Chapter 3
"So, Miss Lucas, Miss Elizabeth says your families have known each other all their lives." Mr. Darcy stated, hoping that his dance partner would continue their discussion.
"Oh, yes. Our family, and the Bennets, have been in Meryton for generations. The first baby I ever got to hold was little Miss Lizzy. She was such a noisy thing, even back then." Charlotte stopped and blushed, thinking that she should hold her tongue.
"Oh, so it seems that Miss Elizabeth has much to say. She called herself a magpie earlier."
"Oh, yes. By the time she was ten, she was ahead of me in languages, and in mathematics, I being all of seventeen at the time. She was the one who taught me the little bit of Italian that I know. She gave up trying to teach me Latin, I just could never see the need to learn it. She practices her Latin with my brother John when he is home from school. It is hilarious to hear them trying to converse in a language that he struggles with still, but she is so patient with him. This little one act play you witnessed tonight is replayed at every assembly and we all get quite a laugh out of it. He is too young for anyone to take him seriously, in regard to Lizzy, but she is always so polite to him and treats him as a grown man and he appreciates her all the more for it."
"Yes, I was trying to ascertain the relationship there; I was truly puzzled by the way they acted towards each other."
"Yes, well, this is better than them climbing trees, playing pirates as they were want to do when they were younger," replied Charlotte. Their dance ended, they bowed and curtsied and he led her back to where Elizabeth was waiting next to, he assumed, one of her sisters.
"Thank you for the dance, Miss Lucas," said Mr. Darcy.
"My pleasure sir," answered Charlotte. She turned to the other young lady present and said, "Mary, it is good to see you here. Have you met Mr. Darcy yet?" The young lady shook her head. "Miss Mary Bennet, may I present Mr. Darcy of Derbyshire, friend of Mr. Bingley." The proper civilities were performed. "Mr. Darcy, may I present Miss Mary Bennet, middle of the Bennet sisters." More civilities ensued.
Mr. Darcy decided that as long as he was going all out to exert himself, he might as well continue. "Miss Mary, if you are not otherwise engaged, would you care to dance the next?"
"Me?" the young lady squeaked. He nodded. After a pause, she answered, "Oh, of course, Mr. Darcy. Thank you." she said quietly and the new couple went to join up with the dancers already in place.
At this moment, Mr. Bingley strolled by with the eldest Miss Bennet on his arm. They had just finished a second dance and were inclined to continue in each other's company. "What on earth have you done to Mr. Darcy?" he asked the assembled ladies. "I have never seen him dance with three ladies, not of his own party, on any occasion. Ever!" he exclaimed. "I was trying to get him to dance earlier and now I see him on the dance floor again. Who is he dancing with?"
Miss Bennet answered him, "That is our middle sister, Mary. She never gets asked to dance because she spends every assembly trying to hide herself from any who would ask. It is very polite of your friend to ask her to dance. She seems to be enjoying herself."
"Well, I must admit, I have rarely seen him dance and carry on a conversation with a young lady. My, my."
Miss Bennet took up the discussion. "Earlier he danced with my sister Elizabeth and her friend Charlotte Lucas. Whatever did you discuss with the taciturn man Lizzy?"
"Oh, we discussed education, mostly. And sisters. Charlotte, what did the two of you discuss?"
"Oh, just our friends," Charlotte demurred. She didn't think she should tell Elizabeth that they spent the entire dance talking about her.
The present dance ended and the pair returned to their friends and family. The gentlemen offered to procure refreshments and the group wandered over to the refreshment table. Seated near the table were the Bingley sisters. It had not gone unnoticed that Mr. Darcy had danced with three (three!) unmarried ladies and had yet to dance with either of them. If the sisters had their nose out of joint from the locals at this assembly, they were even more upset that their favorite target, well at least Caroline's favorite target - her sister was married after all - danced with three local ladies before asking them to dance. It was not to be borne. Caroline rose from her seat and with all the grace she had learned at seminary, made her way to stand next to Mr. Darcy.
"Mr. Darcy, surely you can find better company than these," she paused in her whispered tones, "local rustics." Mr. Darcy refused to look at her and pretended that she had not just said the rude comment that she had mouthed. He did not want to incite a confrontation here, among these pleasant people, so he thought it best to ignore the harpy.
"Bingley," Mr. Darcy began, "Miss Mary told me that Netherfield used to have a Harvest Ball each year when the owners were in residence. Did the housekeeper mention anything about it?" He was keen to avoid any discussion with Miss Bingley and grasped at any topic that would not lend itself to her inclusion.
"I had not heard of it, but I am sure the housekeeper or steward would have information about it. I will talk to them in the coming days and see if it can be revived. I have had so much fun this evening, and the next public assembly will not be until after the new year, so I think it sounds like an excellent idea." As the band was starting up for the next dance Bingley asked Miss Elizabeth to dance and Mr. Darcy asked Miss Bennet to dance. Both gentlemen enjoyed their dances as the singular topic of conversation was the other elder Bennet daughter.
The idea of having a ball at Netherfield, of inviting these people to their house and all the work and expense associated with it did not sit well with Miss Bingley. She wandered back to her sister and began to tell her about what she had just heard. "Invite these people to Netherfield! Impossible! I can not believe Charles is thinking of such a thing. And for Mr. Darcy to mention it at all? What was he thinking? He hates dancing, although he has danced with me at every occasion that presents itself."
Her sister interrupted her, "He asks you to dance at every occasion because it is expected of him. He would be considered rude if he did not dance with his friend's sisters. He has danced with me just as many times as he has danced with you, and I am a married woman! You are trying to make too much out of nothing sister. It does not suit. Since he has paid no particular attention to you after five years, you know that nothing will ever become of it. You ought to change your aim, sister. Go back to London and search there for a husband. You are not likely to find one in Meryton." She stood up and walked to where her brother was still talking with his new friends.
The evening was to come to a close soon. Mr. Darcy asked Mrs. Hurst, that is, the former Miss Louisa Bingley to dance and Mr. Bingley danced with Miss Mary. There was to be only one more dance after this one. While Mr. Darcy was dancing with Mrs. Hurst, he was furiously trying to decide if he should dance the last dance of the evening, one of the so-called principal dances, and if so, with whom? Normally he would have asked Miss Bingley for a dance, not one of the principal dances mind you, but he definitely did not want to dance the last dance of the night with her; that would send the wrong message.
He could dance with one of the other Bennets, whose names he could not remember, but they were full young and not to his liking. He could dance with some unknown lady, some friend of Miss Elizabeth's perhaps. Or. Maybe. Could he? Could he ask Miss Elizabeth for a second dance? He thought that he had enjoyed his dance with her most of all this evening. But, could he? Should he? He had never asked any lady for a second dance. He knew he would raise expectations among the local populace by dancing with one of their eligible young ladies a second time. It was not exactly a declaration of a courtship, but he certainly would not mind spending time getting to know this intelligent, kind lady. He had made up his mind. He would throw caution to the wind and ask Miss Elizabeth for a second dance. He smiled.