So – I was unsure whether to leave the story where it had reached before, and finally decided that I would, but since all you lovely people seemed to think it was too abrupt (something I had worried about myself) I am going to continue it on a little to find a better ending point. :)
The ladies of Loungbourn saw almost no one from that surprise visit until the ball – for the weather was intolerably bad. Had this awful interlude come at any other point, Lydia wasn't sure that she could have coped, even with the promise of a ball. As it was, Lydia found herself glad for the time to think and to plan.
Jane obviously cared greatly for Mr Bingley – that was made even clearer by her unusual lack of patience with the rain. For the first time that Lydia could remember she had heard her sister talk as though something might possibly have slightly upset and irritated her.
That of course only increased Lydia's resolve – and since she was not made for such quiet solemn meditation as Mary, she was eager to get her plan into action with some hilarity at least.
"Kitty!" Lydia turned to her sister speaking loudly enough that her mother couldn't help but overhear. "I have just had to best idea." Kitty turned away from her sewing with the rapidity that Lydia had come to expect. "At the Ball, why don't we act as seriously and solemnly as Lizzy and Jane do – can't you imagine how shocked all the officers will be?" Kitty looked a little puzzled but Lydia ignored the fact. Kitty would come around, she always did. "How we shall laugh when we get home."
Kitty did agree to the plan of course – and it was only then that Lydia turned to their mother – for she had no doubt that Mrs Bennet had heard every word that they had uttered and was just waiting for a point at which she could join them in the conversation.
"Mama!" Her mother turned with her typically indulgent smile. "I just realised you can't make us laugh at the ball – Lord, how that would ruin everything." Kitty giggled beside her imagining it, and Lydia couldn't help the flutter of excitement that filled her with the ruse. She couldn't wait to see the expressions of the soldiers as she curtseyed and demurely smiled, instead of making them laugh.
Mrs Bennet of course, looked largely confused, as though she couldn't imagine what she could do which would possibly make them laugh – in fact that was the question she quickly asked.
"I don't know." It was hard for Lydia to reply truly. She found so many things amusing – but she was sure most of them would be mortifying otherwise, and that was what she was trying to avoid wasn't it - for Jane, of course. "Nothing about Jane and Mr Bingley..." Because her mother was always going on about the benefits of the man, and she was sure that Lizzy would disapprove of that – Lizzy disapproved of a lot it seemed. "Or about any of us getting married..." What then was Mrs Bennet to talk of? Lydia didn't honestly know the last time she had heard her mother speak of anything else. "Or at least – not so loud that we can hear from a distance..." That was fair wasn't it? She couldn't ask for anything else.
If Mrs Bennet was thrown by such strictures she didn't show it. In fact, as Lydia left the room with no small amount of dramatic flair and Kitty returned to her sewing, Mrs Bennet couldn't help if her thoughts tended towards the contemplation of how to achieve such a thing. To be fair, she didn't think she did talk about her daughters marriages that much – admittedly she couldn't remember the last time she had had a conversation in which that didn't play a part, but a faulty memory didn't prove anything did it?
Anyway, if her daughters were going to find amusement in such a break from character, perhaps she could too – after all, when was the last time she had enjoyed a ball as she had when she was younger? She could just imagine Lady Lucas' face were she to refuse to gossip about her daughters.
Yes, it might be fun indeed.
.
Mr Bennet had to admit to a strange feeling of pride as he left the presence of Colonel Forster with Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley by his side – Colonel Fitzwilliam had remained behind to talk to the other military man further. He couldn't remember the last time that he had pushed himself to do something so helpful and good to the community as a whole. He still couldn't help but be amused by his conviction that Mr Bingley had only come in the hope that they might get to see the Miss Bennets – and it was for the sole purpose of disappointing him and Mr Darcy that Mr Bennet was determined that he wouldn't offer them such an invitation.
After all, there was something almost comical about Mr Bingley's attempts to stay positive and polite – and manage so genuinely as well – when it was evident that Mr Bingley really wished that Mr Bennet might change his mind. Had it not been for the fact that he was sure that both of the gentlemen would easily steal his daughters' time at the upcoming ball, Mr Bennet might have relented. But as it was, he was certain the extra time apart could not do them irreparable harm.
Mr Darcy had remained as solemn and serious as Mr Bennet had come to expect of him. He was an odd counterpart to the joviality of both his friend and his cousin – and yet Mr Bennet couldn't help but notice that he didn't seem irritated by Colonel Fitzwilliam's constant teasing manner. In fact, Mr Darcy bore it all with a strange sort of patience that almost bordered upon good humour.
Mr Bennet had to be grateful for that at least. Even if Mr Darcy was determined to win his Lizzy, he wouldn't make her happy in the long run were he not to value her impertinent remarks and liveliness. All in all, Mr Bennet had to admit to being quite pleased with the man – he had had his moments of being far too pushy in his attempts to get this business over with of course, but Mr Bennet had been surprised by how easily that had been sorted.
At one point, Mr Darcy had presumed that he would be the one to talk to Mr Smith – the Baker and a man Mr Bennet had known his entire life – and Mr Bennet had found it hard not to snap at the man to remember his place. Instead, Mr Bennet had said something strange and innocuous to remind the younger man of his place – and Mr Darcy had backed down with an immediate deference and an apology – that he was still trying.
Later, Mr Bennet wasn't sure that it had been all that necessary, for Mr Darcy had ended up speaking to one of the shopkeepers – one who had admitted that Mr Wickham had imposed upon his daughter somewhat – and Darcy had stepped up to apologise for not bringing his character to light sooner. And more he had spoken with such respect that it was hard to recognise him as being the same man who had gained the ire of the entirety of Meryton. In fact, Mr Darcy had been so good about it, that Mr Bennet had found it hard to even find him as humorous as Mr Bennet might have liked.
