Beauty Within, Pride and Prejudice Fanfiction

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Beauty Within ~ Section IBy Bethany

Section I,

Part One

Posted on Friday, 4 June 1999

Mary Bennet looked up in surprise as the carriage came to a rolling stop. She had been reading, and as usual, time swept away from her. She looked up to see her father snoring in the seat across from her. She didn't always think her father enjoyed her company much, and the trip to Pemberley corrected her assumption. Mr. Bennet had slept almost the whole trip. She wasn't about to wake him now, knowing what foul moods he could be in after waking from a nap.

She stuck her head out the window of the carriage and sucked in her breath in awe. When Lizzy had written about the beautiful grounds of her home, she hadn't been exaggerating. They were extravagant! Mary wanted to get out right then and run all the way to the house, or should she say mansion. Being an introvert and preferring a good book to a romp in the lanes, these feelings were quite new. Just as she was thinking of them, the carriage started again. She almost fell out of the carriage it surprised her so. She quickly awoke her father.

"Father! Father! Wake up, we're here!" Mary told him excitedly.

It was probably the pure joy in her voice that woke him up. That hadn't been heard in Mary Bennet's voice for a very long time.

"What are you blabbering about, daughter? You better have woken me up for a very nice reason."

"In truth, Father, I have! We're here! Would you take a look around you? It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen." she sighed.

"Then you haven't seen many places," Mr. Bennet said gruffly.

Mary rolled her eyes heavenward. Was her father going to be determined not to like Pemberley? He had been slightly angry at Mr. Darcy from the moment he asked for his favorite daughter's hand. Being parted from Lizzy left a big hole in his heart and for the time being he would not let nice looking grounds change his feelings.

The carriage soon came to a complete stop in front of Pemberley. Lizzy and her husband were waiting near the entrance for them. Lizzy looked just as pretty and happy as ever. Mr. Darcy was still as tall and as handsome, only he actually had a grin on his face. Mary had hardly ever seen that. She didn't know him very well, Mary reminded herself. She certainly knew Lizzy, her favorite sister, would not choose someone of an ill disposition to become her husband.

Mr. Bennet stepped out of the carriage and then helped his daughter down. Lizzy automatically ran to him first. Mary couldn't help but feel a small pang of hurt, but she knew that Elizabeth and her father were very close. The greeting Elizabeth gave Mary was hardly disinterested. Mr. Darcy was as civil as ever, only with a little charm mixed in.

"I love your grounds here, Mr. Darcy. They are just like my sister wrote about." Mary said shyly, as she grabbed her book from inside the carriage just before it started to drive away.

"Thank you, Mary. I do take great pride in them." Mr. Darcy smiled.

The small group headed into the house, followed by the servants with the Bennet's bags. The house was even more impressive on the inside. It was so furnished...so rich!

"Oh, Lizzy," Mary couldn't help saying, "how can you live in here everyday? I'd be too much in awe."

Elizabeth and her husband laughed.

"She was, for quite awhile."

The room Mary was put in was extravagantly furnished. Mary was afraid to touch anything, for fear of breaking it. As she was helping the servants unpack, Elizabeth came to the door.

"Would you like to take a walk in the lanes, sister?" she asked.

"Oh, yes!" Mary quickly exclaimed. They set out on a path around Pemberley.

"How are things back in Longbourn, Mary?" Lizzy asked.

"You mean, how is mother, don't you?" Mary and Elizabeth shared a look and laughed.

"You don't know how much I envy you, Lizzy. You get to live here, with the man you love...away from her."

"Is she really that bad?"

"She practically has a fit everyday because Kitty and I aren't married yet. For heaven's sake, I'm only nineteen. I shouldn't have to go out and marry the first man who looks at me-- which hasn't happened yet, mind you. Kitty and I don't get along much either."

"I suppose you are glad to be out of the house then?" Elizabeth teased.

"By all means! Your invitation was a godsend. When you invited Father, he was so happy. You are his favorite, you know, and he had lived without you for too long."

