I, Elizabeth Bennet, am nervous.
No, not nervous, terrified is more like it. My family had been invited to a party some weeks back and the dreaded night had come. The last time we had gone to a party as a family, was 5 years ago, Papa, Jane and I had refused going to any form of social convention with the rest of our family ever since. Needless to say that party was a disaster, Lydia and Kitty, only 11 at the time, already making fools of themselves, whilst trying to chat up the university students who were at least 9 years older than they were, Mary was trying to conform everyone to being ecological and listening to music that sounded like something you'd play at a funeral and Mama was loudly and ceaselessly chattering on about the boyfriends that Lydia, her pride and joy, will have and the rich, handsome men she will have us marry.
"Lizzy, would you like me to choose your outfit?" Jane's voice filtered in through these nightmarish thoughts and brought me back to the even more nightmarish present, "That would be great, thanks." Jane had an expert taste with clothes and, being Jane, was always more than happy to help me with mine.
Jane eventually found an outfit that I had totally forgotten about. It was a beautiful green dress that came to just above my knee, I slipped it on and tied my curly hair in a loose knot "LIZZY! JANE! WE NEED TO LEAVE NOW! THE RICH PEOPLE ARE ARRIVING NOW!" For the past week, we hadn't heard anything from Mama except if it was to do with "the rich people".
Even Jane, calm, serene Jane, had come to the end of her tether, both of us loathed to come home and would often spend a couple of days with Charlotte Lucas, who had been my best friend since childhood and who's family was hosting the party.
Jane and I went in our own cars to escape Lydia and Mama's babbling about rich men this and rich men that.
When I got to Lucas Lodge, where the party was being hosted, I saw Mary, looking even more forlorn than she usually does, standing by the door, "Was the car journey that bad?" I ask her, sympathetic that she had to endure "such a trial" as she would put it, "My ears are bleeding" Mary says rolling her eyes, I pat her on the back and walk into the house. A lot of people I recognize from town are there, but there are three people, two young guys who must be around 17 or 18 and a girl who is roughly 16, that I don't recognize.
Ah. They must be "the rich people", Mama will be in ecstasy.
And Mama indeed was in ecstasy, for the young men were not only clearly very wealthy, but also very handsome, well-dressed and fit. In appearance they were like night and day, one of the two men had light blonde hair and sparkling green eyes, but the other was tall, dark (apart from his eyes which were light-ish blue) and very, very, handsome, "We MUST meet them, Mr. Bennet." Mama sighs "Oh here comes Mr Lucas! Mr Lucas! Hello!" Mama starts hopping up and down trying to catch his attention, Mr Lucas blushes slightly but since he has known our family from before Mama and Papa got married, he has grown accustomed to our quirks and odd mannerisms; "Hello! I hope you are all well?" Mr Lucas says as he finally reaches us through the crowds of people "Yes, yes, we are all very well and will be all the more better for meeting those wonderful rich people." Mama says without bothering to be polite, Mr Lucas nods his head in understanding "Would you like to meet them?" he says graciously, Mama gives a little squeak "Would I like to meet them? Of course, I would! And you know that Mr Lucas! My poor nerves!" I cringe. This is going to be torture.
Mr Lucas apologizes to Mama and starts leading us through the crush of people, Mama, Lydia and Kitty are whispering and laughing until we are standing before these elevated personages (as Mama would call them, when she wasn't calling them "the rich people") where they abruptly stop and put on their most charming smiles and start batting their eyelids. The whole effect was pretty creepy. Mr Lucas smiles "Mr Bingley, Mr. Darcy and Miss Bingley, may I introduce Mr Bennet, Mrs Bennet, Miss Bennet, Miss Bennet, Miss Bennet, Miss Bennet and, um, Miss Bennet." I was blushing furiously, this was always so embarrassing, but somehow it was even more embarrassing than usual, what made it worse is that Mr Darcy leaned over to Mr Bingley and whispered sarcastically "Oh joy.". I decided I did not like him. Mr Lucas walked away, his duty fulfilled.
Mr Bingley grinned "I'm Charles, you can call me Charlie" he winked at Jane, earning a demure blush "and this is Will Darcy, my best friend, but he goes by Darcy, and this is Caroline, my sister. We've been thrilled to meet so many lovely people." Darcy and Caroline looked anything but.
Mama looked like a child, being given a Christmas present, she turns to us and orders us to tell these wonderful people our names. Can a person die from embarrassment? Jane and I are both blushing as we say our names, while Lydia and Kitty are both doing this hopping thing that they do when they're excited. Mary doesn't bother to say her name at all.
Darcy surveyed the girls before him, was there not a decent looking girl in this whole town?
I wonder if we could leave for France anytime sooner? I can't stand it here. Do they refer to EVERYONE as Mr this or Mrs that? It's so awkward. And Victorian.
Charlie and Jane had gone to dance, Lydia and Kitty went to flirt, Mama to gossip with her friends, Papa seemed to be having a heated discussion with Mr Lucas about horticulture, Mary was standing by the door, looking like someone had died, so I was soon left alone with the miserable looking Darcy and Caroline. I felt rather awkward, standing there and not talking, so I went to find Charlotte and we both flopped down on the sofa just behind where Darcy and Caroline were standing, "Don't you think they suit each other? What with their whole thunder and lightning expressions? I think Mary would be the only one who could relate to them." I whisper and Charlotte snorts, Darcy glances at us.
If looks could kill, we would've been cold in our graves.