A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. This chapter is okay I guess. Please review so I know you're reading. I don't care how long your review is, it can say "lol" for all I care. But I do like reviews that say what they liked and whatnot and all that, but even a short review is fun to receive. I am not picky, but I like reviews so I know that people are reading and haven't stopped reading after they've alerted b/c they've decided it sucked.
The weeks went by and Mary felt a little more cheerful. She didn't feel so bad about Mr. Collins anymore and talked to Mr. Singleton about him less. Richard's countenance seemed to cheer up as well, though a distressed air about him wasn't uncommon.
A week before Lizzy and Jane's return home found Mary with her two younger sisters and her mother and father at Mr. Singleton's house. They had come over to pick out their kittens. Mrs. Bennet was assisting Kitty and Lydia in making their decisions and she seemed more interested in the matter than when Mary had wanted one. Mr. Bennet, merely there for propriety sake sat with Sir Lucas as his family picked out their cat. Mr. Jenson, who steered as clear away from Maria as possible, though in vain, happened to be there for the same purpose. Mary glared at her sisters as she sat next to Richard, who received several smirks from Mr. Jenson.
"I don't know why you're here, Mary." Lydia said from across the room. "You're not receiving a kitten."
Mary simply ignored her.
"She's such a lovely girl." Mr. Singleton mumbled to Mary.
"Magnificently lovely." Mary muttered.
"Miss Mary, you never did inform me if your family found out about our little fishing excursion." He said quietly.
"No, they didn't." Mary said. "I quite enjoyed fishing, I must admit."
Richard smiled.
"Well look at that, my little Mary is all grown up and being rebellious!"
Mary snorted.
"Believe me, that's the last time I'll do anything remotely rebellious." she said.
Richard smiled.
"Well, rebellious or not, I like you either way."
Mary and Richard smiled at each other but Mary quickly turned away and picked up a small orange kitten. She wished she could get a kitten for that one had stolen her heart. It was a tiny little thing, the runt of the family, and its personality reminded her of Rascal, its mother. It was rambunctious and mischievous just like her. Though it was opposite to Mary's own personality, she liked it very much. It not only reminded her of Rascal, but of Richard as well. It was a very comical cat, always sneaking up on it brothers and sisters to pounce on them.
"Let me see that one!" Lydia said snatching the orange kitten from a startled Mary and peering at it.
"Ick! It's so scrawny and ugly." She exclaimed. She handed it back to Mary. "It's much better suited for you." She laughed. "Terrible luck you're not getting one, isn't it?"
Mary sneered at her youngest sister as Lydia flounced away to look at the kittens she deemed more worthy. Richard glared at Lydia as well.
"You know, I'm not so sure I want her to take one of my cats." he said.
"Let her." Mary said. "Like I said, perhaps she'll explode and what a wondrous day that will be."
Richard snorted.
"I daresay Mary; you're a frightening young lady." He said. He looked at her and smiled. "Mary, would you like a cat?"
"It's not as if it matters what I want..."
"Would you like one?"
"Well, perhaps." Mary said. She looked at the orange kitten as it pounced on a fluffy, pompous white one.
"Than I shall keep one for you!" Richard said. "I'll keep it at my house but it will technically be yours."
Mary smiled.
"Thank you, Mr. Singleton."
"You're welcome. If the time ever comes that you should be able to take it home," he said and then flinched, "or when you marry and move out of your house you may take it."
"Well, I just hope you won't grow attached and miss it if I take it from you."
"I'm afraid I'm attached already," he said looking at her, "but I don't think I shall be in danger of missing the cat if you were to marry." He looked at Mary and smiled. "I just hope it shant go too far."
Mary smiled and picked up the orange kitten.
"I believe I shall like this one, then." she said. "I know it's silly, but I'll name it Rascal Junior."
"A most befitting name indeed." Richard said smiling.
Lydia and Kitty eventually picked out their kittens. Lydia decided on the fluffy, snobbish one and Kitty picked out a pretty, timid grey cat. The two girls stood there holding their kittens and giggling like idiots.
"Out of gratuity I shall name it after you, Richard." Lydia said flirtatiously.
Mary tried not to vomit but managed to exchange a look with Richard.
"A very charming name." Richard forced out politely. Lydia smiled superiorly at Mary but Mary merely looked at her in boredom.
Kitty giggled.
"I think I'll name mine Princess."
