and composed, but she was ust as much a terror as I am now.0
/I 2nd that hard to believe,0 5r. 8arcy declared.
/I must agree, I cannot picture it.0
/?ather hard is it<0 5iss Eli7abeth as,ed with a chuc,le, /Dell, I certainly did not learn on my own how
to agitate 5ama)s nerves so thoroughly.0
Bennet spo,e, /*o ma3er how well :ane has taught you, she certainly cannot best you now.0
/;f course not,0 she said with a win,, /practce ma,es perfect a(er all.0
/>es, and you have had much tme to practce,0 her brother claimed with a dramatc roll of his eyes
before he turned to 8arcy. /#hin, of any childhood misadventure you could possibly have 8arce, my
sister would have at least e"perienced it once.0
/Dell I ,now of the a3empt to brea, in a stallion,0 said he watching the young woman who sat beside
him.
/' poor show of udgment on my part.0
/4ave you climbed the highest tree in your estate<0
/I have,0 5iss Eli7abeth answered with a nod of moc, seriousness. /Ji3y now lives in it.0
/'nd saved a chic,en from becoming supper<0
/5argaret used to live in my closet before mama found her.0
/4ave you go3en lost on your own grounds<0
/;f course, you can only 2nd your way if you get lost.0
/'3empted to ta,e a dip at midnight<0
/I have the scar from a sharp roc, to prove it.0
4e found himself loo,ing thoughKul. Certainly this young lady was fearless, what could he have possibly
done in the past to best her<
/4idden away from your mama<0
She snorted. /Every day.0
/Caught someone in a trap you made<0
/;h my, I have not tried that yet,0 5iss Eli7abeth admi3ed with a laugh. /4ave you sir<0
8arcy gave a wan smile. /5y aunt was not pleased as I recall.0 4e was startled then as the group that
surrounded him burst out laughing.
/8id you really 5r. 8arcy<0 5iss !ydia as,ed, her face bright red from her peals of laughter.
/8o you thin, you can ma,e one so we may catch a sprite<0 5iss Catherine requested too.
/I shall teach you how to ma,e one and hide it, but only if the sprites do not mind,0 he answered with his
usual somber tone.
Beside him, 5iss Eli7abeth snorted again and said lowly for him to hear, /I have no mind to dangle upside
down from a tree. I warn you 5r. 8arcy, if I land up in such a positon, you shall have an angry young lady
to deal with.0
6or the most part, the rest of supper went about as well as Sir Dilliam could have wanted it untl the last
course was to be served where 5iss :enson declared loudly, /6rogs are a delicacy in 6rance, and though
we are at war with *apoleon it is very fashionable in the circles I come from.0 !oo,ing around the table
where all eyes were on her, she contnued with a notched chin. /I hope you do not mind this irregularity,
but it seems the coo, too, much longer preparing the frogs than what I am used to.0
#he servants entered the supper room with bowls of the porton, but as they were about to serve it, the
frogs leapt.
.asps were heard throughout the room as chairs toppled over.
5iss Catherine declared, /It seems the coo, did not coo, them for very long, they are stll umpingC0
/I have no mind to eat this,0 5iss !ydia oined, /let us away to the ballroom, I much prefer to danceC0
6amiliar sentments were u3ered by the rest of the a3ending, before 5iss :enson said, /*o, no, it is
nothing I assure you, everything is completely under controlC0 4er composure died away as one of the
frogs umped atop her head and another into the rather daring nec,line of her dress.
's more frogs contnued to ump onto the heads of the people in a3endance, Bennet declared, /#o the
ballroom, we shall have none of this tonight.0 4e stood, and o9ering his arm to 5iss 5ary, they both le(
the supper room.
'h, so this is what he was about, 8arcy thought to himself as he stood as well.
Dith an o9ered arm to 5iss Eli7abeth, and her younger sisters wal,ing behind them as they e"ited the
frog infested supper room, he as,ed, /4ave you been playing with frogs lately 5iss Eli7abeth<0
/;f course not sir,0 she answered with an arch smile. /Dhy do you as,<0
.
#he ne"t set began only a few moments later as various mothers proclaimed their indignaton. #heir
complaints about the slime upon their dresses and in their hair contnued into the ballroom where the
main focus was now to moan about their ruined dinner. #han,fully without the watchful eyes of the
elder community and the amusement from the younger generaton, the last set was announced and
everyone happily partoo,.
Eli7abeth and he traded a curtsey for a bow as the music started in earnest.
#he 2rst steps to the dance were completed in relatve silence before she chose to spea,, /Come now sir,
has the frogs shoc,ed you thusly<0
/*o 5iss Eli7abeth,0 said he, /I have done much worse.0
#he gentleman)s severe bearing and his almost constant state of emotonless led her to the conclusion
that though he had a superior handsomeness to him, there was no chance that he could match her
mischievousness. /;h, is that a challenge sir<0
!ord help him if she contnues to loo, at him li,e that.
/>ou choose to see it as a challenge, I see it as fact.0
She hummed thoughKully as they separated and once they returned to each other, Eli7abeth as,ed,
/4ave you climbed a boo,shelf<0
/5y house,eeper was terri2ed of allowing me into the library.0
/4idden under the ,itchen table when there was an important guest<0
/' waste of tme,0 he answered, /it is a bore when you are a child.0
/Snuc, a dog into your room<0
/#he maids were horri2ed.0
/'ccidently set a curtain on 2re<0
/It certainly upset my sister.0
/'nd did none of these things upset you<0 Eli7abeth as,ed as the part of the dance dictated that she
dance around him.
/*ot partcularly,0 he answered ignoring the rose water that dri(ed around him with her movements,
/especially if you have someone else to blame.0
Eli7abeth laughed. /'nd who is this unfortunate person<0
/5y cousin ?ichard, though he may bear the brunt of the punishment, he stll gave me a sound thrashing
later.0
/It seems 5r. 8arcy that you are as ust as bad as I, though I thin, I have got the be3er of you,0 she
declared, wondering if the loud thumping of her heart could be heard by him.
/'nd why is that 5iss Eli7abeth<0
She smiled at her own re1ecton through his blue eyes as she answered, /I do not get caught by anyone.0
.
8arcy stared down at the parchment before him, trying to thin, of something to write to his sister. Dith
a sigh, he lowered his pen and rubbed his eyes.
Squintng at the cloc, on the far side of the wall, he found that it did not ma3er. It was late.
?unning a hand through his hair, he loo,ed down on the words$
'ight and pleasing fgure, scented with rose water, arch smile and fne eyes. Inwardly he sco9ed. #hat
was hardly a thing for him to say of his sister)s friend, not to menton it was wholly lac,ing any of the
necessary informaton to draw her based simply on descripton.
Dith a groan, he crumpled the parchment up, threw it into the dying embers of the 2replace and began
afresh with the opening line$
I fnd that words are lacing and as such I thin I must draw her myself.
.
/Dell !i77y, it seems you have had a very successful assembly,0 :ane noted as her siblings congregated on
the shared bed of their eldest.
/>es, with two of the most desirable gentlemen in the county,0 !ydia added, /4ow luc,y for you.0
/#he opening set with 5r. Bingley and the closing set with 5r. 8arcy, a successful night indeed.0
Ben chuc,led. /Come now 5ary, though you did not get to dance with that bore 5r. 'brams, at least you
had fun<0
/It was certainly interestng.0
/It is a pity that he turned out to be so unreliable, we ,now how much you li,ed him,0 :ane said hugging
5ary)s other side as her sister e"haled.
/It is of no consequence, I should not have been so hopeful.0
/>ou have every right to be disappointed. 4is lac, of manners and her Gbe3er breeding) have ruined an
otherwise perfect night for you. I would have thought of much worse than unleashing the frogs upon
them both if I had not remembered that papa was in a3endance.0
/Surprising that he did not decide to punish you for the act regardless,0 Ben said. /4as father loosened
his punishment now that you are older<0
/*o, he simply 2nds smarter ways for ma,ing us su9er,0 !ydia said with a nod from Ji3y who added, /4e
grew annoyed with me disappearing into the trees whenever he or mama needed me so he made me
wear a bell for a month so that I could not hide from either of them.0
/>es, but I thin, papa was not able to reprimand us because mama was so e"cited about the prospects of
the night-well other than supper of course,0 5ary said, /in her eyes, :ane is almost married and now
!i77y is spoilt for choice between the two gentlemen from *ether2eld.0
/Indeed,0 Ben agreed with a mischievous grin at his older sister. /So tell us dear !i77y, who do you
prefer<0
/*ow that is hardly a thing to as, of me, can I not have both<0 she responded causing her sisters to
giggle. /;h but certainly not,0 Eli7abeth contnued, /for :ane is much too entrapped by 5r. Bingley and I
should never thin, of ruining her happiness thusly.0 5ary, Ben and !ydia o,ingly po,ed their eldest sister
as they wiggled their brows suggestvely.
/So you choose 5r. 8arcy than !i77y<0 Ji3y as,ed.
/*o, I would not wish to have him chained to one such as myself.0
/'nd why not,0 !ydia as,ed, /you seem to suit very well. Even though I admit to not disli,ing him as much
as I used to, I thin, he could use your liveliness.0
/4ere, hereC0
/*ow really, what am I to do with a rich, handsome gentleman such as himself<0
/Dhy is it not obvious<0 :ane began, /5arry him of courseC0
.
Chapter twelve
.
/!i77y, my dear, you had a rather wonderful tme at the assembly did you not<0 5rs. Bennet as,ed
loudly from her place in the middle of the drawing room of !ucas !odge.
/>es, it was a rather interestng evening, the frogs were u3erly dreadful.0
/*ow come, you must not tri1e with us. Spea,, spea,, you must tell us of the two gentlemen that have
so wholly go3en your a3entonC0 her mother insisted.
/>es !i77y,0 !ady !ucas chimed, /though we have many topics to spea, of, this surely has the most
a3enton. ;ur new neighbors are ones of deep interest in the neighborhood and we ,now so li3le about
themC0
/Dill you not as, Ben<0
't the confused loo, of their hostess and her daughter, 5rs. Bennet elaborated, /5y Benny has met
their acquaintance in !ondon. 4e failed to menton it to me as I have failed to menton it to you which I
at least had the decency to apologi7e for.0 4er mother sni9ed. /5y son is constantly teasing me and I
would not have believed him if it were not for the gentlemen)s appearance to our home on their arrival.0
/;h my friend, you have failed to menton this as wellC0
/8o not fear= there was li3le I could have told you. I was not present for their visit.0
'cross from her, !ydia smiled innocently.
/)#is a shame, but one must focus on the present. !i77y please, tell us of the gentlemenC0
She sighed dramatcally. /*ow I hardly thin, that is necessary considering you have all seen us dance.0
/But what was your opinion of them !i77y,0 5aria as,ed earnestly. /#hey both intmidate me so, but they
were both very handsomeC0
/But they were not as olly as the o@cers.0
/'s I remember !ydia, you started the night o9 rather marvelously as well. #he 2rst set with 5r. 8arcy,
why you must have been e"cited,0 !ady !ucas said, almost desperate for any word on their new
neighbors.
/>es, it is a wonder your father allowed it. 5r. 8arcy must have been very ,een on you if he was willing
to go through your headstrong papaC0
/I would agree, but he is rather too serious for my li,ing.0
/But with ten thousand a year +0
/4ardly an entcement,0 5ary interected, her tone bored. /If !ydia does not li,e something, she does
not li,e something. De should be than,ful that she no longer sees 5r. 8arcy as a prideful idiot li,e she
once did.0
#he 1ush of embarrassment from the youngest Bennet child was prominent as she hissed at her sister,
/#hat was because I did not ,now him.0
/Das not 5r. 8arcy so very handsome<0 5aria interrupted the start of a possible argument with a
dreamy sigh. /4e was so very tall, and he loo,ed ever so regal. Dhy, in all my fourteen years, I have never
seen a man so stri,ing. #he Frince ?egent would not nearly appear so wellC0
/>es, and if it were not for his constant pacing throughout the ballroom as he maintained the e"pression
of a !ord in Farliament, he would have remained as handsome.0
5aria winced. /I grant you, he did loo, severe.0
/Eery displeased more li,e it,0 5ary said 1atly.
/8o not tal, nonsense,0 !ydia argued, /ust because he loo,s as bored as you do, does not mean he is
unpleasant.0
Ji3y, who had been watching a pair of bu3er1ies dance outside the window, turned at the slightly raised
voice of her young sister. #urning to see the e"pression of Eli7abeth, she moved quic,ly to the place in
between her two soon+to+be squabbling siblings.
/I 2nd that he is rather reserved. 4e did not spea, to anyone without the presence of his friends.0
/>es, see,0 !ydia declared, leaning over Ji3y to give 5ary a loo,, /merely shy.0
/*ow shy,0 Eli7abeth said with a laugh, /that does not suit a gentleman such as himself. Dhy with such a
serious bearing, shy would be the last thing anyone would thin, him to be.0
/#hen what is the cause of his silence<0 !ady !ucas as,ed eagerly.
/5any ladies were disappointed about the lac, of introducton,0 5rs. Bennet agreed, though she
gleefully added, /but perhaps that is because he was content with the company he has already met.0
/#his is hardly a conversaton we can have. *one of us can spea, for him.0
/>es, but you miss the point of this !i77y. ;h honestly, must we beg and plead on bended ,nees and
o9er onto you diamond rings and golden apples< Dhat will it ta,e for you to spea, of these gentlemen<0
/*o, no. ?ings are too easily lost and apples of gold, ;beron would simply eat themC But I see you are
frustrated with me already. Dould you really care for my impression of them<0
/>esC0 4er mama, !ady !ucas and 5aria e"claimed.
/Eery well,0 answered she, /I shall say what I see of them, but I beg you not to ta,e my words too
heavily to heart. #his is one person)s opinion and as such I have no mind to ruin or build a reputaton for
them on their behalf.0 !oo,ing seriously towards the three eager ladies before her, Eli7abeth began, /;f
5r. 8arcy, I can say li3le, for though he spea,s to me, he does not spea, o(en.0
/But there must be something more to say of himC0
Eli7abeth considered her mother for a moment before replying, /4e really is quite tall.0
Ji3y giggled. /De all notced !i77y.0
/I only wanted to assure you that he is as tall as he loo,s.0
/'nd what of 5r. Bingley<0 !ady !ucas as,ed.
/4e is very amiable, ovial and a more approachable man than his friend.0
/8id you not dance with him 2rst< Dhy, he must have thought you to be as amiable and ovial, and
beautful too,0 5aria said eagerly, though she was shushed by her mother.
/I hardly thin, that is the case,0 Eli7abeth replied, /we did not spea, before our set, and with :ane)s
beauty at my side-well, I shall not lie to myself to increase my vanity.0
/;h yes, did not your :ane dance two sets with 5r. Bingley, 5rs. Bennet<0
/>es, but he is certainly not good enough for my :ane. ;nly 2ve thousand to 5r. Stewart)s eightC Dhy
would I allow such a thing< 5y :ane deserves much be3er.0
/Is he as amiable as our other neighbors have said of him<0
/Indeed. 4e has also a quic, mind to him as well, and I daresay a sense of humor to complete him. I did
not e"pect anything less= our brother would not be friends with him otherwise.0
/#here can be no denying that 5r. Bingley was certainly well received by the community.0
/>es, but his sisters le( much to be desired,0 5ary observed.
/4ideous things they were.0
/But they were so very fashionableC0 5aria e"claimed.
/#hey may dress however they li,e, but their behavior cannot mas, it.0
/*ow I hardly thin, spea,ing ill of our neighbors is very Christan+li,e,0 5rs. Bennet declared. /I saw
none of you indulging them in conversaton.0
/I tried to spea, to them, but they did not care to hear me,0 Ji3y said though she did not sound overly
disappointed by her failed a3empt.
/Dell :ane succeeded ust 2ne. In fact, they were in a rather deep conversaton before the last set.0
/>es it seems she has entrapped the Bingleys quite nicely, and our brother must approve or he would
have challenged his friend to a duel by now,0 Eli7abeth said, her con2dence in the words caused her
mother to sni9.
/'s you have brought up Ben, if I may as,$ Dhere is he, I would have thought he would have called upon
us as well<0
#he Bennets ,new that their all+lady arrival to !ucas !odge had disappointed her. 8espite Ben)s rich
friends, he was stll considered a favorable catch for the eligible county ladies, and !ady !ucas did have
an unmarried daughter.
/I am afraid that he chose to replace the footman in accompanying :ane to visit tenants before he
surveyed the land from the storm two wee,s past.0
/Could :ane and he not have done so at a later tme<0
/'fraid not.0
If there was one thing their mother disli,ed, it was the thought of a new 5rs. Bennet.
.
Charles too, his dutes as a son seriously.
;n his father)s deathbed, the young man of nineteen promised his father that he would do what his
elder could not$ #o shed the tes of trade was the goal in its entrety, though he was very near to
completng his father)s wish, the idea terri2ed him.
Dhat did he ,now about being an estate owner< Even with 8arcy)s assistance, the many responsibilites
now bestowed upon him were overwhelming.
/I than, you for the opportunity of seeing your estate 5r. Bennet,0 said he as he tried to focus on the
teachings of the older gentleman. 'ny help was invaluable, and certainly with the success of his friend)s
father, whatever 5r. Bennet had to say would be useful.
/It is of no import 5r. Bingley= I apologi7e if I was interruptng you from organi7ing your house.0
/4ardly the case sir. 5y sister is in charge of running my household. She manages my townhouse in
!ondon, I am sure she will relish the challenge of organi7ing my new home.0
/Dell then I hope your sister enoys the opportunity to parta,e in wor, be2Bng a mistress of an estate.0
/Such as what sir<0
5r. Bennet chuc,led. /Come now 5r. Bingley, being mistress of an estate is far di9erent than being a
mistress of a house.0 #he loo, had yet to pass on 5r. Bingely)s face so the older gentleman elaborated
with thinly veiled amusement, /Seeing to the care of tenants is one of them, having the mistress of an
estate parta,e in charity or simply visitng the tenants can be very upli(ing and boasts morale.0
/;h-I see, and what sort of charity are mistresses of estates e"pected to ta,e up<0 Charles as,ed
curiously.
4aving visited Femberley o(en enough, Charles could not recall any actvites the mistress of the house
was e"pected to do.
'ccording to Caroline, all the lady of the house did was redecorate rooms, design menus and host
partes. #hough Charles did note that 8arcy was unmarried and .eorgiana was hardly prepared to ta,e
up the role.
/*othing overly e"cessive= ta,ing clothes and blan,ets in the winter is always appreciated, as is ta,ing
food and clean water during dry seasons, and no one will ever loo, to you un,indly if you manage to get
supplies for tenants who have been inured or su9er from disease,0 5r. Bennet claimed, /5rs. Bennet
2nds solace in such tas,s as does her daughters.0
/I see,0 Charles said, /8o all of your daughters parta,e in this actvity<0
/>es of course, my !i77y is constantly in the loop of the goings on of the tenants, Ji3y is very much
favored by the children, rec,less girl as she is and :ane is seen as a blessing amongst everyone, I doubt
any tenant is ever le( feeling wantng when she is around.0
/;h, the oldest 5iss Bennet is it not<0 he as,ed, a3emptng nonchalance. /8oes she visit o(en<0
/Luite o(en,0 5r. Bennet answered a twin,le in his eye which caused Charles to blush slightly, though he
hoped that the e"erton from their wal, could be blamed. /She li,es to be of assistance to the
community and if that involves a few bas,ets of food and a few coaches of supplies so be it.0
's they wal,ed, Charles a3empted to avoid and yet at the same tme bring up the topic of 5iss Bennet.
4e ,new that she was a beautful girl.
#han,fully there were many questons to as, of 5r. Bennet$ everything from the repairing of fences,
damages done to tenants homes due to storms, recommended procedures for 1oods or 2res and when
necessary, a quic, lesson in animal husbandry.
/5en are never e"pected to be present during the birth of their own children= however, there are
absolutely no rules against assistng with the birth of any animal. Cows, I thin,, are the worst. But
generally birth is not as beautful as they tell you it is.0
Charles was completely engrossed in this lesson, however, he choose to loo, the wrong way at the
wrong tme.
4is angel stood at the doorway of one of the neat co3ages that lined the lane.
5iss Bennet was greetng a tenant with a generous bas,et of food.
#he tenant, who loo,ed very pregnant even at the distance, ,issed :ane)s hand in than,s and even
though she a3empted to ta,e the o9ered gi(, 5iss Bennet shoo, her head and crossed the threshold,
willing to carry the heavy bas,et inside for the pregnant woman.
*otcing the lac, of a3enton to his truly divertng instructon %he was ust about to e"plain the wonders
of crop rotaton&, 5r. Bennet turned towards the directon as well.
Both gentlemen stood watching the door of the tenant)s home untl it opened again and 5iss Bennet
e"ited. She received a hug from the tenant)s child and another grateful ,iss on the hand from the tenant
herself before 5iss Bennet bid them goodbye and the door was shut.
's 5iss Bennet turned, she spo3ed them standing in the lane. /.ood day papa, good day 5r. Bingley.0
/.ood day 5iss Bennet,0 he answered bac, rather hoarsely, feeling his mouth dry up.
She was an angel in the atmosphere of her home and that of the assembly, but there was something
ever so enchantng about her lac, of composure. 4er 1a"en loc,s were mussed, her lovely pale chee,s
rosy from her labor, her eyes bright from e"erton and her smile, already beautful, was brightened by
her sense of accomplishment.
If that was what an estate owner)s wife loo,ed li,e a(er parta,ing in her dutes, Charles was startng to
li,e the idea more.
/Dhere is your brother :ane<0
/4e told me that he was to chec, the repairs on the fences on the far end of the estate,0 she answered
before e"changing a curtsey with them both.
/Is that so<0
She nodded, and pointed past them, /#here he is.0
's Bennet rode towards them, 5iss Bennet said, /Ben only wished to ensure that the repairs to the
fences were being done satsfactory and as 5rs. Bruin was the last tenant I planned to visit, I assured
him it would be no problem for him to go.0
/.ood day father, Bingley,0 Bennet greeted, coming to a stop beside them.
Charles returned the greetng, but 5r. Bennet only ordered his son o9 his horse.
/8o you not believe in greetng sir, before you order people about<0 's both boots touched the dirt, the
elder 5r. Bennet raised a hand and ,noc,ed his open palm on the bac, of his son)s head.
Charles blin,ed in surprise, but 5iss Bennet only sighed and shoo, her head as her brother moaned his
indignaton.
6rom Bennet)s reacton, Charles ,new that the stri,e was not intended to hurt, however, he was stll
confused even as 5r. Bennet scolded his son, /Dhat have I told you, do not leave your sisters
una3ended, are you trying to give me gray hairs<0
Behind Bennet, ;beron appeared to be snic,ering.
.
;ccasional calls between *ether2eld and !ongbourn mar,ed the ne"t few days, and though this actvity
was not as interestng to !ydia, Ji3y and 5ary, it brought :ane much oy and was a form of both
amusement and annoyance to Eli7abeth.
#he calls were made between the two ladies of *ether2eld, and though it was not in the way that 5rs.
Bennet would have li,ed, any possible interactons with the gentlemen of *ether2eld were
encouragement enough.
4owever, in order to display her two daughters as best as she could, the Gdistractons) had to be ta,en
away.
!ydia was persuaded to ride o(en as the *ether2eld ladies and the youngest Bennet)s mutual disli,e for
each other gave way on the 2rst call to *ether2eld$
/4orsebac,+riding is not a very ladyli,e amusement, it is easy for all and as it is, not all ladies have the
grace to cut a 2ne 2gure upon a horse,0 5iss Bingley had said with her upturned nose and the plume in
her hair 1opping with each movement.
/Ferhaps you need only remove the pheasant feather from your head= it seems to weigh an awful lot.0
Ji3y was practcally rewarded for not spea,ing as 5rs. Bennet procured boo,s on sprites to ,eep her
whimsical daughter occupied.
5ary was similarly distracted by essays on 6ordyce which she too, to writng out of pure enoyment
whenever her instrument could not be reached %the drawing room was suspiciously loc,ed in the
morning of the visits and so she would retre to the library instead&.
4owever, ridding Eli7abeth was not an opton as the *ether2eld ladies insisted that both the eldest
daughters) presence was required for their enoyment or they would ris, Gbeing so very angry with one
another due to e"tended periods of boredom).
#hough Eli7abeth found amusement in 5rs. 4urst harmless parading of a good match and the security of
her marriage to a rich gentleman, it was 5iss Bingley that brought more harm than good to her
temperament.
;n more than one occasion, she would be so irritated with the visit upon their departure or her and her
sister)s return home, that she would disappear into the wood for hours and not return untl she was
certain her foul mood would not endanger anyone. 5rs. Bennet was annoyed as well by the lac, of
informaton her daughters gave about the visit and more so about Eli7abeth)s constant disappearances.
5rs. Bennet warned her second eldest that should she leave once more without so much as a Ghello) to
her mama, 5rs. Bennet would force her to wear the bell that Ji3y wore whenever she was punished.
#wo wee,s a(er *ether2eld was let, Eli7abeth was trying painfully hard not to move her hand where the
bell was a3ached to her wrist by a ribbon.
/Dhy my dear Eli7a, is something the ma3er, you are being awfully quiet,0 5iss Bingley as,ed.
/Is not the tea to your li,ing<0 5rs. 4urst oined, eyeing the teacup before she loo,ed towards the
drawing room doors where a servant had entered with a bow.
Before the servant could spea,, 5iss Bingley too, a deliberate sip of her tea and said, /I understand your
hesitaton in drin,ing such a re2ned beverage, it is not for everyone.0
/It is nothing li,e that,0 :ane choose to spea,, unintentonally interruptng the servant from delivering his
message again, /our uncle)s trade is partally in the importaton of tea as well as spices. 4e has been ,ind
enough to send us some when he can.0 #a,ing a glance at her sister, she supplied, /!i77y, I thin,, is simply
not well.0
/;h, then you must have some lemon with your tea. It is good for things li,e that.0
/'ppreciated, but unnecessary. Flease, you were spea,ing of the !ondon fashion<0
Before the discourse could contnue, the drawing room door opened once more, and 5r. 8arcy was
admi3ed.
Even though 5iss Bingley was very focused on the gentleman before her, she could vaguely hear a slight
chime to her right where 5iss Eli7abeth sat.
#he two 5iss Bennets winced slightly.
5r. 8arcy bowed and as the ladies se3led once more, another chime followed and stll went unnotced
by 5iss Bingley, though 5rs. 4urst loo,ed around in confusion. #he gentleman raised a brow, loo,ing
directly at 5iss Eli7abeth who suddenly seemed very focused on her tea.
/;h 5r. 8arcy, what a surprise,0 5iss Bingley greeted, gesturing at a servant to a3end her= /will you not
oin us for tea<0
/I am afraid not 5iss Bingley, the gentlemen and I are doing some shootng and I am afraid some of the
pheasants have moved closer to this side of the house.0
/But of course 5r. 8arcy, how very ,ind of you to inform us, you needed not to e"ert yourself, however,
you could have sent a servant to me.0
Before he could reply a gunshot went o9 from the window behind them and 5iss Bingley)s composure
fell apart with a shrie,.
#here was three more gunshots and then silence followed by the far away cheer of Bennet declaring his
catch of his chosen prey and Bingley statng that the ,ill was his.
5iss Bennet seemed una9ected by the half+hearted argument of her brother and their neighbor as well
as the proceeding gunshots that 2red soon a(er= she simply too, another sip of her tea.
5rs. 4urst shoved two 2ngers in her ears while 5iss Bingley mimic,ed the acton, shoutng, /Is 6rance
invading, what is this madness<0
'nother chime sounded as 5iss Eli7abeth raised a hand to her mouth to muAe her laugh= the so( ring
of the bell lacing e9ortlessly with her laugh.
8arcy, catching sight of the obect pee,ing from the edge of 5iss Eli7abeth)s sleeve, raised a brow as the
tny bell ingled loud enough to garner the a3enton of her hostess and her sister in another silence
proceeding.
'pparently stll deafened by the earlier shots, 5iss Bingley shouted, /Is that hell calling or does heaven
bec,on< I hear death)s bellC0
5rs. 4urst seemed to have recovered 2rst, and pulled her sister)s hands from her ears. Both sisters
loo,ed embarrassed as 5r. 8arcy stll stood before them with a coc,ed brow.
/>our brother did send a servant, but as he did not return I o9ered to ensure that the message was
delivered. I suggest removing to another room for entertainment, I am afraid Bingley and Bennet are
determined to have pheasant for supper.0
.
Dith the ladies and gentleman of !ongbourn leaving in the a(ernoon, Bingley was le( to shoot alone
while 8arcy had to entertain himself in *ether2eld)s stll lac,ing library with his sister)s le3er.
.eorgiana was mostly contented being alone in Femberley, her le3ers to him consistng of her e"cited
retellings of how her day was spent.
#he new companion he had procured for her seemed to be doing wonders for her temperament and
despite her being past the age of needing a governess, the occupatons that ,ept her busy seemed to be
e"actly what she needed.
2iss 'ucas, .eorgina had wri3en, has said that people are happiest when ept busy and though she
does not thin me an unhappy person =and indeed, I am not>, it has been a source of great amusement. I
have not neglected my instrument, however, I have already perfected the new pieces you have brought
for me and I cannot wait to play them for you when you returnA .h my, your idea brings me much delight
brother9 pray I will play a concerto of 2o(art for you in e+change for a picture of 'i((y1
4owever, despite his love of 5o7art)s wor,, the picture his sister requested was di@cult to manufacture.
6ive rough compositons were created through the past few days based on memory alone, and none
appeared satsfactory enough to send.
/8oes something trouble you sir<0
/*ot at all.0
/'re you writng a le3er to dear .eorgiana< 4ow I adore her, she is such a lovely girl. Flease greet her for
me and tell her that I delight in any opportunity to see her again,0 5iss Bingley simpered. Dhen he did
not respond, she as,ed, /Fray, what is the topic of your le3er< >ou seem very engaged.0
/She wishes to ,now about 4erKordshire.0
/#hen I am afraid you shall disappoint her. 4erKordshire is nothing to 8erbyshire.0
/I admit I am partal,0 said he, /but she was referring to the community and the people, I have already
bored her su@ciently with my descripton of the 1ora.0
/;h, that I doubt-0
'gain there was silence as 5iss Bingley a3empted once again to see the le3er 5r. 8arcy was writng. But
his free hand obscured the page.
/#he people here are savage,0 she said in observaton, /:ane Bennet, I grant you is a sweet girl, but her
sisters are ghastly.0 Dhen no response was made, she contnued, /#hat 5ary is far too severe, I imagine
she shall become an old maid. #he two youngest are positvely odd, why the brune3e spea,s forever of
sprites and the blonde answers my civility with impertnence. #hat !ydia girl must have go3en it from
5iss Eli7a.0
/'s I recall, you did not a3empt to converse with 5iss Bennet)s other sisters and as for 5iss Eli7abeth, I
hardly thin, her wit is shown partcularly to you or 5rs. 4urst.0
/Dell, it is of no consequence. *o proper lady of good breeding is as sharp tongued as she. If I were her,
I would learn to be silent. #here is nothing to recommend her a(er all. Dhy, she has no real fortune and
she has connectons to Cheapside of all placesC 4er sister at least, can behave li,e a lady= however, 5iss
Eli7a has neither the grace of her sister nor the beauty of her either.0
/#here is a lac, of symmetry in her features,0 5r. 8arcy agreed, /however, her eyes are uncommonly
2ne.0
/4er eyes sir<0
/>es,0 he answered, not loo,ing up from his parchment, apparently lost in thought as his hand moved
rapidly across the page. /4er eyes are lovely.0
/I see nothing remar,able about them, there is a shrewdness to them that I do not li,e at all. In fact, I
want nothing to do with her,0 5iss Bingley declared.
/#hen why do you constantly wish for them to call on you<0
/I do not,0 she answered petulantly, /this county is savage as I said, and good company is limited.0
/So her company is at least good.0
/*oC0
/If you would 5iss Bingley, I do not favor the company of indecisive young ladies nor do I have the
patence to deal with a confusing one.0
/;f course 5r. 8arcy, of course,0 she agreed, /it is only that 5iss Bennet is such a gentle soul that I do
not wish to frighten her away by merely invitng her alone. Dhy, !ouisa and I are so far away in ran, from
her that I fear she would be intmidated.0
Considering the dour 5iss Bennet did not even 1inch at the gunshots outside, being intmidated by
gaudy orange and pheasant feathers seemed ridiculous to him.
/But since you and Charles are meetng with the o@cers tomorrow, I am sure she will have less to be
concerned about. >es, I thin, it is a very fair idea indeed. De shall have none of my brother)s antcs to
frighten her and surely in a more intmate environment, 5iss Bennet would certainly feel comfortable
enough to a3end to me without the company of her insupportable sister. Dhat a good idea it is, I than,
you 5r. 8arcyC0
Before 5iss Bingley could contnue forth in the vein of spea,ing her appreciaton for the gentleman she
set her cap upon, the grandfather cloc, in the hallway chimed and she umped in surprise.
8arcy did not loo, up. /)#is not hell calling nor heaven bec,oning. I beg you not to spea, of death when
your brother is out shootng.0
.
Chapter thirteen
.
/4ow unfortunate,0 5rs. Bennet murmured.
/4ow so mama,0 Ji3y as,ed, peering over her s,etchboo, to watch her mother pace.
/Dhy Ji3y, you simpleton,0 !ydia said, /it is because that ghastly 5iss Bingley has ust demanded the
presence of :ane regardless of any plans she has already arranged and has also slighted !i77y in so
doing.0 She snorted as she plopped on the seat ne"t to her. /#hey may be rich, but that does not e"cuse
their rudeness.0
Eli7abeth chuc,led as she loo,ed over her shoulder. /*ow I hardly thin, you need to be so severe on my
part !ydia. I do not care for their company either so I suppose 5iss Bingley and I shall remain mutually
rude together.0
/Stll it does not e"cuse the fact that she demands :ane about as if she were a servant.0
/8o you really thin, :ane is one to be ordered about<0 5ary as,ed as she began another song on the
pianoforte when Eli7abeth turned the page. /Chances are our dear sister is merely using it to her
advantage.0
Ben coc,ed a brow. /I will never queston my sister)s cunning, however, I fail to see what she could gain
from being in company with 5iss Bingley.0
/Dhy is it not obvious< #he tea, of course, our uncle could not spare any for us these past few wee,s and
:ane rather misses it.0
/'nd let us not forget the occasion allowed to see 5r. Bingley,0 Ji3y added.
/;h tosh Ji3y,0 5rs. Bennet said before any of her sisters could respond, /5y :ane is only there for 5r.
8arcy.0
Simultaneously the other occupants of the room rolled their eyes. #heir mama had changed her mind
yet again on who her eldest and preBest was to wed, and due to the seed of doubt planted during the
5eryton 'ssembly about the irregularity of 5r. Stewart)s seriousness towards :ane)s unmarried status,
5rs. Bennet was sure that 5r. 8arcy in all his somber air would not hesitate in the acton.
'ny one of her daughters rightly tried to dissuade their mother against the match, but was stopped from
doing so as :ane entered the parlor with hand,erchief in hand and a crease of frustraton in her brow.
/4as anyone seen the blue thread<0
/8ear :ane, there you areC0
/>es 5ama, here I am,0 she said distractedly as she loo,ed about the parlor, li(ing cushions in her search
for the blue thread. /I apologi7e, but I require the thread to 2nish my embroidery, have you seen it<0
/:ane, that is of no importanceC0
/;f course it is,0 said she in borderline panic, /I cannot leave my hand,erchief thusly.0 :ane presented
the material to her assembled family.
Ben blin,ed. /I fail to see what is wrong.0
/It loo,s u3erly dreadful,0 the eldest moaned.
/But there is nothing on it :ane-<0
/I was meant to start it yesterday, but I enoyed tea far longer than I should have with 5iss Bingley and
5rs. 4urst and now I fear I am behind.0
/Behind for what<0 Ben as,ed again, loo,ing completely lost.
Beside him, Ji3y shoo, her head. /Come now brother, you have not been gone so long as to forget our
sister)s regimental habits. >ou ,now our :ane does not li,e to waste her days and as the saying goes$
Carpe 8iem.0
/#hen I fear she shall have to waste a day more,0 Eli7abeth said as she turned another page for 5ary, the
bell upon her wrist stll chiming with her movements.
/Dhy, what is the ma3er, do we not have any more blue thread<0
/*o, no my :ane,0 5rs. Bennet said, quite annoyed with her daughter)s ravings over the thread she so
desperately needed. />ou have an invitaton to dine at *ether2eld. Hnfortunately the gentlemen will not
be in a3endance, but fear not, I have already thought of a way to 2" that.0
/'re you going to drag them out of their supper with the o@cers by their ears<0
/4ardly tacKul my dear Benamin,0 5rs. Bennet declared disdainfully. /*o, I was thin,ing that you could
convince them that you much prefer having supper at *ether2eld, it is much closer to where the o@cers
are dining is it not<0
/I am afraid I cannot, even if I did not thin, the idea was completely unnecessary %which I do& because
father and I are dealing with some estate business this very day and I had to decline the invitaton to
supper with them.0
/Cannot your meetng with your father wait<0
/If you agree to watch your economy be3er untl harvestng season then yes, I suppose we can ris, our
family)s 2nancial security to indulge your whims.0
/' simple Gno) would have su@ced Benamin.0
4is e"pression changed to one of sheepish amusement, /Dould it really mama<0
#he matron hu9ed. /#hen I suppose my :ane, you will have to travel by horsebac,.0
/Surely not 5ama,0 Eli7abeth said with a frown, /have you not seen the weather outside< ' storm is
surely due tonight at the latest.0
/' bit of rain is no concern of mine especially when :ane has a husband to secure.0
;n a normal occasion, :ane would argue against her mother)s scheme, but as it was, the eldest was stll
too focused on her search for the blue thread to hear one word in 2ve that was e"changed since her
entrance into the drawing room. If there was one thing anyone could fault :ane Bennet in, it was her
blind determinaton to do something regardless of what was going on around her.
;f course in this case, it wor,ed e"actly in 5rs. Bennet)s favor as she sent her daughter not an hour later
to the home of their neighbor with a promise to 2nd the blasted blue thread that she was going on
about.
*ot that 5rs. Bennet was going to actually loo, for it.
Dhy loo, for a silly thread when you can 2nd a husband instead<
.
#he ne"t morning in *ether2eld, the gentlemen were assembled at the brea,fast table while the ladies
of the house stll occupied with their sleep.
;bviously not used to the di9erences in county tme to town tme, Bingley and 4urst were stll relatvely
drowsy in front of their plates. 8arcy, however, was lively.
/I hardly thin, forcing her against her will to stay here is completely necessary.0
/>ou cannot e"pect me to allow her home in her state,0 Bingley argued.
/Flease pass the bu3er,0 4urst interected.
/>ou allowed Bennet home.0
/*o,0 Bingley disagreed, /Bennet le( too early and I was not conscious enough to 2ght with him.0
4urst tried again. /;r the am then<0
/>ou as,ed 5iss Bennet yourself this morning and she said she was perfectly 2ne.0
/4ave you gone mad< 4er eyes were red, her voice was bro,en and when she was not trying to spea,
she was too busy trying to breathe in between coughsC0
/6ine, I shall get it myself since neither of you wish to enoy brea,fast,0 4urst grumbled, pushing his chair
bac, so its legs scrapped against the wood with a gri3y moan.
/It is a tri1e in the country Bingley, that is normally the a(ere9ects of a storm, hardly a thing to ,eep her
bedridden for, she loo,ed positvely miserable being denied leave.0
/;f course she was= she is sic, a(er all 8arcyC0
/If I may interrupt,0 4urst said ta,ing a seat a(er collectng what he wanted, /why are you so insistent on
bringing up a ma3er that has already been dealt with 8arcy<0
/>es, I would li,e to ,now as well.0
4e rolled his eyes. /De all ,now how you are Bingley, one pre3y face and your head goes out the door.
8o you not reali7e how improper it is for 5iss Bennet to stay here, partcularly without any male
companion and completely at the mercy of an unmarried gentleman<0
/Dell I +0
/I ,now that you would never do anything improper and yes considering the circumstances, the situaton
is somewhat perfectly understandable, however, you must remember that you have been through this
before.0
/'nd when is that, I do not recall +0
/5iss Birch.0
/5iss ?oss,0 4urst added, /'nd 5iss ;scar.0
/5iss 6indale as well as I recall, though her uncle did impose himself upon you in order to help his niece
appear that you compromised her.0
/#han,fully the dreadful goat ended up in the situaton himself. Caught by Caroline was it<0 4urst said
with a bar, of a laugh. /5iss 6indale and her uncle had to wed two wee,s a(er to prevent a scandal.0
/'nd we would not want the same of you.0
/5iss Birch could have caught something dreadful,0 Bingley tried to defend.
/>es, fa,ing a cough before the end of the ball you hosted in !ondon last year, ust as she was wal,ing
out the door into a mildly chilly evening is bound to get you bedridden for three days,0 4urst reminded
with a snort.
/Dell, 5iss ?oss certainly was ill.0
/'h yes, ill with how well of a prospect you were that she fa,ed a swoon in front of you in order to have
you carry her into the parlor where your sister had visitors. It was only because your house,eeper in
!ondon was waving around some dangerous loo,ing contrapton claiming that it could heal such
maladies that she awo,e and was discovered.0
/5iss ;scar, now, something really was wrong with herC0
/Certainly, only a young woman either desperate or cra7y enough would play such a farce in order to
2gure out how much you were worth before planning ne"t how to entrap you.0
/Dell,0 he began, but e"haled in defeat, slumping into his chair, /it is obvious I cannot thin, for myself
when beautful ladies are involved.0
/Dhich is why you have us,0 4urst pointed out, but his brother+in+law)s depressed loo, had yet to fade
and so the older gentlemen e"changed glances.
8arcy sighed. /It is in your favor Bingley= that 5iss Bennet is actually ill and is not simply actng it.0
/4ow are you sure< 8id 5r. :ones arrive yet<0
/*o, but .eorgiana su9ers from such ills during the changing seasons so the signs are very familiar to
me,0 8arcy said, /4owever, that does not mean you must be any less vigilant when you are around 5iss
Bennet. Even though she is the eldest sister of our friend, even you were once blind to your sister)s
mercenary designs.0
/8o you truly thin, 5iss Bennet would be mercenary 8arcy<0
4e sighed again. /De have seen too many people in our lives marry for the wrong reasons, the least we
can do is be cautous.0
4urst shoo, his head. /Dhere were you when I needed you 8arcy<0
Bingley gave a slight grin as he answered, /Frobably hiding from Caroline.0
.
#he family was not surprised at the note that arrived that morning. :ane had not returned from dining
with the *ether2eld ladies the day before.
It rained heavily without intermission the entre night, glares of lightning, roars of thunder and howls of
wind sending the household on edge.
Dith :ane absent and the storm unruly, the remaining Bennet girls huddled together in their eldest
siblings) bed and an"iously tried to discern the fury of the tempest from the thunderous ruc,us of a
horse and carriage.
'(er all, their brother had accompanied :ane and surely at the turning of the weather they would
immediately return home.
5rs. Bennet had originally delighted in the birth of the storm, but grew increasingly wary when it
contnued to increase in magnitude= her younger daughters) worry that Ben and :ane were caught in the
squall further agitated the matron)s nerves.
4er husband had done li3le to ease her when he returned to 2nd two of his children gone and merely
shoo, his head with a frustrated sigh. 5r. Bennet)s silence on her actons causing to unnerve her more
than any argument would have.
#he guilt brought up from the evening past dissipated that morning with the arrival of Ben and the note
from :ane and from a miserable, emotonal wrec, to a ball of triumph and happiness, his mother greeted
him ovially$
/5y dear Ben, why did you not stay at *ether2eld to ,eep your sister)s company, silly boy, coming home
to tell us what we already ,nowC0
/De did not ,now that :ane would get sic,,0 Ji3y disagreed, /we were all worried that Benny and :ane
were hurt in that stormC0
/I assure you, I am well,0 her brother said with a half+smile, /it is my sister I am worried about, :ane)s
cough is quite bad. I have no doubt she slept ill last night.0
/Is she alright<0 5ary as,ed as she led her younger twin into an empty chair. It was obvious he was very
tred himself, he was practcally swaying on his feet and everyone present could clearly see the dar, rings
below his eyes.
/;f course she is, people do not die from tri1e colds,0 5rs. Bennet said bree7ily.
/>es, but they can from e"hauston, Ben, will you not get some rest<0
4e shoo, himself o9 sleep, though it easily lingered in his slumped posture and glossy ga7e. /*o+no, I am
quite well. I must return to :ane, Bingley will not have her moved, I cannot leave her. Besides, she as,ed
if I could fetch some things for her which is really my purpose of returning home otherwise I would have
simply sent a servant to deliver the note.0
/>ou are barely awa,e, Ben, let a servant ful2ll the tas, and you may rest,0 5r. Bennet instructed
gesturing at a servant to a3end to him only to have Ben sha,e his head again before he spo,e, /:ane was
very speci2c about it and though she trusts that a servant can deliver it without damage, I cannot trust
that she will be safe without me there.0
5rs. Bennet could not even deign to refute the statement that there was certainly nothing improper to
occur in the absence of :ane)s brother in another gentleman)s home before Eli7abeth entered the
brea,fast room adorning her brother)s boots and carrying a retcule.
/*ow where on earth do you thin, you are going !i77y<0
/#o see :ane,0 she answered fran,ly, only stopping to grab an apple from the bas,et and then ,issing her
brother on the chee,.
/4ow can you be so silly< >ou mean to traipse in all that dirt and all that 2lth< >ou will not be 2t for
company when you reach *ether2eld !i77y, have some senseC0
/I will be 2t to see :ane and that is my only purpose,0 was her daughter)s resolute response. /I shall give
her your love.0
.
8arcy inhaled the crisp morning air, the rain clouds from last night and much earlier in the morning
completely vanished into the blue s,y.
