“As long as she is not engaged, there is no reason for me not to pursue her,” Bingley whined petulantly.
“I thought you had more honour than that. It is not the done thing to attempt to sway a lady already being courted. I have warned you; if you ignore my words, you do so at your own peril,” Darcy told his friend pointedly. Having said what he wanted to say, he turned and headed to where Cousin Elizabeth was in order to collect her for their dance.
Chapter 18
For once, rather than dreading having to stand up for two consecutive sets, Darcy was in anticipation of dancing the next set with his newly met cousin. He intended to join the Bennets as soon as he returned Miss Prudence Long to her aunt and uncle. His aim was to introduce himself properly to the rest of the Bennets who were at the assembly.
In addition to dancing with all four ladies his cousin had indicated, he intended to ask his other three cousins to dance as well. At the end of his dance, he bowed to his partner and escorted her back to her family. As he left the Longs, he noticed that the lady he had just danced with was approached by some local men with requests to stand up with her. Based on the glow of pleasure he noted, Darcy was relatively sure that this was exactly the result Cousin Elizabeth had hoped would happen. When he looked around the hall at the other three ladies he had made requests to dance with, the same effect was visible.
This gave him valuable insight into his cousin and her compassion for others. He decided that he would enjoy coming to know the Bennets.
He reached the six Bennets. Before he said anything, Cousin Elizabeth introduced her eldest sister, Jane, her twin brother, Henry, and their younger sister, Mary.
“It is a pleasure to meet all of you properly, as I should have had I not been somewhat rude when I arrived,” Darcy stated contritely. The word pleasure was not hyperbole; he meant it. He was sure that he would enjoy his visit to this corner of the kingdom. As he had many times since, Darcy lifted a prayer to on high in thanks that he was attempting to no longer be the prideful, arrogant, and rude man he had been before Richard humbled him.
“If residing at Netherfield Park with a certain lady becomes too much for you, we have many open chambers at Longbourn, even with all of the family soon to arrive,” Becca invited.
Darcy schooled his features. It seemed that Longbourn’s manor house was significantly larger than Netherfield Park’s abode. He was sure the quality coach he had seen when he arrived belonged to the Bennets. He offered up thanks again for being able to control his urge to blurt out what he was about to say earlier.
He was snapped out of his reverie by Cousin Elizabeth’s voice. “Our set is forming,” she said. It was only then he saw she had placed her hand on his arm to get his attention.
“Please excuse me; I was lost in my thoughts,” Darcy requested. The dance began, and it did not take long for him to see that his cousin was a good dancer.
Elizabeth was impressed by how graceful her cousin’s movements were, especially for a man as tall as he was. She decided they should have some conversation. “I know there are many Williams in the family, but why do you answer toFitzwhen you dislike it, which is not hard to understand?”
The dance separated them. “I suppose I got used to it and decided to live with it,” Darcy replied once he returned to dance opposite his partner.
The more he observed her, the more he realised that the insult he almost uttered about her being tolerable and not handsome enough to tempt him was entirely incorrect. Her look was different from Cousin Jane, who was classically beautiful—according to society’s standards—but in his mind, with her fuller figure, intelligence shining from the most intriguing eyes he had ever seen, her very pretty face, and raven-coloured tresses, Cousin Elizabeth was quite possibly the handsomest woman of his acquaintance.
“Do you have a middle name?” Elizabeth asked when they came back together.
“I do,” Darcy danced away from his partner; “it is Alexander,” he completed when the dance brought them back together. “May I ask why it is you enquired about my middle name?”
“It is simple;Icould call you Cousin Alex. That way no one can complain because, as far as I am aware, there are no other Alexanders in the family.” Elizabeth paused. “Your given name is Fitzwilliam is it not?” Darcy allowed it was so. “I think Liam will fit you better, and it is still part of the familiar name your late parents gifted you.”
“To me, both sound far better than Fitz,” Darcy smiled, revealing one of his dimples for the first time. “I think I would like Liam more. Now how do we convince the rest of the family to follow suit?”
When he smiled like that, Elizabeth almost lost the steps of the dance. He was handsome anyway, but when he smiled and a dimple was revealed, he was devastatingly so. She fought to keep her equanimity and school her features. ‘I am not a young girl just out in society! Elizabeth Georgiana Bennet, you need to behave as expected of you!’ Elizabeth admonished herself silently. She gathered herself. “Yes, I too prefer Liam. On adifferent subject, there is one of the family who is present at the assembly, who you have not met yet.” Elizabeth cocked her head in the direction of Grandmama Beth. “If you like, I will make you known to Grandmama at some point in the evening.”
“It would be my pleasure to meet your grandmother,” Darcy allowed. “You are blessed to have grandmothers and grandfathers still with you. It is only Giana and I in the immediate family since Mother and then Father were called home to His side.”
“The only grandfather is Grandpapa William,” Elizabeth corrected. The dance sent them in opposite directions; when they came back together, she continued, “Papa’s father, Henry Bennet, was called home before any of us were born. I am very sorry you lost first your mother, and then, if I am correct, some five years ago, your father.”
Darcy inclined his head in thanks. Before he could respond, the dance came to an end. “Would you like some punch or lemonade before the second dance of the set commences?” he enquired.
“I will walk with you to the refreshment table; otherwise, you will waste most of the break walking back and forth bringing the drink and returning the glass,” Elizabeth smiled. She happily placed her gloved hand on the offered arm. As they walked, she could feel the muscles rippling in his arm below her hand.
Evidently, she was not the only Bennet who was thirsty. Jane and Henry and their respective partners were at the table as well. This was a set Mary was sitting out to allow other ladies to dance.
Seeing three of the Bennet offspring at the refreshment table, Miss Bingley, who had not danced other than one set with her brother, made a beeline for the same location. As she walked, she pointedly ignored all the locals who were admiringher ensemble. She just could not fathom why so many of them were giggling.
“Miss Bennet, Mr Bennet, and Miss Elizabeth, how pleasant it is to discover other members of my level of society among all of the country mushrooms,” Miss Bingley simpered.
“Jane and Lizzy, did I miss something, or does this lady think that Mama and Papa are descended from tradesmen?” Henry asked innocently.
Before Miss Bingley, whose face had turned a rather interesting shade of puce could react, the three couples returned to their places in the line where the next dance was about to commence.
“I see what you meant about the cat being let out of the bag with regard to Miss Bingley. She will do anything she can to try and ingratiate herself to you and your family,” Darcy related. “I can see her having an apoplexy when she discovers that Longbourn will soon be hosting a duke and duchess, a marquess and marchioness, and an earl and countess.”
