Jump to new as of November 16, 1999
Jump to new as of November 13, 2000
Chapter 1
People themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them forever.
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice.
"No, no and for the thousandth time, no!" declared Mr. Bennet with heavy finality in the tone of voice that indicated he did not want to speak further on the matter.
His two eldest daughters were either less observant than he had imagined them to be, or unwilling to go down without a fight. Seeing as this was Jane and Elizabeth, it was the latter. Elizabeth set her mouth in a stubborn pout and asked, "But why not, papa?"
Mr. Bennet looked up incredulously. "Why not? Whatever can be wrong with a daughter of mine going to university?"
"Nothing, papa."
"Lizzy," said Mr. Bennet with great patience. "Young ladies do not go to university. No decent university would take a woman!"
"I know."
"Then why on earth do you insist upon going to Cambridge if you know, that as a woman, you cannot?"
"Papa," said Elizabeth. "You said I cannot go as a woman. What is there preventing me from disguising myself as a man?"
Mr. Bennet stared at his favourite daughter as if she had gone mad.
"Surely you are not serious!"
"I have never been more serious in my life, Papa. Jane and I have talked this over, and we have decided that it can be done."
"I do not believe my ears!" exclaimed Mr. Bennet. "That is the most preposterous idea I have ever heard in my life! I expected more sense from you two."
"I am speaking sense, Papa!" replied Elizabeth, ignoring her elder sister's hints to hold her tongue. "Why should Jane and I waste the skills we have been given? You gave us a tutor when we were children to give us an education. Then when the tutor had taught us all he could, you dismissed him. That was a mistake - like moving a flight of stairs whilst we are still climbing. Jane and I are neither up nor down. We cannot go backwards, only forwards. And the only way to do that is to go to Cambridge."
Mr. Bennet looked at his eldest daughter. "Jane, I cannot believe you are letting your sister entertain these ideas."
Jane smiled and bowed her head. "I know it sounds silly, papa, but if you think, it does make sense."
Mr. Bennet shook his head. Wanting to further your education is a praiseworthy ambition, but to disguise yourself as a man! Apart from the total impropriety of it, there are so many ways you can found out! How, for example, would you disguise your attributes? Can you hide them for such a long time? We are not talking about a few days - to study properly will take several years! And finally, I am your father, and I say you two may not go through with this absolute folly of an idea!"
Jane, seeing the state their father had worked himself into took Elizabeth's arm gently to lead her out of the study, but her younger sister stood her ground.
"Your arguments are valid, Papa, but listen!" said Elizabeth. "I know that certain things may give us away, but we can certainly hide them. Secondly you said that it was going against traditions. But why must Jane and I be denied a proper education - merely because of our sex? Surely we have as much right to a higher degree of learning than men! If we are of a sound mind, do we not have a right to make use of it?"
At these words, Mr. Bennet looked up at Elizabeth even more shocked than before. Elizabeth did not heed the danger warning and continued with her final argument.
"Lastly, you implied that as our father, we should do out filial duty by you. But by improving ourselves, would we not have achieved more than what we would by remaining at home, learning to sew? Such achievements would make us more worthy as your daughters."
That was the final straw. Mr. Bennet leapt up and shouted, "That is it! You simply will not admit when you are wrong! You are not going to Cambridge and that is the end of the matter!"
Elizabeth froze in her position and simply stared at her father. Jane could see her sister's lower lip beginning to tremble with barely contained tears. Jane took her sister's arm and led her out of the room. Elizabeth did not resist.
The two sisters could see and hear the rest of the family in the drawing room. Mary was again at her books, Lydia and their mother chatting about some small matter or other, Kitty joining in now and again.
Jane drew Elizabeth upstairs to her room. Once inside, Elizabeth burst into tears in the way only an eighteen-year old girl could.
Jane stroked her sister's dark curls and said, "There is nothing we can do, Lizzy. Papa is right - women should not go to university. Don't argue any more."
Elizabeth looked up at Jane and replied forcefully, "I cannot believe my ears! Not ten minutes ago you were supporting me in my plan, and now you are swayed from our resolve?"
