Title: Two Brothers
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Sir Felix and Bertram belong to me.
Summary: The visit of two brothers to Pemberley has the potential for romance.

Chapter Ten

"We are invited to go to an assembly with the Bentleys," Bertram announced at the breakfast table as he read a message.

Sir Felix groaned, "Five days. That is five days since she came here," he said. "She has decided we are to be 'forgiven' for being rude to her. We are trapped into going."

"What do you mean?" Bertram asked looking confused.

"She will have played the martyr these past few days to every one she has met. Poor Mrs Bentley and her ungrateful nephews. One hides from her and the other is rude," Sir Felix said in a mocking tone. "But she is so magnanimous that she still invites them to accompany her tonight. She will not neglect the poor, little orphans regardless of their behaviour for she is so caring. Oh blast! We shall have to go lest we get a reputation for being ill mannered. What are you grinning at?" he asked for Bertram was sat there with a big smile on his face.

"Just the thought of you being a 'poor, little orphan'," he replied. "Surely it will not be that bad, Felix. She writes that she had also invited the Darcys, Bingleys and Bennets so that is some friendly faces."

"The thought of going to the assembly does not bother me but just the idea of her being polite and accommodating. She will be extremely pleasant to Miss Bennet and Miss Kitty despite what she said to me about them. Helena will be there as well."

"I should like to see Helena again. I want to introduce Kitty to her," Bertram said. He had always been good friends with Helena. The prospect of marrying her scared him but he enjoyed their friendship.

"Oh Helena is inoffensive. It is only that I predict a night of 'Helena likes that', 'Helena did this', 'Helena dances well, does she not', 'Helena has a new dress especially for tonight' and so on from a certain aunt," Sir Felix replied. His aunt would trap him, he was sure, trap him into giving Helena compliments and dancing with her in addition to anything thing else Aunt Bentley could claim as evidence of his growing attachment to his cousin. In short the entire evening would be spent as Helena's 'potential suitor'. "Help me, Bertram!" he said in desperation.

"Felix!" Bertram laughed, mainly out of shock. It was unusual to see his brother agitated over something. "Spend the evening with Mr Darcy being silent and brooding."

"A sound idea," Sir Felix said, thinking hard. "Yes, Helena has little interest in me anyway. If I am not inclined to dance and flirt with her she will leave me well alone."

"Well I am not going to join you," Bertram said smiling. "Kitty and I have months of dancing owing and no limitations set by propriety. She is my betrothed and I intend to take advantage."

"My God that is a reversal in behaviour for you. Usually you have to be stopped from dancing with every girl available. Now we will have to persuade you to dance with someone other than Miss Kitty," Sir Felix said but he was glad somebody would be enjoying tonight.

"I know," Bertram grinned. "I am all anticipation!"

"Oh dear," Bertram muttered to Kitty as they walked into the assembly room. Sir Felix and himself had arrived at the assembly with the Darcys, Bingleys and Bennets; even Mr Bennet had joined them. They had arranged to meet the Bentleys there. "Brace yourself."

"What?" Kitty replied in amused confusion. She looked around to see what he could mean and saw a girl about her age making her way towards them. She was pretty, blond and wearing an abundance of ribbons and lace. Kitty had never seen anything like it and she had grown up with Lydia and their mother.

"Cousin Bertram!" she announced and Bertram bowed. "And this must be Miss Catherine Bennet!" She turned to Kitty with a huge welcoming smile.

Sir Felix also bowed but the girl did not notice as her attention was on Kitty. He looked at Mr Bennet, raised his eyebrows, gave a small, sly smile and then slipped away.

"May I introduce my cousin, Miss Helena Bentley," Bertram said to the others. Helena immediately noticed Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley and gave them a flirtatious smile. In a show of uncharacteristic behaviour Jane and Elizabeth simultaneously took their husbands' arms with a proprietary air. "Helena this is Mr Bennet, Mrs Bennet, Miss Bennet, Mr Darcy, Mrs Darcy, Miss Darcy, Mr Bingley and Mrs Bingley," he said breathlessly, wishing that he knew less people. Helena curtsied and turned back to Kitty when she realised there were no available gentlemen. Bertram then realised Sir Felix was absent. "Where has my damned brother gone?" he muttered in annoyance before deciding it must be revenge for leaving him with Aunt Bentley when she had visited. He then bowed quickly in farewell as he saw Helena lead Kitty away.

