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Mary shared a complicated relationship with her mother.

It felt often, if not always, off balanced. Like she was trying to sway the scales to turn to her favour, so that perhaps one day her mother may look towards her in a light reflected that of approval.

But alas, the scales remained as rigid and cold as Mrs Bennet’s attitude towards her.

No matter what she did, how hard she tried, her attempts of attempting to hide herself to fit into the ideal image her mother had for her, it was all in vain.

In retrospect of her late father’s death, there was nothing that could have prepared her for it. He was not a man of many words nor emotions for that matter, but he at least tolerated her company.

The same could not be said for her mother.

However, even just the mere thought of her mother potentially being moments away from death was enough to snap her back into reality.

She needed to be home.

Because at the end of it all, she could not bare to lose her mother too.

From the moment Mary Bennet stepped foot upon the path leading up the Pemberley House in the early hours of the morning, it almost felt like London was a fever dream.

She barely held in the tears that were on the verge of falling as she ascended the stairs, her heart felt it was racing at one hundred miles a minute. Nothing could have prepared her to witness her mother on the cusp of death’s door—

“Mary, you’re here!”

The woman in question blinked. It took a few seconds for her to really take in the scene.

All of her sisters looked upon her with small smiles, aside from Lydia who merely glanced at her before returning her attention back to her prominent bump.

No visible signs of grief, no tear-stricken faces were present.

She swallowed hard, her eyes flickered across at her mother who was swaddled with the finest materials and pillows perfectly fluffed behind her. Mrs Bennet looked far from being gravelly ill, if anything she gave off the impression of being the picture-perfect image of looking like the cat who got the cream.

“Well, don’t just stand there. You’re letting all the heat out.” The all too familiar exasperated drawl that was only used with her, completed by the displeased expression that was etched on her face.
Mary moved before words had the time to escape her, a wave of relief washing over her to see that she was not on the brink of potential expiration. “ Mother—” She reached out her hands, the hope of trying to bridge the gap of their non-existent affectionate bond. Only for her mother to lift up her left arm, a glimmer of something resounded in Mary for one moment before she realised she was holding up a plate.

“You look…well.” Was all she could muster up in sheer puzzlement as she took the plate into her hands; she could just about hear Elizabeth’s half-amused response in an affirmation response that summed up the situation. “Doesn’t she?”

“Are you a physician all of a sudden?” Mrs Bennet cocked her head slightly the side with a thin smile, because of course she would be the last to admit that she created this whole plot to gather all of her sisters together to tend to her incessant and impulsive needs.

The bespectacled woman suddenly felt as if she was a child again, being berated as if she had spoken out of turn. She managed to stutter out. “No…I…I’m relieved to see that you’ve…um, that your condition has improved mother.”

All once, her mother’s attention was solely placed upon her. And that was something that she learnt the hard way was never a good thing. An overflowing bank of criticism was unleashed upon her, from the speculation over her lack thereof of sleep to her choice in her attire—all coated with an obvious underlying tone of disapproval.

The heavy emotions of anxiety and stress that played havoc in her body from the moment she left Mr Ryder’s dinner party was replaced with something else. She could not put her finger on it exactly as a momental lapse in the conversation was shattered by Elizabeth who always had a knack for spotting and thus dissolving growing tensions.

It wasn’t long before Mrs Bennet chimed in with her ever-growing list of complaints that highlighted her body defaults, as if the sole purpose of her own genetics was built only to vex her mother.
Emotions were never really her strong suit. She was the studious sister, the one who’s nose was seemingly always glued to a book that was filled to the brim with undeniable facts.

Because facts were irrefutable. There was no room for interpretations. It was either right or wrong.

“—Looks beyond repair to me,” Was the signature dismissive tone that was used in response to Jane’s futile attempts at playing peacemaker.

And when it came to her mother, she was always wrong.

In the week that followed, Mary’s role in the family had been shifted from being the neglected shadow to becoming the official chaperone for her mother’s newest canine companion, Dutchess.

The dog’s personality seemed to possess a startling resemblance to her mother. Which she supposed, was not completely unsurprisingly.

Birds of a feather flocked together, as the saying went.

The weather had taken on quite the transformation of its own, the warm and inviting rays of the sun had been switched for torrential rainfall and blustery winds.

According to her mother, who was insistent on keeping to the strict schedule of Dutchess, even in such conditions, she was to be walked with an umbrella shielding her from the onslaught of the rain whilst Mary found herself soaked to the bone on many occasions.

She did not know whether she was fortunate or not to have escaped the risks of becoming ill herself.

Then again, she supposed her mother would not be able to find it within herself to feel even an ounce of sympathy for her and would instead order her to complete her duties.

Mary shook her head at the notion as she graciously thanked the footman who greeted her as she entered over the threshold. She felt a fleeting moment of comfort on escaping the torrential rain that plagued the countryside, accepting the letter from him. She was just about to open it when a shrill voice echoed through the halls.

“Mary!”

Dread started to creep in as she moved to walk to return back before her mother went through the efforts of summoning her, which would only lead to a lengthy tirade that would end on picking apart all her character flaws.

Mrs Bennet was the first to notice her as she entered the room, making a disparaging comment about her time keeping as if Mary’s inability to wait on her hand and foot at all times only worked to ail her delicate condition. Of course, not taking into account the abrupt temperamental change in the climate as of late.

It was futile even thinking about arguing with her on anything. She mustered up a lukewarm answer that she had been walking the dog, only for her mother to wave her off to signal the pillows behind her. When her mother did not protest that she was doing a terrible job, she settled into the nearby empty chaise and slipped her glasses back onto her nose. Mary sought a temporary refuge in the letter she received from her dear friend, Miss Ann Baxter.

Currently the only thing that kept her memories of London anchored firmly in her mind.

Acting as a reminder that it had not been a fever dream.

She was so engrossed in reading the opening line that she did not account for the piqued curiosity of her sisters. For it was not a common phenomenon for Mary Bennet to receive letters from anyone.

“Who’s the letter from Mary?” Jane inquired with her signature kind smile.

The woman in question blinked to attention, quickly fumbling in response in an attempt to return back to reading said item. “From one of my friends in London.”

“What friend is that, Mary?” Lydia had a penchant for acting like mother at times, a mixture of disbelief and mock teasing evident in her her voice.

“Lydia!” The eldest daughter warned with a frown.

Mrs Bennet, however, was not to be deterred. “What friend is that, Mary?”

