-`o´-

Life at Longbourn was very different from what it had been not even a year before.

Mr. Bennet found himself without anybody to talk to exactly at the moment when he would have welcomed somebody's opinions or even just their presence. Lizzy has not been the same dutiful daughter in the past months, but she was still the only one who really understood him, the only one of whom he thought of as his intellectual equal. He had no interest in his younger daughters, Mrs. Croft's reports about their progress notwithstanding.

Even if he had been more interested, he knew but little of mathematics and nothing at all of music and could not abide a discussion in which he had to feel his way through, without any assurance he would not make a fool of himself.

Then it was the situation with Mr. Bingley. It was not to be supposed that Elizabeth could have swayed Jane and her future husband from their path to make his life as disagreeable, but he strongly suspected that the two of them waited until she was out of Longbourn to ambush him.

He was sure it was planned so he would have no ally at home, for Jane at least would know how much Elizabeth would… Would what?

Could he be sure Elizabeth would have stood by him? The experience of the past months taught him otherwise. So here he was, all alone, in a house full of people.

He had always hoped that when his daughters grew older and eventually left the house he might have more peace for himself, but as any scheme that promises delight this one too hardly matched his expectations.

Two of his children were as good as married, that was true, and if this summer was any indication of things to come, then all the rest would spend less and less time at Longbourn.

His wife has been right, at least in this respect: the married sisters would throw the rest into the path of other men.

More peace was a decidedly unattractive prospect.

-`o´-

Mrs. Bennet too was finding it difficult to adjust to her reduced circumstances. Not that she truly understood what was happening around her and why. By a cruel quirk of fate, nobody explained to her what was discussed between Mr. Bingley and Mr. Bennet.

Jane would have done it gladly, but while they continued together all Mrs. Bennet did was to try to frighten Jane into understanding and accepting her place once married. She did not even have the pleasure of seeing Jane agree with her or even listening properly. No! Jane had turned stubborn and Mrs. Bennet was afraid of what was sure to happen once Mr. Bingley caught on and saw Jane for what she had become. She blamed the Gardiners for this.

She then went to see Mr. Bennet in his study and ask what happened. Did they or did they not sign the contract? Mr. Bennet said that they did and she felt a measure of relief. He then cautioned her that they would need to be even more careful about their finances and most of their everyday life would have to change to accommodate their new circumstances. He was going to let her know what budget she would have to run the house, but it would probably be half of what she presently enjoyed, he said.

It was the last thing he said that truly frightened and confused her: "And Mrs. Bennet, I am not possessed of funds to buy more rich husbands for our daughters!"

She did not understand what it all meant, other than the obvious: Mr. Bingley must have asked for money to marry Jane. Why that was, when he had four or five thousand a year and very likely more, she could not comprehend. All her life she had hoped for rich men to marry her daughters and she just knew that Jane at least, and Lydia, would do their duty to marry such men.

Jane did, but the event afforded her no pleasure. In some way she did not understand, all of their income would go to Mr. Bingley now when by rights it should have been Mr. Bingley who was to support them all. Even the solace of visiting and commiserating with her friends, as she used to last November when Jane was jilted, was denied to her.

She would not be able to show her face anywhere should they learn of how little they had left. To think that they would all know her shame, that she would be gossiped about, and that some would gloat to hear of her misfortunes!

That Jane, her favourite child above all the others, did this to her family was yet another blow. How could her daughter be so heartless as to leave her parents with nothing to live on?

Why did her brother and sister Gardiner ever agree to such a scheme? She was sure there was some great neglect or other on their side, for Jane was not the kind of girl to do such a thing if she had been well looked after. They proved themselves very unfit to have the charge of her. She had written to call all of her daughters home, but she must have been overruled, as she always was.

-`o´-

After days and days of talking about and weighing the advantages and disadvantages of such a scheme, Mary decided that she would like to remain at home over the summer.

Kitty and Mrs. Croft would accompany Lydia in her visit to Mr. Denny's cousins, Jane and Mr. Bingley would be on their wedding tour, and Elizabeth was going to accompany the Gardiners to the Lakes.

