Section I, Next Section
Chapter 1
It was early in the morning, and Elizabeth slipped out of the house to go for her usual, early morning walk before everyone was up. It was so peaceful at that time in the morning when the sun was just starting to lighten the sky. She took a deep breath and started out. She was wearing her oldest dress and was dressed in a very plain fashion as she never saw anyone at this time of the day, and she would have plenty of time to freshen up for breakfast when she returned.
Once outside, Elizabeth took a deep breath of the crisp, cool air, and then she started running for the sheer joy of life. Once she was out of view of Loungbourne, she slowed down and just strolled along her familiar paths and started singing.
Fitzwilliam Darcy had just arrived at Netherfield. It was just let by his friend, Charles Bingley. Charles had to stay behind for a day while he went to pick up his sisters, but had entrusted the preparation of the house to Darcy. This was a task that Darcy enjoyed. The house was empty, and there were only a few servants that had been hired to prepare the place, so it would be very quiet, a good place to think before Charles came back with his garrulous sisters, and the bore that married the elder sister. Darcy valued Bingley's friendship immensely because his great outlook in life has recently been of great help while Darcy was trying to get over a personal crisis.
Darcy arrived on horseback with only his valet. In front of the house, he remained on his horse for a few minutes looking through the house and trying not to let the events of the recent past haunt his mind. He tried to vanquish the feelings of inadequacy caused by his young sister's near-tragedy, but he couldn't help but think how his parent's would feel if they had know what had happened.
"Sir?" The valet, Harkins, was dismounted and ready to take his horse to the stable.
"Yes, Harkins, care for my horse, I'm going to take a walk around the area for a little while, but I'll be back shortly to prepare the place for Mr. Bingley." Darcy dismounted and started to walk away from the house in order to clear his head so that he could properly focus on the task at hand.
He walked for a few minutes just trying to clear his head. He didn't see anything around him, until he was ready to go back. That's when he heard her. A sweet, clear voice was sounding through the trees not too far away. Darcy expected no one to be around, so he was quite mentally unprepared to deal with the standard social niceties that would be required, so he quite ashamedly hid himself a short distance away from the path while she came closer.
For observation, he was in a very opportune location. It was at the precise location in front of where he was hiding that she was accustomed to ending her morning stroll and turn around to go home. He studied her for a few minutes while she stopped and began to turn back. She was dressed in an old dress that appeared to have been of reasonable quality at one time. She was quite pretty, with lovely masses of dark hair that was flowing loosly about her shoulders. It was her eyes, however, that struck him the most. They were filled with a love of life and he could see her happiness in them. He felt a stab of envy even as he was admiring them. He wished that he could have that same feeling for life that was obvious in her. But no, he had too many responsibilities. She was obviously a servant by the way she was dressed, it was probably the old, discarded dress of her mistress that she wore, and a gentlewoman would never be out by herself, especially at this time of the morning. He watched her run back in the direction from which she came, and he felt even stronger the weight of his responsibilities. As soon as her steps were out of his hearing, he too left and headed to Netherfield.
Chapter 2 ~ The News
Elizabeth stopped in the wood at her usual ending point in the morning. She loved this location because she could hear the little spring gurgling it's fresh water up to the surface, and the birds always sung to her as she walked along. Today, however, everything was strangely quiet, and it made her a little excited. She lifted her eyes to the sky and took a deep breath before heading back. Before she changed her mind and decided to stay out in this lovely setting, she realized that she had better hurry or she would be missed for breakfast. She started running back and breathing in the fresh air.
She snuck back to her room by way of the servant's stairs in the back, and she made herself presentable for breakfast, and then walked down to the table with her elder sister, Jane.
"Oh, Jane, it is quite a lovely day today, I feel as if something good is going to happen. I hope it happens to you since you are the one person I know most deserving of it."
"Lizzy, I am not half so good as you make me out to be. Don't talk so, or I will start believing you, and then you will change your mind once I become a complete boor," Jane responds with a smile at her sister.
The day passed by rather unremarkably until their mother comes in to the parlour just bursting with some news.
"My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?"
"No, my dear, I had not heard that news."
"But it is, returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.
Mr. Bennet continued to read the book in his hands.
"Do you not want to know who has taken it?" cried his wife impatiently.
"YOU want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."
This was invitation enough.
"Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession of the house in a week. I think he even has a few servants there now!"
"What is his name?"
"Bingley."
"Is he married or single?"
"Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!"
"How so? How can it affect them?"
"My dear Mr. Bennet," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them."
"Is that his design in settling here?"
"Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he MAY fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes."
"I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley may like you the best of the party."
Elizabeth and Jane listened to this conversation with amusement. They loved their mother, but the irrepressible dry wit of their father made them want to laugh at her. Instead, they just exchanged glances as their mother continued on, completely ignorant of the jabs she was receiving from her husband's humor.
It was from her father that Elizabeth got her love for studying human nature, however, from him, she also was overly sensitive to the frailties of humanity, and a more than a little prejudiced to the weaknesses she saw in her mother, younger sisters, and in her neighbors. Jane seemed to be immune to this cynicism, and saw all the world as good, and gave all people the benefit of her trust and her good nature.
Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three-and- twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. HER mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news. With Netherfield finally being let by a single man of fortune, her business and solace could be combined into this one interest. To her the greatest shame was that there were not five such houses as Netherfield, and five such men as Mr. Bingley. Even the cheerful disposition of Mr. Bingley might have been daunted had he known that he was already proclaimed the most handsome and most agreeable man of anyone's acquaintance before even being introduced to the neighborhood.
Chapter 3 ~ Preparations
Darcy began to dwell again on the subject which had caused him so much pain. It really started when he was but a youth. One who should have grown to be a companion and friend in adulthood instead turned towards a path of self-destruction. George Wickham was a personable youngster who was liked by everyone, but he had a very weak character and would always find a way to shirk his responsibilities. As time went on, this became a habit which fused itself to his very being. It was this character who caused dear Georgiana, Darcy's younger sister, to lose her innocent faith and trust in people. Wickham professed love to her in order to steal her dowry, and had her nearly convinced to elope. If Darcy had not stopped it in time, then Georgiana would never have seen Wickham for what he really was until she was trapped in matrimony to him. The biggest regret that Darcy had was that he wasn't there early enough to prevent Georgiana's pain. He blamed himself for not paying closer attention to what was happening and failing in the task set him by his departed parents. They trusted him to look after Georgiana, and he had almost failed in the most important part, taking care of her heart.
Darcy was hoping to keep his mind off of his own problems while at Netherfield, but it wasn't the work involved in getting the place ready that distracted his mind, but it was the memory of a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman. He didn't know why a common maid could have such an effect on him, but he got such pleasure in remembering the vision that he saw this morning that he focussed all of his stray thoughts on her. It was a much more agreeable image than the thoughts which had tortured him earlier that he felt that there could be little harm in using her face as a way of banishing his personal demons.
At the end of a long day, Netherfield was nearly ready for its new master to occupy it. The servants would be able to handle the remainder of the tasks, and Darcy could use the next few days as a small vacation distanced from any depressing associations, which was his original intention in offering to help Bingley anyway. As Darcy went to bed, he fell asleep easily with an image of a lovely face and a sweet voice singing him to sleep.
Chapter 4 ~ A Second Look
Is it healthy or wise to think this much about a strange girl? No, most likely not, but his thoughts justified the action to himself.
