Eyes Without a Name
A Pride and Prejudice fan-fiction
Disclaimer: I do not own "Pride and Prejudice." I borrow a line here and there.
A/N: Thanks everyone for the support, it makes me really happy to see so many people added this to their alerts and favorites. Sorry for the delayed wait for this chapter, but I had 3 midterms last week, and I slept most of the weekend to make up for the sleep I missed out on. And for some reason I can only find my muse while I'm in class ;) Hope this makes up for it, a slightly longer chapter, and I did a quick proofread, so I apologize beforehand for any errors.
Chapter 3: The Greatest Beauties
No sooner had those words left his mouth did Darcy regret he had said them. What had possessed him to make such a rash comment about a young lady he knew nothing about? True, he was irritated that Bingley had tried to make him dance when he knew he particularly despised the past time, but his pitiable mood was no excuse for treating her like he did. He only hoped that she had not heard him, but when she walked by him, a glint in her eye showed that she had heard him, but she did not care.
He continued to watch her as she joined her friend Miss Lucas in the corner, where they proceeded to whisper and laugh.
It was her laugh that held him entranced. Her laugh seemed to diffuse itself into her eyes, giving them new life. They stood out from her face, giving her a greater beauty that had heretofore been absent from her pretty face.
Where before he had done everything in his power to avoid looking at her, now he followed her every move with his eyes.
He watched her dance a set with Bingley, her light figure moving across the floor, her eyes shining with happiness. She greeted everyone else with her smile, but the times his eyes caught hers, her face went blank.
It was disconcerting, but he couldn't help being attracted to it. Perhaps she was the one, maybe if he talked to... But no, not after his comment, she would not want to speak with him.
"Say, Lizzy, did you not travel to the Peak District some two years ago?" Charlotte asked of her as they made their way toward Longbourn. The Lucases were visiting the Bennets to discuss the ball, and the two friends had sought the outdoors rather than hear Mrs. Bennet's raptures on Mr. Bingley's attentions to Jane.
"Huh? Oh yes, three years ago," Lizzy said, her mind occupied with other things.
"Is not Mr. Darcy's estate there, did you not say you visited many grand estates?" Charlotte said, observing her friend. It was not like Elizabeth to be so silent; maybe Mr. Darcy's comment affected her more than she let on?
"Ah yes, I did visit it," Lizzy said, meeting Charlotte's eyes, which were glowing with anticipation, "but I did not happen to meet Mr. Darcy there if that is what you are asking. Which I know you are, because you are not at all a sly creature Charlotte."
"I only ask because though I expect no romance for my own life, I think that there are others who deserve it," Charlotte smiled.
"Of course Charlotte, for every young lady wishes to be only 'tolerable' in the eyes of the man she fancies," Lizzy laughed with Charlotte.
"Aye, that is very true," Charlotte conceded as they arrived once more in the foyer of Longbourn.
"I think I'll leave that to Jane, seeing as Mr. Bingley is paying her all his compliments," Lizzy said conspiratorially, she knew that Jane was very much in danger with falling in love with him.
Darcy should have known that within such a confined social circle, and as the most prominent and newly arrived members, the Bingleys, Hursts, and he would generally be invited to any ball or assembly. And as the county beauties, the Miss Bennets were also sure to be there.
So here he was, at Sir William Lucas' estate where a large party was gathered, trying his best to not arouse suspicion in the eyes of the lady that had occupied his mind for days now, whilst he listened in on her conversation with a Colonel Forster. He could tell that she was determined not to catch his eyes, but time and again her eyes wandered to his, a quick flint of recognition sprouting there before she turned away once more.
"And Colonel, do you plan on staying in Meryton long?"
"The whole winter I think."
"Then perhaps you ought to throw a ball."
Darcy continued to listen as she talked, her face animated with the conversation. Her eyes shone, and he could imagine her face flushed after dancing at this ball she proposed. He certainly wouldn't mind dancing with her, to feel her small hands in his own.
When she moved away he was tempted to follow, but instead contented himself with only watching her.