Poor Mary really wanted to vomit now. Mary looked at Lydia and Kitty.
"You do realize that Richard is a female and Princess is a male." she informed them.
This made absolutely no consequence to Kitty and Lydia. They liked the names they chose regardless. Mr. Jenson burst into laughter.
"Richard is a female? Oh that is too amusing!" he said.
"She was speaking of that cat you halfwit!" Richard snapped.
"Halfwit I may be but at least I'm not female!" Mr. Jenson said laughing.
"Ooh Lydia, I quite like you're idea!" Maria said as she smiled dotingly at Mr. Jenson. "I'll name my kitten Mr. Jenson!"
Mr. Jenson turned red in the face and stopped laughing.
"Wonderful name, Miss Lucas!" Richard exclaimed. "But it is with utmost regret that I inform you the two remaining kittens are female."
The regret must not have been as "utmost" as Richard said for Richard looked at Mr. Jenson and laughed. Mr. Jenson sneered.
"Oh, that's alright! I don't mind." Maria said, fluttering her eyelashes at her kitten's namesake. "Mr. Jenson, what will you name your cat?"
Mr. Jenson blushed deeper.
"Um…Cat." He said as he randomly picked up a kitten. "Good bye everyone!"
He quickly left the house. Mary and Richard exchanged a look and snickered. Maria looked after Mr. Jenson, tilting her head and frowning.
"Oh poo! That's the one I wanted!" she complained. She quickly brightened up. "But I suppose it shall be mine one day!"
She and Kitty burst into giggles.
"Well thank you, Mr. Singleton." Mrs. Bennet said as they readied themselves to leave. "It was very kind of you to let us have the kittens. I daresay you are quite a suitable gentlemen."
Mary rolled her eyes at her mother, but had to bite her lip at Richard's discomfort.
"Believe me, Mrs. Bennet, it was very kind of you to take them off of my hands." He said politely with a blush. He winked at Mary. "Please feel free to take the last one."
"Oh no, no, no!" Mrs. Bennet said. "Two will do! Two will do! My girls shall be very happy with just the two."
Mary and Richard exchanged a look.
"Thanks anyway." She muttered to him. The Bennets said their farewells and quit the house.
"Isn't that Mr. Singleton just the nicest young man?" Mrs. Bennet said as they stepped into the carriage. "And handsome too! I must say, Lydia, he might be a suitable match."
Lydia laughed.
"I suppose so...if I don't marry a redcoat!" She said.
"Well, if you marry a redcoat then I suppose he would do well for Kitty then."
Kitty giggled.
"Perhaps…if I were the one he was interested in." Kitty said. Mary raised an eyebrow at Kitty's odd statement but Kitty avoided her eyes and looked out the window with a funny smile. Mr. Bennet watched all this with an amused smirk.
Mary was troubled and she didn't know why. Was it perhaps that her mother didn't include her? If so, was it the mere negligence that bothered her? But the thought of Mr. Singleton married was an odd one and it nagged at her. She supposed it bothered her because she didn't know what was to become of their friendship if he were to marry. But if he did perhaps marry one of her sisters it wouldn't be so very terrible. Yet the thought of him marrying one of her sister's seemed even worse. What was even more troublesome was the way Kitty was smiling out the window. Was she perhaps interested in Mr. Singleton? Why was Mary hoping so much that she wasn't?
Lydia and Kitty turned out to be very poor mothers to their kittens. They often forgot to feed them and treated them more like accessories, rather than living creatures, as they carried them in their purses to Meryton. It was mere week when Lydia suddenly became bored of her kitten. It was more responsibility than she wanted to bear and the kitten attracted less attention than it had done so at first. She quickly abandoned her kitten, and Kitty, though she had a fondness for Princess, followed suite. Mary, disgruntled with her sisters' carelessness, took up the occupation of caring for the kittens. Richard, the cat, didn't seem to mind at all, as long as she was fed. She preferred not to be bothered anyway and spent most of her time cleaning her fur. Princess on the other hand, seemed heartbroken. He was a timid cat, but seemed to like Kitty very much. He didn't take to Mary as well and though he ate the food she gave him, he still followed Kitty around often. Mary was extremely irritated, not merely at her sisters' disregard for other living creatures, but at the fact that she could've had the kitten of her choice instead.
