I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.
I do not own Pride and Prejudice. Credit goes to Jane Austen.

The wedding took place the following week as planned for Susan to marry Mr. Alan. Then of course, not long after that, both the bride and groom departed for their parsonage. Everyone had much to say on the subject as usual.

It wasn't long for Beatrice to receive a letter from her beloved friend and as promised Beatrice returned the correspondence as regular and frequent as possible.

To Susan, the house, furniture, neighborhood, and roads were all to her taste. Lady Evelyn's behavior was most friendly and obliging. In a matter of weeks Beatrice noticed that Susan's intimacy in the letters disappearing. It became apparent in her most recent letter as to the reason why.

Susan requested that Beatrice and Lynn come as soon as possible for she was losing her cheerfulness. The scene was the same for Beatrice, especially when Uncle Arman, Aunt Victoria, and her sister Shauna had left her home. It was quiet now in Abnegation, from Beatrice's standpoint. The view from her window did look rather grey. Therefore she agreed to Susan's request to visit earlier than anticipated.

Shauna wrote to her several times as well. The first letter came to inform Beatrice that Shauna had arrived in Erudite and that there had been so much to take in. Shauna was definitely enjoying the change of scene and society. She wrote animatedly about everything that she had seen in town and Beatrice was happy for her, returning her letter, requesting to know if she had met with Mr. Pedrad yet.

Beatrice was impatient to hear from Shauna regarding that subject. It was about a few weeks until Shauna's second letter had arrived. However, it had left Beatrice baffled.

"My dearest Beatrice,
Things here in Erudite have been love and comfortable. Our dear Uncle and Aunt are very obliging in making me feel at home. The only thing I lack is you my Tris to make me laugh."

Beatrice smiled at this.

"After sending you the first letter, I did follow our Aunt into that part of town where the Pedrad home was. I was very eager to see Caraline again and thought she'd be delighted to see me as well. Though on that day of my visit I had found her and Mrs. Hayes to be a little out spirits. I did not visit with them long, for they stated that they were just about to leave. But they gave me every promise of calling on me as soon as possible."

"As soon as possible," Beatrice repeated for she was confused.

"I waited at home and after three weeks, today she had come to visit."

Beatrice stood up, shocked at the information. Caraline made Shauna wait for a visit for three weeks. The nerve of her, Beatrice thought.

"You may laugh at my expense now Tris for I fear that I have been entirely deceived by Caraline Pedrad. She made it very evident that she took no pleasure in seeing me. When asked about her brother, she informed me that he knows of my being in town but is much engaged elsewhere with Mr. Eaton and his sister. Therefore I must conclude that Mr. Pedrad now no longer cares for me."

Beatrice put down the letter in utter disbelief and had secretly hoped that Shauna would not give up. Caraline was insistent, Beatrice would give her that much. But Beatrice knew that it would not be long until Ezekiel would find his way to Shauna. It had to be.

Mr. Wickham as well as the other officers did not visit as often as before. That did not detract from Beatrice and Eric's time spent together, however. It still seemed as though his attentions were solely on Beatrice. However, it had been weeks since his last visit and Beatrice had begun to wonder where he had gone.

It was on one afternoon when she was returning from walking about the countryside that her sister Christina came running out of the house.

"Tris! Come quickly. William and Edward are here," she grabbed Beatrice's hand and pulled her along. "And guess who has come with them? Eric!"

Beatrice entered the home with Christina and curtsied as the three young men stood to greet her.

"Miss Beatrice it's been too long," said William.

"It has," Beatrice smiled at him and then her attention was quickly taken away by Eric.

"Shall we take a stroll about your garden, Miss Beatrice," Eric asked her. "Alone of course," he whispered.

Beatrice would not deny how her heart fluttered at this moment, but she contributed it to nothing at present than his prolonged absence. Mr. Wickham took her arm in his and led her out through the back door.

"I heard that you were traveling to Kent," Eric told her. "I feared that I would not be able to see you before you left. I requested William and Edward accompany me to visit you. I hope you do not mind."

"Of course not," Beatrice smiled at him. "I had not hoped to keep you away from me."

"I was thought to believe I was not wanted," Mr. Wickham replied.

"Believe me sir, I have dearly missed our conversations," Beatrice told him which made him pause.

"Miss Beatrice, I feel I must be upfront. I had believed at one point that we had formed an attachment and had hoped to make intentions known," Mr. Wickham spoke as Beatrice stilled her heart.

At the same time, Beatrice was certainly a most sensible person. She had not reserved her liking to only Mr. Wickham. Yes, she did like him, greatly admire him, and enjoy his company. But there had been something more wanting. Something she had not noticed until her Aunt had brought it up.

"I cannot give you the means to which a young women can be supported and feel that it would be unwise at present," Mr. Wickham paused as he saw Beatrice smile. "Had circumstances been different for me..."

Beatrice let out a small laugh. "You mean had old Mr. Eaton never had a son that was proud and unforgiving?" Beatrice leaned forward and planted a chaste kiss on Eric's cheek, the first kiss that she had ever given to anyone. Eric smiled at her.

"I understand fully, Mr. Wickham," she told him knowing that he could not marry or court Beatrice at present. Part of the reason because he did not have the means to marry, means that had been denied him by Mr. Tobias Eaton.

"Life is full of these trials, as my sister Myra often states," Beatrice lifted her arm to have them continue walking. "I sincerely wish you all the happiness in the world."

Mr. Wickham did admire Beatrice. He would not a man if he had not noticed her. Eric was correct though, he had little means to marry on, therefore at present did not look beneficial to any young woman. However, he had motives that had not been made known and those kept him away from pursuing the young Miss Prior to the altar. He had wanted Beatrice to beg for him, but upon seeing that she would not, he reserved himself.

On the other hand, Beatrice had taken the news that Mr. Wickham could not propose to her well. True to her statement to her Aunt, she was not like most young women and did not think too much on it. There were no promises made between them before, so there was no risk, she felt.

"You are very forbearing," Mr. Wickham smiled once more.

"Well, you have been a great influence in that department," she looked at him playfully. "I think Shauna will be glad that I am finally taking things in a positive manner."

The pair continued walking back towards the house, having conversed about the serious matter Mr. Wickham had hoped to share with her. It wasn't until right before the door that he stopped their course once more.

"Tris," Eric said. It was meant to be endearing, but something about the way he said it, Beatrice was not quite fond of. "I hope that you and I may still be very good friends," he told her.

"I believe we shall, Mr. Wickham," Beatrice replied.

Once again, Shauna seems out of luck in the area of Mr. Pedrad.

How about Eric? So he made his feelings known, but attributed his inability to marry Beatrice because of Mr. Eaton. What do you think? Will Beatrice and Eric stay friends? She seemed disinterested now? Do you think Eric is hurt that she doesn't seem into him as she was before?