Title: To be a Bennet
Summary:What would it be like to be a Bennet sister? This is my take on the modern self insert into the world of Pride and Prejudice. [Self-Insert]
4.
The next month flew by with the Gardiners alongside Jane and herself keeping to ourselves and staying at home after that debacle at the Zoo. The first of the profit from the first batch of clothes came in. There were 10 dresses and each sold at 500 pounds. Rich people sure love to spend lots, no offense meant, it just meant that her profit was huge, even when deducing the cost of the store and salary for the other ladies. 500 times 10 is 5000 pounds, half of that is 2500 and she pays each worker 50 pounds per month. 5 workers gives 250 pounds, the store rent she has to pay is 100 pounds while her uncle pays the rest. Overall, she is left with 1150 pounds, although the 150 is going to her uncle for the silk. So she earned 1000 that month, and this was just the start. When Jane heard, she was positively shocked.
Aside from profit making, the second month of her stay at the Gardiner's with Jane, they stayed in and she worked hard to produce more dresses as they were more in demand. Luckily her uncle was clever enough to have it announced that each month was limited to 10 dresses. Mary was also continually keeping up to date with fashion and using her own modern knowledge to create gorgeous dresses. Alongside her job of dress making, she would continually day dream about what happened that day at the zoo with the incredibly handsome and cute man who was so embarrassed when she teased him.
Close to the end of the second month, she convinced Jane to go out with her to visit the shop and see the dresses being put out as well as to do a bit of shopping. They had finished this months quota and sure enough it was being put up. The ladies working and selling the dresses where qualified enough to do fitting like the previous month so Mary was free for the time being to enjoy London with her sister. After visiting the shop and ensuring that everything was in order as well as avoiding the babble of ladies outside the shop, we made our way to Trafalgar square. (AN/ Not actually sure if it was there in those times).
Her current dowry value is £1600 and she decided to take out £100 to treat herself and Jane. So on we went, Jane bought a beautiful lilac dress with matching bonnet and shoes. It made her look rather sweet thought Mary. Mary herself bought a nice black trench coat that she planned to embroider a huge black dragon on. She also, alongside Jane, went through the horrific experience of getting her ears pierced... Suffice to say it was painful, but totally worth it when thinking about the earing's they could buy. Although the options were limited considering ear piercing were not that big in fashion. But the earing they did find where beautiful, especially at this foreign stall, there were beautiful silver rose shaped earing's that Mary could not resist, and they acted like studs. Jane was particularly taken with a pair of Lily shaped earing in gold. Of course both sets were small and cost around £20 each. Jane whole outfit of bonnet, dress and shoes only cost £10 and Mary's trench coat cost £5. Overall they had spent £55 in this outing and they still had dinner at a restaurant reservation that Mary pleaded her uncle to make for her sake.
It was also the reason why she used the spare silk to make simple but elegant clothes for both herself and Jane as the restaurant was very high end. It was said to be owned by the king! It was an exciting prospect to Mary who used to be an ordinary bookworm in modern day. They arrived punctually at 2pm for their reservation. At the desk Mary had to drag a very reluctant Jane who felt out of place. Mary herself was bluffing the whole way through.
"Reservation for Missus Bennett's, under Mr Gardiner", Mary says in a confident voice. The exact opposite to how she felt because like Jane, she wanted to run. But this was a treat for her poor sister! She would not let her anxiety rune their experience. The man behind the counter checked the reservation on a paper. Mary wondered how efficient it was to record it down on paper before mentally berating herself that computers did not exist yet. The man behind the counter gestured to another, most likely the table sitter, Mary was not sure if the job had an official name. They were led to a nice small table next to the window and offered menus.
Looking at the Menu, Mary could not help but snort. Escargot, French snails? Wait! was that even invented yet? (AN/ I have no clue, but lets pretend). Mary mainly ordered desert, some sugared strawberry with lemon sauce and some sparkling water. It came up to a grand total of £20. Jane hesitated, oh no, this would not do.
"Come on Jane, enjoy yourself, the price does not matter as long as it is within £25", Mary cajoled her sister, already seeing her wavering.
"What are you getting?", she asks, a bit unsure but pulling through.
"Just some desert, the sparkling water is quite expensive though, for one glass it is £12", Mary replied, trying to sound encouraging.
Jane looks over her menu thoughtfully before saying, "I'll get the Rich chicken salad and grape wine then..."
"Okay!", Mary quickly says to prevent her sister from changing her mind after looking over the prices. She calls over the waiter who takes there order. When the food arrives they have to pay then. Jane's food and drink cost £20 so they had £5 spare. They had to wait an hour for the food so in the mean time, they just talked.
Jane talked about there stay in London while Mary tried to ask her how she felt about Mr Bingley. It truly stings that Mary knew that to get the plot rolling for both Elizabeth and Jane's sake, she could not just go and tell Jane that Mr Bingley did not know she was here or that Mr Darcy was interfering. She would not want to ruin her sisters chance at happiness, but still... She really did not like looking at her sisters agonised expression when she thought Mary was not looking.
The food finally arrived and Mary paid. Mary spent the rest of the evening cheering Jane up. The expensive food helped. It was just as they were finishing and ready to leave that a commotion broke out.
"EWWWWW, WHO PUT THIS HAIR IN MY SOUP!" cried out a young lady with a face caked in makeup. She looked incensed and greatly determined to find the culprit. She looked around the room that stopped to stare at her, before resting her gaze on Jane and herself.
...Mary could see what this unreasonable lady was going to pull
And pull she did, with a great flourish of her hand, encased in pure white glove pointed at Mary and shouted in conviction, "HOW DARE YOU LOWLY PEOPLE PUT HAIR IN MY SOUP!".
Mary wanted to sweatdrop.
Just then the doors to the second floor of the restaurant slammed open and a familiar blond head appeared.
He also happened to be shouting "WHO DARES RUIN THIS PRINCES EVENING!".
The lady with the makeup caked face whimpered as the Blondes attention drifted to her.
Immediately the guy snapped his fingers and guards in red flooded the room and kicked the young lady and her companions out.
Mary, relieved that the attention was no longer on her, made to escape with Jane in tow. She never saw the wandering eyes scan over her in recognition and relief. Nor did she ever notice the red clad guard that followed them back to the Gardiners.
She is, Afterall, just an ordinary girl.
AN: Not Beta' d. Disclaimer on Pride and prejudice. Hope you enjoyed, sorry about the several references to money, just thought to show a bit of Marys achievement, it wont always be like this as this is the basic explanation on money.