Chapter 2

 

‘So this is why he did not call today,’ was the first thought that quickly crossed Elizabeth’s mind. Less than a moment later she felt her cheeks burning in mortification at such an outrageous statement; such thoughts would make even Lydia feel ashamed. Surely, she had no right to query Mr. Darcy’s reasons for doing whatever he pleased, whenever he pleased, and certainly with whomever he pleased.

Struggling to keep her eyes focused straight ahead and to pay attention to the performance met with little success and so did her attempt to regain some composure. An uncomfortable sensation of being watched made her restless, and she wondered who else might be in that box. Did someone in the party recognize her? As far as Mr. Darcy was concerned, if he noticed her presence, she fully expected he would not be pleased to socialize with her and her relatives from Cheapside in the presence of his titled friends. This, she understood, was unlike their meeting in the park; but the others in the party? Was Miss Darcy in the box too? Or the Colonel? Had they noticed her? Would they, during the intermission?

She startled a couple of times under the impression she heard his voice, though she knew it was not possible. Mr. Darcy, a man who thought highly of propriety at all times, would certainly never speak to be heard from such a distance. Then again, she could be wrong. Mr. Darcy’s recent behavior seemed to be so completely different from what she formerly knew of him. Based on their previous encounters, she would have never believed him capable of behaving as…animated…as he did that evening, and certainly not in a crowded room under the scrutiny of so many curious eyes.

“Neither of us performs to strangers…”

The recollection of his words from that evening at Rosings brought back other memories — unpleasant and embarrassing memories. She now spent countless minutes reflecting, bringing to mind their past interactions; an inner smile unconsciously lifted the corner of her lips as she recalled their sparkling verbal duels. How could she have been so thoroughly blind as to misinterpret his every word, his every stare, his every smile and his every approach; she, who prided herself on her abilities of observation and discernment?

He had always been so serious, so stern and haughty with others — but not with her, at least not all the time. Mr. Darcy did smile at her — and quite often. Moreover, he singled her out more than once during those weeks in Hertfordshire; he danced with her at the Netherfield Ball even though she had previously refused him in the very presence of Sir William Lucas. Then, there had been all their talks at Netherfield — about accomplished ladies and the ‘improvement of one’s mind by extensive reading’ while she was reading; about his faults and hers; his reference to his sister’s height by comparison with her; and his plea that she not “sketch his character at this time” after their harsh talk during the ball. Everything seemed to her now to be cast in an utterly different light.

Of course, Charlotte had been perceptive enough to notice the truth almost immediately and, most likely, so had Miss Bingley, which explained the lady’s rude dismissal of her.

Why am I thinking of all this now? No good will come from these belated revelations; indeed, these thoughts are not doing me well. I must be grateful for Mr. Darcy’s civility, his politeness, and his apparent acceptance of a future acquaintance between us. Who knows? Perhaps I will have the chance to see Mr. Bingley again and he might…

An increasing tempo in the music startled Elizabeth and brought her back to the reality of her surroundings. The seeming irrationality of her speculations caused her to instantly censure herself again. She must not entertain any certain hopes of Mr. Bingley for Jane or anything for herself…

She steeled herself to think of nothing else but the exquisite performance on the stage and her long awaited tour to the Lakes. If only they could leave sooner… If Mr. Gardiner had not been forced to return to town, they would have been far away by this time. But then, of course, they would not have encountered Mr. and Miss Darcy at all — most likely she would not have had occasion to meet Mr. Darcy ever again.

Perhaps it would have been for the better. Things would have been much easier if I had not met him again.

Only a moment later, Elizabeth started questioning herself once again, laughing at her own folly. Better? Easier perhaps. Compared to what? I am so silly, so ridiculous! Truthfully, did anything of significance really happen? Not by design but simply by chance we occasioned upon Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam; and, out of courtesy, Mr. Darcy introduced us to his sister. That is all. Things are not any different than they were a week ago.

Yet, in retrospect, things were different, and Elizabeth knew it only too well. She had not only met Mr. Darcy, but she had the opportunity to witness an utter change: a significant softening of his manners and a completely new aspect of his character in his affectionate care toward his sister. He had been not just more polite, but gracious and, indeed, friendlier — both with herself and her aunt — than she had ever witnessed before.

Indeed, he had invited her to his beautiful home and, surprisingly, declared her to be a most welcome guest. In addition, he offered to do whatever she required to assure her comfort and enjoyment during her visit. To her greater surprise, he had encouraged a further acquaintance between her and his sister, even promising to call on her in Cheapside, an event she would never have considered possible.

Chills shivered down her spine while her mind realized and admitted the implications of her thoughts. She could not deny or conceal the truth any longer — at least to herself: her torment was due to the presence near him of the beautiful Lady Cassandra and his warm behavior toward her. Obviously, they were much more than mere acquaintances, and this realization greatly affected her, throwing her into a storm of distressful imaginings and speculations.

Oh, but this thinking was unacceptable and shameless coming from her and most certainly regarding the gentleman in question!

‘You are the last man in the world…’

She had never desired his good opinion nor had she welcomed his declarations. She was content to know she would never see him again after the unfortunate day at the parsonage. Then why did the mere presence of another young lady near him bother her so? She was not jealous — no, that was not possible and could not even be taken into consideration! But she admitted she was…distressed, a sort of distress she had never before experienced and which made her think herself a simpleton.

