A Touch of Night by Sarah A. Hoyt Page A

eloquent about all the jewels and pin money that Jane would have once she married Mr. Bingley.
    Jane, bless her heart, was completely oblivious to all this. She danced with Mr. Bingley and went down to dinner with him. They both seemed lost in their conversation and in each other's eyes.
    During dinner Elizabeth saw Mr. Collins approach Darcy and she wished she could sink into the very earth.
    "I have just been informed," intoned Collins, "that you are the nephew of my esteemed patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh."
    Darcy did little more than nod stiffly at this and turned back to his white soup.
    "You will be pleased to know that she was quite well when I last saw her, shortly more than a week ago."
    Darcy did not appear to be any more pleased than previously, but he did say "thank you," in the coldest of manners.
    At this point, Mr. Collins' faculties for speech seemed to have left him, but he persevered with the one sided conversation nevertheless. From where Elizabeth sat, it sounded as if he said no more than the occasional, "Ook". Darcy turned his chair slightly to the left to avoid all eye contact. Across the table, Mr. Bennet looked to be vastly amused. He winked at Elizabeth and raised his glass to her. She forced a smile, but could not join him in his mirth.
    After they dined, Elizabeth was again conversing with Charlotte when Mr. Darcy unexpectedly addressed her.
    "Would you do me the honour of dancing the next?" he asked stiffly.
    In her surprise she accepted, she was so completely flustered. Charlotte smirked and walked away, leaving her alone with Mr. Darcy. Luckily the music started up almost immediately. He took her hand and led her to the floor. She noticed little else but that his grip was very firm, she was so busy chastising herself for not having thought of an excuse for not dancing.
    After a few turns upon the floor, Elizabeth decided that she must at least say something, any conversation being preferable to the deep silence that hung over them.
    "The room is very large," she said.
    "Not overly," was his response.
    "Yes, but with so many couples the size is indeed fortunate."
    He nodded.
    "It is now your turn to say something."
    Darcy looked at her in his inscrutable way. "Is this the local etiquette of dance conversation?"
    "Do you not converse while dancing in London?" asked Elizabeth. She had meant the comment to be sarcastic, but it sounded pert instead.
    "I rarely dance in London."
    "Well, here in the country we both dance and talk."
    "Talk then. I will not prevent what brings you pleasure."
    Elizabeth was very irked by this response and chose a topic she was quite sure Mr. Darcy would not like. "I made a new acquaintance the other day -- an old friend of yours -- Mr. Wickham, though I understand the two of you are not as close as you once were."
    "You will find that gentleman has great facility making friends but difficulty keeping them."
    "So, you lay the problem at his door? I had heard it was quite the reverse."
    Mr. Darcy's countenance became more distant yet. "I have no wish to discuss my dealings with that fellow."
    Elizabeth could understand this sentiment fully, and she smiled inwardly. She made no more attempts at conversation and the dance soon came to an end. Mr. Darcy bowed low over her hand and walked off, his back raMr.od straight. She was pleased that she had managed to put him out of sorts.
    * * * *
    Darcy looked about the ballroom in a panic. Bingley was nowhere to be seen. If only he had not given in to his desire to dance with Miss Elizabeth Bennet. He had thought one dance could not hurt, especially if he kept his feelings in check, and he had managed quite admirably, even when she had begun to flirt so charmingly. But what she had said about Wickham had left him seething. He did not blame her -- she obviously had been importuned with a pack of lies. Wickham was the one at fault. But it had been enough to make him lose his concentration, and now Bingley was missing -- it could