Chapter 2
Kitty sat quietly in the den reading the newest book she had borrowed from Mary. It was so good she could barely tear her eyes away from the page, but it was also very sad. The main character was a terrible man, but for some reason she found herself loving him anyway. He was so miserable because he was deeply in love with that twit who dared to have her name. Kitty was extremely glad that no one called her Cathy. She would have rather ripped her hair out.
"Enjoying my book?" Mary asked as she entered the room.
Kitty practically leaped off of the couch before glaring at her sister. "You gave me a fright."
Mary smirked. "That was the point."
"I only borrowed it and will return it when I'm done." Kitty told her.
"You could have asked and I would have loaned it to you." Mary replied before taking a seat next to her on the settee.
Kitty nodded. "Exactly, you would have loaned it to me and therefore there was really no point in asking. I beat you to the punch."
Lizzie and Jane entered laughing at that. "Wonderful point of view, Kitty." Lizzie replied.
Jane nodded. "Like borrowing my hair pin the other day."
Kitty frowned. "That was your's? Betsy found it in the laundry. I thought it was probably Lydia's."
Just then the girl in question burst into the room with their mother and father following after her. "You won't believe it. You just won't believe it!"
Mrs. Bennet, who was still huffing over Mr. Bennet not visiting Mr. Bingley, took a seat on the chair by the fire. "What is it, dear?"
"Mr. Bingley is to be at the dance tonight. He is to bring fourteen ladies and seven gentlemen." Lydia told her excitedly. "Or was it twelve ladies and four gentlemen?"
"Too many ladies." Lizzie snorted.
"Enough! I wish to hear no more of Mr. Bingley for we are to never be acquainted with him." Mrs. Bennet replied dramatically, making sure to shoot a very disapproving look at Mr. Bennet.
Lydia frowned. "But, Mama..."
"I am sick of Mr. Bingley." Mrs. Bennet announced to the entire room.
"I wish I had known that sooner." Mr. Bennet replied. "Or I should have never called on him."
Mrs. Bennet turned a delighted look on her husband. "You have called on him?" She turned to look around the room at all of the girls. "How good it was of you, Mr. Bennet, and what a wonderful joke, disappearing this morning and never saying a word as to where you were going. Isn't he a good father, girls?"
Kitty turned to smile at Jane, Lizzie, and Mary. "It should be nice to meet Mr. Bingley. In fact, I have been working on a very special hat for the occasion."
Lizzie laughed as she held up her newest creation. "As have I."
"Never was there a doubt in my mind that Papa would call on Mr. Bingley." Jane said softly as she sowed something or another.
"I wonder what type of man he is." Kitty commented.
Lizzie smiled. "I have heard him to be quite nice and very handsome."
"Is he truly handsome or is he simply rich?" Kitty asked with a bright grin.
"I am told he is both." Lizzie replied with a delighted laugh.
Jane smiled brightly before jabbing playfully at Lizzie's side. "And those are very good qualities indeed."
"I should be very happy to meet Mr. Bingley." Mary stated suddenly. "Although, standing next to Jane he probably wouldn't notice me even if I wore a very extravagant feathered hat."
"Do not be ridiculous, Mary." Kitty told her. "He would notice you if he stood in front of Jane. The feathers could hide her face."
Mary sighed. "Yes, but her figure is very much admired as well."
Elizabeth laughed and Jane tried to fake a glare. Her face quickly broke out into a large grin as she began laughing as well. "Do not mock me so."
The house was filled with excitement as everyone returned to their bedchambers to prepare for the dance later that night. Kitty found herself at a loss as she stood in front of her closet. She knew that Mary was partially right and that it really didn't matter what she wore to the dance, but Mr. Bingley would not be the only man there. He was apparently bringing more gentlemen with him.
After about ten minutes, Kitty was still standing in front of her closet. "Mary?" She questioned before turning to leave her room. "Mary, what are you wearing to the ball?"
Mary stared at her stunned. "Are you quite serious? You are examining my attire to decide on what you should wear?"
Kitty rolled her eyes. "Honestly...you're not going to wear that dreadful thing are you?" Mary was already dressed in a pale white gown that did nothing for her skin. It hung loosely off of her, making her look incredibly trim. "It looks better in the closet."
Mary scowled. "I did not ask your opinion of my outfit."
Kitty bit her lip slowly. "You should ask if Lizzie would let you borrow something of her's. You are about the same size and she has more variety." Mary frowned deeply and Kitty sighed. "I am not trying to hurt your feelings, Mary. I am simply trying to help you."
Mary looked down at her dress and then back to Kitty. "Why does it matter? No one will ever look at me."
Kitty frowned sympathetically understanding the feeling more than she would ever want to admit. "You're right. They will never look at you." She paused for a moment. "That is, if you don't let them. You hide from the world, Mary. You hide behind your books, philosophy, intelligence, bad singing, and horrible drab dresses. You're scared to let them see you. I'm not telling you to dress for them. You shouldn't. You should dress for yourself. You deserve to look handsome, even if they are not capable of seeing it."
At that, Kitty turned and walked back to her room. She went back to standing in front of her closet and looking over all of the dresses. Finally, she decided on a light pink dress. She pulled it out and held it up, spinning around a few times to see how well it flowed while moving.
"Yes, this will work." Kitty replied. Her timing was perfect, because Betsy was just entering the room as she laid her dress on the bed.
"Good evening, miss." Betsy smiled.
Kitty smiled back. "Good evening."
Betsy looked at the dress and sighed. "It is lovely."
"Thank you." Kitty replied. She carefully undressed before letting the maid help her into the new gown. Once it was finally fastened correctly, Kitty took her seat at the vanity and allowed the maid to begin working on her hair.
