First, apologies for the delay. My family had a little medical emergency. But all is well now. One of my tiny humans had to have emergency surgery Sunday but thanks to a wonderful team to doctors is now on the mend. So grateful. That is why I wasn't able to finish my chapter and post as planned, but hopefully this one was worth the wait – I like the first meeting of our favorite couple and hope you do too! Second, thank you to everyone who is following this story with me. It has taken some turns I didn't expect, and I am having a great time with it. I appreciate the encouragement and constructive criticism. I would ask if you have advice to offer, find any mistakes – could you offer your feedback in a way that is kind? There is a lot of judgment and anger in the world and I am not in this space for that. What I love about this a community is the support – that is not to say don't let me know when something doesn't work or I mess up. I am just asking that everything be offered without rudeness. Appreciate it so much! I am thankful for everyone who is reading, really – you guys are great!
The teasing of the Bennet sisters was born out when upon entering the assembly rooms Mr. Bingley brought his party almost immediately to the Bennet family.
"Mr. Bingley, you do us great honor, sir," Mrs. Bennet said once he had greeted her and expressed his wish of making she and her family known to the rest of his party. "I am afraid Mr. Bennet is home with Lydia, our youngest, and once again Elizabeth is not here. I believe she is somewhere about the room with her good friend Charlotte Lucas. I promise to make that introduction as soon as may be. You will find out soon enough Elizabeth is quite hard to pin down."
"I can imagine," he responded with affability. "I hope to make her acquaintance over the course of the evening, but in the meantime please allow me to make the rest of my party known to you. May I present my sister and her husband Mr. and Mrs. Hurst, my sister Miss Bingley and my good friend Mr. Darcy of Derbyshire."
Curtsies and bows were exchanged and very soon Mr. Bingley excused himself and Miss Bennet for their dance as the strains of the strings preparing for the next set could be heard over the din of the crowded room. Though Mrs. Bennet then tried to engage Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley in some conversation about their initial impression of Hertfordshire they were hardly amendable and soon drifted away with their husband and friend.
Elizabeth had danced the first with her good friend John Lucas who was the younger brother of her other good friend Charlotte with whom she now sat. Due to the scarcity of gentlemen both ladies were obliged to sit out this second set, but neither minded as their respective obligations had kept them so busy the previous week that they had not seen each other at all. As a consequence, they had much to say.
"Lizzy, you really must make yourself more available," Charlotte berated her friend, half earnest, half in jest. "These past few years from harvest season though to Twelfth Night I hardly see you at all."
"That is an exaggeration," Elizabeth protested, but then admitted, "there does always seem to be so much to do though. Once the harvest is through, we begin preparing the fields for the winter, putting up the fodder, fixing and updating the buildings and barns for the winter and of course there are the tenant gifts and baskets for St Nicholas Day and . . . I suppose I see what you mean. But this year we have hired more help and Papa has become more involved than I have ever seen him. It may be that I will have more time for socializing than in year's past."
They laughed and observed the dancers in silence for a few moments. Charlotte then excused herself to attend her younger sister who had begun to enjoy herself a little too loudly.
A short distance away two other friends began a conversation of a different kind.
Bingley had come from the dance for a few minutes to press his friend to join it.
"Come, Darcy, I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. You had much better dance."
Darcy regarded his friend with curiosity and exasperation.
"I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly as this, it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is not another woman in the room, whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with."
"I would not be so fastidious as you are," Bingley rejoined, "for a kingdom! Upon my honour, I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life, as I have this evening, and there are several of them you see uncommonly pretty."
"You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room," Mr. Darcy insisted, with a glance at Miss Bennet who had moved to speak with Charlotte and Elizabeth. Charlotte was then called away by her mother.
"Oh! She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there with her now is another young lady who is very pretty, and I dare say, very agreeable. Do let my partner introduce you."
"Which do you mean?" Turning around he looked and saw Elizabeth, seated by herself beside the dance floor. After catching her eye, he quickly looked away and coldly responded to his friend, "she is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles; however, if you could persuade Miss Bennet, when you have finished the dance, to introduce me to her sister Miss Elizabeth I would be much obliged."
"Indeed, I know it is your wish to meet that young lady," Bingley replied, "you have spoken of little else since I mentioned her to you. I am only sorry I have yet to meet her or I could make the introduction myself. I have no doubt of her being at least one young lady you might approve of hereabouts."
"Well, as I am here to assist you in learning how to run your own estate and we have been told by more than one neighbor Miss Elizabeth has the most recent and most intimate knowledge of your tenants she seems a necessary acquaintance. And I confess I do wish to determine whether she deserves the praise that has been lavished on her by her father and the other gentlemen you spoke with. It is quite unusual for a lady to be so involved in the maintenance of an estate, especially one who is so young and even more for others to approve of such an activity. It is likely the praise has been exaggerated, but I will judge for myself." This was said with such an air of haughty curiosity that not even Mr. Bingley who had enjoyed an intimate friendship with Mr. Darcy for several years could decide if his friend wanted to meet the young lady to commend or censure her. However, it was a ball and so he chose to leave his friend to his musings and took himself off to find his bewitching partner.
