“Oh, oh. But…”
Darcy wanted to snarl at the gentleman.
Rather to his surprise Elizabeth took Darcy’s arm. “I am promised to dance this next with Mr. Darcy,” she said. “You two may continue this conversation, if you so wish, afterwards.”
“What, of course. Even though I am a clergyman, I am so far from objecting to dancing myself that I have already danced a set with my dear wife, and I mean to dance with each of my fair cousins in turn. Miss Elizabeth, would you dance with me after your dance with…”
Elizabeth pulled Darcy away from Mr. Collins. She smiled at him. “I would have preferred for you to not see such a scene of family bickering.”
“I cannot see you in trouble and not seek to help you.”
She looked down. “I promise. I would have managed without your help. It may have been better — the tempest will likely continue tomorrow. Mr. Collins and my mother will be most unhappy with me.”
“If they harm you… I will do anything in my power to ensure you are well.”
“Would you?” Elizabeth looked up at him sharply, they paused at the door into the ballroom. Her eyes studied him. Then she smiled slightly and shook her head, opening the door, and walking away. “I dare say you would not, but it is kind of you to say so much.”
“What do you mean?”
“To the dance line! To the dance line!” Elizabeth’s eyes did not meet his, and she forced a smile, but Darcy thought there was something else there. They walked up, and she surreptitiously pressed her fingers against her eyes once, as though pressing back tears.
“Elizabeth, I mean Miss Bennet, what is the matter?”
They stood across from each other, waiting for the music to start. “And now you call me Elizabeth?” She smiled at him. “You make it difficult.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why? Why do you do such things?” She gave him that warm smile again. “You cannot mean them.”
The dance began, and Darcy followed the steps of the dance. He had been well trained, and he had always had an excellent physical instinct that let him catch the tone of these movements easily. It was also what made him so excellent at pool, fencing and hunting. His body simply did what it ought when at dance.
Elizabeth was beautiful. Her long neck, her hair done in a simple style without curls, but with several flowers woven through. The rouge gave an extra pink hue to her cheeks. Her white flashing teeth when she smiled at him. The bright promising eyes.
They did not speak for several minutes.
“What do you mean?” Darcy asked. “What have I been doing?”
She smiled at him, her eyes warm. “No, no. Let us discuss something else.”
“Books?”
She laughed, the sound merry. Her fingers were delicate yet strong. Her chest and collarbone were exposed by the ballgown. The glowing skin was whiter and less tanned than her neck, but effort had been made with cosmetic to smooth out any brown line. Her elegant foot, in a white dancing slipper. Elizabeth’s stocking-clad ankle.
The violin made a twisting tilting sound. The air was filled with the scent of wine and many bodies. Darcy’s heart beat hard.
“I cannot discuss books in a ballroom,” Elizabeth said. “My mind is always too full of something else.”
“If you cannot discuss books, you might satisfy my curiosity,” Darcy replied. He smiled, but he felt a paradoxical anxiousness at seeing how high her spirits were.
“You might satisfymycuriosity. Why are you so concerned with my welfare?”
Darcy was surprised at the question.
The dance separated them. They stepped through the figures. He was then back next to Elizabeth. They walked side by side, as the squares shifted. “I admire you. You strive to be happy. You are strong and willing to defend yourself. And… your cleverness.”
She brightened and looked at him in an odd way. A smile formed around her face.
Darcy added hurriedly, “Anyone would be concerned with the wellbeing of such a friend as I have found in you.”
