CHAPTER TWO: A LITTLE PARTY NEVER KILLED NOBODY
Author's Note: This one is a little longer but it helps to tease you guys. I decided to upload a chapter every Friday. Even though I'm ahead in the story, I might get behind. So it's only a week and I hope to keep my promise. Please review if you have the opportunity.
Everyone in Meryton was ablaze with the expectation of meeting Mr. Bingley. The Bennet's neighbor, Sir William Lucas had brought news that Mr. Bingley had every intention of interacting with his new neighbors at the ball. All of the Bennet girls were giggling with excitement. Emma retracted her pessimism as she was caught up in her sisters' excitement.
The day of the ball arrived with the Bennet family shifting their way into the packed community hall. Everyone began to engage in conversation with their neighbors as they waited for the quartet to pick up their music. A flourish of dancing and chatter filled the room as Mrs. Bennet waited impatiently for this Mr. Bingley to arrive. Aurora and Ariel were stolen away for dances and Emma sought Ruby in the crowd. Mary-Margaret made her rounds but no one decided to ask her to dance.
A hearty jig filled the hall but Emma and Mary-Margaret were consulting their mother's wishes as they watched their sisters flout their beauty to many of the men. A conversation about their wishes to be married to men of wealth inspired Mr. Bingley to finally show up at the ball. Mrs. Bennet was relieved to wait no longer on approaching the dear man and bringing about her beautiful daughters to his attention.
The flurry of music died down as Mr. Bingley and his party had finally arrived. Everyone stopped and stared at these newcomers who were fashionably late. Sir William Lucas made it his pleasure to welcome the party to their evening's entertainment.
"Which one of the painted peacocks is our Mr. Bingley?" Emma whispered to Ruby.
"He is on the right and on the left is his sister," she replied in awe.
"And the person with the quizzical brow?"
"That is his good friend, Mr. Darcy."
"He looks miserable, poor soul." Emma was a gasp at the tall figure in the middle who seemed to have more enjoyment staring at the floor than with these common folk. The five visitors walked in together, with the youngest Miss Bingley smirking at the crowd and Mr. Bingley more than happy to meet these townsfolk. It looked as if he had never seen such a wild gathering, which confused Emma. Why would someone of wealth seek to unite with our poor souls?
"Miserable he may be, but poor he most certainly is not," Ruby responded.
"Tell me," Emma pleaded.
"Ten thousand a year and he owns half of Derbyshire."
"The miserable half?"
Ruby and Emma snickered as the three walked through the dancefloor to the other side of the hall. The crowd bowed generously to their arrival. The curiosity of this Mr. Darcy caused Emma to stare. His sullen face turned to hers as he walked past. She caught the glimpse of his stunning blue eyes. When he felt the gaze of this strange woman, he immediately turned forward again. Emma was not sure of what made this Mr. Darcy so important.
The silence of the room suddenly erupted into dancing once more. The late arrivals stared at the wild dancing in front of them. Mrs. Bennet rushed to gather the daughters that remained. It was utterly important to make a first impression. Sir Lucas introduced his daughter and the female Bennet's to Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy, the two Bingley sisters, and a Mr. Hurst, in case that the town's gossip had never reached their ears.
"I am delighted to make your acquaintance," Mr. Bingley announced to his welcoming party. They bowed in reverence to these newcomers.
Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy followed suit to the dancing by finding ladies in the room. The two Bingley sisters quickly snubbed the Bennet sisters and Ruby Lucas. Mr. Bingley quickly picked up a few partners for the dances but Emma found herself watching that Mr. Darcy had only engaged. Mr. Bingley separated himself to find Mary-Margaret and Emma in a conversation. They were cordial and inviting to their new neighbor.
"How do you like it here in Hertfordshire, Mr. Bingley?" Mary-Margaret inquired.
"Very much."
"I have heard that the library at Netherfield is one of the finest in the country," Emma interjected.
"Yes, it feels me with guilt. I am not a good reader. I prefer being out of doors." Mr. Bingley chuckled at his mistake. "Oh, I mean, I can read of-of course. And I am not suggesting that you cannot read out of doors, of course, um…"
Mary-Margaret interrupted Mr. Bingley's nervous mistake saying, "I wish I read more but there always seems to be so many other things to do."
"Yes, that is exactly what I meant!"
