11

Mrs. Bennet awoke the following morning to find her daughter's room empty. Shrieking, she awoke her husband, who abandoned his slumber to walk in Mary Bennet's room. There, Mrs. Bennet dropped upon the bed in a sickened fashion, declaring she was unable to stand without fainting. Mr. Bennet ignored the cries of his wife as he searched the abandoned room and, upon the writing desk, he noticed a small note detailing that Mary had departed for Pemberley for the sake of a friend and that she would write when she was to return to Hertfordshire. The note provide little relief to Mrs. Bennet, who moaned in misery until her husband noted that Pemberley was a deal closer to London, and that, perhaps, Mr. Richardson might visit her while she resided there.

Mary had packed her belongings when she had returned from her walk with William. She did not sleep, but wrote the entire night, stopping only to gather her things and meet with William. He brought with him a horse that he had borrowed from his future family, and they embarked on the journey to Pemberley together.

As was the affairs of Pemberley, Mr. Darcy and his wife had not yet returned from their trip in London, and Georgiana had decided to visit them for a few days. She had returned three days ago, and had chosen to invest her days in the music room with her piano forte as a companion. She had awoken early and practiced throughout the day, not moving from where she sat until a servant intruded with news that she had guests.

"Mary!" Georgiana ran down the steps to embrace her friend. "I did wonder how you were doing, and am so glad that we meet again! It has been too long, has it not? I have grown accustomed to having you present within my life. Do stay as long as you would like."

"Thank you," Mary answered with a smile. "I am very grateful for your hospitality after so short notice. Actually, there was no notice at all of my arrival. I do apologize for not informing you. It was a most urgent decision…"

"You need not apologize for providing me with company, I do grow so very lonesome with my brother away." Georgiana told her. "I have not found much to entertain besides my music, but there is only so much that I might indulge myself in… oh… who is this?"

"Oh," Mary laughed, and Georgiana made a face, surprised by her reaction. "I am sorry for not introducing him earlier. This is William Cadaver. He is…"

"My, Mary, how could you not tell me there was a man in your life!" Georgiana's eyes focused on her friend's companion, and William grew red at her stares. "Why, he is very handsome, I must say. You have chosen a wonderful companion. And… my… do I note a change in my friend as well?" Georgiana walked around Mary in a circle. "It does appear as if you are a different lady than last I saw you. Why, there is more of a glow to you, surely from such happiness, and it is such a delight to see you smile! Whatever has this man done to you, Mary?"

"He is a dear friend of mine," Mary grinned and presented William to her. "I am in debt to him, for being so supportive and loyal as of late, and wished to ask of you to employ him to work at Pemberley."

"Oh, I should be delighted to have him around here! Any friend of yours, Mary, is surely to be a friend of mine, as well."

"I am glad to hear such things," Mary responded.

"So, William, tell me of your previous employment."

"Oh…" William's eyes fell.

"It was entirely my fault for his unemployment." Mary stepped forward, placing a hand upon his shoulder. "He was the first hand for Edward Pendleton and I had ruined it for him."

"Do not say such things, Mary."

"It is the truth. Georgiana, Edward Pendleton is as arrogant as Lucifer himself! A terrible, selfish snot. I am surprised I did not suspect it from him earlier, but he is heartless… truly. William's brother, Jonathan, had attended Edward's ball without permission, and he had followed me outside upon my departing from the event. Edward had followed us as well, and thought something scandalous must have occurred with Jonathan and myself in solitude, and he caused a scene. Kitty was there, as was his friend, Mr. Richardson, and William appeared at an inopportune moment, and he faced the remainder of Edward Pendleton's wrath. William had been a servant to Edward for years, and our dear Mr. Pendleton abandoned his contract and left him with nothing, kicking us both out of his home without another thought to it."

"I should have suspected no less from him," Georgiana frowned and, after a moment of silence, she laughed. "My, and I was so sure that I was in love with him! We are all such silly people, Mary."

"I do acquiesce to that statement," Mary agreed. "But you do think your brother should allow William to work here?"

"Of course he shall," Georgiana confirmed. "Why, I shall not hear anything else from him! And my brother does owe me a favor or two for being absent for so very long."

"They are young and in love, Georgiana, I am sure once they settle…"

"Once they settle, it shall be because Elizabeth is with child, and then his days will be spent with the children, naturally." Georgiana sighed. "I suppose it is only fair. I spent sixteen years with him, and he was a most wondrous brother. He is merely doing the same for his wife, and, possibly soon, his family."

"Life shall never be the same," Mary sighed. "Last night, as I wrote, my first impulse was to take a cloth over the candle to muffle the light, lest they wake my sisters in the bed, and it was then that I realized that they were not there. When they first departed, I would wake and slip out of my room quietly, tip-toeing across the hall and down the stairs, afraid I might wake them all up. We all grow up so very fast."

"Yes, but it does feel so dreadfully lonesome, when you have not grown up quite yet." Georgiana's serious tone faded as she grinned. "Now, how about I gather your belongings and take you to your room? Then I shall introduce William to some of the staff."

"No, it is alright, you just go with William." Mary answered. "I know very well where I should bring my things."

"Of course, this is your home away from home." Georgiana giggled. "Well, do join us when you are done with… wait… I shall just call a servant to bring you belongings upstairs!"

"She is a very sweet girl," William whispered to Mary as Georgiana led them through the halls. "I can see why she is a close friend of yours, Mary."

"She is the sister to the man who captured the heart of my sister, Elizabeth. Of course she would be amiable and pleasing and the most wonderful person you might find within your acquaintance."

