May 4 - 17, 1812

The regiment moved to Brighton, relieving Simon of the worry that Lydia might run off with one of the officers. Between Marina's constant calling upon his sisters, his calling on Marina every other day, and the widowed Mrs. Bennet insisting that Jane and Elizabeth travel to London for a season without the interference of Marina Rowley, Lydia couldn't escape Longbourn. Catherine whined about not being able to go to London, soothed only by the tantalizing promise of something greater.

" I wouldn't worry about it, Catherine," Marina comforted her. " While Jane and Elizabeth are to go to London with their Uncle, you and Mary will be traveling with Simon and I to Bath. With the affairs at Longbourn in order, Simon will be able to honeymoon properly,"

Emma's head whipped up from her needlepoint of a rose and its many petals. She'd taken up more complicated images to better focus her frustrated attentions. Simon threatened to lock her in the room if she did not stop her favoritism of the girls, so every word she said needed to withstand scrutiny. " And what of Lydia?"

" Lydia will be staying here, and the Phillips will be checking in on her," Marina answered her. " We would have invited her but as we will be attending assemblies while we are in Bath, and a private party that one of my childhood friends is hosting, she will not be able to attend. Since she is not out, it would be a punishment to her, regardless of her actually visiting Bath,"

Mrs. Bennet's lips twitched. " Sea bathing is good for the body, why should she be refrained from that?" Her tone took on a dark, defensive nature that threatened pain if Marina answered poorly.

Mary started to say something before reaching for Jane's hand. Jane helped turned the music sheets for her and acted as a shield. " Mama, Lydia may know how to act like a lady, but I assure you she is still the childish, spoiled brat that she's always been," She no longer feared her mother's wrath quite as much as she did when their father was still alive. " She would only act out once in Bath, to ruin the honeymoon on purpose," Catherine nodded, predicting that Lydia's childishness would increase once Simon actually married Marina.

" And you must consider that she would not be able to attend any parties or assemblies. She is not out, and Simon would not allow a caller until she is at least of age 17. She is still only 15, 16 in June," Elizabeth pointed out smartly. " It is wise of Uncle Phillips to take responsibility for her. He wants what is best for her, and she enjoys Aunt Phillip's company immensely,"

" Cards does not compare to sea bathing," The widow's response preceded Lydia's entrance. Lydia dropped into a chair next to her mother and complained of feeling fat. " Lydia, has your aunt said if she is throwing any parties?"

Lydia cast dirty looks at all her sisters. " She said that all parties are to exclude me, a promise she made to Simon," Marina chuckled, igniting the flame. " Is this pleasurable to you, Miss Rowley? To toy with this family, offer it string to pull on and then yank the string away from the rest?"

" Pleasurable? No. Hardly pleasurable given the fact that you are your brother's responsibility until you are married. No one will want to married a ruined lady. But all that aside, you dislike me, because I don't bend to your will. I'm not your sister, I see your flaws more clearly and am less likely to dismiss them. When I marry your brother, I will push you to reform even more than he is because I am concerned about your future. About your sister's future. You impact them, they impact you. Families hold together, good and bad, and disowning you, in my eyes, is unnecessary. You're an intelligent, manipulative-"

" Manipulative!" Mrs. Bennet burst.

Marina ignored her and kept on. " Manipulative, excessively impulsive, and ignorant of society's standards because your mother allowed you to grow up without structure. You are not a bad person, you are just accustomed to always getting what you want. You can't do that with me, so you will attack me. Attack your brother even. You put down Elizabeth, mock Mary, and belittle Catherine. You hope Jane will marry well so that your fortune is made, and on the chance she does not, you have nothing to recommend you, and you know this. It's not just fear prohibiting your advancement in society, but your need for attention. Fact is, sisters like you are the sisters that end up with child outside of wedlock, and are sent to live with their maiden aunts until the babes are put into orphanages so that you can have a fresh future with a possible marriage."

Jane and Elizabeth looked down and away, Mary boldly seconding Marina's long winded put down with a raise of her hand. Catherine grabbed Marina's hand with both her own. " She's right, Mama. I don't trust Lydia for a moment. Especially if she were to associate with Sarah Long or Maria Lucas. They are all as empty headed as she is. But if she were to prove herself-"

" An opportunity such as properly conducting herself while in Meryton on multiple occasions," Jane suggested. " Truly, Mama, you can not fault Miss Rowley for stating what the rest of the Shire believes as well. Papa neglected us all, but not criminally. Lydia could use structure, even if it is foreign to her,"

Lydia pouted. " Why is everyone against me? It is not my fault that I-"

" Your fault or not, it must be cured," Mary declared. " It does not mean that you need to be demure, just contain yourself around guests and in public settings. We have tried to help you understand this-" Emma tossed down the needlepoint in extreme frustration, tears overwhelming her. Mary ignored the tears, Catherine apologizing for being too harsh. "-and you always ran off to avoid it,"

Rolling her eyes, Lydia put herself in a corner with bonnets, lace, ribbon, and a sheet of paper with ink and pen. No one wasted another moment scolding her or Mrs. Bennet. Both parties understood their guilt in the affair and both parties refused to take responsibility for it. Jane asked about Georgiana's health, and how Mr. Rowley took to preparing for fatherhood. Elizabeth related her experience with the Gardiner's wet nurse and how close Charity Gardiner was to her children whereas most wealthy families hardly ever applied themselves in raising their children – just creating and birthing them.

