Her spirits restored by such a refreshing connection from a woman of greater status than she, Elizabeth Darcy began to feel hope that perhaps she had not married too far above her station. Perhaps, she was destined to run in this set all along as her husband liked to tease her.

The holiday festivities loomed much closer on the other side of the Duke’s visit. Despite Mrs. Bennet’s effusions that the Cavendish family stay longer, and hinting the young Duke might find a match in her two available daughters, His Grace and sister left the following day. Above stairs that afternoon, Mary sat blissfully staring out the window of her personal suite in her brother-in-law’s house.

Tumbles of rain drifted down the outside of the window pane. Mary found a peace and solace watching smaller drops race, crashing into the bigger drops until finally the drop became so large it merely puddled and slid off the window entirely. Wrapped in a quilted blanket around her shoulders, Mary leaned against the window and tried to remember the feeling of her Colonel’s arms around her. Her reminiscing was cut short when her bedroom door burst open and both Georgiana and Kitty stumbled in unannounced.

“Georgiana has promised to play piano so that we might practice our dancing,” Kitty announced.

“No, thank you.” Mary turned away from her younger sisters and stared more intently out the window beyond the droplets to the expanse of land before her. Her decline to dance had nothing to do with the fact that every time such an invitation was extended, it was she who ended up playing piano forte while Georgiana and Kitty practiced the steps. She simply did not possess the energy to play jolly.

“You can’t pine away up here all winter. Besides, what will your suitor in a fine redcoat think if you are unable to keep your step in the ballroom?” Kitty mimed bumbling dance moves bringing a giggle from Georgiana behind her and a frown from Mary.

“Despite my better efforts, you’ll be pleased to note he is not my fine suitor in a red coat. I wrote to him over two months ago and I have yet to receive anything back. I was sure to have a letter from him by December.” Mary dramatically lifted herself from the window seat and carried herself back to her bed. She did not believe playing up one’s behavior to inspire pity around them; the pains in her heart and aches of her body were very real to her rejected person.

“How many letters did you send?” Georgiana approached Mary on the bed and sat on the edge by her feet. The question was not mocking but asked in a genuine tone of interest.

“I believe spilling one’s heart in one letter satisfactory enough in conveying the message.” Mary groaned anticipating teases and barbs from her younger sisters, but none came. When Mary finally opened her eyes to take a careful squinting look at the two young women, before her were only faces of concern.

Georgina Darcy furrowed her brows and thought. Within moments, she began thinking out loud. “If Richard received the letter and did not respond then he is dull. And if he is dull, than he needs another letter to break him of the habit. And if he did not receive the letter, and that is why he does not respond, then he needs another letter because he never received the first.”

The logic made sense for Kitty and she definitively agreed with Georgiana. “Yes, you must write him another letter! And we shall help you!”

Mary felt ill to her stomach. The first letter boldly declaring herself the wife of a soldier expended enormous amounts of bravery, and now two young women not yet entered into society wished her to do it again?

“I cannot possibly, you do not understand.”

“But we do! You’re sad and you mope around,” she paused to make a face imitating Mary’s long features when she was unhappy, “and the cause of it is Georgiana’s cousin. She’s known him her whole life, perhaps she can give you insights on how to best apply to his nature.”

“I already made my overtures. He has spurned them-“

“You don’t know that-” Georgiana interrupted.

“What other explanation could there be? I am certain he received my letter and likely cast it into the fire not long after he opened it.” Mary rolled over away from her sisters burying her face in the pillows. She wanted to cry but she could not claim ownership to any more tears. She wanted to rage and scream and kick, but that would do no good either. So instead, Mary just existed. Breathing in and out, wondering how long such exercise would be needed to suffocate oneself.

Kitty’s usual jubilant behavior halted as she viewed the physical anguish in her sister. Was this truly what it was like to be in love? How dreadful! Wistfully, Kitty twisted her lips into a half-frown of disapproval and pulled out her trump card.

“Mary Catherine Bennet you will write him another letter and try again, or, or I will . . .”

Mary rolled back over to see the new confidence in her younger sister’s voice, daring to order her around. In another situation, it might have been amusing, but in this moment it merely irritated.

“You cannot compel me to pour my heart out again. I shall not.”

“Oh yes, you will!” Kitty gleefully smiled and clasped her hands in front of her as she stood close to the edge of the bed. She bent down to whisper her threat. “Or I’ll tell Mama she should write the Colonel because he won’t write back to you.”

Rage surged through Mary’s veins at such an evil breach of sisterly loyalty. Her anger was expressed in the very sudden volley of a pillow to Kitty’s head with a loud groan. Mary Bennet surrendered.

The two girls reached out to tickle and help their unhappy sister from bed, pleased they had won their battle. But Mary had other thoughts flitting through her mind. Once she satisfied the need to write Richard, she would write a second letter of even greater importance. It was time to ask her Uncle Gardiner to make good on his promise.