AN: Words do not express the depth of my guilt for taking so very long, and I can only offer my humblest apologies. As of late, I have been preoccupied, and have not had access to the computer or internet, so for the longest time I did not have the beginning of part 3 to continue off of. Unfortunately, I am not sure the next time I will be able to update because of this technical difficulty, but I hope is shall pass so I might provide you with updates on the usual basis. I will try to update asap, but I know not when that time will be. If you still find it within your hearts to review and tell me what you think, it shall be greatly appreciated and I shall smile and give you cyber cookies for your efforts!

Volume III

1

Georgiana Darcy found Mary Bennet before a large vanity of her new room, her face stoic and her eyes gazing intently upon her reflection. Never before had Mary seemed so very pale and wan as her hands clutched the edge of the mahogany furniture with white knuckles.

"Whatever occurred to you?" Georgiana asked. "Elizabeth asks of where you had departed. She has much to ask of you."

"However might I face the world?"

"Whyever would you be unable?"

"However might I face my only family?"

"Come now, Mary, you know well I do not settle so easily with living in the shadows on the affairs of those close to me. I do not wish for ignorance in what occurs in your life."

"Georgiana…"

"My brother speaks so very little with me now that he has a wife to confide in and he is not one to find enjoyment in speaking of the same story twice. Please tell me you do not intend to be as aloof as he."

"Why, of…"

"…for I could not stand it if you did, Mary, for we are such dear friends, sisters, in fact, and…"

"My, with you rambling in such hysteria, the day shall be through before I might speak." Mary interrupted. "It was not that I did not wish to tell you. I was still attempting to gather a voice to explain myself."

"Oh, is that what you were engaging in as you stared at the reflection?" Georgiana giggled. "Has Mary Bennet a trace of vanity now? Do you come to distinguish some handsomeness about you?"

"I look and see the same person I had oft times cried over," Mary touched the glass with a finger. "But there is something new about me. I know not what it is."

"And, heaven forbid, Mary Bennet might not know all there is of the world."

"Whatever is that supposed to imply?"

"Perhaps it be some new confidence in yourself that you see?"

"Complacence was never an issue for myself, Georgiana."

"I have no doubt of it," Georgiana agreed but continued. "However, you were always self-assured of your worth, Mary. I think now you come to the realization that others recognize you as worthwhile as well, and it is this confidence in knowing that others see within you the same soul that you see that places you now with a new light."

"You are the most ridiculous girl I have ever met, Georgiana Darcy, and yet so very full of wisdom. You never cease to bemuse me."

"Might I take another gander and guess this new comprehension of yourself was invoked by a Mr. Thomas Richardson?"

"I just wished to see the woman he does," Mary sighed and Graham mewed, jumping atop her lap to cuddle. "I thought no man might ever come to see me as worthwhile, and yet Mr. Richardson appears to see me as a figure whose shoes are far too large for myself. I fear I am not up to his expectations."

"Whyever would you not be? You are a brilliant female, Mary Bennet, and Mr. Richardson is a man of his times. Women are to emerge into the world. I see it coming. He should know of a true individual if ever one emerged into her life."

"You never fail to soothe my nerves."

"Any friend shall do the same as I."

"Perhaps I should ship you to mama. I do wonder if any nerves exist to be pained so with worry."

"Well, I suppose they shall not be in need for me to ameliorate soon, for your love life is quite abundant as of late."

"Love? Georgiana…"

"Come now, no more modesty!" Georgiana knelt on the floor beside Mary's chair. "I feel I have been most patient. Tell me."

"Please inform me of what you wish to know."

"You do not intend for me to ask, though you know well what I speak of!" Georgiana moaned at Mary's silence. "You shall be my end, Mary Bennet. Do tell me of what surpassed with you and Mr. Richardson. I cannot bear through another moment of uncertainty."

"Oh, Georgiana, you sly, little devil."

"Whatever is this about?"