"But Lizzy, think!" said Jane. "I am sorry that we are not allowed to go, but the more I think about it, the less feasible a plan our idea seems. Do you think we can conceal the fact that we are not male from dozens of students for two or three years?"
"It can be done!" exclaimed Elizabeth. She sat up with renewed vigor. "If we are very careful and cautious, we can succeed in fooling everyone. All we need are the proper clothes, bind our breasts and either wear a wig or cut our hair, and no one could tell the difference."
"Lizzy! Papa has said that we cannot go!"
Elizabeth's face took on a determined look. "I will help him change his mind."
Chapter 2
Strangely enough, it was Mrs. Bennet who convinced Mr. Bennet to change his mind. On the rare occasion the two spoke privately together, Mrs. Bennet asked her husband, "My dear, what on earth were you screaming about this afternoon in your study? I must ask you to hold your temper in the future for the noise quite got on my poor nerves and it was some time until I was lucid enough to speak to Lydia about her new dress. What was the matter?"
Mr. Bennet, without removing his eyes from the book he was reading, replied, "Lizzy and Jane still have not given up their fanciful idea of attending Cambridge. Their latest idea was to disguise themselves as young men believe it or not. Quite out of the question."
Mrs. Bennet flustered about at this disclosure. "Dress up as young men! Go to university? Oh, Lord, what mistake have I made in the upbringing of my daughters? They are supposed to remain at home and concentrate on improving themselves in such a way as to attract a wealthy husband! No man would marry a learned girl! I must thank you, Mr. Bennet on not allowing them to attend university!"
Mr. Bennet did not look up from his book.
"After all, a stupid wife is the kind of wife men like!" continued Mrs. Bennet. "If Lizzy and Jane were to study and improve their minds instead of their looks, then they will never marry! They would have to remain with us for their entire lives!"
At this, Mr. Bennet looked up.
"Of course they must not go to university! If they stay here then they will better their chances of attracting a young man of four or five thousand a year, with an estate of his own. Perhaps he will dress well and look very pretty paired with Jane."
"Perhaps such a man will be as silly as Kitty and Lydia, eh?" said Mr. Bennet.
"Oh! how can you call your own daughters silly? But I can live with any sort of silliness in a man as long as he is handsome and rich. I think that universities should be abolished. What on earth does a young man want with learning when he can earn his fortune and settle down and marry?"
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man is always in want of a wife.
"And as for girls having an education, what nonsense! I myself never needed one. All I had to do was look pretty and look at how I have ended up!"
At his wife's words, Mr. Bennet rolled his eyes.
"It was very right of you, Mr. Bennet to tell them they cannot go to university. They should go to Meryton everyday like Lydia and Kitty. They have much more chances of meeting good men."
"Better chances than Elizabeth and Jane would have attending a campus full of young men?" asked Mr. Bennet.
Mrs. Bennet stopped and looked at her husband.
"But those young men have nothing on their minds but books. They would have no interest in my daughters. I wish for Lizzy and Jane to follow their sister's example and go out everyday to meet more people. Perhaps a regiment of militia or such may be stationed in Meryton, then they could see all the officers."
The more his wife talked, the more Mr. Bennet realised that if Jane and Elizabeth were to remain at Meryton, they would possibly turn out like their mother and younger sisters. Such women could only attract men of little worth.
Mr. Bennet knew that his daughters had to marry someday, for he could not support them for their entire lives. Would it not be better if he were to give his daughters the best chance to attract the best kind of men possible?
"I am sure that Lizzy and Jane know now that to go to university is absolute folly," said Mrs. Bennet. "There shall be nothing more said on the matter and that will be that! What does a girl need with History and Law and Latin and such? Absolutely nothing. Lizzy and Jane should concentrate on improving their faces instead of their minds."
"I have not given my final word on the matter though," said Mr. Bennet mischievously.
Mrs. Bennet stopped flustering and looked at her husband.
"Did you not say that you had refused to let them go?"
"No, I did not. I merely told them that I was to think more on the matter."
Mrs. Bennet was certain that she did not recall such a thing, but if Mr. Bennet had said it, then he had said it.
