“Not especially.” He glanced at her and wondered how she could be hot in her short-sleeved gown, while he, in a waistcoat and coat, was not. For her sake, he hoped she was not becoming ill.
His offer to fetch her a drink was dismissed. Instead, she opened her fan and began to talk about mutual acquaintances and a Twelfth Night masquerade she was anticipating attending in town. Darcy gave her only a fraction of his attention. The rest of it was being used to observe Miss Elizabeth. He was determined to ask her about her cousin at the first opportunity, and knowing he would have—or would manufacture—such an occasion this evening made it impossible to think of anything else.
“Do say you will at least consider it?”
Startled from his reverie, he turned to Miss Bingley. She looked up at him, an innocent smile on her face, evidently expecting a response.
“I am afraid I do not…” he stammered.
She giggled and tapped his arm with her ivory fan. “I shall assume something important distracted you for a brief moment, sir. Otherwise, I might believe you did not enjoy my company.”
Quietly, Darcy cleared his throat as a way to push aside his other reflections. “I beg your pardon. Iwasthinking of something else—an estate matter about which I must remember to write to my steward.”
“I was pleading with you to say you would return to town to attend Lady Elinor’s Twelfth Night ball. Charles and I will be there, and we would both find it far more amusing if you were with us.”
“That is very kind of you, but I cannot. As I have mentioned, I shall be in Worcestershire and then Derbyshire all winter.”
Unless, that was, he and Miss Elizabeth were— No, he could not,would not, imagine them being engaged. First, he needed to understand the situation with Mr Collins, and second, they had not known each other all that long, he sternly reminded himself. If she was free, as he was almost certain she was, it meant they could take the next weeks or months to know each other better. That would be the proper course of action, not leaping into a betrothal, however much he felt certain he and Miss Elizabeth needed to be husband and wife.
“Oh, but surely you could return to town after the New Year? Your sister would much prefer to spend the winter in London.”
“I am afraid my plans are fixed. I must go to Pemberley, and Georgiana and I both agree we wish to remain there until the spring.”Unless,he silently added. His eyes flickered to Miss Elizabeth, saving him the need to finish the thought.
Miss Bingley said nothing further. Darcy hoped he had not been unnecessarily harsh in his response, but he could give her no reason to expect to see him until March or April once he left Netherfield. Before their situation became awkward, he seized on the opportunity provided by Sir William Lucas walking past them. Darcy greeted the gentleman and began an innocuous conversation, which he was soon able to escape and seek out Miss Elizabeth’s company.
By the time Darcy approached her, the youngest two Bennets had pulled Mr Collins away. Darcy did not know where the trio had gone, and he did not care. Indeed, all thought of them flew from his mind as soon as their eyes met.
“Mr Darcy, I am glad you and Mr and Miss Bingley came tonight. I was not sure whether you would, even though my aunt said she sent an invitation to Netherfield.”
This was a speech sure to raise his hope. It seemed to say that she had asked Mrs Philips, which meant she wanted to see him. If she were engaged to Mr Collins, or expected to be soon, she would not.
The Bingleys had discussed declining the invitation, but when Darcy said he would attend even if they did not, the brother and sister decided in favour of attending. Darcy did not explain that to Miss Elizabeth. Instead, he asked whether she had progressed further in the book she was reading. His question about Mr Collins was knocking against his teeth, but he thought it imprudent, if not rude, to blurt it out immediately. Yet by delaying, his anxiety grew until it was a struggle to comprehend what she said, let alone respond.
Her hands were clasped about a glass of punch, and warmth suffused his body from his toes to the top of his head. The way her eyes shone, the smooth fairness of her skin, the gentle sway of her curls as she talked, all of it was near to overwhelming and left him lightheaded. When she paused to take a sip of her drink, he grasped the opportunity.
“Miss Elizabeth, I wonder whether I might ask you question. It might be…delicate.”
Her brow furrowed, and puzzlement mixed with concern clouded her eyes. “Yes, of course.”
“It is about your cou—”
“Lizzy, you must come!”
Startled because he had not realised Miss Lydia approached, Darcy’s head jerked towards the girl. She grasped her sister’s elbow.
“Lydia, Mr Darcy and I are speaking.”
Miss Lydia glanced at Darcy and gave him a perfunctory apologetic smile. “Well, I am sure I am sorry to interrupt, but Mama sent me to fetch you.”
Both Miss Elizabeth and Darcy looked towards where Mrs Bennet stood. A flash of anger shot through him when he saw Mr Collins beside the matron. No doubt because he saw them turned that way, he gestured; Darcy presumed it was to indicate Miss Elizabeth should join them.
Observing Miss Elizabeth, Darcy thought she seemed displeased their tête-à-tête was ended, although it could not match his own disappointment. She did not, or could not, quite meet his gaze, and her smile was gone.
“I am sorry, sir. I hope we shall be able to continue our conversation another time,” she said.
He could not speak. Instead, he nodded. When Miss Lydia pulled her away, Miss Elizabeth looked over her shoulder at him before another guest crossed between them and he lost sight of her.
Sometime later, Darcy stood alone in a corner of the room. He and Mr Stuart, a pleasant gentleman of about five-and-thirty, had been talking about the difficulties of proper road maintenance in the country until Mrs Stuart required her husband’s assistance. Darcy briefly wondered whether everyone he spoke to that night would be pulled away from him. He began to walk about the room, hoping to catch sight of Miss Elizabeth situated such that they could resume their private conversation. He had yet to do so when he overheard Mrs Bennet and Mrs Philips. Although he knew he ought to move on, he did not, once he realised the subject of their exchange; they might inadvertently provide the information he was desperate to acquire.