"However could you plan a reunion with Mr. Richardson and I and not say a word of it to me?"

"Can you find fault in the sincerity of my actions? I observed you during your interludes with Mr. Richardson and concluded that you both are far too compatible for this to merely remain a plutonic relation when it could easily develop into a deeper attachment."

"You should not have gone through such trouble."

"It was for a friend and sister. It was truly no trouble at all."

"I cannot believe you left us alone, Georgiana Darcy! What might have occurred if neither of us knew of where you resided? It cannot be a most secure place to roam about the streets of London at night."

"Mr. Richardson is quite aware of where my brother and Elizabeth boarded and, if not, you are always the sensible one, and I am most certain of your aptitude of navigation."

"Such a crafty little…"

"Enough of such talk when I desire to hear of what passed between the two of you."

"Should I tell Georgiana, Graham, or shall I allow her a day in the shadows, blissfully unaware of what I have done, as she did in her affairs with managing this whole reunion?"

"Oh, what is there to be unaware of, Mary, when I know well that you both were together? The wait shall most definitely not be blissful, nor shall I take much delight in it."

"I suppose she has suffered enough," Mary placed Graham atop the vanity and the kitten curled up beside her reflection. "I saw him whilst he was in his class. And it was odd, I do recall, for there was a passion about the man, Georgiana, and when I stood before his class, he appeared as a man who had forgotten of his mind! Why, he was so very disheveled and so improper. It was quite an outrageous display of passion and character."

"My, and what did you think of it all?"

"Why, it was quite... amusing." Mary grinned. "He appeared as a madman, Georgiana, but I had never beheld a more interesting specimen."

"Specimen? This is a man we speak of, Mary, and not some experiment."

"Oh, I am quite aware of it."

"I shall burst, I swear it, if you do not tell me! Just look at how your smile broadens!"

"He was not the same man before his class. He was wild and impassioned and speaking in such an abrupt and frenzied manner, but it appealed to me. There was a confidence about him that I never before saw, but it changed so rapidly when he became aware of my presence."

"Men rarely wish to display themselves in all their foolishness."

"It was not so very foolish that it deterred my interest. It was just a disappointment to have him act so very proper again. When we conversed afterwards, I found myself bored of his presence, for I much rather preferred the silliness to such civil technicalities."

"My, would you prefer a rogue?"

"A rogue? Goodness, no!" Mary exclaimed. "But excitement appears far more appealing than strolling down the street in hushed voices and choosing our words politely as if we partake in a game of chess."

"No one said one need abide to such rules."

"Yes, I am aware of such things, Georgiana, but Mr. Richardson does not choose to abandon them. I would take delight in the spontaneity of the moment. Such surprises thrill me."

"I do wish you could hear yourself. Mary Bennet wishes for scandal!"

"Perhaps not scandal, but it would provide some excitement to this life."

"Whatever possesses you, Mary!"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You do not know of yourself."

"How so?"

"Why, you babble and have been so very restless as of late, I fear you shall do something rash and ridiculous."

"I have been far too dull for far too long, and I suppose now should be the time for me to enjoy life."

"It is hard to picture the Mary who could not stand to converse unless it be of words of literature or great intellect. There is no need to speak pedantically anymore or prove there is something worth saying. Mary Bennet is enough."

"It is truly a delightful thought, Georgiana, but there is still much about my character that remains the same."

"Please inform me of it, for I fail to identify such a thing."

"I am merely exhilarated from the experience and feel the need to babble in a most absurd manner so I might calm down this rapid heartbeat and provide myself with time to construe my thoughts of the evening together."

"I suppose that sounds a bit like you."

"Oh, Georgiana, you shall never believe what has occurred!" Mary turned to face her friend and grabbed her hands.

"My Lord, I have only waited so far to hear your account. Believe me, if I were aware of what occurred, I would not be so very impatient, so do tell me now, Mary Bennet."