Furious to feel her cheeks burning, she sighed deeply, drawing Mrs. Gardiner’s attention to her. She met her aunt’s inquiring look and forced a smile to calm herself. Then, with great determination, she kept her gaze fixed upon the activities on stage for the rest of the performance. However, it was fortunate she knew the play by heart, or she certainly would never have known what transpired during all those long minutes.

The sudden activity of those around her took Elizabeth by surprise. She had been so caught up in her thoughts that she failed to notice when the first part of the play ended.

Mrs. Gardiner asked her opinion about the performance, and she tried to formulate a polite and neutral answer. The voices around her — complimenting the actor’s performances and the play itself — helped her express a favorable opinion; however, she could not deceive her perceptive aunt who looked with doubt upon her answer. She considered herself fortunate when Mrs. Gardiner did not question her further; instead, they all rose from their seats and a moment later the inevitable happened.

As she was completely turned toward her aunt, Elizabeth saw the elder lady’s countenance lightening and a smile spreading on her face while she curtseyed discreetly and addressed both her niece and her husband: “What a delightful surprise! Mr. and Miss Darcy are here too! And so is Colonel Fitzwilliam. Just to your left, Lizzy!”

Elizabeth was forced to turn by her aunt’s demand and her own curiosity: Mrs. Gardiner would have not greeted the Darcy party if the gentlemen had not acknowledged her presence first.

She hesitated a few more moments causing her aunt to raise her eyebrow in wonder. “Lizzy, what is the matter with you? Are you not turning to greet Miss Darcy? Is everything well, my dear?”

She nodded in agreement, forced a smile, then turned to the place she had tried so hard to avoid; yet, by the time her eyes settled on the box, no gentlemen remained — only Miss Darcy and Lady Cassandra. The former smiled openly at her, the discreet move of her head accompanied by a small gesture with her hand. Elizabeth returned her warm greeting with real pleasure and an equally warm and genuine smile.

At the same moment, she sensed Lady Cassandra’s insistent, piercing gaze upon her and could do nothing but meet it. Elizabeth did not fail to comprehend that this second wordless encounter was utterly different from their earlier one, when both were oblivious of the other’s identity. My identity? My identity must be of little interest besides one of curiosity for her ladyship, Elizabeth thought as her smile faded and her countenance changed from one of friendly warmth to one of demure, though distracted, politeness.

“Well, my dear,” said her aunt, “apparently the gentlemen have since left the box. It took you an eternity to decide if you wished to proffer them a polite look. Really, Lizzy, you are acting rather strangely, my dear — you are not quite yourself.”

“If those gentlemen are not drawing your attention any longer, ladies, perhaps you would allow this gentleman to escort you to the foyer for a few moments before the second act begins,” offered Mr. Gardiner in a sardonic tone, indicating his displeasure at being neglected, which only caused his wife to laugh affectionately, take his arm, and squeeze it tenderly.

Elizabeth delayed in following them, casting another look toward Miss Darcy; there were still no gentlemen in the box. Her glance caught Lady Cassandra’s notice once more, and Elizabeth felt her face flushing as though she had been caught doing something improper. She turned her head, embarrassed, and quickened her steps to catch up to her relatives.

No more than a minute passed before Elizabeth had the answer to what would happen during the first intermission. Her party had barely exited to the foyer when they were abruptly stopped by the surprising appearance of Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Elizabeth was so startled she did not have time to feel embarrassed or avert her eyes; her gaze met Darcy’s and remained locked for a few moments while she noticed in amazement that a trace of a smile was lifting the corners of his lips, lightening his face. Without a doubt, he looked very pleased with this new and unexpected meeting, though he remained a little behind the colonel and considerably more silent than his cousin.

Colonel Fitzwilliam did not lose a moment in his joyful greeting of their party; and, before Elizabeth could fully recover, Mr. Gardiner had already been introduced to both gentlemen.

“Such a pleasant surprise to meet you all here this evening,” declared Darcy with the same warm politeness of their meeting in the park; this only served to increase Elizabeth’s uneasiness. He then lowered his head a little as if attempting to address her directly. “I had the impression I saw Miss Bennet earlier; but, given the fact that only a few moments remained before the play started, I could not be certain. I am pleased to see I was not wrong.”

“Yes, we were very late, and I am afraid it was entirely my fault. We arrived only a few moments before the play began,” explained the Colonel with an openness that greatly amused both Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner.

“I am sure there were some good reasons for your delay, Colonel. I know how easily a man’s demanding business often interferes with one’s fixed engagements. Certainly, Mr. Gardiner finds it so,” offered Mrs. Gardiner.

“I thank you madam; but, unfortunately, I cannot claim such a good and worthy excuse. I simply forgot we were to attend the theater this evening, but I could not refuse the invitation; Darcy would not have it. Though I must admit I am wondering at the wisdom of this. Who would willingly spend an exceedingly warm evening crowded among hundreds of little known acquaintances now that the season has ended? Must be a reason Covent Garden is closed during the summer; any reasonable man…”

He caught himself and stopped, the smile frozen on his suddenly deeply chagrined face while his eyes looked in panic from the Gardiners to Elizabeth. “Oh, please, I sincerely beg you excuse me… I truly meant no offense. Of course a good play, a good performance, is to be enjoyed anytime, in any season…”

For the first time since she had met him, Elizabeth saw the Colonel trapped in a moment of unease; gone were his charm and easy manner of conversation. He looked so deeply distressed and so honestly mortified that she could hardly retain her countenance. No matter how uncomfortable she had felt a moment ago, the poor man seemed to feel ten times worse; and no wonder, considering that he had just offended herself and her relatives quite badly.

