Jump to new as of March 28, 2006

Chapter One

There are truths and there are truths. Some are universal; some are simply annoying. The truth that Elizabeth was contemplating with frustration was that her mother, in her zeal to marry all her daughters off stunningly, especially Jane, was about to cause her entire family great social embarrassment, with the possible exception of Lydia who would do her utmost to embarrass her sisters as well, though only with her own ambitions in mind. Elizabeth sighed as the carriage came to a stop outside the brightly lit entrance to the Meryton assembly rooms. As her younger sisters began pushing and bickering in their haste to be the first one out, another truth became glaringly clear. In an incommodious carriage such as theirs, six ladies dressed to the nines were bound to have their gowns crushed and tumble out upon the street looking like hoydens.

Their arrival did not go unnoticed. As they attempted to smooth their skirts and straighten their assorted feathers, flowers, and shawls, they noisily made their entrance. Mrs. Bennet stopped in the entranceway and gazed about the room until she spied her sister Phillips.
"We are finally come," she cried as she surged forward, her daughters following her in an uneven wave. "Kitty would make us late! I do hope Mr. Bingley has not arrived yet for I want him to see dear Jane as soon as he comes through the door. Where should we stand to appear to best advantage? Mary dear, don't slouch; Lizzy, walk more demurely this is not one of your country lanes; Lydia, look - there are so many handsome officers; Jane, dearest girl, tuck the lace a little deeper to show more of your lovely figure. Sister Phillips! Was there ever such a squeeze? I declare everybody has come out to see Mr. Bingley and try their luck with him. Well, they had best leave their ambitions behind them for I warrant the sight of my Jane will take the man's breath away!"

"Not only that, sister," said Mrs. Phillips when Mrs. Bennet finally stopped to catch her breath. "He has a great party with him, so they say. A number of glamorous ladies and rich gentlemen."

"The glamorous ladies we can all do without," said Mrs. Bennet peevishly, "but the rich gentlemen - what a fine thing for my other girls! Do not you think Lydia is in remarkable looks tonight? And Kitty as well, if she would only stop coughing."

Elizabeth searched the room and when she saw her friend Charlotte on the other side of the floor she gratefully made her way over to her, hoping to quickly get out of earshot of her mother's carrying voice. Though she enjoyed music and dancing, Elizabeth did not foresee that the evening would be one of unalloyed joy. There was a dearth of eligible gentlemen in the neighbourhood and had been for a number of years. Her friend's brothers and the one or two other country gentlemen that their family socialised with were agreeable enough but vacuous. They, also, had hopes to secure their own futures through marriage, and though the Bennet sisters were comely, money was the greater attraction. The officers of the militia that recently became stationed in the area did not inspire Elizabeth with trust. They were gallant and obliging but their interests bent more towards enjoying their time in a light-hearted manner. They were not men inclined to settle. Marriage was not the foremost thing in Elizabeth's mind, but she had to acknowledge that when all was said and done, such assemblies were designed as one great marriage mart. And for the past few years there had been nobody either she or Jane would have considered accepting, if anybody had even been inclined to ask.

It was for this very reason that she hoped her mother's dreams of Mr. Bingley were not misplaced. Jane deserved to find a man that was truly worthy of her beauty and her goodness. It was a sin that one as lovely as she was still unattached at the age of two and twenty.

Elizabeth spoke softly with her friend and looked across the room at her mother and sisters. Mrs. Bennet was arraying the girls out so that their visibility would be paramount. Fortunately she did not appear aware that Lizzy was not amongst them. Every time the main doors opened and someone new entered the rooms, she preened and fussed over the girls, but it was never the Bingley party. In the end she had to allow Jane to be escorted to the floor for the first two, for she must have reasoned it would have been worse for Jane to be seen standing neglected while others danced than to be showing her desirability off upon the dance floor.

The dancing was well underway when the long awaited Bingley party finally arrived. Elizabeth was dancing with one of the officers but still had time to take note of the new arrivals. Mr. Bingley was undoubtedly the amiable gentleman in the blue coat. She watched him greet Sir William Lucas affably and then introduce his friends, two ladies and two gentlemen. They appeared to be people of great fashion, and rather above their company from the expressions on their faces. The tall gentleman caught her attention and she almost missed the next steps in the dance. She admonished herself and returned her focus to her partner until the set was over and he escorted her to the refreshment table. She then turned her eyes to scan the stranger again.

He was certainly handsome, and exceedingly well put together. Such thoughts almost put her to the blush, but she soon continued on with her appraisal, discovering that there was much in his bearing not to like. Rather then be genial and conversative like his friend, he held himself aloof and stiff, his lip curled in contempt of all he surveyed. At least, that was how he appeared to Elizabeth. One of the women turned to him and commented, a look of amusement on her face, and he gave a brusque nod and resumed his disdainful perusal of the room.

Meryton was unquestionably not the hub of society, but Elizabeth found the arrogance of his attitude galling. Why did he think himself better than them, just because he was rich and spent the season in London, and the rest of the year on his estate or visiting his numerous influential friends? Did he think no one of culture could be spawned in such backwoods as these? She shook herself and wondered why she should be so quick to take umbrage and hold him in judgement when she knew nothing of his background and character. For all she knew he had reason aplenty for the foul mood he was displaying. She just felt that a true gentleman should have better governance over his feelings.
She rejoined Charlotte who was splitting to tell her everything she had already discovered.

"My mother tells me that the two ladies are Mr Bingley's sisters. The shorter one, a Mrs. Hurst, is married to the portly gentleman. The other is unmarried. The handsome gentleman, whom I noticed you staring at, is Mr. Darcy. He is unmarried and has an estate with an income in the neighbourhood of ten thousand a year."

Elizabeth chanced to look across the room just at that moment and watched as her mother spoke animatedly with her Aunt Phillips. Her lips moved in conjunction with Charlotte's and it was as if the announcement had carried clear across the room. She glanced at Mr. Darcy and thought she noticed him cringe. She hoped her mother was not yet planning all the carriages and pin money he was sure to settle upon one of her daughters. That man would not deign to look at any of them twice. She doubted that once was even an option.

"So, Lizzy, what do you think of him?" asked Charlotte. "Finer than we have ever seen in Meryton I would say."

"And so he knows it," responded Elizabeth. "He is so above his company it is a wonder he has not yet scraped his head upon the ceiling."

"You must admit he is a veritable vision, and with his estate and fortune he has a right to his pride."

"There is more to a gentleman than looks, money, and breeding," said Elizabeth. "Besides, why should we waste our time discussing someone who will not even give us a passing thought, other than in criticism?"

"It sounds to me as if your only thought has been to criticize," said Charlotte. "You would do well to feel more charitable towards him. Look - your sister is dancing with Mr. Bingley. If something should come of that as your mother hopes you may find yourself often in the company of Mr. Darcy. If I were you I would use the relationship to my advantage."

"I'm sure you would do no such thing," said Elizabeth.

"At my age I couldn't afford not to," said Charlotte ruefully.

Elizabeth noticed her mother beckoning to her from across the room. "I had better return to Mama. If she keeps flapping at me like that she will surely begin to fly."

She was nearly half way across the room when there was a pause between sets. Jane hurried off the floor and approached Elizabeth, smiling encouragingly.

"Lizzy, why are you not dancing?"

"As much as I like dancing, Jane, I really am finding it insupportable tonight."

"But, Lizzy, there are so many agreeable gentlemen!"

"Jane, I do believe you are dancing with the only pleasing gentleman in the room. There is a sad want of acceptable partners. The last trod rather heavily upon my toes."

"Poor Lizzy!" said Jane, looking at her feet in consternation. "Your slipper is quite spoiled. However won't you consider dancing with Mr. Bingley's friend? Mr, Bingley has offered to make the introduction."

"And have Mr. Darcy think that I am slighted by other men and need to have my sister arrange partners for me? I need no such concessions. If he had any interest in dancing with me, he would seek out an introduction. Besides - he has not shown himself to be a gentleman. I could not tolerate dancing with someone who is so pretentious and haughty - should he ask I would only refuse him. Go back to your smiling partner, Jane, and I will make my way over to Mama before she exposes us even more than she already has."

At this point Mrs. Bennet had taken to waving her hands above her head and emitting a shriek that could be likened to the boiling of a kettle. Jane ran back to the waiting Mr. Bingley on the dance floor, and Elizabeth turned to thread her way through the crowds to her mother. She walked headlong into Mr. Darcy. His face held the expression of ice frozen over. She could tell that he had heard every word that she had said. Her face flamed and she stalked off as quickly as she could without even a civil apology for bumping into him. All she could think about as she wended her way to her mother was that he had the most intense pair of green eyes she had ever seen.