Mary turned her head to the side, her mother visible in her peripheral. “Her name is Miss Baxter. Ann Baxter.” Even just the mere mention of her name helped to soothe her nerves.

Lydia was determined in her belief that such a person could not possibly exist—because in her mind, the only version of Mary that she would have accepted was the socially inept bibliophile who had no friends to her name.

“Lydia is being most unkind.” Kitty spoke up in her defence, which was a surprise in itself. For Kitty and Lydia had always been an inseparable pair when they were younger. It seemed that time had matured her.

Mary’s face softened slightly before she tried to focus on the words on the letter, her friend’s voice lit up in her mind as if she was sitting right beside her.

She was full to the brim with concern over her hurried departure followed by a dramatic retelling of the events that followed once she had left. She held no punches when it came to mentioning the look that fell upon Caroline Bingley’s face upon Mr Ryder being just as equally concerned for her. There were intervals when he appeared to be quieter, seemingly more contemplative—which was a stark difference in how his typical jovial and light-hearted attitude was normally.

The bespectacled woman’s mind immediately went to the broken bell jar that contained insects from the father of Mr Ryder’s collection. Shame clouded her in seconds. That was most likely why he was upset because she had destroyed something that was sentimental to him.

Ann went on to describe how Mr Ryder had taken to speaking with Mr Hayward for a large part of the reminder of the evening. How the seemingly normal conversation had somehow dissolved into bickering through the form of conspiratorial whispers.

She picked at her thumb absentmindedly. Guilt was now making itself an unhelpful companion to the shame that was living in her brain. She hoped that her actions had created a catalyst in creating the wedge that formed between the two men.

Ann could not write a more glowing report of Mr Hayward if she tried. It took Mary a second to remember that she did not have a right to feel jealous. If anything, Mr Hayward had been nothing but kind towards her since their first meeting—even if hypothetically speaking he did not have a match, she very much doubted that he would have felt any sort of strong emotions for her.

She had to push aside her own feelings for Mr Hayward; it had been clear that there was a clear affection shared between the couple and the last thing she would ever do is to ruin their happiness, even if it was with each other.

She had witnessed it herself on a number of occasions. How she would catch Mr Hayward’s lips curling into that damned smile that sent her heartbeat racing to which Ann would oblige and return with a dazzlingly smile of her own. Or whenever Ann was speaking, whether he was the only one beside her or they were in a group, Mr Hayward’s attentions would always be centred around her.

Further down the letter, she noticed the tone has shifted slightly. Mary’s eyebrows furrowed as she read on.

I write to you in confidence that Mr Hayward and I are—

She was interrupted by the brisk knock of the door, a second later the footman entered to see the expectant look from Mrs Bennet and the curious looks from the rest of the room. Mary’s eyes glanced up, half-finished reading Ann’s compelling statement—most likely to announce her engagement to Mr Hayward when she heard the footman’s announcement.

“There are two visitors for Miss Mary Bennet waiting downstairs.”

Mrs Bennet took half a second to react before it dawned on her who they had come to see. “Guests? Here to see Mary?” She was incredulous, believing it to have been a mistake. Lydia could be seen mouthing ‘two’ in sheer utter disbelief while her other sisters were half curious and the other half amused by the situation.

The footman faltered for a moment, as if afraid to deliver the next part of the news. “I’m afraid to inform you Mrs Bennet that they may require a physician.”

Mary moved to stand, her mind moving at a hundred paces to think who on earth would be visiting her—and better yet, who would have travelled to see in the current state of the weather?

“I will send for a physician once you have informed me on the names of our guests.” Mrs Bennet ordered, a calculative look resting on her face.

“They stated that their names are Mr Ryder and Mr Hayward, Mrs Bennet.”

It was almost as if lightening had struck Mary. Why on earth would both men have travelled so far just to see her?

And by the looks of things, Mary’s journey to Pemberley House had not been to tend to her gravelly ill mother but instead, to the new friends she had made in London.

Just from the expression that was starting to form on Mrs Bennet’s face, from the initial shock to a wide predatory-like smile, Mary wasn’t sure if she would have preferred London to have been a fever dream all along.

Upon hearing the impromptu announcement, it sent most of the occupants of Pemberley House into a frenzied state.

Mrs Bennet did not waste time as she delegated orders as if she were a general in the army. She sent servants to escort Mary’s mysterious visitors to rest in one of the spare rooms on the ground floor, dispatched others to prepare a makeshift room for them, sent word for the local physician to arrive and after all that excitement, she demanded to be served tea to ‘calm down her nerves’ in her own words.

What would happen if the Bennet matriarch were to ever utilise her powers for good, Mary idly wondered

“Mary, you never mentioned such guests from your travels in London.” Jane murmured, careful in lowering her voice a few octaves in fear of their mother’s keen ears were to overhear.

“Especially how handsome they both are,” Elizabeth teased lightly, she had snuck a glance or two at the pair as they were ushered into their respective beds in her overlooking role in ensuring her guests were well attended to in their time of need.

Mary scrunched her nose absentmindedly. “They never came up in conversation so naturally I had nothing to say about them.” She paused then added, “Besides, I never really noticed that about them.”

“Of course you did not,” Lizzy nodded her head in understanding, sharing a look with Jane.

“Do you know why they have come to visit you?” Lydia looked accusatory, her eyes ablaze with unadulterated jealously. Kitty could only look defeated at her sister’s bluntness.

Mary looked just as puzzled if not more than them by their arrival. “I’m afraid I do not, perhaps they were travelling somewhere, and this place just so happened to be the nearest stop to seek shelter from the weather.”

The sisters could only look at Mary with varied levels of fondness for her obliviousness.

The physician had the patience of a saint according to Elizabeth; he had been the one who was summoned when their mother had been taken ill.

The men had been swiftly ushered into one of the guest rooms, where there were two beds on either side which would conveniently have made it easier to look after them. Mary looked on at the scene, perfectly oblivious to the scheming mind that her mother would soon inflict upon her.

It took a few hours for the doctor to complete his general examination and to prescribe the treatment.

“I will have to advise that you do not stay within the same room as Mr Ryder and Mr Hayward, it has not been long since you last recovered from your summer cold—”

“No no, I’m sure you are mistaken doctor. You diagnosed it as something along the lines as pneumonia or smallpox.” Mrs Bennet cut in with a dismissive flourish of her hand. Mary could see Elizabeth shoot Jane an amused grin from the corner of her eye.