"She is nothing but a person who loves life. I can just use her example to help me control my own thoughts. I have found nothing else that cleared my mind in quite that way that this girl did, so she can be a charm for me, just a symbol of the simple life. In fact, until Bingley arrives with his optimistic outlook, I need a little help in getting my spirits up. Since I have always been a support to him, I wouldn't want him to see me in such a state as my thoughts are taking me."
So, Darcy justified his new obsession to himself , and went outside immediately to the path that he had taken the previous morning. He went back close to the spot he had hidden himself before, and then he hid himself again and waited as the sun started its ascent in the sky.
It was early morning again, and Elizabeth Bennet was again sneaking out of the house for a morning walk. She has never talked to anyone about these walks because she knows that it will be stopped as being "inappropriate" or some such nonsense. Even Jane, who is usually her confidant in everything knows nothing about these morning excursions. So, Elizabeth started out in her old dress without arranging her hair at all. She didn't realize how becoming she looked that morning, as all mornings, with her hair loose and soft about her face. She just knew that it was another clear morning, and she could go out to enjoy the beauty of the land around her.
She ran through the meadow getting dew all over her skirt and soaking her feet through. She laughed with joy at being outside, and then ran up the hill towards the woods. Her home, Longbourne, was no longer visible on this side of that hill, and she soon entered the woods. It was beautiful here, and she had started out earlier than normal, so she knew she had some time to just spare. Once she was safely out of the open and in the midst of the trees, she found a favorite stump and removed her wet shoes and stockings. And just sat on the stump.
"Well, I shall know better next time than to wear stockings so early in the morning. How uncomfortable wet stockings are." She laughed to herself. "Wouldn't mother be mortified if she could see me this morning?" She said this to herself with no real remorse for she had no plans on her mother ever knowing that she was out here, much less finding out that she was going to go out again tomorrow with no stockings.
She took a deep breath and because the sun had not yet fully risen, she stayed where she was and sang to herself. Her voice was sweet, and her face was raised to the sky with an expression of joy. When she was done, she sighed and then started out of the woods to hurry back home to make herself presentable before anyone knew she was gone.
A full ten minutes after she was gone, Darcy stepped out from behind the tree he was hiding behind back onto the path. He was shaking a little, still. He had been directly behind her when she was taking off her stockings, and he was able to hear her every breath and became intoxicated with her voice. He looked at the place she had just occupied, and then he stared at the direction she had gone. He walked to the point when she had disappeared from his view at the top of the hill, and he then spied the house from which she had probably come. It was a good prospect, and the view of the grounds around the house were pleasing. He would find out about the house and who lived in it. He started walking back to Netherfield when suddenly common sense took over.
It was complete madness. Why would he inquire about a servant girl? The only reason to worry about her would be if Bingley needed a maid or a girl to work in the kitchen. Bingley's sister's have their own personal attendants. He wouldn't want someone like that attending to Caroline or Louisa anyway. She looks too sweet and gentle to have to put up with them. At least his thoughts turned to another tangent on the rest of the walk back. How did someone as generous as Charles Bingley have two sisters so completely his opposite; where he was generous and open-hearted, they were grasping and haughty. Yesterday, he had been feeding the image of those beautiful eyes, but today he tried to force it away. He felt himself becoming obsessed, and he tried to rid his mind of her, but it seemed as if her image had taken root in his mind and was growing strong and overpowering his other thoughts.
Once back at Netherfield, he called for his valet, "Harkins, how are the preparations progressing?"
"Very well, sir, all is in order. The stable is open, and the horses have arrived along with Mr. Bingley's groom. The kitchen is stocked, and the chef was hired on good recommendation. All the kitchen assistants are experienced, and some have been brought from London. The grounds were well cared for,and the existing gardener is being retained."
"Yes, well, what about the neighborhood surrounding this estate. I believe that Charles will want to know his neighbors. Is there anything at all that you can tell me about them?"
"I can have inquiries made, sir, and if you like, we can visit the small town of Meryton to see what amenities are available there."
"Yes, that is a good idea. I'm sure that Bingley's sisters would at least like a report of what shopping is available in this district, and I would like to explore the place especially since everything is going smoothly here." Darcy was shocked at himself. Did he really want to go to the little town and see the local populace? No, he admitted to himself that he was hoping for a glimpse of Her. They would go out this afternoon, and he would try to find out what he could of her.
Chapter 5 ~ Afternoon Vision
Elizabeth heard this conversation and was looking for some excuse to leave the house anyway. All her mother talked about was the elusive Mr. Bingley and what a fine thing it would be to have him in the neighborhood. Lydia and Kitty were out at Lucas Lodge talking to a friend of theirs, Maria Lucas, Mary was playing the pianoforte, and Jane was in the garden picking out flowers for the table, so Elizabeth was looking for some diversion that would take her away from Mary's uninspiried playing, and her mother's ranting.
"Mother, please, I would be delighted to walk into Meryton to get them for you. It may be some time before one of the servants is available, and you know that the apothecary closes early in the afternoon."
"Oh, you dear child. One thing is for sure, you are not a lazy girl. I see some of the good that you father sees in you at times like this. Oh, and since you are going, I have a list here of things that I need. You are being good to your mother today just as you should be. I know that you and your father abuse my nerves horribly, so at least I'll be prepared should I have an attack. Here's your list and please get there before it's too late."
Elizabeth was finally able to extricate herself from the house and begin her errand. It was another lovely day, and the walk to Meryton was very enjoyable, and she got to town before she knew it. She immediately went to the apothecary to get her mother's order filled.
"Hello, Mr. Jenkins, I have an order to place for you from my mother."
"Why Elizabeth, it is very good to see you here. Let me take your list and will get everything ready for you. Oh my," He said as she handed him the list. "This is an especially long one today. It may take 45 minutes to get everything ready."
Elizabeth laughed, "You know how Mrs. Bennet's nerves are."
He smiled. He had been a good friend of the family and knew all the girls since they were born. He did, indeed, know about their mother's nerves because he had filled many a prescription to try to alleviate them.
"I'll just walk around for a bit and come back in a little while." Elizabeth proceeded to enjoy the weather and stopped to talk to a few of the shopkeepers. Time had passed by quickly, so she returned to the apothecary to pick up her package.
"Welcome back, Elizabeth, and just in time, too. Mrs. Bennet's order is ready now. For good measure, tell her that I threw in some chamomile tea to help relax her. This package is rather large. I could have it sent over to you tomorrow, but I'm afraid my delivery cart is occupied for the rest of the afternoon."
"You are very thoughtful, but I must have this today or else our dear Mrs. Bennet would have a terrible attack of nerves." Elizabeth smiled fondly at him and left the store. The package was rather heavy, but she didn't really have far to go, so she started out for home. Occupied as she was with her package, she didn't see the man who was staring at her as she was leaving the store.
Darcy and his valet, Harkins, were in the apothecary gathering some supplies for Netherfield when Elizabeth walked in to get her package. They had just finished making their purchases and were leaving the store when she walked in front of them. Darcy started, and then got a hold of himself and forced himself outside to the horses. They put their purchases in the saddle bags and were about to leave town when Darcy saw her leave the store with her heavy package. He stared at her and Harkins followed his master's line of vision to her. Harkins was a good servant and had been in the employ of the Darcy family for most of his life. He was now in his late forties and very devoted to his young master. He saw the look directed at the girl and kept his thoughts to himself as any good servant, but he still wondered what would happen, just the same. He saw the girl weighted down by an cumbersome package and waited to see what Darcy would do.