"We are finding the dancing," Kitty explained to Bertram as Helena chattered.

"You sound almost disappointed. I thought you liked dancing," Bertram joked.

"I do but I did want to be alone with you," she complained, "Not properly alone because that would be impossible but just us meeting people. I wanted to you to make introductions but now it will be her."

"…But you cannot find them anywhere," Helena continued oblivious that her intended audience were not really paying attention. "I do like that dress, Miss Catherine. It is a nice print. I saw a similar pattern in shop near our house. I did not buy it because Papa said I had enough dresses without making another. I do not believe it possible to have too many dresses. We must go shopping together, Miss Kitty. I want new ribbons because everybody has seen me wearing these now and my bonnet is looking very old. I think pink suits me best but Mamma says not but she does not know. She is dark when I am fair so I think I know best. I told her that I must have a new dress so I will have one. I think…"

"She will soon tire of us and seek out eligible men," Bertram reassured Kitty. To Helena they were simply a novelty; her engaged cousin to gush over. She would soon move onto the next amusement. "Then we can dance."

"…I told him he could not say that in front of me. He is so daring but I think I shall soon find him boring. If you were not engaged to Bertram I should like to introduce you. Sorry Bertram. I think he is here tonight…"

"Does she realise we are not really listening?" Kitty asked curiously.

"No but she would not care anyway," Bertram replied.

"…I do not like the choice of band tonight. The other assembly rooms we go to have a far superior one. I find I cannot dance when the band is poor. I think it uncivilised to have bad music," Helena barely paused for breath. "Oooh, there is Sir Timothy. I must dance with him! Goodbye," she hurriedly curtsied and rushed off.

"I feel quite overwhelmed," Kitty said as they watched her go. "And to think they thought me silly. I think she beats even Lydia!"

"You are Mrs Bennet, are you not?"

Mrs Bennet turned to see Mrs Bentley. "Yes." She looked curiously at the woman next to her.

"I am Mrs Bentley. I do not believe we have been introduced," she said.

"Oh!" Mrs Bennet smiled. "Bertram's aunt."

"Yes," Mrs Bentley smiled as well. Externally she was a completely different person to the one that had visited Sir Felix. She looked over to where Bertram was dancing with Kitty. "Miss Catherine is a good match for Bertram. She is pretty and dances well. My husband and I are very pleased Bertram is engaged."

"Oh thank you!" Mrs Bennet replied looking delighted. "We are very fond of Bertram."

"I hear you have another daughter," Mrs Bentley asked.

"Yes, Mary. I have five altogether," Mrs Bennet replied. "She is over there with my other daughter, Mrs Darcy."

"Yes, I see," Mrs Bentley allowed herself a smile of satisfaction as she saw the rather plain Mary. She was nothing to her Helena. "I believe you do not know many here tonight?"

"No, we are quite the strangers," Mrs Bennet replied. She vastly preferred the assemblies in Meryton to this. She disliked being an unknown when she was used to one of the leading ladies of Meryton. She felt quite overcome.

"I would be delighted to introduce you to people, Mrs Bennet," the other woman offered. There was something charmingly provincial about her, she reckoned.

"I should like that, Mrs Bentley," Mrs Bennet replied, pleased she had found a friend. "And it is nice to meet a relative of the Calders. You were their mother's sister, correct?"

Mrs Bentley smiled pleasantly but inwardly scowled at the thought of her sister. "Yes, Lady Adelina was my sister. Sadly departed now but I ensure that her sons have guidance when they need it."

"That is good of you," Mrs Bennet said. "They are very fortunate."

"Yes." Mrs Bentley said. "Now, I must introduce to you to my friend, Mrs Davison. Her husband is a brigadier, you know. Come Mrs Bennet." She let herself be led away, excited at the prospect of meeting Mrs Bentley's friends.

