Bennet replied. Although their discussion had been light and teasing, the topic of his daughters’ future spouses was of great concern to their father. He could not express to any of them his regrets for not marrying for love. When he met Fanny Gardiner, he was not seeking a wife, but she was pretty, and he was young and foolish. He let the temptations of a great beauty decide his fate and fix him to a silly mate for the rest of his life. He wanted his daughters to marry for love and wanted the men they married to love them in return. He knew that society would not look too closely at his daughters because of their lack of fortune, and he wanted it that way. He wanted them to choose between marrying for convenience and marrying for love, despite their circumstances, and he hoped they would choose correctly. Looking over at his favorite daughter, he felt an uncharacteristic surge of emotion fill his breast.
Speaking with a tenderness not often shown, he said, “Lizzy dear, promise me you will not marry without mutual love.”
Elizabeth was caught by the softness in his voice and the feeling of it, and her eyes watered at his urgent concern. “I won’t, Papa. I am certain that only the strongest love will ever induce me to marry.” She reached over and held her father’s hand. He squeezed her fingers gently in response. She had known her parents’ marriage was not ideal, and from an early age, she had determined not to marry unless she could hold her spouse in great esteem and mutual respect.
She slowly withdrew her hand as they both settled back into their books in an attempt to clear the suddenly serious air around them. Thoughts of Mr. Darcy drifted unbidden to her mind. He was a good man, and she did respect and esteem him, but there was much she still did not know about him. She should not allow her feelings for the man to continue to spiral out of control without being able to know whether she truly could respect him. The proud way he had spoken at Netherfield on occasion bothered her, and she could not reconcile that proud man with the gentler one she had seen recently. It was either evidence of an unsteady character or one that she did not yet understand. Either way, she should not allow him so much space in her heart until she knew which.
* * *
Elizabeth stood smiling at her sister’s reflection in the mirror while their lady’s maid, Ruth, put the finishing touches in Jane’s hair. She was beautifully dressed in an ivory evening gown with gold embroidered patterns around the décolletage and sleeves. She had a matching gold ribbon tied in the front at her waist that extended down to the hem and sent the ribbons in cascades of silky streamers. Ruth had done a marvelous job on her hair and was just pinning the last of the delicate matching ivory flowers into her soft curls.
“You look beautiful, Jane. Mr. Bingley will not be able to take his eyes off of you tonight.”
“Thank you, Lizzy. I admit I am excited to dance with him. Did I tell you that he asked to dance the first and supper sets?” She blushed sweetly and smiled.
“Only a few times, but you may tell me as many times as you like. He is a good man, and I give you leave to like him.”
“He is everything a man ought to be. He is kind and generous, and I am afraid I am half in love with him already!”
“Only half?” teased Elizabeth.
“Oh, Lizzy, if only I could see you so in love, my happiness would be complete. Tell me: is there such a man?” Jane did not expect an honest answer but hoped that her sister would acknowledge some feelings for Mr. Darcy. He and her Mr. Bingley, as she had begun to believe he was, were best friends, and she had secret hopes that, if she were to marry Mr. Bingley, her best friend might marry his .
“Well, Jane, perhaps the ball tonight will provide me with such luck. I do have my first dance with Mr. Collins,” she replied with pretended anticipation. Both girls laughed and gathered their gloves to
Speaking with a tenderness not often shown, he said, “Lizzy dear, promise me you will not marry without mutual love.”
Elizabeth was caught by the softness in his voice and the feeling of it, and her eyes watered at his urgent concern. “I won’t, Papa. I am certain that only the strongest love will ever induce me to marry.” She reached over and held her father’s hand. He squeezed her fingers gently in response. She had known her parents’ marriage was not ideal, and from an early age, she had determined not to marry unless she could hold her spouse in great esteem and mutual respect.
She slowly withdrew her hand as they both settled back into their books in an attempt to clear the suddenly serious air around them. Thoughts of Mr. Darcy drifted unbidden to her mind. He was a good man, and she did respect and esteem him, but there was much she still did not know about him. She should not allow her feelings for the man to continue to spiral out of control without being able to know whether she truly could respect him. The proud way he had spoken at Netherfield on occasion bothered her, and she could not reconcile that proud man with the gentler one she had seen recently. It was either evidence of an unsteady character or one that she did not yet understand. Either way, she should not allow him so much space in her heart until she knew which.
* * *
Elizabeth stood smiling at her sister’s reflection in the mirror while their lady’s maid, Ruth, put the finishing touches in Jane’s hair. She was beautifully dressed in an ivory evening gown with gold embroidered patterns around the décolletage and sleeves. She had a matching gold ribbon tied in the front at her waist that extended down to the hem and sent the ribbons in cascades of silky streamers. Ruth had done a marvelous job on her hair and was just pinning the last of the delicate matching ivory flowers into her soft curls.
“You look beautiful, Jane. Mr. Bingley will not be able to take his eyes off of you tonight.”
“Thank you, Lizzy. I admit I am excited to dance with him. Did I tell you that he asked to dance the first and supper sets?” She blushed sweetly and smiled.
“Only a few times, but you may tell me as many times as you like. He is a good man, and I give you leave to like him.”
“He is everything a man ought to be. He is kind and generous, and I am afraid I am half in love with him already!”
“Only half?” teased Elizabeth.
“Oh, Lizzy, if only I could see you so in love, my happiness would be complete. Tell me: is there such a man?” Jane did not expect an honest answer but hoped that her sister would acknowledge some feelings for Mr. Darcy. He and her Mr. Bingley, as she had begun to believe he was, were best friends, and she had secret hopes that, if she were to marry Mr. Bingley, her best friend might marry his .
“Well, Jane, perhaps the ball tonight will provide me with such luck. I do have my first dance with Mr. Collins,” she replied with pretended anticipation. Both girls laughed and gathered their gloves to
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