Chapter 2
“Mrs Bennet,” Sir William said, “Mr Bingley wishes to make your acquaintance.”
“How kind of Mr Bingley!” Mrs Bennet said, while her daughters curtseyed properly.
“We are so happy to have you in our neighbourhood, Mr Bingley. Letting Netherfield was surely a wise decision — it is an excellent estate! Please allow me to present my daughters to you. This Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Catherine, and Lydia.”
“I am delighted to make your acquaintance, ladies. I had the pleasure of receiving Mr Bennet’s visit a few days ago, but sadly I could not return it.”
“Yes, yes, Mr Bennet told us that he was delighted to meet you too.”
“And please allow me to introduce my friend Mr Darcy and my sisters, Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst, as well as my brother, Mr Hurst.”
Mr Darcy was standing behind Mr Bingley, but his sisters kept a certain distance and only nodded from afar. They seemed displeased with everything around them. Very much like Mr Darcy, Elizabeth mused.
“If she is not otherwise engaged, would Miss Bennet agree to dance the first set with me? Miss Jane Bennet,” Mr Bingley said with slight embarrassment.
Jane blushed, while Mrs Bennet replied with an enthusiasm that caused mortification to her eldest daughters.
“She is not engaged for any set. We have only just arrived. I am sure she would be honoured to dance with you. And exceedingly delighted. Are you not, Jane?”
“I would be delighted to dance with you, Mr Bingley,” Jane answered with a sweet, shy voice, a charming smile, an amiable countenance, and a perfectly proper curtsey.
Elizabeth smiled to herself, as she seemed to have been right again: Jane was perfect, indeed.
Fortunately, even on such a brief acquaintance, Mr Bingley seemed to believe the same.
“Wonderful! Wonderful indeed!” he said with a large smile.
“And Mr Darcy, you intend to dance too, I hope,” Mrs Bennet continued. The named gentleman replied with a stern glance.
“I rarely dance, ma’am, and I did not plan to do so tonight.”
Elizabeth became nervous, hoping her mother would cease any insistence. However, the worst happened.
“Surely you must change your mind now you are in such pleasant company! We are very kind people, and we wish for everyone to feel entertained and enjoy their time at our assembly.”
“I thank you for your good wishes, but I am rarely entertained at parties.”
“Mama,” Elizabeth finally interjected, “let us not insist. I have heard from a very reliable source that Mr Darcy despises parties and balls, and that he would rather be anywhere else but here.” She was aware that her voice sounded sharp and that the expression on her face was not soft either. And she did not regret it.
“That is true,” Mr Bingley confirmed. “Please do not be upset by his refusal, Mrs Bennet. Darcy rarely dances, even when he is at Almack’s or St James’s Palace.”
Although Mr Bingley’s tone was jesting, Mrs Bennet appeared stunned by the mention of such illustrious places. She kept staring at Mr Darcy, and Elizabeth feared what might come next.
“You have been to Almack’s, Mr Darcy? And St James’s?” she asked in awe.
“And apparently, he did not dance in either place,” Elizabeth said dryly, drawing a glare from her mother. Against her expectations, Mr Darcy seemed rather amused, and the little smile returned to his lips.
“I have been to St James’s too!” Sir William interjected, and Mrs Bennet’s exasperation was visible.
“We all know that, Sir William, but I was talking to Mr Darcy!”
“I have been, madam, as my family receive a regular invitation. And Miss Elizabeth,” he said, turning to her, “I was the source of your knowledge regarding my dislike of dancing. I know you heard us talking earlier on the stairs.”
“It was by no means my intention, sir,” Elizabeth responded.
“I do not doubt that. I am never ashamed of my opinion and never try to disguise it. However, Mrs Bennet is correct. I feel I could change my mind for this evening.”
He paused, and several eyes were now fixed on him, until he continued.
“Miss Elizabeth, if you can forgive my previous claim, would you do me the honour of dancing the first set with me?”
His voice and his expression had changed, if only slightly. Elizabeth hesitated a moment, holding his gaze. She was startled when her mother pushed her from behind, saying, “Of course she would! I am sure Lizzy is exceedingly happy. It is quite an honour for her!”
To Elizabeth, refusing Mr Darcy — which she did consider briefly — and inciting a real war with her mother was a more disturbing prospect than indulging Mr Darcy’s sudden change of mind.
“Thank you, yes,” she responded.
“This is wonderful!” Sir William interjected again. “I am sure it will be a great pleasure for us to see you dancing, Mr Darcy. And with such a superior partner, as Miss Lizzy is one of the most accomplished young ladies we have here. Perhaps you will dance more than one set, eventually!”
“Sir William, your enthusiasm is touching, but I can hardly think further than the first set,” Mr Darcy answered calmly.
As the musicians had not yet begun, the two gentlemen continued their stroll around the room with Sir William, who was performing the introductions.
“Dear girls, this is beyond words! That you both will open the ball with Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy is astonishing! I still fear it is only a dream! There have never been two men of such consequence in Meryton. Especially Mr Darcy. Lizzy, you must mind your tongue, young lady!”
