In answer to the typical question, which Jane Austen character are you? I've decided that I would be this particular version of Mary. This story follows the book except for the last chapter, looking for the few moments when Mary is mentioned, but explaining her behavior from another point of view.

English is not my mother language, so, please, be nice with my mistakes. I use a translator to help me and it´s mixing the pronouns all the time. I would like very much if you note the mistakes in a review or a message.

1 - Mr Bingley.

The first time Mary heard about Mr. Bingley she didn't realize it, but it was going to be one of her worst nightmares for a while. As soon as she found out he was single (and young, though that was secondary) her mother insisted that he could marry one of them. Fortunately for Mary, she was sure that she would put pressure on Jane, and not on her.

Her father took the opportunity to make fun of her mother, as usual.

It hurt Mary that her father spoke to her mother like that, so she avoided listening to him. When her father addressed her with an absurd question, she did not know what he had said before. All she heard him say was, "What do you say, Mary? for you are a young lady of deep reflection, I know, and read great books, and make extracts." She would have asked him to tell her what they were talking about, but the truth was she didn't care. She preferred to let her mother continue to be the target of his acidic, and somewhat cruel sense of humor.

ooOoo

During the visit of Lady Lucas and some of her progeny, Mary thought that if she heard the name Bingley once more her head would burst. She pretended to read a book so boring that no one would dare ask about it, and she had thought of turning a page every time she heard that name, but decided not to because no one would believe she could read so quickly.

Lady Lucas continued her incessant chatting. "He's gone to London to find some friends he's going to put up and who'll go to the assembly in Meryton with him. Twelve ladies and seven gentlemen are coming."

Mary didn't look up from the book she was pretending to read, but she was worried that there were so many of them. Each new person was a challenge, but twenty at a time... the dance would be even worse than usual if any of those gentlemen decided to ask her for a dance. She hoped Lady Lucas was exaggerating, which knowing her was very likely.

ooOoo

"Lydia, give me back my lace!"

"It look better in the color of my dress."

"Mama, Mama!"

"Stop it, Kitty, you have no compassion for my poor nerves."

Elizabeth was talking to Jane in a much more reasonable tone.

"Apparently the rumours were exaggerated, and now there is talk of only six ladies, but they have not specified how many gentlemen, so Mama is very upset."

"Well," Jane said in a friendly tone. "nothing a cup of tea can't fix."

Mrs. Bennet came to where the girls were sewing, to observe their progress. "All right, Jane, that lace will enhance your figure. You must show off your charms, child. First impressions are very important."

"Yes, Mama." Jane said, docile.

Then Mrs. Bennet turned to Mary, who was reading a book of philosophy. "Where's your dress? Have you finished adjusting the hem yet?"

"Yes, Mama, I finished it two days ago."

"Come with me to your room so I can see you wearing it. I'm sure you haven't fixed the cleavage as I instructed. At this rate you will remain single, and you know that I will not be able to support you when your poor father is gone. One of the Lucas will be enough for you, daughter, but at least make the effort to display what you have."

Mary closed the book and followed her mother upstairs.

ooOoo

For more than half an hour, Mary sat in the living room waiting for her mother to declare that her sisters were ready. For the third time Mrs. Bennet placed the neckline of Jane's dress, and when she turned to see Lydia, Mary had to conceal a giggle as she watched Jane place her neckline so that it was much more discreet, while Elizabeth stood between her mother and her to make sure she did not notice.

"Come along, girls, we'll be late. Mr Bennet, Mr Bennet!"

Mr. Bennet came from the library. "What is it, Mrs. Bennet?"

"We're going to be late for the dance. Is the carriage ready?"

"Ah, the dance was today?"

The girls had to suppress a laugh when they saw their mother's face.

"Is the carriage still not ready?"

"I really have no idea, but ask Hill, maybe Matthew has taken care of it."

"We'll be late! Hill, Hill!"

Elizabeth gave her father a reproachful look, but she couldn't help but smile.

"Have a good time, girls," he said, looking at Jane and Lizzy. Then she turned to Lydia and Kitty, looking over at Mary without saying anything. "And you two, behave yourselves." Then he went back into the library.

ooOoo

With her Fordyce book as a back-up weapon, Mary watched the dance attendees from her chair. The freckled one is talking to Harry Lucas. Or is it Henry? No, it's Harry. Henry's got a swirl in his hair.

Mrs Bennet went yo Mary. "Girl, stop reading this book and go to talk to Elizabeth and Charlotte, where the gentelmen can see you. If you paid more attention to people, and less to your books, you wouldn´t get wrong with people all the time."

At that moment, the people who were all waiting were announced, and her mother run to Jane. Mary looked at them intently. Three gentlemen and two ladies. They're all the latest fashions. Golden curls and hollow, she's more relaxed, so she must be the wife of one of them. The woman in orange, who looks like a stuffed heron is almost certainly single.

She followed them with her eyes until they met her mother. She could hear the introductions. Bingley has light hair and eyes. He looks at Jane with a lost puppy face, but that doesn't help, half the men look at her like that. Hurst is the one that looks like a barrel. Darcy is tall, dark hair and very expensive clothes. That's enough, I don't think any of them will come near me either.

One of the Lucas, Harry, Henry? went to where she sat, and she feared he would ask her for a dance, so she turned to Mrs. Long, who was quite deaf, and quoted a line from her book. The Lucas boy passed by.

I can always count on Fordyce. Mary thought.

Author's note:

Prosopagnosia is a specific type of visual agnosia characterized by the inability to recognize familiar faces and even in the most severe cases, the patient may not recognize itself in a mirror or in a photograph. Sometimes it is caused by brain damage, although other times it is congenital. If the affected person has had it since childhood, it may take years to realize it.

We're not good at socializing.