Title: Pride

Author: rooster dawn

Alternative Universe

Summary: Harm and Mac act out Pride and Prejudice

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended.

Pride & Prejudice is the property of Jane Austen

(First known as First Impressions)

: Warner Brothers 1940

: BBC 1979

: Arts and Entertainment Network/BBC co-production 1995

: Universal Studio 2005

no copyright infringement intended.

Please let me know what you think, it's the only way I can write better stories for you.

Author's note: Due to a computer glich, several chapters weren't posted in their entirely. I have made the corrections. Sorry for the inconveniences I have imposed upon you.

part six The real reason for your visit

Friday

7 November

Netherfield Park

It was another slow night. Sarah was trying to finish the book she began reading several nights ago. It was a book that wasn't in her father's library. She found it fascinating and hoped to persuade her father to buy it for his collection.

Harm was absorbed in his own book and seemed oblivious to what was going on in the room. Jack was spending some time with Jordan who was feeling much better and hoped to be well enough to go home in the morning.

Allison however was once again bored. She wanted something to do. She had had enough reading for one week. She decided it was time to antagonized Darcy for awhile. She thought out a plan, which she hoped to include Sarah in since Mr. Darcy was becoming quite smitten with her.

"Ms Sarah, let me persuade you to follow my lead and take a stroll around the room with me. I assure you that it can be quite refreshing after sitting in one attitude for so long." commanded Allison as she looked in Darcy's direction.

Sarah felt like laughing at the not so subtle dig at Mr. Darcy. She knew Allison was referring to Mr. Darcy's stubborn adherence to his own view of the world, which wasn't shared by many others.

Sarah agreed to take a turn around the room as Allison took her arm. Harm looked up wondering what Allison was up to now. He was constantly amazed that her attention span was so short. He wondered what she did when no one was around.

Then again maybe she wasn't use to having no one being around since she came from a rather large family of six girls and two boys. There was always someone around to harass.

"Won't you join us Mr. Darcy?" she teased him as she continued her walk.

"No thank you Allison. I can only see two possible motives for your actions." he replied.

"What could he possibly mean Ms Sarah? Do you understand what he's trying to imply?" she asked Sarah wondering what Harm was thinking.

"Not at all, but I'm sure he means to be quite severe with us since he's being so unsociable tonight. The best way to disappoint him is not to ask him what he means and to just ignore him." smiled Sarah.

"One cannot simply ignore Mr. Darcy. I have no objections to him telling us what he thinks our motives are." teased Allison.

"You are either in each other's confidence and have some secret affair you wish to discuss or you're conscious that your figures are at their best advantage when you are walking." he answered, challenging them in a manner unlike his usual self.

"If the reason is the first, I would only get in your way. If it's the second, I can appreciate and admire you better from where I'm sitting." he explained with complete satisfaction.

He knew they were testing his resolve. He knew they wanted to know his position on at least one viewpoint. But for once he felt he had gotten the better of them.

"How shocking it is to hear such an unflattering comment Ms Sarah. I've never heard such words spoken from a gentleman before. How shall we punish him for such brash talk?" she asked Sarah with a smile.

"Nothing so easy Allison, for if you have the inclination, you should tease him. For Mr. Darcy is not to be laughed at. It's quite a shame for I certainly love to laugh. Though I hope never to ridicule what is wise or good.

Since you are more intimate with him than I, you would know how to tease him in a more effective manner than I." replied Sarah glad to have a co-conspirator.

"I assure you Ms Sarah, that any intimacy I may have with Mr. Darcy has yet to teach me how to tease him for I know of no subject in which to do so." she answered.

"Perhaps that's because I have made a study of avoiding those weaknesses which often exposes one to ridicule." Harm replied smugly. Once again he felt a sense of pride stirring from within.

"Such as vanity and pride." offered Sarah. For those were his true weakness, even if he didn't want to admit it to anyone including himself.

"I must agree vanity can be a weakness, but not so with pride. For pride will always be under good regulation." he replied with a stiff upper lip.

Zing! Sarah had hit the mark. Sarah turned away and smiled as she wondered if Mr. Darcy truly understood the difference between vanity and pride. For it was okay to be prideful of who you were or how great your accomplishments.

But it isn't pride that makes you feel superior to all of those around you. It's conceit, arrogance, and self importance or vanity.

"Your examination of Mr. Darcy is over Ms Sarah, what is your verdict?" asked Allison as she attempted to stifle a laugh for she saw his failed attempt of justifying his vanity.

"He is without fault, he is perfection personified. He has no defects to be found. I wonder though why he is alone in the world since he is so perfect." replied Sarah although she knew what she had said, not to be entirely true.

"That's not true Ms Sarah, as I'm sure you're quite well aware. I have many faults, but they aren't easily understood. My temper is not what it should be. It is too uncompromising.

I cannot easily forget the follies and vices of others as I should nor those against me. Some would say I am resentful for when my good opinion is lost, it is lost forever." he argued.

"That is truly a failing indeed. You have chosen your faults quite well for I cannot laugh at it. You are safe from me Mr. Darcy." sighed Sarah as she gave him a tender sweet smile.

