The Letter

Chapter 4

"Miss Elizabeth, may I have the honor of your hand for the second dance of this set?" Darcy stared into her eyes, completely captivated by the intricacy of shades of brown and gold flowing together in the color of her gaze. He never realized before how much could be revealed in someone's eyes, and he found himself wondering what they looked like in the light of day.

"I'm almost disappointed that you asked, Mr. Darcy." With eyes filled with amusement, she curtsied.

"Am I to understand that you assent?" he inquired, hoping she was only teasing. It would be difficult if she preferred not to dance again, and he prepared himself to hear one of the two acceptable excuses. Though, he would not be surprised if she found an imaginative way of giving a third.

"Yes, and I thank you for asking." A smile lit up her face. Oh, he perfectly caught her meaning, but he found himself not minding being the recipient of her wit.

Darcy appreciated every moment of her company, and he came to a realization at the end of the dance—it was different. He had never given the gesture much thought, but as he held his arm for Elizabeth to take, it felt different. Though it sounded prideful, he had never entered a space and felt as if he had to earn to be there. He had never escorted a young lady and felt that he wanted to earn her esteem. Yet, it was exactly that awareness that hit him as she took his arm—he not only wanted to be by her side, he also knew he would have to earn it.

His thoughts wandered to her first impression of him, wondering if he would be given the chance to be known as he felt like he knew her. As if she heard his thoughts, Elizabeth suddenly halted their progress in the direction of her sister and his friend.

"Mr. Darcy?"

He turned to her, but not so much that he had to let go of her arm. "Yes, Miss Elizabeth?"

She stared up at him with a pensive expression. "If I may be so bold, are you planning on dancing again tonight?"

He didn't answer immediately. First, he wondered if she was letting him know that she would be inclined to dance another set. Then, he realized with disappointment that her inquiry was more likely due to the fact that others were still without partners. He briefly wondered what her reaction would be if he said he had been waiting to dance with her, though he did not want her to think that he said it only to charm her.

"I had not planned on dancing with a variety of partners," he began, staring into her eyes. "But if it would help my cause to show that I regret my actions regarding your friend, then yes, I will dance with someone else as well."

She tilted her head slightly to the side, which was to her advantage as her brown curls framed her face. "Why do I feel like there is much unsaid in that response?"

A small smile appeared on his face as he witnessed her observation skills. "You are not wrong."

She answered with a smile of her own. "And is the hidden meaning to remain disguised?"

"I'm hoping you already know," he replied, his tone bereft of levity and low enough so that only she could hear.

With cheeks lightly colored, her voice was equally soft as she responded. "You're hoping to dance for a second time with someone."

"Yes."

She stared at him but didn't comment immediately. Then, she said with an undiscernible expression, "I'm sure Miss Bingley will be pleased."

At once, he felt surprised at the turn in the conversation and also worried that there was a hidden query in the statement. Before he could respond and assure her, in a gentlemanlike manner, that he had no designs regarding Miss Bingley, Bingley and Miss Bennet joined them.

"There you are, Darcy. I'm glad to see you were able to correct the … uh, lapse in consideration." Glancing at Miss Bennet, Bingley smiled at him in a way that said he was trying to make a good impression and Darcy had not helped.

With an eyebrow slightly raised, Elizabeth looked up at Darcy while speaking to his friend. "Lapse in consideration. I commend your word choice regarding such a delicate matter, for I must admit that other words crossed my mind."

Darcy felt an invisible band constricting around his heart. His good opinion once lost was lost forever, and he feared that he might not be able to redeem himself completely in her sight. "Dare I ask?" he quietly questioned, keeping his gaze on her.

A small smile from her showed him mercy. "They are currently being reassessed, and I would not want to sketch a character when it is like a painting revealing itself to the artist, becoming what the painter could not see in the first strokes."

The relief he felt was greater than even he thought it would be, and Darcy returned her smile with gratitude. She nodded slightly, and he turned to his friend. "Bingley, if you would be so kind, please ask your partner to introduce me to Miss Elizabeth."

"Pardon?" Eyes wide with surprise, the word left Miss Bennet's lips before she could prevent it, causing her to stutter an apology with tinted cheeks. If anything, it caused Bingley to look at her with even greater interest.

As a laugh escaped Elizabeth, she quickly pressed the fingers of her other hand against her mouth. Darcy stared at her with fascination, wanting to hear her laugh again, thus nearly missing it as Miss Bennet conveyed with a gaze at her sister that she wanted to hear the story at a later point; their situation was rather unusual.

Composing herself, Miss Bennet smiled. "Mr. Darcy, this is my sister Elizabeth. Lizzy, this is Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Derbyshire."

Lizzy. The thought that he had guessed right warmed him, and he bowed slightly without letting go of her arm, which she returned with a small curtsy. Still, she was Elizabeth to him.

At that moment, Miss Bingley and the Hursts joined them, though they did not completely shatter the connection that Darcy felt with Elizabeth. His thoughts were centered on her, even as he looked away to the new additions to their group.

"I was surprised to see you dancing, Mr. Darcy." Miss Bingley stepped closer to him, as though she had come to his rescue by arriving at that moment. Looking pointedly at Elizabeth, she smirked contemptuously. "Mr. Darcy does not usually dance with ladies outside of his acquaintance."

There were few times, if any, that Mr. Darcy felt gratitude towards Miss Bingley. This moment would be one as she unknowingly helped him. Oh, he knew she had meant to imply there was something between the two of them, but it also verified what he had told Elizabeth and hopefully showed her that she was different for him.