"Why didn't Kitty come also?"

"Because Father didn't want her. He can only take so much of me and even less of Kitty. I think he just wanted to get away from mother." Mary confided.

"Yes, I wonder what the poor man will do when we are all married."

They both laughed and agreed he would lock himself in his library or move permanently in with Jane or Elizabeth.

"Of course, I don't think I shall ever be married."

"Nonsense. All you need do is find the right man and everything will fall into place." Elizabeth smiled and got a far-away look in her eyes. Mary was sure she was thinking of Darcy.

"When are the other guests arriving?" Mary asked.

The Darcys had also invited the Bingleys and one of Bingley's friends to visit. Mary was looking forward to seeing her eldest sister, Jane again.

"They should be arriving before dinner." Elizabeth said.

Dinner would be in at least three hours.

"Unfortunately, we received some bad news." she didn't pause long enough for Mary to ask, "Miss Bingley will also be accompanying her brother." The look Elizabeth gave Mary was priceless.

Mary smiled and they started to head back to the house.

"I'm glad you came, Mary. The outdoors will do you a lot of good. You really do look quite pale." Elizabeth gave her a prying look, but did not ask.

Mary had always been plain. When words were spread about the Bennet girls beauty, it never included her. She was certainly not ugly and at times could look very appealing, but she was completely, without a doubt plain. The paleness and circles under her eyes were evidence of many late nights.

Mary had a passion that no one knew about. She wanted to be a writer. She had always written things down, poems and little stories every now and then, but now she wrote real stories. She supposed she was an author. She had gotten several stories in magazines and already had two books published--under a pen name, of course. Sometimes, when Mary was writing, she cold not stop until she was finished. If that meant burning candles until the wee hours of the night and sacrificing the beauty she didn't even possess, that was the price she would be forced to pay. Writing came above all else.

Elizabeth had been talking while Mary was thinking. Mary often daydreamed during conversations, which probably was the reason why people didn't want to talk to her. She was different because she constantly had stories in her head. Unfortunately, she couldn't write as fast as she thought things up.

"...I must end this trip short and oversee the dinner. I'm trying to make it special." Elizabeth finished.

"I'm sure it will be wonderful," Mary politely answered.

Elizabeth left her, and Mary leisurely strolled around the house, studying it intently. Suddenly an idea popped into her head. Before she lost it completely she ran to her room and opened up her chest. She pulled out the blank sheets of paper and the pens she had and smiled. This was the part she loved. Starting a new story, creating new lives, new beginnings.

Mary tried to find a nice place to work but everywhere she went, she was always beckoned by the window. She had to go outside. Grabbing as many materials as possible, she raced back outside to find the perfect place. As she came to a tree, she looked up and saw it was perfect. The lowest branch was perfect to sit on and she had no trouble climbing up, even with all the parcels in her hands.

She immediately began to write, not paying attention to anything around her but the flow of words coming onto paper. After twenty sheets of paper, when she had finally run out of things to say, she looked up and sighed. She was surprised to see that it was semi-dark out. She knew her father would get mad if she was late to dinner here, so she jumped--very unladylike--down from the tree.

She was walking along, putting her papers in order and not really paying attention to where she was going, when she suddenly collided with another person. The person she ran in to was much bigger than her and didn't even falter at all. On the other hand, her papers went flying everywhere and she went falling to the ground.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, miss," a young man said with regret in his voice, squatting down to pick up her papers, wrinkling them in the process.

Mary was afraid that he was going to see what was written on the papers and quickly snatched them all up. There were papers everywhere and she didn't think she would ever get them all.

"It's all out of order..." she mumbled to herself as she tried to stack up the papers evenly. It was a hopeless cause.

"I really am sorry," the voice said again.

Mary realized he was there again. She was about to say a snitty remark when she looked up into the most handsome face she had ever seen.

