Pride and Prejudice (Hazbin Hotel ver.)

Chapter 5: Rough n' Tumbleweed Farm

Within a short walk from Morningstar's residence lived a family whom they were particularly friendly with. Sir Joe Lucas had gotten the honor of knighthood for his service in the armed forces. It had given him a disgust towards his former residence in a small market town, so he decided to move his family into a farmhouse he quite brutally named Rough n' Tumbleweed Farm, a place where he could think with pleasure of his own importance unshackled by his past. He could finally occupy himself solely in being civil to all the world.

Lady Lin Lucas was a rather friendly woman and a caring mother. Like the Morningstar family, the Lucas family was quite large, having two daughters and three sons. Often they had Sir Joe Lucases niece over who visited them so frequently that she was considered as their daughter as well. That niece was Charlotte's good friend Niffty.

Meeting between Miss Lucases and the Miss Morningstars to talk about the ball that happened the night before was absolutely necessary and in the morning the Morningstars were at the Rough n' Tumbleweed Farm to do just that.

"You began the evening well, Milly," complimented Mrs. Morningstar Miss Milly Lucas with civil self-command. "You were Mr. Bingley's first choice."

"Oh yes, but he seemed to like his second partner much better." Replied Miss Milly humbly.

"Oh! You mean Vaggie, I suppose, because he danced with her twice. It did seem as if he admired her, I rather believe he did. I even heard something about it; but I hardly know what; something about Mr. Robinson."

"Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mr. Robinson," Miss Niffty chimed in, " Mr. Robinson asked Mr. Bingley how he liked the ball and what he thought about the ladies, and which he thought to be the prettiest? He immediately answered the last question: 'Oh! Miss Vagatha Morningstar, beyond a doubt!'"

"Upon my word! Well, that is decided indeed, but however, it may all come to nothing, you know."

"I also overheard what Mr. Darcy said about you, Charlie," Miss Niffty continued while ignoring Mrs. Morningstar. "Mr. Darcy isn't well worth listening to as his friend, is he? Poor Charlie! You sure are tolerable."

"I beg you wouldn't remind Charlie about his ill-treatment," scolded Mrs. Morningstar, "for he is such a disagreeable man, it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him. Mrs. Long told me last night that he sat close to her for half-an-hour without once addressing her."

"Are you quite sure, ma'am?" asked Charlotte. "I certainly saw Mr. Darcy speaking to her."

"Aye, because she asked him how he liked Netherfield, and he did answer; but she said he seemed quite irritated at being spoken to."

"Miss Mimzy told me," said Miss Sallie May Lucas, "that he mainly converses with his intimate acquaintances. With them he is remarkably agreeable."

"I don't believe a word of it. If he had been so very agreeable, he would have talked to Mrs. Long. But I can guess why; everybody says that he is full with pride, and maybe he had heard somehow that Mrs. Long doesn't have a carriage and came to the ball in a hired one."

"I don't mind him not talking to Mrs. Long," confessed Miss Niffty, "but I wish he had danced with Charlie."

"Maybe another time," said Mrs. Morningstar sarcastically, but then looked at Charlotte with a serious look, "but I wouldn't dance with him, if I were you, Charlie."

"Ma'am, I promise you to never dance with him."

"His pride," continued Miss Niffty, "doesn't offend me that much as pride often does, because there's an excuse for it. No wonder that such a fine young man, with family ties, fortune, everything in his favor, thinks highly of himself. If I may say so, he has the right to be proud."

"That is very true," replied Charlotte, "and I could easily forgive his pride, if it hadn't mortified mine."

"Oh hun!" Vagatha put an arm around Charlotte to comfort her.

"If I were as rich as Mr. Darcy," cried young Lucas, who came to check on his sisters, "I wouldn't care how proud I was. I would keep a pack of foxhounds, and drink a bottle of wine every day."

"Then you would drink a great deal more than you should," said Mrs. Morningstar, "and if I were there to see you at it, I would take away your bottle directly."

The boy protested that she shouldn't and she continued to declare that she would. The argument only ended when their visit did.