"…It won't be possible, Mr. Darcy. Mary and I can't go to Lady Maria's ball alone."
"You would go with me and Colonel Fitzwilliam. I'm also going to talk to my cousin about inviting the Gardiners."
"You know very well that they are not going to invite my uncle," she said sadly.
Darcy met her eyes, "You're probably right. If it were up to me, I'd certainly invite him." Sighed, "I don't agree with the Matlocks, but it's their house."
"Do you really disagree with them?"
Darcy shook his head, "If I agreed with them, I would never be Bingley's friend."
Lizzy smiled, "You are right."
"The world is changing, Miss Thompson. I am convinced there will come a time when the merchants will have much more power than the nobility. In fact, I know sons of earls, barons, and gentlemen who married merchant's daughters to pay debts…"
Darcy spoke to the Viscount and Lady Matlock, but they only agreed to invite either Mrs. Gardiner or Mrs. Annesley. Afterward, Mrs. Gardiner helped Darcy and Georgiana convince Mary and especially Elizabeth to go to the ball.
PPPP
Rarely had Darcy anticipated a ball as much as that night. He had invited Elizabeth to dance the first two sets of the night on the excuse that his cousin was going to dance those sets with Georgiana. Little did Elizabeth know that Richard's leg was still sore and he probably wouldn't be able to dance...
Elizabeth looked very beautiful in a yellow silk dress embroidered with gold threads and her hair tied back with gold ribbons. Mary was very pretty in a white and pink gown.
Perhaps more than one was amazed to see Darcy arrive with Miss Thompson on his arm, although others had already seen him with her at the theater. The Matlocks, the viscount, and Lady Maria greeted them courteously; even Lady Matlock and Lady Maria spoke with them for a few minutes.
During the first set, they chatted amusingly about Colonel Fitzwilliam's definition of 'dancing'...
"… Mr. Darcy, I had forgotten that Colonel Fitzwilliam is still convalescent and that 'dancing' means that the young lady must sit down and talk with him."
"Now you know," he smiled, "I remember you promised my cousin the fourth set. Maybe you'll let me join you while you 'dance'."
Lizzy laughed, "You'll have to ask your cousin if he's willing to have his 'dance' partner pay attention to another gentleman."
"You're right..." he smiled, "Will you grant me the honor of dancing another set?"
"Another set?"
"Yes, Miss Thompson. If you want, we can talk or dance."
"Ummm, I prefer to dance, since we can dance and talk at the same time. Don't you think?"
"It's an excellent idea…"
In the third and fourth sets, while Georgiana danced with Darcy, Elizabeth, Mary, and Mrs. Gardiner conversed with Colonel Fitzwilliam who was mostly charmed by the ladies. He told them very funny stories about his experiences on the continent.
To Darcy's frustration and jealousy, three other gentlemen asked Elizabeth to dance; but he consoled herself that with none of them she seemed particularly pleased.
During the last set of the night that Darcy danced with Elizabeth, they spoke very little and smiled too much...
That night, Elizabeth couldn't sleep thinking about Mr. Darcy. She realized that she was attracted to him and with each passing day she thought more about him. She had to avoid falling in love with him at all costs since there was nothing worse than unrequited love. As soon as her uncle got back to Longbourn she was going back there…