Page 35 of Regrets

“I should like to meet her,” Mr. Darcy answered, courteously.

“Actually, Mr. Darcy…” she trailed off.

“Yes, Miss Elizabeth?”

“I would like to ask a favour of you, but know not if I have the right to do so.”

“You have made my beloved sister so comfortable that I would do anything you asked of me, if it lay in my power to do so,” he said, promptly.

“Oh, that is excellent reasoning!” she laughed. “You have made it very easy indeed for me to make this request of you, and so I thank you! The favour is simply this: ask Miss Lucas to dance. There are far too few men, and she is not often on the dance floor.”

“I would be happy to do so,” he said. “Might you introduce me to your friend before the next dance begins so that I might secure her hand?”

“I would be absolutely delighted to do so, Mr. Darcy. I think you will enjoy your time with Miss Lucas very much.”

Immediately after their dance ended, Elizabeth guided Mr. Darcy to Charlotte and performed the introductions. Mr. Darcy bowed very politely and asked her for the next dance, which Charlotte gratefully and graciously granted.

Mr. Bingley appeared and bowed to Elizabeth. “I apologise for not having secured a dance with you earlier, Miss Elizabeth; might I hope that you have this one free?”

“I do, and I would be happy to dance with you, Mr. Bingley!”

Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley offered their arms to Charlotte and Elizabeth, respectively, and escorted them to the floor.

The dance taught Elizabeth a good deal about Mr. Bingley’s feelings for her sister, for he was intent on learning everything he could about Jane. By the end of the dance, he had learned the following: Jane had no serious suitors at this time; Jane favoured fair-haired gentlemen; Jane preferred country living to Town living, though she did enjoy the occasional trip to London; Jane enjoyed riding, though most of Longbourn’s horses were used for the farm; and Jane was as beautiful in character as she was in her person.

By the time Mr. Bingley escorted Elizabeth to Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth thought she would not be at all surprised were he to throw himself at Jane’s feet and make an offer for her right then and there.

“He likes our Jane, does he not, Lizzy?” Mrs. Bennet whispered to her daughter after Mr. Bingley had bowed and departed.

“Oh, he certainly does!” Elizabeth replied, unable to stop herself from laughing aloud. She went to find Charlotte, who had just accepted a glass of lemonade from Mr. Darcy. Charlotte thanked Mr. Darcy for the refreshment; he bowed and left.

“Well!” Charlotte said. “I had heard a good deal about Mr. Darcy, but nothing quite prepared me for the reality! He does have quite an air about him, does he not?”

“He does, but I do not think him proud,” Elizabeth said. “I understand that he is quite wealthy and bears a good deal of responsibility, despite his youth. His parents died young, and so the twin burdens of estate and sister have rested upon his shoulders for some years.”

Charlotte nodded. “Having heard that, I would say that he is grave and serious, rather than proud.”

Elizabeth nodded. “I think you are correct.”

“I have you to thank for his invitation to dance, I take it.”

Elizabeth only shrugged.

“Yes. Well, in any case, I thank you.”

The two friends watched the dancers in silence for a moment; then Charlotte nudged Elizabeth. “Look; is that not Mr. Bingley dancing again with Jane?”

“Oh! It is! How wonderful!” Elizabeth clasped Charlotte’s hand in joy. “A second dance!”

“Does she like him?”

“She does, yes; she says he is very pleasant company; more importantly, she blushes when she hears his name.”

“And he is rich and handsome,” Charlotte added.

“Well, yes. But he spends a good deal of time speaking with Jane; actually speaking with her, not just gazing at her in worshipful silence.”

“As did that man in London,” Charlotte recalled.