"Helena," Sir Felix beckoned his cousin over to him. She had been very flighty that evening and this was the first opportunity he had been given to get her attention.

"Cousin Felix!" she squealed rather unnecessarily in Sir Felix's opinion. It was not as if this was the first time she had seen him that evening. She had unsuccessfully begged him to dance earlier. "Did you see Lord Brawton flirting with me?" she asked eagerly. "I think him madly in love with me."

"Really?" Sir Felix replied unenthusiastically. "I want to talk to you," he started then realised she was fluttering her lashes at a gentleman on a nearby table. "Stop that," he pulled her away out of the crowd.

"He likes me too!" she said then turned her attention back to her cousin. "What did you say?"

"Your mother has plans," Sir Felix replied. "For us. It cannot have escaped your notice that she would like us to marry."

"Ooooooh!" Helena's eyes widened in surprise, it obviously had escaped her notice. "NO! That cannot be true. You and I? Never! It is a mistake surely. You are exceedingly dull." She let out a piercing peal of laughter.

"Thank you, Helena," he said. "But it is true and we must do something about it."

"I agree. I should wither away if I married you," she said. "It is impossible anyway." She moved her head closer to him conspiratorially and whispered, "I am already betrothed." She smiled and blushed.

"What?" he asked disbelievingly. This was news to him.

"Papa and Mamma do not know yet," she replied. "It is a secret," she smiled.

"Who to?" Sir Felix hardly dared to ask. Helena lacked judgement and loved being flattered and adored. The prospect of a secret engagement would appeal to her greatly, especially if it was slightly scandalous. Not too scandalous, though, she relied on the approval of everyone around her.

"He is learning to be a lawyer under my father," she replied.

"A poor lawyer?" Sir Felix wanted to make sure he had heard correctly. This was most unlike his cousin.

"Oh he is only poor temporarily," she said dismissively. "When his grandmother dies he will inherit a huge fortune but we are waiting until he does before we tell Mamma. I could never fall in love with anybody destitute. What an idea!"

"Indeed," Sir Felix rolled his eyes. "But what if your mother pushes the idea of us marrying."

Helena looked thoughtful, "I will talk to Edward. My darling," she said as an explanation to Sir Felix. "If she starts making suggestions about us I will reveal all. Why are you going to such measures to prevent a marriage between us?" she asked curiously. "It is most unlike you."

"No particular reason," he replied in annoyance. The last thing he needed was her interfering. "Just the prospect of spending my life married to you."

"You are lying, cousin," Helena said. "You have never gone to these lengths before even though you think it so obvious that Mother wants us to marry, which I still cannot see, by the by."

"I have never had the opportunity before with rarely coming to Town," he said forcefully, not wishing to pursue the conversation.

"No, that is not the reason. There must be a girl involved," she guessed.

"There is no girl," Sir Felix denied greatly wishing he was speaking to Bertram or at least someone else he could easily silence with an angry word.

"Yes, I think there is. Who could it be?" she looked around the assemble room for inspiration then smiled. "Miss Mary Bennet!" she exclaimed.

Without giving a thought to the consequences he quickly clamped his hand over her mouth. "Be quiet, Helena!" He removed his hand, "Not another word, Helena, to anybody. Understand?"

The look in her cousin's eyes for once silenced her and she did not say anything else about it. Instead she curtsied, "I must leave you now. I promised Mr Glover a dance." She walked away with a knowing smile. There was only one reason why she could have produced such a reaction from Sir Felix. There had to been some truth in her words, she was certain.

Sir Felix took a few deep breaths and looked in the crowd for his brother. He spotted him and moved purposely towards him.

"Sir Felix," Mary approached. She had hoped to find him at some point. As usual she had found little to amuse her at the assembly. However he did not stop and barely acknowledged her leaving her confused and feeling distressed in a way that had she had never experienced before.

"Bertram," he grabbed his brother's arm ignoring the fact he was talking to someone else. "I am going."

"Yes, I thought you would not last long here," Bertram smiled but his eyes looked concerned. His brother was obviously agitated by something and it was not his dislike of gatherings such as these.

