“As a matter of fact, Jane, I think perhaps Mr Fletcher might have helped you along there.” Elizabeth patted her sister’s hand comfortingly. “And I must admit that you were correct about Mr Bingley and his intentions towards you. He appeared terrified when he learned that you were in receipt of another man’s addresses. I thought we would need the smelling salts, poor man. Mr Darcy took him away, and said that he went through this last week when Mr Cartwright approached me, and that it would be better for Bingley not to be present when you emerged.”
“Mr Bingley was distressed that I received a proposal from Mr Fletcher? And Mr Darcy’s feelings for you are that marked? Lizzy, how wonderful!” Jane wiped her eyes, for she had shed several tears since Mr Fletcher had stormed out of the room.
“Wonderful? So you do not find Mr Darcy unpleasant and disagreeable any longer?” Elizabeth laughed.
“Lizzy, I am sorry I said that.” Jane blushed. “Since he decided tocourt you, he has been distant with most of the party, but it is easy to see that with those whom he feels comfortable, like you and his godmother and his friends, that he can be very friendly when it suits him. I am sure I have no reason to think he is anything other than reserved in company.”
“And I have seen that Mr Bingley has recognised your merits, and has genuine interest in you, Jane,” Elizabeth returned. “I am sorry I called him a cad.”
“You were only trying to protect me, and I can hardly fault you forthat,” her sister said with all sincerity.
“Come, let us see if we encounter our gentlemen in the hall.” Elizabeth rose and pulled Jane up by the hand. “You are wearing a most becoming blush after your experience this morning. I think Mr Bingley would like to admire it.”
The ladies met Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy in the hall just as Elizabeth suggested they might, and the gentlemen followed them to the morning room, where Mr Bingley admired Jane’s embroidery and her blushes all morning, and Mr Darcy and Elizabeth read to one another from Walter Scott.
CHAPTER 37
That evening, the company enjoyed another of their weekly dances. The vicar and his daughter attended again, and Miss Irving was radiant under the attention of Colonel Gordon. She was a tall lady, whom Jane had taken under her wing and given the evening gown that Elizabeth had made for her in St Albans, and along with Joan, did a lovely job on the young lady’s coiffure.
The evening was magical. Many of the guests had hopes for one guest or another, and those couples danced together all evening, laughing and talking amongst themselves. The ones who had not yet paired up with another guest either made merry with the others or brooded at the corners of the room. Mr Brentwood had quite given up after having been rebuffed by Elizabeth, Miss Penfield, and Miss Abernathy. He spent the evening in conversation with Mr Wifflethorpe, discussing the scholar’s research and work on the Tor.
Abigail Dutton was whispering to Miss Larkspur who furiously scribbled into her notebook, and Miss Winslow and Miss Blackwood spent most of the evening in each other’s company, when Mr Mercer did not occasionally claim Miss Blackwood for a dance. Mr Fletcher must not intend to mourn Jane for long, for he was now pursuing Miss Penfield assiduously.
Miss Darcy spent the night in the master’s apartment with Edith, who was still rather frightened to be there, but Miss Bates joined the others downstairs, and had made fast friends amongst Mrs Darlington, the chaperones, and Mr Irving.
Mr Darcy and Elizabeth danced together for most of the night, laughing and bobbing about for the faster ones, waltzing slowly and enjoying the romance of the slower dances. The only time they danced with others was when they paired off with Jane and Bingley or Mary and Mr Elwood, for Elizabeth was determined to know the suitors of her sisters better. They all sat together at supper, ignoring the glares of the brooders, such as Mr Fletcher and Miss Penfield, and the resentful, such as Miss Winslow and Miss Blackwood.
After dinner, the sexes separated for perhaps a half hour, and it was one of the worst half hours spent in Miss Winslow’s company yet. “Miss Abernathy, you have been so energetic on the dance floor tonight,” the lady said snidely. “You remind me so much of my little cousin learning to waltz when she was thirteen! So amusing.”
Miss Abernathy paled, as Miss Dutton came to her rescue. “Aurelia, you are begging to be Chicagoed?1,” she said to the other lady in a rather menacing tone. “What I would not give to fix your flint.”
“Miss Dutton, have you no other necklace? You wear that cross so often, one would think you owned no other jewellery,” Lavinia Blackwood asked sweetly.
Miss Dutton’s hand instantly reached up to touch the cross at her throat. “I own no other that I care to wear,” she answered in a forbidding tone. “This one was a gift from my mother.”
“And very pretty it is, too,” Elizabeth complimented her. “I also prefer to wear the garnet cross my father gave me on my come out rather than any other adornment. Your citrine is quite lovely, I do admire the colour.”
“How charming.” Miss Winslow’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Did you sew that gown yourself, Miss Irving? It is so… quaint.”
Elizabeth laughed outright at this while MissDutton steamed on Miss Irving’s behalf. Miss Winslow, getting annoyed, finally asked, “And what may I ask, is so amusing?”
“I am just imagining you being Chicagoed by Miss Dutton.” Elizabeth rose and moved to another group, followed by several other ladies who were as tired of Miss Winslow as she was.
Miss Winslow, having found no pleasure in the evening, made her excuses and retired early.
The restof the dance was even more enjoyable in the absence of Miss Winslow. Even Miss Penfield seemed to enjoy herself now that Mr Fletcher had finally been permanently disabused of any hopes in Jane’s direction. Elizabeth could not think she would be so pleased at being a gentleman’s second choice, but Miss Penfield seemed to be practical in a way that Elizabeth was not when it came to marriage.
Later, Elizabeth was dancing with Mr Bingley when he said to her, “My sister tells me that you have assisted her in selecting some reading material, Miss Elizabeth. That was exceedingly kind of you.”
“Oh! It was nothing, I assure you.” Elizabeth smiled at her sister’s suitor. He was an exceedingly good humoured man. He was just right for Jane, though Elizabeth hoped that he would have more guile than her sister, or the two would be cheated so assiduously by their servants, and so generous with the rest, that they would surely exceed their income every quarter.
“It is not nothing, for Caroline has, in the last year, embarked on a journey of self improvement.” Their conversation paused as they were separated by the dance and then reunited again. “I should certainly not have done half as well at assisting her as you, and I doubt she would have approached Darcy. It is not easy for Caroline to ask others for help.”
“She seems all that is lovely.” Elizabeth looked down the line at Miss Bingley, whose eyes sparkled under the attention of Lord Chesley.
“A year ago, she made Miss Winslow seem as kind and gentle asMiss Bennet,” Mr Bingley assured her. “And it is impossible that she would have tolerated Darcy’s attention to you.”
“Well, whatever her reasons were for improving herself, let us be grateful, and I hope that I come to know her better very soon.” Elizabeth stepped back as the dance ended, and they met Darcy and Jane at the side of the dance floor.
