Assumed Engagement (23 page)

As she spoke, Mr.
Bennet
came up to Darcy and pulled him off to the side. Darcy smiled apologetically and excused himself from the two ladies.

Georgiana looked back at
Elizabeth
and saw a brief look of disappointment crossing her face. "You have a lovely home here,
Elizabeth
. And you have a very loving family."

"Thank you."

They chatted for a little while longer and then Kitty and
Lydia
approached.
Elizabeth
introduced them to Georgiana. They each took an arm of the young girl and escorted her off to one side of the room.
Elizabeth
hoped they would behave in a most upright manner. She would have liked to talk more with Georgiana, but she would have time later.

Elizabeth
looked at her father, who was now sequestered with Darcy and Mr. Gardiner in the corner. What they were talking about, she had no idea. But as she stole an occasional glimpse at Darcy, she noticed something very different about him. He appeared to enjoy the conversation. He was contributing, listening, and even smiling.

Jane and Bingley were sharing an animated conversation, completely oblivious to everyone else in the room. The
Hursts
and Miss Bingley had seated themselves in a secluded corner of the room where they scrutinized everyone that was present.

As
Elizabeth
walked around, her gaze kept returning to Darcy. She found herself surprised by his altered manner. She was drawn by his light, easygoing expression. Even his stance was less rigid, more relaxed. He seemed an altogether different man!

She watched him step over briefly and exchange conversation with Sir William and her uncle, Mr. Phillips. She realized none too soon that she had been neglecting the others, as she had been so transfixed by him. She had been watching him with the expectation that he would at any moment return to that proud demeanour they had come to expect when he was here previously.

She took a few strides over to her aunts who were enjoying a conversation with her mother. She noticed that her mother was also behaving far too self-controlled. Could her father have actually talked some sense into her?
Elizabeth
shook her head and thought,
No, it is just a matter of time
.

Darcy returned to Mr.
Bennet
and Mr. Gardiner, and was now joined by Bingley. The sound of hearty laughter from the men drew her notice to them. As her eyes came upon the group, Darcy was laughing. She looked again at him, never recalling seeing him thus. She had seen him smirk, smile slightly, but laugh? She could not recall. As she watched him, his eyes turned toward hers, holding them much like a magnet drawing metal to itself. To pull her eyes away took every ounce of resolve she could muster.

He was behaving most congenially. He did not have the sternness and reserve he had before.
Elizabeth
credited it to the civil behaviour of all those in her house. That her mother was behaving in a dignified way had her completely bewildered. Darcy was having far too easy of a time this evening. She knew her father could be very dignified, Bingley was his best friend, and her Uncle Gardiner was very distinguished, at least in her eyes.

Elizabeth
stood to the side of the ladies, finding it difficult to participate in the conversation. Jane, who had been politely sitting with Bingley's sisters, came and joined the group.
Elizabeth
was grateful, as she needed the diversion, and apparently Jane had noticed.

"
Lizzy
, you are uncommonly quiet this evening. Are things well with you?"

"Oh, yes," she answered.

When she did not elaborate, Jane took advantage of the quiet. "He seems different, does he not?"

"Who?" asked
Elizabeth
, knowing full well about whom she was talking.

"Mr. Darcy, of course. Have you noticed how he appears to be a different man? I believe Charles must be correct about him."

"Jane, I am not convinced. The evening is still quite young."

"Are you not being a little too harsh on him?"

"No, I think not. He confirmed over and over again his arrogance and conceit when he was here last. I will not allow him to convince me otherwise in one evening spent with a small group of people, most of whom are actually being quite well-mannered." That last thought had her completely mystified.

"I think you may be a little too harsh on yourself, also."

"What do you mean?"

"I think you are afraid to trust your feelings. It is very apparent to me what your feelings are, and you are not giving them any credit."

Elizabeth
blushed at her sister's words and did not answer. Jane turned to join in the conversation with her aunt and mother.

When
Elizabeth
turned back to take note of Darcy, the party of men had dispersed. She looked around and did not see him. She tried to join in the conversation going on about her, but found herself wondering where he might be.

After a while, she saw him re-enter the room. As he walked back in, he saw her eyes upon him. She quickly looked away, feeling colour rising to her cheeks. Her aunt peered at her through the corner of her eyes, looking then to the man who appeared to bring this all on.

Darcy walked over to Bingley, who had rejoined Jane and her mother. She watched him as he interacted with her mother, waiting for that moment when she would behave in a way that would drive him to the furthest part of the room. But her mother did not comply.

She suddenly had an idea that would truly test whether Darcy had changed.

Elizabeth
excused herself, walking past the two Bingley sisters and Mr. Hurst. She walked into the dining room, going directly to Mr. Darcy’s seat. She looked down at the place cards and thought to herself,
This will never do! Seated between Bingley and Mr. Gardiner; across from Georgiana and me. No! This would be far too easy for him!

