Love Among the Gifted - A Pride & Prejudice Alternative

Chapter Four

The Bennets, absent their father, had arrived at the assembly room rather early in the festivities. The first set was not expected for a quarter hour or more. Upon their arrival, the Longbourn party separated, with each of the Bennet ladies moving to meet their friends or to pursue their desires. Elizabeth and Jane approached their longtime friend, Miss Charlotte Lucas, the eldest child of Sir William and Lady Lucas. Sir William, as the de facto host, was always first to these assemblies so the ladies from Longbourn knew to expect her presence on their arrival.

"Charlotte! You look lovely. That is a very fine dress." Elizabeth said smiling at her older friend.

"Mother felt it necessary to make the effort as there are rumored to be new gentlemen here tonight, and this may be my last opportunity to fix a gentleman's interest." Miss Lucas spoke softly and with a self-effacing tone. "Though with you and Jane here, I doubt any other lady will have a chance."

"Please Charlotte," Jane blushed. Elizabeth smiled at her sister's modesty. She truly had no conception of her beauty and the effect it had on men. Even now Elizabeth could see the wake of dumbstruck men in the hall. And most of these were men that had known Jane all her life. To protect her own maidenly sensibilities, Elizabeth tried to ignore the awareness of the men's visceral reactions, passed to her by her enhanced senses.

"Have you heard any more reports of our new neighbor and his expected party?" Elizabeth asked.

"The latest I've heard is that instead of twelve, he has brought only six with him from London—his five sisters and a cousin."

"Still too many ladies," Jane replied while enjoying her sister's shocked expression at Jane's stealing her earlier quip. This brought laughter to all three.

It was near the end of the second set that the party from Netherfield finally arrived. Most of the local ladies were pleased to see that when the party entered the assembly room it consisted of only five altogether—Mr. Bingley, his two sisters, the husband of the eldest, and Mr. Darcy.

Elizabeth saw that Mr. Bingley was good-looking and gentlemanlike. He had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. His sisters were fine women, with an air of decided fashion. His brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, merely looked the gentleman. The lady from Longbourn watched with some amusement as Mr. Bingley had soon made himself acquainted with all the principal people in the room.

As popular as Mr. Bingley was making himself, it was his friend Mr. Darcy who 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 and a peerless gift.

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 the evening, until his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity.

"Mr. Darcy, may I introduce to you Mrs. Bennet and her lovely daughters." Sir William offered cheerfully. The gentleman from Derbyshire bowed silently and walked away. This behavior was repeated throughout the evening as he declined being introduced to any lady.

"He is the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world ..." Elizabeth heard Mrs. Bennet complaining to Mrs. Long. "... above his company, and above being pleased ..." A quick glance showed that Mr. Darcy may well have heard the insults as well.

"Nothing at all to Mr. Bingley," was the less than discrete response.

"Such amiable qualities must speak for themselves." Elizabeth observed to Charlotte as they watched Mr. Bingley partner Jane in the dance. "What a contrast between him and his friend!"