Darcy just stared at her as she started walking away, and then turned to Harkins. "Take your horse and assist the young lady with her package as she looks like she may have a distance to go, and that would be a rather heavy weight. Oh, and I don't want her to feel beholden to me, so don't mention my name, but just tell her that you are working at Netherfield at present if the information is asked of you. I'll meet you back at Netherfield when she no longer requires your services."
Darcy immediately mounted his horse and took off. He couldn't stand watching her struggle and not stop to help her. It would be best if he stayed as far away from her as possible. He was starting to realize the danger that she posed to him. He couldn't escape that fact that now she was real, not just an image conjured up by his mind in the early morning hours, and now he knew that she had a name... Elizabeth.
Chapter 6 ~ The Struggle
Elizabeth began to realize the task in front of her. She was in no great hurry to get home, but the sky was beginning to darken with an impending storm, so she realized that she was going to have to struggle home quickly with her package. Just as she was beginning to head out of town, she heard a voice behind her.
"Excuse me Miss, please allow me to help you with your burden."
Elizabeth turned around to see the pleasant face of a man about her father's age who was leading a horse.
"No, thank you, I'm just headed home with this package for my mother. It's not very far."
"Please allow me to carry your package. I'm working at Netherfield at present, and my master would be very pleased to offer this small service to one of the neighbors."
He looked sincere, so Elizabeth could hardly refuse the offer a second time, especially with the storm approaching. She accepted, and he put the package on his horse and they walked briskly to Longbourne along side the horse. As the distance was only a little over a mile, they made it in less than a quarter of an hour. The time would have been significantly increased had she been weighted down by the cumbersome package of goods ordered by her mother.
They did talk during that short walk, but to Elizabeth, it seemed nothing of any great import was said. They discussed the countryside and Harkins inquired about the families in the neighborhood, and Elizabeth expressed a hope that Mr. Bingley would like the area. For Harkins part, he studied closely this gentlewoman who seemed to have interested his master. She was truly a lady. Being a good servant and being in the employ of a prestigious family, he was exposed to many people in the gentry and got to encounter both the very elegant as well as the vulgar. In this girl he saw honesty and sincerity as well as a lovely countenance, and could definitely see why Darcy would be interested in her.
They arrived at Longbourne and Elizabeth called Mrs. Hill to take care of the package.
"Mrs. Hill, here are the items that mother ordered from the apothecary, and Mr. Jenkins included some chamomile tea as well. Can you please take care of this for me?"
Hill took the items, and Elizabeth thanked her sweetly and then turned to Harkins, "Can I get you anything? Do you need any refreshment?"
"No, thank you Miss, but I must be on my way back to Netherfield."
"Thank you so much for your help."
Harkins mounted his horse and started to canter towards Netherfield. The rain was just beginning, but he didn't have far to go. It was merely three miles to Netherfield, and it would only take a few minutes. During those few minutes, however, he had some thinking to do. Why didn't Darcy help the girl himself, and what made him seemingly avoid her in Meryton? This Miss Elizabeth Bennet was obviously a well-bred girl, but it seemed as if Mr. Darcy knew her. I was just something that he would have to keep his eyes open. Being a good servant meant not only doing your job well, but also keeping your eyes open and your mouth shut. Harkins would watch his master to see what effect this enchanting young woman would have on him.
Darcy galloped his horse back to Netherfield. He recognized the danger that this girl posed to him and his sanity. He admitted to himself that he was attracted to her, but he had too many responsibilities to be able to allow him to indulge himself in even becoming acquainted with her. He wanted to be able to help her with her burden, but did the next best thing in asking Harkins to help her. Darcy really wanted to pick up her and her package and ride on his horse holding her in front of him while he took her home. He whispered her name to himself... Elizabeth. These thoughts were madness! It would be best that he avoid her completely and not tease himself. He wouldn't want to give up his heritage and his family, but he wanted to curse that accident of her birth that made her a servant and effectively excluded her from his life.
Fitzwilliam Darcy grew up with loving parents. They have always been his ideal as to what the perfect marriage should be. They loved each other and their children completely, and made their son, especially, believe that without love, there should be no marriage. The young Fitzwilliam Darcy met many women of his class that had been thrown in his path by eager mothers trying to make a very eligible match for their daughters, but he had not yet found a woman of the right disposition to make his life complete. He had almost despaired of finding the right woman, but would not submit himself to a loveless marriage because he always held out hope that somewhere, the woman that was meant to be his life partner was out there. Why after years of guarding his heart against superficial ladies who happened to come from good families did he have to find what he was looking for in a servant girl. She had no connections, no family, and nothing to bring to a marriage but herself. Any of her relations would be of the servant class, and it would be entirely irresponsible of him to consider such a connection. He could also never believe that she truly cared about him, but would doubtless accept any proposal solely on the benefit of the rise in her station. He couldn't expect such a girl to be prepared to be the mistress of such an estate as Pemberley, and he would never consider an alliance of anything less than honorable marriage. So, with his tortured thoughts and a resolution to put her image out of his mind, he arrived at Netherfield.
Chapter 7 ~ Before the Storm
"I thought you would be interested in knowing that the young lady was able to get her package safely home before the rain started."
"Yes, that is good, I'm glad that you could be of service to her." Darcy cut off Harkins abruptly and then dismissed him for the night.
Normally, Darcy was a thoughtful man to those in his employ, but tonight he was acting oddly, but there was nothing at present that Harkins could do about it unless Darcy asked some service of him. He did think, though, that Darcy would have liked to have known a little more about the young lady, but maybe not after all.
It took all of Darcy's willpower not to pump Harkins for every detail about her. He wanted to know what they talked about, and anything that made her smile. He wanted to know if there were any signs as to how she was treated, and what the family was like that employed her, but he quickly dismissed his valet before he foolishly vocalized the thoughts. If he had but waited for Harkins to continue, he would have found out that this woman who tortured his thoughts was not a servant, but was a gentleman's daughter to whom he could have showed his attentions with few recriminations. It was not to be, though, Darcy's belief that she was but a servant was not to be altered so soon.
Elizabeth was greeted by her mother immediately upon her arrival.
"Lizzy! Who was that man with you? What were you thinking of walking with a stranger like that. He was old enough to be your father, what were you thinking girl? Oh! And where are my things!" She roots through the package. "Smelling salts, camphor oil, menthol rub, Bach flower preparations, and chamomile tea! What a delightful man that Mr. Jenkins is." She continues to root through the items from the apothecary. "Well, girl, I'm waiting for your explanation." She continued to look through the package and mumble. "Mint, witch hazel, iodine, liniment, feverfew..."
"He was a very thoughtful gentleman in the employ of the infamous Mr. Bingley, and he was kind enough to offer to come with me to get your purchases home before the storm begins."
"He works for Mr. Bingley you say? How wonderful! Is there any news? You must tell me everything that you learnt of him. Jane! Jane! Lydia!!!" Mrs. Bennet screeched for the two daughters she felt were most likely to benefit from information about Mr. Bingley.
