As Hildebrand had predicted, when she spoke to Luluand Thomas before the dinner, they were enthusiastic about sharing the reason for the ball with Mary and Richard. In fact, they insisted that the courtships between Jane and Charles and Lizzy and William be announced. That way if there were a few who attended who were not aware, they would be before they went home.
Bingley was enthusiastic to inform Jane, as well as Darcy, who knew them, that he had received an affirmative reply from the Medford twins to attend the ball. It had been some years since the four men had been together, so Bingley was looking forward to seeing his friends again.
Darcy and Bingley were well pleased they were courting their respective Bennet sisters because the two Medfords had always been popular with the ladies. As popular as they were, they were always proper and never took advantage of the situation.
Before the party from Netherfield Park departed, all three men had requested the three significant sets with the lady he was courting or, in Fitzwilliam’s case, the lady to whom he was now engaged. Aside from their wives, the married men had secured dances from all of the ladies in the party, including, surprisingly enough, Miss Bingley.
What they did not know was that Mr Pierce had called at Netherfield Park earlier in the day and requested the three important sets from the lady he loved.
The youngest girls were permitted to attend the ball, but only until after dinner. They were allowed to dance with men in the family, or soon-to-be family, and no others. Also, they were to remain close to family members and companions at all times when not dancing.
Uncle Reggie had requested Anna’s first set. He then asked for and was granted his niece’s second set. Once all of the men in the party reserved sets with her, Anne de Bourgh didnot have many sets left, the first, supper, and final sets among those still unspoken for.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Mother, why have we not received an invitation to the ball at Netherfield Park?” Florinda whinged.
“We will attend, because I am sure that the card was lost in the post. It would be rude of us not to be there. Think of all the rich men who will be in attendance. If you do as I told you and compromise the man you chuse, you will all be engaged by the end of the ball,” Drusilla Kingston instructed her daughters.
No matter what she told her daughters, she was relatively certain no invite had been sent to them. As she was sure that no one would bar them entrance once they arrived, to Netherfield Park they would go.
To that end, she had wheedled money for new gowns from her husband. After all, he was as keen to see his daughters married off as she was. The girls’ gowns were low cut to show off their assets and had been worked with lots of lace. She had heard that Messrs Bingley and Darcy were courting two of the Bennet sisters. That would not stop her; they were unmarried, and she would have them for her daughters.
The youngest would suit for Franklin Lucas; his courtship with Mandy Long be damned. He was not very wealthy, but he was the heir to an estate. Once Florinda and Lucinda were married to a rich man, they would make sure their husbands would assist their youngest sister with financial gifts.
Drusilla Kingston rubbed her hands at the pleasurable thought of the men her daughters would steal away from those bloody Bennets.
Chapter 37
The Medford twins arrived in the late morning on the day of the ball. The older twin, Sydney, and heir to the family estate, related that he was courting a local lady, the daughter of the master of a neighbouring estate.
The younger twin, Ian, who was on his way to becoming a barrister, and Anne de Bourgh found much about which to speak. By the time he went to wash and change for the ball, the younger Medford twin had secured Anne’s first and supper sets.
Anne enjoyed that he never asked about fortune or property; he simply spoke to her as a person.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Netherfield Park was shining like a beacon in the middle of the darkness as the Bennet carriages approached the house. There were torches lining both sides of the drive all the way from the gateposts to the manor’s entrance.
Bennet, Lulu, Jane, and Lizzy rode in the forward conveyance while Mary, Kate, Lydia, and Anna—who had remained at Longbourn to get ready with her friends—were in the following one. In Mary’s opinion, they could not arrive soon enough due to the fact that she had not seen her affianced all day thanks to the necessary preparations for the ball.
As they had been invited to arrive about an hour before the first guests, one carriage would make the journey back toLongbourn to convey the three companions who were waiting at that estate.
Hildebrand was waiting in the entrance hall when the Bennets arrived. Each time she saw them together, the love flowing between Lulu and Thomas warmed her heart. It was palpable; almost as if she could reach out and touch it. She smiled when she thought how keen three men in the drawing room were for the Bennet sisters to arrive.
As soon as they heard the sounds of the arriving carriages, all three men had been on the edge of their chairs, ready to spring up as soon as their favoured lady entered the room.
She did not want to keep the men in suspense, especially as all of the sisters and Anna looked like princesses in their ball gowns and coiffures. Between Lulu’s and Anna’s lady’s maids, the sisters’ hair had been styled by one adept at doing so.
For a brief moment, she thought of Caroline. How her niece would object if she knew that Charles intended to allow her much-beleaguered lady’s maid to have a trial with Jane as her mistress after they married. The poor girl had needed the weeks since her mistress had been sent away to recover from the horrendous way Caroline used to treat her. This night was not about anything as negative as Caroline, so Hildebrand pushed thoughts of her insane niece from her head. “Lulu, Thomas, nieces, and niece-to-be,” she winked at Anna when she said the last, causing Lizzy to blush as well. “Welcome, let us move to the drawing room where it is far warmer.”
As they walked, Hildebrand pulled Lulu into a hug. “Each time I see you, you look even happier than the time before. It makes my heart swell.”
“That is because every day, every hour, I find more reasons to love my husband. He is truly the best of men,” Louisa enthused. “Charles is the host; why is he not here togreet us?”
“Because of fairness. He elected to remain in the drawing room where William and Richard must wait for Lizzy and Mary,” Hildebrand revealed.
Before Louisa could respond, they reached the drawing room.