Knowing it would have been a losing battle to argue against the matriarch, he conceded with a incline of his head. Though he remained firm in his request that she remain separated from the guests.

“Following the thorough tests and treatment you were adamant about requesting during my last visit, I think it would be best for you to not put yourself in harm’s way after making such a,” He
paused for a moment, tilting his head to the side. “Miraculous and speedy recovering, Mrs Bennet.”

If looks could kill, the doctor would have been at least ten feet under.

After a brief moment of contemplation towards her daughter, a brittle smile twisted her lips. “Very well doctor. I will ensure that they are properly taken care of by none other than my daughter Mary.”

The woman in question stilled upon hearing the statement, already knowing where she was going with this.

“It is a great tragedy that these two fine gentlemen have travelled so far just to see Mary only to be stricken with illness, it would be a shame if she didn’t repay them for such kindness.” She looked directly at Mary, her smile growing more stern by the second.

She lowered her head, unable to refuse such a demand especially in company. “Yes…yes of course, mother.”

He moved his attention towards Mary to survey her with a clinical eye. She would not have been surprised if he thought that she would be a poor choice in being delegated to looking after their guests. “I will entrust these gentlemen under your care, Miss Bennet. If there are any changes in their conditions, please do not hesitate to send for me.”

Mary bowed her head once more and watched as he walked away towards direction of the front door.

Suddenly, she felt a strange feeling crawling up her spine as if she was a prey animal that was about to be hunted.

“Oh Mary, I never thought this day would ever come,” She lamented, a twisted sense of joy wept from her body. “This is your golden opportunity, which may never happen again! You must play your cards right my dear. It you are successful; you may find yourself a match by the end of their stay.”

Her mother’s smile crumbled in an instant as she uttered a warning. “Please do not disappoint me again.”

If anyone had overheard Mrs Bennet’s overzealous demands to the servants, they might have naturally assumed it was because a member of the royal family had arrived for an impromptu visit.

Elizabeth had involuntarily become their mother’s shadow to soften the requests with an apologetic air. She surveyed the entire operation until Mrs Bennet was mostly satisfied—because that would have only happened if hell had frozen over—and reassured their stressed mother dearest that if their guests required anything else, it would be arranged.

Mary had lost count the number of times the doors leading to the room had opened and closed.

She stood still as if her feet were cemented to the floor, the palm of her hands sweaty as she picked insistently at her fingers, she willed for her heartbeat to calm itself as she stared ahead of her.

It felt as if her two worlds had crashed and collided with each other. She was almost certain that if either man came into contact with any of her sisters, she would have been left and long forgotten.

The concept of friends had been lost on Mary, no matter how she tried she never could say the right thing. She recalled the judgemental looks, the harsh exchange of whispers and eventual isolation.

She had been envious of the bonds that her sisters were able to cultivate naturally. The old Mary who did not know the world beyond Derbyshire would most likely have remained in the solitary position.

But she was no longer the old Mary. Well, not completely anymore.

Mary had pushed herself beyond the limits she had thought were not possible for her. She had her initial concerns about working as a governess, being independent from her mother and generally navigating through living in London.

However, she was not to be intimidated by the prospect of getting things wrong. She had learnt to adapt to her surroundings, to take opportunities that life had thrust upon her and to not be afraid of making friends.

The faces of her adorable cousins Marianne, George and Rebecca were compelled into her mind. Miss Ann Baxter of course, along with Mr Hayward and Mr Ryder and even by a surprising turn of events –Mr Hurst.

Mary Bennet was capable of doing seemingly impossible things.

But at that moment in time, she could not step forward. How could she face her friends when she had embarrassed herself the last time that she saw either of them.

She could picture Mr Gardiner’s expression as he relayed the message and ushering her out of the room, she stepped back in shock and bumped into the side table and in seconds, the bell jar has smashed into pieces. The remnants of the innocent insects of Mr Ryder’s late father left scattered. She looked at William; his eyes widened as his gaze drifted from her towards the damage she had been solely responsible for.

Then there was Mr Hayward. She inwardly cursed herself for taking out her frustration in regard to Miss Bingley on him. He was caring and compassionate—just as he always was—when he offered to speak with Mr Ryder in the case that his theatrics bothered her.

While Mary had no personal issues towards the latter and she spoke the truth, she did enjoy his company. But from how he had withdrawn from her upon hearing her response, she became worried that she could have handled the situation more delicately.

“Mary,” A presence appeared beside her, a hand reaching out for her shoulder.

The bespectacled woman nearly all but jumped out of her skin, spinning around to find Elizabeth staring at her in bemusement.

“You have been standing here for a long time. Is something the matter?”

She did not speak for a moment, pushing her glasses back. “I…something happened before I left London and I don’t think I can face them.”

“And what happened exactly that would make you think such a thing?” Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.

She took in a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. “After an unpleasant conversation with Miss Bingley, who seemed to have the impression that my main goal in life is to vex her by being friends with Mr Ryder…I had been unkind to Mr Hayward who had a concern about Mr Ryder. Perhaps it was a reminder to how mother reacted when I danced with Mr Sparrow and…I just snapped at him.”

The older sister nodded her head, her hand rubbed Mary’s shoulder comfortingly.

“Then it all happened so fast, Miss Bingley trying to have me sing in front of the whole room—and you know exactly how that went the last time. Then I heard about mother and perhaps due to shock I was unaware of my surroundings and the next thing I knew, I had damaged something of sentimental value to its owner and new friend Mr Ryder. The next thing I knew, everyone was staring at me—"

“Oh Mary, I’m sure that no one else would have given it a second thought.” She was quick to reassure her with a gentle look.

“I’m sure that at the time—and now as you’re reflecting on the matter, it would seem worse than what it is. Everyone has done something regretful at least once in their lifetime,” She shot her a meaningful look, tapping a finger under her chin.

“Aside from you, Jane, Kitty, Lydia—”

Elizabeth repeated the last name of their volatile sister back with a questioning tone, an amused smile curled at her lips. “Lydia?”

That was enough to dissolve any remaining tension in the air as the pair shared a giggle.

“Oh no…no Lydia has for certain.” Mary looked down as she smiled.

“I can assure you that we all have. Now, tell me if your new friends were angry with you, do you think they would have travelled a great distance to come see you?”