Concealing her amusement at his distress, she cast a quick glance to her aunt and uncle. She noted their easy manners remained intact: gracious smiles were bestowed, and suppressed amusement twinkled in their eyes.

Mrs. Gardiner quickly came to his rescue. “Sir, no need to worry. We took no offense.”

And, to the Colonel’s utter relief, Mr. Gardiner added, his voice full of understanding, “Indeed no offense is taken, Sir. I totally understand your meaning and find I share your feelings. Given the opportunity, I would gladly prefer a quiet evening at home in the cool solitude of my study; however, this is a sacrifice I gladly make for my wife and my dear niece as this play is a particular favorite of them.”

Partially regaining his equilibrium and ease of address, the Colonel responded, “I easily understand your desire of gratifying the ladies’ wishes, Sir; our own presence this evening is due to the insistence of my cousin, Georgiana, and of Lady Cassandra. What gentleman would not sacrifice his comforts to please a beautiful lady?”

Mr. Gardiner laughed and hurried to approve the Colonel while Mrs. Gardiner smiled, trying to catch her niece’s eyes to share their amusement — but with no success. The mere mention of Her Ladyship’s name caused Elizabeth to startle; and, instinctively, she cast a quick glance towards Darcy who returned her insistent gaze. Blushing, she quickly averted her eyes. Yet, a moment was enough for her to distinguish that his countenance seemed nothing but light, good humored and very complaisant. Again, she was grateful to her aunt who skillfully conducted the conversation further.

“Mr. Darcy, is Miss Darcy enjoying her time tonight? Has the performance been to her liking so far?”

“Yes, Mrs. Gardiner, she likes it very much, thank you. I must say she was very happy to notice your presence and has expressed her hopes she would be able to speak with you this evening. She did not join us presently, because she finds herself so very uncomfortable among the crush of the crowds.”

“Well,” the Colonel intervened, “perhaps Georgiana would have let herself be persuaded to join us; however, we left the box in quite a hurry. We did not want to lose you in the middle of this crowd before having the opportunity to greet you properly.”

Mrs. Gardiner smiled again and insistently looked at her niece, whose face turned crimson; neither of them failed to understand the reason for the gentlemen’s hurry to greet them. Mrs. Gardiner could only suspect which of the two gentlemen was more eager to meet her niece. For a moment, it even crossed her mind that both of them shared an eager interest in that regard; however, she dismissed it instantly, hoping it were not true, and returned her attention to the conversation.

In an attempt to hide her uneasiness, Elizabeth gathered her wits sufficiently to finally speak. “I did have the pleasure of seeing Miss Darcy a few minutes ago; in fact we greeted each other from afar. I dare say she looks remarkably well.” While speaking, her lips twisted in a hint of a smile and she encountered Darcy’s open smile in return.

“Is that so? I am very glad to hear it. Indeed, I…” Darcy paused a little, his countenance frowning slightly, while he looked from Mrs. Gardiner to Elizabeth. He seamed to search for the proper words, until he finally voiced an invitation that Elizabeth would never have expected to hear. “Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Miss Bennet, if we are not intruding on your plans, I…we would be very happy to have your company this evening. My box is very spacious…and I would be only too happy if you would do me the honor of joining our party for the rest of the performance.”

Their surprise was complete; and, for a few long moments, none of them knew what to answer. Mrs. and Mr. Gardiner exchanged wondering glances trying to discern Elizabeth’s opinion — as it was clear she was the main object of the invitation — but she insisted on keeping her eyes averted while she bit her lower lip in a barely perceptible gesture. She was nervous — her aunt was certain of that — but what was the cause of her unease? Did she not welcome the invitation? Mrs. Gardiner could not tell for certain. Yet, she could not imagine any serious reason for Elizabeth to be displeased with it either – except for the modesty and shyness inherent in accepting such attention from a man of Mr. Darcy’s consequence.

After a moment of reflection — knowing she presumed more than she ought and took more upon herself than was her duty – Mrs. Gardiner decided it was unwise to lose such an opportunity of improving their acquaintance with the Darcys.

“Mr. Darcy, we would be honored and delighted to join you; however, we do not wish to intrude on your private family party.”

“It is no intrusion at all, I assure you. My sister will be as pleased as I am to see you again, and I am certain you will find Lady Cassandra’s company equally pleasing.”

“Mr. Darcy, perhaps Lady Cassandra will not be pleased with unexpected additions to your group?” Elizabeth did not realize she was speaking until the words were out of her mouth, at which moment she panicked and glanced toward her aunt — desperately attempting to discern how her words sounded and affected others.

“You must not concern yourself on this subject, Miss Bennet,” Darcy continued with warm persuasion in his voice. I am certain Lady Cassandra will only be too pleased to make your acquaintance and highly appreciate your company, as do we all.”