"I shall walk and leave you the carriage," Sir Felix said.

"Take the carriage, Felix, and send it back for me," Bertram said. "It will not be safe to walk through London at this hour."

"No, I need the walk," Sir Felix replied. "Goodnight." He bowed and went off.

"My brother has lost his mind," he muttered so only Kitty could hear and sounded very confused. She gently squeezed his arm in support.

Mary watched Sir Felix leave from the window. She had not spoken to him all night even though she had desperately wanted to. He had proved elusive when she had tried to look for him before. This was probably because she had been kept near the dancing by her mother in case any man should show her any interest and Sir Felix had avoided that part of the room. It had only just then that she had seen him enough to approach him and he had walked straight passed her. It hurt her in a way she had never felt before. Recently Sir Felix had taken to accompanying Mr Calder on his visits to the Darcy townhouse and she had been the one he had spoken to most. Of course it had only been six visits but they had talked about things that she would never have expected to. He listened to her properly and did not dismiss her comments as unnecessary sermonising as others were wont to do. She had found herself longing for his appearance with his brother and she could tell he also enjoyed their little chats. In fact just that morning her father had made a little comment on how she monopolised Sir Felix for hours. So when he ignored her earlier she did not know what to think. She could not believe Sir Felix was the kind of man who played with emotions nor did she think he cared about her lack of connections. She knew he did not. He had been mocking those who cared about such things only a few days earlier. He was the most fascinating man she had ever met, she had thought so several months and their re-acquaintance only confirmed it. Why then had he just snubbed her?

"Mary, what is the matter?" Elizabeth asked in concern. Her sister looked close to tears.

"Nothing, Lizzy," Mary replied. "Just overwhelmed by all the people. Where are we to leave?"

"I do not know," Elizabeth replied. "Mary, you look very distressed. Is it Sir Felix?" She had seen Mary approach him only to be overlooked.

"No," Mary replied. "Why would it be Sir Felix? I have not spoken to him all night."

"What has my brother done?" Bertram asked having overheard them. Sir Felix had been in such a strange mood before that he was wary of the outcome of any conversations he had undertaken.

"Nothing, Mr Calder," Mary protested. "Why should I be offended by your brother?"

"He ignored her," Elizabeth put in.

"Oh that is nothing, Miss Bennet," Bertram tried to reassure her. "He is in one of his strange moods. Pay no heed to his behaviour tonight."

"Truly I am not upset because of that," Mary insisted. "I am overly warm, that is all, and wish to go home. I do not expect your brother to pay any attention to me. I am simply tired."

"I understand," Bertram said but did not believe her. In fact he was determined to speak to his brother about it. "It is rather crowded."

"If you wish to leave, Mary, I am sure Papa will take you," Elizabeth said and Mary nodded, pleased that no more was to be said about Sir Felix.

Sir Felix let the night air cool him as he walked away from the assembly hall. He was ashamed at himself for responding to Helena is such a manner. The hand over the mouth he did not regret, she needed that, but he knew that his closely guarded secret had been exposed to the one of the biggest gossips in London. What was worse was he knew his aunt would hear of it soon. He did not need her opinion on the matter when he was still confused about his feelings. Bertram had been correct in his teasings. He did like Miss Bennet. She was not silly or a teaser and she understood what he said. He had tried intellectual conversations with women before. The stupid ones giggled inanely and the clever ones were too witty for his tastes. Mary was neither of those. He had tried a whole range of topics with her and she had either offered her own thoughts or listened intently when it was something she had little knowledge of. Sure she could be rather forceful with her opinions at times but instead of annoying him like he expected he found it almost endearing. He had found himself eager to seek out her company and continually finding something else to talk about on their next meeting. She was also becoming Mary rather than Miss Bennet and he had to make a conscious effort to address correctly.

"Woah!" A drunken rabble spilled onto the street in front of him from a nearby inn. "Hey, lads!" one of them exclaimed upon seeing him all dressed up for the assembly. "Hey, hey, look! My lord!" It, hardly a man, gave an exaggerated bow and landed on the floor along with his friends. They all giggled uproariously.

"Excuse me," Sir Felix stepped around him and went on his way.

