A Change in Their Connections

By Kendra Crispin

CHAPTER ONE

Posted on Monday, 4 July 2005

It is - as the Great Lady observed - a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters.

“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day in her typical gentle voice, as she entered his study after being admitted, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let as last?”

Mr. Bennet looked up from his paper. “Is it,” he asked, folding his paper as his lady sat in the chair on the other side of his desk.

“Yes it is, for Mrs. Long has just been here,” said she with a slightly exasperated smile, which he returned with a simple roll of the eyes and a sympathetic smile. He sat up fully, hands clasped together on his desk to show that he was giving her his full attention. “And she told me all that she knew. Do not you want to know who has taken it?”

“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.” Mr. Bennet's smile increased as his lady rolled her eyes in affectionate amusement at his wit.

“Well, then, Mrs. Long says that it is taken by single man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and he was so delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.”

“What is his name?”

“Bingley.”

“Is he married or single?”

“Mrs. Long said that Mr. Morris heard nothing about a wife or children from Mr. Bingley. He did speak of sisters and friends, but not of a wife. So I would suppose him to be single. And his fortune is about five thousand a year.” She paused to allow him to ponder her information, and decided to tease him. “What a fine thing for our girls, is it not?”

“How so? How can it affect them?” asked he, sitting back in his chair, arms back on the rests.

“My dear Mr. Bennet,” replied his wife, feigning frustration, “how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”

“Is that his design in settling here?”

“I never said such a thing! But he might have heard of our girls, of their accomplishments and beauty. Even if not, it very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.”

Mr. Bennet shook his head, continuing their game. “I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley might like you best of the party.”

His wife blushed, and Mr. Bennet relinquished his sardonic smile, acknowledging that the game was likely ended. “My dear,” said she at last, “you flatter me. I have certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When a woman has three grown-up sons and five grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.”

“In most cases,” observed Mr. Bennet quietly, “a woman has not often much beauty to think of.”

“In any case, my dear,” said she very seriously, “I am sure that you will call on him. Our sons are not around at present to accompany their sisters, and you are a protective father. It would only be a good establishment if Mr. Bingley's character is good. At the very least, I am certain that you shall go if only to engage in the study of character that you and Lizzy enjoy so much.”

“Aye, you have found me out, my love. Almost thirty years of marriage has certainly given you plenty of time to learn my secrets. Yes, I shall call on him, not only because it will please you, but it is also far better than sending him a few lines to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever of the girls he chooses.”

His wife laughed. “Would you even think of jesting in such a way if twenty such men should come into the neighborhood?”

“Depend on it, my dear. And if there ever are twenty, I will visit them all, but I am grateful that there are not. A father could not stand such a spectacle, which is why we rarely go to London. And your health, of course,” he added softly. “In truth, I am reluctant to let any of our girls go, no matter the gentleman's worth.”

“Oh, yes. None are silly, like so many other girls. Each has their own wonderful charms, and all have intelligence. Mrs. White has done an excellent job as their governess.”

Mr. Bennet rose. “Enough of this. Let us join the girls, and think of happier things.” She assented, and took his offered arm.

Mr. Thomas Edgar Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humor, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of eight-and-twenty years would be insufficient to make most women understand his character. But not his wife; her mind was quite developed, and her patience had lent itself to a rapid comprehension of his character, though he did truly exasperate her on occasion. A woman of great understanding, excellent education, and a gentle temper. Her constitution seemed weak, and her health was, as her husband observed, not the best. But she had survived the delivery of eight children (two of them twins), and had a will that was determined to see many more years with her beloved.

Most mothers in her station would be exclusively concerned with seeing their daughters married, and seeking solace in visiting and news. She did not worry about her girls; she loved their company so much that, like Mr. Bennet, she was reluctant to part with any of them. And her influence on them was so good that they could only benefit from staying longer at home.

Indeed, Thomas Bennett could hardly believe his luck. He was truly blessed to have the former Lady Anne Fitzwilliam as his wife.

CHAPTER TWO

More than thirty years earlier, Mr. Bennet had been attending school. As the youngest in his family, with an older brother and two older sisters, he had known that he had to make his own way in the world. Given his love of knowledge, he considered studying law. He found he had to learn to pay more attention to details, however; but he needed some way of making a living that his family believed was respectable.

Fortunately, he had the good fortune to make many friends at school and at Cambridge. Some due to how their wits meshed with his; some due to his intelligence and perception; others because of how he dealt with people; and still others because of his other friends. All of whom were (and still are) highly respectable men.

