Thanks, as always, for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing! A few reviewers commented on something so I will just quickly address it here. About those dance sets: Darcy asked for the 1st two dances. So that would be the first set which actually consists of 2 sets and that's how you gave away your dances by 2s. So when you asked for the first, the first set, or even the 1st 2 dances (as Mr. Collins did in the actual P & P) that was really the 1st. Then you still had the 2nd free. Complicated and maybe it reads a little weird to have the 2nd given away and called such right after so I will think about the wording - thanks for the thoughts!
It was a blessing that the inhabitants of Longbourn had the Netherfield ball to anticipate and prepare for over the next week as a succession of rain precluded most other activity and kept them from sharing other company, although a few of the officers including Mr. Denny and his friend Mr. Wickham called several times. Elizabeth enjoyed her conversations with the dashing Lieutenant Wickham who was both gregarious and affable. He tried again to bring up the topic of Mr. Darcy on more than one occasion. While Elizabeth remained curious about his relationship with her friend she would not discuss Mr. Darcy with him.
Elizabeth spent more time than usual dressing her gown for the ball. Although it was her favorite and still very little worn she felt it needed something more and so she added some of the lace her Aunt Gardiner had sent for her birthday and some of the green ribbon she had purchased earlier that week. Jane worked on her gown as well, but also allowed herself to be talked into working on Lydia's too which Kitty had refused to do after a particularly contentious fight between the two.
Elizabeth and Jane entered the Netherfield drawing room arm in arm and were greeted warmly by their host almost immediately. He engaged them in conversation for several minutes about all the intricate ball preparations he had endured. The sisters were laughing when the group was approached by one of the officers. After exchanging greetings Bingley and Jane excused themselves to enter the ballroom.
"Miss Elizabeth you look remarkably well this evening." Mr. Denny told her. "Our mutual friend Mr. Wickham regrets that he will not be able to enjoy the pleasure of your company this evening."
Elizabeth, though surprised that this compliment was meant to be extended to her, couldn't help but feel flattered that Wickham thought to pass along a message to her and that Mr. Denny had sought her out to deliver it so promptly.
"I thank you Mr. Denny for your compliment and for Mr. Wickham's kind consideration. I hope we will see more of both you as the regiment continues on here."
"I hope so as well, Miss. Elizabeth. This has certainly been a better assignment than most. As you've no doubt heard Colonel Forster observe a regiment of infantry does not find a ready welcome everywhere. To be amongst society but denied company is sometimes hard. But here everyone, especially Mr. Bingley with his general invitation to this ball, seems ready to entertain and delight us."
"Denny what are you doing? Come with us." Lydia demanded as she bounded up to them with Kitty and another officer in tow. She grabbed Denny's hand with her free one and began to drag him away.
"If you will excuse me, Miss Elizabeth."
"Of course, Mr. Denny."
Elizabeth was not left by herself for long.
"Good evening, Miss Elizabeth." A familiar voice said from behind.
"Mr. Darcy." She smiled easily and held out her gloved hand which he held to his lips for a quick kiss of greeting.
"I am certain I am not the first to tell you this, but I must say you look lovely tonight."
Whether because of the compliment, Mr. Darcy's slight blush or his inability to meet her eyes, Elizabeth was more affected by Mr. Darcy's simply words than she would have expected.
"Thank you, Mr. Darcy." She responded and was unsurprised to hear her voice tremble a little.
"I believe this is our dance." He offered her his arm and led her to the dance floor with all of the pomp and circumstance one would expect from the austere Mr. Darcy. Only Elizabeth saw the smile sparkling in his dark eyes.
They began to move down the line and Elizabeth allowed herself to enjoy the activity for a few minutes. She really did love to dance. After a while though she began to wonder what Mr. Darcy was thinking and why he was not attempting conversation.
"Are we to be silent together for the next half hour?" She challenged him when the steps next brought them together.
"I do not think that would be possible even if we established it as our goal." He smiled.
"And why is that?" She asked hearing the mischief in his voice.
"My statement is more a testament to your powers and inclination to conversation than my own. I suspect it would not be possible for you to be silent with anyone for any length of time."
