I do not own Divergent and Pride and Prejudice. Credit goes to Veronica Roth and Jane Austen.
Beatrice quickly explained to her Aunt the partial story of Mr. Eric Wickham and why she believed that things were not going to be alright for dear sweet Lauren. However, her Aunt continued to assure her that this was just some passing folly that her family and friends can hush up and would soon be forgotten. Beatrice knew better though.
The carriage took them quickly to Abnegation and the moment they had arrived at her home, Beatrice sprang out and hurried towards her mother's room.
"Tris," Shauna yelled as she caught sight of her sister and embraced her quickly and tightly.
"Oh Shauna," Tris took in her appearance. "How distressed you must have been!"
"I am so glad that you have come home Tris."
"What news from Papa," Beatrice asked.
"Father has only written once to let us know that he arrived safely in Amity. There has been no other news from him or Colonel Maxter. Mother is grieving away in her room. She's been asking for you since daylight," Shauna said as Beatrice took off her coat and continued down the hallway.
"Beatrice!" Mrs. Prior looked beyond stressed as she was propped up on her bed by her middle daughter, Myra.
"Mother," Beatrice smiled and went to sit on the bed next to her.
"Oh Beatrice! Can you believe it? My poor, sweet, little Lauren!" Mrs. Prior began to wail and cry out hysterically.
"She is ruined," Myra commented plainly.
"You are all ruined," Mrs. Prior cried heavily. "Who will take any of you now with a fallen sister?!" Just then Uncle Arman walked in with his wife. "Oh brother! My dear brother! We are all ruined forever!"
"Calm yourself Natalie," Arman told her. "This cannot be good for your health."
"My dear sweet Lauren," Natalie continued to wrack herself with her anxieties. "I blame Colonel Maxter. I'm sure there was some great neglect on their part. For Lauren is not the type to do such a thing."
"Mother," Beatrice looked at her shocked. "Lauren has always been prone to..."
"No she has not! How can you say such a thing about your sweet youngest sister," Natalie cried.
"Has Andrew left already, my dear," Arman tried to steer the conversation into another direction.
"Mr. Prior has gone to Amity to find her and I'm sure he will not survive the trip. Then what is to become of us all? Mr. Alan and his wife will throw us out to starve in the hedge groves! We are a shamed family with a disgraced daughter," Natalie cried and flailed her arms about. "That is unless you can prevent it brother!"
"I have come to just settle some things here in Abnegation. Do not worry. I will depart shortly to join Mr. Prior in the search for Lauren. Everything will be fine. You will see," Arman assured her.
"Yes, yes, that is it! Go to Amity and help Mr. Prior find Lauren. If they not be married, you must make them marry! But above all keep Mr. Prior from fighting with Eric," Natalie proclaimed.
"I don't think Andrew will fight with Wickham," Aunt Victoria stated.
"Oh yes, oh yes he will! And Eric Wickham would kill him for sure unless you do something my brother," Mrs. Prior looked to Arman. "Go there now brother and find them! You must tell him that I'm feeling terribly ill. Tell them that I have anxieties all about me, spasms in my side, and beatings in my heart. I cannot get any rest neither night nor day."
"Please sister you must calm yourself," Arman said again.
"You have to find them brother!"
The next morning after Uncle Arman had left along with Aunt Victoria; Beatrice found Shauna and asked her for further detail. Shauna relived the entire night to Beatrice, moment for moment. Then Shauna continued with explaining what happened during the arrival of Colonel Maxter and his wife.
Lauren had left a letter for Colonel Maxter's wife. Of course in the letter it stated that she had fallen for Eric Wickham since their arrival and now they were travelling to be wed.
"Well," Beatrice set the letter down. "At least it shows that she believed they were getting married. Whatever he persuaded her to do after," Beatrice shook her head.
"I feel guilty Tris," stated Shauna. "It is I who encouraged you to keep silent on Eric's character. If we had just informed father..."
"No Shauna," Beatrice took her sister's hand in hers. "You are not to blame on this matter. I assure you," she ran a hand down her sister's cheek. "There are others who have made the mistake but not you." Beatrice and Shauna smiled at one another. "This whole ordeal must have been hard on you."
Shauna shook her head. "When we first the letter, we had no idea what to do. Father was silent, more so than usual. Mother was in a fit. Lady Black came over right away to offer her services once she heard," Shauna said as Beatrice suddenly stood up.
It pained her that others had found out.
"Haven't we suffered enough? Let Lady Black triumph over us from a distance and be satisfied that she has one daughter properly married off while our good name is being belittled," Beatrice was upset and almost stormed out of the room.
"Tris that is unkind. Lady Black has nothing but good intentions," Shauna reminded her as Beatrice reached the door.
"Oh Shauna," Beatrice turned and looked at her sister. "Don't you see that there is more to this than just the ruined reputation of Lauren?"
Beatrice went directly to her room and did not exit from it even when dinner was being served. It was well into the night as Beatrice sat there looking in the mirror. Beatrice relived each second, each look, and each sentence in her mind.
"I believe you have long desired my absence."
Beatrice could see the expressionless nature of Mr. Eaton as he stood up quickly.
"I'm afraid that this unfortunate affair will prevent my sister's having the pleasure of seeing you at Dauntless again."
The look on Tobias's face was etched into her memory. Beatrice wondered if that day when he requested to have lunch if he was going to renew his addresses to her. Now though it seemed to be disappearing from her. Mr. Tobias Eaton was no doubt congratulating himself on his great escape.
A knock sounded at the door. "Come in," Beatrice said wiping away a tear that had fallen on her cheek.
Shauna walked in and smiled gently at her sister. "I had a feeling that you were still awake." Shauna headed into the direction of Beatrice and sat next to her. "I thought a lot about what you said this morning."
"I was upset," Beatrice shook her head. "Forgive me, Shauna."
"You are forgiven Tris. However I wanted to make sure that I got this correct. You seem to think that now because of Lauren's actions that we are all tarnished? You think us tainted by association, that our chances of having a good marriage are now decreased by Lauren's reputation?"
"The chances of us procuring good marriages were minimum from the start," Beatrice laughed a little. "Now it would seem that they are nonexistent. No good, reputable gentlemen would ever solicit our hand. Mr. Eaton made sure to point this out to me."
"Mr. Eaton," Shauna smiled. "Does he know our troubles?"
"He happened upon me as I was reading your letter," Beatrice smiled. "He was very kind, held my hand, and assured me that everything would be well." Then her smile disappeared. "But reality struck and the look on his face said it all. Mr. Eaton wanted nothing more than to be rid of me."
"You think he wanted to renew his love for you," Shauna asked.
"I have no idea what he wanted."
"Did you want him to," Shauna dared to enter treacherous ground.
"I do not know what I want. All I know is that neither he nor his friend, Mr. Pedrad, will ever be renewing any sort of affection for us."
Shauna sighed. "I had majorly subjected myself to forgetting about Mr. Ezekiel Pedrad. But Beatrice I believe you are upset about this because of your own feelings for Mr. Eaton. This utterly shocks me, Tris. You neither desired his affection nor welcomed it when he offered it to you. So what does it matter about Mr. Eaton?"
"I do not know," Beatrice proclaimed again. "All I know is that I cannot live another day having thinking that that man is thinking the worst of me," Beatrice supplied. When deep down inside Beatrice did know. Beatrice had come to love Tobias. She was just too stubborn to admit it to herself or to her sister.