He looked after the girl, seething internally. Ironically, if he had not overheard the conversation between her and her sister, he would never have even noticed her in this motley collection of unknowns. One was just as much like the other. But what he could not comprehend was how she could possibly have taken such an aversion to him before they had even so much as met. How dared she call him pretentious and haughty? How dared she say he was ungentlemanly? He had done nothing worse than stand by the side of the room; a room full of people he was unacquainted with. She disappeared into the arms of a lace-ruffled matron who had been indecorously loud and obnoxious all evening, rapaciously planning to marry her daughters off to himself and Bingley and who knows whom else. Well, even if he were to be stranded on Robinson Crusoe's desert island with only her and no one else, she would be the last person on earth he would ever be prevailed upon to offer for. In that case he fervently hoped that Friday would be there to provide a chaperone, so no one could intimate that she had been compromised in any way.

Chapter Two

Elizabeth found herself in Mr Darcy's company again during four dinners with the neighbouring families. As there were four and twenty families in the neighbourhood, this sort of meeting constantly recurred, yet Elizabeth could not help but reflect that the company would continually be just as dull and unvaried if not for the addition of Mr Darcy and the rest of the Netherfield party. When she had first seen him she had only thought him pretentious and haughty. True, she had noticed he was handsome and had a nicely sculptured physique, but that was an annoying truth she tried to ignore. But try as she could to ignore it, at those four dinners he was better dressed than anyone else present. His tailor knew how to accentuate his tall and muscular form. Whose fault was it that the other gentlemen in Hertfordshire, even those in uniform, just could not compare?

She stood back and watched him often, ostensibly to find fault with his face or figure, but how could one fault perfection? He was just as pretentious and haughty as ever when he spoke to her or anyone from her family, but Elizabeth could not help but notice how he spoke to Charles Bingley's sister with much more animation. At those times he almost appeared to be amiable. His green eyes would shine with a warm inner light that almost made Elizabeth wish that he would cast them upon her, but he never did. She developed an irrational dislike for Miss Bingley who was uniformly sweet and friendly and had done nothing to deserve it.

At a gathering at Sir William Lucas' home Elizabeth, in her longing to know more of him to prove that his character was truly reprehensible and despicable, loitered close to Mr Darcy and Caroline in order to overhear part of their conversation.

"I rather fear that Colonel Forster is going to throw a ball," said Darcy.

"Mr Darcy," responded Caroline in the sweetest of voices. "I understand your apprehension, however I think a ball would be a lovely thing for this neighbourhood. So many charming people! You really ought to exert yourself more in society. Miss Charlotte Lucas is a very nice young lady. You have met with her above four times. I feel sure you could dance with her without any of your qualms about not dancing with those to whom you are unacquainted. Why, you could dance with Miss Jane Bennet if you could wrest her away from my brother. In fact, I think I will suggest he hold a ball at Netherfield. It would be just the thing!"

"It would?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes! It would rid you of this unreasonable fear you have of dancing and afford the entire community so much pleasure. With such a choice of partners you would not long feel uncomfortable. Not only myself, Miss Lucas and Miss Bennet, but also Miss Eliza . . ."

"I think I can decide who I will dance with for myself, Miss Bingley, but thank you for the advice." Mr Darcy spoke with his face straight but there was a decided twinkle in his eyes.

Elizabeth was about to move away when he looked straight at her and said. "Miss Bennet, do you not think Miss Bingley expressed herself well just now when she spoke of her brother having a ball?"

"Most people do delight in a ball," answered Elizabeth, "but I am quite indifferent to the subject."

"You are?" asked Miss Bingley. "I cannot understand it! It was my belief that all young ladies love a ball. I can think of one only with delight. I mean to dance with all the officers."

"Then I hope you do not mind having your feet crushed," said Elizabeth with some asperity.

Miss Bingley gave a tinkling laugh and then she and Mr Darcy walked off. Elizabeth was left thinking how bright his green eyes looked when he wore his black coat. She recalled his comment and blushed knowing she had been caught eavesdropping. How ungentlemanly of him to bring notice to the fact. He was still just as insupportable as ever. And there was nothing in his conversation to show intelligence or wit at all. That pleased her for it would be terrible if he were to own all the attributes she looked for in a man. As it was the only attribute he had was appearance. Character, wit, and intelligence were so much more important.

Elizabeth admonished herself for even thinking of Mr Darcy and vowed to pay more attention to her dear Jane who was standing with Mr Bingley as he chatted amiably with her. She wondered if the gentleman were really sincere. He was such a friendly fellow, bestowing his good graces on all and sundry equally. Jane, she could see, was in dire danger of losing her heart. What Elizabeth was unsure of was how deep the gentleman's feelings went and what, if any, were his intentions. What did they know of him anyway? He was rich, to be sure, but what did that say of his character? Was he steady and dependable, or was he just out to amuse himself? Charlotte, who urged her to come to the pianoforte and perform, shook her from her musings. After she was done, Mary took her place at the instrument and she began to make her way across the floor to join Jane. In Elizabeth's opinion her eldest sister had been in private conversation with Mr Bingley for far too long. Sir William Lucas accosted her when she reached the middle of the floor.

"Oh Miss Eliza! There is nothing like dancing, is there not? One of the choicest refinements of high society, what?"

"Do you not find that those of unpolished society also dance? Why even the savages, or so I am told," answered Elizabeth. She wanted to get away. Mary had struck up a reel and Mr Bingley was leading Jane out even as they spoke.

"Quite, quite," laughed Sir William. "I do delight in your witticisms, and in your dancing. We must have you dance. Why, here is Mr Darcy without a partner too. May I present Miss Elizabeth as a most desirable partner, sir?"

Mr Darcy, who was just crossing the floor to go to the punch bowl, looked at Sir William in bewilderment. "Pardon me, Sir William?" he said politely.

"I know you dislike dancing in general, Mr Darcy," said Sir William, "but with such inducements as Miss Eliza possesses I am sure you cannot say nay."

Mr Darcy looked at Elizabeth and stammered, "I . . . I sh-should be honoured."

Elizabeth glared back at him with fire in her eyes. "Do not think that I petitioned Sir William to beg me a partner. I have no desire to dance."

"Come, come, Miss Eliza. How can you resist when the richest man in all of Derbyshire stands before you beseeching your hand?" asked Sir William.

"Mr Darcy is all politeness."

"That he is, that he is! I fail to understand how you could object to such a partner."

"I . . ." said Elizabeth, suddenly realising how very impolite she must have sounded.

"Do not distress yourself, Miss Bennet," said Mr Darcy, who had finally gained command of the situation. "I have no wish to force you into anything you dislike." He bowed and continued his way across the room.

Elizabeth looked after him in disbelief. Gone was the haughty demeanour. He had reacted to the awkward situation with consideration rather than disdain. Her knees began to shake. Charlotte walked up behind her and whispered in her ear.

"I have a feeling I know what you are thinking."

"I sincerely doubt it," answered Elizabeth.

"You are thinking that it is a blessing not to have had to dance with the man, because even though he is the most handsome gentleman in all existence you still cling to your insane conviction that he is detestable."

"Not at all," said Elizabeth, taking a breath. "Though my conviction as to his detestableness is unchanged, I was thinking that eyes like his should be outlawed."

"Aha! Is there perhaps a chink in your armour?" asked Charlotte. "Will your heart soon be on your sleeve just as the rest of ours? Will you take to haunting the lanes approaching Netherfield in case you should meet him out upon a walk? Will your every waking hour be spent doing needlework to add to your trousseau?"

Elizabeth let Charlotte's wit flow long. She enjoyed it, actually, because Charlotte, being such a sensible person, rarely allowed herself such flights of fancy, but Lizzy still felt herself impervious to the great Mr Darcy. So what if he had acted human once? He might only have done it to throw her own incivility in her face. Yes, there was a thought.

She glanced around the room again and caught sight of her sister and Mr Bingley, still dancing. 'Poor Jane,' she thought. "I must be more vigilant to ensure that she does not end up with a broken heart.'

Chapter Three

A few days later, Jane and Lizzy received a note from Caroline inviting them to spend the day with her and Louisa at Netherfield while the gentlemen were dining with the officers.

