"You look utterly radiant tonight, Miss Bennet," Charles Bingley said fulsomely. His partner in the first set of dances was dressed in a blue gown which matched the color in her eyes. Her glorious blond hair was piled high on her head, held up with pearl combs that glowed in the candlelight.
"Thank you, Mr. Bingley," Jane replied sedately, suppressing a sigh. Why did every man focus on her external beauty? It was exasperating.
The dance separated them for a few seconds, and when they came back together, Bingley said, "May I inquire as to the well-being of your brother, Miss Bennet? I hope he has largely recovered from his injury."
This provoked an answering smile, which made Bingley's breath hitch in awe. She was absolutely breathtaking.
"He is very well, thank you, Mr. Bingley. His ribs are still sore, but he is improving day by day. This morning, we nearly had to tie him up to keep him from going out into the fields to check on the sheep. He is frustrated by his limitations, but thus far, Kitty has kept him in check."
"I am thankful he is well."
/
"Do you ever visit London, Miss Elizabeth?" Darcy asked in what he hoped was a nonchalant tone as the couple circled on the dance floor during a cotillion.
"I do," Elizabeth replied. "My aunt and uncle Gardiner, along with their four young children, live on Gracechurch Street in London, and we sisters take turns visiting them."
"Miss Darcy and I will be enjoying the Christman season with extended relations in Town. Do you plan to spend the holidays with your London family?"
"No, the Gardiners always visit Longbourn at Christmas, and it is likely that Jane and Mary will return to London with them after the New Year. Jane and I never leave Longbourn at the same time as the younger three girls are not quite ready to act as mistress of the house, though Mary is learning."
"Your father is blessed to have such diligent daughters, Miss Elizabeth."
"Thank you, sir," Elizabeth answered. "I know you understand the pain of losing a mother; Jane and I are thankful for the opportunity to love, comfort, and teach our younger siblings during their formative years."
The dance separated them a moment, giving time for Darcy to formulate his next careful question. "I understand that none of you went away to school, Miss Elizabeth?"
"We did not," his companion confirmed. "On her deathbed, my mother made my father promise that Luke would not be sent away; she had a great fear of school as two of her male cousins died during an outbreak of smallpox at their boarding school. It was not thought vital that we girls go away for learning, and I can only be glad; my father is a scholar and taught me as much as I wished to know, Jane would have been lonely, Mary would be bullied, Kitty and Luke despise being separated, and Lydia would be expelled in short order."
This provoked a startled laugh from the gentleman, and Elizabeth smiled impishly. "I assure you that I am not exaggerating, Mr. Darcy. Lydia is a wonderful girl, but she has an endless amount of energy and finds it difficult to sit still. The only way she is able to sew samplers and practice her harp is by running around vigorously and even climbing trees."
"Climbing trees? Truly?"
Elizabeth waited until the dance drew them close together before she leaned over to murmur. "I will tell you a secret, sir. I still climb trees on occasion."
He gazed down at her piquant face and his breath hitched. "Miss Elizabeth?"
"Yes?"
He hesitated. Should he speak? Should he refrain?
"Do you think … can you imagine moving away from Hertfordshire someday, or would you wish to remain near Longbourn all your life? I know you love your family very much."
She gazed up at him, her body and feet moving smoothly with the music, her color heightened. "My love for my family does not preclude my moving away from Hertfordshire. As I said, I do feel responsible for the younger three children now. But they are growing up quickly and soon will no longer need our succor and guidance, especially if … well, if my father finds a new wife, all will change. I confess to having an adventurous spirit and would enjoy traveling farther than London, but there are times when duty wins out over the desire for another path in life."
Darcy gulped and nodded. "I understand completely, Miss Elizabeth."
/
"Do you enjoy London, Mr. Darcy?" Caroline Bingley inquired.
Darcy, whose mind was fixated on his conversation with Elizabeth a few minutes earlier, nearly missed a step of the country dance at his partner's odd question.
