Mary Bennet : Pride and Prejudice

21.

For a few days after burning Mr Wright's letter, Mary felt miserable. Along side Mr Wright's news she had caught a cold and stayed in the room to recover.

"Madam, there is a letter for you," the maid handed her a letter. When Mary read, it was addressed to her sister Catherine Bennet, from Mr Ivanov. Kitty had mentioned him in her letters. She grew curious and wanted to open the letter, to reveal what Kitty might be hiding from her. After Lydia's betrayal, Mary like her papa did not trust Kitty. But as they grew closer, she needed to trust her and could not open this letter and break her bond with Kitty. So she did not open the letter. Instead she asked the maid to find out who delivered the letter and a Mr Ivanov.

The day of the soiree arrived and Mary had luckily recover fully. Jane was very pleased with this, but also a little hesitant as her sisters in laws and brother in law were going to join them.

"Mary!" She gasped in horror. "No! You cannot wear that!"

"Why?" Mary asks as she stands in a modest navy blue gown with black embroidery.

"In London, a soiree, is not just a gathering!" Jane emphasised. It is like an event where people dress extravagantly."

"I do not have anything better than this," Mary said worried.

"Do you want to borrow mine," Jane offered.

"I have a white grown Elizabeth bought me, but it is very extravagant," she brushed it off.

"Show me," Jane demanded as her eyes lit up. She touched the pearls handing and the soft silk fabric of the dress. "You are wearing this!" She ordered.

"But it is too much!" Mary objected.

"Mary! You will fit right it," she explained. "Listen to me this once," she pleaded.

"Okay," Mary agreed

As Mary walked down the stairs, everyone were at awe.

"Miss Bennet!" You look marvellous!" Mr Bingley said amazed.

"Very beautiful!" Mr Hurst complimented

"Isn't it a bit too much?" One of his sisters commented.

"No, it's perfect!" Jane interjected as they boarded their carriages.

As soon as they arrived, all eyes fell on Mary. There were people dressed extravagantly but none so tasteful as Mary. She felt everyone staring at her and shrugged, till Jane squeezed her hand and asked her giving her more confidence. Jane introduced Mary to everyone in the room.

"Miss Bennet," Mrs Watson, an old but posh looking lady said. "You are a young woman of this era, tell me what do you think about women's rights," she asked as everyone drew their attention to this new face curious to judge her.

"Suffrage movement," Mary started off. She usually read literally and did not venture much into socio political state of the world, but because she often visited her Uncle Mr Philip, she had an idea about all such issues.

"I think it is high time that women are considered intellectual equal to me." She said confidentiality as everyone smiled warily. "It also important to consider that a democratic government is a rule making body. They make rules which affects every person, regardless of their sex, Color or creed. Therefore, it becomes important that women who are roughly half the he population of men, have a say in making these laws.

"But why are you assuming men cannot make laws for the betterment of women?" A man objected. "There is a bill about to pass in the Parliament, which proposes a marriages woman to have the right to own and control land herself. This law was also made by such men." He countered.