'chilles was nervous from the storm last night as he was with all storms, and if his luc, held out, the
stubborn animal would be cooperatve for the ne"t few days.
>es, it was a good morning indeed.
4e would have usually urged the creature around the estate considering he did not ,now the conditon
of the roads, however, he had ust narrowly escaped 5iss Bingley that very morning and he had no
doubt that she would a3empt to follow him on a morning ride, probably with a few bread rolls in hand.
She had overheard Bingley)s teasing some mornings ago about brea,fast rolls and 5iss Eli7abeth. 4e
blamed Bennet for the treachery and the younger gentleman laughed and said, /It seems you are
agitated 8arcy, here, have a bread roll.0
'chilles, reali7ing where his rider intended for him to go, a3empted to argue as he stopped completely
to sha,e his head, 8arcy was not to be dissuaded and the creature hu9ed. 4e rolled his eyes at the
horse)s annoyance and released one hand from the reins to stro,e 'chilles) head. /'re you really that
afraid of puddles<0
' snort came from him in reply and his rider chuc,led.
Jnowing that it was probably for the best that he avoid going faster than a canter, 8arcy allowed 'chilles
to roam about the roads ust beyond the territory of *ether2eld.
' vigorous morning ride could be rect2ed when 'chilles) nervousness gave out, assuming there were no
more storms. ?egardless, 8arcy enoyed the calming e9ect of being outside and alone bar his horse and
the morning birds chirping in the distance.
#he air was fresh, crisp and aromatc with the scents of grass and 1owers mingling with the earthy smell
of the damp ground. 4e breathed in deeply as 'chilles contnued to wal, about in cautous curiosity.
8arcy always found solace outside, partcularly when he was frustrated which he was not since arriving
to 4erKordshire.
's long as he stayed in the protectve walls of *ether2eld, he would not be e"posed to any match+
ma,ing mamas and their scheming daughters. #hough he did admit that the presence of the eldest 5iss
Bennet did worry him, Bingley was a man constantly falling in and out of love, without any day of
reprieve from the blonde belle)s a3endance, 8arcy had no doubt that his friend would fancy himself
seriously in love with her despite not ,nowing whether she felt the same for him. Considering the
number of ladies who had almost successfully entrapped his friend in the past, 8arcy was distrusKul of
the young lady)s designs.
'chilles nic,ered, pulling him from his thoughts as he loo,ed towards the crest of a hill where a 2gure
appeared.
8ar, brown hair, though neatly pulled behind her head, whipped out of their ribbon to frame her face
and curl la7ily against her nec,. Even from the distance, 8arcy could see the brightness of her eyes and
the blossom of color upon her chee,s.
4e a3empted to clear his throat to rouse himself from his thoughts ust as 5iss Eli7abeth notced him.
's far as morning wal,s went, Eli7abeth always enoyed it, but there was something about dodging water
2lled pot+holes that was a cause of great amusement for the young lady. #hough she reminded herself
that she had ta,en this path for a reason$ to see her sister :ane.
It ir,ed her how her mother so easily brushed her sister)s health aside.
If Ben were the one that was sic,, 5rs. Bennet would have go3en into a 2t and arranged marriages for
all her sisters and herself to any mildly respecKul gentlemen she could 2nd while lamentng the fate of
the hedgerows should Ben not recover.
Eli7abeth shoo, her head.
It was perfectly reasonable though, the claim on the estate was based on the presence of a male heir,
without Ben the fear of being turned for the hedgerows would be all too real.
Stll. 8id her mother not care for the health of her other children<
Sighing, she shoo, her head again and focused on the path she was to ta,e and that was when she
loc,ed eyes with a gentleman at the bo3om of the hill.
4is blac, curls were windswept, his eyes a startling blue and a smile, seemingly fro7en on his face, rested
against his lips. Dhen he notced her stare, his e"pression quic,ly resumed one of e"pressionless calm
and she would have gladly returned such a ga7e if she had not notced the beast he rode.
She umped in surprise and 8arcy was reminded that he was on his horse.
/.ood morning 5iss Eli7abeth,0 he greeted as he removed himself from the saddle, his hand clutching
onto the reins of 'chilles who nic,ered as well, as if greetng the lady too.
/.ood morning sir,0 she responded, eying the creature warily.
6eeling ignored, 'chilles hu9ed and shoo, his head before moving to nudge her. ' slight smile pulled the
corner of her lips. /'nd to you as well-0
/'chilles,0 his rider supplied and seeing her 2ngers twitch at her side, he automatcally reached for her
wrist and placed her hand gently atop the horse)s nose. /8id you not say that you were not afraid of
horses 5iss Eli7abeth<0
/>es,0 she replied, /but I also said that yours is fearsome.0
't the reply, 'chilles shoo, his head indignantly, sha,ing her hand o9 his nose. Dhy the nerveC 4im,
fearsome= certainly notC
5iss Eli7abeth seemed to understand this and grinned. /I am afraid I have upset you.0
/Indeed.0
/But a simple apology will not su@ce<0 5iss Eli7abeth as,ed and the horse nodded in agreement. /Dell,
I suppose I shall have to ma,e amends.0
It was almost comical how both the horse and his rider tlted their head slightly in queston and Eli7abeth
resisted the urge to laugh as she reached into her poc,et and pulled out a shiny red apple.
/Dould you li,e a bite<0
#he horse neighed in cheer, pluc,ing the fruit from her hand without further queston.
Beside him, his rider rolled his eyes. /4as it occurred to you 'chilles= that the apple was for me<0 'chilles
made a snort of disbelief and Eli7abeth laughed outright.
>es. It was a very good morning.
.
Caroline was displeased.
/Dhat do you mean he went on a ride< 4ow preposterous, the roads are not 2t for such an actvity,0 she
stated in annoyance. /4onestly Charles, 5r. 8arcy would not be so foolish.0
/4e is not a foolish man,0 her brother agreed, /however, he ,nows that his horse is terribly a9ected by
storms and he will not have 'chilles hiding in the stables in fear.0
/Dell, that may be true, but where is the logic in avoiding brea,fast<0
/4e bro,e fast with 4urst and me. >ou and !ouisa are stll used to wa,ing with !ondon to wa,e li,e us
country+fol,.0
/Country+fol,= you, Charles, you only started awa,ing with the dawn as of yesterday.0
5r. 4urst chuc,led. /!eave him be !ouisa, if he wishes to thin, himself country+fol, then allow him. De
are here only on his hospitality a(er all. 4e could very well declare that all horses can 1y li,e the
mythical beast Fegasus. Indulge him in that and perhaps we may avoid my mother this 5ichaelmas.0
' servant invaded the parlor with the announcement, /' 5iss Bennet to see you.0
/'h, yes, send her in,0 Charles declared already ma,ing a move to stand as 5iss Eli7abeth entered.
.reetngs were e"changed throughout the room before Caroline began, /Dhy 5iss Eli7a, did you wal,
here<0
/>es,0 answered she, /I ,now that I am rather early to impose you, however, I really do wish to ,now
how my sister fares.0
/;f course 5iss Eli7abeth, I shall gladly show you,0 Charles said, again, already ma,ing a move to stand.
's Charles and 5iss Eli7abeth le( the parlor doors, !ouisa spo,e in a scandali7ed tone, /Dhy, did you see
her peBcoats, si" inches deep in mud, and trailing it everywhereC0
/#o wal, three miles, or four miles, or 2ve miles, or whatever it is, above her an,les in dirt and quite
alone, what could she possibly mean by it<0
5r. 8arcy choose that tme to enter. /If it appeases you 5iss Bingley, 5iss Eli7abeth did not wal, alone
for some of the distance.0
Caroline brightened at the arrival of the gentleman and said, /;h, but stll 5r. 8arcy, you would not be
inclined to allow your sister to wal, in such conditons and certainly not without the protecton of a
gentleman.0
/Certainly not, however, since I wal,ed with both my sister and 5iss Eli7abeth in the very same
conditons you spea, of, I cannot fault her,0 he answered as he moved to bow before he made an e"it, /I
only hope you forgive me for geBng mud on your 1oor as well.0
.
Chapter fourteen
.
Dhen brea,fast was complete the Bennet girls were a3ended by the company of the *ether2eld ladies
before the arrival of the apothecary.
5r. :ones) entrance was swi(, but the elderly gentleman remained inside the room for quite some tme,
reassuring the young woman and her sister that she was not terribly ill but such a malady could progress
if she were to be moved. Both Bennet sisters e"pressed their discomfort at such a situaton, but 5iss
Bingley was surprisingly compassionate at the verdict and assured the apothecary that she would never
thin, of turning :ane away in her tme of need. 5rs. 4urst heartly agreed.
't the e"clamaton, Eli7abeth felt herself so(ening to them if only for their concern of her beloved sister.
#he gentlemen were not obligated to be present when 5iss Bennet was being e"amined, but
nonetheless Bingley stood in the hallway, impatently tugging at his cravat to 8arcy)s annoyance.
Dhen the door opened, Bingley appeared e"cessively pale.
.radually the colour returned to his chee,s as 5r. :ones gave him the same reassuring smile he had
given 5iss Eli7abeth as he repeated his observatons of the ill+feeling young woman, and that moving her
would not be preferable.
/;f course notC I would never thin, of such a thing.0
/I have already prescribed a few draughts that she must ta,e, but all she really requires is bed+rest. Be
assured, she will be right by a few days.0
/I than, you sir,0 he said in relief, sha,ing the apothecary)s hand.
/It is no problem 5r. Bingley= however, the young lady and her sister are quite concerned.0
/Concerned<0 the gentleman repeated before catching the dar,ening in his friend)s eyes.
!ast tme a lady and her relatve were /concerned0, Bingley was almost entrapped. I dearly hope, thought
8arcy, that this is not another repeat of 5iss 6indale and her uncle.
/>es,0 5r. :ones answered, rearranging his spectacles atop his nose, /it is not completely unwarranted sir
as 5iss Bennet is unmarried and this is a rather precarious situaton, but 5iss Eli7abeth wishes use of
your carriage to return her sister home. I have already said that moving 5iss Bennet at such a tme could
be detrimental to her health and 5iss Bingley has already o9ered your home for her recovery. 4owever,
5iss Eli7abeth feels that it is not entrely proper.0
/I daresay it is not, however, I feel I must dispute this. Surely 5iss Eli7abeth sees how it may upset her
sister to be moved in such a state.00
/'s it is sir, decorum is all a young lady has. I am not a gossip, but you should ,now that 5rs. Bennet has
been trying to get her daughters wed for some tme, I have ,nown the girls since they were babes and
they do not wish to be part of such schemes. 5iss Bennet, though she may appear fragile, is quite robust
and I am sure the move to !ongbourn will not ta" her over much.0
/*evertheless, I cannot thin, of moving her. Dhat does 5iss Bennet say<0
/She does not wish to impose.0
/Surely Caroline did not hint that she wouldC0
/*o, but I am sure 5iss Bennet)s father and brother would thin, this is very inappropriate.0
Indeed, this was startng to sound very much li,e the 5iss 6indale incident, all 5r. :ones had to do was
suggest his staying in Bingley)s house and it would certainly be the same episode.
/#hen I shall as, for Bennet)s accompaniment, surely then 5iss Bennet would not worry so much<0
It was almost painful for 8arcy to have to see the same scene play out again= however, the gentleman
could not ignore Bingley)s desire to ,eep 5iss Bennet at *ether2eld which only made the whole thing
that much worse. 4e grimaced.
/I am afraid not,0 5r. :ones replied, /it seems that the younger 5r. Bennet has ta,en ill as well and his
mother is in a 2t of nerves.0
8arcy blin,ed in surprise and found himself spea,ing lowly to the older gentleman, /8oes his sisters
,now<0
/I have been requested by their father that they should not, especially if 5iss Bennet is as ill as her
brother.0
Bingley)s brow was furrowed deeply.
/#han, you for the informaton 5r. :ones,0 8arcy murmured as he loc,ed eyes with Bingley who nodded
slightly in reply.
/I shall do the best of my abilites to ,eep them here untl the storm in their home has passed,0 Bingley
said before he added hopefully, /can you not try once more to convince 5iss Eli7abeth not to plan her
and 5iss Bennet)s departure<0
5r. :ones gave a rueful smile. /I am afraid I cannot, 5iss Eli7abeth is terribly stubborn. #hough they may
tread on your hospitality, convincing them to do so will be your tas, to ful2ll.0
.
Eli7abeth sent the servant away with a sigh notng the stll shallow, labored breathing of her older sister.
/;h dear :ane, how could mama do this to you<0
Darily the blonde crac,ed open her eyes, stained with red and almost appearing to be sun,en into her
face. /It is not her fault sweetng, she cannot account for the rain,0 she croa,ed.
/I ,now, but I wish that you did not have to get sic, because of it.0
/I am sure she did not wish for me to feel unwell.0
/*o, she only wished for you to stay the night because of the storm. 5ama is as scheming as any mother
with 2ve unmarried daughters ought to be, but she would not wish for you to be in such a state.0 ' beat
passed before Eli7abeth murmured, /I hope Ben is well, I saw him before I le( !ongbourn and he loo,ed
very much li,e you.0
/;h, but he is my li3le brother !i77y, surely there will be some resemblance. #hough I cringe to thin, that
we loo, too similar, he is a boy a(er all.0
' small laugh escaped her and she duc,ed her head slightly to press a ,iss against her sister)s forehead,
only to have the young lady turn her head so that her sister ,issed her hair instead. Eli7abeth loo,ed
confused. /:ane<0
/I would not wish you to ta,e ill,0 said she with as much resolve as a sic, person could muster, /it is
ta,ing everything in me not to demand for some form of occupaton which I ,now you will refuse to
supply despite bringing your retcule. I shudder to thin, you in such a state of incapacitaton, ,nowing
you= you shall go mad without actvity.0
/#oo true dearest. Flease, you must rest now. #he sooner you are be3er, the sooner your idle hands may
grasp whatever form of occupaton you desire for I ,now this state of forced leisure is torture to you.0
/But I cannot sleep !i77y,0 she whined.
/'h, then it is a good thing I brought this.0 ?eaching for the retcule she had brought with her and placed
on the nightstand of her sister)s bed, she removed the small, wooden bo" from the hand,erchief it was
wrapped in.
:ane watched her sister turn the li3le ,ey in the loc, of the small yet intricately decorated bo" and set it
bac, onto the nightstand. Before the elder 5iss Bennet ,new it, the so( melody accompanied the rising
and turning of a li3le ballerina from the bo".
.
It was no surprise to the Bennet family when a note arrived from Eli7abeth statng :ane)s need to stay in
*ether2eld. ' sigh of relief actually passed 5ary)s lips as she 2nished reading the contents aloud to her
father who was busily writng upon a piece of parchment with a furrowed brow and hunched shoulders.
't the lac, of response, she peered at him.
/It is good then is it not, that :ane and !i77y are to be at *ether2eld<0
' nod answered her.
/6ather, what is troubling you<0
4e sighed and leaned bac, into his chair, staring down at the parchment on his des,. /It is nothing
important 5ary.0
/I understand,0 she began, /that for :ane)s health, she could not ,now about Ben catching ill. 4owever, I
fail to see the purpose in ,eeping !i77y from the truth.0
/It is merely a precauton since Ben cannot be there to ensure that decorum is maintained while :ane is
at *ether2eld and I cannot ris, leaving the estate at such a tme. Besides, :ane will want to ,now how
her family fares and !i77y is not obliged to tell lies.0
/Is there a reason then that mama is throwing Ji3y, !ydia and me towards the neighborhood this
a(ernoon<0
/4as she already recovered from her 2t of nerves<0
/5ama has had her moment,0 5ary claimed 1atly, /She has ordered 4ill to a3end to Benny)s every
whim and called for 5r. :ones to bring as many of his potons as possible to cure him. 'nd now she has
turned her a3enton to her other children-0
She allowed her last sentence to hang, and a(er another moment of silence, 5r. Bennet relented, />ou
,now it is only in case Ben does not recover my dear 5ary, it is your mother ensuring you do not end up
in the hedgerows. 't least then if you are sociali7ing more and 2nd a gentleman you li,e, you have the
chance to marry him before that cousin of yours arrives to lay claim to everything the estate holds.0
:ane would have read in between the words her father spo,e, and 5ary was nothing if not observant.
/4e wishes to marry one of us<0
/'pparently so,0 her father answered, /Ben must heal quic,ly before word gets out or we shall have 5r.
Collins descending upon us with frightening alacrity.0
/So you have ,ept !i77y at *ether2eld to ensure she was not in his sights<0
/>ou ,now how your mother)s mind wor,s,0 he answered with a grimace. /She would never sacri2ce
:ane, !ydia is far too young, Ji3y too whimsical for a man of the cloth and you mother is certain that if
that man were to notce you, you would revolt against him simply to spite her.0
/I would not spite 5ama,0 5ary answered furiously, /I am the most accomplished of her daughters as
everyone says, and I only perform and play because I ,now how she li,es to show us o9. #he only way
that I have spited her is in my lac, of beauty which was no decision of mine.0
/5ary +0
/*o, if that man is to come to !ongbourn and Benny is not well, then I shall endeavor to entrap him. !i77y
will not marry for duty, but I will.0
.
't *ether2eld, 8arcy paced the length from his seat in the library to the 2replace where he paused for a
moment before he wal,ed bac,.
Bac, and forth, bac, and forth, bac, and forth= the seemingly endless ourney watched by Bingley who
grew more restless with each tc, of the cloc, on the mantelpiece.
/8arce, would you stop your incessant pacing<0
/It is the only way I can thin,.0
/I hardly thin, you need your feet to thin, for you.0
/*o, but it is be3er than having my ,nee ig irritatngly without my control,0 he retorted to Bingley)s
sheepish annoyance as he rested his 2st against the accused ,nee to stop the movement.
/I am agitated.0
/'s am I,0 8arcy agreed, 2nally coming to a stop to rest his hand on the mantelpiece, gripping it to
physically dispel the odd churning in his stomach.
' silence passed.
/8o you thin, Bennet will be alright<0
/De cannot be certain, his last aAicton had him bedridden for two wee,s as I recall.0
/>es, during Easter last year was it<0 Bingley murmured in queston. /I sincerely hope it is not as serious
as that.0
/4opefully his recovery will be swi(er here in the country.0
/Indeed.0
'nother silence.
/8arcy<0
/Dhat is it Bingley<0
/8o you thin, Bennet was e"aggeratng when he spo,e of how his cousin will ta,e everything away from
the estate in a heartbeat once he and his father have passed<0 4e referred to the occasion of Bennet)s
illness last Easter while he was visitng his aunt and uncle in Cheapside.
#he two gentlemen were already well acquainted with both Bennet and 5r. .ardiner and were at
.racechurch Street on a social call as a way of inquiring about the health of their young friend when they
heard Bennet rantng in a drun,en state from his room upstairs.
!audanum, 5r. .ardiner had said, gives people the worse delusions when under its power but for
Benamin Bennet, it only serves as truth serum, a very loud truth serum.
Ben)s import of how much of a burden he would be to his family at death, proclaimed loudly with grunts
and moans only served to end the call though not before 8arcy called upon one of his family)s personal
doctors to a3end to Ben.
5r. .ardiner was not distressed by what Ben imparted un,nowingly in his state, however, the older
gentleman)s lac, of obecton to the claims only served to worry Bingley and 8arcy as they le( at the
polite request of their host.
*either of them spo,e to Bennet or as,ed 5r. .ardiner the e"tent of the claim away from the female
line, it was a family ma3er and as such neither gentlemen were in a place to pry. Even when Bennet had
admi3ed to the claim of his family)s estate, it was said in est, in partcular to the reasoning of his mother
that all her 2ve daughters had to be wed$
/6ive,0 Bingley had e"claimed with his aw hanging slightly a gap. /#hat is quite troublesome indeed, 2ve
daughtersC0
/>es it can be a trial, but my mother need not worry, I am of a strong consttuton.0
Strong though his health was= when sic,ness did reach him it tended to be the worst.
/4e will recover,0 8arcy spo,e in the present, /it is a tri1e cold.0
Bingley did not loo, convinced.
.
'ambton
Dear 'i((y,
%4er writng is elegant and big, showing e"citement& I am ,uite a Gu/er today for my cousin Richard is to
visit me. 0e is returned from overseas and though he is s*ll to travel to 'ondon before he reaches my
home, I can barely sit with the e+citement.
I am much the same when my brother is to return home, but since he is not to return for some *me, my
cousin will have to do. %4er writng maintains elegant and big, obviously she has grown used to being
teased by !i77y and so has learnt to tease in return& Richard, though he has been in the mili*a for ,uite
some *me, is no longer going to be part of the fght against 4apoleon and is returning to the society of
'ondon indefnitely.
%4er writng suddenly trails, lost in thought& 0e had an elder brother you see, his name was 3ndrew. 0e
died a few wees before I traveled to Ramsgate %G?amsgate) is no longer wri3en any di9erently, the fact
that her writng remains constant shows that she is no longer aAicted by what happened during the
summer& and now Richard shall tae his place.
0e writes to me too, not as much as you or my brother, but enough as he is able considering his career9
he 6oes that at least now that his mother and father are providing him with a larger income than the
mili*a it might be enough en*cement to give up the life he has go/en so used to.
%4er writng is small& I thin he misses 3ndrew and I thin he shall miss traveling about as was his wont
for he always thought society was dull. #ut my aunt and uncle are worried for him and he will not go
against their wishes. 0e has made them wait several months for his return9 and I thin he nows how
much the wai*ng has grieved his parents further.
0e has said that he is visi*ng me frst before returning home because he nows how his mother will
immediately a/empt to get him married for he is ,uite old and s*ll a bachelor. 0e says that it will be his
last taste of freedom before being shacled to 3ndrew-s old life =for 3ndrew was a bachelor too and
constantly running around the ballrooms lie my brother tends to do>.
3ndrew and my brother are ,uite amusing to watch9 at least that is what he says. E7hen you are fnally
out $eorgie,F he told me when I was younger, Eyou shall not be nervous for you shall be too busy
watching your old cousin and brother run about lie headless chicens from society mamas, and laughing
with meAF
%4er writng gradually gets bigger& 0e has a Gair for the drama*cs9 he would be a player, he told me, if
his mother would allow him.
3h, it seems I have wri/en to the end of the parchment once moreA
I hope you and your family is well 'i((y. %4er writng is suddenly curling and mischievous& ;lease send my
gree*ngs to my brother for he rarely tals without you =or so 2iss #ingley has hinted, in displeasure may
I add>.
)ell me more9 I am absolutely burs*ng with curiosityA
$eorgiana
.
8arcy was not in a partcularly good mood. 4aving brooded with Bingley for the past hour, the
gentleman was feeling con1icted.
'lready deciding that 5iss Bennet could pose a threat to Bingley, 8arcy could not help but feel that her
reason for a3emptng to entrap his friend was at least understandable now.
If he were in such a positon where Femberley was ttled away from the female line and he were to fall
ill, he would wish for .eorgiana)s marriage as soon as may be. It would not be a ma3er of 5iss Bennet
being ambitous and wishing to marry well, it was merely a ma3er of survival.
' part of his mind argued that surely if Bennet and his father were to pass, his sisters could live with
relatves could they not<
Dell not e"actly, another part of his mind answered.
6rom what he discerned from Bennet, the remaining 5iss Bennets had an aunt and uncle in 5eryton
who could provide aid as well as their uncle and aunt in !ondon. 4owever, their uncle in 5eryton was a
lawyer who, though did well enough 2nancially, would not be able to handle si" %if you counted 5rs.
Bennet& ladies to care for and certainly 5r. .ardiner could not be e"pected to provide care for them
either, not with his own family to supply.
4e reached a hand up to his hair, running it over his face in frustraton.
Dhy was he worrying about this< It was not his problem= it was not his family, why should the Bennets)
situaton ma3er to him<
' bell chimed and immediately 8arcy turned.
/;h, I am sorry to disturb you 5r. 8arcy,0 5iss Catherine said ust as she stepped over an overgrown root
that protruded from the ground before dropping a curtsey. ;bviously the girl had been traipsing about
the wood li,e he had, ust li,e your sister, he thought.
/It is alright 5iss Catherine,0 he said, bowing in greetng as he rose the bell upon her wrist caught his eye
and his brow arched. It loo,ed e"actly li,e the bell 5iss Eli7abeth wore ust this morning.
She seemed to notce and gave a cheerful grin. /I was trying to hide from mama this morning, and she
made me wear a bell as punishment. I thought she would not because !i77y was already wearing one,
but it seems mama was prepared as she had another to spare for me.0
Dell that e"plained that, 8arcy thought in amusement.
/I am sorry to disturb you,0 she repeated again, /but if I may as,, have you been wal,ing for very long<0
/I am not sure, I ,now I simply le( the house and began to wal,.0
/!a, you are ust li,e !i77yC Dell, regardless, have you seen any sprites on your wal, so far<0
4is lips twitched into a slight smile. /'re you stll searching for them 5iss Catherine<0
/>es,0 she answered with a pout, /I cannot 2nd any and I have loo,ed everywhereC0
/Dell then, perhaps they are simply shy,0 8arcy could not fathom why he had said such a thing, but 5iss
Catherine seemed to agree with this as she nodded sagely.
/I supposed as much for I o9ered them apples and mince pies and they would not come out and meet
me, but I am sure they are around here somewhere.0 Suddenly the young girl brightened and she loo,ed
to him with pleading eyes. /Sir, would you help me 2nd them<0
Ferhaps, 8arcy mused, he worried about them because all three of the younger 5iss Bennets reminded
him so much of .eorgiana, and perhaps it was because of the reminder of his young sister that he
agreed to this scheme.
!ord, if ?ichard found out about this, he would never hear the end of it.
.
Eli7abeth had to wal,.
:ane was right= if she were to fall ill, being ,ept abed would certainly be the death of her. 'bout two
hours a(er she had fallen asleep, Eli7abeth entertained herself with responding to some le3ers that she
had brought with her and a3empted the embroidery :ane was an"ious to begin. She had grown
frustrated with the occupaton as !ydia did and a(er ensuring that a maid was present to ta,e care of her
sister, she le( for the gardens.
' turnabout sated her for only a moment before a heavy clump of foliage caught her eye from the
distance and she wandered from the path of the gardens. Dithout her brother)s boots at her disposal,
Eli7abeth was forced to tread more carefully and dri(ed further and further into the heavily wooded
area.
Brie1y she paused to listen to the birdsong accompanying the bree7e as it li(ed restless leaves o9 their
perches and sent them dancing in the air. It was only the 2gure a few feet away, hunched over on the
ground near the base of a tree that ruined the magical scene Eli7abeth had envisioned around her.
/Ji3y, what on earth are you doing here<0
4er younger sister loo,ed up at her with a grin= in her hands she held a piece of rope. /;h, hello !i77y,0
greeted she with an airy smile. /4aving a nice wal,<0 she inquired as she stood, a3emptng to dust some
of the dirt o9 her hands and clothes a(er releasing the rope.
/I suppose,0 her sister answered, /what are you doing here Ji3y<0
/5e, oh I was loo,ing for sprites,0 she answered, stooping down to te the rope again before fussing over
the fallen leaves. /5ama wanted me and !ydia and 5ary to visit our neighbors and I did not 2nd it very
interestng, so I le(.0
8umbfounded for a moment, Eli7abeth laughed. /Simply le(< ;h Ji3y= how our mother must be
lamentng her nerves, and you le( 5ary and !ydia to fend for themselves<0
/It was of no di9erence whether I was there or not, !ydia was enoying all the a3enton and 5ary was
perfectly 2ne loo,ing sour. She spo,e with papa before we le( and she did not loo, very happy so I
suppose she wishes to stew in silence.0
#hough curious as to 5ary and her father)s apparent disagreement, Eli7abeth was stll curious as to what
her sister was doing. /Ji3y, what are you busy with<0
/I told you !i77y, I am loo,ing for sprites.0
/Dith rope<0 her older sister questoned.
/;h yes, 5r. 8arcy is helping me.0
/5r. 8arcy<0 Eli7abeth repeated in confusion, but Ji3y simply nodded and too, a few steps away from
the rope she ted and hid under a pile of leaves.
!oo,ing up, she as,ed, /8id I do it well sir<0
Eli7abeth umped in surprise at the voice that replied, /Eery well, I daresay, an e"cellent ob 5iss
Catherine.0*ot a moment later, 5r. 8arcy descended from the tree= not loo,ing nearly as unruAed as
Ji3y.
#urning 5r. 8arcy did not appear overly surprised at seeing her there but he remained coolly polite as he
bowed in greetng. /5iss Eli7abeth.0
/5r. 8arcy,0 she greeted in return, though it sounded more li,e a queston.
Before she could give him a qui77ical loo,, Ji3y spo,e, /5r. 8arcy said he would teach me how to ma,e a
trap so I could 2nd the sprites.0
/I thought you did not want to hunt them<0
/#hey were being ever so di@cult !i77y,0 she griped, /I have loo,ed under every roc, and climbed up
every tree to 2nd them and I have nothing to show for it. I will not harm them !i77y, I promised 5r. 8arcy
that a(er I catch one I will release itC0
/Is that so<0 Eli7abeth turned her a3enton to the gentleman who was retying his cravat.
4e gave a solemn nod. /I gave my word to show her how to ma,e a trap and she has given her word that
she will release what she has caught.0
/Dell I suppose I shall not ,eep you from your sprite hunt,0 she said ma,ing a move to turn, /I am sure
:ane is awa,e by now, try not to agitate the li3le creature once you)ve caught it.0
/I promise !i77yC0 Ji3y declared earnestly before tugging her older sister)s hand, /But you must stay with
us awhile longer, please<0
She would have li,ed to decline, however, Ji3y and !ydia mastered big eyes and poutng long before
they could spea,= at this point it was useless to resist the u3er sweetness of them. /' moment,0
Eli7abeth assented, but the response was enough to garner a cheer from her younger sister.
/Come, we must hide awhile for surely there is no point in a trap if they can see usC0 She grabbed both
Eli7abeth and 5r. 8arcy)s hands and tugged them behind a bush, but not before her older companions
e"changed loo,s of bemusement.
!ess than 2ve minutes later, the dead leaves hiding the rope crunched and a shrill scream rang into the
air.
'll three of the bush)s occupants peered out between the leaves.
Ji3y)s eyes were wide with e"citement while 5r. 8arcy and Eli7abeth were a mi" of confusion and
surprise, but their e"pressions were only matched by 5iss Bingley)s loo, of pure horror as she dangled
upside down by her an,le.
5r. 8arcy managed to muAe his snort of amusement and Eli7abeth contained the laugh that threatened
to spill, but, Ji3y loo,ed appalled as she murmured in queston$
/5iss Bingley is not a sprite is she<0
.
Chapter 2(een
.
8arcy found himself in a rather curious situaton.
's a man not generally inclined to sociali7e= he was o(en found stal,ing the ballrooms or parlors with an
e"pression that e"uded either haughty civility or thinly veiled boredom.
4e was never found to a3empt conversaton with anyone beyond his circle and would never own to
showing more e"pression than the two already stated. 4owever, this partcular circumstance called for
di9erent behavior and therefore a di9erent 8arcy.
If the ton were to see him thusly, those vying for him in the marriage mart would be so disillusioned they
would assume this was not the solemn and grave 6it7william 8arcy they had set their cap upon and
would abandon any such notons of trying to entrap him.
*o fashionable gentleman and certainly not the severe 5r. 8arcy would be caught wal,ing unsteadily on
his feet due to the laughter that refused to subdue as he accompanied two young ladies that, compared
to the company of upper !ondon Society, were as rich as church mice.
#he very idea of a rela"ed, laughing 8arcy was unimaginable and laughable on its own.
But he was socially aw,ward. *ot a bric,.
/Come, we must away quic,ly in case she is to 2nd us,0 Ji3y said geBng her older companions to laugh.
/It is no ma3er, she dangles stll.0
/5r. Dhite will remove her from the trap, but it shall ta,e some tme. I ted the rope quite well on the
branch,0 5r. 8arcy stated, his usual coolness none"istent and his pride for such an accomplishment
ta,ing a quality of boyish e"uberance.
/;h, but if she is a sprite she may very well escape on her own and try and 2nd usC0 Ji3y declared, stll
tugging on the hands of Eli7abeth and 5r. 8arcy as she pulled them away from the scene of their crime.
She was originally e"cited at the prospect that she had ensnared a sprite, grateful that 5r. 8arcy)s trap
had wor,ed and overoyed at 2nally geBng to see the creature that had her enamored since its
discovery.
But then 5iss Bingley had landed in the trap and she was so horri2ed that she almost burst into tears at
the sight.
Eli7abeth, seeing the familiar glassy loo, her eyes were beginning to ta,e, was quic, to point out an e"it
for them when one of the elderly woodcu3ers, 5r. Dhite came into view at a distance, and she
proceeded to usher them out of their hiding place before Ji3y too, charge of their escape in fear.
/Ji3y, she is not a sprite, simply full of spite,0 she declared when Ji3y had begun to cry while from the
short distance they had managed, they could hear 5iss Bingley screaming at the woodcu3er to release
her from the trap posthaste.
/Be calm 5iss Catherine, I assure you 5iss Bingley is not a sprite.0
/But how are you so sure sir<0 she as,ed= her eyes fearful and wide. /Dhat if 5iss Bingley is a sprite<0
#he young girl then began to ramble, /But she is awfully rude, and superior and un,ind and !ydia is quite
right when she says that she treats :ane as if she were a servant by ordering her around. I do not li,e
5iss Bingley, are all sprites li,e her<0
/I have ,nown 5iss Bingley for many years and she certainly does not 2t the descripton of a sprite so
you must not worry yourself 5iss Catherine,0 declared he with so much self+proclaimed authority that
Eli7abeth snorted.
/;h, but I do not ,now this descripton, there are very few boo,s on sprites in my father)s library-0
/Dell then, I suppose I shall educate you,0 he said as he straightened his coat and assumed his full
height. /Sprites are ovial, playful creatures that ta,e pleasure in the beauty of nature.0
/Dith many wal,s and dancing, is that correct<0 Ji3y as,ed carefully, and at her teacher)s 2rm nod, she
brightened once more, the fear 1iBng from her ga7e to be quic,ly replaced by pea,ing interest.
/#hey are also spirited and lively.0
/;h, but is not 5iss Bingley so, she is certainly lively when she is complaining. But does she not enoy
wal,s and dancing<0
/She is occupied with other pursuits. *one of which include wal,s as she has o(en claimed she is not a
great lover of nature.0
/But she dances well,0 Ji3y said, /she was very graceful at the 5eryton 'ssembly.0
/>es, but sprites do not require a partner to do so.0
Ji3y gasped in wonderment. /So they twirl and dance on their own<0 #urning to her sister, she e"citedly
said, /5y, they are li,e us when we were young.0 She turned again to her teacher. /Dhen papa was able
and not sequestered in his study with his boo,s or estate business, he would ta,e us out on wal,s
around !ongbourn and when he was to rest upon a boulder, my sisters and brother and I would dance.
#hough we had no music and we did not always dance together.0
/#hat is very much the same as a sprite 5iss Catherine.0
/;h and do they sing as well 5r. 8arcy<0
/I suppose they should, though I have not been fortunate enough to hear them.0
/I thin, they would sound lovely,0 Ji3y murmured, more to herself than to her companions as she grew
more lost in her thoughts before she quic,ly snapped bac, into reality and as,ed, /#hen sir, 5iss Bingley
is not a sprite<0
/*o, 5iss Catherine, she is not. I thin, you and your sisters would be be3er sprites if I am wrong.0
#his seemed li,e the right thing to say as she brightened signi2cantly and went from dragging Eli7abeth
and 5r. 8arcy to s,ipping merrily ahead of them. #urning to loo, at her sister, Ji3y 1ashed her a smile,
/!i77y, did you hear, 5r. 8arcy said we would ma,e be3er sprites.0
/>es, that was very ,ind of him. 4owever, I am more concerned about your promise to me.0
/Fromise<0
/>es indeed, did you not promise me you would release what you caught<0
/;nly if it were a sprite 5iss Eli7abeth,0 5r. 8arcy interected, /and 5iss Bingley is no sprite.0
/*o,0 Ji3y said sha,ing her head vehemently in agreement, /she is simply full of spite.0
't this Eli7abeth rolled her eyes good+naturedly. />ou listen to me far more than you should Ji3y, and
you 5r. 8arcy are a terrible in1uence.0
#his accusaton only earned her an innocent loo, from both partes.
.
/4ow tedious he sounds,0 !ydia grumbled as she stood from her chair by the window to grab the le3er
5ary had read aloud to them.
In a deep, raspy voice she reiterated, /Cunder the guiding hand of the Right 0onorable 'ady %atherine
De #ourgh , widow of &ir 'ewis De #ourgh , that I repair the damage done to our families. 4e has all but
said that it was not his decision to try and repair anything. It is li,ely that he is only doing this to please
Gthe Right and 0onorable 'ady %atherine De #ourgh -, foolish man.0
/4e does sound rather pompous,0 Ben agreed from beneath layers of blan,ets in a voice strained from
coughing and slightly nasally from his growing cold.
/4e did not even menton you Benny,0 she contnued, /4ow the man ve"es me.0
/>ou really are mama)s daughter !ydia. >ou have not even met the man and you are already disli,ing him
so strongly based nothing more than on a single le3er albeit a very poorly wri3en one.0
/>ou cannot be defending him 5ary.0
/I am merely saying that you should not udge so quic,ly. 4ave you not learnt your lesson from udging
5r. 8arcy so harshly<0
She blushed hotly in embarrassment. /I was only wrong about 5r. 8arcy because he refused to
ac,nowledge me. >ou ,now that I do not li,e people who are so quiet and grave as he, that is why I do
not get along with you so wellC0
/#hat may be so, but there may be a reason for 5r. Collins) rather odious le3er.0
/'haC So you admit that he appears as horrible as I thin, him to be<0
5ary rolled her eyes and said 1atly, /4e writes as if my brother does not e"ist and I will not stand for it.
4owever, he has also said that he wants peace and we should at least give him the opportunity to do so.0
/'nd if he is only here to pretend Benny is not heir and that he is to inherit !ongbourn<0
/#hen we shall ensure that we do :ane proud by pretending he is not so cruel and that we do not
embarrass our family as you thin, he will.0
!ydia appeared to approve of this, though it was no secret that she preferred to ma,e Eli7abeth proud by
ensuring 5r. Collins never returned to !ongbourn. 4owever, she was already informed by her father that
commiBng anything against their relatve would send her to the nunnery no ma3er what she or her
mother would argue.
She quit the room soon a(er a maid entered her brother)s room to inform them that 5iss !ucas was
here to call on her, leaving the Bennet twins to themselves.
Feering over the blan,ets that were piled atop him, Ben declared, />ou are not marrying him 5ary.0
/Ji3y will be out in the wood or here to ,eep you company and !ydia will ta,e calls with mama as o(en
as may be. Dithout :ane or !i77y here, only I am le(.0
/But you cannot marry him.0
/It is precautonary Ben, if 5r. Collins does not at least li,e our family he could turn us away immediately
a(er father)s demise.0
/'s well as mine,0 he reminded, /I am not dead yet.0
/*o, but if you were to pass,0 her 2rm voice suddenly crac,ed and her eyes fell down from his face to the
blan,ets on the bed. /Someone needs to ensure we do not end up in the hedgerows. :ane will not be
sacri2ced and !i77y will not be forced down the alter. 't least if I marry him, I will not be a burden on
anyone but him.0
' heavy silence engulfed the room.
/I do not li,e the idea of dying,0 Ben murmured, /I do not li,e the idea of leaving my family behind to
fend without me. I do not li,e the idea at all.0 #hough his voice was stll rough and pained, his words
belied his convicton, /But what I do not li,e more is ,nowing that if I die, the burden I once carried will
pass to my sisters and I love them far too much to leave them thusly. 6or the sa,e of my family, I cannot
a9ord to die so I promise that I shall not.0
/>ou cannot promise such a thing.0
/*o. But I will anyway. .od has never failed to allow me to ful2ll the promises I ma,e. If you do not have
faith in me, at least have faith in 4im.0
.
By 2ve o)cloc, the ladies of *ether2eld retred to dress and Eli7abeth was summoned to dinner.
#o the civil inquiries that poured in her answers were unfavorable as her sister was stll unwell. 't this
admission, 5iss Bingley and 5rs. 4urst u3ered how unfortunate this was and they repeated three or
four tmes how they did not li,e being sic, themselves before this line of conversaton was dropped and
they thought no more of the ma3er.
5r. Bingley, however, remained concerned as he leaned slightly to see her from beside 5r. 4urst.
/4as not the droughts been to any e9ect< Is she be3er at least, or has she appeared to be worse< Shall I
call for the apothecary to a3end to her<0
4is constant questoning and the worry evident in his brown eyed ga7e gave Eli7abeth way to give him a
wary smile as she replied, /She has improved slightly so the need for 5r. :ones is unnecessary. She
merely requires rest, but I than, you for your concern 5r. Bingley.0
Before he could respond, 5rs. 4urst began a new topic of conversaton, /8o you not thin, it so very droll
to be in the country<0 as if Eli7abeth were not present and that the topic of :ane)s illness was never
spo,en of. /Dhy, no shops and no interestng company I aside from 5iss Bennet of course, but as she is
ill she can hardly be counted.0
4er brother loo,ed e9ectvely embarrassed by his sister)s words, but it was 5r. 8arcy who spo,e, /It is
not #own madam, you can hardly e"pect there to be a variety you are used to.0
/But is it not too much to e"pect a good store 5r. 8arcy< De are merely a day)s travel from !ondon a(er
all.0
/*ow !ouisa, do not be silly,0 5iss Bingley oined, feigning o9ense, /Such a bac,water place as this can
hardly be e"pected to e"hibit any of the 2nery of !ondon.0
/>ou must own 5rs. 4urst that there is some beauty to the country that is not present in a place li,e
!ondon,0 the gentleman answered.
/>es, but rustc charm can do nothing for savagery.0
Eli7abeth, despite ,nowing what the cause of 5iss Bingley)s solid disli,e of her home county was
growing increasingly annoyed with the superior behavior of the sisters and the u3er irony of their words.
If she was to be considered savage than 5iss Bingley and her sister were truly unfortunate.
.iving her hostess a smile, she said sweetly, /I am sorry you feel that way 5iss Bingley, but is not the
untamed nature of 4erKordshire appealing beside the rustc charm of the country<0
5iss Bingley raised her chin. /Savagery complimentng savagery, I certainly cannot e"pect any less.0
/Ferhaps you are simply in need of a new-perspectve,0 Eli7abeth ventured to say.
#his statement made 5iss Bingley)s eyes narrow as the color in her chee,s seemed to increase
e"ponentally, her thoughts obviously going towards her li3le predicament earlier that day for it certainly
o9ered a new perspectve on the ground-
5r. 8arcy)s lip twitched slightly and he had to suppress the increasing smile as 5r. Bingley agreed with
their guest, /5iss Eli7abeth is quite right Caroline, perhaps you need only commune with nature in order
to enoy the country more.0
/'nd how, pray am I to Gcommune) with nature<0 5iss Bingley demanded= her 1ush growing ho3er upon
her chee,s as she choose to temper embarrassment with anger.
.rasping blindly to try and appease his sister and silence her in some way, 5r. Bingley spo3ed a tree ust
outside the window loo,ing aged and beautful with its 1ame colored leaves curling in the bree7e.
/Enoy the trees,0 he declared, /they are lovely this tme of the year.0
Eli7abeth could not resist the urge to pee, at 5r. 8arcy from under her lashes as she too, a sip of the
soup.
6eeling her ga7e upon him, 5r. 8arcy fa,ed a cough.
.
;nce 5iss Eli7abeth departed to see how her sister fared, 5iss Bingley pronouncing how bad her
manners were which was only made worse for she lac,ed in style, conversaton and beauty and in short
had absolutely nothing to recommend her.
5rs. 4urst agreed heartly with her sibling)s observaton and the two ladies amused themselves further$
/8o you not remember her dress this morning< Si" inches deep in mudC She should have been ashamed
for appearing in company thusly and yet she acted with such an air of importance that can certainly be
seen as impertnence. I feel so very sorry for :ane, having a sister such as Eli7a must be frighKully
embarrassing.0
#he gentlemen, having been used to their female company tal,ing poorly of practcally everyone they
had come into contact with, ,ept their peace with only Bingley)s ,nee igging under the table to indicate
the aggravaton he felt.
Dith the malicious delight of his sisters showing no end as they reached the topic of the Bennets) less
than stellar relatons %/'n uncle in Cheapside, how capitalC0&, Bingley spat$
/I hardly thin, you should spea, so badly of people you do not ,now Caroline, !ouisa. 5r. .ardiner is a
perfectly amiable, good man who you should be than,ing with gusto for funding your impromptu trip to
Bath last year.0
/Come now Charles, do not 1a3er the man so, he is in trade for goodness) sa,e.0
/'nd where do you thin, our riches come from<0 he demanded. />ou have the audacity to spea, so ill of
their positon in life, but yet you so conveniently forget that at one point in our very own family it started
much the same way as well. 'll evening the two of you have gone on endlessly about how savage it is in
the country, and yet the only thing I can 2nd savage at all is your behavior. If anyone should be ashamed
or embarrassed it should be you.0
6ollowing the uncharacteristc response, he pushed himself out of his chair and quit the room leaving a
silence in his wa,e.
/#s,, our brother seems to be in a rather vile mood.0
/>es, the blame must be laid to his rising earlier than his wont,0 5iss Bingley stated, /but what did we
e"pect of him, the man is irritable when he is not fully rested.0
#he two remaining gentlemen e"changed eye+rolls before 8arcy followed his friend.
5r. 4urst swallowed a sigh with the crimson liquid of wine he tpped into his mouth. Idly he noted how
he would need the whole bo3le to get through the rest of the evening alone with his wife and sister+in+
law.
'h, the oys of matrimony.
.
8arcy shut the door to Bingley)s study and stood before it with arms folded and aw clenched.
' few feet away, Bingley paced li,e a creature in a cage. #he gentleman only paused to 2ll a glass with
brandy before he empted it in one gulp before commencing again.