Once he had recovered from his distraction, he looked down on Miss Bingley in some confusion. "Enjoy London? In what way, Miss Bingley?"
"Do you enjoy the theater, the parties, routs and assemblies?"
Darcy observed his partner keenly; while her face held a fixed smile, there was an odd tone to her words; it reminded him of his own questions to Miss Elizabeth a few minutes before. For some reason, the answer to this question mattered a great deal to Miss Bingley.
"I enjoy the theater if the acting is good," Darcy acknowledged. "As for the large gatherings that are of such importance to the ton, no, I do not like them at all. I prefer to dance with people with whom I am well acquainted, which is hardly acceptable at balls, regardless of whether they are public or private. The London air does not agree with me or Georgian as much as the glorious breezes of Pemberley. I live in London some of the time because I must, but I am always happier out in the country. I anticipate that once my sister is wed, I will spend most of my time at Pemberley."
Miss Bingley now displayed whitened cheeks and a vague look of horror in her eyes. "You truly prefer the country, even when the company is unrefined and unvarying?"
"I believe I prefer a smaller circle of acquaintances, Miss Bingley, and as for unrefined, that is very much in the eye of the beholder, is it not? Some of the highest ranking individuals in the land are immoral and unscrupulous. Some of the simplest common folk are kind and honorable."
The twosome fell into silence after this last remark, both rather astonished. Miss Bingley was incredulous to hear that the man she had set her cap on for more than two years had no particular pleasure in high society. Colonel Fitzwilliam was correct; she and Mr. Darcy were not well suited at all! The last thing she wanted was to be buried in the country most of the year; even Pemberley, in all its glory, would pall after a few months. She adored London with its bright lights and parties and people.
As for Darcy, he was stunned by his own words which, he realized, he believed entirely. He had long disdained men and women with poor connections. He had been proud and arrogant. But his cousin Richard was correct; the value of person should be based on character, not his or her position in society.
/
"Thank you for allowing me the last dance before the meal, Miss Bennet," Colonel Fitzwilliam said. "It is rare for an old soldier like myself to enjoy the company of such a lovely lady at supper."
Jane smiled and ducked her head, but her eyes briefly flashed fire. Why, oh why, did all men focus on her looks?
Richard Fitzwilliam, who was far more observant than Bingley, was aware of a spike of surprise. As the second son of an earl, he had attended literally hundreds of balls and routs and parties and in his experience, all women wished to be complimented on their looks. Miss Bennet, who was one of the most beautiful ladies he had ever beheld, looked quite irritable at his overt flattery.
"Miss Bennet, I hope your brother is doing well?" Colonel Fitzwilliam said, deciding to shift to a more serious topic.
This time, Miss Bennet's smile was genuine. "Indeed, he is doing well. Thank you."
"I know that at a ball, one is expected to speak of the size of the room or the number of couples, but I am a soldier and inclined to speak bluntly. I promise you that Wickham will never disturb your peace again, Miss Bennet. He is safely locked away at Marshalsea, and the governor of the prison has strict instructions to give him no freedom at all."
Jane, though a little startled, could only be grateful. "Thank you, Colonel. I am truly delighted to hear that the miscreant is safely stowed away and will never harm any of us again. It is, of course, a great sorrow that the man has made choices which result in such a dreadful end, but he is obviously dangerous to society."
"He is indeed," the colonel agreed. "He has been a thorn in the side of my cousin Darcy for many years now."
"I understand Mr. Wickham was his father's godson; it must have been difficult to take the harsh but necessary step to put away a man whom his beloved father cared for."
"That is very insightful," the colonel said solemnly. "That is precisely what stayed Darcy's hand for so long. That and they were boyhood friends at Pemberley."
