As soon as they entered the candle lit hall, Julia and Anna-Marie dashed off to without a doubt gossip with their dear friend, Dani Lucas. Theresa didn’t linger around the older Miss. Bennet’s or her mother, but instead drew herself away to a secluded spot, where she could sit and observe her fellow neighbors. A sport she practiced at every gathering, and which she told anyone that might listen, was a good way to learn about the decadence in human nature.
Ororo and Jean stood at their mother’s side as woman came to greet them. Mrs. Philips was Mrs. Bennet’s sister, and seemed to share the other ones nature. Their chatter consisted most of gossip told in hushed tones that nevertheless could be heard by those not fortunate enough to stand further away. The gossip soon came to the new resident of Netherfield Park.
“His name is Scott Bingley and he is a single man of large fortune. Five thousand a year!” It was apparent that Mrs. Philips had intimate knowledge of Netherfield’s owner.
“But that is nothing, have you heard about his friend? A Mr. James Darcy, also a single man, but his fortunes widely oversteps Bingley’s. Ten thousand a year and he owns Pemberly in Derbyshire. Yes he will accompany Mr. Bingley. Bingley’s sisters, miss. Emma Bingley and Mrs. Tessa Hurst will come too. I hear they are fine ladies.” Their talk came to a temporary halt when they noticed the hushed mood in the room. Turning, they just saw the people subject to their conversation making a grand entrée.
A young man with an open and pleasant face strode smiling into the room, holding an haughty beautiful woman at his arms. She was a tall blonde woman, her complexion so pale it would seem she was made of ice. She held her head high, as if there was an unpleasant smell under her nose. The ladies in the room admired her nonetheless, for she was a real lady, draped in the latest fashion. Behind them was another couple. A portly built man that walked with undignified strides next to the other woman. This one was a dark haired, equally pale and cold woman that seemed to bear the same haughty and unimpressed air as her sister. Her husband seemed to have drunk more than he could handle of the brandy already.
Ororo gasped low when she recognized the last man that entered. She would not easily forget his arrogant hard feature, and that steel cold eyes of his that seemed to deem all in the room as uncivilized peasants.
“The younger man is Mr. Bingley and the blonde is Miss Emma Bingley. The other lady is Mrs Hurst and her husband Sebastian Hurst.” Mrs. Philips whispered to Mrs. Bennet
The jovial Lord Lucas, a middle aged man that despite his recent elevation into knighthood had kept his common ways and happy nature. Bingley shook his hand with equal eagerness as the host. The sisters nodded their head slightly and gave each other knowing, bored looks. Mr. Hurst waved drunkenly. Darcy hardly looked at the lord, who seemed taken aback, but he drew back his outstretched hand and made a sweep out over the assembled.
“Welcome, welcome to this humble assembly. You will find that we are simple people that do no care much about formality as in the court. Here we all are family. I hope you will find it a pleasure to join in the feast, conversation and dancing”
Mr. Bingley smiled brilliantly.
“Thank you Lord Lucas. We are honored indeed to be invited here tonight among such fine people. There is nothing I love more than a country dance”
With these few words Mr. Bingley won the heart of every mother and their daughters.
Jean leaned towards Ororo, asking in soft tones
“Is he the man you met?” Ororo shook her head
“No the other one. Mr. Darcy, the tall dark haired one.” She answered in an equal soft whisper. Her blue eyes looking at the proud man, while she felt previous morning’s humiliation rising up again. She was however relieved that it was Mr Darcy that had been so uncivil, as it would have been unbearable to have him as a neighbor. As a friend to Mr Bingley he would hopefully not stay long.
“His looks are proud, but I’m certain we will find him more agreeable as we get more acquainted. Mr Bingleys sisters are handsome, and seems nice” Ororo didn’t agree, but couldn’t voice her opinion in that matter as the gentlemen, led by Lord Lucas approached them.
Mrs Bennet nudged Jean to stand up straighter and whispered loudly for her oldest daughter to smile.
“Mrs. Bennet! Mr. Bingley wishes to be acquainted with you and your daughters” Lord Lucas told them happily.
“Oh that is very good of you sir!” Mrs. Bennet curtsied, barely able to contain the glee she surely felt, that her and her daughters where subjected to the handsome young mans attention.
“This is Jean my eldest.” Jean curtsied, graceful as ever, and cast a shy look at Mr. Bingley. Ororo smiled a wryly as she recognized the look on Mr. Bingley. That was a look on a man clearly taken by Jean’s beauty. He barely took his eyes from Jean as Mrs. Bennet continued to introduce her other children.
“Do you like to dance?” Mrs. Bennet enquired. And Mr. Bingley finally could tear his gaze away from the beautiful Miss Bennet.
