Chapter Five

16 October, 1811

The assembly seemed to go on forever, at least for Lizzy. She became excessively bored as the evening went by, the melodies from the orchestra grating on her nerves and the endless chatter giving her a raging headache. Mary seemed to be in a similar state, but unlike Lizzy, who was itching to get away, she was bearing everything with good grace.

Eventually, Mary excused herself to restrain Kitty and Lydia from making idiots of themselves. They were currently with the Bingley siblings, flirting outrageously with Mr Bingley (who looked blissfully oblivious) and sharing vulgar gossip with Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst, who looked like they'd rather be anywhere but next to those two. Nope, Lizzy's scolding earlier in the evening had not affected Lydia in any way.

Lizzy sighed as Mary swept away in a flurry of sensible fabrics and irritation. Her eyes darted across the crowd, hoping to find a friendly face. Finally, she spotted Charlotte, laughing with her younger sister. Should she go? What if she slipped up again? Charlotte already seemed to be suspicious that something wasn't quite right. Making another mistake, or going blank on memories again could prove to be a disaster.

Taking a deep breath, Lizzy wound around the dancers and approached Charlotte.

"Are you not dancing this set?" Lizzy asked, by way of striking up a conversation.

"I am not, as you can very well see. What surprises me is that you are doing the same. I thought that you might have recovered from your fall, Eliza. Or are you simply too afraid of embarrassing yourself again?" Something about Charlotte's teasing tone helped Lizzy relax as she leaned on the pillar facing the petite woman.

"I fear that I'll break my leg if I dance anymore—if you really do want to know the reason," Lizzy countered drily, half-relieved that Charlotte wasn't treating her strangely due to the events of the stupid tea-party they had yesterday. "I saw that you danced with Mr Bingley. Does he seem to be a good person?" She was eager to collect information on the man that Jane was so enamoured with, to make sure that he wouldn't break her heart.

If Old Jane was anything like Millenial Jane, she had a gullible kind heart which would be heartlessly used by stupid arrogant men before being dumped like yesterday's trash. It was sad, but it was true. Lizzy couldn't remember the number of times she'd warned Jane against going on a date with some man or the other, and then watching Jane come home crying a few weeks later. Jane never did have much luck with romance until Tom, her husband.

Then again, it wasn't as if Lizzy's love life was any better.

She was shaken out of her thoughts by Charlotte, who was trying to make her look at something—or rather someone. Mr Darcy had, apparently, decided that seeking refuge in the shadows was a great idea and was currently hiding a few feet away from Lizzy and Charlotte. The previous question forgotten, Lizzy and Charlotte covered their mouths to stifle their giggles. Mr Darcy did look funny, his tall frame stuffed into the small alcove, an uncomfortable look on his face. Lizzy was truly amused, but not surprised, that he would go to such great lengths to avoid Meryton's society. He did look like a snob and wasn't ready to mingle with anyone. Besides, Mary had informed her that he had a great fortune (ten thousand pounds per annum, still less than her average annual income) and was 'the grandson of an Earl' which probably made him think that he was practically royalty. No wonder he looked so disdainful. Snob.

Eventually, Mr Bingley made his way over to his friend, trying to persuade him to dance. Mr Darcy remained grumpy, a great contrast to his lively friend, who seemed delighted with everyone and everything.

"Come, Darcy," Mr Bingley urged. "I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. You had much better dance."

Lizzy almost snickered, thinking that stupid didn't quite cover Mr Darcy's manners. Rude and arrogant were much better.

Mr Darcy seemed almost horrified at his friend's request, proclaiming that he detested dancing and because Mr Bingley's sisters were already engaged for the set, he said that 'there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with.'

Lizzy and Charlotte exchanged a look at this. Um, arrogant much?

Mr Bingley's reply reflected their disbelief at Mr Darcy's attitude. His declaration that he hadn't met so many pretty girls brought a small smile to Lizzy's face. His penchant for hyperbolism and exuberance combined with his seeming kind-heartedness would be a perfect complement to Jane's own character.

