AN: Mary Bennet might not be truly accomplished, beautiful, or intelligent, but I like her more for it. xoxo jest on you
Mary Bennet stuck her nose in her book in the middle of Mrs. Bingley's ball. The guests around her tittered, but she ignored them. They would never understand the greatness of the sermons she read. Really, they were the unsophisticated ones, not she.
Her reading was interrupted by her sister Elizabeth.
"Mary, Jane is going to introduce us to a friend of Bingley's once we find Kitty. Will you join us?"
"No—I am fine here."
Elizabeth accepted her answer, for Mary rarely liked to be included in things. However, before she left, she asked another question. "Are you certain you do not wish to travel with Kitty? We would be glad to have you."
Since the beginning of Elizabeth's visit to Longbourn, she offered Kitty and Mary the opportunity to join the party at Pemberley in the summer. Kitty happily accepted, but Mary did not wish to travel at all. In truth, she enjoyed being the only Bennet daughter at Longbourn. With all of her sisters gone from Hertfordshire, she would be the most prominent young lady in the county, and she did like the position.
"If I went with you, I would have no time to practice my playing. Miss Darcy shall be at the instrument every hour of the day." Mary would never admit it, but she disliked listening to Miss Darcy's talents, which surpassed her own. She went back to her reading. "You will not change my mind, Lizzy."
"Oh Mary, you know that there is more than one pianoforte at Pemberley."
"But only one gains an audience. Why would I play in the ballroom if no one goes there?"
"There is a smaller instrument in the second drawing-room. We sometimes gather there."
"Lizzy, I do not want to go to Pemberley. You may enjoy your lavish life as a wealthy woman, but I am a humble creature, as we should all strive to be. I am content with life here in Hertfordshire." Briefly, Mary gazed over her pages and across the room. She hoped that Elizabeth had not seen her actions, but of course that was not to be.
A smile grew on Elizabeth's face as she realised that Mary had stolen a glance at Mr. Phillips's new clerk. "Oh!"
"Cease your thoughts, Mrs. Darcy."
"I do not comprehend you." But Elizabeth's smile remained. She looked at Mary with a proud, happy gleam in her eyes, much like the one she had worn as she gazed at Jane and Mr. Bingley in the early stages of their courtship. Mary wrinkled her nose. Her sister was far too romantic when she approved of a relationship. Even if she was subtle about it, Elizabeth's large eyes told all. It was seeping of love and joy for Mary. Feeling an odd feeling forming, Mary looked away from her sister and tried to maintain a mien of disgust.
She would have been thankful when Mr. Darcy came to take his wife away, if she did not have to witness an even more outstanding display of love.
"My darling Mrs. Darcy, come. Georgiana is performing in the other room, and I wish to dance with you while she plays," said Mr. Darcy, nothing but unconditional love for his wife in his eyes.
Elizabeth's own eyes shone with love and bliss. "But I am to meet Bingley's friend."
"That may take place later. Please, Elizabeth." Mr. Darcy took her hand and kissed it. "I miss dancing with you."
Mary snorted. She had seen them dancing together not an hour ago.
Elizabeth was successfully persuaded by her husband, and finally, Mary was left alone. She was happy that at least two of her sisters had good, happy marriages that did not involve running away from Brighton and living alone together before the wedding, but she thought that they were, at times, too sickeningly in love. She would never look so foolish if she were married. Again, she glanced at her uncle's clerk.
Mr. Phillips, who was near him, noticed. An hour later, when it was Mary's turn to exhibit at the pianoforte, the clerk was there to listen. She saw her uncle Phillips wink at her, and thought that she had always been his favourite.