"I see no point in going if the gentlemen are not to be there!" cried Mrs Bennet. "Anyway it is sure to rain and I would not like Jane to have her gown or hair spoiled in a soaking, for if that were to happen the gentlemen would surely return and see her all bedraggled, mark my word."

"I think it would be very impolite not to go," said Lizzy. "Especially over a trifling thing like that. I'm sure they would be delighted to see us no matter how wet we became!" She had no intention of being looked down upon for exhibiting the boorish provincial ways they surely expected of her.

"I'll not have Jane become ill, even in chasing a man. Her nose gets all red - that can be so off-putting."

"Mama, please," said Jane.

But to no avail. Jane could not change her mother's mind, and her father refused to send for the horses, which were being used in the fields. Only the riding horses were available, and though Lizzy preferred walking she had one of them saddled and rode off promising Jane that she would think up some excuse to tell Caroline that wouldn't make her appear ungracious. She thought that by riding she could arrive to Netherfield before the rain actually started. But she did not count on the fact that the rain would be heralded by thunder and lightening. The first flash of lightening ruptured the sky just as she entered Netherfield's gravel sweep. The horse shied and reared and poor Lizzy was thrown to the ground.

A groom came rushing from the stables and carried her up to the house. Caroline was shocked when she heard a commotion at the door and came running to see Lizzy limp in the man's arms.

"Quick, bring her to the parlour and lay her upon the divan," she ordered.

Louisa almost fainted when she saw Lizzy lying cold and still where she was placed.

"Is she dead?" she cried.

"Of course not," said Caroline, feeling Lizzy's pulse. "But I can't help thinking it is all my fault she's been hurt - I ought to have sent the carriage with my note."

"And her uncle is an attorney too," said Louisa. "What if we are found liable?"

Caroline ignored her sister. "Miss Elizabeth, can you hear me?" she asked as she wiped Lizzy's brow with her handkerchief that she had soaked in lavender water.

"Yes," whispered Lizzy. "But my leg hurts ever so much."

"I have sent for the apothecary," said Caroline. "Until he arrives is there anything I can do to relieve your present discomfort?"

"A glass of wine, perhaps?" asked Louisa.

"Anything," said Lizzy, almost beside herself with pain. "And, Miss Bingley, I must extend my sister's regrets before I forget. My mother could not spare her. She was most sorry not to be able to come."

"Think nothing of it," said Caroline, wincing as Lizzy grabbed hold of her hand and squeezed it. "Louisa, the wine. Hurry."

By the time Mr Jones arrived Lizzy was feeling very little pain, but that had more to do with the amount of wine she had drunk than the state of her health. Unfortunately after his examination he had a very annoying truth to relate. She had no broken bones but she had sustained a severe blow to her knee and it had swollen twice its size already.

"She cannot be moved for a week at least," he advised.

"Do you mean I must stay on this divan day and night?" asked Lizzy, taken aback. She attempted to rise but fell back in pain as her leg refused to hold her weight.

"That is exactly the type of thing you must prevent her from doing," said the apothecary to Caroline as Louisa tried to distract Elizabeth with another glass of wine.

"I will have a room made up for her immediately and one of the footmen can carry her up to it," offered Caroline.

"And don't let your sister give her any more wine."

"I rather see your point there," said Caroline as Lizzy began singing a maudlin song.

A note was rushed off to Longbourn immediately, stating that Elizabeth had sustained a slight injury falling off her horse and would need to stay with the Bingleys for at least a week to recuperate. There was also a promise of the carriage in the morning to fetch a trunk of clothes for Lizzy and an invitation urging Jane to come and help nurse her sister. Caroline had thought it best that no one arrive that evening to see the state that Miss Elizabeth was in. She thanked heaven that the gentlemen, especially Mr Darcy, had not returned prematurely to witness it.

Mrs Bennet was quite pleased with the turn of events.

"I never imagined Lizzy could be so inventive!" she cried. "What a dear, devious girl she is."

"Mama!" cried Jane. "I do believe she truly is hurt."

"Hurt? In a trifling fall from a horse? Pshaw! Now you will be thrown practically into the arms of Mr Bingley!" said Mrs Bennet with glee. "And you didn't even have to get wet."

"But poor Lizzy!" moaned Jane.

In the morning Lizzy awoke and wondered for a few minutes where she was, but the pain in her head and her stiff knee brought it all back to her. She winced as the maid drew the curtains open and light filled the room.

"The mistress was wondering if you felt up to breakfast, miss."

"I would like that very much," said Lizzy. "And even more so if you would kindly close the drapes again."

"Yes miss," said the maid, and she pulled the curtains to before hurrying out the door.

Lizzy lay back against her pillows in the darkened room. A week! Mr Jones had said she needed to stay a week. How was she ever going to survive? The one saving grace was that at least she would be spared socialising with the gentlemen if she were to remain in her bedchamber the entire time. But she feared what her mother would have to say about her predicament - that it was a stroke of luck, no doubt. Well, it didn't matter what her mother wished - she was not going to use her indisposition as a means of entrapping a man, no matter how handsome he may be.

The door opened, and instead of the maid, Miss Bingley entered bearing her breakfast tray.

"How are you feeling this morning, Miss Eliza?" asked Caroline, all concern.

"The throbbing in my head has made me all but forget the pain in my leg," said Lizzy with a wry smile.

Caroline set the tray comfortably on her lap and then took a chair beside the bed. "I was not sure how much you could manage," she said, indicating the tray that was piled with tea and toast, a poached egg, and some preserves.

"I feel that I am a terrible imposition to you," said Lizzy, "and would not have you go to so much trouble for me."

"Do not fret, Miss Eliza, it is no bother at all. I have sent for your sister Jane to help me in nursing you."

Lizzy wondered at the generosity and thoughtfulness of this gesture. She could only attribute it to Miss Bingley's insincere social graces, and did not doubt that when she was away from the room, discussing her unexpected houseguest with her sister, that she sang quite a different tune. Still, the superficial kindness she was being shown caused her to blush with embarrassment for her behaviour the afternoon before. She only had a dim recollection of it but she was certain that she had not acted as befitted a lady. "I must apologise. I have never in my life . . ."

"There, there," soothed Miss Bingley. "You were in much pain and my sister was really to blame in giving you such very strong wine. Do not concern yourself - rest assured that neither my sister nor I will mention it to anybody."

They made polite conversation as Lizzy ate and then Miss Bingley told her to try to sleep once more. "I will send your sister up as soon as she arrives," she said as she took away the tray.

Jane was much comfort to Lizzy. She kissed her and cosseted her and provided her with some books she had packed. After some time Jane thought she ought to go below stairs and join their hosts.

"I will not leave you for long," said Jane, "but I promised mama I wouldn't be behindhand in paying my respects."

"Putting yourself forward you mean. Jane, take care. I do not want you to end up with a broken heart. The Bingleys are far above our social circle, though we are gentry. Their fortune was made in trade, but they have been elevated by its abundance. Men of Mr Bingley's set are more interested in furthering their prospects by connecting themselves through marriage to titled families. We would do best to look to our own sphere for matrimony."

"Lizzy!" admonished Jane, "I do not know who is more of a trial to bear, you or mama. I am just happy to be in his company and expect nothing more."

It was a couple of hours before Jane returned and Lizzy was having trouble concentrating on her book. She was too worried about what was transpiring in the parlour.

"They were playing at loo," Jane informed her when she sat by her bedside. "And a most interesting conversation took place. Mr Bingley made a comment on how accomplished all young ladies are - it led from a question Miss Bingley made to Mr Darcy about his sister, as I recall. Well, Mr Darcy would have it that he knew very few truly accomplished ladies. And Miss Bingley, in endeavouring to discover what he deemed the attributes of accomplishment, listed all manner of things: dress, poise, playing, singing, drawing. Oh, the list became so long I could not imagine anyone of my acquaintance having such a range of abilities. Mr Bingley laughed and said he meant no more than painting a screen or designing a table, which lifted my spirits for I was feeling sincerely inadequate. But Mr Darcy said that for a lady to be truly accomplished she must possess all the attributes that Miss Bingley had expounded upon, but to them she must also add a mind developed by extensive reading. Imagine that! It seems to me that he has a more deep thinking nature than you have brought yourself to believe."

"To me it accentuates his arrogance, nothing more," said Lizzy, wishing that he were not so full of himself.

"But to value education in a woman!"

"All he wants is a paragon. If he were truly thinking deeply he would realise such a woman could not exist."