Betsy stuck several light sparkling pins in her hair, each looked like small identical flowers. Most of her hair was pulled back, but there were some curls framing her face. When she was done, the maid smiled. "There, miss, it looks very nice."
Kitty nodded. "I agree. Of course, it will be covered with a hat for a moment or two."
Betsy laughed as she patted at Kitty's hair. "It will hold up."
Kitty snorted. "With all the pins you put in it, I have no doubt."
"It was a pleasure helping you, miss." Betsy said before curtsying and leaving the room.
Shaking her head, Kitty stood to her feet and retrieved a pair of a pale pink shoes. They were comfortable and matched her dress perfectly.
Finally done, Kitty turned to stare at her full length mirror. Her hair was tight enough to not fall down and yet it appeared quite loose. Some of her curls flowed freely around her face, framing it nicely. The pins glistened brightly making her hair appear even lighter. The dress she wore clung to her curves and yet allowed her to move and breath with ease. The material was extremely soft and beautiful. The light pink looked good against her pale skin and brought out her bright caramel eyes. The top of the dress was cut rather low, exposing a good amount of her chest, but not too much. Over all, Kitty thought she looked sort of pretty.
Kitty exited the room without even a glance back. She walked into Mary's bedchamber and smiled widely. Her sister had obviously taken her advice for both Jane and Elizabeth were helping her fasten one of Lizzie's dresses. When they were finally done, Jane retrieved a pair of shoes for Mary to wear as Lizzie helped pull her hair back.
Mary turned to look at Kitty with a death glare. "This was a mistake." She obviously hated being the center of attention when not singing atrociously.
Kitty giggled as she watched Jane and Elizabeth fuss over their sister. "Stop whining."
Mary rolled her eyes. "Never."
When they were finally finished both Elizabeth and Jane stepped back to admire their work. Mary turned to look in the mirror. Kitty watched with amusement and joy as Mary stared at herself with a slight hint of awe.
"You look handsome, Mary." Kitty told her honestly.
Mary was dressed in a rather tight mint green dress. It hugged her curves and actually gave her a figure. It was obviously a new dress of Elizabeth's. Her hair was pinned to the back of her head with a large green and silver pin that matched her dress and gave it just the right touch. "I'm not sure that I'm quite handsome, but I do look better than normal."
Kitty nodded. "That is exactly what I thought when Betsy said I was handsome the other day."
Jane, Elizabeth, and Mary all turned to look at her. They looked her over several times before anyone commented.
"You look extremely beautiful, Kitty." Jane told her with a bright smile.
Kitty quickly returned the grin. "So do you." She turned to look at Elizabeth. "As does Elizabeth, but that isn't anything unusual."
"Thank you." Both Jane and Elizabeth said in unison.
"I believe that we are prepared to meet, Mr. Bingley." Kitty announced with a large grin.
Mary snorted. "And to avoid Mr. Reginald Lucas." She huffed loudly. "I was told by a reliable source that he is to be at the ball tonight."
Kitty laughed. "Well, yes, I would imagine that he would be there. He is frequently seen at balls."
"Yes, he's probably looking for new victims." Mary insisted.
"Ah, and I thought people politely referred to them as the new belles of the season." Kitty snickered. "I suppose I was wrong."
Mary Bennet had not stopped talking of Reginald Lucas since seeing him at church. Kitty wasn't sure exactly what had come over her sister, but whatever it was it was driving her mad. She had heard of his exploits in explicit detail from Mary every time the moment struck her. Kitty could no longer bear to hear anything of Reginald Lucas. She was almost positive that she would rather spend the night speaking with Lydia than listening to Mary insult the man that they barely knew. Any regard she had ever felt for him had now evaporated. She wanted nothing to do with him, which would probably cause her to avoid his family members as well. If staying away from Maria, meant not having to speak with Reginald Lucas or any other Lucas male for that matter, that was a sacrifice Kitty was willing to make.
"I predict that tonight will be a very lovely night." Jane announced, changing the subject.
Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, if we could just find a way to keep Lydia at home."
Kitty sighed. "If only they had waited for me and Mary to get married before releasing Lydia into society."
"Then she never would've came out." Mary snorted.
Kitty nodded. "My point exactly. The world will never be ready for Lydia Bennet."
All three of the sisters laughed at that. When Jane stopped laughing, she sighed. "We must not speak too ill of her. Lydia is only a child."
Kitty rolled her eyes. "You are too kind, Jane."
"JANE! ELIZABETH! LYDIA! KITTY! MARY!" Mrs. Bennet yelled up the stairs. "HURRY DOWN! WE SHOULD NOT WISH TO BE LATE!"
Rubbing at her ears, Kitty winced. "Nor do I wish to be deaf."
All four of the sisters laughed as they walked down the stairs together. It only took a few minutes to gather their cloaks before leaving the house and heading toward the carriage.
The night was looking promising despite the fact that Lydia had managed to escape the house. Something awful had happened to her hat and she was unable to find another that would match her dress. To make matters worse, her hair looked a mess because Hill had been slightly distracted while trying to pin it back.
"You all look so..." Mrs. Bennet said in amazement. "beautiful."
"Thank you." All five of the sisters replied. Lydia barely even realized that their mother's eyes were focused on Mary and not her. She had yet to notice that Mary looked different in the slightest.
When they arrived at the assembly all of the sisters began to pile out of the carriage as one. Lydia gave Kitty a rough push from behind, hoping to make her fall over, which caused Kitty to 'accidentally' slip backwards and knock Lydia back into the carriage.
"I am so very sorry." Kitty told her enthusiastically.
Lydia scowled. "Of course you are."
Kitty turned back around and looked at a smiling Mary. "Well, lets not wait. We should hurry inside."
Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, and Kitty moved as one to the entrance. The man at the door took their cloaks and put them aside. Kitty shifted back and forth as she looked around the crowded room. She wasn't fond of crowds and now she didn't have anyone to hide behind. Mary was too thin to make an adequate shield. To make matters worse, there were far too many men crowding in front of the entrance and they were all Lucas'.
"Do not be frightened, Kitty." Mary told her. "They are much more afraid of you than you are of them."
"How did you possibly reach that conclusion?" Kitty questioned before turning to look at her sister confused.
Mary grinned as she looped her arm with Kitty's. "Because they know that Mama is a husband-seeking Mamma."
Kitty laughed lightly. "Surely they are not AFRAID of marrying Jane."
"No, they are AFRAID of marrying Lydia." Mary grinned.
Kitty's loud carefree laughter echoed off of the walls, drawing everyone's attention. She didn't even notice, far too delighted to realize that people were staring at her. She had not felt such joy in a very long time. She smiled brightly as she realized that she had been feeling it a lot lately. She wasn't sure why that was, but it probably had something to do with putting distance between herself and Lydia as well as spending more time with Jane, Elizabeth, and Mary. Maybe she was simply happy because she was being herself. Whatever it was, she was far from being the miserable person she had once been. She was no longer putting on a show. She was truly happy.
"That is something to fear indeed." Kitty said, finally catching her breath.
Lizzie and Jane who had been talking amongst themselves both turned to stare at Kitty and Mary. "I wish to be let in on the conversation you are sharing, for it seems to be a very amusing one." Lizzie commented.
Kitty grinned. "It is too terrible for us to repeat."
"Ah, they WERE discussing Lydia." Jane replied as if she had proved her point.
Mary nodded. "That we were."
"But now, we shall change the subject to more pleasant things like plagues and rodents." Kitty told them as she smiled wickedly.
Jane gasped. "Kitty, you are so very mean."
Kitty grinned. "No, we shall truly change the subject for there must be something else we can speak of."
"Books." Mary suggested with a devious sparkle burning in her eyes.
"Ah, yes, and we're back to Lydia." Kitty replied.
Lizzie and Jane both began laughing and were soon joined by Mary. Kitty sighed as she looked around, realizing that everyone was now staring at them including the Lucas brothers. "We are being examined. Let us move to the next room." Kitty's voice was very soft, hoping that none of the men could hear her.
Mary turned to glare over the group of men, hoping to spot Reginald. When she finally made eye contact with the man in question, her glare deepened. "Yes, lets change rooms."
Kitty rolled her eyes, hoping this didn't spark a conversation on how much Mary hated the eldest Lucas and how terrible and outrageous his behavior was. Lizzie and Jane both laughed as they continued on into another room.
"He is..." Mary began.
Kitty sighed. "A terrible terrible man who we should not even lower ourselves to speak of."
Jane and Lizzie both laughed at that, earning Kitty a glare from Mary. "You are not funny." Mary hissed.
"And yet everyone keeps laughing." Kitty snorted.
"Miss Bennet." A familiar voice called from across the room. It was Sir William Lucas. He was walking their way with a stranger at his side. Once he reached them he smiled brightly. "Mr. Colt wished to be acquainted with you and your sisters."
Jane smiled back at him before nodding. "How wonderful."
"Mr. Colt, this is Miss Jane Bennet, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Miss Katherine Bennet, and Miss Mary Bennet." Sir William Lucas said happily.
All of the girls curtsied as one, before smiling at the new stranger. Kitty tried her hardest to step behind Jane. She could feel her cheeks turning a darker shade of red by the second. She was not in the mood to make new acquaintances unless it was Mr. Bingley and she wasn't even sure if she was prepared for that.
Mr. Colt was making it easier for her to adjust, however, because his attention was completely focused on Jane. He was tall with long dark brown hair and light brown eyes. He was too thin for Kitty's taste, but not unfashionably so. He was obviously a man of at least some money, judging by his clothing, but obviously not the Mr. Bingley they were destined to be introduced to later in the night.
"Are these all of your sisters, Miss Bennet?" Mr. Colt asked.
Jane smiled. "No, there is one more. My youngest sister, Lydia, is standing over there with her friend." She motioned to the younger girl, who was eying every man in the room.
"How long have you been in Meryton?" Lizzie questioned politely.
The man reluctantly turned his attention away from Jane. "Not too terribly long."
Kitty couldn't help, but snort. "That explains that."
The man turned to stare at Kitty confused. "What?"
Kitty bit her lip, suddenly finding the floor extremely interesting. "Nothing."
"I wish to know what you meant." The man replied, trying to force the answer out of her.
Kitty cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Anyone who has spent anytime in Meryton KNOWS my youngest sister by reputation alone." Just then Lydia barked with laughter. She was playfully running around the room with a familiar male from a family of decent standing. Kitty winched before looking up at Mr. Colt. "See why?"
Mr. Colt chuckled softly. "Yes, I believe I understand." He paused for a moment. "She is young and immature."
Kitty snorted. "Among other things." She winced as she looked around the small group. "I said that aloud, didn't I?"
Mary snickered. "Yes."
Kitty felt her blush deepen. "I apologize. It is impolite to speak of such things."
Mr. Colt grinned. "Alas, everyone has a relative or two that acts in a way that is not quite agreeable."
Kitty shrugged. "I suppose so." She thought it better to not tell their new acquaintance that her mother wasn't agreeable either.
"Are you all close with the Lucas'?" Mr. Colt asked, his gaze returning to Jane.
"I am very good friends with Charlotte. She is such a dear girl." Lizzie replied happily.
