The first weeks after Darcy left Elizabeth felt a mix of anxiety and longing. For the first month she had several nightmares about her marriage. She worried Darcy would never ask her again, and she worried he would. When she forced herself to imagine saying yes, Mr. Collins's face would show itself. But Elizabeth refused to let him keep a hold over her life.

He had occupied a place in her mind unbeknownst to her, and wished to make a hell of heaven. But Elizabeth would not allow it. When she felt anxious, when she remembered the horrid things he had done, she forced herself to laugh at him and his memory. The thought he was dead and she was happy helped her laugh away the anxiety. And the thought that he would be appalled at how his wife had behaved since his death helped even more.

After a few weeks Elizabeth could think on Mr. Collins with tolerable good humor. It was past. He was past. In truth he had been a silly stupid man, though also a malicious and capable one. Elizabeth was glad he died, and felt a chill at the thought he might not have, and then dismissed him. He was not worth her attention.

Now that Elizabeth could imagine herself married to Darcy without also imagining Mr. Collins, she felt anxious for a different reason — would Darcy propose again? She was mostly sure she wished him to. It was clear Bingley and Jane thought it likely he would. And Elizabeth also, if she were honest with herself, thought that if she showed him she wanted him to he would. As Jane had said, Darcy was not a man who would propose marriage on a whim.

Then Bingley received a letter from him with a message to her. It was short and full of meaning. He said quite directly that he still cared for her. Elizabeth felt a bubble of happiness and relief on reading his words. And yet — her mind could not help but gnaw on what he said endlessly. He hoped they would be happy when they spoke again. He carefully did not say he would speak again. What was she supposed to make of that?

The easy interpretation, the one Elizabeth mostly held to, was that he wished to see for himself, when he saw her again, what she desired, and would only speak if she indicated she wanted him to. But — maybe it meant he only wished to return to their earlier friendship. Maybe it meant he thought she would never wish him to ask again, and therefore he would not. Maybe, whatever his sentiments were now, they would change over the next two months.

But to dwell on the question could only lead to anxiety and possible heartbreak. It was not part of her disposition to fret over matters which she could not affect. So Elizabeth resolved to think no more on it until Darcy was here again, and she could see for herself if his inclinations still turned towards her, and judge again where her own pointed.

Still Elizabeth lived for the near correspondence she carried on with Darcy. They could not speak too warmly or freely under the circumstances, but each time she read one of Darcy's sweet restrained messages her insides warmed, and she smiled for a full half hour. And to not obsessively think on Darcy and the possible interpretations of his words was a resolve easier to make than to keep. Elizabeth did not while away endless hours in thought about her absent lover — she usually caught herself before ten minutes had passed — but she was forced to catch herself many a time.

Thoughts about a possible future with Mr. Darcy recurred: what would it be like to leave Longbourn? Elizabeth was sure Darcy would be amenable to spending a month or two each year — perhaps immediately before or after the London season — at Longbourn. She made a fragmentary plan on how she wished the settlement to be written. Perhaps, as Pemberley was much closer, they could visit the Lakes District in a year or two. Elizabeth began to set her local affairs in order; she even started inquiries for a new steward.

In this way Elizabeth passed the three months of Darcy's absence, and though they seemed unusually long for three months they eventually passed.

The Bennet family and Mr. Bingley were all gathered in the sitting room at Longbourn when the news of Darcy's arrival reached them. Elizabeth attempted to read a novel after lunch, but she found it difficult to focus. She smiled at how Bingley and Jane good-naturedly listened to Mrs. Bennet enthusiastically prattle on about some trivial matter of wedding preparations. Mary played the piano, while Kitty and Lydia argued over clothes for the evening. At this point the runner from Netherfield came: Darcy and his sister had arrived at Netherfield, two hours earlier than expected, and would attend the ball.

Elizabeth's spirits were thrown into agitation at this absolutely positive intelligence that he had arrived and she would see him this very evening. Bingley immediately stood and left to greet his friend after fondly kissing Jane's hand goodbye. The next hours were a blur and Elizabeth knew she very, very, much hoped he'd be unchanged in his feelings and desires.

She took far more care with her appearance than she ever had before, and was convinced she looked quite handsome. It was Lydia's first ball as well, and with six ladies to prepare they took rather longer than Elizabeth wanted. She had started quite early, and hence finished her preparations before her sisters, but that only meant Elizabeth was left to pace the sitting room in her new ball gown, the first she had purchased in years, for more than half an hour.

