Pride Before a Fall by Mary Smythe

Author:Mary Smythe
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Quills & Quartos Publishing
Published: 2022-10-24T04:00:00+00:00

As Elizabeth entered Netherfield upon the arm of Mr Collins—an unfortunate position she had been unable to decline—she looked round the vestibule with awe. Whatever Miss Bingley’s faults of personality and character, she was clearly a gifted hostess with a flair for decoration. Some of the elements were a touch too gilded for Elizabeth’s tastes, but she would admit that the general effect of the room was enchanting and that any criticisms she could think of would be of a nit-picking variety. Hundreds of wax candles were lit above her and along the walls, creating light enough that one would almost think it midday. Garlands and flowers, no doubt procured from a London hothouse, were draped strategically about, and their scent, heightened by the heat of the candle flames, wafted throughout and disguised the odour of too many bodies packed together. Up ahead, the ballroom doors were thrown wide open to reveal further splendour and the sounds of an orchestra warming up. This evening promised to be everything delightful for the residents of Meryton and its surrounding estates.

“Oh my, Lizzy…it is like fairyland!”

Elizabeth tore her eyes away from the glittering spectacle of Miss Bingley’s arrangements to affectionately indulge in Jane’s wonder. Her youngest sisters were already dispersing amongst the crowd to search for redcoats, heedless of anything aside from their own pleasure. Their father had similarly escaped, most likely to the card room, and their mother had stopped along the way to gossip with her gaggle of friends. Mary had disappeared to parts unknown to Elizabeth, perhaps to avoid the presence of Mr Collins as her elder sister could not manage. Jane, dearest Jane, remained steadfastly at Elizabeth’s side to help alleviate the burden of entertaining their ridiculous cousin. “That it is, dearest. Miss Bingley has outdone herself.”

“She certainly has!” Jane’s agreement to the sentiment was not unexpected, but nor was it unworthily given in this instance.

“Most excellent arrangements, most excellent indeed,” added Mr Collins, though neither sister had requested his opinion. “It is nothing to Rosings Park, of course, but I will do Miss Bingley the compliment of saying that she has done splendidly with what she had. Why, Lady Catherine herself…” And on he went as though his audience were enraptured by his self-important soliloquy about Lady Catherine and her magnificent home.

As the splendour of first impression abated and her cousin prattled on, Elizabeth began to surreptitiously glance about the room for signs of a tall, dark, and handsome gentleman whom she had expectations of meeting for the opening set.

Where is Mr Darcy?

Some of her anxiety from earlier in the day began to return as Elizabeth searched and failed to find the single person she sought. There were so many bodies crowded into the entrance hall that it was impossible to pick out an individual face from within the horde, and Elizabeth’s nervousness rose another notch. She was confident that she would see Mr Darcy at some point this evening—there were dances promised between them, after all, and

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