Chapter 11
The day of the ball finally arrived after a few more interminable days of stormy rain. The clouds cleared and the timid sun of late autumn valiantly tried to dry the wet earth in time for the ball; for exacting and fashionable Miss Bingley would countenance nothing else.
The three Bennet sisters who were allowed to attend the ball came downstairs, each looking very pretty, including Mary who had blossomed a little. Her dress and presentation were better now that her two prettier younger sisters did not steal all the attention and ladies' maids for themselves.
Mrs Bennet inspected them,
“Lizzy, Mary, you are both looking very well indeed. Naturally you will never be as beautiful as Jane, but I must say you are looking very distinguished.”
“Oh Mama, please do not say that.” Jane’s voice cracked a little. “I think my sisters are all beautiful.”
Mrs Bennet looked a little irritated at being corrected in front of her younger daughters, “I speak as I find, Jane.” She said defensively.
“I think Lady Anne would not approve if she heard such talk,” Jane tried to install a deeper sense of propriety in her mother, using their noble friend to achieve the desired result, “and please, at the ball, please do not go on about Mr Bingley and myself.”
Her mother looked piqued, “and why not? This ball is in your honour, he said so himself.”
“Regardless, Mama, there is no understanding between us; and your enthusiasm may actually hinder it rather than encourage it.”
Mrs Bennet looked apprehensive, “do you think so?”
“Absolutely,” Jane and Elizabeth said at the same time.
“Oh well, if that is what is expected of me, I shall hold my peace.”
“Excellent,” Mr Bennet said entering the room, “shall we go now then?”
***
Darcy was pacing inside his bedchamber; tonight's ball had come at a very bad time.
His responsibility towards his mother and sister was heavy on his shoulders, yet the enticing presence of Miss Elizabeth just when he needed a clear head was the most frustrating thing of all.
Hearing the orchestra tuning up the instruments below, made him want to flee the festivities, escape to town taking his mother and sister with him; but at the same time he wanted to stay to spend more time with Miss Elizabeth. To what end, he had no idea.
For Miss Elizabeth was completely the wrong woman to tempt him into matrimony; as enchanting and beautiful as she was, he knew that the candidate for the next mistress of Pemberley had to be, if not exactly the same as his mother, at least be a close proximity to her level in terms of connections and fortune.
Anything less than the daughter of an Earl would not do.
He laughed bitterly. Poor Miss Elizabeth as daughter of an entailed estate with no dowry and close relatives in trade could not even be mentioned as a candidate, let alone be considered as one.
Regardless of those truths, her image haunted him day and night. For that reason alone he must return to town and forget the beautiful brunette. But before he could completely banish her from his memory forever, he would, he must, dance with her.
Maybe tonight she would accept partnering with him. And perhaps his blunt and rude refusal to stand up with her at the Meryton assembly would once and for all be put behind them.
Darcy was standing at a strategic front window overlooking the procession of carriages arriving and relinquishing their passengers. The moment he saw the Bennets arrive he was paralysed to the spot.
Miss Elizabeth Bennet was a picture of loveliness. The flaming torches by the entrance shone upon her, illuminating her like a halo.
He forgot to breathe.
For a moment he felt like Bingley, “she is an absolute angel.” He murmured quietly.
Lady Anne had been watching her son from across the room; she noticed how he stiffened when Miss Elizabeth, the young beauty, arrived. Her son was blind and deaf to everything around him the moment the lovely young woman finally entered the room.
She smiled and kept her own counsel.
Elizabeth saw Charlotte Lucas standing alone and immediately went to her. “Charlotte, how nice to see you, are you looking forward to the festivities?”
“Good evening, Elizabeth, you look very pretty tonight. And yes, I am looking forward just as much as I always do. Despite the fact that I shall rarely dance and be cruelly forced to watch you and Jane dance every set.”
“Well, we shall have to find you an enchanting partner then.”
The two ladies were giggling when Mr Darcy arrived at their side. He bowed formally, “Miss Elizabeth if you are not otherwise engaged, would you do me the honour of granting me the next set?”
“Mr Darcy it will be my pleasure, sir.”
He looked awkwardly at Miss Lucas and asked her for a set also. Once he wrote his name in their dance cards he bowed again and left. He positioned himself at the far side of the room watching the couples already dancing.
“I see Mr Darcy has kept his habit of watching you, Elizabeth.”
“I do not know why. He always makes me uneasy.”
“Do you not?”
“Actually I do. He is a connoisseur of fashion. And obviously I do not fit into his idea of a fashionable or an accomplished lady. He has very high standards, you know.”
Charlotte laughed, “Eliza, for somebody as smart as you, sometimes you say the most foolish things.”
“It is not foolishness. He said so himself that he knows only a handful of accomplished ladies and more to the point, I do not make his short list.”
“Maybe so, but I never heard of a man who stared at a woman to number her faults.”
“Mr Darcy is not your conventional gentleman; he is in a category of his own.”
At that moment the first set ended and Darcy arrived to claim his dance with Elizabeth.
He offered her his arm and escorted her to the dance floor. As the music started they turned around each other making a figure eight and smiled almost timidly at each other but remained silent for a few moments.
Eventually Elizabeth spoke, “I think we must have some conversation, Mr Darcy.”
He smiled back, “whatever you wish me to say will be said, Miss Elizabeth.”
“I will mention that private balls are much better than public assemblies and then you can comment on the size of the room or the number of couples.”
“Very well then; this room is the perfect size for a ball, do you not agree, madam? And ideal for the number of couples we have gathered here tonight.”
She laughed a bubbly joyful laugh and Darcy felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction to have been the one to elicit that happy sound from her.
As the music increased its tempo there was no further opportunity for conversation, but Sir William Lucas stopped them half way through to congratulate them on their superior dancing.
He mentioned how much he was looking forward to having the pleasure repeated when a certain desirable event took place.
He then turned his gaze upon Bingley and Jane, a radiant couple who had been dancing and unaware of anybody around them.
Darcy frowned and from that moment on he watched his friend closely.