AN: Wow! I was thoroughly surprised to receive so many story alerts, favorites, etc. And three reviews! Thank you to YepItsMe, lookupatthesky, and lindablanche for reviewing. I appreciate your kind words so much! And since no one has said otherwise, I'm going to hope that everyone is enjoying the story and continue onward. In fact, I was so excited about the response that I'm sitting here, hot cocoa in front of me, my own novel's outline forgotten as I work on this. I hope you enjoy! Oh, and I apologize if I mix up any details. I'm trying to follow the novel as much as I can with events, etc, but it's entirely possible that I might make a mistake.
As always, this is not mine, but Miss Austen's.
Chapter Two
Mr. Darcy sat rigidly in his chair. His good breeding and upbringing prevented him from the quick, jerky pacing that his legs ached to perform.
"But Darcy," wheedled Miss Bingley, "can it really considered being out in Society when in fact there is no Society present?"
"No society?" chortled Mr. Bingley uncomfortably. "Indeed?"
"Charles," deadpanned his sister Miss Bingley, "really? There is none of the ton present, save the man hosting the event. It is more an evening party than an actual ball."
Mr. Darcy grunted, giving partially into his legs' demands and striding carefully to the large window overlooking the gardens. The Meryton assembly, hosted by Sir and Lady Lucas was the cause of his discomfort. No, that was being unfair. Rather, Caroline Bingley was the cause of his discomfort.
When the subject of whether or not his young sister ought to attend the ball was broached, he was prepared to firmly deny her attendance. However, Miss Bingley, like the meddlesome woman she was, insisted that his sister wished to attend. His belief was that the poor girl (his sister, not Miss Bingley) was too much affected by her recent misadventures to wish such a thing. However, she (Miss Bingley, not his sister) insisted that whatever was the cause of dear Georgiana's doldrums would be solved by some socializing. Nevermind the fact that Georgiana was even more retiring than he and even less likely to find enjoyment in rustic crowds, as would no doubt be present at this public ball.
Darcy's eyes spied a small green-clad figure, a female figure, making her way across the field adjacent to the Netherfield gardens. He watched her for a moment, then shook himself from his mindless observance.
"I've not even asked Georgiana what she would prefer. If she wishes to attend, then I shall not stop her. But if not, Miss Bingley, I beg you would not apply pressure to her to attend," he said firmly and with finality.
Miss Bingley's secret smile escaped his notice.
Nearly a quarter-hour later, Miss Elizabeth Bennet arrived at her home, shaking dust from her green skirts and neatly tucking several strands of hair which had escaped her chignon. Immediately before stepping into the house, she straightened her slightly askew bonnet on her head, so as not to alarm her Mama. Mrs. Bennet could be frightfully nervous when things did not seem to be progressing as she desired them to be, and a crooked bonnet could very well be the thing that launched her into throes of agony that none of her daughters were yet married. Who, after all, would care to marry a woman with a crooked bonnet?
"Good afternoon, Mama, Papa!" cried she, immediately removing said bonnet from her dark locks and placing it on a peg alongside her sister Jane's.
"Lizzy! Where have you been?" whispered Jane, rushing up to Elizabeth and grasping her arm.
"Yes," agreed Lydia, ambling over to the girls while inspecting a long ribbon which she planned to wear in her hair to the ball. "Mama's flown up into the boughs and I don't know whether she shall ever forgive you, Lizzy."
"Hush, Lydia," chastised Jane, "wherever did you learn a phrase like that? And Lizzy, Mama's not angry. No one knew where you were and we're getting ready for the assembly and were worried."
"I told Papa before I left that I was going to walk over to Charlotte's for a spell. Did he not tell you?"
"Was he reading his paper, Lizzy?" asked Jane.
"I cannot rightly recall," mused Elizabeth. "I suppose I ought to have checked. He does seem rather deaf to us when so thoroughly engrossed in a paper, does he not?"
Jane sighed, leading her sister above-stairs by the hand, where they escaped to their room while Lydia called, "She has returned, Mama! Lizzy is back!"
Elizabeth hurriedly bathed in the basin, shivering at the cold water.
"I'm sorry, Lizzy," murmured Jane as she pushed another pin into her hair, "but if you had been home earlier, there would be warm water still."
"I know, Jane. But Charlotte required my opinion on her hair and bobbles. I advised her not to over-decorate herself, as simplicity seems to be the rule of fashion these days."
"And it was kind of you, Lizzy."