Harm's heart skipped a beat at her tender smile. She was always giving him a small tender or sweet smile. He wondered what it meant. Did she really like him? Was it the reason behind her teasing and flirting?

"There is a natural tendency for all to have a defect, that not even the best education can overcome." he observed.

"Yours is the propensity to hate everything and everyone." she replied quickly with satisfaction. For she knew he would never accept her opinion on this matter. She believed that it would cause him to expose more of himself.

"And yours is to willfully misunderstand everything." he smiled as he thought he had achieved victory. For it was his belief that she did not understand why he did anything.

It was time to move on thought Allison as she had lost control of the conversation. She could see the duel going on between Ms Sarah and Mr. Darcy. She saw the excitement in his eyes as Sarah challenged his own perceptions.

She was beginning to see why Mr. Darcy was falling in love with Ms Sarah although he would never admit it to anyone, not even to himself. Ms Sarah had a sharp mind and wasn't afraid to voice her view, not even to Mr. Darcy.

While it was fascinating seeing their verbal battle, she didn't like the attention to be turned away from her. It was time to change the tenor of the conversation.

"Let us have some music sister." she told her sister Louisa.

Mr. Darcy was relieved for the change as he felt himself getting emotionally caught up with Sarah. For the more time he gave her, the stronger the feelings he felt for her grew. He needed to find a way to stop spending so much time with her.

He was losing his self control. Her social standing was much too far below his. He could never be with her. He needed to get away. He couldn't stay at Netherfield much longer. If he did ... he didn't want to think of those possibilities.

"Aren't you going to ask Ms Sarah to dance Mr. Darcy?" smiled Allison. She liked to force him into doing things he was conflicted about. She could see that he was fighting himself. She knew that he couldn't resist the feelings he was feeling when he was close to her.

She could also see how Sarah was confused with all the attention he was giving her. Sarah was only there to take care of her sister yet she was spending a lot of time with Mr. Darcy instead.

Allison wondered what Sarah's true feeling were for Mr. Darcy. For as much as she denied that she was seeking his attention she seemed to welcome it implicitly.

"Ms Sarah, may I have this dance?" asked Harm as he held out his hand for her to accept.

It had been a little game he had played with her all week. Sarah had been reluctant at first, but had conceded to his request. He wanted to see if she really believed in what she said about dancing.

Did she really believe that it was a way to show one's love? How would she respond to someone dancing with her all the time? Did she believe that he loved her? Would that lead her to fall in love with her?

It was a nice little game with so many possibilities.

Saturday

8 November

Netherfield Park

The week was near an end and Sarah was ready to go home. She missed her father and her younger sisters. She missed her regular routine. She missed talking with her friend Harriet.

She talked with Jordan about the need to go home. Jordan agreed that she was well enough to go home. She was tired of spending so much time in bed. If she had been at home she would have been up and about days ago.

"We need to go home Jordan, Mr. Darcy has barely said two words to me today." whined Sarah.

"Yesterday you complained that he spent too much time with you and he said too much. You said he danced with you for a half hour. Which behavior do you really prefer Sarah? For I thought you didn't like him." smiled Jordan.

"I don't like him, but if I'm expected to spend time with him, the least he can do is be sociable and talk a little." argued Sarah. She didn't know if she was trying to convince Jordan or herself.

Jordan laughed as she began to realized that it was possible that Mr. Darcy and Sarah were beginning to fall in love with each other, but didn't want to admit it to anyone, not even to themselves.

"Poor Sarah, what is she to do? She doesn't know whether she wants his attention or not." laughed Jordan.

"You know that I don't want his attention." replied Sarah.

"Then why are you here Sarah? You could have come and visited me every day while I am here if that was your true intention. It's not that far to travel. I know you wanted him to like you. You can't bear the idea that someone doesn't like you." corrected Jordan.

There wasn't much Sarah could do or say. She had put herself in this position. At first it was to spite her mother. Later it was to get to know the Keeters better, particularly Mr. Keeter.

She had to admit that she wanted to see Mr. Darcy in his own element. He couldn't be as bad as he presented himself at the social gatherings he attended. She had been pleased to see that he was capable of carrying on a conversation.

"That's not entirely true Jordan. What I didn't like was Mr. Darcy saying I was only tolerable when he didn't even know who I was." argued Sarah.

"From what Mr. Keeter has told me Sarah you know Mr. Darcy pretty well now. And now he knows who you are Sarah. Mr. Keeter tells me that you and Mr. Darcy have been dancing every night together. Are you and Mr. Darcy falling in love with each other?" asked Jordan with a smile.

"What? How do you come up with these ideas?" asked a surprised Sarah.

"You told him at the Assembly Ball that he should dance with you to show his affection for you." smiled Jordan. She liked seeing her sister flustered. It didn't happen very often.

"I did not. I said it was a way for a man to show the woman he likes his feelings. The only reason he is dancing with me every night is because it was his only way of getting back at me for joining Allison in her efforts to tease him.