The letters. Every letter Darcy asked after her, wished her well, and said how eager he was to see her again. Certainly he would not write so unless he intended to offer again. Certainly.

Elizabeth sourly thought they would arrive late when Kitty finally finished her preparations and came down. She impatiently hurried her sisters into the carriage, and on the ride Elizabeth eagerly waited for each turn in the road, and building along their path: she so hoped Darcy would already be there when they arrived.

Then they were there. Elizabeth glanced at the familiar façade of the building before she entered and hurriedly looked around to see him.

Their eyes caught; all besides his eyes and face faded out, and she walked to him.

At first they stood awkwardly; neither knew what to say, or how to speak. Darcy recovered faster, and stated, "I believe you have been well, at least that is what Bingley told me. I was glad to hear it."

"I have been." Then, with no clear sense of what she said Elizabeth added, "It is Lydia's first ball."

"Oh. If she still has space on her card, I must ask her for a dance." This reference to Elizabeth's sister pushed Darcy's mind to his own, and he turned to the tall girl who awkwardly stood next to him, "may I introduce my sister to you?"

After Elizabeth's nod Darcy said, "Georgiana this is Elizabeth…. Elizabeth, my sister Georgiana Darcy."

Once curtsies had been exchanged Elizabeth focused on Georgiana, with her high emotions, and mind full of their last meetings, it was easier by far to speak to the sister. "Your brother told me a great deal of you—all of it good of course." The last added at the girls alarmed expression. With a quick glance at Darcy who watched them with a smile, Elizabeth added, "He is very proud of you."

Georgiana appeared very shy, and it took her several seconds to force out her reply, "Fitzwilliam has told me much about you as well."

"Has he now! Do tell me what horrid calumnies he's made against me — I promise I shall not let him know that you have broken his confidence."

Elizabeth darted another quick glance at Darcy as Georgiana struggled to reply, her tease did seem to have settled him into a good mood.

Georgiana gave her words too much weight, "oh, no. No everything he said about you was most kind and complementary."

"Everything?" Elizabeth turned to Darcy, "And here I thought you always told the truth —" Elizabeth swallowed nervously before she continued without the laughter present before, "I know I have behaved most foolishly in your presence."

Darcy's eyes held hers and he replied softly, "Perhaps the lady misjudges her own character, for my part I have never seen anything which was not completely admirable in your behavior."

Elizabeth was too affected to respond to such a statement, though his manner pleased her greatly. Darcy added with a straight face, "I believe you are aware that I am an excellent judge of character, and that I pride myself on always making correct judgments."

Elizabeth laughed and turned back to Georgiana, "It appears I was mistaken — your brother after all is never wrong."

Georgiana nodded seriously, as though she agreed that Darcy was always right. It was really sweet the way she looked up to him.

"Elizabeth," Darcy said, which brought Elizabeth's eyes back to his now serious face, he held her eyes and said with an intent deep voice, "I have never seen you to act foolishly, but quite the opposite, every time you have hesitated or shown fear it was reasonable and I think — angelic."

Elizabeth felt happy relief, she already knew from his letters that he did not think poorly of her for her refusal and the manner of it; but to hear it confirmed in his own voice meant more. Elizabeth nodded, "Thank you — Oh! That was an allusion to Pope's line, 'fools rush in where angels fear to tread.'"

Darcy indicated assent.

A wide fond smile spread over Elizabeth's face, "I used that line the first time we met, in this very room, twenty feet from this very spot." Elizabeth pointed to where they had spoken with Mr. Long the previous October.

Darcy nodded agreement, eyes bright and pleased, "You did."

"And you remembered!"

"Yes, I even took your advice and refrained from borrowing money to undertake major improvements to the estate."

Her smile was too wide to allow Elizabeth to laugh, and she watched as Georgiana exclaimed in confusion, "You never planned to borrow for improvements, you've said for years it would be foolish!"

Elizabeth touched Georgiana's arm and leaned close to her with bright smile, "I fear I must repay Darcy's proof I am without flaw by revealing to you that, while he always tells the truth, he occasionally makes statements he does not believe for the sake of seeing how others will respond."

Georgiana smiled back, "Oh! He sometimes does that to me to."

In a few minutes more they had all begun to dance, Georgiana with Colonel Foster — Elizabeth and Bingley had arranged for several married gentleman to ask Georgiana to dance should she come to the ball, so Darcy's sister would not lack appropriate partners.