"But?"
"But you are now required to hurry your own toilette and may not be as well-groomed as you could be."
"I shall be as charmingly groomed as I always am," Elizabeth grinned. "And you, sister dear, shall simply be beautiful." Jane had finished with her hair, and was placing the ringlets about her face just so. "I should not at all be surprised if Mr. Darcy or Mr. Bingley falls madly in love with you tonight."
Jane sighed and shook her head, rolling her eyes a bit at her sister. Her smile betrayed her pleasure at the words, though.
Several short hours later, the Misses Bennet were all engaged in dancing, with the exception of Mary, who sequestered herself in a corner of the room, determined not to partake in the frivolous activity of dancing. Kitty and Lydia danced every dance, giggling and flirting their ways from partner to partner. Elizabeth was asked to dance often and stood up with all who asked her, but also chose to sit out some dances, in order that some of the other ladies who had not danced so much might have a turn, as did her sister Jane.
Nearly half-way through the evening, the party from Netherfield entered the room. There were six of them, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, of course, but also included were Mr. Bingley's eldest sister and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Hurst, as well as his other sister, Miss Bingley. On Mr. Darcy's arm was a young lady whom the whispers about the room declared to be Miss Darcy, his sister, of whom he was fiercely protective.
Along with the whispers of her name was a tale of a young chap in Meryton greeting the young lady when Darcy took her to shop for a new ribbon or two. Mr. Darcy told that young man in no uncertain terms that he had not been introduced to the young lady and therefore had no right to approach her. The young man reported to his friends that he feared that things might very well have come to blows had he not relented and apologized to Mr. Darcy.
Still, it was not to be denied that Mr. Darcy was an incredibly handsome man and his fortune was nothing to scoff at, either. Whoever managed to wed him would simply have to know, though, that care of his sister would no doubt be a central concern of his.
As the evening progressed, the Netherfield party made their way about the room, being introduced to some by the few families that Mr. Bingley knew already, the Bennet family included. Finally Mrs. Bennet and the girls were able to meet the two gentlemen who had been central in at least three of the ladies' thoughts since their arrival. Mrs. Bennet declared them both to be handsome, superior gentlemen, but felt that Mr. Darcy's fortune and his fierce loyalty to his sister, whose side he had yet to leave that evening, elevated him just slightly higher in her estimation than Mr. Bingley. To be sure, Mr. Bingley was pleasant and jovial, but how well would he really care for one of her daughters, when his own sister was left standing by herself much of the evening as he danced.
It was during one of the dances that Mr. Bingley briefly excused himself from his partner to go ask his friend to dance, as well.
"Come, Darcy,'' he cried, "I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. You had much better dance."
"I am not standing about by myself, as you so term it," rebuffed Mr. Darcy. "Georgiana is keeping me company."
"Would she rather not dance?"
"She has not had her come-out." Mr. Darcy seemed to be flummoxed. "Of course she will not dance."
"Brother, I see a young lady not much older than myself, sitting there in the corner," offered the girl timidly, glancing in the direction of Miss Mary Bennet. "Could I not sit with her, should you care to dance? I have observed several young ladies gazing at you throughout the evening, and I am sure your request for their hand would not be met with a refusal."
"I certainly shall not," reiterated he. "You know how I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly as this, it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, Bingley, and there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with."
"I would not be so fastidious as you are," cried Mr. Bingley, "for a kingdom! Upon my honor I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life, as I have this evening."
At that moment, Elizabeth Bennet was walking near to them, on her way to see her friend Charlotte Lucas. She could not help but overhear what Mr. Bingley had said, as well as what Mr. Darcy replied.
"You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room."
When Elizabeth recalled that Mr. Bingley had asked Jane to dance that set, she felt her heart give a leap of joy for her sister, with only a small pang of sadness at the backhanded insinuation that she herself was not pretty. Still, what happiness for Jane! The wonderful Mr. Darcy fancied her sister! What a famous thing that would be for her.
Elizabeth hurried off to Charlotte's side, chatting about how the assembly was progressing and how many dances each girl had stood up for. It was while they were talking, a mere ten feet or so away from Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy, as Mr. Bingley had returned to join Jane in the dance, that she noticed the younger girl wringing her hands and glancing about uncomfortably.
"Charlotte, will you excuse me?" she asked. "I fear that poor Miss Darcy is not enjoying herself. I believe I shall ask her to take a turn about the room with me."
