Chapter 10
Bingley welcomed the Bennets enthusiastically, smiling at Jane, who flushed under his admiring gaze.
As soon as she stepped down, Elizabeth observed Darcy standing behind Bingley. She caught his gaze and shivered, blaming the cold weather. He leaned his head slightly towards her and she replied with a little smile.
“Mr Bingley, I cannot thank you enough for inviting me,” Mr Collins bowed low, grinning widely. “And Mr Darcy, how fortunate to see you! I am in the favourable position to inform you that I left Rosings yesterday and Lady Catherine was in perfect health.”
“Thank you for informing me, sir,” Darcy replied briefly.
“It is my pleasure, I assure you. Her ladyship was surprised that you were still in Hertfordshire,” Mr Collins added.
“As I am surprised to see you returned so soon, Mr Collins. Did Lady Catherine not need your assistance?”
“I truly hope she does, Mr Darcy, but she generously allowed me to come. In fact, she insisted on my doing so…”
“We should enter. It is very cold,” Mr Bingley stopped Collins’ effusions.
“Yes, yes, let us go inside. I could easily catch another cold! Mr Collins, come. What do you think of Netherfield? Is it not a handsome manor?” Mrs Bennet asked.
“Is it indeed, ma’am. It does not have quite as many staircases as Rosings, but it is very handsome!” Mr Collins declared.
“Well, too many stairs can be tiresome,” Mrs Bennet said and Mr Collins quickly argued with such a preposterous notion. Nothing related to Rosings could ever be tiresome!
The group entered, led by Bingley and Jane.
Darcy remained behind, maintaining as much distance from Collins as possible. To his utter surprise, Elizabeth slowed her steps, waited for him, then walked by his side.
“Mr Darcy, I must take this brief moment to thank you again for saving us,” Elizabeth said.
“Miss Bennet, I am glad we are all well after that… escapade. Nothing else matters,” he replied. She glanced at him and smiled.
“And we owe that to you.”
“Please do not mention it again,” he pleaded with embarrassment.
By that time, they were already in the main hall, where Caroline and Louisa greeted the Bennets loudly and most insincerely.
“Very well, I shall do as you wish. But be warned that my mother is not as easy to convince and she looks forward to thanking you. You must allow us to repay you somehow,” she teased him in a low voice.
He sighed with mock despair and she released a peal of laughter as their eyes met briefly.
Seeing Darcy in full light, Elizabeth’s smile turned into a frown. He was pale and dark circles surrounded his eyes, making his countenance cold and severe, opposite to the warmth in his gaze.
“My mother has felt rather ill from a cold in the past few days; she only recovered yesterday. You are well, I hope?” Elizabeth attempted the delicate question.
“I am well, thank you for your care. And I am glad that Mrs Bennet is recovered,” Darcy replied.
“My dear Mr Bingley, what a lovely house you have,” Mr Collins’ voice startled them. “Miss Bingley, Mrs Hurst, I deeply appreciate you inviting me. I can already see it will be a wonderful ball!”
“Thank you, sir. Please do enter. I can see other guests are coming,” Caroline said with barely concealed rudeness.
The Bennets moved towards the ballroom, while Mr Bingley remained with his sisters to greet the new arrivals.
More guests came in a short amount of time and soon the ballroom was crowded and noisy. Colonel Forster arrived with all the officers, much to the ladies’ enjoyment. Small groups were formed, conversations started, and the musicians took their places.
All the families of consequence in Meryton were there, and even some from beyond.
Soon enough, Mr Bingley joined them again and asked Jane for the first set and Elizabeth for the second.
Darcy still kept away, searching for a comfortable spot in a secluded corner of the room.
Caroline Bingley attempted to speak to him but he cut her short.
Then Sir William, Mr Collins and Colonel Forster all greeted him and attempted to converse with him, but he only replied briefly, changing his spot to avoid the company.
While Bingley engaged Jane in small talk, Elizabeth allowed them privacy and retired, leaning against the wall.
She looked for Charlotte and spotted her across the room, talking to Mr Collins.
Charlotte seemed strangely preoccupied with the discussion, and Elizabeth wondered if it was about Rosings or Lady Catherine.
She walked along the wall, looking around, until she passed Darcy, who stood alone and lonely by the window.
Their eyes met and she slowed her steps; he looked pale and distant as always, and she was sure he was employing his time criticising people and despising the ball itself.
Hero or not, friendly or not, his pride and haughtiness were not easy to change.
