Ooops or Consequence & Consequences Chapter 11, a pride and prejudice fanfic

A bit more of the family, then you'll get a glimpse of Darcy and Bingley.

~~~o0o~~~

The family, sans Lydia, attended services on Sunday, where they encountered Lord and Lady Carlton, and their sons. Even the oldest son, Lord Brendan Renwick, Viscount Hillford, was in attendance, having returned to celebrate Christmas with his family.

When introductions were made after the service, it was immediately obvious to everyone that Lord Brendan was captivated by Lady Jane. 'My brothers have told me that we now have neighbours of exceptional beauty, but I did not credit their description. Now I find that they were wrong after all… they did not do you justice.' While he complimented Jane in an exaggerated fashion, there was both interest and a teasing humour in his address.

The Duchess, seeing the interest displayed by Lord Brendan for Jane, was about to start her usual paean to Jane's beauty, when a light touch to her wrist reminded her of her resolution. Instead, she complimented his brother's, Conor and Aiden, on their discernment of all her daughters' beauty.

She turned to the Countess. 'Lady Carlton, I know this is short notice, but would you be available to dine with us tomorrow? I would like the opportunity to become better acquainted.'

Lady Carlton glanced briefly at her husband, who nodded agreement. 'We had only planned a family dinner for tomorrow. We should be delighted to accept your invitation.'

A time was arranged, and the families returned to their homes.

~~~o0o~~~

The Duke had thought much about his youngest daughter and her problems. Much as he disliked the necessity, as he expected her to be exceedingly shrill, he determined to speak to her. He made his way to the nursery, where he encountered two footmen on guard.

'Is my daughter awake?' he asked, fully aware that Lydia was not an early riser, especially after what he expected was an uncomfortable night.

'She's been awake long enough to throw her breakfast at the maid,' replied the older of the two men, both of whom were at least in their forties.

'I see. Thank you.'

He knocked on the door. When there was no answer, he carefully opened it, and walked into the room, to immediately be hit with a pillow.

'Good morning, Lydia.'

'Go away. I hate you.'

'I have come to apologise to you, my dear.'

Lydia's face lit up. 'You are letting me out of this prison. I knew you could not be so cruel as to keep me from my amusements.'

The Duke ignored her comment. 'I have known for years that your behaviour is that of a completely spoiled child. I am sorry that I did not take action to improve your behaviour earlier. I was a coward to hide in my library, when you needed a firm hand.'

'What do you mean?'

'I sacrificed your proper education for peace. It would have been easier on you to learn decorum and propriety at an early age. Instead, because I could not tolerate your mother's screams and your tantrums, I backed down, and let you get completely out of control.'

He sighed. 'If I let you continue on your current course, you will dishonour and compromise not only yourself, but your whole family. You need to acquire proper manners, and learn not to throw yourself at men.'

'But if I do not flirt, how will I ever catch a husband. Mama always taught me that beauty and a lively manner will get me a husband.'

'Your mother has realised that there is more to the choice of a wife than just beauty and liveliness. Although there is nothing wrong with a lively manner… up to a point. Lizzy is lively, but she still always maintains a proper decorum.'

'But Lizzy is boring. She is almost as bad as Jane.'

'Gentlemen respect them. They do not respect you. And no man will marry a woman whom he does not respect, unless he is very young and exceedingly foolish.' He did not say like I was.

'Lydia, you will have to accept that for the next two years you will not be allowed out into society. If at the end of the two years you have learned proper comportment, as well as have acquired some accomplishments, I will allow you to attend local assemblies. If you behave in a manner that brings credit to the family, I will launch you into London society.'

'I want to go to parties and assemblies now.'

'No. You will stay in the schoolroom until you learn, even if it takes you twenty years instead of two years. I will not introduce an ill-mannered child into London society, to embarrass the whole family. That is final.'

'NO,' screamed Lydia. 'I will leave now and you cannot stop me.' She tried to push past the Duke. He caught her before she could open the door.

'Let me go. You cannot keep me here. Let me go.' She balled her hands into fists and beat on his chest.