Miss Lucas, knowing her friend's penchant for speaking to individuals that interested her, merely nodded and smiled at her. She watched as Elizabeth made her way toward the Darcy siblings, curtsied, and began to speak.
Mr. Darcy was rather confused. The young lady before him claimed they had been introduced, but he had been presented with so very many young ladies this evening that he could not quite recall this one. It seemed that perhaps she was a relation of the lady with whom Mr. Bingley was dancing.
"Are you enjoying the assembly, Miss Darcy?" she was asking presently.
Mr. Darcy glanced nervously to his left, at his sister, expecting her to be tongue-tied and nervous. To his surprise, she put a smile on her face, albeit a small one, and replied, "I-it is quite interesting." He felt his heart swell with pride that she only stuttered once, and minimally at that.
A cheery laugh rang out from Mr. Darcy's right side, and he turned to face the young lady just in time to see her face, lit with laughter and merriment, as she chuckled, "That is one way to put it. I do so love to observe people as they interact. It is, as you said, interesting."
Georgiana merely nodded, so Mr. Darcy spoke up. "Do you make a habit of, how did you term it? Observing people?"
"Good heavens, no, Mr. Darcy. More of a hobby." She nodded decisively. "There is much to amuse and even inform if one is observant enough. But I do my best to be discreet about it. I do not stare, nor gape, nor laugh outright at people." Miss Elizabeth paused, considering. "Unless they are utterly ridiculous, that is," she finally added with a twinkle in her bright eyes.
When he observed the twinkle in her eyes, Mr. Darcy's attention was drawn to that feature of hers. He found himself rather captivated. They put him in mind of his mother's eyes. Not the same, but rather holding a similar quality. Georgiana's eyes were shy and timid. Miss Bingley's eyes were hooded and perhaps even crafty. Mrs. Hurst's eyes were disdainful and bored. Miss Elizabeth's eyes, however, sparked with the joy of life, openness and honesty.
Suddenly, Mr. Darcy felt that his collar was too tight and as though his heart had lodged itself in his throat.
But Miss Elizabeth was speaking again. "Would you care to accompany me on a turn about the room, Miss Darcy?" she was asking. "I believe it would afford us ample opportunity to observe some fascinating characters, all under the respectable blanket of becoming better acquainted."
Mr. Darcy found himself wishing that she had included him in her invitation, but could not bring himself to invite himself. He glanced at Georgiana, who was looking at him.
"If you wish to go, Georgiana, by all means," he intoned, gesturing with his hand. His sister smiled at him, looped her arm tentatively through Miss Elizabeth's, and they started at an ambling pace through the large room.
Almost as soon as they had left, Miss Bingley appeared at his elbow. After briefly glancing at her and nodding, his eyes landed back on Miss Elizabeth's form. When he realized his mistake, however, he quickly averted his gaze to his sister. As the two ladies were so close, he could not help but observe Miss Elizabeth, as well.
Miss Bingley was speaking, but he failed to hear her.
"Darcy!" she cried, vexation in her voice. "Are you not listening to me?"
Clearing his throat, he glanced apologetically at her long enough to say, "I am sorry, Miss Bingley, but my attention is on my sister." He looked back to the two's progress about the room. "You see, she was invited by a young lady to take a turn about the room, and I should like to stay appraised of their, er, her, location. But you were saying?"
"I was asking if you were planning to dance, now that you are not bound to your sister's side." Sadly for Miss Bingley, who very much wanted to make a good impression on the gentleman, this was not a favorable thing to say to him.
"Bound? You speak to me of being bound to Georgiana's side?" His countenance was dark; with what, Miss Bingley could only guess. Had the ever-observant Miss Bennet been present, however, she would have characterized it as fierce anger and perhaps a bit of guilt hiding behind that anger. "I shall always be bound to her side, as you put it, until the day one of us is buried."
Miss Bingley was momentarily left speechless, but soon recovered, as was her habit. She seldom was left without something witty or amusing to say, by her estimation. "Oh, I know that, Mr. Darcy. I meant, though, that while Georgie is occupied and I suppose one could say protected, if that is a worry to you, this would be a good opportunity for you to take advantage and dance."
Clenching his jaw, trying to remain the gentleman he was brought up to be, Mr. Darcy turned to Miss Bingley and bit out, "I do not wish to dance, madam. I thank you." With a stiff bow, he turned in the direction he last saw his sister and Miss Bennet. He decided to invite himself along with them, after all.