Part Two

Posted on Sunday, 6 June 1999

Mary could hardly catch her breath and she almost dropped all the papers again. The man had the most fine eyes of any man she had ever met. They were green, deep green. She shook her head a little to get out of her haze. She wasn't a flighty fifteen year old anymore. Actually, she never was.

The man couldn't have been over thirty. He was very, very tall--at least a head over Mary herself. He was smiling at her in a funny way.

"Do you like what you see?" he teased.

"What?" Mary asked, stumbling over thoughts. What was he talking about?

"You gave me quite an appraisal. Do you like what you see?"

Mary should have seen the teasing glint in his eyes, but she didn't. She took offense to his words. Not one to usually let pride get in the way, she did this time. She saw his clothing. It was not the attire of a gentleman. It was not refined. She sniffed. He must be some stableman, she thought.

"No, I do not like what I see, sir. And I do not like your choice of words, either." she said haughtily. The young man was not affected. He kept the same goofy grin on his tanned face. Mary then realized she was still sitting on the ground.

The man noticed at the same time and reached down and pulled her to her feet. She brushed off the skirt of her dress. "Would you like me to escort you back to the house?" he asked politely.

Mary gave him a long, snobbish glance. "No, thank you. I think I'll manage."

Before he could respond, she spun on her heels and flounced away. When she was out of his sight, she slumped against the nearest wall and a blush came to her face.

"Did I really say all those things to him?" she asked herself out loud.

Yes, you really did, Mary. Nice going. How do you ever expect to get a husband if you can't even be nice to an actual man who looks at you? She cursed at herself. Yet, why did she feel like this? She knew what would happen.

Several times there had been a man she had fancied herself in love with. She would talk to them and they would talk back, but nothing more would arise. They would choose someone else. Being poor and plain seemed to be the worst curse in the world.

Mary trudged back to her room to get ready for dinner. As she was fixing her hair she decided to add a character into her new story. The main characters were usually very similar. Whether they were rich or whether they were poor they were always one thing--beautiful. To Mary, the characters she created were her own. She wanted to make them the best possible and she did not want to hurt them by making them plain. The new character she added had, strangely, green eyes and very nice smile. He was very tall and not incredibly polite. He will be the hero, Mary decided. She grinned at herself in the mirror. It won't matter if he thinks it's him, she thought, because I don't think he'll ever be talking to me again.

She had just finished the second chapter when she looked up and saw the sun had gone down quite a bit. She started up and ran down the stairs. She spotted the maid, Mrs. Reynolds, but ran by her in a hurry. She realized several minutes later she probably should have stopped, because she was quite lost. She was walking backwards down the hall when she bumped into something and almost fell again. A strong hand reached out to steady her.

"We just keep bumping into each other, don't we, Paleface?" was the good-humored reply.

Mary looked up, up, up, into the now familiar green eyes. Then her face clouded.

"What did you call me? Paleface? That's an Indian name!" Mary said, aghast.

"I reckon it is," he smiled.

"'Reckon?' 'Paleface?' Where in the world are you from?" she asked as she tried to walk past him.

"The dining room is the other way, Miss Bennet," he told her.

She stopped. "How do you know my name?" she asked. The man shrugged. Mary narrowed her eyes at him and continued down the hall.

"It's the other way, Miss Bennet," the stranger said.

"I don't really care what way it is! I think I can handle walking to the dining room without your assistance! Why don't you go back to the stables or wherever it is you work!" she said indignantly all but running down the hall.

The man was insufferable! Normally people did not bring out this horrible side in her. Mary was the kind of person who did not get annoyed with people, exempting her mother and younger sister, Lydia, very easily. She was usually indifferent to them. He made her nervous. Maybe it was because he actually looked at her like she was worth something. Of course, if he was a stable worker, then he wasn't worth anything to her. Still, he made her feel strange.

She finally wound her way to the dining room and stepped in rather embarrassed.

"There you are, Mary. We were waiting." Elizabeth said with a smile.

"It's bad enough for you to be late at Longbourn, Mary, but it is an entirely different matter here." her father said sternly.

