A Misunderstanding of Character
by Maragaret920
Prologue
Mary sighed as she surveyed the room. Sure she was happy for her sisters, Lizzie and Jane, but her mother was driving her crazy. Suddenly, there came that shrill voice Mary has been so used to for the past weeks.
"Oh, Mary! My nerves! Oh, how can anyone be happier? Not one, not two, but three of my daughters are married! And to the greatest of men, but of course Wickham shall always be my dear favorite. Oh look Mary, so many eligible bachelors here!"
Mary inwardly sighed as she tried to feign a smile.
Expect Mother to make a thinly veined reference to my marital status, Mary thought.
"And oh! Look, there is Colonel Fitzwilliam talking over there with the delightful Miss Darcy. He might be a second son, but he is the second son of an earl!" Mrs. Bennet exclaimed.
Mary glanced over the direction of the colonel and inwardly smiled. Though people might think she only sermonizes all her life, but she is quite an observant person. She might try to hide behind her sermons, but when she sits alone in a room, like she is doing right now, she can see and hear almost everything. Suddenly, she was again interrupted from her thoughts when another shrill voice called out to her.
"Miss Bennet! How nice it is to see you." Miss Bingley exclaimed, looking like an overripe orange, Mary thought.
"It is very nice to see you as well, Miss Bingley" Mary politely answered.
"Why, Miss Bennet, you don't look so pale anymore and I believe that hair quite compliments your figure. Now, you can almost be called handsome! Oh and….." Caroline Bingley suddenly trailed off, and her bulging eyes stared over Mary's shoulders.
"Are you all right, Miss Bingley?" Mary inquired.
Miss Bingley swiftly grabbed Mary's arm and literally dragged her outside to the terrace. Mary was dumbfounded.
"What on earth are you doing, Miss Bingley?"
"Oh, Miss Bennet, look over there!" Caroline said and pointed her finger towards a figure that just walked in. Mary looked over, and saw an overly elegant looking man standing in the hallway. He looked like a person popped right out of a fashion plate, but looked less like a dandy with simple dress patterns. He looked very tall, and had a strong, if not annoyed looking face, with curls of raven black hair messily arranged on his head. However wild he might look, he still somehow looked elegant. And, Mary had to admit, he looked very handsome.
"That's the Marquess of Eddington and future Duke of Thornton!" Caroline exclaimed, suddenly all her previous venom gone.
Mary only raised a brow, wanting to end that conversation immediately. There is nothing worse than having Caroline Bingley start talking of eligible bachelors who are practically in love with her. "Miss Bingley, a virtuous woman would not talk so excessively of a person of the opposite sex." Mary said.
Caroline stared at Mary for a second, and with a humph, walked to her sister to tell of the horrid Miss Bennet. However, Mary did not care, for she was relieved that she would not have to hear that piercing voice of Miss Bingley's. Soon, she slipped back to her former vocation, eavesdropping on the women standing behind her whispering amongst each other.
"I cannot believe the Marquess is here, and looking like the Adonis he is." Said a girl, followed by giggles from everyone in the group.
Mary sighed, it seems almost ever single woman in here is talking about Lord Eddington. She couldn't understand why there is so much fuss over a mere man. Really, the only thing that can recommend him is a pretty face, a title, and a fortune, none of which could tell anything about the purity of his mind and soul. In the corner of her eye, Mary saw her mother walking towards her; probably bring up the subject of marriage again. So, Mary quickly got out of her seat and dragged herself towards her sister and new brother-in-law.
"Well, hello there Mary", exclaimed the new Mrs. Darcy.
"Hello Lizzy, you look well tonight." Mary replied, meaning every word she said.
Lizzy's brows went up as she stared at Mary's compliment, she turned to her husband and they shared an amused look. Well, that might have been the most complimentary thing Mary has every said to me. "Thank you Mary" replied Lizzy.
"Darcy!" called out a voice.
"Lord Eddington, glad you could make it," replied Mr. Darcy to the Duke, who had just reached the newly-weds. "Let me introduce you. This is my wife, Mrs. Darcy and my sister-in-law, Miss Bennet. Lizzy, Mary, this is the Most Honorable, the Marquess of Eddington."
The usual greetings were said, and the Marquess asked Mary for a dance, to which Mary reluctantly agreed to.
"Miss Bennet, I cannot help but notice that you are looking quite bored out of your mind," Lord Eddington said as he started to dance with Mary.
"Why should I be bored My Lord, it is two of my sisters' wedding and I hope them all the happiness."
"But Miss Bennet, you are not answering my question, now are you?"
"Your Grace, I may choose which questions I may answer." Mary replied, and gave her partner a look that usually shut up her family members, however it did not work.
"Oh, so you are admitting that you are bored, Miss Bennet." Replied Lord Eddington accompanied by one of his own impertinent looks.
"I am not admitting anything My Lord, and I certainly am not admitting that I am bored. I am merely….without much to do," replied Mary, now very much annoyed.
"Well, is dancing something to do then?"
"It is not the best way to spend an evening, but it is satisfactory, thanks to you."
"Now Miss Bennet, are you being sarcastic?"
"It is hardly a question to ask a person trying to be sarcastic because that would take away the point of sarcasm, My Lord. Also, asking such a question is just plain rude, I would think you would be a gentleman during our dance."
"Well, now are you saying I am not a gentleman?"
"My Lord, I am not implying anything." Mary replied, glaring at the Marquess
Finally, the dreadful dance ended and Mary was obliged to be guided towards a seat by Lord Eddington. However, he did not lead her to a seat, but rather led her outside to the terrace.
"My Lord, please, escort me back to my seat." Mary said, struggling a little and trying not to look impolite at the same time. However, the Marquess just dragged her outside, the second time that had happened that evening. When they finally came out, he let go of Mary's arm.
"Miss Bennet, I would just like to ask, what do you have against me? Our acquaintance has been slight and short, and yet you seem to despise me." Lord Eddington said, frowning at Mary.
Mary stared at the Marquess for a long time before she replied, "My Lord, it is not as if you have not provoked such a dislike. You have been…infuriating from the first step of the dance to the last. Not only that, you stand for everything I do not believe in."
"And what is that?"
"My Lord, are you oblivious to the attention you get from all the females in this room?" Mary said, her voice rising a little with each word. "Yet, the other gentlemen are being neglected just because they do not have your face, your title, nor your fortune. But many of them have something you don't have, beauty within! You might have advantages on the outside, but you have not a bit of beauty inside you! That kind of beauty is ten times more important than a title, a fortune, or beauty on the outside."
Lord Eddington dazed at her for quite sometime while Mary's vented her anger by gazing into the night. Finally, he asked in a much quieter voice, "How do you know my character based solely on your acquaintance with me?"
"I consider myself a fine observer and I know more than enough of you to know what kind of person you are!" Mary practically hurled the words at him, and holding her head high, walked back to the ballroom. The Marquess stared after her figure thoughtfully as she mixed with all the guests.
That night, Mary laid down at her bed and thought of the ball. It was a very surprising evening for her, especially her tête-à-tête with Lord Eddington. However, she could not help but fell a little flattered at the attention she got from the most eligible bachelor in England.
Stop it Mary, how can you be as silly as this? You sound exactly like LYDIA! But…. it is quite nice to dance with a future duke- STOP IT! Mary Bennet, the Marquess of Eddington is the incarnation of everything you do not believe in, you cannot possibly appreciate talking with him! With that in her mind, she fell asleep, while a carriage left Pemberley with the exact person of her thoughts in it, thinking of the thinker herself.