Chapter 29
As Elizabeth was busy avoiding Mr. Collins, and Jane's attention was on Mr. Bingley, the natural result of the two most sensible sister's distraction was a lack of supervision needed to inhibit the worst of the remaining Bennet's instincts.
Their mother gossiped, proudly crowing over two matches to be made, and in less than a fortnight at that. Every mercenary thing imaginable came flying out of Mrs. Bennet's mouth, with none of the appropriate censors one would expect to find between another person's mouth and mind, as she believed herself all the more enviable for everything more she uttered.
Lydia and Kitty were on full display, such notorious and uninhibited flirting was never before seen in Hertfordshire. The two sisters teased and enticed in a dreadfully demeaning competition with one another, fully convinced it would be entirely to their credit if one could be determined to be more shocking than the other.
There father took what amusement he could from the matter, occasionally sending Mr. Collins in the opposite direction of his dearest daughter. Loved Elizabeth though he did, he was of no mind to hear Mrs. Bennet's exclamations on the matter, unless it was to be avoided no longer. His most sensible daughter, he trusted, would send the man on his way in indecision. Lydia and Kitty, in his mind, were silly but harmless to anything other than their own dignity. As far as he was concerned with his wife, she could enjoy her silliness and her moment in the sun. She was of least bother to him while she was crowing over the other matrons, which she often then suffered to in her turn.
Jane and Bingley both enjoyed their first dance, having both decided nothing significant could be decided or uncovered at such a public venue, so they each resolved instead to merely enjoy the company of the other for so long as the evening lasted.
Colonel Fitzwilliam was watching the spectacle, occasionally requesting a dance when it furthered his cause. Darcy and Bingley had him to thank for distracting Caroline from giving more offense than she already accomplished.
Darcy was solicitously making his way through his dance partners, at least as much as such a reticent man could, anxiously awaiting his dance with Miss Elizabeth. He had collected an impressive volume of local topics to discuss, at her request, and she had done a fair job choosing his dance partners, making his task all the easier for it.
None of those he partnered could be called silly or preening, though some were not entirely sensible, he thought, when taking a turn with Miss Mary. Quite pleased with himself at conversing as much as any ordinary man, he found himself enjoying the ball more than was his usual wont. Distracted by the unusual occupation of making conversation with strangers, he missed most of the other goings-on at the ball.