Mary agreed subserviently and sat down at her spot. She looked down at her plate and didn't want to look up.

"What kept you, my dear?" Mr. Bennet asked Mary, not willing to let the subject drop.

Mary searched her mind for an excuse she didn't use very often.

"I believe she got lost, sir."

Mary's head immediately flew up and met those green eyes--sitting across from her. Did Elizabeth often invite stablehands to dinner?

"Is this true, daughter?" Mr. Bennet wondered.

"Yes, father. Your house is so big, Mr. Darcy." she said as an apology, only taking her eyes off the man to notice her sister Jane, Mr. Bingley, and his sister.

"Jane! Hello!" she said to her sister and then greeted her husband and sister.

"Hello, Mary. It's so wonderful to see you." Jane, always benevolent, smiled hugely at her.

"Miss Bennet, if I could introduce our friend. This is Mr. Elliot Heighton, Mary." Charles Bingley properly made introductions.

"Yes, we've already met, Bingley."

"You have? Where?" Caroline Bingley asked. It was then Mary really noticed her. She was sitting next to Mr. Heighton with a possessive, challenging look right at Mary.

"We had the fortunate chance of meeting outside, before dinner. I believe Miss Bennet was writing something." he said.

Mary froze. The way he said that...She couldn't quite place it. She narrowed her eyes at him and tried to scrutinize his actions.

"What were you writing, Mary?" Elizabeth pryed.

"Uh, a letter to...mother, sister." she lied.

"Well, it was a very long letter then. I'd say at least twenty pages. You and your mother must get along quite well." Mr. Heighton said.

"Yes, we do..." Mary muttered, trying to put all her attention on the food on her plate. Everyone knew that Mary and Mrs. Bennet did not have a good relationship. In fact, they didn't have one at all.

"What were you doing out there so close to dinner, Mr. Heighton?" Caroline asked.

"I was taking a ride. I had just enough time to come back and, uh, change my clothes." he said, covering his smile with his hand.

Mary blushed when she realized she had called him a stablehand. That probably wasn't the worse thing she called him, either. He was having entirely too much fun at her expense!

Dinner finished without further comments by Mr. Heighton. Later, in the sitting room, Caroline approached Mary. Mary really didn't appreciate it since she was in the middle of a very wonderful book. Caroline also spoke in that annoying way where her voice was just loud enough for everyone in the whole room to hear.

"Miss Mary Bennet, how are you?" Caroline asked, throwing a look at Mr. Heighton who was sitting on a chair by the fire next to Mary, reading.

"I believe I am just the same as I was at dinner, Miss Bingley," she replied and tried to turn back to her book.

"I would have thought you'd given reading up." Caroline commented.

"And I thought you would've been married by now," Mary shot back with utmost sweetness.

Caroline was left speechless for awhile and Mary got at least on page read. If she had looked up she would have seen a very amused green-eyed man.

"Oh, this hat is so uncomfortable to wear. But that is just the price we must pay to look good for our gentlemen. Wouldn't you agree, Miss Bennet?" Caroline pouted.

Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam gave each other a look, Mr. Bennet rolled his eyes heavenward, and Mr. Bingley looked uncomfortable. Mr. Heighton, on the other hand, looked quite intrigued with what Mary's answer would be.

"No, Caroline, I do not believe that. I don't think we should sacrifice our comfort just to impress someone--whether it be a man or not." she said simply.

"Yes, but that's you. No matter how much you sacrifice, as you so eloquently put it, it wouldn't make much of a difference to your appearance." Caroline laughed and turned away to talk to Mr. Heighton.

Mary looked down at her book and hoped her cheeks weren't too red. She took a deep breath and read on.

"How is your father, Mr. Heighton?" she asked.

"He is very well. The company is doing just wonderfully." he added.

"What is it that your father does?" Mr. Bennet asked from his seat.

"He owns a publishing company in London." Mr. Heighton answered, looking directly at Mary.