The time came for Lizzy and Jane to return and Kitty and Lydia went to meet them in a nearby town. The two eldest daughters receive a merry welcome home; their father seemed most relieved. Mary knew he was quite please to no longer endure the rest of his family without his dear Lizzy. Lydia pestered Mary about not going to greet her sisters. Mary knew it had nothing to do with Lydia desiring her to be there, but more of a reminder of all the fun she had missed out on for being such a recluse. Needlessly this one done, however, for it didn't sound enjoyable to Mary at all, especially with Lydia's company. She would always prefer company with a book, and informed Lydia of this. Lydia didn't bother to listen, though, for she hadn't an ear to hear anything that wasn't her own voice. Either way, Mary had relished the significant decrease of noise in the house.
Lizzy and Jane had been home but a week when news spread that the regiment was soon to leave for Brighton. Mary was quite pleased with this, for it would calm the antics of her two younger sisters and it meant that the dreadful Mr. Wickham was to leave. Lydia and Kitty were, on the contrary, miserable and distraught and continually voiced a desire to visit Brighton. Lydia had luck as her chagrin was cut short for she received invitation to accompany Colonel Forster's wife to that very town. Now all she had a mind to discuss was her felicity in going. Kitty's misery and distraught increased all the more. She never ceased wailing about the unfairness of her younger sister going and not her. Mary wished to teach Kitty a few life lessons about unfairness.
Mrs. Bennet was delighted to allow Lydia this opportunity and Mr. Bennet was rather apathetic on the ordeal.
One afternoon found Mary walking past her father's study carrying an old music book with most of its pages falling out. She stumbled on a loose rug and the book flew out of her arms casting hundreds of pages across the hallway.
"Oh, wonderful!" Mary muttered to herself. "It shall take me a century to put these back in order!"
Mary did not like to eavesdrop, but couldn't help overhearing her sister, Elizabeth, talking to her father in the study. She was urging her father not to allow Lydia to go to Brighton and for once Mary couldn't help but agree with Elizabeth. The results could only be disastrous, Mary predicted. Mary was finishing gathering the scattered papers when she heard her father inform Lizzy that she had nothing to worry about; nothing Lydia would do could have any negative effect on her.
"Whereever you and Jane are known, you must be respected and valued;" she heard her father say "and you will not appear to less advantage for having a couple of--or I may say, three--very silly sisters."
Mary's head snapped up. Three very silly sisters? Mary face turned red and hot tears threatened to fall. How can her father compare her to Lydia and Kitty? They were her complete opposites! They would hardly do anything Mary would do, and she wouldn't dare do a thing they did. Mary knew her father to think her rather silly, but she never knew his opinion of her was so low he'd compare her to the wild antics of her two youngest sisters. She knew people thought her manners conceited and hungering for attention, but to be thought of as lowering respect for her elder sisters! Is that truly what her father thought of her? Well, it wasn't as if her father was devoid of character flaws either!
Mary quickly gathered the rest of her music and charged upstairs into her bedroom. She looked at the clock and saw it was too close to dinner to go anywhere. She sneered and roughly dropped her book on her bed, forcing the threatening tears not to fall.
Mary snatched a paper and quill and began to write. Why she bothered writing this, she had no idea, but she needed to vent to someone.
Dear Mr. Singleton,
Let me pre-apologize for writing you the silliest letter ever, but I suppose it will reflect my character truthfully.
I was walking past my father's study when I stumbled and dropped the music book I was carrying. Unfortunately, it is an old music book with most of the pages loose. The pages scattered about the hall and I spent a few minutes gathering them together. A shame too, for it's my favorite music book, full of Bach...but I digress.
You've probably heard about Lydia accompanying the Forsters and the militia to Brighton, for it is all she talks about and I'm sure she has told everyone in Meryton by now. While I was gathering my papers together I overheard Lizzy in the study urging father not to let her go. She would become a complete disgrace to her family, Lizzy pleaded. It would suit her to stay, in my opinion; she gets everything she wants after all. Have I told you she has completely forgotten about her kitten? Kitty as well! Sorry, for the repeated digression. I'm mad as a hornet and don't feel like thinking straight.
Here comes the best part. Father assured Lizzy that her THREE very silly sisters could never make people lose respect for her and Jane. So apparently father finds me to be as silly as Kitty and Lydia! Pardon me, but I am not like Lydia at all! How can he compare me to those with such disregard for propriety? Am I really SO silly as to be disrespectable? Well excuse me Papa, but if I'm so silly and disrespectable when have you tried to put a stop to it? Other than my embarrassing your precious little jewel Lizzy at the Netherfield ball!
