"I do not intend to remain beside you all evening. At present, I am merely escorting you through a doorway."
The corner of her mouth moved.
It was not quite a smile. It was nearer one than he had managed in a fortnight, and he was willing to be satisfied with that.
"There is someone I should like you to meet this evening," Darcy said as they approached the entrance.
"Whom?"
"Miss Elizabeth Bennet."
Georgiana looked at him with mild surprise. "Why?"
"I shall explain later. For tonight, you must simply trust me."
The house was warm and considerably fuller than he had expected. Sir William Lucas received them at the door with all the hospitality for which he was known.
Much to his surprise, Miss Bingley detached herself from her brother and crossed immediately to Miss Bennet, taking her hand with every appearance of particular pleasure. The display was so studied that Darcy was instantly suspicious. He made a mental note to caution Bingley against his sister's interference. There was something in Caroline's smile which inspired distrust rather than confidence.
Having promised Georgiana greater freedom, Darcy released her arm and watched her settle into a chair near the window, where she might observe the company without being required to participate in it. He then turned his attention to the room.
He found Elizabeth almost immediately.
She stood beside the refreshment table with Charlotte Lucas, positioned, as he had expected, with a clear view of the entrance and the room beyond. She appeared to be listening to Miss Lucas, though her attention seemed divided amongstthe various activities unfolding around her in that same quiet, methodical manner he had observed at the Meryton assembly and considered repeatedly during the preceding fortnight.
She had not yet seen him.
Or so he believed.
He was no longer inclined to doubt himself. Miss Elizabeth Bennet was observing the room with purpose.
He began to cross towards her.
He was perhaps halfway across when Charlotte Lucas noticed something on the far side of the room, her mother, by the look of it. She touched Elizabeth lightly upon the arm in farewell and moved away.
Elizabeth watched her depart, turned back to the room, and found Darcy standing before her.
She did not start. She did not retreat. She merely regarded him with that composed, attentive expression and waited.
"Miss Bennet," he said. "Good evening."
"Mr. Darcy." She inclined her head.
He took a position beside her to the left. "I trust the evening finds you well."
"Very well, I thank you."
She did not turn fully towards him, nor did she encourage further conversation with a question of her own.
"It is a pleasant gathering."
"Sir William is a most obliging host," she agreed.
A brief silence followed.
Around them, the room continued in its usual course. Conversation, laughter, and the first tentative sounds of the musicians tuning their instruments drifted through the air.
Elizabeth paid no apparent attention to any of it.