The warmth of his response did little to settle her unease, in fact, quite the contrary. The compliment — as well as his insistence — again took her by surprise, but this time she dared to lift her eyes to meet his gaze. The flush suffusing her cheeks betrayed her embarrassment as well as the pleasure of the compliment to her person.

Whatever relationship might exist between Mr. Darcy and Lady Cassandra, it could not be doubted or misunderstood that he was wishing for, and desirous of, her company. He remained equally as attentive toward her as he was two days ago, even more so. However, the motives for his attentions — so openly displayed in front of her relatives and his — she could not resolve, nor did she make the attempt; the time and the place did not allow for such reflections.

Of course, his attitude could be construed as nothing but proper politeness. For gentlemen as amiable as Mr. Bingley and the Colonel, those attentions would be considered nothing out of the ordinary. Yet, Elizabeth was certain this kind of behavior from Mr. Darcy was anything but usual to those outside of his immediate circle. Elizabeth fought with herself not to read too much into his strikingly altered manners. However, the question did not evade her mind for a single moment: what could this mean?

The second act of the performance was about to start and the pressure of time worked very well in forcing a reply to the invitation. Mr. Gardiner accepted on behalf of himself and the ladies, a fact which drew a jovial “Excellent” from the Colonel.

Darcy chose a more restrained, but no less eloquent, manner of expressing his satisfaction. He offered his arm to Elizabeth — only a second earlier than the Colonel. Elizabeth accepted it with obvious restraint, barely daring to touch the sleeve of his coat with her gloved hand, and started walking at his side, noticing from the corner of her eyes, stares full of curiosity from the people around them.

Mrs. Gardiner’s eyebrow rose in wonder, and she cast a meaningful glance at her husband, mutely asking him about Elizabeth’s sudden shyness and unease. Mr. Gardiner could only shrug, unable to understand or explain the altered behavior of his beloved niece.

From the moment the invitation was accepted, Elizabeth began wondering and worrying about Lady Cassandra’s reception, not only toward her, but toward her relatives as well. Of course, she did not expect open rudeness — not when their presence was at the invitation of Mr. Darcy himself — but how would Her Ladyship receives her appearance on Mr. Darcy’s arm and her relatives from Cheapside?

The moment they faced each other, Elizabeth’s eyes were instantly drawn toward

Lady’s Cassandra’s intense, inquiring stare. She witnessed the surprise on the lady’s face and the unmistakable change of her countenance when the introductions were made. Elizabeth felt very grateful for the advantage of having a little time to prepare for their encounter.

Miss Darcy seemed to balance between the obvious pleasure of seeing them again and the shyness and unease of being introduced into the company of the new acquaintance of Mr. Gardiner. But the gentleman — whose manners were easy and pleasant — managed to obtain a hint of a smile, a couple of monosyllabic answers, and a deep blush from her in less than a minute.

To Elizabeth’s surprise, the introduction to Lady Cassandra was not at all unpleasant. Her Ladyship’s manner resembled very much that of the Colonel’s or Mr. Bingley’s. She showed no false dignity at all, nor any form of disdain toward them. She openly smiled to the Gardiners and declared she was informed by Miss Darcy about their previous encounter and was indeed pleased to have at last made their acquaintance. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner’s conversational skills matched quite well with those of Lady Cassandra and they needed only a few moments to form a friendly acquaintance.

Finally, Lady Cassandra turned to Elizabeth — who seemed content to remain silent and contemplative after she greeted the lady properly — and their eyes met once more.

“So, Miss Bennet, we meet again; at least this time we have the advantage of being properly introduced.”

“Indeed, your ladyship; it is a pleasure to have made your acquaintance.”

Any further conversation was interrupted as they all hurried to take their places for the second part of the play. Miss Darcy was seated on Lady Cassandra’s right and on her other side was the Colonel. However, he gladly offered his seat to Elizabeth, preferring to move himself closer to Mr. Gardiner, in hope of garnering some little conversation during the rest of the evening.

This change pleased Miss Darcy exceedingly and she expressed her joy to Elizabeth more than once in the minutes which followed. The young girl’s genuine and friendly manners made Elizabeth’s opinion grow warmer, and she tried to answer with equal gentleness. She did like Miss Darcy, more than any other young lady she had met in Town. If not for the awkward situation with her brother…

“Miss Bennet, is everything well?” She startled and turned to her younger companion, meeting her preoccupied glace.

“Yes, thank you, Miss Darcy, everything is wonderful.” She smiled and said something neutral then turned the topic to the play. Whispering to each other, they spoke a few more moments before the performance drew their attention to the stage.

Yet, Elizabeth’s attention was not entirely concentrated on the stage — quite the contrary.

Mr. Darcy had politely helped Elizabeth take her place prior to making sure that the Gardiners were made comfortable; only when everything seemed to meet his approval did he finally resume his place — on the left side of the box, near Lady Cassandra. And that was precisely the point toward which Elizabeth’s quick glances and most of her thoughts and attentions were drawn.

From time to time, Miss Darcy addressed her with some question; and, in order to answer her, Elizabeth leaned to her left. Each of these times, her gaze traveled a little further toward the end of the box. She could sense more than see the slight moves and whispered conversation on the other side of Miss Darcy; once, her eyes even met Darcy’s for less than a moment.

