Chapter 2

Everyone slept late the following morning, but the afternoon brought the Lucas ladies to Longbourn. Lady Lucas, Charlotte, and Maria always paid a call after each assembly to discuss the events.

Lady Lucas was a kind woman who viewed the Bennet daughters as her own. "Dear Jane, what a success you were last night!"

Mrs. Bennet was eager to agree, but she replied with uncharacteristic gracious restraint. "Well, your dear Charlotte began the evening well enough! She was Mr. Bingley's first choice."

Charlotte's plain face tinged slightly pink. Her voice was even, however, as she stated, "Yes, but he did seem to like his choice better."

Jane's mother's face lit up with pride. "You mean Jane, of course, because he danced with her twice! Yes, it did seem as if he admired her, did it not? And what was it he said to Mr. Robinson?"

"You mean when Mr. Robinson asked Mr. Bingley how he liked the assemblies? Yes, Mr. Bingley responded that he had never seen such pretty women in all his life!"

"And what was it he said after that, Lady Lucas? Do you remember?"

"Why, of course I do! I heard it for myself when Mr. Robinson then asked which were the prettiest. Mr. Bingley said there was no doubt at all that the eldest Miss Bennet was the most beautiful."

Mrs. Bennet squealed and clapped her hands, and Jane beamed with delight at this bit of praise. "How kind of him!"

"Mark my words," Mrs. Bennet said proudly, "there will be wedding bells before Christmas!"

The conversation continued between the two mothers and Jane, while Elizabeth and Charlotte spoke privately. "What did Jane make of Mr. Bingley?"

Elizabeth sighed. "She finds him to be the most wonderful man she has ever met. I worry for her, Charlotte."

Charlotte opened her mouth to protest. "He is amiable and wealthy. Why would you be worried?"

Elizabeth gave her friend a significant look. "You know how Jane is, Charlotte. She is almost too good. She would never be able to protect herself from an unkind husband, or even from a kind husband with unkind sisters. It would destroy her to be mistreated."

Understanding filled Charlotte's face. "I can see why that would be concerning for you. But what else can Jane do? There is nothing for a woman in life other than marriage and family, even for one such as Jane. If she likes him, and he likes her, then it could be much worse."

"I just don't know if she is ready to be a wife and mother… or if she ever will be."

"She is not as bad as all that, Eliza. She would make a better wife and mother than, say, Lydia!"

The two girls burst into giggles. "That is a fair point. For all of Jane's innocence, she would be devoted and selfless. Lydia would just be out for what she could get!"

It was true. Lydia Bennet - as well as her sister, Kitty - were ignorant, idle, and vain. Lydia shared many of Jane's physical features, but whereas Jane was placid and calm, Lydia was demanding and spoiled. Wherever Lydia went, she insisted Kitty follow. Elizabeth couldn't imagine how a marriage to either of her two youngest sisters would be agreeable in any way.

Once their humor died down, Elizabeth's brow creased again. "Jane is like a child in so many ways, still, Charlotte."

"But she is a woman, Eliza," Charlotte pointed out. "While she may have some childlike attributes, she also has a strong desire to love and be loved. She wants to be a wife, to be a mother. Why should she be denied those wishes?"

Elizabeth threw her hands up in frustration. "I just don't wish to see her in an unequal match of affection!"

The room fell silent, all eyes on Elizabeth and Charlotte. "Girls, is everything alright?" Lady Lucas asked.

Charlotte and Elizabeth exchanged a look before the elder said, "Yes, Mama. We were simply having a difference of opinion on the best methods of attracting a husband."

As Charlotte had hoped, this explanation diverted their mothers' attention back towards Jane, who sat in between the two women with a blissful expression on her face. Elizabeth watched her elder sister, knowing that she could only be thinking of Mr. Bingley.

Perhaps Charlotte is right, she thought.

The conversation then turned towards Bingley's guests, who had not impressed the assembly so well as their host had.

"I declare, Mr. Darcy is one of those rich young men who thinks the whole world beneath him," sniffed Mrs. Bennet. "He stood up with those of his party and none other."

"Miss Bingley told me that he never speaks much unless he is well-acquainted with the person," Jane said. "The poor man must be terribly shy."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at this comment, but the stubborn look on Jane's face informed the room that she would brook no other interpretation of the wealthy gentleman's airs.

"He does consider Mr. Bingley a friend," Charlotte reminded them, "and we all know that man's fortune came from trade. He cannot be all bad."

"He would certainly keep his wife in fine clothing and jewels," giggled Lydia. "I think I could easily put up with a such a sour man for a husband if it meant I could afford to buy anything I liked."

Mrs. Bennet turned surprised eyes to her youngest daughter. "I did not think you would have liked such a hateful, proud man."

"Pride," interjected Mary, "is a very common failing. Everything I have ever read tells me that human nature Is prone to it. However, we often confuse pride with vanity. Pride is thinking our opinion of ourselves, whereas vanity is what we wish to have others think of us."

"Well, Mr. Darcy certainly is not vain, then," Elizabeth said with a sly smile, "as he couldn't care two straws for what we think of him."

The eldest Lucas boy, who was only a year older than Lydia in age, interrupted the conversation. "If I were as rich as Mr. Darcy, I wouldn't care how proud I was! I would keep a stable full of thoroughbreds and drink a bottle of French wine each day."

"And if I were to see you at it," said Lady Lucas severely, "I would take your bottle away immediately."

The young man made to protest, Mrs. Bennet's voice stopped what could have become a full argument. "Lydia, dearest… would you truly be interested in Mr. Darcy as a husband?"

Lydia's upturned eyes widened for a moment, then she furiously nodded her head on her short neck. "Yes, Mama! Yes! I would like to marry Mr. Darcy. He has plenty of money, and he is handsome after all."

"Then we shall see what we can do," Mrs. Bennet promised. "Mark my words, both Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy will be requesting audiences with Mr. Bennet before the fortnight is over!"

Elizabeth closed her eyes in dismay, a feeling of dread rising in her stomach at what was to come.