She had to admit that her sister had a point but doubt still lingered in her mind. “There’s still a good chance that they could still be—”

“The fact that you know is true is that they have travelled from London to see you. Anything after that is simply theory. A theory that you can test,” She pushed her sister forward encouragingly, causing her to splutter in surprise.

“Come now Mary, think of it as an experiment. If they are well and truly mad at you. You have my permission to leave the room and I will have servants attend to them instead. But, if they aren’t, then I will have gained a privilege.”

Mary stared at her in confusion. “A privilege for what?”

“To be able to gloat that I was right.” Elizabeth grinned at her, giving her another well-meaning push.

“Just remember to watch your steps and don’t trip,” That was all she heard as she forced herself to push the door open.

Elizabeth has completely and utterly jinxed her.

Mary pushed the door open tentatively, peeking through the gap. It was quiet, far too quiet.

She slipped through, being mindful of keeping her footsteps as silent as possible.

And then it happened, as if the communication between her brain and feet had malfunctioned, she could feel her legs trip—on literal thin air.

She tried to catch a hold of anything but even the door was a stretch out of reach. Mary braced herself as a resounding thud was all that was heard. Mary fixed her glasses, hoping that neither one of the guests had noticed her clumsiness.

Glancing up slowly, pushing herself to sit upright, she was relieved to see both were soundly sleeping. Mary found herself moving her gaze towards Mr Hayward, even if an unconscious state, he seemed restless. He would shift from side to side, as if unable to allow himself to relax.

On the other hand, Mr Ryder was sprawled out on his bed. He was the picture of serenity, the only visible moment was the sight of his chest moving.

Mary let out a drawn-out sigh, luckily this time she had gotten away with it.

But that was just one problem out of the way. Now she’s hit a dilemma.

The experiment had not technically passed or failed with both variables knocked out. She did not have an excuse to leave yet she did not know what to expect when one or both were to wake up.

No. Mary Bennet can do impossible things. She reminded herself as she stood up.

Firstly, she moved over to Mr Hayward, she could see beads of sweat pooling around his forehead. The brunette located a basin with water and dipped in a fresh new cloth. Once she had placed it onto his forehead, she was glad to see that it seemed to alleviate some discomfort.

She noticed there was a stray strand of hair that fell against the cloth. She raised a hand towards him then hesitated for a moment; it would be improper to move it. Mary shook her head as she moved it, only for Mr Hayward’s own hand to grab it.

Mary’s gaze snapped to his. But he still appeared to be sleeping, he pulled his hand—as well as her own—closer towards him to cradle it between his other hand on top of his chest.

Interestingly enough, where his heart was.

She could feel her own face burning up at the lingering contact. How was she to get out of this situation?

The brunette could hardly think straight as she could feel his thumb stroking her hand gently.

“…Miss Bennet.” He whispered to himself, so quietly that Mary found it easier to dismiss than to ruminate on such a matter. She was absolutely sure he had meant to say Miss Baxter.

She blew at her bangs in defeat with a single thought, the experiment had so far produced inconclusive results.

By her fourth attempt at trying to escape from her hand-napper, she had successfully regained her hand back. Though she did not have time to celebrate her small yet triumphant win as the door opened with a servant carrying in dinner.

The smell was enough to wake up a drowsy Mr Ryder who stretched his arms up. She could sense Mr Hayward stirring behind her. But before either one had noticed her presence, she scurried out of the room as fast as her legs could carry her.

Mary leaned against the door, closing her eyes as she painfully exhaled. Though she clutched onto the hand that had been previously captured by Mr Hayward, the phantom feeling on his hands on her own was still very vivid in her mind.

How on earth was she supposed to survive this?

Mary’s inner monologue was conflicted for a number of reasons.

Of course, the primary concern was for their welfare. If it had been any other person, she would have put it down to simply bad luck and timing to have travelled during such conditions. Though, now being aware that Mr Ryder was included in the company, the impulsivity of that man seemed to reach no bounds.

For that man seemed to have the equal amounts of excitement and energy as a golden retriever, she thought with a touch of fondness.

However, she was completely and utterly left baffled as to trying to figure out the reason to explain why Mr Hayward had joined him on his expedition.

Mary would have assumed he would not have had any time to travel with his various commitments keeping him in London. Mrs Gardiner had mentioned on a few occasions that he was a hard-working man who always seemed to have the world on his shoulders.

And there was also Ann. Mary frowned at that. How could he have left her? That thought in itself made her question his motives even further.

But she didn’t have time to muddle over that any further as she braced herself then pushed the doors to the guest room open with one hand and the other carrying a tray of freshly made tea.

Tom Hayward had been consumed by reading a book—most likely after being told off numerous times for trying to work instead of resting by the doctor, which was revealed by a servant who had overheard the exchange, when his eyes locked in her direction.

She willed herself not to flush, the previous night’s events flitted through her mind.

“Miss Bennet,” He greeted weakly, pausing for a moment as if he was trying to catch his breath. “I am deeply sorry for imposing on you in such a manner.”

It took Mary a beat to react before she shook her head as she spoke matter-of-factly. “Come now, there’s no need for that. I would just have appreciated if you had come here unscathed,” She paused for a moment. “Though, it’s not like you can control the weather. Just focus on getting better.”

There it was. That damned smile that caused her heart to splutter. She smiled or at least made an attempt to, she assumed it looked more like a grimace.

Suddenly, there was a staged sequence of coughs from the other end of the room. Three guesses to who that could possibly have been.

“Oh Miss Bennet, what a radiant sight you make. I can already feel that I am starting to feel much better in your presence.” William flourished his hand out towards her with a charm that was evidently at a lower capacity than it typically was, his face flushed as if the action itself had quickly tired him out.

“You’re far too generous with your compliments Mr Ryder.” Mary replied unphased by his words, moving to place the tray down to busy herself by distributing the tea into the teacups. “I hope that you take the doctor’s advice seriously, you need to rest too.”

Mr Ryder had the gall to look appalled by the loose accusation.

“Are you trying to suggest that I, of all people, would not listen and instead do whatever it is that I desired instead?”

Tom accepted the cup of tea with a murmur of thanks. “I think that is exactly what Miss Bennet is trying to say, Mr Ryder. Perhaps it would be in your best interests to listen to her, yes?”

It could have been the illness clouding his mind that prevented him from using his usual witty statements, but instead he settled with staring at his friend in mock betrayal with a hand over his heart.

