by Sarah Darcy
As he debated whether to run to the library or stay put he did the latter. When Mrs Bennet had a ‘bee in her bonnet’ she would not rest until she got her own way.
After ten minutes of loud weeping his wife’s fake tears had no affect. Mr Bennet had retired behind a large newspaper until her tears had subsided. But they continued to ring around the house.
Mary was so concerned by the noise she called in and offered her father some support. She could not understand why women resorted to wild displays of hysteria. As a form of solidarity she sat next to her father and read her book.
Mrs Bennet ignored Mary’s rebuff and stared forlornly at the newspaper. ‘Mr Bennet.’ She was tempted to punch a hole in the paper to see his face. ‘Why do you vex me in such matters of the heart.’
He peered over the top of the paper. ‘Because I’m wiser than you?’
‘Poppycock!’ Mrs Bennet turned away in disgust.
Mary’s voice broke the sullen silence. ‘Papa I admire your fortitude,’ she reflected. ‘You keep a tight grip of our finances and employ strict boundaries in matters of the heart.’ She gave him a rare smile. ‘And always stay calm in the face of adversity.’
‘Listen to her with her fancy sermons,’ Mrs Bennet scoffed as she wiped a large drip from her nose. ‘You should have been a boy.’ She blew very loudly into her hanky. ‘You’re far too intelligent to be a woman.’
‘I wish I had been born a man,’ Mary mused. ‘I think they have a more interesting life.’
‘Oh no,’ Mr Bennet muttered behind his paper. ‘More observations..’
Mary stared into space as if in a trance. ‘Men do things, women dream. Men talk, women gossip. Men do physical sports, women do embroidery..’
‘Mary,’ Mrs Bennet interrupted. ‘Where do you get these wild notions from?’
Mary rambled on. ‘..Men marry and have status, women become unpaid servants. Men sire off spring to great celebration, women endure the pangs of childbirth and pray they survive the ordeal..’
‘Quiet child.’ Mrs Bennet demanded. ‘You make marriage sound like a prison sentence.’
Mary looked her in the eye. ‘I do believe it is.’
Her mother was disgusted by her forthright opinion. ‘Did you hear that Mr Bennet.’ He stayed submerged behind his newspaper. ‘Mr Bennet!’ He peered over the top again. ‘Do you believe marriage is a prison sentence?’
‘Now that you’ve mentioned it,’ he pondered. ‘It does seem like that some times.’
‘I don’t mean personally.’ She paused for a moment. ‘What do you mean sometimes?’
‘Most of the time.. I have enjoyed our married life together.’
‘You have doubts about our matrimony,’ Mrs Bennet queried.
‘He did not say that Mama,’ Mary intervened. ‘He meant that marriage can be quite restricting for men sometimes.’ She looked back at her father. ‘Which is why men have mistresses.’
‘Mistresses!’ Mrs Bennet stood up in shock. ‘What are you saying?’
‘Steady on Mary.’ Mr Bennet bolted upright in his chair. ‘I’m a happily married man.’
‘I did not mean to distress you Mama,’ Mary said. ‘It is just an observation.’
‘I must admit,’ Mr Bennet pondered. ‘I have been tempted.’
‘Tempted!’ Mrs Bennet began to sob. ‘Have you?’
‘Of course not as Mary said.’ He glanced at her for support.
‘Papa is just making an observation too,’ Mary replied.
‘And you expect me to believe you.’ Mrs Bennet clutched her hanky to her chest. ‘I can’t believe it, Mr Bennet with a mistress.’
‘I never said that woman.’ Mr Bennet glared at Mary. ‘Look what you’ve started.’
‘Mrs Hill where are you?’ Mrs Bennet called out for the housekeeper. ‘I am very distressed.’
‘You’re getting overset about nothing.’ Mr Bennet steered his wife back to her chair.
‘Sit down.’ He poured her a drink. ‘Have a brandy to calm your nerves.’
‘I need more than brandy in this state.’ She pushed the drink away. ‘I need a new husband.’
‘A new husband,’ Mr Bennet exclaimed. ‘Why don’t you shop in Meryton for one,’ he snapped. ‘If they are that easy to acquire.’
His wife gave him the cold shoulder. ‘Mrs Hill where are you?’
‘Mama calm yourself,’ Mary urged. ‘You’ve upset Papa now.’
‘Is he now,’ Mrs Bennet rebuked. ‘You’re not bothered when I’m distressed. But when it’s your father it’s a different matter.’