Instead of letting her go, he held his daughter closer. 'I am sorry, Lydia. but you cannot join the family until you learn basic manners. Throwing tantrums and making unreasonable demands are not the way a young lady behaves. Those are the manners of a child. As long as you behave like a child, you will remain in the nursery. When you behave like a young lady, you may leave the nursery. The length of your confinement is up to you.'

'I hate you,' Lydia shouted again. She tore herself from his embrace and threw herself on the bed, where she sobbed theatrically.

Mr Bennet would have given in to this display of sorrow, the Duke just sighed and left the room.

'Let me know when you are ready to grow up,' he said, as he closed the door. A furious shriek answered him.

The Duke turned to the footmen who stood guard at the door. 'If my daughter asks politely to join the family, please escort her to me, or my wife if I am absent.'

~~~o0o~~~

While the Duke was busy with Lydia, Lady Sophia took Mary aside. 'You know that I have been asked to help each of you prepare to deal the ton. I have not had a chance before to ask you, Lady Mary. What can I do to assist you?'

'Do not trouble yourself, educating Lydia and Kitty will not leave you with enough time for anyone else,' Mary said repressively.

'I expect that in the short term Miss Lydia will be too busy sulking to require much of my time, while Lady Catherine will benefit from the assistance of her sisters, now that she is willing to listen to them.'

'You still have our mother to educate in the ways of the ton.' Mary tried again to deflect Lady Sophia.

'Put your mind at ease, I am here to help all you ladies. Your sisters explained that you are an eager student. Is there not something that I can do to help you?'

'Thank you for your offer, Lady Sophia, but I am accustomed to study and to practice on my own.'

'I understand that you enjoy playing the pianoforte.'

'I strive to improve my accomplishments.'

'Lady Mary, forgive me for saying so, but if you have no joy in music, if you only play out of a sense of duty, then you are missing out on a great deal of pleasure.'

'Not at all, I get great pleasure from playing a piece of music perfectly.'

'When you perform to an audience, do your listeners get pleasure from hearing you play perfectly?'

Mary blushed and avoided Lady Sophia's eyes.

'I suspect that your playing the pianoforte is a little like my painting. I am technically proficient, but lack the talent to produce a picture that touches the soul. I can copy, but I cannot create. When I discovered that, I stopped painting, since it was a skill I only learnt because it is perceived to be a necessary accomplishment of a lady.'

'Perhaps the deficiency is with the listeners, if they cannot appreciate a piece of music played to perfection.'

'Perhaps if you could infuse your playing with the pleasure you get from playing perfectly. An audience responds better to warmth, than cold perfection. You crave attention. Would you not prefer positive attention, rather than negative?'

Although Mary looked offended, she blushed. No one had ever confronted her desires as accurately.

She knew that her playing of the pianoforte fell flat. She practiced for several hours each day, yet Lizzy's performance, even though she hardly ever practiced and was full of errors, was better received than her own.

Mary had watched in envy the attention their mother showered on Jane and Lydia, simply because they were pretty. It was not her fault that her beauty did not match her sisters.

Since she could not get her mother's approval, she tried to attract her father's attention. He favoured Lizzy because she was intelligent. Therefore, Mary set out to prove to her father that she was just as intelligent, but more studious and more worthy of his attention. Unfortunately, she simply appeared pedantic and critical, which her father found irritating.

Then she started quoting sermons and scripture at the rest of her family, which they tended to ignore, or worse, ridicule her for it.

When Cousin Collins had visited, Mary thought she had a chance. As a clergyman, he should appreciate her piety, decorum and knowledge of scripture. But he too ignored her, being focused on outer, rather than inner beauty.

Mary knew that envy and jealousy were characteristics frowned upon not only by society, but also in scripture. She had quoted those passages to her younger sisters often enough, when they fought over ribbons, or a bonnet, or the attention they received at assemblies. She did not wish to acknowledge that she was guilty of those same feelings.

Now this woman, this stranger, immediately recognised every one of her flaws. She could not bear it. She refused to listen to anything that annoying woman had to say.

'I have no interest in seeking the approval of shallow people, who are only interested in vulgar entertainments,' she defended her attitude.

'Very well, Lady Mary. I will respect your wishes, but if you should ever change your mind, I will be here to help.'

~~~o0o~~~