Title: To be a Bennet

Summary: What would it be like to be a Bennet sister? This is my take on the modern self insert into the world of Pride and Prejudice. [Self-Insert]

1.

There are many ways that people describe one Mary Bennet. Shy, hardly around, unsocial, a girl with short brown hair always kept in a tight bun and pale face hidden by frames. She was always quiet and more often than not forgotten about by her mother. Her father on the other hand while still forgetful, indulged in her want for reading. He indulged as such that he would allow her to retreat to his office and peruse his own personal library to escape the clutches of Mrs Bennet. Mary Bennet, is a clever girl. She always has been from the moment she was born however in the regency era, clever women are not so sought after.

She snorts at that, she had memories of a life before her own, so different in its views and culture that she could not possibly settle for a loveless arranged marriage to live her life. Alas, she could not fight against society, she was just an ordinary girl in her previous life, a bookworm, she was hardly about to start a revolution promoting women's rights. She new her life was going to get interesting soon. She was a book worm, of course she had read Jane Austen's book Pride and Prejudice. It was the year 1811 now and soon October was coming. With October came the Bingleys and one Mr Darcy.

"oohh, we need new ribbons and dresses, my girls need to look their best!" exclaims Mrs Bennet for Lydia and Kitty. Both girls already had plenty of clothes, so Mary could not understand the need for more. You can tell she was not a party person. The Meryton ball was soon and the news of the new occupants at Netherfield was enough to rile up the whole town.

"Mama, you simply must get me a new bonnet Lydia keeps on stealing mine!" Kitty whines

"Its not yours, It is mine", argues Lydia

Mary tunes out the argument that is so canon like and thinks about her future. She was honestly happy with her carefree life, reading all day long with a passion is something that she loved to do. Not that it was the only thing she did over the course of her life, that would be rather dull, even for her. Like canon Mary, she too learned the Piano, and can happily say that she was even better than the Mary Bennet from the books and film because her mature outlook helped her learn as she had more patience when considering her previous life. She also made it a habit to regularly exercise every morning, it was not that she was fat, in fact she had more curves than her sisters put together, she was just of the mind that she wanted a flat stomach that she could never have in her previous life due to being unmotivated. The exercise also helped to tone her body, not that she was vain or anything.

The books and movie in her previous life always said that Mary Bennet was plain but she had come to learn that it was a matter of perspective. She thought she looked rather good, her skin is white, her hair is a deep brown, she has no blemishes and a round heart shaped face. But moving on, she found love for embroidery in this life, Afterall aside from reading there are not many things that a young genteel women can enjoy in this era. Embroidery was started with a depressing attitude thanks to her mama and she could not remember how many times she had hurt her fingers, but as she started to see results, she started to be imaginative. Embroidering flowers is boring, so she found humour and joy in embroidering things that people do not even think of, for example she once embroidered a black Chinese looking dragon on her kerchief. No one noticed, although Lizzy, after some time, had briefly said that it looked interesting.

Mary sighs. The future is indeed unknown.

The Meryton ball had arrived and Mary was forced to attend alongside all her sisters. Her mother hoping to marry them of to rich suitors. Mary could hear her mother talking to Mrs Philips going on about 4,000 pounds, she must be talking about Mr Bingley again. And speak of the devil, he walked in with his sisters and Mr Darcy. Mary could see from her position at the pianoforte, she saw how Mr Bingleys eyes seemed to gravitate to her oldest sister. She could see how Jane and Lizzy conversed nervously. Mary was glad that she had the pianoforte to keep her hands occupied during these balls, she wold feel so awkward standing around and waiting for males, if any, come to ask for a dance. That and she positively hated gossiping around, she had to duck her head in shame as she hears her mother gossip so loudly about what a pair Jane and Mr Bingley make. You would think that Mama would have learnt how not to destroy the mood with all her experience but alas she remains as headstrong as ever.

Mary changes the song after finishing and watches in the corner of her eye as drama unfolds. She watches as Lizzy gets insulted by Mr Darcy, rather funny considering they get together in the end. She watches Mr Bingley and Jane dance the night away, looking into each others eyes like they were sharing a special secret. She smiles as she sees Kitty and Lydia dancing away happily and freely. They always do love parties. Then she reflects on herself, always playing at the Pianoforte, it was a job that she was paid to do. Yes, even women can work on things other than being a governess or ladies maid. Her father had carried it out but it was she who planned it, because unlike canon-Mary, she was not going to do free labour and expect nothing out of it but a good impression. Her father, surprisingly enough, agreed to her proposal although that may have to do with the fact that her Pianoforte skills were declared the best in the town, that and she knew many songs and introduced her own which she recreated through trial and error.

So she earned around 5 pounds for each party since 3 years ago. When considering mama's character, there were a lot of balls they attended, although the knowledge she played for money seemed to escape her mothers and younger sisters notice. Lizzy and Jane of course, where happy for her but they agreed that it would be impossible for them to do the same and get away with it considering they were the oldest and any ball they attended, they had to socialise so they could marry first. Mary was not just working for so little money, she had made a deal with her father in regards for her dowry. For every pound she makes, he must put that much into her dowry from the estate and in return she will not buy new and expensive clothes or request pocket money every month. For the clothes she was to pick 1 outfit per season and that was it.

When considering how spendthrift her mother and younger sisters were and even her older sisters who would rather have new clothes, this deal with her father was much more beneficial as she could easily create her own clothes using just some fabric (fabric costs less than actual dress's) and her skills in embroidery to sew. So in the last 3 years she has attended 60 parties giving her a sum of 300 pounds which her father had to match giving her a total of 600 pounds dowry. Doing some quick math in her head, the value of £600 pounds in her previous life would be around £46,055,57. And to support a family of four in this era it would cost just below £125 pounds, unless that family had a spendthrift in it.

The Meryton ball ended without fanfare and Mary got her pay, or rather Mr Bennet collects it as is would not seem proper for a women to carry out such actions. Lizzy looked like she was fuming and Jane seemed to be in her own world with a smile on her face. Lydia and Kitty giggled with each other as mama complained about her nerves, all in all a very tiring day for the Bennet's.

A/N: I do not have a very deep understanding of Pride and Prejudice, just the basics and this has not been read over/beta read by anyone so please forgive any mistakes. This story will diverge from canon as it focus's on the new Mary and not her sisters relationships but her own.

Thank you for reading