Her reaction was evident at once. She gasped, but tried to look nonchalant.

Mary knew she had recognized his name. She just hadn't put two and two together. Heighton Publishing was the company that published her books. She knew she was safe because she had only revealed her real name to the editor.

She was sure Elliot Heighton wouldn't know her real identity.

"What are you reading, Mr. Heighton?" Caroline asked loudly.

"It's a new book, recently published. It's quite good so far."

"Who wrote it? I've never seen it before." Darcy quipped.

"A relatively new author. Her name is Rose Templeton. Mary, have you heard of her?"

Part Three

Posted on Tuesday, 8 June 1999

Mary flopped down onto her bed and took a deep breath. She had the urge to cry, scream, and laugh all at the same time. She couldn't believe that Elliot Heighton! Who did he think he was? He's your editor's son, Mary reminded herself. She blushed when she remember what he had tried to pry out of her.

Mary had been at a loss over what to say. How could she? She couldn't admit she was Rose Templeton because she knew her parents would never let her write. There was no way that was going to happen! Luckily, her father came to her rescue, although not knowing it.

"I'm sure she has, Mr. Heighton. She has read just about every book ever written." This answer gave Mary time to compose herself.

"No, actually Father, I don't believe I have even heard of her. Sorry, Mr. Heighton, but I never have," she said, trying to look truthful.

"Hmm, that's a pity. I'd suggest you pick her up every once in awhile." the look in his eyes made Mary feel that he knew she was lying. Did he know?

"What does she write, Mr. Heighton?" Caroline asked, batting her eyelashes disgustingly.

"She's written a book of poems and two other novels. They're mysteries." he announced.

"Oh, I loathe mysteries! Why would you want to read a book where you have to think?" Caroline pouted.

"Why would you want to do anything if you have to think, Caroline." Mary muttered sarcastically. Elizabeth snickered but quickly bit her lip to stop herself.

"They're not...trashy mysteries. They're kind of creepy, though. I happen to like them. My father says she's been working on a few other novels that aren't mysteries."

That was true. Elliot's father had asked her to write non-mystery books. She had already sent one in to be published. Did Mr. Heighton tell his son everything?

Luckily, the subject died down and Mary was able to return to her room. She wanted to get away from everyone. She noticed Elizabeth had been looking at her strangely. She hoped Lizzy hadn't noticed the way Mary was acting, too. Mary turned on her stomach and hit her pillow. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that pillow was actually Elliot Heighton's face? She didn't dwell on that fact, she might enjoy hitting her pillow a few more times and her pillow didn't deserve that treatment. Only he did. Of course he had ruined her mind and concentration. There was no way she could work tonight because she was in a horrible mood.

Mary steered clear of Elliot Heighton for the next couple days. She actually got rid of a double nuisance by ignoring him because Caroline was always around him. She avoided both of them in one. How nicely that worked out, Mary laughed to herself.

Since she had obviously been snubbing Mr. Heighton, she was surprised when the tree she was sitting in started to shake and his face appeared out of the branches.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, as she gathered up her papers.

"I think I should ask what are YOU doing? It's not very ladylike being up in a tree like this." he told her, settling himself on a branch.

"You're probably going to break the branch and fall and snap your neck." she said. She wanted to get down but he was blocking her only way down.

"I'm sure you'll be happy about that." he smiled.

"Excuse me, sir. Even though I don't particularly like you, I have never once given any thought to wishing you an early death." she said. I have wanted to beat you to a pulp, but that's not the same thing, she gleefully said to herself.

"Why don't you like me?"

"I believe that is my business, Mr. Heighton, and not yours." Mary quipped.

"Do you want to get down?" he asked simply.

"What?"

"I'm blocking your only way down and I will not move until I get the answers I want." Mr. Heighton explained.

"Fine. I can wait as long as you can." Mary fumed.