He's making fun of my provincial views." replied Sarah. For she really believed what she said, but was it really true? Or was Mr. Darcy really showing affection for her?

A letter was sent to Longbourn notifying them that the Mackenzie sisters were ready to return home. Jordan didn't want to wear out her welcome though the time she had spent with Mr. Keeter had been very special.

She was beginning to believe what Sarah had told her that Mr. Keeter was indeed falling in love with her. He had been so attentive while she was there. She hoped that it would continue after she returned home.

Several hours later Mrs. Mackenzie and the other girls arrived at Netherfield to take Jordan and Sarah home. They arrived dressed in all their fineries.

"A Mrs. Mackenzie, a Ms Mackenzie, a Ms Mackenzie, a Ms Mackenzie." were announced by the butler.

"More Mackenzies! Are we to entertain all the Mackenzies in the county?" Allison felt like screaming.

Though his sister resented the intrusion of the Mackenzie family, Mr. Keeter was excited to see them. They were unique in his book. Mrs. Mackenzie told great stories and the younger sisters had a zest for life that he appreciated. He liked Ms Jordan's family very much.

The Mackenzies went upstairs to check on Jordan. They found her happy to see them and well enough to go home. She was in the middle of dressing and would be down shortly to say her goodbyes.

They went down stairs to wait for Jordan. They were in a beautiful room which Mrs. Mackenzie took the time to note and praise its owner.

"This is a very fine room Mr. Keeter. You must agree that staying in the country is quite rewarding." began Mrs. Mackenzie.

"Yes Ma'am, I do find it refreshing. I love it here. The people here are amazing." he replied.

"So you have no reason to return to town other than to conduct business that is?" she asked. "For we have quite a diverse group of people here."

"The diversity of characters in the country is quite limited. In town there is much more diversity. There are many more places to go and people to see." corrected Mr. Darcy.

"We must dine with four and twenty in the neighborhood." argued Mrs. Mackenzie causing Mr. Darcy to retreat to his place by the window. He hated getting involved in insipid arguments, especially with her.

"Mama, Mr. Darcy means that since town is much larger, it would have more diversity of people than we have here in Hertfordshire. There are more people in town." replied Sarah trying to calm her mother down and to not upset Mr. Darcy any further.

If there was one thing she had learned about Mr. Darcy during her stay at Netherfield the past week was that he didn't like people who always disagreed with him which unfortunately her mother seem to do regularly.

"Mr. Keeter, is it true you're going to host a ball? It would be a great way to meet new people. You could invite the officers." pleaded Mattie as she tried to change the subject.

"You promised you would host a ball Mr. Keeter." chimed in Chloe.

"I did didn't I." he smiled. "When your sister Ms Jordan is healthy enough to attend a ball, you can pick the date Mattie."

Mattie and Chloe went into a mild silly fit showing their glee of happiness that Mr. Keeter would be hosting a ball. Mrs. Mackenzie was quite pleased too, for she believed that Mr. Keeter was offering to host a ball in Jordan's honor.

What other reason would he want to host a ball in his home she thought? She wanted to show her giddiness too, but realized that it wouldn't be proper. She just held her hands together up against her chest and said to herself "Thank you Lord."

"I should like balls much better if they were carried out in a much different fashion. It would be much more rational if conversation was the order of the day rather than dancing." Jennifer offered her insight.

"It might be more rational, but it would hardly be a ball then." replied Allison. What an insipid thought, thought Allison.

"Thank you Jennifer for your insight." interjected Sarah before any further observations were offered.

Mrs. Mackenzie and the girls went upstairs to get Jordan leaving Sarah behind with Harm and the Keeters.

"By the way Allison how long have you lived in town?" asked Sarah.

"Two years with Jack and another year with my sister and her husband Mr. Boone." she replied.

"What about you Mr. Darcy?" asked Sarah.

He was a little surprised by the directness of her question and didn't quite understand why it was so important. He thought it might have something to do with the conversation he had with Mrs. Mackenzie.

"I don't live in town, though I have spent some time there conducting business since my father died five years ago. Why?" he responded.

"I do find it quite ironic that you both consider yourselves experts on the quality of meeting a variety of people in town since neither one of you have spent much time there.

My mother was born in town. She lived there until she married my father when she was in her early twenties. I suspect she may know a bit more about the variety of people one can expect to meet in town.

While I understand that my mother may not appear as sophisticated and genteel a lady as you Allison, she is highly educated and quite knowledgeable of world events.

She is after all married to a gentleman who has earn his way in the world. While you and your sister may consider yourselves members of high society, you are after all no better than my mother.

Your standing in society comes from inherited wealth from your father who earned that wealth in the trades, not as a gentleman landowner like Mr. Darcy.

So despite all your posturing, my mother is who you may very well become in twenty to twenty five years after you have raised your children." concluded Sarah.

Allison was a little shocked at the directness of Sarah's evaluation, but understood Sarah's point. For it was her goal in life to marry a gentleman like Mr. Darcy.

The only difference between her and Mrs. Mackenzie was her wealth. Which may only be more because times are much better now than they were twenty five years ago.