Steady tc,s of the cloc, on the des, were the only sounds to be heard other than his fooKalls before his
companion choose to spea,, /I imagine that you have 2nally go3en around to reading the le3er<0
/Ignorance truly is bliss,0 Bingley answered with an edge as he contnued to pace, /whoever your
informant is, his ability to receive informaton is astounding.0
/She is a thorough young lady.0
/I can have no doubt about that.0 Bingley paused and loo,ed to his friend before repeatng somewhat
incredulously, /&he<0
/5y cousin 'nne, her mother)s clergyman is the benefactor of the claim on !ongbourn.0
4e shoo, his head with disbelief. /#he amount of informaton she has managed to procure in a short
period of tme is ama7ing. 8id you not only send your le3er requiring her assistance ust this morning<0
/Indeed, however, your awe is hardly necessary. 'pparently this 5r. Collins fellow is in the habit of
spea,ing more than he does thin,ing. *o sense of tact whatsoever as my cousin says. 's, 5r. Collins
anything and he will gladly dolly out the informaton to whoever as,s for it.0
/Is he really such an ignorant fool to thin, that it is perfectly alright to spea, of a claim that is not his
untl the death of its current heir<0
/4e is under the overwhelming in1uence of my 'unt Catherine= that in itself should answer your
queston.0
Bingley pic,ed up the tumbler of brandy again, tpping it so the liquid sloshed into his glass. /5r. Collins)
thoughts on Bennet are almost none"istent, as if he hardly sees him as any form of obstacle.0
/'s it is, 5r. Collins) believes that Bennet will succumb to this tri1e cold and I have no doubt !ady
Catherine has encouraged his thoughts on the ma3er.0
/'nd what thin, you<0
/I as,ed Bennet)s young sister 5iss Catherine how her brother does= she has said that Bennet is faring
as well as he could be. She does not appear at all worried by her brother)s sic,ness and has said that
when Bennet was younger, he would o(en catch with such ills and it is nothing that he cannot
overcome.0
' cautous sigh of relief le( Bingley.
/Dould it be too early to say that 5iss Bennet would have no need to a3empt to entrap me then if her
brother were well<0
It was 8arcy)s turn to sigh, though it was more a pu9 of air hissing past his lips. />ou and I both ,now it
ma,es no di9erence what Bennet)s health is li,e, you are not one to ta,e ill o(en and yet you have
already seen one of your sisters marry for monetary advantage.0
/But what if monetary advantage did not ma3er to 5iss Bennet<0
/>ou cannot ,now that Bingley. 4er behavior is hardly telling of any speci2c regard towards you that to
rush head2rst would be foolish. Besides, you hardly ,now her.0
/Dell cannot I try and ascertain if some sort of feeling is mutually returned<0
/Bingley +0
/8o not mista,e me 8arce, I will not shower her with a3enton +0
/'s you had during dinner,0 he interrupted, /Dhy, 5iss Bennet was not even present and you have
already 1a3ered her in heaps to state your esteem fully to her favorite sister.0
/It can only 1a3er me if 5iss Eli7abeth spea,s well of me to 5iss Bennet.0
/Bingley, what on earth are you planning<0
/Since I cannot determine whether she feels deeply for me despite our short acquaintance, is there
anything wrong with wantng to ,now whether or not we are at least compatble<0
4is friend)s raised brow in queston spurned Bingley on, /I have always said that I wanted a wife that was
productve and generous and ,ind, if I can discover if 5iss Bennet has such qualites and that we have
things in common, surely then it would not be terribly wrong to marry for a li3le less than love<0
Catching the determined gleam in Bingley)s eyes, he shoo, his head.
/#here is no use in dissuading you. If you are set in discerning whether 5iss Bennet is worth pursing, it is
your tas, to ful2ll. 4owever, as Bennet is not here to claim protecton over his sibling I will act in his
place and warn you that should your a3enton or a9ecton waver, you will have a whole horde of angry
young ladies on your hands.0
/I already deal with less than tolerable sisters,0 Bingley reminded 1atly, /I would never thin, to add a
whole family.0
.
By the tme they returned from their interview, actvity had moved to the drawing room where both
gentlemen were given respite as only 4urst was in a3endance, comfortably asleep on the sofa. *ot
willing to test their good fortune, neither 8arcy nor Bingley a3empted to discover the presence of the
missing ladies, preferring to salvage the remainder of their evening instead.
's the cloc, declared seven, 5rs. 4urst and 5iss Bingley reappeared and all members congregated to
the card tables including 4urst who awo,e at the usual harping of his wife and sister+in+law when they
entered the room.
#he cloc, indicated an hour and their guest returned below stairs to oin them, Bingley inquiring about
her sister)s health to the subtle eye roll of his friend.
Eli7abeth found that her decision to forgo sleep for a few more hours was a poorly made one as 5iss
Bingley immediately thought it prudent to include in her in their game of loo. 4aving discovered too late
that her company was playing quite high, she withdrew from the game soon a(er entering it.
/Dhy 5iss Eli7a, do you not li,e the strategic form of this game<0
/;h no I enoy such past tmes, however, it seems that I am not,0 Eli7abeth paused, carefully choosing
her words, /equipped for such a game and I do not wish to impede on your amusement.0
4er family, though generally wealthier than their neighbors, did not gamble with the amount of money
the party in *ether2eld did and certainly not with Eli7abeth)s rather poor hand with cards. Even if pride
would force her to blush at her admission, there was no shame in the truth.
/;h my 5iss Eli7a, how foolish of me,0 5iss Bingley said in feigned dismay. /I am so sorry for forcing such
a queston upon you if that is to be your answer. 4owever, if you stll wish to play I would gladly o9er my
purse for our game, if only because I do not wish to estrange you from our company.0
/'s generous as your o9er is, my sister and I have already intruded upon your generosity enough. *o, I
shall entertain myself with a boo,.0
/8o you wish for me to fetch you some<0 5r. Bingley as,ed. /I am afraid I do not have much of a
collecton, however, what I have is completely at your disposal 5iss Eli7abeth.0
Before she could politely decline the o9er and investgate the neat stac, of boo,s beside the sofa, 5iss
Bingley spo,e up once more, /I am astonished that our father should have le( so small a collecton to us,
he did not have the foresight to gain such a library as that of Femberley.0 Eyes cast towards the
gentleman siBng stAy beside her, 5iss Bingley practcally purred, />ou have such a wonderful library
5r. 8arcy.0
4e seemed to subtly inch his chair away from 5iss Bingley)s before answering, /Femberley)s library is
the e9ort of many generatons.0
/'nd then you have added so much to it yourself,0 she contnued following 5r. 8arcy)s lead and inching
towards him once more.
Eli7abeth could almost see the movement by ear alone as their chairs scrapped across the 1oor.
/>ou are always buying boo,s sir.0
/I cannot imagine the neglect of a library at a tme when there is growing ease to increase it,0 he
answered shortly.
/*eglect, oh I am sure the thought is impossible.0 #urning her a3enton now to her brother, she
proclaimed, /Charles, when you purchase your house, I wish it to be as half as delighKul as Femberley.
>ou shall use it as an e"ample for Femberley is a model home. Certainly, nothing ma,es me happier than
to be at Femberley.0
/I will buy it myself then if 8arcy will sell it to me.0
/I am merely spea,ing of possibilites Charles.0
/I thin, Caroline= that it is more possible to get Femberley by purchase rather than imitaton, is not
buying happiness your usual habit< I am merely learning from you, you are my elder a(er all.0
#o this conversaton, Eli7abeth could only pretend disinterest as she raised her chosen boo, closer to her
ga7e. She had not wanted to pay any a3enton to the conversaton at its start because to her it was
obviously another way for 5iss Bingley to remind her of their di9erent monetary ran,s, albeit more
indirectly.
;r, an arch part of her mind began= perhaps it was because of 5iss Bingely)s blatant 1irtng with 5r.
8arcy that led to her ignoring most of the conversaton.
:ealousy did not loo, good on anyone.
6or a moment, Eli7abeth)s eyes fro7e on the words of the page.
Silly girl, what did she have to be ealous of<
.
Chapter si"teen
.
?elieved when :ane)s breathes began to even, Eli7abeth closed the boo, she was reading to her and
leaned over the bed to ,iss her sister)s forehead. #he heat from her temple was growing alarmingly
warmer and with cautous hope, Eli7abeth thought it was a sign of her fever brea,ing.
Dith a so( sigh, she rose from the chair at :ane)s side and re+arranged the other amusements she had
entertained her with earlier that evening$
#he hand,erchief :ane needed to complete was not even a quarter way done with Eli7abeth tas,ed to it
on her behalf, even sic, her older sister was as much a perfectonist demanding her to redo each thread
that was not tghtly enough woven into the material.
Eli7abeth could not suppress the smile at her sister)s wea,, though strong demands. It was as much life
as :ane had shown since she caught ill.
#he boo, of sonnets Ben had gi(ed to Eli7abeth was also cast with the hand,erchief, as :ane was rarely
idle, having read the poems describing the liveliness of nature made her ache to leave her sic,bed.
*ot that she or 5r. Bingley permi3ed it.
' smile, gentle and optmistc, touched her lips as she thought of the *ether2eld gentleman.
4e was certainly a3entve to her sister)s needs, choosing to visit :ane before he, 5r. 8arcy and 5r. 4urst
partoo, in nightcaps, o9ering more blan,ets, boo,s for amusement and a cup of tea should she desire
it. Dith Eli7abeth, 5r. 8arcy and a maid present, the e"change between the pair was hardly improper
though the amount of a3enton was certainly enough to garner a disapproving loo, from 5r. 8arcy.
4er smile dropped slightly at the reminder of the tall, blue+eyed man.
Fer :ane)s request about the goings+on below 1oors, Eli7abeth consented to provide all informaton she
could including her rather silly thoughts regarding her ealousy towards 5iss Bingley. It made her blush
profusely when :ane had teasingly reoiced in her favorite sister 2nding a man she li,ed.
/I li,e him 2ne :ane, I shall give you that.0
/>es, certainly enough to be ealous of a lady that fawns over him,0 the older remar,ed archly.
It embarrassed Eli7abeth that she could thin, of no response, however, she could not prevent herself
from musing aloud how u3erly preposterous it was to even thin of being envious of 5iss Bingley.
/;h my dear !i77y, do you li,e 5r. 8arcy<0
/I li,e him 2ne :ane,0 she repeated. In truth, Eli7abeth was unsure and the more she thought about it,
the more frustrated she became.
Hnfortunately now that :ane was asleep and no longer a cause of distracton, she was le( to the loud
ringing of her thoughts. She paused in her rather unnecessary tdying up of the room.
#his will not do.
;nce again pic,ing up one of the many boo,s 5r. Bingley had o9ered for the sisters) amusements,
Eli7abeth a3empted to pursue it in hopes of quietng her mind.
Banishing the thoughts of how well 5r. 8arcy got on with Ji3y and even !ydia. 4ow .eorgiana was so
luc,y to have such a generous relaton such as he, and how, despite being a distnguished man of both
ran, and fortune, he was not as st9 as she had assumed him to be, even from .eorgiana)s le3ers-
Climbing a tree< Indulging a whimsical young lady)s scheme< 'ctng li,e a mischievous a li3le boy and
not a dour, snobby gentleman of !ondon society<
!oo,ing at him with his carefully done cravat, his aristocratc features and the aBre of a gentleman of
ten thousand a year, she would assume he would be an easy 2t.
4owever, she remembered the brightness of those shoc,ingly blue eyes that paired devastatngly with
his dar, loc,s. #here was a willing ease hidden behind those eyes, dry wit, intelligence and generosity
painted in blue.
Eli7abeth would not be so preudiced to believe no gentleman with a fortune would have such traits, but
she doubted any would be so open towards people that have only recently made their acquaintance= not
when they generally choose to lord over ballrooms as 5r. 8arcy was famous for by her brother)s
accounts. Dith all his material wealth, stri,ing features and what was ,nown of his character, it was not
the matrons and hopeful+5rs. 8arcys that sang his praises the loudest, but !ydia and Ji3y who proved
their words true with each interacton they had with the man.
#he boo, she chose was snapped shut and she winced in a(erthought.
#his boo, is not very interestng, she thought 2ercely before she decided that a wal, might clear her
thoughts.
.
Dith a furrowed brow, 8arcy)s hand gripped tghter against the instrument as he grasped onto the
mental image and willed it to appear onto the page.
4is 2ngers rebelled and he made an annoyed sound as he allowed the pencil to slip from his grasp, roll
o9 the paper and onto the 1oor. Inhaling sharply, he stared down at the s,etch he had been composing
for the last hour and a half.
4aving seen her dance at the 5eryton 'ssembly, 8arcy ,new her 2gure was light and pleasing, rela"ed
and e9ortless.
4owever, what he had captured was not so.
4er posture was almost rigid as she sat= as straight as the columns at the entrance of Femberley. 4er
dainty feet glimpsed from the hem of her dress= her le( foot pointed while her right leaned against the
le( heel= and her hands holding onto the boo, she had chosen that evening while they were playing
cards were held with 2rm care, her 2ngers were curled around the spine to hold it in place while her free
hand was rested on her lap.
But it was her face that held the most interest for him.
#he gentle curve of her chin was u3ed out in challenge, but remained temptng to touch as the sharp
angle of her chee, laid a distnct path to where her lips= usually appearing thin= were pressed together in
a rosebud as if she were poutng, practcally begging to be ,issed.
It was tauntng to have her image imprinted on that page, and what made it worse was that this was only
a side+pro2le of her.
8arcy had barely even captured herC 4e had not even managed to do her eyes ustce. #hey were as dar,
as they were on a 2rst glance, but not anywhere near as 2ne...
4e agoni7ed over this as he had with the other s,etches he managed to manufacture since her arrival to
*ether2eld$
' rough dra( of her loo,ing over her shoulder, the wind teasing her hair out of the ribbon further while
those ringlets that stubbornly remained in the con2nes, curled against the column of her nec,, mar,ed
one of the pages.
#he other was nothing more than a shadow of her, only half of her form visible and so only half of her
drawn. 8espite the li3le available in the la3er, what he had of her appeared ethereal and dreamli,e-
#his is madness, thought he with a frown, s,etching 5iss Eli7abeth for .eorgiana should not be so
di@cult.
I might as well send what I have to her, he thought as he set the pictures of his subect atop a neat pile
before bending down to collect his fallen pencil. It will have to do for now untl I can get a be3er view of
her.
But that was not the cru" of his problem and he ,new it. She was visible to him the whole day, but every
tme he tried to recall her enough to draw her, he was simply overwhelmed with other things.
!i,e the fact that her every movement= wal,ing, tal,ing, reading, siBng, eatng= were done with such
natural grace and quic,ness that 8arcy could not help but thin, that maybe 5iss Eli7abeth really was a
sprite.
'nd if it were not for the most mundane of her actons, it was those blasted eyes of hers.
6ine and dar,, shining in hidden mirth, liveliness, good humor and a certain spar,le that shone brighter
than any ewel 8arcy could fathom to thin, e"isted. #hey would meet his almost automatcally when
something occurred and he had the uncanny feeling that they were thin,ing the same thing.
It ir,ed him that two such things, common and un+e"traordinary in every way, distracted him so.
'nd his damned pencil ,ept rolling away from himC
.rowling in agitaton, 8arcy was forced to crawl under the small table to reach it and as he gripped it in
victory, a pair of satn slippers appeared in his view along with a circle of gold light= probably from a
candle, he ratonali7ed.
#he urge to loo, up was quashed when the holder of the candle murmured into the dar,, /I wonder who
is here-0
5iss Eli7abeth.
She had probably notced his own candle on the table above him-
Dait. If she was here than that means I
Fanic,ed, 8arcy reali7ed his s,etches of her were on the very table he was lying underneath and he
almost swore at the very idea that she would see his wor,. ' part of him tried to soothe, 5iss Eli7abeth
will not ,now you drew them.
#his would usually calm him= however, his habit of signing his wor, with 6.8 had 2nally come to haunt
him. 8arcy had no doubt that as the only person in *ether2eld with a G8) in their initals, 5iss Eli7abeth
would correctly assume it was him.
In his increasing panic, 8arcy did not notce 5iss Eli7abeth stoop to his level, candle in hand.
/5r. 8arcy<0
4is eyes widened to e"ponental proportons.
#heir faces were surprisingly close to one another)s, he noted o9+handedly.
4er s,in was radiant in the candlelight, an almost invisible dustng of frec,les sca3ered lightly across her
chee,s as every curve and angle that de2ned her features tempted him to trace them with his 2ngertps.
Dith the glow of the candle in her hand, her hair was aglow about her head, the dar, brown appeared
auburn where the light played in the wisps and yet appeared blac, against the dar,ness behind her.
4er eyes, ust li,e her hair, had seemingly changed color.
8arcy could count every imperfect green glint in her chocolate brown eyes if she gave him the chance.
Considering her stunted e"pression, she might.
Hnfortunately her lips, parted in surprise, morphed into an arch smile as her brows quir,ed in queston.
.ood !ords.
If he thought her temptng on paper, she was surely ust as more so in real life.
.
#he poor man, thought she in amusement, how uncomfortable he loo,s.
/4ave we moved on from huntng sprites to playing hide+and+go+see, 5r. 8arcy<0 Eli7abeth as,ed.
/I was loo,ing for my pencil,0 he answered sheepishly.
/;h I see, and you have been loo,ing the whole night<0
4e loo,ed warily at her. 4is habit of hiding his embarrassment behind arrogance allowed a mas, of
emotonless cool to overta,e him and protect whatever pride he could call forth at such a tme as this. /I
do not understand your meaning.0
/It is much too late to be loo,ing for a pencil, do you not thin,<0
/'nd is it not too late to be e"ploring the library 5iss Eli7abeth<0 he countered, not ma,ing a move to
get out from under the table.
She met his tone with the same quir,ed brows as if she could see right through his ploy at nonchalance.
/#ouchO sir,0 she answered, /shall I leave you to your pencil then<0
#he mild gesture towards the pencil in his hand was ignored as he replied as coldly as was his wont in his
heightening embarrassment, />ou need not concern yourself with me.0
/#hen I shall not,0 Eli7abeth replied in veiled surprise, her eyes narrowing slightly at him before she stood
upright and turned on her heel. Dell, he could certainly be rude if he wanted to.
Dith her candle in hand, she wandered to the shelves of *ether2eld)s library. Dhen she planned for a
wal, in the middle of the night, Eli7abeth ,new she had few optons for a ramble lest she disturb the
occupants of the house. Dith this in mind, she turned to the one room available to her$ the sparse
library of *ether2eld.
4er plan for a turnabout the room would have to be disregarded, however, not when 5r. 8arcy was
here.
In fact decorum dictated that one of them leave in order to avoid any unfavorable circumstances. But
Eli7abeth would not quit it, she was feeling too restless and with her thoughts as they were, she ,new
that sleep would evade her.
Dhat was 5r. 8arcy even doing here< It was the middle of the nightC
' breath le( her, sounding li,e a hu9 even to her own ears.
!ess than 2ve minutes before Eli7abeth had been in a state of frustraton in her sister)s room, on her wal,
to the library she had calmed considerably and was almost enoying her midnight ramble and then she
entered the library and was dismayed at the discovery of how empty it truly was sans the boo,shelves.
She was frustrated once again at 2nding 5r. 8arcy under the table.
'm I ever to thin, about the man without having him mentoned, I teased or he appear<
4er only consolaton was the interestng positon she had found the gentleman in, and though the
inevitable discourse following her discovery had gone as well as he had hoped, it only served to confuse
Eli7abeth.
#o my sisters he is ,ind, a3entve and nearly ovial. But he acts so coldly, so rudely to me< I do not
understand him, and I do not care to. 4er body betrayed her as she found herself glancing his way from
the corner of her eye.
5r. 8arcy)s tall frame was seated on a chair diagonal to the table he had once hidden under, his form
hunched over several sheets of paper as the pencil he had been retrieving was scratching onto the
surface of the parchment. 4is own candle was set on the table, the light illuminatng his furrowed brow
as the tp of his tongue pee,ed from the corner of his mouth.
She suddenly felt li,e she was intruding and so without a second thought to his behavior towards her,
she departed despite her earlier resolve.
's the door closed behind her, 8arcy did not loo, up from a s,etch he began anew, determinaton
damning the numbness in his hand as he drew untl the 2rst lights of dawn.
.
Rosings, !ent
Dear &ir,
3s you have responded so favorably to the olive branch of peace I o8ered you and your family, I hope it
follows that you have no ob6ec*on to receive me in your home so that I may assure you of my readiness
to mae amends.
I shall be e"pected the day a<er ne+t and plan to stay a se-night which I can do without any
inconvenience as 'ady %atherine is far from ob6ec*ng to my momentary absence from her service.
I remain dear sir, with respec:ul compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,
7.%
.
/5y dear 5r. Bennet, what on earth did you say to that man<0 5rs. Bennet cried as 5ary completed
reading the missive the following day at brea,fast.
/*othing more than my allowance to ma,e amends,0 he answered, strring his co9ee with one hand as
he si(ed through the papers with the other. /#his 5r. Collins fellow seems to be a most conscientous
and polite young man, it would not hurt to indulge him and accept this olive+branch he o9ers.0
/But he is to inherit !ongbournC 5y dear 5r. Bennet, surely you cannotC0
/Come now my dear, it is a tri1e as we already have an heir and as such 5r. Collins cannot claim the
estate.0
/5r. Collins has not ac,nowledged Benny)s e"istence,0 Ji3y observed. /5r. Collins thins he has a claim
to !ongbourn.0
/E"actly my dear Ji3y, how smart you are,0 her mother praised before once again turning to her
husband, />ou cannot really allow such a man to enter into our home and invade upon our hospitalityC
Dhy, I am sure he is only coming here to comfort himself that our Ben is sic, before throwing us into the
hedgerowsC0
/5y dear your dramatcs are unnecessary and your nerves will further agitate your son should you bring
your concerns upon him.0
/Dhy would I do such a thing<0
/Because you already have,0 5ary answered 1atly, rereading her essay on 6ordyce, /papa is merely
warning you that further stress upon Benny could be detrimental to his recovery.0
/>es, and demanding him to get be3er will not garner quic,er results,0 !ydia added.
5rs. Bennet sni9ed, turning to her brea,fast deectedly.
/5y dear do not be upset,0 her husband soothed, /your daughters are simply concerned for their
brother.0
/'nd I am not<0
/De ,now you are 5ama.0
/But Ben requires rest which he cannot have if you barge into his room every hour demanding him to get
be3er.0
5ary gave a wan smile. /#hough it is li,ely that my brother 2nds it amusing enough not to disli,e your
a3enton.0
/Dell if you girls would simply ma,e yourselves more available to the community gentlemen, I would not
feel it necessary to dote upon your brother as I haveC0
/Dhy mama, have I not been doing well with the gentlemen<0 !ydia as,ed, /8id not 5r. .oulding)s son
as, to secure a set with me when ne"t there is a ball< 8id not 5r. Brown)s nephew say he is to call<0
/;f course and I did not e"pect anything less of you,0 her mother agreed before turning an eye to her
two other girls. /But 5ary, stll as somber as ever, and Ji3y my dear girl, where on earth did you
disappear to<0
/I was huntng for sprites mama,0 answered she with a smile, /I did not 2nd any, but it was a day well+
spent.0
/Hnless you found a husband while you were out loo,ing for sprites, I heartly disagree,0 5rs. Bennet
responded with a frown.
Ji3y did not reply to this, but merely smiled to herself and contnued to eat.
/5ama, what e"actly are we going to do about that awful man<0 !ydia as,ed a(er a brief silence.
/I suppose we must be as civil and as accommodatng as possible. It will do no good to allow the man to
believe we are not suitable masters of !ongbourn,0 her mother replied primly.
!ydia)s face scrunched up in distaste. /'nd must we entertain him mama= can he not simply bother the
rector at the church<0
/!ydia,0 5ary began warningly, echoed by her father)s disapproving loo,.
/>ou will be e"pected to behave li,e ladies and proper ones at that, I will have none of your behavior
when he arrives,0 5r. Bennet claimed sending the table into silence before he contnued, /If your
brother does not get well, you will have to rely on 5r. Collins ,indness towards our family to ensure you
do not end up in the hedgerows. So I demand that your treat him with as much civility as you can
muster.0
/>es sir.0
/.ood, and if you cannot apply to good behavior on that score, I suggest you ma,e yourself scarce untl
his visit is complete.0 #he silence contnued in the brea,fast room and not even 5rs. Bennet deigned to
spea,. 5r. Bennet a@"ed more lightly, /Hntl your brother is well, you may not insult 5r. Collins at the
brea,fast table, am I understood<0
Slight smiles tugged at their lips as they chorused once more, />es sir.0
4e gave an approving nod before wringing out his papers and reading, pretending that he did not notce
the mischievous loo,s of his two youngest daughters.
.
/4ow is your sister feeling this morning 5iss Eli7abeth<0 Bingley as,ed a(er the usual pleasantries were
completed. #he gentleman ignored the dual eye+rolls of his brother+in+law and friend.
/She is be3er sir, her fever bro,e this morning and her coughing has stopped.0
Bingley brightened signi2cantly li,e a dog being o9ered his favorite treat. /I am delighted to hear that.
Dill she be able to oin us below 1oors<0
/I am sure she would li,e nothing more than to leave her bed, she is not one to be idle for long,0 5iss
Eli7abeth said with a fond smile. /4owever, if it is all the same to you, I would li,e to apply to 5r. :ones
to e"amine her before allowing her to wander.0
/;f course, it would be my pleasure. I shall apply to him as soon as the hour is convenient.0
She bowed her head in agreement before Bingley engaged her in a di9erent vein of conversaton with
only 4urst)s applicaton for this am or this fruit or that plate of bread to interrupt the e"change.
'cross from her, 8arcy did not contribute to the morning repartee and was staring very hard at the
young lady before him.
She loo,ed di9erent in this lightng.
In a way, she appeared ust as she had the evening before in the library-!ight contnued to play about,
dancing in between the twines and seBng her dar, hair a1ame. S,in, stll radiant and newly ,issed by
the dawn, practcally glowed I though it was slightly brown due to her outdoor actvity and 1ushed with
pin, as she laughed at something Bingley had said.
8arcy paused. Dhat did Bingley say<
4e tried hard to focus on the conversaton, but it seemed his senses were stll preoccupied, and she was
only siBng across the table from himC #his is ir,some, he thought with a furrowed brow, his lips
tghtening. She cannot a9ect me so.
/8arcy, is something the ma3er<0
4is eyes darted to his friend, a single brow popping up to touch his hairline. /*o there is nothing.0
/'re you sure, you loo, most diverted,0 Bingley said, the corner of his eyes crin,ling in amusement.
Sometmes 8arcy really did wish his friend did not ,now him so well. 4e rolled his eyes as he responded
1atly, /*othing worth mentoning Bingley.0
4is mouth twisted slightly, the usual a3empt to stop a chuc,le. #he ovial gentleman automatcally
translatng his friend)s reply to$ /*othing I can say without you teasing me mercilessly for it.0 Dell old
man whether I ,now what has preoccupied you or not, I shall tease you regardless.
4u@ng quietly, 8arcy)s eyes eased bac, to the young lady before him and he was ta,en abac, by her
narrowed eyes and pursed lips, and what was worse was the coolness in her ga7e before it melted as she
loo,ed bac, to Bingley.
4is own eyes narrowing, he turned bac, to his plate ust as 5iss Bingley and 5rs. 4urst entered the
brea,fast room. 's both ladies pic,ed out food from the sideboard, 5iss Bingley declared, /It is a
beautful day, do you not thin,<0
*o one replied so she contnued, /I thin, it would do us well for a turnabout the gardens a(er we brea,
fast.0
/It sounds li,es a marvelous ideaC It loo,s as if you have 2nally decided to enoy the beauty of the
country, good for you Caroline.0
/4ardly Charles, I simply thin, that one must ma,e do with the few amusements available to them.0
/Dell, as pleasant as your scheme sounds I am going to be entertaining 5r. :ones. 5iss Eli7abeth tells
me that 5iss Bennet is feeling much be3er but I would not ris, her being out and about without the
approval of the apothecary.0
/#hat is understandable= we would not want :ane catching ill again though I suppose it leaves only
!ouisa, 5r. 4urst and 5r. 8arcy then<0
Bingley fa,ed a cough and added rather pointedly, /'nd 5iss Eli7abeth<0
/;h no,0 the lady in queston answered, /I would much rather be available to :ane when 5r. :ones
arrives. If he says she is not yet well then I must write to my mother.0
Sending 8arcy an apologetc loo, for denying him some sort of escape through the second oldest Bennet
girl, Bingley agreed that this was prudent.
's 5iss Bingley claimed her seat beside 8arcy, she had to only open her mouth before 8arcy silenced
her with, /I am afraid I must withdraw from today)s amusement as well 5iss Bingley, I have too much
correspondence and I fear they must be a3ended to.0
/But 5r. 8arcy, I have barely seen the grounds of *ether2eld and you ride so o(en around the estate I
was hoping you would be so ,ind as to show me all the places in which you frequent.0
/Caroline, if that is what you wished to do I could easily as, one of the gardeners or woodcu3ers to act
as a guide. >es, 5r. Dhite will do perfectly, he would be glad to show you, !ouisa and 5r. 4urst around
the estate,0 Bingley said, nodding to himself as if it were already decided regardless of the horri2ed loo,s
of !ouisa and Caroline at the thought of being led around by a servant in their own estate.
/>es,0 8arcy agreed rather disinterestedly, /he can show you the trees. 5r. Dhite is acclaimed here for
being very ,nowledgeable about them.0
Inadvertently, he glanced at 5iss Eli7abeth who caught her lower lip in her teeth ust as 5iss Bingley
gave an embarrassed gasp and accidently caused 8arcy to drop the for, in his hand, arring the path of
food that was impaled on the utensil from 8arcy)s mouth to the 1oor underneath the table.
/D+what do you mean 5r. 8arcy, I have no partcular interest in t+trees,0 5iss Bingley stu3ered, but her
response was readily ignored as 5iss Eli7abeth rose from the table and smoothed out the none"istent
creases in the s,irt of her dress, ma,ing a short e"cuse about going to chec, on her sister before castng
another cool loo, at him.
/>ou dropped your for, under the table 5r. 8arcy.0 's she passed she mu3ered, /I should hope you do
not ta,e all morning to retrieve it.0
.
Chapter seventeen
.
.athering the last of the completed correspondence, 8arcy rang for a servant to dispatch it, leaving him
to stare at the empty des, he had occupied in the library. #here was one in his room he could have easily
used, but unfortunately 5iss Bingley was determined to believe that his e"cuse had no bearing and sent
a servant ,noc,ing on his door every quarter of an hour with the same wish to oin them.
4e supposed that as his hostess, she was merely doing this to ensure that as her guest, he was not le(
wantng.
Hnfortunately all he wanted was some peace and quiet, both of which she would not give.
't least in the library he would not be irritated too o(en. Dith his le3ers completed, he supposed that a
servant would immediately ma,e it ,nown to the lady of the house that he was no longer preoccupied
and would readily entertain her a3entons when he oined them below 1oors.
4e had no such wish, but as a guest he had few e"cuses le( to ma,e.
Bingley was heaven ,new where, most li,ely stll a3ending to the apothecary and the Bennet sisters, and
that le( 8arcy starved for any favorable company considering it also made 5iss Eli7abeth unavailable to
him as well.
*ot that he wanted to be in her company.
It was simply because he had yet to send any pictures to .eorgiana. #hough, it was not because he
lac,ed any. In fact at this present moment, he had set before him li,e a dec, of 1ushed cards, her various
images loo,ing up at him.
Everything from coy loo,s over her shoulder to absent smiles into the air, her graceful, pleasing 2gure as
she wal,ed, to the st9 way she sat when she was a9ronted. 4e had all this drawn the night before when
they happened upon each other in the library, all these glimpses he caught unintentonally suddenly
pouring onto page a(er page.
'nd yet he could not willingly send any of those to his sister.
Especially the 2rst he had completed last night.
It was simply her face as he had seen it in the candlelight I lips parted in surprise, hair a2re and untdy,
brows arched accentng the asymmetrical form of her face and her eyes, wide with surprise and abla7e
with the glow of the tny 1ic,ering ember she clung to in the dar, of the library -
4e had 2nally captured her eyes.
She was not perfect, not the most handsome woman he had ever ,nown, but there was something
about this portrait that he could not part from. In fact none of them he would part with if he could.
.eorgiana was a patent girl and she had wri3en to teasingly tell him so-
"ou promised me a picture of 'i((y and I have been so saddened that your le/ers do not bare them. 3s
happy as I am to hear of you and your adventures at 4etherfeld, I do so wish you would comply with our
deal. Does it no longer stand9 do you no longer lie 2o(art1
I must confess that I have played him so o<en since you agreed to my scheme that Richard is entrea*ng
for more #ach and #eethoven and the lie and you now he has no taste when it comes to music.
;lease brother, will you not send one1
4e could not deny her though he found that he was stll loathed to part with any of them and that the
2rst dra( was the easiest to dispose of because his later ones were a much be3er portrayal.
>et stll it had caused an unnecessary amount of wincing to fold her picture to 2t into the envelope, as it
did the reali7aton that he had no need to draw her further-
Dhat to do with the remaining pieces of wor,< .lancing at the pages with the 2ne eyes embossed on
every single one, however, poor of an imitaton it was to the reality= even if the real thing was currently
shining nothing but ice in his directon-
4e was used to sharing loo,s with her since their meetng and her eyes always spo,e of friendliness and
a sense of shared understanding, but now her ga7e was cool and guarded as if she were not sure what to
ma,e of him.
But what did I do<
6or the past hour that he had been occupied with correspondence, he had pondered on the queston
and found nothing that he had possibly done to inure her, and the conclusion that he was not at fault
for her cold behavior towards him made him agitated.
.athering the portraits of the lady, 8arcy tuc,ed them once more into a novel he had brought with him
from Femberley$ #he complete wor,s of Sha,espeare)s #ragedies, before he began to pace in hopes that
the remainder of his sudden energy would dissipate with the movement.
Instead he found himself standing at the window, staring down at the garden where, at some distance
o9, 5iss Eli7abeth rambled.
.
Bingley was pacing.
It was more 8arcy)s habit than his, but he admi3ed in its e9ectveness to vent frustraton.
5r. :ones said that 5iss Bennet would feel as if she were geBng be3er and would say so, however, she
would not feel be3er for long and that the fever would return in double measure. Bennet, 5r. :ones had
mentoned, was doing ust as badly with no interlude of repose. 4e claimed that there was li3le he could
recommend either patent and apologised for his limited assistance.
Bingley did not li,e this feeling of helplessness and had wri3en for someone in !ondon in hopes that a
town physician would be able to o9er more.
Stll, with the le3er wri3en and sent, he felt restless and so he paced.
4e had paced in the library, but grew ust as depressed seeing the empty shelves, and then he had ta,en
to pacing in his study which only served to ma,e him impatent with the response of the physician he
contacted. 4is last resort was the hallways of *ether2eld, and though the house was a large one, he
found himself pacing only outside 5iss Bennet)s door.
Internally he argued that he was merely worried for her health and wanted to ensure that if his
assistance was required, it was readily available.
But he also heard 8arcy)s argument that he ,new nothing of the young lady behind the door and that it
would be foolish to thin, himself in love with her when all she had done was stay in his home.
6rustrated, Bingley leaned against the wall and threw his head bac, to ward o9 the headache slowly
descending upon him.
Hntl of course, the Gwall) opened and the maid he had assigned to 5iss Bennet)s care stared down at
him from his positon, 1at on his bac,, on the 1oor of his guest)s room.
.
Eli7abeth was not inclined to be outdoors this morning, as odd as it was. But :ane had insisted that being
idle at her side would only frustrate them both, and if 5iss Bingley were right about anything it was that
being in the company of a young lady for hours would only result in them hatng each other forever due
to boredom. #hough she was merely teasing, she declared that there was some truth to the
overdramatc words of their hostess.
Earlier, 5r. :ones had e"amined :ane and had grimaced in worry, before voicing a verdict Eli7abeth had
no intenton of li,ing.
4er sister insisted that her headache had subsided and her coughing had stopped, but her temperature
was steadily rising and 5r. :ones could only prescribe another round of potons to be ta,en.
5r. Bingley had gladly said that he would house her for the ne"t few days and would thin, nothing of
removing her= however, it was not 5r. Bingley that Eli7abeth thought of when the news was given, but
rather her mother.
'(er sending a strongly worded note to home that insisted on 5rs. Bennet)s presence to see the
damage she had done with her scheming, the note was answered curtly$
;eople do not die from triGe colds, your sister has a strong cons*tu*on and the apothecary is merely
taing precau*on towards her ge@ng ill at such a *me when she is most vulnerable. Do not fret 'i((y9
?ane shall be well soon enough.
#here was nothing further to be said of the ma3er and Eli7abeth was furious. She was angry that neither
her mother nor her father had made any a3empt to see :ane, and she had seen none of her sisters or
brother either.
Flopping down on a roc, when her feet grew tred of her stomping, she sighed into her hands though it
sounded li,e a strained sob. She felt alone here in *ether2eld, not that she e"pected anything less
considering she was nothing more than an interloper. But she was so used to the loudness of her
siblings, tal,ing or laughing or 2ghtng, she missed the familiar presence of her many family members
and even with :ane here, it felt oddly cold.
?estlessly, she leaned against the tree behind her and sighed, rubbing her hand over her face as she tried
to thin, of something to do with herself.
5r. Bingley had disappeared with 5r. :ones to discuss something or other, and Eli7abeth had no idea if
any of her siblings would intend to visit today. #here was always the company of the *ether2eld ladies,
the di@dent 5r. 4urst and 5r. 8arcy-
She frowned. *o. I would much rather stay here by myself than ris, more confusion with his presence.
#he music room was an opton as *ether2eld had a lovely instrument that Eli7abeth was sure both 5ary
and .eorgiana would praise and then play for hours, but she was not a musician herself and would
merely play scales untl an hour would pass. Flaying the pianoforte, however, held li3le appeal despite
the opportunity to pass an hour or two by= she had too much energy to garner the patence to practce.
#he library was also out of the queston, with no boo,s in its shelves, the empty room only served to
depress her. *ot to menton a servant had told 5iss Bingley that 5r. 8arcy would no longer be in his
room, and had therefore ta,en temporary residence in the library.
't the tme, 5iss Bingley was willing to forgo the plan for a day outside to being in 5r. 8arcy)s company,
but 5r. 4urst was surprisingly insistent on being shown the grounds.
#he usually silent gentleman claimed that if he wanted to ,eep up with 8arcy, Bingley and Bennet
%/Dhen he should deign to entertain us with his poor shot.0&, he would need an edge over them due to
his older age, and what be3er way to do that than to ,now the area in which his prey would roam<
#he idea of going home to see her family held the highest appeal then, for none of the rooms in
*ether2eld or its occupants she could thin, of, could li( her from her sudden homesic,ness.
'bruptly geBng to her feet with a new sense of purpose, she found herself once more siBng down as
'chilles met her with a neigh.
Surprised at the arrival of the stallion, she leaned into the tree and stared wide+eyed at the huge horse
before her. She had not seen him since her arrival to *ether2eld and the reminder of how large and
fearsome he was stood before her.
Something clic,ed in her mind when 'chilles tlted his head at her in confusion before he hu9ed and
po,ed her with his nose as if to say, /Dhat are you doing< Dhy are you actng scared of me< 8o we
really need to go through this again<0
Dith a wary chuc,le, Eli7abeth raised her hand to ward him o9, but he nu77led into her palm, mar,ing
her laugh.
/'chilles, what brings you out here all by yourself<0 She noted that the horse was saddled, but the seat
loo,ed worn and ta3ered, and according to 5r. 8arcy)s horse, very uncomfortable by the way 'chilles
was trying to sha,e it o9 somehow.
/Dere you going for a ride with your master<0
4e hu9ed, the very idea impossible. /8o you not see the poor quality I am to be ridden with<0 #he horse
silently demanded.
/#hen where is your rider 'chilles<0
#he horse made a moton with its head before it grew bored with the conversaton and wandered
towards a bush with berries, sni@ng it curiously.
/'chilles, no, get bac, here,0 she ordered, pulling onto the reins to get his a3enton. /Dhere is your rider,
you did not throw him o9 when he was e"ercising you, did you<0
4e hu9ed again and Eli7abeth had a snea,ing suspicion that he did ust that.
' few feet away, bac, on the trail of the garden, 5iss Bingley gave a delighted laugh at something and
ust as she appeared to Eli7abeth from where she stood, so did her three companions 5rs. 4urst, 5r.
4urst and 5r. 8arcy.
.
Bingley found himself in a most curious situaton. 'nd considering his history of almost+entrapments, he
had been faced with many, but this was certainly a curious one.
'(er his aw,ward entrance into 5iss Bennet)s room, he had umped to his feet with embarrassed
apologies and an outright lie of an e"planaton %something about him feeling slightly ill himself&.
4e was surprised to 2nd 5iss Bennet siBng against the pillows, various blan,ets piled neatly atop her
with embroidery in hand as she loo,ed up at him in confusion and then complete distress as she heard
his reason for lying on the 1oor.
/*o, no 5iss Bennet, I assure you it is not your fault. It is simply geBng chilly here and I-well, it is not
your fault,0 he evaded, trying to soothe her and escape his lie at the same tme. #he hot 1ush on his
chee,s was so prominent against his pale s,in that she really was worried he had caught ill.
#hough really, how she could spare worry over him, he could not entrely understand.
6rom the almost empty pitcher of water at 5iss Bennet)s side, it was obvious she was dehydrated and
feeling feverish stll with a sheen of sweat dampening her face. 4er s,in was paler than he had ever seen
it, completely devoid of any colour other than an almost sic,ly yellow underlying it. 4er eyes, usually
clear and spar,ling were clouded with red from either too much sleep or lac, of it. #he rings below her
eyes were heavy with e"hauston and so Bingley e"pressed his concern over her actvity despite it being
ust the embroidering of a hand,erchief.
/I am sorry sir, I ,now I should be restng but I have been idle these past days and I am rather-that is to
say.0 She blushed either from her sic,ness or her embarrassment, Bingley was unsure, but he found the
blossom of color a welcome and beautful additon to her pale face.
/Bored<0 he o9ered with a grin. /I can understand. *o one li,es to remain indisposed for such a tme as
you have, though I am afraid I must insist you rest.0
/I have been restng sir, I have only ust wo,en.0
.lancing at the maid, who stood at 5iss Bennet)s right, being ignored as she o9ered the lady a glass of
water, she deigned to give him a nod of con2rmaton before clearing her throat to gain 5iss Bennet)s
a3enton.
#he maid refused to hand the glass over so 5iss Bennet sighed and was forced to tlt her head bac, to
drin,, a drop of water slipping past her lips and traveling down her chin, following the curve of her nec,
and into her-
Bingley snapped his eyes to a3enton.
*o. Bad. Hngentlemanly. *o.
She reached a hand to gently wipe her lips before giving him a slight smile. /Flease sir, I promise I will not
e"ert myself.0
/#hen I assume you will behave li,e a good young lady and rest soon a(er<0
She gave him an appreciatve smile. /;f course 5r. Bingley,0 said she, /anything to repay you for your
,indness towards me and my sister.0
' part of his mind as,ed e"citedly, /'nything<0
.
'chilles grew disinterested in the bush with the berries and turned bac, to e"amine Eli7abeth, nudging
her shoulder to gain her a3enton only to be ignored due to a young woman dressed in orange.
/;h 5iss Eli7abeth, I did not ,now you were out here as well,0 5iss Bingley greeted. /I trust 5r. :ones)
e"aminaton was favorable<0
/I am afraid not, 5r. :ones believes it is a sign for something worse as her fever seems to be suddenly
increasing.0
/;h my, how is dear :ane then< Dhy have you le( her<0
/She did not want me near her,0 she answered clearing her throat and loo,ing anywhere but their faces,
/:ane does not want me catching ill either and,0 she paused before adding somewhat hesitantly, /my
mother has yet to respond to my note, and I was loo,ing for either you or 5r. Bingley.0
/Dell if it is to as, if :ane may stay, then I am sure you ,now the answer. I daresay Charles has already
given such permission.0
Eli7abeth felt herself so(ening to her hostess and her sister at the determined loo,s they wore for
certainly they cared, at least a li3le, for the welfare of :ane. /I than, you, but I was wondering if I may
perchance ma,e use of your carriage. I want to ensure my mother received the note and I wish to be
bac, here soon a(er in case :ane is in need of me.0
/I suppose it is certainly more intelligent than traipsing about for the ne"t few miles.0 She nodded to
herself. /I shall arrange it as soon as we return from our wal,.0 She made a move to turn, but as her arm
was being held by 5r. 8arcy, and the gentleman had yet to move, she could not leave, and as 5r. 4urst
and his wife had wal,ed behind them, they did not move either.
/Dhy is 'chilles out here<0 8arcy as,ed her, as if 5iss Eli7abeth had ta,en his horse out for a wal,.
/I do not ,now,0 she immediately defended, /he happened upon me in my search for 5iss Bingley.0
8ropping the aforementoned lady)s arm, 8arcy wal,ed towards them and loo,ed at 'chilles who was
standing behind her as if his horse was using her as a shield. 4is eyes quic,ly scanned the horse, and
spoBng the saddle on his bac,, his eyes narrowed.
/Dho has ta,en you out<0
6or a moment he felt a 1ush of embarrassment for as,ing his horse as if he e"pected to be answered,
but 8arcy suppressed it and then turned to loo, at 5iss Bingley and 5rs. 4urst in silent demand as to
why his horse was outside without his permission.
5iss Bingley managed to smile cheerfully under his unwavering stare. /;h, why, since you were busy
with correspondence 5r. 8arcy, I was worried for your horse you see. I ,now how devoted you are to
him, and only wished for him to be properly e"ercised for when ne"t you need him so I enlisted a stable+
hand to do so.0
Both 8arcy and 4urst ,new that she had only done such a thing in order to ensure 8arcy would oin
them for a wal, instead of riding around on his horse once his correspondence was complete.
