Assumed Engagement (31 page)

Georgiana let out an enthusiastic giggle. "I have no intention of doing any more of this. It is too wearisome! It is enough to see that it resulted well with my beloved brother and a very special lady."

As the dance ended, Darcy was grateful to see that Mr. Collins had moved on. Georgiana whispered, "You best take yourself to her side quickly before someone else gets there before you!"

Darcy walked over immediately, as Georgiana watched from the side.

"Miss
Bennet
, would you do me the honour of dancing the next with me?"

Elizabeth
suddenly experienced a recollection of that first time she had danced with him. She smiled as she answered that she would be most honoured.

"And what causes you to smile in that way, may I inquire?"

"Just a small memory, Sir."

"Would it be of our first dance?"

"It would be of our only dance together, Sir."

They stood apart from each other, waiting for the music to begin. As the first notes were played, they eagerly stepped toward each other and grasped each other's hand. They beheld each other's eyes, letting their fingers linger, as they had to let go to proceed to the next movement.

When they came back together, Darcy began a conversation. "Miss
Bennet
, is it not your practice to sketch your partner's character while you dance?"

Elizabeth
pursed her lips at his attempt to tease her. "Mr. Darcy, I fear it would take a lifetime to sketch your character!"

As they passed each other,
Elizabeth
suddenly realized what she had said. She knew from the warmth of her face, that when she turned again to face him, he would most likely notice her blush. As she turned, she kept her eyes down. If she were to meet his gaze, however, she would have seen a very pleasant smile, and if she could have read his thoughts, she would have heard,
Are you willing to give me a lifetime to do just that,
Elizabeth
?

As they joined their hands together again, Darcy gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I believe, Miss
Bennet
, the last time you tried to sketch my character, I was not in the best frame of mind for it to be sketched. Remember I had just heard your praiseworthy opinion of Mr. Wickham and condemning opinion of myself, coupled by the announcement by Sir William Lucas that a marriage was expected by almost everyone in Hertfordshire between your sister and Bingley, when I believed she did not love him."

"And, now, hopefully, you admit your feelings on the latter to be incorrect?"

"Yes, you know I do, and hopefully you admit your feelings on the former to be incorrect."

"I do, Sir."

The smile he gave her warmed her through.

They proceeded through a few more movements in silence. "Is it not also your practice to guide me through some conversation as we dance? Perhaps just a little would suffice."

Elizabeth
laughed and said, "I do believe that I have come to know you well enough to know that you are perfectly capable of carrying on your own conversation, Mr. Darcy. So what shall we find to talk about?"

"I could say that since you have taken my only handkerchief for the evening, I find myself without one."

They turned reaching out for the partners next to them, and
Elizabeth
had to wait to respond.

When they came back together,
Elizabeth
was finally able to say, "Then I might say to you that since you have a room here at
Netherfield
, it would not be too much trouble to fetch another one."

Again the movement in the dance parted them. Darcy was smiling as he came back around to face her. "But maybe I would then say that I have a particular fondness for that very handkerchief you took from me."

"Took from you! Mr. Darcy, you gave it back to me, and besides, it is mine." How she enjoyed teasing him but wondered how far she should go with it.

Again their hands were joined. "If that is how you feel, Miss
Bennet
, you may keep it."

Just before the dance was to end, they had one last turn away from each other. While
Elizabeth
had her back to him, she quickly pulled out her handkerchief from a small pocket in her dress. As they one last time reached forward to grasp each other's hands, Darcy noticed a small bundle in his palm. When they parted to their prospective side of the line, he looked down and discovered her handkerchief back in his hand.

The last notes of the music played, and the partners bowed and curtseyed to each other. When Darcy walked toward her to take her hand again to lead her from the floor, he dangled the handkerchief in front of her. "Are you sure you are willing to part with this?" He stood next to her and enjoyed the rosy blush of her cheeks that the dance and their conversation afforded her.

She looked up at his face, and noticing the beads of moisture that lined his brow offered, "I believe you may have more use for it than myself at the present."

Throughout the rest of the evening, Darcy and Elizabeth danced two more together. He also enjoyed taking his sister out on the dance floor and gave her the opportunity to dance with him.
Elizabeth
also danced with Bingley as Darcy took her sister Jane as his partner.

When Darcy was on the dance floor with his sister, and Charles was dancing with his sister, Jane came up to
Elizabeth
.

"Are you free to come upstairs with me now?"

Elizabeth
nodded, "Yes. I am looking forward to it."

The two ladies left the ballroom and proceeded to the staircase. The
Bingleys
were to spend their first night at
Netherfield
, in a guest room suite that was upstairs and at the furthest end of the west hall. It was perfect as it had dressing rooms on either side with adjoining doors to the suite. The doors to the dressing rooms themselves were across the hall from each other. Jane brought
Elizabeth
up, and entered into the door on the north side of the hall.

