“Lydia, hurry up and the mail!” shrieks Mrs. Bennett looking out the front window watching the postal worker placing some much awaited letters in the white mail box with stencil painted pastel flowers on the side, anxious but disappointed that the invitation had not already arrived yet in her own email inbox.
“I wonder if it will arrive today. Everyone is going!” jumps Lydia with as much excitement as her mother “I’ve already decided what I’m going to wear!”
“So have I!” Kitty running to the window and plopping on the sofa next to her sister. As Lydia opens her email, Kitty is disappointed to see her sister’s sour expression and slumped shoulders descending in defeat.
“It didn’t come. How could they forget us?” whines Lydia plunging into the large plush recliner in the living room. She props her feet up on the coffee table on a large stack of weekly fashion and celebrity magazines flicking off her flip flops in agitation.
“The invitation could still come tomorrow. Maybe it was accidentally left at the post office or fell out of his bag, or maybe he just doesn't know our email addresses", feeling that her ideas are being ignored, Kitty further shares her imaginative thoughts “Perhaps even a dog grabbed it out of his bag while he was trying to run away and it was destroyed. He was too embarrassed to deliver it." Then pausing in creative thought, Kitty enthusiastically adds, "Maybe he accidentally hit delete rather than send!”
Lydia looks at her with a raised lip, rolls her eyes, and firmly rests her chin in the palm of her hand “They’ll know that we haven’t received the invitation when they haven’t heard from us. They have to invite us. Everybody is going to be there!”
“I know girls. This is very upsetting!” confirms Mrs. Bennett pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace holding her chin as if the action would produce more inventive thoughts on what to do.
“I will die if I don’t get to go!” whines Lydia “I’ll be a social outcast forever!”
“Didn’t you do a play “Outcasts” in junior high school?” asks Kitty.
“Close but not quite there. It was called “Outsiders” and this is nothing like that” smirks Lydia wondering how many times her sister can call something by nearly a right name but still get it entirely wrong.
“Well, whatever. Didn’t it all work out in the end?” asks Kitty trying to cheer her sister up but feeling a bit defeated.
“I don’t think we’re talking about the same thing. You’re remembering something else” replies Lydia a little confused herself about Kitty’s analogy.
“Well, whether we are outcasts or outsiders maybe we can do our own thing. Do you think they would mind if we crashed the wedding?” eagerly asks Kitty already strategically plotting escapades in her imagination.
“Nonsense! You girls will get an invitation. I’ll make sure of it!” defiantly replies Mrs. Bennett determined to get her way as usual.
“Is supper ready? What are we having tonight?” cheerfully asks Mr. Bennett not picking up the tension in the room but only feeling the pains of an empty stomach “Are Liz and Jane coming over today?”
“Yes dear but there are more important matters to worry about right now. The invitation to Jane Fairfax and Grant’s wedding hasn’t arrived yet. It is being held at Netherfield” Mrs. Bennett anxiously continues “I really want them to go so they can meet other young Salvationist men. We have a wonderful corps of girls but absolutely no men. How will our daughters ever find husbands if we don’t expose them to places where they can meet them?”
“I suppose our daughters need ‘exposed’ but hopefully not too much” smiles Mr. Bennett tapping Mrs. Bennett’s hand as she places a basket of rolls on the table for the traditional Saturday brunch and with a discernible eye “It might be a bit much for Mary”. Mary is buried deeply in reading In Darkest England and oblivious to the rest of the conversation in the room.
Liz follows Jane into the room and hugs her father before sitting down. “What kind of exposure are you talking about?”
“Your mother and I were discussing future husbands for you” blankly states Mr. Bennett.
Mary only hearing one word and missing the context of the conversation replies “Exposure is a condition of poor health resulting from a lack of protection. Many people experienced this in White Chapel during the late 1800’s, one of the many reasons the work with the homeless began in the Army” informatively responds Mary returning to her book after offering her unsolicited assistance.
Lydia looks at Mary as if she is an alien from another planet and shakes her head giggling with Kitty.
“What makes you so sure that Jane or I are looking for husbands? Either of us might choose to never marry and enjoy our time being single traveling and doing things that we would like to” replies Liz mostly to aggravate a reaction in her mother which is easy to do.
“I think the Army should come up with something like the “Bachelor” on TV or perhaps an online dating service” states Lydia coaxing a response from the others.
Mary looks up for a moment having decided to join the family discussion and drops her jaw in shock “Why would you ever want to offer yourself as some type of contestant in a competition? True love is not like that. I want to be loved for who I am because I am wanted just like I am.”
“I think it is a wonderful idea. We could meet guys from so many different territories! There might be some cute ones too!" Kitty giggles adding "Lydia and I could manage it and have our first choice on who we wanted to date. We could also come up with dating types, places to go, and ideas to spark conversation”.
Liz looks at Kitty in utter amazement of how quickly Lydia’s concept has spurned so many other ideas. “And how would you manage setting people up together?”
“That’s the thing, I’d make them take personality and interests tests. It would be so easy” replies Kitty lost in her entrepreneurial thoughts.
“I think it is a fabulous idea!” ardently agrees Lydia.
“Where are you getting all this information on how to date someone? You have hardly been on a date yet” observes Jane not wanting to burst Kitty’s bubble but a little confused.
“The internet. There is plenty of stuff on there and I always watch "First Dates" especially when they discuss relationship issues” frankly responds Kitty as a matter-of-fact.