The man he made friends with first was a young man named Michael Fitzwilliam, the new Earl of Matlock. He had endured the misfortune of losing his father in the previous year, and he and his mother had the pressure of raising his sisters. Mr. Bennet and the young earl became thick as thieves before long, and some of the headmasters soon found their antics very tiresome. That is, when they were not playing chess or studying some obscure subject together. Each delighted in the other's wit; since each held extensive intelligence, they were often found in each other's company.

Another good friend was Michael Ferrars, a gentleman of excellent means and even higher character; which said a great deal to Mr. Bennet given that Mr. Ferrars' family resided largely in London. Of the three, he would have been considered the least likely to get into trouble; yet he was the one who frequently thought of the pranks to pull. It was Mr. Bennet's own father who said, “You must always watch out for the quiet ones.” He was often in the company of Mr. Bennet and the Earl, and they were referred to as “the Terrible Trio.”

More serious in his disposition was the future Sir Thomas Bertram, of Mansfield Park in Northamptonshire. His father's health was fading fast, and much of his gravity could be attributed to the expectation of taking over the estate. His conduct was always proper and he would maintain that he tolerated not misbehavior; however, his intelligence and conversation permitted a good friendship to develop between himself and Mr. Bennet. Little did the latter realize that sometimes after hearing of the latest prank, the future baronet would slip into a quiet area and chuckle to himself at the ridiculousness of the whole situation.

Mr. Henry Dashwood, a good man by any measure, was in several classes with Mr. Bennet, and spent many hours studying with him. Much conversation was had within the circle of Mr. Bennet's whenever Mr. Dashwood came around. His gentle nature allowed him to resolve conflicts within their circle, and among others, quite easily.

And then came the friends made through either of the latter two reasons listed above. Leading them was Walter Elliot, the future baronet of Kellynch Hall. His familial pride was abundant, and his vanity more so. None would have picked Mr. Bennet and the future Sir Walter as even casual friends; however, the latter was always impressed by important connections and friendships, and Mr. Bennet's friendship with the Earl was reason enough to form an acquaintance. Mr. Bennet's ability to laugh later over the follies of others allowed him to maintain a distant friendship, and the future baronet's letters provided him with great diversion.

This, my dear readers, is a mere sampling of the men who made up Mr. Bennet's social circle, but these are the men he would exchange much correspondence with over the years. These are the men who became privy to his life and the remarkable turns it took.

The turn that most affected him is one that the details ought to be forgotten, for it is a sad tale. The short of it is that Mr. Bennet took a journey on behalf of his father and older brother. His brother, Edward, was supposed to make it himself, but Thomas had persuaded their father to give him a chance to practice useful skills so he could make his way in their world if he was to become a lawyer as planned. However, while in Derbyshire, he caught a serious cold. Little did he know that had his brother taken the journey as planned, he would've died.

As it was, Mr. Bennet was severely ill, and was trapped at an inn. Fortunately, Matlock got word of his friend's whereabouts and arranged for excellent care. As the worst passed, he had Mr. Bennet moved to Matlock House so he could recover under the best circumstances. This proved a welcome relief to both men; Mr. Bennet had the best company he could ask for, and he did not have to worry about infecting his hosts as the whole family had been exposed to the illness already; Matlock had a male friend to talk with, which is a highly welcome thing to a man dealing with two younger sisters.

Knowing what you do about where Mr. Bennet came to in his life, you might be surprised to know that his first meeting with Lady Anne Fitzwilliam was hardly of the sort to make romantic tales. He was sitting in a chair in the library, and heard her come in. They spoke for a bit, neither able to see the other, until she came around to face him. Already impressed with her intelligence and patience - he had heard and met Lady Catherine earlier, and only his fondness for finding amusement in the follies of others allowed him to bear the ordeal - he hardly noticed her beauty at the time. Likewise, she noted his vast knowledge and wit, the latter being such as she had never seen before. She began to join the talks between her brother and his friend, much to the consternation of the imperious elder sister.

Thomas and Lady Anne grew fond of each other over the following weeks, but neither could say that it went beyond friendship. Certainly not when another friend, Mr. George Darcy, came along to court Anne. Indeed, when Mr. Bennet finally left for Longbourn, he had every expectation of hearing about an engagement, and was fully prepared to congratulate the couple. George was an excellent man, and Anne could not do better in character for a husband, Thomas believed.