Elizabeth, of course, danced with Darcy. But her feelings were in too much of a flutter for her to speak. It was silly, it was girlish, but that Darcy remembered the line she'd teased him with the first night they met made her feel as though she were made of a happy melted pudding. The silly grin stayed on her face as she kept her eyes on Darcy's pleased features, and it widened each time she thrilled at the touch of their hands. Each time the dance had them twirl around her stomach leapt when she met Darcy's eyes again.

Darcy took the effort to speak, "I hope to meet your aunt and uncle. Will they be in Hertfordshire for the wedding?"

It was a compliment to her. It was a further sign of his continued interest. It showed the change in his treatment of social inferiors that he had promised three months ago had not been forgotten while they were apart. He wished to know her relatives in trade.

With pleased rosy cheeks Elizabeth replied, "They will be here, though only for a few days as my uncle wishes to set his business in order so he can take an extended trip to the Lakes District this summer. They look forward to meeting you as well, as I have spoken to them about you at length." Elizabeth blushed to a stop here, as she wondered what Darcy might think she had said to her aunt and uncle.

"I am sure you gave a full depiction of all my flaws, and they will expect an arrogant, demanding, superior man. But I will disappoint them. I have committed myself to show the patience of Job, and the easiness of — Bingley."

Elizabeth laughed, "You may aspire to the patience of Job, but Bingley's easiness —" she shook her head. "No, that would be too much. You would hardly be Darcy if you had that. Perhaps you should merely strive to be a very little easier, and then you will disappoint those who expect to think poorly of you, but not disconcert those who like you."

"I will be guided by you in this. Your aunt and uncle, will they travel through Derbyshire on their journey to the Lakes?"

"They will — in fact they will come very close to your Pemberley, my aunt — during that lengthy description of your flaws you imagined me to give — said she was a girl in Lambton which is but five miles from Pemberley. They plan to stay there for at least a week during their journey."

"I must ask them to stay with me at Pemberley for at least some of that time."

Elizabeth blushed at the compliment, "My aunt would enjoy that greatly."

"Then it is settled."

Sadly the dance finished far too quickly, and Elizabeth was handed off to Bingley, while Darcy danced with his sister. Elizabeth had an absent happy smile as she walked through the steps without thought. Her mind was too full of Darcy to think on anything else. Bingley startled her out of her absorption when he used his name.

When Elizabeth begged him to repeat his words, Bingley laughed and gave a teasing smile, "I daresay you and Darcy are as much friends as you ever have been."

Elizabeth colored, and Bingley spoke again, "And what might you have talked about so intently, that it still absorbs you ten minutes later?"

At this Elizabeth's eyes brightened, "In fact we spoke of Darcy's intention to model his future behavior upon you."

Bingley's amazed expression made Elizabeth laugh, "Indeed we did, though to be candid I discouraged him from the attempt. He would hardly be Darcy if he was as easy in company as you are."

Now Bingley laughed, "Ha! I daresay he would be remarkably improved with my manners. In fact, from what I have seen of his behavior tonight — that is after you arrived, before he was as Darcy as ever, why he stood there quite like a stiff statue — almost as if he were nervous. He is Darcy, though. So it was merely the seeming of nervousness. But after you arrived, he has been quite as easy as I have ever seen. I wish I could say my manners had at last rubbed on to him, but I believe the truth is very different."

The dance with Bingley left Elizabeth with a smile — she liked her future brother a great deal. After she drank a glass of punch, Elizabeth entered the floor with her next partner. It was a delightful party, and she always was aware of Darcy's place in the room. After his sister, he danced with Charlotte. This, like everything else, spoke to Elizabeth further of Darcy's merit and attachment. During Darcy's first trip to Hertfordshire Elizabeth was the only local woman Darcy regularly chose to dance with, and Jane was the only other he had danced with ever. Now though he chose to dance with all Elizabeth's sisters, and her friends. It showed a desire to be friendly, a greater concern for the feelings of those around him, and a desire to make himself agreeable to those she cared for.

When her dance with Mr. Darcy finished Charlotte approached Elizabeth and exclaimed in a pleased manner, "Eliza, I like your Mr. Darcy very much indeed. You must have me to visit."

Charlotte laughed at Elizabeth's stammered reply, "He is not my Mr. Darcy." At Charlotte's knowing look Elizabeth added with a bright blush, "Yet."

Elizabeth and Darcy danced a second time; a dance filled with happy conversation about nothings that felt like everything.