Though she promised herself to pay attention to the stage, Elizabeth could not resist the temptation of examining Lady Cassandra’s reactions during their short encounter, trying to understand her relationship with the Darcys.

She had to admit the lady’s manners were indeed friendlier and more pleasant than she had expected considering her ladyship’s situation in life. She clearly knew Mrs. Gardiner’s father and husband were in trade, but that fact did not seem to cause any unease or incivility on her part. In fact, concluded Elizabeth, Lady Cassandra had been ten times more pleasant than Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst who were undoubtedly greatly beneath her in consequence, social standing and manners. It suddenly crossed Elizabeth’s mind, ‘I wonder if Lady Cassandra is acquainted with the Bingleys,’ and a large smile spread over her face while picturing Miss Bingley attempting to compete with the lady.

But at the same moment, her smile turned to a frown when she noticed Mr. Darcy leaning to his right, toward her, disturbing both Lady Cassandra and Miss Darcy. “Miss Bennet, I happen to have an extra pair of opera glasses, and I thought they might be useful to you.”

Elizabeth did not answer — she could not, even if she wished to. She could only stretch her hand to take the glasses from him. Her heart started beating regularly again only after a few long moments; she felt so unsure of herself she did not dare to turn or even attempt a gesture of thanking him, nor did she dare to actually use the opera glasses. She simply held them absentmindedly.

When she regained some composure, she became alarmed, wondering what the others — especially Lady Cassandra — would think of his gesture. Undoubtedly, Miss Darcy did not seem in the least bit surprised; she continued talking to Elizabeth in a low voice of how considerate and gentle her brother always was. Elizabeth could do nothing but nod in agreement, hoping she did not looked as embarrassed and flushed as she felt.

Finally, after several more seemingly long minutes, Elizabeth decided to at least express her thanks to Darcy by actually using the glasses, while desperately trying to understand what was happening on the stage. Thank heavens I know this play by heart! was all she could think of.

Time passed tortuously slow for Elizabeth; yet, when the second part of the play was ended, she discovered the new intermission brought her more unease than relief. She was holding the pair of glasses in her hand, fearing someone would question her about them; but, thankfully, no one did.

The ladies were talking about the actors’ performances and the play, while Mr. Gardiner and Colonel Fitzwilliam immediately rose from their seats, declaring their intention of taking a stroll in the halls. None of the ladies accepted the invitation to join them; Mr. Darcy seemed to hesitate a moment, then exited the box together with the other two gentlemen.

Their departure made Miss Darcy more animated and she daringly initiated a lively conversation with Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth.

“Mrs. Gardiner, I am so pleased you and Miss Bennet are here with us.”

“Thank you, Miss Darcy; we are truly honored to have been invited to join you.”

Her gaze moved from the younger lady to Lady Cassandra, who answered with a smile. “We are enjoying your company very much, Mrs. Gardiner, I assure you. As for Miss Bennet, I confess I have long desired to meet her! From what I have heard of her so far, she apparently has the happy ability of charming everyone around her.”

Elizabeth cheeks colored instantly, while her eyes met Lady Cassandra’s amused glance. The lady’s green eyes were full of mirth, and the expression of her face proved she was partially speaking in jest. Elizabeth could easily notice the hidden irony in her apparently friendly tone, as it was constantly used by Mr. Bennet; she also noticed that there was no maliciousness in the lady’s tone. It was more…a challenge?

She held that green, insistent gaze a long moment and then she allowed a large smile to accompany the gentle mockery in her answer. “Lady Cassandra, I cannot possibly imagine what your ladyship could have heard that brought you to such a conclusion. Unfortunately, it is further from the truth than I would like to admit.”

“Ah…then perhaps I might be deceived.”

“I am afraid so, your ladyship.” By now, Elizabeth’s laugh was openly displayed.

“But that is not very likely; my authority was too good, and I do trust it implicitly…”

Their gazes remained locked in that challenge until Lady Cassandra spoke again, spreading a new wave of redness over Elizabeth’s cheeks. “Or perhaps my source had been blinded by partiality to you, and the report has been favorably exaggerated…”

Elizabeth did not have the time — or the words — to answer or fully understand the implication of the statement before Mr. Darcy unexpectedly returned, and the topic of the conversation was suddenly dropped.

The gentleman was received with open and welcoming smiles by both Miss Darcy and Lady Cassandra. He seemed very well humored; and, to Elizabeth’s chagrin, inquired as to the subject of their conversation.

“Well, brother, mostly Miss Bennet and Lady Cassandra talked, and we listened.” Miss Darcy seemed as equally good-humored as her brother.

“Ah…I hope I did not interrupt you.” His eyes traveled from one mentioned lady to the other.

“Well, actually you did, Darcy. But I dare say the interruption was not completely unpleasant, was it, Miss Bennet?”

Elizabeth wished she possessed the ability to hide her embarrassment as she felt her cheeks flushing full red again. Struggling to show at least some composure, she managed to display a smile while answering. “No, indeed it was not. And I dare say, sir, that being the owner of the box offers you the unique privilege of interrupting any conversation which might take place inside of it.”

He laughed – openly, such as Elizabeth had never heard him before. “Thank you, Miss Bennet. I will remain forever indebted to you for reminding me of this privilege.” He locked her gaze again; and, for a moment, she had the sensation that his eyes were speaking in a different tone than his voice.

