Page 10 of Undone

Her father's words returned unbidden.

A man carrying a burden.

She found herself wondering what burden could weigh so heavily upon a gentleman who appeared scarcely thirty.

Mr. Bingley, by contrast, required no such speculation. Before Sir William had finished the introductions, he had entered into conversation with Jane so readily that Elizabeth could not help smiling at the ease with which he did everything. There was nothing studied in his manners. He appeared to like everyone almost immediately.

Mrs. Bennet required no such restraint.

Elizabeth heard the little sigh of triumph beside her before Mr. Bingley bowed.

"Miss Bennet, might I hope for the honour of your hand for the first set?" Bingley asked Jane a little after the introduction.

Jane coloured prettily as she accepted, whilst Mrs. Bennet's fan fluttered with such animation that Elizabeth wondered it survived the exertion.

"You see?" she whispered to Elizabeth. "Did I not tell you?"

Elizabeth smiled, though whether at her mother or with her she could not afterwards have determined.

Sir William soon bore the Netherfield party onwards to the next family, whilst Mrs. Bennet continued congratulating herself upon the accuracy of her own predictions. Elizabeth had heard very nearly the whole history of her mother's foresight before Mr. Martin approached with an awkward bow to ask her for the first set.

Mrs. Bennet gave her a look that rendered refusal impossible.

Elizabeth accepted with as much cheerfulness as she could command. She had no particular wish to dance with Mr. Martin, but even less to mortify an honest man who had asked with evident sincerity.

The musicians struck up almost immediately and the set dancers moved to the floor.

Mr. Martin proved every bit as attentive upon the floor as he had been in conversation earlier. Unfortunately, he proved equally inclined to discourse upon himself further. Before they had completed half the figures Elizabeth had learned of the remarkable prosperity of his farm, his uncommon ability to remain beneath the water for two full minutes whilst swimming, and the astonishing number of partridges he expected to shoot before Michaelmas.

She smiled whenever civility required it, ventured an observation where silence became impossible, and was sincerely thankful when the final notes at last released her.

The first interval afforded a welcome opportunity to escape.

Jane remained happily occupied beside Mr. Bingley, whilst Mrs. Bennet looked ready to commend every musician present for having brought so promising an acquaintance about.

Elizabeth claimed a glass of negus and wandered towards one of the windows.

It was only then that Elizabeth became aware Mr. Darcy had not danced, her attention being drawn to the circumstance bytwo ladies standing beside her, who were discussing him in lowered voices.

"A remarkably handsome gentleman," one of the ladies observed.

"Indeed," said the other. "Yet he has remained by the wall ever since he arrived, and did not stand up with a single lady during the first set."

"Perhaps he imagines no lady in the room worthy of his notice."

"Not even the ladies of his own party?" the other observed with a little scoff. "Then he must be excessively proud."

Elizabeth glanced almost unconsciously across the room.

In truth, Mr. Darcy remained where Sir William had first left him, one hand resting lightly behind his back, his attention directed neither towards the musicians nor the company assembled before him, but somewhere beyond them all.

Proud?

Elizabeth was not yet persuaded. It seemed rather hasty to condemn a gentleman after scarcely two sets. He might simply dislike dancing, or perhaps know too few people in the room to seek a partner with ease.

Reserved, unquestionably. Silent beyond what was common in such company. Yet his countenance possessed none of the self-satisfied complacency Elizabeth generally associated with pride. If anything, he looked preoccupied, as though whatever occupied his thoughts had accompanied him into the assembly and refused to be left outside.

Again, her father’s description of him came to mind.