The lady's expression suddenly grew troubled, and her companion waited in some concern as she took a careful sip of dinner wine before saying, "In truth, it frightens me that a man like Mr. Wickham, with such advantages in life, could turn out so poorly, Colonel Fitzwilliam. As the eldest of my siblings, I consider myself responsible for guiding the younger ones in the stead of my mother, who, as you know, was taken from us several years ago. It dismays me to think that my brother or one of my sisters could go so wrong."
"Based on my admittedly limited knowledge of your family, Miss Bennet, you have no cause for concern. Your brother is as fine a young man as I have been privileged to meet; many young gentlemen have little concern for either their estate or their family. Your sisters, too, are marvelous young ladies. All the same, it is true that every man and woman must make his or her own choices in life. Wickham had a fine father but an extravagant and self-indulgent mother, and regrettably he was inclined to follow his mother's path. There are those who are raised with many opportunities and excellent guidance who still choose to be fools. On the other hand, I have met common soldiers who have managed to rise above very difficult circumstances to become brave, generous men."
He stopped, surprised at his own words. He had thought them many times before, caught as he was between the two worlds of the pampered upper class and the sufferings of an army at war. He had not, however, ever expressed these rather radical thoughts to a gently bred lady.
Jane Bennet, to his relief, did not look horrified at his words, but rather thoughtful. "That is very wise, sir. I can do my best as the eldest sister of my family, but I cannot force any of them to do anything."
/
"I must thank you for your kindness in hosting this ball, Mr. Bingley," Charlotte Lucas said. "It is quite a delight for all of us who live here in Meryton."
"It is my pleasure, Miss Lucas," Bingley answered, passing her a plate of sliced ham. He had, with difficulty, refrained from asking Miss Bennet to dance another set with him, and had focused on the plainer women who often did not have dance partners. He had partnered with Miss Lucas for the supper set, which meant he would spend supper with her as his companion.
"Thank you," Charlotte said, helping herself to a slice of ham and cutting it into dainty bites. "I believe you grew up in London; do you enjoy living out in the country, or do you find it dull?"
"Oh, I like both town and country very much," Bingley contended after he had swallowed a bite of fish. "Darcy has kindly hosted me at Pemberley several times, so living in the country is not entirely new to me. I am, I suppose, a lucky man in that I am largely happy wherever I am."
"That is fortunate indeed," Charlotte agreed. "I have only been to London a few times in my life and certainly the parks and shops, the theater and the opera, are exciting and enlivening. However, I am always pleased to return home, though I realize that Netherfield may not yet feel like home to you."
"Oh, but it does, I assure you!" Bingley exclaimed. "It is a fine mansion and the land is good; I am most grateful to Darcy, who has given me excellent advice on how to oversee the estate. I find myself very comfortable and settled here, Miss Lucas."
"Have you had the opportunity to do any shooting? My father was not certain whether the pheasant have thrived while the mansion stood empty."
"We have gone shooting several times and have always been successful; I believe that some of our birds are being served here for supper, though they may be at the other end of the table. Would you like for me to obtain some for you?"
"Would you? I do enjoy pheasant, sir!"
/
"Is the baby well?" Mr. Bennet asked solicitously, pulling out the chair for Mrs. Hurst as she hurried into the dining room.
Louisa took her seat and nodded gratefully. "Yes, he is well. Poor Christopher is teething and fussier than usual at night. Fortunately after I rocked him in my arms for a few minutes, he fell fast asleep."
Mr. Bennet carefully passed her a plate of rolls and waited for her to select one. "You are a very good mother, Mrs. Hurst."
"Thank you, sir," the lady responded. "Christopher is extremely important to me."
"That is obvious, and I honor you for your love and attention to the little one."
Man and woman, widower and widow, gazed at one another and something unspoken but powerful passed between them.
"You will be out of mourning in the spring, I believe, Mrs. Hurst?" Mr. Bennet said huskily.
"In March, yes," she said gravely.
"When that time comes, would you welcome the formal attentions of an old man with six nearly grown children?"
"You are hardly old and your children are delightful. I suggest that we continue to pursue knowing one another these next few months, but I believe yes, in March I would very much welcome your attentions, Mr. Bennet."
