Mary Bennett stood stiffly by her younger sisters at the front of the church, trying in vain to swallow the lump in the back of her throat. Eyes slightly glazed she cursed at her inability to stay true to herself. A few months back ,Mary had vowed to herself that she would not fall prey to any man, in her opinion they were inferior creatures, beings who appreciated looks but nothing more. They were undeserving of Mary, they could not have her.
But they did not want her.
But that was fine, she could accept that she had to. Mary rose above it, she was not special and so people did not find her worthy. She became cold, hard and distant. She did not the possess the sparkling eyes or the glossy hair that her sisters did, she may have been unremarkable with her straight nose, strong cheekbones and pale pallor but she was not ugly. She would never be a beauty but could easily become pleasing to the eye if she possessed the essence of life like her sisters so easily did. However she didn't, she withdrew, pinched and sour-faced acting like a petulant child when she didn't get her way. It was an act of course but not even her family could see that, not that they had tried to.
That's what bothered Mary the most
She knew she was plain, her features did not include the desired soft, round face or rosy skin tone for the time period. Straight, strong features that matched her apparent inability to feel genuine carefree emotion.
But she could feel, she just didn't want to show weakness. Mary was used to being the secondary character to her sisters, she was content to play the role. Jane had beauty, Elizabeth wit, Kitty frivolous and Lydia was delightfully devious. The Bennett sisters were renowned throughout the county for their enticing ways men became entranced and Mrs Bennett set her impossible husband near crazy with her schemes for marriage. Mary was relieved to be the one left out, she whole-heartedly believed that love was a myth created for the lonely woman of this world. Not her she was fine on her own.
But then she met him.