“You know, Darcy,” Lady Cassandra intervened again, with a familiarity which left no doubts regarding the intimacy of their relationship, “Miss Bennet and I have met before you introduced us.”

“Really? This is truly a surprise! And may I dare ask when this happened?” His wondering gaze was upon Elizabeth again, and a sudden lump in her throat forbade her reply. Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Gardiner returned, but their presence did not stop Lady Cassandra from continuing to relate the events.

“It happened in the lobby before the three of you arrived, while I was speaking with the Crawfords. Apparently something drew Miss Bennet’s attention on her way inside the theater and I noticed her insistent stare on me; I confessed I was intrigued and I was wondering who she was. I even asked the Crawfords about her. But now, that I am thinking of it, I should have known it was Miss Bennet.”

Her tone grew more amused while her lips twisted into a large smile, mixing the jest with seriousness so Elizabeth could only hope she was not totally annoyed by her breech of etiquette when she had ‘stared’ at her. She was prepared to apologize while wondering what could be the meaning of the statement, ‘I should have known it was Miss Bennet.’ Were her appearance and manner of dress viewed so poorly among the other ladies? Or was her ladyship only trying to offend her, as Miss Bingley used to do?

“Oh, come now, Lady Cassandra!” said the Colonel. “How could you have known it was Miss Bennet? You have never met her before. I know Miss Bennet quite well and I still did not notice her the other day in the Park, until Darcy drew my attention to her.”

The Colonel’s eyebrow rose with incredulity, and Her Ladyship turned to him, fixing him with her eyes for a long moment. “Colonel — let us have a more private conversation about your attention and perceptiveness, shall we? I do not want to spoils our guest’s good opinion of you.”

Elizabeth was afraid the Colonel had been offended by the mockery in Lady Cassandra’s tone; but, after a moment of frowning, his face lightened and his usual smile brightened his countenance. “I am entirely at your disposal, any time, Milady! Still, I cannot abandon my inquiry about how your perceptiveness could help you to identify an unknown lady in a room full of ladies.”

Only one more moment did Lady Cassandra hold the Colonel’s gaze before turning her eyes around and noticing the same curiosity in the other’s expression. She smiled with self confidence and addressed Elizabeth directly. “Miss Bennet, I would gladly answer if you would favor me with an answer of your own.”

“I shall try, your ladyship…” Elizabeth’s surprise made her search Mrs. Gardiner’s eyes as if seeking her approbation and support; she received only a warm smile.

“Miss Bennet, what exactly concerned you, causing you to turn your head and stare at me in the lobby?”

Georgiana gasped softly, shocked by the impropriety of such a direct question, and Mr. Darcy’s countenance frowned deeply in obvious disapproval of this incivility. He immediately looked at Elizabeth and their eyes met again; it was easy for Elizabeth to recognize that look as she had seen it many times before: when Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst had been rude to her at Netherfield, when Lady Catherine had offended her — more or less intentionally — at Rosings… Yet, this time he was about to interfere — verbally — in her favor; she was certain of it. However, curiously, Elizabeth did not feel at all offended. Suddenly, daringly and well-humored, she returned her ladyship’s confident smile. “Nothing gave me cause for concern, Lady Cassandra, quite the contrary. Your ladyship looked stunningly beautiful; I simply stopped to admire you. I apologize if I caused you any discomfort.”

Her unexpectedly honest answer and her eyes sparkling with amusement and sincerity clearly disconcerted Lady Cassandra. And her ladyship’s expression as well as her smile, changed: softened and warmed, in a moment’s time. “Thank you, Miss Bennet,” was her only reply.

Both of the ladies startled and broke the eye contact at the sound of the Colonel’s voice. “Now, it is your ladyship’s turn to answer my question. I hope you will keep your promise.”

“I always keep my promises, Colonel!” Her voice did not sound as calm as it used to, but she recovered in an instant. “As for my answer — come now, it is very simple, and I feel really ashamed for not guessing from the beginning. Just look at Miss Bennet!”

Again taken by surprise, Elizabeth’s cheeks started burning in embarrassment as she felt six pairs of eyes fixed on her, filled with curiosity.

Lady Cassandra continued, pleased with the interest she aroused in the audience. “As I am sure you are already aware, Colonel, Miss Bennet has a very specific and rare quality: she has an unpretentious elegance, a natural beauty and an intelligence which is very easy to read in the expression of her eyes. So being beautiful, unpretentious and intelligent — it was obvious she could not be one of the young heiresses from Town!”

None of them succeeded in holding their choking gasps and chuckles, drawing the attention of everyone in their vicinity. Darcy attempted to shake his head in censure, but the mirth he felt was clear upon his visage. The corners of his mouth tightened noticeably and a smile formed upon his lips. “Lady Cassandra, though I tend to agree with your characterization of Miss Bennet, I would suggest you postpone the rest of your reasoning until we are in a more private situation where the risk of being heard and offending the entire ton will be considerably less.”

Miss Darcy and Mrs. Gardiner failed to conceal a new, unladylike round of chuckles; thankfully, their low voices prevented those around them from hearing what inspired their glee. Mr. Gardiner and the Colonel exchanged meaningful looks and some whispered comments, betraying their amusement.

