Mary Bennet : Pride and Prejudice

36.

As she walked home with a now active Emma and Henry she stopped near Ms Polly's door. She knocked it to find a fragile old lady with grey hair tied in a bun emerge.

"Good evening ma'am," Mary greeted. "I am Mary, Mr and Mrs Gardiner's niece. I will be staying at their residence and taking care the children till they return from their journey to Bath (a town in England).

"Oh, very well dear," the old lady kindly smiled. "If you need any help, asked me, for I may not help you I have a granddaughter and grandson who will," she informed.

"Thank you, my aunt has informed me you have a spare key to the nursery."

"Yes, wait a second," she says as she rummaged through a bowl near the entrance. "Here you go, she hands over the keys after a few minutes.

"I you would like...," Mary says before leaving. "I will be happy to bring you some flowers and herbs myself," she offers.

"Oh, what a kind gesture that would be," the old lady's eyes light up. "Would you like to come in?" She offers.

"Maybe some other time," Mary declines seeing an already tired Emma, Henry and Caroline.

She came home to Charles reading. Mary worried about Charles and him coming early from school.

"Is everything alright in your school, Charles?" She asked concern.

"Yes, he said rather dryly.

"Which school do you go to?" She asked.

"Grammar school," he informed still focusing on his book.

"Why do you come home early? Are you skipping classes?" She wondered.

"I...." He hesitated now giving his full attention to Mary. "I leave early because there is nothing else I can learn there," he says descriptively.

"What do your friends do?" She enquires.

"They play cricket," he informs. "And I rather not," he says before he goes off to his room.

Soon this became their routine and Mary enjoyed it but she still worries after Charles. Her mood was lightened one morning after she discovers a small but beautiful nursery in the backyard. It contained flowers, of while and pink colour, and herbs to at looked like chives and dill and some other which she didn't know. With the help of Caroline they packed the followers and herbs and went next door to give it her.

As the door opened a young girl appeared. She had curly brown hair and sparkling eyes.

"Can I help you?" She asked with a smile that seemed to be imprinted on the face.

"Yes, I am looking for Mrs Polly," Mary said as Caroline and she held brown bags filled with flowers and herbs.

"Yes, come in," she welcomed them with enthusiasm which Mary did not expect.

"Mamma!" She led them to a cream coloured room, modest for London. "They are here to see you."

"Oh! Mr Gardiner's niece!" She remembered. "I do not remember your name dear," she said a little guilty.

"Mary Bennet," she introduced herself as she and Caroline set aside the flowers and herbs. Caroline goes and hugs Mrs Polly as if she to familiarity.

"You are Emma or Caroline?" She inquired.

"Caroline," she replied again hugging the old lady.

"This is my daughter Susan Mark, Miss Bennet," she introduced.

"So you are Mr Gardiner's niece?" Susan made conversation.

Yes, Miss Mark, very nice to make your acquaintance," she said with pleasure.

"Call me Susan," she said a little irritated in good faith. "You and I seem to be almost the same age don't we?" She asked. "Although I might look old due to caring for my dear husband," she said with a laugher.

"No, Susan," Mary replied. "You look very beautiful!"

"Then we must be friends!" She immediately said holding Mary's hand.

"Of course," Mary replied a little startled by this sudden uncalled friendship. "You must call me Mary then!" She insisted.

As the two made acquaintances, Caroline spend time with the old Mrs Polly. Susan then asked Mary for a walk where she explained her mother's situation. Mrs Polly was about 85 and had developed bronchitis. In the start it seemed to be fine but as time passed it became worse. Now, she had been living with her mother for a few weeks for her husband worked in Harperture in London and traveled every week just to see her.

"That must be hard!" Mary sympathised.

"It is, but..." her eyes turned sad. "...I do not know how much time she has left."

"Do not worry!" Mary held her had not very in character with her nature. "She will be just fine," she tried to console her new friend even if they had just met.

"Thank you!" She received Mary's sympathy. After a pause, Susan asked, "what is your story, are you married?"

"No," Mary debated whether to tell her the foolish decisions she made that made her end up here.

"Then we ought to find you a husband!" Susan said with excitement rather than judgment. "I know of a Mr Lucas brown!" She said with excitement. "He works for Lord Howard!" She explained without much context. "I... she gathered her thoughts... I work for Lord Howard as a governess for few years now, and Mr Brown is his adviser," she finally explains to Mary's confused face.

"Do you want me to introduce you too?" She said eagerly as a match maker.

"He is tall, about 30, fair, has some grey hair but that is due to genes not age," she defended. "He is polite, wise and a gentleman!" She swooned. "If I had a sister, I would definitely want him to marry her!"

"I am flattered!" Mary said not able to match the pace with her new overzealous friend. "But...I think I will have to swore off men for my stay here was exactly to escape one," she revealed.

"Oh my!" She said shocked. "A lover?"

"No!" Mary defended her honour. "A refused engagement."

"Oh dear, I am sorry," she sympathised. "I've spoken too much, now let us go inside and eat," she invited her.

"I am afraid I must go, for there are 3 other of my nieces and nephew I need to care for," she said looking a little displeased to part with her new friend.

As Caroline and Mary walked hand in hand towards their house, Caroline, a timid, shy girl asked, "is Mrs Polly going to be alright?"

Mary looked at the little girl with worried eyes. "Yes dear, why what happened?" She scanned her nieces face to get a clue.

"She look like when grandpa died," Caroline says without any pain.

"Do not worry," Mary only manages to say, without lying to the little child.

"Will she become an angel like my grandpa and come visit me? She asks with sparkle in her eyes.

"Yes..." Mary said still not sure what words to use as they reached home.

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