"Well, I am glad that Mr Bingley is more easily pleased," said Jane with a sigh. "He was so very attentive to me, Lizzy! And he asked after you. In fact they all did, even Mr Hurst. Well, his actual words were, 'Should you not be with your sister, Miss Bennet, rather than disturbing our game? Is she not ill?' But I know that his brusque manner only hid his concern."

"Jane Bennet is a dear sweet girl," said Louisa as she played her cards.

"They are both of them lovely girls," said Caroline, eyeing Mr Darcy as she spoke. "Miss Eliza has borne her injury and isolation with much fortitude."

"And Miss Bennet is such an angel to be nursing her so lovingly," said Mr Bingley.

"It is so sad that they have such poor connections," said Louisa. "I would give anything in the world to see them well settled."

Mr Hurst snorted. "One of their uncles is a small town attorney, and they have another who is in trade, I believe."

"Yes," Caroline said. "But their father is a gentleman and a landowner."

"I see no reason why they should not marry advantageously," said Darcy. "They are well bred, pretty enough girls. To a gentleman with a fortune their connections or lack of dowry should not matter a jot."

"Not if he were in love," agreed Bingley.

Caroline addressed Darcy, "So you are not as averse to Miss Eliza Bennet as you would have us believe?"

"Miss Bingley, I am only speaking in general terms. My estimation of Miss Elizabeth has undergone no radical change due to her recent misfortune. She is still the same dab of a country girl who looks askance at us for being tonnish. Instead of taking the time to discover our true natures she only stands in judgement. She never looks at me but to criticize, I am sure, so I am mystified as to why you insist on attempting to promote some sort of romance between us."

Caroline smirked. She reflected that Mr Darcy could stand to question his own tendency to cling to first impressions, but she kept those thoughts to herself. "It is a novel feeling to be held in contempt, is it not?"

"It does not affect me one way or the other," said Darcy.

"Even to be the object of scorn to such a pretty girl? She has very remarkable eyes - have you not noticed?"

"It takes more than a sweet smile and sparkling eyes to turn my head."

"Or a light and pleasing figure?"

"I have observed nothing about her out of the ordinary. Her sister is quite a beauty, though - she has charmed your brother completely."

"Yes, he is utterly and hopelessly lost," said Caroline with a smile. "Dearest Charles. And I am convinced that she returns his regard."

"Then he should get on with it and propose rather than mooning about in such a ludicrously besotted manner."

"Mr Darcy! You know that half the fun is the chase. Allow him to linger in the state of romantic anticipation and uncertainty for as long as it gives him pleasure."

Darcy rolled his eyes and played his hand. He had won again, much to Caroline's chagrin. How was it that he could always keep up his end in a conversation without losing any of his concentration on the game? She would have to discover some more potent method of distraction if she had hopes to best him. But then, there was that old adage, lucky at cards, unlucky at love. She longed to see him in a situation where he was completely out of his depth.

Chapter Four

The next morning, with the help of Jane and a maid, Lizzy dressed herself and was reclining upon the coverlet of her bed when Caroline came in to see her.

"How are you feeling today?" she asked.

"My knee is still very swollen, though it only hurts when I move it," replied Lizzy, wishing for the umpteenth time that she did not have to be so indebted to Miss Bingley. "But I am beginning to become restless with such lack of activity."

"You must be bored clear out of your skull cooped up in this bedchamber all day. Do allow me to arrange for you to be brought down to the drawing room. There would, at least, be more going on to entertain you."

"You must not concern yourself with my entertainment," said Lizzy stiffly. "It is only through my own ineptitude as a rider that I am laid up."

But Caroline insisted and Lizzy could do nothing but comply and agree to have a footman carry her below stairs, though she did not look forward to the experience now that she was of clear mind. The idea of being in a man's arms was so lowering. She thought that his being a servant was at least something she could accept with equanimity, but when Miss Bingley returned to the room she brought with her Mr Darcy instead.

"Mr Darcy was so gallant as to offer his services," she said.

Lizzy wondered what the lady had done to coerce him for he did not appear any more pleased than herself with the prospect. She longed to say that she had changed her mind and would remain in the chamber, but the annoying truth was that she could not bear another second of confinement. It was an awkward moment when the gentleman leaned over her and slid one arm under her legs and the other around her back. If not for the pain she felt upon his lifting her up she might have paid more attention to the strength of his arms and the feel of his firm chest as she lay against it. Instead she drew in her breath so as not to give away the discomfort she was in.

"It would be easier for me, Miss Bennet, if you would not be so stiff," said Mr Darcy.

Lizzy looked over his shoulder at Miss Bingley who had a decided smirk upon her face. 'She is taking pleasure at my indignity!' It reconfirmed her ill opinion of her hostess.

"I think you should put your arms about his neck, Miss Eliza - it will make it more comfortable for the both of you."

Mr Darcy glared at Miss Bingley. "There is no need," he said shortly, and strode from the room, carrying Lizzy as easily as if she were a bundle of laundry. Though what a gentleman would be doing carrying a bundle of laundry she had no idea.

All the way down the stairs she had to resist the temptation of putting her arms about his neck to stabilise herself from the jostling, but there was no way on earth she would give Miss Bingley the gratification of seeing her capitulate. Instead she tried not to think about how much more comfortable it would be, not to mention how it would feel to have her arms about Mr Darcy's admittedly attractive person. At one point, when his foot caught on the corner of the runner just about at the bottom of the staircase, Mr Darcy stumbled and she grabbed his shoulder for dear life.

He looked at her with alarm clearly written all over his face. "I will not drop you," was all he said, but she received the clear impression that the apprehension was more due to her sudden action than his fear of losing his cargo. She was happy when she was finally deposited upon a settee with a pillow securely under her knee and two more behind her back. Jane, who had been hovering by her during the whole procedure, drew a chair close and took her hand.

"Dearest Lizzy! I hope that was not too taxing for you."

She could hardly admit, even to her sister, that the most taxing part of the experience was having to endure the closeness of Mr Darcy, knowing all the while that he was exactly the wrong sort of man for her whilst wishing it were otherwise. His eyes, when seen from such a vantage point, were more fascinating than ever. The green was brilliant with dark streaks radiating from the pupils. They glittered like finely cut emeralds, only they were twice as hard. She could not help but wonder if he were as indifferent to her closeness as he had seemed or if he were masking his feelings as well as she had hidden her own. But she felt well protected by the recollection that even if he had experienced some measure of attraction his elevated station in life would prevent him from considering her as a target for his attentions. And she had no desire for his attentions. She wanted a man of more substance than he could possibly have. She wanted a man of wit and intellect, not some rich dilettante.

After everyone had greeted her and marvelled at her resilience and wished her well with the customary insincerity of social convention, the conversation that had been taking place upon her entrance resumed.

"Indeed brother," cried Mrs Hurst, "I do believe you jest when you say you are quite fixed here in Netherfield and nothing would move you. It cannot be - the country is so confined and unvarying - you will be chafing at the bit for the bright lights of London in a fortnight."

"Ah," said Caroline, "If Mr Darcy were to suggest he go tomorrow, he would."

"I resent the implication that I am flighty," cried Bingley. "There is much here in the country that I am not yet ready to leave, Darcy or no Darcy." He cast a very significant look in Jane's direction.

Jane blushed prettily and gave Lizzy an 'I told you so' glance, but Lizzy's suspicious mind pounced on the one phrase of his statement she was sure Jane had misinterpreted. That I am not yet ready to leave. In her mind this did not bode well at all, for it indicated that when he had taken his fill of Jane's attentions he would indeed leave, and without a backward look.

While she had been thinking these dark thoughts, the conversation had moved on to poetry and she heard Mr Darcy spout some fatuous nonsense about how poetry was the food of love, once more proving his ignorance.

"I had always supposed it music," said Lizzy.

"What music?" he asked, when he had come to the realisation that she was addressing him.

"The food of love," she returned, barely attempting to keep the scorn out of her voice. He was even thicker than she had supposed.

"Music," cried Caroline throwing up her hands in feigned delight. "What a wonderful suggestion. Louisa, will you do the honours?"

Louisa played a few country reels and then settled into a dignified French air.

"She has quite spoiled my fun," said Caroline. "Just when I had been hoping to convince Mr Darcy to dance a jig with me."

"I am certain he would be more at home with a cotillion, in any case," said Lizzy.

"You expect me to agree, no doubt, to prove that I am pretentious, but I shall answer that neither would tempt me as I am not inclined to dance at all."

