Another twenty minutes saw Elizabeth eying her handiwork with an expression of smug satisfaction. Everything was as it should be. The young Miss Darcy had come in looking like a cross between a scared rabbit and an angry bear. Colonel Fitzwilliam clearly saw only the latter, and Elizabeth saw only the former, but she could see that the young lady probably had something else to her story. Mr. Darcy's question had implied that there was a specific difficulty that she was facing, and Elizabeth was determined to get to the bottom of it… eventually.

The Colonel was as she had expected on their brief meeting, a jovial man light on his feet, ready with a laugh; and apparently implacable in his good humor, as he managed to even drag a muffled giggle out of Mary! Her Sister MaryDancing and Happy at a ball… The world had run completely amok!

Elizabeth found herself somewhat chagrined to be watching Mr. Darcy dance with Charlotte with much more careful attention to the gentleman than she would have expected. She did find him now to be an amiable man, but she knew well nothing would ever come of it. However, that did not prevent just the slightest pang of… What was it? Jealousy? Impossible!

As to the young lady, the prescribed remedy had been all that was required. No bad humor could possibly survive twenty minutes in the company of Jane Bennet, and so everything was going as per plan. Nothing in particular was said between Miss Darcy and Jane, but Jane's serene countenance and easy manner were enough to settle the young girl down, and bring her back to a level of some comfort; as Elizabeth determined by paying almost as much attention to her as to her brother.

At length, Miss Darcy put the sequence of events together, and determined that the eldest Miss Bennett had never even spoken to her brother, so it must be the second eldest who had somehow arranged all the chess pieces on the board to her design.

"Miss Elizabeth, I find myself all in astonishment at the events of the evening!"

Elizabeth, deciding impertinence was obviously the required ingredient replied, "Yes Miss Darcy, I daresay your brother was not expecting you in the least!"

Elizabeth watched the young lady carefully to see how much of a sense of humor she had, and was rewarded with a small self-satisfied smirk on her countenance, and the reply, "Yes, he certainly did not expect me here; but that was not the particular surprise to which I was referring."

"Whatever could you mean, Miss Darcy?" Elizabeth asked with an expression of perfect innocence.

"How long have you known my brother, Miss Bennett", Miss Darcy asked carefully, "as I am most surprised to find him thus engaged. I would say I was astonished if I had not already used that word, and I cannot at the moment think of a stronger expression of my surprise."

Elizabeth, not quite done toying with her prey, said, "We are at an assembly, Miss Darcy. It is the custom to dance."

Ms. Darcy, replied quietly, "Are you avoiding my question, Miss Elizabeth?"

"Oh dear, I completely missed the question, Miss Darcy", and then glancing at the clock, she added, "I believe I have known Mr. Darcy for approximately 87 minutes. I am afraid I cannot be more precise, as I was not paying strict attention to the clock during the introduction."

Georgiana gasped in surprise, and replied, "87 minutes you say!"

Smiling impishly, Elizabeth said, "88 now."

This sent the younger Miss Darcy into a fit of giggles, which was more or less what Elizabeth had been hoping for. Elizabeth grinned along with her, and they enjoyed the moment. She noticed Mr. Darcy coming very close by them as the dance moved them down the line, and he was staring at the two of them giggling together in either open‑mouth astonishment, or red-faced embarrassment… It was hard to tell with Mr. Darcy.

Georgiana became a little more serious and said, "And how, Miss Elizabeth, in 87 minutes have you learned to direct my brother's dancing exploits… and apparently my cousin as well?"

Elizabeth replied, "Oh, you have it all wrong Miss Darcy. I am not directing either gentleman!"

Georgiana, not to be put off by half-truths, or even quarter truths, replied, "So you are asserting that absent your intervention, my brother would be dancing with Miss Lucas, and my cousin would be dancing with your sister?"

Elizabeth grinned and said, "It's hard to say with your cousin, as he seems quite amenable to dancing, but I must confess that your brother is dancing with my friend at my explicit request."

Georgiana asked, "And has he danced with others this evening?"

Elizabeth replied, "Of course! He is here with the Bingley sisters, and it would be exceedingly impolite to fail to dance with the ladies of your own party. He has danced with each of them."

"Once again Miss Elizabeth, pardon my impertinence, but might I detect the slightest bit of prevarication on your part?"

Elizabeth laughed, and said, "Five syllables Miss Darcy, you are certainly your brother's sister."

Miss Darcy, not to be put off again, said, "Have you outlined his entire history of dancing this evening, Miss Elizabeth?"

Jane was watching the exchange carefully, mostly finding amusement in the tête-à-tête. She was just waiting for the last brick to fall, and expecting to find it most diverting.

Elizabeth, knowing the game was just about up anyway, said, "I should perhaps mention that he just may have danced… "

Jane, could not stand anymore, and inserted quickly, "… Two sets with Lizzy!"

Miss Darcy's mouth dropped in astonishment, much to Jane's amusement, and perhaps Elizabeth's chagrin. The surprise was apparently enough to practically spellbind the young girl.

At length, Miss Darcy regained her composure, and timidly asked, "Two sets!"

"Yes, two sets."

"Four dances?"

"Yes, four dances"

"One full hour!"