Marina assured Elizabeth that while a wet nurse did nurse them, their mother and father actively guided them since they could crawl until the day of their final breath. " Silas and I were often punished for the trouble we'd find ourselves in. He was 10, and I was 7. We snuck out the house at dawn to play hide and seek in the fields, and our governess was beside herself with worry. We must have been playing for an hour before one of the farmers found us and escorted us back to the capable care of Mrs. Gramble. We weren't allowed outside for the next three days…" She stopped smiling as she considered the ramifications of a 15 year old and young man doing the same thing. " What it means to be a child. Nothing is expected of you, but to follow your parent's will, and eventually you learn how to tiptoe around the lines without being noticed by society,"

" And how do you tiptoe around the lines, Miss Rowley?" Lydia asked with some civility.

Choosing her words wisely, Marina appreciated the civility nonetheless. " You practice the best of manners in company and reserve the snide remarks for the privacy of your family and only your family. No servants. Naturally if you must slip up, then do so in whispers, not screeching. Screeching attracts attention and when you're insulting anyone, you want less attention, not more. It is okay to laugh, but laugh softly. And laugh at the appropriate comments. All you should care for is fashion, etiquette, and more fashion. Oh, and providing an heir,"

" Unless, you're a male, then you are permitted certain privileges," Simon finished for Marina in surprise that she would tell Lydia how to skirt propriety properly. " Essentially an heir is all important, and the image matters more than the truth. Of course, Marina is right. If you want to be educated on the political atmosphere, then do so discreetly. And more importantly, never forget that your family loves you. Not everything will be given to you, but what is given to you is given with love,"

The drawing room fell silent as Lydia accepted that they didn't hate her. They just cared, cared far too much for her comfort. Mary's adamant distrust wounded Lydia. She resolved herself to at least make peace with Mary in attempt to earn back some privileges. She wouldn't admit it but it eased her heart and mind to know that her sisters supported her. If their opinions of her character improved, she would much, much happier. Once Marina departed for the day, Jane and Elizabeth stole away their bedroom while Kitty escaped to the garden for some fresh air. Emma claimed faintness and retired to her room until dinner. The fashionable time to take dinner, at 5 o'clock, left her famished most days, and she refused to give in to the temptation to eat more than she ought to.

Lydia made some excuse about needing to finish her hankerchief. She already finished the piece two days ago and had it on display in her bedroom. None of her sisters remarked on the quality of her stitching, and she started to wonder if they really cared if she improved or not as long as they weren't tarnished by association to her. Mary plucked at the keys, experimenting with the various notes strung together. " Mary, you play the pianoforte very well,"

" I do not need your approval, Lydia," Mary answered immediately. " I am too tired of your manipulations, so do not attempt it,"

" Mama never compliments you," Lydia whined. She was trying to do right and Mary rejected it!

Her older sister turned at the waist to face her. " Lydia, I do not need Mama's approval either," The hardness on her sister's plain visage upset the younger lady. All those years of teasing took its toll on Mary. It probably didn't help that Lydia needed her support to even be considered 'ready for society' by the other sisters.

Picking at her nails, Lydia wished Mary didn't make this so hard. Bad enough she was pleading with the forgotten, overlooked middle sister. If anyone witnessed it, she'd never live it down. " Well, you still play well. I wish I could play half as well as you," Miss Green informed Lydia that the music lessons would follow the art lessons. Music was more encompassing and between all the sisters, she could not find the time to instruct Lydia on the instrument.

Mary seemed to accept the peace offering, scant as it was. She started playing again. " I am not mad at you, Lydia. We are still sisters, after all. I just wish…you understood what you do more often than you ever did before. We are all flawed and beautiful, made in the image of our creator. If he wished you the way you are, he had a good reason for it. Moderation goes the distance," Lydia listened to Mary preach, grateful that someone appreciated her spontaneity, even if only because their creator made it so.

" I understand better now." Lydia answered her neutrally. If she could skirt the line of propriety without actually crossing it….now that was a challenge she could embrace wholeheartedly.

This is the Final Edit*