"Mother, I didn't want to pry. I thought that would be rude, but I must say that if Mr. Bingley hires people who are as thoughtful as Mr. Harkins was, then he must be considered the best of men." Elizabeth was laughing at her mother, but Mrs. Bennet didn't notice at all in her raptures over the amiable, and of course wealthy, Mr. Bingley.
Chapter 8 ~ The Occupants of Netherfield Arrive
Saturday morning dawned as a clear and beautiful day. Unable to keep away in his final moments of solitude before his friend arrived to take up residence at Netherfield, Darcy again hid himself in the woods as a beautiful girl took her morning stroll. He cursed his weakness as he spied upon her, but while he was watching, something in his soul was renewed. He began to see that class distinctions were entirely arbitrary and that the girl before him was more worthy than many of the arrogant and proud females that can lay a claim to being within his sphere. It was a thoughtful Darcy that awaited his friend later that morning.
The carriage pulled up to the house and Charles Bingley exited from it. He greeted his friend Darcy by clasping his hand and patting him on the back.
"What a glorious day it is, my friend! I must say that I am very pleased to finally be here. This is such a lovely place, and I am quite grateful for your help here."
"Bingley, actually, if you feel the need to pay me back, I do have something that I wish to discuss with you, but in private when we have the opportunity." Darcy added the last part as Mrs. Louisa Hurst, her husband, and Miss Caroline Bingley stepped out of the carriage. Darcy was barely able to stop himself from rolling his eyes as he watched the disdain in the ladies' faces as they viewed the house.
As they alighted from the carriage, the two women, as they could not be called ladies in the true sense of the word, looked around themselves with disdain. Their beliefs were the same, but the way in which each acted upon those beliefs was quite singular. The simpler of the two to describe was Mrs. Louisa Hurst, the younger of the two women. The greatest of her vices was sloth. She took this to extreme even in her opinions. She was too lazy to even form her own, but took the opinions of those she held in esteem to be hers. The greatest trial for her was when two opinions were divergent and she had to make a choice. It was at that point that she would actually lean towards the good. Her greatest misfortune, however, was that most of her time was spent in the company of her sister, Caroline, who had no true virtue except those that were created in her own mind. Louisa had married at a young age, and was comfortably well off by marrying a man who had old money and fashionable relations. He dressed well before marriage and since there was no one who cared to offer any objection, the match was made. Mr. Hurst himself was a very intelligent man, but his own propensity towards indolence was a great camouflage for his intellect which only showed itself in rare moments of sarcastic wit. His vice was greater than his wife's because in addition to simple laziness, he added a fondness for cards and drink. After his desire for the first two was met, he invariably indulged in his third favorite activity, sleep.
The most complex character of the trio was the third member, Miss Caroline Bingley. What was the reason behind her complexity, though? It wasn't due to any superiority on her part, rather, it was the result of too many vices vying for dominance in her soul.
The final member of the party was Mr. Bingley himself. He could not be classified with the other three, and actually was very close to being worthy of the great praise of his character that was currently being described throughout Hertfordshire. His vices were virtues, because they consisted of too optimistic an outlook, being too loyal a friend, and having too generous a demeanor. It was these characteristics that made Darcy value his friendship. Bingley was the perfect counteraction for his sometimes morose and self-doubting moods. Before any further study of the characters in this party could be completed, they went into the house to rest from their journey.
Chapter 9 ~ Confession
Being a low-maintenance personality, Bingley was ready to explore the grounds almost immediately, so he went seeking his friend, Darcy. Bingley did desire the good opinion of his friend, and felt no shame in actively applying for his opinion on anything and everything. In matters of business and investments, Bingley held in high regard Darcy's advice. In matters dealing with society, though, Bingley willfully contradicted his friend's beliefs with his extreme optimism. Where Darcy was reserved in company, Bingley was open and enthusiastic.
"Bingley, Good to see you are down already. Would you like to take a ride around the neighborhood and maybe we can talk as we go."
"Capital idea, Darce! You can give me a tour of the area. I could do with some different company as well." Charles laughed thinking affectionately of his sisters, but even as good-natured as he was, he could only take their presence for a limited time.
The horses were readied by the groom, and within a few minutes, they were off with just a cursory message left with the housekeeper should Caroline, Louisa, or Mr. Hurst inquire after them. After riding away for a few minutes, Darcy began his confession.
"I must confess to you my friend that I have been a very proud man. While pride itself is not bad, I carried it to extreme. I felt myself to be above others and in my own mind I have widened existing class distinctions. I have misused some opportunities in life, and I wish for your help."
"Wait a minute Darcy, you have suddenly gone philosophical on me. Come, man, what brought about these thoughts. In any case, I have never thought you proud. If you were, then you would never have befriended me, a man who's family made their money in trade. Now, what is the heart of the problem. I'm too simple to understand your philosophizing and give you an appropriately meditative response, so simplify it for me. What exactly is wrong?"
"I don't know for sure, but I think I'm in love."
Bingley laughs good-naturedly, "Is that all? I have been in love at least a dozen times. At least this explains the pensive mood and the brooding expression on your face as we drove up. I had thought it was the issue with Georgiana or some other great tragedy had occurred. This is a good thing, and you must tell me all about her."
Beginning to regret his confiding in his over-enthusiastic friend, Darcy is forced to continue. "You don't understand fully, because this IS a great tragedy."
"Is she married, or does she have some disease that will kill her in a short time, or does she shun your company and want nothing to do with you? This is one thing which I flatter myself that I have more experience than you. I have not yet met a woman with whom I could spend the rest of my life, but you know very well that I have fallen in love many a time, and from each of these ladies, I have learned something more about myself." Bingley was now becoming serious in his musings, "When ever I am learn from my experience, it can not truly be even remotely called a tragedy."
Darcy had been at the verge of giving up hope that his friend would understand, but this last comment by Bingley spurred him on. Darcy knew that his Elizabeth was a lovely girl, and he bagan to see the humor of it from Bingley's viewpoint as well. In fact, he began to chuckle and gave his Bingley due credit for his perceptions. He was right. There is really nothing about this that was a tragedy. Darcy could either forget about the girl, or he could pursue her and take all of the problems that came with such an alliance. "You are right, Bingley, there is no great tragedy, but I need your help to discover where my heart and my mind go."
"I think you better start from the beginning. It does sound rather serious the way you are beginning to paint this picture. I'm sorry if I was a bit cavalier, but I don't think I have ever seen you in such a mood before."
"Well, the problem is that the girl is a servant working at one of the houses in the neighborhood. She is has such vivacity and is beautiful with the most stunning eyes I have ever seen."
Bingley was stunned, "Darce, you've fallen for a servant girl? With all of the women that would love to become Mrs. Darcy of Pemberley, you decide on a common servant? How do you know that she really loves you and doesn't just want your money?"
"Here we come to the real problem. She doesn't even know I exist."
"Wait a minute, Darce, you are confusing me. Tell me if I have this right. You are in love with a common servant who doesn't know you exist."
"You are right except for one thing. She's not common. I saw her first a few days ago, and since then, I can't get her out of my mind. I'm also starting to see some of my failings. I always thought I was superior to other people. Certainly I have always treated my servants politely and kindly, but I had this belief that it was my duty to be good to them since I was in a class above them. No longer. Now I realize that my status as Mr. Darcy of Pemberley is just due to my birth, not due to any personal superiority. There are good people and evil people in all the classes."