"You are trying to provoke me." She accused.
"Perhaps, but can you contradict my assertions?"
Elizabeth made no answer. She deliberately closed her lips, lifted her chin and focused on the dance. Ten minutes later in the break between sets Mr. Darcy was contrite.
"Miss Elizabeth please forgive me for insulting you. It was not my intent."
She looked at him as he spoke but made no answer.
"I only meant to tease you and although I have been learning this art from you I have apparently not perfected it."
She tilted her head to one side and Darcy took this as encouragement for him to continue.
"All I have accomplished is depriving myself of your very desirable conversation for the past quarter hour. So, would you consider entering in to some form of conversation with me now?" He asked as they took their places to begin the set.
"This is one of my favorite dances." She said at last.
Darcy's smile in response was brilliant.
"It is a favorite of mine as well."
After a pause of a minute or so she began again.
"It is now your turn to direct the conversation, Mr. Darcy." She informed him. "I remarked on the dance, you might say something about the size of the room or the number of couples."
"I see that I have not obtained your forgiveness but am being punished still."
"And how is that Mr. Darcy?" Elizabeth asked with mock offense her laughing eyes giving credence to his assertion.
"We are to speak not as friends, but indifferent acquaintances. This is not the conversation I had expected to have with you."
"Our friendship is a new one and perhaps I simply desire to keep you on your toes by constantly disappointing your preconceived notions."
"I see." Mr. Darcy said and they remained silent for several minutes.
"Now I see," Elizabeth said after the silence began to make her uncomfortable. "I truly do forgive you, Mr. Darcy or rather there was nothing at all to forgive. I simply sometimes take my teasing to dizzying heights!"
"Thank you, Miss. Elizabeth" he smiled. "Now you must demonstrate the truth of it. Tell me of your week. We have not spoken for some time."
Elizabeth related several stories of her sisters' frantic ball preparations then stopped herself realizing she was painting her family in a poor light. She did not want Darcy to think meanly of them even if they were incredibly trying at times. She then moved on to talk about a visit she and Jane made to a tenant during a brief break in the week's rain. After answering a few of his questions she remembered the night at her Aunt's house and Mr. Wickham.
"And we met a new officer at my Aunt Phillip's home last week."
"I did not think Meryton could stand any more soldiers." Darcy quipped. "They seemed to be everywhere when I went into town yesterday to pick up a book I had ordered."
"And did you inquire after Mrs. Parks?" Elizabeth asked eagerly forgetting her intention to ask of his connection to the handsome new officer. She had been disappointed at not being able to call on Mrs. Parks during the rainy week.
"I did. And Mr. Parks indicated she seemed to show some improvement. He gave all the credit to the remedies you delivered previously."
"He is too kind. But what book were you getting? Not more Roman architecture?"
"No, this was a novel."
"I did not think you a novel reader, Mr. Darcy. Perhaps I am not so adept at character sketches as I once believed."
"Do not hang up your pencil just yet. I do not, in general, read novels. But I do like to read everything my sister does so we may discuss it and so that I can be sure what she is reading is appropriate. And being a sixteen-year-old girl she has developed a voracious appetite for gothic novels."
"Oh no." Elizabeth gasped in exaggerated horror.
"Oh yes. I know far more than any man of eight and twenty ought to about the romantic possibilities of a castle on the moors or the terror visited upon unsuspecting aristocrats by ghostly apparitions."
Elizabeth laughed heartily at this. Self-consciously she looked around to see if her their animated conversation during the set had drawn the notice of their neighbors. It appeared it had. She should have realized. As she glanced around she saw that she and Mr. Darcy seemed to be drawing an inordinate amount attention. Likely it was due not only to their easy manner with one another but simply to the fact that a handsome and very eligible gentleman was paying attention to single lady.
"Is something troubling you, Miss Elizabeth?" Darcy asked as they stood side by side and lightly applauded the end of the set.
"No, thank you, Mr. Darcy." Elizabeth assured him shaking off her concern about the potential speculation of the room's inhabitants.