"But what is there to think about? They should not go and that is that!"
"'That is that'?" asked Mr. Bennet, "But I have given my approval."
Mrs. Bennet's nerves fluttered and trembled and the lady shrieked, "You have given your approval?"
Mr. Bennet remained quite calm. "Indeed I have." Seeing his two eldest daughters in the hall outside, he called them into his study. "Lizzy, Jane, have I not given you permission to go to Cambridge?"
His two daughters looked at him quizzically, then at their mother who was wringing her hands. Mr. Bennet smiled at the misunderstanding he had created, merely for his amusement.
"You have?" asked Jane. Elizabeth on the other hand quickly gathered her wits and said, "Yes, you have, Papa."
This only served to make Mrs. Bennet even more flustered.
"Oh! Mr. Bennet!"
"There, you see girls, your mother is as delighted as I am that you are to improve your minds and practise your acting skills as young men. Perhaps you may get a part in a performance of Shakespeare."
"Education?!"
"Thank you Papa!"
"Oh, woe is me!"
"Arrangements shall be made soon for you two."
"Mr. Bennet, I beg you to reconsider!"
"Jane and I have already made some preliminary plans."
"You see my dear," said Mr. Bennet. "Our daughters are ready to go at a moment's notice."
Mrs. Bennet could do nothing except twist the handkerchief she clutched between her fingers. By now, the three youngest members of the Bennet family had noticed the commotion and were peeking into the study.
"What on earth is going on?" demanded Lydia loudly.
Mr. Bennet turned to his silliest daughters and said, "Your eldest sisters are going to university."
Anyone walking by the house at that time would have heard a mixture of shocked outbursts of disbelief and surprise, a shrill moan followed by sobs, and two voices filled with laughter and joy.
"Look on the positive side, Mrs. Bennet," said Mr. Bennet embracing his two eldest daughters. "They will have plenty of chance to meet decent young men."
This made Mrs. Bennet's sobs subside to be replaced by thoughtful contemplation.
Chapter 3
Mr. Bennet stepped away from the horse and looked up at the slim young man sitting in the saddle. Behind him another young man was also seated on a horse, ready to go.
Even their own mother had been almost unable to recognise her two eldest daughters. Jane and Elizabeth could fool practically everyone - except their father. His observant eye scanned the two youths, wincing slightly at the fairness and delicacy of their features, their slight build. However, he knew that he could see what others could not, because he had known these two their whole lives.
And indeed, from a casual perusal, it was difficult to realise that the two youths were not quite what they seemed. Dressed in the clothes they had made themselves in good style, hair cut short as well as various other various aspects of their disguise Elizabeth and Jane no longer existed. In their place were two brothers by the names of Stefan and Jonathan Bennet.
"Remember everything that I have told you," reminded Mr. Bennet for the tenth time. He looked up at the darker of the two 'brothers'. "Liz - Stefan, are you alright on the horse?"
'Stefan' nodded, the gesture causing his hat to topple slightly. He caught it in one gloved hand and replaced it.
"I'll be fine, father," said he.
"I certainly hope so. You were never that good with horse-riding," replied Mr. Bennet. "Are you ready Jane - I mean, Jon?"
"Yes father," answered the second youth from where he was comfortably seated.
Mr. Bennet sighed and stepped back to where his lady and three daughters stood on the side of the path.
"Then I bid you farewell, and Godspeed."
Jonathan and Stefan grinned and then spurred their mounts into a gallop down the road. The remainder of the Bennet family watched them until they were out of sight.
"Oh, are you sure this was a good idea?" bemoaned Mrs. Bennet for the twentieth time.
"Yes, Mrs. Bennet," replied Mr. Bennet for the twentieth time. But this was to hide his own doubts and second thoughts. Unfortunately, it was too late to do anything now.
"Good luck, Lizzy, Jane," whispered Mr. Bennet.
"At last!" cried Elizabeth as Meryton and Longbourn were lost to sight behind them. She and Jane laughed at the tops of their voices, still not quite believing that they were on their way to Cambridge.