He unexpectedly smiled at her; she flushed, smiled back and stopped.
“Miss Bennet.”
“Mr Darcy.” As they were now facing each other, he looked even paler and she watched him with concern. “Sir, are you well?”
“I am, thank you. I am only looking for a bit of peace and solitude,” he replied. “But it is not easy to find in the middle of a party.”
“True. Forgive me, I shall leave. I did not mean to interrupt your solitary reverie.”
“You did not; quite the contrary. I am grateful for your concern but it is not needed.”
“I am glad to hear that. Forgive me, but you look unwell.”
He forced a smile. “I am sorry you think so. I was hoping to look dashing enough to convince you to accept my request. But I am afraid I will have to face another failure.”
His attempt at teasing surprised Elizabeth and made her cheeks turn crimson.
She stared at him in disbelief.
“What request would that be, sir?”
“Well, I have given much consideration to our earlier conversation and I have decided how you can thank me, if you truly want to,” Darcy said in a teasing tone that surprised and exhilarated Elizabeth.
“Indeed? Do tell me!”
“Would you do me the honour of dancing a set with me? Perhaps the first one, if you are not otherwise engaged? Or I would be happy with any other set that is preferable to you.”
The invitation surprised Elizabeth even more, and its implication left her silent and bewildered.
That Darcy asked her to dance was astonishing enough.
But the first set? Surely he must be aware of the implication of such a request. Was he being serious or was he still teasing her?
She stared at him for a long moment and in her hesitation, frowned at him.
He had been sure of her acceptance and suddenly it appeared he had to face rejection.
“Miss Bennet?”
Lost in shared misunderstanding and amazement, neither noticed Wickham approaching, until he called Elizabeth’s name for a second time.
“Miss Bennet?”
“What?” she asked in an unladylike manner, then quickly gathered her composure.
“Mr Wickham…” She smiled and curtseyed.
“Forgive me, I hope I am not disturbing you?” he continued, with a most charming smile. Both he and Darcy were struggling to ignore each other.
“Actually, Mr Darcy and I were in the middle of an important discussion,” she said, hoping Wickham would leave. Instead, he grinned.
“I came to ask for the favour of the first set. And perhaps another one later,” Wickham continued with self-confidence.
Elizabeth breathed deeply; she had imagined the purpose of Wickham’s approach, but his friendly manners made her uneasy. There was no hesitation in his tone, as he surely expected a ready acceptance.
She put a proper smile on her face. “I would be glad to dance the third set with you, if that is agreeable.”
Wickham was slightly surprised but he reluctantly replied, “Excellent, thank you.” And yet, he remained near her, prolonging the awkward situation.
“If you do not mind, Mr Darcy and I must finish our earlier conversation before the dance starts,” Elizabeth addressed Wickham, with determination combined with such sweetness that she left him no choice.
“Oh…I see…Yes, of course,” he mumbled, then took a few steps away, joining his fellow officers.
Only then did Elizabeth turn to Darcy, who had been a silent spectator to the whole scene.
They looked at each other. His expression was severe, his eyes darkened and his pallor had increased. Wickham’s nearness appeared to be disturbing for him and his efforts to bear it were obvious.
“I am already engaged for the first two sets. The first one to my cousin, Mr Collins, the second one to Mr Bingley,” Elizabeth explained.
Their conversation was perfectly proper in a room full of people, but a strange nervousness stirred Elizabeth inside.
“I see,” Darcy responded with such apparent disappointment that Elizabeth’s heart raced.
“Would the supper dance be convenient?” she offered, feeling her cheeks burning at such a bold attempt. Had another woman already proposed the set to Mr Darcy, she wondered?
His face brightened immediately.
“Perfect,” he replied briefly. He hesitated to speak further, and she was again puzzled by his apparent uneasiness.
“Miss Bennet, there is another thing… I do not know if Bingley has informed your sister yet. Tomorrow morning we are all leaving for London. I am not sure about the length of our stay in town, but I suspect Bingley will return before I do.”
Again, she was caught entirely unguarded. She looked around the room for her sister and saw her talking to Mr Bingley and his sisters. Jane looked as serene as always and Mr Bingley full of joyful awe.
An icy hole developed in her stomach, and she searched for something to say to conceal her unexpected dismay. Why would Mr Darcy’s departure upset her so? She was being completely unreasonable and absurd.
“It is not an unpleasant situation that takes you back to London so suddenly, I hope,” she replied.