Will I ever be more than just something to laugh at to my father? Mr. Singleton, please be honest with me. Am I so silly that I am so atrocious? Again, I apologize for this SILLY letter, but I needed to release some steam.
Sincerely,
Miss Mary Bennet
Richard finished reading the letter and smiled. His dear friend Mary really was a sensitive creature, more than she would ever admit. He chuckled and picked up a quill and paper.
Dear Miss Mary,
Well that is the last time I ever give Lydia or Kitty something!
But to be serious Miss Mary, if you are silly it's only because silliness runs in your family. And yes, your precious jewel of a sister Lizzy isn't without her silliness as well. But if you want my honest opinion, I find your silliness to the most endearing, and you are nowhere near atrocious.
While you may have a touch of silliness to you, I also find you to be a dear, sweet girl with her own unique intelligence and ambitions. And while I love laughing at you for some things, I also find your insights to be educational and not amusing. You are by no means unworthy of respect, for your moral character is of the utmost.
I do hope you decide not to be a hornet anymore and that your letting out of steam won't cause you to turn into a teapot. I quite like you as a person. And don't apologize for your letter. I'm always glad to hear from you.
Sincerely yours,
Mr. Richard Singleton
Mary put down the letter, smiled, and grabbed a quill and paper.
Dear Mr. Singleton,
Well the truth comes out! You think me to be silly as well! But do tell, what is it that you find so silly in me? My accomplishments? My moralizing? My unsocial tendencies?
Better yet, I would like you to inform me how the rest of my family is silly, other than my mother and two younger sisters of course. Particularly enlighten me about our dear, precious jewel. I'm quite curious. How can such a one have a blemish!
Sincerely,
Miss Mary Bennet
Richard laughed and picked up his quill.
My Dearest Miss Mary,
As I've told you, I find your silliness to be endearing. However, I DO think you should tell your family the truth on how you feel. And it pains me that you compare yourselves to your sisters only to feel bad about yourself. Or you must point out their flaws to feel good about yourself. I wish you could see your own goodness without comparisons to others.
Your accomplishments are in no way silly to me. I think it's wonderful you enjoy reading and are interested in many things. I also enjoy listening to your piano playing. As for your moralizing I find it honorable that you care so much about doing the right thing. There are however, a few things in need of improvement. One, you are a bit too attached to your accomplishments, which leads to unsocial tendencies and perhaps, forgive me, some pride. I think there is a lot in life that you miss out on. Also, though some people are shallow and think you don't fit into some silly ideal, there are several people who would come to like you if you showed them the Mary that I have seen. The amusing girl with a sweet heart. As for your moralizing, people don't always enjoy being lectured. While there are times to inform the best way to teach is to keep the informing brief and let your own example do the rest. Those who truly care about doing good will follow suite.
And I will admit you get a little overdramatic about things, it's a bit scary but amusing. But in spite of your humanness I still like you and treasure your friendship.
Either way, I suppose I'll humor you and point out the silliness, or flaws if you will, of your family.
Your mother and two younger sisters don't need to be addressed, as horrid as that sounds.
Let's start with Jane, the epitome of perfection: sweet, loving, and good-hearted. However, she has a certain naivety in which she finds only goodness in others. No one is completely good. It's quite silly and unrealistic to think not a person in this world can have any evil tendencies. She is quite easy to take advantage of.
You're father makes sport of those he finds to be less intelligent than himself. He finds little purpose in anything that doesn't amuse him. He also seems to neglect some of his children, which leads me to the most grievous flaw. He doesn't give your virtues the recognition they deserve.
I saved your favorite so you can end this on happy thoughts. Our dear, sweet, flawless jewel Elizabeth. She gives all the appearance of humility, when in all honesty she is quite prideful on how…seemingly flawless she is. Appearance of humility when truly prideful is worse than merely being prideful, it is also hypocritical. Her pride leads her to have poor opinion of those who don't hold par to her intelligence and wit. She also holds to first impressions quite strongly causing her to be prejudiced towards others.
Above all, they don't give you the attention you deserve, and they play favorites with each other. My knowledge is not merely from what you've told me but from my own observations.