"This is beautiful, Jane. And this is merely the dressing room?"

"Yes, our suite is through this door." She walked over to open it, and they looked into a sizeable room with a large canopied bed. As both their eyes lit on the bed, Jane blushed violently.

Elizabeth
raised her eyebrows at the splendour of the room. "It is very beautiful, Jane. Will this be your suite all the time?"

"It is too far out of the way, ours will be one down the hall and just to the left." Jane said, backing out of the room and closing the door. "Because this one is so secluded, we thought it would be best… for tonight." Jane found herself struggling with every word.

"And then you leave tomorrow morning for a two week tour of the country! How splendid that will be!"

"Yes," said Jane, grateful to have the subject changed. "Anyway, I wanted to show you what Charles' cousins gave me as a wedding gift. I believe you met them last night."

"Oh, yes, I believe I did."
Elizabeth
said, smiling.

Jane went over to a dresser and opened a drawer. She pulled out a beautiful silk nightdress that had an accompanying matching robe. "Is this not the most beautiful gown you have ever seen,
Lizzy
? Feel it!"

Elizabeth
laughed and said, "I do believe it is, Jane." She reached over and felt it. "Quite exquisite!"

Jane pensively looked down at the ring on her finger. "
Lizzy
, did Mr. Darcy say anything to you today? Particularly about why he had your handkerchief?"

Elizabeth
could not hide her smile. "Yes, Jane, he did. Apparently he has been carrying it around with him since we left
Pemberley
. He said it was his way of holding on to me."

"I am so glad he told you! When Charles told me earlier when we were in the carriage, I just felt that you had to know. I had hoped so much he would tell you himself! I would have had a hard time keeping it from you! So what happened?"

"Jane, nothing else happened. This is yours and Charles' day; not ours. But he did ask me if I would accept a call from him tomorrow."

"And?"

"And I said I would like that very much."

"Oh,
Lizzy
, I am so happy for you!"

"And I am happy for you! And so are many other people out there, so I think we should be getting back downstairs!"

The two sisters walked arm in arm down the long hallway, turning at the main hall that took them to the stairs. From there they could hear the voices of the people below, and both were anxious to get down to the very special men in their lives.

When the meal was announced, Darcy brought himself up next to
Elizabeth
. There was no designated seating, other than a special table set up for Charles and Jane, Mr. and Mrs.
Bennet
, and Charles' sisters and Mr. Hurst. Georgiana found her brother and Elizabeth and was most anxious to sit nearby so she could continue to watch this couple.

Darcy pulled out a chair for
Elizabeth
and seated himself next to her on her left. Georgiana walked around to the other side of the table and took a chair opposite her brother.

During the meal, Darcy would on occasion inadvertently bump
Elizabeth
with his right arm as he ate his meal. She did not make any attempt to move from him, and often their arms would rest on the table slightly touching the other. As Darcy tried to make calm, collected conversation with her, Georgiana watched with eager interest. Something definitely had happened between them, and she could not wait to find out. It gave her great satisfaction to know that her planted handkerchief had somehow managed to bring the two together!

At the end of the meal, servers brought pieces of cake out to the guests. As
Elizabeth
joyously dug into her piece and brought it to her mouth, she unknowingly left a little frosting on her lower lip. Darcy looked at her, and without thinking anything of propriety, took his little finger to it and wiped it off, bringing the guilty piece of frosting to his mouth to enjoy for himself.

His action brought a colouring to
Elizabeth
's cheeks, and Darcy suddenly felt embarrassed. He looked around to see who may have seen. He knew Georgiana would not have missed any of it. He saw that most people were otherwise engaged in conversation, but found himself staring into an all-knowing look of Mrs. Gardiner. He smiled hesitantly, unsure of what her reaction would be to such behaviour. She gave him a polite nod and then looked away.

He was a little concerned that she may have a little talking to
Elizabeth
about this. He decided he had better be on his best behaviour from now on. No more slips. He pulled himself straight up, and made sure nothing was touching the lovely lady sitting next to him.

As people finished eating, many began filtering back into the ballroom.   There was more dancing, and as the evening progressed, people gradually began to leave. The number of guests remaining was thinning out, and
Elizabeth
could see the weariness on Jane's face. It was but a half hour before midnight when Charles and Jane announced to those few close family and friends that remained that they would be departing. They bid good night to all that were left, and that set in motion the remaining guests to take leave.

The
Bennets
were gathering up all they had brought with them when one of the servants came up to
Elizabeth
. "Miss
Bennet
, Mrs. Bingley requests your presence up in her dressing room. She would like you to bring up a cup of your special tea. Do you know what she means?"