Chapter 8

Breakfast Parlor

Netherfield Hall

22 nd October, 1812

Darcy stepped into the breakfast parlor, bringing in the smell of misty morning, earth and leaves and sunshine clinging to his hair and garments. He had changed his boots and discarded his riding coat before coming down from his bedchamber, and his cravat was fresh and neat. Bingley, Miss Bingley, and the Hursts were still upstairs after their late night, despite the hour approaching nearly eleven. Darcy, who was accustomed to waking early no matter when he went to bed, had chosen to go out on Phoenix.

It had been a pleasant ride, the fallen leaves crunching beneath Phoenix's hooves as the sun burned away the fog hanging over the low-lying trails. A sharp nip had been in the air, a reminder of a fast-approaching winter that made one think pleasantly of large fires and warm cups of tea at the end of one's ride. Though Darcy enjoyed his rides with Bingley, he liked the silence of solitude as well and ranged far and came in braced for a hearty breakfast.

Darcy smiled at his Cousin Anne, Georgiana, and Mrs. Annesley, who were already seated at the table, and said, "Good morning. I hope you all slept well?"

"Indeed we did," Anne replied and took a sip of hot chocolate. Darcy, regarding her with a critical eye, was relieved to observe that his cousin's cheeks were pink and, while not plump, not so dreadfully thin. It seemed that Netherfield was agreeing with her very well.

"I love the country," Georgiana piped up, cutting her ham with enthusiasm. "The air is so clean and fresh, and I also prefer the cooler weather of late."

"It is wonderful," Darcy agreed just as the door opened, and Bingley entered with his sister in his wake.

"Charles, you simply cannot! It would be an enormous amount of work and..."

Miss Bingley trailed off at the sight of the others in the room, and after a moment to collect herself, turned to Mr. Darcy and summoned up a smile. "Mr. Darcy, I beg you to speak with my brother. He wishes to host a ball for the locals, and I cannot imagine you would desire such a thing!"

Darcy looked at his friend, who lifted his brows expressively, and then turned back to Miss Bingley. "On the contrary, I think it is an excellent idea. Bingley has leased Netherfield for at least a year, and it behooves him to be on good terms with the local families. A ball would, I am certain, be most welcome among the inhabitants of the area."

Caroline Bingley's lips tightened, and she marched over to the buffet and began collecting food for herself. Georgiana looked a trifle uncomfortable at this argument, while Anne appeared amused. Darcy waited courteously for the mistress of the house to sit down and then collected his own meal before taking a position at the table between his sister and cousin.

"Miss Bingley," Anne said after a few minutes of silent eating, "I wonder if I could ask a favor of you."

Caroline was still feeling disgruntled, but she was aware that Miss de Bourgh, for all her lack of fashion and accomplishments, was a great heiress and niece of an earl.

"Of course," she said graciously. "How can I help you?"

"Thank you. Most regrettably, my health has been poor for much of my life, and thus I have never had the opportunity to attend a ball. Moreover, while I learned dance steps from my governess and companion, Mrs. Jenkinson, I have not had the chance to rehearse such steps in many years. I wondered if we could practice in the Netherfield ball room with my cousins and Mr. Bingley and perhaps Mr. Hurst before the actual ball?"

"You wish to attend the ball?" Darcy asked, considering his cousin curiously.

"I do," Anne said and took a sip of tea before continuing, "I feel so much better these last days that I am hopeful one day to take part in societal events in London. Many such events will require me to dance. So yes, I would like to attend a ball here."

"I fear," Miss Bingley said, "that you will find those who attend my brother's ball to be much less sophisticated than the highborn members of the haut ton whom you will meet in Town."

"Praise the Lord for that!" Anne exclaimed. "I would feel terribly awkward and uncertain if I attended a ball filled by high born nobility and gentry. I far prefer to practice dancing in a place where the attendees are not likely to sneer at my poor efforts."

"They certainly have no reason to do that," Caroline said with a haughty sniff.

"I think that is a marvelous idea," Bingley said, looking intently at his younger sister. "Moreover, may I suggest that we invite the Bennet ladies for the practice session? Miss Mary and Miss Elizabeth might be willing to play the pianoforte during the practicing, which would mean you and Louisa are not required to be on the instrument the entire time."

"That would be delightful," Mrs. Hurst remarked from the doorway, where she had obviously been listening for some minutes.

"Wonderful! Let us do it, then!" Bingley exclaimed.

/

Ball Room

Netherfield

Two Days Later

24 th October, 1811

The parquet floor of the ballroom sparkled with polish, with the heavy drapes drawn back from the windows to let in an abundance of sunlight. The pianoforte had been carried in that morning by several footmen and set up on the musician's dais, with an assortment of pieces of music nearby on a stand. Bingley had further ordered that a large number of chairs be brought in and arranged at the edge of the dance floor, with a cloth-covered table close to hand. Lemonade and tea sat on it, and ratafia cakes, and cold chicken, and cold ham, and sliced fruit, and rolls.