Now that I feel so terrible in cutting at your family, I must add they have their virtues as well. I'm just hoping to express their humanity. However, it wasn't too difficult, because their negligence of you irks me and your happiness is more desirous to me than niceties towards them. Regardless, please burn this letter.
I hope I haven't hurt you in anyway about what I've said of your silliness. I hope you can forgive me. Your virtues are worth "bearing" your funny little tendencies. (At this spot there was something scratched out. Upon Mary's scrutiny it appeared to say "You are w" but Mary couldn't tell.)
Truly yours,
Richard Singleton
Mary finished reading with a smile upon her face that had no intention of fading.
Dear Mr. Singleton,
Well I never! I suppose you think YOU'RE without your silliness as well! To start, you are completely absentminded and klutzy! And…oh heavens, I can't be mad at you.
To be truthful, I despise having my flaws pointed out. However, they didn't seem so bad coming from you because you assured me of having virtues as well. Perhaps I just haven't received enough compliments to endure criticism and realize my strengths. Your letter has given me a better perspective of myself. I actually appreciate your honesty.
To be honest, it was your compliments that made me feel better not your critique of my family. I almost feel bad for asking you to do so. Almost, for they irk me as well. However, I suppose I wouldn't want to be the favorite of a person who would play favorites anyway.
I don't think I could bring myself to be open with them. Not even Jane for she wouldn't understand. She's so sweet and beautiful, everyone loves her; she doesn't know what it's like to be disregarded. And out of concern she would probably tell the rest. I'm not close enough to confide this to her anyway.
Although, with this new enlightenment I suppose I should take some of your advice and begin to "turn over a new leaf" if you will. It takes effort I don't feel like taking but I suppose I shouldn't allow laziness to be an excuse either.
With gratitude,
Miss Mary Bennet
Richard sighed in relief and picked up his quill.
My Dearest Miss Mary,
You frightened me at the beginning of your letter but I am glad to her you bear no ill will. I'm also glad to improve your perspective of yourself. I think that considering this evaluation of yourself and looking to improve your character is upstanding of you.
I do hope you can bring yourself to eventually be honest with your family. However, you always have a listening ear in me. And I'm sorry to hear you don't want to be anyone's favorite, for my favorite Bennet happens to be you.
I must add, and forgive me for my frankness, but it's a truth I can no longer veil. Jane may be the epitome of beauty but to me it gets more ordinary everyday. However, you become prettier every time I see you.
Yours,
Richard
Mary put down the letter in surprise. What was that all about? Was it just his silly teasing and kind nature or did he...? Mary's face felt hot but then laughed and put the letter down. It couldn't be! And yet, a blush spread across her cheeks as she wondered why they were exchanging letters in the first place. At least Mr. Singleton had the intelligence not to put a return address on his letters and her family had the negligence to not notice the letters Mary continued to receive. As Mary picked up her quill she decided it best to keep this letter short with a sense of finality to it.
Dear Mr. Singleton,
Thank you for your kind words. I suppose favorites among friends are something of a different nature.
Sincerely,
Miss Mary Bennet.
Richard put down his letter. Why did he have to be so honest last letter? She said it! Friends! That's what she thought of their acquaintance but he had gotten too keen with the idea of them exchanging letters. And now, she probably suspected something and he wasn't ready to tell her the truth! He picked up a quill and scrawled a quick, silly note unsure of what to write.
Miss Mary Bennet,
You're welcome. I'll see you at church on Sunday.
Sincerely,
Mr. Richard Singleton
Well, well, well looks like they got too comfortable exchanging letters there, eh? I'm not sure on the time frame of the letters. If it was a space of a few days or it all happened in that day or what. I have no idea on how the postal system worked then. I wondered that perhaps maybe they sent a servant to send letters to people who lived nearby. I don't know. Anyway, next chapter I was going to put with this chapter but I didn't want to make it too long and it can stand on its own. Next chapter is cute but kind of short and things will start to get interesting soon. I hope.
Quotes taken from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen:
"Whereever you and Jane are known, you must be respected and valued;" she heard her father say "and you will not appear to less advantage for having a couple of--or I may say, three--very silly sisters."
Taken from original quote: "Whereever you and Jane are known, you must be respected and valued; and you will not appear to less advantage for having a couple of--or I may say, three--very silly sisters." From Volume II Chapter 18