The floorboards of the assembly room trembled under the spirited dance of twenty couples, with three of the five Bennet sisters gaily contributing to the merriment. Mary and Kitty looked on wistfully, with the latter pouting and the former perfectly content. As the couples twirled and clapped, it was the keen Mrs. Bennet who first beheld the entrance of the most anticipated guests.
In the doorway, a man of his mid-twenties stood with a woman of similar height and hair color in front of a slightly older couple. The foursome paused in the entryway before the taller, younger woman in a gown of deep red flicked out her fan and gazed over it's lavishly decorated front with a withering stare. The gentleman on her arm smiled at the raucous hall, in contrast to his sister's dismissive demeanor, before taking confident steps to lead his party further into the room.
"Mr. Bingley! We are quite delighted at your arrival. I trust the roads were not a nuisance?" Sir William Lucas made haste in approaching the singular, most anticipated guest. Having made acquaintance with Mr. Bingley during the leasing process, he was one of the few local men on familiar enough terms to greet the illustrious party.
"Sir Lucas! Please allow me to introduce my sisters. This is Miss Caroline Bingley." Caroline made a slight curtsy to Sir William with her nose turned up. "And this is my eldest sister, Mrs. Louisa Hurst and her husband, Mr. Edward Hurst."
The formal introductions aside, Sir Lucas pressed his suit, subtly suggesting his own daughter Charlotte as a partner for the next set to Mr. Bingley. Being an agreeable sort of fellow, Bingley pleasantly made an offer to the modest Charlotte.
At the punch table, the winded Elizabeth Bennet joined her sister Jane as John Lucas fetched both women a glass. A flutter coursed through Elizabeth's body as she had truly enjoyed the quick music and her twirls with Mr. Lucas.
"Lizzie, do you see that Mr. Bingley and his company are present?" Elizabeth searched the crowd demurely until Jane qualified their position more clearly. "There, next to Sir Lucas."
Elizabeth wrinkled her nose. "I fail to see ten eligible bachelors in tow." Just then, she made eye contact with Caroline Bingley across the assembly room as she made an ill-timed laugh over her own jest.
"Sssshhhh, you know how gossip is stretched in our county. They look perfectly amiable to me." Jane gave a small smile to the fair-headed gentleman, whom she assumed to be Mr. Bingley.
"Who is amiable?" John Lucas returned with the punch and Mr. Albert Masters, Elizabeth's next partner. He gave each lady a cooling glass of refreshment while the musicians began to tune up for the next set.
"Why anyone we've yet to make an acquaintance with! All strangers are perfectly amiable!" Elizabeth beamed at Mr. Lucas, hoping to tease one more smile from the man she'd known since childhood. Her efforts were rewarded as Mr. Masters escorted her to the floor and she happily met John's gaze before turning her attention to the set.
Before long, the smile on Elizabeth's face was replaced with a serious frown. As Albert spun and clapped with Elizabeth in time to the music, dutifully minding his step and not treading on her toes, a most horrific scene played before her. There was John Lucas, her John Lucas, talking with that deplorable lady and his father! The woman placed her hand on John's arm as they shared a laugh and gazed pointedly in her general direction.
"Miss Elizabeth, have I said something unfortunate to upset you?" Albert Masters, the butcher's son, tried to atone for his partner's foul mood.
Elizabeth's ears burned. She narrowed her eyes at the unknown woman and then broke into a laugh. "No, no Albie, you are far too sweet to upset anyone!" She flashed him a genuine smile as the set ended. Spying Mr. Bingley trading Charlotte Lucas for a set with her sister, Elizabeth curtsied to Albert and wound her way through the throng of people to her best friend and confidante.
Sneaking behind her, Elizabeth blew quickly on the exposed nape of Charlotte Lucas, causing her turn and reward Elizabeth with a scolding glance.
"Lizzie! I wonder if you'll still play our childhood prank when we're old hens, clucking away like our mothers?" Charlotte hugged her friend and noted the heated conversation between Mrs. Bennet and her own mother, Lady Lucas, across the way.
"Oh poppycock! When I become too mature to jest, may the Good Lord carry me to my grave." Charlotte swatted at Lizzie for being as impertinent to taunt death, then tilted her head towards their politely quarreling mothers.
Elizabeth's face soured. She took a deep breath and glanced around the room for a prospective partner, purposely ignoring that John Lucas was now dancing with that woman. Unfortunately, there were far more women than men at tonight's assembly and it was likely she would sit out another set.
"Poor Mama. What do you think it is this time?"
"I cannot be certain, but I think my mother boasted about my being first to dance with Mr. Bingley, and as he now dances with Jane..."
"My mother most certainly has an opinion about it!" Both girls laughed and began walking to the back of the room near an exit to a small garden. By small, it consisted of a bench and two hedges, but it was a nice addition for the town of Meryton. Once outside, Elizabeth took a deep breath and gazed up at the stars.
"Do you ever feel like a great moment is upon you, Charlotte?"
Charlotte took a seat on the bench and smoothed her skirt with her hands. She didn't answer her friend.
"I do." Elizabeth reached over to the hedge and pulled a small twig of leaves. Absentmindedly, she began to divest the twig of each individual leaf. "You'll be pleased to know that I'm finally taking your advice and becoming more practical. I no longer dream that my future lies far beyond Hertfordshire. I am resolved to marry a man of our humble neighborhood."
"Lizzie, there is something I should warn you about..." Charlotte squirmed in her seat as she struggled to put words to her thoughts.
The ending of the music inside distracted Elizabeth and made her toss the bare twig to the ground. Now that the set was over, perhaps she could secure a second set with Charlotte's brother.
"Come on, Charlotte, let's try for a few more sets even if we must dance together at the end of the line."
Charlotte shook her head and rose from the bench, following her friend who was making a near beeline to stand closer to her older brother. A small sadness crept into Charlotte's heart on behalf of her bosom friend. It was obvious whom Lizzie had picked as her future husband and Charlotte knew her family would never approve of the match.