Elizabeth was too mortified to share everyone’s amusement; to be complimented in such a way by Lady Cassandra and then hear Mr. Darcy loudly declaring his agreement with that flattering characterization seemed impossible to believe and highly embarrassing at the same time.

She cast a quick glance from Mr. Darcy to Lady Cassandra, who seemed tempted to reply; but, after a quelling glance from the gentleman, she apparently changed her mind, resuming her seat. It was clear she did not easily accept this set down, not even couched in jest.

The performance started again and Elizabeth cupped her face with her palm in an attempt to cool the heat of her cheeks.

What an evening!

\

~/~/~/~

The next — and last — intermission passed with considerably less excitement than did the previous two. The members of the party were by now reasonably well acquainted and an easy convivial conversation started and developed pleasantly among them.

However, for Elizabeth, the situation grew more difficult to bear while her heart became heavier with each passing moment — not because she did not enjoy being with the Darcys and their companions – but because she enjoyed them more than she ever thought possible.

Mr. Darcy continued to be very attentive to her, and Miss Darcy was nothing but warm and friendly.

As for Lady Cassandra — Elizabeth could not assess with certainty the lady’s opinion of her, nor did she have reason to complain. The lady was very gracious with the Gardiners and seemed to have an amazing influence over Mr. and Miss Darcy as well as the Colonel. She was the one who seemed to charm the people around her.

While observing her in silent contemplation, Elizabeth noticed Lady Cassandra was not as young as she had initially presumed; her age was likely only a year or two younger than Mr. Darcy. She addressed both the Darcys in the same manner as did the Colonel: as someone from inside the family. It was true Mr. Darcy was constantly using the polite “Lady Cassandra” when addressing her; however, their exchanges proved clearly that they were very familiar with each other.

Deeply absorbed in her thoughts, Elizabeth interjected very little into the conversation. She answered a few direct questions coming from the Colonel and shared some remembrances of evenings spent together at Rosings. Yet, aside from some amusing moments, the remembrance of the past days spend in Kent brought her more mortification than pleasure — and silenced her again while she felt Darcy’s gaze burning her profile.

She welcomed the beginning of the last act of the play; and, while pretending she was fully concentrating on the performance on stage, she heartily wished the eventful evening would finally end.

~/~/~/~

They remained among the last to leave, as their conversations continued almost a quarter of an hour after the end of the play.

The farewells took place in the front of the theater while waiting for the carriages, and Mr. Darcy brought up another topic just before they were going to depart.

“Mrs. Gardiner, Mr. Gardiner I was wondering... Have you — or Miss Bennet — any fixed engagements for tomorrow?”

“I will be out for business, Mr. Darcy, but as far as I know, my wife and niece will be at home.” Mrs. Gardiner only nodded in agreement. “May we be of help to you?”

“No, no… My sister and I were considering calling on you tomorrow after noon, if that is convenient.” His eyes were fixed on Elizabeth as if awaiting some response from her; but the acceptance came from Mrs. Gardiner, who expressed her delight in having them as guests the following day.

As if awakened from a deep sleep, Elizabeth gathered herself and remembered the basic rules of polite behavior. “It would be a pleasure to see you again tomorrow, Miss Darcy, Mr. Darcy. I look forward to it.”

As the carriage departed, Elizabeth blamed her lack of courage for not looking at Lady Cassandra during the last exchange. She now dreaded knowing how much the lady approved or disapproved of tomorrow’s call.

Dinner at Gracechurch Street was a very animated affair that evening. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner seemed to have interest in nothing but sharing impressions of the unexpected party they had the chance to join.

The Colonel’s manners were very much appreciated, and Miss Darcy was declared a very beautiful and graceful young lady. As for her brother, he was deemed “perfectly well-behaved, polite, and unassuming,” by Mr. Gardiner. Privately, he wondered about Elizabeth’s previous and so decidedly unfavorable opinion of him.

“There is something a little stately in Mr. Darcy, to be sure,” replied her aunt; “but it is confined to his air, and is not unbecoming. He is not as voluble as the Colonel, but he is very pleasant nevertheless.”

“I could not have been more surprised than by his behavior to us. It was more than civil; he was very attentive; to invite us into his box and act so amiably on such a trifling acquaintance is amazing and very gracious. There was no necessity for such attention, to be sure; in fact, I would fully comprehend if he would not seek our company at all the entire evening. We are not any close acquaintance of him or of his social circle and neither is Elizabeth.”

“But my dear — what do you think of Lady Cassandra?” asked Mrs. Gardiner; and so, for the rest of the evening, this was the main subject of conversation between Elizabeth’s uncle and aunt.

She kept her composure and even managed to look animated enough not to worry her relatives, but she retired at the first opportunity. The subject was the major interest for her; however she rather preferred to analyze it all alone in the seclusion of her chambers.

Alone, Elizabeth spent the next hours listening to the sound of the warm summer night through the open window. Her thoughts were split between the day which had just passed and the one which was about to start.

It was almost dawn when Elizabeth finally fell asleep. Countless recollections of the evening’s words, gazes, smiles, and quandaries of hidden meanings of everything she had witnessed, were still spinning in her head. Meanwhile, the icy hole in the pit of her stomach grew deeper; its coldness had her shivering. Before sleep finally overtook her, making her heavy and moistened eyes finally close, Elizabeth became certain of two things: first — that she liked Lady Cassandra very much, and second — that the lady was a perfect match for Mr. Darcy.