What changed all this was another would-be suitor of Lady Anne's, the Marquis of ----. He was a vicious man with a character to match. Matlock would not consider him for any lady - or non-lady - of his acquaintance; so when the Marquis decided he wanted Lady Anne, he had no option but the immoral ones. Thus when she was on a vacation with her sister, he hired a man to abduct her, planning to create a situation where Matlock would have no choice but to accept the marriage. It happened at night, and the man was so strong that Lady Anne had no chance.

Fortunately for Lady Anne, Thomas Bennet was in the neighborhood. Riding through, he chanced to see a drugged Lady Anne. He successfully created a diversion to pull her away, hiding her in a merchant friend's house. The potential stain on her reputation was considerable, but he was only concerned about her health and preserving her for his friend.

When Lady Anne came out of her stupor, seeing Mr. Bennet was an enormous relief; here was someone who could help. But how to protect her from the Marquis? He was able to hear through his local friend that the lord had hired highwaymen to search for her. Though Mr. Bennet knew the identity of those men, he had to get her out of the Marquis' area. The friend suggested disguising themselves as a poor man and wife traveling to sell their wares in London. There were several close calls, but they managed to escape to the north of England. Arriving in Derbyshire in secret, the young lawyer and his dear friend had only themselves - plus a few servants, but their conversation was hardly enough to keep two highly educated minds occupied - as company. Mr. Bennet had to entertain her, keeping her spirits high, telling her that they would find a way out.

In the process, they grew extremely found of each other; indeed, by the time they reached Matlock Manor, they found a reluctance to separate from each other. Mr. Darcy was still willing to marry Lady Anne, and Lady Catherine was all for the match, but Matlock could foresee a serious problem: the Marquis' obsession with Anne would not likely be deterred by her marrying George Darcy. However, if she were hidden, if the world thought that she died, then she might be safe. He told Mr. Bennet and Mr. Darcy about his concerns. George firmly believed that he could protect Anne, but Matlock feared the resources and determination of the Marquis; only thinking that Anne died would stop him, and Matlock wanted his sister to have some happiness. Thomas Bennet was willing to help in any way he could, but even with the added fondness for her, the idea of marrying her never occurred to him until then.

Not wishing to offend George Darcy, Mr. Bennet did not mention is at first, but Matlock demanded to know his idea. The idea ran as such: have Anne pretend to be a gentlewoman with little fortune, and live as Mrs. Thomas Bennet. He stressed to George Darcy that he wished for Anne to be happy, and that he was certain that her happiness would be assured with George; however, Anne - who was in the room at the time - had begun to feel less attracted by society and the obligations of being Lady Anne Darcy, and so she felt it necessary to give Mr. Darcy permission to marry elsewhere.

Mr. Darcy protested fiercely, but Anne stopped him by saying that she found the idea of a quiet life as a lawyer's wife more comforting than being a notable society hostess. So Matlock told them to hurry to Gretna Green, and aided them in hiding the passage there and to Hertfordshire.

The Bennet family was shocked by the news, but agreed to keep the secret. In a local society full of gossips, none were told the truth. All were told that Thomas' new wife was the former Miss Anne Winter of Devonshire. There was such a lady, but she had died as a small child, and few knew about her; thus Thomas and Anne felt secure in keeping the secret.

Poor Mr. George Darcy was heartbroken. Under pressure to produce an heir, he married a duke's daughter within months of Lady Anne's secret marriage. Relations between Matlock Manor and Pemberley became strained at best, although George named his heir Fitzwilliam, over the objections of his bride.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bennett worked as a lawyer, going back and forth between London and Hertfordshire. Anne stayed at Longbourn the entire time, raising their children. Their first son was born within a year of the marriage, and two more followed two year later, the same year that old Mr. Bennett died. His loss was a great burden to bear.

Four years into their marriage, Edward Bennett married a local attorney's daughters. Miss Frances Gardiner seemed a lively and beautiful girl, but her understanding was less than what Edward could've desired. However, he was faithful to her, and her lasting beauty kept him enthralled enough that it helped him endure her complaints of her nerves.

Mrs. Bennett and Mrs. Thomas Bennett began having children within weeks of each other. When Anne and Thomas had a angelic-looking daughter named Jane, she followed Fanny and Edward's own lovely Julia. Each family followed with four more daughters.