"Well, it sounds to me like you have two choices, you can pursue the girl, or you can try to forget her," says Bingley stating the obvious.
Darcy rolls his eyes, "I know this is hard for you to believe, but I'm actually asking your advice on this."
"I guess the answer is have you ever met any other woman who interests you the way this girl does?"
"Never, that's why this decision is so difficult."
"No, Darcy, I don't see that it is difficult. At least talk to her and introduce yourself to see if you are compatible at all. You owe that much to yourself, at least."
"What about my responsibilities to my family, to my heritage, and my estate. Would it be a betrayal of the legacy of the Darcy family if a servant were the mother to the next generation of the Darcy family?"
"If you feel that she is inferior in mind and morals, then you will not pursue her anyway, but if you find her to be of higher quality, then why not? You said yourself that she was not common."
"You are right, Bingley. I feel myself very attracted to her. I must at least talk to her to find out what she is like. I owe it to myself if nothing else. I first saw her only a couple of days ago, and since then, I can think of nothing else."
"It's a wonder all of Netherfield isn't a shambles since you admit to being neglectful." Once again, Bingley has adopted a bantering tone.
Darcy smiles at him. "Thanks, friend, and I do truly appreciate you listening to me. Do you know how hard it was for me to admit to myself, much less to you, how I am feeling right now?"
"I would be a poor friend if I couldn't give you something in return for all the support you have shown me during the time that I have known you."
The two men returned to Netherfield in a companionable silence.
Chapter 10 ~ Introductions
Among the earliest of those who waited upon Mr. Bingley and his party was Mr. Bennett. He had always intended on making the visit even while assurring his wife that he would not go. He took a great pleasure in meeting new people and studying character. The characters in the neighborhood were amusing enough for his quick wit, but a new challenge was always welcome to him. He was rather looking forward to meeting Mr. Bingley.
Mr. Bennet's first glimpse of the man was of him outside of Netherfield discussing the landscaping with the gardener. He couldn't hear what was being said, but he was able to view the countenances of the principle characters and began to form his opinions of them. Mr. Bennet knew the gardener of the estate as he was a man who had worked in the area for neigh onto about thirty years. There were two men that were obviously gentlemen standing there and talking with the gardener. As Mr. Bennet walked his horse towards them, he studied their countenances and tried to determine the relationship. They appeared to be of roughly the same age, late twenties, but there the resemblance stopped. One was tall and dark complected with dark hair and eyes. The other was fair with blond hair and blue eyes. It appeared as if with each few sentences spoken by the blond that he would hesitate and look for approval from the other. Mr. Bennet chuckled to himself as he approached them and introduced himself.
"Good Day, Gentlemen, I would like to give you a hearty welcome to the neighborhood."
Bingley heard nothing of the amusement in Mr. Bennet's voice, and took the greeting at face value. "Thank you, sir, I'm delighted to be here myself. I'm Charles Bingley, and this is my friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy."
"My name is Thomas Bennet, and I live in the estate not more than three miles distant, known as Loungbourne."
They continued on with basic pleasantries, and Mr. Bennet was fairly well satisfied that he understood Mr. Bingley's character, but had little satisfaction with regard to Mr. Darcy's. There was something unreadable about that man. Mr. Bennet's impressions of Charles are much easier to describe. He was easy going and so complying that nothing could be resolved on without asking first someone else's approval. He was so easy that every servant would cheat him, and so generous that he would exceed his income. Mr. Bennet laughed to himself at the picture he was making up and tried to develop a character on Mr. Darcy. He even stayed and socialized for a good half hour more in order to establish an appropriate charazterization of him. By the time he finally made his goodbyes, he was better satisfied, but there were still something he was missing. Well, he would have more opportunity for study. The gentlemen said that they would be at the next assembly which was in only a week.
Mr. Bennet went home thinking over his meeting with the two men. He was rather well-pleased with both of them. One could not help but like Mr. Bingley, and though Mr. Darcy was more reserved, he seemed to be quite an honorable man. He also seemed to be a deeper personality, and the thought of intellectual discussions with the man was rather pleasing to Mr. Bennett.
Later that evening, Mr. Bennet in his characteristic manner, informed the family that he had met Mr. Bingley. It was disclosed in the following manner. Observing his second daughter employed in trimming a hat, he suddenly addressed her with,
``I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy.''
``We are not in a way to know _what_ Mr. Bingley likes,'' said her mother resentfully, ``since we are not to visit.''
"But you forget, mama,'' said Elizabeth, "that we shall meet him at the assemblies, and that Mrs. Long has promised to introduce him."
``I do not believe Mrs. Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no opinion of her.''
``No more have I,'' said Mr. Bennet; ``and I am glad to find that you do not depend on her serving you.''
Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply; but unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters.
``Don't keep coughing so, Kitty, for heaven's sake! Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them to pieces.''
``Kitty has no discretion in her coughs,'' said her father; ``she times them ill.''
``I do not cough for my own amusement,'' replied Kitty fretfully.
``When is your next ball to be, Lizzy?''
``Next week on Saturday.''
``Aye, so it is,'' cried her mother, ``and Mrs. Long does not come back till the day before; so it will be impossible for her to introduce him, for she will not know him herself.''
``Then, my dear, you may have the advantage of your friend, and introduce Mr. Bingley to her.''
``Impossible, Mr. Bennet, impossible, when I am not acquainted with him myself; how can you be so teazing?''
``I honour your circumspection. A week's acquaintance is certainly very little. One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a week. But if we do not venture, somebody else will; and after all, Mrs. Long and her nieces must stand their chance; and therefore, as she will think it an act of kindness, if you decline the office, I will take it on myself.''
The girls stared at their father. Mrs. Bennet said only, ``Nonsense, nonsense!''
``What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation?'' cried he. ``Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? I cannot quite agree with you _there_. What say you, Mary? for you are a young lady of deep reflection I know, and read great books, and make
extracts.''
Mary wished to say something very sensible, but knew not how.
``While Mary is adjusting her ideas,'' he continued, ``let us return to Mr. Bingley.''
``I am sick of Mr. Bingley,'' cried his wife.
``I am sorry to hear _that_; but why did not you tell me so before? If I had known as much this morning, I certainly would not have called on him. It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.''
The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished; that of Mrs. Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest; though when the first tumult of joy was over, she began to declare that it was what she had expected all the while.
``How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet! But I knew I should persuade you at last. I was sure you loved our girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance. Well, how pleased I am! and it is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morning, and never said a word about it till now.''
``Now, Kitty, you may cough as much as you choose,'' said Mr. Bennet; and, as he spoke, he left the room, fatigued with the raptures of his wife.
He went into his study and wondered at himself. He mentioned Mr. Bingley, but he didn't mention Mr. Darcy. Since he wasn't quite able to finish making out his character, he didn't want his views to be corrupted by listening to the way his wife exposed someone the way she did with Mr. Bingley.
Chapter 11 ~ A Gift
After a few days of not seeing Elizabeth, Darcy was once again getting anxious to see her again. He thought he ought to actually see her one morning and attempt to talk with her. He knew that for his own sake, he did have to speak with her, so he had resolved to speak with her if he could find her in one of her morning ambles. It was Thursday morning, so he decided to get up early and walk through her glade in the woods in the hope of meeting her. It was interesting meeting her employer the other day. He seemed to be a rather interesting character with an amusing wit. That's an acquaintance that he might foster in this neighborhood, if only in the hopes of seeing Elizabeth again. As he walked out of the house, he paused in the foyer and stared at one of the many floral arrangements in the house. Before he could think better of it, he removed one red rose from the arrangement. He went to the library and wrote on a blank card with his elegant hand, "For Elizabeth - With Great Admiration." Then he promptly left the house and headed towards the woods.
