I have free time! Here you go!
Darcy and Bingley each were sat next to Jane. Darcy was seated on one edge of the table with Mrs. Bennet on his right and Bingley was sitting with Kitty on his left. Lizzie sat next to her father and Mary sat in front of Darcy and Lydia sat in the middle of them. Dinner was an awkward affair. Mrs. Bennet did most of the talking and embarrassed herself. Jane sat in silence. And when the men tried to start a conversation with one of the girls Mrs Bennet turned everything back to Jane.
"How has your drawing of the lake gone, Ms Mary?" Bingley had asked.
"Well, I have almost fin-" Mary was interrupted, "Jane knows how to draw quite well, although she doesn't spend much time on it as she has better things to do rather than sit around and get her hands all dirty with paints. She is such a good girl, never getting herself dirty, unlike some of my daughters." At this, she gave a pointed glare to the girls.
"How are your roses coming along Ms Elizabeth?" Darcy inquired, begging to have conversation with her.
"I haven't had time to check them yet, my ankle still aches a bit so Mary has made me a prisoner of my own home." Elizabeth sulked, but smiled at Mary who had picked up her napkin to cover her laugh.
"I will unleash you tomorrow." Mary promised.
"Jane hardly ever gets sick, she has such a strong constitution." Mrs Bennet praised. This was a known lie. Jane had gotten sick more times than anyone could count. She was always getting fevers and colds whenever she was caught in the rain. And she couldn't stand the sun as it brought her headaches.
The gentleman went back to silence and so Mr. Bennet spoke up. "Mr Bingley, where is your sister? Has she gone back to visit the sharks of London?"
Bingley chuckled, "No sir, but she wants to go back to London in a fortnight. But I won't have that."
"And why not?" He continued.
"I love the people here, they are most welcoming." Bingley smiled brightly and looked quickly at Mary who blushed. Mrs Bennet saw this and quickly jumped into action.
"Jane loves to welcome newcomers, why don't you two visit tomorrow and Jane can give you a tour of the grounds?" The men paled.
"No thank you, we have so much correspondence to go through and Bingley wants to do settle his accounts. I am afraid we will be too busy tomorrow." Darcy said hurriedly.
"Quite right, there are stacks of papers littering my desk." Bingley exclaimed. This statement was very true, for Bingley was not a very organised man. As you can see from the state of his hair, which appeared to be sticking up at odd places, and the way his cravat was arranged as if it might fall with only one small tug. He was far from organised and neat.
"Perhaps another time." Mrs Bennet replied tightly.
The men looked down at their plates. "How is your sister, Mr Darcy?" Elizabeth asked.
Darcy looked up in surprise at the twinkling eyes across the table. He fell breathless at her beauty again, but regained his composure quickly. "She has received the piano forte and was overjoyed. I wish I could have seen her reaction." Darcy smiled.
"I do so hope I can meet her." Kitty cut in, "Oh to meet new friends! What a joy!" Kitty smiled brightly as she thought of all of her pen pals. She loved her many friends and longed to meet new people every day. People were just so interesting to her, they were like a puzzle that kept growing.
Dinner continued with the girls making decent conversation while Mrs Bennet cut in to praise her eldest. When the men separated each exhaled a sigh of relief and laughed at each other while doing it.
"Mr Darcy, Mr Bingley I must ask you a favor." Mr Bennet began. Both men felt like children being chastised by their parent as Mr Bennet sat in his chair and glared at them.
"And what is that?" Darcy responded, feeling only a bit afraid. Bingley felt like Mr Bennet's eyes could see through his soul, he shifted awkwardly.
"Tell me, what are your intentions towards my daughters. Bingley, you have been coming round and speaking to Mary so frequently I feel as if I have known you for a lifetime. And you, Mr Darcy are always stealing smiles from my dear Elizabeth, now go on. Tell me of your intentions." At this the men blushed and looked to their hands.
"I-I admire Ms Elizabeth and I wish to court her. Will you allow me that honor?" Darcy said quickly with a determined air. Mr Bennet paled, my dearest daughter!
"I will have to wait until I give you my answer. Perhaps by tomorrow, you may have your answer then." He replied running a hand through his thinning hair and sighing.
"I wish to do the same." Bingley cut in. Both men turned to look in surprise at the man, they both breathlessly asked, "With Elizabeth?!"
Bingley looked at them in astonishment and laughed, "No, you fool, Darce I plan to court Mary."
All three laughed and Mr Bennet gave him a definite, "Yes."
Hearing the answer in the positive Bingley beamed and Darcy scowled.
"Why the scowl?" Mr Bennet asked, but he knew the answer.
"Why have not I gotten the same answer as Bingley. Do you see fault in me? Am I not good enough for Ms. Elizabeth? I mean I know I am not good enough for someone so kind and caring, but I will strive to be as good as her-"
"Mr Darcy, I have not given you a definite answer, because Elizabeth likes me to speak with her on these matters first. I need to see if she wants to be courted by you, or if she sees that you are a good maybe." Mr Bennet explained.
"I see your point." Darcy responded with an exhale. He suddenly remembered a conversation in Netherfield.
"Mr Bennet, what of Ms Elizabeth's engagement to her cousin?"
At this, the elder only laughed, when he regained his composure he said with a teasing tone, "Are you participating in the rumor mill? I hear the women meet every Wednesday to gossip and sew. My daughter is not engaged to Mr Collins, they are not even acquaintances! No, Mr Collins is my dear nephew, he is to come by in two days time, I am most excited. I have not seen the dear boy in ages." At this, the aging man seemed to have regained the sparkle in his eyes and he looked more happier.
"So, it is only her mother's wish?" Darcy questioned.
"Yes, she is determined to make one of our daughters marry him and sees him only as a safety net if I ever die." Mr Bennet felt a wave of worry course through him for his nephew. Oh, the humiliation he is to be subjected to.
"I have the same problem with my aunt. She is determined to have me married to her daughter! I can never marry Anne, she is a frail and sickly creature." Darcy said aloud. He truly felt bad for Anne, she hardly ever spoke and when she did it was to agree to her mother. Her eyes held a sadness he could only feel when he was alone and trapped by four walls and the surrounding darkness. His cousin was lost, and no one could seem to find her.
"Arranged marriages never work out." Mr Bennet said sadly.
"Shall we join the ladies?" Bingley asked, saddened at the turn of the conversation.
Both Darcy and Mr Bennet brightened at this and followed him out of the room.
You will most likely see the next chapter up in about two weeks. During those weeks I have to get settled in my part time job and with school I will most likely be dead on my feet. Until then!