Please R&R because I'm not sure whether to carry on with this or not… If I don't get any comments I'm going to assume that it's not worth continuing, so please let me know what you think!

"Ahh!" The Doctor said appearing at Evie's side. "We've been to a costume ball." He said shooting the teenager a wide-eyed look and an almost unnoticeable shrug. "We were on our way home when our coach driver forced us out and drove off with all of our possessions, except our costumes." He explained. Evie nodded, playing along with his story.

"It was terrible." She agreed. "The… brute."

The Doctor shot her a look, his face screwed up as though he couldn't believe she'd said that. Evie shrugged at him and smiled at the girl who was watching them, still bewildered.

"Oh…" She said after a moment. Then she broke into a broad smile, their flimsy excuse obviously accepted. "I am Miss Lydia Bennet. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Evie's mouth dropped open. She'd studied Pride and Prejudice for GCSE and, although she hadn't paid much attention, she remembered enough to know that one of the characters in the book was called Lydia Bennet. Surely it was just a coincidence. Wasn't it?

"The pleasure is all ours, Miss Bennet." The Doctor said, taking her hand and kissing it graciously. "I am the Doctor and this is Miss Evie Jones."

"Oh!" Lydia said, suddenly more interested in the pair. "Miss Jones? I had assumed that you and she…" She looked between the pair, who exchanged a look. "So…"

"She is my younger sister." The Doctor said suddenly eager to avoid any scandal in the early nineteenth century countryside. Evie looked at him at these words, smirking slightly.

"Ah! I see the resemblance." Lydia said with a nod, a comment that greatly amused her new acquaintances. "So, Doctor Jones, where are you and Miss Jones intending to stay, for I assume you will at least spend one night in Meryton before heading back to… wherever it is you are from?"

Evie had to hand it to the girl; she was incredibly nosy, but managed to get away with it by veiling her questions within the rest of her speech. Not wanting to say anything, in case she was wrong, the teenager left the talking to her 'brother'.

"Indeed, Miss Bennet. I was just saying to my sister that this seems such a nice place that we should take some time to… look around… before we head back to London. Summer in the city is never as nice as summer in the country, is it?"

"Well, then you'll be staying at the Meryton Arms?"

"Indeed." The Doctor said beaming.

"And you'll be attending the Assembly tonight? Mr Bingley of Netherfield Park is supposed to be bringing a party of twelve ladies and seven gentlemen with him from Town. Do you know Mr Bingley, Doctor Jones?" Lydia gushed.

Evie was glad that the Doctor was doing the talking, because she felt like she was about to faint. Lydia Bennet, Netherfield Park, Mr Bingley… had they really arrived in a novel? It didn't make sense at all.

"No, I haven't actually met him." The Doctor said noticing how pale his companion had gone. "But I've heard a lot about him. Now, if you'd care to point me in the direction of the inn, I think my sister could do with a sit down."

x

"Are you seriously telling me we've fallen into a book?" Evie half-ranted at the Doctor. He grinned.

"Great, isn't it?" He asked, looking out of the window. "Ahhh! I love this time… it's so… fancy!"

"But… why?" Evie asked, joining him at the window. People were milling about in the street, the women wearing the flouncy dresses and bonnets that the teenager always thought about when she imagined this period of time. The men in their coats and breeches looked as though they'd made an equal amount of effort with their clothes. "I thought you said you hunted aliens?"

"Technically you said I hunted aliens. I said I save the world." He corrected her.

"Yeah, well… same difference." She said with a shrug, ignoring the indignant look on the Doctor's face at her words. "So why are we in a novel? How could I have been talking to a fictional girl? How am I standing in a fictional pub?"

"I don't know." The Doctor said pointing at her as though she'd just made a very good point. "That is what we're going to find out."

"Just one thing…" The teenager looked down at her outfit. "I think I'm going to stand out quite a lot… so are you."

"Another good point, Miss Jones." He said with a grin. "To the TARDIS."

"Why?"

The Doctor looked as though this was a totally stupid question. He shook his head and left the room. Evie groaned before following him. He jumped down the stairs two at a time, leaving her hurrying behind him. He was already halfway down the road by the time she got outside and she had to run to catch up. This caught the attention of several people walking near them who eyed her with shock and suspicion. Apparently it wasn't just her appearance she'd need to work on to not stand out around here.

"In we go!" The Doctor said, unlocking the TARDIS and stepping inside. He led Evie through a door which, by rights, should have led back out into the street. It led, however, to a sort of dressing room with rails of clothes from all different times and places. Evie stared as she followed the Doctor along the rails looking at the different costumes; space suits complete with helmets, knight's armour, jeans, t-shirts, there was everything she could think of.

Spluttering with laughter she pulled a leopard print leotard off a rail and held it up. "Please tell me you haven't worn this."

"Well… no… but you never know when it'll come in handy." He told her seriously. Evie raised her eyebrows and put it back wordlessly, still giggling to herself.

"Oh grow up!" He said grinning. "Ah-ha! Here you go!"

He handed the teenager a dress which she took almost reluctantly. It was long with long sleeves. It appeared to be in two parts, a short, tight green and white checked jacket over a long, flowing white skirt. The sleeves were puffed out at the top and got narrower towards the bottom at the wrists. It was gorgeous.

"It's beautiful." Evie said, holding it against herself. As the Doctor started rummaging around on the shelf above the rail, the teenager had a sudden thought. "I ain't wearing a corset." She said firmly.

Smiling, he turned and handed her a pair of soft white shoes, a matching bonnet and a pair of white gloves. "I didn't think you would. Now go and get changed."

While the Doctor continued to look for his own outfit, Evie went to get changed. Not knowing where he expected her to go, she went back into the main chamber and hid behind the control panel, where she quickly changed into the dress. It fitted her perfectly; tight at the top with a flowing skirt.

She was still admiring herself when the Doctor came back in, looking dashing in his outfit of tight fitting trousers, a loose white shirt and a necktie. He was shrugging on an overcoat as he walked towards her. Stopping a couple of paces away he bowed low, flourishing his hands in a completely over the top way. Evie laughed and curtseyed.

"Shall we brave it?" He asked. He pulled a small purse out of his pocket and jangled it at her. "We've got some money now; you can get some proper dresses made up. We can't have you in last year's fashions, can we?"