However, a great tragedy occurred when Edward's youngest, Lydia, and Thomas' youngest, Georgiana (named in a then-silent olive branch effort towards their old friend), were born. Edward was out helping with a dispute between tenants when he contracted consumption. He barely lasted two days.

Deeply in mourning, Thomas became the master of Longbourn, but he did not force his sister-in-law to leave the house; they were to consider it as still their home. He took care of them, although Fanny's nerves tried his patience at times. Fortunately, Anne was talented at calming, and made sure to make Fanny feel that her opinions were heard and respected; her guidance, carefully executed, helped the widow feel more appreciated in society, and even able to recover herself tolerably after many years.

But, realizing that they needed more money, Mr. Bennett remained at the law office at first, leaving Anne to manage the estate. She was a capable housekeeper, though her quiet times before becoming the mistress of Longbourn meant that she found it difficult to remember how to be a hostess. Fanny Bennett, however, had mastered the art, and often helped plan the meals.

But Matlock had arranged quiet transfers of his sister's money, setting up dowries for each of her daughters and starting funds for her younger sons. Between Anne's careful management and Matlock's aid, Mr. Bennett was finally able to cease his law practice - an occupation that challenged his mind but left his heart empty - five years after Georgiana's birth. His extra income came from careful investments provided a great deal of needed income. Some of which came from investing in Fanny's brother's business, something Matlock did as well, allowing him quite a way to handle his sister's fortune.

The person most offended by the situation was Lady Catherine, who considered Mr. Bennett beneath Lady Anne; however, she kept silent about the truth, even to her own husband. They did not speak again until after Sir Lewis de Bourgh died, leaving her a widow with one daughter. Then she reluctantly renewed contact with her sister, out of loneliness and a need to give Anne, her daughter, more companions. Finding Mr. Bennett not so bad as she had thought, and even finding Fanny Bennett a pleasing companion (an event only made possible after Lady Anne carefully applied some brandy to their tea, which loosened their suspicions), she began arranging for regular visits between the houses. She also began to provide ways for Mr Bennet's children to visit the children of his friends without attracting attention.

For they had to proceed with caution; the Marquis was still alive, and very displeased that she disappeared. However, lacking evidence that she was still alive, he went on with his own life. He wed a few times, despite his poor reputation, which was aided by rumors that Matlock and his wife spread. However, all of his children died, and all of his wives died in childbirth. After the last death, he withdrew into his estate, angry at the world. But he still came out every so often, tricking poor young ladies into losing their virtue to him. He still had plenty of energy left to him.

Thus, Thomas and Lady Anne Bennett never could rest easy. Not while their enemy still lives.

CHAPTER THREE

Posted on Friday, 5 August 2005

Mr. Bennet was among the first to wait upon Mr. Bingley, assuring Mrs. Bennet - as he addressed his sister-in-law - of the fact daily, though he wished to insist that he would not visit their new neighbor. The disclosure of the event came that evening, to the general satisfaction of the family at dinner, in the following manner: he opened the dinner conversation with, “I hope that Mr. Bingley will like that new bonnet I saw you trimming, Lizzy.”

“We shall have to wait to see whether he likes it when we meet him as she is wearing it,” her mother, the lady of the house, responds calmly. Her voice a gentle reminder to be nice to those at the table who did not understand his wit.

“I am very grateful that you visited him,” began Mrs. Bennet, “for we have certainly few eligible men in the area.”

“Not so few that we could not two of your girls married,” Mr. Bennet points out.

“Aye,” the proud mother agreed, “my girls have done well enough. Young William Lucas is so wonderful to my Julia, and his efforts with my brother are so prosperous that their children will be well off for many years, as I am sure Sir William has much like left in him. And dear Elise shall make an excellent mistress for Hyde Park. But Mr. Bingley's entry to the neighborhood is a welcome thing, for he must have many rich friends who will do for the rest of the girls.”

“Yes, yes, and you shall have the honor of introducing some of our neighbors to Mr. Bingley,” Mr. Bennet said, “for I believe Mrs. Long will not return until the day after the next ball. Am I right, my dear?”

“Your memory is as sharp as ever,” Lady Anne responded. “Now, do satisfy our curiosity about this young man. What coat does he wear? How tall is he? What do you think of his character? What have you learned of his family, his carriages, and whatever else you could stand to ask about?”

