She nodded and they continued on in silence. Feeling all the awkwardness of quiet where there had once been no lack of conversation, Jane spoke.

“How are your sisters?”

“Well, thank you. And your family? Are they well?” he asked.

“Yes, they are, thank you.”

The niceties were painful to both but Bingley seemed determined to go on. Jane was not sure how she felt about that.

“Are any of them here with you?” He gave a cursory glance around the ballroom.

“No, I am in London on my own. My younger sisters but one remain at Longbourn.” At his questioning look, she added, “My sister Elizabeth has gone to Kent to visit our friend who has recently married and moved there.”

“Oh? Anyone I know?”

“Yes. Miss Charlotte Lucas married my father’s cousin Mr. Collins. They have settled in Kent where he has a living.”

“Really!” He smiled brightly. “When you see her, please give Miss Lucas my heartfelt congratulations. She is such an amiable lady.”

“Yes, she is. She is well missed in the neighborhood.”

He squeezed her hand before releasing it to walk around her. “I am sorry you’ve lost a friend, Miss Bennet. But surely you can visit each other! Kent is not so great a distance.”

“No, it is not, but I fear that her new responsibilities will not allow her to travel overmuch.”

He nodded and they lapsed into silence again. When it was time to take her hand, he held it a little too tightly and kept it a little too long. They soon overcame their shyness of looking at each other and once he had caught her gaze, he stared at her, his grey-green eyes never leaving hers, and thus they finished the dance without looking at anyone else.

That night as she lay in bed, Jane was in turmoil. What could he mean by holding her hand in such a way? She had convinced herself that she had been wrong about him, that he had only meant to offer her friendship and that her desire for more had colored her impressions. But he had been quite unmistakable tonight. Her friends and her aunt had all remarked on it after their dance. How he had stared at her, how he had ignored everyone else around them. Mrs. Pearson informed Jane that Mr. Bingley had asked after her.

What was she to think? Oh, teasing, teasing man! It would be so much easier if he could simply tell her what he meant by all his confusing actions. And so she had another shock: Jane Bennet was irritated with Mr. Bingley.

Chapter 5