/'nd where is the stable+hand<0
/I do not ,now.0
5iss Eli7abeth cleared her throat beside him and answered, /I thin, he may have fallen.0 She turned
towards 'chilles so her bac, was to the others as she as,ed, /Dhere did you leave him<0
4e made a slightly bored moton with his head behind him and 8arcy gave a frustrated sigh.
/4urst,0 8arcy said, /would you mind as,ing Bingley if he would send a servant to visit !ongbourn to
ensure 5rs. Bennet has received 5iss Eli7abeth)s note<0
#he older gentleman nodded before o9ering his arm to his sister+in+law %though she resisted& and
dragging both his wife and 5iss Bingley towards the house.
Dhile 4urst managed to rid them of the ladies, 8arcy turned to 5iss Eli7abeth and said, /I thin, it would
be best if you return to the house with them.0
/'nd why is that sir< I wish to visit my family as I have already told 5iss Bingley,0 she said, her voice once
again defensive. Dho on earth did this man thin, she was= someone she could order about li,e a
servant<
/It loo,s li,e it shall rain soon and it would not do for you to catch ill as well as I am sure your sister has
already told you with her dismissal of you at her side.0
/It is not going to rain,0 she argued, though before she could protest any further a drop of water plopped
down her forehead, 1owing gracefully over the contours of her face before restng on her lip instnctvely
lic,ing it o9. Eli7abeth felt herself blush hotly. Dell, that was embarrassing.
4e immediately turned away, eyeing 'chilles who seemed to snic,er at the e"pression on his rider)s face.
/I need to loo, for the stable+hand my horse has thrown, you need to go bac, inside.0
/'s you said sir, it is going to rain soon and I hardly thin, it prudent for you to go loo,ing for someone
now.0
4e wanted to yell in frustraton. Someone was out there, most probably inured, and she was more
worried about him<
/5iss Eli7abeth as you have said, my horse could have thrown the stable+hand. Someone needs to loo,
for him before the rain truly starts.0 It was only dri77ling a li3le, it barely registered in his mind how wet
the two were becoming. /8o not argue with me 5iss Eli7abeth, your brother will have my head if I allow
you to become ill when I was in a positon to stop you. Flease return to the house.0
/'nd am I to allow you, as .eorgiana)s friend, to catch your death when I am in a positon to stop you<0
*either moved for several moments as the rain began to fall more heavily staring at each other
challengingly, waitng for the other to crumble under the other)s stare.
;nly a crac,le of thunder managed to brea, their glare on each other as 'chilles made a sound of horror
as the s,y dar,ened ominously around them as they stood in the mouth of the forest.
8arcy gave a frustrated sigh and tghtened his hold on 'chilles) reins, calming him with a stro,e his nose.
/De are at an impasse 5iss Eli7abeth, and it seems both our siblings will be furious with us if we
contnue with this pointless argument further.0
/'greed, we shall both go bac, then.0
;pening his mouth to argue, she silenced him with a loo,. /De can send footmen to loo, in the woods
for the stable+hand once we are in the house.0
4e could thin, of nothing wrong with the plan and he ,new that if he waited a moment longer a possibly
inured man would catch his death along with 5iss Eli7abeth. Shrugging o9 his great coat, he threw it
over her form and tugged on 'chilles) reins as he led them both bac, to the house.
Dith 5r. 8arcy gripping her wrist to pull her along, Eli7abeth stumbled, but she was than,fully balanced
by the taller gentleman whose coat was currently eatng her up, ma,ing her feel smaller and more
dependent on his hold on her. 4owever, she could no longer o9er more than half her a3enton to the
coat or the rain around her as 5r. 8arcy found a be3er grip in her hand.
6ingers wrapped in gloves intertwined as they ran through the rain that began to pour with more
ferocity.Clothes soa,ed through and s,in slic, with water, they managed to get into the safety of the
stables where 5iss Bingley met them with two servants already prepared with blan,ets.
.esturing for them to be a3ended, 5iss Bingley mu3ered some orders to her sta9 before turning on her
heel.
#o his surprise, 5iss Bingley did not remain by his side a(er the servants led them to a bla7ing 2re while
they waited for warm baths to be drawn up, but he shivered appreciatvely into the warmth of the
blan,et as he and 5iss Eli7abeth huddled for warmth by the 1ames.
Hn,nown to them, the appearance of 5iss Eli7abeth wrapped in 5r. 8arcy)s great coat had strred
something a,in %or very similar, if not stronger& to ealousy in Caroline and the *ether2eld lady was more
determined than ever to ensure that 5r. 8arcy saw her %and only her& as a possible bride+to+be.
*ot that Caroline was truly worried that 5iss Eli7abeth was any form of competton. Caroline inwardly
sco9ed. ;f course not.
But the fact that it was currently 5iss Eli7abeth siBng at 5r. 8arcy)s side, in his great coat no less, was
enough of an encouragement to increase her e9orts to entrap the gentleman from 8erbyshire.
Dal,ing past :ane)s room, Caroline stlled as she heard the laughter from within.
Dith a furrowed brow, she peered through the crac, in the door and found that !ouisa and Charles were
currently a3ending to :ane. #hey were siBng at some distance away from her, at her request apparently
as Charles was inching closer and closer despite the fact that his chair was very close to tpping over in
his pursuit.
Caroline scowled.
It seems there was more than one Bennet trying to marry higher than she should.
.
Chapter eighteen
.
Eli7abeth shivered beneath the double layer I the blan,et o9ered by the servant and the great coat she
stll wore of 5r. 8arcy)s, who was currently siBng ne"t to her, trembling as she was.
#he *ether2eld house,eeper assured them that their hot baths would be ready momentarily.
Con2rming that a small search party was sent out for the missing stable+hand 'chilles had go3en rid of,
upon 5r. 8arcy)s inquiry. Beside her, the gentleman loo,ed considerably less agitated by the answer, and
as the house,eeper le( in search of more blan,ets, Eli7abeth allowed herself to spea,, />ou are quite
worried about that stable+hand, are you not sir<0
4e glanced at her, a 1ic,er of lightning from the window beside her caught in the blue of his eyes before
he glanced at the 2re. 6or a moment he did not answer and inched towards the 1ic,ering 1ames,
grabbing an instrument hanging from the 2replace to po,e into the slowly incineratng wood. /Being
thrown from a horse is no laughing ma3er 5iss Eli7abeth, as you yourself ,now.0
/I am sure the stable+hand has more e"perience than a headstrong, wayward child.0
5r. 8arcy let out a breath I though it sounded oddly li,e a chuc,le, as if he were picturing the
headstrong, wayward child that was Eli7abeth Bennet at age ten. /'chilles is not a gentle horse 5iss
Eli7abeth as anyone can a3est to. 4e rarely ta,es to anyone and on some days he refuses even me.
Bennet swears that 'chilles was never bro,en in.0
/5y brother is always teasing and e"aggeratng, he is rather fond of hyperbole. 4e probably made that
comment a(er trying to ride your horse himself.0
/*o, not at all, Bennet actually said that a(er I fell during one of our rides a few days past.0
/'chilles threw you<0 She as,ed in surprise.
/It is not a new thing, if anything 'chilles has grown more considerate over the years.0
/4ow can a horse be considerate when throwing his rider<0
/Dell for one 'chilles will only thin, of throwing me when he has reason to believe that I have o9ended
him in some way such as riding directly a(er a storm or using a horsewhip on him when the occasion is
unnecessary. 6or another, my horse will only throw me when there is something to so(en the blow. #he
last tme he threw me it was into a stream,0 he said with a hint of a frown, /Bennet was absolutely no
help whatsoever.0
4er s,eptcism bro,e with a suppressed snic,ering as she pictured a soa,ing wet 5r. 8arcy standing in
the middle of a stream with his horse nic,ering o9 to the side along with Ben and his horse, ;beron.
In the present though, he frowned openly at her before turning bac, to the 2re, po,ing it incessantly.
/>ou cannot blame my brother than sir, you would have laughed at him too if the roles were reversed.0
#he po,ing at the 1ames grew less contnuous.
/In fact, I am sure you have had many occasions to laugh at Ben more so than he being able to laugh at
you. 5y brother wrote to us that ;beron had thrown him when he was huntng with you, 5r. Bingley
and my Hncle .ardiner= apparently his horse deposited him rather ungracefully into a rosebush. Ji3y
thin,s that Ben may have refused ;beron some treat or other and he was merely showing his
displeasure,0 Eli7abeth recalled with a smile. /;beron and 'chilles seem to be learning from each other I
thin,.0
/>es, terrible in1uences the both of them.0
8iscreetly, his companion suppressed a shiver. Chancing a glance at her, 8arcy saw the bluing lips of the
lady currently clinging to his great coat.
It was already big enough, his coat, that siBng down with her legs pulled to her side only caused the
artcle to pool around her. Everything about her seemed in2nitely smaller.
/5iss Eli7abeth,0 he found himself spea,ing, /I thin, it be3er to remove my coat as it has done its ob of
,eeping you as dry as possible at the start of the storm.0 She loo,ed at him almost blan,ly. /It is only
serving to ,eep you cold.0
But I li,e it, her mind argued.
#here were scents that clung to the coat she wore which was only enhanced by the fact that the fabric
had moistened with the rain, its scent too seemed to be interwoven into the material. She tried to name
each one as a servant helped her to her feet to remove the coat, but she found that it was hard to do
when the aromas were assaultng her all at once.
Dhile she was preoccupied with trying to give a name for each smell her brain processed, 8arcy was
trying very hard not to loo, at her.
Jeep your eyes on the 2re. Jeep your eyes on the 2re. >ou are a gentleman. Jeep your eyes on the 2re.
4er senses were not the only ones distractng her from what she was currently doing for 8arcy could
swear that his mind was playing tric,s on him as he stared into the dancing 1ames. 4e swore he could
see Eli7abeth)s form in the bla7e before him as she reluctantly removed his coat o9 her shoulders,
gingerly allowing the material to slip from her arms and onto the 1oor in a soggy, soa,ed heap while she
stood practcally %but not really, he reminded himself strongly& na,ed before him.
#hough his coat had ,ept most of the rain from reaching her, the material was wet enough that the
water it held spilled onto her dress allowing it to cling and become near transparent-
Before he had forced his eyes to loo, away, a 2re from the other side of the ,itchen I an Italian styled
oven that burned with an open 1ame atop I caused light to strain against the dress Eli7abeth wore,
allowing more translucency as his eyes seemed to trace the silhoue3e of her body.
!ight and pleasing indeed-
/5r. 8arcy sir,0 the house,eeper greeted from behind him, /your bath is ready for you.0
Dhen he turned to answer her, he found that Eli I 2iss Eli7abeth returned to her previous spot, siBng a
few feet away from him, trying to balance her cup of hot chocolate while trying to ,eep the blan,ets on
her shoulders at the same tme.
/Cannot 5iss Eli7abeth go 2rst= surely I can last longer in the cold than she.0
4er eyes 1ic,ered up from the rim of the cup, a clear challenge to repeat what he ust said.
/4er lips are blue 5rs. .rant,0 5r. 8arcy contnued regardless of understanding what her ga7e spo,e and
Eli7abeth tried not to give a frustrated sigh.
4onestly, must this man always get what he demands<
/#hat is why Sarah has given her a warm drin, sir= her bath is almost done being drawn. It would have
been you with the warm drin, if her bath was drawn 2rst,0 5rs. .rant, *ether2eld)s house,eeper
e"plained, and her logic and generosity was more than Eli7abeth could as, for.
/?eally 5r. 8arcy, I am quite content to wait a few moments for my bath to be prepared. I certainly
cannot bathe in your room.0
#hough the idea did bring an odd thrill to him-
/Eery well,0 he se3led, removing the blan,et from around him and handing it to a servant for the need
to be warm was e"tremely unnecessarily at the moment. In fact, a part of him felt li,e he was
overheatng. Ferhaps he sat too long beside the 2re<
Eli7abeth tried not to openly stare.
4is shirt had su9ered the same e9ect as her dress had$ clinging transparency.
It was both mortfyingly embarrassing and oddly, she paused-was there a word-< Eli7abeth thought,
suppressing the 1ush upon her chee,s as best as she could for the tngly feeling crawling up her spine
could hardly be described as lady+li,e.
' part of her did not seem to care when all she could see was the broadness of his shoulders and the
bunching at his upper arms, and the way his muscles rippled subtly beneath his near+transparent shirt as
he stood from his place by the 2re.
She blin,ed in surprise when suddenly his face was very close to hers. /5r. 8arcy<0
4is eyes were more shoc,ingly blue as she had ever seen it especially when his ga7e re1ected the
brilliant white from a bolt of lightning strea,ing the s,y from the window behind her. Hnli,e her, his s,in
was far from pale with cold, but almost 1ushing with color as he stared at her, heat emiBng from him
li,e the rays of the sun. 'nd she ,new he was as warm as he loo,ed too= for the hand he reached to
properly tug the blan,et securely on her shoulders tngled and even when the pressure of his touch had
faded, the smell and warmth of him had not-
4is hand retracted and he le( the close pro"imity of her without a word.
Eli7abeth se3led the cup of warm chocolate down on the ground before her with oddly trembling hands,
touching her chee,s cautously with her 2ngers.
Darm.
.
Caroline was a determined woman= what she wanted, she usually got.
!ately though, her a3empts had been less than fruiKul especially when it involved a certain gentleman
from the *orth= 5r. 8arcy seemed to be completely impervious to her tactcs. Stll, she had tme to get
his a3enton, though she had been trying for many years now, Caroline comforted herself that 5r. 8arcy
favored no woman and so she had no competton for his a3enton.
Hntl 5iss Eli7a walt7ed in with her fne eyes and wit. Inwardly she sco9ed.
'ny fool can by wi3y and 2ne eyes= well, 5r. 8arcy has probably no idea how 2ne my eyes are, she
thought as she glared at herself through the mirror, ma,ing her personal maid nervous.
/Full my hair all the way bac,,0 she ordered, /and my eye ma,e+up, use it generously.0
/>es miss.0
/I need to accent my eyes so you must do it right.0
#he young girl gulped.
/*ot a strand of hair is to fall in my face no ma3er what, ensure itC 8o I ma,e myself clear<0
/>es miss.0
/'nd 2nd a dress to match my eyes, the new one I have not worn yet.0
/;f course,0 the girl stu3ered before as,ing cautously, /Is there a special occasion miss<0
/8o not be impertnent, I already have one person to deal with who su9ers from the same dispositon,
and unli,e her, I can throw you out by your ears,0 she declared, her mouth twistng into a vicious scowl.
4er personal maid bowed her head quic,ly, stumbling over apologies as she thought to herself$
5iss Bingley was certainly a mistress to be feared, though it would help, the young maid thought with a
wince, if she was not determined to loo, li,e an owl-
.
8arcy was uncertain of very few things.
4e prided himself on ,nowledge a(er all, but human nature can be viewed in so many ways that being
2rm in one)s opinion regarding a partcular trait or characteristc in another could easily be seen as
foolish.
Dhere one could be considered wea, for thin,ing 2rst of the situaton of others rather than puBng
oneself 2rst, li,e Bingley for e"ample, it could also be viewed as being naturally unassuming, generous
without pretenses and ,ind+hearted. But it was stll foolish in 8arcy)s eyes if that person %Bingley& chose
to hold too much faith in the good of others that it bordered on stupidity.
6or goodness) sa,e, how many tmes does the man have to be almost entrapped for him to reali7e that
he cannot ump into things<
4e gri3ed his teeth as he watched them from the corner of his eye.
5iss Bennet was presumably feeling be3er and insisted that she be allowed below 1oors and out of the
cage that was her room.
Bingley and 5iss Eli7abeth, argument about her fragile state were apparently bro,en with one loo, of
absolute sadness and reecton from the young lady.
#hough 8arcy had to give the eldest Bennet girl some credit, she wandered below 1oors and appeared in
the parlor loo,ing as if being sent bac, into her room was not an opton. She smiled serenely, greetng
everyone and bree7ed in without a second thought. She was no doubt, as determined as her sister.
#he maid that accompanied %most li,ely chased a(er her& stood dumbfounded at the door as did Bingley
and 5iss Eli7abeth.
4urst too loo,ed surprised at the young lady)s entrance, but did not deign to queston her as he bowed
in greetng before 5iss Eli7abeth tried to persuade her to return to her room.
/I cannot !i77y, please do not ma,e me,0 she murmured quietly, 8arcy only hearing as the card table was
situated close to the door.
/:ane, I cannot allow you to stay down here. It is cold, you may catch ill yet again and you heard 5r.
:ones.0
/I ,now !i77y, but I shall go mad if I am to stay so dull any longer. #ruly, I am quite well. I promise,0 she
contnued, /if I feel even the slightest bit poorly I shall return to my room immediately. But I am starved
for company dear !i77y, and I ,now it is sel2sh, but it is so quiet and lonely and I have never had to feel
that for so long a tme as this.0
8arcy supposed that with as large a family as the Bennets, her an"iety was not unfounded.
/5iss Bennet, if I may suggest then, please sit by the 2re with me so you do not catch the cold,0 Bingley
said, appearing at the Bennets side from where he once stood at the opposite end of the room by the
window, already o9ering the young ladies an arm to guide them to the seat he rearranged.
She smiled and accepted, and both girls were escorted to the three+seated sofa.
#hat was less than ten minutes ago.
*ow, despite whatever rivetng conversaton had occurred that earned Bingley a round of genuine
laughter from the young ladies, the trio bro,e o9 into a duo as 5iss Eli7abeth oined him and 4urst at
the card table as they played vingt+un.
#he pair she le( behind seemed not to notce her absence as they spo,e quietly, laughing as if there
were no one else in the room and contnued to spea, with bowed heads, twin,ling smiles and dancing
eyes. It was almost aw,ward how a9ectonate the two seemed to be towards each other with others
present.
/I see your sister is doing well,0 4urst began, probably catching sight of his clenched aw.
/:ane is very good at pretending everything is well, it is not in her nature to dwell, not even in sic,ness.0
/Can we allow her to be below 1oors then in good conscious<0 8arcy as,ed to which she shoo, her head
with a slight smile.
/Convincing her otherwise would not do much good. :ane is a Bennet, we are frighKully stubborn.0
4urst chuc,led. /'ye, your brother says as much too.0
#he reminder of her brother seemed to cause her smile to shrin, as she stared down at her cards for a
moment before spea,ing further, /:ane is di9erent from Ben though, she would do what she ,nows is
best which in this case is to stay abed, but it is easier to be li,e Ben and do what she wants rather than
what she needs.0
/She is 2ghtng both sic,ness in health and sic,ness in heart,0 4urst noted, /I suppose you girls miss
home<0
/' li3le-0
/#hen it cannot be helped, as long as she rests immediately and does not e"ert herself more so than she
already has than by all means, I thin, 5iss Bennet shall be quite alright to oin us,0 4urst said with a
sense of ovial 2nality.
4is words apparently comforted the young lady and she e9ectvely livened up, though she stll watched
her sister from the corner of her eye.
#he company of three at the card+table was perfectly content and remained so when 5rs. 4urst oined
them a(er arriving from her toile3e. #rouble only started to rouse when 5iss Bingley entered, in place
of a servant, to announce supper.
/I am terribly sorry I have ,ept you waitng so long,0 she said to seemingly no one in partcular, /but
unfortunately my new maid is stll rather nervous around me and I needed to give her tme to correctly
dress me.0
*o one said a word, in fact none of the gentlemen even stood to greet her as propriety dictated as they
were too busy staring= to ma,e things worse Bingley)s mouth was hanging below his chin.
/Caroline are you...well<0
/;h :aneC I am so glad that you can oin us, we have been craving your good company and praying so for
your good health,0 5iss Bingley greeted the eldest Bennet girl when she noted her presence, pointedly
ignoring 5iss Eli7abeth and her brother.
/I than, you 5iss Bingley,0 5iss Bennet said with une"pected grace before she tacKully added, /I hope
that you are in good health as well<0
/Dhy of course :ane, certainly your good manners are enviable,0 she declared, looping her arm through
5iss Bennet)s. /It is truly a marvel indeed that such good breeding could come from a family such as
yoursC #he outcome is inspiredC0
/;+of course,0 5iss Bennet murmured, caught between confusion and o9ense.
Since 4urst escorted his wife to dinner, and Bingley had trailed a(er his sister and 5iss Bennet, 8arcy
o9ered an arm to 5iss Eli7abeth who loo,ed li,e she was holding bac, the urge to 1inch as the e"change
between 5iss Bingley and her sister was clearly heard for all the servants to hear.
.
It was hard to loo, away from 5iss Bingley, Eli7abeth thought, than,ful that she had placed her on the
far end of the table where she was not in range for conversaton. 5r. 4urst, 5rs. 4urst and 5r. Bingley
seemed to share the sentment as they ,ept their heads towards their plates.
In between bites, 5r. 4urst quietly demanded answers from his wife as to why 5iss Bingley)s eyebrows
seemed to be pulled practcally to her hairline in an imitaton of a perpetually shoc,ed owl.
/I do not ,now,0 5rs. 4urst hissed in reply, /she must be using that 6rench crPme she bought. I
speci2cally remembering the shop,eeper saying that its functon is to emphasi7e the largeness of the
eyes and ,eep the tautness of the s,in around them to appear younger= eye beauty if you will.0
/Eye beauty,0 her husband repeated, /4eaven forgive us all.0
/Dhat on earth is she trying to accomplish<0 Bingley as,ed more to himself than to anyone else.
Eli7abeth pited the gentleman for having to deal with such embarrassment, but if anything she pited
5r. 8arcy more.
#he tall, blue eyed gentleman was seated %as usual& at 5iss Bingley)s right with :ane on her other side,
an empty chair was placed between her and 5rs. 4urst, the married lady sat across from 5r. 4urst,
actng as a bu9er between her and 5r. 8arcy.
:ane notced this too and with her close pro"imity to 5iss Bingley and 5r. 8arcy, she was able to
properly see where the gentleman truly stood their hostess.
In most instances she would only ma,e note of any partcular regard between people unintentonally
during conversaton, but in this case she was loo,ing for evidence of it. By her sister)s behavior since
their arrival into *ether2eld, :ane was sure that her sister felt some sort of esteem towards 5r. 8arcy
despite her vehement denials, and as her sister, :ane wanted the best for her sibling. Dhat be3er way
than to watch his interactons with others and compare it to his interactons with Eli7abeth<
's the 2rst course was served, :ane had only to hear a minute)s conversaton between the two to 2nd
that there was a barrier of some sort that ,ept the two from really communicatng.
Sipping the soup, she wondered if it was because 5iss Bingley seemed to be intent on puBng 5r. 8arcy
on a pedestal or because 5r. 8arcy simply found 5iss Bingley to be a painful bore.
:udging by his pained e"pression that could be read from beneath his thic, mas, of emotonless calm, it
was li,ely that it was both.
Before :ane could o9er some conversaton as reprieve, a servant entered to announce a guest.
/5r. Stewart to see 5iss Bennet.0
/;h of course,0 5iss Bingley said as she stood to wave the gentleman in. />es, please oin us sir, we were
ust about to tuc, into dinner. I am so glad you were able to accept our invitaton to supper despite the
weather, here, there is a space beside 5iss Bennet.0
' quic, glance at 5r. Bingley gave it away that he was not part of any invitaton o9ered to the suitor of
his angel, in fact, he loo, confused and angry. In less than a heartbeat, the Bennet girls e"changed a
conscious loo,.
Hh+oh.
.
Chapter nineteen
.
6or any gathering to be aw,ward the meetng must be characteri7ed with constant silences and stlted
conversatons and such were none"istent with the presence of 5r. Stewart if only because he had a
willingness to hear his own voice.
Beside Eli7abeth, 5r. 4urst stabbed multple holes into a potato. 4aving been seated beside him since
her arrival to *ether2eld, she ,new that he had no mind for the humble spud and would push it to the
edge of his plate, intent on ignoring its very being. It certainly said a lot when he was willing to pay it any
a3enton whatsoever, even if it was to violently vent.
5r. 8arcy was as silent as ever, and over 5r. 4urst)s head, Eli7abeth noted his clenched aw and a vein
protruding on the side of his temple. Dith a li3le bit more force than necessary, he impaled a slice of
meat and shoved it into his mouth.
#o contrast his two friends, 5r. Bingley was being more careful than usual with his eatng, and had hardly
ta,en a bite in the last 2ve minutes.
;n the other side of the spectrum, 5iss Bingley and 5rs. 4urst bas,ed in the a3enton and compliments
paid to them by the overly verbose 5r. Stewart.
'ny chance of a reprieve from the man)s voice %which everyone else at the table waited for with baited
breath&= 5iss Bingley would set him o9 once more, her preferred topic to direct him to being the
loveliness of :ane. #his also seemed to be 5r. Stewart)s favorite topic and his vigor for the subect only
increased the amount of words spilling from his mouth.
:ane bore his a3enton and rambling with the same amount of poise as she always did. She was sure that
:ane had mastered ignoring the man completely for she loo,ed as serene as ever.
/It is a shame that your family is not wealthier 5iss Bennet for I am sure there would be endless lines
ust to see the grace and beauty embodied by you. !uc,ily for me there is an advantage to your poverty$
you would humbly accept any o9er made to you.0
#he diverted cac,les of the ladies of *ether2eld fueled the 2re more.
/>es, Gts a pity :ane is not as rich as we are, but it at least lowers her e"pectatons in the marriage mart.
Even you, 5r. Stewart, would be accepted graciously.0 #he obvious ab at him went right over his head as
he humbly bowed his head in than,s.
/Dith all due respect,0 Eli7abeth spo,e, /if there is any advantage to not being as rich as you 5iss
Bingley, it is that if anyone o9ered for us it would be for no other reason than love.0
/!ove,0 5rs. 4urst chortled, /what a lovely noton that isC0
/Dhy how very plebian. It must be lovely living in such a world as whimsical as yours. #ell me 5iss
Eli7abeth= do you and that sister of yours, 5iss Catherine< Share the same ailment I delusions<0
5r. 4urst stopped his assault on the potatoes to stare dumbfounded, 5r. Bingley immediately loo,ed up
to give his sister a sharp loo, and even the frown on 5r. 8arcy)s lips seemed to etch deeper into his
visage, vein threatening to pop.
/4ow sad not only poor, but sic, as wellC0
/'h do not fearC0 5r. Stewart umped in, /Dhatever they su9er from 5iss Bennet cannot. 4er beauty
and goodness would not allow it, though she has not been as fortunate as you to be born with more
money to her name, I have no doubt that madness eludes her.0
:ust as Eli7abeth)s mouth shaped into a cuBng reply, a servant o9ering to 2ll her glass with wine ended
up missing her glass completely and dumping the contents of the bo3le onto her lap.
4er sharp gasp and sudden stand from her chair garnered everyone)s a3enton.
/;h my 5iss Eli7a, did you have an accident<0
/I am so sorry missC0
4er aw clenched, Eli7abeth quit the supper room.
.
8arcy was at his wits end.
Slight upon slight was given throughout the humiliaton of the Bennets %which was not even disguised as
supper at all&, and neither 8arcy nor Bingley could say anything to change it.
Earlier a3empts were rebu9ed by simply more insults. 4elping was not helping if they were ma,ing it
worse and distracton did nothing for even if 5iss Bingley was preoccupied, 5rs. 4urst gladly pic,ed up
the gauntlet.
Supper only really consisted of 2ve people$ 5r. Stewart I tal,ing absolute nonsense and assistng in the
embarrassment of the Bennets= 5iss Bingley and 5rs. 4urst I riling him up further with obscene
comments and eers aplenty, 5iss Bennet I siBng in strongly controlled anger as her face 1ushed red,
and 5iss Eli7abeth I spiBng 2re and burning in it too.
't least there was one upside to this mess and that was the wine. *ot that the one he was drin,ing was
especially superior, but with the way things were going, wine was the only thing ,eeping him sane.
Beside him, 5iss Bingley cha3ered.
8arcy would need something stronger if this is how he was to spend the evening now that 5iss Eli7abeth
would not be returning, at least according to 5iss Bingley$
/I would be so embarrassed if such a thing happened to me, I would not even dare to show my face untl
the evening was doneC Considering their state I doubt 5iss Eli7a can a9ord to waste another dress.0
/I hardly thin, the Bennets are in any 2nancial woe,0 8arcy stated 1atly, /they are perfectly well+o9.0
/;h yes of course, by their standards.0
4e rolled his eyes, and ust as 5iss Bingley was going to pursue this topic further, a servant entered to
announce 5iss Eli7abeth.
/Dell,0 said he, /she certainly has nerve.0
/Indeed,0 5iss Bingley gri3ed, her eyes narrowing which 8arcy noted, was with di@culty.
It must be that crPme, he thought. 4er face was pulling almost painfully tght and he wondered if the
end result would be having her face sag a(er its removal. But the outcome of 5iss Bingley)s face was
forgo3en when 5iss Eli7abeth entered his line of sight.
#he nec,line of the dress was high, but oddly tght to emphasi7e the slim structure of her nec,, the
bodice of the dress was also tghter than the one she wore earlier, accentuatng the gentle swell of her
breasts and the tghtness of her stomach and waist.
4e could easily trace the outline of her body ust as easily as he had earlier that evening by the 2replace,
but found himself most displeased by it.
6or one, the young lady loo,ed to be having di@culty breathing= no doubt the tghtness of the dress and
the height of the collar. 6or another, her appearance in this 2gure+hugging dress was u3erly outrageous
and nowhere near ladyli,e at all= blatantly displaying her physical a3ributes for all to see.
'cross the table, 5r. Stewart had 2nally stopped tal,ing but was now openly staring at 5iss Eli7abeth.
/;h my,0 5iss Bingley murmured almost directly into his ear, /how uncouth.0
Dell she was hardly be3er. Dhile 5iss Eli7abeth struggled to breathe through the st9ness of her dress,
5iss Bingley)s bosoms were practcally hanging out of hers.
/5iss Bingley,0 she greeted a(er everyone was once more seated, /I feel I must than, you for the
adustments you have done to my dress, however I am afraid to inform you that it is rather taut-0
/;h nonsense= taut and trim are all the fashion in !ondon,0 5iss Bingley bree7ed, win,ing at 5rs. 4urst
who chortled.
/>es, I suppose it is the fashion now to be so bold in our choice of aBre.0
/Certainly, one must be willing to ma,e use of what we are given a(er all, though in a more ahem,0 5iss
Bingley paused dramatcally as if she were thin,ing of the right words, /respectable manner.0
Feople in glass houses should not throw stones.
Eli7abeth 1ashed a smile regardless of the lady)s response and replied, />ou dropped a carrot in your
dOcolletage.0
5rs. 4urst)s eyes popped out of her head and 5iss Bennet)s hand automatcally clamped itself over her
mouth to muAe her giggles. Bingley cho,ed on his drin, while 4urst almost spit his out as he laughed,
5r. Stewart)s head on the other hand, snapped from one directon into another to catch a glimpse of
5iss Bingley)s bosoms and the carrot that was wedged between it.
' chuc,le escaped 8arcy as he caught the ga7e of 5iss Eli7abeth, and feeling grateful for saving him from
a night of u3er torture, raised his glass to her.
She win,ed in reply.
.
#he disastrous dinner was close to its end at least that is what Eli7abeth hoped.
She was stll struggling to breath and could hardly ta,e a bite due to how securely her dress held her. 6or
the remainder of supper, she spent it divertng and destroying all a3empts to further humiliate her
family and though 5iss Bingley had given up on further verbal a3ac,s, her sister and 5r. Stewart had
not.
5rs. 4urst was not as cruel as her sister and had less motvaton to publically debase her than 5iss
Bingley had, however, it seemed malicious intent was hereditary for she contnued her taunts and
goading.
#hough that would change soon enough for even :ane had grown tred of this foolishness.
/I thin, it should be made fashionable,0 5r. Stewart was declaring, /I thin, that ladies should be allowed
to wear such dresses for it only highlights their loveliness as it has done with 5iss Bingley and 5iss
Eli7abeth.0
Instantly both women cringed.
/I agreeC0 5rs. 4urst responded, /Dhen one is desperate to be wed, one must do everything in their
power to entrap a husband.0
:ane surprised them all by adoining, /I believe the rules of decorum are rather unnecessary in regards to
the dress of a young lady.0
/;f course, so you see my meaning :ane<0
/Indeed.0 #urning to 5r. Stewart, she 1ashed a smile. /8o you not agree sir that a lady should dress how
they wish<0
/>es= certainly 5iss BennetC0
Eli7abeth oined the fray, adding, /I thin, it would be lovely being allowed to wear what we wish. I would
so love to be able to wear breaches when I wal,, there would certainly be no need to get my dress
caught in si" inches of mud if I could.0
/;h yes, li,e a man)s,0 :ane agreed.
/I do not thin, the idea is needed. Certainly not, they would e"pose parts of a woman that should not
be e"posed especially in such a deceptvely public way,0 5rs. 4urst said, /I thin, it to be as uncouth as
5iss Eli7abeth)s dress, there is absolutely no need for them to hug everythingC0
5r. Stewart argued, /Dell maybe 5rs. 4urst, you only need to eat less in order to have no fear in your
clothes hugging everything as you say. I can understand your insecurity in allowing yourself to wear such
radical aBre as breaches, but if you had something to show for it li,e 5iss Eli7abeth and 5iss Bingley, I
am sure you would happily embrace the changeC0
't this, 5rs. 4urst splu3ered indignantly at the insinuaton of her overly robust form, but had no more
to say on the ma3er as 5r. Stewart launched into a feministc trade on behalf of the young ladies of
England.
.
#he thought of being le( alone with 5r. Stewart made the gentlemen overly a3ached to the ladies and
so s,ipped gin and politcs.
/;h yes 5r. 8arcy, there seems to be a le3er here for you from Femberley, most li,ely from 5iss 8arcy.0
'(er handing the missive to him, 5iss Bingley contnued, /;h 5iss 8arcy, she is such a lovely girl. Is she
much grown since the spring< Dill she be as tall as I am<0
Eyes on the envelope, 5r. 8arcy too, the empty seat beside Eli7abeth and absentmindedly replied, /She
is now about 5iss Eli7abeth)s height, or rather taller.0
Startled at the comparison, she as,ed, /Is she not only si"teen<0
/>es, being tall rather runs in our family.0
/4ow I long to see her againC0 5iss Bingley shrilled, obviously unhappy about the same comparison, /I
have never met anyone who delighted me as much as she has= such countenance, such mannersC 'nd so
accomplished for her age, her performance on the pianoforte is e"quisiteC0
/It surprises me how young ladies have patence to be as accomplished as they all are,0 5r. Bingley said.
/Dhy all ladies accomplished< Charles, whatever can you mean<0
/>es, all of them= I have yet to meet a young lady who has been introduced to me as anything but
accomplished.0
/Dell then sir, maybe your idea of accomplished is simply too broad,0 :ane said, pressing her cool hands
against her growingly hot chee,s and wondering vaguely why the room was beginning to spin.
5r. Stewart was eager to voice his agreement, /5iss Bennet is correct, being accomplished is far more
than being able to paint a table or net a purse or cover a screen. ;nly a simpleton would assume
something so ludicrous.0
/#hen what can be considered as accomplished<0 5r. Bingley challenged, at his end with being quietly
tolerable of the man.
/' young lady must have a thorough ,nowledge of music, singing, dancing, drawing, and must have a
proper grasp on the modern language. 'll this she must possess to even half+deserve the word.0 #he
gentleman had moved to place a hand atop the chair as 5r. Bingley stood directly beside it, both men
trying to sta,e a claim over the seated lady.
5r. 8arcy le( the note on his lap as Eli7abeth cast aside her teacup, watching the heated discourse
between them with interest as :ane sat, loo,ing uncomfortable as they argued over her head.
/;h, of course,0 5iss Bingley agreed, /and besides that, she must also have a certain something in her
air and manner of wal,ing, the tone of her voice, her e"pressions and address. 4aving accomplishments
is nothing if one does not have any style to display it.0
/I am surprised then that any lady can be considered accomplished,0 :ane remar,ed quic,ly, lest the
conversaton run into more intense territory, the heat growing on her face, /I cannot imagine anyone
who has all these requirements. I ,now of young ladies who are wonderful musicians, but who lac,
2nesse in social duty. I ,now of great artsts and dancers, but who show no interest in the modern
languages. In a young lady)s air, I ,now not how one can say that this or that is the proper style to
behave, only that if it is pleasant and unassuming I am not le( wantng.0
/5y dear :ane, there are many such women though I suppose none in your sphere that you have been
e"posed to.0
/?egardless of sphere, I cannot claim to ,now more than half a do7en,0 8arcy interected disinterestedly.
/Indeed, no one in 4erKordshire is accomplished,0 5r. Stewart agreed with authority. /#hough really,
being an accomplished lady is hardly a means to being marriageable. In !ondon I have seen but two
ladies achieve such a status and they were hardly handsome.0
Bingley as,ed with growing distaste of the man, /So being handsome is the only requirement you see, to
be ful2lled in your future spouse<0
/But of course, wives are meant to be seen not heard.0
/So it would not ma3er if your wife were ,ind or caring or a9ectonate<0
/Jind, caring and a9ectonate enough as a wife should be.0
/>ou only see matrimony as duty then<0
/;f course, is that not the reason people marry these days<0
It was then that 5iss Bennet shot up from her chair, causing the two men leaning closer and closer in
their argument over her head to recoil in confusion, both u3ering her name in surprise. She bowed her
head and said, /I apologi7e, but I do not feel well.0 Dithout another word she 1ed the room.
.
#he sounds were revoltng and the smell was ust as bad. Eli7abeth did her best to ignore it as she
rubbed her sister)s bac, soothingly as they sat on the 1oor, :ane dispelling the contents of her stomach
into a buc,et in her room.
/;h :ane, I ,new you should not have come below 1oors tonight-0
/I was well !i77y, I promise I was well,0 she responded wea,ly when the churning stopped. /I do not
,now what happened, it was suddenly geBng too hot and my head was spinning so-0
/Sweetng, please let us get you bac, to bed.0
/Is she alright 5iss Eli7abeth<0
:ane dry heaved in reply.
/Flease 5r. Bingley, I thin, my sister and I have been embarrassed enough for one night.0
4e was immediately at :ane)s assistance, holding her other side and o9ering her a comfortng smile.
4elping Eli7abeth put her in bed, 5r. Bingley said, /I have already called for the apothecary, he will be
here in the hour.0
/I than, you sir.0
#he buc,et of water arrived, cloth hanging on the rim. Dithout missing a beat, he damped the material
into the water and gently pressed it against :ane)s forehead as she breathed heavily.
/Sir, I do not thin, +0 Eli7abeth was interrupted by the smile on the gentleman)s face, apologetc and
worried in every way.
/It is the least I can do a(er what my sisters have done. I am sorry for allowing them to e"ert so much
from 5iss Bennet that it impeded upon her recovery, insultng your family and ta"ing her patence with
that man,0 he shoo, his head to stop himself from saying more on the ma3er and 2nished 2rmly, /I am
sorry I allowed it.0
#he two remained silent as somehow :ane dri(ed o9 to sleep.
Eli7abeth noted the tenderness in which the gentleman loo,ed upon her sister, his hand brushing away
the blonde curls of her hair as he dabbed the wet cloth over her overheatng face.
;n either side of the bed, Bingley and 5iss Eli7abeth counted each breathe that le( 5iss Bennet I no,
?ane.
'(er everything she endured during supper, she remained fastdious and poised. She handled Caroline
and !ouisa)s drivel admirably and had greatly ignored 5r. Stewart)s presence throughout the night. 4is
brow furrowed slightly at the thought of the man.
/5iss Bennet<0
/>es sir<0
/Is there an a3achment or understanding between 5r. Stewart and your sister<0
She did not ,now whether to laugh or frown, but she choose the la3er instead and stated, /Dith all due
respect sir, I do not thin, it is proper to say.0
5r. Bingley loo,ed at her, and somehow the loo, was enough to get her to answer regardless, /5y
mother would li,e to thin, so. 5r. Stewart has admired my sister since his arrival almost a year ago.0
/'nd what of :ane<0
If she caught onto his use of her sister)s Christan name, she did not say and shoo, her head. /She does
not li,e him especially, in fact I do not thin, she li,es him at all, but my sister is not so cruel to tell him
so.0
/So if he o9ers for her, she will refuse<0
/5y sisters and I will never marry for anything less than love. #he noton can be delusional or unpopular
or even impossible, but it is love or nothing at all regardless of what our mother desires.0
/8oes 5r. Stewart ,now that<0
/5ore importantly do you< Since we are being honest, I wish you not to tri1e with me sir. But what are
your intentons towards my sister<0
4is mouth opened and shut, but no words were produced.
/I would have gladly le( this ,ind of interrogaton to my brother, however, since he is not here I shall do
it myself,0 she said, her hand curled protectvely around her sleeping sister)s. /:ane has been led astray
before by a gentleman and though she did not love him at the tme, she was stll grieved by the loss of
him. I do not want the same thing to happen again, if you have any care at all for my sister, please do not
ma,e her love you and then leave her.0
/4ave I been so obvious in my preference for her<0
/>ou are here beside me ta,ing care of her are you not<0
/I suppose I should have tried harder to be indi9erent, but what are her feelings for me<0
/#hat was not the queston I as,ed 5r. Bingley.0
/But do I not at least deserve to ,now<0 She frowned at him and Bingley sighed. /Flease understand
5iss Bennet, I have been almost entrapped many tmes by women who li,ed me in proporton to the
si7e of my poc,etboo,. I do not want to claim an a3achment to your sister only to 2nd that she is the
same as them.0
/If that is how you feel my sister is, then I thin, this conversaton is over.0
Luic,ly, he carried on, /8arcy, Bennet and 4urst ,now that I am easily a3racted to a pre3y face, but I
grow disinterested over tme once I have reali7ed that their words are meaningless and their a9ecton
dependent on my fortune. 8arcy suggested that if I li,ed your sister, I must get to ,now her which is
harder than anyone thin,s despite being in the same house.0 4e smiled then.
/>esterday, I spo,e with your sister for more than an hour with a maid present and for another hour with
!ouisa. I was pleased because I found that your sister and I have much in common and that she is
everything I loo, for in a wife. 4owever, upon re1ecton I found that I did not ,now whether she felt as
much about me and so I must ,now, lest I declare myself and she does not feel half as strongly as I do.0
'gain there was silence as she contemplated on a possible course of acton. '(er several minutes had
passed, she decided that the truth was best$
/:ane is not indi9erent to you, I have never seen her li,e someone as much as she li,es you,0 she said
carefully, /however, she is ust as cautous as you are. Being as beautful as she is, :ane must ensure that
whoever she sets her heart on wants her more than an obect to be owned.0
/'re we at an impasse then<0
/*o, I thin, we are more in agreement than anything else. >ou both have reason to act cautously and if
you are truly considering pursing my sister then it is be3er for you both if you ta,e things as slow as
possible.0
4e chuc,led. /#hat is quite an odd thing to hear a(er being privy to one too many ballroom
conversatons$ :umping from a dance to the banns in an instant.0
/'ye, but outside of the ballroom is where real life is.0
/Can I assume then, that I have permission to get to ,now your sister, to reach an understanding if we so
wish to have one<0
Smiling, Eli7abeth shoo, her head. /*ow 5r. Bingley, I am merely her sister albeit her favorite one. If you
wish this ,ind of arrangement you will have to discuss it with her though I cannot fathom a reason why
she would deny you. It is about tme she had a sensible suitor.0
Bingley outright laughed at this ust as a maid announced 5r. :ones. ?eluctantly, the gentleman stood
from the bed and a(er tuc,ing the blan,et properly over :ane, he made a move to depart, but paused to
apologise once more for the horrendous evening his houseguests had to endure.
/It is not needed sir= you are not responsible for your sisters) actons. Besides, I have a feeling 5iss
Bingley shall get all the she deserves.0
Catching the mischievous glint in her eyes, Bingley smir,ed and shoo, his head.
/If I hear I scream, should I worry<0
/*o,0 answered she with a dramatc sigh, /but it is li,ely you will need your poc,etboo, to appease her.0
.
;n the other end of the hallway, 5iss Bingley was ust entering her room, feeling giddy about the events
the night had o9ered.
Hpon entering her room, she noted that the 2re was low and that the candles were not all lit, shrouding
everything in semi+dar,ness.
.ood gracious, the help here are useless, she thought with a roll of her eyes. Stomping over to the
2replace and grasping the po,er to incite a bigger bla7e. #he wood crac,led and a pu9 of smo,e sighed
out into her room. 'nnoyed, she thrust the instrument harder and the desired result was reached, a
huge pu9 of 2re sproutng so hot it warmed her face immediately, though with more smo,e than was
necessary.
Dith a cough, she held the instrument up into the chimney, thin,ing to herself that something must be
bloc,ing it if the smo,e was not escaping. ' sharp thrust led to a blac, cloud of soot to sca3er
throughout her room and onto her.
4er coughing grew more incessant as it entered her lungs, and stumbling towards a washbasin, she
rinsed the soot o9 her face, vaguely wondering why there was an odd tngly feeling spreading from
where she had thrown the water over her head-almost li,e-crawling-
Eyes snapping open, a scream so pronounced it was heard from !ongbourn was unleashed as she swiped
at her face trying to get rid of the beetles that had somehow go3en into the washbasin and was now
currently e"ploring her hair, face, nec, and than,s to her dress, the e"panse of her dOcolletage.
Dal,ing bac,wards in her horror, her legs hit the bed and she fell bac,, but instead of the so( cushion of
the ma3ress she found she had landed in foul smelling sheets.
#he shrie,s from her discovery received a3enton as her maid 1ew into her room with every intenton to
help, but instead only stood stupidly by the door, watching as her mistress 1ailed in horse droppings,
wearing a soot covered dress with bugs in her hair.
'nd was she seeing things, but was her mistress missing her eyebrows<
.
Chapter twenty
.
;emberley, Derbyshire
2r. Darcy,
I feel I must as if it is possible if I may be e+cused from your service at this present *me due to problems
with my family. &ince your cousin is here, I hope that it will allow me leave for 2iss Darcy is hardly ever
alone with him and 2rs. Reynolds- constant presence.