“Enough, my dear,” her husband declared, “do not expect me to notice how well-made a man is. I am an old man with young daughters who are unattached, and nieces to be concerned about. That said,” he added, more calmly, “I will tell you that Mr. Bingley is an affable young man. In many ways, I was reminded of Jane. He seemed fairly eager to please, and delighted with the neighborhood. I did not mention that I have five unmarried daughters, and several unmarried nieces, but he has heard of their 'famous' beauty from the neighbors, notably Sir William. He was also there; we ended up calling at the same time. I allowed them to talk, contributing when I felt like it.”

Beyond that, none of the family got anything out of Mr. Bennet. This was not to Mrs. Bennet's liking. Over twenty-three years of knowing her brother-in-law had been insufficient to make her understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. Her sister-in-law's kindness lessened that feeling, but being a widow had never sat well with the former Frances Gardiner. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.

Despite her faults, Mrs. Bennet was loyal to a fault when she saw a threat to her family. Thus, within a year of marriage, Edward had confided in her about Anne's true origins and why she was hiding. The tales of the Marquis's vicious deeds was sufficient to ensure her silence to everyone, including her brother in London and her sister in Meryton, and made her less upset about Anne taking over as Mistress of Longbourn. They addressed each other by given names, though Mrs. Bennet would have enjoyed being able to say that she was a sister to an earl's daughter.

But Mrs. Bennet's business of getting her daughters married was far from finished; three years ago her eldest had married Sir William Lucas' eldest, who worked with Mr. Gardiner, Mrs. Bennet's brother. The next eldest married young Mr. Goulding last year. Given Mrs. Bennet's own fortune, only four thousand pounds, she had nothing to complain about; the matches were entirely respectable, the young men had excellent character, and her girls were happy. But she had high hopes for seeing the rest of her girls - particularly Lydia, her favorite child and the one most like her in nature - married even better.

And Mrs. Bennet was equally keen to see her nieces well-matched; as the granddaughters of an earl they ought to do very well with their beauty, though the knowledge was still secret for good cause. However, she intended to do what she could to advance her nieces' chances for good matches. Fortunately for the girls, Lady Anne's guidance prevented a good deal of embarrassment.

Better knowledge of Mr. Bingley came from Lady Lucas' visit the next day. Sir William had been delighted with the young man. He was quite young, wonderfully handsome, extremely agreeable, and, to crown the whole, he meant to be at the next assembly with a large party. Nothing could be more delightful! To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love; and very lively hopes of Mr Bingley's heart were entertained by many in the neighborhood.

“If I can but see one of my daughters or nieces happily settled at Netherfield,” said Mrs. Bennet to her sister and Lady Anne after a visit from Lady Lucas, “and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for.”

Lady Anne gently pressed her husband for his real opinion of Mr. Bingley in private; she desired to know whether the man might be of acceptable character for any of the girls. Mr. Bennet acknowledged to a wish that the ladies of the house would be disappointed with Mr. Bingley once they met him, but that was his wit speaking; he assured his wife that he found nothing to suggest an objectionable nature. The eagerness to please was perhaps cause for concern, but they would only know when they saw how he behaved with his friends.

In a few days Mr. Bingley returned Mr. Bennet's visit, and sat about ten minutes with him in his library. He had entertained hopes of being admitted to a sight of the young ladies, of whose beauty he had heard much; but he saw only the father. The young ladies, and their mothers, were somewhat more fortunate, for they had the advantage of ascertaining from an upper window that he wore a blue coat, and rode a black horse. When the youngest girls went to Meryton to visit the home of the Phillips, Mrs. Bennet's sister and brother-in-law, they also learned that he had over forty servants.

An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards dispatched; and already had Mrs. Bennet suggesting plans for the courses that would do credit to the housekeeping of both Lady Anne and herself, when an answer arrived which deferred it all. Mr. Bingley was obliged to be in town the following day, and, consequently, unable to accept the honor of their invitation, etc. Mrs. Bennet was quite disconcerted. She could not imagine what business he could have in town so soon after his arrival in Hertfordshire; and she began to fear that he might always be flying about from one place to another, and never settled at Netherfield as he ought to be. Lady Lucas quieted her fears a little by starting the idea of his being gone to London only to get a large party for the ball, and Lady Anne encouraged the idea to calm her sister.