“I know! I know! We could have a list of love songs to play as suggestions for while they are on a date” and then Lydia adds with a little less enthusiasm “I suppose Mary could help us out a little with that since she likes music so much but she has to promise no musical or big band songs.”
“What’s the problem with 40s & 50s music? Some lovely romantic songs were written during that time” rebukes Liz trying to provoke more agitation in Lydia.
Lydia gives her a direct blank stare “Whatever.”
“Well, I’m hungry. Can you please pass the potatoes?” smiles Mr. Bennett amused at his daughters’ conversation “I suppose you will let me have the final choice of your selection Lydia.”
“That is so old-fashioned dad. But I will let you meet him whoever my prince turns out to be” considers Lydia.
Jane smiles at her sister’s enthusiasm and wishes sometimes that she had some of her little sister’s intensity. Jane is much shyer than any of her other sisters but she feels things deeply even if her feelings aren’t visible on the surface.
“I heard that Jane Fairfax’s wedding dress is beautiful. She has such good taste. She will make a lovely bride” replies Jane trying to change the subject.
Mrs. Bennett thins her lips and states “If your father would let us attend more divisional things, maybe we wouldn’t still be waiting on an invitation. We never get to go out much. There are so many lost opportunities because of it!”
“What are you talking about? We went to the Netherfield concert at Crestwood last Christmas and that was quite a drive!” states Mr. Bennett not sure why he is now the target to blame for a missing invitation.
“Christmas! Christmas was nearly a year ago! It is August! How are our girls supposed to meet any young eligible Salvationist men if they can only meet someone every eight months!” loudly shouts Mrs. Bennett with an added “huff” to finish her logical argument.
“What about Congress? We went to congress this year and that included the whole territory” remembers Mr. Bennett not liking the idea of being on the losing end of an argument.
“It was only a week-end. How are they supposed to meet someone in a week-end?” retorts Mrs. Bennett.
“The wedding is only a night though. How do you know any men will be there that will be to my liking for my girls?” asks Mr. Bennett not even sure that he wants his daughters to be looking for husbands yet.
“Weddings are an entirely different thing. Everyone is looking at everyone else deciding if they might see a potential partner. How many couples do you know that have met at weddings?” exaggerating to prove her point Mrs. Bennett adds erroneous facts “It’s probably 9 in 10.”
Quietly Jane sighs. She hasn’t met anyone particularly special at an Army event but keeps hoping some day that opportunity will arise. In contrast, it seems to happen all the time with her friends at camp and at other music events around the division and territory.
“I’ve heard from Lady Lucas that there are some young men that are near Liz and Jane’s age that are coming back to Netherfield. Lady is hoping that her daughter, Charlotte, will be the first in line. But I’m not going to let that happen” determined announces Mrs. Bennett.
Liz interjects “I doubt that is Charlotte’s idea. She’s a wonderful person and some guy would be very lucky to have her in his life.”
Lydia adds her own personal commentary, “Why would anyone go by the name Lady? She’s done it for years as a nickname since you’ve known each other as children. Leticia is a much more adult sounding name, but for some reason she still uses Lady. It’s rather strange don’t you think?”
Not likely anyone to be criticized, Jane sneers at Lydia, “I think it’s a sweet and regal name. There is elegance about it”.
“Who is coming to Netherfield?” asks Liz trying to change the topic “Did Mrs. Lucas mention their names?”
“Oh yes. Charles, Caroline, Louisa Bingley-Hurst and husband John. Hugh Darcy who is the nephew of the current General is coming as well. His family can be traced all the way back to the founders – the Booths. He’s quite the “catch” of the territory from what I understand” in a tone of habitual gossip shares Mrs. Bennett “He might be a good match for Jane or Liz if either one of them would give him half a chance.”
“Frankly dear, I’ve never met any couple who first met at a wedding but I really don’t think they are missing out on anything” firmly states Mr. Bennett but tired of seeing Mrs. Bennett so frustrated replies, “I forgot to give you this. It arrived in the mail a couple of weeks ago and I put it in my briefcase on my way to work.” The return label on the rather large linen envelope has the name of Fairfax on it.
“Ohhh!” is heard from across the table with clapping in excitement from Kitty on realizing that this could be the long awaited and desired invitation to potential matrimony with her true love.
“Now everybody can relax. You will spend all my money on the latest fashions and then they will all find their no-good and preferred-to-be-forgotten princes at the reception” sarcastically states Mr. Bennett to his five daughters at the table.
Liz raises her chin and tilts her head to the side glancing at her dad. She knows that her father has been teasing them and especially her mother all along about the missing invitation.
“We have to go shopping!” as Mrs. Bennett’s eyes light up like the full-moon “There is no time to waste! Girls go get your things. Your dad can clean up today!”
Lydia and Kitty immediately rush up stairs. Mary asks “Do I really have to go? I hate trying on clothes. Nothing fits right. The mall – ugh!” laying down her head on the table in ultimate despair.
“Yes, Mary. We are all going. Try to find a good attitude about it. You never know, there may be someone there for you as well. I hear there is a new Lieutenant at Crestwood. He might be interesting” encourages Mrs. Bennett not wanting Mary to assist with a disappointing day.
This idea is tempting to Mary, “Perhaps I do need a new sun dress. There might even be some sales” passing a large mirror in the living room and checking her hair in the sunlit reflection.
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