2

Supper passed in a comfortable manner once Mary and Georgiana joined the party. It was not until they were seated amongst the dimly lit candles in a small sitting room that all shifted in uncertainty of how to progress from where they sat. Georgiana shared a seat with Mary as they sat opposite the newlywed Darcy's. In an armchair that had been relocated to sit alongside where Mary Bennet resided, Mr. Richardson shifted her gaze from her to the Darcy's.

"Georgiana tells me you are a professor," Mary raised an eyebrow at Mr. Darcy's reluctance for conversation. "What exactly is it that you teach?"

"Well, there is a myriad of principles evoked within the pages of novels, Mr. Darcy." Mr. Richardson cleared his throat and allowed for a few moments to pass. "W-w-where I first began to… read such things, I knew I should dedicate all that I am to sharing such knowledge with others. Words can touch the heart and move the world and… I could not p-p-possibly imagine myself elsewhere."

"It does appear Mary has met her match," Elizabeth remarked. "I do not recall a moment where Mary did not indulge herself in a book."

"Really, Lizzie, Mary is much different now," Georgiana told her. "We planned a picnic together at Pemberley."

"A picnic?"

"Yes, it was a most glorious event," Mr. Richardson reassured. "The hostesses were far more than satisfactory and I do doubt there was a soul who could not boast of a good time that day."

"We decorated it, and, brother, you would have loved how we dressed the gardens!" Georgiana elaborated. "We assisted the servants with the food, and everyone found it all savory. There was an orchestra, and I do wonder if any person departed without first embarking onto the dance floor."

"Even I graced the floors," Mr. Richardson smiled. "With a most enchanting partner, I must add."

"You danced, Mary?"

"You need not display all your surprise, Lizzie," Mary told her sister sardonically.

"Oh, believe me, I reserve much, for this evening is most certainly full of surprises."

"Supper was positively delightful," Mr. Richardson complimented when he sensed tension. "It was a privilege to dine with you all."

"Of course, the pleasure was entirely ours, Mr. Richardson." Mr. Darcy replied.

"It is not everyday we might dine with one of Mary's good friends," Georgiana grinned. "Do say you shall dine with us again, Mr. Richardson?"

"I shall not hesitate to accept if ever you all wish for me to join you for supper."

"Miss," a servant approached Elizabeth.

"Excuse me," Elizabeth stood and exited, her husband following.

"I d-d-do apologize if I interrupted your reunion with your sister," Mr. Richardson said. "I meant not to ruin such an occasion."

"You did nothing of the sort," Mary frowned nonetheless. "There was nothing to ruin."

"Mary…" Georgiana reached for her friend, but she stood up and stepped away.

"I have forgotten of Lizzie's wit," Mary shook her head. "It was a mistake to challenge her in such a way. She shall always defeat me."

"Mary, this is not a competition."

"No wonder papa favors her the most and thinks her more sensible than I."

"However might you expect another to not compare you to your sisters when you are constantly guilty of the very same thing?" Georgiana crossed her arms. "Really, Mary, the evening has not gone by so very terribly as you think."

"Please inform me of what else might have occurred to make it worse?"

"It might have been a dinner with your entire family."

"You make a point, Georgiana." Mary sighed. "I did wish to please her. I wished to show I was not as silly as Kitty and Lydia, but I think she now believes me to be all the more ridiculous."

"Do not think such things," Georgiana led Mary before a gold-rimmed piano forte. "My brother tells me this instrument has far been neglected. Perhaps you might grace the keys?

"But you are a far better player than I."

"Enough comparisons for a day, Mary. I desire to hear from you."

Poised hands fell upon ivory as Mary Bennet's long fingers began a slow melody. There was nothing ostentatious in her manner as Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata' encompassed the room, and Georgiana did not cringe at any butchery of the song. It had become Mary's masterpiece in a continuous melancholy that was entirely her own.