But they were. Most of their belongings were in all likelihood, already nearly there. All that remained was a day or two's journey for them - then, a few years of studying.
"Is not this the most wonderful day?" exclaimed Jane in a rare display of emotion. "I dearly love Meryton and Longbourn - but, all the same, I must admit that this feeling of freedom is absolutely exhilarating!"
Elizabeth laughed joyously, a laugh that was cut short as she lost the grip on the reins. She slipped forward but managed to grip onto the reins again to prevent her from toppling off entirely.
"Lizzy?"
Elizabeth righted herself, then scowled as she realised her hat had fallen off and now lay on the grass. "I am quite alright, Jane. I should have let myself fall, if I have to get off anyway," she grumbled as she gingerly dismounted and stooped to pick up her hat.
"You never were adept at horse-riding, Lizzy," said Jane as her sister re-mounted the horse on her second try.
"Well, I shall have to learn if I am to fit in with all those gentlemen at Cambridge."
"Not just that. No doubt we will be expected to partake in their various activities as well. Riding, hunting, sports and such the like. How on earth shall we manage to learn?"
"Cleverly, Jane. They may be of the superior sex, but after a while we can give them a run for their money. I for one am determined that no man there shall out-do me."
"I do not mind so much about how I perform in comparison to everyone else, as long as I do learn. That is not to say that I shall not do my best, however."
"I know you will do splendidly. I am merely saying that I want to be the best. And that means beating all the men there."
"You shall not be very popular with them then, Lizzy," laughed Jane.
"I care not. I am there to learn, not to look for love. Besides, we are supposed to be brothers. And since we have some days, we had better begin practicing to be like gentlemen."
Their first test came that evening, when they stopped at an inn for the night.
" 'ow can I 'elp you, young masters?" asked the innkeeper, wiping his hands on his apron as Jonathan and Stefan entered. Jonathan looked at his brother and apprehensively said, "We - we would um, we would . . ."
"We require rooms for the night," cut in Stefan smoothly. "That and dinner and breakfast, as well as stabling for our horses."
"Yes, of course sir," replied the innkeeper. He looked at the brothers quizzically for the moment and Stefan held his breath. But whatever had roused his curiosity found nothing out of the ordinary. "There's rooms available, and I'll see that me wife gets some food into you. You lads need some more meat on those bones."
Jonathan tensed a little, but Stefan took it all in stride. "We hope that we can change that with some of your meals."
The innkeeper laughed, perhaps a little astonished that two young men of a higher class were willing to exchange jokes with him.
"Where would you two be going?" asked the innkeeper.
"Cambridge," replied the darker young man.
"Ah, going to get an eddycation are you?" replied the innkeeper. "Wish I could send me children to skool, but I need them 'ere to help with the inn. You two are pretty lucky, if you don' mind me sayin' so..."
He turned to lead the two young men up the stairs, and so missed the reassuring smile Stefan gave his elder brother.
"Would you be comin' down for dinner or would you like me to send it up?" asked the innkeeper. In his experience with gentlemen, they usually liked to spend time in the company of others.
"We would like dinner in our rooms, please," replied the more quiet of the men.
"Actually, we would go downstairs," said the other. Jonathan stared at his brother with an expression of shock that probably made the innkeeper think that the blond gentleman was one of those types of men that preferred to stay at home. Since the younger man seemed to be the leader, the innkeeper decided to go along with his wishes.
"Alright, then. Dinner will be served in 'alf an 'our."
With that he left them.
"Lizzy!" exclaimed Jane. "What on earth are you thinking?"
"Come now, Jane," soothed Elizabeth. "We have to deal with people for several years at Cambridge and convince them that there is nothing extraordinary about us, why not begin now? We need to practise anyway."
"But surely the degree of risk is too great!"
"Jane, if we cannot do it here, in a common inn, then how do you expect us to deceive students and professors in a university? Come," said Elizabeth, getting up and taking her sister's hand. "Let's go downstairs."
With her hand gripped firmly in Elizabeth's Jane could do nothing apart from follow. She sat down gingerly at a table and waited for their meal, in full sight of everyone else who was coming in. To her horror, as the inn filled up and the number of empty seats decreased, a young man sat down at their table.
