As she smoothed a few stray hairs to blend in with her modest hairstyle, Mary Bennet became aware of the sound of heavy footsteps coming towards her shared room. Seconds later, the door swung open, making way for her overly emotional younger sister, Catherine.

"Kitty, what on earth is the matter?" she asked, truly concerned.

"Oh, you know," Kitty sniffed on her way to her wardrobe, "just the usual. Lydia took my new bonnet; the one I was so proud of and was going to wear for church today for the first time; remade it without me knowing, and Mama took her side, again! It was my bonnet that I spent my own money on, and Mama told me to just let her have it. Now I will have to wear my old one."

Mary suppressed a scoff. She had learned long ago that, while she didn't care about appearance so long as one was clean and modest, Kitty enjoyed being more fashionable and colorful. "You can wear mine. It hasn't been worn, and therefore, has not been seen."

"But I made it just for you!" Kitty sniffed, though she did seem to be slightly pleased with the idea. In a blink, she shook her head. "No, it matches your new dress so perfectly, and it is has been far too long since you have been out in a new dress."

"Church is not the occasion to draw attention to one's apparel. I am wearing the dress and bonnet to tea at Aunt Phillips' tomorrow. My new dress and bonnet will be seen together."

"But I will have already worn the bonnet!"

Mary felt her patience wearing thin. "Kitty, I don't care if the bonnet has already been worn. You take my bonnets and remake them all the time."

"But with your permission and never when they are new!" her younger sister defended. "It's your bonnet, therefore, you should wear it first. That is the rule!"

"There is no such rule," Mary sat heavily on the bed, arms folded over her chest. Kitty and her rules of fashion!

Her surly response brought a smile to Kitty's face. She walked over and joined Mary on the edge of the bed, throwing her arms around the older girl. "For me, there is. If it is mine, I hate for someone else to wear it first, so I give the same curtesy to others. You know, one of those holy rules you're always quoting. Still, I do thank you with my whole heart." She sighed. "My old bonnet will be fine. As you said, 'church isn't the place.'"

"Well, it's good to know you do listen to me on occasion."

Kitty glared at her younger sister as she showed off the bonnet to Maria Lucas after service. It wasn't fair! Turning back to Mary, who had her nose stuck in her prayer book, she shook her head. "I don't know how you can walk and read at the same time. I would trip and hurt myself."

"You trip and hurt yourself on a daily basis, regardless," Mary looked up with a wry smile. "Though I am sure that if you did try to read as you walk, you would probably damage someone or something else, as well." She looked beyond Kitty and saw Lydia showing off. "I am sure if you ask Papa, he will give you the money to replace the bonnet."

"No," she sighed, "last time Lydia did this, he told me that he would not and that I needed to keep a better eye on my things. He doesn't understand how relentless Lydia is!"

Mary gave her a pitying look, and dropped the subject. "Look. There is Papa, Jane, and Lizzy. We should join them so we can depart."

As soon as they approached, their father acknowledged them and began walking at a quick pace in order to get home faster. Mary and Kitty fell into their places behind their elder sisters and followed. Their mother and youngest sister were the last to join them.

"Mr. Bennet! Wonderful news!" her mother's excited voice caught them first. She brushed past them in a flurry. "Netherfield Park is let at last! And do you want to know who has taken it?"

"You want to tell me, and I am not averse to hearing it," Mr. Bennet quipped as he continued towards their home.

Kitty couldn't help but giggled at their conversation. Their father was always teasing their mother. Tilting her head at Mary, she found that she also had a small smile on her face at their parents' display. Even Jane and Lizzy were enjoying the moment. Once in the house, they discarded their jackets and bonnets and met their parents in the sitting room. By this point, their mother was quite distressed.

Truthfully, Kitty was tired of hearing her mother's moans about their bleak future. It seemed so far away, she didn't see a need in worrying about it at the moment. Still, she listened to her mother bemoan her husband's words and watched as she forced her usual tears to the surface.

The day sped by as it always did.

"Mama, says that you are to go with me to Lucas Lodge, Kitty," Lydia said, a-matter-of-factly. "Hurry and gather your things so we can go."

"I don't want to go to Lucas Lodge today, Lydia. Ask Jane or Lizzy to go!" Kitty huffed, her attention being pulled away from the bonnet she was rearranging.

Lydia scoffed. "Jane is busy with Hill and Lizzy is off on one of her walks. Now, come on! Maria said her father was going to call on Mr. Bingley!"

Kitty groaned loudly. She was curious, but she hated being ordered about by Lydia. "Hang on. Let me get Mary. She needs to get out of the house for a while."

"O Lord! She is such a bore!" Lydia complained.

Kitty rolled her eyes, but continued on towards the stairs. She followed the piano music. "Mary, Lydia is demanding that I go with her to Lucas Lodge and Mama has already given her permission. Please come with us."

Mary sighed deeply. "If I must, but you have to discuss a few passages of Fordyce's Sermons with me."

"Can't we discuss biblical scriptures instead?" Kitty groaned. "That is much more entertaining."

"No! You always take things out of context!"