Mary glanced between the two before inwardly shrugging her shoulders. “Would you also like a cup of tea, Mr Ryder?”

That was enough to snap him out of his shenanigans as he shot a most gracious look at her. “Miss Bennet, I will not tire of saying such things, but you are a God sent.”

The bespectacled woman could have sworn she heard a mutter of “If only you did tire of saying such nonsense.” But she assumed that she must have been hearing things because Mr Hayward presented himself as nothing but a kind and patient man.

And as far as she knew, they were friends so there would not be much chance of them fighting.

Or so she thought.

While Mary was preoccupied by having her hands full attending to the new guests of the house, her sisters were intrigued by this surprising development and were doing their best attempt at trying to listen in from the hallway.

The eldest, Jane, her usual calm demeanour was tinged with a touch of nervousness. Elizabeth who chose the role of the observer despite the smile on her fact hinted that she knew more than she was willing to tell, while Lydia and Kitty were practically vibrating with sheer excitement at the turn of events. It was almost as if the two had reverted back to their younger selves.
It was a rare occurrence to witness indeed—not just one but two men showing interest in Mary, of all people.
Lydia, her usual dramatic self, whispered loudly, “Two admirers, can you believe it? Two! Has hell truly frozen over? And not only that, but mother has chosen Mary to care for them. Mary is the least likely person to get all this attention from anyone, and here she is with not one, but two gentlemen interested in her!” She crossed her arms petulantly, despite her best efforts, a flash of prominent jealously heavily printed on her face.

“I think they both seem... proper enough given the circumstances, don’t you? Though I have to say, I’m quite pleasantly surprised to see that Mary has come out of her shell enough to make some new acquaintances during her stay in London.” Jane offered a diplomatic response with a patient smile.

Lydia let out a little huff, her arms crossed over her chest. “I’ve never known Mary to have friends, let alone earn the admirations from a suitor. And in any matter, how could she have even met them in the first place. She was never one for socialising!”

Elizabeth, leaning against the wall with a knowing smile, joined in. “Perhaps they’re just new acquaintances who have grown a soft spot for her. As we all know, Mary isn’t the kind of person to divulge in speaking about matters of the heart.”

“Plus, we should be happy for her! I mean, if anyone deserves two admirers, it’s Mary!” Perhaps it was the guilt from not treating her well when she was younger, but Kitty was determined to support Mary in this endeavour.

Lydia leaned forward to let out a conspiratorial whisper, “Do you think Mr. Hayward actually likes Mary? He’s so serious... much too serious, if you ask me. I would have thought someone more interesting would caught his attention.” She sighed deeply, as if imagining the life, she could have possibly had if she were in Mary’s shoes.

Upon hearing her statement, Elizabeth shot back with her signature playful side that her sisters were all too familiar with. “Interesting? You cannot deny that there must have been something interesting about Mary to have convinced these two men to travel a great length to check in on her. I think the words unpredictable and boy-crazy would describe you best, Lydia.”

Shooting her older sister a blank look, she continued as if uninterrupted in the first place. “After giving it some thought, I suppose quiet, serious men do have some of an appeal.” She sniffed.

“Perhaps he’s drawn to Mary by her... ability to read extremely boring books?”

Kitty shook her head. “Oh, Lydia, you do have a way with words. From what little I’ve overhead because you keep talking,” She shot her a meaningful look to which her sister feigned ignorance. “I’m under the impression that Mr. Hayward seems to appreciate Mary’s company.”

Lydia waved her hand dismissively, rolling her eyes. “Well, I’m only saying! He’s way too serious. Not quite my type, but he’s handsome, in his own way of course.” She paused, then added dramatically, gesturing towards her very much pregnant belly. “I just don’t understand. I’m the one who should be getting the attention!”

Kitty raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the gossip more than she’d admit. “It’s not about who deserves the attention more. As strange as this may sound to you, Mr. Hayward could very well like Mary. On the other hand, Mr. Ryder certainly seems intent on stealing all of the attention. He’s a handful, but I bet he’d make a fine husband for someone who enjoys... chaos.”

Lydia’s face lit up at the mention of Mr. Ryder. “Ah, Mr. Ryder... now he is exciting! Charming, dramatic, a bit wild—exactly what I like. But Mary? She’s so stoic around him, I don’t think they’re a right fit at all!”

Kitty leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. “I rather think it’s more than that, they both bring out a different side to Mary. It’s evident that she cares for them, just in different ways.” She sniffed.

“I don’t know, Lydia, Mary doesn’t revolve herself around drama... unlike someone else I know.”

Lydia’s eyes narrowed, and she gave Kitty a playful shove. “You know I love a bit of excitement. Is that so wrong?”

Jane, who had been quietly listening, added in her two cents with a shake of her head, “I think you’re all being a bit too dramatic. Mary’s doing her best in being a hospitable and attentive host to our guests.”

Kitty, who was still glued to the doorframe couldn’t resist in her response. “But don’t you think it’s a bit strange? For all her life, Mary lived for her books and quiet solitude, and now of a sudden there are two men quite literally pining for her attention.”

“That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to explain, how completely and utterly odd this whole situation is!” Lydia threw her hands up the air in resignation as if fed up with the fact that no one was agreeing with her.

Elizabeth, never one to miss a chance to tease, leaned in with a smirk. “Oh, Lydia, I’m sure Mary’s perfectly charming in her own way. She doesn’t seek attention, but that doesn’t mean it’s not deserved when it comes her way.”

She paused for dramatic effect to which Lydia shot her a withering stare. “But you might be right about one thing. Both of them certainly seem captivated by her.”
Kitty raised an eyebrow, her tone more thoughtful. “Do you think she’s enjoying it, though?”

Lydia rolled her eyes at Kitty. “Of course, she’s enjoying it. Who wouldn’t? She’s the centre of attention. Can you imagine? Two men competing for her affections? It’s enough to make anyone jealous!”

“Though knowing Mary, she would not even be aware that they are fighting over her.” Jane mused, pondering as she tapped a finger on her chin. “But regardless, we should not interfere with what’s going on. We would not want to overwhelm our dear sister.”

As if she was the devil on her sister’s shoulder Kitty grinned. “But what if we interfere just a little? I mean, wouldn’t it be fun to see them compete for her? I love a good rivalry!”