Seeing Jane's apprehension, Elizabeth whispered, "Don't worry." Then she turned to the man, and welcomed him to their table.
Jane then proceeded to be amazed at how easily her younger sister played the role of a young gentleman. Elizabeth had no scruples in talking to others, chatting openly and comfortably. Everyone seemed to accept that they were two brothers on a journey.
"Where are you travelling to, good sirs?" asked the man, a clerk by trade, so Jane had gathered from their conversation so far.
"The university at Cambridge," replied Stefan. "Our father believes that my brother and I should get away from home."
The clerk laughed. "I've lived in Hertfordshire all my life and it seems that I shall stay." Suddenly his eyes narrowed and he asked, "Where did you come here from?"
Jane froze but Stefan answered casually, "Near Meryton."
"I know the neighborhood," mused the clerk, "and I must say that I have never seen you before. Where exactly, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Longbourn."
Jane tried to nudge Elizabeth warningly but as she was seated two chairs away all she could manage was a cough.
"Longbourn?" asked the clerk. "Home of the famous Miss Bennets?"
"Yes."
"I thought there were five daughters. I didn't know Mr. Bennet had sons," said the clerk frowning.
Jane felt faint. "E -" she began without thinking.
"He doesn't," corrected Stefan not turning a hair. "We only stopped there for two days. He's a friend of our father and invited us to visit on our way to Cambridge."
"Ah," nodded the clerk in understanding.
Jane sighed in relief, astounded at Elizabeth's ability at improvisation.
"Are the Miss Bennets as beautiful as local rumor has it?" asked the clerk earnestly. "I have heard much but haven't the pleasure of seeing them."
Stefan smiled and Jane could see how Elizabeth's eyes twinkled in delight of the situation. "I have not heard the rumors, but I will admit that the eldest sister is enough to melt a man's heart."
Jonathan coughed and the clerk looked at him curiously. "What's the matter, sir? Has the lady captured your fancy?"
Stefan laughed as Jonathan blushed. "I - I do not think so," replied Jonathan hesitantly.
The clerk laughed with Stefan at Jonathan's discomfort. Taking advantage of the clerk's distraction as he turned to order a drink, Elizabeth winked impishly at her sister who only shook her head good-naturedly at Elizabeth's impudence.
She leaned over to Jane. "I told you we'd be fine, Jonathan."
The other smiled, more comfortable already. "Very good, Stefan."
Chapter 4
Elizabeth and Jane traveled slowly, taking an easy pace to allow for Elizabeth's lack of horse-riding skill.
"I think last night we did rather well, do you not agree, Jane?" asked Elizabeth.
"We did not pass entirely unnoticed, however you easily calmed any suspicions. I do believe you are enjoying this."
"I am indeed. I have never realised just how fun it can be to be another person and to make everyone believe it," replied Elizabeth, keeping a watchful eye on the horizon that was beginning to collect dark clouds. "Can you some form of shelter anywhere? The idea of getting wet is not very appealing."
Jane looked around. The surrounding countryside was clear for most part, however there was what looked like a barn less than a hundred or so yards away.
"There," said Jane, pointing with her whip. "We can go there."
Elizabeth glanced at it, then back up at the grey sky as the first raindrops began to fall. "No time to look for anything else. It will have to do."
The two sisters urged their horses into a gallop and made for the small building, reaching it as the drizzle turned into a shower and the shower into a downpour accompanied by the flashing lightning and percussive thunder.
"This is most vexing," remarked Elizabeth, removing her hat and shaking her now short hair. "Who knows how long we will have to hide in here."
Jane dismounted and went to sit on an old bale of hay. "I do hope the owner of this barn will not take offense at our using it."
"Why should he? We're two gentlemen taking shelter from the storm. What is there to be angry at?"
Her sister was prevented from replying when she heard the sound of galloping horses outside. She rose from her seat and went to the doorway, only to be knocked back as three wet and bedraggled young men ran inside, dragging their horses by the reins.