%olonel Bit(william has also informed me that he is to visit his 3unt %atherine soon and I assure you, I will
be returned to 2iss Darcy-s aid before his absence can be noted.
"our ind considera*on,
%. '
.
5ost irregular, 8arcy thought folding the short note up.
5iss !ucas had as,ed for nothing since she had been in his employ. She did what she was instructed
without queston and to the best of her ability, it was her persistence and perseverance that helped
.eorgiana open up even more than with only 5iss Eli7abeth)s singlehanded e9orts.
4e did not thin, that .eorgiana would survive without her companion especially if ?ichard were there.
But could he really ris, leaving his sister with only ?ichard and 5rs. ?eynolds<
#he library opened and a familiar head of brown hair pee,ed in, a pair of 2ne eyes searching the room
and se3ling on him. Even from the distance, he could see her ga7e narrow.
/5iss Eli7abeth.0
#he young lady almost used a very bad word, but instead only st9ened her shoulders as she entered the
room. /Sir,0 she greeted in a polite though icy tone, /loo,ing for your pencil again<0
/*o madam, I have not yet dropped it.0 4e wondered if he dran, too much wine during dinner or if the
glass in his hand was empty.
's 5iss Eli7abeth stepped closer to where he sat, he subtly swished the glass he held, causing the ice to
ra3le. >es. 4e dran, all the brandy. #hen he must be in his cups because Eli7abeth was standing before
him wearing such a thing-
/Is this a dream<0
She loo,ed suitably uncomfortable though hid it well as she crossed her arms over her chest with a hu9.
' part of her said it was because he was as,ing such a strange queston and she was annoyed while
another part insisted that it was because she was dressed in only a co3on nightgown and a robe, and he
was staring at her intensely. *ot that it was any di9erent than his usual stares, but it was certainly more
uncomfortable in her current state of aBre.
/I am sure I am not part of your dreams 5r. 8arcy.0
4e made a sound of disbelief before tpping the glass to allow a cube of ice into his mouth.
Since he made no response, she was determined to ignore him as she searched the small pile of boo,s
on the table for something to read to :ane who had wo,en up from her sleep in the middle of the night.
Hnfortunately for her, 5r. 8arcy had a very penetratng stare. 4er courage rising, she as,ed, /Is there
something you need to say sir<0
/I feel li,e I should apologi7e.0
/6or what<0
/6or supper.0
/I doubt you of all people need to apologi7e for 5iss Bingley and 5rs. 4urst)s behavior.0
/#hen it is a good thing I am not,0 he remar,ed and his 1ippant response caused her to turn to loo, at
him properly.
4e was siBng slumped on the chair, his long legs outstretched and his coat removed, cravat undone and
hair in adorable disarray. 5r. 8arcy did not loo, as put together as he always did, admi3edly it could be
a3ributed to the glass in his hand, but he did not appear into"icated.
/5rs. 4urst and 5iss Bingley are hardly my responsibility as I am not personally connected to them
other than them being Bingley)s relatons, so I would have no reason to account for their behavior.0 5r.
8arcy was e"amining his glass and the ice within it interestedly. /But ust because I cannot ta,e
responsibility for their performance does not mean that I cannot ta,e responsibility for my own.0
4is eyes met hers then and she was glad that she was now leaning against the small table beside the
divan.
/'s your brother)s friend, I apologi7e for not doing more to stop their idiocy towards you.0
/>ou have already said you would not ta,e responsibility for their actons ust because they are 5r.
Bingley)s sisters and yet you feel you should apologi7e to me because you are my brother)s friend<0
/I li,e you and your sisters in2nitely more than 5iss Bingley and 5rs. 4urst.0
/I could see that by how pained you appeared siBng beside our hostess, though I always thought you
loo,ed that way during all gatherings.0
/*ot always, and when it comes to 5iss Bingley I can ignore her as tolerably well as your sister can
ignore 5r. Stewart. #hough how she achieved it, I shall never ,now,0 he commented, tpping his glass of
ice bac, again strring Eli7abeth)s own observaton, /Dhy are you doing that sir<0
Dith a piece of ice in his mouth, 8arcy loo,ed at her as his tongue moved the piece of ice against his
chee, so that he could spea,, /8oing what<0
/#hat, why do you ,eep puBng ice in your mouth<0
/#o prevent me from saying something ungentlemanly about 5iss Bennet)s suitor,0 his words somewhat
slurred than,s to the ice pressing against the inside of his mouth. 4e added, /5r. Stewart is an idiot.0 '
moment passed. /I wanted to throw him out the window.0 'nother. /Insu9erable man.0
/Dell it does not appear as if it is helping,0 Eli7abeth noted teasingly.
/It is your fault,0 he accused, though without the convicton, /I tal, more with you around.0
/'re you actually trying to be humorous 5r. 8arcy<0
/*o, maybe.0 4e paused. /I thin, I am slightly drun,.0
/>es, I believe it is the fault of the wine at supper, you had an awful lot.0
/Dere you watching me at supper madam<0 8arcy as,ed and the ratonal part of his mind cringed and
1ushed in embarrassment at his forwardness though outwardly he showed no such signs.
Eli7abeth was blushing enough for the both of them. /I simply notced that 5iss Bingley was desirous of
your a3enton.0
/;h, so you were ealous<0 .ood gods, how much had he dran,<
4is mind is playing tric,s on him, he thought as she suppressed the blush with anger and as,ed
stubbornly, /4ardly sir, what would I have to be ealous of<0
/*othing.0 4e shrugged. /5iss Bingley is nothing to you by half.0
#he blush returned in double measure and she loo,ed away from him bashfully. /*ow you are teasing
me sir, you really must be in your cups.0
4e loo,ed to be considering her words before responding, /5aybe so, but a drun, man)s words are a
sober man)s thoughts. 'lcohol dulls the mind thereby loosening the tongue and castng aside all
reservatons.0
/'nd what would the great 5r. 8arcy of Femberley have his reservatons about<0
4e sighed and when Eli7abeth loo,ed at him again, 5r. 8arcy was loo,ing up at the dar,ened ceiling
thoughKully. /Luite a lot of things actually$ 5y sister for e"ample.0
/Is there something wrong with 5iss 8arcy< She did not seem upset the last she wrote to me.0
/;h, what did my sister tell you<0
8eciding that he did not appear hostle or melancholy in any way, Eli7abeth summari7ed her latest le3er
with his sister, /She told me how e"cited she was that her cousin was home and that she loved how well
Charlo3e and him were geBng along, and that +/
/Charlo3e<0
/'ye, sir,0 she a@rmed, /5iss !ucas, well rather, Charlo3e, is a dear friend of mine and as 5iss 8arcy has
discovered our connecton they both write to me o(en with di9erent accounts of the same event. It
really is quite amusing.0
/'nd has 5iss !ucas divulged any problems<0
/*one that I ,now of.0
/'re you acquainted with 5iss !ucas) family<0
/;f course sir, they are our neighbors a(er all.0
8arcy blin,ed. /Sir Dilliam is her father<0
/>es sir.0
/Strange, she did not menton that,0 he murmured to himself before as,ing her, /'re her family su9ering
from any trouble of any ,ind because she as,ed me leave so that she may assist them.0
/I have not seen them these last few days, but as my mother is privy to most of !ady !ucas) problems I
highly doubt they would be in any trouble that I do not already ,now about.0
4ow odd, 8arcy thought, what reason would 5iss !ucas have to lie, and why not had Sir Dilliam as,ed
the state of her daughter at his arrival, surely Sir Dilliam ,new who his daughter)s employer was<
/If it helps sir, Charlo3e is estranged from her father. Ever since she decided that she was not
marriageable, she focused on her educaton in order to ta,e up a post as governess. 4er father was not
very happy with her considering he was ust ,nighted when he found out.0
8arcy considered this.
/#he !ucas) situaton did not improve though, and having no suitors, let alone forthcoming marriage
proposals, Charlo3e was 2rm in her decision to leave 4erKordshire lest she burden her brothers once
their parents pass.0
/'nd what did her father say to this<0
4e noted how thin her lips tghtened before she answered, /4e called her ungrateful and sent her on her
way. 4er mother stll writes to her, but he refuses to allow any communicaton between her and 5aria,
in case she in1uences her out of the marriage mart.0
/Dould she ever in1uence a young lady not to get married<0 4e as,ed hopefully.
/*ow sir, Charlo3e is a professional young lady. I highly doubt that she would convince .eorgiana not to
get married.0
/But I do not want my sister to get married,0 he practcally wailed, /thin,ing about how she has only 5iss
!ucas, my cousin and our house,eeper for company saddens me, but what if she gets married and her
husband does not allow me or ?ichard to see her<0
/.eorgiana would never thin, of marrying someone you do not ,now and li,e thoroughly, especially
a(er the events at ?amsgate,0 Eli7abeth soothed, 2nding an overwhelming urge to comfort the man
nursing an empty glass and loo,ing miserable. /I am sure whoever man you allow her to wed will happily
allow you to see her as o(en as you li,e.0
/But what about me< I shall have to return to an empty estate.0
/But do you not love your home 5r. 8arcy< >ou sound awfully proud when 5iss Bingley brings it up.0
/;f course I love my home,0 he declared, /Femberley is a beautful place to call home.0
Eli7abeth was surprised when he suddenly stood= castng his glass onto the table and coming to sit
beside her= grinning li,e a child. /#here is a sun,en garden 2lled with apple trees, an old gro3o that has
this small beautful fountain and the lawns are always rolling in an emerald rugC It is most beautful
during spring, but even in autumn it is a sight to behold. #he la,e in the estate is picturesque and I ta,e
.eorgiana on a li3le boat whenever I go 2shing with Bingley. She enoys being on the water and
watching the 2sh, and beatng Bingley at chess because he cannot focus on two things at onceC0
4e was e"cited and tal,atve, a sight Eli7abeth had rarely seen without the presence of Ji3y who always
had a ,nac, for bringing out the child in people. Seeing it herself, caused by nothing more than her
willingness to ma,e him feel be3er= made her smile.
/>ou spend a lot of tme out of doors then<0
/;h yes, o(en,0 he claimed, nodding enthusiastcally. /#he land itself is my favorite thing about my
home, though the music room is a close favorite of mine.0
/8o you play, or do you merely enoy being played to< .eorgiana tells me that you li,e the wor, of
5o7art.0
/Indeed, .eorgiana plays uncommonly well. I can play the piano, but not as good as she,0 though he
seemed more proud than upset with the ,nowledge. />ou must hear her play when you come to
Femberley.0
She blin,ed. /I am to come to Femberley<0
/;f course,0 said he, practcally babbling now, /.eorgiana wishes you to visit, though she probably has
not as,ed you yet as she is only hintng the idea at me for my approval. But of course I shall say yes for
what you have done for her, I have no reason to deny you anything at all. In fact, you may as, for
Femberley itself and I shall gladly live in a woodpile in the forestC0
#he absurdity of such a statement made her laugh despite the fact that he had held her hand in his
earnestly, li,e a li3le boy trying very hard to please someone.
/#hat is very ,ind of you sir, but I do not wish for you to live in a woodpile,0 she said, paBng his hand.
4e only loo,ed a tri1e bit disappointed at this before he agreed, /*o, you probably would not, you are
much too ,ind to send anyone o9 to live in a woodpile.0
/;h, I do not ,now about that. 5aybe I shall let you stay in one for a night, maybe you shall 2nd the
sprites you have tric,ed my sister into believing in<0
/She is a silly girl 5iss Catherine= does she not reali7e that you are the sprite that I encountered<0
/I hardly thin, she would,0 she said, chuc,ling along with him.
/'h, but why ever not< >ou are friendly, playful, carefree and enchantng, if I were to 2nd one such as
you in the forest while I lived in a woodpile I would be very happy indeed,0 he declared causing a blush
to brighten on her chee,s. Before she could reply, he suddenly yawned and without a second thought,
laid his head on her lap= hand stll in hers, he said, />es, I would not be so lonely if you lived with me,
either in a woodpile or in Femberley.0
Eli7abeth smiled at him, her free hand a3racted to the messy curls of dar, hair as he moved their hands
onto his chest, ust beside his gently beatng heart. She found herself perfectly content to stay as she was
with him laying his head on her lap as they sat in front of the 2re-
#here was a bang I the sound of a door shuBng and the pa3er of footsteps in the hallway before
something clic,ed in Eli7abeth)s mind and she loo,ed down, horri2ed at the rather compromising
positon she was currently in with the gentleman.
Scrambling, she unceremoniously dropped 5r. 8arcy)s head from her lap and hid behind a shelf on the
far end of the room as the library door opened.
#he door shut once more and 5iss Bingley strode in, candle in hand and in the most revealing nightgown
Eli7abeth had ever seen.
Dhat on earth<
#he *ether2eld lady loo,ed about as if searching for something and her eyes immediately brightened in
triumph as she stepped around the divan Eli7abeth was sharing with 5r. 8arcy not moments before.
#here was something in 5iss Bingley)s cunning smile that she did not li,e at all and when the lady moved
to sit beside him, Eli7abeth reali7ed with a start what she was planning to do.
She leaned into the near empty boo,shelf she had chosen to hide behind to see e"actly with 5iss
Bingley was doing.
6rom her vintage point, the usually plume aBred lady was peBng 5r. 8arcy)s head as she once was.
Either in a purposeful a3empt to alarm the sleeping man of the scheme afoot or in an une"plainable
annoyance at the lady, the boo, placed before her, hiding her face from sight was pushed roughly o9 the
shelf and slammed into the ground with a thud.
4aving been earlier arred by Eli7abeth)s sudden departure, 8arcy wo,e with a start, shootng up from
his unconscious state li,e a man possessed.
/5iss Bingley, what are you doing here<0
.
/!i77y,0 :ane greeted as her sister returned to their room, /where have you been, did you get lost in the
library<0
/4mm< ;h, no, no, I was merely distracted. 5y goodness, have I been gone so long that you have turned
to another occupaton< I thought you wished for a boo, to be read to you<0
/;h indeed, I merely turned to my embroidery while I waited for you.0
/I am sorry sweetng, would you stll li,e me to read to you<0
/But how are you to read to me !i77y, you do not have a boo,,0 she posed with a chuc,le, /goodness, did
you even go to the library= it appears as though you were in the ,itchen this whole tmeC0
/*ow why on earth would I be in the ,itchen<0 Eli7abeth as,ed with a laugh as she came to sit beside
her sister.
/>ou loo, quite li,e the cat who got the mil,.0
4er sister laughed once more, causing an arch in :ane)s brow. /*ow !i77y, what on earth have you go3en
up to<0
/;h nothing :ane= nothing at all.0
't her unconvinced loo,, she laughed again. /Dhy I do not thin, you need to ta,e anymore of 5r. :ones)
potons, I believe you are right as rainC0
/I am going to sleep now if you really wish to tease me !i77y.0
/.ood night :ane,0 she sang playfully and her sister gave a sigh tnged in both amusement and
annoyance as she replied, /Sleep well !i77y.0
'nd sleep well Eli7abeth did, but 8arcy was not having such luc,.
'(er escaping 5iss Bingley from yet another compromising a3empt, he made sure to loc, his door
before he was properly dressed in sleeping aBre and lying wide+awa,e on his bed.
#han,fully the reali7aton that he was very nearly entrapped had snapped him from whatever da7e he
had been earlier that evening with Eli I wait, was that real or was that ust an alcohol induced
hallucinaton<
8id he really say all those confoundedly silly things to her or was he ust babbling nonsense into the air
where he wished she would be<
4e stared hard at the canopy hanging over his bed, wondering if what Eli7abeth had told him of 5iss
!ucas was true, if he really had rested her head on her lap, if he had really said he would be happy with
her no ma3er where they ended up I in a woodpile or in Femberley. 4ad he really done and said all
those things<
4e decided that it did not really ma3er. Eli7abeth in Femberley would not be a horrible thing.
Dhat 8arcy would not thin, of that night was bothering him terribly in the morning. 4is agitaton had
him standing and pacing multple tmes around the room, stopping his valet from his morning shave
before siBng once more, ust as frustrated as when he began.
/Is something the ma3er sir<0
/*o, nothing Bartholomew, please carry on.0
#he elderly man, used to his master)s moods, nodded and contnued with his tas, when he was
surprised once more as 5r. 8arcy stood again.
/Sir<0
/Bartholomew, what would you say if I compromised someone<0
/>ou sir<0 #he valet as,ed, though not in confusion for he was quite privy to 5iss Bingley)s a3empts. 5r.
Bingley)s sister had tried to get into his good graces so that he may help her compromise his employer,
but even if Bartholomew was not disgusted by the lady)s antcs, he was nothing if not loyal.
/>es, regardless of the circumstances, what would you say<0
/I say that is hardly something you would do sir. It is not your nature to instgate such dangerous
interactons.0
/But what if I was not actng li,e me<0
/!i,e if you are in your cups sir<0
#he confused stare and the embarrassed 1ushing at his chee,s gave away his answer, and Bartholomew
felt the need to e"plain, /)#is not the 2rst tme you have dran, so sir, when your cousin visits, you can be
found in such a state late in the night when your sister and most of the sta9 is abed.0
/>es, my cousin feels the need to tease me for it o(en,0 he tried to wave o9 casually, coughing to
dissipate his aw,wardness.
Bartholomew ,new, however, that his master was rarely in his cups even with the colonel visitng. 5r.
8arcy dran, on only one occasion and that was the death anniversary of his parents. Since that was not
for a few wee,s, the valet suspected that his master must have had a terrible evening.
/Dell Bartholomew<0
/#hen would not the lady on the receiving end of your actons be pounding away at the door this very
morning<0 !ord ,nows if 5iss Bingley was compromised she would have been the 2rst to greet 5r. 8arcy
rather than him.
/#hat is true,0 he murmured to himself.
/Ferhaps sir,0 Bartholomew o9ered, /you simply imagined it all. Inebriated states can cause delusions in
some.0
' part of him li,ed his valet)s reasoning, another did not.
#hen Eli7abeth did not smile at me< 4e could not stop the hopeful doubt in his voice, /Ferhaps.0
Since 5r. 8arcy was once again seated, Bartholomew contnued his mission of shaving his master while
saying, /If you remember anything partcular about last night sir, might I suggest you bring it up in
conversaton as a way to 2gure out whether the events had ta,en place<0
It was a good suggeston, but what would he as,< 8arcy wondered and thin,ing very hard beyond the
closeness and laughter with Eli7abeth, he remembered 5iss !ucas.
/>es, that seems reasonable Bartholomew, than, you.0
.
Chapter twenty+one
.
Eli7abeth was unwell. It was not a state she was ever in as she rarely succumbed from any malady
beyond a headache. But loo,ing at herself in the mirror, she must truly be ill. 4er breathing was uneven,
her s,in was 1ushed and her eyes wide-with fear, with shoc,< ' bead of sweat rolled down her
forehead and she brushed it away stubbornly, her hand sha,ing.
.ood lords, what is happening<
4er ,nees gave way and she found herself leaning against the vanity table, her forehead rested on the
wood. Behind her closed lids, her eyes swayed to and fro in nervous agitaton as images 1ashed in her
mind)s eye, everything a blur before suddenly it halted and everything moved in slow moton before her
mother)s voice ringing in her ears$
/If there is one thing you girls must understand it is that your virtue is everything and being
compromised is not an opton for any real lady.0
't that moment she remembered 5r. 8arcy.
4is childli,e e"uberance, his innocent yet earnest promises and his unassuming, tal,atve and playful
behavior-#he way he spo,e and touched her hand, rested his head on her lap without a care in the
world, and promising his beloved home to herC
*o. It is a tric, of the mindC
5aybe these whimsical ideas are the same that Ji3y entertains< ;r maybe it is !ydia)s dramatcs
disproportoning a situaton that could be contrived< But since when have I cared about being
compromised, I am neither overly beautful nor overly wealthy or ttled, no, it is the 5ary in me that is
ma,ing me soC 4er sense of decorum is severe= it must be the 5ary in meC
4er closed eyes tghtened as she shoo, her head, the reminder of 5ary reminding her of boo,s and in
turn libraries and inevitably leading up to the library of *ether2eld.
;h that wretched library, she thought, that horrible, empty, useless library that is used for nothing more
than compromising young ladiesC
Eli7abeth remembered with a start, 5iss Bingley)s appearance.
5r. 8arcy was in his cups, he probably had no idea. In fact he probably will not recall anything ever
happeningC She swallowed a lump in her throat, a sha,y sigh leaving her. Das that relief or
disappointment<
'nd what of 5iss Bingley< She certainly was not in her cups when she entered the library loo,ing for 5r.
8arcy.
4e had snapped awa,e had he not< 4e got up and le( when ust moments before he was sleeping
comfortably, is that not so<
4er head ached. 5aybe it was simply a dream<
' ,noc, on the door startled her and she shot up from the 1oor. />+yes<0
/!i77y, are you quite well<0
/I am well,0 she answered, cringing slightly at the pitch her voice too,. Catching her breath and
smoothing out her dress, Eli7abeth reiterated quietly in a 2rmer tone, /I am well.0
/'re you sure< 5ay I come in<0
#a,ing a breath to calm her stll sca3ered nerves, she answered in the a@rmatve and turned to the
water basin on the table so as to cool the 1ush upon her chee,s.
Behind her, :ane entered and began to chirp about how well she was feeling, dismissing why her younger
sister was washing her face even though her toile3e was already completed.
/It is simply ama7ing dear !i77y, I was feeling u3erly dreadful the night before, and I was sure that dinner
with 5r. Stewart would impede so on my recovery, but in fact I am quite wellC0 She paused for a second.
/I hope that is not a sign that 5r. Stewart is good for my health, I am certain my mental facultes would
disagree at some point.0
/Sooner rather than later I imagine,0 Eli7abeth replied, lightly dabbing her face with a towel. /It is good
to hear that you are feeling be3er sweetng, perchance we may return home this day<0
/;h, so soon !i77y<0
/De have been here for almost 2ve days my :ane= certainly you reali7e how improper this is< If you are
well we have no reason to remain here, do you not agree<0
/I suppose-0
't that point she turned to face her sister with every intenton to throw logic at her, but paused upon the
innocent disappointment on :ane)s visage I though she stll nodded in agreement, the corner of her lips
turned down slightly and her eyes loo,ed painfully sad.
/I suppose that 5r. Bingley will want to call upon 5r. :ones to ensure that you are healthy enough to
leave his home,0 Eli7abeth said in a sigh. /'nd I am sure mama will want to be forewarned of our arrival if
5r. Bingley will allow us leave from *ether2eld.0
/;h yes, we must write to mama, and we must certainly inform 5r. Bingley of our departure and give
our than,s for his hostng us in his home for so long,0 :ane said, her suddenly large smile dipping slightly
ust as a gentle blush dusted her chee,s. /;h !i77y, I must tell you of a dream I had of him last night. >ou
and he were spea,ing and he said he cared for me, oh !i77y if it were realC0
/It may be my dear :ane, now I believe you must dress to show him you are well. I thin, I shall go
downstairs and inform him that you will be oining us below 1oors this morning, I am sure he will be
quite thrilled to have your company.0
Dith a nod and practcally twirling and dancing out of the room, Eli7abeth could not suppress the
bemused smile on her lips.
Ferhaps Ji3y got her whimsical side from :ane<
.
!ent, Rosings
Dear Bit(william,
I am glad I could be of assistance to you with %ollins9 you need not be so shoced at my ,uic reply for
there is li/le to do here. ;ray is it selfsh for me to wish you, Richard and $eorgiana to visit me soon,
possibly in Easter1 .f course I do not e+pect you to9 mother is e+cuse enough.
'ady Bit(william has shared that she would visit if she could, and that I must now that she cares for me,
but she would not wish to put me in the crossing fre should she accept my invita*on. I have no doubt
'ord Bit(william feels the same, I believe his last interview with mother involved various thrown crystals
and a screaming compe**on echoing to Iersailles. 3s Richard has noted, on any normal occasion the
resemblance between our parents is close to none, but when they argue it is almost as if they were
iden*cal twins.
&peaing of Richard, our aunt has imparted to me the most curious thing.
I now that you are o8 gallivan*ng with your friends in the county =0er:ordshire I believe $eorgiana
said>, but 'ady Bit(william has said that Richard is at ;emberley and $eorgiana confrms it too. )hey
both wrote to me about a young lady who is with them, a 2iss 'ucas you hired, yes1
4ow though it is curious indeed that $eorgiana be in need of a companion at her age =though I am
indeed one to tal>, I fnd it most diver*ng that Richard has spoen of 2iss 'ucas at e+crucia*ng length.
0e has wa+ed poe*c on the young lady and needless to say it has 'ady Bit(william concerned as well as I.
2other will have a ft if she is to hear of 2iss 'ucas for she was rather hoping that since you refuse so
vehemently to marry me that Richard will do in your stead.
3s you now I have no inten*on of marrying either of you for you are all horrible people for maing me
endure my mother by myself every year. 3nd %ollins too, may I add.
.h yes, and another thing. $eorgiana wrote of me about your young lady as well. 3re you and Richard
leaving me to my mother-s wrath as I wish you 6oy1
"our bored, but incredibly intrigued cousin,
3nne
.
.ood lord, 8arcy thought, muAing a groan with his hand. Dhat a treacherous betrayalC 'nd by his
beloved sister)s handC #o sacri2ce him to 'nne of all people, certainly it was the most despicable thing
.eorgiana had ever doneC 4e snorted slightly at the thought.
*o, of course it was not the worst. #he worst was when .eorgiana had given away his hiding spot to
!ady Catherine when he and ?ichard were a3emptng escape from her on one of their annual trips to
?osings. *ow that was a horrible day indeedC
But oh, the worst had arrived.
4e did not ,now who to fear more, his overbearing 'unt Catherine or his cunning cousin 'nne.
's children 'nne had been the only girl in a group of boys, there was 'ndrew, ?ichard, 8arcy himself and
even .eorge.
.eorge managed to easily fool 'ndrew, 'ndrew)s understanding of malice was unlearnt and he had not
the instnct that ?ichard had. 8arcy, already ,nowing .eorge)s behavior begged away from his father)s
favorite and ?ichard happily complied. 'nne, normally following 'ndrew)s lead, actually mimic,ed
?ichard and 8arcy instead. If anything her instncts were ust as strong as ?ichard)s and her
understanding of others) mannerisms were advanced for her age.
She played the snob quite well, her treatment of .eorge earned approval from her mother and loo,s of
bemusement from the 6it7william parents. 8arcy)s father, however, was disgusted by the behavior
e"hibited by the ?osings heiress and declared that no match would be made of his only son and 'nne.
!ady Catherine was livid, but in the end both she and 8arcy approved heartedly.
4is aunt had tried many tmes in the past to press them to matrimony, but he removed himself
immediately when the conversaton arose and 'nne handled her mother with a manipulatve slyness so
subtle only her cousins caught onto her schemes.
*o ma3er how o(en !ady Catherine pushed her daughter towards 8arcy whenever he deigned to visit=
'nne was ust as shrewd as she was stubborn.
4is ears caught the crea,ing of the door hinge and automatcally he stepped deeper into the shadows of
the curtains. '(er last night)s almost compromise by 5iss Bingley he had no mind to be trapped with
her for any length of tme lest she repeat her designs.
#han,fully, however, it was not her, but 5iss Eli7abeth that appeared across from him, her hand on the
divan the two shared the night before-.
4e frowned, his brow furrowing in thought. 8id that happen though< 4e stll had not decided.
5iss Eli7abeth was dressed more appropriately than she was last night %if that were real and not some
fantasy his alcohol induced mind formulated&, but she seemed ust as cautous as then as she ga7ed
about the room, her 2ne eyes loo,ing, searching for something-
4er eyes landed on the glass cup a quarter full with half+melted ice.
Dell, at least he ,new he dran, last night.
/So it was real,0 she murmured.
In the silence of the library, her whisper was louder than a shout as her hand on her mouth gently
tapped her slightly trembling lips.
8arcy felt his eyes bulge.
8id they do something compromising the night before< Dhy had he not remembered it< 8amn it all, I
,new I should not have had that e"tra glass of brandyC
Before he could curse himself further, 5iss Eli7abeth le( the room.
.
's per his valet)s suggeston that morning before brea,fast, 8arcy had planned to casually drop a tdbit
of conversaton shared with 5iss Eli7abeth the night before and observe if it brought about any reacton.
In his less than sober state, most of their conversaton would be inapplicable to the tas,, than,fully=
however, he could menton 5iss !ucas.
't brea,fast she refused to meet his eye in conversaton and only deigned the most minimal of answers.
5iss Bennet, having oining them for the morning meal, loo,ed to her sister while to 5iss Bennet)s right,
Bingley had given 8arcy a bemused loo, and a coc,ed brow.
'n e"pression that laughingly as,ed him, /Dhat on earth are you doing man<0
' part of 8arcy agreed with the silent queston of his friend, but for some reason the desire to have last
night con2rmed seemed to spur him to turn into a tal,atve idiot.
5iss Bingley tried to capitali7e on this, but she was pointedly ignored and than,s to 4urst, was diverted
with unimportant questons the older gentleman had no desire to ,now the answer to$
/5r. 8arcy, 5r. Dhite has educated me as you have suggested, on the trees in the estate,0 5iss Bingley
began, trying to appear sweet, however her pencil drawn eyebrows were angled in a loo, of anger.
4urst interected, /Caroline, I believe my !ouisa has go3en a le3er from her dressma,er, the newest
fashions have ta,en over !ondon. 're you going to get your wardrobe redone<0
4e would have to than, 4urst with as much alcohol as he wanted for 8arcy was never touching the stu9
again. #he few tmes he caught 5iss Eli7abeth staring at him from the peripheral of his vision, her 2ne
eyes lost in thought and a gentle blush dressing her chee,s, however, had him wondering if another
drin, would not hurt.
'(er fast was bro,en and everyone went about their occupatons, 8arcy tried to follow 5iss Eli7abeth to
wherever she planned to go so that he may a3empt conversaton.
Sadly she evaded him, stc,ing oddly to 5iss Bingley)s side as she politely queried as 4urst had earlier
about inconsequental things.
4e treaded a(er her at a respectable pace and entered rooms a(er a certain amount of tme. Dhen they
entered the library, he paused as a servant greeted him with a le3er from Femberley.
8eciding that was good enough reason to be in the library where she currently was, 8arcy made his way
purposely towards the writng staton and began to pretend to write. 4aving ta,en a route through one
of the few shelves lined with boo,s and completely avoiding the two young ladies, they had no idea of
his presence untl they came into view of him siBng diligently behind the des,.
5iss Bingley t3ered and simpered while 5iss Eli7abeth tried to edge away.
It was unfortunate for her that 5iss Bingley notced that his a3enton was not on herself, but rather her
companion.
/5iss Eli7a, I believe I have educated you enough about the re2ned society of !ondon, now I believe it is
tme for us to begin our improvements. #he mind is a wonderful thing and boo,s are absolute treasures,
I insist we stay and read the few my brother has procured.0
/;h that is ,ind of you 5iss Bingley, but really I +0
/Come, come 5iss Eli7a, you are leaving us today and I absolutely insist upon your companyC0
She murmured something of an agreement and twenty minutes later the two ladies were seated on the
divan across from the writng des,.
5iss Bingley was casually lounging, her chest pu9ed out as much as she was able and her s,irt hi,ing up
in the most suggestve way, her painted eyebrow ridges were feigned into an e"pression of concentraton
while her wrists 1ashed dramatcally with each turn of a page to a boo, she was pretending to read.
5iss Eli7abeth, in contrast to 5iss Bingley)s a3empts to put herself at the best advantage, was siBng
stoc, stll and tense on the far end of the divan, perched near the edge of her seat as if to 1ee in any
instance.
4is brow furrowed in thought. Dhat on earth had a he done to her<
' boo, hit the table and 5iss Bingley rose from her seat.
;bviously he had been staring at 5iss Eli7abeth for too long and so began to wal, as noisily as she could
to a3ract his a3enton instead, ta,ing laps around the room and casually loo,ing over her shoulder to
see if her plan had wor,ed.
4owever, he only notced his mista,e in paying too much outward a3enton to 5iss Eli7abeth and
lowered his ga7e bac, to the wor, he was pretending to do, pen in hand and eyes forced onto the blan,
page before him.
4e did not loo, up again.
/5iss Eli7a,0 5iss Bingley announced in her desperaton, /let me persuade you to follow my e"ample and
ta,e a turn about the room I it is quite refreshing when one has been siBng at the same lattude for as
long as we have.0
*ot bro,ering any arguments, she grabbed 5iss Eli7abeth by the wrist, looping their arms together as
she urged them into the same circuit she had been wal,ing for over a quarter of an hour.
Suddenly amused by this entre thing, a smile 2nally wove its way onto her lips and 8arcy)s a3enton was
more on her then ever. Hnconsciously he cast his pen aside, leaned bac, into his chair and watched.
8irectly he was as,ed to oin them and to that he answered that their motves for the turn about the
room would be disrupted if he were to accept the invitaton. 4is tone was 1at and for some reason a
dimple on 5iss Eli7abeth)s chee, appeared.
4is own dimple mimic,ed the acton and 5iss Bingley practcally sprang on him despite posing a
queston to the young lady she was dragging about, /;h my, whatever can he mean 5iss Eli7a, do you
,now<0
/*ot at all,0 she answered, /but depend upon it= if he intends to be severe the best way to disappoint
him is to not as, him.0
's e"pected, 5iss Bingley was incapable of it and pleaded for a response which he gave with as straight
a face and in as 1at a tone as he could. />ou either choose this method of passing the tme because you
are in each other)s con2dence or because you are conscious that your 2gures are at a greater advantage
in wal,ing I if it is the 2rst, I would simply be in your way, if the second, I am perfectly content to admire
you from here.0
/4ow shoc,ing= however shall we punish him for saying such abominable things<0
/Dhy you pic, one and use it to your advantage,0 5iss Eli7abeth replied archly as if spea,ing to a small
child, /if you wish to punish him you must do so with the optons he has given you, we shall see who
wins then.0
'greeing with 5r. 8arcy 5iss Bingley could do. /Dhy 5iss Eli7a and I are in con2dence sir, is that not
right 5iss Eli7a<0
/;h dear, I did not reali7e. I simply thought we were wal,ing to our advantage,0 she answered in feigned
surprise, /a(er all it pleases him to watch us did he not say<0
/;h yes indeedC Shall we wal, on sir< De would not wish to stop your admiraton of us.0
6rom beside her, 5iss Eli7abeth suppressed a laugh, her free arm wrapping around her slender waist as
she tried to stop her sides from spliBng. Dith her eyes twin,ling his way, a smile on her lips and her
2gure to its full advantage, 8arcy found something else to do whilst he waited to have a proper
conversaton with 5iss Eli7abeth as he pic,ed his pen up again.
/By all means madam, do as you li,e. I am quite content.0
.
It too, another quarter of an hour to be rid of 5iss Bingley when a servant called and was prompted to
depart.
#o Eli7abeth)s relief, the library door was le( wide open with 5iss Bingley)s maid a3ending personally to
the pair that remained. 's she became conscious of how she must appear, she regre3ed staying in the
library once more.
Ferhaps it was a bad idea to remain seated on the divan, boo, in hand as she read for she could hardly
see the words anymore because she was smiling rather ridiculously at the pages before her.
/Is something amusing madam<0
/*othing at all sir,0 she answered, her eyes 1ic,ering up to meet his from over the pages of her boo,. 4is
ga7e was intense, but all she could picture was him in his cups, promising Femberley and o9ering to live
in a woodpile on this very divan. 4er 1ush was immediate and her eyes fell.
/'re you well 5iss Eli7abeth<0
/I am well,0 she answered, feeling even more ridiculous.
/'re you quite sure<0
/I am well,0 she repeated more 2rmly as she had to her mirror a few hours past. /'nd you sir< 8id you
enoy watching us wal, to our advantage<0
' curve of the lip, a smile caught in a smir,. /Luite, as I said, I am content.0
/I believe you mean Gwere) sir, 5iss Bingley and I are no longer wal,ing about for your amusement.0
/'nd yet I am stll content,0 declared he.
/I imagine you slept well then,0 she observed, turning a page she had not even read. /5iss Bingley says
that her brother is quite irritable without sleep, I imagine you are as well.0
/#hat would be incorrect for that would mean 5iss Bingley ,new me.0
Eli7abeth only shrugged before turning to her boo, again, and when a small silence stretched, 5r. 8arcy
spo,e once more, /'nd if 5iss Bingley ,new me at all, she would ,now at least the basics about me.0
/Dell I am certain she is well informed on the estmaton of your estate, your name, your family and its
history.0
/;f course, it is something !ondon society teaches you,0 he said with a snort. /FuBng a price on a pig
before you even see it.0
/*ow sir, you as a pig< I hardly thin, that accurate, 'chilles would have thrown you more o(en and with
less consideraton for your fall than he does now. I imagine dropping you in a stream would be
unfavorable, as far as I have seen, 'chilles does not enoy the water.0
/'nd that is one of the things 5iss Bingley does not ,now, can you imagine what else she lac,s in
regards to me for you already have one on her by simply observing.0
/'h, but you see I am at an unfair disadvantage sir, I have not ,nown you as long as she has.0
/#rue, but as I have said, you already ,now me more than she does.0
#he challenge in his words bec,oned her, />ou li,e to read and write words of many syllables.0
/8id Bingley and Bennet tell you that<0
/Indeed. >ou also ma,e that face when you are upset by something someone has said, but only when
that someone is a person you ,now well or have any ,ind of favor towards.0
/#hat is another thing you ,now about me that 5iss Bingley does not.0
/4ow would you ,now sir, have you ever as,ed her<0
/'s,ed her< *o,0 he said, his face scrunching in that same way Eli7abeth had seen when 5r. Bingley said
something at his e"pense. /5iss Bingley does not as, she simply does, which is why she remains
selectvely ignorant of what I %and every other gentleman& feel about being compromised.0
It was sudden how the color drained from Eli7abeth)s face. Is he tal,ing about what happened here last
night<
8arcy too, her silence and her paler face as con2rmaton that he did something improper towards her
the evening before in this very same library and he gulped a breath for courage.
/5iss Eli7abeth I +0
/!i77yC0 5iss Bennet interrupted, stepping into the library while behind her a servant dragged the
Bennets) bags down the hallway.
/5ama has not yet answered my note and 5r. :ones has reported that I am well enough to leave. #he
carriage is ready for us, shall we go<0
.
Chapter twenty+two
.
/Dhat the blasted hell is that noise<0 Ben as,ed groggily, his throat stll dry and tght, his visage set in a
grimace as the morning sun strained against the glass of the window, the curtains o9ering no reprieve as
it was pulled aside.
Somewhere in the room, for Ben could not tell between the light hiBng him in the face and the amount
of blan,ets set on top of him, someone ts,+ed, /*ow Benamin really.0
/5ama<0
She stepped in line with the window, her form bloc,ing out the sun from his view and he almost sighed
in relief if a cough had not ra3led him. Immediately she was at his side, the sun)s light hiBng him in the
face once more as his mother fre3ed over him, pulling him into a siBng positon and slapping his bac,.
/4ill, get some water and more warm soupC0
/5ama,0 he tried to call out, but was helped bac, into a lying positon by his sister. In confusion, he
loo,ed up at her from the pillows set around him. /Ji3y<0
/.ood morning brother, how do you do<0
4e gave a wan smile. /;h right as rain, I was ust about to go riding this very minute.0
/I see your illness has not ruined your sense of humor,0 she said with a nod, already tuc,ing him in again.
/!ydia was geBng rather lonely e"ercising Fuc, alone and though she may adore ;beron, I believe the
beast is too loyal to you and struggles to do what our sister demands of him.0
/)Struggles)< ;ur sister !ydia, with a horse you say< ' singular thingC0
/Indeed, incredibly singular,0 she echoed, smoothing out her brother)s hair. /I believe you shall have a
bath soon brother, it is rather singular of you to be so smelly.0
Even in his less than stellar state, he pretended to loo, o9ended. /4ow is this< I smellC I disgust my
sister<0
/Eery much.0 She agreed obediently. /#he day before was not so bad and the day before that was not so
bad either, but this very day is di9erent. >ou smell as bad as the stables.0
/#hen you may fetch !ydia to play my nurse= she is always at the stables, I am sure she would not mind,0
he hu9ed to the giggles of his sister who leaned down to give him a hug.
/;h it is good to hear you spea, soC >ou have been rather dull since yesterday.0
Smiling, he pa3ed her hand. /I am sorry to worry you dear one, it is ust that :ane)s conditon worries
me.0
/>ou were not to ,now that she was not feeling be3er.0
/>es, but Gts not my fault 5r. :ones told mama of :ane outside my door,0 Ben waved o9. /I am sic,, not
deaf.0
/>ou may as well be deaf Benamin,0 5rs. Bennet declared, siBng on the edge of his bed at Ji3y)s side
and giving him a stern loo, while behind her 4ill and a servant set down teacups, a brea,fast tray and
some neatly folded towels.
/De have been praying for yours and :ane)s health for hoursC ' vigil untl morning light was hardly
su@cientC0 ?eaching over to smooth out his hair as Ji3y once did, his mother frowned at him, her hand
trailing from his fair loc,s to his chee, and under his chin ust before her frown dipped and the sadness
in her eyes beseeched him for his wellbeing.
Ji3y felt their mother)s quiet sorrow and leaned against her side, arms wrapped about her in an o9er of
comfort.
/5ama,0 he unwillingly croa,ed, pausing to clear his throat. /5ama, I promise you, I am well.0
/5y dearest child, do not lie to your mother.0
/I would never try mama, with so many cunning children you are well versed at discovering the truth.0
She mirrored the quir, of his lips, and tapped his nose lightly. /It is best you remember that then
Benamin, now rest, your sisters have wri3en to tell me that they are coming home and I have not yet
decided if !i77y is simply playing me the fool.0
/Coming home<0 Ji3y echoed. /;h mama, surely not, not if :ane is as ill as 5r. :ones said she wasC0
/'s I have said, I have not yet found out whether she intends to bring :ane home, but if so I need to
ensure they are ,ept from that Collins man.0 't the menton of the cousin, her face scrunched in disli,e.
Ben laughed at the resemblance in his mother)s e"pression and Ji3y)s.
/Is the man so terrible<0
/;h brother, you do not yet ,nowC De have had only the pleasure of brea,ing fast with the man and I
disli,e him soC0
/*ow Ji3y, you are sounding very much li,e !ydia, maybe you should visit *ether2eld and have !i77y)s
company once more,0 he suggested.
't the sour e"pression on her second youngest, 5rs. Bennet chuc,led and ,issed her lightly on the
forehead. /8o not suggest such things= if she were to spend some tme scheming with !i77y I have no
doubt that they will 2nd a way to singlehandedly chase that odious man right out of 4erKordshire.0
/'nd that is that truly a bad thing mama<0
.
/.oodness the weather today is simply beautful,0 Eli7abeth noted, peering out the glass of the carriage.
Sunlight danced through the bare branches of the trees, clouds shooed away by a crisp autumn bree7e
and a formaton of birds chasing right a(er them.
!eaving *ether2eld as she had, she was caught between being grateful for such a departure and being
worried about the consequence of leaving at such an importune tme. #hough why 2nding out she may
have compromised 5r. 8arcy rather than 5iss Bingley could lead to such con1ictng emotons, she could
not be sure.
;f course the discovery that she may be forced to wed the gentleman from the *orth was disconcertng,
but it did not seem so terribly horrible-#o be sure= she abhorred the thought of entrapping a husband,
however, 5r. 8arcy did not appear to be disgusted by the thought of marriage to her-
Eiolently, she shoo, her head. *o, that is a dangerous thought.
5r. 8arcy did not appear to be angry about her compromising him, but he made no move to do what
was dictated when such a thing occurred= propose marriage.
'ccording to his own mannerisms and .eorgiana)s le3ers, he was a man that upheld the rules of society
to the best of his ability, and yet he would be perfectly content to not do right by her and leave her in a
compromised state<
Even if no one saw them, even if nothing had truly even happened= something did. 'nd though he ,new,
he was doing nothing about it< *o, that isn)t entrely true. 4e was going to say something, I am sure of
it, if only :ane had not interrupted us. If only she had waited a moment or two more-
#hen what would that have yielded< She wondered, and immediately her face heated and she shoo, her
head again. It is impossible for me to 2nd something good about forcing a gentleman into matrimony=
even if the gentleman is ,ind towards his sister and is perfectly content with me having an opinion.
She felt herself being angry then at 2nding that she was ustfying the actons of last evening.
8espite 5r. 8arcy being in his cups, she did not behave li,e a lady and leave immediately. She stayed and
indulged him which made her ust as bad as 5iss Bingley for surely the *ether2eld lady would have
indulged him in his state of vulnerability as well.
'lready her head was throbbing, and tentatvely she touched her temples.
/;h !i77y, are you well<0
/I am well :ane, do not fret= a tri1e headache.0
Instead of prying more, as was her wont when something did not seem right, :ane merely nodded and
loo,ed away distractedly, gnawing at her lower lip.
/:ane< 're you well<0
/I-.I am-0
/:ane.0
.rey eyes darted from the window to her sister, and she 2sted the material of s,irt already in her hands.
/;h :ane, whatever is the ma3er<0
Dith the curious and an"ious ga7e of her sister on her, she wretched her hands away and covered her
face, cho,ing bac, a sob. Immediately Eli7abeth)s arms stole around her. #hough confused by the surge
of emotons by her usually staid older sibling, her need to protect her family far outweighed that.
/Sweetng, oh sweetng do not weep so. Dhatever has caused you such distress<0
In her arms, :ane)s muAed voice answered, /5r. Bingley-0
/Dhatever could he have done<0
/I-It was not something he did per say, but rather what he did not-0
#hough Eli7abeth was perple"ed by this, she rubbed her sister)s bac, in encouragement, allowing :ane a
moment to gather her composure.