That statement alone was enough to cause Lydia’s eyes to light up, mischief sewed into her tone. “Well, I suppose it would be entertaining to watch. If we’re lucky, they’ll both be at her feet in no time. But for now...” She tapped her feet impatiently with a frown etched on her face. Glaring at the door as if it was the perpetrator of her torment, “What’s taking Mary so long?”

Elizabeth laughed heartily. “Oh Lydia, who would have thought Mary having suitors would unite us all.”

Mr William Ryder was quite the storyteller.

Or the very least, that’s what he boasted about being.

He had a certain flair about him that she was quite certain that he revelled in engaging himself within the realm of making a simple story into quite the convoluted one.
But nevertheless, Mary was prepared to be nothing but a keen listener.

“Now Mary, I have to ask. Are you sitting comfortably?” He paused for dramatic effect, to which Mary hoped she offered a placating smile. William had been rather insistent that Mary stopped flickering around the room to sit down beside him, comparing her to an overworked mother trying to look after her unruly children.

“Then I shall begin at once, my lady!” He grinned infectiously to which Mary could not help but return in kind. He possessed the kind of charisma that she wished she would pull off naturally.

“Now when you left my dinner party in such haste, I was beside myself with worry about you worrying about your mother—”

As if the memory had struck her head on, she raised a hand. “Oh, I have been meaning to speak with you about that, Mr Ryder.”

He blinked owlishly for a moment, tilting his head to the side in evident confusion. “What did you wish to speak to me about, Miss Bennet?”

It felt like word vomit the moment she opened the mouth, the words spilling out messily.

“I…I wanted to apologise for breaking your late father’s bell jar, I know that it must have held sentimental value to you.”

Grief was an all-consuming experience. It came in ebbs and flows especially when you were not expecting it. While Mr Bennet’s fatherly approach left much to be desired, she could not forget the moments where he stood up for her against the wrath of her mother. It was rare to have someone fight in her corner growing up so when it happened, she could not help but feel appreciative of it.

Confusion instantly melted into something akin to relief on his face as he waved her concerns off without even a second thought. “Miss Bennet please do not trouble yourself over such matters,”

Upon seeing her about to protest he held up a hand. “I can assure you that I have not been terribly cross with you. If I have felt anything, it is that I have…been concerned about you. Which is why I rushed to rally the troops to make such arrangements to visit you to check on how your mother has been faring. And well, I could see that Tom also shared my sentiments. I managed to pull some strings in which he could take leave from work, as you know, he has a quite a terrible penchant for working himself too hard.”

Mary glanced over at the said man who had succumbed to the tempting call of slumber, a restless look that was becoming all too common was etched onto his face. She could not help herself as she stood up to carefully slide off his glasses to place onto the side table, change the washcloth from his forehead; to rearrange the blanket around him so it covered him more.

Almost as if she had the magic touch, the lines on his face smoothed out noticeably. Upon seeing this, Mary’s face softened. For someone as kind-hearted as Mr Hayward, he was more than deserving to be treated to kindness too.

“He most certainly does,” She spoke softly, not to startle him back into the waking world.

“He, of course, tried every trick in the book to try to get out of it. But my dashedly charms were enough to win him over—”

Or he merely accepted his fate that he would not be able to sway his friend’s opinion and conceded defeat.

“—and then we were off! It was all quite exciting; it is always a treat to have a travelling companion. Makes the journey much more enjoyable. Though, he was quite withdrawn for a good portion of it. Had to break him out of his thoughts when it looked like they are getting too heavy.”

Mary nodded his head along as he spoke, as she returned back to her seat.

“We were lucky at first, the weather was glorious and I had hoped to bring the beautiful weather over to you. Anything to have earned a smile would have been enough to satisfy my worries about you. That is to say, I have noticed there is a glow about you, Miss Bennet. It’s not noticeable at first, at least not until I first spoke to you over the punch bowl.”

She allowed a smile to grace her face at that, remembering how he teased her about how he admired how she had a restrained relationship to punch. Which was soon followed by the memory of Mr Ryder being victorious in getting the punch riddle right.

“And then over time, the glow has grown to the point where I think I may require something to cover my own eyes.” At that, he covered his eyes with his hand. Then he slowly peeked out at her, to which Mary swatted his hand good naturedly feeling embarrassed all over again.

“But you have distracted me as you always do, Miss Bennet. Back to the riveting tale, my goal to bring the sun just would not work. I’ll have to remember next time to send a letter in advance to the gods, should I need to do so. I must have done or said something to upset them because soon after, the weather took a turn for the worst towards the second leg of the journey. It became a rather a cold and miserable expedition, there ended up being a problem with one of the wheels getting stuck in the mud which meant the only way forward was to walk. Luckily it was not far of a walk however given the weather conditions, it felt like a heroic quest battling against the rain and wind. I’m certain by the end Tom and I must have looked like a pair of drowned rats.”

“Mr Ryder,” She began, shaking her head in complete and utter disbelief. “It was a completely stupid idea for you to travel in such a state. Anything could have happened to you two, I know it’s not common for attacks in this area but even so, you must practice vigilance in unfamiliar areas.” At this point, Mary did not know whether to lecture him or slap some sense into him.

However—what was done is done. It was a feat in itself that the pair managed to haul themselves to Pemberley House in the first place. And Mr Ryder had the decency to look even a bit ashamed of himself.

“You should have turned back; I would not have thought less of you.” Mary gently reprimanded which slightly served to lift his spirits.

“Aha but you see Miss Bennet,” He offered a cheeky wink. “Once I set out to do something, I make sure to carry it through until the end.”

“And what exactly have you set out to do, Mr Ryder?” From the secretive glint in his eyes, she was already a step ahead of him in guessing he would be the type of person to take secrets to the grave.

“Well now, I can’t have you knowing all my secrets, Miss Bennet.” He mimicked his lips being zipped shut then threw his arm back as if he was chucking a key away.

“What is he saying? Something about a secret?”

There was a harsh shushing noise. “You’re going to get us caught if you cannot lower your voice to a whisper, Lydia!”

Mary was only look exasperated about the last ten seconds for a moment before she accepted defeat in this case and laughed.

“Miss Bennet, I had been wondering if you have had any time to read more of the poetry book I lent you?” Tom inquired, an anticipatory look marred on his face.

She blinked, in the process of wringing the new washcloth into the bowl. The brunette had initially struggled with the new world of poetry. It contained secrets that took time to decode—that is to say, if she could think of the possible interpretations that the author had set out to write about.

