Disclaimer:
The story-line is mine. The rest of things are not. Is that enough of a disclaimer? I hope so.
When they finally arrive, they have to talk to so many people. The funeral is a dreadful affair. The gossipmongers have a field day while talking about the bad luck of the Bennet family. A death is dramatic, two is tragic, but three? In such a succession? And always when they have just got out of mourning? That seems supernatural, right? And who would like to trade with supernatural? How horrific. Do tell me more.
The (remaining) Bennets do not notice at first, with the social restrictions set by the mourning and their spirits as low as they could possibly be, but at one point, Mary notices that the matrons cross themselves every time they see her. She says nothing then, but later makes a mention of it in Longbourn dinning room. Kitty looks at her askance, their father does not even bother, and their mother is too far into her own darkness to pay attention to anything more. But the servant in the room almost falls, and from the tray she was carrying, a glass full of water falls and shatters against the ground. She apologizes, but the family does not care.
Mary looks at her, and in a controlled tone of voice she asks her (her name is Sarah) is she knows why the matrons do that disturbing action every time she meets them. Sarah doubts at first, but Mr Bennet, surprised that there appears to be more behind Mary's words than simple paranoia, looks at her and encourages her to talk.
After begging their pardon for overhearing, she states something worrisome.
"At the village, they say that the Bennets are cursed"
Cursed. What a laugh, as Lydia would have said. There is no way. None. Right. Mary thinks not, but she looks at the others' faces and they appear to be considering. Her mother is suddenly white with fear. Kitty's eyes are almost out of their sockets, and her breath is shallow. Mary goes to her and says words of comfort, about how it is not possible and how they are good Christians and God will not allow that to happen, and how the curses do not exist. All in the room listen to her with attention, and it helps to diffuse the tension. Mary does not know, but her words will reach further and be known in Meryton. And people in Meryton will think them wise, and tell them to one another, and after a while, only the more insistent will still believe in the Bennets being cursed.
Soon, winter allows for spring to come, and the weather is each day more enjoyable. Mary, fearing for Kitty's health, walks with her every day. A little exercise, to honour Lizzy. Day by day, Kitty's cough seems to improve. It is not gone, but it lessens, and at this point, Mary accepts all the good that comes their way. Each day a little bit farther from Longbourn, Mary and Kitty walk and they use their time to bond, and to mend each other. They are not perfect, but they are beginning to heal. There is no curse over them. Mary says so, and Kitty believes her.
One day in mid-March, they have walked towards the more deserted area of Longbourn. It is bad land, hard to cultivate and does not yield much. It does not have many trees, and the ones still standing do not look as healthy or strong as they could be.
Mary and Kitty are sitting in an old well, to rest, when they hear a strange noise. Before Kitty can understand what is happening, Mary has pushed her away, and Kitty falls into the ground. When Kitty turns, she sees a gap in the well, were both girls have just seated.
"Mary!" she screams. She looks into the well, and there she is. "Mary!" Kitty screams again.
Mary moves her arms and legs. She can stand in the bottom of the pit, and the water covers her around her armpits. "Kitty!" she screams.
"Mary! Oh, thank Lord!"
"Kitty! I'm good! I am…" Mary pauses a bit and moves her body. She hurts, but not too much, and she is scared, but not terrified, and she is wet and covered in water from her decolletage down, but she is still alive "I am not hurt too bad, and I'm wet and scared, but I am alive. Listen, you need to go to Longbourn and bring father and footmen and some rope. I cannot climb, and you cannot reach down. It is not so bad Kitty, and you will be back in half an hour. Kitty, I need you to be brave and leave. I will be alright, I promise"
"Mary, I'll… I'll go. But do not dare leave. Be here and be alive Mary. Please"
"I will! I promise! Now go or I will be here for longer!"
"Be right back Mary" Kitty says before she runs. She does not last very long running, but then she walks fast, and then runs a little and then walks, never stopping, not even to cough. She sees no one on her way to Longbourn, until she has almost arrived to the house, where she screams. The footmen stop working, and come to her. About ten minutes have passed since Kitty left Mary. On listening how Miss Mary has fallen down a well, the footmen spread. One goes to tell the news to Mr Bennet; one goes for some rope; and the rest saddle the horses. Two men are atop their horses when Mr Bennet comes out of the house. He quickly hugs Kitty and then sets her up the horse. He sits just behind her, and asks for directions. Kitty shows them, and in very little they are near the well.
They find Mary alive and well (as well as possible when she has been for twenty minutes down an old pit). With the rope and some instructions, they have Mary out of the well in no-time. Her father and Kitty hug her, and for once, it feels as if they have scaped this death attempt. Kitty is sobbing unconsolably, and now that she is safe, Mary is crying too. Mr Bennet is just glad to have his two daughters with him. He will cry later in his book room, after the excitement is gone, and again when Mrs Bennet goes to him that night to thank God for not taking another of their daughters.
They arrive at Longbourn, Mr Bennet holding Mary in a tight embrace, and Kitty riding with one of the horsemen. Mrs Bennet is waiting at the door, and when she sees that Mary is sitting and alive and not dead, she breaks down while wailing. She hugs Mary something fierce, and Kitty and Mr Bennet join for the miracle reunion. Mr Jones, who has been called by the remaining footmen at Longbourn, is the one that breaks the family reunion stating that he should check Miss Mary (it is hard to call her Miss Bennet).
Mr Jones' conclusion is that she is not worse than any other person that has fallen down a well and spend twenty minutes in the water, and that Miss Mary is a lucky girl in such a situation. He leaves a tonic to be taken three times a day, and an explicit message to be call if some complication arises.
That evening, when they are having an informal dinner at Mary's room (Mary is resting in bed and the rest have trays with food). Mary seems slightly weak and poorly coordinated, but since she has never been as athletic or agile as her sisters, it does not stand out.
As the weeks pass, something changes. Mary's coordination is worse than ever, and her hands and feet become somewhat numb. She seems a bit anxious, some memory problems and her senses have started to fail her. It is as if she is dim-witted, but she has never before been called that, at it seems unlikely that she has just began to be it at 20. The family is worried, but Mr Jones does not seem to find a cause for the problem, and therefore he is not excessively concerned. They discuss sending for a London physician, but the symptoms are so weak for someone who did not know Mary before that they finally choose not to.
Mr Jones keeps bringing his tonic, since Miss Mary does not improve as much as is expected. It is one which has come from the Far West and is revolutionizing England. Apparently, it was taken by Chinese emperors and nobles to promote health and longevity. It is heavily based on mercury, as was the water in the well in which Mary fell.
Mary becomes more and more weak as the weeks pass by, and, unfortunately, she expires one day not a month after the well incident. Her parents and sister are in the room with her, holding her hands and crying. Over the weeks, her body and mind have become weaker and weaker, and what finally expires is but a shell of Mary's former self. In the last days, she was barely able to lift a cup to drink. And barely able to talk, listen or think. Perhaps, even if it does not feel like it, her death was a blessing in disguise. To stop Mary from suffering more.
The rumours once again run rampant on Meryton about how the Bennets are cursed, and how Miss Mary was fool enough to say defy the curse by denying it out loud. Amulets appear, sometimes blessed by the clergyman and sometimes not. Prayers are said to keep the bad spirits away from the Bennets and from Meryton in general. Few people dare to go near the Bennets. They can go near Longbourn's servants and tenants, since none of them have fallen victim to the curse, but the Bennet family is to be shun at all times. Which is not hard, since they have once again gone into mourning. They barely leave the house, which is as silent as a tomb. Except for the cries and Kitty's cough, it is a quiet place to rest. And that allows for too much time to think.