/
"I find Macbeth an interesting character study," Elizabeth Bennet said, "but as a woman, his wife is of even greater interest to me."
Darcy had danced with Miss Mary for the supper sets and was delighted when his partner had guided him to a place near Miss Elizabeth, who had danced with Samuel Lucas. Miss Mary and the Lucas boy had immediately struck up a conversation about a tenant family living between Longbourn and Lucas Lodge, which allowed Darcy to focus on Miss Elizabeth
"Her vaulting ambition certainly brought her entire family to ruin," Darcy mused.
"Yes," Elizabeth agreed, a thoughtful pucker forming in her brow. "Do you suppose it is the nature of mankind to always wish for more? Lady Macbeth's situation was already an excellent one as wife of one of King Duncan's most honored generals. She had wealth, comfort, and prestige, and yet she longed for greater power. Of course, it is merely a play, and perhaps it is not legitimate to compare Macbeth and his wife to real people."
"Shakespeare's works are remarkable for drawing out the great sins of mankind, I believe. There are those who have killed and murdered for power, Miss Elizabeth, as you well know. However, I believe it is far more common, but still insidious, for men and women to disdain the needs of others in order to look to their own wealth and satisfaction."
"Like Mr. Wickham," Elizabeth mused.
"Yes, and like many a gentleman who takes all he can from his holdings without considering the needs of the land and the tenants. It does not take long for an estate to deteriorate if the master does not invest in roads and tenant homes and the like."
"Yes, and caring for one's estate, or one's family, or one's church – if one is a parson – or one's kingdom – if one is a king – is a long term affair. It is not merely a case of sacrificing for a day or a week or a month. A wealthy gentleman must decide year after year to continue to devote himself to the needs of his estate and his family. Based on my understanding of your character, Mr. Darcy, you are a most faithful master of Pemberley, and a wonderful brother to Miss Darcy. I honor you for it."
To Darcy's considerable surprise, he felt himself flushing slightly. Many women flattered him, but Elizabeth Bennet's words truly warmed his heart. It was not his looks, or his money, which she admired, but his dedication.
"Thank you, Miss Elizabeth," he declared, smiling down at her.
Elizabeth, for her part, found her heart beating faster suddenly. Mr. Darcy was truly a handsome man, and when he looked at her, it quite took her breath away. It was a pity ... but no, she would not grieve over him. She admired him very much, but his focus was on Pemberley, and hers on Longbourn and her siblings, and in any case, it seemed unlikely that the nephew of an earl would choose to marry a woman of little fortune and poor connections.
For now, she would merely relish his company.
"What think you of Shakespeare's comedies, Mr. Darcy?" she asked brightly.
/
"Well, Darcy," Colonel Fitzwilliam said, "will you be going to London and then Pemberley, or will you remain here in Hertfordshire to court the lovely Miss Elizabeth?"
Darcy sighed and patted his stallion, who was walking down a wide path toward Netherfield's only trout stream. He and his cousin had risen late after the previous night's ball, but earlier than anyone else. Both had desired fresh air and private speech and had decided on a mid-morning ride.
He was tempted to prevaricate but there was no reason to, after all.
"I will be going to London and then Pemberley."
The colonel's eyebrows flew up in surprise at this announcement. "You have decided that Miss Elizabeth is not a candidate for the role of Mrs. Darcy?"
"I have not," Darcy returned glumly. "In truth, the more I speak with the lady, the more impressed I am. However, during our dance last night, she made it very clear that she considers herself bound to Longbourn for at least a little longer as her younger siblings still require her guidance and love. I can hardly blame her for that, when I too would sacrifice almost anything for Georgiana."
"So you are giving up."