"Mr Darcy! What an abominable thing to say," said Caroline. "Would you have us despise you for being so insufferable?"

"By all means."

"Miss Eliza! Is he not very shocking? We must punish him most severely for being so unchivalrous."

"I am sure there is much we could tease him of."

"Tease Mr Darcy? I would never dream of it," replied Caroline, her eyes twinkling with merriment. "You must know he has the calmest of tempers and such presence of mind! Besides he has no fault - he has owned so to me many a time."

"Indeed I have not, Miss Bingley, but I am quite accustomed to the fact that your first object in life is a joke."

"And you Miss Eliza," said Caroline. "Do you not also enjoy a good joke at the expense of a friend?"

"Certainly, but to joke without an object and leave him open to best us would not be satisfying. If he has no faults as you assert we must therefore find nothing in him to laugh at."

"I have faults as does any man," said Darcy, "but I pride myself that none of them are ridiculous."

Lizzy smirked. "Such vanity!"

"And," he added in an ominous voice, "I have an unyielding temper."

"Yes," said Caroline. "You would not want to lose his good opinion. Irreclaimable!"

"I do not think that is something I can laugh at," said Lizzy, choking on a giggle.

"Everyone has some defect. Yours, it seems, is to hate everybody of the ton."

"My goodness!" cried Caroline. "How could such a pleasant conversation fall into such misunderstanding? I would assume neither of you had a sense of humour if I did not know any better."

Mr Darcy then excused himself and removed to a desk in the corner of the room to write a letter. Lizzy was not sorry. She had already paid him too much attention and she did not want him getting any false ideas from it. But she had to admit to herself that she had wronged him once again. He was proving more astute than she had ever expected. She knew she had just witnessed him teasing Miss Bingley in a most subtle and underhanded way. She had expected Miss Bingley to follow him over to the desk and watch him write the letter - the girl was so obviously infatuated with him - but instead she remained where she was.

"Mr Darcy is writing to his sister," that lady confided. "He writes very long and detailed letters, but he does not do so with ease thus we must afford him the time without disruption. He is a very good brother. Pay no heed to my jokes about his unyielding temper - I was only attempting to garner an outrageous response from him. He is actually the sweetest fellow imaginable. And his sister too - she is a trifle shy but utterly kind and gracious. I do hope you may meet her soon, however she is not yet out and so he could not bring her with him on this visit."

Lizzy answered with a polite nothing. Miss Bingley was truly outside of enough, and besotted into the bargain. The sister was probably just as high-nosed and superficial as the brother. She glanced over at Mr Darcy again; in fact she could not keep her eyes from straying to whatever quarter of the room he was in for the rest of the day. In the evening Miss Bingley again persuaded him to carry her upstairs, and this time she did not scruple at putting her arms about his neck. As she lay down in her bed to sleep she had to admit that it had been a most pleasurable experience.

"Mr Darcy," cried Caroline when he had come downstairs after performing his errand of mercy, "are you not pleased with the way I have arranged everything?"

"To what can you possibly be referring?"

"Why, how I have managed to place Miss Eliza in your arms twice in one day!"

"It is a pleasure I can well do without," he responded.

"I had hoped it would bring the two of you together," she said with an affected pout.

"The more I see of her the more I am convinced that she is a shrew."

"She? Your behaviour today was deplorable."

"You try my patience, you really do. I pity my poor cousin to be stuck for eternity with you."

"My dear colonel!" cried Caroline. "How he would have enjoyed himself, watching you writhe under my machinations!"

"Come," said Darcy. "Let us call a truce. I bear you no ill will and truly I can swallow the company of Miss Eliza if only that it leaves her ministering sister with more time for Charles."

"They did get on well together, did they not?" Caroline smiled. "I think my poke at him about leaving on your say so really helped. He is so shy about showing his true feelings."

"Why he should feel any trepidation I have no idea," said Darcy. "The lady wears her heart upon her sleeve."

"But you know he does not fall in love easily, so it is no wonder that he is diffident. I am so pleased it has finally happened - I do not believe I could have chosen a better partner for him myself."

"You have a propensity for choosing partners for others. I would be glad if you were to recall that I, for one, prefer to chose my own."

"You prefer to do nothing of the sort. If I were not here to egg you on you would remain a bachelor until you were in your dotage."

"Well, my cousin beat me to the mark and proposed to you, so what is there left for me?" he asked, with a carefully held look of sorrow upon his face.

"Then you might as well join a monastery," was Caroline's parting shot.

The rest of the week passed in much the same manner. Lizzy attempted to intervene as much as possible in the flirtation between Mr Bingley and her sister, but she had to contend with the intrusive conversation of Miss Bingley and her own increased awareness of Mr Darcy's potential as a mate. On the last day she found herself stuck in the drawing room alone with him for half an hour, but she managed to spend the time concentrating with much effort upon her book, and was pleased with her success until she inadvertently noticed that she had chosen the second volume of the one that he himself was reading. After that she feared that he would think she was attempting to impress him with her intellect and taste. For the remainder of the day she ensured that her every utterance was inane.

Mr Jones arrived bright and early on Monday morning to inspect her knee. He was satisfied that the swelling had gone away completely and told her that she would be able to return home, but that she should use a cane and refrain from putting weight on the injured limb for another week at the very least. So Lizzy emerged from her chamber unassisted for the first time, but for her cane and Jane's arm under her other elbow for support. She had to admit that she missed her former mode of transportation and wondered if she would ever again have the good luck to be held in Mr Darcy's arms, to smell his warm, masculine scent, and to feel his heart beating in his chest so near to her own. She shook her head sadly. How foolish she had become in one short week.

Chapter Five

Mrs Bennet was in transports when her husband announced that they were to have a visitor for dinner that night. Her delighted squeals could be heard clear across to Lucas Lodge.

"It must be Mr Bingley!" she cried. "You have done your part well, dear Jane. But why does not Mr Darcy join him?" She looked askance at Lizzy, certain that her unapproachable behaviour had caused the other gentleman to decline the invitation.

"It is not Mr Bingley, but someone none of us have as yet met," said Mr Bennet, "though I do believe it is our daughters who bring this young gentleman forth." He appraised his wife complacently, waiting for the desired reaction. He was not to be disappointed.

"Whatever can you mean?" asked Mrs Bennet, her eyes glazing over at the thought of new prey for her girls. "You must tell me who it is - oh! This waiting is driving me to distraction!" She reached for her salts, which were never far from her grasp.

"It is my cousin Mr Collins to whom my estate is entailed." Mr Bennet enunciated his every word with great deliberation, watching how Mrs Bennet's face changed all the while. He could never tire of sporting with his dear wife, no matter how predictable she was.

Mrs Bennet threw up her hands in horror. "Do not talk to me of the entail - it gives me palpitations. Entails are the work of the devil! You ought long ago to have used your influence with the magistrate to set such a cruel and inhuman ordinance to rights!"

Mr Bennet winked at his second eldest daughter. Nothing any of them could say to their mother would convince her that the entail was not something that could be settled by greasing the right palm. "It seems he has some intention of making up for this miscarriage of justice through marriage to one of our daughters."

"What a very clever young man," cried Mrs Bennet, the whole aspect of her countenance changing. "I must go to cook at once to see if there is some fish to be got."

As Mrs Bennet hustled off to the kitchens screeching for Hill, Lizzy addressed her father. "Did he actually say as much in his letter to you? He cannot be an intelligent young man to do so without first having ensured that he liked one of us well enough to marry."

"I believe he is sufficiently intelligent," said her father. "He managed to intimate his intentions quite subtly, but I knew that the direct approach would work much better with your mother."

That evening when Mr Collins arrived the girls were quite disappointed to discover that he was rather short, very plain indeed, and had no flair for fashion. However he was amiable and intelligent and soon won the two older sisters over with his powers of conversation. He was a clergyman with a living in Kent. His patroness was a Lady who had a very high opinion of her stature and worth and he delighted Elizabeth with descriptions of her overbearing pomposity.

"But how can you stand to demean yourself in such a way as to be at the beck and call of a self imposed tyrant?" asked Lizzy.

"In every life there is a cross to bear," he answered with a deprecating smile. "In truth it is not so very bad, and I do believe I may be able to use her pride to the advantage of the parish. I feel my duty to my parishioners very strongly."

"So, you are not above utilising manipulation," said Lizzy with a knowing look.

"Not at all in the name of good," he replied, and then changed the subject in order to draw out Jane, who had been sitting quietly, as if in the middle of a daydream.