"A dandy, boys!" was the parting shot then a repetition of the laughter.

Sir Felix sighed in annoyance as he left them. His musings had been disturbed and he hated it when that happened. His head was crowded with thoughts and he wanted to get them organised before morning came and he had Bertram's enthusiastic commentaries on the assembly to endure. Then there was Helena's announcement to deal with. He knew he should tell his aunt but had no inclination to. A secretly engaged Helena could prove to be useful. Given time his aunt would probably cease to be so concerned with him marrying Helena. She was only peeved because Bertram had become engaged without any involvement in her part. Sir Felix knew that his aunt had very little say in the choice of whom Bertram and himself married. She could make as much noise as she liked about Helena becoming his wife but it would come to nothing. He had full control of his choice of bride and for the first time in his life he was considering just whom that may be very seriously.

"What is the matter with you, Felix?" Bertram asked as he went into his brother's room after coming back from the assembly. Sir Felix was propped up by pillows reading.

"I am asleep, Bertram," he said irritably.

"No you are not and nor have you done so since returning," Bertram replied, refusing to respond to the obvious dismissal. "You are awake, your candle is lit, you have a book in your hands and we are having a conversation."

"All of which you know because you came into my room," Sir Felix pointed out.

"I could see your lighted candle through the window as I returned," Bertram said. He had looked to see if there had any sign that his brother was awake when he had come back. "And had you been asleep I would be doing you a service by coming in here. The candle could have burnt you alive as you slept."

"A pleasant image," he said, "I thank you for that now shoo."

"Not until you account for your behaviour this evening," Bertram said sitting on the edge of the bed. "They think you most rude."

"Who? That silly little Helena because I was sharp with her? She needs to learn that men are not merely objects for her to flirt with," Sir Felix said. "Or Aunt Bentley because I am not paying court to her daughter sufficiently?"

"No actually Aunt Bentley was pleased to see you talking alone with Helena," Bertram replied.

Sir Felix placed his head in his hands and groaned, "The last thing I need. Her to be encouraged." He looked at his brother, "Go on then, whom did I offend?"

"Our friends. You left without any farewells," Bertram replied. He had been on the receiving end of any displeasure felt at his brother's abrupt departure.

"A pity. I am sure they will soon recover," Sir Felix said. That is what irritated him about polite society; its members took offence at the slightest action.

"And then Miss Bennet, of course," Bertram added in a casual manner.

Sir Felix sat upright, "Miss Bennet?" he sounded unusually anxious. It was just the reaction Bertram had wanted. "Mary?"

"Yes," Bertram replied. "But naturally you are unmoved by that piece of information having no interest in Miss Bennet." He smiled at his brother knowing he would have to react carefully to maintain his supposed indifference towards Mary.

"Of course. I merely want to know why she of all people should be affronted," Sir Felix tried to keep an uninterested tone as he remember what he might have said to upset her.

"You ignored her," Bertram replied. It was amusing to watch his brother try to remained composed. Miss Bennet had been the same as she had protested her indifference at Sir Felix's disregard.

"I did nothing of the sort. I…" he stopped as he vaguely remembered Mary approaching him as he had hurried to his brother. He had been so eager to leave that he had paid no attention to anything that might hinder his escape. "Oh no."

"Something bothering you, brother?" Bertram asked.

"Yes. No. I do not want to lose her friendship, that is all," Sir Felix replied.

"Enough!" Bertram exclaimed. "Why will you not admit it? You like her. More than like her. I think you might even love her. Admit it man!"

"Bertram, please remember…" Sir Felix started sounding annoyed.

Bertram knew what was to come next. His brother would be typically insulted at the mere suggestion and he would have to endure yet another outburst. "No," he interrupted standing over Sir Felix. "I refuse to hear you deny it again. You pride yourself on knowing me so well you know my every emotion, yes? Then do not forget it works the other way as well. I know you, Felix, more than anybody else does at this moment. I am not going to stay and listen to you make excuses any longer. It is stupid, pointless and is making you unhappy. Goodnight." He walked out the room leaving a shocked Sir Felix behind him.