‘Ma’am.’ The housekeeper rushed in. ‘What is wrong?’
‘Everything!’ Mrs Bennet wailed. ‘I must take to my bed at once.’ Mrs Hill walked her over to the door. ‘My marriage is on the rocks. My girls will die old maids.’ She almost stumbled out the room. ‘And Mr Collins will move in tomorrow and throw us all into bedlam.’
‘I can’t take anymore,’ Mr Bennet gasped. ‘Where’s that brandy?’
Mary gave him the brandy that his wife had refused.
‘I’m going to retire to the study Mary.’ He paused at the doorway glass in hand. ‘After the wild hysterics I have witnessed today, your mother would feel very at home in a lunatic asylum.’
Chapter 17
‘I knew your father would change his mind about the ball.’ Mrs Bennet gave a smug grin as the carriage rumbled down country lanes.
‘I don’t think he had much choice,’ Mary replied in a solemn tone. ‘With so many wailing women in the house.’
‘I knew my hysterics would bear fruit,’ Mrs Bennet said with a gleam in her eye. ‘Well it worked.’ She looked at her daughters huddled together in the cramped carriage. ‘Here we all are on the way to the spring ball at Rosings Park.’
‘I can’t wait to get out.’ Elizabeth wished she could stretch her stiff legs. It was a long journey sharing a small carriage with her sisters.
‘Me too sister,’ Jane exchanged a weary look with Elizabeth. ‘I’m fed up with Lydia’s incessant chatter.’
‘Poor Papa,’ Lydia laughed with Mrs Bennet. ‘I don’t know why he didn’t come along?’
‘Nor I,’ Kitty giggled along with her.
‘I think he was in need of a rest.’ Mary looked directly at Lydia. ‘After the dramatic exertions of some my sisters.’
‘Why are you looking at me?’ Lydia exclaimed as the carriage sped down another country lane. ‘I had every right to be upset when Papa banned us from going to the ball,’ she huffed. ‘It’s not often we get invited to such a grand ball like this.’
‘And we have Mr Darcy to thank for that,’ Elizabeth said her heart racing at the thought of seeing him again. ‘I hope he will be pleased to see us.’ She glanced out the window lost in thought – would he still care for her?
‘We can’t believe Mary is attending a ball,’ Kitty nudged Lydia. ‘What is she doing here?’
‘You know I take little delight in a ball,’ Mary replied with a blank expression. ‘I’m only here at Papa’s request.’
‘Request,’ Lydia glared at her. ‘Have you come to spy on us.’
Mary averted her eyes. The last thing she wanted was a full scale row in a cramped carriage. ‘..I have heard rumours in the village of the indiscreet behaviour of a certain Bennet sister.’
‘Look at me Mary,’ Lydia demanded. ‘It’s obvious you’re talking about me.’
‘I’m only passing on what I’ve heard,’ Mary said bluntly. ‘...Drinking to excess, more than one dance with an officer.’ She tried not to laugh. ‘And a very bad imitation of you trying to act like a lady I believe.’
‘Well it’s better than being boring like you,’ Lydia snapped.
‘Girls stop it,’ Mrs Bennet demanded. ‘We all must be on our best behaviour.’
‘So no more boring ‘observations and reflections’ about life,’ Lydia quipped.
‘Lydia,’ Jane intervened. ‘Mary was just trying to help you refine your behaviour a l
ittle.’ Lydia rolled her eyes in defiance. ‘She wants the best for all of us.’ She nudged Mary sitting with an aloof expression. ‘Don’t you Mary.’
‘Of course I do Jane.’
‘This might cheer you up Mary,’ Elizabeth interrupted. ‘I do believe a certain Mr Benjamin Gray will be at Rosings Park to recite some romantic poetry.’
‘He is a very cultured young man,’ Mrs Bennet remarked. ‘The local poet has just returned from a successful recital of his poems in London.’
‘Really.’ Mary sat with an impassive expression. ‘I did not know that.’
‘Mary’s beau is attending the ball too,’ Kitty exclaimed.
‘He is not my beau,’ she huffed. ‘You know I have no romantic notions of men. However, I do find his poems very deep and thought provoking.’
Lydia turned to Kitty. ‘Why don’t we lock Mary and Mr Gray in the library? They could recite poems all evening without boring everyone else.’ The girls giggled at each other as Mary began to blush. ‘Then we can dance and be merry without Mary casting dark looks of disapproval.’
