A short walk away from Longbourn was the residence of Eleazar's dear friend Charlotte's family. The Lucasses were a family worth knowing within the neighbourhood of Merryton, as Sir William Lucas had been raised to knighthood by the king during his mayoralty. Before his rise to a higher status was he in trade in Merryton, and the raise might have been felt too strongly.

It gave him a certain disgust to hard work and business keeping. He had led his family to a new house about a mile from Merryton where they now lived. It was called Lucas Lodge, a name Eleazar thought was quite fitting.

The new house gave him time and space, to think with pleasure about his own importance, and, unshackled by keeping a business could spend all his time being civil to the outside world. For, though he was elated by rank, this did not stop him from remembering where he came from. He had attention and care for anyone, and as he was by nature inoffensive, friendly and obliging, his knighthood did not change a thing.

Lady Lucas was a good kind of Lady, though Mrs Bennet did not think her smart enough to be of asset. Eleazar presumed it had more to do with the fact she did not need to worry about her daughters marrying young and rich. Charlotte having an older male twin who would inherit all and provide after their father's passing.

Charlotte was Eleazar's dear friend, though she was many years his senior. Which made it even more likely that they would enjoy each other's company as she was sensible and very intelligent.

That the family Lucas and Bennet needed to talk about the ball was without question; so the morning after the assembly a party was put together and travelled to Lucas Lodge.

"You began the evening well, Charlotte, you were Mr Bingley's first choice."

It was a badly concealed jab at Charlotte that made Eleazar cringe away from his mother. The conversation starter had certainly set the mood for the entire afternoon.

"Yes, but he seemed to like his second better."

The reply was civil enough, but it made Eleazar itch to get closer to Jane and Charlotte nonetheless.

"Oh! You mean Jane, I suppose, because he danced with her twice."

False surprise didn't suit Mrs Bennet, but she happily continued forward, oblivious to her son's discomfort.

"To be sure that did seem as if he admired her - indeed I rather believe he did - I heard something about - but I hardly know what - something about Mr Robinson."

"Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mr Robinson; did not I mention it to you?"

Eleazar was sure she did, but Mrs Bennet would never let an opportunity pass to let her daughters be praised to heaven.

"Mr Robinson's asking him how he liked our Merryton assemblies, and whether he did not think there were a great many pretty women in the room, and which he thought the prettiest? And his answering immediately to the last question: 'Oh the eldest Miss Bennet, beyond a doubt; there cannot be two opinions about that.'"

It was a beautiful compliment, one Eleazar would treasure for Jane as she would surely try to diminish its value.

"Upon my word! Well, that is very decided indeed- that does seem as if - but however, it may all come to nothing, you know."

Eleazar tried to not agree with Mrs Bennet, but her words followed his own findings. Mr Bingley was easily swayed. He might make Jane a proposal and he might not, no one would be any the wiser.

"My overhearings were more to the purpose than yours, Eliza. Mr Darcy is not so well worth listening to as his friend, is he? - Poor Eliza! - to be only just tolerable."

Charlotte's whispered joy quickly took over the conversation and steered it into safer waters. Something Eleazar was her dearly thankful for.

"I beg you would not put it into Lizzy's head to be vexed by his ill-treatment, for he is such a disagreeable man, that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him. Mrs Long told me last night that he sat close to her for half-an-hour without opening his lips once."

His mother gladly took the turn of conversation to show her own grievances to the world about her son being slided during the ball.

"Are you quite certain, ma'am? - is not there a mistake? I certainly saw Mr Darcy talking to her."

"I do not mind him not talking to Mrs Long, but I wish he had danced with Eli."

Jane and Charlotte quickly diverted the conversation back to Mr Darcy's many wrongs against humanity and Eleazar in particular.

"Another time, Eli, I would not dance with him, if I were you."

"I believe, mother, I may safely promise to never dance with him."

A promise Elezar was going to keep till his death bed, in true dramatic fashion he got from living with Mrs Bennet his entire life.

"His pride does not offend me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune everything in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has every right to be proud."

"Eleazar could agree with Charlotte to some degree, but there was one big point of disagreement.

"It is all very true, and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not wounded mine."

A wounded pride could destroy kingdoms and legacies, but most of all it severed relationships of old and ones still in the stages of youth.