This act immediately put him in favour with Elizabeth. She saw that he was not only intelligent, but kind and compassionate, and that more than made up for his plainness in face and in figure. She began to see that he was the perfect match for her sister. Why she did not think of him for herself she attempted to ascribe to her own generosity of heart, but the annoying truth she had to admit was she was already half-smitten by a pair of vivid green eyes and a marvellous physique though she believed it did not house as laudable a nature as that of her cousin. Jane was not as base and shallow as she was turning out to be - Lizzy was certain of that. Jane's head would not be turned by looks alone. Surely Mr Collins' sense could override Mr Bingley's trivial physical charms. She determined to do as much as she could to forward her cousin's chances with Jane, and keep her sister away from the intoxicating influence of the flighty Mr Bingley. There was no future for her in that quarter but heartache.

The next morning all five sisters walked into Meryton with Mr Collins, and his attentions to Jane did not cease, much to Lizzy's delight. Jane herself appeared to be perfectly pleased to walk by his side and conversed with animation. Lizzy was thinking that everything was working out quite admirably when she saw both Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy ahead of them on horseback. She glanced quickly at Jane, whose face was overspread with a rosy blush, and groaned inwardly. She was just pondering how to prevent Mr Collins from losing his place at Jane's side to Mr Bingley and at the same time willing herself to ignore how fine Mr Darcy looked when seated upon a horse - and it was mighty fine indeed - when she noticed to whom the gentlemen were speaking. Her face drained of all colour. It had been four years since she had set eyes upon him, but there stood Mr Wickham - as dashing, debonair, and dastardly as ever. He noticed her at the same moment and his cheeks flushed a quick hot red, which he attempted to hide with a flourishing bow in her direction. She made the barest of curtsies in return.

Elizabeth could only be glad that Mary, Kitty, and Lydia had more pressing matters in mind than standing in the middle of the road conversing with all and sundry, and so after pleasantries were exchanged, mainly between Jane and Mr Bingley, they soon continued on to their Aunt Phillips' house, where the youngest girls had hopes to meet some of the officers. Mr Wickham, lacking regimentals, had not caught either Lydia or Kitty's attention, and all Mary could think of was the gothic novel that her aunt had promised to lend her.

What Kitty and Lydia were sadly unaware of was the fact that Mr Wickham had been worthy of a second look on their part as he was soon to be wearing a red coat in his new position as lieutenant. They wished they had paid more attention to him when they discovered from their Aunt Phillips that he was someone not entirely unknown to them. They would have to wait to become reacquainted, however, because he was not able to accept the Phillips' kind invitation for dinner the next night, having a previous engagement to dine along with his commanding officer at Netherfield.

After dinner, when the ladies had retired to the drawing room and the men were at their port, Darcy decided to surreptitiously question the newcomer on the interesting display he had witnessed the day before. Mr Wickham had anticipated him, however, and brought the subject up immediately himself.

"How well acquainted are you with the Bennet family?"

"I have been in this neighbourhood about a month," said Darcy, "so we have been in their company a number of times. Mr Bingley's sister has taken quite a liking to Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth and had them to stay for a week recently."

"They are very pretty girls," remarked Wickham, eyeing Darcy for his reaction to this comment.

Darcy only shrugged. "The eldest is a beauty. My friend is quite enamoured of her."

"And Miss Elizabeth?" asked Wickham.

"I could not help but notice the way you and she greeted each other," said Darcy evasively. "I take it there is a previous acquaintance."

"Indeed. I was at one time practically a member of her family."

"But she treated you with such cold disdain. She usually reserves such scorn for the likes of me."

"Scorn for a gentleman such as yourself? Whatever for?"

"I am too much the man of the Town. She holds my fortune in contempt and has decided that because I am wealthy I must also be a frivolous dilettante." Darcy attempted to keep the edge of bitterness from his voice but could not quite manage it.

Wickham quickly hid a smile. "I see that she hasn't changed," he said, shaking his head. "She has always flaunted her erroneous opinions, to the detriment of many. I have suffered greatly because of her spiteful words."

Darcy looked at him consideringly. "You said before that you had practically been a member of her family. Did she foil your suit with her sister?" Previously he had ascribed Miss Bennet's becoming blushes to the sight of Mr Bingley, now he thought there might be some other explanation.

"Nothing of that sort," answered Mr Wickham, quick to correct him. "It is a long, rather pathetic tale and I would not want to bore you with it."

"You are not boring me in the least," Darcy assured him. "Miss Bingley and I are in disagreement about Miss Elizabeth's merit and I would be most pleased to be able to inform her that she has grossly misread that lady's character."

"I do not say this to complain, or to seek your pity, you understand," said Wickham, "but only to try and satisfy your interest in the subject. The young lady has very insidious ways and I would not like to see someone like yourself caught up in her machinations."

"She has no power over me," replied Darcy with a laugh.

"I am relieved to hear that," said Wickham. "She is very adept at breaking hearts. I speak from experience. I was very young and impressionable when I first met her, and though she was herself so much younger still, she was no innocent when it came to manipulating emotions.

"My father, Sir Arnold Wickham, had been an old friend of Mr Bennet. When I was born I was made his godson. My father was a good man, but easily distracted by the delights that abound in London. His knighthood went to his head and he was catered to by ivory turners, who soon won his fortune from him. He died in the poorhouse. I was but fifteen.

"My inheritance lost, Mr Bennet took me in and as he had no son he moulded me for the job of managing his estates. I applied myself to my studies with zeal. When not at school I resided with the family and came to care very much for Miss Elizabeth above all others, though how that little minx played with my affections you can only imagine. One day it was as if I were the light of her life, the next she would have none of me. Finally, four years ago, I finished my studies and returned with the hopes of stewardship and possibly, when my beloved was a little older, marriage. I had acquired some town bronze with which I had foolishly hoped to impress her. Instead she decided that I was a fribble and a wastrel and convinced her father that I had picked up my unfortunate parent's penchant for gambling. As much as I respect my esteemed godfather, I have to admit that he lives in her pocket. Nothing I could say in my defence would convince him that she was wrong. Instead of the stewardship I was to be fobbed off on her Uncle Phillips as a clerk. My pride prevented me from accepting the position. I left to try and make my own way in the world and I have not been back into Hertfordshire till a twist of fate led me to join the militia."

"I had not thought her quite so hardhearted," said Darcy, thinking back on all his past dealings with Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Had she ever tried to turn him up sweet? Was she attempting to play him like a squeaky fiddle? If so, she would find her new adversary had much more mettle than this beleaguered patsy.

"And at such a very young age," Wickham added sadly. "I thought I was completely over her, but when I saw Miss Elizabeth yesterday the hurt was as fresh as when I was one and twenty."

"You have my sympathy," said Darcy wondering what he would do if the poor man burst into tears before his eyes. "And I promise that all you have said will go no further than me."

"You may tell Miss Bingley, of course," said Wickham in a muffled voice as his arm was now in front of his face. Darcy supposed he was hiding his tears, but Wickham's eyes were as dry as could be and shining with satisfaction. "To protect her from such false friendship," he added, taking a swift glance at Darcy's troubled countenance from between his fingers.

"But. Miss Jane Bennet? Are we to still trust in her?"

"Miss Bennet is an angel," said Wickham. "Your friend Bingley is safe with her. In fact it would be much to her benefit to be out of her sister's orbit."

Darcy was well pleased with his new friend. Though the fellow was a bit of a wet blanket to have been led around by the nose by the likes of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, he had given him some good ammunition with which to diffuse Miss Bingley's incomprehensible campaign to connect himself with the insolent chit. He felt it was his duty to assist the young lieutenant in discovering a lady who would appreciate his relative worth and heal his obviously shattered heart. He thought that Miss Lucas might do, and if he put a flea in Miss Bingley's ear about making a match in that direction she might well leave him in peace for a space.

Chapter Six

"We will be sure to invite Miss Lucas too," said Caroline sweetly, "but why do you not come to Longbourn with my brother and me?"

"I have no wish to see anyone at Longbourn," said Darcy shortly. "I have some very important correspondence to attend to, besides."

Caroline knew that if Mr Darcy said this, it must be true, for he was not of a deceitful nature.

"Then I shall be sure to extend your apologies to Miss Eliza."

"There is no need, as you well know. Two more indifferent persons could not exist."

Caroline smirked. "Your attitude is so adamantly against her it could hardly be termed indifferent."

"With what we now know of her I find it difficult to comprehend why you cannot leave go of your little games."

