Darcy had a plan. Since he had been unable to speak to or see Elizabeth the day before, he planned to offer for her before dinner. He would ask her to take a quick turn in the gardens, or if the weather changed, he would speak to her in a corner. The pianoforte would also be a likely location. He could suggest she play and offer to turn the pages for her. Under the cover of music and with the privacy afforded by the instrument’s location, he would pour out his heart and ask for her hand. He dressed with particular care and waited in the drawing room with his heart pounding.

The Bennets arrived in good time. The two youngest, Kitty and Lydia, had stayed at the parsonage, and Maria, feeling odd arriving without them and outshone by the eldest and prettiest Bennet sisters, stayed with them.

Mr. and Mrs. Collins entered with Mr. and Mrs. Bennet directly behind them. Jane, Elizabeth, and Mary followed. Everyone was introduced to Miss Anne De Bourgh and her companion, Mrs. Jenkinson, and asked to sit. Lady Catherine quickly began quizzing the elder Bennets and found an eager recipient for her advice in Mrs. Bennet, who was only too happy to hear what the great lady had to say.

Colonel Fitzwilliam was quite enchanted with two pretty women and another who would have been more attractive had she not been next to her sisters. He quickly engaged all three women in conversation, including Charlotte and Darcy occasionally, and enjoyed his role of storyteller and center of attention immensely.

After a polite amount of time had passed, Darcy suggested Miss Elizabeth play as Lady Catherine did so love her music. Before he could offer to turn her pages, Elizabeth and Mary had looked at each other and nodded, silently agreeing on something, before they both made their way to the pianoforte.

“Shall we move closer to the instrument?” Jane suggested. “I believe this will be a charming performance.”

The gentlemen gladly moved with her, though Darcy wondered how it would be a charming performance with Mary Bennet playing. He had heard her more than once in Hertfordshire and he sometimes thought his ears were still ringing.

He was in for a surprise.

Elizabeth and Mary played a duet, both playing on the instrument, and eventually Elizabeth began singing in her high, clear voice. He had only heard her sing once since coming to Rosings and that had been a simple tune, not a song like this that was designed to challenge the performer and impress the audience. Before he knew what had happened, Mary Bennet had joined in with a soft alto, all the more surprising because she had sung the soprano part in Hertfordshire. Of course, her being a natural alto explained why her attempts had always gone awry.