Elizabeth ran to her sister, where she had tripped and fallen over a piece of wood. Helping Jane to her feet, she whirled to confront the newcomers.
"I would think that you would have taken care to watch your step! You nearly ran my brother down!"
The three men looked up, surprised to realise that they were not the only ones taking shelter. Like Elizabeth, they were removing their coats and hats, shaking them out and hanging them on various places.
Stefan looked at the trio. The jovial looking one with curly blond hair and red coat gave him an apologetic grin.
"I am quite sorry, but we were nearly blinded by the rain and didn't realise that you were in here," he said.
"Yes, allow me to give you our sincerest apologies. Is your brother well?" asked the second man, a tall dark-haired fellow with an agreeable appearance. He finished tying up his chestnut horse and came over to help Jonathan to his feet.
"I am quite well, thank you," said Jonathan without looking at the other man. "Merely shaken."
"You should have moved out of the way," said the third man, tall with a dignified air. "We could not see you, but I am sure that you could see us. Why did you stand in our way?"
Stefan glared at the third man as he draped his dark blue coat over the railings where his black horse was tied. "I beg to differ, sir, but you are the one who are at fault. My brother went to see what the noise outside was and instead he has bowled over by your uncouth arrival!"
"Then you should teach your brother to restrain his curiosity."
Before Stefan could send back a blistering retort, the blond man quickly stepped in to prevent an argument. "What's done is done. I apologise for our rash behaviour."
"And take no note of that fellow over there," said the second man. "He's just in a foul temper because he has gotten his feet wet."
"I am not angry at the weather, I am merely displeased that we have been delayed. Do not make assumptions without facts," replied he.
The first man, having finished laying his outer clothing out to dry, turned to Stefan and Jonathan, now seated by their own horses on the other side of the barn. "We are sorry for our sudden arrival, but surely you cannot begrudge us shelter. May I be so bold as to ask your names?"
Jonathan gave him a welcoming smile. "Of course. I am Jonathan Bennet and this is my younger brother Stefan. We are from Hertfordshire."
The blond-haired man gave bowed to each of them. "A pleasure to meet you. I am Charles Bingley. Let me introduce you to my friends."
He walked over to where the other two men were. Upon Bingley's arrival accompanied by Jonathan and Stefan, they rose.
"Mr. Bennet, Mr. Stefan, allow me to introduce you to Mr. George Wickham of Derbyshire," he said, indicating the dark-haired man who smiled at them welcoming. "And this is Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, also of Derbyshire. Darcy, Wickham, this is Mr. Jonathan Bennet and his younger brother Stefan."
Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy bowed to the two brothers. Jane instinctively began to curtsy, but remembered to bow when Stefan nudged her.
"And where are you three gentlemen travelling to?" asked Jonathan.
"Cambridge," replied Bingley. "We're to continue our studies there."
"You as well?" asked Stefan. "We are to go there too."
"Really?" Wickham grinned. "What a pleasant surprise! Perhaps after this we may travel together."
Stefan returned the smile. "I thank you for the offer."
Close by, Darcy was looking more and more unhappy. He looked at his disheveled appearance and scowled. "Why did this damned rain have to come down now at all times? Could it not have waited until we were safe indoors in some inn?"
"You poor sir," said Stefan sarcastically. "I suppose you think that the weather as well as your valets should obey your every whim."
"It looks like you have been told, Darcy," said Wickham with a laugh. At the other man's look, he laughed more. "Come man, if you cannot take some light banter from this young gentleman, then how on earth will you cope with a wife?" He turned to Stefan and Jonathan and smiled apologetically. "As I have said earlier, do forgive my friend. He possesses a rather short temper and is rather taciturn in disposition."
"Do not worry, Darcy is a much nicer person once you get to know him," put in Bingley. He sat down on a bale of hay and leaned back.
"Must you illustrate my character to them after and acquaintance of merely ten minutes?" asked Darcy with a pained look. He looked over his horse carefully, making sure the animal was not harmed in anyway.
Wickham rolled his eyes. "Do lighten up." He waved over at the two youths who stood off to one side. "Come and sit down. Time passes so much more easily with more people to carry a conversation."
