Chapter 12

The ball at Netherfield had been set for November 26th. All the Bennet daughters went to Netherfield quite often to help with the decorations and planning. Mrs. Hurst had never had the occasion to plan a ball such as this before. Jane assured her that in the country, things were a bit more relaxed. The food could be served as a buffet with only three meats and four desserts on the offer. Only two types of wine as well as punch and lemonade were required. Additional staff could be borrowed from Longbourn and Lucas Lodge, if they thought it necessary.

The Bennets were a big help in deciding the guest list. They knew the four and twenty families who made up respectable folk in the area. Originally there were to be a cadre of militia stationed nearby and of course the officers would have been invited, but their orders were delayed and they would not be in the area until spring. The youngest Bennet daughters were disappointed, but there was nothing to be done about it.

The gentlemen mostly stayed out of the way while six females were discussing desserts, drinks and dresses. The host and his friend always seemed to show up just about the time the ladies were rewarding themselves with tea and cakes when their day's work was finished. The gentlemen would hand the ladies into their carriage with the eldest two always being handed in by the same gentleman each time. They had each already requested and were granted the first dance and the supper dance from their preferred partners.

Mr. Darcy had not yet been brave enough to put himself in the way of Mrs. Bennet. That would not hold after the ball. He and Elizabeth had discussed letting the cat out of the bag before the ball so Mrs. Bennet would hopefully get her enthusiasm under control before being in public. Elizabeth decided to go to her mother just before bed, two nights before the event.

Mr. Darcy still thought Miss Elizabeth was not yet ready to give the answer he wanted to the question he had not yet asked. He thought maybe at the ball might be a good time to ask her, if all went well. He thought that maybe after their dance before the supper, he might steer her to a quiet corner as the rest of the ball goers went in to supper. They could not announce it that evening, until he had a chance to speak to Mr. Bennet, so he could not dance a third dance with her, but he would be content with knowing her heart by the end of the evening.

Six ladies preparing for a ball, with the help of only one maid, was a sight to behold. Luckily, the elder sisters were well prepared to help each other as well as their middle sister who preferred simpler hair styles and simpler dresses. Lizzy went to knock on her father's bookroom door to let him know they were ready to depart. Her father motioned her to come closer to his desk.

"So, I heard that your mother has been told the good news. I think all of Hertfordshire must have heard it. I am surprised that she had not insisted that you have a new dress for the ball. Has there been any further news that I should be apprised of?"

"No, Papa, there is no further news. He has not asked anything further of me."

"But you suspect that he might? Soon? Maybe tonight?"

"Oh, I am sure he will be too busy tonight to think of such a thing. We will dance the first and the supper dance, as is respectable for a courting couple, but I doubt I will see much of him the rest of the night. He will be expected to dance with Mrs. Hurst and a few of the other local ladies, I assume."

"And if your young man were to ask you this evening?"

"Oh, Papa, I do not hold my breath. But. I think. Maybe, if he does, I would say, yes," she finished quietly.

"Well, then you could have your third dance with him. Put me down on your dance card for the last dance of the night. If you do not dance the last with him, I would be honored to dance the last with you."

She gave him a hug and a kiss on his whiskered cheek. "Thank you Papa," she said.

The Bennet party hustled into the coach and were quite on time arriving at Netherfield. Mr. Bennet handed each of his daughters and his wife out of the coach and they made their way up the stairs to join the receiving line. Mr. Darcy was in the line, but stepped out of it once the Bennets had passed his station. He quickly made his way to Miss Elizabeth's side and quietly whispered to her, "I think you all did a wonderful job with the decorations and all the preparations for the ball."

"I think all the hard work will be worth it in the end. It was quite a learning experience, I can tell you. We do not have room at Longbourn to hold a ball, only a few couples for dancing in an evening. There are a thousand decisions to be made putting together such an event. I was glad to be a part of it."

