“Do you talk by rule, then, while you are dancing?” Darcy asked with a wider smile, this one revealing one of his dimples.
Seeing the dimple almost made Elizabeth weak at the knees. “Sometimes,” she managed as she fought to keep from blushing. “One must speak a little, you know. It would look odd to be entirely silent for half an hour together after we all dealt with Mr Bennet earlier. I know that for the advantage of some, conversation ought to be so arranged, as that they may have the trouble of saying as little as possible.”
She liked to tease. Darcy found he did not object to being ribbed by the slip of a woman dancing opposite him. “Are you consulting your own feelings in the present case, or do you imagine that you are gratifying mine?”
“I do not know you well enough to be sure,” replied Elizabeth archly; “Possibly when we are more familiar one with the other, we will discover we in fact do have a great similarity in the turn of our minds. For myself, I am not unsocial, and do not have a taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless I expect to say something that will amaze the whole room, and be handed down to posterity with all the éclat of a proverb.”
“I can be that way in London society where all they care about is the size of my bank balance and the variety of my connections. For some reason among your family I find I am able to relax like I do not around theTon, or for that matter my friend’s sister. I cannot remember attending a ball where myDarcy maskhas not been needed to be employed.” Just before they separated, Darcy saw the arched eyebrow questioning his statement. When they came back together he continued. “In London, I feel like a prime cut of beef in the butcher’s window. It is not me they see, but as I mentioned before, my wealth and connection to the Matlock earldom. They care not who the man is as long as the other items are present. I developeda mask of disdain, one which scares away all except the most determined huntresses.”
“The Darcy mask,” Elizabeth mused. “I hope I never see that fearsome visage. I can promise you that I will never pursue you for your wealth and, although nothing but distant family, I am connected to most of your connections already.” She smiled cryptically. She would not be the one to tell him she was Uncle Henry’s heir and one day, in many years she prayed, she would be far wealthier than him. When she saw his quizzical look regarding her assertion they were distantly related, she explained who her late grandmother was.
The first dance came to an end and Darcy led Miss Elizabeth to the refreshments where they each had a glass of lemonade before rejoining the line to dance the second dance of the set.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Seeing that Caroline and the Hursts were supervising their packing, well at least Louisa was, while Hurst was snoring on a chaise in their shared sitting room, Bingley decided he would make for the assembly. Better late than never. The two-mile ride passed quickly, and Bingley alighted outside the hall. He entered and stopped in his tracks.
Darcy was dancing, and by the look on his face was enjoying himself. Was up down and down up? Then his heart almost beat out of his chest. He saw not one but two candidates to be his latest angel. They were each dancing with a Fitzwilliam brother—he had met Lord Hilldale once at Darcy House. But wait, what was Lord Hilldale doing here, and where was he residing?
Bingley saw Sir William Lucas who he had met when the knight called on him the previous day. “Mr Bingley, welcome. Were your sisters and brother-in-law not to join you?” Sir William enquired.
“Yes, they were. However, they will be travelling toLondon in the morning and are packing now,” Bingley related. “Would you mind introducing me to those I have not met?”
While the dance was still continuing, Sir William made Bingley known to his wife, Mrs Phillips, the Taylors, Henry Bennet, and Mrs Bennet. Seeing a nod from Lord Matlock, Sir William introduced Bingley to the Earl and Countess.
No wonder Darcy seemed comfortable here. It seems that his family had several connections in the area. When the dance ended, he was introduced to the three Miss Bennets, two Miss Taylors, Mr Taylor, and Miss Lucas. Although he only wanted to dance with Misses Bennet and Taylor, he asked all of the ladies who had been dancing for a set. Miss Lucas was available for the forming set.
Before Richard led Lizzy to the floor he pulled William—who was about to dance with Jane—aside. “Will you warn Bingley away from Jane and Elli or should I?”
“After only meeting them today, I can see that neither lady will suffer fools. They know all about Bingley, so he will not find his attention appreciated. He is intelligent and enough of a gentleman to withdraw when it is plain that the lady has no interest in him,” Darcy replied.
Richard allowed it to be so and led Lizzy to the floor.
Jane had been close enough to hear without meaning to. “If I may say so, Mr Darcy,” Jane said softly as they made for the forming line, “Elli and I are able to rebuff a man like Mr Bingley without being rude.” She smiled. “I suppose if he does not withdraw he will discover Elli’s spirit.”
Although Bingley did manage to dance with both of the angels, both refused him a second set, subtly making it clear they had no interest in anything beyond a neighbourly acquaintanceship. It was a new experience, being rebuffed by an angel, but as Darcy had predicted he would, Bingley withdrew gracefully.
Thanks to the delay in starting the assembly, the secondto last became the last set so those attending would not get home too late.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Due to Fanny and the four girls still residing at the dower house with Henry and Felicity, Bennet was allowed into his former study to select five books under Darcy’s supervision.
He thought he could trick the young buck by selecting expensive first editions, but like he had the previous night, he discovered he was not the most intelligent person in the room. “These are my books, what right do you have to forbid me to take those which I want?” Bennet whinged. “This is my home, why should I leave it?”
“Mr Bennet, if you prefer, your uncle will tear up the agreement you signed, and then Sir William will come arrest you for fraud, is that what you would like to happen?” Darcy barked.
That was not something Bennet desired, he mulishly selected five tomes of which the younger man approved.
With his books chosen, Bennet took one last longing look at his study and made his way out of the house to board the carriage which would take him to Portsmouth. He watched the house until it disappeared from view. He was well aware he had made many bad decisions which had led him to where he was now.
He would have months at sea to contemplate all of his errors. At least, he would not be in the hold with the prisoners, but in some sort of berth. He did not dwell on it long but wondered how his distant cousin was faring.
Collins was still in a stupor. His fear of the huge men had caused him to soil himself again, this time in the presence of the whole of the town. How could he be master of his birthright when no one would respect him?
His self-pity was interrupted when two men stood before the bars in the door of his gaol cell. “How can you treatone who will be the master of Longbourn in this infamous manner?” He blustered. He was a clergyman; they had to respect him as a man of the cloth was above all of them.
“After yester-night, do you still believe the lies Bennet fed you?” Phillips barked. “The entail has always excluded one from the Collins line, and there was nothing Bennet could do to change that fact. You were never in line to inherit.”