Jane looked apprehensive but had no choice but to follow as Elizabeth immediately accepted the invitation, taking an empty place beside Wickham while Jonathan took the place beside Bingley. Just as they sat down, a clap of thunder from outside was heard. It was close enough and bright enough to create shadows inside the barn for a brief second and cause the five young men to jump and cover their ears. Jonathan looked worried.
"Frightened, were you?" asked Bingley kindly.
Jonathan smiled weakly. "N-not really."
"It's just thunder," said Darcy dismissively. Satisfied with his horse, he joined the rest of them sitting on the hay. He gave a dark look at the yellow straw that adhered to his clothes. "Most displeasing."
"What is so displeasing about it?" asked Stefan. "I personally find the entire situation quite delightful."
Darcy looked at him. "And what, pray, is so 'delightful' about being stuck in this dingy barn?"
Stefan shuffled and smiled in the flickering lamplight. "I find it a welcome change from parlors and dining rooms where one is forced to act as if critical eyes are upon them every moment of the day."
"Are you saying that we are not judging and assessing you?" Wickham inquired.
"I am quite certain you are, as I am you," replied Stefan, one eyebrow hitched. "But since we are gentlemen of similar age I am taken to believe that you would be more understanding of my feelings than say, a young woman."
"I doubt a woman in this situation would find it as comfortable as you do, Mr. Bennet," said Bingley with a laugh.
He stopped as Stefan gave him a look. "You might be surprised, Mr. Bingley," the youth said with a secretive smile.
Jonathan coughed. Wickham glanced out the open door at the thinning curtain of grey rain. "Looks like it will let up soon."
Darcy turned to see for himself. "Good. Then we can be on our way."
"Why don't we travel together?" suggested Bingley. He looked at the Bennet 'brothers'. I mean, we are travelling the same way to the same place - it would be a same to pass such an opportunity.
Jonathan and Stefan looked at each other. "I ah, we -" began Jonathan.
Darcy looked at Wickham. "We are perfectly well traveling by ourselves. We do not have to bring on others."
Stefan glared at him. "I would not wish to ride in the company of such incivility anyway."
"Your sharp tongue is no traveling companion either! Still, what can one expect from you, being from such country society?"
"You are rather eager to look down on those not of your class. Has it ever occurred to you that high birth does not mean you have the manners to go with it?"
"What exactly are you saying, sir?"
"That though you are obviously from a well-born family, they seemed to have forgotten to teach you respect for others."
"Now, now, this is hardly the behaviour for either of you," said Wickham. "Still, traveling together may not be such a bad idea, if we are for the same destination."
Elizabeth looked at Jane. Could they get away with their masquerade if they were to spend so much time with others?
"We would not want to be any trouble," said Jonathan.
"Why should you be?" asked Bingley. "We are to spend an inordinate amount of time together at Cambridge anyway, why should we not begin now?"
"This is hardly necessary, Bingley. Just because we are to be staying in the same place does not mean we shall have much contact with them," said Darcy.
Jonathan took Stefan aside. "Can we take the risk of taking on travelling companions?" Jane whispered.
Elizabeth looked at the trio of young men. The tall dark one, Mr. Darcy was studiously ignoring the jokes and conversation of Mr. Wickham. Mr. Bingley laughed along side, now and then rising to Mr. Darcy's defence. Feeling their eyes on him, Bingley looked up at the two 'brothers' and smiled encouragingly.
She grinned. "I think we can. We must learn to deal with all sorts of people once we arrive at Cambridge - it would be better for us to begin now, rather than later. Mr. Darcy there is less than amiable, the other two would be a pleasure to be acquainted with." Decision made, she raised her voice and fell back into the role of Stefan.
"I think it is a very good idea," said Stefan aloud, returning to the group. "Company would make the journey much more enjoyable. That is, if your friend Mr. Darcy promises not to rush and run over people in his hurry to get there."
Already in ill humor from the rain and Wickham's jokes, Darcy gave her a dark look. Elizabeth grinned to herself as she dusted off her hat.
The freedom of pretending to be a young man was just too exhilarating.