The subject of the gentlemen's discourse heard it in its entirety. Elizabeth had been amused at Mr. Bingley's attempt to persuade his friend to dance and then embarrassed when she found herself an object of the conversation. As it turned out this range of emotion was far from the last or greatest she experienced as their discussion progressed. She was indignant at Mr. Darcy's rude dismissal of her both her looks and her prospects – did he not understand how scarce gentlemen were at this particular ball? Her offended dignity gave way to reluctant amusement as she heard him request an introduction to the very woman he had just scorned. She could not help but feel flattered that a stranger would desire her acquaintance based upon a general report of her worthiness. Then his assessment of the value of her neighbors' opinions and her likely value sunk him to the lowest depths he had yet enjoyed in her own estimation. With a smile of grim delight Elizabeth rose, walked directly past a frowning Mr. Darcy, and sought out her mother for a task she knew that lady would relish.
After the next set Mrs. Bennet found the frowning man and performed the introduction her daughter had requested. It had been somewhat of a surprise that Elizabeth wanted to meet the gentleman, but never one to question an opportunity she agreed with eagerness and without inquiry.
"Mr. Darcy, may I present to you my daughter, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy."
"Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth dropped a very proper curtsy and wore a very innocent smile. She enjoyed the look of confusion on her companion's face, he clearly recognized her as the woman not handsome enough to tempt nor worthy enough to lend consequence.
"Miss Elizabeth."
"I hope you are in a humour to enjoy the evening and that you do not find yourself slighted in any way because you are a newcomer."
His gasp of surprise at hearing his words echoed back to him gave Elizabeth a small thrill of satisfaction. She nodded her head and excused herself as her next dance partner came to claim her.
"John, I have never been so thankful to see you in my life," she laughed as he led her to join the other couples lining up on the dance floor.
"I am at once flattered and insulted," he responded as they began the steps that parted them. When next they met, he inquired, "does your relief at my timely arrival have to do with the sour gentleman to whom you had just been introduced?"
"Indeed. Mr. Darcy and I have just met, but have already decided we find each other wanting," Elizabeth told him. She then explained what she had overheard and how she had tacitly reprimanded him. John was not at all surprised, having grown up with Elizabeth he was quite familiar with her disposition. They had been best friends, he was only one year older, until their mothers decided it not quite right for a young lady and gentleman to spend so much time together when they entered their teenage years. John was thankful that since returning last year from school the independence they both enjoyed in their respective homes allowed them to return to some of their former intimacy.
When the movements of the dance next brought them together John revealed to Elizabeth that though initially admired by the whole assembly the general tide of opinion had shifted against Mr. Darcy as he was discovered to be proud, above his company and above being pleased.
"I have not heard anyone's impressions," Elizabeth nearly pouted.
"Of course not. Immediately after our dance you secluded yourself in the corner with Mr. Hudson. You could not resist learning about his field's new drainage system."
"I suppose you are right," she conceded. "I still have not even met the rest of the party. What is general impression of them? Elizabeth had seen Jane dance with Mr. Bingley and watched them both smile their way through. He seemed to be as agreeable as her family had reported and he was quite handsome. She had seen little of his sisters or Mr. Hurst who she understood was husband to one of them.
"The taller one is Miss Bingley, she is to keep house for her brother. The other is married to the gentleman you have yet to insult, a Mr. Hurst. After the obligatory dances with the ladies he took himself off to the card room where he promptly fell asleep on a sofa. It appears like your Mr. Darcy the sisters are also too important for our little assembly," John told her. "They have declined to be introduced to anyone and so have danced with none beyond their party, except of course my father who they could not avoid. I do not think we have been found worthy of them."
"Please do not call him my Darcy," she protested, "and do not be so downcast, John, they are to be here for some time I am sure you will have an opportunity to make your case to Miss Bingley."
"I beg your pardon."
"She is a handsome woman who I have no doubt possesses a handsome dowry," Elizabeth teased as he escorted her to the side of the room. "Are you not now of an age when you must consider these things?"
"Are we not both of an age where we are meant to be considering such things," he countered.
Before Elizabeth could respond someone interrupted.
"Miss Elizabeth, would you do me the honour of dancing the next with me?" Mr. Darcy stood before her, his face and voice betraying no emotion.
Elizabeth looked to Mr. Lucas, sure her friend would rescue her. No one present would think it odd if they stood up together again. It was not uncommon for them to partner each other several times. He did not; however, inform their new neighbor that he had already claimed the very dance he was seeking and when Elizabeth opened her mouth to do just that he smiled at her knowingly and said, "I am glad you have tempted someone Lizzy as you know I have promised this dance to Mary and I would hate for it to appear you have been slighted by other men."
Knowing he had done no such thing Elizabeth scowled at her friend before turning back to Mr. Darcy, left with little choice she answered, "Very well."
Even as she answered, the music resumed indicating the set was beginning. Mr. Darcy held out his hand, Elizabeth placed hers in it and allowed herself to be led onto the floor, throwing one final glare at Mr. Lucas who was now openly laughing and, it should be noted, not seeking out Mary Bennet