“You are yet a fine-looking woman, and I have not forgottenentirelyhow.”
Darcy had not marked Mr. Bennet as the sort of man to push himself and his wife to dance. But this definitely freed him from a need to partner with Georgiana for the second dance.
He bowed to Elizabeth and asked her hand. Mr. Smith who had danced with Elizabeth during the first set also sat down. He was a man whose wife was away for a long visit to her declining mother’s bedside, and who had been invited to make up a full set of couples. Elizabeth took Darcy’s hand. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Lucas switched wives for the set.
Darcy and Elizabeth stood, with his hand in hers, only their gloves betwixt their hands. Darcy felt giddy and odd, like a lad who had conjured the courage to ask a girl he’d been fascinated by for the month past for her favor.
Mrs. Goulding began a melodious English tune. They danced the cotillion. At last he was dancing with Elizabeth.
He was lost. Her hands, the spinning, the way they looked at each other. There was none of the comparative privacy of a large ball in this small pattern, and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were among the couples. Darcy was not sure what to say.
“Come, Mr. Darcy, we must have some conversation.” Elizabeth grinned at him, her face lit up by the blazing candles.
“I agree, and merely delayed to speak as I sought about in my mind for a phrase to begin with that would go down into posterity with the eclat of a proverb.”
“You did! I have in the past sought to construct an unforgettable statement as well — no need to worry!Onephrase spoken by you shall be heard by posterity. I shall repeat the tale of your apology to me til we are both old and grey.”
Darcy coughed.
Mrs. Bennet said, “I heard you, Lizzy. Do not run on with everyone as you do with Mr. Bennet.”
“Ah, but Mr. Darcy, he knows I amold.”
Everyone laughed at her.
Mrs. Goulding called out, “Laughter? No!” She began a jig which had them jumping from side to side until everyone collapsed breathlessly. Mr. Bennet had to retire several minutes before the other gentlemen with a laugh about his age, but Mrs. Bennet paced them til the end.
Darcy was surprised by that.
Everyone sat on the sofas that had been pushed to the edge of the room to open space for the dancers.
What did Elizabeth mean by her reference to his rudeness at that ball? Did it mean she was yet offended, or did she mean to refer to a shared past, and an intention of a shared future — for if she expected to have nothing to do with him when she was old and grey, there would be no reason to repeat the embarrassing story.
Elizabeth smiled at him when she noticed his regard.
“Miss Bennet, did you ever create a proverb?”
“What?”
“You said you would attempt to find some statement that would be remembered forever — did you succeed?”
Mr. Bennet laughed. “She said thingsIwill recall always.”
“Oh?” Darcy leaned towards Mr. Bennet. “I would be delighted to hear such stories.”
“No embarrassing stories. No!”
“What about when you stole a Christmas pudding?”
Elizabeth buried her face in her hands and shook her head. “I cannot convince you to withhold the story?”
“Are you so pusillanimous as to fear it?”
Mr. Lucas laughed. “I can speak it if Mr. Bennet will not — I have heard the story told several times.”
Elizabeth groaned. “And if Mr. Darcy has no interest in the tale and would prefer a different topic of conversation?”
“I assure you,” Mr. Darcy said, “I am quite ready, nay eager, to listen to any embarrassing tale about Miss Bennet.”