~/~/~/~

“Darcy, I have to say that Miss Bennet was not exactly what I expected,” said Lady Cassandra as soon as the carriage started to ride. There were only the three of them, as the Colonel departed from the theatre on his own way.

“Oh, I think Miss Bennet looked lovely tonight,” intervened Miss Darcy almost passionately. “I truly like her.”

Darcy chose to remain silent for the moment, only staring inquiringly at Lady Cassandra who was sitting opposite to him.

“I do not disagree, my dear Georgie. In fact, I found her quite beautiful, though maybe not really a classic beauty. I noticed something very open and natural in her appearance which I truly liked. Even the first time I noticed her in the hall, before knowing it was your Miss Bennet, I was quite impressed by the lively expression in her eyes. And yes — you were right in this aspect — beautiful eyes, I will grant her that.”

Both Miss and Mr. Darcy looked intensely at her, as both recognized some of their own opinions in Lady Cassandra’s description. However, if the former seemed amused and approving, the latter was not at all pleased.

“Cassandra, first — Miss Bennet is not our or anybody’s property, by far, so please refrain from speaking in jest about her. And secondly, I am only curious…if you so approve of her, why did you say she was not what you expected?”

“Oh, come now, Darcy, do not be so sensitive! I meant no offense. As for what I did not like…well…I barely saw anything of her wit and cleverness of which you were speaking so highly. I can hardly believe she was the one expressing such decided opinions in front of Lady Catherine — I would rather believe she highly needed protection or your frightening aunt would have devoured her completely!”

“Cassandra!” Darcy’s tone expressed the deepest disapproval while Georgiana laughed openly. “Could you humor me for once by speaking without offending anybody?”

“I shall try — but only to humor you, especially when the subject is your aunt, Lady Catherine. And I repeat that I did not mean to offend anyone… Now, to resume: Miss Bennet’s behavior was everything proper, but in truth I barely heard her speaking at all; she seemed a little more animated only when she talked to Georgiana and the Colonel. And I have to say, Georgie, that both you and your cousin seem quite taken with her.”

“I confess I do like Miss Bennet very much, Cassandra. And I am sorry you did not completely approve of her.”

“Oh, but I do, dearest, believe me. And I am certain that my opinion of her will improve upon closer acquaintance. It is just that…” She paused and stared intensely at Darcy, holding his gaze. “I would never guess that she was the lady you told me about, Darcy. That is all.”

He sustained her stare a little longer before turning to his sister, who was watching the exchange feeling that something was amiss. “Miss Bennet had always gotten along very well with my cousin’s easy manner, from the first moment they met each other; but this is hardly surprising. David excels in everything I lack in order to be at ease in pleasant company. As for Georgiana…”

He stretched to gently catch his sister’s gloved hand. “My dear, I have to admit I am quite pleased to see how friendly you have become in such a short time with both Mrs. Gardiner and Miss Bennet. And I am even happier to see how much you have changed — grown — in less than a month since Cassandra returned.”

“I know I have changed in the last month. And I am so glad to see you so well now, William! I was afraid that…” Miss Darcy’s eyes became tearful instantly, and she turned to the lady near her, unexpectedly placing a kiss on her cheek. “I love you so much, Cassandra, and I am so happy you are here. You have done miracles for me…and for William, too!”

The lady’s eyelashes blinked repeatedly in order to hide her threatening tears; and, for a moment, she remained silent. But only for a moment.

“Of course I did miracles, sweetling — in fact I am a miracle myself; you both should have known that by now! Oh…come now! Stop this nonsense! I did nothing more than play with your nerves and with your patience this last month. I am very proficient at it, and, thus, I am constantly practicing, as Lady Catherine would say.”

Peels of laughter mixed with tears escaped Miss Darcy and the gentleman could do nothing but join her. It was obvious that Lady Cassandra did not like taking credit for anything, and he respected her desire by avoiding the topic of praise altogether.

“So…we were talking about Miss Bennet. What were you saying, Darcy?”

“Ah, yes… I have to admit that you are right: Miss Bennet’s manners were more restrained than usual. And considering that she seemed comfortable with Georgiana and the Colonel and even with you, I have to draw the conclusion that it was my presence that made her uneasy. It seems I have this habit of making people uncomfortable around me.” The last words were mere whispers, and he turned his head toward the window so the ladies could barely hear him.

“Oh, this is not true, William.” Miss Darcy seemed appalled that he could say such a thing about himself. “I saw nothing strange in Miss Bennet’s behavior toward you; she seemed to enjoy your company as much as did Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner.”

“I truly enjoyed the Gardiners’ company,” admitted Lady Cassandra in an attempt to deviate from the subject.

But Mr. Darcy seemed to lose interest for any subject and preferred to admire the view through the window until the carriage reached Lady Cassandra’s house. Only then did he move and help her to exit the carriage and then accompany her to the front of the main door.

They made their goodbyes, and he hurried to return to the carriage where his sister was waiting, when Lady Cassandra’s voice delayed him and made him return.

“Darcy… About Miss Bennet being uncomfortable in your company…”

“Yes?”

“You might be right about her reasons but then again — you might be completely wrong once more.”

Before he had time to comprehend her words, she smiled mischievously and entered the house, leaving him staring at the closed door.