A/N: Hello everyone, this is my first FF. I promise a HEA for D/E but there will be a bit of angst before we arrive! I do not have a Beta and I am horrible with grammar, so all mistakes are mine. I would love to hear your comments. Thanks, Danni
The Other Triangle
"Oh Jane, you look so beautiful!" Mrs. Bennet enthused. "You shall be the belle of the ball tonight! I do not believe that any man shall be able to resist you! And to think, Mr. Bingley shall be at the assembly tonight!" Mrs. Bennet's handkerchief began to flutter madly. "Oh, what a mistress you shall be at Netherfield! To think Mr. Bingley, 5,000 a year and nearly more," Oh, I knew you could not be so beautiful for nothing!" Mrs. Bennet proclaimed chest heaving and voice so shrill that Jane feared the shattering of the china!
"Mama!" Jane called rather more loudly than was her wont. Once Mrs. Bennet's eyes ceased darting about and focused upon her, Jane smile serenely, "Mother, please calm yourself. I have not yet met Mr. Bingley, he may not be attentive to me at all with so many beautiful girls to attend tonight.
"Oh nonsense, Jane," Mrs. Bennet rolled her eyes and shifted impatiently upon the settee. "You are by far the most beautiful girl in the county. Not even Lizzy can compete with you and it is a good thing too with her wild ways and impertinence, always walking about in the mud and reading books", Mrs. Bennet spoke rapidly and began to rock back and forth upon the settee. "It is a good thing she is not here tonight! I will not have that child ruining your chances with her wild ways!" Mrs. Bennet's rocking seemed to increase with the level of agitation with her second daughter. "Oh, she may never catch a husband, that one! You mark my words!" By now Mrs. Bennet was bobbing so frantically to and fro, that the large feathers in her cap were fluttering wildly in time with her fury. If she begins fluttering her handkerchief again in time with her bobbing, I shall fear she will take flight! Jane thoughtuncharitably.
"Mama!" Jane called again. "What of Lydia?"
"Oh, my dear Lydia," Mrs. Bennet ceased her bobbing and broke into a smile as Jane knew she would. "Oh, what a delightful child, so spirited. You may be more beautiful but if you had just a bit of Lydia's liveliness, I daresay, you would be Mrs. Bingley in a fortnight. But do not despair, dear Jane, you will just have to catch him with your beauty alone. I daresay it will be more than sufficient even if my Lydia is so delightful."
Mrs. Bennet continued to enthuse about Lydia's liveliness and Jane sat with a painted smile upon her serene countenance and wondered what her dear Lizzy was doing. How she longed for Lizzy's presence tonight! Lizzy's courage and wit gave Jane such comfort. Jane sighed, she would just have to make the best of the night. She knew that she would not be without a partner, especially with Lizzy absent. She also strongly suspected that should Mr. Bingley attend, he would dance with her and herein lay her unease. Mr. Bingley was sure to be worldly, educated and rich, (if the rumors were correct), what would she say to such a sophisticated man? Jane knew she was expected to capture him, but would her beauty be enough? It had not been thus far and she was already two and twenty. The years of her mother's expectations for her to make an advantageous marriage that would save them from the hedge groves was beginning to wear upon her. Jane's sudden frown marred her nearly perfect features. Oh, that she had Lizzy's wit, but Lizzy had inherited all the wit and oh, did she know how to use it! Jane thought uncharitably and then scolded herself for her unkindness. If Lizzy were here, she would use her wit to help ease Jane's discomfort.
"Cease frowning, Jane!" Mrs. Bennet shouted. "It is most unbecoming and what would Mr. Bingley think? Hum?" Mrs. Bennet paused with a more severe frown now marring her countenance. "No, one wants to make an offer to a frowning woman! What shall I do with you, child?"
Jane shook her head. Her mother was nonsensical and this was the very reason Jane feared her mother's reactions if she did not manage to capture Mr. Bingley's attentions.
"Give it back to me Lydia!" Jane's thoughts were interrupted by Kitty's loud shriek. "It belongs to me!"
"But it looks ever so much better on me!" Lydia's louder voice was accompanied by thunderous steps as she ran unladylike down the staircase and burst into the drawing room with a still shrieking Kitty close behind.
"It looks just as well on me and besides it is mine! Mama," Kitty implored, "Make Lydia return my ribbons, I want to wear them tonight!"
"Oh Kitty, do not bother me with such nonsense! You must have other ribbons and Lydia is so lively," Mrs. Bennet smiled adoringly at her favorite. "I am sure she needs those ribbons. Please be a dear and find some other pretty bauble, perhaps something from Lizzy's room?" Mrs. Bennet said with one eyebrow raised enquiringly as she sought to appease her second youngest, whom she did love, though not as well as her Lydia. "She is not here after all and she will never know."
"Mama, maybe I want something from Lizzy's room." Lydia pouted. "If Kitty can have something I should too!"
Kitty huffed and shook her head in disgust. She did not want to take from Lizzy's things without asking. How could she when it upset her so when Lydia did the same to her. No, she would not, she determined.
"There is no need, Mama" Kitty resigned and turned slowly to ascend the stairs and find another accessory.
"There now, you are a dear girl, Kitty." Mrs. Bennet soothed, happy that the crisis was over and she could admire her two most favorite daughters.
"Oh, but do hurry," Mrs. Bennet called in afterthought. "Before Mr. Bingley tires of waiting for Jane and leaves and then where will we be?" Mrs. Bennet huffed as she began again to bob to and fro.
Jane turned her eyes upward, Mr. Bingley did not know she existed, how could he be waiting for her? I wish you were here Lizzy. Jane sighed. It was going to be a long night.
And an eventful one, little did she know!