The sun shone through the window, birds sang, and animals gambolled about as they are wont to do. Mary came awake slowly. She had the strangest feeling, as if something monumental had occurred but the memory of it was just out of reach. The summer breeze was quite pleasant, she planned to walk to Mrs Jenkins today she remembered. Kitty was already busy making baby clothes for the expectant mother. She enjoyed visiting the tenants, they never cared if she wasn't as pretty or accomplished as her sisters. All that mattered was that she cared and tried to help where she could, well where her mother should but that was a grievance for another day, today…..
Sitting bolt upright the events of the previous evening descended on Mary Bennet. Her Cousin….The entail….mama fainting…..
She couldn't help a giggle escaping as she remembered her mother standing from her chair and fainting dead away at the news of the entail being no more. Of course, chaos ensued, Lydia started screaming their mother was dead, Kitty began to sob uncontrollably, and Lizzy began shouting at Mr Collins about…something. All the while Mr Bennet sat in stunned silence watching the proceedings as if they were a dream. When Mr Collins began apologising for the abrupt delivery of his news, that he had never intended any harm and would of course leave immediately to find an inn so the family may compose themselves without his intrusion Jane took charge, and she could not have been prouder of her sister in that moment.
With all the grace and calm you would expect of a queen Jane told Mr Collins in no uncertain terms that he would be staying at Longbourn. It was the least they could do after he brought them such a joyous gift and she would not hear another word of apology from him. Kitty attempted to revive Mama with smelling salts while Mrs Hill was directed to show Mr Collins to his chamber. He of course asserted that he could not leave until he was reassured of Mrs Bennets health and would be happy to fetch a doctor if someone would give him directions. This all proved unnecessary as Mama soon came to, burst into tears and had to be taken to her chambers to recover.
No one ever expected much of Jane. She was beautiful, and gentle that's what everyone saw. But she was also strong. She was clever in a way that not even Lizzy was, yes she needed help reading sometimes but that wasn't a fatal flaw in Mary's opinion. She just wished that Jane wasn't as blind as she was when it came to Lizzy. She was the first out so never had to contend with expectations, with a sister who was knowingly trying to discredit you and make others think ill of you from the start. It was such a far-fetched story that Mary often wandered if she had made it all up, maybe it was all in her head and Lizzy was right. But then she would catch her sister smiling at her in that sardonic way and Mary would know that it wasn't all in her head. Lizzy for whatever reason wanted her to fail, to be a laughingstock. And it hurt. And then, it happened again, to Kitty. This more than anything brought them together. Only Kitty really understood how underhanded Lizzy could be and believed her when she cried about the unfair rumors.
She wasn't sure when she stopped trying to convince people she wasn't what they thought. Her family at least should have known her. But as soon as Lizzy said her awful playing was because of bad eyesight mama insisted on the glasses which caused her to have awful headaches. She could barely read with them on, but it wasn't worth the yelling if she took them off. Papa directed her towards 'improving reading'. It wasn't what she would call good or even logical. By this point Mary was wary of everyone except Jane and Kitty, so she decided to read what she was advised to study but to continue to sneek into the library at night and 'borrow' the books she really wanted to read. Pyramids, rainforests as large as England, new scientific methods, rights for women, it was all fascinating and she wanted to learn it all. The night she heard Lizzy and Papa laughing that she was known as the daughter who read Fordyce's Sermons every night before bed, she cried all night. And the next day. After that she decided that it didn't really matter what anyone else thought, she knew who she was. She knew what she liked and what she was capable of…mostly. She wore the glasses, lectured the masses in public and got on with her life. Her life wasn't great, but it would do until she had a better plan.
At some point after mama went to bed papa stood and asked to speak with Mr Collins in his study before they retired. Mary remembered Jane kissing her on the forehead as she directed her into her room saying it would all be better in the morning. And it was. No longer would they have to worry about being homeless, depending on relatives and the kindness of neighbours. Mr Collins had arrived like an angel to free them from many future evils. She wasn't sure what the future would hold anymore, would mama still be desperate for them to marry? would papa take more care of the estate? All she knew for certain was that Mr Collins and his father were not what papa said they were.
And neither was she.
