“It will be a crush, but I am still looking forward to attending the Queen’s ball, if only once, so I may say I have been to one,” Elizabeth said, but her eyes were locked onto William’s.
Seeing the way Elizabeth looked at him when she spoke, William was sure she wanted him to ask her a certain question as much as he wanted to ask her. How was he ever going to survive the season when, especially now that her true dowry was known, so many men would flock to her side, trying to win her favour?
There was no choice; he would survive it.
While William had been lost in thought, Aunt Edith and Lizzy prepared to leave. Had Richard not lightly punched his shoulder; William would have remained in the antechamber woolgathering.
“As one who had to wait, thank goodness not as long as I anticipated, to formalise my relationship with a Carrington-Bennet sister, I can sympathise with you, but we need to go now. It would not do for the Royal Guard to find you lost in your own world here once everyone else has departed,” Fitzwilliam ribbed as they walked.
“I am sure I would have realised I was alone before then, and besides, one of our party would have attracted my attention,” William returned, trying to use hauteur to disguise his embarrassment.
On arriving home, as her maid fought to take off the presentation dress, Elizabeth came close to ripping the hooped thing from her body.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
There had been a family dinner to celebrate Elizabeth’s presentation the night of the event. On Friday, the last items needing to be completed for the ball were undertaken.
Saturday, the day of the ball, the knocker was down at Holder House in the morning to allow those who would participate in the festivities of the night to rest and prepare as needed. All of Elizabeth’s sisters—which included Anna—would be in the house during the ball as well as Lilly Gardiner. The two youngest sisters had arrived on Friday with the Phillipses. Lawrence Phillips, who was ten, was at the Gardiners’ house so he could be with boys. Eddy Gardiner was almost nine, and Peter was almost seven. For Lawrence, it was far better to be with boys even if his parents and sisters were being hosted at Holder House.
Elizabeth bathed and began the process of dressing. Her gown was lowered over her head. Since it was not warm enough for silk yet, her ball gown was a dark-green satin empire-waisted garment. The cut was off her shoulders but did not display too much of herdécolletage,like so many were wont to do. The sleeves ended just above her elbows where her off-white gloves ended. As her maid tamed her wild tresses, Elizabeth stood in front of the full-length mirror in her dressing room. The colour of her gown made her eyes stand out even more. She knew William, who had mentioned how much he liked her eyes, would be pleased by the effect on them.
Elizabeth had been presented with a set of jewels similar to the ones Jane had been given before her coming out ball. The difference was that hers were diamonds and emeralds. Therivièrehad a rather large emerald in its centre. When the maid was done placing the diamond-tipped pins in the work of art she had achieved with her mistress’s normally unmanageable locks, Elizabeth almost felt like the reflection in the mirror was a princess, not her. She, who used to love playing in the mud and climbing trees, looked like a sophisticated woman, not that little girl.
Her sisters, led by Jane and Charlotte, entered her bedchamber to gush over her ensemble. Mary, Kitty, Anna, and Lydia all dreamed of the day it would be their turn. As Mary had turned seventeen in January past, her time was not very far off.
When the sisters filed out of the bedchamber, they were replaced by Edith and Holder.
“Lizzy, you look beautiful,” Edith enthused.
“I second your mother’s statement,” Holder stated. Before William left the house after the ball, he intended to invite him for a meeting on Monday. As much as the thought of Lizzy also leaving his protection was not pleasant, he knew that with William his daughter would always be well cared for, respected, and loved.
“We need to go to the receiving line now, but you know where to stand so your papa may collect you to join the ball after Mr Fenster announces you, do you not?” Edith verified.
“Yes, Mama, I will wait just where Jane did at her ball,” Elizabeth confirmed.
With kisses on her cheeks from both, Edith and Holder made their way down to where they would welcome the guests.
Just like it had been at Jane’s ball, Edith told the younger girls, from Mary on down, that they were allowed to be seated on the landing until the end of the second set. Mrs Healy and Mrs Annesley were in attendance to make sure there would be compliance.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Once Lady Elizabeth was announced and escorted down to the ballroom by her father, she was swamped by men wanting an introduction and to request a set. Word soon spread that every single one of her sets had already been spoken for. A few men noted the looks which passed between Lady Elizabeth and the Darcy heir. They promised to watch carefully to confirm or repudiate their suspicions.
Even though he and his parents had arrived before the time on the invitation, William had not seen Lizzy because she was being prepared for the night. Hence, when she descended the stairs into the ballroom on Holder’s arm, he thought he was seeing an angel. She always looked beautiful, but tonight, she looked exceptionally so.
When she came closer, William saw the love shining in her incredible eyes, and it was directed at him.
The men, who had planned to impress Lady Elizabeth when they danced with her, were rather put out. Any man who for an instant thought of a less than honourable way to claim her massive dowry took one look at the huge, ever-watchful footmen posted about the ballroom and decided that his health was worth more than the dowry. Additionally, noting the vigilance of her male relatives, no one would take a chance here.
The first set with her father was very enjoyable, as were the following dances with her uncles and Jamey. The one Elizabeth anticipated more than any other was the supper set.
Any of those watching, and who cared to see reality, could see that, like Lady Jane had been at her ball, Lady Elizabeth was already taken. The denied men mitigated their disappointment by telling themselves there was still Lady Mary to come out, and they would have a chance with her.
After supper, Elizabeth danced with some of her cousins and Mr Bingley, which brought her to the final set of dances. Much to her delight, the second dance of the final two would be a waltz.
As Elizabeth and William danced the final dance of the ball, any man who had not already realised he had less than no chance of capturing her attention was now aware of that fact.
When the dance came to an end, neither Elizabeth nor William wanted to relinquish the other, but they had to.
