Chapter 1.10 #2
I am also counting on receiving any news from you concerning the consequences of the most recent events and any unpleasantness that could have befallen Miss Elizabeth due to the circumstances that involved us both.
As I have already mentioned, I would not hesitate to do my duty in any way I can to protect Miss Elizabeth’s reputation.
In doing so, I would not consider it an obligation but a fortunate happenstance, as I have long considered your daughter to be one of the most accomplished ladies of my acquaintance — as I have already mentioned to her.
My only concern would be to know that any further actions met with Miss Elizabeth’s acceptance and your approval.
We might discuss this matter at length tonight, at the ball, before my departure.
Although my plans are not yet settled, I am considering returning to Hertfordshire in the near future.
In such a case, I would be honoured and delighted to call on your family again and to deepen our acquaintance.
F. Darcy.
∞∞∞
Around noon, Elizabeth and her sisters started to prepare for the ball, with Mr. Collins mingling among them. The previous day’s events were often mentioned by Mrs. Bennet, her youngest daughters and the clergyman, each expressing strong opinions on the subject.
Elizabeth attempted to ignore them and prepared herself for the ball with Jane.
“Miss Lizzy, the master is calling for you,” Hill announced while she was arranging Jane’s hair.
“Now? Is it something urgent?”
“He said you should go now and I will help Miss Jane.”
“Very well.” She left the room with precipitation and puzzlement, fearing the worst. In the library, her father only handed her a letter.
She took it and first she noticed the elegant, neat writing, then the name of the sender. She sat in the nearest chair and started to read impatiently, then again, carefully.
“I hope this answers your worries. I am ready to reply to him. What should I say?”
Elizabeth stared at her father bewildered, torn between various feelings, some new, some old, all distressing and equally powerful. She took a moment to reflect before she replied.
“I do not know, Papa… Tell him that…that we thank him for his concern, but we do not want him to do anything out of obligation or due to any consequences. That we value his friendship and we hope to welcome him back to Hertfordshire soon and to see him this evening at the ball. Will that do, do you think?”
A smile appeared on Mr. Bennet’s face.
“Yes, my child, I believe it will do very well. Now go and prepare yourself, I do not want you to blame me for not looking your best tonight.”
Elizabeth embraced him and ran out, confused, incredulous, nervous and excited, wondering why her heart was beating so wildly.
She recalled the letter in her mind, again and again, wondering about the significance of its content, about the sender’s intentions, questioning her own feelings about it and the writer, worrying that her reply was not clear enough.
The rest of the hours passed painfully slowly and it seemed an eternity until the Bennets entered the carriage to take them to Netherfield.
Even when they arrived and Elizabeth spotted Darcy at a window, looking for them, she was still uncertain whether she dreaded or yearned to see him again.
And her confusion lasted until he approached to greet them.
∞∞∞
The first part of the ball passed with only the usual excitement.
Mr. Bingley and his sisters were welcoming the guests; inside, each family gathered together with their friends.
Mr. Collins, strangely, did not formally invite any of his cousins to dance and spent most of the time with Sir William and Lady Lucas, much to the displeasure of Mrs. Bennet, who was talking to Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. Long.
Another unexpected situation was Mr. Bennet engaged in conversation by Mr. Darcy, which only fuelled the rumours that already could be heard around the ballroom.
Elizabeth sat with Jane and Mary, while Lydia and Kitty were actually running from one corner to another, speaking to various officers.
Charlotte Lucas joined Elizabeth and Jane, as she was wont to do on such occasions.
When the music started, Mr. Bingley asked Jane for the first set, as everybody expected.
Mr. Collins walked towards them and both Elizabeth and Mary waited nervously, although for very different reasons.
With a large smile on his face, he bowed to them, then with excessive formality he asked Charlotte for the honour of the first set — which she readily accepted.
Across the room, Mrs. Bennet almost suffocated from despair and anger.
Elizabeth and Mary remained the only unmarried ladies sitting near the wall; it had happened before and Elizabeth tried to joke about the situation.
However, she could feel the repeated glances toward her and almost heard the whispered rumours spreading around from one guest to another.
She startled when a large silhouette stopped in front of her, bowing and addressing her in a friendly voice.
“Miss Bennet, would you do me the honour of dancing the first set with me? And Miss Mary, may I take this opportunity to ask for the favour of the second set?”
While Elizabeth accepted his request, torn between pleasure and discomfort, wondering if he was simply taking pity on them, Mary sat breathless, staring at him, then glancing around, as if she could not understand him.
He repeated his plea and the middle Bennet sister nodded in acceptance, gulping and blinking repeatedly.
Elizabeth took Darcy’s hand and allowed him to lead her, joining the other pairs. For a moment they followed the steps in silence, then she spoke.
“I want to thank you for your generosity, Mr. Darcy, for paying attention to young ladies slighted by other gentlemen. It is much appreciated.”
She was teasing him about their first encounter, but he remained serious.
“You could not be more wrong, Miss Bennet. I invited you and your sister out of pure selfishness and for my benefit only.”
“Is that so? May I ask how?”
“Of course. I asked Miss Mary for the second set and I intend to ask Miss Bennet for the third. I am upset with Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst and I am doing my best to keep myself occupied and to escape my duty of dancing with them.”
“Oh, I see…” Elizabeth replied, amused by his attempt to explain himself. “And the first set?”
“For the first set, I have long desired to ask you, Miss Bennet, but I feared you would refuse me again. When I saw you were without a partner, I gathered my courage and asked you, hoping you would accept me in the absence of a better option.”