Mr. Richardson gazed in perplexity at how at ease Mary's hands moved across. This was poetry. This feeling that pulsed through the soul as clearly as the notes emitted. He stepped towards her, hands upon the fort of the piano, and he smiled, imagining a lifetime of remaining in the same position, gazing down at the genius that was his wife.

"Mary," he breathed, reaching for her hand when she finished and placing a kiss upon it. "Dear Goddess, how long has the world been denied your song?"

"Far too much flattery, Mr. Richardson."

"Please, call me Thomas."

"Oh, I could not possibly." Mary tried not to display her discomfort at his refusal to release her hand. "You seem far too polished to be called so."

"Then might you just promise to call me?"

"I suppose that is possible."

"I would remain, for I never wish to depart, but I have long abused your hospitality. It grows late. Though I must wait 'til our next meeting, Mary, do know this song I shall carry with me always."

"It is Beethoven's masterpiece. Not my own."

"Until we meet again, Mary." He kissed her hand once more before releasing her.

"Have you seen a more lovesick fool?" Georgiana giggled. "The man is certainly not shy to detain his affections."

"It all seems so very silly to me," Mary remarked, clutching her hand.

"I am glad I am not alone in that observation."

"Do tell me you were not here to observe it all, Lizzie."

"I came when I heard the music," Elizabeth smiled. "You have improved much with your music, Mary."

"It is by Beethoven, not me."

"You need not repeat such things when I heard you say such to that man."

"Why must you speak as if he is the most ridiculous person within your acquaintance?"

"Do you not think so?"

"Mr. Richardson is a good man."

"So is Mr. Collins, but that does not excuse his silliness."

"Might you never find satisfaction in another, or shall the world be forever at fault, Lizzie?" Mary did not conceal her hurt at her sister's reference. "Mr. Richardson is a decent man. His passions are in the right place, and he likes me. It might be incomprehensible for you to understand, but please do me the decency and have the compassion to treat us cordially."

"I am your sister, Mar. Of course I shall believe you to be lovable. I know you to be." Elizabeth smiled softly at her younger sister. "But do tell me you do not mean to accept the man, if ever he conquers that nervousness long enough to propose."

"He already has."

"Proposed?" Elizabeth's surprise was apparent. "You did not accept, did you? This was not why he came to supper, is it? Mary Bennet, do tell me what has occurred between the two of you!"

"I am not engaged, Lizzie, you need not faint in hysteria. I told him I require time, for as much as I approve of him, I wish to be better acquainted. I invited him to dine so he might meet part of my family."

"Oh, thank God!" Elizabeth released a sigh of relief. "I could not imagine you married to such a man."

"Whatever do you mean? I have not denied him yet, Lizzie."

"He is simply not suitable for you."

"Not suitable? If not him, then who?"

"You are so very different. I now agree with Georgiana."

"You did not answer my question."

"That is not for me to know. It is for you to figure out."

"Then, what would you advise?"

"I advise that whoever or whatever has put you in your condition should remain in your life."

"What current condition?"

"Surely you see a change in yourself as well? Honestly, Mary, I thought you more intelligent than that."

"Of course I know I am different!"

"Then whatever brought about the change should not depart," Elizabeth said in a simple manner. "Be sure to keep it as part of your life for it does you much good."

"Did you understand what she said?" Mary asked Georgiana when Elizabeth departed. "Why must she be so philosophical with me?"

"I do doubt the old Mary would carp over such a thing."

"Mr. Richardson is not so horrible a companion. Lizzie is wrong."

"Are you attempting to convince me, Lizzie, or yourself?"

"When did it all begin, Georgiana?" Mary sat down and placed her chin upon the palm of her hands. "I know not when I developed into a different person."

"If you do not know yourself, however might anyone else?"

"I shall find out," Mary announced. "Before I accept Mr. Richardson, I shall know."

"Do not take forever. Waiting occupied far too much of our time as it is."

"I have spent eighteen years of waiting thus far, so you need not remind me." Mary laughed. "Do you honestly believe I desire to wait a moment further?"