Bingley stared for another second, then lined up his own shot. “There is also a Mr Long, who claims two nieces as his wards, and a Miss King, a Miss Jones, two Miss Smiths… oh, come, Darcy, even you cannot think with pleasure on the bountiful feminine population in this country! How can you not be eager for a ball?”
“Hertfordshire seems to be overrun with single young ladies,” Darcy retorted testily. “I should not wonder that ten have already claimed you for their own.”
“One would suffice!” Bingley laughed. “I confess, Darcy, I am quite in raptures with Hertfordshire, and I would be well pleased to meet with an agreeable young lady and settle here. How fine it would be to secure myself family in the area! I have not so many relations as you, of course, so perhaps you may not sympathise, but I tell you, it is dashed lonely to have such a large house and only my sisters and Hurst to liven it.”
“An extended family can be as distressing as it is supportive,” muttered Darcy as he lined up his cue.
“Yes, you mentioned something of that in your letter. I hope that business is settled. How ever did you escape the unhappy arrangement? You must have had the friendship of an angel!”
Darcy felt a distant smile growing but concealed it as he bent over the table. “I met with just the very sort. Pray, I am in no mood to speak of it. However, I shall be satisfied to meet with my acquaintance again when I can discover the address. I would like to set about it promptly.”
“Very well, perhaps in two or three days, you shall seek him. Tomorrow, Darcy, let us ride out together and survey my field, and then you simply must attend the Assembly with me in the evening. He may very well be in attendance, and you will be spared the trouble of searching further.”
Darcy deliberated, his fingers drumming on the billiards stick. “If you insist. I will accompany you to the Assembly and then seek my friend.”
Chapter thirty-six
Elizabeth would much rather have stayed home. Nothing could repay her for the discomfort of sitting on the edge of the room all evening, shunned by all the gentlemen and openly ridiculed by the other ladies. “Jane,” she whispered, “I am going to experience a headache in a moment.”
“Lizzy,” cautioned her sister, “everyone will know it is a fraud. You would do better to smile and pretend that you prefer sitting out to dancing.”
“If we are not asked to dance for the next set, Mama is going to find some poor waiter or musician and drag him over to us by his ear. Do you truly think that could be less mortifying than pretending to have a headache?”
Jane said nothing, but the artificial smile on her face appeared wooden as she nodded in the direction of Maria Lucas. The Lucas family was one of the few who still addressed them freely, but this evening, Charlotte and Maria had been much in demand as dance partners, while the formerly favoured Bennet girls sat in Charlotte’s usual place.
“I do not mind being passed over tonight, Lizzy,” Jane decided with hollow optimism, “for look how happy Charlotte is! I think the new rector has taken a fancy to her. He has asked for a second set.” There was a softening around Jane’s eyes, and she continued to smile out on the dancing populace of Meryton. It seemed everyone, simplyeveryonewas in attendance, and all having a merry time of it… save for themselves.
“Where is this mythical new neighbour of ours?” Elizabeth wondered. “I thought we had depended upon his vaunted good humour and his ignorance of our family’s circumstances, not to mention your great beauty, to purchase us at least one dance this evening.”
“When I called on Charlotte earlier today, Sir William assured us all that he is planning to come and that he is bringing a guest. This friend is only lately arrived, I understand—a passing wealthy gentleman, but no one seems to know much of him yet. There is great hope in general that he also might prove to be unmarried. You must imagine Lady Lucas’ delight at hearing of him.”
“And Mama’s, if she has heard. Her nerves will not withstand the evening.”
Jane cast a watchful eye over to their mother, whose fluttering fan concealed excited whispers traded with that very neighbour. “I believe she already knows.”
Little more was said on the subject of Mrs Bennet and her nerves, however vexing the topic might be to the conversants, for shortly there arose from the general assembly a low murmur of expectation and curiosity. Some new arrivals had graced the entrance, and it required no great powers of discernment to conclude that the newcomers must, indeed, be this very Mr Bingley’s party.
“Lizzy, can you see his face?”
Elizabeth shook her head, leaning slightly to peer through a parting in the line of dancers. Indeed, there was some disturbance near the door, but from their seats at the back of the room, only Sir William’s broad shoulders could be seen as he made the first general introductions. Elizabeth felt her sister drawing a shaky breath and sitting slightly taller beside her, her trembling hands smoothing the front of her gown.
Dearest Jane! It was not for their mother’s sake alone that she wished to please this gentleman, but also that she had heard it said what an affable and pleasant young man he was. Jane had confided to her sister that her dearest wish was to meet an amiablegentleman who might find her worthy of notice and whose regard she could return. She could then, she hoped, give happiness to all her family, and not least to her favourite sister.
Elizabeth watched her with some sadness. Sweet, sensible Jane deserved so much better than the disappointment which was to be theirs this evening! There seemed no way to tell her that their family was beyond recovery.
Darcy tugged surreptitiously at the inseams of his formal jacket and strained his stiffening neck. What the devil was he doing here?Shewould not be here, surely! Bingley had assured him that this assembly would be well attended by all in Meryton, but the price of the tickets alone could be prohibitive for his Elizabeth’s family, with five daughters to dress.
Far better that he should have started in the morning by casually paying his custom to the various shops in town, perhaps beginning with Mr Philips, the attorney, and learning which business might be under the management of Mr Bennet. Yet how was he to do that, if he was expected to spend half the night prancing about a dilapidated Hall with the unpedigreed gentry of the county? There was no help for it. Nearly as soon as they entered the door, a portly older gentleman, who seemed to think a great deal of the brass medal upon his chest, stopped their party and bowed most humbly.
“Mr Bingley, it is an honour and a pleasure to see you attending our humble assembly. I do hope our little event adheres to your expectations and you find nothing which does not please.”
Bingley seemed to be floating three inches above the ground as he took in the atmosphere. Nothing would dampen his spirits on such an occasion, and Darcy had the mortification of seeing a grown man’s eyes sparkle when they met pale muslin and coiled tresses everywhere they turned. He was a man ready to becharmed, and he had found a willing market. Darcy nearly left the building, but Bingley was already answering.
“Splendid, Sir William, splendid! Oh, Sir William Lucas, you have met my sister Mrs Hurst and her husband Mr Hurst, as well as my younger sister, Miss Caroline Bingley. Allow me also to present my good friend Mr Darcy from Pemberley, in Derbyshire.”
Though he had probably never heard of the place, Sir William’s eyes widened in appreciation for the impressive introduction, and he bowed deeply. “Mr Darcy, what a great honour it is, sir! May I present my daughters; Miss Maria here, and my eldest, Charlotte, is dancing over there.”
Bingley smiled at the younger girl and dutifully offered her his arm for the present set. Darcy, however, found himself staring across the room at the elder.Charlotte? Had Elizabeth not mentioned that was the name of her dear friend? How many Charlottes could live in such a village as Meryton? He watched the young lady and her plain-faced partner with interest.