He noticed the thoughtful expression on Elizabeth's face, and as he glanced at Miss Bingley, he saw a flash of irritation as she looked at Elizabeth's hand on his arm. Miss Bingley did not move away, and he knew that she expected him to let go of Elizabeth, considering her sister was also present, and ask her for another dance. When he didn't, she turned to her brother.

"Really, Charles, if you're parched, then you should go find refreshments. Opening and closing your mouth will not help," Miss Bingley snapped at him.

Darcy could see that Bingley had been studying him as well as his interaction with Elizabeth.

"I'm not—" Bingley stopped and looked from him to Elizabeth, and Darcy could see the moment that he decided it was best not to elaborate on what had caused his distraction. His look at Darcy strongly suggested that he should feel gratitude that the younger man was loyal—it most likely saved them from an earful during the carriage ride when they returned to Netherfield. Then, Bingley's expression returned to all that was amiable. Nonetheless, Darcy had no doubt that he did not appreciate the way Miss Bingley had spoken to him, in front of Miss Bennet no less.

"You're not, what?" she asked her brother.

Perhaps she should return to finishing school. She does not appear to have succeeded the first time, Darcy thought. Then, he admonished himself. He needed to rein in his thoughts about Miss Bingley, even if she did not make it easy. The woman was like a horse trampling a flowerbed—forbearance struggled to survive and what was left was less than ideal.

At that moment, Mrs. Bennet and her two youngest joined them, with her third daughter trailing a bit behind. "Oh, Mr. Bingley, how lovely you and my Jane looked during your dance. Even this poor lighting is most becoming with her beauty, do you not agree?"

Their arrival caused Bingley and Miss Bennet to turn around, so not to have their backs to them, and Miss Bingley had no choice but to make room for the couple between her and Darcy. The change in position placed her nearly across from him, and her countenance visibly portrayed her dissatisfaction.

Bingley appeared a little flushed and he glanced at Miss Bennet. "Yes, I would have to agree."

As Darcy looked at the younger Bennet girls, he couldn't help but think that they should join Miss Bingley at a school; it would give them time to mature away from the regiment and social gatherings. As he had learned with his own sister, one had to be vigilant regarding the safety of young women.

Darcy broke from his reverie when he was introduced to the rest of the Bennets, and strangely, Mrs. Bennet's attention remained on Bingley. This was not a development that Darcy was used to, and he wondered if his offence of not dancing had been greater than he realized. It reminded him that Elizabeth had an unfavorable impression that was under revision.

The comprehension also came that if Mrs. Bennet's sole mission was matrimonial advantage, then surely she would be exclaiming Elizabeth's virtues to him rather than Miss Bennet's to Bingley. Being overlooked had its merits, though—he wasn't very comfortable in social situations, and he appreciated that Mrs. Bennet's attention was not directed at him. And he wanted to keep it that way. Unexpectedly, it was Miss Bingley who assisted him in the endeavor, even if it was unknowingly.

As Bingley turned to Miss Mary Bennet, presumably to ask her hand for the next dance—unable to ask Miss Bennet for another— Miss Bingley suddenly fainted. Apparently, she had decided it was time for their party to leave. She must've been desperate if she was willing to risk falling on those floors. She most likely hoped that Darcy would catch her, but she'd miscalculated and Bingley was closest. He caught her with quick reflexes, which caused the younger Bennet girls to appear as though they were also about to swoon. If the blush on Miss Bennet's cheeks revealed anything, she also appreciated the gallant sight.

Mrs. Hurst gracefully waved a delicate handkerchief in front of Miss Bingley's face. "Oh, my dear sister. She has not been feeling well. We simply must get her home immediately."

Unfortunately for Miss Bingley, she had underestimated Mrs. Bennet. Seeking Bingley's favor, all of the older woman's attentiveness shifted to looking after his sister. "There is a room we can use for her recovery, if you will follow me."

Bingley thanked her profusely and went with her, along with Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bennet who followed. With her position against her brother's shoulder, Darcy was sure he saw Miss Bingley opening one eye and looking around. As she found him and saw he was watching, she quickly closed her eye again.

When they disappeared from sight, Darcy turned to Elizabeth. "May I have the pleasure of dancing a second set with you?"

There was a pause as she looked at him, and he hoped that she realized that this was also his response to her earlier statement—he was not courting Miss Bingley nor was he planning to. Though, the fact that Elizabeth took her into consideration only raised her character in his eyes.

"You may." She paused, appearing to weigh her words. "I hope Miss Bingley recovers soon."

"I'm sure she already has," he responded, glancing in the direction they went.

Elizabeth's thoughts were hidden behind a neutral mask. "Yes, I'm sure you are correct."

He held his arm toward her. "Shall we?"

Placing her hand on his arm, they walked to the dance floor and she said just loud enough for him to hear, "I thank you for asking."

It took great effort to contain his smile that wanted to burst forth, preferring to keep his emotions private in front of all the eyes around them. As he glanced at her, he saw her gazing at him and they shared a look. He had never met anyone like her, and he did not want to prevent the danger that he was in.

AN: I hope you enjoyed the chapter! And thank you for your patience. :) I'll be uploading a Pride & Prejudice Modern AU one-shot soon, so keep an eye out for that if you're interested. Thank you for every review, favorite and alert! I truly appreciate it.