Reports soon followed, that Mr. Bingley was to bring six ladies and four gentlemen; another, from Lydia's most recent walk to Meryton, of twelve ladies and seven gentlemen. Many girls grieved over such a number of ladies; Georgiana, however, viewed it with some relief as it would be impossible for her to be singled out. She had inherited her mother's natural shyness, and living in such a noisy household made it more pronounced at times. The gentle encouragement of her parents and sisters (for her brothers did not mind; it meant that she remained innocent in the world, and nothing made the Bennet sons more anxious than suitors for their sisters) lessened it, but she preferred quiet nights at home, like her father.

However, she and her cousin Lydia came out at a ball at Longbourn before Mr. Bingley's first visit to Hertfordshire, so she could not hide at home anymore. Her cousin held very different views on the matter; she loved dancing and was naturally more than outgoing, which meant that her uncle and male cousins had their work cut out for them.

The grief over the ladies in Mr. Bingley's party was comforted the day before the ball by hearing, that instead of twelve he had brought only six with him - five sisters and a cousin. And when the party entered the assembly room, making a grand entrance as they were late, it only consisted of five altogether - Mr. Bingley, two of his sisters, the husband of the eldest, and another young man.

The Bennet family's opinions on the party largely matched those of the rest of the assembly. Mr. Bingley was good-looking and gentlemanlike; he had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. Mrs. Bennet was delighted with him. Lady Anne would have been as well, if not for a slight chill that made her decide to stay at home. Mr. Bennet stayed with her, despite that it meant leaving his sister-in-law as the girls' companion; he simply did not like leaving her with only the servants to care for her, even if their housekeeper, Mrs. Hill, was a dependable woman who looked after the health of both Mrs. Bennet and Lady Anne.

Mr. Bingley's sisters were fine women, with an air of decided fashion. They listened with a tight politeness to Sir William's cheerful exuberance, and while they preferred to talk only among their party, they danced with some of the wealthier local men and would talk with others if they happened to be near. Mrs. Bennet was also delighted with them, but the majority of the girls, after having the opportunity of watching them, found them to be a bit too proud for their taste.

Mr. Bingley's brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, merely looked the gentleman. A stout man who clearly enjoyed a good wine and good food, he hardly talked and what little of it was largely compliments on the finer items available. However. Mary and Felicia, the middle girls of the two Bennet families, both thought they observed a carefully hidden intelligence in the man, and a chance conversation about the merits of various card games told them that he would be an interesting conversationalist if he would but exert himself.

But his friend Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year. The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half of the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud; to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire - or the knowledge that he was the grandson of a duke - could save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend.

Mr. Bingley soon made himself acquainted with all the principal people in the room; he was lively and unreserved, danced every dance, was angry that ball closed so early, and talked of giving one himself at Netherfield. Such amiable qualities must speak for themselves. What a contrast between him and his friend! Mr. Darcy danced only once with Mrs. Hurst and once with Miss Bingley, declined being introduced to any other lady, and spent the rest of the evening in walking about the room, speaking occasionally to one of his own party. His character was decided. He was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and everybody hoped that he would never come there again. Amongst the most violent against him was Mrs. Bennet, whose dislike of his general behavior was sharpened into particular resentment by his ignoring her daughters and having slighted one of her nieces.

Elizabeth had been obliged, by the scarcity of gentlemen, to sit down for two dances; and during part of that time, Mr. Darcy had been standing near enough for her to overhear a conversation between him and Mr. Bingley, who came from the dance for a few minutes, to press his friend to join in.

“Come, Darcy,” said he, “I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. Come, you had much better dance.”

“I certainly shall not. You know how much I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly as this it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is not another woman in the room with whom it be not be a punishment to me to stand up with.”

“I would not be as fastidious as you are,” cried Bingley, “for a kingdom! Upon my honor, I have never met with so many pleasant girls in my life as I have this evening; and there are several of them you see uncommonly pretty.”

“You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room,” said Mr. Darcy, looking at the eldest Miss Bennet.

“Oh! she is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and I dare say very agreeable. Do let me ask my partner to introduce you.”

“Which do you mean?” Having heard that his friend's current partner had four sisters and three cousins present, his question was not uncalled for, and turning round he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said: “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.”

Mr. Bingley followed his advice. Mr. Darcy walked off; and Elizabeth remained with no very cordial feelings towards him. She told the story, however, with great spirit among her friends; for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous, and that was part of why her father was so fond of her.