Originally that morning, Darcy had fully intended upon introducing himself to her as he met with her in the woods by "accident." Instead, however, he simply placed the rose upon the tree stump where he had seen her stop before, and then he hid himself to see her reaction when she came upon it. He didn't know why he was hiding, but he had a few minutes in which to contemplate it before she arrived at the spot. He knew that he had placed her upon a pedestal, and he was honestly afraid that the reality of her would fall short of his image. Until he was faced with the reality for good or for ill, he was going to enjoy his belief in her excellence.
Elizabeth got up that morning as she did every morning and went for her walk. As she approached her usual spot in the woods, she saw a single rose on her favorite stump. Surprised, she walked quickly to it and picked it up. She then noticed that there was a little card attached. When she read it, she stood up in surprise and looked around. Who in the world would have left this rose for her, and additionally surprising, was who knew she would be here to get it? A chill breeze started up and Elizabeth was feeling a little nervous being out there. She had felt perfectly safe because she thought she was quite alone, but now her privacy was invaded and she felt insecure. She looked around and noticed nothing unusual, but she quickly left the area, anyway because of the chill in the air. As she was going back home, she studied the card and the rose. It was a beautiful flower, and had an exquisite scent. Normally roses such as this are beautiful with very little scent, but this one was different. It was more than just externally beautiful. The card was more interesting, though. She didn't recognize the writing at all. It was written in a very neat script, and it had Elizabeth very confused. She didn't know whether to be flattered and intrigued or a little frightened. She came back home and spent the rest of the day thinking about the rose. Gradually, as the day continued, her heart warmed towards whomever left the rose, and she began to become increasingly curious as to his identity. She knew that she shouldn't expect anything else, but she was looking forward to the next morning and wondered how she could learn more of him.
Darcy returned to Netherfield a little disappointed in her reaction. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but she looked rather scared upon reading the card. He hadn't realized that his handwriting was so very frightening.
Bingley was going to spend the day returning the calls that he had received upon arriving at Netherfield, and Darcy decided to go with him. The alternative to visiting the neighbors with Bingley was to spend the day with Miss Bingley and the Hursts, and that was a truly unacceptable alternative. He had an ulterior motive, too. Bingley was planning on visiting Mr. Bennet today, among others, and he was hoping to get a glimpse of Elizabeth where she worked. Since he got little satisfaction this morning, he was hoping for another view of her.
There were two other calls that had to be made that day, but very little of consequence happened so Darcy was only tolerably polite while waiting for the visit to Longbourne. When they arrived, Mr. Bennet ushered them into his library. This would serve two purposes for him. The first is that he wanted an uninterrupted time in which to further develop his character study, and secondly, he wanted to tease his wife and daughters a bit before they got the chance to meet the gentlemen themselves at the assembly on Saturday. This was another visit full of simple pleasantries, but then somehow the subject turned to the library itself. Mr. Bennet found eager conversation from Mr. Darcy on the subject of the library and the books that should be contained therein. If Bingley had not had such an easy disposition, he might have felt left out of the conversation. They talked for at least half an hour, and each was well satisfied with the other. They finally said goodbye and Darcy and Bingley set off for Netherfield for the rest of the afternoon.
"Okay, Darce, what was the great need to meet Mr. Bennet. The two of you did seem to hit it off rather well, but I know you were quite anxious to get over to this house. Did he make such a great impression on you the other day when he visited, or was there some other ulterior motive?" Inquired Bingley.
"What makes you think so?"
"I'm not completely daft, my friend, nor do I have such a terrible memory that I forgot that you are quite smitten with some mysterious young lady, so give me some credit, at least, for being slightly aware of what is going on around me." Says Bingley with a laugh.
"Well, I guess I've been caught. Mr. Bennett is her employer, so I was hoping to get a glimpse of her. I also wanted to know what type of man he was. I'm hoping that, if nothing else, she is well treated there. He seems to be a good sort of man, so I have good hope on that account."
"Interesting... So now you are this young lady's advocate, but tell me, have you even met her yet?"
Darcy just turned away rather sheepishly at his friend's jibes.
"So, the answer is no, then. Well, truth be told, I wasn't quite satisfied with the morning visit, either. I've heard that the most beautiful ladies in Hertforshire reside at that house, and I wanted a glimpse of the Bennet girls. Evidently he has five daughters, but we shall see them on Saturday as we are to attend our first assembly here."
"I must tell you that I'm not interested in going at all since I know SHE won't be there."
"You should go anyway. If you aren't going to give yourself any satisfaction about your mysterious servant girl, then dancing with a few pretty ladies at this assembly might make you forget her. Well, we are back, and we can spend the rest of the day with my sisters."
Darcy rolls his eyes. "I'm sure you won't mind excusing me for a while. I think I'll take a bit of a ride and think."
"Seriously, let me know if there is anything that I can do to help."
"Thank you." Darcy rides off towards Meryton.
He arrived in town not knowing exactly what he wanted except to clear his head. He spied the jeweler's shop, so he tied his horse out front and went inside with the intention of buying a trifle for his sister Georgiana. Almost immediately he saw a delicate bracelet that he thought she would like, but he decided to browse for a bit longer, and there was one piece that caught his eye. It was a gold necklace with a delicate chain. It had a pendant with it that had an intricate rose etched on it. It was obviously quality work, and very intricately done. Before he had the opportunity to change his mind, he bought both pieces and then quickly left the shop with them.
He wondered at himself for buying the necklace. He knew exactly who it was for, and he wasn't going to deceive himself that he bought it for his little sister. He returned to Netherfield to await the next morning.
Elizabeth rose early, as she was wont to do and started to take her walk. She paused before leaving her room, and she picked up the rose that she had received the morning before. She was a little bit nervous about going out this morning because it was obvious to her that she was being watched, but it was a little exciting, too, thinking that she had a secret admirer. She sniffed the fragrance of her rose as she walked along the path. She hesitated as she came close to the stump. There was something on it this morning, too. She nervously looked around as she got closer to it. Someone had been here again. There was a card on it that simply said, "To Elizabeth" so that she could not mistake that it was for her. She opened it and saw the exquisite rose necklace. She felt a little awed, so she sat down heavily on the stump and just stared at it for a while. Then she suddenly remembered herself and got up. She looked up towards the sky and softly stuttered, "Th- thank you, whoever you are." Whether she was thanking the giver of the gift or thanking God for His hand in her life, cannot be told. She hurried home with the box in one hand and the rose in the other.
Well pleased with her reaction, Darcy turned towards Netherfield after Elizabeth was out of sight. He now was prepared to introduce himself to her. He had it planned how he would approach her. He'd leave a note on the stump and ask her permission to introduce himself. He'd leave a pen with the note for her response. He thought that would at least cover the basics of propriety. His main concern was to actually meet her, and he wanted to have her at least a little receptive to meeting him. He didn't want to surprise her in the early morning hours alone in the woods, and he didn't know where else to meet her, so he started making plans. He had such great hopes for a romantic meeting.