That is where Emma began to drift from the conversation. The previous glances at Mr. Darcy had sparked her interest. His face did not seem to describe anything of potential value. She wanted to know more of why this wealthy man decided to intermingle with these commoners.
The crowd began to choose partners and Mr. Bingley quickly snatched Mary-Margaret's attention before she could be stolen by another guest. Emma stepped away from the line of dancers to watch her dear sister be whisked away again. A part of her was jealous that she could easily find partners of good manners to entertain her for the evening. Emma thought that her time of dancing was coming to a close at this event, even though she loved it so much.
Mr. Darcy's presence still haunted her. He looked alone and Miss Bingley had not moved from her spot. Emma felt that her curiosity must be satisfied. She approached Mr. Darcy from the edge of the crowd.
"Do you dance, Mr. Darcy?"
"Not if I can help it."
Emma bit her lip at the thought of rejection. Maybe he was too pretentious. The thought of dancing with these commoners must be the most insulting thing he could every do. Emma stepped away before she could do no harm. She could not give up yet. She stepped away to Ruby, who was being flattered by an apprentice. However, Mr. Darcy's eyes followed her as she walked to her dear friend.
The two of them sought shelter from anything else that could go wrong and hid behind the crowd. They refreshed their dry throats and played a game of eavesdropping on other conversations. They would muffle their snickers and see how far it would go before the evening was over.
"Come Darcy, I must have you dance," said Mr. Bingley. The girls quieted themselves and put their ears towards the conversation that was forming between Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. "I hate to see you standing about in this stupid manner. You had much better dance."
"I certainly shall not." This perked Emma's ears. "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 with the other guests and there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with."
"Upon my honor, Darcy, I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life as I have this evening; and there are several of them, you see, uncommonly pretty."
"You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room," said Mr. Darcy. His gaze was set on the eldest Bennet, who had been whisked away by another male dance partner. It was important, after all, that a woman never dance with the same man more than twice but have an equal share of the other men who attended the event. There were scarce men in the room but everyone had a duty to fulfill by making every person satisfied in their night of dancing.
"Oh, she is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down at the edge of the crowd, who is very pretty, and I dare say very agreeable. Do let me ask my partner to introduce you."
"Which do you mean?" Darcy asked as he began to scan the outskirts of the crowd. He found Emma and Ruby transfixed their way but returned to his cold state and said, "She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me, and I am in no mood to present myself to this creature who freely gives her hand openly to men. You had better return to your partner and her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me."
The two separated, with Mr. Bingley to the crowd of people, and Mr. Darcy to join the rest of Mr. Bingley's party. When Darcy walked of, Emma remained with Ruby with a sudden feeling in her heart. She would no longer contain any cordial feelings towards Darcy and his arrogance.
"Count your blessings, Emma," Ruby whispered. "If he likes you, you'll have to talk to him."
"Precisely." Emma looked down and smiled past Darcy's pride. "As it is, I wouldn't have danced with him for all of Derbyshire. Let alone the miserable half."
Emma felt for one more dance as the evening passed on. Mostly because she could watch Mary-Margaret and Bingley staring at each other the whole time and for the adrenaline in prancing around. The dance quickly ended and everyone erupted in a sense of pleasure.
Mrs. Bennet accosted poor Mr. Bingley as the crowd separated.
"How well you dance, Mr. Bingley!" Mrs. Bennet shouted. "Of course, my Mary-Margaret is a splendid dancer indeed!" Emma quickly joined their conversation.
"Your friend, Miss Lucas, is a most amusing young woman," Mr. Bingley remarked.
"Oh yes, I adore her," Emma added. She remembered all of the pleasing times they spent together in their childhood.
"It is a pity she is not more handsome," Mrs. Bennet admitted.
"Mama!" Emma interjected. For how could she say such a thing of a dear family friend?
"But my Emma would never admit that she is plain…" Mrs. Bennet continued. To Emma's shame, Mr. Darcy had appeared in their conversation and was next to Mr. Bingley. Emma felt a blush rise in her cheeks for having such a mother.
"Of course, it's my Mary-Margaret who is considered the beauty of the county." Emma tried to stop anymore foul words from coming out of her mother's mouth but she continued anyway. "When she was only fifteen, there was a gentleman so much in love with her that I was sure he would make her an offer. However, he write us some very pretty verses."