Darcy glared over at his cousin. "For now, yes. Keep in mind, Richard, that only a few weeks ago I was still considering marrying Anne, though I was unenthusiastic about it. Thanks to your excellent advice, I feel entirely freed from taking that particular path. Now I find myself greatly attracted to a young lady, but I truly do not know my own heart; perhaps this is merely some strange infatuation, brought about by my new freedom to marry as I wish. It seems wise to retreat to Pemberley for the winter to consider my own feelings. I am certain I have not raised any expectations in Miss Elizabeth and thus will not break her heart."
Richard snorted at this. "I am quite certain that Miss Elizabeth has no idea you are at all interested in her. You are not precisely a demonstrative soul, my friend!"
"That is true enough," Darcy agreed, and felt a sudden shudder of uncertainty in his soul. Was this the right decision, to leave Miss Elizabeth Bennet behind? But how could he make an offer when he knew she felt obligated to be a support to her younger siblings?
"I noticed that Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Hurst spent all of last evening in one another's pockets," the colonel suddenly announced in a casual tone. "I would not be surprised if the two were wed once Mrs. Hurst is out of mourning."
Darcy straightened up and stared at his close friend, suddenly excited. "Mrs. Hurst is out of mourning in March, I believe?"
"I believe so, Darcy."
/
"Did you enjoy the ball?" Lydia asked. As usual, she had risen early and had been waiting for several hours for her weary older siblings to come downstairs after their late night of dancing.
"It was very pleasant," Jane said, taking a sip of hot chocolate. "Netherfield was beautifully decorated, and the music is marvelous."
"Supper was very good too," Mary piped up, taking a bite of a roll and then a sip of tea. "The white soup was especially delicious, as was the pheasant."
"Lizzy, did you enjoy yourself?" Kitty asked curiously. She had stayed behind the previous night to keep her twin company. She regretted the missed opportunity to dance, but would not have felt comfortable if she had left Luke home with only Lydia to encourage him to not overexert himself.
"I did, very much. The dancing was enjoyable, and there were enough men that few ladies had to sit out. I partnered Samuel Lucas for the supper dance, and thus we were together during the meal. It turns out he was taken for a moderate sum by Wickham and Williamson while gambling, and admitted that Wickham's attack on Luke opened his eyes to his own foolish trust of the militia officers."
"That will be a relief to Charlotte," Mary said. "I know she was concerned about Samuel."
"Did you dance with Mr. Bingley, Jane?" Lydia asked, turning her attention on her eldest sister.
"Yes, the first set," Jane said, taking a bite of a roll.
"Are you going to marry him?" Lydia asked rather piteously.
Jane, who had been stifling a yawn, sat up in surprise at this question.
"Marry Mr. Bingley? I have no intention of doing so at this time, no. Why would you even ask that?"
"Everyone says he is in love with you, Jane," Mary explained. "I heard whispers at the ball last night, and it is true he kept looking at you when you were dancing with other partners."
Jane compressed her lips in annoyance. She had told Mr. Bingley, when he had asked for her hand in marriage, that she did not want him to make her the talk of the town by focusing too much on her in public. "My dear sisters, I do not believe he is in love with me. He may be in love with the way I look, but he does not truly know me as a person. Do not take my words amiss; I find him a very pleasant man, but I have no wish to marry him at this time."
Lydia and Kitty relaxed openly and Jane, who was feeling rather uncomfortable, turned her attention on Elizabeth. "Lizzy, what about you? You seemed to be quite cheerful dancing with Mr. Darcy. Do you like the gentleman?"
Rather to her surprise, Elizabeth felt a sudden urge to cry, which she covered up by hastily taking a sip of tea. Once she had recovered herself, she said casually, "I do like him very much, but I doubt he has any romantic inclinations towards me. He is intelligent and interesting, though not conventionally charming. He has a rather taciturn temperament and obviously does not enjoy crowds of people. In any case, I understand that he and Miss Darcy will be departing soon for London, so it is not certain we will ever meet one another again."
/
/
Author Note: Six more chapters to go after this one. I was writing too fast for my editor as sometimes happens when I get on a roll. :-)