Author's Note: Sorry it's taken a while to get Our Dear Couple in a room together. In Pride & Prejudice, Austen took a couple chapters to get her characters situated as well.

To my guest who inquired about annulment: In my head, the idea of the nobility and soulmarks had a definite legal component (which may or may not be alluded to, somewhere in this story). So if there were truly a fraudulent Soulmark presented, the marriage would be deemed illegal and thus annulled. But only for those within ten "steps" to the throne.

My gratitude abounds to those who are reading and adding this fic to their lists. I offer a lovely syllabub to all who review!


Chapter Two

"Welcome, welcome!"

The effusion of Sir William Lucas's greeting when the Netherfield Park party entered the small, crowded hall was sufficient to silence even the musicians, which made Darcy want to roll his eyes.

He didn't. Instead, he pressed his sister Georgiana's hand where it rested on his arm, and held his tongue. A gentleman had to set a good example to those of lower orders and it had become apparent over the past few days that the local society had very few gentlemen.

"Welcome, Mr. Bingley. So good of you to join us at our little assembly!"

Bingley, of course, smiled at Sir William as if he were besotted with all the world, saying all that was proper. Darcy tightened his hold on his sister as they were brought before the local knight who was also the local magistrate. Georgiana, though not yet "out", nevertheless bore a Soulmark on her left wrist and he was determined to shield her from anyone who might exhibit curiosity about her. At present, the Soulmark was covered with long gloves, but Darcy did not feel he could be too careful.

Bingley went to dance with Sir William's eldest daughter, Charlotte Lucas. Sir William, appearing quite pleased, led Darcy and Georgiana, as well as Miss Bingley, to "The Bennets of Longbourn. It's a fine estate, here. A fine family, of course."

Georgiana smiled at the knight. "Oh, I'm sure, Sir William. So kind of you to introduce us."

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were introduced first, and Mr. Bennet introduced his three daughters: Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, and Miss Mary. Miss Bennet smiled at him politely, but not in a way he had seen in far too many London drawing rooms. She was quite the prettiest young lady in the room. Miss Elizabeth, though not as pretty, held his interest longest, as her eyes seemed to study him as if he were a rare species of plant—

Which was a ridiculous thing to think, so he made a brief bow and met Miss Mary, who wore spectacles and seemed solemn, speaking little more than a word.

Darcy prompted Georgiana to do the honors of their party, as she needed the practice. She did quite well, and her blush did not cause her words to falter. "A pleasure to meet you all. May I present Miss Bingley, who is her brother Mr. Bingley's hostess at Netherfield Park?" The music continued to play and the women all smiled and went about the social niceties as no one was asking any of them to dance.

Mr. Bennet kept Miss Elizabeth on his arm on the entire time, as Darcy was doing with Georgiana, and that only caught his interest when his sister cleared her throat.

"Mr. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet. A pleasure. Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary." The young ladies all curtsied. "I do hope to become better acquainted with you," his sister added, rather surprising Darcy as she was generally shy around strangers.

Miss Bennet smiled warmly, Miss Mary nodded, but Miss Elizabeth spoke, moving from her father's arm to offer her hand to Georgiana. This startled Darcy, but Georgiana welcomed the overture.

"Miss Darcy, young women of sense are always welcome to Longbourn." Miss Elizabeth then turned her smile to Miss Bingley, adding, "It would be an honor to have you call, if you are so inclined." Only after this invitation had rendered Miss Bingley speechless for a moment, did Miss Elizabeth cast her eyes—eyes remarkably clear and fine and spirited—to Darcy himself. "Your sister would be quite safe, you know, amongst a houseful of females."

Darcy coughed a bit to clear his throat of the shock her words gave him. Rarely was he thus spoken to by one who was not an intimate acquaintance. Still, he bowed. "I'm sure she would be, Miss Elizabeth." He turned to her older sister. "Miss Bennet? Would you care to join me in the next set?"

Her cheeks warmed with a slight blush as she curtsied. "Thank you, Mr. Darcy. I'd be delighted."

She conversed genially when he claimed her for their dance, her steps light and graceful, her countenance appealing. She did not, however, touch his interest in any way beyond the appreciation one might give to a particularly nice work of art in a gallery.