Mr Darcy showed that he wasn't quite as bad as he liked others to believe by implying that Jane was the most beautiful woman in the masses. Well, thought Lizzy with a snort, at least he isn't blind.

Mr Bingley followed with effusions about Jane being 'the most beautiful creature'. Lizzy rolled her eyes, beginning to feel a tad bit uncomfortable about her and Charlotte (inconspicuously) eavesdropping on their conversation. She'd just turned away from the gentlemen when Mr Bingley suggested that his friend dance with her. Despite her fall. But Mr Bingley probably didn't know that.

Please refuse, please be the snob you've been throughout the evening and refuse.

"She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me. I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who, apparently, have embarrassed themselves before the entire assembly."

Well, that was one way to refuse a dance.

The first thing that ran through Lizzy's mind was relief.

Then, Charlotte turned to face her with wide, somewhat sympathetic eyes and Lizzy comprehended the meaning behind Mr Darcy's words.

The second thing which ran through Elizabeth's mind was the intense desire to punch Mr Darcy and kick his pompous arse.

Not handsome enough to tempt him. Like she actually wanted anything to do with him. Honestly, had she shown the slightest bit of interest in that prat? And even if she did, was it even polite and gentlemanly to insult her that way?

Lizzy had endured many comments, but none had infuriated her as much as this one.

Perhaps because he was kind of right.

Sort of.

Lizzy clenched her fist, digging her fingernails into her palm. One, Two, Three, take a deep breath. Remember what Dr Karen said. Anxiety and anger aren't good for you.

Two minutes later, she smiled at Charlotte with clenched teeth, trying hard to ignore the obnoxious prat who had tried to insult her.

"Well," Lizzy said, the word ground out since her teeth were still clenched in annoyance. "What of Charles Bingley? What is your opinion of him?"

Mrs Bennet, surprisingly, took Mr Darcy's insult much worse than Lizzy.

"Well, it was simply an unfortunate accident that happened to Lizzy in the first set! Oh, Mr Bennet! He was so disagreeable, insulting our Lizzy so!" She raved and ranted and raged for what seemed like hours, but Papa seemed unperturbed.

Finally, Mama's indignation cooled. With one last rant, she added to Mr Bennet, "I wish you had been there, my dear, to have given him one of your set-downs. I quite detest the man."

Mr Bennet looked at Lizzy, amused and a little concerned, perhaps. Mama swept out of the parlour, calling Hill to assist her. Sighing as she went, Papa said, "Well, well, if I had known that the arrival of the young gentlemen would cause such anxiety to Mrs Bennet's poor nerves, I never would have called upon them in the first place!" Lizzy laughed, remembering Mrs Bennet's frequent exclamations about her fancied fits of 'nerves'.

Bidding good-night to Mr Bennet, who barely nodded without looking up from his book, Lizzy quickly made her way up the stairs, smiling as she went so.

It felt nice to be defended again. Mom had never been the type to care about any insults acquired by her daughters—mainly because Jane was too beautiful and Lizzy too sharp-tongued for anyone to ever dare insult them. Dad had been too ill to even venture out for social niceties.

But here, in a different world, with a different family, when she was faced with some arrogant insult, Mama had come to her defence—even if she seemed to like Lizzy the least out of all her daughters. Even Jane seemed to be mildly indignant, commenting that Mr Darcy must not have looked at her properly to comment so.

It was a nice change, having people care about her and show it.

Lizzy, despite all that had happened that evening, felt quite content with herself.

"Well, he certainly seems to be amiable and handsome, Jane." Lizzy giggled as Jane threw a pillow her way. "I give you leave to like him. I daresay you've liked many a stupider person," said Lizzy, a bit nervously, because she was basing her speech on the Millennial Jane. Maybe it was a stupid assumption to make but Lizzy hoped it would pay off.