/I heard 5rs. 4urst spea,ing to 5r. 4urst-and oh-!i77y, it is terrible-0 ?ubbing soothing circles on her
bac,, she silently prodded her sister for more. /5r. 4urst was saying how 2ne a match 5r. Bingley and I
were, how happy I have made him even when I am incapacitated-I-0
She swallowed thic,ly and nu77led herself closer into the embrace. /I was happy with that, I should have
le( then for I ,now from 5rs. 4urst that it is high praise indeed if her husband claims to li,e or approve
of anything-but I was a sel2sh creature and I paid for it-0
It too, her a few more moments to gather herself before she 2nished quietly, /5rs. 4urst laughed and
told her husband that 5r. Bingley would never thin, of marrying me. #heir mother would not have it and
neither would 5iss Bingley. But she told 5r. Bingley to enoy me= my smiles and my beauty. I would
ma,e a good wife to loo, to, said she, but even if he loved me he must ta,e 5r. 8arcy)s word into
account. #hat 5r. Bingley is far richer than our family= that from what he %5r. 8arcy& has seen of our
mother)s behavior that it is li,ely we would be fortune hunters...0
:ane too, a deep breath again. /5r. 4urst had no ,ind word for me then, he only said it would not be the
2rst tme that unmarried sisters tried to ma,e use of their brother)s favorable connectons. ;h !i77y,
might I have been wrong about 5r. Bingley< 4as my behavior towards him lowered how they view our
brother<0
/;h :ane-0
/Dhat is worse dear !i77y is that throughout this entre e"change, 5r. Bingley, who was indeed present
for this conversaton, was silent.0 #ears rolled freely down her chee,s and as usual, :ane tried to rub
them o9 as if to erase their e"istence. /4e had no defense for me, and certainly I did not e"pect that he
would defend me to his relatons, but-0
#he older Bennet girl stopped herself then, brushing her tears more furiously from her face.
/I cannot cry, not when we are to go home to our family. I cannot be in this state, it will worry mama and
I am sure she will fret enough about me being moved from *ether2eld so soon a(er I am recovered.0
/Sweetng it is all right to cry-0
She shoo, her head determinately. /I cannot !i77y. If I were to cry for every gentleman that has
disappointed me +0
/>ou would cry only once,0 her sister interected. /'nd it would not be in vain. 4e hurt you deeply by
being silent and there is nothing wrong in shedding tears for it. >ou ,now now what ,ind of man he is,
and you are be3er for it lest you fall for him so completely that no potons can cure you. *ot even the
presence of 5r. Stewart will aid you to healthC0
:ane laughed at such an absurdity. /*o !i77y, I fear I am beyond the rescuing by any suitor= gentleman
with sense or without. I thin, I must save myself this tme.0
/Save yourself you will= no one else is stronger than my dearest sister.0 Eli7abeth brushed away a stray
teardrop and smiled. /But do not fear= you are not alone. #he Bennet children stc, together, when one
enters a war, the rest of us shall ta,e up arms to aid youC0
.
/4ow curious.0
/Indeed.0
/'nd is it so<0
/I fear it loo,s to be. I ,now that the informaton is rather disheartening considering what 5iss !ucas has
done for your sister, but would it not be a danger if you at least did not inform your cousin<0
/It would be dangerous indeed, being ignorant is more a curse than any, I worry, however, that ?ichard
will not heed my warnings.0
/Dould he queston you so<0
/If he is as half in love with 5iss !ucas as both .eorgiana and 'nne has told me he is, then ?ichard will
refuse and believe what he wishes. 5ores the pity, he would thin, me of trying to ruin his happiness
instead of trying to protect him.0
/'nd has not his mother wri3en to him about the danger of being infatuated with one of her staton<0
/I am aware that she is concerned, but in all honesty ?ichard has always been a be3er udge in character
than most. I have no doubt that !ady 6it7william will place her tentatve trust in him.0
/>et you are worried stll<0 Bingley observed. /5iss !ucas you have said= wor,s very hard, is a3entve
and diligent to 5iss 8arcy)s needs and a proper young lady despite not being born genteel. 's you have
told me as well, 5rs. ?eynolds is most impressed with her and your house,eeper is rarely impressed
with anyone. 5iss !ucas does not bare the opportunistc qualites of a fortune hunter.0
/But the situaton she is in is most opportune as you yourself have noted,0 8arcy reminded. /She may be
all these things, but when a gentleman that is both ttled and rich comes along, how am I to ,now that
she will remain as I have ,nown her<0
/Dell she has not tried to compromise you.0
/#hat is true, but I have not been too long at Femberley and as you, ?ichard and Bennet are so fond of
telling me, I am a most intmidatng person with whom anyone would wish to compromise.0
/>ou would be worth the catch as Caroline has proved,0 Bingley pointed out with a sigh and a sha,e of
his head. /#his le3er from your cousin and what you have divulged of the evening with my sister is most
distractng. I can hardly focus on any conversaton at allC I fear I was frighKully dull this entre morningC0
/Be3er I distract you then allow you to be void with the missing of your angel.0
/#hat is true.0 4e shoo, his head again. /'h, and I was so diverted with what has occurred that I had not
even the opportunity to wish her adieu or hand her into the carriage.0
/;r plot some charade of sorts that gets the Bennet sisters another stay in *ether2eld,0 8arcy stated
dryly to the chee,y smile of his companion.
/>ou would certainly not complain.0
5oving a chess piece across the board, Bingley chuc,led. /It is be3er I thin, that we have this tme
apart. 'bsence ma,es the heart grow fonder and it will prove to you that my feelings for 5iss Bennet do
not e"pire in the hour.0
/Ferhaps, but I have no doubt I shall be at the receiving end of your entertainment now that you can no
longer pine at 5iss Bennet)s door.0
/>es, and you shall brood alone without the delighKul company of her sister-0
8arcy)s colour rose. /BingleyC0
4e held his hands up in defense. /I am estngC I li,e 5iss Eli7abeth, not as much as you I am sure, but
enough that I would not spea, crudely of her.0
/I reali7e that.0
/#hen why do you colour so<0
4e grunted. 4aving le( out the earlier details of his compromising of Eli7abeth, 8arcy wished to ensure
that her reputaton was safeguarded for the moment before he decided to act. 'nd he would act.
Eventually.
;f all the things he had done, proposing was not something he had any e"perience in. 4e hu9ed through
his nose.
/I thin, 8arcy, that we shall see who brea,s 2rst and visits !ongbourn,0 Bingley was saying as he watched
the taller man move another chess piece across the board. /6irst to suggest or leave for a call to the
house in the ne"t two days will pay the other in shillings.0
/#wo days< >ou are only assured that you shall last two days away from her<0 It will ta,e more than two
days to prepare for a proposal, thought he.
Bingley shrugged, una9ected. /I want her to miss me, not forget me. Come now man, must I teach you
the basics on how to woo a woman< 's your unior, I would thin, it would be the other way aroundC0
.
Chapter twenty+three
.
It was with bi3er relief that Charlo3e received her notce of dismissal. She ,new ?ichard)s family would
act once .eorgiana began to tease of their imminent engagement.
#heir relatonship was wrong, socially and economically mismatched I he was a lord= ttled and rich I
everything she was not. Cast out of her family, practcally penniless and only the good word of the two
families she had ever wor,ed for to o9er her life support I she ,new how it appeared.
?ichard had been too stubborn to see reason and she wanted to ,eep .eorgiana out of the feud that
would li,ely ensue.
I have caused enough havoc as it is, she thought, folding the note neatly on her lap.
4is family must be furious. 'nd he will ,now, surely that they intervened. 4er hand cupped her lips as
her eyes 1u3ered shut.
4er father)s words were already echoing in her head$ /!ove< 5arry for love< ' fool)s goldC0 It seemed
right at the tme to stand up for her childish belief of marrying for nothing less, but now that she had
found love= it truly was fool)s gold. 4ow rich that gold made her feelC
But perhaps it was not love= she considered reasonably, merely infatuaton. Das that not fool)s gold, a
counterfeit of the reality<
?ichard had been ,ind, interested, easily amused and obliging I he was a proper gentleman. 4e had his
faults of course, his horrible taste in music, his la7y haughter, his habit of wa,ing up at dawn and
insistng she play him a concerto of some obscure musician neither of them partcularly enoyed for the
sole purpose of laughing at it-4e meant well, that she ,new.
6or all her de2ciencies, Charlo3e ,new her udgment in one)s character could not be faulted. 4er
instncts were rarely ever at ends, in fact loo,ing bac, she had nothing to regret.
*ot even going against her father)s wish to marry the 2rst man who as,ed.
Chuc,ling to herself, she wondered if she would have done the same if somehow she ,new that ?ichard
would come along, what a thing that would beC 4owever, I would not have met him if I had stayed in
4erKordshire, and I would be married to someone else-
Swallowing the lump in her throat, she got up from her chair across the 2re and began to pac,.
.
/5y dear :ane, tell me what is wrong.0 It was a gentle request, a move 5rs. Bennet had been playing
since her daughters) return from *ether2eld two days past. Ben had insisted that she spend some tme
with her for was it ust his imaginaton or did she loo, very heartsic,<
't 2rst 5rs. Bennet fre3ed that :ane had caught ill again, having been removed so soon a(er her
miraculous recovery, and so was tempted to scold Eli7abeth. 4owever, before she could 2nd the words,
her wild daughter only shoo, her head with a sigh and said, /She is only sad, though I cannot say why.
Ferhaps mama, it is best you leave Ben to recover and wait for :ane to spea,<0
#he matriarch would not thin, of it. 4er child= unhappy< *ot under her roof if she could help itC 4er
eldest was in isolaton, never spea,ing unless spo,en to and barely even thenC She would not deign to
laugh at anything despite her father)s best e9orts, nor gently chide the foolishness of her young sisters.
*o, her daughter would not be unhappy any longerC
6ocusing very hard on the sttch she was doing, :ane did not loo, up to reply, /*othing is wrong 5ama, I
assure you.0
5rs. Bennet frowned, seeing through her eldest)s act.
#his was of course, the very same girl that pretended she was not upset when the family cat died despite
the fact that she spent almost the whole night at the small creature)s grave. #his was also the same girl
that pretended anger at Eli7abeth)s fall from a horse and Ji3y)s fall from the roof even though she spent
two months straight at their bec, and call. It was a wonder indeed that her eldest was not at her
brother)s side day and night since her return.
#hough it was understandable why she was not at his assistance with that Collins) man so constantly at
Ben)s side.
/Is it his fault my :ane, that you are so obviously wary<0
Stopping abruptly in her needlewor,, she stared at the hand,erchief she had been occupied with
embroidering for the past two days with religious dedicaton. /G4e), mama<0
/5r. Collins.0
/;h-It is not mama, I ust-0
/#hen if it is not him, is it our Ben<0
/Ben will be well= he is too stubborn to succumb to illness.0 'lmost involuntarily, she pa3ed her mother)s
hand in comfort before returning to her actvity.
/If not Ben, then surely it must be 5r. Stewart. 8o not fear sweetng, I am sure he shall propose soonC0
#he see+sawing of her mother)s choice in her future husband was constant, as long as she was wed, :ane
supposed, her mother was content. 4owever, in her sense of melancholy, she answered in the negatve,
/*o mama, I do not wish him to.0
/Dhy, why not my :ane< ;h, I thin, I ,now= is it 5r. 8arcy dear I have you found that you li,e him a(er
all<0 E"cited and all a 1u3er, her mother cha3ered, /Dhy you are a smart girl indeed, are you not<0
/*o, not him mama.0
/*ot him< But then who my :ane<0
*ervously, she lic,ed her lips, and in the sadness of her daughter)s eyes= 5rs. Bennet had an epiphany.
/5r. Bingley<0
It was clear now that she had said his name aloud. Dhy had she not reali7ed it before< Surely with her
other daughters) approval of the match, :ane)s stay at *ether2eld and Eli7abeth)s ascertains of 5r.
Bingley)s a3entveness towards :ane= the two would surely esteem each otherC Hpon further re1ecton,
5rs. Bennet noted the similarity in their manners and behavior= it was not a horrible match at allC
:ane had not reali7ed it would pain her so to hear his name for suddenly she had to force herself to
swallow hard.
/;h my :ane +0
/5ama, I am 2ne.0
/8o not say such things especially when you do not feel so. ;h my :ane, what happened<0
#he eldest of her children was not a person to deny anything in the face of the truth, but there were
many things to say and no words to e"press it. /5ama, I should have listened to you.0
/8ear<0
Dords 1owed, sudden and startling from her that she could hardly control herself$ /I should have set my
cap upon 5r. 8arcy or a3empted to entrap 5r. Stewart, but I made a mista,e.0 ' pu9 of air was forced
out, a sound a,in to a sob shuddering out her throat. /I love him mama, and it is a mista,e.0
/5y dear no= never= it is not a mista,e to fall in love.0 4er mother)s embrace was 2erce and immediate.
/#ell me all that has happenedC 'nd do not lie to your mama againC #ell me all I is the Bennet family to
despise yet another gentleman so soon<0
' laugh, a surprise against lips that quivered for two days straight, tc,led her lips and :ane ,new she
could not stay in solitude any longer.
.
5r. Collins) arrival to !ongbourn a day previous to Eli7abeth and :ane)s return from *ether2eld was met
with varying degrees of interest, however brief and insigni2cant such interest was.
5r. Collins) was not any be3er than 5r. Stewart and alas, less fascinatng to the patriarch who
speculated the e"tent of human oddites for sport. But, their father tu3ed, that was for them to decide.
4is win, gave :ane and Eli7abeth the understanding that their cousin was indeed a peculiarity and their
imminent introducton would be a test to their good manners.
#he man)s air of importance, his owning an overly artculate verbosity for compliments and the way he
was haughty towards everyone I as if it were their great honor to have him was met with an eerie
feeling of dOQ vu, courtesy of 5r. Stewart.
4owever, where 5r. Stewart had his eight thousand pounds, 5r. Collins had only his /esteemed
patroness, the ever condescending !ady Catherine 8e Bough0.
4is sense of enttlement, it seemed, came solely from his decision that Ben would pass from an in1icton
of almost a wee,. ;f which !ydia snorted disdainfully and 5r. :ones disagreed despite the clergyman)s
insistence$ /5y good sir, I 2nd that as a devoted servant to our .od that I have a very deep, meaningful
understanding with our !ord 6ather and I feel that I should impart the wisdom which he so rightly gives
onto me.0
Being an elderly man with many opportunites to be surrounded by the strange and nonsensical, 5r.
:ones nodded as he contnued to assess his patent. Consciously, the apothecary noted the twitch below
the young man)s eye, the only indicaton of how he felt about his cousin)s presence.
/Dell I, that is to say-0
Eli7abeth coc,ed a brow, causing him pause and gnawing away the con2dence he pretended to have. 5r.
Collins stammered, /Dell I-I feel that the young ladies need not be here for such an assessment as this
as I am sure their more tender sensibilites will not stand for it.0
/5y sisters are hardly the swooning types, cousin, you need not fret on their behalf,0 Ben stated with a
wave of the hand, shooing away !ydia)s o9er of tea.
She hu9ed, puBng the tea cup down noisily. /4ave something at least, how are you to get be3er
without the sustenance<0
/Cousin !ydia, the refusal of food is the desire to no longer maintain the hus, of human form, your
brother is merely acceptng the fate in which his soul wishes to ta,e= rest assured, I am here to give him a
safe passage to the everlastng life and secure his family from poverty.0
/So very profound,0 she replied sarcastcally, /pray was it not an e9ort to put your wits about in a single
sentence<0
/I assure you, I am perfectly at ease. *ot as well as I would li,e to be sure, but I am far from the gates of
Saint Feter,0 her brother interected= his tone frosty. 4is loo, to his youngest sister one of reproach, and
though she visibly de1ated her chin was raised in de2ance.
/>es, yes, the stubborn soul refuses to be reected from the life it thin,s is so secure, fret not cousin,
whence you pass your body shall be not a burden at all. I intend to do my Christan duty and assist your
family in all that I am capable of.0
/4ow ,ind,0 Eli7abeth murmured distractedly, notng with amusement the cross eyed e"pression of both
her siblings.
5r. :ones feigned a cough. /'s honorable as your intentons are 5r. Collins, I 2nd that such a declaraton
is unnecessary. >oung 5r. Bennet)s conditon has se3led and should be completely cured within a few
days.0
/'s it is the choice of our righteous lord.0
Eyes rolled throughout the room ust as 5ary pee,ed her head in. /Is everything all right<0
/'ll is well 5iss 5ary +0
/I am afraid you should be most worried and yet not, Cousin 5ary, it is a true parado",0 5r. Collins
declared reverently.
!ydia)s eyes almost fell out of her head.
/I am feeling fantastc 5ary, in fact, tell the stable+hand I wish ;beron to be ready to ride within the
hour,0 Ben called ovially before brea,ing into a cough strong enough to result in a horribly violent
spasm.
4is bedroom door was thrown open= 5ary and Ji3y rushing forward to his aid while Eli7abeth searched
among the apothecary)s potons for something to relieve his ailment.
5r. Collins) found it appropriate to begin to pray.
'nd it was the ruc,us of his sisters) nerves, the vapors of 5r. :ones) concoctons and 5r. Collins) eulogy
that Ben lost consciousness.
.
Chapter twenty+four
.
#he Sunday 5ass was a3ended with some impatence. Bingley)s feet were tapping to igging to pacing
from the gro3o to where the carriages awaited their occupants. Churchgoers had greeted them when
the service was over, and any inquires about the gentleman)s health was answered with varying degrees
of annoyance. 5ostly from 8arcy.
4e and 4urst had been witnesses to Bingley)s an"iety for the past two days.
4urst had watched on in amusement as Bingley tried to choose pride over his growing a3achment to the
eldest 5iss Bennet while 8arcy had rolled his eyes consistently throughout the li3le wager.
Bingley admi3ed defeat late into the 2rst day, at almost three o)cloc,, the *ether2eld gentleman
travelled to !ongbourn with the hope of seeing his angel and possibly being invited to dinner.
It was to everyone)s surprise when he returned, not an hour later, loo,ing dismayed and confused. #he
refusal of the Bennets to entertain him, to what reason, no one in *ether2eld could ascertain and it was
with that mindset that he a3ended mass.
4is sister was su@ciently annoyed into the service as her brother)s leg igged every spare second and
5rs. 4urst grew equally e"asperated as he tramped her toe more than once trying to see over people)s
heads.
#he spectacle he was ma,ing of himself was simply to see whether 5iss Bennet was in a3endance, to his
horror, she was not= her family pew consisted of her mother, 5iss Eli7abeth, 5iss !ydia, 5iss 5ary and a
gentleman no one had seen before.
#hroughout the sermon, Bingley sent questoning glances at 8arcy, and contnued in a state of agitaton
untl he was free to wal, about.
8arcy watched him pace and mumble untl he caught sight of the Bennets leaving the church.
?eali7ing that Bingley had wal,ed himself into a stupor on the other side of the courtyard, he stepped
forward to greet them.
/;h, 5r. 8arcy, how nice it is to see you,0 she greeted, too withdrawn for the ubilance 8arcy was used
to. Everything about her seemed wea,$ her pale s,in, her tred eyes even her hair appeared ma3ed as if
devoid of any energy. Behind her, her daughters appeared equally sedated.
/Fardon me for interruptng you, but Bingley wishes to spea, to you.0
/I am sorry sir, but my family will no longer be entertaining that gentleman,0 there was a sudden
2erceness in her eyes as she visibly straightened, her voice returning in the same snap, /.ood day 5r.
8arcy.0
/5r. 8arcyC0
6rom behind the three Bennet girls, a gentleman I short and thin, umped forth, grabbing at air in an
a3empt to catch his hand in greetng. /5r. 8arcy sir, it is a pleasure to meet youC0
4e could not understand where the gentleman came to ,now of him, or where the man even came from
but he was suddenly arrested by some sort of speech delivered with such solemnity that the bright
Sunday morning had hidden amidst storm clouds for the remainder of the man)s presence.
#o the enquiry of his health, he answered with distant civility, reali7ing almost a moment too late that
the Bennets were forced to remain with the length of their discourse.
/'nd you are<0
/'h yes, introductons are indeed an orderC0 #urning to spy an available sister, he called on 5iss 5ary,
/8earest cousin, will you not do us the honor<0
;ver 5iss 5ary)s head and the gentleman)s eager bobbing in place, 8arcy watched Bingley spea, to
5iss Eli7abeth. 4is a3empt to read their lips was horrible, but his a3enton returned to the man before
him as the words$ /5r. Collins0, /4unsford0 and /!ady Catherine 8e Bough0 sprang up in the
conversaton he had forgo3en he was part of.
*ot even ten seconds into the e"change did 8arcy reali7e that a 5r. Stewart was before him and fawning
at his feet, and so it was no surprise that a vein was startng to protrude from his forehead as 5r. Collins
rambled about everything and nothing.
#he things he did for Bingley.
.
It was only for a sense of privacy did they move to the gro3o within everyone)s sights, but away from
everyone)s ears. !ydia and her mother watched from the carriage, e"changing conscious loo,s as they
tried to converse as normal with their neighbors.
!ydia had been the one who wanted to spea, to 5r. Bingley, to tell him to leave :ane alone, but 5rs.
Bennet was correct in assuming that !ydia would hardly be discreet about it.
#hough that was not to say that Eli7abeth was doing much be3er, /4ow dare you<0
#he gentleman recoiled, but the confusion had not le( him. /Dhat do you mean<0
/4ow dare you come to my home to as, to see :ane a(er what you did<0
/Dhat I did<0 5r. Bingley repeated. /I have done nothing but care for herC0
/>et you allow your family to abuse her<0
#o this he was silent and Eli7abeth made a sound of disgust. />ou had me fooled sir, you had me thin,
that you truly care for my sister, but you are ust as bad as 5r. Stewart.0
/5iss Eli7abeth.0 5r. 8arcy approached, and bowed before her. /I hope all is well<0
/*o sir, it is not,0 she declared, bristling at the calming voice he seemed to be using, as if she were a wild
horse he had to brea,. /'nd my family would appreciate it if you and the rest of your company would not
bother us again.0
/5iss Eli7abeth, I hardly thin, that is necessary, please let me tal, to :ane,0 5r. Bingley begged.
/It is 5iss Bennet to you sir, brea,ing her heart does not give you the privilege of her given name. .ood
day.0
/Be ratonal 5iss Eli7abeth, can you not see that Bingley has no understanding of what it is you are so
furious about<0
/I am not a child= do not spea, to me as if I am. If he does not ,now what he has done wrong then you
have surely taught him well, a(er all, being compromised by two ladies in one night ma,es you pro2cient
in such things.0
Dith more 1ounce than she probably intended, 5iss Eli7abeth le( them and the two gentlemen stared
wide eyed at each other. 't the same tme, they u3ered aloud, /Dhat did you do<0
.
Ji3y was amusing herself as she usually did, drawing images out of her head and spea,ing aloud to no
one. But no one would be a rude thing to say as Ben was lying only a few feet away.
4e had been asleep since yesterday and had not wo,en. Everyone within the walls of !ongbourn fre3ed
as 5r. :ones could o9er no e"planaton other than the fact that their heir was asleep. #he apothecary
had said that it was his body)s way of recovering= being awa,e was only wastng energy that could be
used to heal and so the Bennets watched Ben)s every breath, countng each one that le(.
Ji3y had counted twelve before she grew bored and decided that entertaining her sleeping brother
would be more fun.
She had woven story a(er story, illustratng as she went along. Every now and then, he seemed to
ac,nowledge it and Ji3y quite enoyed having an audience for her tales.
Sometme in the middle of a story, Ben moaned in his sleep, and Ji3y responded, /;h be calm dear
brother, the saga of our heroes will get be3er, it is a happy tale and so they shall not be lost to the storm
foreverC0
4e moved his head and the young girl decided that he was nodding in approval. /'h, but I wonder if
some romance can be applied to this account< Every story needs a love interestC0
' grunt. /Dell I ,now you do not have a young lady yet, but you never ,now, she could be on her way to
4erKordshire as we spea,. But I wonder what ,ind of lady you will have<0 Ji3y tapped the end of her
pencil against her chin. /4mm-will she be beautful<0
4e tossed. She rolled her eyes. /I suppose anything less will not do<0 4e tossed again.
/Dill she be smart<0
' nod. /Intelligence cannot be bought,0 she approved. /Dill she be wi3y<0 ' moan. /;h of course,
conversaton is importantC 'nything else you desire brother<0
Ben was stll, and then his nose scrunched. Ji3y burst into delighted laughter. /She will love your horseC
Dhy, do you not want her to love you<0
4e made a sound of annoyance.
/'h, well I suppose riding together will be your habit. Dill riding be how you shall fall in love with her<0
4e did not move any longer, but his breath evened out once more, but Ji3y was diverted stll and she
too, to drawing her future sister.
/I am sure mama will be thrilled,0 she proclaimed, and across the bed, :ane watched in wonder.
.
/.eorgiana I +0
/Dhy are you leaving me Charlo3e, did I do something wrong<0
/*o dear one, of course not +0
/#hen why are you going<0
#he lady)s lips thinned and she loo,ed down, the bonnet in her hand twistng in her grip. /If it were my
decision I would not, but it is simply my tme to go.0
/But I need you Charlo3eC0
/*o, you do not.0
/>es I doC0 She felt petulant, li,e the girls at the boarding school she had a3ended brie1y. Charlo3e was
permi3ed to her share of authority and respect. But the abandonment .eorgiana felt looming was not
something the young girl could bare. /Dhy are you leaving Charlo3e, please tell me-0
#he lady blin,ed rapidly, trying to banish the glassy sheen in her eyes. /I cannot, I would not want to be
the cause of any further trouble to you.0
/#rouble< >ou are not trouble Charlo3e, whatever could you mean<0
/8ear, I +0
#he an"ious twistng of the bonnet in her hands stlled and she worried her bo3om lip, before turning
quic,ly for the door as a manservant opened it, a carriage awaitng her outside.
0Charlo3e pleaseC0
/>ou will remember what I have taught you, will you not 5iss 8arcy<0
/;f course-0 #he strength .eorgiana had managed to procure slowly le( her and she watched
helplessly as her companion nodded bris,ly and le(. #he young girl followed quietly, and stood at the
doorway as Charlo3e climbed into the carriage.
/5iss !ucas, will you write to me<0
In the library overloo,ing the scene of an abandoned girl and the governess that had meant more to
their lives than either of them could fathom= ?ichard watched with narrowed eyes, crumpled in his hand
was a note baring the elegant hand of Femberley)s master.
/'lfred,0 ?ichard called, /prepare my bags, I am leaving for 4erKordshire.0
.
Chapter twenty+2ve
.
#he room was dimly lit, a slight mist of smo,e in the air from 4urst)s pipe. !eaning against the window
pane, Bingley stared out into the gardens while across from him at the des,= 8arcy was glaring at the
papers before him.
/Dhat have we done<0 Bingley murmured, practcally limping towards the divan.
/>es, what did you do<0 4urst as,ed, lounging on a wingbac, chair and observing his companions.
/Church should not ma,e you thus. .od should revive you, strengthen you and give you salvaton, not
sap you of your energy and leave you angry and drun,.0 4e snorted. /If that were the case I would have
died years ago, of anger or the bo3le I I prefer the la3er mind you, but the possibility stands.0 Dhen he
received no answer, the gentleman heaved a sigh and waved an arm about dramatcally. /4ere in lies the
angry, drun, and confused bachelors of the *orth I the temporary 5aster of *ether2eld and the
esteemed 5aster of Femberley. Behold them onloo,ers. #hey died of a natural cause$ Stupidity.0
/4urst,0 said the la3er gentleman impatently, /this is not the tme for your amusement in our pain.0
/#here is always tme.0
8arcy hu9ed, loudly rearranged the papers on his des,.
/Dill you tell me now what has dulled you both< 4as something happened<0
/;f course something has happened,0 Bingley answered, /it is the Bennets.0
/4as Bennet)s conditon worsened<0
/I had not even as,ed-0 ' similar loo, towards 8arcy garnered the same embarrassed shame.
/;h come now gentlemen, you do not mean to tell me you were so focused on your lady loves that you
completely forgot about your ailing friend<0
/Dell we +0
/5ade a wager, I remember,0 4urst reassured. /8o not worry= I inquired on both your behalves for the
past two days. *eedless to say, our young friend seems to be in a state of limbo I neither dead nor
alive.0
/4e cannot be that bad.0
/De do not ,now, only that he has not wo,en.0
/Dait,0 Bingley sat up. /4ow did you get into !ongbourn<0
/#hrough the door, as all normal people would.0
/But I was barred from itC0
/Dell they had no problem with me. In fact I even stayed awhile with 5r. Bennet and one of his
youngest, Ji3y was it< #o play bac,gammon at Bennet)s bedside while 5iss Ji3y drew us.0
/#his does not ma,e senseC 5iss Eli7abeth told me that I bro,e :ane)s heart because I let my family
abuse her, and yet she sees them<0
/5iss Bennet seemed uncomfortable with my presence, but that could be a3ributed to her brother)s
conditon. In fact considering that we did not spea, during her stay in *ether2eld, I can con2dently say
that she was much the same as she was then albeit a bit more distant than I remember.0
/'nd yet with the 2erceness her sister answered me with, :ane must have been hurt deeplyC I cannot
understand from whereC0
/4ave you loo,ed to your sisters< De all ,now their reputaton for ,indness could be be3er.0
6or a fracton of a second, he loo,ed doubKul, but then he considered it and sighed. /Dhat could they
have said that they have not already< #he dinner with them and 5r. Stewart was a prime e"ample of
their temperaments and yet :ane bore it perfectly.0
/Ferhaps,0 4urst suggested, /her illness caused a delay in understanding what was around her<0
8arcy cleared his throat. /I hardly doubt that any form of malady would a9ect the acuteness of her mind.
She is a Bennet, and from what we have observed from all the sisters is that none of them lac,
intelligence of any ,ind.0
/#rue enough, but then what else could it be<0
Dith a sound of frustraton, Bingley lay bac, down on the divan. /Dhy are women so confusing<0
/)ts the way they are made.0
/Could it be that 5iss Eli7abeth is simply actng as a protectve sibling< Surely she must have blown the
situaton out of proporton if you cannot understand what you have done wrong.0
*odding, 4urst added, /5iss Bennet appears a fragile, forgiving creature, it would not be wrong to thin,
5iss Eli7abeth is simply doing her duty as a loving sister and doing all that is possible to protect her
family in a way that her sibling herself cannot.0
/But that would imply that whatever I have done must have caused her great sadness.0
/It would have to be.0
/#o hurt someone so severely,0 Bingley mused on, /one must mean something to that person.0
/#he greater the signi2cance of that person, the greater harm they would be able to do,0 4urst agreed.
' sudden shout strred the solemn environment before he leapt from the divan.
/.ood god Charles, what on earth<0
#urning to grin, almost manically at his friends, he answered, /She cares for meC 5y :ane cares for meC0
/Dhat<0
/If she did not, whatever slight I have dealt her would have meant nothing, but she is hurt 8arcy, 4urst,
can you not see< I have a9ected her in a way you cannot argue= she feels strongly for me, can you not
see this<0
/>es, and now she does not want to see you,0 8arcy reminded.
/I only need to spea, with her, to as, what I did wrong, and all will be well,0 Bingley claimed, /I shall do
whatever it is required to win bac, her a9ectonsC0 #he bound of energy had not dissipated and he had
ta,en to pacing the library, murmuring to himself, /I must get her favorite 1owers, I must spea, to her
father, I must 2nd out what I did wrong, I must ma,e it well again.0
4urst chuc,led, stc,ing the pipe bac, into his mouth and turning to 8arcy. /So, what did the revered
5aster of Femberley do to incite the ire of 5iss Eli7abeth Bennet<0
/Dhat ma,es you thin, I did anything at all<0
/*ow I may not have spo,en to her as o(en as you have, but I have a good sense about her and I ,now
that she is not the type of young lady to burn a forest and miss a fern. Surely you did not get out of that
horrid e"change between Bingley and her unscathed.0
/I did not.0
/#hen<0
8arcy 2lled a glass of port, too, a swing and leaned further into his chair. Steeling himself for the worst,
he u3ered, /I compromised her.0
.
It was midday and at !ongbourn 5anor, there was an odd feeling of apprehension, as if the collectve
heartbeats of their occupants had carelessly missed a signi2cant moment. #his unease was the reason
for Eli7abeth)s ramble in the estate)s garden.
*ormally she would have went o9 on a trail into the forests of 4erKordshire, but the li,elihood of
encountering 5r. 8arcy or any of the *ether2eld party made her agitated especially considering the
encounter the day before. 't the mere menton of the occurrence, her chee,s 1ushed a violent red and
she sat upon a stone bench in the garden.
6olding her arms and trying to calm her seething, she leaned against the tree behind the bench and
closed her eyes, conuring the most peaceful image she could.
4owever, the reminder of her less than stellar behavior a(er church was not very forgiving.
Constantly she reali7ed how much of a scene she must have made, how u3erly rude the entre thing
was= no tact, no control, she was the worst ,ind of enraged. But, she defended, she could not be faulted.
It was not her who bro,e :ane)s heart. 'nd that man had the nerve to pretend he ,new nothingC
6ists clenched, Eli7abeth surmised that it was simply one of 5r. Bingley)s tric,s.
4ad not 5r. 8arcy and Ben told her how o(en it was that 5r. Bingley had Gfallen in love)< Everything 5r.
Bingley appeared to have had with :ane was probably all a ploy to ta,e advantage of young, naRve
country maidens= innocent in the ways of the town gentlemen.
4e must have learnt it from 5r. 8arcy. #he insu9erable man that shied away from !ondon society only to
be compromised by not one, but two ladies, and he had done nothing about itC Fossibly because 5iss
Bingley had not the status of landed gentry and Eli7abeth lac,ed economically to enrich his life.
4e would probably have proposed to someone of his standing= someone with wealth, sophistcaton,
connectons.
She was simply not enough. 'nd because he deemed 5r. Bingley his friend, 5r. 8arcy must have felt that
:ane was not worthy of him either.
#o fuel her indignaton further about the gentleman, she had received two notes ust an hour past from
Charlo3e and .eorgiana.
Charlo3e had lost her positon as governess, and with all of 5r. 8arcy)s pomp= he had not even wri3en a
le3er of recommendaton to forward Charlo3e)s career as was the wont of Ggreat, esteemed employers).
4er friend was not as livid as she should have been, more quietly resigned to the fact, and it was in this
note that Charlo3e admi3ed that she required Eli7abeth)s assistance for a short while once she returned,
tomorrow if the weather was good.
.eorgiana on the other hand was a hurricane of emoton I shi(ing and changing in a rush= angry, afraid,
saddened, hurt, grieved, furious= all because her brother had ta,en away Charlo3e)s role in her life.
5r. 8arcy had hurt so many, and to what end< Hnited unhappiness< Hniversal disli,e<
' sound of frustraton le( her, and Eli7abeth pressed her face into her hands.
/5y fair cousin,0 5r. Collins demurred, /will you not 2nd counsel in me< 's the great !ady Catherine 8u
Bough once said-0
She had stopped listening. In fact, in her agitaton, Eli7abeth had not reali7ed he had oined her on her
ramble in the 2rst place, but she was not in the mood to care. 4er situaton would not brighten anytme
soon.
.
.eorgiana felt a heaviness in her chest, a sharp pain tghtening somewhere near her heart.
Ferhaps it was because of ?ichard.
4e had loo,ed solemn and grim for hours since Charlo3e le( and his usual oviality was but a whisper in
the wind. *ot even the scenery outside was to be of comfort and reading his favorite boo, to him aloud
was hardly enough to lighten his spirits.
But she could not blame her cousin.
She was ust as upset with her companion)s departure, but ,new that Charlo3e would not want her to
feel as helpless and lost as she was.
;ccupaton, Charlo3e had said, was the cure to any ailment of the heart for to stand stll and allow the
storm to swallow you up would do no one good.
Sighing, she glanced outside the window of the carriage and guessed at the road they traveled on$ it was
a simple road, lined on either side with greenery and 2lled with forest creatures and sweet fruit ripe for
the pic,ing. #he weather was calming, a slight bree7e tc,ling all it touched as 1u9y white clouds 1oated
la7ily in the blue s,y.
I could draw this, she thought absently, but it is so against the pain I feel. 5y brother sending Charlo3e
away< Charlo3e leaving< ?ichard)s sadness< I cannot draw such pre3y things when all seems wrong.
#he pencil in her hand tghtened and she gnawed on her lower lip.
#urning a page in her s,etchboo,, a picture her brother had drawn had found its way in her vision and
she brightened.
/Dhat are you smiling at .eorgiana<0 ?ichard as,ed from behind his hand, glancing at her from the
corner of his eye as he faced the window.
/;nly that I ,now how you can get Charlo3e bac,.0
/Dhat does it ma3er, your brother does not approve.0
/>ou require 6it7william)s approval<0
/4is opinion mirrors that of the rest of the family.0
/It does not mirror mine.0 ' slight smile teased his lips and his young cousin grinned. /I ,now who can
change his mind, do not fret.0
/4ow e"traordinary, and who is this person<0
#he wide, chee,y smile of the young lady across from him was enough to worry him, especially when she
mischievously answered with, /5y new sister.0
.
It was a mi"ture of relief and surprise when Ben awo,e from his slumber, grumbling and glaring ahead at
the room that seemed too bright for his comfort. ?ubbing his eyes, he groaned= his throat scratchy and
an uncomfortable ache bubbling in his stomach.
4e pressed his 2ngers against his eyes, and wobbled into a siBng positon, his muscles protestng and
his head growing increasingly annoyed with his actvity.
/BenC0
/ShhC0 he responded, 1ailing an arm about to silence the sudden noise. /#oo loud.0
4ands tentatvely touched his, the warmth 1ooding his limbs at once and he shuddered. /5ama<0
'n absurd laugh, and then arms wrapped tghtly around his nec,. Salty tears ran paths down her chin
and nec, where she had pulled him against, her weeping 1ooding his ears. 8istnctly, footsteps
approached in succession towards his locaton and somewhere he heard !ydia proclaim, /4e is awa,eC0
'll at once, his room was 2lled with noise and people.
/4ill, call the apothecaryC0
/;h, is he well<0
/Ben, how do you fare<0
/'re you hungry, you must be, my goodness someone get him foodC0
/Dater, bring him waterC0
Ben was sure 4ill was out of sorts trying to ,eep up with the demands of his fra77led sisters and mother,
but he found the chaos he caused a huge relief. 6or a long tme it seemed as if it was too quiet for too
long, and the noise of a house 2lled with family and love brightened his tred spirits considerably,
partcularly when his mother 2nally released him and he could lay eyes on everyone once more.
Surrounding his bedside, all his siblings rounded him on either side.
'bove their heads, 4ill and several other servants he had ,nown as a child and adolescent watched on
with as much glimmer and oy in their eyes as his own family, crying too li,e his mother, :ane and !ydia.
Eli7abeth loo,ed as if she would cry, but that impulse was converted to cuBng o9 the circulaton in his
hand. Ji3y had climbed atop his bed li,e a frightened child and hugged his torso so tghtly that Ben was
reminded of how ali,e his sisters and mother actually were.
;ut of everyone in the room however, 5ary was frighteningly calm= almost stoic to his awa,ening.
Dhen the crowd shi(ed slightly for each member of the room to give him a hug in welcome relief, 5ary
stood before him with a blan, e"pression and there was a hush in the room.
:ust over her shoulder, the doorway was 2lled with the lan,y frame of his father and a stc, of a man, 5r.
Collins.
/5ary<0
/>ou cannot do that.0
/Dhat<0
/>ou cannot ust leave and then come bac,,0 she claimed, glaring at him, /you cannot.0
/5ary,0 5rs. Bennet cried, /what are you saying< 're you not relieved your brother is well<0
Somehow despite having his hand squee7ed to a lifeless limp, he managed to reach for hers and curl his
2ngers around them. /5ary, I am sorry.0 4er eyes remained betrayed and he clutched at her 2ngers
tghtly. /I ,now that you felt me slipping, we are twins a(er all-we came into this world together and
that feeling of almost being apart forever-0
8iscreetly, she sni9ed and loo,ed away hurriedly.
/But 5ary, I am here, I am awa,e, I am 2ne.0
Luietly, she as,ed, />ou will not leave<0
/*o I will not, .od has ,ept my promise.0
/>ou are here<0
/I am here.0
'nother sni9, and in an instant she crumpled over him in a mess of tears and dar, hair. #he silence at the
e"change sha3ered with her cries and all his sisters, mother and even 4ill rushed forward to hug them
both.
/De all missed you,0 Ji3y informed in the mess, /but 5ary more soC 4ow glad we are that we have you
both bac,C0
5ary laughed. /It gives me the emoton to play the saddest songs.0
/#hen maybe now you shall play happier ones.0
't the far end of the pile of human limbs, !ydia as,ed, /Dill you be riding soon brother, ;beron misses
you soC0
/'nd I miss him tooC I shall be out and about as soon as you all grow tred of cluc,ing at me.0
/' moment Benamin,0 5r. Bennet said sternly from the doorway, /8o not thin, that ust because you
are sic, and now you are healed that you are going to go o9 gallivantng= you have estate business to
catch up on.0
Ben whined in protest.
/>ou have rested enough= a li3le bit of wor, will not ,ill you,0 his father stated with an e"aggerated roll
of his eyes.
/But why ta,e the chance<0
/Benamin Bennet, you are insu9erable.0
.
Chapter twenty+si"
.
#he crisp air sat heavily in her lungs as she alighted from the carriage, warm colored leaves lay sca3ered
on the ground before the bree7e rustled them to acton. She craned her nec, to loo, at the house before
her, the windows gleaming in the morning light.
Charlo3e arrived earlier than e"pected though she was not surprised.
#he complete helplessness she felt at her current situaton urged the carriage she rode on to hasten, she
had li3le money le( and she could not thin, of a circumstance worse than being abandoned on the road
to her former home.
#widdling her thumbs for a moment, she hesitated. Dould they even consider entertaining her, let alone
o9ering her assistance< But they were her family, surely-
#he door opened with a heavy crea,, and her father appeared. 4e was in the middle of puBng on his
coat as he le( !ucas !odge.
/Charlo3e<0
/6atherC0
4e wal,ed past her. /Dhat is it you thin, you are doing here<0
/6ather I +0
/>ou made your decision, we have nothing to discuss.0
/But father, please.0
/Flease what<0 4e turned to glare at her. />ou spat in the face of my ,nighthood by degrading yourself
to become a governess and for what< #o return so that you may lead your sister to the same path<0
/*o, I would neverC But I had no choice.0
/Choice< >ou were the daughter of a ,night, you had choice aplentyC0
/Dhere father< If I were fortunate enough to have anyone o9er for me, I would have ta,en it. But I had
not, and I would never thin, of burdening my brothers or you.0
/So you choose to be a stain on the family name instead<0
/'t least as a stain I was not a burden and perhaps if I were auspicious, perhaps somewhere in the future
I would 2nd someone that was willing to marry a woman who Gdegraded) herself because of love and
nothing else.0
/!ove,0 he spat, /when will you stop your naivetO Charlo3e<0
/>ou and mother compromised many to have your life. 5other was a maid before you, she washed
clothes and tended the children of her employers, and you, a young man with a prospectve future as a
lawyer, too, a chance and married her. >ou married her for love so why should I not loo, for it as well<0
/8id you not see the struggle we went through with that foolish decision<0
/>ou love my mother.0
/I do, but what good is that< She was a maid stll, and I was disgraced for having relatons with my
employer)s sta9. I did not wor, and she providedC Can you not see the struggle<0
/Das your masculinity more important than the happiness you felt with being with her<0 4e did not
reply, and she prodded on, /8id your love falter with that struggle<0
/>es.0 4is eyes betrayed no lie, e"hauston e"uding from him. /I wor,ed so hard for us Charlo3e= can you
not see that I do not want you to do the same<0
She sni9ed, and out of habit brushed away tears that were not there. She had cried too o(en in this
argument that she could no longer muster the emotons forth= the desire to 2ght for her ideology of
love, freedom and a happy marriage was wea,ened. It was impossible in the society they lived. 4er
foolishness was clear now. /I see,0 she murmured quietly.
4e stopped trying to wal, away and turned completely to face her and in that moment, with his ,ind
eyes and his mouth set in a troubled frown, she confessed$
/I fell in love. I fell in love with the wrong person and his family was angered. #hey sent me away and
because I ,new too that our love was wrong, I went. I wor,ed for his family so I am cast out of both
shelter and employment.0
/So you have come here for help, not so prideful now are you child< But it is too late.0
/6ather<0
/?eturning does not mean you are invited bac, into my home. Flease leave my property 5iss !ucas.0
/But father, I +0
/>ou are in need of lodging, I understand, but I cannot o9er them to you. >ou betrayed my trust and spat
on the generosity and security I o9ered you. .o 5iss !ucas.0
She 2sted her s,irts and nodded.
Dithout a second loo,, Sir Dilliam le(.
Charlo3e tentatvely touched her forehead, feeling a throbbing in the bac, of her eyes.
' sudden noc, noc, noc alerted her above, and a glance towards the window made her loc, eyes
with her sister, 5aria.
4er younger sister mouthed the words, /4ello.0
But she was forced to smile sadly and answer, /.ood+bye0. 6or the second tme in her life, Charlo3e had
le( home for good.
.
Fuc, was overoyed. #he la7y stallion was so e"cited to see his former rider that he had nic,ered and
tossed his head, almost ,ic,ing the stable door down in his sudden burst of energy. In the stall ne"t to
his, ;beron snic,ered and reached his head as far as he could to a9ectonately nu77le Ben)s outstretched
hand.
/>ou are an emotonal bunch are you not<0 Ben posed with a laugh, graciously acceptng the welcome of
the two horses.
/8id you behave for !ydia, ;beron<0
#he horse snorted, tossing his head. ;(en enough, he seemed to say.
/4ave I not trained you be3er<0
Both creatures snorted.
/I tried=0 he defended, /but neither of you is the best seat.0
Suddenly indignant, the horses hu9ed and turned away in an a3empt to give him the silent treatment.