Mary appreciated the art of poetry. It blended words and emotions together to create a symphony for its audience. She just wished she had the mind for it initially, but now after properly delving into it more with an open mind, she was starting to understand reading in-between the lines.

“I have been drawn to the poem ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’,” She started, placing the cloth on Mr Hayward’s forehead. She could see the instant relief that overcame his face and as if she mirrored him, she also could feel relieved that it was helping him.

“Oh? And how are you finding it, Miss Bennet?” He looked hopeful at her; she nearly crumbled at the puppy-doglike eyes. But she would not allow her resolve to do such a thing.

Not in the presence of company anyway.

“Wordsworth speaks about nature in such a thought revoking way, how we are virtually intertwined with it and that this connection is vital in finding happiness.” A reminiscent smile curled at the ends of her lips with her next thought. “Also, the mention of daffodils reminded me of a friend of mine.”

Tom’s face melted even more, if that was possible. He absolutely beamed at her at this point with as much energy as he could conjure. “I am glad to hear that it brought you some comfort, in what way did it remind you of your friend, Miss Bennet?”

“She compared me to a daffodil; I did not understand it at the time because she referred to my sisters as lilies—”

“If I may interrupt—”

Tom turned his head away with a scowl as he silently mouthed the words to himself. “Of course you would interrupt.”

“I have to argue that daffodils are a beautiful addition towards making a flower bouquet, they would brighten anyone’s day, just like yourself Miss Bennet.” Oblivious to anyone but himself, Mr Ryder shot his best smile her way.

“…That is very kind of you to say, Mr Ryder.” Mary blinked, sharing a silent apologetic look with Tom before she went over to Mr Ryder to change his washcloth.

“Of course, you must always remember that you deserve to be shown off Miss Bennet. Once you return back to London, I insist on hosting a riddle game evening so that we can have a proper rematch.”

Mary remembered that night with the most fondness memories. It was meant to be one of her final nights in London following the letter from her mother who had outright demanded that she returned home to look after her new pup.

“That sounds wonderful, I look forward to it Mr Ryder.” The man in question could only grin, which especially grew more radiant as he met Mr Hayward’s eyes over the top of Mary’s head.

As Mary opened the door to leave the room to fetch something from the kitchen, her sisters quickly scrambled to act nonchalant. Lydia, Kitty, and Elizabeth and Jane had been leaning in, trying to catch every word with rapt attention.

Lydia immediately straightened her posture, her hand protectively resting on her round belly as if nothing unusual had been going on. “Oh, we were just—uh—talking about the weather,” she said innocently, though her flustered expression gave her away.

Kitty, always quick to follow Lydia’s lead, tried to look casual, though her nervous laughter betrayed her. “Yes, just, you know... the weather. Nothing else. At all.”
Elizabeth, suppressing a grin, added in her best attempt at feigning innocence, “Exactly. No one was eavesdropping at all. Certainly not.”

Mary, her brow slightly furrowed as stopped beside them, not taking notice of the relieved looks being exchanged behind her back.

“Yes well, our guests are making good progress. They should be better any day now.” She reported matter-of-factly with a nod.

“Have they mentioned at all why they have travelled so far?” Lydia was impatient as she looked towards Mary.

She blinked a few times. “It has not come up in conversation; I did not want to burden them with an interrogation when they need to focus on resting. Perhaps, if you are insistent on getting the
answer, why not just ask them yourself Lydia?”

The sister in question’s mouth dropped in shock.

“Now if you would all excuse me, I need to go fetch a fresh pot of tea.”

As soon as she was out of earshot, immediately Lydia exploded through the form of hurried whispers as if she had been holding it in since Mary opened the door, “Well, I think it’s safe to say she does not have a clue what’s going on, does she?”

“Mary has never been one to be able to read in-between the lines when it comes to social interactions, she’s always had a black and white view on things. Besides we all know Mary, the last thing on her mind was to find a love match.” Jane pointed out, referring back to their sister’s painful and disappointing memories of such experiences with Mr Sparrow and Mr Collins.

Elizabeth nodded her head in agreement. “And that, my dear sisters, is precisely why they like her. Mary doesn’t try to impress anyone. They’re both drawn to her for who she is because once people give her a fair chance, they realise she’s a hidden gem.”

Lydia, always one for drama and inability to keep secrets, revealed a letter she had kept hidden. “Mary dropped this letter from her friend Anne; I skipped most of it, but it said something about Mr Hayward and how they had agreed to end their mutual understanding. Do you know what this means?”

“Lydia,” Jane reprimanded with a disapproving look.

“Yes, yes I will return this is due course Jane.” She dismissively stated, a mischievous glint flashed in her eyes.

“So you mean to say that Mr Hayward and Mr Ryder are both here to express an interest in pursuing Mary?” Kitty nearly exploded with excitement.

Elizabeth could only smile at her sisters getting ahead of themselves. “Now ladies, we don’t know if that is their planned intentions.”

“But if it is the case, then our mother will no doubt be over the moon by the prospect of two candidates for Mary.” Jane could only sigh at the headache that would cause her younger sister. “God help her should it come to that.”

Mary wasn’t entirely sure when Mr Ryder had procured a bell. She had a sneaky feeling that her mother—or perhaps even Lydia—had something to do with it.

And he seemed to develop a habit of ringing it every single time she was speaking with Mr Hayward.

“I have been meaning to ask Miss Bennet, how have you been?”

“Well I, er, I have been managing well. This is my first time being entrusted to look after guests.” She scratched her cheek.

Tom smiled, tilting his head. “Is that so? I have to say your bedside manner has been nothing short of excellent.”

Mary felt her cheeks flare up, shaking her head on instinct. “That’s far too kind of a compliment. The servants have done all the hard labour. I guess I have just been lucky to have pleasant guests to look after.”

Mr Hayward’s eyes lowered to her rosy cheeks; they crinkled ever so slightly in satisfaction that he had caused such an effect. He opened his mouth to speak only to be interrupted by the sound of a bell ringing.

“Miss Bennet, if I could have a moment of your time,” Mr Ryder would start, looking at her with what could only be described as a puppy-dog look expression.

The woman in question could only look apologetically towards the junior barrister, he merely inclined his head with a small smile. A smile that dropped once she had turned her back as he stared at his friend who caught his eyes with a cheeky grin.

It was crystal clear to anyone other than Mary Bennet that Mr Hayward had been worrying about her.

