A/N: Here is yet another chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter 7: The Ugly Road

The trip started out pleasant enough, if it wasn't a little nippy. But dark clouds did rest forebodingly in the distance, David glanced at them every once in a while. It wasn't long after their journey began that Mr. Bingley grew restless and involved David in conversation.

"Are you visiting your family in London, Mr. Everhart?" He asked leaning back comfortably against the carriage roof.

"No, I simply feel that I will have greater opportunity in London, than I will in Hertfordshire." Bingley laughed pleasantly.

"And what is it that you aspire to be?" He continued, "If you do not mind my asking."

"Not at all, I hope to become a writer, or an actor, though I am still young so I am not sure which one I am most inclined to." David said, tugging at the reins a little. The horses were rapidly picking up speed.

"Oh, I keep forgetting you are so young, you do not act your age, even your conversation is much advanced in years." David smiled at Bingley.

"Yes, I've always been rather out of place in my family, but my conversation is mainly due to extensive reading, perhaps to much reading now that I reflect."

"You would like my sister-in-law very much then, she is also a great reader."

"Is she? Excellent. Though I suppose being a lady it is considered a good employment of time, whereas I, am not a lady, or even a gentlemen, and so the hobby is rather frowned upon. Its considered lazy and a waste of time."

"Oh, you make me feel guilty, for I am a gentlemen and could read at my leisure but I choose not to. I get restless you see, especially when it's a promising day outside." David laughed.

"Well there is no need to feel guilty, If I were a gentlemen I would do whatever I wanted as well. So if the outdoors please you, by all means indulge yourself." Bingley smiled at David.

"I wish you were a gentlemen, I think we could be great friends." Bingley said kindly, David looked down and nodded.

"To be sure, though I think we would argue over how to spend our time."

"Not at all, I have another friend, Mr. Darcy, he reminds me a lot of you. He and I are the best friends in the world, and we have very little in common at all." They both chuckled at this.

"Mr. Darcy? Was he the gentlemen who was with you and your sisters at the ball last year?" David asked, remembering a very solemn figure, who had hovered beside of Caroline Bingley all evening.

"The very same. I am glad you remember him, he is the best fellow you could ever know." David grew suddenly very leery of this Mr. Darcy, who had been Caroline's constant companion throughout the ball, and danced with practically no one else. At the time of the ball he had been envious, because he had that they were courting or engaged.

"Yes, is he engaged to your sister?" David asked carefully, hoping he did not sound to forward. Bingley turned to him and looked very surprised.

"No, he is not, he is in fact recently married to my sister-in-law, whom I just mentioned. Forgive me, but why do you ask." But Bingley did not sound at all angry, just curious. David breathed a sigh of relief, and turned likewise to his companion.

"I just assumed it, because at the ball he danced with no other lady." To his utter confusion and surprise, Bingley burst out laughing.

"Oh yes, well, that's Darcy for you. I had forgotten he had done that." Bingley smiled clearly relishing in the memory. "He is quite a solemn fellow you see, well no that's not really true…he's just….well he's shy. He's not very good at conversation, and therefore he wouldn't dance with anyone other than my sisters."

"Oh," David said trying to imagine this Mr. Darcy being shy. It was an amusing thought. "His shyness caused a lot of gossip, I believe."

"Yes. I don't doubt it, but Darcy is not at all bothered by others opinions its his best quality. I myself try to follow suit, but it is rather difficult sometimes." David nodded in agreement, wishing that another Bingley were like Mr. Darcy in that respect.

Before either of them could say another word, a crack of lighting struck a distant tree, sending it up in flames. The horses started, rising off the ground a little.

"Whoa!" David and Bingley cried together. Thunder boomed overhead, promising a fierce storm. They could hear much commotion inside the carriage. David turned to Bingley.

"What should we do?" Bingley furrowed his red brow in thought.

"Continue on, for now…and if the storm persists, seek refuge at the first local hotel." David nodded in agreement and edged the horses on.

They had ridden for about ten minuets more, after the initial lighting strike, when the rain began. It was a harsh sweeping rain. That stung cold upon their skin, After a few more minuets of this, they decided to find an available place of refuge.

Soaked, cold, and frustrated they made their was begrudgingly to a nearby little village. The horses were very upset now, and began to sprit with every lighting strike. The swamped roads were a hassle, and the rain an agony to bear. Finally they approached the small almost hamlet like town of Carlton. Relieved they pulled in their carriage at Carlton Place Inn, and all of the party made a mad dash to the door.

"Well!" Bingley said once they were all inside, "I'm glad to be out of that!" He was dripping with water (which was really an understatement) and was making a small puddle on the floor. David grinned at Bingley in agreement, who was likewise making quite a mess. However, David couldn't help but to notice, the look he was receiving from Caroline, which couldn't be described as anything other than pure want and desire. Perhaps, he thought, getting drenched did come with its good points. Deciding to be bold he smiled back at her. Which might not have been the best idea, he would later decide in hindsight. For she didn't look at him again for the better part of the day.

Once out of the rain, the party had little to do but to wait out of the storm, which persisted for the rest of the morning, and afternoon as well. The entire party got rooms for the night, deciding that things would clearly not improve until the morrow. Bingley and David weren't complaining, they washed and rested. The staff at the inn were delighted as well, for they were their only guests on that particular evening. This news surprised no one. Though everyone was a little disappointed at the lack of social intercourse, however it did mean that the entire dinning room was theirs for the usage. It also meant that they were all given the best rooms in the inn.

There was a bit of an awkward mix up on the rooms as well. The staff, accidentally, and understandably, assumed that David was a member of the party and a gentlemen, but they also deduced that he was married to Miss. Bingley and tried to give him a room with her. Miss Bingley had been so upset by this assumption that the staff gave her the largest room in the Inn and her own personal maid to help her throughout her stay. She still didn't quit her room again until dinner.

As the day wore on, David's instinctive dislike for Mrs. Hurst grew into outright animosity. It was clear that she was up to something, and whatever it was didn't seem to be in anybody's best interest, except maybe herself. She watched David constantly and asked him thousand questions that were always degrading and snide, they also seemed to have double meanings. But David tried to be as polite to her as possible, and played every game of cards with the Hurst's and Mr. Bingley though he had to be taught how to play, and he lost every match (much to the Hurst's delight.)

At 5pm everyone quit the lounge to prepare for dinner, and at 6 the maids knocked on their rooms to tell them to come down. David had, of course, been invited, and he had even been lent one of Mr. Bingley's outfits by Jane to wear. David had to admit, that it was a very surreal day. How strange, he thought, that only yesterday I discovered that I was born illegitimately and had a barmaid for a sister that was prone to prostitution. And today, I am to be dining as a gentleman, with the lovely, witty, Miss. Bingley. He shook his blonde head at the thought. Straightening his collar once more in the mirror, he decided it would have to do, and he headed for dinner.