Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

4

Even though that he knew that John was fine, Darcy feared that there would be another incident due to his carelessness and the carelessness of the people around him. It was what had distracted him during dinner and the game of cards afterwards that Mr. Bennet wished not to attend, but Darcy had made sure that no one could know. He has become very skilled with hiding his emotions, but when around Mr. Bennet, those skills have lately faltered. 

He was pulled out of thought when Mr. Bennet entered the room, Darcy being the first to stand once again. Everyone quieted down and the men stood up in respect while the women stayed seated.

"How is he?" Charles eagerly asked. 

"He is fast asleep." Mr. Bennet answered with a beautiful smile on his face. 

"I am sure she'll be quite well." Charles assured. "Please, join us, Mr. Bennet."

"Thank you, but I'll amuse myself with a book." Mr. Bennet politely declined Charles' offer, much to Darcy's disappointment.

"You prefer reading to cards?" Inquired Mr. Hurst.

"I prefer a great many things to cards, Mr. Hurst." Mr. Bennet answered with the same enchanting smile on his face, bringing a lovely sound to his words.

"One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of another." Miss Bingley says in Japanese, causing herself and the Hurst's to chuckle in amusement at Mr. Bennet's obliviousness.

"I don't speak Japanese." Mr. Bennet stated, smile still hanging onto his face. 

"No, of course. You didn't train in Japan." Caroline mocked.

Darcy wanted to say something, to put Caroline in her place, but it wasn't his business to do such since he wasn't her spouse, brother, or father, so he stayed quiet, sentiment in mind. "China, was it?"

"The Shaolin Temple in Henan Province." Mr. Bennet proudly stated, not ashamed of sharing where she trained. "It was there that I learned to endure all manner of discomfort."

Darcy's mind started to wander at that statement. As a respectable man, he shouldn't be thinking about these things, especially in public, but he couldn't help it if his mind wandered to the general uncleanliness that is sex.

"May I inquire as to the nature of this discomfort?" Caroline asked as Darcy took a sip of his drink to block out the thoughts.

"I would much rather give you a demonstration." Mr. Bennet answered, Darcy swallowing his drink hard with a red tint on his face. The words mixed with the delivery and Mr. Bennet's expression was almost too much. He stared as Mr. Bennet went in search of a book.

"Mr. Darcy, is your sister much grown since the spring?" Caroline inquired, obviously wanting to steer the conversation away from Mr. Bennet.

"She is now about the same height as Mr. Elliot Bennet." Darcy answered, forcing the conversation to stay on Mr. Bennet, even if it is just a little. He watched as Mr. Bennet turned his head in curiosity.

"I don't believe I've ever met a girl who was so extremely accomplished." Caroline complimented, but was obviously trying to put down Mr. Bennet. 

It was no secret that Caroline had set her sights on Darcy. Darcy didn't know whether it was money, feelings, or a mix of both. He saw the way she looked at him and the way that she would basically push her "competition" away by putting them down and reminding Darcy of their different class levels, like she had just done with Mr. Bennet. Darcy didn't believe that class should be a factor on who gets to marry each other and who doesn't, he believed that the people involved should have a say in it.