Emma, in her amusement of the silly suitor, remarked. "And that put paid to it. I wonder who discovered the power of poetry in driving away love."
"I thought poetry was the food of love," Darcy added, hoping to gain some perspective to this inane conversation.
"Of a fine stout love, it may," Emma responded, "but if it is only a vague inclination, I am convinced that one poor sonnet will kill it stone dead."
"So what do you recommend to encourage affection?"
"Dancing. Even if one's partner is barely tolerable." Emma was satisfied with such a response. She was going to bite his pride and arrogance that he confessed to earlier.
Darcy's cold stare from his piercing blue eyes met her dark hazel oculus. She knew that she had just pierced his pride. With full confidence, and the urging of a next dance to be performed on the floor, Emma bowed at Mr. Darcy. She could not lose her fair countenance and left the assembly.
That evening, the Bennet's returned to their beloved home in Longborne to rest after such a long evening of excitement. Mary-Margaret and Emma retired to their bedroom. On several occasions, the girls would stay up late past when they needed to sleep and engaged in scandalous conversation. They settled into the large bed, and pulled the covers over their head. They usually did this because they were always afraid that their siblings or parents would be able to hear their private conversations. Mary-Margaret had not said a word about Mr. Bingley since they had returned from Netherfield.
"He is just what a young man ought to be," Mary-Margaret began when Emma put away her private journal. "He is sensible, good-humored, and lively; and I never saw such happy manners? He talks with so much ease and is of perfect breeding."
"He is so handsome," replied Emma, "and conveniently rich."
"You know perfectly well that I believe that marriage should not be driven by thoughts of money," Mary-Margaret retorted. Emma did not argue against that. No matter how much her mother convinced everyone that marriage was made for bringing money into the family, Mary-Margaret and Emma disagreed very loudly in their minds. "Only deep love will persuade me to marry."
"Which is why I will end up and old maid."
"Do you really believe that he really liked me?"
Mary-Margaret could not get self-conscious. The beauty of the family was being wooed and Emma could not stop that from happening, especially to an agreeable man.
"Mary-Margaret, he danced with you most of the night and stared at you the rest. I have seen no other man agreeing to such conversations that all of us held. I give you leave to like him, on behalf of the family. You've liked many a stupider person. You're a great deal too apt to like people in general. You never see a fault in anybody." Emma paused because Mary-Margaret was lowering her eyes at all this praise. "All the world is good in your eyes."
Not his friend," Mary-Margaret replied. "I still can't believe what he said about you." Mary-Margaret grabbed Emma's hand.
"Mr. Darcy? I'd more easily forgive his vanity had he not wounded mine. But no matter, I doubt we shall ever speak again."
"Emma, dear, do not give up hope."
They both giggled in the sheets.
"Here is too a bright new day," Emma responded with melancholy. She rose out of bed and blew out the small candle that was a dim light to the room. Hopefully any plans of tomorrow would wipe away the disappointments met by Mr. Darcy.
Mary-Margaret settled down to sleep but Emma caught herself staring at the ceiling, thinking of the new arrivals to the neighborhood. She would hope that there would be multiple appearances of Mr. Bingley but that Mr. Darcy and his vanity would remain at Netherfield.
Despite Emma's beliefs against the two men, she did notice one thing in particular. Between him and Darcy, there was a steady friendship, in spite of a great opposition of character. Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper. No other disposition could offer a great contrast than his own and though, with his own appearance, he never appeared dissatisfied. Emma noticed that Darcy had a firm reliance in Mr. Bingley and took his opinion very highly, even if the recommendation to dance with Emma was turned down. In her limited understanding after the evening's events, Darcy was the superior personality. Mr. Bingley was by no means deficient; but Darcy was clever. His responses were like the sharp cut of a sword. Emma and Mr. Darcy were just advancing towards each other with sharp words to see who could win in a game of wit.
At the same time, Emma formed in her mind that Mr. Darcy was also haughty, reserved, and fastidious; and his manners, though well bred, were not inviting. In that his respect of his friend had greatly the advantage. Bingley was sure of being liked wherever he appeared; Darcy was continually giving offence.
[updated 6/19 for the minor Elizabeth/Emma and Jane/Mary-Margaret issue]
