For his part, Mr. Bennet was rather pleased to not have to deal with the officers himself. For one, he was not sure what he could have said, although he rather thought he should have said something. For another, he did agree with their general estimation of his daughters. It was not pleasant to hear one's children being disparaged, but as he had often said himself "if my children are silly, I must hope to be always sensible of it."

He was even more pleased to not have to deal with his wife's nerves, as she promptly retreated to her rooms.

The only fly in the enjoyment of his rummer of port was his brother Gardiner. He insisted on telling him of his talk with the officers and apparently insisted that they make it known what was said to Col. Foster.

Bennet thought, and said so, that this would be of no help and it may even do more bad than good, but what was done was done. On the balance of it, he would still be no worse off than before and he might even derive some profit after all.

Maybe his wife would curtail her spending and not bother him with so many dinner parties and who knows, there might be enough left untouched for another volume or two to add to his library.

Lastly he hoped that hearing the unvarnished truth about her behaviour may teach his youngest her own insignificance. At any rate, he did not think she could grow many degrees worse, without forcing him to take some measures.

He briefly wondered if the officers would indeed talk to the Colonel and then decided that they would. His brother Gardiner was both decisive and persuasive and people tended to pay attention to him and do as he bade them more often than not. In that case he should expect a visit from Foster on the morrow. Foster would present his apologies for the conduct of his men, he would graciously accept them, they would have a drink and that would be it.

The same brevity could not be expected from Gardiner. His brother as good as threatened him with a long talk after the night's sleep. It was going to be a deuced busy day, he grumbled to himself.

He didn't mind the Gardiners, not really, but they could be tiresome do-gooders and he was not in the mood for being taken to task over his perceived failures as a parent.

Thinking and planning out of the way, he settled in to enjoy his drink and his book. He retired to his rooms about two hours later without being able to account for even five minutes of his time or remember even one thought he had. If asked, he would not have been able to even remember what book he was reading or which bottle he used. He was pleasantly soused and there was only the tiniest flicker in his mind that all was not as it should.

"Oh, Hill! What is to become of us?"

Mrs. Hill did not know what had happened to put her mistress in such a state and at a time when they had dinner guests, no less, but she knew her duty well.

In short order she had Mrs. Bennet out of her evening dress and into her nightgown and had one of the girls bring up a soothing tea and a cold damp cloth.

"Oh, to hear them speak such vile words! And of dear Lydia! It is not to be born," Mrs. Bennet continued her complaints, not really waiting or even wishing for an answer from her housekeeper. "To think that I have opened my home to them!"

"There, there," was the only thing Mrs. Hill would say.

"Mr. Bennet wouldn't hear of demanding satisfaction for our dear girl! He is as obstinate as ever!"

"Satisfaction?" Hill was privately wondering if the missus did not imbibe too much during the meal. She simply could not believe the woman would intend for her husband to duel. She could not be insensible of the grave danger the whole family would be in, should anything happen to the master.

"I must say I always distrusted their appearance of goodness! Especially that snake in the grass, Mr. Wickham! He is a most undeserving young man! He has taken us all in with his fine figure and honeyed tongue!"

She went on for some time until the tea and the calming drops made her drowsy and then she finally settled in to sleep.

Author note: Next up it's probably Lydia and Jane and then Elizabeth and Jane. At least that's the plan. Maybe Kitty and Mary too, depending on how much they have to say.

Only then the next day will begin in earnest and we'll start dealing with the consequences.

I'm not sure how I've managed so far, but I wanted to be clear that neither of the Bennet parents think of their children first and foremost.

This is how they are all throughout the book so they won't benefit from any sudden epiphany and they won't mend their ways from one day to the next.

I hope I replied to everybody who was kind enough to leave a comment while logged in.

For those who commented as Guests, I want to say again how much I appreciate all your messages.

Guest who said said this Mr. Bennet is even worse than Wickham, I would say that you are right - he's worse than the Wickham they have seen so far. As a parent he managed to bring up five daughters who, absent some really rich suitors, are facing genteel poverty or a diminished status as wives of merchants. And he did it all just because he did not want to be bothered.

Of course, W's penchant for 16 yo girls when he's close to 30 himself, really marks him as garbage.