Pride and Prejudice

Fan Fiction

Cracking the Mask

Old Friends Meet

Ch.1

Mr. Bennet slowly wandered on the outskirts of London feeling like a lonely plank adrift on the ocean with no destination. He felt disconnected from his past, though he knew his family would be worried about him. A heated conversation that had been the last straw for his odd moods still rang in his ears. It had propelled him out of the door and away from Longbourn while Elizabeth had been visiting.

"Mother has been gone for three years. Mary may be wed and living in her own home in Meryton, but Kitty is now eighteen and still at home. Our sister needs a real mother. What kind of father are you when you make a big deal out of Mary and I wanting you to marry Mrs. Lucas's sister, or one of other available ladies in town? You and mother were not even close! She was the wrong personality for you."

"You think she needs someone? You think I have turned into such a lousy father? You take her in! I have things to do. Including selling books and antiques we no longer need." When his daughter had protested, Mr. Bennet had ignored her and piled the items in the carriage. "I will be back when I am back. And do not ask me where I am going, because as of now... past selling these items, I have no plans!"

Thomas had come to London selling the books and antiques with no problems. Putting the money into a large bag he hid it under his coat so it could not be seen and left the bookstores and merchant stores. Mr. Bennet soon found himself in a sparsely populated part of town. There were very few people who walked on the same cobblestones as he did. It seemed there were even fewer faces looking out from the windows. Only three scruffy street rats raced by him, scurrying for scraps. Turning down a street, he was surprised to see a deserted field. It looked out of place, as if London were miles away.

Thomas sat down on a wooden bench and rubbed his tired jawline. He did not know what had possessed him to snap at Elizabeth like that when she had come to Longbourn - at the request of Jane, he dared say. But he had lost his temper, with a vengeance. Sighing, the Bennet sisters' father realized it was because of her last words about him and their mother not being close, or her being the wrong personality for him.

"That was not our problem, Lizzie." Thomas sighed and looked up at a nearby tree branch, where a small bird had landed and was now feeding its hungry young. "It was our lack of proper communication, my unwillingness to put my foot down, and the stress I put on your poor mother by not planning ahead. You put me too high on a pedestal and did not even give your mother a chance."

Thomas could not explain what had seized him. Loving his girls was not the problem, contrary to what others accused him of when it came to his youngest three. Anger at Elizabeth was not really what had driven him out of Meryton. No, none of that had made him flee. However, the gentleman - if asked - simply could not have told anyone; other than he could not bear Meryton anymore, not right now. Too many people pushing him to marry, to go here, to go there, just too much pushing, period.

"Thomas? Thomas Bennet?" Duke Sanders clapped his hand onto Thomas's shoulder. "I did not think I would ever see you out of Meryton once you married."

"Well, well, Paul Sanders, I never expected to see you again once you left Cambridge University, at least not in London. And, pray tell, how have you managed to keep the gray out of your hair when my own color fled years ago." Thomas laughed as his old classmate joined him on the bench.

"I have no idea as to my hair, I blame my Persian great-grandmother. As to London? I come here as seldom as possible. However, things happened and our king decided to stick the title of Duke on me, I have had no choice but to mingle with the upper class." He waved off Thomas's apology for not addressing him properly. "Please, you are the last person I want to hear calling me Your Grace. I cringe at the title. However," Paul chuckled. "My wife adores the benefits, thankfully, she has not grown arrogant." He then inquired about Mr. Bennet's family and learned about his friend's history.

"So, you see, my old friend, I have not made as wise choices as you, nor have been blessed with the sons you have. And I really am sorry about yelling at Elizabeth. Kitty does need a mother, and Longbourn has that stupid entailment on it."

Paul remained silent for a while. He recalled the days he had spent alone, scared and - mostly - friendless at school. It would have been the darkest time in his life, if not for one man. And that gentleman was sitting next to him on a bench in one of the quieter parts of London. "Do you remember the day I had no place to go at Christmas during my first year at the university?" Mr. Bennet nodded. "And you insisted on me joining your family for the holiday? Even though your own family had their share of ...problems?" The duke was gracious enough not to mention a past neither could change; the Bennet family's issues had been far less than they could have been compared to others. "You were always kind about the invites and, yet, never would not quite let up until I accepted? Did the same thing every holiday, or any break we had, the whole time I was taking my classes."

"Yes, I remember." Thomas chuckled. "My mother insisted you ate enough for three men."

"What can I say, I was a growing boy." That set both the Duke and Mr. Bennet to laughing. It was only when their laughter faded that Duke Sanders insisted it was his turn to repay Mr. Bennet.

"How? You cannot give me an heir for Longbourn. Adopted sons are not eligible for such things. And you are certainly not the one that needs to apologize to Elizabeth; that is I."

"No, but please, allow me to offer your youngest a dowery." When Mr. Bennet hesitated, the duke waved his hand. "Not a huge one, just enough to make her marriage prospects more favorable. No strings attached; I promise."

"I suppose it would be acceptable. But please, put some reasonable conditions on it. Kitty may have grown since Lydia's foolish escapade, but I worry what someone might attempt with her money - or even be as imprudent as I was with mine."

"Fair enough." The duke paused and lowered his voice. "Could we go for a walk? There is something else I want to discuss with you." He chuckled when Thomas's forehead creased. "It is nothing bad, and I am not thinking to ask you to do anything illegal. Your friendship was always too precious for that, still is." The two men standing allowed one to see the duke was not all that much taller than Bennet and the two soon disappeared out of sight.