Elizabeth sighed. It was all true. She had just gotten three wishes from a fairy named Jeanie.
Suddenly she realized she was still sitting on the ground, and her behind was getting damp. She stood up, brushed away as much dirt as she could, and hoped the dress was not ruined. Dirt stains could be difficult to remove.
Turning back the way she had come, she made her way to the path which ran through the wood. As she walked, she thought about her situation. She still thought she might be dreaming, but if she was, it was the most bizarre dream she had ever had.
She thought about what Jeanie had said about her future wish, that the one thing she had wished more often than any other was that she knew what Mr. Darcy was thinking. “I wish I knew who Mr. Darcy is,” she mused.
There was a popping sound, and Jeanie was suddenly floating in front of her. “I am sorry, Elizabeth,” she said, “but that wish is invalid since it would require me to share information about the future. Please, try again. Thank you.”
Before Elizabeth could say a word in response, Jeanie disappeared with another popping sound.
Elizabeth sighed. She hadn’t meant to make a wish, but the experience reminded her to be more careful with what she said for the next couple of days. She did not want to waste something as powerful as a true wish.
Chapter 2
Bemused and a bit confused, Elizabeth made her way home. Though the air hadn’t cooled down one jot, she no longer cared. Besides, she needed to change out of her dirty gown.
By the time Elizabeth had changed and cleaned up, the sun had moved far enough west that the back parlor was in the shade. While that didn’t make it any breezier, it still cooled it down just enough to make it tolerable.
Elizabeth headed down to join her sisters, Jane and Mary, as well as her mother, all of whom were sitting in what was now the coolest room in the house.
“Lizzy, where have you been?” asked Mama. “You’ve been gone for upwards of two hours. If you keep dithering about like this, you will never finish that hair ribbon. I had hoped it would be done in time for the Gouldings’ garden party tomorrow, but at the rate you are working it won’t be done until Christmas.”
“I apologize, Mama,” said Elizabeth. “I was just trying to cool down a bit. It is such a hot day.”
“I suppose that is understandable,” said Mama. “The heat is entirely too much for this time of year. It feels like the middle of July instead of the middle of September. Oh, I will be so glad when the weather finally catches up to the season.”
“I am certain it shall cool off soon enough,” said Jane. “Autumn is just around the corner, after all.”
There was silence for a short time as the three sisters each focused on their work while their mother stared off into the distance, her embroidery completely forgotten in her lap.
Eventually, Mama started speaking again. She could never remain silent for long. “I do hope you girls are planning to look your best tomorrow night,” she said. “Have you decided what you will be wearing?”
“I will be wearing my pale pink gown,” said Jane. “With autumn coming on, I thought it might be the last chance to wear it this year. Pink just doesn’t seem as pretty when it is cold, don’t you think?”
“You may be correct,” said Elizabeth, “though it baffles me how the temperature outside could possibly affect how pretty one’s gown is.”
“I don’t suppose it does, really,” said Jane in her naturally mild tone. “I think it is more that the pale pink color reminds me of flowers and springtime. Seeing it in the winter simply makes me discontent, because it reminds me of warmer weather.”
“Well, it is so hot today, I almost feel as though I would welcome winter with open arms. A nice snowstorm would make everything better, would it not?” said Elizabeth.
“It is important to remember that there must be contrast and opposition in all things,” said Mary. “Without shadow, light would be meaningless. Without the winter, spring would also lose its purpose.”
Elizabeth could admit the truth of Mary’s words, but she could think of no response to such a statement. So, it had the effect of stifling further conversation.
After a few more minutes of silence, Mary stood up and said, “I think I will go practice piano.”
“There is no need for that,” said Mama. “You practiced plenty this morning. You would be much better off if you would sit down and work on your gown for tomorrow. It needs some trimming or adjusting to look better on you. Heavens above, I don’t know why none of your gowns ever seem to flatter you or why your hair is always so plain. Honestly, it pains me to think that I could have given birth to such a plain girl when I was quite the beauty in my day. Your father was so handsome as well. You, Mary, seem to defy all common sense.”
Mary’s shoulders slumped under the weight of Mama’s diatribe. When Mama ceased speaking, Mary said, “If I cannot play, then I think I would be better off studying in my room.”
Without waiting for permission or agreement, Mary practically ran out of the parlor.
Elizabeth sighed. Mary had somehow developed a firm belief that she was far less pretty than her sisters, and she dressed to suit that belief. In other words, she wore the plainest gowns she could and the plainest hairstyles. She never wore any jewelry, and she never smiled.
Because of her plain way of dressing, Mama had taken to believing that Mary was the ugliest of her children, and for a woman whose very identity centered around her appearance this was an unforgivable sin.
The two of them had naturally grown apart ever since Mary had come out, although it had begun even before then. Mama’s criticism reinforced Mary’s belief that she was plain, which caused her to dress ever more plainly. Mary’s habit of doing so reinforced Mama’s belief in her lack of beauty, which led to ever increasing criticism.
