Do not own Pride and Prejudice
I thank everyone for the helpful reviews. To be clear, I only wrote this story out of boredom and for fun. I never expected it to have followers. I guess you will have to live with my beta less stories. I am sorry, but I'm going solo.
"Mary, stop reading that rubbish and make yourself more presentable for the ball! You will never be as beautiful as Jane but one can try." Mrs. Bennet sighed and then began complaining again.
"Kitty, stop coughing so, and ask Lydia for tips on how to act during the ball since she receives much more partners than you. Lizzie stop practising the piano and help Jane with her hair!" Mrs. Bennet screamed about the house as the day for the ball had arrived.
"Mama, when Mr. Darcy dances the first set with me as I am sure he is, may I dance with Mr. Bingley next?" Jane asked as Lizzie pinned a soft blonde curl atop her head.
"Why my dear? Mr. Bingley has a generous amount of income surely, but Mr. Darcy recieves a much more greater income, why not focus all your beautiful attention on him?"
Elizabeth dared not to laugh, because she wanted to see where this conversation led them.
"Because mama, I hear Mr. Bingley has handsome features and also for the security if Mr. Darcy does not like me." Jane replied admiring herself in the looking glass.
"Doesn't like you! My dear child! There must be something wrong with Mr. Darcy if he ends the evening not falling in love with you, but of course you can dance with Mr. Bingley." Mrs. Bennet screeched unpleasantly.
Elizabeth laughed and then spoke.
"I am sorry to disappoint But Mr. Darcy has already asked to secure the first set of dancing with me and Mr. Bingley is to dance with Mary"
Mrs. Bennet put down her comb and then replied "Well, Lizzie once they see my beautiful Jane Bennet I am sure their minds will be changed and there will be two men fighting for my beautiful Jane"
"Yes, I am sure they only asked you both to be kind. The two must have excellent manners." Jane said with a sigh as Lizzie finished with her hair.
"I am sure they are to dance with me! While I am the youngest I am also the tallest!" Lydia piped in loudly as she turned her head up and left to find her shawl.
Mary, Kitty, and Lizzie each shared a look of annoyance at this helpless conversation.
The ball had started pleasantly.
Both Bingley and Darcy immediately sought out the Bennet sisters when they arrived. When they finally found the sisters Bingley exclaimed joyfully.
"The Bennets! We have been parted for far too long!"
"You flatter us Mr. Bingley! We believe you have not yet met my eldest sister Jane and my youngest sister Lydia, and of course our mother" Lizzie said nodding her head towards the women in question.
Upon his first impression, Mr. Darcy thought of Jane as beautiful but in a colour less sort of way as she was no match for the vivacious Elizabeth.
He thought of Lydia as an over energetic simpering girl with a constant need of attention for her physical features which were, for her age, developed enough. She must have taken after her mother, Darcy thought trying to fight back a laugh.
Mr. Bingley thought of Jane as the most beautiful creature he had ever beheld. He soon rethought his hasty first impression as Jane obviously had some sort of haughty air about her. While Jane was beautiful, he preferred Mary who smiled vibrantly and spoke of things he was interested in. Jane only spoke of lace and her dress, her character reminded him of his sister Caroline, who was sulking in some corner about social status and whatnot.
He didn't even spend a thought on the youngest Bennet. Dear lord, she sure can talk and laugh! He seemed quite uncomfortable as Lydia was constantly trying to direct his attention toward her...well developed form.
Finally, the music started and the men rushed to have their partners hand.
As discussed the men danced the first set with Mary and Lizzie.
They then took a short break to refresh themselves so they could dance again. Bingley and Darcy then danced with Kitty for the third set and each had a laugh over what they thought of Fordyces sermons.
All in all, the ball was quite enjoyable for the three close Bennet sisters.
The other two however had to dance with pompous fools and men of a lower class, and whenever they did not have a partner for a set their mama would complain rather loudly at how Darcy and Bingley were daft fools for not dancing with the real prizes.
Towards the end of the ball, Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley had to dance with Jane and Lydia because their mother had simply gotten so loud and complaining whenever they danced with the other daughters. It was simply embarrassing for the three girls. As Darcy took Jane's hand first he was glad to see he didn't have to dance with Lydia. And Bingley was in quiet despair at such company, but he decided to not inflate the issue and focused on the thought that soon, the dance would be over.