When Elizabeth had a brief minute alone she felt as though she would burst with good feelings, she felt as though a dozen happy kittens wrestled inside her stomach. She had never been so happy. So this is what it was to be in love. This was how it felt. No wonder Jane had smiled without break for the past three months. Elizabeth had never enjoyed a ball so much; this is what a ball ought to be: violins, sore feet, a hot room, and a girl in love for the first time.

As Elizabeth sat out the second to last set of the evening she felt almost concerned as she watched Georgiana and Lydia. They had now sat out two full sets to speak to each other. Elizabeth approached the two, but Lydia motioned her away. Darcy was nearby and Elizabeth walked to him, "I wonder what they are so intent about."

Darcy shrugged in a manner that showed his pleasure, "I do not know either, however Georgiana rarely speaks so much. She is shy in company, and has few friends her own age. It is good to see Miss Lydia draw her out. Besides your sister is a very good sort of girl — I know she is odd and somewhat improper, but she is solid."

"I am proud of her," Elizabeth said, "over the past four years I have raised her more than my mother."

Elizabeth felt sad at the memory of why. And for second she saw Lydia there with Mr. Collins again, she was startled out of the memory when Darcy's hand darted forward and grabbed hers. She looked at his face, and his manner showed he was as surprised by his forwardness as she was. Elizabeth squeezed his hand back and smiled at him. Darcy stepped so close to her, as they turned to look at Lydia and Georgiana, that their shoulders brushed each other, and Elizabeth was really sensible of Darcy's presence, and the feel of his coat's wool fabric against the bit of bare skin between her glove and the sleeve of her dress.

They stood together silently for several minutes as the current set ended and the musicians prepared to start the last of the night. Darcy inclined his head so close to her ear that the warm air from his breath made her shiver, "Would you dance the last with me."

This would be their third dance. From a man like Darcy that was as good as a declaration. Elizabeth's stomach tightened. If she nodded it would be as good as a promise to accept him. She froze for a long moment and in a panic, scared he would misinterpret her inaction as refusal, vigorously nodded, "I very much wish to dance it with you."

Darcy took her hand and brought it softly to his lips. Elizabeth shivered at the sensation. Then he led her to the line of couples. Elizabeth's nerves were tight, and she looked up to see Jane and Bingley glow at each other. As the music started she slowly relaxed, and soon the mild glow from the wine she had drunk earlier made every moment seem more intense as Elizabeth boldly kept her eyes on Darcy and felt herself thrill and tighten with every touch of their hands, and every spin of the dance. Darcy's eyes stayed on her, caressed her.

It ended far too soon. Elizabeth thought longingly as the final passage of the dance played through. She wished they could keep dancing forever: she wished she could meet the morning, and then the noon, and then the next evening in Darcy's arms. Elizabeth laughed at the silliness of the conceit as Darcy led her from the dance floor.

The happy pair quietly spoke as they waited for the carriages to arrive — they had certainly not spent nearly enough time in conversation. And there were private matters to discuss which they could not speak of in a ballroom. They quickly decided to meet early the next morning for a walk.

The carriage ride home was quiet, Elizabeth had a happy smile but her mind was too full for words, and everyone else was too tired for them. Elizabeth's spirits were too agitated for her to fall asleep, and when she slipped into bed she lay there nearly an hour as her mind turned over each moment, image, and incident from the ball.

Georgiana had a pleased expression in the carriage, and Darcy roused himself from his thoughts of Elizabeth to ask how she enjoyed the ball.

"Oh, very much indeed. Lydia is such a spirited forward girl, I very much enjoyed meeting her. I rather wish I was as confident as she is."

Bingley spoke from his side of the carriage, "I had believed young girls were supposed to enjoy the dances at a ball, and not the company of other girls."

"Well, except you and Fitzwilliam," at this Georgiana briefly squeezed Darcy's arm, "my partners were mostly old. Oh, I know why you introduced me to such, and do not mind; besides Lydia was so interesting, and her conversation was very informative."

"Just what did you two talk about?" Darcy asked.

Georgiana looked sidelong at him, "mostly you."

"Oh."

"Oh yes, she was most curious about your behavior, in what manner you behave at home, and she had many other questions. We also did talk about Mrs. Elizabeth, I asked her to say more of her sister. Oh, I liked Mrs. Elizabeth very much indeed. She is very amusing, and kind. When she sought me out during a break in the dancing she quickly put me at my ease."

"I was pleased when I saw you two speak."

Georgiana nodded, "Lydia said she is always like that, very clever and kind." Georgiana looked at Bingley, "I also like Miss Bennet very much. She's really sweet. I look forward to knowing all of the Bennets better."