The musicians began the preliminary notes to the first dance and Mr. Darcy lined up with Miss Elizabeth next to Mr. and Mrs. Hurst who were joined on the other side by Mr. Bingley and Miss Bennet. As they went through the steps of the dance, each couple was holding a conversation, as much as was allowed between being separated by the requirements of the dance. When the dance ended, Elizabeth's partner for the second dance, Mr. Bingley, came to claim her and Mr. Darcy asked Miss Bennet for the second. He had decided that he would dance several dances with friends of Miss Elizabeth. Surely that would put him in her good graces this evening.

During the fifth dance, the one before the supper dance, Mr. Bennet found his way over to Mr. Darcy who was standing on the edge of the room, a bit away from the rest. "I understand you will be dancing the supper set with my Lizzy."

"Yes sir, she has granted me two dances this evening. I am a very lucky man."

"Just two?"

"It would be inappropriate for us to dance a third, unless…" he quieted. "I had thought about asking her after the supper dance, as the rest were going into supper. Even if she says yes, we could not dance the third without my speaking with you first."

"We are speaking now," he paused. "I had Lizzy put me down on her dance card for the last dance of the evening."

"You would give us your approval? I know it would mean the world to Elizabeth to know you gave us your blessing." Mr. Bennet ignored the inappropriate use of his daughter's Christian name.

Mr. Bennet turned to the young gentleman. "I do not expect to dance yet again this evening. Carpe diem!" and he walked away.

The dancers lined up for the supper set. A murmur went around the room when both of the unmarried Netherfield gentlemen lined up with a Bennet daughter for a second dance, the supper dance no less. They went through the motions of the dance, with little conversation between them. When the music ended, Mr. Darcy steered Miss Elizabeth away from the crowd that were entering the dining salon.

When they were nearly alone, still in sight of all, but out of earshot, he turned so his back was to the crowd and reached for her hand.

"Miss Elizabeth, I have never enjoyed myself so much at a ball before. Our two dances have been the most exquisite in my memory. I would hope to have the privilege of dancing with you at every ball and assembly I may find myself at in the future. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Of dancing with me for the rest of our lives? To dance at our children's weddings? To make me the happiest man in England?"

She looked up at him. He hoped he was seeing love and longing on her face. "Yes, Mr. Darcy, I would love to dance with you at our children's weddings. I would love to become your wife. Yes."

He took the chance to lean down and give her a quick kiss on her forehead. He would not do more in such a public venue.

"Your father has offered to give up his dance with you this evening. He approached me earlier and I said that I would have to come to speak to him, if you said yes. He said 'we are speaking now' and offered the dance set. Would you dance the last with me Miss Elizabeth?"

"I certainly will Mr. Darcy. Luckily my other paramour is at Eton just now and is unavailable to contest your right to that dance." He merely raised his eyebrow, then offered her his arm to escort her to dinner. They found places far away from any of her family and thus enjoyed their repast quite well. They did not speak much, but they both felt too much to speak much.

There were only four dances after the supper and Elizabeth had been spoken for for the first two. Mr. Darcy stood stoically awaiting his fiancée; now there was a phrase he thought he might never utter. Her father came to stand next to the pair during the second to the last song of the evening.

"Thank you Papa," she whispered.

"Glad to do it, Lizzy. Be happy," her father replied.

"I think I will be," Elizabeth returned.

The band began the notes to the last dance of the evening. Another murmur made its way around the room as Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet lined up for a third dance this evening. Mr. Bennet had made his way over to his wife in an attempt to still her pronouncements. "If you will be quiet just now Mrs. Bennet, I will tell you all as we head for home. Do not embarrass your daughter with your usual flutterings. All is well." Amazingly, his ploy worked. Mrs. Bennet was too dumbfounded to speak and the newly affianced couple enjoyed their third dance for the evening.

The couple were surrounded by her sisters and his friend as soon as they quit the dance floor. Bingley slapped him on the back adding his hearty congratulations to those of her sisters. "You are next," his friend whispered to him.

"I sincerely hope so. Soon, soon," his friend responded.