Both men had less of a good time with these sisters. Jane was quite dull, what a shame Darcy thought, a beautiful girl but wasted with a dull mind.
Bingley's thoughts on Lydia were simply that she was an attention seeking girl who flaunted her physique. He practically ran to Mary as soon as the dance with Lydia was over.
As the dance ended, Lydia and Jane were disappointed that they did not get to spend enough time with the men who as they said thought of them as 'good dancers.'
Mrs. Bennet was elated that the men had decided to dance with her daughters, and loudly complimented herself on her matchmaking skills. All the while, everyone around her thought her quite ridiculous and it was a shame that her husband was not present to chastise her.
Mrs. Bennet was always making scenes and acting very idiotic in public settings.
Caroline Bingley then danced with Mr. Darcy to his great displeasure as she only spoke of the towns behaviour and low status.
Oh, how he dearly wanted to be with Elizabeth Bennet and was constantly looking her way. He was quite jealous of Bingley as he made the girls laugh with his jokes.
He wanted to skip through time to the end of this dreadful dance.
He sighed softly as Caroline went on about the towns gossip and savage behaviour.
A long two minutes later, the dance thankfully ended and Darcy was pleased to see that he could finally go back to Elizabeth's intelligent conversation.
"Poems are the food of love!" Mr. Darcy challenged.
"No that is not correct. Poems are bad for love. They make the love one feels less strong and gradually die" Elizabeth Argued.
They were both having a heated discussion about poems and how they either helped or stunted a relationship. Her sisters and Mr. Bingley were off somewhere dancing or talking.
Mr. Darcy loved the passion in her eyes as she made her point.
"And what of Shakespeare?" Darcy yet again challenged.
"My father will not have me read his works so I do not have an opinion of him."
"And why doesn't he let you read Shakespeare? The man is a complete genius!" Darcy exclaimed.
Elizabeth smiled at Darcy's enthusiasm Then replied
"My father deems his works inappropriate for a female."
"Then I will surrender in this argument as I am a gentleman and I have manners."
"Do not pity me!" Elizabeth cried.
"How can I not Ms. Bennet? Shakespeare's works are amazing! I will have to take you to a play to show you that one who has not yet read his works is someone to be pitied." Darcy teased but internally kicked himself for being so forward.
"I suppose so." Elizabeth answered happily.
"Ms. Bennet would you like to dance the last set with me?" Darcy asked.
"Of course, Mr. Darcy." Elizabeth answered as he took her hand and the music started.
It was a slow intimate dance and Elizabeth could not help but look into Darcy's clear blue eyes. She was lost in them, and Darcy was as lost in Elizabeth as she was in him. He wanted to memorise every beautiful feature in the face of the lovely creature in his arms.
Too soon, the dance ended and they both looked around in embarrassment at the looks they were getting at having shown such an interest for the other.
They both blushed as they walked towards Mary and Bingley who were both laughing at a joke one had said.
"Why Mr. Darcy and Ms. Bennet. I see you have both returned to the present!" Bingley teased as Mary laughed softly.
The couple blushed and instantly realised their hands were still linked, the group laughed at the lack of impropriety they both showed as Mary quietly said as she looked across the floor at her embarrasing mother.
"I believe mama wants to leave as she is feeling a headache coming on."
The group all looked towards Mrs. Bennet who was making a show of having "an excruciating headache!"
The girls prepared to leave and the men offered to walk them to the carriage.
As they awaited for the carriage Darcy and Elizabeth were both in their own bubble as were Bingley and Mary.
Kitty was trying to tell her mother to quiet down as she was constantly wailing of a headache.
The other sisters simply watched in jealousy as they had no partners to talk to.
"May I call upon you tomorrow Ms. Elizabeth?" Darcy asked nervously.
Elizabeth blushed at how he used her name so warmly and her heart leapt at his question.
She replied with a soft yes and rejoiced as she looked up at his handsome face seeing that there was a bright smile with twinkling eyes that shone in the candlelit area.
A few feet away, Mary and Bingley were speaking softly at how well Darcy and Elizabeth were both getting on and how they might tease them later, laughing softly at their future plans.
From a window in the building, Caroline Bingley looked down towards where Darcy and Elizabeth were speaking and she felt hatred course through her. She was not going to allow a country nobody steal the man who she was working so hard to marry.
As she looked towards her brother and Mary she instantly had a plan.
Caroline would get what she wanted even if it meant hurting someone in the process.