If everybody left, what would happen to the Gardiner children? Mrs. Bennet could not be counted upon to supervise them. Kitty was ashamed to admit that she had given no thought to her younger cousins. A summer away from Longbourn, even in the wilds of Cheshire, was something she felt she needed. Life at Longbourn had become unsupportable for her.

Jane had explained to them what Mr. Bingley had undertaken on their behalf: he pledged himself to dower each of the Bennet sisters with two thousand pounds. Their father would try to repay this amount in yearly installments, of course, but should he die unexpectedly they would still have the security of a dowry; and Mr. Bingley would be out of pocket for the sum.

Should they not marry at all, the money would be put in a trust for them. It was not enough to support themselves independently, but it was still something and Jane assured them they would always have a home with her.

Kitty felt like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Their future was looking more and more safe and she was feeling more and more happy.

Sacrifices would have to be made for that future: namely many fewer dresses for them girls, many fewer books for their father, running a very tight household, and making do as much as possible with what could be obtained from the home farm and garden.

It did not matter; Kitty and Mary were very happy with what Jane and Mr. Bingley accomplished so far. Between the two of them and with Mrs. Croft's invaluable help they would do their bit to help the family by nudging their mother into budgeting sensibly.

But Jane returned to London the same day and they were left with their parents. Whatever their father told their mother about the arrangements being made for them, she was more fretful now than ever before. Mary and Mrs. Croft tried to explain to her, but she would not hear. Their father frightened her and nothing they could say or do was making any difference.

What did he say to her? Kitty wondered.

To be delivered from this unpleasantness was Kitty's most fervent hope. Therefore it was all the more vexing that she did not take into account her Gardiner cousins.

Now that she was aware of the situation, Kitty had no intention to leave Mary alone with all four of them. It was not fair, for one. Mary had not judged her, had listened to her, and had supported her. She could do no less for Mary.

It was too much work, for another. She could not abandon her sister to be left alone at Longbourn with their parents and a flock of young children.

Mary, however, was determined to prove herself. The Gardiner children were not being left in her sole care. They would be accompanied by a maid for the boys and the girls' governess. There would be very little for her to do, other than supervise their work, if she so chose.

Indeed, Mary trusted that a sensible woman like their aunt Gardiner would not hire servants that could not be counted upon to do their work even without being overseen.

Mrs. Croft too agreed that between the maid and the governess the children could very well spend a few weeks without their parents.

There were other reasons for Mary's reluctance to go to Chesire and in her view they were no less important. First and foremost was that she did not want to have to spend so much time with her sister Lydia.

It was true that Lydia's letters painted a very pretty picture of their sister; she was more thoughtful, less flighty than before. Mary tried very hard to do her justice, but the years of bad behaviour could not be erased from her memory in such a short time.

The other reason was a newly formed friendship with a certain Mrs. Dickinson, a woman not much older than their sister Jane. They had been introduced by an acquaintance of Mrs. Croft's while they were perusing the shops in Hertford one day and the two of them immediately liked each other.

It was not a friendship Mrs. Bennet would have encouraged, for what need did they have of tradesmen who were not even rich and did not have marriageable sons. The Dickinsons lived on the other side of the county, all the way to Hemel Hempstead, so they mostly corresponded with one another and would only meet on the few occasions when both of them could be in Hertford or St. Albans on the same day.

Since the Bennets were as close to Hertford and the Dickinsons were to St. Albans, but on opposing sides of the county, the meetings were very few indeed. For herself Mary treasured each of them.

Mrs. Dickinson was a woman of information and industry. Mary had always thought that true respectability could only be found in their own class and had never considered marrying into trade. Even their Gardiner relations with all their gentle manners and comfortable life did not engender in Mary any wish to reform her notions.

Mrs. Dickinsons, however, did. Through her letters and her life Mary had a glimpse of a world that could be hers: one in which she would make a real difference in her family's respectability and prosperity. Her dowry, meager by any measure, would be put to good use by an industrious man of business. A factory would be built, people would be hired, the work would be respectable and the society would be made better by it.