Miss Bingley soon interrupted his reverie, going off about how "ill-bred" these country people were, but he only listened with half an ear. He was much too enraptured by how she was speaking to Miss Lucas to pay an real attention to Miss Bingley. He only wished that his own sister had someone to confide like she had, after, well, he preferred not to think about it.
Miss Bingley soon grew weary of his inattention and moved away, of which he was thankful. Miss Mary Bennet was soon at the pianoforte after a request from Sir Lucas to have music, and soon there were a few couples standing to dance, among them the youngest Miss Bennets.
He made an attempt to move to a position where he was farther away from the pianoforte, the sound issuing whence not very pleasant when one was standing so close, but was instead forced to stop and make small talk with Sir Lucas. He did his best to answer the polite inquiries, what he thought of dancing (all savages could dance), whether he danced often at St. James (not if he could help it), if he had a house in town (a bow would suffice). He was looking for a way to escape when she walked over.
Darcy only wished he could talk to her, now that she was so near. He was thankful then that Sir Lucas did just that.
"Miss Eliza, why are you not dancing?"
She smiled, but he could tell it was forced.
"Mr. Darcy, allow to me to introduce to you Miss Elizabeth Bennet to you as a most desirable partner. You cannot refuse to dance, I am sure, when so much beauty is before you," Sir Lucas said, taking Miss Elizabeth's hand and almost giving it to him.
Darcy was eager to take it, an opportunity he had not hoped of having sooner, when she drew back. He was surprised by this action when before she had been trying to persuade Colonol Forster to give a ball. With grave propriety he asked her to reconsider, for it would truly be an honor to have her hand for at least a set.
She simply smiled, teasing in her manner, before politely excusing herself and going to speak with one of her sisters.
If anyone had thought that such a refusal would have hurt his opinion of her, they would have been mistaken, for instead, Darcy was quite intrigued by her manner. Although she observed many rules of society, it seemed that it was only a role she played, and not who she was. Perhaps there was another character hidden beneath, one that could possibly find amusement in those people who strictly adhered to those strictures set out by society and didn't have a mind of their own. Darcy was very much interested in finding what hid behind those intelligent eyes, and he was determined to do so. Of course, she had to speak to him first.
Lizzy paced back and forth, anxious to set off for Netherfield. Jane had been invited to dine at Netherfield the evening before, and she had not returned. In her stead, Lizzy had received the missive from Jane in the morning, telling her of her small accident. Her mother had first panicked, though Jane wrote her that it was of no grave consequence.
Her father knew that sending Mrs. Bennet would not benefit anyone, for she would exaggerate the smallest thing, so Lizzy had taken it upon herself to walk there. After all, Netherfield was only a few miles away and Lydia and Kitty would walk with her as far as Meryton where they planned on calling on the recently arrived militia.
She was just waiting for them to get their bonnets, but Lizzy knew they were most likely also changing their dresses, eager to impress by the sounds of the praises for a certain Captain Carter and his fellow officers.
When they finally did leave the house, Lydia and Kitty sporting clean frocks (her father reassured that his youngest daughters were the silliest in the country), Lizzy's fast pace was almost too much for Lydia and Kitty. She was very happy once they parted at Meryton so that she could resume her fast pace and think at her leisure.
Jane had said she sprained her ankle whilst getting off the horse, and that Mr. Bingley had insisted she stay until she recovered. Lizzy knew that Mr. Bingley would be all attention, but it was for Jane's mental well being that she was going. She was sure that even Jane, with all her sweet disposition, would not be able to withstand the plague that was Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst alone. Lizzy had seen enough of them to conjecture that they had no real interest in Jane, but Jane was too kind to suspect anything but goodwill from them.
It did not occur to Lizzy, in all her time walking the fields to Netherfield, that she might run into Mr. Darcy. He was Mr. Bingley's guest, and it was more than likely that she would run into him. Not that Lizzy particularly wished to speak to Mr. Darcy. She had not yet forgotten his words, nor had she forgotten his odd behavior at Sir Lucas's. Before she had begun to think that he might have finally recognized her, but with Jane's news, Lizzy quite forgot the matter, pushing it off until she ascertained the extent of Jane's injury and well being.