Elizabeth’s face coloured and she smiled. “You are a very poor liar, Mr. Darcy.”
His face turned too grave for a ballroom as he answered.
“I did not lie to you, Miss Bennet. It is the absolute truth that I have long desired to dance with you; but until I received your father’s note, I was uncertain whether I should dare ask you for the first set.”
Their hands and gazes met and entwined during the dance. Her smile remained, but her voice and expression turned serious.
“Until my father received your note, I did not expect you to ask me for the first set, Mr. Darcy.”
“I hope you did not mind?”
“Not at all — quite the opposite,” she assured him. For a while no conversation interfered with the beautiful music, but they both felt the curious stares upon them.
“Bingley informed me that he heard a ridiculous discussion between Sir William and your cousin,” Darcy said eventually. “I would not have mentioned such silliness, but it involves you too and I need your approval to end it immediately.”
Elizabeth blushed. “I can easily imagine the nature of that discussion. They must have been debating whether I purposely trapped you in a compromising situation. Charlotte informed me of the gossip too. But I doubt that you could end it anytime soon and you should not even bother to attempt it. Since both you and I know it is ridiculous, that is enough.”
“I disagree. I cannot allow disrespectful rumours about you to persist a moment longer. I shall inform them that not only are such speculations untrue, but that I offered to marry you and you rejected me.”
His voice and countenance were now light, but hers turned serious.
“But sir, you would draw even more attention to yourself. There is no need to do so.”
“It is needed, since it is the truth. I only ask for your approval to do it.”
“You do have my approval, Mr. Darcy. I hope you will not regret it. I can see you enjoy taking small acts of revenge.”
“I might have learned from your father to make sport at the expense of others,” he answered. “Would you like to assist in the moment of my confession, Miss Bennet?”
Her astonishment was now complete. “Assist?”
“Yes.”
She glanced to the corner where Sir William and his wife were speaking, then at Darcy, and finally nodded.
“You know that we are both being silly with such schemes, Mr. Darcy. And that such revenge is not worthy of your position.”
“It might be silly, Miss Bennet, but I hope to be entertained too. And yes, I do enjoy small acts of revenge, even against Wickham. Although…”
“Although?”
“I do not believe I can leave him to rot in prison. I am considering a way to teach him a lesson but still allowing him a chance to improve his life. Perhaps sending him abroad, with some assignment. I am still reflecting upon it.”
“Yes, I read that in your note. I am sure you will find a fair solution to this problem, Mr. Darcy.”
As the time passed, the restraint and embarrassment between them was slowly replaced by mutual confidence and understanding.
When the set ended, they returned to Mr. Bennet and Mary.
On their way, Darcy paused near the group of Sir William, Lady Lucas, Mr. Collins and Charlotte.
There were also several other people in close proximity.
As the music had stopped, there was a cacophony of voices, but Darcy’s was clear enough to be heard.
“Sir William, I believe there has been some misunderstanding concerning my encounter with Miss Bennet during the storm. Please be so kind as to tell everyone who is concerned that Miss Bennet is not guilty of any scheme. Quite the contrary, her opinion of me is so poor that, whilst I asked her to marry me, both she and her father rejected me, preferring to face the rumours arising from the compromising situation.”
His tone was calm and Elizabeth was still holding his arm. She was afraid that Sir William, Lady Lucas and Mr. Collins would choke on their drinks. Behind them, other pairs of dumfounded eyes stared at them.
Darcy continued. “Furthermore, I barely convinced Miss Bennet to dance with me; I had to ask Mr. Bennet’s assistance to avoid another rejection.
But it is my declared purpose to convince her to dance another set with me tonight and to improve her low opinion of me in the future.
Now please excuse us, I must be ready for my next partner. ”
With that, he bowed with dignity and perfect politeness, stepping away with Elizabeth. She was equally astonished, amused, confused, embarrassed and utterly charmed by the man that looked very much like the proud and aloof Mr. Darcy but could not be more different from him.
The second half of the Netherfield ball was a series of events that turned it into the most memorable party ever hosted in the neighbourhood.
After dancing the first set with Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy — whose dislike of dancing was generally known — stood up with Miss Mary Bennet, the young lady whose dance-card was almost always empty.
Miss Mary was overwhelmed by emotions, but she impressed those in attendance with her dancing skills, which had been unknown until that day.
During the evening, Mr. Darcy — whose confession soon became known to everyone at the party — was often seen in Mr. Bennet’s company and at the supper table he sat between that gentleman and Mr. Bingley.
Before the ball ended, Mr. Bingley engaged Mr. Bennet in a private conversation in a corner of the ballroom. What they discussed remained secret that night even to Mrs. Bennet, but both Mr. Bingley and Miss Jane Bennet seemed to glow with happiness.
For the last set, Mr. Darcy asked Miss Elizabeth to dance with him again.
She did accept him, and they danced for another half an hour, watched by curious eyes.
But the two of them were so preoccupied by each other that they had little curiosity or interest in the rest of the guests.
Whether they were still arguing or only talking animatedly was difficult to discern; just as it was difficult for anyone to believe that Mr. Darcy had indeed proposed to Miss Elizabeth Bennet and she had refused him.
But how could the word of the great gentleman be doubted, since he had nothing to gain from such a falsehood.
While the report affected everyone at the party, two people almost fainted from hearing it: Miss Bingley and Mrs. Bennet.
The first quickly retired to her apartment before the ball ended, while the latter needed her smelling salts but quickly recovered, ready to watch her wild daughter and the proud gentleman worth ten thousand a year like a hawk.