Now Elizabeth sat at the pianoforte playing a lively Scottish reel, while Mary stood close by tapping her foot quietly in time and turning the pages of the music. Miss Darcy and Miss de Bourgh were seated, Miss Darcy with a cup of lemonade in one hand and both of them watched the dance with rapt attention. Miss Bingley, partnered with Mr. Darcy, was smiling up at him beguilingly every time the dance brought them together. Mr. and Mrs. Hurst moved with mechanical grace, neither apparently deeply interested in the dance. Jane's lovely face was glowing with quiet happiness as she performed the steps with her partner, while Bingley gazed at her in open adoration.

Elizabeth let the last notes of the song linger and then turned to watch as the dancers very properly exited the dance floor. Miss Bingley hung from Mr. Darcy's arm, making cow-eyes up at him, and Elizabeth swallowed a smile. It was plain that Miss Bingley had set her cap for Mr. Darcy, determined to win him as a husband. Mr. Darcy looked perpetually courteous and inscrutable, and Elizabeth could not guess how he felt about receiving these attentions. For her own part, she did not think any man of sense would much appreciate Miss Bingley's haughty manner and obvious pride, but it was, ultimately, none of her business.

"Thank you for playing, Miss Elizabeth," Mr. Bingley said, drawing her attention. "It was very kind of you."

"It was indeed," Anne said, standing up and shaking out her skirts. "I also wish to thank the dancers for demonstrating the reel. I confess that it looks rather difficult; perhaps I should attempt a country dance first?"

"It would probably be easier," Elizabeth said kindly.

"Certainly," Darcy concurred. "Perchance after a period of refreshment, we could demonstrate a country dance?"

"That would be delightful," Bingley said cheerfully. Elizabeth, noting the slight scowl on Mr. Hurst's face, suppressed a smile. That gentleman seemed to prefer eating and napping to energetic dancing, but with only three available gentlemen, she hoped he would remain in the ballroom for a least a little longer.

"Miss Bennet," Darcy said, looking at Jane's lovely face, "would you be so kind as to honor me with the next dance? I think it would help my cousin if she could observe different couples dancing."

Jane cast a hasty glance at Bingley, and then nodded. "Of course, Mr. Darcy. That seems very sensible."

/

Drawing Room

Netherfield Hall

Two Hours later

The drawing room was merry and cheerful and rather crowded, with curtains pulled back to let in the sunlight. Miss Bingley presided gracefully over a love seat drawn up to the coffee table where the tea service had been set and was pouring cups of tea and passing them around. She passed the first cup to Mr. Darcy with an enticing smile. "A bit of cream and no sugar, just like you like it," she said sweetly, and then she turned to prepare a cup for Miss Darcy, who was sitting nearby beside Mrs. Annesley.

Elizabeth helped herself to a tart from the plate and handed one each to Miss de Bourgh and Mary, seated to either side of her. Mrs. Hurst was sitting near the fire beside her husband, who had dozed off in the warmth after the exertion of the morning. A little way away from the main grouping, Jane and Bingley were sitting in adjacent chairs with their heads close together as they talked, neither taking any notice of the fruit in their hands. Darcy helped himself from a plate of cold chicken and a dish of pickles sitting nearby, while Miss Darcy delicately nibbled on a piece of cheese. Miss Bingley handed Anne her tea with a practiced smile.

"I am not certain if I am brave enough to actually dance at the ball," Anne de Bourgh remarked with a smile, "but I feel as if I might be able to attempt it now. I had forgotten a great many of the steps."

"You danced very well," Mr. Bingley said, turning away from Jane and smiling at the heiress of Rosings. "Indeed, I would be most honored to stand up with you during the ball, and I daresay Darcy will be pleased to do so as well."

"Of course I would," Darcy said and looked at Miss Bennet. "I do, however, wish to take this opportunity to ask you, Miss Bennet, whether you would honor me with the first set at the ball."

This provoked a startled silence among all the onlookers, and Miss Bingley turned a gentle, charming shade of purple.

Miss Bennet cast a doubtful look at Bingley, who was wearing a blank expression, and then looked back to the master of Pemberley. "Thank you, Mr. Darcy. I would be honored."

"It is I who am honored," Darcy replied and bowed slightly. He then turned to his Cousin Anne and said, "Might I have the second set with you, Cousin?"

"Of course," Anne said, though her brow was wrinkled in confusion.

Darcy continued to go around the room, asking for dances from the other ladies in residence, including Miss Elizabeth Bennet. He felt a trifle uneasy at such activity – for all that he admired Miss Elizabeth, he could not marry her – but surely, given that he was dancing with her sister, it would not raise any expectations.

When he had finished, he turned and noted that Jane and Bingley were again focused entirely on one another and speaking happily.

"Would you care for some more tea, Mr. Darcy?" Miss Bingley asked eagerly, and he held out his cup toward her, his mind working busily. He had just honored Miss Bennet greatly by asking her to open the ball with him, and yet, she had chosen to walk off with Bingley instead of hovering near the wealthier master of Pemberley.

It was a good sign. Was it possible that Miss Bennet truly cared for his friend?