"Miss Elizabeth Bennet, this is my sister, Miss Darcy."
Georgiana was beaming as she sank into a curtsey, "I am very pleased to meet you, I have been very much looking forward to making your acquaintance since coming into Hertfordshire." She paused for breath and looked up at her brother for approval of her start. Darcy smiled back at her with warmth.
Elizabeth could not help but notice the affection between the siblings and the expression of tenderness as Darcy looked upon his sister, and oh! how ardently did she long to know whether any such feelings were also directed towards herself. She could fancy that he looked at her often and that those looks lingered longer than necessary. But, though this might be imagined, she could not be ignorant to the tightening in her chest as her eyes caught his.
"And here is my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, joining us from London." He announced with slightly less enthusiasm yet a hint of humor tingeing his words.
As she turned her attention to the unfamiliar gentleman, he took her hand and gently kissed the back of her gloves, all the while directing his eyes at Darcy. "My cousin tells me that you are one of five sisters?"
"Your cousin speaks the truth. I have four sisters. There you see my eldest sister, Jane, walking with Mr. Bingley. And my two youngest, Kitty and Lydia, are visiting with Colonel and Mrs. Forster. And there, by the pianoforte, is Mary."
"I have always wished for a sister," Georgiana stated wistfully.
Elizabeth laughed, "it has often been said that one should be careful what one wishes for. While I love all my sisters dearly, I confess that that they can be a bit overwhelming - especially when taken as a whole."
"I am sure you are all very lovely; my brother tells me that you are all accomplished and that at least one of you plays the piano?" Georgiana looked to Elizabeth eagerly.
"Both my sister, Mary, and I play. She is quite the superior, I assure you, but neither of us are masters. I understand that you are fond of music and play very well, I hope that there will be an occasion to hear you while you are in Hertfordshire."
"Oh, no. I mean, I do not play very well, but I am very fond of music."
"I am sure you are too modest. Your brother thinks you do, and as you know, he is never wrong." Both ladies looked up at the gentleman in question with smiles and Elizabeth proceeded hesitantly, "I should very much like to introduce Miss Darcy to my sisters, most especially Jane and Mary?" Darcy nodded his approval and Elizabeth turned back to his sister, "Mary is almost your age and shares an affection for music."
"Oh yes, that would be delightful, but first, I had hoped I would watch you and my brother dance."
Elizabeth blushed. "I have it on very good authority that your brother rarely dances," she replied playfully.
"Miss Bennet, if you are not otherwise engaged, would you do me the honor of dancing the first set with me?" he asked in a lowered tone.
"Thank you, yes."
The four continued in such engaged conversation that they were blind to the attention they were drawing from their neighbors and their hostess. Finally, the dancing commenced and Darcy took Elizabeth's arm. Georgiana glowed with pride watching her handsome brother lead her new friend into position. Jane smiled with uncontained pleasure as she and Mr. Bingley met the other couple on the dance floor. Caroline's astonishment was beyond expression; she scowled, coloured, doubted, and was silent until Colonel Fitzwilliam applied for her hand.
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth danced in delicious silence for some time until Elizabeth gaily began. "We must have some conversation, Mr. Darcy. You ought to make some remark on the size of the room, or the number of couples."
He smiled and assured her that whatever she wished him to say should be said.
"Very well. That reply will do for the present. Perhaps by and by I may observe that private balls are much pleasanter than public ones."
In a moment of inspiration, he asked, "what think you of books? When last we spoke I recall that we shared similar tastes in reading."
"No - I cannot talk of books in a ballroom; my head is always full of something else."
"The present always occupies you in such scenes - does it?" said he, with a look of doubt.
"Not at all, in fact, I believe my mind was very much caught up in the past. At our last meeting - I confess. I was much surprised by the abrupt nature of your departure from Hertfordshire."
"I surprised even myself, Miss Bennet."
"You once described yourself as a serious and practical man, I suppose only something of great importance could have taken you away from your friends on such short notice."
"It is true," he replied.
"And yet you returned?"
"As you see."
"I do hope that you were able to find satisfaction in town." Elizabeth waited for a response, but his silence was the only answer she received and so she continued, "It is particularly incumbent on those called away on urgent business to be secure in settling that business before leaving again in haste, is it not?"
"May I ask to what these questions tend?"
"To your character. I am trying to make it out."
"And what is your success?"
She shook her head. "I do not get on at all. You puzzle me exceedingly."