“There is nothing I love better” He replied honestly
“And if Miss. Bennet is not otherwise engaged may I be so bold to ask for the next two dances?” He turned to Jean
“I am not engaged sir” She replied, a lovely blush coloring her cheeks.
“Good!” Mr. Bingley smiled radiantly.
“You do us a great honor sir. Thank the gentleman Jean” A pained look crossed Jean’s fair features.
“Mama!” Ororo whispered to their mother, who ignored her.
“And you sir, are you fond of dancing too?” Mr. Darcy that stood like a shadow behind Mr. Bingley started as he realized that Mrs. Bennet addressed him.
“Oh I beg your pardon. Mrs. Bennet. May I introduce my good friend, Mr. Darcy.”
“You are welcome to Hertfordshire sir, I assure you” Mr. Darcy gave a stiff bow to their curtsy
“I hope you are as eager to dancing as your friend is” Mrs. Bennet continued.
“Thank you madam. I rarely dance”
His offhanded manner did not stop Mrs. Bennet.
“Then let this be one of those occasions. I wager that you rarely find such lively music and such pretty partners” Mrs. Bennet pushed on, inclining her head to Ororo. Mr. Darcy gave another stiff nod. His cold eyes barely touching Ororo. He turned and walked away.
Mrs Bennet’s jaw almost dropped.
“Excuse me madam” Mr. Bingely bowed, sounding embarrassed. He followed after his friend.
“Well have you ever met such a proud disagreeable man!” Mrs. Bennet spit out.
“Ma, he can hear you” Ororo whispered, as Mr Darcy and Bingley looked at them.
“I don’t care if he does! And his friend is so friendly and charming and everything! Who do he think he is?
“The rich think they can treat anyone how they please. We do not need to care about his opinion.” Ororo met mr Darcy’s glare. You would not think his slight had affected her much.
“No indeed!” Her mother replied vehemently. She might herself be harsh on Ororo. But if anyone slighted her dark daughter as Mr Darcy had done, she was quick to defend her.
“Perhaps he is not so handsome after all” Ororo offered, smiling
“No indeed. Quite ill favored. Nothing at all towards Mr. Bingley.”
Luckily the musicians choose a happy dancing tune then, and Mr. Bingley could ask Jean for the first dance.
Mrs. Bennet sat with the other women, wives and mothers at a table, eating of the fine served meal. Ororo walked to sit next to her gloomy sister Theresa, looking at the dancers. Mr. Bingley and Jean where a beautiful couple, many thought so as they admired their graceful movements.
Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst weren’t as ill mannered as to refuse dancing when they were invited, but it was apparent to the observant that they did not enjoy this assembly as their brother did.
Needless to say, Mr. Darcy stood by himself. As most people now had seen how proud he was, he was not disturbed by anyone. That is, until Mr. Bingley in between the dances approached him.
“Come Darcy. I must have you to dance! You look silly standing here by yourself. Come, I must have you dance.”
“I certainly shall not. Your sisters are engaged. I would consider it a punishment to stand up with anyone else.”
“Good God Darcy, you are fastidious! I have never met so many pleasant girls in my life. And some of them are uncommonly pretty.” Mr. Bingley, looked at Jean who currently was talking to Miss Lucas.
“You have been dancing with the only handsome girl in the room” Darcy admitted.
“Darcy, she is the most beautiful creature I’ve ever beheld. But look, there is one of her sisters. She is very pretty too and I dare say very agreeable” Ororo was seated, not far from where they stood.
“She is tolerable I suppose. But not handsome enough to tempt me. Bingley I’m in no humor to give consequence to young women who have been slighted by other men. Go back to your partner and her smiles. You are wasting your time with me.” Mr. Bingley gave up, shaking his head as he went back to ask Jean for the next dance.
Ororo who had heard the conversation, rose from her seat. It amazed her that a single man could insult her so many times in a day. It was almost amusing. She would not let him spoil her evening though, so she brushed past him, to join her friend Miss Lucas. In merry tones, she retold what he had said, and as the both girls laughed, Mr. Darcy looked at them, a bit offended as he rightly so thought that they laughed at him.
The rest of the evening, Ororo joined the dancing. In contrary to Darcy’s statement, she was not short of partners. Even though she was not considered as beautiful as her sister, she still was seen as one of the most handsome girls in the county.
Despite himself, Mr. Darcy couldn’t help to watch Ororo as she danced, and laughed with her friends. Something Miss Lucas noticed.
“Mr. Darcy is looking a great deal at you ‘Ro” She told her as she caught one of the looks Darcy cast at Ororo
“I don’t know why, unless it is to fright me with his contempt” Ororo shrugged it off, determined to not let Darcy annoy her further.
Lord Lucas walked around the room, pleased that his guests seemed to enjoy themselves so much. He came to a halt in front of Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. The two ladies had excused themselves from the dance.