Now only to find this man!

-`o´-

Mr. Collins has been his pompous and obsequious self for most of Elizabeth's stay at Hunsford. However, once he had been assured beyond any doubt that her sister Jane will indeed be married with the very eligible Mr. Bingley, his attitude was visibly changed.

There was very little reason for him to pity his poor, unmarried cousins now and moreover, Mr. Bingley's friends and fortune being such as they were, it was not to be supposed that the rest of his cousins would fail to make good marriages. It was not a prospect that filled him with joy. His sense of being ill used by the Bennets returned and he could not find it in himself to be a gracious host.

The only real problem was that Lady Catherine genuinely enjoyed Miss Elizabeth's presence, going so far as to request she prolong her stay. His cousin had been obstinate and refused to alter her plans, as was her wont. Mr. Collins was possessed of enough sense to understand that she would have made him a poor wife, though Jane Bennet should have been his by rights. Although perhaps he should be thankful for Charlotte, who was in every respect the perfect wife and companion of his life and who was thankfully not so highly born as to make her forget her place in Lady Catherine's presence.

Jane Bennet might have had all the appearance of goodness and mildness of manners, in addition to considerable beauty, but what did he really know about her character? Mr. Bingley left her, as everybody knew, and then she went after him in London and worked her wiles on him to make him come back to her. It did not speak highly of his cousin's morals.

Enough import of was given by Mr. Collins to Lady Catherine's wish that the guests would stay longer, that he managed to prevail upon Maria to extend her visit by almost a month complete. Charlotte too was quite content. She did not have many friends in Hunsford as the style of living in the neighbourhood in general was beyond Mr. Collins's reach.

In just a few days now Elizabeth would be on the road to London to spend a little time with Jane and then back at Longbourn. She was not at all displeased to be quitting Kent. Her cousin's changed attitude made for unpleasant meals and evenings and she was afraid even her friendship with Charlotte would be affected by it. The sooner she left, the better.

-`o´-

"My dear Jane! How I have missed you! And you, Lydia!"

Elizabeth was welcomed by her family with many exclamations of pleasure and it went a long way in restoring her spirits. To be made welcome, to feel safe from the constant disapproval of her person and admonishments over her manners - oh, it was such a relief!

As soon as Elizabeth refreshed herself and had eaten a little, she asked to talk to them all about the letters she had received from her mother. Something must be very wrong at Longbourn, as nothing short of a catastrophe could have moved Mrs. Bennet to become so cross with Jane.

Mrs. Gardiner too admitted to having received two somewhat disconcerting letters, but as Fanny was prone to exaggerations and believing herself ill used by her family, she just wrote back trying to soothe her nerves and thought no more of it.

The Gardiners and Jane then explained to Elizabeth what had been decided regarding the dowries. As expected, she thought it was all very reasonable, although she was worried about Mr. Bingley pledging so much of his money to support the Bennets.

She did not want any strife to arise between her sister and her future husband because Mr. and Mrs. Bennet did not do their duty as parents and others were called on to help.

Jane did her best to allay her fears and Elizabeth had to be content with her assurances.

Lydia too brushed aside Elizabeth's worries: "I daresay papa will live to be a hundred, just to spite Mr. Collins. It will be a very good joke!"

-`o´-

Nothing else but complete and truthful communication between the sisters would do, so that evening they were all excused early and retired to Jane's room. Elizabeth would have dearly liked to have been alone with Jane, but she could not think of any good reason to exclude Lydia from her confidence, other than her former wild and unchecked behaviour.

Lydia had changed and she was determined to do better by her sister. Trusting her was the right thing to do so trust her she will.

"... and now you know everything that happened that evening and the next morning."

"Kitty said so in her letters," Lydia said, " that he must have been in love with you, but I never saw any sign of it."

"Nor I," Jane agreed, "although what could be more natural for a man of sense and education than to be intrigued by our sister."

