Chapter Two

M rs. Bennet was delighted at the prospect of meeting the new tenant of Netherfield Park at the assembly. Little was known about him, other than the two most salient facts: first, that he was single; second, that he was wealthy. About his looks, his character, his preferences – all this was yet to be discovered.

She was pleased to see that all her girls were in their best looks for the occasion. Even Mary had been persuaded to borrow a gown from Lizzy and let Jane style her hair. Jane was the best-looking, of course, and most likely to catch their new neighbour's eye, but there had been a rumour of another wealthy gentleman staying at Netherfield, and he would do very well for one of her other girls.

Mr. Bennet had elected to stay at home for the evening, which suited everyone involved. He did not enjoy social occasions and had a bad habit of insisting that everyone return home when the assembly was not nearly over. This did not sit well with his daughters, other than Mary, of course, who was always happy to come home early.

Mrs. Bennet had a good number of last-minute instructions for her daughters, which she imparted as the Bennet carriage made its way to the assembly hall. "Jane, look at gentlemen when they speak to you. No-one wants to talk to the top of someone's head, no matter how pretty that head may be. Lizzy, you are pretty enough, but you talk too much. Smile more, talk less. Mary – try to sparkle a little. If Lizzy would speak less and Mary would speak more, I should be very content. Kitty, that dress is too décolleté; pull it up a bit. Yes, that's better. Lydia, I noticed that you consumed too much of the punch at the last assembly; no gentleman wants to see a young lady exercising a preference for strong drink."

When the carriage reached the assembly hall, Mrs. Bennet was glad to see that they had arrived before it had become too crowded. She did not want her girls to be squeezed into the back of the room where they could not be seen. She stood on tiptoes, hoping to see this Mr. Bingley, but she was not a tall woman.

"Kitty. Kitty!"

Kitty turned to her. "Yes, Mama?"

"I cannot see over all these heads; is Mr. Bingley here?"

"I do not know, Mama; we have never met him, so I do not know what he looks like."

Mrs. Bennet sighed in exasperation. "Very well; do you see any strangers, anyone you do not know, Kitty?"

Kitty obediently scanned the assembly hall. "No, Mama."

"Hmph. Girls, come to the front of the hall; I want Mr. Bingley to be able to see you."

Jane, Mary, Kitty and Lydia obeyed her summons, but Elizabeth had already disappeared.

In fact, immediately upon entering the hall, Elizabeth had left her mother and sisters in search of her good friend, Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte tended to sit on the sidelines, so that her lack of dance partners would be less noticeable; Elizabeth liked to sit beside her, providing Charlotte with company.

"Are you planning to sit beside me the whole night, Eliza?" Charlotte demanded as Elizabeth took the seat beside her. "You should be dancing."

"I will dance, Charlotte, of course; but I am unlikely to enjoy a conversation with a dance partner as well as a conversation with you."

"Change your tune, Eliza, or you may end up an old maid like me." Charlotte's voice was melancholy.

Forehead creased, Elizabeth said, "I wish you would not speak so, Charlotte."

"I only speak aloud what everyone thinks, and this makes people uncomfortable."

"I do not believe this is what everyone thinks," her friend protested. "It is more likely everyone understands that you have not yet met anyone worthy of you."

Charlotte had to smile at that. "I hope you are right, Eliza. You are a good friend to me."

There was a sudden silence; every face turned to the entryway of the hall to see two gentlemen and two ladies enter the room. The younger gentleman had reddish-blond hair, the older had brown hair, already greying at the temples. The two ladies both had the same reddish-blond hair as the younger gentleman; there could be no doubt that they were related.

Sir Lucas, Charlotte's father, hastened to the newcomers in his eagerness to introduce himself.

Elizabeth felt, rather than heard, Charlotte's sigh. "Charlotte?"

"I just wish my father was a little less…amiable, I suppose."

"And I wish my father was rather more so."

"Is no one content, Eliza?"

"I fear it is not human nature to be so. Let us observe the newcomers! I suspect the younger gentleman to be Mr. Bingley; the two ladies very obviously his sisters. The older gentleman is escorting the older lady but they do not appear to be conversing, so I would guess them to be married." She laughed at her own witticism.

The two friends watched Sir Lucas take the newcomers around the hall, introducing them to everyone. Elizabeth poked Charlotte and whispered, "Watch Mr. Bingley's face when he meets Jane."

Indeed, the young man's face lit up like a thousand candles upon beholding Jane Bennet! He would not let Sir Lucas hurry him off, but instead spent several minutes speaking with Jane. He had doubtless asked her for a dance. Elizabeth hid her laughter behind her hand.

"What would that be like, I wonder?" Charlotte asked, softly.

"What would what be like?"

"To be so beautiful that everyone just falls down at your feet."

Elizabeth turned to face her friend. "Charlotte, all that beauty has yet to land Jane a husband. And it garners her far more attention from Mama than she wishes for."

"That is true."

"Look; your father wants you."

"Doubtless he wishes to introduce me. Come with me, Eliza, you may as well meet this paragon of bachelorhood as well."

Hand in hand, Elizabeth and Charlotte walked to where Sir Lucas stood with the newcomers. They were all beautifully dressed, quite evidently wealthy and – judging by their fashionable attire – very recently in Town.

"Ah, Charlotte, there you are. Mrs. Hurst, Miss Bingley, Mr. Hurst, Mr. Bingley, this is my daughter, Miss Lucas, and her dear friend, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. You met Miss Elizabeth's sisters earlier."

Charlotte and Elizabeth curtsied gracefully. The two gentlemen bowed, but the ladies merely dipped their heads and then looked away. Elizabeth's brows rose at this rudeness; did the ladies think themselves too good for country folk?

But Mr. Bingley was everything pleasant. He exclaimed happily about the music, the hall, the refreshments, and the people he had met. He asked both Charlotte and Elizabeth for dances, which they willingly granted.

***

During her dance with Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth learnt that Mrs. Hurst was his elder sister, and Miss Bingley, though younger and unmarried, was acting as Netherfield's hostess. She was also told that there was another visitor at Netherfield, a Mr. Darcy, who was not in attendance.

"Did he not wish to come to the assembly?" Elizabeth asked.

"No; he arrived only today with a bad headache and asked to be excused. Caroline – my younger sister – said she would stay at Netherfield to bear him company, but he said he intended to nurse his headache alone in his room, so she might as well go enjoy herself."

Elizabeth asked, "She would have stayed at Netherfield with him rather than attend the dance? She is indeed a good hostess."

He laughed. "Oh, she is not trying to be a good hostess! My sister has set her cap – but no, I should not speak about my own sister. Let us speak about your sister, instead."

"Do you mean Miss Mary?" Elizabeth asked, mischievously. "She is very accomplished."

"Miss Mary? Oh, no. I am sure she is everything wonderful, but I meant to enquire about Miss Bennet."

"My dearest Jane! Mr. Bingley, I do not mind telling you that she is a lovely creature, inside and out."

"That is exactly what I thought! An angel! An absolute angel! Miss Elizabeth, I have already danced with her once; do you think she would dance with me again? I do not wish to make her uncomfortable by importuning her too eagerly."

It was all Elizabeth could do to keep her countenance as she replied, "I believe she would look favorably upon such a request. I saw her face as you danced together, and she looked happy to be in your company."

"Thank you, Miss Elizabeth! I will ask her directly."

Mr. Bingley's face was open and happy. What a very nice man he is, Elizabeth thought. He would do very well for Jane.