The evening altogether passed off pleasantly to the whole family. Mrs. Bennet had seen her eldest niece much admired by the Netherfield party. Mr. Bingley had danced with her twice, and she had been distinguished by his sisters. Jane was as much gratified by this as her aunt could be, though in a quieter way. Elizabeth and her sisters felt Jane's pleasure, as did Charis and Rose. Lydia thought only of how she had never been without a a partner the whole night, which was all she had learned to care about at a ball. Mary heard herself mentioned to Miss Bingley as the most accomplished girl in the neighborhood, a praise well-earned by her mother's lessons; Catherine and Georgiana sat to the side much of the night talking with Maria Lucas, a situation that suited them all as they were each avoiding a young local man (not the same man, I assure you).

The whole family therefore returned to Longbourn in good spirits. Mr. Bennet and Lady Anne were awake, each with a book, in the sitting room. Mr. Bennet felt it was too much to hope that his sister-in-law would be disappointed in Mr. Bingley, and Lady Anne expected to hear about all sorts of fashion details. Neither was surprised by the story Mrs. Bennet launched into. Fortunately for them, Fanny Bennet had learned to spare Mr. Bennet from stories of lace and dancing, to save them for Anne separately. But the excitement of the evening was too much to save for the morrow.

“Oh, my dear brother and sister!” cried Mrs. Bennet as she led the girls into the room, “we have had the most delightful evening, a most excellent ball. I wish you had been there, Anne. Jane was so admired, nothing could be like it. Everybody said how well she looked, as usual, and Mr. Bingley singled her out by dancing two sets with her. He danced with almost all the girls, but clearly liked Jane the best. Mr. Bingley is simply the most amiable man I have ever seen, and am I quite delighted with him. He is so excessively handsome! And his sisters are charming women, so elegant and obliging.”

“As neither of us have met them yet,” Anne commented, “we shall take your word for it.” However, she noticed the expressions on Elizabeth, Catherine, and Georgiana's faces suggested the truth about Mr. Bingley's sisters was otherwise.

As delightful as the evening had been, the one sore spot could not be suppressed by Mrs. Bennet for long. “But the man he brought with him, the one not married to one of his sisters, is not worth our concern! Though he may be the richest man in Derbyshire and be a grandson of a duke,” she cried bitterly.

“Derbyshire?” The name caught Anne's attention, and Mr. Bennet put down his book. “What is his name?”

“Mr. Darcy. We all thought him handsomer than Mr. Bingley until he proved to be the proudest, the most horrid, disobliging - he slighted Lizzy, and flatly refused to stand up with her!” she declared as she sat in her customary chair.

The news alarmed Mr. Bennet and Lady Anne, but they were careful to conceal it. Neither trusted themselves to be keep their shock out of their voices if they spoke. Fortunately, none of their family was looking at them, and so they were listening to Mrs. Bennet's version of the evening or were resting, in the case of Lydia. “But I can assure you,” she added, “that Lizzy does lose anything by not suiting his fancy. He is not at all worth pleasing. So high and so conceited that there was no enduring him! He walked here, and he walked there, fancying himself so very great! Not handsome enough to tempt me, those were his words. I wish you had been there, brother, to give him one of your set-downs!”

Mr. Bennet finally gathered himself internally so that he could look at the younger of his middle children. “Slighted you, did he,” asked he in a quiet tone.

Elizabeth smiled, her nature incapable of being kept down for long. “I did not care for him either, Father, so it is of little matter.”

Wanting the conversation moved to another subject, Lady Anne asked the other girls for their perceptions of the evening; they were pleased with the stories from all but Rose and Lydia. Rose had a tendency to follow wherever Lydia led, and the extreme pleasure the latter took from insisting on dancing every set told Mr. Bennet that he had to be more strict on her at all future balls.

After assuring the children of her health, Lady Anne allowed her husband to guide her to their room. He rejoined her after they had separately changed into their sleeping attire, and she was sitting on her side of the bed pensively. Mr. Bennet sought to reassure her. “Anne, we had no way of knowing how George's son would turn out. But your brother assured me that Fitzwilliam Darcy is a good man.”

“But,” protested Anne, softly, “George always treated everyone well, even if they did not deserve it. How could his son be so different?”

“We shall have to judge him for ourselves when we meet him. Surely there will be a dinner or a party soon that will provide enough opportunities to observe what sort of man he really is.” His gentle words were enough to soothe his beloved wife to seek sleep, although he shared her concern over the behavior; it could mean unpleasant things about his character, although Mr. Bennet highly doubted that given how well he had known George Darcy, yet he could not say with certainty until he met the young man.

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