12

Mary Bennet and William Cadaver settled into the life of Pemberley quite rapidly, with William spending the remainder of the time with the staff, he had already become the favorite to many of the officials who held the high positions that William had in Chamberlain Hall. Georgiana had wrote to her brother that very day to speak of William's circumstances, and she convinced him in a most assured manner that her brother should provide him with compensations from the rudeness of his previous master.

Her friendship with Georgiana just as blossoming as before, Mary spent the majority of her day with her sister-in-law. Georgiana took great delight in Mary's change, and was pleased to have a friend who reciprocated the same laughter and smiles as she.

"Oh, you cannot mean what you say!" Georgiana gasped as Mary reached for a bonnet. "You did not enjoy town at all the last that you stayed. Why, I could not put you through such a torturous activity, Mary."

"I would very much like to see and meet new people," Mary answered. "Since I have found myself in so many new acquaintances as of late, I have learned that I do enjoy to learn of new people. They are so very entertaining to observe."

"My, I did not think you to take enjoyment in that."

"Well… I was hoping that one of those in Derbyshire might be leaving for London, so they might deliver something for me…"

"Now that sounds more like something my friend would do," Georgiana smiled. "So, whatever are you sending? Surely not a letter to do your sister…"

"No, I am sure Elizabeth is doing well…"

"Then who could it… oh… Mary… do not tell me you met another man!"

"His name is Mr. Richardson," Mary explained, sitting down upon her bed when Georgiana jumped atop it on her stomach, her hands propped beneath her chin. "He is a childhood friend of Edward Pendleton's, but not like him in the least. It is so odd, for he is very much like myself, despite the fact that he occasionally stutters when he grows too nervous. He is an avid reader and lover of literature and he teaches it at the university in London. I did not know there was so much in common between the two of us until he arrived at my home on his way to London to call. It does appear as if my scandalous display at the Chamberlain ball played no effect on him except to intrigue and entice him."

"My, he does appear so very compatible for you," Georgiana giggled. "It does appear too perfect!"

"Perfect? I thought so too initially," Mary frowned.

"But, of course it is. Whatever could be wrong? He sounds so very like you, Mary."

"That is the thing of it, Georgiana. He is so very like how I used to be, I find our conversation so very dull, and when I was with him, I could only reciprocate the same humdrum as he. It was not exciting in the least."

"It does appear as if Mary Bennet grows picky with her men," Georgiana teased. "Have you set your standards higher now, knowing well you can attract the attention of a man?"

"Georgiana!" Mary shook her head with laughter. "It does appear so very ridiculous and silly, to sit here and talk of men and tease one another. I am eighteen! Such things are far too childish…"

"Oh, but is it not enjoyable?"

"Why, of course it is!"

"And this Jonathan?" Georgiana questioned. "You mentioned him when you first came. What of him?"

"Oh… John…" Mary bit her lip, not sure where to begin. "He is William's brother. I met him when William took me to the ocean. He is a sailor, and certainly does act the part. He is quite the scoundrel, when I really think of it. He is a flirt and a thief and a pleasure-seeker and… why… he is the biggest rogue I have ever heard of!"

"My, not the highest opinion of the man, I see."

"No, no… I do not mean to paint a bad portrait of him…"

"Certainly what you described cannot be good?"

"The oddity of it all, Georgiana, was that it was good." Mary laughed. "When we acted so very indecent and did the most terrible things… it was all so very… exhilarating! I do not think I should be the same person I was, had I not met the man."

"Well, I am certain that I should take delight in his company as well, if you can." Georgiana responded, though in a skeptical tone. "So what became of the man, Mary? Did he find himself in too much trouble and was sent to prison?"

"Honestly, I am not sure where he is at present time." Mary answered. "But… Georgiana, you might think so ill of me…"

"I do not think that you could do anything to make me think less of you, Mary."

"Jonathan… before I departed… he had proposed."

"A proposal! Mary, how could you not tell me this when I first saw you?"

"I did not wish for William to know, lest he think ill of me, for causing such injury to his brother." Mary bowed her head. "It was all so very sudden, and I never suspected it. He told me that he had found me unlike any other woman he had ever met, and that he wished for me to join him on his journeys. It was not a formal proposal, I know, but I think that had I not interrupted so and assured him that we were not compatible, he might have proceeded to do so."

"Whyever would you interrupt, Mary? The least a lady might do is listen to the poor man."

"I… it was all so very sudden, I could not think!" Mary continued to bite her lip, not sure how to best explain herself. "The man… Jonathan… he was jesting with me moments before and then he was so very serious, upon his knees and all, and I knew not if it was all a joke or if he meant what he spoke of. I just… why would he love me? We are so very different, it would never work between the two of us. We know not the first thing of one another and we shared only a few laughs. That is it. What could have possessed him to do such a thing?"

"Perhaps… love?" Georgiana laughed at the look upon her friend's face. "My, I never before heard you so flabbergasted, Mary Bennet."

"It could not be love…" Mary disagreed. "Men like Jonathan Cadaver do not love women like me, Georgiana. Men like Jonathan Cadaver rush after those beauties that all men would initially hope to capture, and then he abandons them for another when he has had his fill. Men like Jonathan Cadaver would never choose to willingly spend their days with a women who did not care so about she looked, who would spend days secluded within a library if given the opportunity…"

"There is that pragmatic mind of yours that always governs you."

"It does not govern me all of the time…"

"It shall be the end of you, you know."

"My, Georgiana, I am not so tragic of a character to deserve such a statement!"

"I am merely teasing," Georgiana grinned. "Well, shall we depart for town now?"

"I do not think we have a choice. I have no more tales to share of me and men, and I do doubt I shall have any more anytime relatively soon."

"Do not be so certain of that."

"Whyever should I not?"

"Has it never occurred to you that none of your sisters has had so many endeavors with such a myriad of men as you have?"

Mary laughed at the thought, "Why, you are most certainly right!"