Chapter 12- Letters
It was the evening before the first Hertfordshire assembly that the Netherfield residents and guests were to attend. After dinner that evening, everyone retired to the library. Darcy planned on writing a letter to his sister, and was going to enclose the bracelet that he bought for her. While he was writing a letter to his sister, he was also furtively writing a note to Elizabeth. He didn't want this second note to be noticed, however, so he used the letter to Georgiana as a cover. He knew that she wouldn't mind, but then came the interruption.
``How delighted Miss Darcy will be to receive such a letter!''
He made no answer.
``You write uncommonly fast.''
``You are mistaken. I write rather slowly.''
``How many letters you must have occasion to write in the course of the year! Letters of business too! How odious I should think them!''
``It is fortunate, then, that they fall to my lot instead of to yours.''
``Pray tell your sister that I long to see her.''
He almost felt a wave of nausea at her artificial attitude. The last thing Georgiana needed was a falsely fawning sycophant who believed that the path to Pemberley was paved by flattery. It was almost amusing, in fact. If Darcy didn't hold Bingley in such high regard, then he would never have submitted to even being in her company. Poor Charles; you can pick your friends, but you have no choice at all about your relations.
"Mr. Darcy, did you hear me? Please tell your sister that I long to see her."
"Since you know what an odious task letter writing is, could you be so kind as to leave me to it so that I can complete it?" Darcy was normally more patient with her, but he was starting to feel a little anxious about having her around. He really wanted to write his note to Elizabeth, and the prying Miss Bingley would be sure to see what he was doing. "Actually, I think I'll retire early to complete it in my room."
Charles looked over at him and was barely containing a laugh and wished him a good night.
When he got to his room, he quickly finished the letter to Georgiana and packaged it with the bracelet to send to her. The other letter was more difficult for him. He wanted to say what he was really feeling, and not hold back, but at the same time, he didn't want to expose himself for possible rejection. The greatest question for him would be whether she would accept his attentions only because of his station in life, or if she could fall in love with him for himself. That led to the question of whether or not he should leave the note anonymous. He didn't want to deceive her as to his identity, so he decided to trust in her appearance of goodness. Finally he completed the letter and decided to simply sign it with his first name, Fitzwilliam.
Chapter 13 ~ Interception
Darcy woke up in quite good spirits that next morning. He had with him the letter, and had a pen with which she could write a response to him, and a blank sheet of paper. He dressed and started to head out of the house when he was met by Miss Bingley.
"Why Mr. Darcy, I didn't realize that you were an early riser? Where can you be going so early in the morning?"
Darcy stopped in shock. She never left her room until after noon. What could she being doing out here now. He responded to her question with a question of his own, "I could ask you the same thing, were you unable to sleep?"
"I seem to have a beastly headache this morning, and I simply couldn't go back to sleep. I was thinking that maybe a turn about the house would do me good. It is so delightful to see you this morning, and I believe that I'm starting to feel better already. I do hope you were able to finish that delightful letter to Miss Darcy yesterday. I must say that I quite envy your ease in writing."
"I can assure you that my writing was not easy last night. In fact I had some difficulty in determining the right words to use." Darcy was not thinking of his letter to Georgiana then.
"You write in so different a manner from poor Charles, he misses half the words he intends to write and blots the rest." She continued to chatter on.
The rest of the house is beginning to awaken and Charles comes down the stairs. "Why Caroline, I'm surprised to see you up this early."
"Oh, I had such a headache, and Mr. Darcy was going to take a turn about the house with me."
Darcy rolls his eyes, "The last thing that you need to do for a headache would be to exert yourself. Now that you are here Charles, let's have some breakfast."
"Wonderful suggestion, and Caroline, why don't you go back to bed and rest your poor head. You really shouldn't be up now and make it worse."
Caroline Bingley just sent daggers at her brother's back as he walks towards the dining room with Darcy. There is no other help, though, but that she go back to bed. She'd have her maid bring up breakfast to her. She didn't want to be up yet anyway. She needed to strengthen herself to endure the torture of a country dance tonight. What in the world could Charles have been thinking to have accepted for all of them. Now she would be forced to dance with uneducated country dolts who had no idea where their feet should be placed. Hopefully it would be over soon. The only consolation she had was that she knew she would be able to dance with Mr. Darcy.
Darcy was so tense at this point. He was too late to put down his letter for Elizabeth, so he had to wait an entire additional day to meet with her. Why did Caroline have to be up? She seemed to know how best to irritate him. He checked the letter in his jacket pocket and went to eat with Charles.
Chapter 14 ~ Preparing for the Assembly
Elizabeth laughed silently at her mother and fingered the necklace she was wearing. Who could have given it to her? It couldn't have been anyone from the neighborhood. She dismissed everyone that she knew quite easily. Was it someone now at Netherfield? It must be, but who? She had not yet met anyone except the kindly Mr. Harkins who had helped her home the other day. Curiosity was eating at her, but she resolved to watch everyone at the assembly tonight to see if she got some clue. There was nothing for her this morning, and she admitted to herself the she was more than a little disappointed, but it made her anticipate this evening all the more. She smiled and hummed to herself as she arranged some flowers.
By that afternoon, the girls were all prepared. There is a reason that they were considered to be the prettiest girls in Hertfordshire; it was true. Even the middle girl, Mary, who was reputed to be the plainest among them would have been able to outshine any other lady in the area except she made herself up too severely.
At Netherfield, the preparations were quite different. The ladies were not anxious for the dance, and one of the gentlemen was only thinking about a girl that he thought would not be there. Charles, however, was delighted with the prospect. He said as much to Darcy as they were waiting on the ladies.
"Is there anything more delightful than a dance? I do not believe there is. And being in the country, we will have little of the politics and pretensions that we would find in London. I believe this is going to be an enjoyable evening."
"I am only going tonight to please you. If it were up to me, I would have been going to meet a dream, but instead I will suffer through this dance just to pass the time."
"What? If this is keeping you from her, by all means, go to her. I wouldn't stand in the way of the first girl that has ever caught your fancy."
"No, it is not to happen. I was going to propose a meeting, but I was waylaid this morning by your sister. She has impeccable timing. She knows best when to irritate me. I hate to pain you Bingley, and I know that you sister will have great pain were she to realize this truth, but you and I will never be brothers."
Bingley laughed out loud, "I never doubted that for a minute! But don't believe that I can make her see that. She doesn't listen to half the things I say, and she doesn't believe the other half. Especially, my friend, when it comes to something so important to her as you."
"It's not just you. Short of being abominably rude and telling her to leave me alone, I don't think she sees any of my signals. Leaving the room when she is talking to me, ignoring her comments, and disagreeing with her opinions is obviously not good enough. You must at least keep me from having to dance with her tonight."
"I certainly am not going to protect you. The only way to do that would be to dance every set with her myself, and I refuse to miss this opportunity for a good time. You are quite on your own. Suffer through one dance, and then dance with the pretty women in the neighborhood. I believe there will be quite a few there tonight."
"I would take your advice if only the one girl that I wished to be there was." Darcy sighed and thought about the letter that he put in his pocket. He didn't know why he kept it with him now. It's not like it would do him any good tonight. He would have to wait until tomorrow morning to give it to her. He sighed again.