Kitty snorted, deciding not to tell Mr. Colt that Mary detested Reginald. She was actually surprised her sister was capable of suppressing the emotion even in front of strangers.
"Is there something amusing about that, Miss Katherine?" Mr. Colt asked, snapping Kitty from her thoughts.
"No." Mary interrupted stomping on Kitty's foot.
Kitty hissed. "Ouch that hurt."
Mr. Colt laughed. "It has been a very long time since I have seen my family. Speaking with you women has reminded me of this fact."
Kitty snorted. "Now that you've seen us together you've realized how much more time you need to spend traveling?"
Mr. Colt laughed again. "No, I enjoyed taunting my siblings as well as my parents. I should stop and visit them before returning to London."
"Where do they live?" Kitty questioned.
Mr. Colt smiled. "Not far from here actually."
Kitty nodded. "Then it should be very convenient to drop in and torture your relatives on your way out of town."
Mr. Colt's smile widened. "Miss Katherine, do you enjoy dancing?"
Kitty almost swallowed her tongue. "Not as much as Jane." All three of her sisters began to cough, trying to cover their laughter.
"Despite that fact, would you honor me with the next dance?" Mr. Colt questioned.
Kitty had to bite on the inside of her lip to keep from whimpering out loud. Contrary to popular belief, she was not fond of dancing with strangers. She was very clumsy and shy when forced to dance AND hold a conversation with someone she did not know. "Of course."
The man bowed before walking away. Kitty turned to glare at Jane, Elizabeth, and Mary. "When a man looks as if he wants to ask me to dance, intervene."
"How?" Lizzie questioned despite the fact that she was coughing to cover up a laugh.
"Bat your eyes at him, do whatever it is you do to woo men. Do anything to keep them from getting to me." Kitty replied. All three of her sisters didn't even bother to hide their laughter this time. She rolled her eyes. "You are all insufferable, you know that?"
"You brought this upon yourself. If you had kept your mouth shut he would have asked Jane." Mary snorted.
Kitty glared. "I was rude. I was..."
"Yourself. You were outspoken and tried to be polite." Lizzie replied. Kitty smirked and Lizzie shrugged. "I said that you tried, not that you succeeded."
"And because I insulted my sister and teased him a bit, he decided to dance with me?" Kitty asked. All three of her sisters nodded. "Unbelievable."
When the current dance ended, Kitty noticed that Mr. Colt was headed their way. She fought off the urge to groan. A blush spread across her face as he smiled brightly at her. He held out his hand to her, which she quickly took and allowed him to lead her out onto the ballroom floor.
As the music began, Kitty felt her heart pounding louder and louder. She focused on her steps, trying not to walk all over his feet. It wasn't long before Mr. Colt commented on her silence. "Are you nervous?"
"I'm very shy." Kitty blurted out in a rush.
Mr. Colt laughed. "I highly doubt that."
Kitty frowned as she turned to look at him. "No, I really am. I have a very difficult time talking to strangers. If you thought from our conversation that I was outspoken, you were mistaken. I am actually quite shy and get embarrassed easily. Sometimes I react differently..."
"Like talking too much?" Mr. Colt asked amused.
Kitty sighed deeply. "Yes and blushing."
Mr. Colt laughed again. "That I noticed."
Kitty felt her cheeks turning red again. "Yes, which is embarrassing in itself."
"You did not wish to dance." Mr. Colt stated bluntly.
Kitty stared at him for a moment, trying to decide what to say. She knew that by society's standards she should probably deny it, but since when did she follow society's standards? "No, I did not. I do not wish to hurt your feelings, but I am having trouble dancing and talking while..."
"Being embarrassed?" Mr. Colt questioned.
Kitty nodded. "Exactly." She tried to focus on each step she made, but accidentally stomped on his foot anyway. "I am so very sorry."
Mr. Colt laughed. "It did not hurt. You are not heavy."
Kitty shrugged as she continued to dance. She wasn't relaxing, but that didn't seem to matter as long as she didn't step on his feet.
"Do you have any brothers?" Mr. Colt asked, trying to make her feel more comfortable.
Kitty blushed. "No."
"Do you have any siblings that are married?" Mr. Colt questioned.
Kitty blushed an even brighter shade of red. "No."
Mr. Colt smiled softly at her. "You are the next to youngest of your sisters, correct?"
"Yes, Jane is the eldest, then Lizzie, then Mary, then me, and lastly there is Lydia." Kitty replied as she stepped to the side, making sure not to run into the woman passing by her. She turned to step around Mr. Colt and then another man standing at his side, before walking to stand in front of him again. "Do you have any brothers?"
Mr. Colt laughed. "Yes. I have two younger brothers."
"And sisters?" Kitty asked.
"I have three. The eldest is a year older than me and is married with two children of her own with one on the way. The next to eldest is five years younger than myself and is very close to being engaged. The last is one year younger than her and she is nowhere close to being married." Mr. Colt told her with a grin. "Believe me when I say that I understand what it's like having a large family."
Kitty smiled brightly at him. "I suppose it is better than not having any."
Mr. Colt laughed. "Apparently you have not met my youngest sister."
"And apparently you have not met mine." Kitty jumped in.
Mr. Colt laughed harder at that. "No, I'm afraid I haven't."
Kitty sighed. "She is...one of a kind."
"Is that a good or bad thing?" Mr. Colt asked with a wicked grin.
After a moment of thinking about what to say, Kitty laughed. "Honestly?"
Mr. Colt nodded. His brown eyes sparkled. "I promise that is does not go beyond us."
"It is a VERY good thing that she is one of a kind. I honestly do not think the world is ready for more than one." Kitty replied.
"Are you acquainted with Reginald Lucas?" Mr. Colt asked suddenly.
