Mr Darcy was sat in an armchair, in the library of Netherfield Park. This wouldn't have been worth commenting on in Mr Hurst's opinion, were Darcy actually holding a book. Instead he was staring into the fire, a range of emotions playing across his features.
"I say Darcy, what has gotten into you? Normally you would be reading or commenting on the evening, yet here you sit doing neither."
Mr Bingley, the only other occupant of the room, having bid his sisters good night, looked up at this. He had been lost in thoughts of the eldest Miss Bennet, so hadn't noticed that Darcy's behaviour was different until Hurst had brought it up.
"I agree Darce, you are rather subdued this evening; surely the assembly didn't lower your spirits further than they already were? I for one, had a splendid time."
"Indeed not Bingley," Darcy replied, still staring intently at the fire, "I made the acquaintance of two charming ladies, and am currently wondering over their wellbeing."
He hadn't meant to say so much, but couldn't retrieve the words now that they were in the open.
"I noticed you talking to the middle Bennet chit Darcy," replied Hurst, "but I don't recall having been introduced to the other woman. Dare I ask whether she is the reason you only danced with the middle Bennet?"
"What do you mean, wondering over their wellbeing Darce? It's unlike you to be overly concerned about someone unless you are particularly acquainted with them."
Darcy gave a sigh of frustration, before explaining all that had happened during the evening.
"I thought it unusual for a clearly matchmaking mama to be reluctant to introduce another daughter, and noticed that Miss Catherine was the only daughter that seemed appalled at her mother's behaviour. That was when I asked her to dance. During the set I asked to be introduced to her other sister, mostly to sate my own curiosity.
Miss Elizabeth is very handsome but according to Miss Catherine, she lost her hearing a few years back in an illness that claimed her twin brother, the presumptive heir of Longbourn."
Both of the other gentlemen were rather surprised at this. Neither expected Darcy to comment on a woman's appearance, and were likewise confused about the depth of his own inquiries with the sisters.
"Miss Elizabeth is intelligent, despite being non-hearing. In fact were I not informed beforehand, I may not have noticed that she was deaf. She and her sister use hand gestures sometimes, but Miss Elizabeth seemed to mostly rely on her ability to lip read. It really was fascinating. And apparently Miss Elizabeth also retained her ability to play the pianoforte well enough to be a well-sought performer in the neighbourhood. We shall hear her performance during our evening at Lucas Lodge two nights hence."
Both of the other gentlemen in the room found themselves rather amused. Never before had they seem Darcy wax lyrical about a woman before, and that this woman be deemed barely eligible in the eyes of the ton based on her lack of hearing only added to the hilarity of the situation for them both.
"Darcy, while this anecdote is rather informative about Miss Elizabeth Bennet's many wonderful attributes, you have yet to explain why you are concerned about the wellbeing of the young lady and her sister," Mr Hurst reminded the tall gentleman who was wearing a small retrospective smile.
"What? Oh yes, pardon, after Mrs Bennet tried to foist her youngest daughter's company upon our group, Miss Elizabeth gave her a set down that was so well said that it almost seemed an observation of the evening. Mrs Bennet left with her youngest daughter to seek her eldest who was in company with you Bingley, and Miss Elizabeth and Miss Catherine began conversing between themselves using both words and hand gestures. The conversation suggested unpleasant scenes were likely to arise upon their return home."
At this Mr Darcy retreated once again into his contemplative state: were Miss Elizabeth and Miss Catherine well?
The other two gentlemen decided to leave Darcy to his thoughts, both silently vowing to help him if he sought to pursue something from this budding friendship that seemed to have already softened his demeanour. Hertfordshire turned out to be a rather interesting county.
Thomas Bennet, was disappointed in himself as he poured himself another brandy that evening. He knew he should have listened to what his wife was trying to say and then listen to his daughters' accounts of what had occurred to get to the truth of it.
He truly did love his daughters, especially Lizzie and Kitty, but after losing Matthew and almost losing Lizzie, he found it incredibly difficult to put much of an effort into anything. When they'd first found out that Lizzie would live but without hearing anything again, he had been so delighted not to lose her too that he had thrown himself into searching with Mr Gardiner for a solution. He'd been willing to pay for the signing lessons, and even attended the first few himself. But as Lizzie got further into her signing studies, he realised that he would never again be able to discuss a new book with his beloved twins to hear their differing opinions.
Looking at Lizzie, although he loved her, became a reminder of the son that hadn't survived the same illness. He knew his wife hated Lizzie for surviving, so asked his brother Gardiner to support Kitty and Lizzie as much as he wished and felt necessary, but couldn't bring himself to do much more. He gradually sank into a near constant state of melancholy that even his beloved daughters couldn't rouse him from.