Detective Mary

Chapter 6

Setting up Elizabeth and Darcy, however, can be much more difficult.

Mr. Darcy's nature was arrogant, and trying to change Elizabeth's prejudices was just a difficult task. Having grown up under the same roof as the other sisters of the Bennet family, Mary naturally knew Elizabeth's temperament - she was headstrong, and unless she found out the error of her ways on her own, once an idea was formed, it was difficult to shake.

And the dilemma Mary faces is that Elizabeth has now found Mr. Darcy to be an obnoxious fellow.

Today Sir William Lucas invited the gentlemen and ladies of the week to his house.

Sir Lucas is kind and sincere, a gentle and honest man, and has a good reputation in the neighborhood of Longbourn and Meryton, together with his eldest daughters, Charlotte and Elizabeth, who are still very good friends, and therefore the invitation was extended, and the ladies of the Bennet house, as well as the guests of Nethersfield Hall, naturally did not have any reason to refuse it.

Mary sat in the midst of several of the guests, being addressed by Captain Carter, and could not help secretly covering her mouth with a yawn as she listened to them discussing Mr. Bingley, who had moved in, and the various balls that had been and would be in the future.

Her little gesture was seen by Elizabeth, and the second sister glared at her and surreptitiously tugged at Mary's skirts, the meaning of which could not have been more obvious: it was rude enough to be absent-minded the whole time, but to yawn at all, was she afraid that her reputation would not be good enough.

"So boring," Mary snuck in and nipped at Elizabeth's ear, "I blame you, Lizzie, for not letting me bring my book."

"Don't be capricious, Mary," Elizabeth responded as if she had heard a joke, "Who in heaven's name brings large books to someone's house as a guest?"

Mary was extraordinarily reasonable, "I don't know about anyone else, but talented people from Cambridge and Oxford who socialize with each other are sure to share large books."

Elizabeth is simply going to be furious, while the bystanders are not paying attention, she reaches out and pokes Mary's brain, "University talented people come and go to share knowledge, what has it got to do with you? Do you still want to go to Cambridge and Oxford University, girl?"

She would like to!

Yet even if Mary had had the marvelous experience of traveling through time and space, she didn't think she would have been able to get into Cambridge or Oxford. What's more, Oxford had only recognized women as university members in 1920, and Cambridge, despite now being enlightened enough to allow women to take the teaching and exams they needed, had only really recognized women as students in 1947.

"It's so unfair," Mary muttered in a small voice, "when it's obvious that some men are no better than that, but are given extra power because of their gender."

The Victorian period was much better than the time of William IV, where Pride and Prejudice really takes place, but things were still tough for women. Mary's choices were difficult and narrow if she didn't want to spend the rest of her life with her husband - i.e., no matter how hard she tried, Mary could not become a recognized scholar, but at best a "scholar's wife."

The academics won't accept her, the bourgeoisie will. But if she could, she wouldn't want to be a capitalist who squeezes the blood and sweat out of the working class and the proletariat.

Or ......

Just as Mary had begun to unfold her fantasies, Elizabeth's expression suddenly boarded up.

Who else could make Elizabeth change her face immediately? Naturally, it was her hated Mr. Darcy, and as soon as Mary turned around, she noticed that Mr. Darcy had stopped beside Captain Carter.

Apparently, Elizabeth did not like discussing the same topic with Mr. Darcy at all. Even though Darcy himself didn't have much to say, Elizabeth found an opportunity to get up and go talk to Jane.

Mary stole a glance at Mr. Darcy's reaction, not realizing that Mr. Darcy was looking at her as well.

The collision of eyes startled Mary, but she reacted promptly, "I hope the burglary didn't alarm you, Mr. Darcy."

Darcy: "......"

What a pot calling the kettle black, Mr. Darcy was furious when he thought of the night at work when the two Nat sisters implied, inside and out, that he was too chicken to go out.

Of course, the arrogant Mr. Darcy angry to be angry, but he will not and Mary general understanding.

"And I hope the burglary didn't alarm your sister, Miss Mary." He said.

"And what about me?" Mary asked with a smile.

"I don't think," Darcy spoke slowly, "that a young lady who acts without her master's permission and launches an investigation would be afraid of a mere burglar."

Mary remained smiling, "Thank you, Mr. Darcy, my sister Elizabeth is a brave lady as well, and she likewise would not fear a mere burglar."

Darcy: "............" Anyone could hear that he wasn't complimenting her, could they?

The ever haughty Mr. Darcy was simply out of temper with this Miss Bennet, he didn't like her much, a lady in high society wouldn't be so indulgent and rude.

But even so, Darcy had to admit, a few observations, he found Mary Bennet really smart, not to mention the country girl, even from the London girls school returned to the aristocratic ladies are not as nimble as her.