Chapter 15 ~ The Assembly
Finally, Mr. Bingley and his party arrived. Mr. Bingley was good looking and gentleman-like; he had a
pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. Everyone was well pleased with him immediately. He was introduced around and secured Charlotte Lucas as his first dance since it was Sir William, her father, who took upon himself the responsibility of doing the introductions. He was introduced to the Bennet family and Elizabeth took great care to see if he noticed her or paid any extra attention to the necklace that she wore, but there was nothing. He did, however, notice Jane's beauty and secure her for the second dance. If he wasn't her secret admirer, then she was delighted that he noticed Jane. She couldn't help but notice was a lovely couple they would make. Elizabeth smiled fondly at her sister.
The rest of the party consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Hurst, Mr. Darcy and Miss Caroline Bingley. The two ladies appeared very fashionable, but to Elizabeth the looked like quite shallow women. Her first impression was quite correct this time. Mr. Hurst looked very fashionable upon his entrance, but the way he walked showed him to be an indolent sort of man. He shuffled into the room and then stood looking about and appearing to be very fashionable until he moved again. Elizabeth felt sorry for his wife when he made the attempt to dance with her. The last member of the party was Mr. Darcy, and he seemed not to wish to be there or to even see his surroundings. He could have at least pretended to be interested in the introductions. Instead he walked the room or simply stared at the ceiling. He was a very fine figure of a man. He was tall and handsome and had a noble mien, but he was quite lacking in any social grace. He made no attempt to secure a dance and even less effort to talk with anyone present. It wasn't long before the people in the room made an effort to ignore him and keep out of his way. One person in the room was rather surprised at his behavior, and that was Mr. Bennet. He had thought the man intelligent and quite personable the two times that they had met, so he made an effort to draw the man out. He went over to talk to him while the dance began.
"So, Mr. Darcy, I won't bore you with silly questions and idiotic pleasantries. I can see that you, like myself, are trying to avoid the dance as much as possible. I can commiserate with you. I have no wish to dance either. At least I can avoid it. I'm afraid there is little hope for you, though. The only thing I ask of you is that you not dance with any of my daughters. My wife has no compassion and I shall hear no end of it."
Mr. Bennet started laughing, and Darcy couldn't help but smile, too. At that point, Bingley came up.
``Come, Darcy,'' said he, ``I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. You had much better dance.''
``I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly as this, it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with.''
``I would not be so fastidious as you are,'' cried Bingley,``for a kingdom! Upon my honour I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life, as I have this evening; and there are several of them, you see, uncommonly pretty.''
``_You_ are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room,'' said Mr. Darcy, looking at the eldest Miss Bennet.
``Oh! she is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and I dare say very agreeable. Do let me ask my partner to introduce you.''
Mr. Bennet jumps back into the conversation. "I can do that for you. I thank you for the compliments to my daughters, and if nothing else, dancing will at least make the time go by faster." They walk towards Elizabeth.
Darcy was stunned. Here she was. Why hadn't he seen her before. He couldn't believe that it was her. She wasn't a servant after all. She was one of the Miss Bennets. How could he have missed seeing her. He allowed himself to be introduced to her, and then requested the next dance while feeling rather light headed. She accepted and then he noticed the necklace around her throat. He had no idea how they got to the dance floor, but was almost feeling intoxicated by being near her.
Elizabeth began to imagine that his silence would last through the entire set, so she made a slight comment on the dance and he replied. She addressed him a second time with:
``It is your turn to say something now, Mr. Darcy. - I talked about the dance, and _you_ ought to make some kind of 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. -- But now we may be silent.''
``Do you talk by rule then, while you are dancing?''
``Sometimes. One must speak a little, you know. It would look odd to be entirely silent for half an hour together, and yet for the advantage of some, conversation ought to be so arranged as that they may have the trouble of saying as little as possible.''
``Are you consulting your own feelings in the present case, or do you imagine that you are gratifying mine?''
``Both,'' replied Elizabeth archly; ``for I feel there is a great similarity in the turn of our minds. -- We are each of an unsocial, taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room, and be handed down to posterity with all the eclat of a proverb.''
``This is no very striking resemblance of your own character, I am sure,'' said he. ``How near it may be to mine, I cannot pretend to say. -- You think it a faithful portrait undoubtedly.''
"I cannot pretend to know you having been just introduced tonight. However, the whole room has been deciding your character all evening, and I would be quite deaf if I had not heard at least a little of what has transpired."
"I wish to apologize to you immediately for seeming a bore. Had I known that I would be able to be in your society tonight, I surely would have made a greater effort to overcome my reticence. In fact, I would like to request another dance from you to that end. I wish you would do me the honor of allowing me the last dance of the evening."
"Now I believe you are becoming quite a flatterer. I will give you a conditional answer only. I will agree to the second dance only if you begin the conversation next time. I am quite out of topics."
"If that is your only condition, then I will look forward to our next dance." He bowed as the dance ended and he walked away from an intrigued Elizabeth and tried to be sociable for the rest of the evening. It was a trial for him to dance with anyone else, but he forced himself. The next dance was the obligatory dance with Caroline Bingley, then Louisa Hurst, and then he was able to dance with Jane Bennet. They had a pleasant conversation while dancing, but he couldn't help but notice that his partner was rather preoccupied with staring at Bingley while they were dancing. She was a pretty girl, but she didn't have the same allure for him as her sister. It wasn't quite so pleasant dancing with a girl that seemed to be pre-occupied with another man. Well, at least it gave him the opportunity to take surreptitious glances at her sister while she was looking for his friend.
It was finally time for the last dance. He moved over to Elizabeth to claim her.
"It is my turn to start a conversation, as you pointed out to me in the last dance."
"I'm delighted that you remember for I'm sure that I could not come up with a subject that would suitably impress you with my intellect. You had the rest of the night to think about it, so I'm waiting anxiously for you to begin." She laughed playfully.
"It is only something simple, I merely wanted to compliment you. I thought it was customary at this point for the man to attempt to flatter his partner. This is our second dance of the evening, so if I didn't, I can imagine the abuse that I would receive in the many retellings of this evening's going-ons by all the ladies in attendance."
"Sir, I must protest. You are abusing my gender most abominably. You should get right to the flattery now or else you cannot imagine what will be said about you as soon as you have left earshot." Elizabeth was enjoying herself greatly. Never before had she met someone with whom she could speak like this. To anyone else it would have been impertinence, but Mr. Darcy seemed to enjoy making fun of the absurdities of human behavior quite as much as she did.
"I will simply compliment your taste. I have noticed that necklace that you are wearing, and I think it is a quite lovely piece."
"Is that all? That will have to do, I suppose since the dance is ending." Elizabeth couldn't say more because she was starting to have suspicions about Mr. Darcy. Could he have been the one that gave it to her?
"There is one more thing." Darcy hesitated before continuing on. "Please do me the honor of reading this. I had planned on leaving it this morning, but I was waylaid before I could get there."
He had folded up the letter that he had written to her into a small square, and he slipped it into the palm of her hand as the dance ended. He held her hand for longer than was necessary, bowed, and then went to find the rest of his party to return to Netherfield. He left a stunned Elizabeth standing there with a piece of paper held tight in her hand. She didn't want to move because she still felt the pressure of his hand on hers, and that was a feeling that she didn't want to go away. Suddenly, she remembered where she was and tried to pretend as if she wasn't affected by him as much as she was.