“The blonde man speaking with my father is Mr.Bingley.The two ladies are his sisters.Mrs.Hurst is married to the man in the chartreuse jacket—” he was the rotund man Elizabeth had noticed before—“and the taller lady is Miss Bingley.She will keep house for her brother.The other man is Mr.Bingley’s friend, a Mr.Darcy I believe.From somewhere in the north.”
Elizabeth felt the zing down her arm again, just as she had when Mr.Bingley’s name was mentioned before.She must meet them and see this mysterious neighbor.She soon joined her mother, and the Netherfield party was led to them by Sir William who made the introductions.Elizabeth got a good look at Miss Bingley and Mrs.Hurst.The latter looked bored and vacant, while the former kept her nose in the air at an unflattering angle.The gentlemen were obscured by Lydia who wedged her way in front of her shorter sisters.Elizabeth did not mind.She wished to observe without notice for a moment.
Finally, Lydia ran off to dance just as Mr.Bingley requested Jane’s hand for a set.Her sister smiled serenely, and Elizabeth finally looked at Mr.Bingley.Suddenly, all the blood drained from her face and she felt dizzy.She grasped Mary’s arm and swayed slightly, causing her sister to look at her with curiosity.
“Let us sit down, Mary,” she whispered.
Mary nodded and led her sister to a cluster of chairs and sat beside her.“Are you well, Lizzy?”
“In body, yes.”
Mary looked at her in confusion.She was a literal creature, and one was either well or not well.“I shall bring you some refreshment.”
Elizabeth nodded and looked blankly ahead.It was him!Mr.Bingley was Jane’s husband!The man who would make her sister wonderfully happy and who would declare Elizabeth his “favorite sister.”She smiled when she thought of what that said of his feelings for his two sisters by blood.He was here, in Meryton!
When Mary returned, Elizabeth was sporting a ridiculous grin and a dazed expression.Mary handed her sister the punch and crept away, but Elizabeth could not care.It was not every day one met one’s future brother!She could do aught but smile and think of the future.But how would she tell Jane?Should she tell Jane at all?
But, oh!She knew they would be so very happy together!Surely, if Jane knew he was the perfect man for her, she would wish to be happy as soon as possible, and would telling her not speed things along?But what if their relationship needed to progress in its own time?What if her interference caused a problem?What if she was never meant to tell Jane of the dreams at all for this very reason?But then, why have the dreams if they did no good?
The ball would continue another two hours at least.How would she maintain her equanimity?She rose from her chair, thinking she would watch Jane interacting with Mr.Bingley, but her heart was beating so rapidly she could not focus.She felt breathless and faint.
She stepped onto the terrace, telling herself to pull her nerves together and act sensibly.This was no time to begin taking after her mother.After a few more breaths, she rejoined the assembly.She must dance with Mr.Bingley.It was the best way to get to know him, and she needed to know if he was worthy of her sister.
Squaring her shoulders, she stood on the side of the dance floor just as the set was ending.Jane and Mr.Bingley soon made their way to her.
“Lizzy, have you met Mr.Bingley?”
“I have not had the pleasure.”
Jane performed the introductions, infatuation already wending its way about her.Mr.Bingley seemed equally affected.He asked Elizabeth to dance, as she had hoped he would, and she told herself not to do anything to give her prior knowledge away.She must gather information about Mr.Bingley.That was all.
By the end of the dance, Elizabeth knew two things.Mr.Bingley was perfect for Jane, and she could not wait for him to be her brother.
Two sets later, Elizabeth was obliged to sit out as there were more ladies than gentlemen present.She took the opportunity to speak to Mr.Bingley’s sisters.They had been introduced earlier in the evening, but she had not had a chance to converse with them.
“How do you find Netherfield?”she asked politely.
“It is a lovely house,” said Mrs.Hurst.“Though it wants updating.”
Miss Bingley sniffed.“It wants more than that.The main drawing room is tolerable, but the music room needs complete redoing, as does the dining room.The rooms in the family wing need repapering, and the guest rooms need complete redecoration.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened.“Will you be changing much then?”
Miss Bingley sighed, though she tried to hide it.“My brother does not think it necessary, but he is a man.I have told him ladies understand these things better.”
“Ah.”
Mrs.Hurst looked like she did not agree with her sister, but she was not about to start arguing with her at a public assembly in front of strangers.Miss Bingley did not seem to mind casting her brother in an unfashionable light.The conversation was stilted after that, but Elizabeth remained polite throughout, though Miss Bingley made it difficult.Elizabeth thought Mrs.Hurst might be friendly enough, but it would be impossible to tell as long as she was overshadowed by her sister.
The Bennet women stumbled and yawned their way into Longbourn after the assembly.Jane was starry-eyed, a dreamy smile on her face.Her mother was almost as happy, for Mr.Bingley had danced twice with Jane and that must mean he was half in love with her already.Normally, Elizabeth would caution her mother to restrain her hopes and remind her that a dance was not a proposal.But this time, she said nothing.
Elizabeth dressed for bed, then made her way down the corridor towards Jane’s room.Mary’s door was not closed all the way and Elizabeth heard a sniffle as she passed.She pressed the door open and peeked in.
“Are you well, Mary?”She had had a cold a week ago.Perhaps Mary was not as recovered as they thought she was?
Mary was sat on the edge of her bed with her back to the door.She glanced over her shoulder and dabbed at her nose with a handkerchief.“I am perfectly well, Lizzy.Do not fret over me.”
Elizabeth knew the sound of restrained tears when she heard them.She slipped into the room and closed the door quietly behind her.“What has upset you, dearest?”