"Yes, one hour of dancing, but of course we have been conversing for another half hour or so."

"Conversing"

"Yes"

"At an assembly"

"As you see"

Elizabeth looked at the girl in puzzlement, wondering what had her so confused.

Georgiana just shook her head, looked at Miss Bennet carefully and asked quietly, "Do you know how long my brother has been in society, Miss Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth looked perplexed at the odd question, but decided to go along.

"I would hazard around a decade, Miss Darcy."

"That is close enough for this discussion, Miss Elizabeth. In that time, do you know how many ladies he has danced two sets in one evening with?"

Elizabeth, finding it an even odder question, said, "He must have been to many balls in that time. I would imagine dozens, perhaps hundreds?"

Georgiana, feeling the full sweetness of revenge at the impertinence she had been subjected to, smirked and replied, "Exactly one!"

Elizabeth's mouth dropped open, and reduced to monosyllables said, "One!"

"One"

"So only one lady besides me?"

"Only one lady including you."

"Oh dear", Elizabeth sighed. Perhaps, stopping the next attack of her mother might require more than just two dances.

She replied, "Would it be terribly inconvenient for you to keep that little bit of information to yourself, Miss Darcy?"

Georgiana just grinned in triumph, and said, "Perhaps, but I believe you are in my debt for a story, Miss Elizabeth… and I will have it all.", apparently reverting to the growling bear mode of address.

As Elizabeth sat wondering just what kind of a mess she had made of the affair, the first dance of the current set ended, and the two pairs of dancers returned to the group, feigning fatigue or injury with varying levels of credibility. It would be clear to anyone with any sense that they mostly suffered from curiosity.

As Charlotte walked by she said quietly, "I will have the entire story on the morrow Lizzy."

Lizzy just nodded, not wanting to say anything that might be overheard by the group, and to be honest, watching Mr. Darcy for his reaction. That gentleman looked at her carefully, and nodded towards Jane. Elizabeth acknowledged her next victim with a slow blink of her eyes and the evening was decided.

Mr. Darcy stared daggers at his sister, but it seemed to Elizabeth that he was not likely to be as strict a disciplinarian as his initial countenance would imply. He looked much more like the doting brother type, once you knew what to look for. She took the opportunity to lean over and say as softly as possible, "Please be easy Mr. Darcy. My more sensible sisters and I will look after her. All will be well."

Darcy chuckled and said, "Georgiana has actually arranged her own punishment, and I must say it is far worse than anything I would ever impose on her. She will be a guest at Netherfield with the Bingley sisters."

Elizabeth was thoroughly shocked at the forwardness of the assertion. Learning the Bingley sisters were not ideal living companions would not come as a surprise, as that could be readily determined from a dozen paces; but having Mr. Darcy say it so impertinently came as a shock.

She rallied herself and replied, "Punishment indeed! She may walk to Longbourn before long; it is only three miles you know. I have walked it many times, and with five daughters; I daresay she could take up residence and it would be a full month before either of my parents noticed one extra."

Darcy smiled and said, "Be careful what you wish for, Miss Bennet."

Elizabeth leaned in and said, "If you do not oppose the idea sir, perhaps your cousin might like to dance with your sister?"

Darcy looked at his sister and simply replied, "Perhaps".

The end of the dance naturally signaled the beginning of the assault that had been feared and mostly avoided. The first salvo was fired by the expected enemy contingent.

"Oh Mr. Darcy, you are such a lovely dancer, and you looked so elegant on the dance floor with my Lizzy. Oh, it was the loveliest dance I have ever seen! And your coat sir! So dashing! So elegant! I am quit speechless…"

Elizabeth thought that perhaps her mother differed with her in the precise meaning of the word speechless as the matron prattled on for some time.

Not to be outdone, Lady Lucas had to have her share in the conversation.

"Oh, Mr. Darcy. I am certain my Charlotte must have been the most agreeable dance partner, and may I say what a handsome couple you make. You are so light on your feet, sir…"

Lizzy and Charlotte both turned bright red in embarrassment, and would never be able to remember a quarter of what was said since most of it was terribly mortifying. They had years of training for moments such as these, but no amount of practice ever quite prepared one for the real thing.

For his part, Mr. Darcy looked quite uncomfortable, but exerted himself to remain civil and answer with a few meaningless platitudes; although Elizabeth could see thunderclouds crossing his visage in the process.

Mrs. Bennet showed no signs of slacking in her effusions, and surprisingly it was Mary who finally pulled her away, giving Elizabeth a significant look indicating a debt was owed and would be collected.

The next assault on her ears came from Miss Bingley, but even that lady had just barely enough sense to not attempt to separate the group. Elizabeth would later try to remember exactly what Miss Bingley said, but she found her condescending prattle even harder to listen to and remember than her mother's, probably because she had not had so long to work her way up to the task.

Searching for any excuse to shut the effusive Miss Bingley up, she looked around for a distraction. Any distraction would do, and sure enough, another commotion at the door signaled the entry of yet another new participant. Judging by the looks of the bystanders, they must not be local residents, but Elizabeth could not see them yet.

In a bid to silence Miss Bingley, she said, "Mr. Darcy, Miss Bingley, it would appear we are to have another new visitor. Are any more from your party expected?"