Page 16 of Elizabeth and Caroline
Maybe everyone wished to. Maybe it was simply human nature.
After all, Elizabeth’s own little daydream about the wealthy man coming to sweep her off her feet? Was that not simply a wish to rise?
She must, of course, tell Caroline, at some point. But she would wait, she supposed.
First, I shall dance with him, ask him my questions, take his measure,she thought.And then, I shall hopefully know how to put in context what I have learned about him from Mr. Wickham.
She should probably talk more to Mr. Bingley, also, if she could find a way to do that. Mr. Bingley’s impressions of Mr. Darcy would likely prove illuminating.
Until then, she was not able to gather any more information, so she could only form an incomplete picture of him. And besides, she was busy enough dodging theattentions of Mr. Collins, who kept talking too much of marriage and mentioning offhand too many times that Elizabeth must see this or see that at Rosings or in the parsonage, as if it were a foregone conclusion she would eventually end up there with him.
She mostly succeeded at staying clear of him, but on the day of the Netherfield ball, Mr. Collins claimed her first two dances, and she could not get out of it, not by any art except by being too ill to dance—which would, of course, keep her from the ball entirely.
Therefore, she must accept graciously, though she was not looking forward to such a thing at all. She vowed that she would remain silent during these dances, ever so silent, and say only as much as was polite. Mr. Collins might speak if he liked, but she would do as little to encourage him as was possible.
ELIZABETH WAS BARELYinto the doorway of Netherfield the evening of the ball when she was practically accosted by Mr. Bingley.
Mr. Darcy was trailing behind him, and those stormy gray eyes of his sought her out and then stayed fixed on her with a kind of mournful intensity that unsettled her.
Mr. Bingley introduced every member of the Bennet family to Mr. Darcy who was gracious and polite, though his gaze often returned to her.
“Miss Bennet,” he said, when everyone had been introduced, “I wonder if your first two dances have been claimed this evening.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened in sheer horror. Two dances? He was staring at her.
Oh, Lord in heaven, this was a disaster.
She had never been grateful for Mr. Collins in her life, but she was now. She demurred that her cousin had claimed them, and Mr. Darcy asked for her third and fourth dances,and she could not but acquiesce, of course.
She rushed through the room to find Caroline, who was in a conversation with Charlotte in the corner of one of the rooms of the ball. The music had not yet begun, and everyone was lulling about, chatting here and there.
“Me? Mistress of Longbourn?” Charlotte was saying. “Lizzy won’t stand for it!”
Elizabeth planted herself in front of both of the other women. “He’s asked for two dances, Caroline, and I swear to you, I did nothing to encourage him, nothing at all.”
Caroline looked up at her. “Eliza! You’re here. Assure Charlotte you have absolutely no interest in Mr. Collins, would you not?”
Elizabeth barely glanced at Charlotte. “When you meet him, you’ll see. He’s insufferable.” She focused on Caroline. “I did nothing to encourage him.”
“Well, we already knew he wished to marry you,” said Caroline.
“We knew that?” Elizabeth cleared her throat. “Who are you talking about?”
“We are all talking about Mr. Collins,” said Caroline.
“I am talking about Mr. Darcy,” said Elizabeth.
Caroline blinked at her.
“He has asked for two dances with me,” said Elizabeth. “He was waiting for me to arrive. He was impatient to get through all of the introductions to speak to me. I didnothing, Caroline. I haven’t even spoken to him.”
Caroline squared her shoulders. “It’s fine. Two dances means you can find out a lot about him, of course. It’s a good thing.”
Elizabeth twisted her fingers together. “Well, I must dance with him, of course. And I obviously shan’t encourage him.”
Caroline looked her up and down, sizing Elizabeth up, and Elizabeth had never seen Caroline be quite so assessing. “Obviously,” she said in a very contained voice.
Charlotte spoke up. “I am ever so confused right now. Would someone explain me what is going on?”
