––––––––
"Damnation!"
Fitzwilliam Darcy muttered the expletive with all the frustration of a man who did not know what he was about. For the second time in the week, he found himself at the tavern for another clandestine meeting. However, the meeting as with the preceding one was the last item on his insane mind. Aye, his mind must be going insane if the first thing it concerned itself with was to wander about the tavern in search of a lady with comely eyes, quick wit and rapturous laughter.
It was principally disconcerting that he was beginning to think of her as pretty. Had he not met her in the room above stairs in the tavern, it was his opinion that he would still have made the statement he made about her at the assembly afterwards- though of course, he allowed that the meeting was a reason enough for his derisive statement. Then, he hadn't found her particularly handsome till recently when he began to think of her dark eyes as mesmerizing, her figure as slim and light enough to be pleasing and her face as lively enough to be decidedly attractive to him.
As he took himself up the creaky stairs, he cursed his continued preoccupation with Elizabeth Bennet. Since the Bennet ladies waited upon the Bingley ladies nearly but a fortnight ago, he couldn't seem to think about her in terms of the lady of the night he saw at the tavern on his first night in the country. Her playful disposition and quick smiles were in stark contrast to the place where he first had met her; even though she was yet aware that it was he who happened upon her in the tavern. Because his mind was becoming too engaged in ruminations about her, he had set about convincing his addled mind that she hadn't been the lady he saw in the dark room at the tavern. The only fix was that his eyes knew what they saw and who they saw was none other than Elizabeth Bennet. Despite his privy knowledge about her, he found that he was unconsciously in search of her each time he visited the tavern afterwards.
He could adequately declare that he was fascinated with the woman that was Elizabeth Bennet; and he could hardly blame himself, he knew, for alas, he had always been intrigued with an evidence of mystery; and Miss Elizabeth was nothing if not one mystery he desired to unravel.
Perhaps, he thought just as he reached the first door on the right of the hall above stairs in the tavern, he might do his mind some good if he took it upon himself to investigate the two faced personality of its object of fascination. Aye, it would give his mind rest to know about Miss Elizabeth's true nature.
"My friend, your complacency towards this ball at Sir Lucas' has been observed by me," said Bingley as he came down the stairs to come upon Darcy seated, all dressed in the drawing room and in wait for others. "Whereupon you would have declared your best opposition to attend the ball, you are the first to wait in readiness for the rest of us. Has aught changed about your impression with the countryside or do you find Sir William Lucas more agreeable a personality to attend his ball without a breath of complaint?"
Bingley took the seat opposite his friend, and silently observed the unopened flask of wine on the table. He raised his gaze to look Darcy in the eye to show his expectation for a reply to his observation.
"I assure you, dear friend, nothing has changed in the least," declared he, "but I find it tiresome to argue the same point with you when you will not allow me victory."
The statement was remarked upon with some calm of spirit that laughter bubbled out of Charles.
"That, you have in the right my friend," he allowed. "After the business of putting Netherfield in consideration of purchase, our principal business in Meryton would be to take delight in the pleasures of the people and their company. It would be absolutely unforgiving not to attend this sort of gatherings as the ball and thereupon mingle with the various personalities of the country."
Fitzwilliam snorted at this but Charles observed how half hearted the sound was. Verily, whether his friend liked it or not, Fitzwilliam was becoming more agreeable to this place and that was the reason for his complacency, not the prospect of losing an argument with him. He was about to tell him just so when his sisters and Mr. Hurst came into the room.
"I heard your gay laughter from outside in the hall," Caroline declared interestedly. "Pray tell- what do you find so amusing and in the company of Mr. Darcy no less."
Charles shared a look with Fitzwilliam before he turned to his sister. As always, she looked pleasing to the eyes and with an air of decided self importance about her that said she knew exactly how handsome she was. Charles sighed inwardly; Caroline would remain unmarried for long. The thought, however, did not stop him from the teasing remark he replied to her, "Darcy here was just telling me how very much admired you were at the assembly the last time that he thought you wouldn't escape a marriage proposal from one of the gentlemen of Meryton."
Oh, the looks on both his sisters' faces were priceless. Even Mr. Hurst produced an amused chuckle at the joke. Caroline stuttered on a breath of annoyance directed first at Charles and then at Darcy who was smiling like a scoundrel before she huffed out of the room most angrily.
"How can you say that to her, Charles, and why would Mr. Darcy think such of her?" protested her sister. "You know how she—we detest these people and to think of marriage to one of them is abominable. Why, they are decidedly local and uncultured!"
Mrs. Hurst leaned into her husband and began to fan herself vigorously as if the thought alone would cause her to expire.
"Believe me, dearest sister of mine, I had no idea that the topic was so distasteful to Caroline or I wouldn't have thought to entertain the idea for a second." Charles had a silly smile on his face and a hand on his chest as he said the words and so, they were meted with an annoyed look from his other sister.
She also dragged her husband out of the room, leaving him alone with Fitzwilliam once more.
"You rogue." Darcy punched him lightly in the arm as the door closed, "teasing your own sister so." The mischief in his eyes spoke of the enjoyment he derived from the scene nonetheless.
Charles stood and adjusted his cravat. "You have to admit that she simply makes it easy to do so; and you must confess how delightful it always is to observe her countenance when the subject of the country rears up. Her expression is not quite different from yours about the matter, did you know? At the very least, that is; till today."
His friend made no reply but stood and raised his broad shoulders in an unconcerned way. Charles paused for a moment on a thought and then his eyes brightened. Fitzwilliam knew immediately that his friend was about some insane scheme even before he uttered a word.
"Want to know what I think, Darcy?" Charles asked as they moved out of the room and without waiting for an answer, continued; "I think you, my humble self and Caroline will leave this place- if we do, with a spouse in tow."
Fitzwilliam growled fiercely at him and reached to grab his humble self but Charles flew out of the room ahead of him, laughing.