I apologize for the going about the weekend updateless. I had a busier weekend than I had anticipated! But here it is, back with popular demand! (So okay not really.)
Tennbourgh is the Bingley's estate, a name that I made up because it sounded good. I had meant for more drama here but this is how it turned out.

Enjoy and, as always, leave your thoughts!

With the ball in his thoughts, the week seemed to flash by quite unnoticed. Bingley promised the ball would be a small one; though 'small' in Bingley's world meant something entirely different in Darcy's. But, small by either standard, or not, Bingley had just the nature to make every one feel as though it were a big city ball – the music, the dress, the food. Tennbourgh had a decently sized ballroom and was plenty enough for the small, thought possibly more than Bingley had intended, crowd.

Bingley greeted each Darcy as they came in, and Georgiana immediately inquired upon Jane – the young Darcy had taken much of a liking to her.

"Thither, speaking with Caroline."

"Oh. Thank you."

With a small curtsey, Georgiana headed over to speak with them, but not before casting a look over her shoulder.

"How are you this evening, Mrs. Darcy?" inquired Bingley.

"I am well, thank you. We have much anticipated this ball, and it does not disappoint."

Bingley grinned sheepishly. "Thank you. I find private balls to be much pleasanter than those public, though I always enjoy a good ball."

"I am sure it is to be a wonderfully pleasant evening."

"I thank you again. If you will excuse me, I shall go see how Jane is fairing."

After giving him leave to do as such, Darcy watched his sister intently, searching for any sign of unease, and found none. Her excitement was apparent, her enthusiasm boundless.

"My companion is oddly silent."

Darcy had been hardly aware of Elizabeth at his side.

"Lost in thought.

"Okay, then I shall leave you to them."

It wasn't terribly unusual for Darcy to stand solitary at a ball, and this one found the same. Finally feeling restless, Darcy approached his wife, who chatted animatedly with her sister, and held out his hand.

"May I have the honor of the next dance?"

Her eyes flicked from his hand to face, and finally to Jane, who smiled encouragingly; for a moment, Darcy was very sure she would flatly refuse him.

Then she took his hand, and said, "of course."

He led her to the floor, and they took their places across from the other. They were silent until Elizabeth began, "I found Jane to be in much higher spirits than yesterday."

"That is good to hear."

"I do believe it was caused by an appalling lack of sleep."

"Ah, yes. Bingley did mention she was getting a frightfully little amount of it."

"I do feel for Jane, poor thing," said Elizabeth, taking a glance to her sister. "And she's going to get little more once the child arrives, I am afraid."

"Indeed. I do remember the first year after Georgiana arrived. There was nary a quiet moment."

At that moment, the young girl of whom they were just speaking ran up to her brother, interrupting their dance. Her skin was ghostly white, and she was stammering to find her words.

"What ever is the matter dear?"

"Brother, I...I wish to leave now."

"Georgiana, what is wrong?" asked Elizabeth, concerned, putting her hand on Georgiana's arm; the younger took the opportunity to throw herself into Elizabeth's arm.

Darcy didn't need to apply to his sister to understand the source of her distress, for when he looked up to search the room, his eyes met those of Wickham's, and it immediately became painfully (quite literally) obvious as to why she was currently hiding with her face buried into Elizabeth's shoulder. Scarcely taking the time to excuse himself, he went directly up to Wickham. Both Darcy and Wickham stood silently, Darcy clicking his heels against the floor. It felt as if the room had gone entirely silent, as if were on him and Wickham, standing at odds against the other. In a moment of acknowledgment, Wickham inclined his head slightly, and the people and sounds once again returned to Darcy; he had regained the sense he couldn't remember losing.

"I am fairly surprised to see you here, Darcy."

"And I can say the very same."

"How is your sister?"

The cold, self-satisfied smirk that turned up at the corners of Wickham's quite literally chilled Darcy right to his bones.

"What did you say to her?"

"Nothing in want of propriety."

"With you, that is something I highly doubt. What did you say to her?"

"I assure you, it was nothing shameful," said Wickham, in a voice hardly convincing of his sincerity.

Darcy took a few steps toward Wickham and lowered his voice as much as he could to ensure it would still be heard over the music and laughter, and began, "there is not a possible way you could bring more shame upon yourself."

Much luckily for Wickham, Lydia came bounding up just then, attaching herself to her husband's side, thusly preventing Darcy from doing something he might end up regretting.

"Oh, hello Mr. Darcy!" exclaimed Lydia giddily, seemingly as an afterthought.

"Hello Lydia."

"Have you seen Jane? Mother said she is with child. It is an exciting thought, but I always expected it to be me falling pregnant first."

At this thought, Wickham appeared to roll his eyes.

"Jane is with Elizabeth." Darcy gestured over his shoulder.

"Oh, I see them! Come Wickham, let us speak with them."

Darcy felt relief as Lydia escorted Wickham away, regaining his composure and turned around to see Georgiana pull Elizabeth away from the crowd just as Lydia found Jane and made conversation, seeming to speak with great excitement. Darcy followed the path his sister took, hoping Wickham hadn't rekindled the feelings of despair he created all those months ago. If so, Darcy may just have to take the matter of Wickham into his own hands; there would be no happy party involved if that were to happen.