Mary didn't care what Mr. Darcy thought of her.

She just continued, "It seems that the rumors are false."

Darcy: "What?"

Mary smirked, "Everyone is saying that you don't see Elizabeth, sir, and that you purposely snubbed her at the ball, not dancing with her not to mention that she is mediocre and just 'barely passable' in the Longbourn area. Elizabeth has been angry about it for a long time."

After saying that, Mary didn't forget to add, "But Mr. Darcy you care for her so much, it should all be rumors."

"Is it." Darcy did not move.

Mary choked on his justification.

"So," she stared, "is it true that you said that, sir?"

"I did make such a comment recklessly at first meeting," he confessed, "but I have changed my mind now, and if I were to be angry about it, the Second Miss Bennet's belly would be a little too small."

"......"

Isn't Mr. Darcy's behavior like this, in the 21st century, a straight man of steel who gives a strange girl a taste of his own medicine and randomly criticizes her, and then blames her for having nothing to do with it when the girl herself finds out about it!

Mary was completely speechless, although the original Mr. Darcy did experience such a change of impression, and was also confused and shocked by Elizabeth's outright rejection of his proposal of marriage, but he frankly said it was just ...... a little too much.

Well, technically Mr. Darcy does have the capital.

The underlying reason is that in this day and age, most women do need to rely on men to get by. Mr. Darcy's family is rich and handsome, not to mention just arrogant and looking down on people, even if he's a once-in-a-thousand-years scum, there will be countless girls who will swoon over him.

If it were an ordinary girl who found out that Mr. Darcy's attitude towards her had changed, she would not even be able to be happy, so he naturally could not understand the reason for Elizabeth's anger.

Of course, Mary would not have pointed this out directly.

"I have recently read a book, Mr. Darcy," Mary spoke politely, "and there are some questions that are slow to be solved by the next person, and I have heard that you have thousands of books in your collection, and are also a man who has traveled to countless places and is knowledgeable, so would you be able to answer my questions?"

"I will do my best, go ahead."

"Is it true in the book that medieval knights and nobles, when their personalities and self-respect were insulted by the attacks of others, often chose to issue a challenge to the enemy who provoked their egos?"

"Indeed."

"Even in verbal arguments?"

"It was commonplace in the past, but in the present day, Queen Victoria has banned duels between soldiers, and our social customs no longer encourage the matter," Mr. Darcy explained, "but I feel that defending self-respect and honor is something that every man with an independent character should do. "

"And what about ladies," Mary blinked as if at a loss, "did medieval ladies, whose self-esteem had been wounded by the judgment of others, also send requests for duels to each other, or was there something else they did?"

"Naturally. ......"

Halfway through Mr. Darcy's words, there was no movement.

There is no need to point out when talking to a smart person, and at this point, looking at the expression on Mr. Darcy's face, he should have understood that the reason for Elizabeth's anger was not being disagreed with, but that his attitude undermined an unmarried young lady's personality and self-respect as an independent being.

There is still salvation, Mary thought with relief. Although Mr. Darcy did not understand the brain circuits of a girl, he was able to recognize his mistake, a rare quality in the twenty-first century.

A straight man is a straight man, it's better than straight cancer.

Mary put the smile back on her face, "I would like to hear exactly what Jane and Elizabeth are whispering, and I am surprised I was not called. Forgive me for leaving first, Mr. Darcy."

With that she got up and left, going to pester Elizabeth as usual.

Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, stood pondering over what Mary had just said.

Miss Bingley, seeing him in deep thought, came over and greeted him with, "I can guess what you are meditating on."

"What I can't see." Mr. Darcy responded.

"If you ask me," returned Miss Bingley, "she does have some strengths, but she is too pretentious. The few accusations you have made against her are true and to the point."

Miss Bingley was referring, of course, to Mr. Darcy's lecture to Mary about being too preposterous when he learned of Mary's trespass at the Nethersfield Hall ball.

However, only a few minutes before her arrival, Mary had politely reminded Darcy of the damage he had done with his remarks about Elizabeth, which had led Mr. Darcy to hear Miss Bingley's words and think that she meant Elizabeth.

So Darcy retorts, "As you say, she does have her own merits."

"Oh?"

Miss Bentley maintained her curious stance, "And what, do you think, are her virtues?"

Darcy was silent.

His eyes subconsciously went to Elizabeth and he spoke in a low voice, "She has beautiful eyes and a character that is otherwise attractive."

Ms. Bentley: "......"

Unbeknownst to Miss Bingley, who had adored Mr. Darcy for so long, she and Darcy were not talking about the same "Miss Bennet", and Miss Bingley could not believe her ears - Mr. Darcy had fallen in love with Mary Bennet, who was rude, plain, and had hardly any good qualities at all!