Kitty knew that her face must have twisted into some expression of disgust because Mr. Colt started laughing loudly. "Yes, I am acquainted with him."
"I can tell." Mr. Colt continued to laugh.
"Are you?" Kitty questioned.
Mr. Colt nodded. "Yes, he is a very good friend of mine."
Kitty frowned. "Oh."
"Oh? Nothing more than 'oh' after a facial expression such as that?" Mr. Colt asked clearly amused by her reaction.
Kitty sighed. "I have met him and am very good friends with two of his younger siblings, but my sister Mary detest him. She truly hates the sight of him." Suddenly, Kitty found herself laughing. "I mean...TRULY despises the sight of him. She has done nothing but speak of his downfalls since I had a moment alone with him last Sunday."
"You had a moment alone with him?" Mr. Colt questioned. It seemed more like a statement for some reason.
Kitty snorted. "Because Mary abandoned me. I was stuttering something terrible."
Mr. Colt laughed as realization dawned in his eyes. "Because you are shy?"
Kitty nodded. "Of course."
"He has spoken of your encounter. He believed that you were..." Mr. Colt began. "Never mind."
Kitty stared at him confused before she realized what he was saying. "He believes that I am...enamored of him. He thinks that I...oh....dear Lord. I am going to murder my sister."
Mr. Colt barked with laughter. "Let's not do anything drastic."
"It is all her fault. She never should have left me alone with him and ever since then she has done nothing but talk of him. She is driving me to the brink of insanity." Kitty hissed. "If I have to hear one more word about the man, I am going to dig out my own heart with a spoon."
Mr. Colt only laughed louder. He seemed incapable of speech after that announcement. Everyone in the room turned to stare at him as he continued to chuckle, trying to dance around the other couples without stepping on anyone. Tears were gathering in his eyes as he smiled widely at Kitty. "I am so very glad I decided to dance with you."
Kitty looked at the dark haired man cautiously. She frowned as she focused her eyes on him, trying desperately to stare all the way into his mind and soul. "You do not believe me...in love with you as well, do you?"
Mr. Colt, who had every right to be offended, only laughed louder. "No, Miss Katherine, I never believed that for a second."
Kitty sighed. "Good. Could we speak of something more pleasant...like war?"
Mr. Colt threw back his head and laughed again. "Yes, Miss Katherine..." He had clearly intended to say something more, but was not capable of forming a complete sentence.
When the dance was finally over, Mr. Colt led Kitty back to her three sisters. He smiled brightly at Mary. "If I were you, I would run away to a foreign country." He then turned to look at Kitty. "It was a true pleasure, Miss Katherine." At that, he began strutting toward Reginald Lucas. He obviously had something very important to tell him.
Kitty rolled her eyes. "I can probably guess what."
"What's wrong?" Mary asked concerned.
Kitty turned to glare at her sister. "Mr. Reginald Lucas believes that I am in love with him."
"What?" Mary questioned in horrified shock. "You aren't, are you?" Her voice was very squeaky and carried all the way across the ballroom to the man in question.
Kitty rolled her eyes. "Of course not."
Mary sighed deeply. "Good, because he is the most disagreeable man in existence. How could you ever THINK of...of...of..."
"Loving." Lizzie interjected.
"No." Mary shook her head. "No, I will not lower myself to using that word. How could she think of...CARING for that insufferable arrogant conniving lust-driven..."
"Running out of words?" Kitty asked. "Try...disgusting."
"Repulsive." Mary continued.
Kitty nodded. "Repulsive is better."
"Heart-breaking, filthy pig of a man." Mary finished. "She would NEVER."
Kitty snorted. "Yes, I would never, but would you?"
Mary looked appalled. "I cannot BELIEVE you would insinuate that I would EVER..." She began to huff loudly, having run out of words to correctly describe the amount of disgust she found in being with Reginald Lucas.
"Miss Mary Bennet?" A familiar voice asked in an amused tone.
Kitty bit her lip to keep from laughing at the look of horror on Mary's face. It was obvious that Reginald had heard every word.
"I was wondering if I could have the next dance." Reginald said as he smiled brightly at Mary.
Mary's mouth fell wide open as she stared at the man before her. Kitty thought it was possible that her sister had completely lost consciousness while still standing.
Just then there was a loud commotion from the back of the ballroom, drawing everyone's attention. There in the doorway were three men and two ladies. Charlotte Lucas rushed to their side with a large grin. "At long last they have arrived." That announcement temporarily saved Mary from having to answer Reginald.
"Which is Mr. Bingley?" Kitty questioned out of curiosity.
Charlotte grinned. "The handsome fellow on the left. The one in the middle is his friend, Mr. Darcy. He makes ten thousand a year and apparently owns half of Derbyshire."
"The miserable half?" Lizzie snorted.
Kitty, Mary, Jane, and Charlotte all laughed. "I wish I were so miserable." Kitty snorted.
"Don't we all?" Mary questioned.
Mr. Bingley was a tall handsome gentlemen despite the fact that society frowned on red hair. He had gorgeous sparkling blue eyes and a brilliant smile that could rival Jane's. His friend Mr. Darcy seemed to be his opposite in appearance and personality. He was tall with dark brown hair and dark blue eyes. He looked very proud and quiet.
"Who is the other gentleman?" Jane questioned.
The man Jane was referring to was short and plump. He was clearly past his prime and was visibly balding. Kitty wasn't positive, but would have put her money on the fact that he was already drunk. He looked over the crowd with hooded eyes as he swayed one way and then the other.
Charlotte leaned in closer. "He is a Mr. Hurst. He is married to Mr. Bingley's sister."