"It is a shame that nothing will come of it. I never did like him, but I never disliked him either. I don't know that I ever even noticed when he was around," Lydia continued scrunching her forehead in concentration. "Yes, I am quite sure he never spoke a word to anybody. It was not that I sought to ignore him -"

"I see what you mean, Lydia, as I too have no recollection of ever speaking to him," Jane encouraged her sister.

"- or even seeing him," Lydia added quickly, "it was like he was not even there. I doubt many of our neighbours remember him at all."

They all took a moment to ponder what it meant. In the light of everything that happened, Elizabeth was sure that their diverse opinions on the time Mr. Darcy spent at Netherfield must have some meaning.

It was remarkable that she could remember everything Mr. Darcy said or did when they were in company together, yet her sisters never noticed the man. She supposed that Mrs. Croft must have been right in her assertion that Mr. Darcy was at least curious about her, even then, and sought to engage her attention.

Although she would say that he was the most incompetent suitor a woman could have.

"The question is what should I do now."

"What do you mean what you should do? Do you like him?" Trust Lydia to always simplify the problem.

"It is not a matter of liking him, Lydia."

"Of course it is. Why would you ever marry a man you do not like? You would have married Mr. Collins if you did not care."

"I did not respect Mr. Collins enough to marry him."

"But did you like our cousin?" Lydia pressed. "Did you want him to kiss you?" she asked in her most serious voice and erupted in a peal of laughter at the twin shocked expressions on her sisters' faces.

"There's more to marriage than kissing, Lydia, as you well know."

"Bah! The first thing is to like him. Who cares about respect if you cannot stand your husband?"

"I believe they are related. I would like my husband a lot better if I could respect him."

"Suit yourself then; do you respect Mr. Darcy?" Lydia asked, with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

To that question Elizabeth had no good answer. Did she respect him? She was not sure she did. However, Lydia's questions could not be so easily dismissed. She had to admit that Mr. Darcy was a very handsome man and she did like him. That will not do! There were other, more important matters to settle first.

"I believe the better question is does he respect us? Because from everything that happened I should say he does not."

"We do not respect our parents all that much," Lydia pointed out. "Our mother's letters are especially silly of late; our father never writes to us, it is too much of a bother to take time to pen a few lines."

"They are still our parents," Jane said, always the peacemaker.

"My greatest fear is that he will not treat our aunt and uncle Gardiner right, that his manners towards them will be on par with how he behaved in Meryton. I could never countenance being married to such a man."

"Then you will refuse him a second time. Truly, Lizzy, I do not see what bothers you."

Could it be as simple as Lydia made it out to be?

"I do not believe he will behave badly. He congratulated Charles and me on our engagement and he was everything polite to me when we met."

Did he? And why was she only now to learn of it?

Elizabeth found no resolution that night, only more questions; it was all very vexing.

-`o´-

Author note:

Thank you all for your comments, they are wonderful!

This chapters mentions a Mrs. Dickinson as a new friend of Mary's.

The inspiration came from people who have lived in Hertfordshire around that time, Mrs. Dickinson being the wife of Mr. Dickinson :)

Search for John_Dickinson_(inventor) to find the Wikipedia page about him.

We'll talk about him more in the coming chapters, although it will not crowd out the main story.

This chapter is more of a filler, but it's important for the characters.

Guest who said You're clearly either not remembering the novel correctly or just confusing it with another fan fic:

That's entirely possible. I'll go through the relevant scenes again, just to be sure.

Guest who said the contract between Bingley and Mr. Bennet is not quite clear:

I've added a few lines in today's chapter, which hopefully will clear the matter. If it doesn't, if the way it's written is not quite clear, do let me know. I appreciate when people point out where I could improve the clarity of the text.

Guest Colleen S:

What can I say? I do believe you guessed right :)

Guest who laughed at the Colonel's lines:

I'm so very glad! It takes some work and I love that people find him funny.

Guest A:

Colonel to the rescue! What would a JA fanfiction be without some laughs, I ask you? ;)

Guest Fede:

I will definitely keep them, but not out of spite :)

They are interesting to me and hopefully to many others and also why on earth would anybody even go to the trouble of writing in such a format if not because of immediate feedback?

This is by far the best part of fanfiction.