Page 27 of The Heroic Mr Darcy's Bad Manners
When they returned home in the evening, Jane was sad she had missed Mr Bingley. He had visited to offer the Bennet family an invitation to a ball on the twenty-sixth of November. Mrs Bennet immediately concluded that a proposal was imminent and ordered Jane a new dress whilst her sisters had to manage with the ones from the assembly.
Chapter 9 Faithful Wounds
A week of incessant rain had prevented everyone in the Bennet household from venturing out of doors. Fortunately, the weather cleared in time for the ball. Mr Collins had requested Elizabeth’s first set, and her mother’s scowls had prevented her from rejecting him. It was of no matter because this was Jane’s night, and Elizabeth was only glad he had not asked for her eldest sister’s first set instead. It was to be hoped that Mr Bingley would have that honour.
Netherfield looked splendid, illuminated by torches. Upon entry, Elizabeth had to acknowledge that Miss Bingley had created a wonderful ball with enough light and exquisite flower arrangements. In that, she much resembled her mother—a comparison that the lady would not relish, so Elizabeth kept her opinion to herself.
Mr Bingley greeted them jovially until he set eyes on Jane. After that, his general incivility to the rest of her family was easily forgiven. He engaged Jane for the first set and spoke hardly a word to anyone else. Elizabeth felt confident that it was impossible he would leave her sister in a hurry, despite having threatened to quit Netherfield on a whim…
The musicians tuned their instruments, and Mr Collins came to claim his set. Elizabeth suffered the embarrassing half hour with grace and disregarded Miss Bingley’s snickers. It was not her fault that the parson lacked proficiency, and she kept her chin raised until the ordeal was over. She curtseyed to Mr Collins and sought the more pleasant company of Charlotte. But she did not find her friend before Captain Denny requested the next set.
By fortune she had not encountered Mr Darcy thus far, and she wondered whether he might have returned to town. His presence had not been missed in the receiving line, and she had not seen hide nor hair of him since they arrived. Elizabeth chided herself for thinking about Mr Darcy, as any thoughts aboutthatgentleman were quite unwelcome, and she had so far enjoyed the ball with the exception of her set with Mr Collins.
Elizabeth danced with two more officers before she managed to find Charlotte. But she was immediately importuned by the ever-present Mr Collins.
“May I have the supper set, Miss Elizabeth?”
“Mr Collins!” Elizabeth was of no mind to raise the kind of questions dancing two significant sets with an eligible gentleman would induce. She turned to her friend. “Charlotte, may I introduce my cousin, Mr Collins?” At her slight nod, she continued, “Sir, Miss Lucas is my most estimable friend and daughter of the knight, Sir William Lucas, who frequents St James’s.”
“Good Lord, a knight you say? He is not a peer, but I am sure Lady Catherine would be most displeased if I slighted such an elegant lady. Would you do me thegreathonour of your hand for the next set, Miss Lucas?”
And thus, Elizabeth neatly convinced Mr Collins that Charlotte was an excellent partner. She would have to beg the forgiveness of her friend on the morrow and offer her a salve to restore her sore feet.
Elizabeth smiled to herself and regarded Charlotte, who had engaged her cousin in a lively conversation. She would gladly leave it to her friend to entertain even the most ignorant fool for all eternity.
“May I have the honour of your next free set, Miss Bennet?”
Elizabeth jolted out of her pleasant reveries and stared unblinkingly at Mr Darcy. He must have thought she was someone else because he looked at her with a stunned expression on his face. If she had not been in such a predicament, she would have laughed, but it was the supper set that was about to commence, and the last thing she wanted was to partner Mr Darcy through the meal. Yet, her mind was not cooperating. Staring into his deep ocean-blue eyes robbed her of her ability to think clearly, and all that was left was to acquiesce.
“I have the first set after supper free, Mr Darcy.” For some inexplicable reason, his eyes widened at his own name, which could not come as a surprise to him. The man was exceedingly puzzling in addition to devilishly vexing. Unabashed, he continued to stare at her, and before he gathered the wherewithal for conversation, Elizabeth dipped into a curtsey.
“Excuse me, my mother is calling for me.”
Elizabeth hastened across the floor, barely escaping bumping into several dancers, and made for the protection of her mother. She was regaling a group of matrons about the fortune of her dear Jane, who was currently dancing her second set with Mr Bingley. She immediately turned her attention to her second eldest daughter in lieu of her friends.
“What did the disagreeable Mr Darcy want? Pray tell me you did not agree to dance with him.” Mrs Bennet scowled at the now vacant spot Mr Darcy had just occupied.
“He left me no choice, Mama,” Elizabeth admitted with chagrin. “But I do feel the twinge of a headache coming on. May I have the carriage to convey me home?”
Her mother rose and escorted Elizabeth to an empty balcony.
“That may prove difficult,” Mrs Bennet admitted ruefully. “I may have ordered the coachman to park our conveyance where it would be certain to be the last to leave.”
“I could walk,” Elizabeth offered.
“In the dead of night? I think not.” Her mother frowned and shivered. “It is too cold out here, Lizzy. I cannot become ill because I have invited Mr Bingley to dine with us on Saturday.”
“But that is only five days hence. I understood Mr Bingley must away on business to town on the morrow,” Elizabeth protested whilst being hauled back inside.
“Mr Bingley assured me that he would be away for but a day. As for your conundrum with Mr Darcy, I suggest you hide in the library before the set begins.”
“Excellent suggestion, Mama. It would not be embarrassing at all should he discover me there!”
“There is always the attic,” Mrs Bennet mused before she loosened the fierce grip on her daughter’s arm. Mr Bingley and Jane were approaching, and Elizabeth was immediately forgotten.
Mrs Bennet continued to flatter Mr Bingley, who bore the incessant praise with composed poise. Jane looked radiantly happy to have been singled out, and her smile was more brilliant than ever. Supper was announced, and on their way to the dining room, she insisted that Elizabeth sit with them since she had no partner. Elizabeth acquiesced because Mr Bingley, as master of the house, would be seated at the opposite end of the room to Miss Bingley, who had secured Mr Darcy as her dinner partner.
Miss Bingley chose Lady Lucas, as the lady first in rank, to show the way for the guests, and her mother as the second. It was not ideal that her mother would sit close by the lady of the house, prone as she was to drawing hasty conclusions. It had not escaped Elizabeth’s notice that her mama had already announced Jane’s engagement to Mr Bingley as a certainty when she had interrupted her tête-à-tête with Meryton’s matrons. Mrs Bennet was currently conversing with Lady Lucas, and judging by Miss Bingley’s scowls in her direction, their topic was unpalatable to their host. Mr Bingley chose Sir William as the highest-ranking gentleman, who offered to escort Elizabeth to the table.