She quickly did some rearranging, placing him to the right of her mother at the far end of the table, and next to Mr. Collins.
Now we shall see the true character of Mr. Darcy and how he behaves when my mother's real behaviour is inevitably exhibited, along with our faithfully odious Mr. Collins!

With this little bit of tomfoolery behind her, she walked back out into the room once more. As she came in, she saw Darcy was now standing off by himself. When he saw her walk in, he began walking slowly toward her. Their eyes met and locked as he closed the gap between them.

Just as he was about to take the final long stride and reach her, and her thunderous heartbeat was pounding loud in her ears, the
Collinses
were announced.
Elizabeth
looked quickly at Darcy, and excused herself to go greet her good friend. Introductions were made and
Elizabeth
was able to secure her friend's arm and take her off to one side.

"
Charlotte
! It is good to see you! How have you been?" Her hands shook slightly and her face flushed with colour.

"Oh,
Lizzy
. I am just so glad to be here. It had been most dreadful the past few weeks at
Rosings
."

"Oh, dear. What is wrong?" She looked to Mr. Collins, wondering what he may have done to upset Charlotte, or even worse, Lady Catherine.

"A few weeks ago Lady Catherine visited Mr. Darcy at
Pemberley
. She claims that he behaved in the most rude, offensive way towards her; even demanding that she leave his home. He refused to let her stay. Unsurprisingly, it has been very unpleasant to be around her. She was not the least bit pleased that we were coming here, knowing he would be here. My husband has been most perturbed about the whole thing, feeling it is his duty to set Mr. Darcy straight on the matter. I have tried to convince him to stay out of it. I think… I hope he will behave, as long as he does not come into too close contact with him.

At these words,
Elizabeth
thought of the dining room table and gasped. She truly believed that if Darcy had ordered his own aunt out of his house, it had to be for a good reason. She did not want to put him through
that
much torture, bearing Mr. Collins’ unreasonable tirades from his aunt.

"
Charlotte
, excuse me. I must attend to something directly."

Mr.
Bennet’s
words halted
Elizabeth
, "Let us adjourn to the dining room. Now that the last of our party has arrived, I believe we can eat." Everyone was quite eager to go in and find their seat.

Unfortunately,
Elizabeth
was toward the back and could not sneak in ahead of everyone, as she wished. When she entered the room, Darcy was ahead of her and she watched him walk around to the one end of the table where Bingley was seated. He took hold of the chair he had originally been placed at and looked down, suddenly taking note of the place card. Glancing at it again, he turned a puzzled gaze slowly down the length of the table.
Elizabeth
suddenly felt mortified as she realized he must have been in there earlier and seen where he was initially to be seated. He looked up and could easily see in
Elizabeth
's expression that she was the one who changed the seating arrangements.

As he walked down the length of the table,
Elizabeth
noticed him tense. He looked down at the place card for Mr. Collins and next to it was his. He looked to his left and saw that he was seated next to Mrs.
Bennet
. He took his seat, very gravely looking straight ahead.

Elizabeth
quickly found her chair and slinked into it, not being able to look at him at all. Georgiana came and found her place next to
Elizabeth
. When Bingley and Jane walked in, he noticed Darcy at the far end and exclaimed, "That is odd," but said nothing more when the
Hursts
and Caroline sat down beside him.

Georgiana was pleased to be seated next to
Elizabeth
. She had not had the opportunity to really talk with her this evening. When Georgiana seated herself,
Elizabeth
discovered something terribly distressing. When she looked at Georgiana, Darcy was directly in her line of vision, and she could not look at her without noticing him.

As Georgiana expressed her joy again at meeting her family, Elizabeth tried to concentrate, but found her eyes focusing beyond the girl to her brother. He had a very solemn look about him. She took little pleasure in the truth that this would certainly be a test for him. She suddenly felt very remorseful for her impulsive, immature actions as she watched the scene take place before her eyes. Mr. Collins arrived to find that his place had been set directly next to Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Collins came to his place at the table and as Darcy turned to greet him, Collins very uncivilly uttered, "Mr. Darcy, I am afraid I do not come with greetings from your aunt, Lady Catherine de
Bourgh
. She is most distraught, and I am sure you must know the reason for her distress. I feel it is my duty to…"

Charlotte quickly came around and, gently nudging her husband away from Darcy, picked up her place card and switched it with his, placing herself next to Darcy. She then quickly pulled out the chair and sat in it, pointing to the chair next to her for her husband to take.
Elizabeth
breathed a sigh of relief, as at least now, he would be spared some discomfort.

Charlotte
smiled apologetically at Darcy and turned to her husband to distract him from going any further with his intended rebuke.

Elizabeth
noticed Darcy’s hand upon the table, nervously rubbing his thumb and finger together. When he looked over at her and saw that her eyes were upon him, he quickly stopped and picked up his napkin, placing it in his lap. He took a deep breath and felt the urge to reach into his pocket to finger the handkerchief. But he would not. That would now have to cease. He would no longer find comfort in this ritual that had taken him through the last two months.