Hi everyone, thanks for all your wonderful reviews, I am really happy that you like this story, because I do too.

Now without much talk, I present to you….. the next chapter, I hope you all like it and don't forget to review, okay? :D

I wasn't quite sure if that was a compliment or an insult, but he was still smiling and I thought that usually people weren't smiling when they insulted someone.

So he was trying to compliment me?

"To what extend?" I asked carefully.

"Your simplicity sets you apart from them." he replied and that was what I had expected. He liked the fact that I was plain, he probably thought that my mind was just like my looks. Well as much as I couldn't find anything good about my looks, I liked what was inside of my head. I liked to think that I was pretty smart, without sounding conceited, I thought that I was smarter than a lot of people I had met.

"Well… thank you." I replied, what was I supposed to say to that anyway?

"You are welcome. You are the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet right?"

"One of them."

"Oh yes, I have heard that they have quite a bunch." he laughed about his own joke, which wasn't funny at all, that's why I didn't laugh. I just smiled politely.

"I believe I heard that three of your sisters are already married."

"That is correct, my older sisters Jane and Elisabeth and also my younger sister Lydia."

"Isn't it unpleasant for you that your younger sister is already married, while you are not?"

Of course it was and especially because my mother bothered me even more than before.

"A little." I replied, not quite sure why he spoke about this topic, but I couldn't think more about it, because Camille and a few of her friends sat down, not far away from me. They spoke loud enough for me to hear what they were talking about.

"So when is your marriage Camille?" one of the other ladies asked.

"We haven't decided yet, but I will demand that the marriage takes place very soon." Camille answered and her friends sighed.

"Oh I cannot believe it, you will be a Countess then." one of her friends smiled and that wasn't surprising me at all, she was beautiful and came from a rich family. Every Earl would be pleased to have her as his wife.

"Yes, but not any Countess, you know that his mother is close to the king, we will spend most of our time at the court and close to his majesty. Isn't that fabulous?" I furrowed my brows, because that seemed so familiar to me, but I couldn't quite name it.

"By the way… my name is James Henceforth." the man besides me introduced himself and that brought my attention back to him.

"It is nice to meet you." I answered and he smiled.

"The pleasure is all mine Miss Bennet and if you allow me to say so…." but his words faded into the background again when I heard Camille say a name I knew very well.

"Henry Charles Howard"

I gasped, because that was why it seemed so familiar to me what she had said before. His mother was close to the king. He had told me so himself.

Camille would marry Henry!

I always knew that he would marry someone and it wasn't surprising that his bride was as perfect as Camille. He only deserved the best, but it still hurt me. I had the feeling I couldn't breathe. I needed to leave, immediately.

"I'm not feeling well, excuse me." I whispered to Mr. Henceforth and hurried out of the ballroom and down the steps into the entrance hall. The servant at the door opened it for me, though he looked a little puzzled because of my expression.

As soon as I stepped out of the building I could feel hot tears on my cheeks, I wasn't sure why I was crying, because I always knew that there was NO chance for us. But still, it hurt like nothing I had felt before.

At that moment, I didn't care what my mother would say afterwards, I needed to go home. I wanted to climb into my bed and pull the covers over me so that I could forget the world around me.

With tears still streaming down my face, I started to walk home. All the while seeing Henry's face and right next to him Camille. They were absolutely perfect for each other. Both rich, both from respected families and both incredibly good looking.

I was glad when I finally reached our house, quickly I made my way inside and up to my room. Without thinking more about it, I pulled off my dress and hid in my bed. Hopefully this day would be over very soon.

That's it for now, poor Mary… but don't worry, this will have a happy ending, but maybe not the one you have been expecting :D PLEASE REVIEW :D