Although he knew he should not be pleased, he found that with the eldest Miss Bennet taking up all of Miss Bingley's attention he could now finally find some peace. It was of course unfortunate that his peace of mind had to come with her accident, but luckily it wasn't anything that wouldn't heal in a couple days time. Until then, Bingley would not hear of having her moved, and that meant more time for him actually hear his own thoughts.
He was taking his morning walk, glad to breathe fresh air that would not be here for long with the storm clouds threatening in the horizon, when he ran into the person he least expected to see but was happy at seeing nonetheless.
"Miss Bennet," he knew he sounded surprised, but how else could he react when her eyes sparkled with the exercise.
"Mr. Darcy," he was pleased to hear that she was as surprised as he was, if not more.
"I suppose you have come to enquire after your sister," he continued, she curtsied and he led the way. Darcy was quite at a loss on what to say, having never been good at making small talk, especially when the person he was trying to address did not seem so keen on being in his company.
At the breakfast parlor they parted, a servant showing her Jane's room whilst he remained entertaining a cup of tea, Miss Bingley's observations on Miss Elizabeth Bennet's attire and windblown complexion were merely noises in the background, for his mind was more agreeably engaged.
Though Jane was trying to be strong, Lizzy knew her ankle hurt her. The good news was that the swelling had gone down considerably since Jane had been bedridden for the night, and though there was a bruise, there was nothing else much wrong with Jane, except the belief that she was being a burden on her hosts.
"Oh Lizzy, you don't know how much I appreciate you coming. I did not wish to alarm any of you, but I am still very glad that you came," Jane squeezed Lizzy's hand, and Lizzy smiled reassuringly.
"You know I would never leave you to your own devices Jane. Especially not with the superior sisters, who no doubt wish me miles away."
"Lizzy, do not speak so, I know that once you get to know them you will think otherwise, then you will feel regret at having ever spoken of them in such a manner."
"Ah dear Jane, I think that is highly unlikely."
The gentlemen were out for the majority of the morning, having been invited to hunt with the officers for the early part of the day, so the ladies all crowded around Jane's bed. Lizzy was growing weary of the conversation, and she didn't know if she could bear being civil to Miss Bingley any longer when Mr. Bingley arrived.
Lizzy expressed her belief that she should return home to inform her family of the extent of Jane's injury, but Mr. Bingley would not hear of it. Jane would most likely be able to moved within the next few days, and it would be pointless for Lizzy to have to leave and return, especially with the threat of storm.
So a note was dispatched to Longbourn to soothe her mother's nerves and to get a change of clothes for Lizzy. Mr. Bingley stayed with Jane as long as propriety would allow, and with his departure to get ready for dinner, Jane revealed the extent of her partiality for Mr. Bingley.
"Oh Lizzy, he is everything a gentleman should be, all politeness and attentiveness."
"I knew you would fall in love with him Jane, and likewise, I feel that he thinks highly of you Jane."
"Do you think so?" Jane's voice was hopeful, and Lizzy hadn't seen her in such a manner for a very long time.
"One must be a simpleton to not see that he admires you so. It is settled then, Mama will be happy to never have you removed from Netherfield and I shall be happy that you have taken care to fall in love with a man of good sense and good fortune, for you have liked many a stupider person," Lizzy laughed, knowing her small speech sounded ridiculous, but there was some truth in her words. Jane knew enough about Lizzy's character to know what she meant.
Darcy didn't know if he should be pleased or not that Miss Elizabeth would be staying at Netherfield. He did wish to know her better, and perhaps he would be able to exhort from her some confirmation or negation of whether she had ever visited Derbyshire, and dare say, his own estate.
