CHAPTER SIX

The Assembly hall was packed to capacity that night. Wickham was also a part of the party and was observing all young ladies to try to ensnare one. The misses Bennets were the most beautiful and all were engaged for dancing. Wickham had learnt a great deal from Miss. Elizabeth. She had pointed out her cousin Pastor Collins who was dancing with her 4th sister Miss. Kitty. Mr. Bingley who he had met at Mr. Phillips's gathering , was dancing with the eldest Miss. Bennet. And that he was at Netherfield Park with his family and MR AND MISS DARCY! He found out that Mr. Bingley was courting Miss. Jane and he had 7000 pounds a year and an extensive business in London and was leasing and probably would buy Netherfield Park. Also he had one unmarried sister with a dowry of thirty thousand pounds.

George Wickham started formulating a plan.

Mr. Darcy was not prepared for the crowd that the Assembly dance would bring in. And the manners were absolutely savage. On top of that he had to deal with young men applying to him to dance with Georgiana. He had cautioned her against dancing with the same gentleman more than once, lest they should think she was attracted. He reminded her that George Wickham wasn't the only one of his kind. Many genteel people were utter scoundrels when it came to a heiress with a massive fortune. Caroline Bingley's attentions were out of the bounds of propriety. She had been pressing her bosom to his arm on the pretext of taking his arm for support. He was getting irritated by the constant stream of nonsense, crude and very spiteful comments regarding the crowd of the assembly.

Mr. Darcy was looking at a uncommonly pretty young woman with sparkling eyes and an intelligent face. Wisps of hair had escaped her hairdo adorned with flowers, making her looking like a forest fairy, a dryad. She looked as if she would disappear into the wind in a shower of rose petals and he would be left running around looking for her. Mr. Darcy found himself feeling attracted to Miss. Elizabeth Bennet.

He moved in the background and reached the place just directly behind Miss. Elizabeth and her beautiful companion Miss. Charlotte Lucas. But Miss. Lucas lacked those sparkling eyes and the mischief that shone in them that Elizabeth had. Also listening to them, he found they had been talking about him

Elizabeth : "Who was that gentleman with Mr. Bingley"

Charlotte: "He's Mr. Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire"

E: "Why did he look as if he had something awful smelling under his nose"

Darcy was taken aback. He didn't know he came off as such. He decided to stay and listen.

C: Lizzy, be careful. He has a big party with him. If any of them hear this conversation, we are going to be very embarrassed.

E : come on Charlotte. No one can hear us in this din. And all are busy dancing. No one cares for our conversation.

C: "Mr. Darcy's sister is dancing there with Mr. Collins. She looks like an uncommonly pretty girl. She has been presented at Court and is supposed to have her first season this year."

Charlotte Lucas was a pretty girl some 3 years younger than Elizabeth. But even with the gap in their ages, they got along very well. Charlotte was one of those people other than her father who shared her interest in books. Charlotte Lucas was a gentle, but very sharp young woman. Even though her father had been knighted, they did not have a lot of money. So she didn t have a large dowry. But her wit and charm saw her having many admirers but since plain and handsome men need something to live on, all of the admirers selected plainer and duller girls with money. But since she was optimistic and hopeful for the right man to win her heart, and not marry for mere comforts, she was willing to wait.

Darcy saw Wickham moving to them and hid behind some curtains. He heard Wickham ask Elizabeth for a dance and saw them both move away. He moved into the space left by Elizabeth and Charlotte Lucas had a feeling he had heard all. She was then approached by Pastor Collins who requested her for a dance and she happily obliged and went toward the dance floor with him.

George Wickham danced 1 set with Charlotte Lucas, 2 sets with Miss. Bingley and 2 sets with Miss. Elizabeth. He was paying a lot of attention to Miss. Bingley. Charming her with his conversation. Darcy was shocked and stunned to see Wickham. The monstrous coincidence was too much. He had drawn Georgiana away and had brought her to this unpresuming town and WICKHAM TURNS UP THERE. And he was trying to woo Miss. Bingley. No doubt for her fortune. The dance was drawing to an end. His mind was in a turmoil, Darcy wanted to have a breath of fresh air. The atmosphere was cloying and constricting now. He espied a very irritating person moving towards him. She was the LAST PERSON HE WANTED TO SEE. He hid behind some curtains and found himself in a semi dark room with large French windows and fresh air. He was simply standing in there when he heard someone running towards him and all of a sudden he felt as if the wind was knocked out of him.

Elizabeth had danced 4 dances in a row. The 4th one was with Mr. Wickham. He was a very graceful dancer with light steps and beautiful movements. But her mother's instructions to the maid was causing issues. Her stays were too tight. She needed some respite. She was embarrassed by her mother's actions. She had literally pushed Jane onto Mr. Bingley . She had asked the maid to tighten Elizabeth's stays so her bosoms would pop out. She didn't want anyone to know the consequences of her mother's actions. She left Mr. Wickham to his own devices and went out into the garden to find a private spot where she could carefully loosen her stays a little. Wickham saw Elizabeth go into the garden tugging at her dress. Now was his chance.

He moved slowly into the garden and followed Elizabeth till he rounded a corner and found her trying to reach the binding of her stays.

"May I be of any assistance Miss. Elizabeth." Wickham whispered in her ears and Elizabeth spun around to see George Wickham leering at her.

E: "What are you doing here?"

W : "May I ask the same" with a leer

E: "Get back into the dance room or else-"

W : "or else what? You come out here have your dress around your neck and try to do something to your dress. You wanted me to follow you. Didnt you , my sweet " he asked her pulling her to himself and trying to push his hands into her stays to get her breasts out, all the while kissing her.

"Unhand me , you fiend" Elizabeth screamed, "Let me go"

"Let you go? Never. You are my fortune ticket. I shall have you." And started kissing her exposed neck and bosom.

As Wickham forcibly kissed Elizabeth, she realized he must have hidden liquor and had been drinking all the while. If they were discovered all would be lost. She made one desperate attempt to free herself and pushed Wickham off her. Wickham's hands had been inside her stays and her actions made him stumble and tore the top of her corset and this caused her breasts to flop out. She ran back towards to Assembly Hall and entered a semi dark room and collide with someone taking that person down with her.