Grey Skies: A Pride And Prejudice Fanfic

Chapter 6

The Bennet family anxiously awaited the arrival of their eldest son, Edward Bennet. He was to arrive sometime in the afternoon, and everyone was frantically finishing their gifts for him in the morning. It had started with Jane, who started a painting of the landscape for her brother. The others quickly came up with their own ideas in order to compete with Jane for Edward's affections. Catherine had embroidered a small handkerchief for him. Mary composed a piece of music for him. Lydia also painted for him, a small portrait of their parents. Mr. Bennet considered his sitting still to be painted enough of a gift that he need not do anything else. Mrs. Bennet planned a small feast for her son's return.

Elizabeth did nothing. She was far too cross with her brother to make something for him. In fact the only reason she was excited for his return was that she would finally have him to glare at. Because he could not trust her, and had to tell their parents about the incident, she had suffered greatly. She did not believe there to be great danger in conversing with a man, even alone. She believed her brother to be over exaggerating the potential consequences of such actions because he strongly disliked the gentleman who she had been with. Besides, there was nothing improper between herself and that man. She simply had to be alone with him to discuss something of paramount importance that could not be heard by others.

Jane and Elizabeth had always been closer to each other than the others. Although Jane did not practice Elizabeth's acts of rebellions, she always silently supported them. Jane had a way with her mother, that could often make Elizabeth's life a lot easier. However with the consequences Elizabeth had suffered after the incident with the gentleman, Jane could not bring herself to speak with her mother on this matter. She knew that if she spoke of it, she was certain to tell her mother the truth of it all, which Elizabeth had forbidden her to do.

For even though it was Elizabeth who spoke to that man alone in a room, it was Jane who was interested in the gentleman. Elizabeth was merely speaking on behalf of her sister, because Jane could not bear to speak to him herself. The gentleman was Thomas Barnes, the second son of a gentleman who lived nearby. He and Jane had been spending a lot of time together alone, as friends. Elizabeth helped her sister meet with him, and was her ally in their relationship. Jane had always been the prettiest and most accomplished of the Bennet sisters. Her mother expected much from them all, but especially from Jane. Jane knew she was to marry very well. Yet she enjoyed the company of Thomas Barnes. She believed him to be a good friend however, nothing more.

Elizabeth believed that their relationship was more romantically inclined. She knew that Jane liked him very much, and Thomas could hardly resist her sister. So she planted the idea in her sister's head that there was something more to their friendship, and urged Thomas to pursue Jane. Elizabeth was a romantic at heart, and wanted Jane to have a marriage full of love, unlike their parents. Elizabeth's plan escalated when Thomas proposed to Jane that they elope. Elizabeth had urged Jane to seriously consider his offer. She knew that they loved each other, and she believed that was reason enough to marry. Jane however, was more logical about the matter. She knew she loved Thomas, and that he loved her. Yet, if she eloped with him, she would lose everything. She would lose financial security, Thomas was the second son of a gentleman who was not wealthy, although she would be able to bear that for love. No, it was not the loss of comfort that prevented Jane from accepting his proposal. It was the fact that she knew she would lose her whole family. Her mother would shun her. She would not see Elizabeth or Edward, or any of her family, without the anger of her mother falling on them as well.

Elizabeth thought Jane cold hearted to abandon love for material comfort. Yet Jane was doing no such thing. She merely could not give up her love for her family, for the love of a man. So Elizabeth was sent to decline Thomas' proposal, because Jane could not tell it to him herself. This event was then witnessed by Edward, who for reasons unknown to Jane and Elizabeth despised Thomas Barnes. When Edward told their mother, Jane caught a glimpse of the punishment she would have suffered had she accepted Thomas. Their mother was furious with Elizabeth, for she believed that it was Elizabeth who was having a romance with Thomas. Mrs. Bennet was harsh to say the least.

Elizabeth took the punishment for her sister, and told Jane not to utter a word of the truth. She did not want Jane to suffer her mother's wrath as well as a broken heart. Elizabeth endured the disappointment of her father however, with less courage. She had been close to her father, more so than her siblings, even more than his only son, Edward. Yet she lost her father's admiration when he found out she had been alone with a man. He had always thought she was more intelligent than her siblings, but this proved that she was just as foolish, if not more, than his other offspring.

To say that Elizabeth was upset with Edward was an understatement. She had begged him not to tell, and believed that he would trust her. Yet he told his mother regardless of her plea, and she had suffered greatly because of his actions. She was not happy for his return, except for the fact that she could share her pain with him perhaps.

When Edward arrived, all his presents were given to him, and the whole family felt much joy. Elizabeth kept her distance from him, but upon seeing him found herself much less mad at him than she had believed herself to be. After dinner, she caught him in the library.

"I missed you Edward," she said to him before exiting the room, and leaving him again in silence.

Author's note: All comments are appreciated! I sort of meander through my writing sometimes, so if you need anything cleared up don't be afraid to ask :) Sorry that this took me so long, I was going to finish it much earlier, but I got stuck. Thank you :D