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Taken by surprise, Elizabeth said, “You are leaving so soon, sir?”

His eyes filled with a silent apology intended solely for Elizabeth’s benefit, Darcy said, “Yes, I am expected in town for a family engagement.”

Elizabeth’s ensuing disappointment was short lived, replaced instead by an increasing level of discomfort mixed with embarrassment on her sister Jane’s behalf owing to their mother’s unabashed matchmaking attempts.

“But surely you are at liberty to accept an invitation to take a family dinner here at Longbourn, Mr. Bingley?” Mrs. Bennet interjected. “I shall be sure to instruct Cook to prepare all of your favorites.”

The scheming matriarch always kept a very good table; hence Elizabeth was not at all surprised that her mother would take every possible opportunity to impress the young man on whom she had such anxious designs for her eldest daughter by way of his stomach.

Mr. Bingley shook his head. “In truth, I am obliged to return to town as well to accompany my friend.”

“Pray you will come back in time for the assembly in Meryton. It will be an excellent way to meet all your new neighbors at one time.”

Mr. Bingley smiled. “Indeed, I do plan to attend the assembly.” Here, the young man paused and gazed at Jane. “I would not miss it for the world.”

After the gentlemen had quit the house, Mrs. Bennet rushed to the window. Standing there watching in wonder as they walked away, she called her second eldest daughter to her side.

“How well do you know Mr. Darcy, Lizzy?”

Elizabeth replied that they had formed an acquaintance when she was away in the spring. She went on to elaborate on those details of said acquaintance that she considered her mother ought to know.

“So, Mr. Darcy is Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s nephew,” Mrs. Bennet declared. “That must certainly explain his being here. He must have called on us as a courtesy to his aunt. I understand she took such prodigious care of you while you were there.” She huffed knowingly. “So, that gentleman is of nobility.”

“Pray what does that signify, Mama?”

She shrugged. “It matters not one bit to me. Why, he is nothing at all like his amiable friend, Mr. Bingley.” Spinning round on her heels to retire upstairs, she said, “Pray Mr. Bingley will one day buy Netherfield Park, affording us many opportunities for his company. As for his friend—the tall, proud Mr. Darcy, whom I strongly suspect regards himself as far above his company wherever he goes—I shall not be the least bit disappointed if I never lay eyes on him again.”

CHAPTER 23

RECIPE FOR LOVE

An unanticipated delay in returning to Hertfordshire from town prevented Darcy and Elizabeth from seeing each other again until the evening of the Meryton Assembly. When the gentlemen walked into the room, a sigh of relief spread over the crowd, for instead of upwards of six ladies accompanying them as had been widely speculated and circulated before their arrival, there were only two ladies and one other gentleman, thus bringing the Netherfield party to a total of only five. The eager young ladies in the crowd were delighted even more upon learning that the two women were Mr. Bingley’s sisters. The third gentleman was his brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst. His sisters were fine women, with an air of decided fashion. Those who were wont to notice such things attested to the fact that the younger looking of the two scarcely allowed herself to be drawn away from Mr. Darcy’s side.

It was quickly decided that between Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, the latter bore the most amiable countenance. Mr. Darcy, however, drew the greater share of the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report, which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year.

Elizabeth was rather dismayed. What a woefully insufficient measure of such a man as Mr. Darcy, when she knew him to be worthy of admiration for reasons having nothing at all to do with any of those things.

Seeing the manner in which the younger Bingley sister attached herself to Mr. Darcy meant nothing to her. That young woman might as well be his cousin Anne de Bourgh, Elizabeth considered as she sat out the dance watching the two of them move through the crowd. He barely even looked at his dance partner, who, on the other hand, could not tear her thirsty eyes away from him.

This was the first time that Elizabeth had ever had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Darcy dance. His air on the dance floor was everything a gentleman’s air ought to be. With what grace did he move, his noble lineage on full display.

Purposely tearing her own eyes away from him, she commenced scanning the dance floor in admiration of the other couples. Elizabeth espied her dearest sister Jane dancing with Mr. Bingley. What a pleasing prospect, she thought. If ever there existed a gentleman who was perfect for her sister, it was Charles Bingley. True enough, she had only been in company with the gentleman that one time when he called at Longbourn with Mr. Darcy. In Elizabeth’s estimation, Mr. Bingley was almost identical in temperament as well as understanding to Jane. What better recipe for love?

She reflected on her own love life or rather lack thereof. She supposed it could have been merely a coincidence that one of Mr. Darcy’s closest friends—the one whom he had spoken of when they were together in Kent, she rather surmised—happened to let the estate neighboring her father’s, and that Mr. Darcy was in Hertfordshire solely for the purposes of serving his friend in his new role as master of such a large property. Anything was possible.

But what if Mr. Darcy’s being here is no coincidence at all? She knew enough about him to know of his wont to manage things for his own convenience. I refuse to squander another moment on conjecture. I shall see how he behaves, and then I will know what to think.

Upon the completion of the dances with Miss Bingley, Darcy approached Elizabeth to claim her hand. She took her place opposite him on the assembly floor, all the while doing her best to avoid her neighbors’ looks of amazement that he had singled her out from among the crowd of eligible young ladies in want of dance partners.

As this was the first time she had ever danced with him, she did not intend to waste a single moment in polite silence. “You are aware, sir, that you have created quite a stir by inviting the sister of a fallen woman to stand opposite you,” she said when the dance allowed.

“I feel most fortunate to be dancing with the handsomest woman in the room.” They were then separated by the dance—a welcome reprieve for Elizabeth for she had not expected him to be so bold.

When they were reunited, he said, “It is a pleasure I wish to indulge in this evening as much as decorum will allow.”

Elizabeth colored. She almost missed a step. After a slight pause, she said, “Your first dance partner was very lovely.”

He smiled in confirmation. He said nothing.