"Your sister is quite charming," Miss Bennet remarked during a turn.

"I thank you. She is not yet out, however. I hope to introduce her in stages."

His partner smiled. "A wise decision. Society can be overwhelming."

They separated as required by the dance before coming back together. He felt it was his duty to pick up the conversation. "Your sister Miss Elizabeth was kind to invite Georgiana to call."

"Oh, Elizabeth is quite the most social and adventurous of us, Mr. Darcy. I hope she did not overstep?"

Perhaps a little, but it would be rude to say so, so Darcy merely shook his head and they parted once again.

After their dance, he escorted Miss Bennet back to her family, only to find that Miss Elizabeth was not at that time with them, so he did not have to ask her to dance in turn. With a mixture of relief and regret, he made his way to his own party to partner Miss Bingley.

Miss Elizabeth, he saw, was dancing with a man clearly old enough to be her father. Darcy couldn't seem to stop looking at her.

"Really, they're quite wild and uncouth. Especially Miss Elizabeth. So forward, Mr. Darcy. Thinking I needed her invitation."

Darcy held Miss Bingley's gloved hand up as the dance warranted and walked her down the row of dancers in their set. "She's a daughter of one of the leading local families, Miss Bingley. I am sure she was doing what she saw as her duty."

"Charles is quite taken with her sister, Miss Bennet," Miss Bingley remarked.

Darcy followed the direction of his partner's gaze. "She is a charming young woman."

They parted again in the pattern of the dance, relieving Darcy of the need to be conversing. Bingley was obviously enjoying his dance, which was to be expected. Miss Elizabeth seemed to be enjoying hers as well, and her older partner was laughing as they parted in their set.

"I am concerned that he might find her too charming," Miss Bingley opined when they came together for the last figure. "It would not do."

Darcy kept his sigh to himself. He knew Bingley had a Soulmark; it was something that had come up one night over two snifters of fine brandy the previous winter in London. "Your brother has a sound mind, Miss Bingley. I am sure he will choose well. And if he is indeed considering purchasing an estate in this neighborhood, marrying one of the local daughters would stand him in good stead."

Miss Bingley didn't venture to converse further and he escorted her off the floor. His sister had sent him dancing, claiming shelter with the Bennet family whilst he was on the dance floor. He felt a modicum of relief to see her seated next to Miss Mary, engaged in animated conversation, whilst Mr. Bennet stood just behind them.

Darcy nodded to the older man. "Thank you, Mr. Bennet, for watching over my sister."

"Fitzwilliam!" Georgiana said, sounding embarrassed. "I'm sure that was uncalled for."

Mr. Bennet smiled a little. "Indeed, as the father of three eligible young women, Mr. Darcy, I scarcely gave it a thought. Miss Darcy and my Mary were doing well together."

Darcy held out his hand to Georgiana and both young women rose. Miss Mary bobbed a brief curtsy to him before turning to Georgiana and saying, "Bring your music with you, Miss Darcy. Don't forget."

"I won't!"

Darcy escorted his sister on a turn about the room, pleased that she had found something in common with the solemn Bennet sister. The dancers on the floor shifted as the set ended, and there was an increase in the general noise and shuffling of feet as well as laughter that seemed to reach to the walls and high ceiling of the hall. Georgiana pressed close to him and he guided her instinctively to the outer edge of the crowd, beyond one of the punch tables.

"Thank you, Brother," she murmured.

"Would you like to sit down?"

"No, just being out of the . . . throng . . . is enough. Thank you."

The musicians struck up a chord that indicated the dancing would soon resume, and that was when Bingley appeared once more.

The younger man helped himself to some punch and retrieved a cup for someone else. "Darcy! Miss Darcy! You should be dancing!"

"Bingley, I was just dancing with your sister, and you know Georgiana isn't yet out."

Making an exaggerated guilty expression, Bingley nodded. "Quite so, but there are far too many young ladies without partners." He directed a look to Georgiana. "Due, of course, to the war and all."

"Of course," Darcy interjected with all haste. "And young ladies need not concern themselves about the war, Bingley."

Georgiana huffed a little. "But, Fitzwilliam! Our cousin Richard is a colonel and he is doing all that is honorable."

