With the first set taken care of, I released some tension I had not realized I was holding and wondered what to do next. I had entered the ballroom with no objective but to find a way to dance with someone amiable, and avoid dancing with people where were not amiable… or sensible… or succinct… or… I could go on for some time in that vein, so I thought I should quit and be just a bit sensible myself.

"I thank you, Mr. Darcy. You have done me a great service, sir."

I thought that would be the end of it and reached down for my dress to take my leave of the gentleman, but he surprised me with a question.

"Miss Elizabeth, I would never dream of asking for a confidence I had not earned, but since we are already in a privileged and private conversation, would you be willing to satisfy my curiosity."

I must have flinched a bit, as he quickly continued, "Please, do not be uneasy, Miss Elizabeth. I certainly am not demanding a quid quo pro, or even demanding to be in your confidence. You may forget I asked."

At that point, it became obvious to me that I was being churlish enough to pass for Miss Bingley. All I was missing was a sufficiently expensive dress and haughty expression, and the realization was not very much to my liking. A man like Mr. Darcy was probably hunted like sport every day of his life and had to be very careful about all his interactions. It was obvious that my mother was not the first matchmaking Mama he had dealt with, nor would she be the last. She certainly was not the most subtle or clever, so helping me had to have been done this favor out of the kindness of his heart, because it certainly was not a sensible thing for him to do.

He was watching me intently, and it occurred to me that he was in fact watching me, as contrasted to my own self-inflicted term of starting at me. The same expression could mean very different things depending on how you interpreted it… and at that moment… something… surprisingly… made me loathe to disappoint him. It mattered not whether the motivation was simple gratitude, courtesy or justice; I wanted to answer the question, so I did.

"Mr. Darcy, our… acquaintance has been… somewhat uneasy, would you not agree?"

He seemed a bit confused by this, but eventually nodded, so I continued.

"I found myself quite surprised when I asked for the favor. You have been quite the gentleman, and I thank you for that. I once again find myself surprised, but…"

I think I probably looked a bit embarrassed or confused again, but I screwed up my courage to continue, and added, "… I find I wish to… well… confide in you."

I was having trouble looking at his face, but when I did peek at him, I saw something unexpected. He was smiling softly at me, something like I apply to my sisters… almost affectionate. It was the look he gave when saying something about his sister when he thought nobody was looking… or at least, Miss Bingley was not looking. He had never seemed to mind that I could see the expression, or perhaps he just did not pay as much attention to whether I was watching him as he obviously did with the Netherfield Huntress.

Sufficiently buoyed by his look, I simply told him the plain unvarnished truth… for perhaps the first time in our history.

Engaging his eyes, I looked over to a gaggle of my sisters and asked, "Do you see the parson over there beside Jane?"

He looked at Mr. Collins and nodded.

"He is my distant cousin, Mr. Collins. Longbourn is entailed, in default of heirs male, and he is the heir presumptive. He has apparently decided to heal the breach, which I have presume to mean he wishes to wed one of the Bennet sisters. Unless I am mistaken, it seems likely that, I was selected from among my sisters as worthy of being mistress of Hunsford Parsonage, and of assisting to form a quadrille table at Rosings, in the absence of more eligible visitors. He is your aunt, Lady Catherine's rector it seems."

I wondered what in the world had caused me to tell Mr. Darcy of all people such an intimate secret, especially when Mr. Collins had not technically done anything but talk to me more excessively than he talked to everyone else (excessively) and ask me for a set. I was not even sure I would be willing to confide it in Charlotte, but here I was telling Mr. Darcy. I looked at him to see his reaction, and once again saw a look difficult to interpret, but if I had to guess, I would have to say it was one of abject horror.

I was just wondering what he could possibly say. He mumbled something that included the words 'dead body', but then shook his head a bit and nodded. I felt that I was in for a penny now, so continued, "He has not said anything formal, but he has been following me like a very noisy puppy for days and spent a good ten minutes asking for the first set."

For some unknown reason, even though I had just spilled my most private and personal information to Mr. Darcy, and by all rights I should have been more embarrassed than I was certain to be later after Lydia hit the punch table, I was not. I actually felt… confused, so I continued.

"Pray, Mr. Darcy. I am certain that was far more than you wanted to know, so I hope I did not make you uncomfortable."

I glanced at him, and he did look uncomfortable, but not censorious… actually… not censorious in the least.