‘Lydia, that is most unfair,’ Mrs Bennet said. ‘Mr Gray is a very agreeable young man. Mr Bennet and I would be very pleased to have him in the family.’ She gave Mary a little hug.
‘But girls exercise more decorum this time.’ Mrs Bennet continued. ‘The moment you enter the ballroom you will be evaluated by every woman in the room. Your clothes, manners and behaviour will be the focus of many a conversation.’
Kitty nudged Lydia. ‘So only a few sips of punch this time.’
‘What not a whole bowl,’ Lydia laughed.
‘Don’t worry Mama,’ Kitty said. ‘We only speak in jest.’
‘I wish I could believe that,’ Mrs Bennet mused.
Chapter 18
‘Look girls Rosings Park.’ Mrs Bennet pointed at the grand house in the distance. ‘What a fine prospect it is.’ Lydia and Kitty gasped at the opulent architecture of the grand neo-classical house, set in acres of stunning countryside. ‘Mr Collins is right about the grand location.’
‘A point he always recalls,’ Jane said with a sigh. ‘And his grand patron to..’
Elizabeth put on a deep voice. ‘The highly esteemed Catherine de Bourgh.’ She laughed at herself, then turned to her mother. ‘Why do you speak of Mr Collins? Is he coming to this ball?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Mrs Bennet replied in a vague tone.
‘Mama?’ She had a horrible feeling she was up to her old match making tricks - not for a possible attachment to Mr Darcy, but to Mr William Collins who was a cousin of her father.
William had a very respectable standing in the community as a clergyman of Hunsford Parsonage near Rosings Park estate. His position was also elevated with the patroness of Catherine de Bourgh.
Despite all these benefits to Elizabeth’s status, she still could not bear an attachment to her cousin. The prospect of being in the same room as him made her sick to the stomach.
‘Mama,’ Elizabeth repeated. ‘You did not answer my question.’ Her plea fell on deaf ears.
Mrs Bennet gazed out of the carriage. ‘Did you know that Lady Catherine is away in the Scottish Highlands?’
‘When did she go?’ Jane asked.
‘Two months ago,’ Mrs Bennet replied. ‘I believe she won’t return for another month.’
‘Well if that’s the case.’ Jane noticed the relief on Elizabeth’s face. ‘Mr Collins would not attend a ball without an invitation from Lady Catherine.’
‘Indeed,’ Elizabeth laughed. ‘Mr Darcy would not want him at the ball either. He would certainly spy on him in his Aunt’s absence.’
‘He would never do that,’ Mrs Bennet retorted.
‘I do believe he would Mama,’ Elizabeth said promptly. ‘Mr Darcy finds his social climbing very disagreeable.’
‘It might be best if you keep your opinions to yourself,’ Mrs Bennet announced.
‘Why Mama?’
She stared her in the eye. ‘Mr Collins is coming to the ball.’ Elizabeth looked away visibly upset. ‘I did not mean to upset you.’ She took hold of her hand. ‘But it’s in our best interest to make him welcome.’
‘I’m not dancing with him.’ Lydia tossed her head back. ‘He’s got two left feet.’
‘What a jest that would be,’ Kitty laughed. ‘You and Mr Collins centre stage on the floor.’
‘Ugh the thought of it,’ Lydia gasped with disgust.
‘What about you Jane,’ Mrs Bennet casually enquired. ‘Would you consider Mr Collins?’
‘Not me Mama,’ Jane replied in a coy manner. ‘You must know that my only wish is to capture Mr Bingley’s affections.’
‘And so you should Jane.’ Mrs Bennet tried to catch Elizabeth’s eye as she squeezed her hand. ‘You see Lizzy fate must take its course.’
Elizabeth pulled her hand away. ‘And what does that mean.’
‘Lizzy, don’t be so abrupt,’ her mother urged. ‘You know Mr Collins has always been sweet on you.’
‘Yes he always been sweet on you..’ Lydia mimicked her mother’s voice which made Kitty laugh. The girls exchanged whispers and suppressed giggles as they rejoiced in Elizabeth’s discomfort.
‘Lydia, Kitty,’ Jane chastised. ‘Do not tease Elizabeth can’t you see how ill she looks.’ The girls went quiet. ‘You would not jest if you were faced with the same predicament.’
‘Mama,’ Elizabeth responded. ‘I refuse to engage with Mr Collins on the dance floor or off it.’ The last time she danced with him was a disaster. She would not be the subject of everyone’s jest any longer, particularly in front of Mr Darcy.