Darcy conceded to her point, adding, "That does not mean such talk belongs at an Assembly Ball."

"Of course not, Darcy. Dancing, however, does."

"You have been dancing with the handsomest woman in the room," Darcy allowed.

His friend smirked. "Jealous?"

Georgiana giggled and Bingley winked at her and it occurred to Darcy to wonder what form the other man's Soulmark took. Georgiana, born a granddaughter of an earl, would certainly count as being among the leading families of Britain.

"I am not, Bingley. I danced with her first, if you recall."

"Indeed. And her sister, just over there with Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, is without a partner. Might I partner your sister just this once? In a small assembly such as this, there should be no concern."

Georgiana nearly vibrated beside him. "Oh, may I? It will be almost like dancing with a brother or cousin, dancing with Mr. Bingley!"

Darcy barely had time to think about the propriety of it when Georgiana stepped to Bingley and placed the barest tips of her gloved fingers on his arm.

"Excellent!" After getting a resigned nod from Darcy, Bingley handed one of the cups of punch to Georgiana and escorted her to Miss Bennet, who partook from the other.

Darcy crossed the floor to ask for Miss Elizabeth's hand for the next set. Mr. Bennet regarded him sharply, noting that Darcy was wearing gloves. With a nod, Mr. Bennet handed his daughter over and stepped back to stand next to his wife.

Darcy found himself grateful that his partner was wearing long gloves for the local Assembly Ball, for that meant that he could leave his own on, as well. Occasionally, he'd had to dance bare-handed with a lady and he had approached each event in trepidation. It was deemed proper to match the lady on such an occasion, but far too many women had tried to become too familiar by so doing, in his experience.

Besides, if his skin burned, he would know he had met his soulmate. But would he even like her if and when he did?

The music began and he bowed in form, belatedly realizing he had yet to speak with his partner. He took a breath to ask her if she were enjoying her evening, but she spoke first.

"Are you enjoying your stay in Hertfordshire, Mr. Darcy?" Miss Elizabeth inquired, her voice and expression arch as if she had caught him woolgathering.

Which she had.

They stepped forward and touched hands as the dance dictated. "It is my first time here, that I can recollect, Miss Elizabeth. Everyone has been quite . . . welcoming."

She smiled at him as they crossed one another and turned to meet their next partner for a turn about their circle. When they met again, he was ready for her. "Your family, indeed, is most welcoming. My sister is eager to visit with you and your sisters."

"Oh, delightful. Mary was telling me that they are both musicians." He nodded and they turned. Just before they separated, she asked, "Are you, Mr. Darcy?"

It was a natural question, but there was something in her lively look that told him she was perhaps teasing him. He was unused to being teased in such a way and wasn't sure if he should be affronted or respond in kind.

He truly wished to respond, but if he did, that could be construed as flirtation and he didn't want to give any indication that he was in a position to take such banter seriously. The marriageable daughter of a local gentleman should understand that, shouldn't she?

When they resumed their turn in their set, he redirected her question to herself, as young women were always bound to be seeking accomplishments.

"I do play and sing a little, yes," she replied, still with that light in her eye that made him think she could nearly read his mind. "But not nearly as well as my sister Mary. I look forward to hearing your sister play, Mr. Darcy. What do gentlemen do, since musical pursuits are not favored?"

"I prefer to be in Derbyshire, at Pemberley, Miss Elizabeth," he told her. "Seeing to the well-being of my people and upholding the honor of my estate."

She nodded, smiled, and allowed that line of conversation to fall by the way.

He rather missed her teasing though, and wished, just as their dance was over, that she had not worn gloves, that evening.

"I thank you for the dance," he said as they left the floor. "You're a stimulating conversationalist."

That much, he could allow himself.

She curtsied and returned to her father's side. "I thank you, Mr. Darcy." It was a prosaic dismissal, but her dark eyes danced and though she was not as properly beautiful as her elder sister, he could not help but find her vastly more appealing.

It was as well that he would not be asked to any more balls in Hertfordshire!


Note: Mr. Darcy can be a gentleman! In the next chapter, there will be a thoroughly non-canon (but absolutely period-correct) game!