Mary’s sisters were able to recognise the longing in his eyes whenever he even so much as glanced at her, the way they traced every feature on her face as if here were trying to commit it to memory and even by the most minuscule of touches where their hands would accidently graze, he would subconsciously linger over it.

“There’s no doubt about it; he’s absolutely smitten by her.” Lydia nodded her head sagely as she reported her findings after barging into the room with another one of her ridiculous excuses.

Mr Hayward was hesitant for a moment before he looked towards Mary, who was sitting beside him with a book. It felt almost domestic.

He cleared his throat, to which she glanced up. “Well, Miss Bennet,” Tom said, his voice was soft but earnest, “I do hope you’re not feeling too overwhelmed by all of this. You have been most kind.”

Mary smiled, touched by the sincerity in his demeaner. “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Hayward. I am just happy to help however I can.”

Tom glanced at William, who was now pretending to cough dramatically into his handkerchief. He could feel a bell chime in his future.

“I mean,” Tom continued, looking back at Mary, “it’s only right to you that I express my thanks. After all, you’ve been so... generous with your time. I...” His words faltered for a moment as his gaze met hers. There was a softness in his eyes, something unspoken and vulnerable that he could not utter out loud.

Mary’s heart fluttered again. It was doing that a lot lately. There was a warmth to Tom that she felt privileged to experience. She opened her mouth to respond when an insistent jingle cut into the air.

“Miss Bennet, I suddenly feel the urge to dance. Won’t you humour me?” Without waiting for a response, he clambered out of bed, reaching his hands out as an invitation.

Mary shot him an unimpressed glance. “Mr Ryder, there is no music. And in any case, you are not in a position to be dancing right now.”

As is spurred on by the challenge, he did a twirl—albeit shakily but he managed one, nonetheless.

“I have to insist that you go back to bed. You were just lucky that time that you did not fall on your face.” The brunette stood up, knowing that she would most likely have to guide the lost soul back to his temporary residence.

Mr Hayward, having watched the interaction in fuming silence, was starting to lose his patience. “Mr Ryder, perhaps it would be wise to listen to Miss Bennet.”

But the man was clearly not to be deterred. He was able to evade Mary’s attempts in pushing him back towards the direction of his bed.

“What if I hum music, would that please you, Miss Bennet?” He switched to a bargaining method, wagging his eyebrows teasingly.

Mary felt a smile try to pull at the corners of her lips despite her growing frustration at his lack of cooperation. This man was incorrigible.

She lifted a hand to try and usher him back, only for him to take advantage of a golden opportunity as his hand engulfed hers. Taken off guard, she felt herself being spun around and dizzily fell into his chest.

“Mr Ryder,” She started, looking up at his smiling face. Only to hear a hard thud from the other side of the room.

Tom could not help himself as he watched William being so close to Mary, in a second, he felt his gaze turn red. In his haste to try and separate them, he miscalculated his step as he attempted to fumble out of the confines of his blanket and the next thing he knew, he toppled sideways.

Mary looked back to see Mr Hayward tangled up in his blanket, immediately she broke away from William to attend to him.

“Oh Mr Hayward, are you quite alright? That sounded like a hard fall.” She fussed over him, trying and struggling to pull him up to sit back on the bed. Luckily, he was able to shoulder most of the weight which greatly eased the task.

He adjusted his glasses, looking bashful all of a sudden. “My apologises Miss Bennet, I tried to help with assisting Mr Ryder back to bed but I seem to have…misplaced my footing.”

She could only sigh in relief that he was not hurt further. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I can assure you that I am perfectly capable of making sure Mr Ryder is where he needs to be—”

As if the gods were revelling in testing her today, another hard thump was heard behind her.

Then as if by clockwork, the irritating chime of a bed echoed throughout the room.

“Miss Bennet, I regret to inform you that gravity is working against me. I find myself stuck on the floor and unable to move!” He bemoaned, throwing an arm over his eyes as if struck by a deep tragedy.

Mary only had the energy to stare at him before Lydia erupted suddenly through the door. She took a moment to fully take in the scene before she proclaimed loudly, “I can’t help, I’m pregnant.”

Kitty, who had followed her inside, shot her a bewildered look. “Then why did you shove me out of the way if you weren’t going to help?”

She looked unabashed as she staged whispered. “To look at Mr Ryder of course, do keep up sister.”

Jane and Elizabeth, having watched the debacle from the doorway smiled at their sister’s antics. The latter calling out, “Do not worry Mr Ryder, I can arrange for a servant to come assist you.”

It was at that instance that Mary realised she had never seen him move so quickly nor sheepishly.

It did not take long for the dynamic duo to make a full recovery.

Much to the relief of one Mary Bennet.

While they commended Mary for the main reason for this, she could only humbly say that the doctor was the person responsible for that.

“I cannot express my gratitude enough for the kindness you have extended to m—us. I hope that hi—our company haven’t given you too much of a headache during our stay. I look forward to returning such kindness on our next meeting, Miss Bennet.” Tom spoke with the promise of making it up to her, his eyes softened greatly, the emotions that swirled with them remained hidden to Mary.

Mr Hayward took the reins on deciding that it would be for the best that they return back, not wanting to inconvenience Mary or her family any further than they already have.

Mr Ryder looked like he was going to protest, most likely happy enough to stick around longer, however after a tense and private debrief with Mr Hayward he settled with a “I look forward to the prospect of visiting again, it has been a most wonderful experience seeing you Mary and of course meeting your family.”

As she prepared to bid Mr Ryder and Mr Hayward goodbye and wish them safe journey, Mrs Bennet had resigned herself to remaining in the drawing room to sulk.

Because in her mother’s words, she was her ‘greatest disappointment’ for not securing a match even when the gods had practically made an offering of two eligible gentlemen on a silver platter to her.

Despite the fact that there was no talk of possible engagements, it left her feeling hopeful for the future.

For she did not require romantic love to be happy. Perhaps it was not to be that she would find love in this lifetime.

Instead, she would have been a fool to waste the opportunities life had been given to her in favour of remaining as a companion to her mother.

Little did Mary know that she would be set to join Mr and Mrs Gardiner on a trip to the Lake District in the near future, cleverly orchestrated by none other than Mrs Elizabeth Darcy and her aunt Mrs Gardiner.

Both of whom were determined to play matchmaker to make the dear blissfully unaware Mary the next Mrs Hayward.

fin