"I can readily believe it," he answered gravely. "I fear that my performance of late has not reflected credit on myself. I very much hope that you shall have sufficient opportunity in the future to take my likeness - if it would please you."
The effect was immediate. Elizabeth colored and missed a step as she processed Darcy's words. After some time she looked up at him and answered in a whisper, "it would please me very much."
The partners delighted in a peace interrupted only by private glances and secretive smiles for several minutes until Darcy moved to a new topic.
"I understand, Elizabeth, that you have a cousin visiting Longbourn at present, and that he has accompanied your family this evening."
"Yes, Mr. Darcy," replied she with surprise at the abrupt change of subject."That is Mr. Collins," nodding in her cousin's direction, "dancing with my sister, Lydia."
"I would be pleased if you would introduce me to him at the next break."
"He would be honored, I'm sure, Mr. Darcy. But let me warn you, he is a man whose company you may not find great pleasure in," Elizabeth laughingly responded.
"That may be," Darcy replied, a glint of mischief in his eye, as he watched the gentleman in question step out of place and crush the toes of his partner. "And yet, I believe the introduction cannot be avoided if I wish to have any conversation with your father or mother tonight."
Bewildered and astonished, Elizabeth tried to reconcile what Darcy could mean by such a gesture. "As fate would have it, Mr. Darcy, he does have one claim that may endear him to you. He is come from his parsonage at Hunsford where he is acquainted, I believe, with your relations of Rosings Park."
"I see," said he with understanding. "And was it Mr. Collins who perpetuated the story - the misunderstanding - you alluded to earlier? "
Elizabeth blushed and looked down towards the floor. Oh! Why must I have showed so little restraint, what must he think of me? she chastised herself. "Mr. Collins confirmed that a union was likely between you and your cousin, but I was first informed of your engagement..."
"My rumored engagement!"
"Yes, I was first informed of your rumored engagement by a new officer in town who professes an acquaintance with you, sir. A Mr. Wickham."
The change of his countenance could not be ignored as Darcy stiffened and his color heightened. "And you believed this man accounts of me?" he accused.
Elizabeth bristled at the unjust anger directed at her and responded defensively, "I had no reason to question him, especially when his claims were seconded by a disinterested party. Your abrupt departure was easily explained by this circumstance." She watched as the anger in his face gave way to pain and then confusion. Remembering her own pain, she added honestly, "but I had hoped that he was not correct."
"And what is your opinion of Mr. Wickham?" he asked warily.
"At first, I found him charming and perhaps he is. However, his manner did not strike me as that of a true gentleman." She paused as she felt Darcy relaxing. "He takes a great interest in your affairs, I noticed, and spoke of little else with me; though, I cannot say that he spoke highly of you."
The hints of distaste in her voice as she talked of Wickham brought more pleasure to Darcy than any other words she might have used to convey her thoughts on the man. It was enough for him that she, too, had not been fooled. But the possibility that she might have been prejudiced against Wickam by her feelings for Darcy was more than he could have hoped for.
"You are correct, Wickham is no gentleman. Now is not the time, but someday I will explain the connection between our families. I hope you will believe me when I say he is not a man to be trusted."
Their conversation took a less serious turn, and they spoke more of Georgiana, and Bingley, and the weather. Elizabeth expressed her regret that her regular walks had been prevented by the recent rains, and Darcy noted that Bingley was desperate to return to visiting his neighbors and ride out on his land. Without ever speaking the words, the promise of a walk through the woods and paths of Longbourn was settled upon for the very next day.
As the dance came to an end Mr. Darcy drew Elizabeth closer and spoke in a deep, low tone which she could just barely make out,"Miss Elizabeth, I cannot express fully my pleasure in seeing you again."
The rest of the evening brought her great amusement. She was delighted by Mr. Bingley's attentions to Jane, who made a point of remaining close to her throughout the night. Her mother and sisters surprised her; their words and behavior may have raised the occasional eyebrow, but through the course of the evening did little to injure her enjoyment. Lydia and Kitty spent so much of their time trying to disengage themselves or hide from Mr. Collins that she often went for half an hour without seeing or hearing the two.
She owed her greatest joy to her friend Miss Lucas, who often joined her, and good-naturedly drew her attention to those little conversations and activities in the room that brought Mr. Darcy also into sight. She, too, was not immune from Mr. Darcy's further notice; though often standing within a very short distance of her, he never came near enough to speak. She thought it likely this was the consequence of Miss Bingley's ever watchful eye but delighted in the closeness.