All in all, as he bid the gentlemen farewell and watched them make their sodden way back towards Netherfield, he couldn't help but feel great satisfaction that such men might be his sons-in-law. Certainly, he didn't wish to lose his daughters - especially not when they were his two most sensible girls – but perhaps he shouldn't complain if the men to whom he would lose them would continue gaining merit in his eyes as they did.
.
Almost as soon as Lydia had left the room, Lizzy silently followed her. She couldn't have helped but overhear her sister's words, and she couldn't help her confusion over the entire situation. More than anything, she wished that Jane might have been there too – Jane was always far better at talking to Lydia than Lizzy was. Lizzy knew that she had an unfortunate habit of getting drawn into awful arguments with the younger girl. The question was merely what was she supposed to do about it.
Because more than anything, she had the strongest curiosity to figure out what it was that had caused her sister to come out with such an uncharacteristic remark – after all, how long had she and Jane attempted to encourage Lydia and Kitty to behave more respectfully at such public events? Lizzy couldn't understand what could have caused such a sudden change in her approach.
"Lydia?" Lizzy spoke a little more hesitantly than was her wont, not wanting to cause any more offense than she absolutely had to. "Are you feeling well?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Lydia returned with a happy smile as she continued to search through the ribbons in front of her somewhat distractedly.
"Only, I've never thought that you would choose to suggest to Mama and Kitty that you should all act more... correctly..." Elizabeth couldn't remember the last time she'd had to be so careful about what she said, but then Lydia had always seemed to feel things so strongly; it was always unnerving when you might upset her – or irritate her – for if you did it was unlikely that she would speak to you for at least a week.
"La! Lizzy," Lydia giggled as she pulled out a ribbon. "It is just for a lark. We are not truly so serious as you – no matter what other's would like to be able to think." The last statement was said somewhat darkly, but before Lizzy had a chance to comment on it Lydia was dancing around her with another ribbon and a peculiarly thoughtful look in her eye. "It's just because we like to laugh more than you." Next thing Lizzy knew her sister had drifted back to the ribbons.
"I like to laugh just as much as you..." She protested somewhat weakly. "I just laugh at different things." She was pretty certain that Lydia wasn't listening to her at all. "But what do you mean when you talk about what others would like to think."
"Nothing." Lydia said it in such a fast, stilted manner that Elizabeth couldn't help but believe it was the opposite. "Or at least, nothing of great importance."
Lizzy felt the confusion increase even more, and she couldn't help but move to sit nearer her sister. "Can you not tell me?" The small frown which unusually marred Lydia's countenance seemed so out of place that Elizabeth found herself worrying on her little sister's behalf. "Was it something someone said?"
That seemed so odd in itself; Lydia hardly listened to anything that anyone ever said. And more, what business had they had of insulting Lydia in such a way. A sudden flash of dread flashed through her.
"Was it Mr Darcy?" She had thought since she had last seen him that she must have misjudged him before – but he had always worn a peculiarly uncomfortable expression when her family had been in attendance. Could he have decided to make her family better for them?
"Mr Darcy?" Lydia did laugh then. Fully and openly. "Lord no. Can you imagine him trying to tell me what to do? Why I'd be so angry – I'm not sure I wouldn't tell him so to his face." Lizzy smiled then – both at the image and in relief.
There was a companionable pause – an odd occurrence between those two sisters – before Lydia flopped down beside Lizzy.
"No." Lydia faced Lizzy as though to actually speak to her – Lizzy couldn't truly remember the last time such a thing had occurred. "It was his cousin."
Elizabeth found her ire returning with an incredible speed. "How dare he?" He barely knew them. Whatever his kind and open manners that was just not acceptable. How could he come into their house – uninvited no less – and be rude to her sister.
"Calm down, Lizzy." Lydia giggled again. "You get so upset by things – honestly. It wasn't anything really..."
"What did he say?" Lizzy was trying to make herself calm, but she wasn't sure how well she was managing it.
"Only that I wouldn't see Miss Bingley acting as I do – and that if I continued, it would only encourage Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley's sisters to be more distant from us." Elizabeth frowned at the logic – it was true of course, it just wasn't the kind of thing that Lizzy had ever though Lydia would have appreciated.
"But why do you care for their opinion any more than that of Colonel Fitzwilliam's?" Elizabeth didn't understand – which wasn't to say she thought it was a bad thing, only that it seemed so unlike Lydia's normal attitudes to the world.
"I don't." Lydia declared, as though that should be the most obvious thing in the world. "But he said that he wouldn't have been surprised if such actions would make them want to encourage Mr Bingley away from Jane – And we can't do that to Jane. She deserves someone like Mr Bingley even if his sisters and friends are so awful."
It was surprisingly sincere and Lizzy couldn't easily find a response. She would never have thought that Lydia could be so thoughtful and kind – to moderate her behaviour for the sake of her sister in such a way.
"Now – take this ribbon, because I am determined that it will suit you very well, and no one will be able to keep their eyes off you." Lydia had suddenly returned to her normal liveliness, and she paused at the door a gleam of humour present in her eyes. "And can you imagine Mama's nerves were you to attract someone of importance – say if Mr Darcy were to take an interest with you?"
Lydia's laugh could still be heard as she bounded down the hall, and Lizzy couldn't help but examine the item her sister had chosen for her with a great smile upon her face.
I will add more than merely this – another chapter at least. (There will be more Lizzy and Darcy interactions, fear not :) )