Alexandria Darcy sat staring out her window to the bustling town of London below. She longed to be in Pemberly with her mother and father and her younger brother James. She wanted to feel the sweet summer air on her skin and feel the sun on her shoulders but alas her boarding school would not set her free for another fortnight. She sighed a pained sigh and continued her work on her stitching. She had promised her brother a handkerchief for Christmas.
"Alex! You will never believe what I am about to tell you!" Miss Darcy's roommate, Maria, exclaimed.
"Well by all means, tell my quickly!"
"There is to be a ball, held on the night just before we are to depart! With St. Anthony's school and our own! There are to be hundreds of eligible bachelors for our picking! Oh Alex, why aren't you more enthused?" Maria sputtered quickly.
"My dear Maria, I haven't nearly the time to process what you had told me but now that I understand I must say I am completely against the idea! Why whoever thought of such a thing? Why must our family sell us poor females to the highest bidder. Nay I am completely repulsed.!" Alex declared.
"Oh Alex, how can you talk so? What would your dear mother say if she heard you speaking like this? And whether you are against the idea or not, it is already promised by our headmaster that all the ladies shall be attending so stitch up your best gown dear Alex and prepare to be repulsed."
The Ball was to be held at Gorinshire, where all the latest fashions originated. Maria, previous to the ball, had written furiously to her mother and father for some pocket money with which she could purchase something that could more honorably represent her as the daughter of Colonel Macintyre. It wasn't until the night previous that she had received a response to the negative. The Colonel had no money to spare on the frivolous wantings of a young girl.
"Alex! Please, allow me to borrow a garment for the ball. Your clothes are much finer than mine and you need not worry about appearances as your father's fortune will do you enough justice. I daresay you could arrive in rags and have half the gentleman crawling about your feet by the end of the night." Maria laughed a bit to herself but Alex remained composed as a spark of an idea arose to her mind.
"Maria, shall we give our fellow girls a hearty laugh before we go? I have an idea! What if I were to be introduced as a simpleton! What if I were outfitted in the dreariest of clothes merely to see the reaction at the end of the night when they find out that I am the daughter of Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberly in Derbyshire! Hurry at once dear friend and find me the worst outfit you own, you shall take one of mine and I one of yours! It will make for a grand laugh."
"In normal circumstance, it would be expected of me to try and persuade you to dislodge that idea but on first notice of the mischievousness in your eye, I can see that that will simply not be done. Now beside, the obvious moral conflict in the situation, there is no fault, I suppose in arranging a scheme that will be done at no one's expence in the effort of entertaining our young group of friends. As long as I may wear one of your gowns, I will help you in your joke."