/;h come onC0 4e threw his arms up dramatcally. /So sensitve, the lot of you.0
#entatvely, Bingley)s voice came from behind him, /4urtng their feelings already Bennet<0
/*ot as much as you have hurt my sister)s,0 he answered, turning away from the stalls and shoving his
hands into his coat poc,ets, eyeing the other gentleman warily. /It is rather early do you not thin,
Bingley<0
/6orgive me for intruding, but since your house,eeper has barred me from your estate, I had to 2nd
another means of spea,ing with you-0
Ben chuc,led. /4ill does an e"cellent ob of protectng her charges.0
/Bennet-0
Silently, he stared at the yellow haired man, the curls of his head slightly damp from the morning dew
and his eyes cast down sadly. .ood lord, Bingley loo,ed li,e a ,ic,ed puppy.
/Flease tell me you have an e"planaton for my sister)s bro,en heart. If you do not, I will be forced to
challenge you to a duel for her honor.0
4e gave a hopeful smile. /Can I not simply marry her<0
/It does not wor, that simply with :ane.0 ' silence. /Dhat did you do man<0
/I do not ,now.0
/>ou are estng, do you really wish to duel me< Dith 2ve sisters to protect do not thin, I am an easy one
to defeat.0
/*o, no of course I would never wish to duel you.0 's young as the gentleman was, he truly had a gi(
with the sword. 6righteningly both 8arcy and Colonel 6it7william praised his talent.
Bingley, for his two sisters, had li3le to no e"perience in it. #he gentleman re1ected that his sisters would
ta,e marriage over a duel of honor any day. 4e doubted that it had anything to do with his impending
death than it would to be married.
/I mean to say that I honestly do not ,now what I did to upset her. '(er she and 5iss Eli7abeth le(
*ether2eld, I did not see her at all. If neither your house,eeper nor 5iss Eli7abeth had warned me away
from her, I would never have ,nown something was wrongC0
/>ou are serious.0
/'s marriageC0
?ubbing his temples, he made a sound of frustraton. /.ood lord.0
/Flease.0 Bingley grabbed Ben)s shoulders and shoo, them. /#ell me what I did wrong Bennet, you have
to ,nowC0
/I do.0
/#hen<0
/>ou would not believe me Bingley.0
/BennetC0
/Eery well,0 he allowed, /but I am e"cluding the e"aggeraton, !ydia retold me the tale from Eli7abeth
and both of them are truly ve"ed. I cannot believe them completely, all I ,now for sure is that :ane is
a9ected.0
/Is she<0
/8o not loo, pleased for her sadness otherwise I will oin my sisters in their indignaton.0
/6orgive me, but 8arcy was sure she did not feel the same for me-and if she is so e9ected by my
un,nown slight +0
.roaning, Ben leaned against a barrel. />ou are both idiots.0
/De are aware, but please Bennet, if you would< I could end the indecision in my heart and heal the
damage done to your sister)s, whatever it may be.0
.lancing both ways as if to ma,e sure no one overheard the discussion ta,ing place, Ben answered, />ou
did not defend her to your family when they abused her in front of you. It hurt her because you were
there, you heard it all, and yet you had nothing to say.0
/But :ane can handle herself marvelously, what does it ma3er that I did not defend her<0
/Bingley, you fool, one way to hurt a lady)s con2dence in a gentleman is to allow her to be publically
humiliatedC0
/I have defended her before,0 he argued, /I have steeled myself when she was in company so that I do
not show my preference for her, but alone with my sisters and 8arcy, I defend herC0
/'pparently you missed a moment.0
/Dhen<0
Fausing, Ben loo,ed up thoughKully. /I thin, it was ust before they le( *ether2eld.0
It too, a few minutes for Bingley to reali7e when this partcular moment was and he groaned into his
hands.
/Dhat, what is it<0
/Bennet. I am an idiot.0
#he gentleman rolled his eyes. /I ,new that old man= I have been telling you that for years now. But
enough of the obvious, will you beg for my sister)s pardon and stop her incessant moping about< I love
her dearly, but if she loo,s sad for a day longer I shall let Eli7abeth, !ydia and my mother deal with you.0
.
It was an hour later at the brea,fast table at !ongbourn that Ben invited 5r. Bingley to oin them in
brea,ing their morning fast.
#he entre family was at an uproar, but had tacKully ,ept it in their glares and tght mouths. 5rs. Bennet
was surprisingly controlled, her husband was amused by the riled up emotons fueling the room while in
the eye of the storm, 5r. Bingley stood somewhat uneasily.
#he inquiry of her health by their guest was answered quietly that she was well. 5r. Bingley stll seemed
worried as :ane was paler than usual and had not li(ed her eyes the entre tme.
5r. Collins was indi9erent to the man)s presence= it was simply another occupant that had the honor to
hear about the great !ady Catherine. #he droll of the morning meal seemed never ending and it was only
5r. Bingley)s a3empts to be social that helped the food go down at all.
Conversaton alone was enough to convince Ji3y and 5ary that he did not mean any harm %though they
were ready with the way they 2ddled with their bu3er ,nives& while !ydia had no qualms with as,ing
anything straight out$
/Dhat brings you here 5r. Bingley<0
/I simply wished to ,now how Bennet was fairing and how well you all are, we had not the opportunity
to spea, at church,0 he answered ovially, smiling politely at Eli7abeth whose brow twitched.
/Dell you must reali7e there was a reason for it,0 the girl ventured.
/>es, as your brother has told me, you must have all been worried about his health. I can imagine not
wishing to be social as a result.0
!ydia)s smile tghtened. /;f course.0
/But I could not stay away any longer and I had to visit, Bennet is a dear friend a(er all.0
/>es, our brother thin,s highly of you.0 She sent a loo, that read /traitor0 to her brother who contnued
to innocently munch on a piece of bread.
/It is the least I can do for all the ,indness he has shown me.0
#o the silence, he contnued, /5y father always wanted me to be landed gentry you see, and handling
estate business for the 2rst tme requires so much a3enton that I forget what goes on around me, and I
feel li,e I do not notce or than, those people enough for the friendship they o9er me.0 6urther, he
loo,ed directly at :ane. /Sometmes I am so absorbed in the things I am doing that I do not reali7e that
the people around me require my a3enton and for that I wish to ma,e as many amends as it ta,es to
have the honor of their presence once more.0
't this, the eldest Bennet)s pale face blossomed with a gentle, fast growing blush.
;n the other end of the table, 5r. Collins, feeling that his endearing narratve of !ady Catherine)s newest
curtain purchases was being ignored, withdrew from the table and addressed the patriarch.
/5ay I hope, sir, for your interest with your fair daughter Eli7abeth when I solicit for the honor of a
private audience with her in the course of this morning<0
Startled, Eli7abeth blin,ed. Dhen the request was 2nally processed, she had every intenton to refuse,
but :ane clutched her hand quic,ly from under the table and moved her ga7e quic,ly from Eli7abeth)s
face to 5r. Bingley.
Inwardly she sighed. :ane was far too good.
Catching 5ary)s eye, she agreed. /I suppose it would do no harm, shall we move to the music room<0
.
#he room was not large enough to pace in, and though this sounded very ungrateful, 8arcy was too
agitated to care.
?ichard was going to be angry and .eorgiana would be angry, and he had no doubt Eli7abeth would be
angry too once she heard if she had not already.
But it had to be done.
's the second son, ?ichard inherited nothing and so he could freely enoy the a3enton of young ladies
without feeling li,e they were only interested in his ttle and poc,et boo,.
Hntl his older brother 'ndrew died.
Suddenly ?ichard had connectons, a ttle and a fortune to squander and a heart to brea,. #he man was
vulnerable to these things, having had the mentality of a good second son. 4e e"pected nothing of his
parents that they had already provided him, he had a career %or had since his inheritance& and was
prepared to buy a small co3age in some quiet county to grow old by himself with the best port he could
a9ord.
#hough he regre3ed sending 5iss !ucas o9 without any references or arranging another ob for her,
8arcy comforted himself with what the future may hold if his gambit played out in everyone)s favor.
Stll pacing his room which he had not le( since the conversaton with 4urst and Bingley the evening
before, 8arcy was ruining the hard wor, of his manservant as he ran his hand through his hair multple
tmes out of frustraton.
If this debacle with 5iss !ucas was not of concern, he had the li3le ma3er of Eli7abeth.
5iss Eli7abeth Bennet. 4e scrowled.
Even in his head, he could no longer address her so formally. '(er all, she would be 5rs. Eli7abeth 8arcy
at some point, perhaps in the upcoming winter, or would she prefer spring< *o, he could not wait that
long-
!eaning against his des,, 8arcy stared down at the pages before him I the many pictures he had drawn
of Eli7abeth smiling up at him from each leaf.
' winter wedding would be preferable, they could have it here if she so desired. #hough he was partal
to his home, to avoid a scandal and to protect her reputaton as well as his, being wedded at
4erKordshire was not too terrible a compromise.
I would have to send for .eorgiana and ?ichard-'nne too, if her mother does not display *apoleon
tendencies at the thought of my marrying Eli7abeth-
Dith all his planning, he had forgo3en a minor detail$ Froposing. If only he had the foresight and
determinaton as 5r. Collins had.
#han,fully for 8arcy, his future wife was not to be bought by emotonless speeches of propriety and
duty.
.
#wenty+seven
.
?ichard was used to traveling and had learnt to accept the accommodatons available to him as a soldier.
4owever, upon signing the guestboo, with his new ttle %something his mother had made him practce
with the few le3ers he sent home a(er 'ndrew)s death&, the girl a3ending them immediately rambled
o9 that she would prepare the best room the lodge could o9er, and then proceeded to drag them above
two 1oors to reach it.
#he room was not partcularly e"travagant, but was clean and smelt fresh with the 1owers stll blooming
in their vases. It seemed to be a small siBng room with minimal decoratons and two doors on opposite
sides leading to their personal rooms.
#he girl arrived a moment later, directng the footmen on where their trun,s would be placed while
carrying a tray of biscuits and a pot of tea. In the same breath, she as,ed if they required servants to
a3end to their needs before leaving in a haste mumbling to herself that they would, certainly, they were
important people a(er all.
Before he could protest that it was unnecessary, .eorgiana pa3ed his arm. />ou must get used to this,0
she said, /Dhen you are o@cially named !ord 5atloc,, this ,ind of treatment will be the norm.0
/8o they teach you these things in school<0
She gave a slight smile and said, /Charlo3e told me actually, it was something her parents spo,e of o(en
I that they are not ttled and so they must accept their treatment with dignity. 's I am, I am ttled, and I
must accept my treatment with humility.0
#he loo, of bemusement in his e"pression made the young girl 1ush.
/De are treated in a certain way and though there may be a tme to be de2ant, it is best for gentle souls
to accept their lot= that is what Charlo3e taught me.0 Eli7abeth insisted that the ways of society were not
ordained by the church. It was simply the way Charlo3e herself had been raised and instructed
vigorously to ,eep within the limits set by society.
/'nd you are alright with this<0
/8o not loo, uncomfortable cousin, it is merely them wantng to ensure that we are happy with their
patronage and will then ma,e an e9ort to return.0
' smile pulled at the corner of his mouth before he turned towards the window. /If I am luc,y, I would
only return for her pleasure, to see her family again.0
/Countng chic,ens before they hatch is never a good idea.0
/I am simply optmistc.0
/#hen why are you smir,ing so<0
/Because I ,now she will agree,0 he answered, crossing his arms over his chest in satsfacton, stll not
loo,ing her way in case his overly gleeful e"pression would send her into a 2t of giggles.
.eorgiana rolled her eyes instead ust as a woman from the stairs hissed loudly, /Dhat did you say about
a lord, Sally< 're you positve, are you sure<0
/>es ma)amC0
/.oodness, but +0 Soon a(er, the woman appeared, blin,ing slowly at them before managing a nervous
smile. /!ord 5atloc,<0
6or a moment ?ichard seemed at a loss for words, however, he caught up to himself and bowed.
/5adam.0
/#ell them sir,0 the girl, Sally, chimed from behind her, /you are a lord aren)t you<0
/Sally,0 the lady hissed again, scandali7ed.
/It)s alright, they)re 2ne peopleC0
/SallyC0
/It is alright,0 .eorgiana agreed, smiling lightly, /my cousin is to be a lord= his father is currently !ord
5atloc,.0
/#itled then<0
#hough she did not appear any less e"cited, ?ichard said, /I am afraid my mother has me practcing for
my future role, I apologi7e for any confusion it might have caused.0
/;h no,0 suddenly nervous, the lady smoothed out her apron, /of course not, you are very welcome to
cause as much confusion as you li,e, if you are in need of anything I will do my best to assist you.0
/#han, you 5iss-<0
/!ucas sir, and welcome to 4erKordshire.0
.
/I feel that it would be best regarding your current situaton that you accept my proposal Eli7abeth +0
/EnoughC0 She had ta,en to pressing her hands against her ears, a childish move to ,eep him from
tal,ing any further. />ou cannot be seriousC #his-this-whatever it was, could hardly be a proposalC De
hardly ,now each other 5r. Collins, and I highly doubt we are as compatble as you thin, us to beC0
/But my living in ?osings +0
/Is lovely, I am sure.0 #he e"pression on 5ary)s face was too painful to bear, and Eli7abeth reali7ed that
calming down was prudent. /But I am perfectly happy here in 4erKordshire= in fact, I am li,ely of all my
sisters to remain unmarried. I am too stubborn for a man of the cloth, what gentleman would have me<0
/Dhy I will my sweet Eli7a.0
Inwardly she shuddered at the endearment. /*o 5r. Collins, as 1a3ering as your proposal was, I must
decline.0
#he sound of the piano bench being pushed er,ed her a3enton from the man before her to her sister,
who hastly retreated the room, leaving the door aar.
Before Eli7abeth could chase a(er her, 5r. Collins had grabbed her hand. /5y sweet Eli7a, I ,now it is in
the interest of a young lady to decline the 2rst proposal in order to ma,e herself more admirable and
worth pursing, and true to my intentons, I will do ust that.0
/5r. Collins, I assure you that I do not wish for your a3entons.0
/*ow, now my sweet Eli7a,0 he reached out to stro,e her shoulder, but she olted away. />our point has
been made, I shall pursue you and it shall be a chase we shall both doubtlessly enoy.0
Dith one last, assumingly sultry loo,, he too le(.
' few beats of silence passed before !ydia po,ed her head into the room and said cheerfully, /De shall
enoy it too. 'nd if he touches you again, mama says I may horsewhip him.0
/It disturbs me that you 2nd such amusement in that,0 her sister said, sha,ing her head. /Dhere did
5ary run o9 to<0
/I do not ,now, but 5r. Collins has gone to spea, to papa.0
/.ood lord, for my sa,e, I hope he does not thin, himself too clever.0
.
It too, two hours to locate her. 4e should have ,nown she would ta,e today of all days to ramble in the
woods. 4is Eli7abeth was quite adventurous.
Catching the absent smile on his lips, 4urst chuc,led. Dith a wary glance at him and then pointedly
ignoring the older man altogether, 8arcy called out, /Eli7abethC0
She turned, and clearing his throat, he corrected, /5iss Eli7abeth, I was hoping to come across you.0
Especially here, he thought to himself, it was as good a place as any for a proposal I she loved the forest
a(er all, and the leaves that fell and surrounded them felt familiar, this was where they had 2rst really
met a(er all. It was the perfect place for a proposalC
/5r. 8arcy, 5r. 4urst,0 she greeted, nodding vaguely. /Fardon me sir, but I fear that I am preoccupied.0
!oo,ing around her in da7ed way, she admi3ed, /5ary has gone missing you see and no one has seen
her for hours.0
#he sooner she is found, the sooner Eli7abeth accepts my proposal. /I see, and has she ,nown to wander
into the wood o(en<0
/*o sir that is why I am worried.0 #wistng her hands and loo,ing around desperately, she e"plained that
of all her sisters, :ane included, 5ary was the least e"perienced out of doors. 4er sister enoyed
gardening, but had never gone beyond the property of !ongbourn unaccompanied.
4er growing agitaton seemed to waver his resolve that right now was a good tme to suggest marriage,
and so he grasped at ways to escape$ /#hat is a problem, have you sent footmen to search< I shall fetch
'chilles and we shall send for help at *ether2eld.0 'lready 1ustered and turning to leave, he was
stopped by his companion who grabbed him by his arm and pulled him bac,.
/#here is no point in both of us going,0 4urst said impatently, /I shall fetch help, 8arcy, stay with 5iss
Eli7abeth, it would not do for two Bennets to go missing.0
#han,ing him, albeit distractedly, Eli7abeth wal,ed on calling aloud for her sister.
?eali7ing that she was not in a partcularly teasing mood, let alone an amorous one, he found the only
way to be useful to her and ma,e the most of his tme alone with her was to assist her and hope a
moment of sorts would come up.
' few minutes into their search, he suggested that he might spot 5iss 5ary from a higher vantage point,
and it was then he scaled a tree and loo,ed out between its branches.
/Be careful sirC0
/De have both done this o(en enough,0 he eased with a slight smile. /I shall be 2ne, ,eep calling for her
perhaps she will respond.0
4is perch was high, but apparently not high enough as all he could see were other trees, and a bird that
was angrily chirping at him for being near her eggs.
/Can you see 5ary 5r. 8arcy<0
5u3ering apologi7es to the tny bird and her un+hatched young, he answered in the negatve and
proceeded to climb down, only to miss a step a few feet o9 the ground as the bird 1ew at him, stll
infuriated. 4e fell with a thud and she was at his side immediately, supportng his head with her hand
while the other had reached for his face. /5r. 8arcy, are you alright<0
/Dell enough,0 he began= hoarse as he stared up at her 2ne eyes I a worried crease on her forehead as
she tentatvely 2ngered the small lump on his head.
/5iss Eli7abeth I+0
/Sir<0
/I ,now that this may be a bad tme, but I must tell you +0
/*o.0
Surprised, he stopped wal,ing and blin,ed. /Dhat<0
/*o sir, you cannot say anything right now,0 she answered and then 1inched, a closed 2st coming up to
bump her forehead. 'loud she groaned and loo,ed up at the canopy of trees overhead. /She is right, I
am a beast.0
/' beast< 5iss Eli7abeth, why would you thin, such a thing<0
/Because I am= I cannot even tell a gentleman that he should not spea, because he is hurt and all I can
do is be rude.0
4e resisted being ,ept stll and moved into siBng positon beside her, her last ditch e9ort to ,eep him
lying was her hand on his shoulder. It was almost automatc how his hand then rested on hers to o9er
some comfort at the sudden distress of his fall.
/5iss Eli7abeth, I am perfectly well I assure you. I have fallen out of taller trees, I swear I am well.0
/It is not that sir-or perhaps it is-0 She shoo, her head. /5ary ran away because I was rude and hurt
her, and now you are hurt and I am being rude to you.0
/She ran away<0
/She was upset, and li,e any Bennet who feels compelled to feel emoton, she lost her head.0 !oo,ing at
her, he reali7ed that there was something else within those words, but he could not quite understand
them yet. Eli7abeth sighed then, and contnued, /Dhile we are here sir, I wanted to apologise for my
atrocious behavior last Sunday. It was e"cessive, but :ane-:ane was so hurt-and then 5ary berated me
on my handling the situaton and I was con1icted and angry at myself for leBng my emotons get the
best of me. I am so sorry for how I acted towards you and 5r. Bingley.0
/I have a sister too you ,now,0 he began squee7ing her 2ngers. /I would do anything to protect her and
you were doing the same for yours.0 It was then that she smiled, a tny smile, but it was a smile. /I shall
forgive you if you forgive me for that-scene in the library.0
/;h sir, about my accusaton-0 'n absurd laugh le( her lips. /I did not ,now what I was saying, but I
should not have even been there that night I you were vulnerable and I+I suppose I was curious-6orget I
said a thing about it.0
/Dell that is, you see, I would stll li,e to ma,e amends with you +0
Somewhere, a tree branch bro,e and Eli7abeth turned. /5aryC0
#he mousy girl was pu9y eyed and red chee,ed, her hands trembling. /8o notC0
/5ary, please,0 using him as leverage, Eli7abeth stood up, outstretching a hand towards her sister. /5ary
please, you had us so worried.0
She sni9ed and shoo, her head, the dar, curls twistng with the acton, however before she could run
away, Eli7abeth had moved with such speed that she caught her I wrapping her arms around the smaller
frame of her young sister.
4e stood, approaching them, wincing as the young girl)s sobs 2lled the quiet forest and reminded him all
too well of the many nights in Femberley where he and .eorgiana were isolated from the world and
each other.
/I ,now I had no right,0 the girl said, /I had no right to tell you that you were horrible for refusing his
proposal.0
5outh a gape, 5r. 8arcy loo,ing bac, and forth from where they were standing to where he and
Eli7abeth were before= siBng close to each other with their hands grasped tghtly as she stro,ed his face=
wondering what he missed.
/But !i77y you do not understand how it feels to have no one want you,0 the sobs grew frustrated and
5iss 5ary grasped her sister)s torso in a 2erce hug. /I paid him so much a3enton and listened to him
when no one else did, and yet, he chose you.0 She pulled away then, staring up at her with large, wet
eyes. /!i77y, will I ever be chosen< Dill anyone ever choose me, will I ever be loved<0
/8earest of course. But 5r. Collins did not o9er for me for love, he o9ered for me because that is what
his !ady Catherine wants. >ou were there when it happened= do you not see that what he did was not for
mutual feeling< 4e did it because he was told to, ordered to, e"pected to. Ferhaps he did want you
sweetng, but if he were half the man you deserved, he would disregard what society and his ladyship
wanted and o9er for you I marry you.0
4er sister contnued to weep.
/8ear 5ary, please understand...0
/I do understand !i77y, I do,0 she said, her voice muAed by Eli7abeth)s dress. /I ,now you would not
accept a proposal from a man you do not love, but what if the man you loves never proposes< Dhat
then<0
/#hen I shall be a spinster and spend a lifetme with mama and her nerves. I shall probably 2nd Ben a
wife if I have tme and !ydia a husband if she would deign to pay a3enton to a man that does not wear a
red coat.0 She seemed to feel her sister)s quiet laugh, and she smiled and loo,ed up at him standing
there, comfortng the quiet girl no one ever notced.
'nd 8arcy ,new trying to propose right now would be a mista,e.
.
#he sun was seBng in the distance, the birds whistled away as the leaves 1u3ered in the quiet bree7e.
!ongbourn sat with its windows of gold staring out into the forest they were 2nally leaving.
/'re you sure you are well 5r. 8arcy<0 5ary as,ed quietly, /I did not mean for anyone to get hurt
loo,ing for me, I ust assumed no one would notce.0
/I am well,0 he said, too absorbed in his own thoughts to reali7e how clipped he sounded.
5ary visibly recoiled. 'nnoyed, Eli7abeth spo,e, quiet as their surroundings, /I than, you for your help in
2nding her sir.0
/>ou would do the same for my sister,0 answered he, ust as short.
#he corner of her lips upturned and disappeared ust as quic,ly as ahead of them, two gentlemen
approached. ;ne was Ben, his fair hair tousled and his grey eyes narrowed while the other was a tall
man, much older than Ben with a familiar colouring and scowl-
Before greetngs could be e"changed, a punch was thrown then dodged, and the un,nown man and 5r.
8arcy were tousling on the 1oor.
/.ood gracious,0 came the e"clamaton of a young lady approaching from the path from the house, /I
thought you said you could handle them 5r. Bennet.0
/I thought so as well, but leBng your cousin punch him was be3er than me doing it.0 't the annoyed
loo, sent his way, Ben gave a boyish smile. /I apologise 5iss 8arcy.0
#he young lady stood across from the two Bennet girls and it was with a charming smile, she curtsied.
/.ood a(ernoon to you 5iss Bennets. I am sorry for my relatons,0 she said, loo,ing down at the two
grown men disapprovingly, /I could have sworn they were gentlemen, but I am not so sure now.0
.
Chapter twenty+eight
.
Eli7abeth had e"perienced her fair share of strange situatons. Dith numerous siblings the trouble she
witnessed, partcipated in and was made privy to were countless, and she was sure long ago that nothing
would surprise her. She was wrong.
/5r. Bennet, will you not do something<0 5iss 8arcy as,ed in dismay.
Ben made his decision at a glance. #he other gentleman, Colonel 6it7william, Eli7abeth assumed, though
shorter than 5r. 8arcy, was far bul,er and built than Ben was. 5r. 8arcy himself was a practcal giant.
8espite Ben)s school yard brawls and assorted 2st 2ghts throughout his life, he did not have a croo,ed
nose or crossed eyes for a reason. /I am afraid I cannot, this is a 2ght of honor.0
Dith a quiet snort, 5ary stated, />ou are ust afraid that they will hurt you.0
/>ou wish me pain already dear sister< But I have ust recovered= surely you cannot be so cruelC0
/>our dramatcs do not fool me sir,0 5iss 8arcy claimed with a slight hu9.
/8o not ta,e it to heart,0 Eli7abeth soothed, /my brother does not usually display his cowardice to any
commoner, I would say it is a privilege.0
't that, Ben sul,ed.
It was only when the gentlemen to whom they were spea,ing over, rolled themselves into the
1owerbeds did 5ary declare$ /*ow really, must we allow this to go on<0
/#hey are men and this is how they sort out their problems.0
/'nd how do women sort out theirs<0
/By smiling in each other)s faces while they gossip viciously behind their bac,s,0 5iss 8arcy answered
absentmindedly, before 1ushing as the trio of siblings turned to her in surprise. Clearing her throat, she
began to 2ddle with her peBcoat. /It seems that I do retain informaton when 5iss Bingley spea,s of
such things to me despite my best a3empts to ignore her-0
#he Bennet children snic,ered ust as another patch of 1owers were trampled. /I have had enoughC0
5ary moved to reach for the men, to pull at their coats and perhaps yell in frustraton in defense of her
1owers, but her brother decided then to intervene.
/I am afraid gentlemen that you must cease and desist for you are destroying my sister)s favorite 1owers
and it will not stand +0 4is announcement was interrupted by a punch to his chee, and his reacton,
regardless of his previous assessment, was to hit bac,.
#he three ladies sighed in unison.
6rom the house, there was a 1urry as 5rs. Bennet ran out of the ,itchen in a whirl of her s,irts with 4ill
trailing behind.
/Dhat on earth is this noise<0 the matron demanded, horri2ed at the large bundle of human limbs on
the ground and the curse words that found its way out into the open air. />ou are gentleman, surely not.
Benamin Bennet, I demand you to stopC .ood !ord, 5r. 8arcy too< 6or shameC #his is not gentlemanly
at allC0
'lmost out of nowhere, at either side of her, 4ill and 5ary were leading her bac, into the house despite
the lady)s wails.
/Come along 5ama, let us leave the gentlemen be-0
/But they are ruining your 1owers child, and brawlingC Dhatever for< Dhy on earth are they 2ghtng<
Dhat is +0
4ill hushed her, /!eave them be madam, they)ll ma,e right soon enough.0
Confused, 5iss 8arcy loo,ed to Eli7abeth, who sighed again. ;9ering her arm, she said instead, /Dould
you li,e some tea .eorgiana<0
.
:ane was dumbfounded.
/So it is 5iss Bennet, that I am of the authority that a match between you and I would be most
advantageous. 5y staton, though modest, has been blessed with the generous patronage of !ady
Catherine, and +0
;f all the things she e"pected on a visit to the stables in search of her brother, a marriage proposal
beside Fuc,)s stable was not one of them, and certainly not by her cousin. /5r. Collins surely +0
/I ,now that my love for you is strong and may be too intense for such a brief meetng, but I +0
/Sir please,0 she begged, /I cannot hear anymore of this, this is madnessC0
In her confusion, she was too startled to sha,e his hands o9 of her, ignoring as well, Fuc,)s indignant
,ic,ing at the stall door. /5y dear, lovely, sweet :ane, you must understand that our love cannot be
repressed any longerC0
!ove< Surely the man was estngC #hey had barely said one word in ten to the other, and her mother had
%to her relief& ,ept her as far away from their insipid cousin at all tmes. *ot to menton Eli7abeth$ />ou
proposed to my sister, and now you do so to me< #his is preposterousC0
.iving her a sympathetc loo,, his thumbs pressed circles around her arms. /I did not propose to your
sister my dear, I was merely as,ing for her consent in my perusal of you which she gladly gave,0 insisted
he, an u3er lie of course. :ane was no one)s fool. Eli7abeth, as e"pected, refused his o9er and now he
was simply trying to get engaged to please his !ady Catherine.
Stll, her anger was overwhelmed by her desperaton. /?elease me at onceC0
/>ou do not understand, I must have you my :aneC0 4e neared, dangerously close to her lips, and she
drew away as far as she could untl she was against the wall, but he persisted I untl the loud coc, of a
gun.
:umping away as if she were on 2re, 5r. Collins started.
/Dhat in heaven)s name do you thin, you are doing to my daughter<0 4er father demanded, the barrel
of the gun directed at him in warning.
4is nephew made a sign of surrender, despite loo,ing pale at the weapon in his face= his smile was smug
to the everlastng irritaton of 5r. Bennet and !ydia. /It seems you have caught us in a most
compromising positon which I believe can only rect2ed with marri +0
/;h shut up,0 !ydia snapped, swiping a horsewhip o9 the wall mount, frightening Fuc, who was stll
hammering against his stall.
In contrast to them all, 5r. Bingely was gently pulling :ane out of the corner 5r. Collins had managed to
get her into, worried eyes meetng her own. /5iss Bennet are you alright<0
/I am sir,0 she answered, both to his queston and to the worried glance 5r. Bennet sent her way.
/4e did not hurt you did he<0 5r. Bingley contnued, gently e"tended her arms to see red hand prints
marring her pale 1esh.
/*o, no he did not.0
/Bingely,0 her father spo,e, /be a good lad and bring :ane inside to her mother, I shall deal with this
vagabond. !ydia, go with them.0
4er youngest sister frowned, but instead of arguing as her wont, she cast the horsewhip aside and met
:ane)s eyes. #ugging her by the elbow in the directon of the house, her lips moved in silent queston$
/'re you sure you are well< 5ight I tell !i77y so that she may horse whip him< Shall I tell mama so that
she may scream at him to submission< #ell me you are well.0 4er worried interrogaton was interrupted,
however, by 5r. Bingley.
/Sir, should I not stay and assist you.0 4e loo,ed about ready to as well, the lines of his mouth were tght
and the sharpness of his amber eyes made him appear li,e some sort of predator. :ane was suddenly
more afraid of what 5r. Bingely would do to 5r. Collins.
*ever mind that her father was aiming a huntng gun at the man.
/*either of my girls need to hear this, now please, bring her inside.0
#he usually ovial gentleman loo,ed to be weighing down his optons before he nodded 2rmly and did
what he was told, !ydia trailed slightly, rubbing her sister)s bac, in a show of comfort.
Hpon reaching the house and the ,itchen in partcular, 5r. Bingley assisted her onto a stool and as,ed,
/Dould you li,e some water 5iss Bennet, shall I call for your mother< >our house,eeper perhaps<0 4e
loo,ed to her sister in as,ance, and the young girl gave a sympathetc shrug before deciding that mama
would ,now be3er what to do, and ascended the servant)s stairs to call her.
Dhen :ane did not reply, he ,neeled before her to loo, her in the eyes. /'re you afraid 5iss Bennet<0
/;f 5r. Collins<0 She as,ed in surprise, /*oC But my father, what is my father going to do<0
/I do not ,now, but nothing to harm him I am sure. Enough to scare him away I should hope.0
/I should hope so as well. I daresay my father is in no temper to thin, himself too clever, lest he agree
somehow to my marrying of 5r. Collins.0
5r. Bingley chuc,led. /#hat I highly doubt 5iss Bennet, especially since he has already agreed to have
me court you.0
:ane was amused for all of three heartbeats before she shot up in her chair. /Dhat<0
.
#he gentlemen trudged into the house clutching various aches and pains, and mumbling to each other in
low voices some twenty minutes a(er the ladies went inside. Dhy they had decided to stop their brawl
they were not sure, but it was li,ely because they almost rolled o9 the hill and into the forest.
Hpon entering the room where 4ill had informed them of the ladies) presence, 8arcy and ?ichard were
shoc,ed at the absolute normality displayed by the room)s current occupants.
5iss 5ary was playing a lovely tune on the pianoforte while on the divan, 5iss Eli7abeth and .eorgiana
were chaBng amicably while they partoo, in tea. In their neat, clean dresses, the ladies were perfectly
poised and completely una9ected by the dusty, bruised and probably smelly men that had ust entered.
Bennet, it seemed, was not either.
!imping towards the se3ee, he dropped himself with a tred sigh, legs spread before him and slouching
so much that he was practcally folded against the furniture. 'cross from him, .eorgiana loo,ed to the
young man in concern.
Dith a glance towards 8arcy, ?ichard started to feel the implicatons of his misbehavior. .eorgiana had
not been in company with many people for months, and now she was suddenly thrust into a house 2lled
with them.
If he could remember correctly, Bennet had 2ve sisters. !ord above, 2ve sistersC 6ive people .eorgiana
had to sit and tal, with for who ,nows how longC #here were only two for now, but what if it had been all
2ve< 6iveC ?ichard)s imaginaton creatng terrible scenarios that made him almost regret punching 8arcy.
6or the longest tme, his poor cousin was terrifyingly shy= beyond the pleasantries of a conversaton, she
relied on others to ,eep her from 1oundering in her social dutes. Dhat if Bennet)s sisters were not li,e
him< Dhat if they trapped .eorgiana in idle conversaton and bored her to tears li,e 5iss Bingely<
Dorse yet, what if they e"pected her to spea, and entertain them< Surely she would have burst into
tears by now< 4ow could Bennet)s sisters do this to poor, sweet .eorgia +
/#ea 5r. Bennet<0
?ichard, in surprise, u3ered her name, and she turned to him with a coc,ed brow. /;nly gentlemen get
tea, ru@ans sit in the corner and feel bad for startng 2ghts.0
/*ow .eorgiana I thin, that is a harsh punishment,0 5iss Eli7abeth said, /Ferhaps your cousin had a
good reason for hiBng 5r. 8arcy, though that is not to say I condone violence of any ,ind, but having a
brother shows its e9ectveness in some instances.0
/It was for a very good reason madam, I assure you, though I admit it was ill+tmed,0 ?ichard claimed,
bowing in both greetng and apology.
E"pectantly, .eorgiana and 5iss Eli7abeth turned to 8arcy, /'pologies 5iss Eli7abeth and 5iss 5ary, for
both the interrupton and the intrusion upon your day.0
/>ou have no need to apologi7e to me sir= you did o9er me your assistance earlier today. I thin,,
however, you should beg your sister)s pardon.0
!aying eyes on the young girl he le( for what seemed to be months on end, 8arcy bowed. Hpon his rise,
he met eyes of the same blue and the words came easily in such a hearKelt way that 5iss 5ary stopped
playing to loo, at him as well.
' shared loo, passed between the ladies before with a slow nod, .eorgiana rose and then within a blin,,
she had bounded up to him and grasped him tght around the nec, in a hug. ;ut of habit he li(ed her o9
the ground and twirled her.
#o see the stoic gentleman suddenly so warm and loving, had an immediate e9ect on his appearance.
6or some reason he seemed more li,ely to be amiable in this state, roughed up from a thrashing by his
cousin then he would have in a ballroom, his value rated by the shoes he decided to wear that day. 4e
had no such concerns now.
Into .eorgiana)s hair, he murmured, /8earest, I have missed you gravely.0
/'nd I, youC
Standing face to face, she informed him, /I am stll angry with you though.0 't his side, ?ichard gave him
a condescending loo,. 8espite not saying anything further, she loo,ed to him as if he should say
something, anything at all. ;nly instead of waitng, she moved bac, to sit on the divan, alone now that
5iss Eli7abeth was chec,ing the damage done to her brother)s face.
'loud, she made a ts, sound, lightly tracing below a cut at his temple. /4onestly, Ben, did you put up a
2ght at all<0
/I am alive, is that not enough<0
Sha,ing her head, 5iss Eli7abeth turned for the doors. /I shall get 4ill with something to ease your self+
in1icted ailments. Flease do ta,e a seat and have some tea then at least you may sort your problems out
civilly.0
/But, uh-0
She didn)t bat a lash at their dusty coats. /#here is a place to sit with .eorgiana, or with my sister. I
prefer it if neither of you sat together if you please.0
/5iss Eli7abeth,0 8arcy spo,e, trying to 2nd the same words to apologi7e to her, for what he was not
sure, but the words were siBng in his throat placed there from the loo, his sister had given him earlier.
#hough she did not wander as quic,ly as .eorgiana had, she gave him an arch smile and said, /Sir it is a
tri1e, it is simply dust. Flease do ma,e yourself at home, so long as nobody throws unnecessary
punches.0 #he last was said pointedly to his cousin, who wal,ed with his head down to sit upon on the
divan, appearing thoroughly reprimanded.
6eeling the outside of his poc,ets, the outline of a trin,et he had collected from the 5eryton eweler ust
that morning as,ed for his a3enton, instead of 2shing it out however, a wiry stem of a 1ower, managed
to 2nd itself between his 2ngertps.
Dordlessly, he o9ered it to her. It was a daisy of some sort, it was yellow once from what he could tell,
but was now brown and lifeless, the frail blossom had caught onto his coat and despite how pathetc the
o9er seemed, it stll managed to put some color onto 5iss Eli7abeth)s chee,s before she accepted it with
another smile.
*o further words were said as she contnued out the room, shuBng the doors behind her.
/>ou are a hypocrite 8arcy,0 ?ichard accused. />ou have such concerns with Charlo3e, and there you are,
head over heels in love with Bennet)s sisterC0
/It is di9erent,0 he answered, 2stng the hand that had brie1y touched hers, before loo,ing up to glare at
him.
?ichard)s rant contnued, his voice raising, /4ow< *either of them are of our staton, neither of them
have a fortune to o9er nor I doubt connectons enviable enough to warrant a marriage in our society,
they are the sameC0
4e opened his mouth to argue, but his sister spo,e 2rst, quieter, controlled, />ou sent her away because
?ichard is in love with her, by your logic, we should ta,e you away because you are in love with !i77y.0
#here was a tense silence that lasted between 2ve seconds and 2ve minutes, but was bro,en by the
arrival of a servant who bowed and informed them of the presence of a late a(ernoon caller.
/'nd who might that be<0 Bennet as,ed, brows raised as he righted his positon with a slight wince.
/5iss !ucas, sir.0
.
Chapter twenty+nine
.
Charlo3e had stalled her arrival to !ongbourn, choosing to wander the hills of 4erKordshire in search of
some peace of mind, some plan for the future, and to 2nd some courage. 4er father)s dismissal of her
yet again, had le( her sha,ing. Stubbornly, she tried to push on and for hours she shoo,, wal,ing and
wal,ing untl the hem of her dress was ca,ed with mud and her legs were tred from her uncharacteristc
traipse about the country side.
.oing to !ongbourn was the only thing she came up with in her hours of re1ecton, and stll the sense of
hopelessness escaped from every pore.
4ere, at least, they would not send her away.
5r. Bennet had o9ered her a place to stay once she had told her father of her plans and was
subsequently disowned, it was there that she wor,ed on her accomplishments and assisted with the
management of the three youngest Bennet girls. #his place was the closest she could call home.
#he family portrait on the wall of the foyer greeted her 2rst, the smiling faces of her best friend and the
family that had housed her for no reason other than the fact that they saw her as family too, smiling
down at her. I hope, she thought, that they will stll be smiling when I invade upon their hospitality again.
/Charlo3e<0
She fro7e.
/Charlo3e,0 her name was u3ered again, and she shut her eyes tghtly.
/Charlo3e please.0
/*o-no ?ichard do not,0 she moved, eyes stll shut, as far away from him as possible. 4er mind raced
with questons she had no answer to, but she had no mind to be hopeful, only to escape him before he
somehow manages to get her turned away by the Bennet)s as well.
In her need to be out of his reach, she climbed the stairs and to the library I surely she would lose him
there.
4e was faster than her, bigger too= and he was right behind her when she slipped inside.
#he curtains were drawn and so it was quite dar,, stll she weaved around boo,shelves and chairs while
behind her, ?ichard occasionally bumped into walls and ,noc,ed over stray boo,s on tables. #heir game
of cat and mouse was 2lled with his voice, calling her name.
It was only when the curtain opened and light streamed in that she reali7ed that he was stll behind her,
hand almost at her shoulder.
/'re you two playing a game<0
Slowly both their heads turned, and siBng beside the window with the curtain drawn, Ji3y tlted her
head at them. /5ay I oin you<0
/Ji3y<0
#he girl blin,ed before recogniton se3led in her eyes. /Charlo3eC I did not ,now you were coming to
visitC 'nd having such fun already, but who is this<0
Clearing his throat and straightening, he bowed. /5iss Bennet I assume<0
/Catherine actually, will you not introduce us Charlo3e<0
/;h...oh, of course,0 she stu3ered, stepping as far away from him as she could manage without the
young lady notcing, but it was futle, Ji3y notced almost everything. /#his is Colonel ?ichard
6it7william, and this is Catherine I she is the second youngest Bennet.0
/' pleasure to meet your acquaintance,0 he bowed again.
/>ou are a colonel<0
/I am.0
/'nd yet, you do not wear a red coat,0 she said to herself, /!ydia will be most disappointed.0
/I am discharged= my father wished me to come home.0
/4e was worried about you, I imagine, and I am sure you missed them as well,0 Ji3y said, /but if you
were meant to go home, what are you doing here<0
/I am friends with your brother you see +0
/*o sir, I gathered as much for I remember your name from one of his le3ers, but why are you here with
Charlo3e<0
4e opened his mouth and closed it, 2nding that there was no suitable e"cuse that came to mind as to
why he, a single man with a ttle and fortune, was chasing a(er a single woman in a library. Charlo3e, it
seemed, had no e"planaton either.
Stll, the young lady loo,ed at them with the same wide, far away eyes, patently waitng.
/Can you be trusted 5iss Catherine<0
/#hat depends on what you have done,0 she answered slowly, climbing o9 her perch. Standing now, she
did not loo, li,e the owner of the child+li,e voice, but a young lady blossoming to womanhood, she quite
reminded him of .eorgiana. />ou do not mean to hurt my friend Charlo3e by chasing her in here do
you<0
/*o, of course not, I would never hurt Charlo3e,0 he answered 2rmly. /I only wished to spea, to her.0
/#here is nothing to tal, about.0
/4ow can you say that< De have plenty to spea, ofC0
/Dell then, what<0
/>ou were 2red because of me.0 She loo,ed away, but he pushed on. /'nd I ,now in his way, it is
because my cousin is only trying to protect me, and I ,now you le( that day without so much as a good+
bye because you thought it was the best for me.0
/It is. De are a foolish noton ?ichard.0
/Dhy< Because my cousin says so< Because society says so<0
/De ust are, why do you have to 2ght it<0
4is brows were ,ni3ed and it was his turn to loo, away.
/Because he loves you,0 Ji3y o9ered, turning to pull the rest of the curtains open and leBng the seBng
sun shine through the glass. /'nd you love him= you only need to admit it to yourself.0
#o her observaton, her older companions were silent.
/I ,now I should probably give you some privacy, but it is against decorum and mama and papa would be
furious if they caught you two alone so I shall stand here and enoy the sunset.0
Chee,s a1ame, Charlo3e tried to claim a false truth, it was the only way to prevent ?ichard from
throwing away his inheritance and raising the ire of his family, but Ji3y)s mind was set on the sun and
?ichard)s eyes set on her.
#he end was approaching and she feared and hoped there would be nothing to stop it.4owever, she was
both relieved and disappointed when it was.
/Ji3y,0 !ydia called from the hallway, her voice rising and falling as she paced, trying to locate her older
sister. /Dhere are you< >ou must come to the drawing room, we have guestsC0
.
It stood to reason that the arrival of an un,nown gentleman and his cousin, both relatons of 5r. 8arcy,
from a long ourney from 8erbyshire would warrant an invitaton to supper once introductons were
completed and interrogatons complete.
#he un,nown gentleman, the former Colonel 6it7william, now soon to be !ord 5atloc,= was a single man
with a ttle and a fortune, though the man was not as appealing in appearance as his cousin he seemed a
ovial, pleasant gentleman, but loo,ed overtly distracted by something.
#he young lady accompanying him, 5iss 8arcy was a 2ne young lady indeed. She was much the same
age as Ji3y, and had a tall, womanly 2gure and the lightest hair and eyes to go with it. Dhen she tal,ed
she seemed honest and sweet, if not a bit shy, something about her called 5rs. Bennet to smother her
with motherly a3enton much as she did with 5ary and stll did on the occasion that her most
withdrawn daughter withdrew too far. 4owever, that urge was quenched with the behavior of her only
son.
/It is not that I 2nd Bach displeasing, only that I thin, very few can do his pieces ustce,0 he was saying.
/So you are of the opinion that because no one can do his wor, without losing the integrity of his art,
that no one should play it<0 5iss 8arcy challenged.
/E"actly, you have heard 5iss Bingley play I assume<0
/5uch as I disli,e her, she performs well, !ydia remar,ed.
/>ou do not have an ear for the li3le things, she forces the strength of her instrument and causes each
piece to sound frighKully li,e the same thing,0 her brother argued.
/#hat is true,0 5iss 8arcy conceded, /however, for music to survive the age of tme= it must be played,
regardless of whether or not the person performing taps into the very nature of what it is caused the
song to be created in the 2rst place. *ot everyone has such a gi(.0
/>ou do,0 5ary interected to Ben)s nod of agreement.
/E"actly, I do not ,now why you wish to debate with me when clearly I am saying only performers li,e
yourself should play such songs.0
4er face visibly warmed, either from Ben)s roundabout 1a3ery or the a3enton of everyone in the room.
/>ou must play, I have not heard you,0 Ji3y said, bouncing on her seat. /4ave you mama<0
/*o, no I have not,0 was the response, and it was Eli7abeth and Ben who loo,ed her with raised brows.
#heir mother was an in2nite tal,er, a conversatonalist in all situatons. #here was precious li3le that
could silence her, and having such a short response was worrying.