"Might I escort you to get some refreshment?"
"If only I were free to indulge in such an activity, but alas I am not." She told him with evident gravity.
Before Mr. Darcy could inquire as to her meaning Mr. Collins came with great pomp and ceremony and claimed her for their promised dance. Elizabeth departed on his arm with one last look at Darcy which demanded his sympathy.
The dance proceeded almost exactly as Elizabeth had envisioned. Mr. Collins was awkward and grave. His missteps often ended on her foot. The moment of her release was ecstasy. She danced the next with an officer who spoke warmly of Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth learned that he was universally liked and she looked forward to the opportunity to know him more while still wondering about his apparent desire to speak of Mr. Darcy and force confidences she clearly did not welcome. When those dances were over Elizabeth sought out her friend Charlotte Lucas. After exchanging pleasantries Charlotte surprised Elizabeth with the following observations.
"Mr. Darcy seems to enjoy your company a great deal."
"Charlotte, do not see something that is not there." Elizabeth admonished.
"I will only say that it would be a splendid match indeed."
"Charlotte, you know as well as I do that he cannot have any hopes or intentions toward me, please do not speak of it around my mother." Elizabeth said with forced levity.
"I notice you did not say you had no hopes." Charlotte observed.
Although tempted to confide in her best friend Elizabeth felt certain that articulating her own uncertainty about Mr. Darcy would accomplish nothing.
"And you will not." Before she could continue Mr. Collins approached and Elizabeth introduced the two.
"It is an honor to meet any friend of my fair cousin's." He said with all the pomposity she had come to expect from him. After a few minutes of conversation centered around Mr. Collins' favorite topics he finally took Elizabeth's hints and asked Charlotte to dance. Elizabeth observed them with satisfaction noticing that Charlotte handled her cousin's ridiculousness and lack of grace much better than she did. Jane was dancing with an officer and Mr. Darcy was leading Miss Bingley to the floor. That lady had a smug look of satisfaction on her face that Elizabeth thought made her look like one of their barn cats when it had caught a mouse to play with. Her youngest sisters were dancing with officers with more noise and enthusiasm than was proper, but Elizabeth chose to ignore that for now as she could do nothing about it without causing a greater scene.
Elizabeth fell in to conversation with Sir William Lucas. They discussed the evening's festivities thus far. Sir William, as was his custom, was pleased with everything and had nothing but praise for Mr. Bingley, his sisters and their efforts to entertain the neighborhood. Elizabeth concurred in the praise of the event while decidedly refraining from commending certain of their hosts. While they were conversing, the set ended and Elizabeth noted that Mr. Darcy lingered somewhere behind her but seemed disinclined to approach. Although aware of his discomfort around people with whom he was not particularly acquainted she was nonetheless disappointed that he did not take her advice and try to practice conversation with those beyond his immediate party. Sir William, though occasionally ridiculous, was an eager conversational partner who was kind to everyone and always made a concerted effort to make those around him feel comfortable. Soon Sir Williams excused himself to speak to another neighbor.
As she suspected would happen Darcy approached her almost immediately.
"Mr. Darcy is there a reason you chose not to join my conversation with Sir William?" she challenged.
Darcy looked chagrined, knowing he had been caught doing the very thing she had admonished him against.
"Forgive me, Miss. Elizabeth," he asked. "I have been putting your advice into practice but am a slow learner. Have patience with me, particularly in a setting such as this." His eyes swept the room and Elizabeth felt some sympathy for his plight. He knew very few of the room's inhabitants while she knew almost everyone by name, many she had known all her life. He was naturally shy and reticent while she was lively and forward. Perhaps it was unfair to ask him to be so unlike himself, but she found herself wishing her friends and neighbors could know the Darcy she did.
"You are forgiven." She said immediately earning a dimpled smile from her companion.
"No act of penance is required?" He teased.
"I must be a poor friend indeed if your experience of me indicates my forgiveness is always earned and never freely given."
"Not at all, Miss. Elizabeth you are good to have patience with one as taciturn as myself." He assured her. "And may I take the opportunity to request the next set?"