“I hope you enjoy yourselves my ladies. I assume you are more acquainted with the assembly in the king’s court.”
“We attend it rarely sir” Emma replied coolly.
“Indeed that surprises me! I will be happy to introduce you there, anytime I am in town” Emma and Tessa shared a quick look, before they curtsied stiffly.
“You are too kind sir”
“Good, good. Capital, capital” Lord Lucas continued on his way.
“Insufferable conceit. To imagine we need his assistance in society” Emma sneered, casting daggered looks at Lord Lucas back. Tessa snickered as they both sat down on the sofa.
“Now there Emma, I am sure he is a good sort of gentleman”
“And I am sure he was a good sort of a swine herder before his elevation into knighthood.”
Lord Lucas did not hear their words or laughter as he came upon the statuesque Mr. Darcy.
“What a fine amusement for young people, isn’t it Darcy?” He asked, looking at the youngest Miss Bennet’s that clearly enjoyed dancing with the young men.
“Nothing is like dancing. One of the refinements in any polished society.
“And in any unpolished society. Every savage can dance” was the curt reply. Lord Lucas could come up with no answer. Just then, Ororo was about to pass them, and he took the opportunity to stop her
“Oh miss ‘Roro, why aren’t you dancing? Mr. Darcy allow me to introduce this young lady to you. She is a very desirable partner. You can’t refuse such a beauty”
Before Mr. Darcy could answer. Ororo cut in.
“Sir, I have not the least intention of dancing. Please don’t assume I walked this way in order to beg for a partner”
“I would be happy if you allowed me to dance with you miss Bennet” came the surprising reply from Mr. Darcy.
Her snow white eyebrows rose at Mr. Darcy’s word, but she caught herself quickly.
“Thank you. But I am not inclined to dancing”
There was a hint of surprise in his eyes, but his features quickly returned to that of cold disdain. Lord Lucas was apparently a bit startled at Ororo’s refusal
“Come now ‘Roro. Mr. Darcy is willing to dance, even though he states that he rarely does that.”
“Mr. Darcy is all polite. I beg you would excuse me.”
She felt a small satisfaction as she walked away even if her refusal was well mannered, considering the way he had refused her twice. She would never dance with that man.
The evening ended eventually with most of them feeling that it indeed had been a fine evening. Mrs. Bennet and her daughters were eager to tell Mr. Bennet all which he had missed on the party. Anna-Marie and Julia had danced so much that their feet hurt, and they slumped down on the sofa.
“…and you should have seen the laces on Mrs. Hurst gown!” Mrs. Bennet was telling, excitedly
“No lace, Mrs. Bennet! I beg you!”
Ororo hid her smile behind the lacquered teacup.
“Oh and Jean was so admired by Mr. Bingley. He danced the first two dances with her. Then with ‘Ro, and then with Betsy Lucas, which vexed me greatly, but then he danced with Jean again, and then..”
“Enough, enough! I wished he had sprained his ankle in the first dance!” Mr. Bennet shook his head.
“But you should have seen his friend…Mr. Darcy” his wife’s tone turned from full of excitement to that of contempt.
“Such conceited, arrogant and the most horrid proud man! He refused to dance with ‘Ro!”
“Really? He slighted my ‘Ro?” Mr. Bennet looked at Ororo, who smiled and shook her head
“It mattered little papa, I did not mind him either.”
“Another time ‘Ro, you will refuse him if he should ask for a dance”
“I can safely promise you mama, that I would never dance with Mr Darcy” Ororo replied with a slight smile.
At Netherfield, all with the exception of Mr. Bingley, were relived that the evening was over. They reclined in the living room. Mr. Hurst was in a drunken stupor, snoring loudly where he had landed on the sofa.
“So none of the ladies in Hertfordshire could please you Mr. Darcy?” Emma asked, smirking as she sipped on her tea.
“Not even the famous Miss Bennets?” She shared an amused look with her sister
“I have never met more pleasant people, or prettier girls!” Scott said, feeling as always defensive when his sisters picked on people he cared about.
“Bingley, you astonish me. I saw little beauty and no breeding at all.” James told him frankly, but added
“But…the oldest miss Bennet is very pretty I grant you”
“Oh admit it Darcy she’s an angel!”
“She smiles too much” Darcy could find faults in every one.
“Jean Bennet is a sweet girl” Emma admitted, and Tessa nodded in agreement.
“But her mother!” Not even Mr. Bingley could come up with a defensive argument to that statement.
“I hear that Roro Bennet is considered to be the local beauty. What do you say to that Mr. Darcy?”
“I should sooner call her mother a wit” The reply was met with gleeful laughter from the sisters
“Oh you are too wicked Mr. Darcy.” Emma laughed, pleased that she seemed to have misinterpreted the looks Mr. Darcy had sent the dark Miss Bennet