‘Why doesn’t Mary engage with Mr Collins,’ Kitty looked over at Mary engrossed in a book. ‘All she does is read books and bore everyone with her sermons.’
Mary looked up from her book. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Yes Kitty,’ Lydia teased. ‘It would be a marriage made in heaven.’
‘Marriage.’ Mary was still perplexed by her statement.
Elizabeth felt a new sense of optimism. ‘I think Kitty is right. They would make an ideal couple.’
‘No Lizzy,’ Mrs Bennet intervened. ‘You know that Mr Collins has always favoured your affections.’
‘Well I do not favour his affections,’ Elizabeth quipped.
Mrs Bennett looked over to Mary. Could she be a possible candidate for Mr Collins? ‘Would you consider it Mary?’
‘Maybe Mama,’ she pondered. ‘We do have similar tastes in literature.’
‘Well girls,’ Mrs Bennet announced to her daughters. ‘We’ve narrowed it down to two candidates.’
Lizzy glared at her mother. She hadn’t listened to a word she had said.
‘Mary and Lizzy,’ Mrs Bennet declared. ‘Surely one of you will succumb to his affections.’
‘One candidate,’ Elizabeth retorted. ‘It is Mary’s turn to entertain Mr Collins at the ball.’
‘We must keep our options open.’ Mrs Bennet tapped her on the lap. ‘Don’t be downhearted Lizzy. I know you would prefer Mr Darcy. But a man of great wealth could have his pick of women.’
‘I’m aware of that Mama.’ Elizabeth tried to maintain her composure as she gazed out of the window.
Mrs Bennet looked over at Jane. ‘But our best hopes for a betrothal are with you Jane,’ she smiled sweetly. ‘It is important that you engage with Mr Bingley at every opportunity.’
‘I will try Mama,’ Jane said, relieved that her horrid cousin would not grace her dance card.
‘Good girl.’ Mrs Bennet sat back in the carriage with a smug grin. ‘It’s not all about you Lizzy.’
‘I never said it was Mama.’
As the carriage swept up the long driveway towards Rosings Park, doubts began to plaque Elizabeth’s mind. Although her mother had romantic intentions for all of her daughters, she knew the mantle of responsibility had been placed on her and Jane’s shoulders.
‘Lizzy.’ Lydia’s loud shout made her jump. ‘Mr Darcy
is here to greet us.’
‘Lydia don’t do that,’ she reprimanded. ‘Is this another jest?’
‘My goodness,’ Mrs Bennet exclaimed. ‘It is Mr Darcy.’ She quickly nudged Elizabeth in the elbow. ‘Sit up girl. Smile, chest out.’
Lizzy’s heart leapt at the sight of Mr Darcy at the entrance of the grand house. She felt a tingle in her body as her gaze fell upon his dark curls and his tall athletic physique. When the carriage came to a halt, Fitzwilliam’s smouldering brown eyes seemed to be searching for someone - was he searching for her?
Chapter 19
‘Welcome to Rosings Park.’ Mr Darcy stepped forward and helped Mrs Bennet alight from the carriage. Elizabeth stayed inside and motioned to her sisters to leave before her. She quietly watched his face as her sisters assembled around Mrs Bennet - would he miss her?
‘Thank you your Grace.’ Mrs Bennett brushed down her gown and gave a small courtesy. ‘It is so kind of you to extend an invitation to all of my girls.’
‘My pleasure entirely.’ He returned a short bow. ‘I assure you there will be many officers eager to dance with your daughters.’
‘Well I’m sure my girls will not disappoint them.’
Elizabeth noticed a hint of disappointment on his face. ‘I see only four of your daughters have attended.’
He recalled the last time he seen Elizabeth at Meryton. Despite her polite greeting her manner was cool towards him. Did she still believe Mr Wickham’s lies about his character? Despite being publicly disowned as a scoundrel. He gave a quiet sigh - would he ever gain Elizabeth’s trust, or even her heart?
‘Come this way ladies.’ Mr Darcy hid his disappointment and led Mrs Bennet towards the main door. ‘Is Miss Elizabeth Bennet unwell?’
‘Unwell?’ Mrs Bennet gave him a quizzical look. ‘Why do you say that?’
He glanced back at the Bennet sisters. ‘I see Miss Bennet has not attended the ball.’
‘You are mistaken Mr Darcy,’ Mrs Bennet called over to the carriage. ‘Elizabeth where are you?’