"No, I take it for what it says," a smirk appeared upon the second youngest Bennet.

Mary was aghast. "It's not an appropriate text for young ladies to be discussing!"

"It's the holy scriptures!" Kitty laughed.

Mary blushed. "The scriptures you prefer to discuss are not fit for young ladies to discuss! It is not up to us to decide what they mean!"

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Come on. We'll decide later what to discuss."

"And he said that he was bringing a large party of friends with him to the assembly, this Saturday," Maria bounced on her seat. "He was so handsome and kind. He's going to make an excellent addition to the neighborhood!"

"A large party?" Lydia frowned. "How large of a party?"

"I don't know," Marias mood seemed to fall a little. "I know he mentioned two sisters, a brother, and a friend."

"Well, that's not a large party," Lydia mocked. "A large party would be nine ladies and seven gentlemen. Or Seven ladies and five gentlemen. How many will there be?"

"Maybe he didn't give an exact number," Kitty tried to intercede. She looked over at Mary to get support, but Mary was engrossed in her book.

Lydia rolled her eyes. "Do you know anything more, Maria?"

"Just what I told you," she murmured, shrinking back from the vivacious, youngest Bennet.

"Well, it was more than we knew," Kitty smiled. "Anything else of interest happen in the last few days?"

"No, Mr. Bingley's visit has been the most exciting event of the week," Maria smiled. "Oh! My mother has commissioned for me a new dress! It will be ready in time for the assembly!"

"Does she hope that you or Charlotte might catch Mr. Bingley's special attention?" Lydia didn't even try to hide her smirk.

"Yes," she replied sheepishly, "though she has more hope for me than Charlotte. Charlotte is a few years older than the gentleman, and most men don't want a wife older than they are."

Lydia snorted, and Kitty glared at her for it. It was no secret that Lydia thought herself above everyone. No doubt her younger sister thought it absurd that Maria could impress a gentleman better than she could, new dress or not. It was an unspoken truth that the Miss Bennets and Miss Lucas' got on so well because they faced similar circumstances; neither family had the fortune or connects usually needed to secure a proper marriage, though Lady Lucas and the Miss Lucas' had no fear of being tossed from their home upon their patriarch's death as the Bennets did. Still, the girls had grown close due to their burdens.

"I am sure it will be beautiful," Kitty forced a smile this time. "Well, I fear we must take our leave. The hour is growing late, and I promised Mary I would not keep her long from her practice. I know Lydia is no less eager to tell Mama what you told us, as Papa has yet to call on Mr. Bingley. The news might make her feel better." She didn't add that the tickle in the back of her throat was making it hard to conceal her cough. The sudden cold temperatures did not agree with her.

"And she said he was going to attend the assembly this Saturday, and bring twelve ladies and seven gentlemen!"

"No," Kitty managed around her cough, "Maria said she wasn't sure of the number, but that he did say something about two sisters and two other gentlemen, so it might only be four in total."

"Tend your cough and let me talk, Kitty," Lydia yelled, before turning to their mother. "And he has forty servants!"

"Oh, enough!" their mother cried out. "I don't want to hear anything of Mr. Bingley, for we are not to know him and it pains me to hear of it! And Kitty, stop with that infernal coughing! Have some compassion for my nerves!"

"I do not cough for my own amusement!" Kitty pouted.

"Mr. Bingley," Lydia tried to get control of the conversation again.

"I am sick of Mr. Bingley!" their mother announced.

"I am sorry to hear it," their father smirked, setting his paper aside. "If I had known as much this morning, I should never have called on him."

Mrs. Bennet shifted to look at her husband, flabbergasted. "You have called on him?!"

"I'm afraid we cannot escape the acquaintance now." Everyone in the room stared at him quietly for only a few seconds.

"Oh! My dear Mr. Bennet! How good you are to us! Nothing you say will ever vex me again," their mother shouted happily, standing to approach their father.

"I'm sorry to hear it. Kitty, I think you can cough as much as you please now," he said, as he made to exit the room. He couldn't tolerate too much of his wife's happiness.

"Now you shall all dance with Mr. Bingley!" she approached her daughters, pulling Lydia into an embrace.

"I hope he has a strong constitution, Mama," Lizzy laughed. Jane seemed happy, too. Mary rolled her eyes and tried to go back to her book.

"What, Mary?" Kitty smiled as she pushed back a cough. "Do you not want to dance with Mr. Bingley?"

"Hardly. I prefer more cerebral activities in getting to know a man," she answered haughtily. She turned to Kitty with concern. "Are you alright? Should we send for Mr. Jones?"

"You know how I get. It's colder today than it has been. (cough) I shall be well in a day or so. Most assuredly by Saturday. I do not wish to miss the assembly (cough, cough) and my chance to meet Mr. Bingley."

"Do you have your eye on him, Kitty?" Mary inquired with an air of seriousness.

"Oh no! I am sure he will take one look at Jane and fall madly in love with her. (cough) I fear that, until our eldest sister marries, no man will look upon us with favor first, and I don't fancy being someone's second choice out of our sisters." She finished with a cough. "I might have a lie down. And no more outings until after the assembly, I think."