Only after a few minutes she realized she couldn't. He seemed to have no problem staring her down. Mary couldn't bring herself to looking him in the eyes. He made her too nervous. You have no right to be nervous, Mary. He's just a man who would only give you a second glance if you looked like Jane or Elizabeth.

"Are you going to tell me?" he asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"See, this is why I don't like you. You annoy me, you make fun of me, you make me feel quite uncomfortable, you ask me questions when you have no right to the answers, and lastly, you keep me trapped in trees. Would you like to know any other personal things while you're on a roll?"

Instead of getting angry or hurt at the insults she had just thrown at him, he laughed and smiled even bigger. What was wrong with him? She suddenly thought he might be insane. If he was, it probably wasn't safe to be stuck in a tree with him.

"Can I get down now?" she asked.

"Sure." Mr. Heighton lowered himself down the tree easily. Mary didn't have quite an effortless time. It was because of the skirts she thought as she was falling through the air. She was halfway down when it had caught on a branch. She landed with a thud on the ground. She lay there catching her breath for a few minutes when Elliot's face appeared.

"Sorry," he said with a smile.

"You didn't even try to catch me!" Mary said, sitting up.

"Sorry," he shrugged before turning on his heels and strolling away. She thought she heard him whistling!

"That self-righteous, pompous, inconsiderate oaf!" Mary muttered to herself as she picked herself and her papers off the ground.

She was in a horrible mood when she walked back to Pemberley. Her mood was only worsened when she saw what awaited her there.

Part Four

Posted on Thursday, 10 June 1999

"Mary! Mary! Hello!" the unmistakably loud and shrill voice of Mrs. Bennet.

Mary felt like turning on her heels and running--screaming all the way. Why couldn't she get away from her mother? Anything she did always failed.

"Hello, Mary," Kitty called.

Great, Kitty too, Mary thought. Her younger sister could sometimes be her friend, but mostly was annoying. She was silly. Mary never had a confidante with her sisters. Jane and Elizabeth were too good of friends and Kitty and Lydia were simply too stupid. Her confidante were her books and stories.

"Mother...why are you here?" Mary asked before she thought better of it.

"The ball, you silly!" Kitty answered for her.

Confused, Mary looked over at Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam.

"Don't you remember I told you we were having one tomorrow?" Lizzy asked her.

"No...when?"

"At dinner, a couple nights ago. I believe it was when the Bingley's arrived." Fitzwilliam told her.

"I even asked you if we should invite Kitty and mother and you told me yes." Elizabeth reminded her.

"I did?" Mary asked, astonished with herself. She was in the habit of not paying attention to conversations sometimes, but she couldn't believe she had actually said yes to wanting her mother at Pemberley.

"Of course you did, Mary. You are such a fragile girl and I know you couldn't stay away from your dear mother for too long." Mrs. Bennet said sweetly.

"I really just cannot believe I don't remember you telling me about this. I'm sorry. I probably should have been helping you get ready or something." she told her sister as they walked into the sitting room where Caroline and Mr. Heighton were reading.

"Why would you remember a thing like a ball, dear Mary? They're not your concern." Caroline smiled.

She was about to come up with a defense when Mr. Heighton spoke up.

"Why aren't balls any of her concern, Miss Bingley?"

"She's a wallflower. She doesn't dance hardly any dances, if any at all. I just wouldn't think she enjoys them." Caroline answered.

"Actually, she does enjoy balls very much. Thank you for answering for her though," Mary said through gritted teeth.

Mr. Heighton laughed at the way Mary showed her disapproval for the way Caroline spoke as if she wasn't there.

"Now, where's my Mr. Bennet? He did not come to greet me? I simply can't believe it!" Mrs. Bennet was back to yelling.

"He's out shooting with Mr. Bingley, mother," Jane answered.

"At his age? I should think not! Elizabeth! Show us to our rooms and then send for someone to fetch him. If he dies, you know, that horrid Mr. Collins takes over Longbourn. Oh, I loathe the day it comes!"

"Yes, mother, but Father is not going to--"

"Lizzy, do not contradict me! This may b...

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