“It is only a set, Mama. It will soon be over. If you prefer, I shall not speak to him at all. I do not anticipate I shall enjoy his company any more than he enjoys ours.”
“You see? You are doing it again! You have already been impertinent towards him, so you must improve your manners! I do not imagine he might have any interest in you, but still, Mr Bingley seems to already admire Jane. If you upset Mr Darcy, Mr Bingley might well abandon Jane too.”
Elizabeth could not refrain from laughing, then she lowered her voice to a whisper.
“Abandon her? Dear Mama, this is quite laughable, truly. They only met five minutes ago. He certainly does not own her, so he could not abandon her!”
“Jane knows what I mean! And so do you, Lizzy. You only want to vex me. Look, the musicians are preparing their instruments. I cannot wait to see you dance! I am sure everybody will look at you two and will envy my good fortune!”
Shortly afterwards, Mr Bingley approached and offered Jane his arm. Behind him, Mr Darcy also expected to claim his partner. He stretched out his hand, and the moment she placed her own hand in his palm, Elizabeth felt a sudden, strange quiver.
She glanced around the ballroom and noticed Mr Bingley’s sisters staring at them with apparent disbelief and irritation. Also, she admitted her mother was right; the entire room was staring at her standing with Mr Darcy. She smiled, mostly to herself.
The musicians played the opening notes, and the dance began. Only a few steps were enough to prove that Mr Darcy was a skilful, even elegant, dancer, despite his dislike of the activity.
For the first few minutes, they exchanged cautious and curious glances but no words.
“Mr Darcy, you would be better to enquire directly and then carry on a conversation. It would not do to stare and be silent for an entire set.”
He seemed puzzled, but his eyes did not leave hers.
“Do you assume I have something to enquire about, Miss Elizabeth? As for staring and being silent, I may well say the same of you.”
“I noticed your curiosity when you first saw me and my sister. Yes, we are identical twins, and we look perfectly alike.” She felt somehow relieved that the discussion had been opened. She sensed a slight discomfort while dancing with him, but it was not at all unpleasant.
“You are not entirely correct, Miss Elizabeth. I shall admit to being surprised at seeing you and your sister. However, only moments after I made your acquaintance and heard you both speak, I was stunned and intrigued that two people could look so perfectly the same and be so utterly different in nature.”
“Forgive me, sir, but it is an arrogant assumption for anyone to pretend to understand someone’s true nature after only a few minutes.”
“Am I wrong, then? Are you two not different?” He was gazing at her, and her discomfort increased.
“You are not wrong…but the assumption is still arrogant,” she finally replied, and his smile broadened.
“But am I wrong that you were staring at me too, Miss Elizabeth?”
Again, she hesitated briefly.
“You are not wrong, sir.”
“May I ask why? You did not seem impressed by Almack’s or St James’s, so there must be another reason.”
His reply, and especially his tone, took her by surprise.
“Are you teasing me, Mr Darcy?”
“I am. I apologise if I offended you.”
“You did not, but my mother just scolded me and made me promise I would not tease you. I shall not be impertinent, as she calls it.”
“I am sorry to hear that. Please feel free to do as you wish, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Thank you. Then I shall dare to declare that you and Mr Bingley are also very different in nature.”
“We are. He is certainly loved and admired everywhere he goes.”
“Should I assume you are not, sir?”
He paused, looking at her. “That would be an arrogant assumption, considering our short acquaintance. Would you not agree?”
“Not if you admit it, sir.”
With such exchanges, the two dances passed quickly — too quickly for Elizabeth.
The conversation with Mr Darcy was not an example of politeness and propriety, but it was certainly entertaining. And she found herself regretting it ending.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation, Miss Elizabeth.”
“I am glad I did, sir. And this time, I am not teasing you.”
“I cannot remember when I last enjoyed a dance so much,” he admitted.
“My mother will be thrilled to hear it. After all, it was she who convinced you to change your mind, was it not?”
“As much as I appreciated Mrs Bennet’s concern regarding my entertainment, it was not she who induced me to dance.”
Elizabeth felt puzzled again, especially because of the strange expression on his face.
“Then may I ask who it was?”
“It was you, Miss Elizabeth. I hope you were not displeased with my company and that such an opportunity will arise again soon.”
Such an open declaration, from such a man, was unexpected and disconcerting. Even more so, her own response to him was upsetting and worrisome.
After that, the partners returned to their corners of the room. Mr Darcy did not dance again that night, but Elizabeth danced every set. Mr Bingley stood up with her for a set, and he asked Jane for a second later on.
All in all, the assembly was a wonderful event for the Bennet ladies, and they were disappointed when it was over. It ended at an hour closer to dawn than to midnight and left the entire family in a state of elation.
On their way back to Longbourn, they spoke mostly about Mr Bingley, with small references to Mr Darcy.
He might have been taller and richer, but Mr Bingley was more amiable and clearly already admired Jane, so he instantly became Mrs Bennet’s favourite man in the world, and Jane shared the same opinion.
Elizabeth fell asleep thinking of Mr Darcy; not of his fortune or income, but of his claim that she had induced him to change his opinion and to dance. She was totally ignorant as to how she could have done it, but strangely enough, she was pleased that it had happened.