Pride and Prejudice Rewrite- Mary’s Perspective:
“My dear Mr Bennett… Longbourne… Mr Bingley…”
These were the words I hear in the background, conversed of course from my loud mother. My loud mother with her dreams of marrying off all her daughters. I however am not in the slightest on her brain. My eldest sister Jane, “not half so handsome as Jane.” I hear my mother protest to my father. My other sister Lydia is also mentioned as a potential match for some Mr Bingley.
I have four sisters; Jane- the handsome, Lizzy- my father’s favourite with her smarts and wit, and head always in a book, much like me. Then there is Kitty and Lydia- the giggling ridiculous ones, whom my mother adores. Then of course there is me, ignored by my parents and sent to the piano forte from a young age, which I dare say, I have not moved from since. It is my loud escape from the cries of my mother, the snide comments from my father and the constant giggles from my younger sisters.
A day or two past and Father has declared that he has indeed met with Mr Bingley. Father has to meet with Mr Bingley before one of his daughters can be properly introduced to him or any gentlemen. As I think about the sillyness of the conversation and how my father must meet with a man before we can even talk to him, my father involves me in his conversation on Mr Bingley and to whom his affections will go. “What say you, Mary? For you are a young lady of deep reflection I know, and read great books, and make extract.”
My father is now playing his first round of the day, the game known as make a witty quip at Mary and see what sensible or not so she has to say. I never win, and my thoughts are then interrupted by- “While Mary is adjusting her ideas… let us return to Mr Bingley.”
Quite right too, I have never been as exceptional at gathering my thoughts into a quick and sensible remark to my father. I am not Lizzy.
Many days after that, the day after the ball where Mr Bingley seems to have chosen Jane as he danced with her twice- my mother announced more than thrice. My younger sisters were thrilled with the prospect of all the male attention they got at the ball, and how much they can get next time. Elizabeth does not care too much for marriage but was happily conversing with Jane about Mr Bingley. Mr Bingley arrived with his lovely sister Miss Caroline Bingley and their friend- I forgotten his name, he seemed to not want to be there, which I quite admired. I was introduced to Miss Bingley as the most accomplished girl, a moment in which my mother was of a sudden taken over and quite agreed.
After a week or so, I was playing my piano, loudly and gloomy. When a letter arrived for my father from a man called Mr Collins. He was our cousin whom was on his way to stay with us. His is to inherit the house when my father dies. When the man of the house dies it passes to the first male relative, my father to his dismay never produced a male heir, but five daughters who do not inherit anything. Mr Collins was hoping to marry one of us, so that the house would be kept with the proper family. A thought I believed acceptable but my mother, sisters and father were not to impressed and even more displeased by him or his letter which was uninteresting. I expressed that his letter was well writ and in no way defective as my father or sisters hath thought.
After walking away and playing a few melodies, I began to get into a deep sense of thought, Although I am quite delighted to hear of some new company, and the man being quite respectable cousin, I could not help but ponder on why he should get the house and all the tables and furniture and all the belonging of the estate. Of course if the estate did go to one of us when Father died it would go to Jane, though she has the best chance of a stupendous marriage, especially if this Mr Bingley is involved. Thank the heavens it would then pass to Lizzy, who is a great mind and reader, and whom is tolerable unlike Lydia or Kitty. Even better would be if Elizabeth got married, highly unlikely but if she got a marriage proposal well enough for her, I would then get the house. The piano forte would be mine, and I could play all day and threaten my younger siblings will banishment if they interrupted me or giggled far too often. It is strange to think that my little dream of owning this house and farm will never be possible. Lizzy is a boisterous female whom believes in change and women’s rights, whatever that is. I think it is Fathers influence on her, however maybe she is right. We are his daughters, My mother is his wife, why does a second cousin get his estate? Who knows, maybe one day it will change, maybe Jane’s grandchildren will be able to vote or own a house or…..
A knock on the door interrupted me, It was Mr Collins. He arrived with a smile on this face and a few books in his arms. He was a tall man, of looks that show he is wise and a suitable man, maybe him owning this house would not be so terrible after all. He shared presentaries with my family, but unfortunately, Mr Collins stared gazingly at Jane. My smart, shy and ever so handsome eldest sister, I wanted Mr Collins to look at me with the same gaze. Mr Collins however did not see me, he looked almost right past me. I wondered why i cared, i never wanted a man to stare at me, to want to marry me, it was a strange feeling. A feeling so strange i wondered why i could not just convince him to play a duet with me on my piano, or his piano as it technically is when Father dies. My mother and Father would have to put in a good word for me to Mr Collins, though I could never bare the thought of my Father’s mockery. Why could I not just to that I thought to myself, I made a mental note to listen to Elizabeth more often when she rambles on about what women should be allowed to do, for I could just walk up to Mr Collins as an equal, though that would never happen, and I would never have such lion’s heart for that. Later on at dinner, My Family all sat down and pretended to be interested in what Mr Collins said, Mother mentions that we were not poor. However Mr Collins was only interested in telling us about Lady Catherine De Bourgh. From what Mr Collins had said Lady Catherine seems a perfectly amiable and gracious lady. Lady Catherine of course gave him a cottage on her estate called Rosings Park. He is the Clergymen at the village and Lady Catherine could of had no flaws at all, especially from what Mr Collins described. As he explained that events that led him here, with Lady Catherine insisting on him to get a wife, but only one as amiable as he. I began to imagine where he lived, what the farm and cottage looked like, spending evenings with Lady Catherine and her daughter ad listening to him giving service to all the happy and sensible people living in the village. What a happy and fulfilling life he does lead. As I bring back my thoughts to the conversation, Mr Collins says “These are the kind of little things which please her ladyship, and it is a sort of attention which I conceive myself peculiary bound to pay.” My heart of sudden skipped a beat, like in the old romance novels state, How I yearned for such a compliment. My Father then spoke, interrupting my thoughts-
“and it is happy for you that you possess the talent of flattering with delicacy. May I ask whether these pleasing attentions proceed from the impulse of the moment, or are the result of previous study?” My sisters and parents all stared at Mr Collins, awaiting his reply. Whether he would suspect my Father’s teasing nature. I sat there awaiting his reply, which felt like forever, would he realise my Father’s rudeness and then leave? Mr Collins then answered my prayers, he did not suspect my father for being anything other than polite. The true showing of Mr Collins’ nature that he is a too kind soul to believe that the man of the house would be rude, in attempt to embarrass him.......
(to be continued)
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