"But Mr Darcy, we must keep an open mind on all things. We have only a jilted lover's account - how reliable can that possibly be?"

Darcy gave her a scornful glance and left the room. Caroline only giggled and drew on her gloves. He was so completely predictable!

It would be untruthful to say that everyone at Longbourn was delighted to receive the invitation to the Netherfield ball. To Mr Bennet the ball meant a night of more noise and bustle than he cared to endure. There would be interesting enough moments, no doubt, but he would have no library to withdraw to when indulging in the foibles of his company began to pall. For Lizzy it meant more time spent in the company of a gentleman she was determined to avoid. And she had to admit that she would be in a fever of apprehension the entire time, wondering whether or not Mr Darcy would ask her to dance and how she would answer him if he did. What was most annoyingly true was that she knew deep down that she wanted him to ask her above all things and there was no question as to her answer. She did not have to worry about who would stand up with her in the first two dances, however. Her cousin had already petitioned her for those, and though she would have preferred that he had asked Jane, she was somewhat mollified that he had organised with her older sister to dance the next two.

It rained interminably the following four days. This would indeed have been enough to throw all the young Bennet girls into fits of the dismals but for the entertaining company of Mr Collins. He did not have a red coat, to be sure, and calling him handsome would have been a stretch of even the strongest imagination, but he kept Lydia and Kitty in stitches with his impressions of his esteemed patroness. Even Mary was lured away from the pages of her gothic romance to watch him parade royally around the room with his nose in the air, a shawl of Lydia's wrapped about his shoulders. She had never imagined a parson could be so droll.

The Tuesday of the ball dawned fair again, with promises for a clear sky at night to allow the full moon to light their way to and from Netherfield. As Lizzy prepared for the evening out, she couldn't help but be concerned that Mr Wickham would be attending. When she'd seen him in Meryton, he had been with the Netherfield party. Later, at her Aunt Pillips', she had discovered that he had joined the local militia. She wondered if any of those people had the least idea who they were dealing with. She had asked her father if he thought they should warn Colonel Forster about Wickham's dangerous predilections, but he said that Colonels were used to policing their troops and would hardly relish the interference. As for the Netherfield party, he reasoned that if they couldn't judge the man's character, they deserved whatever befell them.

Her father was being typically indolent, and she would have been perfectly comfortable with that if it were not for the fact that he did not know the whole truth about Wickham. But if she could not bring herself to disclose her entire history with Wickham to her father, it was beyond imagining that she would even let a hint of it out to Colonel Forster. Indeed, she and her family had found out about him the hard way, why should anyone else get off better than they? She shrugged away the small twinges of guilt that assailed her and instead concentrated on how she would deal with him should he choose to confront her. Not dancing with him was an easy decision to arrive at - actually not even talking to him seemed eminently sensible.

If Lizzy had thought they were crowded in the carriage on the way to the Meryton assembly, then she could not even think of a word suitable to describe the condition they now found themselves in, with the two gentleman, Mr Collins and her father, added to their number. She was all but sitting upon Jane's lap and Kitty and Lydia were hanging halfway out the windows. Mr Collins was crushed against the far wall, attempting not to sneeze as the feathers from Mrs Bennet's elaborate turban brushed against his nose. It was the longest three miles Lizzy had ever been driven. When she finally extricated herself from the coach she had a crick in her neck and one of her feet was numb. She looked up at the glittering windows of the mansion and was dismayed to notice that Mr Darcy was at the embrasure gazing down upon them and must have witnessed the entire mortifying scene as her family exploded from their confines.

Her mother soon set to straightening gowns and tidying hairstyles with all her usual animadversions. When all was arranged to her liking she took her husband's arm and moved regally towards the entrance. Footmen, who had almost fallen asleep in the interim, jumped to attention and opened the grand doors. Caroline exhibited every indication of being pleased to see them and Bingley grinned shyly at Jane. After his sister had jostled his side with her elbow a time or two, he asked Jane if she were free for the first two dances. She assented with such eagerness that Lizzy almost groaned.

As they entered the ballroom they were joined by Charlotte, who had not had an opportunity to visit with them since Mr Collins' arrival. Introductions were quickly made and Collins lost no time in securing Charlotte's hand for the third set. It seemed he was a gentleman who knew exactly how to make the most of his time at a ball. Lizzy looked around as her cousin and her friend conversed. She could not see Wickham anywhere and the feeling of apprehension that had been building inside of her all day dissipated.

"Looking for someone?" asked Charlotte in a teasing voice. "He is in discussion with the orchestra, I believe."

Lizzy's insides jolted and she looked in the direction her friend had indicated. It was not Wickham, but Mr Darcy who was talking with the conductor. She realised instantly that Charlotte knew nothing about Mr Wickham, and she blushed deeply at how Charlotte would now think she had given herself away. The blush, of course, only did more to confirm Charlotte's mistaken assumption.

"That is not who I was looking for," she responded shortly, attempting to calm her racing nerves. The sight of Mr Darcy in evening dress was not something to be taken lightly. Her cousin eyed her suspiciously as she strove for nonchalance.

"Who then?" asked Charlotte wickedly. "Mrs Long?" She then turned to Mr Collins and winked. "Lizzy is quite infatuated with Mr Darcy, though she would be the very last person to admit it."

"I recall meeting him in the street the day we walked into Meryton," said Mr Collins. "I thought the name was familiar at the time, and now it has come to me. He is the nephew of my patroness."

"Lady Catherine the Bore!" cried Lizzy. "Yes, I quite see the resemblance."

"Her nose is just as aquiline, but a little higher in the air despite the fact that he is a full foot taller than her. Other than that . . . is he given to recounting the amount of windows on the façade of his stately home?"

"I would not put it past him - he is completely frivolous."

"And you have such a serious nature," her cousin said agreeably. "Well, it does not matter how much Miss Lucas should tease you about the gentleman, if his aunt has her way he will be leg-shackled to his cousin soon enough."

"He is engaged to his cousin?" Lizzy felt quite faint.

"In Lady Catherine's mind, certainly. I am not in Miss Anne de Bourgh's confidence. You could, of course, ask the gentleman yourself."

Charlotte giggled and announced that it was such a waste. Lizzy made no comment. The music struck up at that moment and Mr Collins led her out for the first set. He danced divinely for such a short man, but her enjoyment in the evening was lost. All she could think about was that Mr Darcy was betrothed and yet he had not breathed a word of it to anyone in the neighbourhood. What type of deception was he playing at, puffing himself off as a marriageable man and raising the hopes of every young lady present?

"We issued invitations to all the officers, did we not Charles?" asked Caroline. "Then where is that flashy Lieutenant Wickham?"

"Captain Denny tells me that he had to go to London upon urgent business."

"Business!" said Darcy. "It is plain to see that he is avoiding Miss Elizabeth. He is a broken man."

"I never thought you quite so gullible," said Caroline, shaking her head at him.

"You did not hear it from him," said Darcy. "There was truth in his every expression. She treated him abominably."

"Well, I plan to reserve judgement until I know more," said Caroline. "Did Miss Bennet mention anything to you Charles?"

"Hmmm?" asked Bingley who had been gazing at an apparition in blue upon the dance floor. "Yes . . . Miss Bennet is indeed an angel."

"No," said Caroline, taking hold of her brother's face and swivelling it around to get his full attention. "Did she say anything to you about Mr Wickham?"

"She said that he was her father's ward or godson or something," said Charles with obvious lack of interest. "They had some sort of falling out and he went away. According to her, Miss Elizabeth was not involved in the matter."

Caroline looked at Darcy, her eyebrow raised, a most pronounced smirk upon her face.

"Of course she would say that to protect her sister," cried Darcy. "It proves nothing. I'll continue to think as I chose to think."

"You usually do," said Caroline. "Now go off and dance. If I am not mistaken, Miss Eliza has no partner."

"Neither does Miss Lucas," said Darcy. "I will ask her."

Together they walked towards the two ladies, but just as they arrived at the ladies' sides, Mr Collins returned from dancing with Jane and led Charlotte to the floor, right in front of Darcy's nose. Darcy turned to Jane hurriedly, but Bingley was already there, speaking to her most intently.

"Miss Elizabeth," cried Caroline. "Mr Darcy and I have walked all this way across the floor so that he could petition you for a dance, is that not so, Mr Darcy?"

Darcy cast her a darkling look and then turned to Elizabeth. "I would be honoured," he said stiffly.