At dinner he almost felt compelled to speak with her, for she was forced to make conversation with the portly Mr. Hurst, and he knew from past experiences that that was no easy task to bear. Though she bore it with all sense of propriety, he could tell from the glint in her eye that she was quite amused by the character Mr. Hurst presented. He found that her eyes expressed an uncommon amount of emotion when she didn't think anyone was observing her, and it pleased his vanity to think that he was one of the few who understood anything that went on there.
When dinner was over, the ladies removed once more for Jane's room, so Darcy was left to think about her. It wasn't until the Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst rejoined them for coffee that the Darcy noticed that with every hour that passed, the memory of the young lady he had met at Pemberley was slowly blurring and she was taking her place.
They were sitting at a game of loo when Lizzy finally came down from her sister's chamber. She declined the invitation to play and instead picked up a book.
Her doing so drew Mr. Hurst's attention, who could not perceive that anyone would prefer to read than sit at the card-table.
Mr. Darcy inwardly smiled at Miss Bingley's comment that, "Miss Eliza Bennet was a great reader and took little pleasure in anything else, much less cards."
He was doubly pleased upon hearing Lizzy defend herself, for he knew that there were other ladies who would merely bow their head at such a comment.
Bingley, being the attentive host that he was, offered to bring her a greater collection of books from which to choose from, though he must admit that his collection was rather small.
Miss Bingley, always trying to bring the conversation to a topic that she thought would please him, said, "I was amazed that father left such a small collection of books in his library. And Mr. Darcy, what a grand library you have at Pemberley, I have never seen a greater collection."
"Yes, it has been the work of many generations, there should be no reason for it to be otherwise," he replied, trying to curb any conversation that surrounded him. But it was this conversation that made Miss Elizabeth abandon her book and find a place closer to the card-table. He could see that she was amused my Miss Bingley's pointed compliments.
"I find that everything about Pemberley, nay, Derbyshire, is grand. So eloquent, so noble," Miss Bingley continued. "Dear Charles, when you build your house I recommend that you choose to settle in Derbyshire, I absolutely adore that county and would not be happy in any other place."
"I will try Caroline, for your sake," Bingley smiled.
"If you ever have the good fortune to travel, Miss Eliza, I would highly recommend you visit Derbyshire," Miss Bingley looked bent on continuing when Miss Bennet interceded.
"I thank you for the suggestion, but I have had the good fortune of traveling, and visiting Derbyshire and Pemberley, in particular, some three years ago. So you see, I am not quite so ignorant of the grandness of the county as you might believe," Miss Bennet smiled, her words tinged with sarcasm that he was sure Miss Bingley could not detect. Darcy's heart nearly stopped; there was all the confirmation that he needed. He didn't much believe in fate, but it was no coincidence that she had visited three years ago.
Darcy left those thought to ponder at another time, for right now he was amused at finding a shocked expression on Miss Bingley's face. Upon finding no other hidden insult to fling at Miss Bennet, she turned to address him, "But one cannot fully appreciate all the beauty Pemberley has to offer without visiting in the⦠what season do you think Darcy?"
"I find I prefer the summer season better, one finds such comfort in taking walks through the lanes and I have on occasion been greeted with the greatest beauties upon my rambles," he replied, looking directly at Miss Elizabeth Bennet. It was her turn to be surprised; he noticed a faint blush appear on her cheeks before she looked away.
She soon after excused herself, making her sister excuse, and left them to their own devices. Miss Bingley was much displeased with the turn of the conversation that she soon stopped trying to make any more conversation altogether, leaving Darcy to ponder over what he had heard.
Miss Elizabeth Bennet's looks and words had left no doubt in his mind that she was the one. The discovery, however, only made her improve in his eyes. Before knowing that she was the one, he had been very much attracted to her character, now with the knowledge that he had loved her before he even properly knew her, he felt he was in more danger than he had ever been with any other young lady.
A/N: Reviews are much appreciated! Next time: the introduction of some of our favorite characters, yes, I mean Mr. Collins and dear old Wickam (I don't like them more than you do, but it wouldn't be "Pride and Prejudice" without them).