Apparently sensing my disquiet, he once again surprised me by saying, "Perhaps I am just a bit uncomfortable Miss Elizabeth, but that feeling is far surpassed by a feeling of… well, to be honest, a feeling of privilege."

This sentiment made me quite snap my head up from the floor I had been staring at in surprise and found him smiling at me… and I thought the expression was something that should be considered a deadly weapon. It thoroughly disarmed me, so I screwed up my courage, and continued, "He asked for the first set, and the only excuse I could come up with was that I had a prior engagement. I suspect my reprieve will only be temporary, but I will not allow him the first set. I would have been willing to forego all dancing to avoid that."

Mr. Darcy just nodded in understanding, but then said the most surprising thing.

"Miss Elizabeth, I can well sympathize with your position. The rules of propriety are mostly… er… useful to some extent in protecting us, but a good many of them are just plain ridiculous. The fact that you must forego the pleasure of dancing just because you do not wish to dance with a specific partner and cannot come up with an excuse fast enough is horrible. Your secret is safe with me, and…"

He seemed to be uncertain whether to continue, so I just quirked an eyebrow at him to encourage him. It occurred to me I had no idea how he was going to solve my dilemma of the first set, but completely surprised myself that I was not actually worried. He said the problem was solved, ergo it was solved. As I was lost with this thought, he continued.

"… if it makes you any more comfortable, I believe the man that is set to stand for your first set can actually make a quite reasonable claim to you owing him a dance. He was not planning to dance the first, and certainly will not make any expectations that cannot not be fulfilled."

Well, this was just plain mysterious. I could think of any number of men who could claim I owed them a dance, if they stretched the truth far enough, but I had no idea Mr. Darcy would know any of them; but then again, I had no idea what gentlemen discussed amongst themselves. I judged that in less than an hour the problem would be solved, and since I had decided to trust Mr. Darcy even without the details, I would just continue to do so.

In fact, since I had his confidence, I thought I might be able to do something for Jane while I was at it, since it was hardly likely I could embarrass myself any more than I already had.

"Mr. Darcy, would you be willing to hear one more thing in confidence?"

He smiled again, which was becoming alarmingly common. It was alarming mostly because every time he aimed that thing at me I appreciated it just a bit more. He nodded, so I continued.

"Well sir…"

At that point, I lost my courage, and he did the strangest thing. We had been standing facing each other in a relatively hidden corner for some time, but as we had exchanged confidences… or more like I had given him my confidences, while he gradually changed his facial expressions… we had been gradually moving closer to each other. Only a foot or two now separated us, probably slightly less than propriety strictly called for. It was still far more than the few inches Caroline Bingley regularly imposed on the poor man with - but much closer than I had ever stood with such a handsome gentleman. At any rate, as my courage faltered, he reached over to my hand, and squeezed it. There was nothing improper about it. We were both wearing gloves, and he could well have pulled my hand up and kissed it without raising any eyebrows, but it was, somehow a bit intimate… or at least, it was enough to give me some courage.

"… well, my sister Jane and I swore to each other that we would only marry for the deepest of love… or at the very least, the deepest of respect. We may end our days as companions or governesses, but we would do that rather than suffer an… imprudent marriage. Witnessing one marriage with fortune but without respect has quite put us off the idea."

He looked astounded at that declaration, so I thought I should just finish.

"I know it is not the fashion to not pay obsessive attention to fortune and position. Make no mistake, we have no desire to starve in the hedgerows, but… we will not marry just for material gain or comfort. I know it is selfish, but that is the way it is."

I was now even more embarrassed than at the beginning of the conversation, and he said the oddest thing.

"I admire that, Miss Elizabeth. I admire it very much."

I of course knew, like everyone knew, that a man like Mr. Darcy must wed with fortune and connections in mind. Too many depended on him maintaining his family's status and position, so he was almost as constrained as I was. But to hear that he admired my ridiculous and probably half suicidal attitude was… heartening.

He had, while I was at Netherfield, shown himself to be a man of sense and education, so I was sure he understood me. I hoped that he would show Jane some clemency if the time came for Mr. Bingley to make his declarations, and he might even keep the Bingley sisters in line. I had taken a chance confiding in him, but quite surprisingly found that I did not repent my confidence. I had some faith in the man that he would do the honorable thing, as he had been doing all night.