"Dear Lizzy!" Jane exclaimed. Lizzy winked at her sister, laughing mostly out of relief. She was right then. There were some aspects the two Janes shared.

"Oh! You are pre-disposed to like people in general, you know. You never see a fault in anybody. All the world is good and agreeable in your eyes. I daresay I've never heard you speak ill of a human being in your life."

This, however, was observations she'd made over the three days she'd known Jane. She'd always quelled her family's more cynical thoughts with her never-ending optimism. It should've sickened Lizzy, but she figured that the world could use a little optimism and had kept quiet.

They continued to talk about Jane's angelic character, Lizzy half-teasingly until they arrived on the subject of the Bingley sisters. Lizzy wrinkled her nose with disgust thinking of the sisters who looked more like overdressed birds than 'genteel ladies' like Jane believed them to be. She liked them a whole lot better—a clear indication of the difference between the characters of Lizzy and Jane.

"Oh, Jane, why do you not accept that our dispositions simply do not let us agree on the matter of Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst? You view them for all the good they have to offer, while I see them for what they truly are." Lizzy laughed, putting an end to the conversation.

Jane smiled faintly, but there was a troubled look in her eyes. "Do you feel better, Lizzy?"

Lizzy's laugh died down and she offered a wry smile to her elder sister. "Yes. I am as well as I can be on the evening that I suffered an unfortunate mishap and an insult at the hands of a pompous gentleman. My pride is wounded, to be sure, but otherwise, I am quite good."

"Oh, Lizzy, do not take Mr Darcy's words to heart. He-he might have been under some burden to speak so. Perhaps something was troubling him? Whatever his reason, there is no reason to trouble yourself over his words." Jane paused, studying her sister's face carefully. "Nor do you have to conclude his character over one insult."

Ah, Jane. Even in a different world, she knew Lizzy well. Jane was quite perceptive too—proving that she wasn't all beauty and kindness as she depicted herself to be.

"Do not worry about me, Janie. I shall be well." Lizzy grinned, settling into the comfortable duvets. "Good night, Jane. Do try not to dream of Mr Bingley too much."

There was a scandalised exclamation of Lizzy! from Jane's side and a few chuckles. There was silence, for the next few minutes, a peaceful silence—one that said that the two sisters were greatly comfortable in each other's presence.

As Lizzy was lulled to sleep by the steady rhythm of the leaves rustling outside their room, she barely made out Jane's words.

"You have changed, Lizzy, but I cannot bring myself to dislike you for it. You still are my Lizzy, despite what the others might say."

I am so sorry for the delay in posting this chapter! I was down with a nasty cold, so I was basically incapacitated and lying in bed feeling sorry for myself. :P

The words borrowed from Jane Austen are from pages 15-21, chapters 3 and 4, Pride and Prejudice (Kindle edition). They belong to her and no copyright infringement is intended.

Thank you for so many reviews! It really snapped me out of my pitiful state and fuelled me to edit this chapter. It's a bit shorter than I intended, but the next scene, which was a Mary-Elizabeth scene didn't quite fit in here with the other scenes so I just moved it to the next chapter. I have almost finished with writing the whole story, and it's about 45 chapters in length.

I hope the first 'Darcy insult' (as I like to call it) and Lizzy's reaction to it are adequate. Mind you, in this version, Lizzy will be more vocal about it than in canon. I also liked Lizzy feeling 'cared-for' by her mother, since she was indignant on Lizzy's behalf, even in canon. Most people seem to forget that, but I like to believe that in her heart of hearts, Mrs Bennet held Lizzy in equal regard as Jane or Lydia. Or am I being too optimistic, like Jane? :D

I tweaked around Austen's brilliant dialogue to fit my purpose. I hope you don't mind!

Since all the reviews I received were from ffn users, I'll answer them through PM! Thank you to all those who have shown overwhelming support to this story- by reading, reviewing, following and favouriting! Really means a lot to me! :)

- Lynn