Elizabeth nodded her acceptance and gave him her hand. They took their places in the set and began to dance in silence. After a few moments, when Elizabeth was finally able to master her voice, she said, "It is a lovely ball."

"Do you think so?" he answered. "I find it like any other. Cramped and overheated, and such a cacophony of sound it is difficult to keep step to the music or even hear oneself think."

"You do not like balls in general, sir?" she asked. "Or is it just countrified ones that set up your back?"

"My attitude towards the country is not as harsh as you would have it. I suppose I am in no humour for a ball at the moment."

Lizzy smiled stiffly and attended to the figures of the dance. He was just as arrogant as she had previously thought, and yet she was still overwhelmingly attracted to him. It was absurd. When the dance brought them together again, she decided she must say something, for to dance in solemn silence would appear singular.

"Do you often ride to Meryton?"

"Occasionally," he replied. "I made a new acquaintance there the other day when I saw you last."

"Mr Wickham," said Lizzy. Though she had not intended on warning Mr Darcy against the man, she could not help but continue with, "He makes new friends with great ease. Keeping them is another matter."

"He was unfortunate enough to lose your friendship."

"I have no wish to discuss it."

"I should not have expected you to," he replied with disdain.

Lizzy looked up at him, wondering what lies Wickham was spreading. She was tempted to ask Mr Darcy, but his expression was very forbidding.

At that moment Sir William, in the process of crossing the floor, congratulated them on their dancing. "Capital, capital - it is rare to witness such refinement." He leaned close to Mr Darcy and added in a carrying whisper. "Your friend has made quite a conquest - the young buck! And I see you have chosen yourself a prime filly too."

It was then that Darcy realised the gentleman was a trifle overtaken. Too much wine and a weak head were a poor combination. Luckily Sir William saw someone across the room that he wished to talk to and meandered away.

"What were we speaking of?" he asked, hoping that Elizabeth had not heard the souse's suggestive comments.

Lizzy was still reeling in shock from what she had overheard. How dared these men think they could dally with Jane and herself just because they were simple country maidens! "I don't think we had two words to say to each other, " she replied shortly.

It was a relief for both of them when the dance ended. He was furious with her dismissal of Wickham and it was a long time before his temper improved. He strode about in the garden for at least half an hour to collect himself. She recovered sooner, knowing full well who really deserved the brunt of her anger.

For the rest of the evening, Lizzy ensured that Jane was not alone with Mr Bingley. Her mother was obnoxiously loud as usual and her sisters were flirting like mad with the officers, and she relished it. She even urged Mary to play and sing something slow and solemn - anything to make her family look appalling in the eyes of the Bingleys. She wanted the friendship at an end and her dear Jane safe from Mr Bingley's philandering heart. And she desperately needed to free herself of the intoxicating feeling that the very sight of Mr Darcy kindled within her. When she asked her father to order the carriage as early as politeness allowed, he was game as a pebble. He had been longing for the solitude of his study for half the night - even the novelty of conversing with Mr Hurst was not enough to induce him to stay a moment longer than necessary.

Chapter Seven

Posted on Tuesday, 28 March 2006

The morning after the ball Elizabeth found herself alone in the drawing room with her cousin.

He approached her hesitantly and said with some diffidence, “I have something of a very particular nature to discuss with you Cousin Elizabeth.”

Lizzy blushed and turned her face away. ‘Please,’ she thought. ‘Please do not let this be what I think it is. Jane is the one he should be asking. Jane, not me.’

But the annoying truth was that it was neither Lizzy nor even Jane who Mr Collins wished to marry. It wasn’t a Bennet girl at all – gone was the answer to Mrs Bennet’s hopes for redemption from the hedgerows.

Though Lizzy had not managed to articulate much of anything, Mr Collins felt emboldened to continue with his declaration.

“I am not a quixotic man, and never act on impulse – you must believe this, cousin,” he said, still leaving her totally at sea as to the purport of his utterances. “I came here to Longbourn with a goal in mind – a goal that I was not averse at all in achieving particularly once I had met you specifically. I know, however, that you will in no way be hurt by what I am about to disclose because your inclination did not follow mine. Your attempts to match me with Cousin Jane were quite blatant and would have amused me had I not realised that, though misguided, you were acting out of desperation for the welfare of your sister.”

Lizzy managed to find her voice now. “But Jane is such a beautiful and sweet angel – how could you possibly not want to marry her?”

“Two reasons, dear Elizabeth,” he said gently. “I am more attracted to ladies of a vivacious nature, and I have not the least interest in making love to a girl who has lost her heart to another.”

“But Mr Bingley is unworthy of Jane’s love. Besides what Jane is suffering from is merely infatuation. If you were to marry her I am certain a bond of true and stolid love would build between you.”

“I do not want stolid love, Cousin,” whispered Mr Collins. “I want the moon and the stars and all the planets. This is what I am trying to tell you. I found just such a love last night.”

Lizzy’s eyes widened. “Charlotte!” she cried.

“Yes,” he admitted. “Miss Lucas has stolen my heart and I am happy to say that I have taken illegal possession of hers as well.”

“It cannot be!” cried Lizzy. “How could my best friend turn my family such an underhanded trick? Please, Cousin, say you do not mean this! If you will not have Jane, why not set your sights upon Mary?”

“I had thought to have you, Elizabeth, not Jane, nor Mary, nor Kitty, nor Lydia. If I had asked for your hand, and you had refused me, which is what I am convinced would have taken place, please believe that I would not have shifted my interest to one of your sisters. That would have been the act of an unfeeling buffoon. If I had not met my sweet Charlotte I would have returned to Hunsford unbetrothed and laid aside the idea of marriage for quite some time, much to the severe disappointment of my illustrious patroness.”

“Are you saying that you and Charlotte . . .”

“Yes Elizabeth, I am. I proposed to her last night when we slipped out onto the terrace and she accepted. Please say that you are happy for us. If this is how you, my friend, react then what am I to expect from your mother, who had accepted me into her house only because she expected me to choose one of her daughters?”

Elizabeth could not help but feel completely betrayed by Charlotte, but she hid her spleen and congratulated her cousin, then entered into the discussion of what was really pressing upon his mind – how to break his news to her parents. She couldn’t positively predict her father’s reaction, but her mother, she was certain, would throw every kind of fit and want Mr Collins tossed out of Longbourn upon his ear.

Mr Bennet took the news of Mr Collins’ engagement very philosophically.

“I am certain you girls did all you could to capture the gentleman for yourselves,” he said. “A pity that no one took into consideration the variable of Miss Lucas and her compound charms.”

“Miss Lucas’ charms indeed!” cried Mrs Bennet with much vigour for someone who was lying prostrate upon a divan. “I’ll wager she stayed on the shelf all these years just waiting for the opportunity to stab us in the back in this very manner. The Lucases have always coveted Longbourn. Many a time I’ve watched Lady Lucas and Charlotte with avarice gleaming from their eyes as they gazed upon all our possessions! It is the ultimate of treachery after I treated that girl just like one of my own daughters!”

“Which daughter was that, pray?” asked her husband, enjoying himself vastly. If not for the niggling concern about how his family would fare if he were to drop dead immediately, he would be applauding all the Lucases for their audacious coup. For, if his wife was to be believed in the least little bit, audacity had played a major part in the entire affair. “I do not suppose you lavished as much attention upon Charlotte Lucas as you do Lydia, and you have never quite extolled her beauty in the way you extol Jane’s. It must be that you neglected her as much as you do the other three.”

“Mr Bennet! How can you say such things! Neglect my girls! Oh, what has all that to do with anything? You must find Mr Collins directly and insist that he give up this engagement and make good the bargain he made with us. Lizzy has obstinately refused to encourage Mr Darcy’s attentions so she shall do nicely for him.”

Mr Bennet could not help looking at his second daughter and raising an eyebrow. “Mr Darcy was paying you attentions?”

Lizzy blushed. If only it truly were the case. “In my mother’s dreams,” she answered with the same level of sarcasm her father had used.

“Mr Bennet!” cried his good lady, thrusting a bottle of hartshorn under her nose and breathing deeply. “If you do not this minute make the effort to convince your perfidious cousin of his duty to his family, the very foundations of civilised society, and even the empire itself, I shall never speak to you again!”

“Is that a promise, my dear?”

“And if you do not manage to change his mind I shall speak drivel incessantly for the rest of our married life!”

“’Tis as I feared,” said Mr Bennet sorrowfully, for he had no intention of broaching the subject with his cousin at all. “Nothing will change.”

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