A quick search of the text came up with 29 entries for the word “engaged.” From “the horses were engaged” in Chapter 7 to “she ventured to engage for her attendance” in Chapter 44 and Mrs. “Bennet was doubly engaged” in Chapter 39 and several of which showed someone engaged in conservation. LoL! It is possible Darcy might refer to a person in conservation as engaged and so then I must admit the possibility the SS are engaged in conservation and not dancing in Chapter 3. (;D) I think against it is that Darcy implies he would oblige Bingley and dance if one of his sisters was available to be his partner. I am thinking that if one or both of them was only speaking with someone there is nothing to stop Darcy from going to ask one of them for the next dance if not for the dance already in progress. It is difficult to imagine the snobby Caroline dancing with local gentlemen but I am thinking of the constraint that if she refused one gentleman she would be unable to accept another—Darcy for example. ;D Looking back at your post and my response, I may have answered more than you were asking but there it is. Thanks for looking at it from another direction—it was interesting to follow-up. ;D