/She does play wonderfully,0 5r. 8arcy said, bro,ering surprise on the matron)s e"pression. /Ferhaps it is
technique, but I feel that it is passion itself that ma,es her so pleasing to listen to.0
/Ferhaps a(er supper than, you would be willing to display your accomplishments,0 Ji3y bargained.
/I do not ,now,0 the young lady answered hesitantly, loo,ing to Charlo3e for permission as usual before
she reali7ed what she was doing and loo,ed down. She had played for Eli7abeth and 5r. Bennet earlier,
doing a duet with 5ary and it was but a small group of people. ' large party such as the Bennet family
and her own relatons was something else completely. /Ferhaps-0
/Dell for that to occur we must have supper 2rst,0 Eli7abeth declared, /shall we to the dining room<0
.eorgiana stood and so did everyone else, it was only with her quic, glance between her brother and
Eli7abeth, as well as to ?ichard and Charlo3e did she loo, to 5r. Bennet pleadingly, a silent
communicaton witnessed by 5rs. Bennet. Hnderstanding, he o9ered her his arm.
Seeing as his sister was preoccupied, 8arcy o9ered his arm to Ji3y and then to Eli7abeth with ?ichard
only o9ering to escort Charlo3e to supper, despite the wary loo, his cousin gave him.
's they wal,ed, arm and arm, 5rs. Bennet stll sat before !ydia approached her.
/5ama, is something the ma3er<0
Hnconsciously, the lady sni9ed her eyes slight red from withholding tears. /*o dear. *ot at all.0
/But mama +0
/>our brother is simply growing up.0 's he le( the room with 5iss 8arcy on his arm, she sni9ed again to
the cooing of !ydia.
/;h 5ama-0
/8ear, you must promise that you do not grow up too fast and leave me-0
/#hat will be an easy thing mama, for I have already promised the same to papaC Dorry not at all, for
Ji3y and I will be here for you both. *ow come, we must to the dinner table, lest 5r. Collins reappears
for whence he came and demands the a3enton of another young lady of our family.0
/Dhat do you spea, of child<0
/4e summoned Eli7abeth ust this morning mama, did you forget<0
/I-I have ust been so preoccupied dear,0 she said, sha,ing her head. /'nd what was !i77y)s response<0
/*o, of course,0 !ydia said with a laugh. /:ane)s was the same when 5r. Collin as,ed her.0
5rs. Bennet)s eyes 1ared. /#hat man did what<0
/>es, at the stables.0
#hrowing her hands in the air, the lady stood. /.oodness me, does no man ,now how to be a gentleman
anymore< 6irst a proposal in front of another)s sister, then a proposal to another in the stables, men
brawling over 1owers and arguing as a sort of 1a3eryC Dhat on earth is the world coming to<0
.
's they wal,ed to the dining room, Ji3y as,ed, /5ay I tell you both a secret<0
/It would not be a secret anymore if you did,0 Eli7abeth replied teasingly.
/But it is such a good secretC0
/If you are so eager to tell us-0
/#hen I shall< FerfectC0 Ji3y claimed untangling her arm from 5r. 8arcy)s as she twirled to face them,
smile wide. /Colonel 6it7william and Charlo3e are in loveC0
8arcy)s brow twitched as Eli7abeth)s arm tghtened in his. /;h really<0
/>esC0 4er voice dropped to a low whisper, /Charlo3e)s employer 2red her because of it though, I thin, it
is because he thought she was a fortune hunter-I suppose if I did not ,now Charlo3e, I would be
worried too, but is it not sad< It is a shame for both of them because Charlo3e wants what is best for
him and even ran away when he was trying to tal, to her so his family would not be angry with him. But
Colonel 6it7william simply wants Charlo3e.0 #he young girl loo,ed de1ated at the end of her e"planaton,
but her eyes suddenly brightened as she mused, /I thin, they should run away to .retna .reen, and not
care a whit what anyone saysC0
/?omantc notons are severely unpopular 5iss Catherine.0
/#hey are unpopular because people are afraid to do themC If you love someone it should not be for any
other reason than that.0 Dith that, Ji3y twirled forward, energi7ed by her romantc fantasies, she
saddled up beside her brother, looping her arm with his and oining him and 5iss 8arcy)s conversaton
with ease.
/8o you see now what you have done<0 Eli7abeth as,ed, /Charlo3e has done practcally everything for
your sister and has not as,ed for anything in return. It is not her fault at all that she fell in love with your
cousin nor him with her.0
/But what if she is a fortune hunter, what if she only loves him for his fortune and ttle<0
/#hen you thin, very poorly of her.0
#he air between them was tense even as they entered the dining room, so absorbed in their previous
discussion that they had not notced that 5r. Collins was missing or that 5r. Bingley, :ane and 5r.
Bennet had oined them at the table.
It was only when 5r. Bennet announced the courtship of :ane and 5r. Bingley that they sprang bac, to
reality.
/CongratulatonsC0 Ji3y and !ydia sang, 5ary and Eli7abeth geBng up as well to hug :ane who was
loo,ing be3er than ever, her beautful face practcally glowing, everything about her seemed radiant.
/>ou are a luc,y man,0 Ben applauded his friend, clapping him on the shoulder. /#a,e care of my sister
will you<0
/;f course,0 Bingley agreed his smile ust as huge.
/Dhen did all this happen<0 5rs. Bennet as,ed, fanning herself. #oday was certainly a busy one.
/'n hour ago,0 her husband answered, /5r. Bingley and I were in discussion for most of the morning and
as soon as we had reached an agreement, he went o9 to tell her.0
/#hat is marvelous, oh :aneC0
/Dill you have a ball to celebrate<0 !ydia as,ed, />ou must, you will be the tal, of 4erKordshireC0
/;h, but what of 5r. Stewart<0 5rs. Bennet interrupted.
/4e did not as, for either :ane)s hand in marriage nor has permission to court her,0 5r. Bennet
reminded, /5r. Stewart has been here for a twel(h month and 5r. Bingley less than si", and he has
made :ane happier in those than 5r. Stewart did in all.0
/It has nothing to do with how long we have ,nown each other, only that :ane ma,es me in2nitely happy
whether we are together or not, she is all I thin, about,0 5r. Bingley admi3ed to the further blushing of
his lady.
/>ou will not let any societal norms be in the way<0 Ji3y as,ed to his disbelieving loo,.
/If anyone truly did, I would not be friends with 8arcy or Bennet, or ,now at all of Colonel 6it7william.
Besides, love is not governed by society or classes or status, love is love. I ,now my sister will be upset as
she hoped I would marry someone that would help her achieve a higher status, but I would stll choose
my :ane regardless of it all.0
#o this declaraton, the Bennet family were placated that their :ane would be ta,en care of, and it was
this that caused the loo, Ji3y gave to 5r. 8arcy an oddly e"perienced nonchalant loo, that said, /I told
you so.0
.
/!i77y, is something the ma3er<0 .eorgiana as,ed, notcing her friend)s restlessness as they sat on the
divan a(er supper had been completed.
/*o-I-yes.0
She considered her older companion for a brief moment before as,ing, /Is it my brother<0
/Hnfortunately.0
Dith a sigh, .eorgiana loo,ed up to 2nd 6it7william standing by the window, glaring into the night. '
routne for him as far as her cousins) le3ers were concerned, and her family was greatly concerned
about him= everything from his health to whether or not he would 2nd a wife or become a bachelor
forever. .eorgiana would not blame them in the slightest.
/4e does not understand what he has done to Charlo3e, or you, or Colonel 6it7william.0
/*o.0
/4ow-how can he not see +0
/4e does see,0 she interected, /he would ust rather see the bigger picture. 4e would prefer us to be
angry for this one thing rather than ris, having our cousin miserable for his entre life married to a
fortune hunter.0
/4ave you tried to ma,e him understand<0
She shoo, her head. /4e has already decided it was for my own good. I am growing up, I cannot have a
governess forever, and I certainly will not need a companion once he is married.0
Eli7abeth)s voice, for whatever reason beyond her comprehension, faltered. /4e is geBng married<0
.eorgiana)s smile was gentle. /Some day. 5y family hopes so. But when he does, I ,now she will be the
best woman ever because it is what he deserves. 4e ma,es mista,es that much is true, but he does not
ma,e them lightly nor without the full consideraton of those that will be e9ected by it. 4e would do
anything to protect his family and the ones he loves. 4e does not ,now how much Charlo3e has a9ected
?ichard= he has not seen them together to ,now. 5y brother has only read ?ichard)s le3ers which, more
li,ely than not, sound li,e 5r. Bingley in his younger years when he was infatuated with practcally every
young lady of beauty.0
/4ow can we ma,e him see then<0
/I do not ,now, but you will 2nd a way.0
#he loo, of surprise Eli7abeth sent her way only made her smile more. /!i77y, my brother only listens to
you= only you can ma,e him see reason.0
/But I +0
/5iss Catherine has entertained me with the romantc notons of .retna .reen,0 .eorgiana informed,
/and as much as it is said in est and whimsical fancy, I have no doubt that my cousin would resort to it I
that is how he feels for Charlo3e. If there)s anyone my brother will listen to, it is you.0
/Dhy me<0
She shrugged. /'ll men have wea,nesses, that is one of the things 5iss Bingley has told me multple
tmes, you ust happen to be my brother)s.0
.
Dhen Eli7abeth came to stand beside him, he remar,ed, />ou are angry.0
/4ardly.0
/>ou are a terrible liar and sarcasm does not become you,0 he pointed out as they stood side by side in
front of the window, loo,ing out into the 2elds beyond the house as they did the 2rst tme they met at
!ongbourn 5anor.
Dhen she did not answer, he contnued, /I ,now that you do not understand my reasons-0
/'nd I stll do not.0
/Dill you accept my e"planaton<0
She loo,ed to be considering it before she gave a slight nod. /I do not deserve one, but I would
appreciate it. >ou did hurt my dearest friend a(er all, as well as your sister and cousin. I imagine you owe
a number of people an e"planaton.0
4e sighed. /I thought you already ,new what I had done, and that you already forgave me.0
/I ,new that you 2red Charlo3e, but I did not ,now it was because your cousin was in love with her.
Dould your family do the same, if you were in love with me<0
It was a hypothetcal queston and drawing near a line that they had been wal,ing practcally from the
day they met, but it stll made him loo, away. /#hey would.0
/Dhy<0
/>ou have neither wealth nor ttle nor connecton to endear my family to you. >ou are neither
accomplished nor stri,ingly handsome to tempt me in a way that I have not been tempted in any
number of places I have been to.0
/Dould you accept that reasoning, if you felt strongly towards me anyway<0
4e stared out through the glass, but only saw himself in the re1ecton. /*o.0 4e turned then to loo, at
her, and she met his eyes.
#he intensity of their ga7es was enough to cause a coughing 2t as Ben wal,ed by. /Be subtle, or father
will chase you out li,e he did with Collins, 8arcy.0
Both immediately turned away to the window again.
/#hen why did you force your hand with your cousin and Charlo3e<0
4e hu9ed out a breath. /?ichard has been sheltered from the ways of arKul women only loo,ing to him
and Gloving) him in proporton to how much they can gain from a union with him. 4e has been at war
since 'ndrew)s death, and it is the 2rst tme he has been around ladies at all since then. 4e does not
,now what he feels +0
/'nd how are you to ,now what it is he feels<0
/I do not,0 he admi3ed, /but if your sister were to return from a convent school to a town 2lled with red
coats and then claim to be in love with one she has ,nown for naught a month, what would your
reacton be<0
4er lower aw clamped and she sighed. /I suppose I understand.0
Dith a nod, he contnued to stare into the night.
/But that does not ma,e it any less wrong to separate them the way you did. Charlo3e is a good person=
she would never thin, to marry for anything less than love. 4er father disowned her for that very
reason.0
/I ,now now that it was foolish of me to do so, and I do plan to ma,e amends with her, but it is my
cousin that I worry for.0 .lancing at her once more, he stated, /?ichard is painfully impulsive. I have no
idea how he managed to come bac, with all his limbs intact, but-0 'nother sha,e of his head, and he
was frowning at his re1ecton. /4e would marry 5iss !ucas in a heartbeat if he thought he loved her,
regardless of whether he ,new her or not.0
/Dhat do you suggest then<0
/Since she is no longer in my employ, my cousin is free to pursue her.0
/Dhat<0
4e cleared his throat aw,wardly. /4is reacton to 5iss !ucas being sent away is all the evidence my
family and I require to ,now that his feelings are true. 5iss !ucas) agreement to leave also showed her
willingness to protect his reputaton.0
/>ou were testng them<0 Eli7abeth as,ed in disbelief, before sighing in near e"hauston. /I do not ,now
what to thin, of you.0
4e loo,ed at her, silent and somewhat confused, but she met his ga7e with a wry smile.
/>ou are almost as cunning in your schemes as my mother.0
/I resent that,0 stated he, with a quiet snort.
/>ou probably should,0 she stated, smir,ing, /she would have had them married within the hour.0
.
Chapter thirty
.
'ct N$ 8ancing in the light
/'re you out of your mind<0 ?ichard ranted for the second tme in ten minutes= his cousin)s response
was to e"amine the structure of ice in his glass, his apparent disinterest not deterring him, />ou are
simply giving me permission to court Charlo3e<0
/>es. #hough I would withhold the occasion untl your mother and father)s missive arrives, most li,ely
tomorrow if the roads are good.0
/8o you mind e"plaining what the cause of all this running around was<0
/I did.0
/'gain,0 ?ichard insisted, reaching for his abandoned glass on the table.
Brow popping up to touch his hairline, 8arcy indulged him, /'s agreed by !ady 6it7william, I was to do
whatever it too, to ensure your feelings as well as her character= were true. Dith such short tme
considering your impulsivity, I decided that sending her away would be the best way to determine both.0
/'nd no one ,new of this absurd plan beyond you and mother<0
/Bingley ,new.0 #o the raised brow, he e"plained further, /I needed to ,now whether sending her away
would draw the same conclusion to garner an appropriate reacton from you. .ranted, Bingley had no
idea why beyond my suspicion of 5iss !ucas) character and your genuine feeling for her.0
/H3er bolloc,s,0 the man decided with a snort. /I cannot believe you tric,ed me.0
8arcy shrugged nonchalantly.
/4onestly, I would not have ta,en you for someone who would. #he .reat 5aster of Femberley would
not have thought of such a deceiKul thing,0 ?ichard accused good naturedly.
/8o you not believe my mischievous nature survived to adulthood<0
/*ot a(er your parents) passing.0
#he reminder caused the taller man to swallow his drin, as silence enveloped the room.
/>ou ,now,0 ?ichard began, /from the way I see you and 5iss Eli7abeth behave towards each other, I
have it on good authority that your mother would approve of her.0
!eaning bac, into his seat, he stared up at the ceiling and said, more to himself, /I hope so.0
/Dhen am I to wish you oy<0
/>ou have not even a3ended a ball yet, and you are already sounding li,e the matrons,0 he sighed.
Snic,ering, the older gentlemen sang, /I do not hear you denying it cousin of mine.0 Dhen his
companion only 1ushed, ?ichard laughed once more. /I see .eorgiana is going to get what she wants.
Eli7abeth Bennet, and four new sisters= what a family you shall haveC But come man, tell me now, am I to
wish you oy before or a(er my parents give their consent to the union between Charlo3e and I, spea,
nowC0
#he topic would not be released, even more so when Bingley oined them not 2ve minutes later.
/' grand gesture, I insist,0 was the ongoing est, /as, her to dance and then whis, her away for your
proposalC0
/I do not dance.0
/8arcy old man, you must dance, you cannot ust stand there li,e a fool on your wedding day,0 Bingley
declared. /Come, come, you ,now the steps.0 Dhether from drin, or simple silliness, the light haired
man stood, dragging his friend to his feet and moving his arms about in a moc,ing positon of some
dance, possibly a ig.
'nd then the clapping began I
/;ne, two, three, come on man, I)ve seen girls younger than 5iss !ydia dance be3er than thatC 4ave
some enthusiasm will you<0 ?ichard bar,ed.
' door opened and shut in the midst of their nonsense, the only tme their presence was noted was
when Bennet chastsed, /#he least you could do is lead, 8arcy, for goodness) sa,e. 8o you e"pect your
lady to do all the wor,<0
/Jnowing 8arcy, she might have to,0 Bingley said with an e"aggerated roll of the eyes, burstng out in a
grin at the annoyed loo, sent his way.
Bennet rolled his eyes, draping himself on the seat 8arcy had previously occupied. /' pity, my mother
was convinced that no man ,nows how to be a gentleman anymore, and I am afraid a(er this display,
she may be right.0
/#wo men brawling is hardly the death of chivalry.0
/>ou ,illed 5ary)s favorite 1owers.0
/'nd she has our sincerest apologies.0
/If you would be so ,ind as to e"tend that to both my sister Eli7abeth and :ane that would be
marvelous.0
/Das 8arcy)s proposal that terrible< 'nd Bingley)s too<0
/4ardly,0 the la3er claimed, /I was chivalrousC0 #he dear man was pu@ng his chest out li,e a proud
rooster, no one in the room blamed him, he had go3en all he wanted out of today I an arrangement
with a woman he truly loved and who loved him right bac,.
?ichard ,new the feeling, but stll, he played along. 0#hen it was you cousinC0
/I did no such thing,0 8arcy answered, turning fully to as, the young man, eyes dangerously narrow,
/who proposed to 5iss Eli7abeth<0 #he events in the wood previous to his cousin)s rather dramatc
arrival to 4erKordshire, had almost escaped him and though he remembered that the obect of his
a9ecton had already been o9ered for, he had no recollecton of who it was.
/#hat toad, Collins.0
/8id he not propose to :ane<0 Bingley as,ed, confused.
/#o them both,0 his future brother replied, stll loo,ing quite mi9ed at the thought, /which is why all
men are toads in her eyes, you are luc,y Bingley, that my father informed everyone of your proper
courtship of my dearest sister :ane. ;therwise my mother would have beaten you to death with the leg
of lamb we partoo, in.0
/'nd it was a delicious leg of lamb,0 ?ichard added, sagely.
8arcy found himself nodding in agreement. /It would be a good death.0
/>es, completely honorable.0
/But what happened to the odious man< >our father begged me leave to deal with him, was he
dispatched accordingly<0 Bingley inquired, /I would have shot the man myself but +0
/I am afraid that honor goes to me sir,0 5r. Bennet, the senior, said, going practcally unnotced since his
son)s announcement. #he elderly man, despite having a former colonel in his wa,e, had managed to
elude their notce I and was now ma,ing himself comfortable at a des, several paces away, busying
himself with rearranging the le3ers li3ering the writng table.
/6orgive us, sir we did not see you.0
/'s was my desire,0 answered he, /but I felt that I had to answer for my nephew)s presence. 4e is no
longer residing at !ongbourn 5anor.0
4is son sat up straighter. /Is he in a ditch somewhere<0
'n amused smile pulled at the corner of his lips. /'fraid not. But he is, as far as I ,now, en route bac, to
Jent. 'long with a very displeased note penned to his ever gracious and condescending !ady Catherine
of ?osings.0
Considering the elderly gentleman with his room full of boo,s, his house 2lled with family, and his
wealth of ,nowledge and understanding of the human conditon and its idiosyncrasies, 8arcy surmised
something shoc,ing, /#hat is crueler than puBng him in a ditch.0
/'ye,0 he claimed a twin,le in his eye. /But he deserved it.0
.
/4ow unusual,0 mama u3ered as she ,ept herself busy with her needlewor,.
It had become a routne in the past half an hour since their father summoned their male guests to the
library, and during those precious thirty minutes, their mother speculated her husband)s reasoning. It
was 5ary)s turn to reply, /I am sure it is of no import.0
#hey had e"hausted the topic of 5r. Bennet, out of familial love %and possibly out of pity& spo,e to the
ttled ?ichard 6i7william, future !ord 5atloc,, on behalf of Charlo3e= and even returned to dance around
in the 2eld of 1owers that was :ane)s o@cial courtship with 5r. Bingley$
/I am not even angry my dear,0 the matron had told her eldest, /a(er hearing of 5r. Collins) display as
well as coming to terms with 5r. Stewart and 5r. 8arcy)s behavior towards you, 5r. Bingley seems li,e a
2ne young man. 6ive thousand a year is hardly a tri1e.0 'nd as if she needed comfortng for what could
only be Gse3ling), her mother pa3ed her hand.
/#here is happiness abound,0 Ji3y declared, beaming, /:ane is to be happy, and so is Charlo3eC0
/*o such thing,0 the lady denied.
!ydia, at her side, giggled. /I told you that red coats were the 2ner men, and loo,, you have entrapped
oneC0
/4e does not wear one dearest,0 :ane corrected to the dismissive wave of her youngest sister)s hand.
/Fish, he was stll in the militaC0
/*o longer now, a ttled lord, how proud your mama will be of you Charlo3eC0 5rs. Bennet said, giving
the once a spinster a ,ind smile.
/Dill you tell them Charlo3e<0 5iss 8arcy as,ed carefully, ,nowing the circumstances of her former
governess) familial situaton.
/I do not ,now,0 the lady trailed before quic,ly adding, /there is nothing to tellC0
/;h, come now, we are all ladies and all friends here, you are allowed to be happy sweetng,0 Eli7abeth
said pinching her friend)s ,nee o,ingly. /4e will propose soon now that 5r. 8arcy)s tric, has been
unveiled.0
/' clever ploy,0 5ary approved, /simple, but e9ectve. 4e has learnt well from you all, has he not<0
/4e learnt from !i77y and she is the best of us,0 Ji3y answered with a grin, bumping shoulders with said
sister. /So than,s to them both, Charlo3e and Colonel 6i7william shall be as happy as :ane and 5r.
BingleyC0
/4ow do we ,now Colonel 6it7william has not yet o9ered for our dear Charlo3e<0 :ane as,ed slyly to the
contnuous reddening of the older girl)s face to the point where she hid behind her hands.
/#ell us, has he<0 Ji3y, !ydia and even 5ary and 5iss 8arcy prodded at once, loo,ing to her with
pleading eyes. #he horde of them was enough to get the rest of the ladies to grin.
/;h the romantcism,0 Charlo3e cursed with a laugh. /4e has not, I assure you.0
Eli7abeth wiggled her brows. /#hat loo, he gave you when 5r. 8arcy apologi7ed seemed to be all the
proposal you required.0
#he room as at an uproar of scandali7ed gasps and giggles, above it, 5rs. Bennet claimed, /I saw that as
well, as much as I wish he could have o9ered for you dearest !i77y, Charlo3e deserves some happiness in
her life and I have never seen such emoton present in her features as there was in that moment.0
/It was be3er than the one on !i77y)s face when 5r. 8arcy apologi7ed to her for his duplicity,0 :ane said,
win,ing at her favorite sister to more scandali7ed gasps amidst Eli7abeth)s furious denials.
/Indeed, if I had not ,nown be3er, I would thin, he favors you !i77y,0 5rs. Bennet commented, to the
contnuous blossoming of color on her second eldest, before she noted everyone else)s snea,y
e"pressions and e"claimed, /5y goodness, is today the day I let go of more than one daughter<0
/Dell that depends on my brother,0 5iss 8arcy said with a smile, /perhaps he shall 2nally admit to his
emotons.0
#he statement put more than one smile in the room, even when Eli7abeth was sha,ing her head
violently and trying to dissuade the tal,, !ydia silenced it with her own announcement, /#he only thing
that would ma,e this any be3er is a ball= a ball to celebrate all the happiness that we have been blessed
withC0
5ary snic,ered. />ou only say that, so that you may wear your dress and dance with a gentleman of your
own.0
/#wo couples and many more to come, I assure itC Flay us a tune 5ary, we must danceC0 Even with the
absence of the melody of the pianoforte, !ydia hopped to her feet and pulled .eorgiana up to hers,
insistng, /8ance with me 5iss 8arcy, we have much to celebrateC0
.
!ater that evening as everyone prepared for bed, the children congregatng to :ane and Eli7abeth)s room
as always with Charlo3e to oin them, their parents adoined to their own room I far more demure than
their children.
Seated with her bac, facing her husband atop the counterpane of their bed, 5rs. Bennet 2ddled with
her nightcap and sighed quietly to herself. #hose were the sighs not borne of her famous nerves, but
rather from a worry that truly gnawed at her, and her husband ,new it when he heard it.
/6anny, is something the ma3er<0
/*o-0
/6anny,0 he began, /we have been married for more years than I can remember, and I remember almost
everything as you ,now. Come now, I ,now when you are upset-0
/I am not upset,0 she stubbornly protested.
/#hen what was that sigh<0
/I did not sigh.0
/E"haled loudly then,0 he bargained, patent as always as he sat, facing her bac,, waitng for her to say
something because she inevitably would. 6anny made it quite easy for him to ,now when she was upset,
so vocal was she in her feelings on any ma3er that troubled and pleased her that his life was far easier
than that of other gentlemen.
6ed up with restraining herself all day, she stood and turned to face him, throwing her night cap onto the
bed. /;ur childrenC0 4is brow raised. /#hey are going o9 and growing up, on the verge of marriage and
eventually +0
/!eaving-0
4er shoulders sagged. />es-0 She loo,ed down for a moment, before meetng his eyes sadly. /#hey are
growing up so quic,ly, one minute they were running about the house in all their glory and now loo, at
them-0
/>ou did not e"pect anything less though, did you my dear<0
/*o,0 she answered before sha,ing her head furiously. /But not this fastC ;ne day they were all together,
laughing in :ane and !i77y)s room, tal,ing through the night I braiding each other)s hairs and teasing Ben
mercilessly for doing it so well-.ust yesterday, Ben had come home and they pra3led for hours about
the assembly, li,e they were younger and we had ta,en them on their 2rst one-0
*otng her voice was trembling, her husband stood, wal,ing around the bed to wrap his arms around
her. /8earest, it is not so bad. Soon you shall have their great fortunes in life to brag to your friends
about at the ball, I ,now how much you enoy that,0 he said teasingly.
/Soon we shall be alone in this house of ours-0
/'lone together, ust li,e before,0 he reminded, ,issing her hair. /Dould that be so bad< 4ave you go3en
bored of me a(er all these years< 're you thin,ing of ta,ing a lover to give you some variety +0
/I am serious.0
/'s am I,0 he said, chuc,ling. /De shall only be alone for a li3le while, Ben will marry and he shall be
here where we will be, e"cept we have no responsibilites li,e he will.0
/>ou wish to do nothing with your tme once Ben becomes master of !ongbourn< >ou wish to be an
invalid,0 she challenged, po,ing his sides, />ou will be old and fat with all the food you shall eat, and
drun, tooC0
/;f course, what is old age without the leisure<0
She smiled at him as they pulled away to hold each other)s hands, but worry stll appeared in her eyes.
/8o you thin, they will be happy with their gentlemen and lady< 8o you thin, they shall be good
mothers, and a father<0
/De did raise them= I daresay we did a good ob.0
/#homasC0
!aughing once more, he ,issed her forehead. />ou worry far too much my dear, they shall be happy
because that is what we taught them to be. #hey are all intelligent, wi3y and handsome= they ,now
what they want in the world and they ,now how to get it, the queston is whether they will be willing to
ta,e the ris, as we have.0
4er e"pression had eased, but as a natural worrier, it did not disappear completely. 's her husband, he
could not be frustrated by this= instead he distracted her by ta,ing their clasped hands and twirling them
about the room, to her giggles.
/De are dancing sir<0
/De are indeed for there is much to celebrate, so come 5rs. Bennet, dance with your husband.0
/Dhat about +0
/'h, ah, ah,0 he interected, , /?ight now may seem li,e the end is nearing + a beginning is on its way, so
smile bright my dear wife, there is more adventure for us yet.0
.
'ct S$ #he end in the beginning
)wenty-one years earlier
/>ou are nervous.0
/'m I< I had not notced,0 5r. Bennet said in annoyance, stll pacing the length of the hallway, his
agitaton growing with every shrie, from down the hall. 'gain, when he tried to beeline for the door, 5r.
.ardiner refused.
/>ou must rela".0
/4ow< 5y wife is in pain in there, can you not hear her<0 4e 1inched as another shout made its way
through the wood, and again the urge to wretch open the door rose li,e bile in his throat.
/Sit down, before you wear a hole in the 1oor,0 5r. .ardiner said, /'ll will be well.0
/>ou do not ,now that +0
/I do,0 he disagreed, /my mother was much more sic,ly than yours, when 6anny was born, the agony, the
screaming-0 4e shoo, his head. /But she survived it to have more children. 5y sister will survive.0
/Dhat if she does not< Dhat if she passes and the child +0
/She will not pass, and even if she did, you would not hate the child as your father hated you. >ou are
too good a man to do such a thing, and in anyway, 5rs. Bennet will survive this ordeal, and you shall
have a happy family li,e you deserve. Come man, a few hours more. >our wife is wor,ing hard in there,
the least you can do is not interrupt her.0
. /Dhat if I cannot be a good father< !ord ,nows 6anny will be a wonderful mother, but what if I am an
u3er pounce at it< Dhat if I ruin that child forever<0
/#he child would be ruined either way. #he world is not a pleasant place.0
/8ear lord you are right, what was I thin,ing leBng another human being into a world such as this<
Dhat ,ind of man am I<0 4e was up and pacing again.
/#hat was not what I meant +0
/If it is a boy, he could be a cad, and do all the wrong things and get into duels of honor and die with a
sword through his heart before brea,fast was even servedC0
/Dell yes, a pity that, he should have at least had his last meal +0
/'nd if it were a girlC Saints) have mercy, the milita stops here regularly, who ,nows what might happen
to herC0 4e was practcally pulling his hair as he paced. /Dhy did this have to happen at all< De can
leave !ongbourn to that cousin of mine and whatever thing he spawnsC 6anny and I were so happy
before this, we do not need change= change is horribleC0
/#homas,0 5r. .ardiner called, grabbing him again to sit down, /you are overreactng man.0
/Dhat if I cannot do it Edward< Dith or without 6anny, what if I cannot do it<0
/I promise you when that baby arrives, you will ,now. >ou will loo, in their eyes, and you will ,now,0 he
answered, paBng him on the shoulder. /Change is an inevitable thing, what will happen will happen, all
you can do is accept it as it does. >our child will need you as 6anny does.0
/!ucas said,0 5r. Bennet mu3ered, /that his wife does not love him as much as she did before Charlo3e
was born. I am afraid now that 6anny will be the same. #hat this baby)s beginning will be our end.0
/Every beginning starts with an end= we have no control of either, only that we must do our best with
what we are given.0
#he advice, no ma3er how meager, did serve to calm 5r. Bennet down, however, before they could sit
down again, a cry I the cry of a child rang through the air and the new father)s eyes widened to the si7e
of dinner plates.
/'re you ready<0
/*o-not at all.0
.
;resent
Dithin two days there was a 1urry of actvity engul2ng !ongbourn and *ether2eld due in part to the
banns being read that Charlo3e !ucas of !ongbourn 5anor was to wed ?ichard 6it7william of 5atloc,,
as well as the gossip that :ane Bennet and Charles Bingley were formally courtng ma,ing their rounds,
as well as the accomplishment of !ydia in coercing her father to host a ball in both the couples) honor
that very night.
/5y dear, I do not ,now why you ma,e me su9er so,0 the patriarch was saying as he waved o9 yet
another servant as,ing his opinion about this linen and that linen, and for goodness) sa,e, he had no
idea what the di9erence between them wasC
/;h papa, are you not happy with the outcome of this<0
/4appy enough to agree, but not happy enough to enoy it,0 said he in moc,ing scorn, to the chuc,le of
his son.
/6ather this is a mere formality, once Bingley proposes there will be yet a bigger ball to a3end to.0
/.ood lord, do you wish me an early grave<0
/Dhere did you get that idea<0 Ben as,ed innocently.
!ydia came to sit atop the windowsill beside the chessboard in front of the two gentlemen. 5oving a
pawn to ta,e a ,night, she said, />ou will have to get used to us leaving sooner or later, we are growing
up a(er all.0
/I thought I speci2cally told you that neither you, Ji3y nor 5ary is allowed to.0
Ben feigned disappointment. /Dhat of me have you no desire to ,eep your only son<0
/;nce you gather the courage to face 5r. 8arcy, I gather I shall be rid of you anyway,0 was the reply, /do
not thin, your mother and I have not notced your a3entons towards his sister.0
/I am merely showing her around, this is the 2rst place she has seen since ?amsgate, a li3le supervised
e"ploraton can hardly be disagreeable to him.0
/Dhen he 2nds out that you esteem her, he might be disagreeable,0 !ydia informed with a chuc,le.
/4ardly fair,0 her brother responded with a pout, /I have not said a word against him for esteeming
!i77y.0
5r. Bennet dropped the chess piece he was about to move. /'nd why has no one told me about this
before now<0
/Because I am about to win,0 Ben claimed, moving his bishop to ta,e the queen. /Chec,mate.0
.
&everal years before
#he 1owers were newly blossomed, and the s,y cloudless and cheerfully blue. #he country air was
gloriously cool to combat the heat of the sun, as the trees provided both shade and fruit, ready to be
enoyed while green 2elds ran free and rampant for miles on end. If only he could do the same.
/Dhat am I doing<0
/I am not sure.0
/>ou are not supposed to say that,0 he grumbled testly as he contnued to pace, touching his mouth and
ruining the wor, of his manservant by running his hand through his hair. />ou are supposed to tell me
how this is all meant to be, that I am marrying the woman I love and that there is nothing I should be
worried about.0
/;h but then I would be lying,0 his brother+in+law declared.
/#homasC0
4e chuc,led. /Dhat do you want me to say Edward<0
/.ive me advice,0 he answered, /I did the same for you when :ane was born, and !i77y, and the twins
and +0
/5y goodness, I really am a frightened fool.0
Dithout missing a beat, 5r. .ardiner agreed in ,ind.
/#o be fair, I have always had trouble acceptng change. >ou, however, have gone with the wind as they
say,0 5r. Bennet commented, /I do not ,now why you worry yourself so, you are marrying someone who
truly cares for you. Dhat is there to worry about<0
/Dhat if I am a terrible husband<0
/8ear lord above, have some creatvity, I as,ed you the same thing when I got married.0
/'nd loo, where it got you.0
/' happy wife with four children and another one on the way, your point<0
4e grumbled under his breath. /I should have thought be3er of that, why could you not be as unhappy
as the rest of the married men in England<0
/Because my uncle gave me some very simple advice$ /4appy wife, happy life0. 'nd then you gave me a
gem that was this$ Change is inevitable= the end of one thing always means the beginning of something
else. *ow ta,e my uncle)s advice, and your own, and strive to be as happy as I. I am obliged to tell you as
well, that your wife+to+be has a very frighKul brother, and I have no mind to anger him so if you plan to
run away with your tail between your legs, I want no part in it.0
.
;resent
/'nd there are sprites in this forest<0 .eorgiana as,ed, as she and 5iss Cath + Ji3y traipsed beyond the
boundary of the !ongbourn estate.
/>es, normally I climb the trees to try and 2nd them, but your dress is too 2ne to be ruined by such an
adventure. 5ama will surely have a 2t and I do not thin, your relatons will appreciate the possibility of
you geBng hurt accomplishing such a tas,.0
/*e"t tme I shall wear an ugly one, then I would not mind at all,0 she said to her companion)s giggle.
In the two days since her arrival to the quaint county, she had found contentment in it. .eorgiana had
never been around so many people as she had here, and all of them were perfectly engaging and ,ind to
her. She, along with ?ichard, had stayed in !ucas !odge despite 5r. Bingley)s invitaton to ma,e use of his
home I ?ichard did not desire to be at the mercy of a fortune hunter as 5iss Bingley, and her brother
was disappointed at the prospect of being rid of her a3entons.
4er cousin)s reasoning was simple, /De all have our crosses to bear. 5ine was the war. >ours is insipid
fortune hunters. I wish you well in eluding her suit, write to me on how you plan to survive and at the
end of it all we shall drin, to either your victory in escaping her, or misery of being entrapped by her.0
/>our faith in me is insultng,0 was her brother)s response.
In the present though, .eorgiana would be doing some huntng of her own.
In the mornings and a(ernoons, and whatever tme could be spent, she oined Ji3y and Eli7abeth on
their li3le hunts and adventures in the wood %Eli7abeth)s trail was more strenuous, but the views were
incredible I and she got to oin her brother as well&. ;ther tmes she would play the pianoforte and read
with 5ary, or go into 5eryton with :ane and !ydia= anytme that could be spared would be le( for 5iss
Bingley and 5rs. 4urst, which were few and far between %to her suppressed oy&.
She had grown close to them in her short stay which helped to calm any nervousness her brother and
cousin had, and greatly agitated 5iss Bingley.
/4ow do you go about 2nding sprites<0
/#hey are said to 2nd us-but what I have read of them is that they a3ract bu3er1ies to where they have
done their magic,0 she stated.
/Dhat sort of magic do they perform<0
/5iracles my dear 5iss 8arcyC0
Smiling, she as,ed, /So we shall loo, for bu3er1ies then<0
/#hat would be a place to start,0 Ji3y agreed, /though it will be hard since winter is fast approaching. I
am not sure there will be any to be honest-0
/4ave faith, we shall 2nd themC By the by= where did you come to hear of these sprites<0
/>our brother told me of them,0 answered she before gasping, lightly hiBng .eorgiana on the shoulder
in her e"citement bouncing on the balls of her feet. /!oo,C 8id you see it<0
/See what<0
Dithout reply, Ji3y ran ahead, chasing some invisible creature only she saw. /Come on .eorgiana, we
shall lose itC0
/>ou saw one<0
/'ye, I thin, I didC0
#hey both ran over a hill overloo,ing a heavier foliage of wood, Ji3y, without stopping to catch her
breath declared, /'(er itC0
Clumsy from the impromptu e"erton, .eorgiana, slowed, hand at her side where a sttch was pulling,
un,nowingly catching her foot under a root and tumbling down a(er she tried to ta,e a step I ,noc,ing
Ji3y o9 her feet in the process. !uc,ily the hill was not overly large, but stll enough to set the two in a
heap at the bo3om of the hill, groaning to themselves.
Dhen their bearings returned, they untangled themselves and loo,ed about, it was there that they
notced, across from them and siBng beneath a tree, her brother and Eli7abeth were tal,ing, and was it
her, or were they siBng closer than what was allowed<
/.eorgiana,0 Ji3y whispered, awed, /loo,-0
4overing above their siblings, dancing in the sun, a bu3er1y 1ic,ed by.
/;n your guard my friend, a miracle is about to ta,e place and we shall witness it-0
.
&everal years earlier
/Fapa, papa, loo, what I can do papaC0
/;h :ane, be careful dear,0 5rs. Bennet said, holding onto li3le 5ary and Benamin)s hand as they too,
their a(ernoon wal, around !ongbourn)s property.
/Eery good my :aneC0 4is father cheered, pic,ing her up from under her arms and swinging her about to
:ane)s shrie,s, and Eli7abeth)s declaratons, /5e ne"t papa, me ne"tC0
/#homas,0 his wife scolded, /stop indulging them.0
/But what is a father to do without that<0
#heir girls giggled and danced atop the fallen log, umping from being on it to the ground below it,
singing some song 4ill had taught them to sing when they did needlewor, or some other needless
feminine tas, he had no choice but to be impressed with. It was no good wantng his children to be
accomplished if he had no interest in their educaton and abilites, a singular thing, according to his wife,
who was no doubt impressed with his dedicaton to his children.
/5ost would not even care,0 she reminded.
/5y children are only young once, and when they grow older I do not want to be a stranger to them.
Besides, if you can play games with them so can I.0
/;h, but it will ma,e it harder for you to give them away, do you not thin,<0
4e paused. /#hat is true. >our father practcally threw you at me.0
/Dhich I was grateful for by the way= I would have been a spinster without you.0
/>ou give yourself too li3le credit my dear= you are a true gem indeed.0
4is lady blushed preBly, but she shooed him away out of embarrassment. /Stll, you will be a very
di@cult man to please when your daughters) gentlemen come along to ta,e them away.0
/Every end has a beginning, and when that tme comes, I will be ready,0 he stated 2rmly. /!uc,ily that is a
long tme from now and I am free to horde my children all I want.0
.
;resent
#he preparatons for the ball was absolute chaos, and a wal, around 5eryton was not to be I ever since
the banns had been read, the inhabitants of 4erKordshire would clamor to the Bennet girls, their
mother and father as well as their brother, for news$ Das it true that their charge, Charlo3e !ucas, the
spinster, had entrapped the ttled ?ichard 6it7william< Das it true that :ane and 5r. Bingley were
formally courtng< Dhat of 5r. Stewart< Dhatever happened to that cousin of theirs, 5r. Collins) was it<
'nd this young lady, 5iss 8arcy, is she a single lady of large fortune< Dho is courtng her< Dhat of you,
5iss Eli7abeth I
She shoo, her head, leaning it against the trun, of a tree she had found refuge siBng under.
/>ou loo, u3erly e"hausted.0
;pening her eyes, she was not surprised at the presence of 5r. 8arcy and 'chilles. Both of them had
been oining her in the wood for the past two days.
/I am.0
8espite the earlier teasing of her sisters, mother and two friends, she was determined not to place much
thought in their words. 4appiness for one was not always happiness for all. Surely everyone merely
wanted to prolong or intensify their grat2caton with yet another courtship or marriage proposal, there
was no need to complicate a perfectly good friendship.
4e interrupted her further thoughts on the ma3er tentatvely, /#he preparatons for the ball are
harrowing<0
/;f course, my mother wishes everything to be perfect,0 she answered, squintng up at him, the sun
behind him shining in her eyes and hiding his e"pression from her. /Dill you not sit sir<0
/*o, I...0 4e loo,ed away. /#his forest is lovely.0
4er lips pulled into a half smile. #he growing amount of tme that they were in each other)s company
was enough for her to understand when he was feeling uncomfortable and for him to push past his
aggression when he was embarrassed. 't this point, she regre3ably found his behavior charming.
/I mean, all nature is beautful, but I-I 2nd that this place-magni2cent,0 he 2nished, his eyes landing on
her, stll loo,ing up at him in mild amusement. Hncomfortably, he cleared his throat and added, /'utumn
is my favorite season.0
*otng the heat fanning his nec,, creeping out of the intricately ted cravat, and the hu9 of annoyance
from his horse who was sha,ing his head, Eli7abeth o9ered, /It is mine too.0
4er smile widened at his surprise. /Feople thin, it is a depressing tme, when all things die. But nature
has no tme to mourn, only move forward and pave the way for the beginning of something else. >ou can
feel it in the air. It does not ust feel crisper, there is a sense of magic in it when the leaves curl gold I li,e
something great is about to happen.0
#he intensity of his ga7e weighed on her, as if something too was about to happen now.
4owever, she pushed on despite the frantc pulsatons of her heart, /#here is always something
breathta,ing about seeing something on the verge of a new beginning.0 4er eyes wandered a li3le to
2nd a sil,y white cocoon hanging o9 the edge of a twig. /Come see.0 Dith a de( gesture his way, the
man found himself following suit and coming to ,neel in front of her to face the branch with the li3le
cocoon on it.
/It is changing, as all things do-0
/Dhen it has changed will it stll be considered breathta,ing<0 he as,ed, his eyes 1ic,ering to see her
face, practcally at the edge of his nose.
/It will,0 answered she with a smile unaware of the concentraton the gentleman was puBng on her
chee, as he contnued to stare. Dhen he did not reply, she loo,ed to him, unmoving.
/Dhat if it is not<0
/It will be.0
#hey were silent, watching the li3le cocoon tremble.
/Dhen my father passed away, it was the beginning of spring I a season of beginnings and life, I was
mista,en,0 said he, and it was her turn to focus on him= drawn to the sad 1ic,er in eyes and his clenched
aw, but his e"pression was not all sad, in fact, he loo,ed determined. /4e was in bed for two days before
he passed= he wished to tell me all that he could since he ,new tme was not on his side. But he was
happy, deliriously so. 4e was going to see my mother again.0
/.eorgiana told me about her, the stories you shared-0
4e shoo, his head. /5y words cannot capture how wonderful she was, truly the only way she could be
described in how wholly she was loved was summed up by the loo, my father had every tme she wal,ed
into the room.0 4is ga7e met hers again and the tny hairs at the bac, of her nec, stood at a3enton.
/5y father told me that he met my mother in the summer long before he fell in love with her. #hey were
close friends as children, they e"plored together and teased each other mercilessly= no one was ever as
close as they were, and it was because of that that everyone assumed they would wed one day. *either
of them too, it seriously, but in the autumn of his twenty+fourth, something changed li,e all things in
nature do,0 he said, a half smile on his lips, and in this vulnerable moment under the canopy of bare
branches and golden sunlight, Eli7abeth was trans2"ed.
/'re you fond of change, 5iss Eli7abeth<0
/Even if I was not, I could not stop it,0 she murmured quietly. /Change is inevitable.0
/Dould you try to stop it though< 6ight it in some way<0 he as,ed, his voice going lower, and possibly by
her own imaginaton, nearing her with cauton, his 2ne blue eyes wondrously hypnot7ing.
#hat feeling of magic in the air that autumn brought with it felt li,e it was burstng inside of her by the
tme their noses brushed, the inevitable pull of change tugging at her li,e she was a puppet on a string.
'nd despite her bulwar,s against any ,ind of romantc inclinaton towards the tall, handsome man, she
crumbled and yielded.
#hey ,issed.
#he bu3er1y escaped its prison to oin another already in the air and together they were free.
Every end meets a beginning, and every beginning starts with an end.
.
Bini
Authors note
#he second part of Sibling Interventon will involve 4unsfordT!ady Catherine and Femberley, and is
wri3en to e"plore the transforming relatonships of the characters previously mentoned.
?eading the second part is unnecessary, but done because I love playing in the Fride and Freudice
sandbo", and also to address further possibilites. #he unedited second part %stll unttled& will be
uploaded separately on 66* as I don)t want to sacri2ce the quality of Sibling Interventon by adding on
2(y or so chapters when readers could be happy enough to end here.
#han, you in advance for reading, your feedbac, is much appreciated so feel free to leave me your
thoughts at either 66* by sending me a review or by writng me an email a,pUNVWymail.com