Bennet was certain that Miss Bingley was not often asked to dance, thanks to the idiotic prejudices of most. However, she was adept at the activity. She was very light on her feet and danced like one who knew the steps very well.
“I hope my neighbours are not mistreating you, Miss Bingley,” Bennet stated when the dance brought them together.
“Over the years, as it began at home with my late mother and my younger sister, I have become inured to the staring and slights,” Louisa owned. She caught herself. Why was she being so open with this man? She would fathom that out later. “It is part of the human condition that many of us deride that which we do not understand.”
The dance separated them. “Is that why you wear a veil? I saw no reason to hide yourself away when I called atNetherfield Park,” Bennet said. “But you are correct, many are driven by their ignorance.”
For the first time in her life, Louisa was experiencing an attraction to a man in the romantic sense. She wondered if it could be because Mr Bennet was one of the first men outside of family members in Scarborough, Aunt Hildebrand, Charles, and her late father who saw her and not her birthmark.
Louisa had long since given up the dream of marriage and having her own family. Especially after her experience with that Mr Hurst those years ago at the carriage works in York. She knew that she needed to guard her heart.
Louisa realised that she had been lost in her thoughts and had not replied to Mr Bennet as the first dance of the set came to an end. Like others who had been dancing, she clapped politely to acknowledge the musicians. Then she turned back to Mr Bennet. “I used to wear the veil in public to save myself the stares and comments. As I do not allow them to wound me any longer, I wear it for the comfort of the ignoramuses you mentioned.”
Before Bennet could ask Miss Bingley if she required some refreshment, the second dance of the set began. Having discussed more weighty issues during the first dance, he now kept the conversation light. As the dance ended, Louisa found herself wishing it would continue.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As Bingley danced with Miss Bennet, he discovered that she was so much more than a beautiful face. She could converse sensibly on any topic, and from the half hour they danced together, he deduced that she had a broad spectrum of knowledge.
He was sorry when the dance was over. At the end he led Miss Bennet back to where her father and sisters were standingwith Lulu. He was very grateful Mr Bennet had danced with his older sister, and he had not missed the looks of joy on her face or the pleasure Aunt Hildebrand showed that a man was treating Lulu like a lady and not some damaged piece of baggage.
During his dance, he had momentarily thought that by now Caroline would have discovered she had been left at the estate. As quickly as he thought about his selfish, pretentious sister, he forgot about her and concentrated on his very pleasant dance partner.
The old Bingley would have asked Miss Bennet, and possibly Miss Mary, for a second set. Part of the process of maturing had been that he had realised that doing so raised expectations, and that was not something he would do, unless and until he found the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his days.
“Miss Bingley, are you dancing this set? If not, I would like to spend some time with you while I sit out the next set,” Elizabeth repeated her invitation just after Mr Bingley and Jane reached them.
“No, Miss Elizabeth, I am not engaged for the dances, so I will happily sit with you,” Louisa replied.
“Lizzy, Miss Bingley, you do not object if your aunt and I join you, do you?” Bennet wondered. On seeing the shaken heads, Bennet offered his arm to the older Miss Bingley and followed the other ladies to where they found four seats together.
Bingley led Miss Mary to the forming line. At the same time, Jane was collected by Julian Goulding for their dance.
Elizabeth found four open seats next to each other near the large potted plant in one corner. They were not aware that Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy was skulking on the other side of the pot doing his best to be invisible.
The four sat, with Elizabeth the farthest from the plant. She was next to the younger Miss Bingley, then the older one, and lastly Papa right next to the pot.
“Miss Bingley, will you not tell me of Yorkshire? I love studying maps, but I have never had the pleasure of travelling anywhere but London.” Elizabeth looked at Papa, who had his eyebrows raised. “I am not complaining, I love our life, but I would love to see more of this island.”
Bennet knew what Lizzy meant, but he had enjoyed teasing her into believing he did not.
It was not hard for Louisa to tell that Mr Bennet was jesting with his daughter. ‘He is a very good father, from what I am able to tell,’ she thought. “Miss Elizabeth, do I ask too much that you call me Louisa or Lulu?”
“No, Lulu, you do not. There is one condition, and that is that you address me as Elizabeth or Lizzy,” Elizabeth responded.
“As you know, Yorkshire is by far the largest county in the country,” Louisa began.
“Yes, I read it is over six thousand square miles in area and twice the size of the second county in size, which is Devonshire, which is just under two thousand six hundred square miles. I also saw that there are three Ridings: a North Riding, a West Riding, and an East Riding. And if the book was correct, they were created by the Danes in the ninth century, the borders all meeting in York.” Elizabeth blushed when she realised she had been regurgitating facts she had read some years past.
“I believe that is all accurate,” Hildebrand managed. “How is it you know so much about Yorkshire?”
“It is not only Yorkshire or counties. Lizzy hates to boast, but when she reads, sees, or hears something once, she neverforgets it, any of it,” Bennet revealed. “As she will tell you, it can be both a blessing and a curse.”
“In one of the books I read, it mentioned some very rare cases of those who have this type of recall. Lizzy, until meeting you, I thought it to be a myth,” Louisa said.
“It is very real,” Elizabeth responded with a sigh. “When my sisters have an ‘I said it, no you did not’ argument, which are few and far between, if one of them remembers I was present, they turn to me to settle the debate. The only problem is that one is always happy and the other not so much.”
“Miss Louisa Bingley, I understand you enjoy chess.” Bennet changed the subject away from Lizzy’s memory, knowing she was not very comfortable discussing her abilities.