"The one with the large feather hat?" Kitty questioned with a laugh. The woman was tall with long straight black hair, dark eyes, and a long nose that appeared more like a beak. Wearing a hat with feathers was not her best idea. Her sisters must have seen it too because they all started laughing as well.
Charlotte shook her head. "No, the other." The other, as Charlotte referred to her, was prettier with curly blondish red hair. She was not very tall, but very well proportioned. Her clothing was made of the finest silk and lace. "The one with the...unusual hat is Miss Caroline Bingley."
"She seems very proud." Mary said as she examined the bird-like woman.
Kitty snorted as she glanced at her sister. "All of them, but Mr. Bingley himself, appear to be very proud, Mary."
Mary nodded. "I agree."
Just then their mother rushed to their side. "They are here." She grabbed Lizzie's arm in one hand and Jane's arm in the other dragging them toward the party that was currently sitting at the front of the room.
Kitty fought the urge to groan. "I suppose that means we should follow her."
Mary looked from their mother and Mr. Bingley to Reginald who was still waiting on her answer. She grabbed Kitty by the hand and drug her toward Mr. Bingley. "Yes, I believe it does."
Kitty rolled her eyes. "Fabulous."
Once the entire Bennet family was stationed in front of Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy, the Hursts, and Miss Bingley, the introductions began.
"Mr. Bingley, this is Mrs. Bennet and her daughters, Miss Jane Bennet, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Miss Mary Bennet, Miss Katherine Bennet, and Miss Lydia Bennet." Sir William Lucas said with a bright smile.
"It is very nice to meet you and all of your daughters." Mr. Bingley said with a friendly smile. Kitty found him to be very inviting. Where he had been handsome from afar, he was actually quite striking up close. His light blue eyes sparkled with a fire that Kitty had never seen from a man. His bright red hair looked very soft and smooth. His skin was very pale and his blue outfit looked very nice with his complexion. Yes, he was indeed handsome.
"Do you enjoy dancing, sir?" Mrs. Bennet asked.
Mr. Bingley nodded. "Yes, very much, and if the eldest Miss Bennet is not already engaged, I wish to request the next two dances."
Jane smiled brightly. "I am not already engaged and would be delighted."
"And what of you, sir?" Mrs. Bennet questioned as she turned her eyes on Mr. Darcy. Kitty fought the urge to groan. "Do you like dancing?"
Mr. Bingley looked surprised. "I am sorry. I forget my manners." Kitty would've sworn she heard Elizabeth mutter something about their mother being the one who lacked manners as Mr. Bingley turned and motioned to Mr. Darcy. "This is my friend, Mr. Darcy."
The tall handsome man bowed. "Do you enjoy dancing as much as your friend?" Mrs. Bennet asked.
"Thank you, Madam, but I rarely dance." Mr. Darcy replied coldly.
"Then perhaps this should be the exception. It is unlikely you will find such lively music and such pretty partners any where else." Mrs. Bennet said motioning to her daughter.
"Mama." Lizzie said appalled at her mother's behavior. Kitty immediately began to thank God that she wasn't favored by her mother.
Mr. Darcy didn't even respond. He simply turned and walked away, leaving Mr. Bingley to stutter uncomfortably. "I am sorry. Excuse me." Mr. Bingley said, turning to run after his friend.
Mrs. Bennet immediately began making matters worse by insulting Mr. Darcy loudly and praising Mr. Bingley.
Kitty sighed as she began walking toward where they had been previously standing with her head hanging low. She tried desperately to blend into the crowd. Perhaps people would forget that she was kin to her mother. She loved her mother and her mother adored all of them, but she was quite embarrassing and over enthusiastic at times. "Honestly, Mary, I would've preferred dancing with Mr. Lucas."
"Me too." Mary grumbled.
"Miss Mary Bennet, you never answered me before." The man in question said as he stepped up to her side, presenting her with the opportunity once again. "Would you honor me with the next dance?"
Mary rolled her eyes before plastering a smile across her lips. "I would love to."
Reginald laughed as he began walking back toward his brothers. "I'm sure you would."
"What did you tell Mr. Colt?" Mary asked outraged.
Kitty snorted. "That you hated Reginald Lucas. Of course, Mr. Colt didn't have to tell him that, Mary. You made it quite obvious after I returned from my dance."
"And now I have to dance with him." Mary whined. "I'm not quite sure I remember how to dance."
Kitty rolled her eyes. "You'll remember."
Mary glared. "I deserve far more sympathy than I am receiving."
"The entire Lucas family believed that I was in love with Mr. Reginald Lucas because you left me stuttering by myself." Kitty hissed. "Collect sympathy from someone else."
Lizzie and Jane both laughed, having finally caught back up with them. Apparently they had calmed down Mrs. Bennet and were now trying to enjoy the rest of the ball.
"Jane, I am being forced into dancing with Mr. Reginald Lucas." Mary whimpered.
Jane smiled fondly at her sister. "That is a terrible thing indeed."
Charlotte, who had now joined them as well, laughed. "She does not like my eldest brother?"
Jane, Lizzie, and Kitty all snorted. Mary glared. "I do not like being forced to dance with him."
"Yes, being 'forced' to dance with an extremely handsome gentlemen with a good family and decent fortune, is just dreadful." Kitty mocked.
Mary turned to look at her outraged. "Not ten minutes ago you were complaining about dancing with Mr. Colt and I have a very good feeling that when asked to dance again, you will whine...again. Therefore, do not mock me when I do not want to dance with someone who is a..."
"Known rake." Jane, Lizzie, and Kitty all finished for her.
Charlotte frowned. "He is?" Everyone turned to smirk at her and Charlotte sighed. "Well, alright, he is, but none of those rumors have any real legitimate proof."
Mary smirked. "Yes, they do. Several people recall witnessing half of them."
Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Romilda Woodhouse, is not a reliable source."
"He is a rake." Mary insisted.
Charlotte frowned. "No, he is merely a man who..." Everyone turned to stare at her with varying forms of disbelief, causing her to sigh in defeat. "Alright, he is a rake."
Mary nodded. "Exactly."
"Miss Elizabeth." Mr. Colt said as he came to join them. "I was wondering if you would like to dance the next dance with me?"
Elizabeth smiled. "I would love to, Mr. Colt." Mr. Colt nodded before turning to rejoin the Lucas'. "He seems to be a very nice gentleman."
"He IS a very nice gentleman." Charlotte replied with a grin.
"He is friends with Mr. Lucas." Mary grumbled.
Kitty rolled her eyes. "Yes, and we are kin to Lydia. Everyone makes mistakes." Kitty noticed with great distress that every so often the Lucas' men would look in their direction...and there was only one person, other than their sister, who was still unoccupied for the next dance.
Seeing that Gabriel Lucas, the next to oldest of the men, who had long curly blonde hair and gorgeous dark gray eyes, was heading in their direction, Kitty squeaked and quickly turned to run. "Excuse me. I have to go."
"Does Kitty dislike my brothers as well?" Charlotte asked.
Lizzie laughed. "No, she merely gets...embarrassed easily."
Charlotte sighed in relief. "So she isn't in love with Reginald?"
"No!" Mary hissed. "She is NOT in love with Mr. Lucas."
Charlotte stared at Mary before turning to face Jane and Lizzie. "Did Reginald do something to make Mary like this?"
Lizzie shook her head. "No."
"He apparently showed interest in Kitty, which brought forth Mary's overprotective side." Jane explained, trying very hard not to laugh.
Kitty began walking quickly toward the door that led into a parlor where most of the spinsters were seated. If she could only make it to the door then she was safe.
"Miss Bennet!" Gabriel called, apparently he didn't mind making a fool of himself in front of a crowd. Kitty didn't bother to slow her pace. In fact, she merely sped up. "Miss Katherine Bennet!"
Kitty almost groaned. She couldn't deny having heard that seeing as everyone in the room had heard it as well. Forcing a serene expression into place, she turned around to face the man following after her. "Yes, Mr. Lucas?" It took a great amount of effort to maintain a soft tone instead of shouting at the man.
Gabriel grinned wickedly at her, making it very obvious that he was kin to Reginald and by blood a rake. "I was afraid that you were running from me."
Kitty forced herself to look shocked. "Really? What would have given you that idea?"
"The fact that you saw me before running away." Gabriel snorted.
Kitty rolled her eyes before forcing her peaceful expression back into place. For some reason, Gabriel thought this was funny and began laughing. "You are mistaken. I did not see you nor did I know you were speaking to me. I thought..."
"I was calling for Jane?" Gabriel asked.
Kitty nodded. "Exactly."
Gabriel continued to smile. "Would you honor me with the next dance?"
Kitty had to bite her lip to keep herself from glaring at him or possibly screaming. "Yes, of course, nothing would give me more pleasure." When Gabriel turned to walk away, Kitty groaned. "Except perhaps gnawing off my own arm."
Gabriel turned to shoot her a wicked grin. "What was that?"
Kitty continued to smile. "Nothing."
Gabriel laughed before shaking his head and walking away. Did the man not realize that she was trying to stay away from people affiliated with his brother? She had heard quite enough about him and if things turned out the way she thought they were going to, she would only hear more from Mary. She really had no interest in dancing at the moment and would have been content to stand and talk with her sisters.
Kitty noticed with some hint of amusement that there was a man now asking to dance with Charlotte. Apparently, their group needed to relocate.
When the music changed to that of something slower, Kitty almost groaned. Great, not only did she have to dance. She had to dance to something romantic with...Gabriel Lucas, who was an even bigger rake than his brother. She could only imagine what Mary had to say about him.
"I see that Mr. Gabriel Lucas caught up with you." Mary remarked.
Kitty sighed. "Yes, and now I must dance with him.
"Hmm...he seems to be a very nice sort of man." Mary replied. "Although, he is known to be a bit of a rake."
Kitty's mouth fell wide open in shock. "That's all? That's all you have to say? You've been ranting about Mr. Reginald Lucas all week and that's all you have to say about his brother, who is far worse?"
Mary looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "That's all."
Kitty groaned. "Unbelievable."
Just then she noticed that the men were making their way toward them. She fought the urge to roll her eyes as she took Gabriel's hand in her's and allowed him to lead her out onto the ballroom floor. This time, she didn't even care if she trampled on his feet. He did ask for it, after all.
Gabriel winced as she stepped on his foot for the third time. "You are very..."
"Shy and do not enjoy the attention I am receiving at the moment." Kitty interrupted as she tried to focus on dancing and not the man she was dancing with.
Gabriel frowned. "You never appeared shy before."
Kitty smirked. "Standing next to Lydia, who could possibly appear shy?"
Gabriel threw back his head and began laughing loudly, drawing several people's attention. He had a very appealing laugh. It sounded so happy and there was a very melodic quality about it. It literally pulled you in. Kitty decided then that it wasn't just Reginald Lucas. All of the Lucas men were a threat to women everywhere.
"I am sorry that I am being…outspoken. I say inappropriate things when I am embarrassed." Kitty explained as she focused her attention on her footwork. She didn't actually want to harm the man.
Gabriel smiled happily at her causing his bright gray eyes to shine. "I find it endearing."
Kitty smirked. "I am relieved that someone does."
The dance was actually quite romantic. The music was about unrequited love. Unfortunately this gave the men in the room all the more reason to dance closer with their partners.
"It seems that my brother and your sister are having a rather…interesting time." Gabriel snickered.
Kitty turned to see what he was staring at. She burst out laughing as she spotted a scowling Mary who was doing everything in her power to maneuver around the dance floor without coming close to touching Reginald Lucas. She wasn't quite sure what her sister was saying, but from the look on her face…it was not good.
Kitty tried to speak, but all that came out was another joyful laugh. She felt her eyes water as her shoulders shook from the force of the sound. She looked up at Gabriel who was smiling brightly at her, his eyes warming in a very pleasant way. She tried to speak again, but she simply continued laughing.
When Kitty finally regained her composure, several people were staring at her, but she really didn't care. For some reason, she wasn't feeling embarrassed by the attention she was receiving anymore.
"It appears that my sister is desperately trying to run from your brother." Kitty commented, not even realizing how inappropriate the statement was until she said it. She sighed deeply as she looked up into Gabriel's intriguing eyes. "I shouldn't have said that."
Gabriel shook his head. "No, feel free to speak openly with me. I care not about society's views on behavior. Some things are outrageous and should not be tolerated, but speaking your mind should not be a crime."
Kitty frowned for a moment and then nodded. "Alright."
"She hates him, does she not?" Gabriel questioned with an amused expression. He didn't even pause to make polite conversation.
Kitty sighed as she spun past a woman who was weaving very drunkenly across the dance floor. When she faced Gabriel again she could tell that he was waiting for a reply. As she stepped close to the handsome blonde man, she smiled. "I believe there are very few people in this room who do not know the answer to that question."
Gabriel chuckled again as he allowed his hand to very briefly brush her side in an inappropriate manner before they pulled away from each other and continued the dance. "So it would seem."
"Shall we not talk of something else?" Kitty asked with a soft smile. His laid back attitude was making her more and more at ease. It was obvious that this was why he was such a successful rake, but at least she didn't feel embarrassed.
Gabriel smiled. "Of course."
They danced in silence for a while, each taking turns laughing at their sibling. Mary and Reginald were both glaring viciously at each other as they danced roughly around the dance floor. Their irritation was evident to everyone in the room. In fact, they were so agitated that both of them were practically barreling into other couples.
"You look lovely this evening, Miss Bennet." Gabriel stated suddenly.
Kitty knew she was blushing furiously as she looked up at him. "Thank you." She paused for a moment to look anywhere but at Gabriel. She refused to speak again until she had regained her composure.
Finally, Kitty looked back up at Gabriel. "You may call me Kitty if you like."
Gabriel nodded. "Of course." He paused briefly and then spoke again, changing subjects. "Tell me, Kitty, what has caused this rift between you and your sister or is that too personal a question?"
Kitty frowned at him. "You mean Lydia?"
"Yes." Gabriel replied.
"I'm afraid that is a personal question. However, I will still answer it." Kitty told him softly. "I find Lydia's behavior to be a bit childish and embarrassing. I wanted to spend time on my own and out of my sister's shadow. So I separated myself from her."
Gabriel's eyes slowly scanned the room and quickly locked on Lydia. Her younger sister was currently making a skeptical of herself with Maria Lucas at her side. She was practically shouting over the music about her views of Mr. Bingley and his rather rude friend, Mr. Darcy. Gabriel winced before looking back to Kitty. "It seems that my younger sister is being…"
"No. It is my sister, not yours. Maria is merely standing there." Kitty commented with a sigh. She was standing there just as Kitty had done so many times before.
As the dance came to an end, Kitty smiled and curtsied to Gabriel before extending her hand for him to take. "It was a pleasure dancing and talking with you, Mr. Lucas."
Gabriel bowed for a moment and then slowly grabbed her extended hand, placing a light kiss on top of it. His eyes locked with her's as he straightened himself and led her off of the dance floor. "The pleasure was mine."
Once all of the men were out of earshot, Mary began to rant once more about her hatred of Reginald Lucas. Rather she realized it or not the man was surely doing the same thing with his brothers. Kitty frowned deeply as she looked at her sister. "Excuse me for a moment, Mary." She turned and walked quickly across the ballroom toward Lydia and Maria.
With a bright smile, Kitty enveloped Maria in a hug. "I have hardly spoke two words to you tonight. It seems you have been rather neglected." Kitty locked arms with her old friend and began to lead her toward Mary, Elizabeth, and Charlotte with a smile. "You can, of course, blame your brothers. They have kept us more than slightly preoccupied."
Maria sighed deeply as she smiled at Kitty. "Of course."
"And that…that…horrid man actually had the audacity to insinuate that I was enamored of him. Can you believe he would assume such a thing?" Mary asked with infuriated brown eyes.
Elizabeth, Charlotte, Kitty, and Maria all answered as one. "No."
"He has threatened to call on me tomorrow morning. I decided that I would save him the trip and explained exactly how I feel about him and yet he still insist that he will be there." Mary was practically shouting now. "What is wrong with that man?"
"He is stubborn. It is a trait that all of my family members share." Maria explained. "We get it from our father."
Mary huffed as she crossed her arms insolently across her chest. "If he believes that I am going to pretend to have any feelings toward him other than what I do then he is obviously mad."
Elizabeth sighed deeply as she glanced at Charlotte. "Poor Mr. Lucas."
Charlotte snorted. "He has no one to blame, but himself."
Maria frowned as she turned to look at Kitty. "I believe that I am quite lost."
"It's alright, Maria, after spending a short time around Mary, you will understand everything." Kitty assured her softly. She had absolutely no doubt that Mary would continue to insult Reginald Lucas throughout the rest of the night. Afterall, she had spent the last few days insulting him why change now?
So it is was so long…I just…well…couldn't stop.
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